Have you turned your eyes upon Jesus? Where’s your focus?
ROMANS 10: 5-15
MATTHEW 14: 222-33
AUGUST 9, 2026 – FOCUS SERMON SERIES
I became acquainted with a man named Don Crigger this week. He’s a deacon in one of my brother’s two churches but more importantly, he’s one of those friends people in my brother Mark’s circumstances can count on … a mere human being in this messed up world whose faith in God and in Jesus Christ clearly are his focus in life. Don Crigger is someone who is there when another is in need; he’s a man ready to step up and serve God not in simple words but through loving actions.
There’s a Greek for it … yes, another Greek word this week. I promise that I am not starting a Greek study group but the Greek word that came to mind is “DIAKONIA.” It’s another one of those Greek words that doesn’t translate easily into English. English Bibles often insert the word ‘ministry’ or ‘service’ or even ‘relief’ but it’s a word that encourages the faithful to FOCUS … FOCUS in on God’s call to serve God through our lives, in our actions rather than sitting back through inaction and not stepping up in faith. In Acts DIAKONIA is used when the disciples discover that poor widows were not being fed and the TWELVE called a meeting to ensure that the widows received DIAKONIA … the service of food and relief that they deserved. The Greek word literally means providing service as in the scattering of dust covering much. In Colossians Paul uses it by saying “see to it that you complete the ministry that you received in the Lord.” Jesus models DIAKONIA by washing His disciples’ feet … in Matthew 25, DIAKONIA is used when Jesus teaches about SERVING the LEAST amongst us.
And, in Mark’s Gospel … we read, ““Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.”” DIAKONIA … SERVICE … FOCUS on JESUS … caring for those in need, those who are suffering, the least amongst us … people of faith slave to all. FOCUS! FOCUSED on JESUS in our lives.
Our word Deacon comes from this word and this man Don … he’s a deacon. In speaking with Don, it became abundantly clear to me where his life focus is … Don is not preachy nor does Don wear a cross dangling from his neck nor even a WWJD bracelet. Don’s focus is on Jesus Christ … in the terrifying moments of seeing a friend diagnosed with cancer and knowing that his friend is now dealing with kidney failure … Don never took his eyes off of Jesus. He is encouraged by Jesus … he is empowered by Jesus to use his life skills, his simple abilities … he’s a commercial real estate guy who could easily say that his job keeps him busy, he could say no because precious personal life realities keep him from taking on any worldly challenges of God and Christ … but no, he came to the hospital on a work day and since he met me he has been in regular contact … missional contact … praying contact with a stranger named Dave Delaney, which he didn’t have to do … he’s my brother’s friend but I could easily be an afterthought that he could have chosen not to help because others could. We texted this morning.
Church, when you notice someone who is struggling … when you hear of someone who is hurting … when you discover that there are poor individuals amongst us are you quick to say I can’t … I won’t … I don’t have time … I am too old … I am too young … let someone else do it … they deserve their fate and not my help … I have better ways to use my money. Do you turn your eyes away from Jesus or like this man who is now part of my life … is it clear from your actions, from your words and from your valuing of God’s Word … that your essential focus in life is on Christ and on how you can serve God in this life knowing that the teaching lesson of Jesus when asked how one can receive eternal life was the story of that Good Samaritan who crossed over … to bandage and feed and care for a stranger.
FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS … God’s ongoing call to the faithful … to believers … even to the large swaths of humanity who continue to reject God’s reality and God’s love through Christ comes down to serving others. Caring for the poor. From the Torah in the beginning of our Bibles right through the end in Revelation. SERVICE as a reflection of love of God and of all of our neighbors. SERVICE is a God expectation not a mere request.
Last week I shared the Greek word, “Koinonia,” as I talked about our need to have an intimate fellowship with God and Christ. When we establish that fellowship … that Koinonia the natural progression is how do we live it out DIAKONIA… the great song of the church we sang earlier is reflective of this step … TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS … LOOK FULL IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE and then we need to listen.
In the midst of the nighttime sea storm, the disciples saw Jesus walking towards them on the water. You know the story … you heard it again today … Peter in all his brashness challenges Jesus … if it’s you ORDER ME to come to you and Jesus issues the order, “Come.”
There are so many people who identify their faith as real, but who want to hear an order. If they are not in that intimate focused relationship with God it’s so easy to wait … to care for oneself but not others. The excuse being God … never spoke to me. God never provided explicit and clear directions. I have never read the Gospels … oops, you can ignore that excuse. But so many do not recognize DIAKONIA as part of faith’s focus.
Peter heard the order … he stepped up one leg after the other … I can imagine the moment can’t you … waves splashing over the boat … darkness … a shadowy Jesus … perhaps the moon was out by then, we don’t know. Have you ever tried to step on water … I can tell you … if you try it off the side of a pool you will initially feel wetness and then a sinking feeling … you are going down … not sure what Peter thought or felt but he got out of the boat and his feet didn’t sink … step by step … towards Jesus following the directive of Christ … until that darn wind started and Peter’s eyes left Jesus … he was no longer in service for God … he was focused on self and he sank desperately needing rescue as the water covered him.
Jesus pulled him up … was it a whisper or a shout to the man who would later deny Christ three times that we know of … “YOU MAN OF WEAK FAITH … why oh why did you begin to have doubts?” We don’t know if Jesus carried him or swam with him, but Peter made it back to the boat … those witnessing the rescue paused in the moment to worship Jesus …
Where are your eyes focused when the winds of the world slap your face … where are your eyes focused when that breakfast with friends is planned … when someone suggests a Sunday morning practice for the kids’ sports’ team where are your eyes focused? Where’s your heart … do you hear the call of KOINONIA with God or have you turned your eyes away?
I discovered the Red Bird Mission in 2005. I was serving at Central United Methodist Church with Pastor Ron Watts, and we knew that the church needed a mission that any one of any age and ability could step up for. After doing some searching, I found Red Bird down in the hills of Kentucky. Red Bird had been a mission for Christ since 1921 serving poor people … hurting people … strangers in need. Red Bird established a medical clinic, which still exists. Red Bird provided food to the hungry, which it still does. And, later on Red Bird began to fix the homes of those in need … no judgment ever as to whether the poor, the hungry, and the hurting should figure out how to take care of themselves … because frankly God and Christ never said to judge the hurting before helping them. It disturbs me greatly when I hear of people including some clergy who make a judgment call saying some people don’t deserve their help or service.
My first Red Bird trip was in 2006, Tim and Sue Hogan who are with us this morning went on that trip with me. I can’t remember how many others went with us and all I remember was our team put a roof on someone’s home. I remember the blessings of going with kids and with seniors even though my skills are and were limited. We sang songs of faith, we ate ice cream, and we met kids and seniors from other churches. Everyone stepping up and many going far beyond their comfort zones to serve God and Christ with smiles … serve neighbors and strangers without judgment but with love.
Some of my best life memories occurred at Red Bird. Red Bird to Uganda and onto the streets of Atlantic City serving the homeless strangers in need of help not judgment. Served with love not castigation. Something special happens when you step up for God.
Those who have been to Red Bird can attest to the joy of teenagers in mission … I wish I had enough words to celebrate each person who went to Red Bird. Those who poured out their sweat, who worked until their muscles ached. Skilled people and unskilled people of all ages who said YES, I CAN … I WILL GO … and so many lives we changed. One Red Bird team will always remember Mr. Terry Montgomery and the impact we had on his life … he even was hoping one member of our team would stay with him. Tanya stays in contact with members of this church and we have all made special friends through Red Bird … I will never think of the state of Ohio the same way because of Red Bird OH – IO!
DIAKONIA … SERVICE, MINISTRY, using what gifts God has given us and our being willing because of our relationship with God to scatter those gifts like dust on strangers in need. On people calling out for help. NO JUDGMENT … just love coming from our focused relationship with God and Christ. Dedicating our lives to focusing our eyes on Jesus Christ while living as the individuals God has created us to be.
FOCUS in faith comes down to our minds, our hearts, and our souls. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus directs those hearing Him … “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first commandment and the second is love all your neighbors as yourself.” I will continue to talk about FOCUS but weeks one and two KOINONIA and DIAKONIA.
Deacon Don shared his favorite Scripture with me … he says he reads these verses every day. WE shared favorite verses down in Virginia Beach … here are his from Romans,
“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good in order to build them up. So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS … and make the decision to actually follow Him by serving him out in this world. That’s why we go to RED BIRD … that’s why missions matter … as Linus might say, “that’s what faith is all about Charlie Brown.” AMEN