DO YOU WANT TO BE TOLD?
2 KINGS 2: 1-12
2 CORINTHIANS 4: 5-15
MARCH 14, 2021 – SEASON of LENT
Initiative … initiative my friends according to the dictionary is the energy or the aptitude displayed in creating action. It is the ability to be resourceful and work without always being told what to do. It requires resilience and determination. Initiative … People who show initiative demonstrate they can think for themselves and take action when necessary. It means using your head and having the drive to achieve.
This morning, as we move forward in the season of Lent; a time of opportunity to grow closer to God; a preset group of calendar days for faith renewal; and we are again given an opportunity to actively participate in a faith-filled journey towards Easter or perhaps for some of you it’s just the season for acknowledging or hoping that Spring will push winter’s cool comfortable breezes aside …
Are you willing to be a person of faith with resiliency and determination using the knowledge you already have through the Scriptures to make a difference for God? To be a change maker or perhaps I will use the words of Jesus when he referenced who the Children of God would be … during His Sermon on the Mount … peace makers, yes peacemakers … or another phrase of Jesus … be a witness to the world teaching others to obey everything Jesus commanded; DISCIPLE MAKERS. Is that you? A faith-filled person with a willingness to show initiative in your faith life? What SERVICE can you offer for God’s purposes as part of your life. Is this the season when you raise your hand to declare IT IS ME LORD? CALL ON ME!
CAN I HEAR A WITNESS? In the pre-COVID days … that challenge might be shouted out in some of our neighboring churches where congregations would be actively engaged in worship. If you can imagine churches where worship was essential to the people rather than a focus on the passing of time on congregational wrist watches or the constant glancing down at the time measured accurately on phones. The countdown to coffee and breakfast … LORD, the world needs a witness!!!
So, my question for you and for me to seriously consider not just in these brief moments but in the remaining few weeks of LENT … is what connection do we have to what we call our faith in God … our trust in Jesus Christ … our acceptance of the Holy Spirit. Is there such a powerful influence on the men and women we are that when we wake up in the morning we are ready to use all the blessed gifts and abilities and talents we have been given in our individuality first and foremost to be a witness for Christ; verifying our acknowledgement of God? Are we ready and willing to use our lives to showcase and celebrate our personal relationship with God established out of a mutual love that God extended to us through Jesus Christ. Is He our Savior? Lord? Master? Do we do what He asked His disciples, followers, and believers to do?
When you wake up do you sense the Holy Spirit’s nudging to use the gifts and abilities you have for God … to show initiative daily in the words and images you post on social media … in the conversations you have … in the messages you provide to the children of God whom God has placed in your lives whether they are of school age or busy living in their adult worlds? Do you find God’s willingness to forgive as a reason to put more on God’s list when it comes to you … and are you remembering to always forgive others?
When you look in the mirror in the morning are you thinking … ‘I am ready to take on the world for God’ … COME HOLY SPIRIT COME … In that reflection do you sense the prophet’s words affirmed in you and your life knowing that the Lord REQUIRES a person of faith the word REQUIRES is the Biblical word for it not do if you feel like it … the Lord requires people of faith to do justice, embrace faithful love for all, and to walk humbly with God.
CAN I HEAR A WITNESS THIS MORNING … Oh dear Lord, I so need to hear witnesses who have woken up with one less hour on the today’s schedule who are actively focused on new ways to bring the light of Jesus Christ to others. Friends, do you treasure and use the energy and aptitude God has created in you to bring about action and change … or HAVE YOU DECIDED … that you need more … or perhaps others will do your work?
DO YOU REQUIRE A BURNING BUSH MOMENT? … Are you hesitant or even so reluctant in your faith walk that you need to see flames from the bushes in front of your homes with the voice of God calling you by name out loud and specifically giving instructions … do you need to press your fingers into the wounds like Thomas before you will consider actions you are capable of … do you say, let others do something while resisting each Holy Spirit nudge to do anything or do you even accept the Holy Spirit’s direction to not do something that goes against Scripture even though your friends cheer you on with a like or a heart next to your posts when your posts meet their desires but not God’s intent … because after all God isn’t speaking out loud not even putting a dislike next to your posts, words, or actions. It is easy to put God aside.
It seems that our human condition energizes us when we are allowed not to do anything … our human condition in this year 2021 has conditioned us to only do what we are asked to do and then obviously if we don’t like what we are asked to do we won’t do it or we will kick, whine, and scream even if our actions can save lives.
I only look to the numbers in our Sunday School that frankly should be higher than our teachers can handle if calls were being made weekly to those we know with children yet only a few children between ages 4 and grade 6 join the ZOOM … Oh I know the excuses … the kids are overwhelmed with ZOOM rooms … the kids have shows to watch and relax with on TV on Sunday mornings … oh our precious youth sports leagues … God’s not there telling us to connect our kids with God so we don’t have to, right?
But, what did Paul write? “God, said that light should shine out of darkness. He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the light of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. We have the same faithful spirit as what is written in scripture, “I had faith, and so I spoke. We also have faith, and so we speak.” And, church this morning consider this next phrase of Paul’s in his letter to the church or Corinth, “We speak because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and he will bring us into His presence. As grace increases to benefit more and more people it will cause gratitude to increase, which results in God’s glory.”
The Season of Lent is truthfully established for believers … people hopefully like you and me … beginning with Ash Wednesday it leads us through a time of sacrifice of us for the sake of the Holy. And, truthfully when we connect with the Holy and establish more than a passing relationship we are given the opportunity to reestablish hope, joy, peace, and love the exceeds human understanding … the goal of the calendar subsection called Lent is to set us on an exercise program for success. After the season of COVID I think we all could use this reconnection just as much as many of us in this Spring of 2021 need to get on the anti-COVID diets because our wardrobes find only sweats and expandable waist line pants still fitting us.
I didn’t extend the reading in chapter 4 of Second Corinthians but Paul continues, “Even if our bodies are breaking down on the outside, the person we are on the inside is being renewed every day. Our temporary minor problems are producing an eternal stockpile of glory for us that is beyond all comparison. We don’t focus on the things can can be seen but on the things that can’t be seen. The things that can be seen don’t last … but the things that can’t be seen are eternal.”
The concept of SERVICE for God … SERVICE for JESUS … SERVICE for the church of God is truly something that most church attenders have always pushed aside. Amazing faith leaders have always stepped up to take on innumerable tasks that have allowed churches to stay open and programs that care for others to do their thing but across the globe the ages of those doing those tasks have increased … the future workers are not being mentored by those who have done the work for so long … small groups of eager adults wanting to dig into God’s Word don’t have time due to obligations … and so we gather together this morning …
Did you sing MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS THAN JESUS BLOOD and RIGHTEOUSNESS? Do you believe that … was that song a song where you looked up or paused and said THANK YOU GOD … do you sense an urgent need to worship God and Sunday is when we have established a chance to sing praises not to each other but to God and the hosts of Glory in heaven acknowledging our love for God … yes, you get a pastor here to challenge you and get you thinking but did you sing and do you believe THE SPLENDOR of the KING … CLOTHED IN MAJESTY … LET ALL THE EARTH REJOICE … LET ALL THE EARTH REJOICE. Can you sing with me … HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD … NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES … WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE … MY HEART WILL SING HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
Are you ready to sing … CAN I GET A WITNESS? Do you have the slightest interest in showing some initiative in your faith walk … do you have a story to tell of your life with God and Jesus Christ?
This is the season of Lent friends … I have asked each of you to consider writing an AFFIRMATION of FAITH for the church to state together in worship on Sunday’s. This morning we shared Patty Fish’s beautiful and moving affirmation … I loved stating the many names of God and her referencing the beginning of John’s Gospel spoke so strongly to me … NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES … WORTHY of ALL PRAISE.
I am surprised that the only other Affirmations that have been submitted so far come from online friends who worship with us. One from Nebraska and one from New York State. As I read their words of faith there was a connection of church, God and Christ. How do you affirm your faith? What words do you have in their complicity or their complexity that reveal what God means to you?
I want to again challenge you this morning to write an AFFIRMATION of FAITH. I spoke to the woman in New York who sent me the Affirmation of Faith we will be sharing on Palm Sunday. She told me that in writing what she believed she suddenly felt a clarification of how God and Christ relates to her life. She found God speaking to her as she wrote her words for all of us to share.
To complete the year 2021 we need approximately 40 more AFFIRMATIONS of FAITH. We have believers of all ages who worship with us … make it a family project or have your kids write affirmations …. Do it with joy and yes, I am asking for it but sense God’s love pouring through your words.
And, then consider who you are … who has God molded you into being at this point in your life.
It was 52 weeks ago today that Bob Platt, Zack Beidle, and I posed for a photo here in the front of the church because we were all wearing the same St. Patrick’s Day tie. There are great smiles on our faces even though I had announced that we were closing church for a couple of weeks.
It is still not safe to reopen the church to everyone … we are being loving and using the wisdom God has given to us … we are remaining those who come here to worship not to get close to each other inside the building when church ends and masks are being worn … but I don’t need a witness to declare how much we all want to be back together as the St. Paul’s Church family.
Please make plans to join in our Palm Sunday Parade at noon on the 28th and invite friends (Register on the website)! Join us on Easter morning for the sunrise service at 630 or one of the other two services. Let Holy Week be a Holy Week for you!
But friends, consider who God wants you to be … who God needs you to be … and then without a voice in a burning bush … without an e-mail from Jesus but just because you have your faith and your heart and your brain take the initiative to do something for God … WE HAVE FAITH and SO WE SPEAK!
I watched One Night in Miami yesterday and the film closes with the great Sam Cooke song, A CHANGE is GONNA COME … his lyrics fit in today as we move forward to no longer sit back … “It’s been a long time coming but I know a change gonna come. Oh, yes it will.” AMEN