The Way of Gratitude: Thanks

Luke 17:11-19 

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” 

What happens when you forget to be thankful?

Have you ever pondered the consequences of missing the opportunities to be thankful in your life?

This story in Luke’s Gospel is one of my favorites.

Jesus comes across ten lepers.

In Jesus’ day, people who had leprosy or any kind of clearly visible and highly contagious disease were ostracized from the rest of society.

They were viewed as unclean.

Not only did a leper have to deal with a sometimes irritating often painful disease, but they also were cut off from their family, friends, and community.

It is hard to imagine what that life would have been like

All of a sudden --- as Jesus enters a village --- ten men with leprosy see Jesus and the text tells us that they kept their distance (as the law --- the rules of the day required) but called out to him.  

“Jesus, Master, show us mercy!”

Without a doubt, they were hoping that, this miracle worker that they have been hearing about might heal them.

I find it interesting, that Luke doesn’t tell us that Jesus does anything for these men --- notice he never tells us that he heals them --- instead Jesus simply says to them: “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

Why have them go and show themselves to the priest?

Because the priests would have the final say on whether or not they were truly healed and whether or not they could be welcomed back into the community.

As they begin walking away --- (we are not sure what they are thinking or where they are going.)

          Are they on their way to see a priest?

Or have they decided Jesus isn’t going to do anything for them and so they are walking away?

But as they go --- SOMETHING has happened

          And one of them recognizes this.

And the story says, that when he realized he was clean he turned back.

Now, the story doesn’t tell us how quickly this took place.

If you go and look at the Sunday School pictures they tend to make it look like they got about 3 steps from Jesus and WOW – they are healed --- the one turns back and the other three continue on their selfish way

But that might not be what happened

They may have gone some considerable distance --- between themselves and Jesus --- by the time they were healed.

          And again --- we really don’t know where they were going

Regardless, of how quickly, or how much time had passed --- one of the lepers saw that he was now healed and he went and found Jesus and told him thanks.

And then Luke throws in a little aside --- which for most of us doesn’t mean much

Luke tells us that this man --- the one of the 10 who returned to tell God thanks --- Luke tells us that he was a Samaritan

Why is that a big deal?

          Because the Samaritans were despised by the Jewish people

                   They saw them as half-breeds

                             Not pure Jews

          Jesus wasn’t supposed to have anything to do with them.

But Luke wants us to know --- first, that Jesus healed a Samaritan, and second that this Samaritan stopped and gave God thanks.

And it begs a question: How often is giving God thanks a priority in our lives? 

We may pray before we eat a meal and tell God thanks

We might even write a note or say thanks when someone gives us a gift or does something nice for us?

But, how often do you give thanks for the people around you?

Too often we get so busy, so wrapped up in the chaos of life, that we fail to say thanks to those all around us

·         Students --- when was the last time you said thanks to your teachers for all that they do to help you grow and learn?

·         Employees --- when was the last time you said thanks to your employers for the opportunities they give you?

·         Employers --- when was the last time you said thanks to your employees for the hard work and dedication they give?

·         Children --- when was the last time you said thanks to your parents?

·         Parents --- when was the last time you said thanks to your children?

Obviously, I could go on and on

          But the question is still there --- how good are we at giving thanks?

We don’t often thank those around us who serve us, help us, lead us, and direct us.

It’s not that we don’t appreciate it, but we are just so busy.

We have things to do.

We’ve got to get to the priests --- or the Colts game --- we don’t have time to go back for thanksgiving.

What happens when we fail to be grateful?

I don’t know about you --- but I know what happens to me

          I become irritable

                   Not fun to be around

          I start taking things for granted

          And I know that my ungratefulness can rub off on other people

We all know what it is like to be with ungrateful people

But we also know what it is to be around someone who is truly grateful

          They are a joy to be with

          Their attitude is contagious --- it also tends to rub off on us

Jesus tells us something else happens when we live with gratefulness --- and this may be the most important

Do you know what follows this story in Luke’s Gospel?

Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s kingdom was coming. He replied, “God’s kingdom isn’t coming with signs that are easily noticed. Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ Don’t you see? God’s kingdom is already among you.”

Jesus follows up the story of the man who showed gratitude by telling us about the very presence of the kingdom

Jesus is saying: Grateful people are kingdom people

If you want to experience the kingdom of God --- it is found in giving thanks!

But how do we do it?

Henri Nouwen has said:

Gratitude is the awareness that life in all its manifestations is a gift for which we want to give thanks. The closer we come to God in prayer, the more we become aware of the abundance of God’s gifts to us. . . .Thus gratitude becomes a quality of our hearts that allows us to live joyfully and peacefully . . .

Ultimately, I am convinced that gratitude is a choice --- a way of life

Again Nouwen writes:

Gratitude...goes beyond the “mine” and “thine” and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.

Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. . . . The choice for gratitude rarely comes without some real effort. But each time I make it, the next choice is a little easier, a little freer, a little less self-conscious. . . . There is an Estonian proverb that says: “Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.” Acts of gratitude make one grateful because, step by step, they reveal that all is grace.

I was listening to a Podcast by Rona Renner and Dr. Christine Carter, and was intrigued by something they said.

          Their opinion is --- gratitude is a learned behavior

The more we practice gratitude --- the more that we will experience it

          And the more that we will see things all around us that we are thankful for

One of the jokes in my family is that my dad, who at times as he has gotten older can be a bit of a curmudgeon --- has developed this amazing attitude toward eating out.

Every time that I have gone out with him over the last three or four years --- at the conclusion of the meal he will declare it the best meal ever.

          EVERY SINGLE TIME

I have to admit – that some --- not so great meals --- were better because of his attitude.

But isn’t that attitude so much better than finding fault?      

          Finding fault is easy

          Living in gratitude takes hard work

How does one develop an attitude of gratitude?

1.    You have to work at it

2.    You have to open your eyes to see things to be thankful for

The best way that I have found to do this is by taking time every day to write down what I am thankful for.

Every evening, before putting their children to bed, Renner and Carter ask their children to share something that they were thankful for that day.

The amazing thing that they have noticed is that the children do it now throughout the day --- without even being asked

          It becomes second nature

                   A part of one’s life

You can go out and buy a gratitude journal

Or I have provided for you a link to a free online one

          https://gratefulness.org/practice/private-gratitude-journal/

Give it a try and see what will happen

I am convinced --- that the more thankful we are --- the more real the kingdom of God becomes.

The more we live in God’s kingdom --- the more we have to be thankful for

So, what are you thankful for?

          Who do you need to thank today?

Take some time and share your gratitude -- and you will be blessed --- for the kingdom will have drawn close

Give thanks --- in each and every moment.

Tolerably Well

Psalm 23    (NRSV)

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
    he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
    I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff—
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.

One of the things that I have heard from my friends who don't live in the United States is that we have a rather unique custom --- OK we have many unique customs --- but this is one that I frequently hear about.

Let me ask you: When you meet somebody --- how do you greet them?

We often great each other by saying: "Good Morning, How Are You?" and we answer "fine" or "I am good" and move along --- because the truth of the matter is --- we really are not asking how you are doing --- and we don't really want an answer.

Because if you give us truthful answer --- we might be stuck in a conversation that we really are not interested in.

I mentioned in our weekly email that I had the privilege to attend the funeral of Frank Gossett's father.  It was held in a beautiful church on the west side of town and the service featured amazing music from the church choir and a number of pastors and others sharing about Frank's dads life.

When his pastor finally got up to give the witness he based his message on the 23rd Psalm and a phrase that Frank's dad would often use.

When asked how he was doing he would say: TOLERABLY WELL

I don't know about you, but I was fascinated by that phrase.

Some scripture speak so deeply to our souls that we memorize them so that they are always right there in our hearts and minds.

Without a doubt, Psalm 23 is one of those.

         For some of you, it is best when read in the King James Version

Psalm 23  (KJV)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

That certainly is the version that is imprinted on my soul.

Someone once said that:

"The psalm itself is green pasture; the psalm itself is still water; the psalm itself restores my soul."

What I love about the 23rd Psalm is how personal it is.

Did you notice that there are no references to "we" or "us" or "they," but only "my" and "me" and "I" and "You."

Tradition says that David wrote this Psalm following the betrayal and death of his son Absalom.

And I can't tell you how many times this Psalm has been requested by a family when they are experiencing a loss.

Obviously, part of what speaks to us is David's pathos and vulnerablity --- but also I think it is the simple beauty of the Psalm.

         And within this simple Psalm are all aspects of life.

                  green pastures and still waters

                  dark valleys, enemies and adversities

But we also are able to sense David's personal experience with God.

         David is not writing as a poet in writing in some garret

                  He is writing as someone who has been there

That is what I love about this Psalm

David writes not about OUR shepherd --- or even Your shepherd--- he writes about HIS Shepherd

"The Lord is my Shepherd. He makes me lie down . . . He leads me . . . He restores my soul."

He goes on:

"I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me . . . You anoint my head with oil."

And he ends:

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

David understood pain

Absalom, his son, had tried to overthrow his father, David --- and actually was successful for a time.

         But in the end, Absalom was killed in the battle of Ephraim's Wood.

When David heard of his death he cries out:

“Oh, my son Absalom! Oh, my son! My son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! Oh, Absalom, my son! My son!”      2 Samuel 18:33  (CEB)

His kingdom was in jeopardy

         His beloved son was dead

And yet David sang this song of trust

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Horatio Spafford, was a prominent Chicago attorney and devout Christian.  His buisness was thriving and he owned several properties thoughout the city.  He and his beloved wife had four beautiful daughters and one son.

         Horatio felt blessed

Just as Horatio seemed "to make it" their son died in a tragic accident.  And then, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed virtually every property that he owned.

In 1873, Horatio decided to treat his wife and daughters to a much-needed escape from the turmoil.

He sent them on a boat trip to Europe, with plans to join them shortly after wrapping up some business in Chicago.

Just a few days later, he received a dreadful telegram from his wife, “Saved alone…”

It bore the excruciating news that family’s ship had collided with another ship and all four of his daughters had perished.

Horatio was on his way to meet his heartbroken wife, passing over the same sea that had just claimed the lives of his remaining children. It was then that he put his pen to paper and wrote these words:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

We sang this beautiful song Friday as we gathered to remember Dr. Jim Cumming's life.

These are some powerful words that often comfort us in times of pain --- much like those of Psalm 23

But it wasn't until I came across this story that I began to rethink it.

Zack Hunt shares his story:

When my wife and I suffered our first miscarriage, circumstances dictated that I would find myself driving alone that night through western Massachusetts back to Connecticut.

I sat in absolute silence for the first leg of the trip, unable to do anything other than keep the steering wheel straight and my foot on the gas pedal.

The silence hurt, but the prospect of listening to other people’s happiness on the radio hurt even more.

I sat in that painful silence for a long time, thinking about what could have been, what should have been, tears rolling down my cheeks as I fought the urged to scream profanities at God.

Then something strange happened.

Or at least it was strange to me because it was not the sort of thing I had ever found myself doing before.

I felt somehow compelled to sing and without consciously willing myself to do so, the words seemed to force themselves across my lips, words I had not sang or even thought about for many years.

He goes on:

How he could pen the words “It is well with my soul” after such an unimaginable tragedy baffles the mind. If I put pen to paper in such a moment I’m sure I would be far more likely to curse God than write a song praising God for “blest assurance” and “peace like a river.” In trying to understand how Spafford could possibly write such beautiful, hopeful words in the aftermath of such a painful, hopeless experience, I’ve long chalked it up to him simply being a better Christian than I, a man with far stronger faith in God than I can even begin to comprehend.

But as I find myself singing Spafford’s hymn once more as I mourn the death of a friend taken from her family far, far too soon, I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps I’ve misunderstood Spafford all these years.

I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps Spafford wasn’t so much penning words of praise in the midst of tragedy as he was trying to convince himself everything was going to be ok.

Instead of hearing “it is well” as joyful words, I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps Spafford was taking on the mantle of the Psalmist and the writer of Lamentations and countless other biblical writers – even Jesus himself – who have bared the naked anguish of their soul to God in times when it felt like God had abandoned them.

Perhaps instead of hearing “it is well” as a way of putting a smile on a difficult situation, we should hear Spafford trying to convince himself that despite all evidence to the contrary, everything is going to be ok.

Perhaps instead of singing “It is well” as an act of praise, Spafford sang it as an act of protest against the hopelessness that surrounded him and the pain that threatened to overcome his soul.

Or maybe that’s just how I find myself singing it today.

I long for peace like a river and blest assurance would be great right about now but truth be told, they feel like a hopeless mirage.

And yet I still find myself singing those words.

I think that is the same message that Frank's dad was saying when he would proclaim that he was Tolerably Well.

He wasn't saying everything was fine --- but he was saying that in the midst of the hardships --- the pain --- the tragedies --- that all would be well.

And until then he was Tolerably Well

We all know what pain and hurt is like

         We can let it destroy us --- consume us --- if we are not careful

Or we can stand with the Psalmist, with Horatio Spafford and Frank's dad and remind the world that even when things aren't right we remain Tolerably Well because:

Psalm 23  (KJV)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Me or We

Matthew 6:25-34   (NRSV)

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

I just want to start by saying thank you to everyone who offered up suggestions on sermon ideas for next year.

         You have given me some great ideas

And you still have a couple of weeks to get the ideas in before I take a couple of days to try and really listen where I believe God through the Holy Spirit is wanting me to help lead this congregation.

Secondly, I encourage you to ask yourself where God is inviting you to help lead here at Meridian Street. 

In our membership vows we promise to support the church with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness.

When we all use our God given gifts in the way that God intended --- our impact on the world grows massively!

So please fill out your "Please Consider Me" form

This past week I had the opportunity to travel to Kansas City to join together with 2500 other United Methodists and dream about the future of the UMC

It was a short trip

I left home at 5am on Wednesday and caught a flight so that I could be at the Church of the Resurrection by the time the conference started at 9am

Friday, as the conference ended I flew back to Indy (my 8pm flight was delayed repeatedly --- and I got home at 3:30 am) just in time for Anne Swope's funeral yesterday morning.

While in Kansas City

         We prayed together

                  challenged each other

                           sought solutions to the terrible spot that the church is in right now

                                    and dreamed about what might be next after the General Conference in May

I left feeling hopeful

         that despite whatever happens --- a new expression of the UMC will be born

But we were also were reminded that we have been in this predicament before --- with good, well intentioned people on both sides of an issue using the Bible to support their individual understanding of scripture

Our opening worship began with two UMC bishops reading scripture

         1 Corinthians 14:34-35

in all the churches of the saints, women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

1 Timothy 2:8-15

I want men to pray everywhere by lifting up hands that are holy, without anger or argument. In the same way, I want women to enhance their appearance with clothing that is modest and sensible, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive clothes. They should make themselves attractive by doing good, which is appropriate for women who claim to honor God.

A wife should learn quietly with complete submission. I don’t allow a wife to teach or to control her husband. Instead, she should be a quiet listener. Adam was formed first, and then Eve. Adam wasn’t deceived, but rather his wife became the one who stepped over the line because she was completely deceived. But a wife will be brought safely through childbirth, if they both continue in faith, love, and holiness, together with self-control.

What made this reading so striking was --- both bishops were women

It wasn't that long ago that woman were finally granted full clergy rites in the UMC --- anybody have any idea when that happened?

         1956

In 1980 Marjorie Matthews was the first woman consecrated as a bishop in the UMC

         She was elected in our jurisdiction and served in Wisconsin

And then we were reminded of another difficult time in the church

We merged, as a denomination, in 1939 --- to end the separation that resulted over slavery and created The Methodist Church from the Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church South and Methodist Protestant Church.

The Southern church only agreed to union after a compromise created a jurisdiction based exclusively on race — not geography.

Nineteen black annual conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church were placed in the Central Jurisdiction and the white conferences were placed in five regional jurisdictions.

        

In other words, we created our own Jim Crow rules within the Methodist Church

I hate to say this --- but neither of those battles are completely over

         Women clergy are in many places not considered equal to a man

Do you remember the challenges when Cindi Alte was named interim senior pastor when Bill Schwein left?

Probably not --- because we hate history and love nostalgia

Or as Rev. Junius B. Dotson, the General Secretary of the Board of Discipleship said in quoting William Faulkner:

         The past isn't dead and buried

                  In fact, it is not even dead

If you are not sure you believe me --- just go Google "NC Conference Women in Ministry" and watch the video they created this past June – you will be shocked (https://vimeo.com/335862568)

My friends we have a long way to go

NO matter what happens next May --- it will not be over

         You cannot legislate change

But Meridian Street will continue to strive be open and welcoming to ALL no matter what happens

Last Sunday I asked you an important question --- and I encouraged you to ponder it this week --- I hope and pray that you have.

I asked you:

         HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?

It is an important question because most of us create small personal gods that we worship in our own image

         They may be athletes, political parties, nations, or even ourselves

And too often our god's that we create are

·       angry

·       vengeful

·       doesn't like the people we don't live

·       forgives our mistakes, but not the sins of others

·       tribal, and xenophobic

Need I go on?

Small gods can control our lives, but it requires a BIG GOD to change our hearts

Abraham Joshua Heschel was born in Poland just prior to the First World War --- his family tree consists of preeminent European rabbis on both sides of his family.

He grew up with a very traditional Jewish education and became an Orthodox Rabbi.

In 1938, Rabbi Heschel found himself arrested by the Gestapo and deported to Poland.

Just a few weeks before the Nazi invasion of Poland, Heschel escaped and slowly made his way to New York.

Rabbi Heschel believed the teachings of the Hebrew prophets were a clarion call for social action in the United States and he worked tirelessly for African Americans' civil rights and against the Vietnam War. 

He became a close confidant of Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 1962, in his book The Prophets he argued that prophets do not speak for God so much as they remind their audience of God's voice for the voiceless, the poor and oppressed.

He writes:

Prophecy is the voice that God has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profane riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of God and man. God is raging in the prophet's words

He also wrote these simple but powerful words:

         “Few are guilty, but all are responsible”

Rabbi Heschel is reminding us of the moral teachings found in the biblical story and how each generation must renew their charge to form a “community not indifferent to suffering, impatient with cruelty and falsehood, and continually concerned for G*d and every man.”

Of course: “Few are guilty, but all are responsible” is not a principle that can be applied in a court of law and is not a standard that can or should be enforced by any policy.

However, within this prophetic call, is a reminder of the aspirations of our society and just how out of reach that ideal remains for too many. 

The claim that we are all responsible leads to a lifetime of questions

But while sitting in the beautiful sanctuary of the Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City what struck me was the first part of this statement.

         "few are guilty"

In one brilliant stroke Rabbi Heschel is saying that, yes there are some who willfully cause injury to others because they fail to treat them as fully human,

         but the vast majority harbor not malice, but insufficient concern. 

We are not a country made up of bigots, but a society that is still yet to come to grips with how corrosive it is to become indifferent to the lives of those who are regarded as other. 

To accept the notion that all of us are responsible for the marginalized, oppressed, put-down and belittled groups in our society is a tough pill to swallow.

         But it is the clarion call of Jesus.

                  It is the essence of what it means to be a follower of Jesus

We are called to strive for God's kingdom --- not ours

         It is what we prayed a few minutes ago

                  "Thy kingdom come

                           Thy will be done"

And the only way to get there is to move beyond our "me centric" religion -- in which we create a multitude of God's to meet our every whim

·       We must move beyond our "me centric" reading of scripture --- where we elevate scripture that supports our position and let the position of the breadth of scripture reign true.

·       We must move beyond our "me centric" belief that Christianity is about my personal salvation and instead seek God's kingdom and not our own.

If you’re becoming a Christian with your own happiness as your main goal, you will be disappointed in a severe way.

Following Jesus is not about your happiness, it’s not even about you.

It’s about love — which is something we choose to give time and time again.

It’s about sacrifice, serving, giving, forgiving — and then doing it all over again.

Following Jesus teaches you more about selflessness than you ever wanted to know.

At the heart of it, following Jesus is all about sacrifice.

About the giving of yourself, in ways big and small.

• It’s about offering forgiveness when you’ve been hurt.
• It’s about giving your time though it’s not always convenient.
• It’s about choosing to respond with love when you’d rather respond in anger.
• It’s about sharing your possessions --- even when you want to store them away.
• It’s about putting others needs and desires before your own.

I could go on and on, but it always ends with the same formula:

         You before me. And we before me

We live in a world that despises the sacrificial side of following Jesus and tries to wish it away.

They fool us to thinking that being a Christian is about doing what makes us happy.

         Affirming our beliefs and whims

And the second we feel less than happy, they encourage us to bail, to abandon ship and to stop investing in Jesus and each other.

But they’ve got it all wrong.

Because the more we give, the better we become.

Being a Disciple of Jesus is not self-seeking, and it will always cost you.

How are we to love God?

         Jesus tells:

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Jesus is pretty clear --- if you want to follow Jesus it is going to cost you.

And the only way to transform this world that at times seems to be spiraling out of control --- is when we put God first.

We have much work to do --- but we cannot do it alone

Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can become carpenters for God's kingdom.

Let us pray (Wesley’s Covenant Prayer)

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
Praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service.
And now, O wonderful and holy God,
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it also be made in heaven.  Amen.