Dressed For Action
Luke 12:32-40
This Scripture passage reminds me of an episode from the old “Dick Van Dyke Show”. The show involved the sit-com adventures of Rob and Laure Petrie, played by Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. The episode that I remember best is the one about the birth of their son Richie. In this episode they are expecting his arrival any minute. They are both nervous and waiting for a sign that they need to go to the hospital. It is bedtime and they are both lying in bed with the lights out. Then Laura makes a sound or says something that gives Rob the impression that is it time to go. His eyes pop open, he reaches behind his head for his hat, and in one swift move, he sits up, puts his hat on his head, and throws off the covers. It is then that we see that he is fully dressed, including sport coat, tie, and shoes. He steps out of the bed, grabs a suitcase, which has been strategically placed next to the bed, and is almost out the door before Laura can get his attention and tell him that it is not time to go yet. It is not time, but Rob is ready to go at a moment’s notice. He is dressed for action.
In the Scripture passage, Jesus tells his disciples to be dressed for action and to have their lamps lit. He says “You don’t know when the master of the house will return, so you need to always be ready.” Luke wrote this account when there were no high expectations that Jesus would return. He wrote about 40 years after the resurrection of Jesus, and about 10 years after the fall of Jerusalem. The times were fairly stable, much like the times in the world today. There is no threat of World War 3, nor is there a threat that there is a major world crisis on the horizon. The world is relatively quiet.
Jesus’ words today warn people to not be complacent, or to take too much for granted. He gives a wake-up call, or a reality check, to help people to remember what is ultimately important and what really matters. Sometimes we get a reality check in our personal lives. We, or someone we know, may get bad news from test results, or a tragedy may occur that touches our lives, or we may lose our jobs. Such events can cause us to ask ourselves what is really important.
A few years ago, Ben Stein wrote an article about his best friend, who was prominent English psychiatrist. His friend was 57 years old when he committed suicide in 2000. “The good doctor, probably as smart a man as I have known, was tormented by the stock market…There were other big factors in his suicide, but his perceived failures as an investor and speculator were an immense factor in putting him into a suicidal depression…We are not how much money we make. We are fathers, mothers, spouses, children, friends, lovers…Our money is a very small part of us. How much we made in the market is an even smaller part. Few obituaries talk about the investments the loved one made or how they did. No eulogist talks about whether the decedent got into Microsoft early or sold GE too soon.”
Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid, for your Father wants to give you the Kingdom. Sell what you have and give it to the poor. Make for yourselves purses that never wear out…Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In other words Jesus was saying that we should make investments that last forever. If we measure our value by our net worth, and if our portfolios or bank accounts define who we are, then we miss out on the gift of the kingdom of God. We are not dressed for action, or ready for the Master to return.
Ben Cohen is the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. As a result of the sale of the business, he became a very wealthy man. He has used some of his wealth to found an investment fund that buys companies in low income neighborhoods, where he can increase wages and other employee benefits. The first company that the fund bought was Sun and Earth, a maker of cleaning products. Since the company was purchased, wages are up as much as 23%, and the employees of the company have company-sponsored health insurance for the first time.
We may not have the financial resources to buy companies that benefit employees, but we can be generous with what we have. We can look beyond ourselves and share what we have with others. As someone has said, “In order to be generous, we need to recognize our selfishness.” We need to get in touch with reality. It is easy to settle for the status quo when everything is going well.
Jesus’ words call us to evaluate our lives, and see if we are ready for the Master to return. We can ask ourselves two questions. 1. Where is your treasure, what is really important to you? Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 2. Are you ready for the Master to return? If you knew that now was the time, would you be ready to put on your hat, jump out of bed, grab the suitcase, and be ready to go? As Jesus said, ”Blessed are those servants who are ready and awake when their master returns.”
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
You Can't Take It With You
You Can’t Take It With You
Luke 12:13-21
How much money would it take to make you happy? Let’s say you are on a TV game show and you have already won $2,000. But on the show they offer you a chance to win $10,000. The catch is that in order to try to win the $10,000, you no longer would keep the $2,000 that you have already won. Would you take the risk of ending up with nothing to try and win $10,000?
In his speeches and conversations with people, Jesus often talked about money and possessions. In fact, 16 of his 38 parables deal with money and possessions. 1 of 10 verses in the Gospels deals with money. In the entire Bible there are roughly 500 verses about prayer, approximately 500 verses about faith, and over 2,000 verses about money. These numbers show that Jesus talked often about money and that he knew that money was important to the people in his times, just as it is important to us in our times.
In Luke 12:13ff, a man comes to Jesus with a problem. The problem is with the division of the family estate. The problem and the response of Jesus to it, raise several issues regarding money and possessions. One issue is competition and conflicts between people, in this case two brothers, regarding what belongs to whom. A second issue is greed. Jesus gives a warning about it. The third issue is about wealth and poverty. Jesus says that it is possible to be materially wealthy and spiritually poor.
The first issue of conflict is raised by the man’s request of Jesus. “Tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me. “ He asks Jesus to be a judge and to tell his brother to give him his share of the family estate. It is all too common for family members to have disagreements and conflict over inheritance when a loved one dies. It can test the love and patience within a family. The conflicts are not always resolved with family relationships intact. We all have a sense of what is fair and just. You might say we have this noble sense of what is right. We might not think it is fair when someone buys a new house, a new car, a boat, or expensive clothes. And children seem to learn early to complain when someone else gets more than they do. They can learn early to say that it’s not fair.
But Jesus doesn’t attempt to resolve the family conflict in this story. He knows that family relationships can be a good place to learn that life is not fair. Families can give us the opportunities to learn what it means to be gracious and what it means to live together in harmony. Jesus also knows that sometimes there are no winners in family conflicts. So he doesn’t directly address the issue of family conflict, but draws attention to another issue.
The second issue raised in this story is the problem of greed. He gives a warning to this man and to everyone within the sound of his voice. Jesus says, ”Take care. Be on guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” In other words, Jesus says that a good life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot of money and things. He says that there is more to life than just accumulating possessions.
The issue of greed is an important one in our society. We can all acknowledge that we live in a consumer society. We like to buy things. We are rarely satisfied. We think about things that we “need”, when we usually have everything that we need. But there are many things that we want. Somewhere I read that people have realized that money can’t buy happiness, so now they are trying credit cards.
Leo Tolstoy wrote a story entitled “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”. In the story, a man has a chance to buy all the land he could walk around in a one day trip for a thousand rubles. (Let’s say that was $1000.) In the story, the man walked as far as he could, and then a little farther. As he rushed to return to his starting point at the end of the day, the man collapsed and died. As the story ends, Tolstoy answers the question of how much land a man needs: “Six feet from his head to his heal was all he needed.”
The third issue in this Scripture lesson is poverty. Jesus tells the story of a rich farmer who had a bumper crop one year. So the farmer decided to build bigger barns to store the surplus. It sounds like a good business idea, a good investment. But Jesus goes on to say that this man would die soon after building the barns and his wealth would belong to someone else. The problem the man had was that while it may have been a good business move to build bigger barns, it was a bad life idea. The problem was that the farmer was selfish and tried to protect himself by hoarding his crop. He was only concerned about himself.
Jesus often taught that in order to be spiritually rich, people should share what they have with others. He told one man to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. He told others to welcome strangers, the poor, the homeless, and to help those in need. He watched a widow put two coins in the temple treasury, and said that she was faithful because her giving involved risk and faith. The farmer in this story could be called a poor rich man. He was rich in terms of this world’s goods, but he was poor in faith.
Life and money are both gifts from God. In this story, the farmer lost both his life and his money. The message is that if we only find meaning and security in what we have, that is, in our possessions, we are foolish. People who are obsessed with money and possessions live lonely lives. But Jesus says that there is more to life that what we own, or how much money we have. Jesus says that the quality of our lives is measured by how much we give to others. If we are generous in sharing what we have, then we will be rich in faith. After all, we can’t take it with us.
Luke 12:13-21
How much money would it take to make you happy? Let’s say you are on a TV game show and you have already won $2,000. But on the show they offer you a chance to win $10,000. The catch is that in order to try to win the $10,000, you no longer would keep the $2,000 that you have already won. Would you take the risk of ending up with nothing to try and win $10,000?
In his speeches and conversations with people, Jesus often talked about money and possessions. In fact, 16 of his 38 parables deal with money and possessions. 1 of 10 verses in the Gospels deals with money. In the entire Bible there are roughly 500 verses about prayer, approximately 500 verses about faith, and over 2,000 verses about money. These numbers show that Jesus talked often about money and that he knew that money was important to the people in his times, just as it is important to us in our times.
In Luke 12:13ff, a man comes to Jesus with a problem. The problem is with the division of the family estate. The problem and the response of Jesus to it, raise several issues regarding money and possessions. One issue is competition and conflicts between people, in this case two brothers, regarding what belongs to whom. A second issue is greed. Jesus gives a warning about it. The third issue is about wealth and poverty. Jesus says that it is possible to be materially wealthy and spiritually poor.
The first issue of conflict is raised by the man’s request of Jesus. “Tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me. “ He asks Jesus to be a judge and to tell his brother to give him his share of the family estate. It is all too common for family members to have disagreements and conflict over inheritance when a loved one dies. It can test the love and patience within a family. The conflicts are not always resolved with family relationships intact. We all have a sense of what is fair and just. You might say we have this noble sense of what is right. We might not think it is fair when someone buys a new house, a new car, a boat, or expensive clothes. And children seem to learn early to complain when someone else gets more than they do. They can learn early to say that it’s not fair.
But Jesus doesn’t attempt to resolve the family conflict in this story. He knows that family relationships can be a good place to learn that life is not fair. Families can give us the opportunities to learn what it means to be gracious and what it means to live together in harmony. Jesus also knows that sometimes there are no winners in family conflicts. So he doesn’t directly address the issue of family conflict, but draws attention to another issue.
The second issue raised in this story is the problem of greed. He gives a warning to this man and to everyone within the sound of his voice. Jesus says, ”Take care. Be on guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” In other words, Jesus says that a good life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot of money and things. He says that there is more to life than just accumulating possessions.
The issue of greed is an important one in our society. We can all acknowledge that we live in a consumer society. We like to buy things. We are rarely satisfied. We think about things that we “need”, when we usually have everything that we need. But there are many things that we want. Somewhere I read that people have realized that money can’t buy happiness, so now they are trying credit cards.
Leo Tolstoy wrote a story entitled “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”. In the story, a man has a chance to buy all the land he could walk around in a one day trip for a thousand rubles. (Let’s say that was $1000.) In the story, the man walked as far as he could, and then a little farther. As he rushed to return to his starting point at the end of the day, the man collapsed and died. As the story ends, Tolstoy answers the question of how much land a man needs: “Six feet from his head to his heal was all he needed.”
The third issue in this Scripture lesson is poverty. Jesus tells the story of a rich farmer who had a bumper crop one year. So the farmer decided to build bigger barns to store the surplus. It sounds like a good business idea, a good investment. But Jesus goes on to say that this man would die soon after building the barns and his wealth would belong to someone else. The problem the man had was that while it may have been a good business move to build bigger barns, it was a bad life idea. The problem was that the farmer was selfish and tried to protect himself by hoarding his crop. He was only concerned about himself.
Jesus often taught that in order to be spiritually rich, people should share what they have with others. He told one man to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. He told others to welcome strangers, the poor, the homeless, and to help those in need. He watched a widow put two coins in the temple treasury, and said that she was faithful because her giving involved risk and faith. The farmer in this story could be called a poor rich man. He was rich in terms of this world’s goods, but he was poor in faith.
Life and money are both gifts from God. In this story, the farmer lost both his life and his money. The message is that if we only find meaning and security in what we have, that is, in our possessions, we are foolish. People who are obsessed with money and possessions live lonely lives. But Jesus says that there is more to life that what we own, or how much money we have. Jesus says that the quality of our lives is measured by how much we give to others. If we are generous in sharing what we have, then we will be rich in faith. After all, we can’t take it with us.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Teach Us To Pray
Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1-13
There are times when we all will admit that prayer is not easy. In fact, it can often be very difficult. We sometimes, perhaps often, struggle to find the right words to say. And there are times when we say a prayer, and nothing happens, and we give up. We may also wonder whether our prayers are answered. Even if we knew that the answer was “No”, it would help us sometimes. And through all of this, we may begin to wonder if God even cares about us.
One day the disciples of Jesus had a request for him. “Teach us to pray.” they asked. His answer came is several different ways. He taught them what to pray with a model prayer. He told them to keep on praying. He also gave them a great promise related to prayer. And he told them that God really does care about them and wanted to hear their prayers.
The model prayer that Jesus gives to his disciples is the Lord’s Prayer, the best-known prayer in human history. There are two versions of the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible; this one is in Luke’s Gospel and the second is in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-13). The two versions are very similar, with Matthew’s version being a little longer than Luke’s version. Matthew’s version is the best known, and the one that is usually recited in public worship.
The Lord’s Prayer has two basic parts to it. The first part has to do with God’s will and the second part has to do with the needs of the ones who are saying the prayer. The prayer begins with references to God holiness (“Hallowed be your name.”-not Howard as referenced in a joke about God’s name), and then includes a prayer for God’s kingdom to come. (Matthew’s version adds the phrase “Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”) This is the part of the prayer that has to do with God’s will. The second part of the Lord’s Prayer then addresses the needs of the one who is praying. It includes prayers for daily bread, forgiveness, and deliverance from trials. The prayer begins with a reminder for the pray-er about who God is and then turns to the needs of the one who prays. The Lord’s Prayer provides a basic model for those who are looking for content for their prayers.
Jesus also tells his followers that they should be persistent in their prayers. He tells the story of a man who goes to his friend and asks for bread. The friend doesn’t want to give him bread, but Jesus says that he eventually does give him the bread because the man doesn’t give up. He keeps on asking. Jesus says no one should give up on prayer. We could say that we should be like the Energizer Bunny and just keep on praying. According to Jesus, persistent prayer will be rewarded.
There is also a great promise that is related to prayer. Jesus says it this way: “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Of course, we all know that this is not a magical formula that gives us power to get anything that we want. Sometimes we may ask for the wrong things, and so we don’t get them. At other times, we may be impatient, because we don’t get what we want or need as fast as we would like. And there are times when the answers that we get to our prayers are not the answers that we wanted. In that case, we may remember a line from a song sung by Garth Brooks: “Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers.” In the midst of all of that, the promise is still there that if we ask, seek, and knock, that we will receive, find, and the door will be opened. When we remember that promise, it can help us to remember to pray.
Jesus ends this session on prayer by saying that God is like a loving parent. God wants what is best for us. God is always watching over us and wants to give us everything that we need. We don’t pray to a god who makes unreasonable demands, or one who is far away from us. But we pray to God who loves us, is near to us, and wants us to live happy and productive lives. God wants us to draw closer to Him and to each other. Prayer is one of those activities that helps us to love God and one another with all of our hearts. It makes us better people.
Those first disciples made the request for us. “Teach us to pray.” The answer begins with the model prayer, The Lord’s Prayer. But that is only the beginning. We are encouraged to be persistent in our prayers, and not give up. We are told to remember the promise that when we ask, we will receive. And through it all, we are challenged to remember that God loves us, watches over us, and wants the best for us, just like a loving parent wants the best for their children.
Luke 11:1-13
There are times when we all will admit that prayer is not easy. In fact, it can often be very difficult. We sometimes, perhaps often, struggle to find the right words to say. And there are times when we say a prayer, and nothing happens, and we give up. We may also wonder whether our prayers are answered. Even if we knew that the answer was “No”, it would help us sometimes. And through all of this, we may begin to wonder if God even cares about us.
One day the disciples of Jesus had a request for him. “Teach us to pray.” they asked. His answer came is several different ways. He taught them what to pray with a model prayer. He told them to keep on praying. He also gave them a great promise related to prayer. And he told them that God really does care about them and wanted to hear their prayers.
The model prayer that Jesus gives to his disciples is the Lord’s Prayer, the best-known prayer in human history. There are two versions of the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible; this one is in Luke’s Gospel and the second is in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-13). The two versions are very similar, with Matthew’s version being a little longer than Luke’s version. Matthew’s version is the best known, and the one that is usually recited in public worship.
The Lord’s Prayer has two basic parts to it. The first part has to do with God’s will and the second part has to do with the needs of the ones who are saying the prayer. The prayer begins with references to God holiness (“Hallowed be your name.”-not Howard as referenced in a joke about God’s name), and then includes a prayer for God’s kingdom to come. (Matthew’s version adds the phrase “Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”) This is the part of the prayer that has to do with God’s will. The second part of the Lord’s Prayer then addresses the needs of the one who is praying. It includes prayers for daily bread, forgiveness, and deliverance from trials. The prayer begins with a reminder for the pray-er about who God is and then turns to the needs of the one who prays. The Lord’s Prayer provides a basic model for those who are looking for content for their prayers.
Jesus also tells his followers that they should be persistent in their prayers. He tells the story of a man who goes to his friend and asks for bread. The friend doesn’t want to give him bread, but Jesus says that he eventually does give him the bread because the man doesn’t give up. He keeps on asking. Jesus says no one should give up on prayer. We could say that we should be like the Energizer Bunny and just keep on praying. According to Jesus, persistent prayer will be rewarded.
There is also a great promise that is related to prayer. Jesus says it this way: “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Of course, we all know that this is not a magical formula that gives us power to get anything that we want. Sometimes we may ask for the wrong things, and so we don’t get them. At other times, we may be impatient, because we don’t get what we want or need as fast as we would like. And there are times when the answers that we get to our prayers are not the answers that we wanted. In that case, we may remember a line from a song sung by Garth Brooks: “Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers.” In the midst of all of that, the promise is still there that if we ask, seek, and knock, that we will receive, find, and the door will be opened. When we remember that promise, it can help us to remember to pray.
Jesus ends this session on prayer by saying that God is like a loving parent. God wants what is best for us. God is always watching over us and wants to give us everything that we need. We don’t pray to a god who makes unreasonable demands, or one who is far away from us. But we pray to God who loves us, is near to us, and wants us to live happy and productive lives. God wants us to draw closer to Him and to each other. Prayer is one of those activities that helps us to love God and one another with all of our hearts. It makes us better people.
Those first disciples made the request for us. “Teach us to pray.” The answer begins with the model prayer, The Lord’s Prayer. But that is only the beginning. We are encouraged to be persistent in our prayers, and not give up. We are told to remember the promise that when we ask, we will receive. And through it all, we are challenged to remember that God loves us, watches over us, and wants the best for us, just like a loving parent wants the best for their children.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
A Martha World
A Martha World
Luke 10:38-42
This Scripture reading contains a story about two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha was probably the older sister, the first-born. She was a take charge person and probably a natural leader. Today we would say that she was a Type A personality and task-oriented. If you wanted something done, Martha was the one to get to do it. Mary was probably the younger sister, and a follower. She was quiet, reflective, rather bookish, and shy. Mary would sit by herself for hours, and think, and dream. So here are the two sisters, one a worker, the other a dreamer; one is a leader, the other a follower.
Martha and Mary were friends of Jesus. And one day Martha invited Jesus to dinner. Martha did the inviting and made the arrangements, but of course, Mary thought it was a good idea. Jesus accepted the invitation, and came to their house for dinner.
When Jesus arrived at their home, the two sisters did what they tended to do. Martha was in the kitchen preparing dinner, and Mary was in the living room listening to Jesus. Now Martha was working extra hard to make this a special dinner, because Jesus was a special person. She was in the kitchen cooking fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, and apple pie. (I have been a little creative with the menu.) Remember that there were no microwaves in those days, and no KFC. Everything is almost ready. The chicken is frying, the potatoes are boiling, the beans are cooking, and the rolls and the pie are almost ready to come out of the oven. Martha is on overload when she hears Mary laughing in the living room. And she can’t take any more. Martha bursts into the living room and says, ”Lord, doesn’t it bother you that I am having to do all the work, while Mary just sits there? Tell her to get in here and help me.” We have all heard of road rage. This was kitchen rage.
We can all identify with Martha’s frustration. Sometimes it feels like we are the only ones who are working, and no one else is doing anything to help us. But listen to what Jesus says to Martha: “Martha, Martha! “ He says her name twice – maybe to make sure he has her attention, or to try to calm her? “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”
What was Jesus saying? Was he saying that Martha shouldn’t be preparing dinner? But Martha had invited him to dinner, and they certainly need to have food to eat. And wasn’t Jesus the one who had taught that people should help one another?
Jesus was saying that the problem with Martha was not that she worked, but that she worried too much. Preparing dinner for Jesus was the most important thing for Martha at the time, but Jesus was saying that dinner was not the most important thing. He said that listening to him was the most important thing, and that Mary had chosen to do that instead of prepare the dinner. Now we can all admit that there are times when preparing dinner is the most important thing, but this was not one of those times.
We live in a Martha world. If we are not careful, we can be worried and upset about things that aren’t really that important. The Martha world is one that measures our value by how much we can produce and how fast we can produce it. In the Martha world more is better, faster is essential, it won’t get done if we don’t do it, and shame on those people who don’t work as hard as we do. And in the Martha world, sitting and listening is a waste of time. There are too many other things that have to be done.
Jesus said that Martha was worried and upset about many things, but that only one thing really mattered. Martha worried about the dinner, and was upset that she had to do it all by herself, while Mary sat in the living room and listened to Jesus. But Mary had made the best choice. She had her priorities in order. She chose to spend the time with Jesus.
We don’t know how the story ends. Perhaps Martha realized that she was too concerned about the dinner preparation, and she may have calmed down and focused upon Jesus, rather than the food. That is a good reminder for us as well. If we are worried and concerned about many things, then maybe we need to spend some time in the living room, listening to Jesus.
Luke 10:38-42
This Scripture reading contains a story about two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha was probably the older sister, the first-born. She was a take charge person and probably a natural leader. Today we would say that she was a Type A personality and task-oriented. If you wanted something done, Martha was the one to get to do it. Mary was probably the younger sister, and a follower. She was quiet, reflective, rather bookish, and shy. Mary would sit by herself for hours, and think, and dream. So here are the two sisters, one a worker, the other a dreamer; one is a leader, the other a follower.
Martha and Mary were friends of Jesus. And one day Martha invited Jesus to dinner. Martha did the inviting and made the arrangements, but of course, Mary thought it was a good idea. Jesus accepted the invitation, and came to their house for dinner.
When Jesus arrived at their home, the two sisters did what they tended to do. Martha was in the kitchen preparing dinner, and Mary was in the living room listening to Jesus. Now Martha was working extra hard to make this a special dinner, because Jesus was a special person. She was in the kitchen cooking fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, and apple pie. (I have been a little creative with the menu.) Remember that there were no microwaves in those days, and no KFC. Everything is almost ready. The chicken is frying, the potatoes are boiling, the beans are cooking, and the rolls and the pie are almost ready to come out of the oven. Martha is on overload when she hears Mary laughing in the living room. And she can’t take any more. Martha bursts into the living room and says, ”Lord, doesn’t it bother you that I am having to do all the work, while Mary just sits there? Tell her to get in here and help me.” We have all heard of road rage. This was kitchen rage.
We can all identify with Martha’s frustration. Sometimes it feels like we are the only ones who are working, and no one else is doing anything to help us. But listen to what Jesus says to Martha: “Martha, Martha! “ He says her name twice – maybe to make sure he has her attention, or to try to calm her? “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”
What was Jesus saying? Was he saying that Martha shouldn’t be preparing dinner? But Martha had invited him to dinner, and they certainly need to have food to eat. And wasn’t Jesus the one who had taught that people should help one another?
Jesus was saying that the problem with Martha was not that she worked, but that she worried too much. Preparing dinner for Jesus was the most important thing for Martha at the time, but Jesus was saying that dinner was not the most important thing. He said that listening to him was the most important thing, and that Mary had chosen to do that instead of prepare the dinner. Now we can all admit that there are times when preparing dinner is the most important thing, but this was not one of those times.
We live in a Martha world. If we are not careful, we can be worried and upset about things that aren’t really that important. The Martha world is one that measures our value by how much we can produce and how fast we can produce it. In the Martha world more is better, faster is essential, it won’t get done if we don’t do it, and shame on those people who don’t work as hard as we do. And in the Martha world, sitting and listening is a waste of time. There are too many other things that have to be done.
Jesus said that Martha was worried and upset about many things, but that only one thing really mattered. Martha worried about the dinner, and was upset that she had to do it all by herself, while Mary sat in the living room and listened to Jesus. But Mary had made the best choice. She had her priorities in order. She chose to spend the time with Jesus.
We don’t know how the story ends. Perhaps Martha realized that she was too concerned about the dinner preparation, and she may have calmed down and focused upon Jesus, rather than the food. That is a good reminder for us as well. If we are worried and concerned about many things, then maybe we need to spend some time in the living room, listening to Jesus.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Reasons to Help Others
Reasons to Help Others
Luke 10:25-37
This is a summary of the Scripture reading:
A man came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to have eternal life?”
Jesus answered, “Love God and your neighbor.”
The man asked, “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus answered by telling him the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Jesus then asked him, “Who was a neighbor to this man?”
The man answered, “The one who helped him.”
Jesus then said, “Go, and do the same.”
I have made a list of reasons why we should not help other people.
1.You can’t do what you want to do. There may not be enough time to do other things that you want to do. There may not be time to play on the computer, go to the movies, relax, or do a number of other things that you would like to do.
2.You may lose your freedom. It may mean that you are focused on the needs of others, rather than your own needs and wants.
3.You might get tired of helping. It takes time and energy, and sometimes money to help other people.
4.People may take advantage of you. Some people may complain that you are not helping them enough, or that you aren’t helping the right way.
5.You may not get anything in return. People may not even say “Thank you.” And they may not do anything to help you.
I have also made a list of reasons why we should help other people.
1.You will probably feel good because you did the right thing. There is satisfaction and peace in knowing that you have done something worthwhile. When we give we also receive.
2.There is joy in helping others. It may be an opportunity to meet and make new friends. It may be a chance to learn something, or to have a new experience.
3.Helping can express our compassion for others. It is a way to say that we care.
4.Helping can increase our compassion for others. It can stretch our “caring muscles”, and make us more understanding and compassionate.
5.Helping builds our character. We are better people when we act in caring ways.
6.Others benefit from our help. Other people feel loved and supported. Joy and compassion is passed on when we help other people.
7.Jesus told his followers to help others. He said that the two great commands are to love God and love your neighbor. He said that the Good Samaritan was a neighbor to the one that he helped on the road. And Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”
I don’t know about you, but I think the reasons that we should help others far outweigh and outnumber the reasons that we shouldn’t help others. We can all be looking for opportunities to be servants.
Luke 10:25-37
This is a summary of the Scripture reading:
A man came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to have eternal life?”
Jesus answered, “Love God and your neighbor.”
The man asked, “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus answered by telling him the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Jesus then asked him, “Who was a neighbor to this man?”
The man answered, “The one who helped him.”
Jesus then said, “Go, and do the same.”
I have made a list of reasons why we should not help other people.
1.You can’t do what you want to do. There may not be enough time to do other things that you want to do. There may not be time to play on the computer, go to the movies, relax, or do a number of other things that you would like to do.
2.You may lose your freedom. It may mean that you are focused on the needs of others, rather than your own needs and wants.
3.You might get tired of helping. It takes time and energy, and sometimes money to help other people.
4.People may take advantage of you. Some people may complain that you are not helping them enough, or that you aren’t helping the right way.
5.You may not get anything in return. People may not even say “Thank you.” And they may not do anything to help you.
I have also made a list of reasons why we should help other people.
1.You will probably feel good because you did the right thing. There is satisfaction and peace in knowing that you have done something worthwhile. When we give we also receive.
2.There is joy in helping others. It may be an opportunity to meet and make new friends. It may be a chance to learn something, or to have a new experience.
3.Helping can express our compassion for others. It is a way to say that we care.
4.Helping can increase our compassion for others. It can stretch our “caring muscles”, and make us more understanding and compassionate.
5.Helping builds our character. We are better people when we act in caring ways.
6.Others benefit from our help. Other people feel loved and supported. Joy and compassion is passed on when we help other people.
7.Jesus told his followers to help others. He said that the two great commands are to love God and love your neighbor. He said that the Good Samaritan was a neighbor to the one that he helped on the road. And Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”
I don’t know about you, but I think the reasons that we should help others far outweigh and outnumber the reasons that we shouldn’t help others. We can all be looking for opportunities to be servants.
A Good Neighbor
A Good Neighbor
Luke 10:25-37
The Scripture reading for this sermon is a familiar story. It is the story of the Good Samaritan. The story is so familiar that there is even a Good Samaritan law in our country. The law basically says that if anyone stops to help another person on the highway, then they cannot be liable for any harm that they may cause to the person that they have stopped to help. Of course, the law assumes that the helper does not intentionally harm the person that they have tried to help.
The story of the Good Samaritan is more than just a call to do good things and more than a call to just help people. The story was told by Jesus in response to two questions that are related. The first question is “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered this question with a question, “What is written in the law?” The man answered that one should love God and love one’s neighbor. Jesus told him that he had given the correct answer. The same man asked a second question, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered this question by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan.
There are a couple of main themes that the whole Scripture reading contain. One theme is that our attempts to earn our salvation are doomed. God’s salvation is not something that we earn – it is a gift. Salvation is like an inheritance that is offered to us to accept or reject. Who wouldn’t want to accept an inheritance? A second theme is an encouragement that we should aim high, not because of what we receive, but because it is what God wants us to do.
The story of the Good Samaritan contains two kinds of sins, and two kinds of sinners. One sin is the sin of violence. In the story a group of men attack a man on the road. They beat him and rob him, leaving him for dead. The second sin is the sin of neglect. Several people walk by and see the man lying on the side of the road and they walk by on the other side, failing to do anything to help this man.
The story also says that God may use people other than those who are official, or those that you would expect to help others. God may use most anyone to do good. The folks who fail to help are the religious leaders, a priest and a Levite. These are the people that you would expect to be helpful. The good news is that the Samaritan didn’t follow their bad example. It helps to make the point of the story when we remember that the Samaritan was not a religious leader, and that Samaritans were half-breeds, that is, they had a mixed Jewish and Gentile heritage. So God used a person from an minority to do His work, while those who were religious professionals failed to do God’s work.
Upon a review of the story of the Good Samaritan, we might also note that the important question to ask is not “Who is my neighbor?”, but a better question is “To whom am I to become a neighbor?”. The emphasis is not on the neighbor, but upon us. Are we willing to help others, whoever they may be, and be good neighbors? Will we help anyone in need, no matter who they are? That includes half-breeds, strangers, and even enemies.
A few years ago, when we lived in Crozet, Virginia, just outside of Charlottesville, there was a letter to the editor in the local paper. The Sproul family was traveling west on Interstate 64 when their van caught fire. They wrote in their letter: “The Crozet Volunteer Fire Department arrived to extinguish the blaze and make sure we were safe…That night, they chose to be good neighbors and we want them to know how much we appreciate their willingness to serve. We extend our thanks to the strangers on the mountain…It was a spirit of community that made us feel safe that night, and we are very grateful.”
One other point in the Good Samaritan story is that help and hope comes to the man in a costly demonstration of unexpected love. The Samaritan stopped and helped. He interrupted his travel and did the work of a good neighbor.
The thieves beat him and robbed him;
the Samaritan took care of him.
The thieves left him to die;
the Samaritan left him at an inn for continuing care.
The thieves abandoned him;
the Samaritan promised to return and to pay his expenses.
This is a story about a man who is a good example of a good neighbor. He showed mercy and compassion to a stranger in need. After telling the story, Jesus turned to the listeners and said, “Go, and do likewise.”
Luke 10:25-37
The Scripture reading for this sermon is a familiar story. It is the story of the Good Samaritan. The story is so familiar that there is even a Good Samaritan law in our country. The law basically says that if anyone stops to help another person on the highway, then they cannot be liable for any harm that they may cause to the person that they have stopped to help. Of course, the law assumes that the helper does not intentionally harm the person that they have tried to help.
The story of the Good Samaritan is more than just a call to do good things and more than a call to just help people. The story was told by Jesus in response to two questions that are related. The first question is “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered this question with a question, “What is written in the law?” The man answered that one should love God and love one’s neighbor. Jesus told him that he had given the correct answer. The same man asked a second question, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered this question by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan.
There are a couple of main themes that the whole Scripture reading contain. One theme is that our attempts to earn our salvation are doomed. God’s salvation is not something that we earn – it is a gift. Salvation is like an inheritance that is offered to us to accept or reject. Who wouldn’t want to accept an inheritance? A second theme is an encouragement that we should aim high, not because of what we receive, but because it is what God wants us to do.
The story of the Good Samaritan contains two kinds of sins, and two kinds of sinners. One sin is the sin of violence. In the story a group of men attack a man on the road. They beat him and rob him, leaving him for dead. The second sin is the sin of neglect. Several people walk by and see the man lying on the side of the road and they walk by on the other side, failing to do anything to help this man.
The story also says that God may use people other than those who are official, or those that you would expect to help others. God may use most anyone to do good. The folks who fail to help are the religious leaders, a priest and a Levite. These are the people that you would expect to be helpful. The good news is that the Samaritan didn’t follow their bad example. It helps to make the point of the story when we remember that the Samaritan was not a religious leader, and that Samaritans were half-breeds, that is, they had a mixed Jewish and Gentile heritage. So God used a person from an minority to do His work, while those who were religious professionals failed to do God’s work.
Upon a review of the story of the Good Samaritan, we might also note that the important question to ask is not “Who is my neighbor?”, but a better question is “To whom am I to become a neighbor?”. The emphasis is not on the neighbor, but upon us. Are we willing to help others, whoever they may be, and be good neighbors? Will we help anyone in need, no matter who they are? That includes half-breeds, strangers, and even enemies.
A few years ago, when we lived in Crozet, Virginia, just outside of Charlottesville, there was a letter to the editor in the local paper. The Sproul family was traveling west on Interstate 64 when their van caught fire. They wrote in their letter: “The Crozet Volunteer Fire Department arrived to extinguish the blaze and make sure we were safe…That night, they chose to be good neighbors and we want them to know how much we appreciate their willingness to serve. We extend our thanks to the strangers on the mountain…It was a spirit of community that made us feel safe that night, and we are very grateful.”
One other point in the Good Samaritan story is that help and hope comes to the man in a costly demonstration of unexpected love. The Samaritan stopped and helped. He interrupted his travel and did the work of a good neighbor.
The thieves beat him and robbed him;
the Samaritan took care of him.
The thieves left him to die;
the Samaritan left him at an inn for continuing care.
The thieves abandoned him;
the Samaritan promised to return and to pay his expenses.
This is a story about a man who is a good example of a good neighbor. He showed mercy and compassion to a stranger in need. After telling the story, Jesus turned to the listeners and said, “Go, and do likewise.”
Saturday, July 3, 2010
You Get What You Give
You Get What You Give
Galatians 6:7-18
There is a universal rule in the botanical world that says that if you plant a certain kind of seed, then the plant that you will eventually see is the kind of plant that is produced by that kind of seed. For example, if you plant grass seed in adequate growing conditions, then you will eventually see blades of grass growing where you have planted the seed. Likewise, if you plant vegetable seeds such as tomatoes, beans, and corn, eventually you will see those kinds of plants begin to sprout. It is a basic fact of life, that if you plant a certain kind of seed, that eventually you will see the kind of plant that is produced by that seed.
The Apostle Paul acknowledges this fact when he writes to the people in Galatia and says that each one of them will harvest what they plant, that they will reap what they sow. He says that they need to be careful that they are not fooled, or misled. And he applies this principle to the way they live their lives. He says that if they plant, or live, a self-centered life that they will harvest the produce of that kind of life. But that if they live a life that is pleasing to God, that they will produce a full life that will lead to eternal life.
The basic message is that we harvest what we plant, we reap what we sow, and, that we get what we give. The reason that Paul reminds his readers, and us, of this message is that it can be easy to get tired of doing the right things. It can be difficult to see the benefits of doing good, because it is not always easy to see the reward for doing good. And when we don’t see the benefits, we can begin to wonder whether it is worth our effort. We may be tempted to live only to please ourselves, rather than being the servants that God calls us to be. Paul reminds us that even though we may not see the results of our efforts right away, that a time will come when we will be rewarded for being faithful and doing the right thing.
The intent of the message is to encourage everyone to do good works. Sometimes it can be a challenge to do good. But if we remember to look forward for inspiration, and remember that God rewards those who are faithful, then we can focus ourselves on doing what is right and good. It can seem easier to live selfishly, always doing what we want, and ignoring the needs of others around us. But the result of living that way is a worthless and wasted life. On the other hand, if we live our lives in response to God’s love and grace, realizing that all of life is a wonderful gift from God, then we will always make an effort to do good. Then we can know that God is pleased with our effort, and our good works.
Paul encourages all of us to keep the faith. So, let’s not fail to do good, or get tired of doing the right thing. Because what we plant is what we harvest, and what we give is what we get.
Galatians 6:7-18
There is a universal rule in the botanical world that says that if you plant a certain kind of seed, then the plant that you will eventually see is the kind of plant that is produced by that kind of seed. For example, if you plant grass seed in adequate growing conditions, then you will eventually see blades of grass growing where you have planted the seed. Likewise, if you plant vegetable seeds such as tomatoes, beans, and corn, eventually you will see those kinds of plants begin to sprout. It is a basic fact of life, that if you plant a certain kind of seed, that eventually you will see the kind of plant that is produced by that seed.
The Apostle Paul acknowledges this fact when he writes to the people in Galatia and says that each one of them will harvest what they plant, that they will reap what they sow. He says that they need to be careful that they are not fooled, or misled. And he applies this principle to the way they live their lives. He says that if they plant, or live, a self-centered life that they will harvest the produce of that kind of life. But that if they live a life that is pleasing to God, that they will produce a full life that will lead to eternal life.
The basic message is that we harvest what we plant, we reap what we sow, and, that we get what we give. The reason that Paul reminds his readers, and us, of this message is that it can be easy to get tired of doing the right things. It can be difficult to see the benefits of doing good, because it is not always easy to see the reward for doing good. And when we don’t see the benefits, we can begin to wonder whether it is worth our effort. We may be tempted to live only to please ourselves, rather than being the servants that God calls us to be. Paul reminds us that even though we may not see the results of our efforts right away, that a time will come when we will be rewarded for being faithful and doing the right thing.
The intent of the message is to encourage everyone to do good works. Sometimes it can be a challenge to do good. But if we remember to look forward for inspiration, and remember that God rewards those who are faithful, then we can focus ourselves on doing what is right and good. It can seem easier to live selfishly, always doing what we want, and ignoring the needs of others around us. But the result of living that way is a worthless and wasted life. On the other hand, if we live our lives in response to God’s love and grace, realizing that all of life is a wonderful gift from God, then we will always make an effort to do good. Then we can know that God is pleased with our effort, and our good works.
Paul encourages all of us to keep the faith. So, let’s not fail to do good, or get tired of doing the right thing. Because what we plant is what we harvest, and what we give is what we get.
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