Expressions of Thanksviging

I had a few requests for the final prayer that we read as a congregation to conclude our service today.  It was a prayer I found on the internet credited to "Book of Common Prayer/Book of Divine Worship."  I plan to use it again at our Thanksgiving meal this year. 

Accept, O Lord,
our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us.
We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation,
For the beauty of this world,
For the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends,
and for the loving care
which surrounds us on every side.

We thank you for setting us at tasks
which demand our best efforts,
and for leading us to accomplishments
which satisfy and delight us.

We thank you also
for those disappointements and failures
that lead us to acknoweledge
our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ;
for the truth of his Word
and the example of his life;
for his steadfast obedience,
by which he overcame temptation;
for his dying,
through which he overcame death;
and for his rising to life again,
in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.

Grant us the gift of your Spirit,
that we may know him and make him known;
and through him, at all times and in all places,
may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.

Entering the Kingdom

I've actually heard it said that if the rich man had agreed to sell all his possessions and give to the poor, Jesus would have responded, "Now that I know you will, you don't have too."  Or in other words, "Just kidding."  Kind of like Abraham offering his son Issac.  Just before Abraham actually sacrificed Issac God stopped him and told him to offer the ram nearby instead.  One of the problems with historical narratives is that you never know what MIGHT have happened; you only know what happened.  My personal opinion, however, is that Jesus meant exactly what he said.  When he looked at the man and loved him, Jesus knew that there was no way he could be a follower because the true love of his life was money.

I preached this text several years ago and used the title of the then popular t.v. show, "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?"  While that may be the goal for a lost world who worships Mammon, a disciple of Jesus must have higher priorities.  That was why I began the sermon today with the prayer of Proverbs 30.  Pray this, if you dare:

"...give me neither poverty nor riches,
   but give me only my daily bread.
 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
   and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
   and so dishonor the name of my God." 
(Proverbs 30:8-9)

Marriage Matters

Normally I blog AFTER I preach so I can talk about my "sermon reflections."  Today, however, I'm making an exception since I plan to begin my annual prayer retreat immediately following Sunday's sermon and had several links I needed to include in this blog. 

First, if you heard the sermon, I made mention of the article I had written on Jesus' teaching on divorce.  That article, as well as several others I've written, can be found here on our church web page.

Second, last year Christianity Today published an interesting article entitled The Case For Early Marriage.  The author boldly advocates young adults marrying early in adulthood instead of waiting to get all their schooling finished, their careers well established, and their bank accounts full.  As a couple who married early (ages 21 and 22) my wife and I thought his arguments made a lot of sense.  Read it and tell me what you think.

Third, the one book I now recommend to married people above all others is entitled, Sacred Marriage, by Gary Thomas.  The subtitle sums up the contents well: What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?  Thomas calls all married people to stop insisting that their marriage give them what they want and instead began to focus on what God wants.  In other words, marriage is more about self-denial and service than about self-gratification and being served.  Click the link below for more information.

Finally, the book, Living Together: Myths, Risks & Answers, is a thought provoking analysis of a rising trend in America.  I would recommend this especially for those currently cohabitating, thinking about cohabitating, or parents of children that are.

Pass the Salt, Please

My initial problem preaching this text was deciding if it should be four sermons or one.  I decided that, although there would be benefit in taking a  closer look at each of the topics raised individually, looking at them all together would make better sense of Jesus' final words in this context.  Jesus said, "Salt is good. . . .  Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another"  (Mark 9:50). 

I don't normally use acrostics in my preaching but thought it might be a useful way to pull everything together in the text.  At lunch there was a family from church eating in a booth not far away from my party.  One of the teenage boys came over to talk with us.  They had tried to remember the four points of the acrostic but had missed the "A".  If two teenage boys could remember 3 of the 4 I consider that sermon a success! 

For those who are wondering the acrostic is for the word SALT:

Serve (even those considered least - Mark 9:33-37)
Accept (Christians who are different than you [or don't be judgmental] - Mark 9:38-41)
Love (the weak and new believers - Mark 9:42)
Tenacious Self-Denial

No one who heard the sermon will forget the "T" since it doesn't really fit.  Odd isn't' it, that when something seems like it doesn't really belong it is never forgotten.  Come to think of it . . . that's exactly what it means for us to be salt.  We stand out because we don't really fit in this world as it is.   But I love the last verse and how it envisions the kingdom that will soon cover the earth, "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."  The peaceable kingdom - that's where we all belong!

The Disciples' Most Embarrassing Moment

I want formulas; the Lord wants faith.  I want the world to work in such a way that if I do the right things the right consequences are automatic.  The Lord wants me to trust him to provide all that I need to accomplish his will in this world.  I want guarantees of painlessness, absence of suffering and constant happiness.  God wants me to accept his promises by faith even if my time here involves suffering and a cross. I wonder why God won't answer my prayers.  God wonders why I don't utilize prayer as a means of getting to know him better.

I want my faith to grow stronger so I confess my confusion, my selfishness, my pride and arrogance.  I confess that I no longer want to be in charge of my life; instead I want God to use me for his purposes regardless of who gets credit or glory.  I'm having trouble believing that God could do anything with such a pitiful excuse for faith but I hold my little mustard seed-sized faith up to him and say, "I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief."  God say, "Alright!  Now we're getting somewhere."

The End?  No, this is the Beginning!

Preview of Coming Attractions

How appropriate that after Jesus dropped the bombshell of his upcoming suffering and death on the disciples the inner circle (Peter, James, and John) was given a preview of Jesus' Glorious Appearing!  After Jesus sought to destroy the short-sighted dreams of the Twelve, they are more disillusioned than ever.  Even coming down from the Mountain of Transfiguration they have a discussion among themselves about "what 'rising from the dead' meant" (Mark 9:10).

Jesus has already explained that "rising from the dead" meant that first the Messiah would have to suffer, be rejected and die on the cross.  Self-denial in order to do the Father's will dominates the center section of Mark's Gospel.  Indeed, it must dominate the center section of our lives if we are to be included among those who truly follow Jesus.

But what exactly does it mean for our lives today?  I love the mountain top experiences but must realize that Jesus never stayed on the mountain.  His work was in the valley.  More specifically, in the words of the Psalmist, his work was in the valley of the shadow of death.  Am I willing to follow him on that road?

Some of my favorite passages describe the return of Jesus to his earth.  At that time will the renewal of all things.  It will indeed be a Glorious Appearing when Heaven and Earth are united eternally.  Let the image of the risen and glorified Christ fill your heart as you follow the self-denying, crucified Christ as he teaches us how to live today.

The Second Touch

I often walk away from sermons wondering what might resonate in people's hearts from the lesson.  Different things stick with different people.  For myself, it is the phrase "deny self".  What does it mean for me to "deny self" this week?

There are some things I need to do this week that I don't particularly want to do.  They involve people and my participation might help in some tangible ways.  Is sacrificing my own desires and doing what is best for others an example of denying self? 

I can serve others for the purpose of self-interest or self-advancement.  It's tempting for me to think, at times, that when I do some small act of kindness that God is fortunate to have me on his side.  It's easy for me to glory in my self-sacrificial service! 

Tomorrow I will participate once again in the weekly reading of the Gospel of Mark.  I will watch Jesus as he again demonstrates unbelievable power and demonstrates that he is indeed the Son of God.  I will then watch again as he lays that aside and is abused, rejected and brutally murdered.  He willingly gave himself for others.  How can I claim to be his follower if I am unwilling to do the same? 

Resurrection is the final note of triumph in the Gospel of Mark; but the emphasis of the book lies in the cross.  Resurrection is when God takes our self-emptying, self-denying lives and ushers in the kingdom of God.  We don't make it happen, we are simply the empty vessels God chooses to use.  This week, I want to continue to ask myself, "what does it mean for me to deny self"?