Author Archives: jmcconnell

Faith and Work
(Various Scriptures)

“At most you will spend about 5 percent of your waking hours in church. 95 percent of your life you spend in the world. The scorecard is about the 95 percent out in the world—Pastor Victor Penz

 

1.) Ethics

  • Philippians 1:27– Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12– Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
  • God calls Christians to exemplify the highest ethical code of conduct in our lives and workplaces.
  • Consistent moral conduct builds respect, trust, and admiration. If our integrity is compromised, we lose our credibility.

 

2.) Excellence

  • Colossians 3:23-24– Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
  • So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
  • God has called Christians to a standard of excellence in everything they do, including their work!
  • “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” — Martin Luther

 

3.) Endurance

  • 1 Corinthians 4:12-13- We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly.
  • 1Corinthians 15:58– Be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as we know, our labor is not in vain in the Lord.
  • God calls Christians to work hard and endure whatever displeasures we face.
  • “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.” -William Barclay

4.) Encouragement

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:11-16- Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
  • Ephesians 4:29-32– Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
  • God calls Christians to encourage people. He wants us to inspire people with hope, courage, and support.
  • “I’m tired boss…mostly I’m tired of people being ugly toward each other. I’m tired of all of the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There’s too much of it. It’s like pieces of glass in my head all the time. —John Coffey, in The Green Mile

 

5.) Evangelism

  • Acts 1:8– But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
  • God calls Christians to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people wherever we go.
  • 2 Timothy 4:1-2 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season.
  • We must be ready to share our faith with others when God gives us opportunities.
  • “It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor.” —Martin Luther

 

Evangelism Approaches

  • Build good relationships at your workplace.
  • Pray for your boss, coworkers, clients, etc.
  • Share your personal story of faith.
  • Invite co-workers to come to church or a church function with you.

 

6.) Entrepreneurism

  • Proverbs 11:10– When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.
  • Romans 12:6-8– We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
  • God gifts and calls some Christians to start businesses and organizations to expand his kingdom.
  • Some ventures are primarily evangelistic, but others focus on alleviating human suffering or promoting the common good in society (Social, Nutritional, Medical, Political, Economic, Educational)

 

Harry Ironside was an influential evangelist and pastor during the first half of the 20th century. When he was a boy, he worked for Dan Mackay, a Scottish shoemaker, or “cobbler,” as he preferred to be called. The humble cobbler was a forthright Christian and his little shop was a real testimony for Christ in the neighborhood.

On the little counter in front of the bench on which the owner of the shop sat, was a Bible, generally open. This caused many customers to ask religious questions and Mackay took these opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. Over the years, many people professed Christian faith right there in the cobbler shop.

It was Harry’s chief responsibility to pound leather for shoe soles. A piece of cowhide would be cut to suite, then soaked in water. He had a flat piece of iron over his knees and, with a flat-headed hammer, he pounded these soles until they were hard and dry. It was a tedious process and it often seemed unnecessary to the young apprentice.

What made his task worse was the fact that, a block away, there was another cobbler shop, and in it sat a jolly, godless cobbler who gathered the boys of the neighborhood about him and regaled them with lewd tales that made him dreaded by respectable parents as a menace to the community. Yet, somehow, he seemed to thrive and that perhaps to a greater extent than Harry’s employer. Harry noticed that he never pounded the soles at all, but took them from the water, nailed them on, damp as they were, and with the water splashing from them as he hammered each nail.

One day Harry ventured inside and asked, “I notice you put the soles on while still wet. Are they just as good as if they were pounded?” He gave him a wicked leer as he answered, “They come back all the quicker this way, my boy!”

“Feeling he had learned something, he related the instance to his boss and suggested that he was perhaps wasting time in drying out the leather so carefully. Mr. Mackay stopped his work and opened his Bible to the passage that reads, “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of god.” “Harry,” he said, “I do not cobble shoes just for the 50 or 75 cents that I get from my customers. I am doing this for the glory of God. I expect to see every shoe I have ever repaired in a big pile at the judgment seat of Christ, and I do not want the Lord to say to me in that day, ‘Dan, this was a poor job. You did not do your best here.’ I want Him to be able to say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”

Then he went on to explain that just as some men are called to preach, so he was called to fix shoes, and that only as he did this well would his testimony count for God. It was a lesson Harry was never able to forget. For the rest of his life, he said, “Often when I was tempted to be carelessness, and to slipshod effort, I have thought of dear, devoted Dan Mackay, and it has stirred me up to seek to do all as for Him who died to redeem me.

 

An Indecent Proposal (or A Meddling Mother-in-Law)
Ruth 3
Third Sunday in Advent

Over the past two weeks we have been hearing a story about a little family from the little town of Bethlehem. A famine forced Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons to flee their hometown and become refugees in the country of Moab on the other side of the Jordan River. Although they found food to sustain their lives, Elimelech died unexpectedly and left Naomi as a single mother in a foreigner land. But as time passed, both of her boys married Moabite girls and she hoped that her husband’s legacy would eventually be carried on through her grandchildren.

However, before grandchildren ever emerged, both of Naomi’s sons died. Now there were three weeping widows wondering what to do with their lives. In the midst of bereavement and bitterness, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, and she told her daughters-in-law to return to their own mothers. But Ruth pledged to stay with Naomi always. So they returned to Bethlehem together and they happened to arrive at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Ruth decided to glean grain in the barley fields to provide food for her and her mother-in-law, and she just happened to stumble into a field belonging to Boaz, the most eligible bachelor in Bethlehem. Boaz showed incredible kindness toward Ruth and a fledgling romance formed.

 

A Matchmaking Mother-in-Law (1-2)

As the barley harvest wore on, Ruth spent her days gleaning grain in the fields, and Naomi spent her days at home thinking about her life. She continued to contemplate the meaning of the tragic death of her husband and two sons; she persisted in pondering the purpose of the emptiness she felt deep in her heart. She was surely thankful for Ruth’s loyalty and Boaz’s gracious provision of food, but she began to feel anxious about what they would do after the barley harvest was finished. Moreover, Naomi thought further into the future and wondered what Ruth would do after she died—after all, Naomi was getting any younger and her family had a history of unexpected death. She needed to find a more permanent situation for Ruth. That is when she realized that the best possible solution was for Ruth to remarry.

When Ruth came home after a long day in the fields, Naomi looked at her and said, “Hey there baby girl, I’ve been thinking—maybe it’s about time for you to open a profile on E-Harmony or Match.com. Better yet, since you are now a farm girl and a believer in the one true God, maybe you would have better luck on Christian-Mingle or Farmer’s Only. (You have all seen the advertisements for the dating service Farmers Only right? Their slogan is “City folks just don’t get it!” No! No! Just kidding! If Ruth was going to find a husband, it was going to have to happen the old-fashioned way; her mother-in-law would have to set her up on a date. So, Naomi decided to play the role of matchmaking mother-in-law.

Naomi did, in fact, begin to recognize God’s providence in bringing them back to Bethlehem during the barley harvest. She realized that it was not a mere coincidence that Ruth stumbled into Boaz’s field or that Boaz took interest in her and showed her favor. After all, Boaz was a worthy man and he was a relative, which according to the ancient priority of family solidarity, increased the chances that he might marry her. (In ancient Israel, it was common custom for a man to provide for the widowed wife of a deceased relative, and this would often result in marriage.) Seeing all of these details strung together, Naomi sensed that it was God’s plan to for Ruth and Boaz to be married!

            As in the case of Naomi, it is often in the aftermath of grief, worry, and even despair that God’s providence begins to speak to us. When we start to look up from our bitterness and self-pity, we can begin to see that everything does happen for a reason. It is amazing how God’s plan for our lives becomes clearer when we shift the focus off ourselves and look toward loving and caring for others.

            How about you? When you experience tragedy or loss, do you trust in God’s providence? Do you really believe that he is in control? When you face adversity or hardship, can you see that God has a purpose for it? When you don’t understand why things happen the way they do, do you have faith to trust God’s plan? Do you have eyes to see God’s providence guiding your life?

 

Advance the Romance (3-5)

Once Naomi realized that God’s providence was pointing toward a marriage between Ruth and Boaz, she took it upon herself to introduce what I like to call a plan to “advance the romance.” She gives Ruth some practical advice: “Wash therefore anoint yourself, put on your cloak, and go down to the threshing floor, but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. After he falls asleep, go lie down next to him and uncover his feet. And he will take it from there!” Wow! How about that for being direct?

Some of you might look at this story and accuse Naomi of being a meddling mother-in-law who was sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. (After all, mother-in-laws do have that reputation.) But here, Naomi is actually showing genuine compassion for Ruth and acting on a hunch about God’s plan for her life. She is simply playing her part in God’s providence.

What application can we glean from this scene? Ladies, take some practical advice from Mother Naomi—If you want to find yourselves a husband, take a shower, put on a decent dress, spray a little perfume, and by golly, make sure the man is well fed and has had a glass of wine before you move in for the kill! This is how you advance the romance! (How disappointing! I thought for sure I would hear an “Amen” from someone.)

            Guys, I’m not even sure what to tell you about this! I guess all I can say is that if you wake up in the middle of the night and roll over and find a woman lying beside you trying to steal your covers—it may be a sign from God that you are supposed to marry her!

All joking aside, this scene does highlight the tension between God’s providence and our responsibility. On one hand, God’s providence orchestrates the events and circumstances of our lives. His plans always trump our plans. But on the other hand, God still holds us responsible for our actions, and he wants us to employ wisdom and common sense in our decisions. If you pray about something and sense that the Lord is leading you in a particular direction (and it matches up with biblical ethics and godly people support the path), don’t wait around for some dramatic sign from God, just do it!

For example, I have some friends who say things like, “I’m not going to date anyone. I will sit back and wait for God to bring the right one along.” Others have the same attitude about a job, “I’m not going to actively search for a job; I will just wait for God to provide the right one.” While God wants us reliance upon his providence, he also expects us to take some responsibility. How do you balance God’s providence and human responsibility in your life?

 

An Indecent Proposal (6-9)

So, Ruth did everything that Naomi told her to do. She got all dolled up and snuck down to the threshing floor. (This is where they processed the barley by beating the sheaves against the ground with sticks and throwing it in the air and watching the wind blow the chaff away. The heavier kernels would fall to the ground and be piled into heaps until they were taken to the mill where they would be ground into flour.) Like a fox, Ruth cleverly hid herself among the grain piles, watched the men winnow the barley, and waited for her opportunity. As the men finished their work and enjoyed their supper, darkness fell upon them and they soon spread out their sleeping mats and took their places for the night. (To maximize time during winnowing season, they all spent the night right there on the threshing floor.) Ruth watched keenly as Boaz found a private place behind grain pile on the far side of the threshing floor and quickly fell asleep.

And just as her mother-in-law told her, she tiptoed over to him, gently uncovered his feet, and laid down beside him. Sometime around midnight, a cool breeze blew across the floor and chilled Boaz’s feet enough to awaken him. As he woke up, his nose caught the strange sweet scent of perfume and he felt someone lying next to his legs. Startled and confused, he asked the person’s identity. And that is when she laid it on him: “It is your servant Ruth. Spread your wings over your servant.” (That’s what she said!) This metaphorical innuendo was actually a marriage proposal. By this, she was saying, “As a bird spreads its wings to shelter its young from the storm, protect me and redeem me by marrying me!”

In ancient Israel, the vast majority of marriages were arranged. In the few exceptions, it was always the man who proposed to the woman. Even though Ruth’s proposal broke every cultural norm, she did not break any of God’s laws. Some legalists would have even called this an indecent proposal, but this act did not compromise her character in any way!

For those of you who are married, do you remember your proposal? Some of you have incredibly clever and romantic proposal stories and you love to tell them every chance you get. Others have proposal stories that are so mindless and mundane that you are too embarrassed to tell anyone. Can you imagine the young women asking, “Oh Ruth, tell us the story of how Boaz proposed to you?” “Well, actually I proposed to him behind a grain pile on the threshing floor in the middle of the night!” Wow, how romantic!

           I would like to take this opportunity to clear up some misnomers about Christian dating. I have been in many Christian circles where women are taught that it is morally wrong or at least spiritually scandalous to even initiate a relationship with a guy, let alone be the one to propose marriage. But this is a cultural value, a not biblical one. I hear Christians say, “Well, the man I supposed to be the spiritual leader in the relationship, so he should initiate everything.” This is a classic case of legalism, where someone takes a biblical principal and heaps a bunch of extra requirements on it. Chivalry is fine, but it isn’t necessarily biblical! I am certainly no feminist, but ladies, let me just say to you: If you meet someone like Boaz and you sense the Lord’s leading, don’t hold back! Go for it!

 

Waiting for the Unknown (10-18)

Notice Boaz’s positive response to Ruth’s proposal. He said, “Yes! I will marry you! She went to Jared!” Well, not quite, but he did bless her and compliment her for not running after the younger men. In his humility, he was grateful that a noble woman like Ruth would choose an older man like him. Indeed, age and wealth had nothing to do with it. Ruth fell in love with Boaz because of his character and kindness!

Boaz agreed to do everything in his power to marry her, but there was one problem: there was a kinsman-redeemer closer to Ruth than him. This meant that another man was a closer relation and had the legal right to redeem Ruth first. But Boaz promised her that he would deal with this issue first thing in the morning. Until then, Boaz told her to stay there with him for the night so that she would be safe but to go home early in the morning before it was light. He did this to protect their moral reputation. He didn’t want anyone thinking that there was some hanky-panky going on down at the threshing floor because there certainly wasn’t. Boaz and Ruth maintained the highest degree of moral and sexual integrity in their relationship. And Boaz showed even more kindness by sending her home with six more measures of barley.

Can you imagine the excitement and anticipation that Ruth felt when she told Naomi everything that happened? Like most brides-to-be, she wanted to have all of the wedding plans finished, but she had to wait. Naomi encouraged her by telling her to relax and wait, for Boaz would settle with the matter as soon as possible.

            Do you want to know what happen next? You are going to have to come back next week and find out how this story ends! I hope you can wait until then!           

Most of us hate waiting! Sometimes we have to wait with eager anticipation like when we get married. Or waiting for Christmas. Or waiting with dreadful trepidation for test results to come back from the doctor’s office. But we all have to wait for God’s plan to unfold in God’s timing, which is always perfect. Therefore, wherever you are and whatever situation you are facing in life, relax! Be patient! It will all be settled when it is supposed to be. Like Ruth and Naomi, you are in God’s hands!

Fields of Gold
Ruth 2
Second Sunday in Advent

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves Upon the fields of barley
You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky As we walk in fields of gold

So she took her love For to gaze awhile Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me, will you be my love Among the fields of barley
We’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky As we lie in fields of gold

See the west wind move like a lover so Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth Among the fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down Among the fields of gold
“Fields of Gold” is one of my all-time favorite love songs. The rock star Sting wrote this ballad back in the early 1990’s after he bought a house near a barley field in the English countryside. The lyrics were inspired by his romance with Trudie Styler, who he married in 1992. This timeless tune chronicles a love story all the way from courtship and marriage to old age and eventual death. Every time I hear it on the radio, I am reminded of another love story that took place among the fields of barley in Ruth 2.

In Ruth 1 we heard the tragic tale of Naomi and her family fleeing the famine in Bethlehem and becoming refugees in the country of Moab. Soon after they arrived, she experienced the unexpected death of her husband Elimelech. As she grieved her loss, a little hope finally appeared on the horizon when her two boys married Moabite girls, but tragedy struck again when both of her sons were snatched away from her in untimely death.

Struggling with bitterness toward life in general and God in particular, Naomi eventually decided to return to her hometown of Bethlehem. Her daughter-in-law Ruth showed remarkable love and loyalty by pledging to go with Naomi and stay with her for the rest of her life. So, the two widows journeyed back across the Jordan River and walked into Bethlehem right at the beginning of the barley harvest.

 

Social Welfare for the Destitute (1-2)

The timing of the barley harvest turned out to be a blessing. In a society where women’s status was already limited, Naomi returned to Bethlehem with no inheritance, no savings, and no means of income. She and Ruth were in a state of complete destitution, and they were most likely worried about how they would find food and provide for themselves. But Ruth, who had already given up her pagan Moabite religion and put her faith in the one true God, learned about the Israelite welfare laws and suggested that she go and glean grain and seek favor in one of the farmer’s fields. The Mosaic law (Lev. 19; Deut. 24) demanded that all land owners leave some grain in the fields and allow the poor and destitute to glean after their reapers cut and gathered the harvest. These social welfare laws reveal God’s heart for the poor and destitute.

Let’s just stop and think about this for a moment. What a novel idea to have a social welfare system that balances compassion and accountability! Today I hear people from both ends of the political spectrum complain about our American welfare system and demonize people on the other side. I have heard some people say things like, “It’s not right that the government steals my hard earned money and gives it to people who refuse to work. It’s not my responsibility to support them when they sit around on their butts doing drugs and watching cable television.” I have also heard people say, “We need to knock all those silver spoon rich people off their high horses. Those greedy SOB’s cheat the tax code and take advantage of the rest of us. The 1% gets richer and the 99% gets poorer. It’s time for those dirt bags to pay their fair share.” Does this rhetoric sound familiar?

God’s laws break through all of this political and social squabbling, and show us a better way. You see, God demands compassion and generosity from the rich and accountability and gratitude from the poor! God despises greediness or gluttony; he also loathes laziness or lethargy. He disdains arrogance and entitlement. He desires humility and thankfulness from everyone!

 

A Providential Meeting (3)

So, Ruth went to work upon the fields of barley. And notice where she wound up—in verse 3 the narrator goes out of his way to mention that she just “happened to come to work in a field that belonged to Boaz” who just happened to “be from the clan of Elimelech.” These seemingly small details will not only factor into the rest of the story of Ruth but will also play a critical role in redemptive history, which will ultimately culminate in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The narrator intentionally employs hyperbolic irony to highlight the fact that Ruth did not end up in Boaz’s field by mere coincidence or chance; she was led there by a direct providential act of God. God was sovereignly arranging the details of her life to accomplish a much larger plan than what she could have ever imagined at the time.

This verse reminds us that God is constantly working behind the scenes in our lives too. Through his divine providence, he orchestrates and guides the details of our lives to accomplish a much larger plan.

For example, I often think about how one seemingly insignificant decision I make during my sophomore year of college that changed my life forever. I decided to attend a seminar on small-town ministry hosted by the Rural Home Missionary Association, where I just happened to meet a beautiful young woman named Jennifer Bayard, who was also interested in small-town ministry. That initial meeting soon morphed into a casual acquaintance. Then it just happened that we had two classes together the following semester, which led to us spending some time studying together, which deepened our friendship. Then it just happened that we wound up serving as Resident Assistant’s together during our junior and senior years. These and a thousand other details led to Jennifer and I falling in love and getting married on May 19, 2001. Our love story didn’t unfold upon the fields of barley, but it did develop upon the streets of Chicago. Now here we are, four kids and almost fifteen years of marriage later, serving in small-town ministry together. (Coincidently, the organization that hosted that seminar on small-town ministry is the same organization for whom I teach a graduate school course for now!)

Just as Ruth had no idea she would meet her future husband upon the fields of barley, I had no idea that I would meet my future wife and ministry partner when I walked into that seminar room, but God did! I didn’t know or understand, but God knew exactly what he was doing.

We don’t always see or feel God’s providence in our lives, but I assure you that he is always working behind the scenes. Nothing ever happens by chance! There are no coincidences and there is no such thing as fate or serendipity. There is only God’s providence! Therefore, when things happen in our lives that don’t make sense to us, instead of relying on our limited human understanding, let us trust in God’s plan.

 

Character Counts (4-23)

The rest of our romance story documents the dialogue between Ruth and Boaz where they took an interest in each other and developed a deep respect for one another. The interchange highlights their impeccable moral character. Let’s begin by looking at with Boaz, Bethlehem’s most eligible bachelor.

 

Boaz’s Character (1, 4-5, 8-9, 12, 14-16)

Back in verse 1 the narrator already introduced Boaz as a “worthy man.” This term designates Boaz as a man who possesses social standing and a good reputation. In this context it connotes not only wealth and status but also ability, integrity, and honor.

By occupation, Boaz was a farmer and businessman. Notice in verse 4 how Boaz treats his employees when he arrives at his barely fields in Bethlehem. They very first thing he says is, “The Lord be with you.” He greets his workers warmly and pronounces a blessing over them. (Can you imagine your boss doing this to you when you show up at work every morning?) This not only shows his respect for people, but it also displays his deep faith in God.

As Boaz gazed across his workers in the field, he noticed someone who didn’t belong there. (This shows that he knew all of his employees personally.) He asked his foreman about the identity of this woman gleaning in his field. When he discovered that this was the young Moabite widow who returned with Naomi, instead of looking down on her because she was a widow or a foreigner, he showed incredible compassion and kindness. He offered her protection by telling her to remain in his field, to stay close to the other young women, and he explicitly forbade his male employees from hurling insults, racial slurs, or sexual harassment in the workplace. He offered her provision by telling her to drink from the water jars whenever she was thirsty. And during their lunch break, he shared his own lunch with her. He even commanded his workers to let her gather among the bundles where she would be easier to glean larger amounts of grain.

            Boaz was a man who loved the Lord, had high moral integrity, a good reputation, blessed his employees, spoke tenderly, treated people with compassion, protected and provided for the vulnerable, and he never abused his power or authority. Men, Boaz is a role model for each one of us! Let us learn from his example! May we model his morality and conform to his character!

            Ladies, Boaz is the kind of man you should seek to marry. If he doesn’t love God, go to church, and have strong moral character, he is not the one for you! If he won’t protect you or can’t provide for you, keep on looking! Don’t settle for anything less! You don’t want to end up with one of Boaz’s cousins—Broke-az, Lyin-az, Lazy-az, Cheatin-az, Dumb-az, Drunk-az, Cheap-az, Lockedup-az, or Goodfornothing-az. You get the hint!

 

Ruth’s Character (2, 7, 13)

Well, we better take a look at Ruth’s character now. In chapter 1, we already saw the depth of her love and loyalty when she made her oath to her mother-in-law Naomi. Now here in verse 2 we see her willingness to take initiative and her work ethic. No labor was below her and she worked hard all day, with only one short break. Also, notice the respect she showed to Boaz’s foreman. Even though she had a legal right to glean in the field, she still asked permission. (7) Also, notice the depth of gratitude with which she responded to Boaz’s kindness. She literally got down on her knees and thanked him for showing her favor. We see her humility in verse 13, when she says, “though I could never be equal to one of your servants.”

            Ruth was a woman who exhibited the virtues of love, loyalty, respect, hard work, humility, and gratitude. Ladies, Ruth is a role model for each one of you. May you follow your example in your own life!

            Fellas, Ruth is the kind of woman you should seek to marry—a woman who loves the Lord, respects her elders, is humble and emotionally mature, and is loyal, thankful, and has a strong work ethic. Even if you have to wait for a long time, marry a woman with high moral character and you will be a happy man for the rest of your life!

 

           Love stories are always compelling! And this one is no exception. I wonder where it will go from here? Come on back next week and find out! Until then, let me recap a few lessons we have learned from today’s story:

  1. God’s law establishes a welfare system that balances compassion and accountability. God abhors greed, arrogance, and entitlement! He wants us all to be humble and thankful, regardless of our socio-economic situation! Boaz is a model for the wealthy; Ruth is a pattern for the poor!
  2. God’s providence is always at work in our lives. He is orchestrating and guiding all of the events of our lives, even if we don’t see it or understand it at the time.
  3. May we all model our moral character after Boaz and Ruth. Let us exhibit virtues of humility, kindness, compassion, love, loyalty, respect, tender speech, and hard work in everything we do!

And if you are not married, now you know what to look for! In God’s time, I pray that you will find your Ruth or Boaz, just as I have found my Jennifer!

Bitterness & Blessing in Bethlehem
Ruth 1
First Sunday in Advent

Life is like a rollercoaster ride! If we pause and think about it for a moment, we will realize that our lives are filled with eager ascents, dreadful dips, triumphant twists, and tragic turns. And we are usually flown for a few unexpected loops along the way. Some of us have enjoyed the blessings of being raised in a loving family, receiving a solid education, getting a good job, falling in love, getting married, having children and grandchildren, enjoying good health, and maybe even retiring with a little money. Likewise, some of us have also endured the bitterness of family dysfunction, academic failure, unemployment, breakups, divorce, infertility, disease, financial stress, and the death of a loved one. Many of our lives teeter tend to back and forth between agony and ecstasy, emptiness and abundance, bitterness and blessing. This is exactly what we find in the opening chapter of the Book of Ruth!

 

A Refugee Crisis (1-2)

Our story takes place during the days when the Judges ruled in Israel. It was a period of history stained by political anarchy, economic idolatry, and spiritual apathy. An ominous cloud lingered over the land and the nation’s character was conformed to its palpable presence. Instead of uniting together to promote the common good and facilitate human flourishing, the society succumbed to selfishness and God’s chosen people turned their backs on each other. Indeed, these were dark days for Israel and there was little hope on the horizon.

To make an already bleak situation even bleaker, a famine struck the country. The rain did not fall and crops did not grow and there was a vast food shortage in Israel. This created a Middle-East refugee crisis where many families were forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods to seek food and welfare in foreign lands.

In the midst of this calamity, there was a little Israelite family living in the little town of Bethlehem which was located in the region of Judah in southern Israel. Bethlehem was a farming town; it was a community especially known for its production of barley. As a matter of fact, the name Bethlehem literally means “house of bread” and it acted as the bread basket for the whole region. The food shortage forced this family of Ephrathites (a small clan in the tribe of Judah) to flee their hometown of Bethlehem and seek refuge on the east side of the Dead Sea in the enemy territory of Moab, whose fertile fields fared better in the famine. So, Elimelech and Naomi loaded up their two boys Mahlon and Kilion and they moved to the enemy territory of Moab.

Can you imagine the desperation of packing up your family and a few belongings and fleeing to another nation because you fear for your life? Can you ponder the pain of leaving everything you know behind and going to a place with a different language and culture and not having any friends? Can you envisage the anxiety of entering a country where the people don’t really want you; where they are skeptical about your religion, culture, and motivations for being there?

When we consider the hopelessness of living in a land ravaged by violence and deprivation, it might cause us to wonder where God is in all of this! But amidst these bitter circumstances, I sure am glad that the Moabites welcomed this family with open arms. What a blessing for their enemies to take them in and provide for their physical needs!

 

Misfortune in Moab (3-5)

This little family from Bethlehem boarded the rollercoaster of bitterness and blessing again when they reached Moab. Not long after they arrived, Elimelech, the patriarch of their family, died. We don’t know any of the details surrounding his death—all we know is that he died, and everyone is left to wonder why. Naomi’s love was snatched away from her and now she was left as a single mother with the challenge of raising two boys alone in a foreign land.

            Even though they were burdened by the bitterness of death, as time went on, they were blessed again when the two boys met and married the Moabite girls, Orpah and Ruth. Just as the grief of losing Elimelech gave way to the joy of gaining two lovely daughters-in-law and the hope of rocking grandchildren to sleep, tragedy strikes again. For some unknown and unexplained reason, both Mahlon and Kilion died. Now we have three weeping widows mourning the death of their husbands—three wounded women, three shattered souls, three hopeless hearts!

            When we read stories like this in the Bible or experience things like this in our own lives, it causes us to ask the question “Why?” It doesn’t seem to make any sense! Why would God take this family all the way to Moab if Elimelech was just going to die anyway? Why would God allow Mahlon and Kilion to marry Moabite girls if they were just going to die anyway? What is the purpose of all of this?

            We ask these same kinds questions about our own lives! Why would God allow me to get hired for the job if he knew it isn’t going to be a good fit for me? Why would God allow me to get married if he knew it was going to end in a painful divorce? Why would he allow us to have a baby if he knows the baby is going to die? Why would he cure me of cancer if he knew that I would turn around and have a heart attack? We are constantly riding the rollercoaster of bitterness and blessing, and it often doesn’t make any sense!

 

The Blessings of Loyalty and Love (6-15)

As Naomi coped with the burden and bitterness of death, she decided to return to her hometown of Bethlehem. Without a husband or a male heir, she was emotionally, socially, and economically destitute. There was no reason for her to stay in Moab. Besides, she had heard the news that the Lord had visited her people back in Israel and had blessed them with food again.

While the three widows started walking toward Bethlehem, Naomi realized that it didn’t make any sense for her daughters-in-law to accompany her. They would be better off staying in their own country and they should go and take care of their own mothers rather than her. Naomi blessed and kissed them and they all wept together. But in a display of remarkable loyalty and love, both girls refused and said that they would rather live with Naomi among her people.

Naomi deeply appreciated the girl’s gracious gesture, but she pleaded with them to return to their own people, employing a hyperbolic line of reasoning to argue her point, “Am I still capable of having sons and supplying you with husbands? Suppose I got married again and had more sons. Would you wait until they grew up? Don’t be ridiculous! Go home, my daughters!”

After all, she did not want them to drag them into her bitterness and frustration with God.

Naomi’s argument eventually achieved its intended effect upon Orpah, who kissed her mother-in-law and did the sensible thing and returned to Moab. Ruth, on the other hand, refused to go. She wrapped her arms around Naomi, clung to her tightly, and uttered one of the most powerful promises in the entire Bible, “Wherever you go I will go, and wherever you live I will live. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise. Nothing but death will separate you from me.” (vs.16-18) (Wow! Most people try to find an excuse to get away from their mother-in-law, but Ruth finds a way to stay with hers.) After such a dramatic declaration of loyalty and love, what could Naomi say? So, they walked to Bethlehem together.

This scene shows us that even in the midst of bitterness, God still blesses his people. Sometimes he does it with material provisions and other times by bringing someone alongside of us to help us bear the burden. Sometimes he blesses us through people or circumstances that we would least expect.

            Back when I was in seminary in Massachusetts, Jennifer and I were in a car accident on our way to church one Sunday morning in November. The roads were icy and our tires were as bald as an eagle’s head. I knew our tires were in bad shape but we just didn’t have enough money for new ones. So, our car slid into a stone wall and sustained enough damage that it had to be towed. This unfortunate experience was frustrating to say the least, but it was a blessing that neither one of us was injured.

            I remember thinking, “Wow Lord, this is the thanks I get for going to church, preaching your word, and doing your work.” I was worried because I knew that we didn’t have enough money to cover the towing bill, let alone the insurance deductible for repairs. But it all turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Before we left church that morning, someone had already paid our towing bill, someone else paid our deductible and gave us a car to borrow, and when we got our car back from the shop, it had four brand new tires on it. Had we not endured the bitterness of the accident, we never would have experienced the blessings of the church! (This experience also gave me first rate education on the importance of having good tires!)

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever gone through a bitter experience, but then God turned it into an unexpected blessing?

 

Bitterness and Emptiness (16-21)

Well, sometimes it’s difficult to see the blessings in the midst of the bitterness; sometimes our bitterness blinds us to the blessings.

This is what happened to Naomi. When she and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was excited to see them. With surprise and joy, the women greet her, saying, “Is this Naomi?” But Naomi doesn’t recognize the blessing of a benevolent greeting. Instead, she sputters, “Don’t call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Lord has made my life bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” (I wonder how this comment made Ruth feel?) Mara went on to wallow in self-pity, blaming God for bringing these calamities upon her. Now she had endured a horrendous ordeal, but she still had the power to choose how she would react.

            There are many people in our world today who are just like Mara. When misfortune or calamity strikes, they respond with bitterness rather than recognizing the blessings God has given them. They shake their fists at God and take their anger out on the people around them. They allow their situation to sink their soul into self-absorption, resentment toward God, and ambivalence toward others. I know people who have been angry toward God for more than fifty years. They still resent him for something that happened to them years ago.

We cannot control everything that happens to us in this world, but we can control how we react to it. How about you? Are you holding on to bitterness toward God or someone else because of something that happened to you? Let it go! Forgive as the Lord forgave you! This is why Jesus died on the cross! Don’t let bitterness blind you to the blessings God has bestowed upon you!

 

Notice how this scene ends. The narrator summarizes that Naomi and Ruth returned from Moab, and he mentions that they just happened to arrive at the beginning of the barley harvest. He adds this literary detail to clue us into the fact that Naomi and Ruth’s story isn’t finished yet. He was still working in and through them and he still had a plan for both of their lives. So, what is that plan? Come on back next week and find out!

Until then, just know that as our lives teeter back and forth between bitterness and blessing, we always have hope because the God is in control and he is accomplishing his plan!

A Pedagogy of Prayer
Luke 11:1-13

I would like to begin today’s sermon by reading two juxtaposing prayers. If you listen to them closely, you will hear a distinctive difference in the author’s approach to prayer. Here is the first one:

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast once adopted us, and continues to confirm this thy favour by calling us unceasingly to thyself, and dost not only severely chastise us, but also gently and paternally invite us to thyself, and exhort us at the same time to repentance, grant that we may not be so hardened as to resist thy goodness, nor abuse this thine incredible forbearance, but submit ourselves in obedience to thee; that whenever thou mayest severely chastise us, we may bear thy corrections with genuine submission of faith, and not continue untameable and obstinate to the last, but return to thee the only fountain of life and salvation, that as thou has once begun in us a good work, so thou mayest perfect it to the day of our Lord. Amen.

This prayer was written by John Calvin, the influential 16th century French theologian and one of the chief fathers of the Protestant Reformation.

Here is the second prayer:

Dear Lord Baby Jesus, or as our brothers in the South call you: ‘Hee-suz’. We thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Dominos, KFC, and the always delicious Taco Bell. I just want to take time to say thank you for my family: my two beautiful, beautiful, handsome striking sons, Walker and Texas Ranger, or TR as we call him. And, of course, my red hot smokin’ wife Carley, who is a stone cold fox, who if you would rate her on 100 scale, she would easily be a 94. I also want to thank you for my best friend and teammate, Cal Naughton Jr, who’s got my back no matter what…whoo—shake and bake! Dear Lord Baby Jesus, we also thank you for my wife’s father Chip. We hope that you can use your Baby Jesus powers to heal him and his horrible leg. It smells terrible and the dogs are always botherin’ with it. Dear Eight Pound, Six Ounce, Newborn Baby Jesus, don’t even know a word yet, just a little infant, so cuddly, but still omnipotent. We just thank you for all the races I’ve won and the $21.2 million dollars…Whoo! LOVE THAT MONEY! Amen!

This prayer was spoken by NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby in the 2006 non-Oscar nominated film “Talladega Nights.”

Although these two prayers both begin by addressing God, end with the word “Amen”, and are, for the most part, theologically correct, they couldn’t be more different from each other in style. Calvin’s prayer is what we might call “high church”—it is a written form prayer of dense theological terminology, lofty poetic nomenclature, and it invokes God as the transcendent judge who watches over the affairs of the world. Bobby’s prayer, on the other hand, is what we call “low church” or “really really low church”—it is a spontaneous spoken prayer of coarsely colloquial vocabulary, crude and unsophisticated slang, and appeals to the immanence of Jesus Christ in a manner that is borderline blasphemous.

            These prayers brilliantly represent the contrasting extremes in approach to prayer. Now that you have heard both of them, let me ask you: Which one is correct? My instinct is that most of you are somewhat uncomfortable with Ricky Bobby’s prayer. Even if it is true, it just feels irreverent to express thanksgiving to God for your “red hot smokin’ wife and 21.2 million dollar winnings.” I don’t mean any disrespect to NASCAR fans, but if we are honest, this prayer is outrageous and sacrilegious.

Moreover, I also suspect that most of you weren’t too keen on John Calvin’s prayer either. Many of you were probably thinking, “Wow, that prayer sure sounded nice, but I didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about.” It is accurate to say that some prayers are so heavenly that they are of no earthly value!

            Unfortunately, many of our models of prayer, both inside and outside the church, have left us scratching our heads and wondering how are we supposed to pray? Should we recite form prayers from prayer books or should we employ extemporaneous prayers like casual conversations? Should prayer be an act of public piety or a discipline of private solitude? Should our prayers emphasize the holiness and majesty of God or humility and meekness of God? Should we only pray for others or is it OK to pray for ourselves as well? With so many ecclesiastical traditions and competing philosophies about prayer, don’t you just wish that Jesus was with us physically so that we could say to him, “Lord, give us a pedagogy of prayer!”

 

The Lord’s Prayer (1-4)

Well, that is precisely the question that Jesus’ disciples asked him while they were on their journey to Jerusalem. The disciples had long admired Jesus’ prayer life; on many occasions they watched Jesus go off to a private place and engage in profound and intimate periods of prayer with his Heavenly Father. They wanted to know how to pray like Jesus. Furthermore, it was the custom that rabbis would teach their followers how to pray; John the Baptist had apparently done this with his disciples.

So, Jesus decided to oblige his disciples and grant their request. He spoke the words that we commonly refer to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Over the centuries, there has been much debate about the purpose of this prayer. Was it meant to be a form prayer recited in unison during a public worship gathering or a pattern to guide individuals through the categories of private devotion? The answer is a resounding “Both!”

First, when Jesus says, “When you pray…” the “you” is plural. It is almost impossible to distinguish in the English translation, but it is crystal clear in the Greek. He is speaking to them as a group, not individuals. Therefore, this prayer was meant to be recited as a group.

Second, many of you may not know this, but the Lord’s prayer bears a striking resemblance to the Amidah and Qaddish, which were Jewish form prayers; they were recited on a daily basis, both privately and publicly. Jesus did not try to reinvent the wheel when it came to prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is really an augmentation and distillation of two common form prayers. Therefore, like the others, it was originally intended to be memorized and recited regularly. The repetition of these words provides personal continuity in devotion and corporate solidarity in worship.

On the other hand, Jesus most certainly intended this prayer to be a pattern to guide the prayer life of his followers. Notice that Luke’s version of the prayer is different than Matthew’s version. This form is more simplified, but it still covers the same basic categories. Both prayers begin by addressing God as a loving Father figure, offering praise to his name, and submitting to his sovereign rule, as it is manifested throughout creation. From there, both prayers move to corporate petitions for God to provide our daily needs, forgive our sins, and to lead us away from temptation. These categories form the pattern that should guide our prayer life. Some of you are familiar with the helpful acronym, ACTS, that summarizes the components of the Lord’s Prayer: A-Adoration of God; C-Confession of Sin; T-Thanksgiving; S-Supplication.

            Therefore, let us not fall into the trap of setting up a false dichotomy about the use of the Lord’s Prayer. Did you know that there are many Baptist, Pentecostal, and Evangelical churches that never recite the Lord’s Prayer in church? Some of them don’t even know the words by heart. They protest all forms of liturgy and are quick to declare that the Lord’s Prayer is only a pattern for extemporaneous prayer.

            Likewise, there are many Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and liturgical churches that only recite the Lord’s prayer and other written prayers. They wouldn’t have a clue what to say to Jesus Christ if he was standing right in front of them. They would say, “Oh, no! I can’t find a prayer in my prayer book for this!”

            But Jesus presents a balanced pedagogy of prayer. There is great value and power in the gathered church reciting the Lord’s Prayer and other form prayers together. There is also a wonderful pattern to inform and guide every prayer that we ever pray, regardless of where we are or what we are doing.

 

A Parable about Prayer (5-13)

After Jesus taught his disciples The Lord’s Prayer, he continued his pedagogy of prayer by telling them a parable. He poses the parable in the form of a question: Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived from a long journey, and I have nothing to set before him?” This parable picks up on two cultural dynamics. First, food was not readily available like it is today. Second, Jewish culture put a high priority on hospitality.

Even though the friend’s door was already shut and he had put his kids to bed, he decides to help the petitioner, not on the foundation of their friendship, but on the basis of his boldness. The Greek term translated here as “boldness” carries the idea of unrelenting persistence and shameful audacity.

In verses 9-10, Jesus directly applies this parable to the prayer life of his disciples. Jesus commands his disciples to approach their heavenly Father with the same boldness and shameful audacity—“Ask, seek, and knock!” Like the friend in the parable, the Lord responds to persistence in prayer—“For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks the door will be opened.”

Jesus drives home his point and concludes his pedagogy of prayer by asking a few rhetorical questions: “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

            This pedagogical parable teaches us that God desires prayers that are bold, even shameless, in its approach to him. It is not shameless in the sense of coming to God for all the selfish wants and desires we have. God is not a cosmic Santa Claus; nor is he a galactic Grinch! He simply desires prayer with nerve; where we openly and honestly pour our hearts out to him. The response, of course, is up to him! What should you do if God doesn’t answer your prayer? Keep knock knock knocking on heaven’s door!

 

In this passage, the Lord has taught us how to pray. He has presented to us a powerful pedagogy of prayer. As I conclude, allow me to challenge you with a few action points for your prayer life!

  1. If you don’t already know it, memorize the Lord’s Prayer. Recite it once a day and twice on Sunday’s. (once in church, of course!)
  2. Try reading some form prayers! Use a resource like The Book of Common Prayer or The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. You can learn a lot about prayer and enrich your own prayer life by reading good prayers.
  3. Try writing some of your own prayers. Use descriptive, theological, and poetic language.
  4. Try some extemporaneous and passionate prayers! Approach your heavenly Father with boldness, persistence, and shameful audacity! Cry out to God from the depths of your soul. Lay your sins, fears, anxieties, griefs, and shortcomings at the foot of his cross!
  5. And finally, stay as far away from Ricki Bobby as you can!

Rescued from the Flames
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

On Friday, September 8, 2015, a perfect storm was brewing over north western Texas. With most of the area suffering from months of severe drought conditions, combined with wind gusts of 65 mph, all that was needed was a spark to create a nightmare.
That spark came at 9:40 a.m., when the Iowa Park Fire Department was called to a brush fire on the side of US RT 287. By the end of the day, 14 homes plus several outbuildings, oil equipment, power lines, and animals were lost. More than 100 families were evacuated by emergency personnel more than the 11,700 acres burned, but thanks to the efforts of firemen and rescue workers from several communities, plus help from the Texas Forest Service, there were no human casualties; just a few cases of minor smoke inhalation were reported.

            In the days following the ferocious fires, hundreds of community members sent public thank you letters to the Iowa Park fire department. Here are a few of those letters:

I’m not sure words could ever express the gratitude of so many people to all of the volunteers who helped fight the massive wildfires over the past weekend. Although our home was never in immediate danger, it was much too close for comfort. The hours these volunteers spend away from their own homes and families can never be replaced. The families of these heroes deserve recognition, as well. A strong support system is a must for this type of dedication. It is sad that it takes a tragedy such as this to let these people know how much we appreciate them…What a great place to live! Again, thank you everyone!
James and Darla Jordan

Thank you to everyone who worked and fought so hard and diligently to contain the fire in the 367 W area on Friday. There are no words to completely express our deepest gratitude to ALL. Emergency and utility crews from all over passed by us as we waited for news on our home. Each of these crews were God-sent to us and may they be blessed abundantly for their service.
Again, thank you to ALL. We feel blessed our home was saved, but we have neighbors that lost everything. Please pray for healing and lend support to these families. Always support your area fire departments, you never know when you will need them. Iowa Park is a great place to live.
Mark and Tammie Patterson
We would like to thank the volunteer firefighters for their tireless efforts to control the fires this past weekend. A very special thanks to the Iowa Park Fire Department. After three days of fighting fires they quickly responded to the fire of our barns on Sunday evening. Even though they were fatigued, they fought very hard and were able to save one barn that would have burned. We so appreciate their dedication to the residents of Iowa Park.
Judy and Mike Mitchell

 

What wonderful letters from an appreciative community! When you sacrifice for people or serve someone, it sure is nice to be thanked. Some kind words and a thank you card goes a long way toward expressing gratitude and appreciation. This is precisely why we have organized today’s service: to recognize, thank, and pray for our local fire and rescue workers.

Although fire departments and rescue workers didn’t exist in Bible times (at least not in the way we think about them today), the Bible does express the theme of thanking God and the people who do good work in the community. In verses 2-3 of today’s Scripture reading, the Apostle Paul thanks God for the “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” of the church in the city of Thessalonica. Paul started this church by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, but was forced to leave town because of the growing persecution. As the months passed, he was deeply concerned about the condition of the congregation. But now that he had recently heard a positive report about the church, he sent them this letter to personally thank them for their faithfulness and to encourage them to keep up the good work.

 

Turning from Idols (9)

There are so many things that I would like to tell you about this whole passage, but I will reserve those comments for another day. Today I want to zoom in on just verses 9-10, which is the heart of Paul’s message. The news of the Thessalonians faith and faithfulness was spreading all over the Mediterranean world, all the way to the regions of Macedonia and Achaia. Even in the midst of fierce persecution, their faith was thriving.

So, how did these Thessalonians become Christians? Verse 9 says that “they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” The Thessalonians were Greco-Roman people; they were pantheistic, which means that they worshiped all sorts of created things like the sun, moon, stars, planets, and trinkets that were fashioned out of wood, stone, clay, or metal. They believed that these inanimate objects had special power to help them and make their lives better. But when they heard Paul’s message about Jesus Christ, they repented from their idolatry and put their faith in the only true and living God. They became Christians and started worshiping the Creator rather than the creation. They left their idols behind and made a commitment to follow the one true God.

            This verse compels us to reckon with the commitments of our own hearts. It forces us to face our own idolatry. What is an idol? It is anything we worship other than God, and it is just as prevalent today as it was in Greco-Roman times. I don’t know very many people who worship the sun, moon, or stars today, but you don’t have to look very far to find people worshipping money, material possessions, work, hobbies, nature, or even their own kids. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have things or that we should quit our jobs or that we shouldn’t love our kids—I am saying that when any of these things becomes more important than God, they are idols.

            We hear idolatrous idioms all the time. Here are a few of my favorites: 1.) “I put in 80 hours at work every week”—and they never have time to attend or serve at church. 2.) “I feel closest to God when I am out in nature”—which is almost always a recreational copout (a form of religion with no accountability to anyone but themselves.) 3.) “I love my kids more than anything in the world”—which sounds like good parenting, but is really flat out idolatry.

            Where is your heart’s commitment? Do you worship the creation or the Creator? Have you repented and turned away from your idols? Do you really serve the only true and living God?

 

Rescued from the Flames (10)

After Paul asserts the necessity of turning from idols to the one true and living God, he continues to unpack the gospel of Jesus Christ by highlighting what Jesus did for us. Christians are to wait patiently for God’s Son, Jesus, who will return to the earth someday.

The biblical gospel, as expressed here in verse 10, is both bad news and good news. The bad news is that everyone will stand before God on Judgment Day and will give an accounting of their life. Since God is eternally holy and perfect, he must judge all sin and evil with eternal punishment. If he didn’t do this, he would not be just, and therefore could not be God. The Bible affirms that this eternal judgment is hell, which is described as a “lake of fire” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This is the “coming wrath” that Paul mentions here. This is bad news indeed, especially because none of us has lived a perfect life. We are all sinners who have fallen vastly short of God’s glory.

But the good news is that those who make a faith commitment to Jesus Christ will be saved from this coming wrath. Jesus died on the cross to offer forgiveness and atonement for our sins. He was raised from the dead to conquer death and offer eternal life in heaven to anyone who would give their life to him.

When you stop and think about it, Jesus, God’s only Son, is really the greatest fire/rescue worker who has ever lived! He is the only one who can save our souls from the coming wrath! He climbed onto a wooden cross to deliver us from the eternal flames. He stretched out his arms to rescue us from the fires of hell!

I think we all wonder where we will go when we die. Will you allow Jesus to rescue you? Will you make a faith commitment to him today?

 

Allow me to conclude with a little story. Rev. Sam and pastored the church in a sleepy little town called Epworth. The large parsonage (or rectory) was located next to the church and Sam and his wife Susanna wasted no time filling the bedrooms—they already had eight children and another one on the way. (After all, what else is there to do in a small town.)

On the fateful night of February 9, a fire sparked in the upstairs and quickly swept through the parsonage that housed the pastor’s family. Around midnight, Rev. Sam was awakened by a shout from the street, “Fire!” He flung open his bedroom door and found his home filling with smoke. He woke Susanna, and his two eldest daughters, then he raced for the nursery where the five youngest children slept. He grabbed the youngest child, Charles, and hastily urged the others to follow his lead out of the house. Three other children did. But little Jacky, who was only five years old, remained sound asleep and hidden by the thick haze.

By the time the family realized that he was still inside, Jacky finally awoke and called out for his mom and dad. His cries were heard from the street, and Rev. Sam darted back into the house and attempted to mount the burning stairs, but hey quickly gave way under his weight.

Fearing Jacky was lost, Rev. Samuel knelt down in the burning hall and commended his soul to God. With the flames licking the ceiling of his room, Jacky attempted to run through a doorway, but found it impossible. He then climbed onto a chest near the window and was spotted by those in the yard downstairs.

While a ladder was called for, one courageous man from the community stood on top of the shoulders of another and reached for the terrified child. At the exact moment the little boy leapt into his rescuer’s arms, the roof came crashing down and fell inward, sending debris and flames into the night sky.

As the rescuer reunited the boy with his family, Rev. Sam cried out with a sense of relief, “Come, neighbors, let us kneel down. Let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go, I am rich enough.”

This fire in Epworth, England happened back in 1709. The pastor’s family bore the surname Wesley. Little Jacky’s real name was John Wesley, the one who would grow up and establish the Methodist church and become one of the greatest preacher’s in Christian history. Reflecting on the life-and-death situation years later, John wrote that he was “a brand plucked from the burning.” Just like the rest of us, God had a mighty purpose for young John Wesley.

Do you believe in the on true and living God? Have you repented from your sin and idolatry? Have you leaped in to Jesus’ arms and been rescued from the flames?

Serving & Sitting
Luke 10:38-42

I’m in a hurry to get things done, I rush and rush until life’s no fun

            All I really got to do is live and die, but I’m in a hurry and don’t know why!

 

Maybe some of you remember hearing this refrain on country radio back in the 1990’s. Every time I hear this old Alabama song, its convicting truth resounds through my heart and mind, and I say to myself, “I really need to stop and apply the words of this song to my life—if I could just find the time to do it!”

How about you? Do you ever feel like your life is moving too fast? Do you ever feel stressed out or burned out because you have so much to do and not enough time to do it? Do you find yourself constantly worrying and bearing the weight of anxiety?

I think about this song every time I read Luke’s story about Jesus having dinner at the home of Mary and Martha!

 

1) Martha’s Dinner Party (38)

As Jesus and his disciples were traveling throughout Judea, they came into the tiny village of Bethany which was situated on the slope of the Mount of Olives a few miles to the east of Jerusalem. In this town lived a woman named Martha who lived with her sister Mary. Now we don’t know exactly how it happened, but somehow Martha found out that Jesus just arrived in town. Being the outgoing Type A personality she was, she decided to exercise her spiritual gift of hospitality by opening her home to them. At the very least she was having them over for dinner, but she was more than likely putting them up for the night.

Now it is always a little nerve-racking when you have people over for dinner, let alone spend the night. But when was the last time you hosted a party of 13? And remember, we’re not talking about some Friday night slumber party for teenage girls; these were distinguished guests. It isn’t every day that the Son of God drops by for dinner and dessert. You would want to make a good impression, and so did Martha!

Do you see Martha walking in the back door? Her arms are full of extra food and supplies. She is tying her apron around her waist and bouncing around the kitchen like a pinball. The bread is in the oven, the lamb is roasting on the fire, and she is cutting fresh fruits and vegetables. If there was ever a biblical candidate to host their own show on the Food Network, it would be Martha. She had more pizzazz than Emeril, more southern charm than Paula Dean, and she could pull a Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Meal in only 15 minutes, but the deck was stacked against her this day. Has Martha Stewart ever cooked for the Son of God? I don’t think so!

Just when she thought she had a handle on all of the preparations, she hears “Knock, knock!” Jesus and the disciples are at the door! But there was still so much to do!

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever had someone show up way too early for dinner? That happened to Jennifer and I a few years ago. We were having some folks over for dinner at 6:00 p.m. We hadn’t set the table, chopped the salad, nor put the meat on the grill yet, but then again, we had plenty of time, or so we thought.

            All of the sudden we heard “Ding dong!” I looked at the clock and it read 5:25 p.m., and I said to Jennifer, “Who could that be?” She shrugged her shoulders as I opened the door. There before us stood our guests with smiles a mile wide. Needless to say, I wasn’t smiling as wide as they were. I murmured to myself, “Who in the world shows up for dinner 35 minutes early?” I believe this was the type of anxiety Martha was experiencing!

 

2) Mary’s Conversation (39-40)

Just as Jesus and his disciples got settled in, Martha’s sister Mary got home. Mary was thrilled to see Jesus! Martha was thrilled to see Mary! Finally, Martha had someone to lend a helping hand. Sure, she was good in the kitchen, but she wasn’t a miracle worker! Martha interrupted the conversation and hinted, “I’ll be in the kitchen if anyone needs me.” Mary haphazardly said, “I’ll be there in a minute,” and resumed her conversation with Jesus. Martha was mildly annoyed by Mary’s apathy toward the preparations that still needed to be made, but she was still grateful to have another set of hands in the kitchen.

After about 10 minutes Mary still hadn’t made it to the kitchen. Martha’s frustration mounted when she went back into the other room and saw Mary just sitting at Jesus’ feet doing anything. She waited for a pause in the conversation and again motioned for Mary to come to the kitchen. Mary held up her index finger to indicate that she would be there momentarily. Martha stomped back into the kitchen to chop a few more vegetables (as loudly as she could). All the while she was steaming like a tea kettle because Mary wouldn’t lift a finger to help her.

Meanwhile, another 10 minutes go by and still no Mary. Martha peeked her head through the door and saw that Mary hadn’t moved an inch since her last request. When she sees this, her cheeks get flushed and her temper boiled over. She stomped into the living room. Her entrance was so dramatic that all conversation stopped and everyone looked up at her.

This time she didn’t even acknowledge Mary, but she took her complaint to a higher power. On the verge of tears, she looked at Jesus and said, “Don’t you even care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” She surely thought that Jesus would be on her side. Jesus would not tolerate such laziness or injustice. Maybe Jesus would spontaneously break into a sermon about the importance of hospitality and hard work. She certainly wasn’t prepared for Jesus’ response!

 

3) Jesus’ Priorities (41-42)

After Martha made her plea, Jesus sat back with a peaceful and compassionate smile on his face and said, “Martha, Martha!” Just by repeating her name he was already telling her to settle down; assuring her that everything was going to be okay. Then he added, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.” By this he meant that all of these preparations weren’t as necessary as she thought. Now don’t get me wrong, Jesus appreciated what Martha was doing; who doesn’t appreciate a nice place to stay and a home cooked meal, especially when you’ve been traveling? But Jesus is simply telling her to relax.

But what does he mean by “only one thing is needed”? The one thing that was truly important was for her to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him and fellowship with him. Then he makes a comparison to Mary’s choice. He says that Mary’s choice to sit at his feet was better than Martha’s choice to be consumed with serving him. Mary’s priorities were better than Martha’s and Jesus says that it will not be taken away from her.

Now the text doesn’t tell us how Martha responded to Jesus’ gentle rebuke, but I imagine it was something like this: “Oh my gosh, you are right! This whole time I’ve been distracted by all of the preparations and I have neglected the guest of honor. Jesus, I am so sorry. Mary will you forgive me?” And then she sat down right beside her sister and listened to Jesus. They probably ate a little later that night!

 

This story teaches about proper priorities in our relationship with Jesus. Throughout history, there has always been a tension between commotion and contemplation in the spiritual life. Spending time with him is more important than doing things for him. Listening is better than activity. Worship should be a higher priority than service!

            I would be willing to bet that we have a few Martha’s hear this morning. Action and activity come more naturally than sitting still and quietly listening. Serving Jesus is often easier than just sitting at his feet.

How is it in your life? Is it easier to help a neighbor in need or to spend time reading your Bible? Does making something for someone come more naturally than spending an hour in silent prayer, just listening to Jesus? Do you find it easier to serve Jesus than to fellowship with him?

            Just sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to him is difficult. Americans are addicted to action and activity. Reflection doesn’t come naturally for most of us. How many times have you heard someone say, “Don’t just stand there…do something!” When Haddon Robinson preaches this text, he titles it, “Don’t just do something, sit there!” That is exactly what Jesus is saying in this passage.

            So, I ask you this question: Can you put aside all your busyness and distractions? Can you give up the motion of your own feet to sit at Jesus’ feet? Will you spend time with him, listen to him, and fellowship with him? Can you be a Mary in a Martha world?

Lawyers, Loopholes, and Neighborly Love
Luke 10:25-37

During cross examination, an experienced attorney was taking great delight in forcing witnesses to admit that they did not remember every single detail of an automobile accident. While the lawyer knew that no witness has a perfect memory, he was skilled at exploiting minor inconsistencies in order to challenge the credibility of honest witnesses.

After a series of scathing questions, he was looking forward to badgering yet another witness. “Did you actually see the accident?” he asked. The witness responded with a polite, “Yes, sir.” “How far away were you when the accident happened?” “I was thirty-four feet, seven and three quarter inches away from the point of collision.”

“Thirty-four feet, seven and three quarter inches?” the lawyer asked, sarcastically, “Do you expect us to believe that your memory is so good, and your sense of distance is so precise, that months after the accident you can come into court and give that type of detail?”

The witness was undaunted. “Sir, I had a hunch that some obnoxious, know-it-all lawyer would ask me the distance, and would try to make it seem like I was lying if I could not give an exact answer. So I got a tape measure, and measured out the exact distance.”

Lawyers have a reputation for finding loopholes! They often twist words and exploit technicalities to gain legal advantage. This is one of the reasons why lawyers are the bane of so many people’s existence today. But this is not just a modern phenomenon; it even goes back to biblical times. In today’s Scripture reading, Luke tells us the story Jesus’ encounter with a savvy lawyer.

 

A Lawyer’s Question (25-28)

While Jesus was still journeying from Galilee to Jerusalem, he ran into a Jewish lawyer, or shall I say, the lawyer ran into him. This expert in the Law of Moses was no doubt seething with suspicion because Jesus had quickly gained notoriety as a brilliant Bible teacher. To the lawyer’s credit, he probably just wanted to protect his community from a potential false teacher. (Believe me, if Joel Osteen ever came to Franklin, I would have some hard questions for him.)

So, when he finally met Jesus face to face, he posed a question to test Jesus’ theology. He reached deep into his lawyer’s bag of tricks and disguised his question as a request for advice. “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” is certainly an important question, but he was being manipulative. He wasn’t really interested in eternal life; he wanted to engage Jesus in a debate.

Has this ever happened to you? Has someone ever asked you a question and you knew that they weren’t really interested in the answer. They ask things like, “What do you think about…?” or “What would you do if…?” But they were just testing your reaction. Have you ever felt cross examined in casual conversation?

Well, this lawyer had no idea who he was dealing with. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. He was the smartest and wittiest man in the world. Jesus was about to turn the table and test the tester. Instead of diving into a senseless debate, Jesus answers his question by asking another question. (Elie Wiesel, the famous Jewish writer and novelist was once why Jews often answer questions by asking another question? To which Wiesel replied, “Why not?”) (Peterson 38)

Jesus asks him how he would answer his own question: “What is written in the law? How do you interpret it?” The lawyer quoted two passages from the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and all of your strength and all of your mind.” Leviticus 19:18 says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The conflation of these two verses forms what is commonly called “The Great Commandment” because it summarizes the Ten Commandants in a single sentence. Jesus gave the lawyer an “A+” for his answer! Bravo! You passed the test! “Do this, and you will live!”

The lawyer’s question ought to make all of us stop and think for a moment. Even though the lawyer was just using this question to test Jesus, I don’t think there has ever been a more important question asked than this. How does one inherit eternal life? How can we know for sure that we will go to heaven after we die? I’m sure that every one of us has asked that question at some point in our lives. How would you answer that question?

Many people answer this question with the common clichés “Be a good person! Live a moral life! Obey the 10 Commandments! Try to do the right thing! Do random acts of kindness! Read the Bible! Go to church! And so on!” Don’t get me wrong, these are all good things and we should do them, but none of them saves our souls or earns us eternal life! Which one of us really loves God with everything we have? Which one of us really loves our neighbor as ourselves?

Jesus was giving a legal answer to a legal question. We can inherit eternal life if we live a perfect life! But that is the problem, none of us have lived perfect lives; we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Jesus was laying down an impossible challenge designed to drive sinners to seek a Savior. The only way to receive eternal life is to admit that we are helpless and accept Jesus’ free gift of grace. (Ryken 539)

 

Looking for a Loophole (29)

Well, the lawyer never got that far with Jesus. He actually got tripped up on the second half of the Greatest Command. He was fine with the part about loving God, but when it came to loving his neighbor, he felt uneasy. So, like any lawyer worth his salt, he began looking for a loophole. He tried to justify himself by asking Jesus the copout question, “Who is my neighbor?” This question reminds me of Cain’s question to God after he murdered his brother Abel. He asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

When we think about the ethical demands of the kingdom of God, I suppose most of us are like this lawyer. We are OK with the loving God part, but we get hung up on the loving our neighbor part. We pray, “Lord, if there is any way to get around loving this particular neighbor, please let me know.” So, instead of just loving people who are hard to love, we like to play a little game of “Who is My Neighbor?”

 

Neighborly Love (30-37)

Well, Jesus wasn’t really into playing these types of games, but he was into telling stories. So, instead of answering the lawyer’s question directly, he tells one of his most famous parables: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. It goes something like this: A man was walking along the dangerous road between Jerusalem and Jericho, where he was mugged by a gang of thugs. They took his money, stripped his clothes, beat him into a bloody pulp, and left him on the road half dead. Now by chance a little while later, the man heard footsteps approaching him. He was barely able to lift his head and look through one eye to see that it was a priest, a holy man of God. He thought to himself, “Praise God, certainly this priest will help me.” But for some unknown reason, the priest promptly passed by on the other side of the road and kept walking. A little while later, the man heard footsteps again. This time it was a Levite, a layman coming from the local church. The man opened his swollen eyes again and whispered, “Thank you Lord for sending this Levite to save me.” But the Levite crossed to the other side of the road and hurried by, and the man’s heart sunk again.

Before we finish the story, let us pause and reflect for a minute. Like everyone who reads this story, we are horrified by the callous posture of the priest and Levite. Of all people, they should have helped the Samaritan, right? Well, Jesus doesn’t tell us why the priest or Levite didn’t help the man, so let me defend them a bit. Maybe they didn’t help the man because they didn’t know him. It is awkward helping someone you don’t know. Maybe they didn’t help him because they were in a rush. It is hard to stop and help someone when you have a deadline to meet. Maybe they didn’t help him because they didn’t have enough money to care for him. You can’t fault them for that! Maybe they didn’t help him because they were afraid they would be attacked too. You can’t expect someone to act when it might put them in danger. Or maybe they didn’t help because they were paralyzed by confusion. They simply did not know what to do!

Well, I hope this line of defense has perturbed you a bit. I raise these ridiculous reasons with a sense of sarcasm, but I have heard people today use every one of these excuses for not helping someone in need. I hope none of us will ever do this!

Sometime later, the man heard footsteps again, but this time he didn’t even have the strength to lift his head or open his eyes. Had the man looked, he would have been utterly shocked. It was a filthy half-breed Samaritan. But the Samaritan put his racial and religious differences aside, and he treated the man’s wounds, set him on his donkey, took him to a nearby clinic, and even paid the medical bill.

After Jesus finished his story, he asked the lawyer, “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who was mugged.” The answer was obvious, but notice how the lawyer responded in verse 37. He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” He couldn’t even bring himself to use the word “Samaritan.” The racial and religious tensions were too deep. But Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Wow! What a powerful story! The point is crystal clear: every human being is our neighbor. Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians are our neighbors. Buddhists, Jews, and Muslims are our neighbors! Homosexuals, transsexuals, and sex offenders are our neighbors! Republicans, Democrats, and Bernie Sanders are our neighbors! Illegal aliens and Donald Trump are our neighbors! Unborn babies, abandoned children, and people with disabilities are our neighbors! Even lawyers are our neighbors!

 

Allow me to conclude by telling you a story of my own. It is about the first black man I ever met. Most of you know that my mom died when I was four years old. That was 33 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember seeing her body lying in the casket at the funeral home. Her eyes were closed and face was pale. I cried as I kissed her cheek and said goodbye. Even at such a tender age, I knew that she was gone and that I wouldn’t see her again. It was a sad day for all of us.

            Later that afternoon, when the funeral was over, my sister and I went home with my dad and continued to process everything. A number of people had stopped by to drop off food and offer their condolences. A while later I heard another knock on the door and I went out to see who it was. There stood an old black man holding two brown paper bags. Living in a very white town, I had never seen a black person before. I just kept looking at his skin. I wondered if he was made out of chocolate, but I was too afraid to ask.

            He spoke to my Dad for a few minutes and then my Dad said, “Kids, this is Mr. Whitfield and he has something for you.” He knelt down and gave my sister and me a big hug. He handed each of us a bag with our name written on it in black magic marker and he said, “Jason and Amy, I know that your mom has passed on and you must be really sad. I just wanted to get you something to try to make you feel a little bit better.” And when I looked into bag and saw that it was filled with candy bars, lollipops, baseball cards, and toys, I did feel a little bit better!

            Years later, I learned that Mr. Whitfield was the patriarch of the only black family in our community. He had been the victims of racism many times. On one occasion, crosses were even burned on his front lawn. But do you know what, racism never stopped him from being a Good Samaritan to two little white kids who just lost their mother.

Jesus says, “You go, and do likewise!”

Making Hay
Luke 10:1-24

Most of you, even if you didn’t grow up on a farm, have heard the common cliché: “Make hay while the sun shines.” This old agricultural adage refers to the reality of farmers having to cut, bail, and store hay while it is dry. If the hay is harvested wet, it will develop mold be unfit for feeding the animals. This proverb was first recorded in John Heywood’s A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546:

Whan the sunne shinth make hay. Whiche is to say.
Take time whan time cometh, lest time steale away.

Ironically, as early as 1673 it was cited in a non-farming context in Richard Head’s glossary of the language of thieves and beggars.

Jesus didn’t coin this phrase, but he certainly taught the principle, especially when he was teaching about ministry. Today’s Scripture reading is a case in point. As he sends 72 of his followers into ministry, he uses farmers as a metaphor for ministers and harvest fields for the souls of men and women. This whole passage is about making hay—that is, ministry in the Kingdom of God.

This section is rather long and quite complex. To help us navigate our way through this hay field, I have summarized Jesus’ teaching into nine bullet points, each highlighting a principle for ministry. Let’s take a look at them!

  1. The Call and Collaboration of Ministry (1)

We already saw how Jesus commissioned his twelve disciples for ministry back at the beginning of Luke 9, and now he extends that same call to his “other” followers here in chapter 10. This verse shows that ministry in the Kingdom of God is not limited to “elite” disciples; Jesus calls every one of his followers to ministry. Also, notice how he sent them two by two. He probably did this because Jewish culture required two witnesses to validate legal testimony, but also for companionship, collaboration, and accountability.

This verse reminds us that all Christians are called into the ministry. Every church member is a minister! Every parishioner is a priest! You don’t have to have a seminary degree to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ! You don’t have to be ordained to pray with someone! You don’t need any special talents or abilities to invite someone to church!

Like the 12 apostles, God still calls some people to enter full-time vocational ministry as pastors, missionaries, etc. I wish more of our young people would consider a career in ministry. It is a wonderful way to spend a life. (I am still mesmerized by the fact that I get paid to study the Bible, preach sermons, plan worship, give spiritual counsel, and a variety of other ministry tasks. I have the best job in the world!) But as we have learned through our faith and work testimony series, others are called to minister in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, offices, shops, and factories.

Where has God called you to minister? Do you do it within a community that provides companionship, collaboration, and accountability?

 

  1. The Opportunity for Ministry (2)

Even as he sends these 72 into ministry, Jesus declares that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, and then he tells the group to pray for the Lord to send more workers into the harvest field. God had already prepared many souls for entrance into the kingdom of God, but there weren’t enough ministers to go and share the good news.

Folks, the harvest is still plentiful in 2015! There are still so many people (all around the world and right here in our own communities) who don’t know Jesus Christ. They need to know how deeply their sin has affected them, what Jesus has done for them, and the hope, joy, and peace they can have! But who will tell them? Are you willing to labor in the Lord’s harvest fields? Will you pray that the he will send more workers?

  1. The Dangers of Ministry (3)

As Jesus sends these workers into the harvest fields, he wants them to be aware of the dangers. He compares them to little lambs going into a wolf den. By this, he means that ministry often involves dealing with rejection and hostility.

This was true in the early church, when the enemies of Christ often made murderous threats against his people, and when most of the apostles became martyrs. It was true in the days of African missions, when missionaries packed their possessions in a coffin. Not expecting to return home, they were planning ahead for burial. The peril still exists today wherever we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ministry always carries the threat of difficulty, danger, and death. (Ryken 515)

 

  1. The Urgency of Ministry (4)

It seems strange that Jesus would send these ministers into the field with the command “carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” Why didn’t he want them to take any provisions? Why wouldn’t he want them to be polite if they met someone on the road? Jesus said these things to underscore the urgency of ministry. He didn’t want them to be bogged down by baggage or get distracted by pointless discussions. The harvest was plentiful; they needed to make hay while the sun was shining!

Every time my family goes on a trip, I take the opportunity to preach this verse to my wife. For the life of me, I can’t understand why she needs luggage as large as the Titanic or why it takes her three days to pack for a two day trip. It only takes me ten minutes!

There is still an urgency to ministry today. Our time on earth is so short and there are so many people who still need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Let us not get bogged down or distracted by trivial things!

 

  1. The Model for Ministry (5-12)

In verses 5-12, Jesus lays out a model for ministry. When they approached a house, they should first pronounce a blessing of peace. If they were welcomed, they should stay in that same house and eat and drink what the host provided. While there, Jesus instructed them to focus on the ministries of healing the sick and preaching that the kingdom of God has come near. If their ministry was rejected by a particular house or town, Jesus told them to simply shake off the dust of that town off their feet and move their ministry along to another place. They should let God judge them according to his will and timing, which would be even fiercer than the fire that fell upon the city of Sodom back in Old Testament times.

Jesus’ model for ministry is still applicable today! When we minister to someone, let us approach them in a spirit of peace and a desire to bless them. Be willing to spend time with one person or family. Invest in building a relationship them. Attend to their physical and spiritual needs: care for the sick and tell them about how the kingdom of God has come near through Jesus Christ. Be content with whatever they give you in return. If they reject you or your message, walk away and let God deal with them! This is how we should conduct our ministries today!

 

  1. The Rejection of Ministry (13-16)

After Jesus unfolds his model for ministry, he offers a warning, particularly to those towns and villages that rejected the gospel message. Chorazin and Bethsaida were Jewish towns that had witnessed enough of Jesus’ miracles to inspire faith, but these towns largely rejected his ministry. If his miracles would have been performed in the pagan gentile towns of Tyre and Sidon, they would have evokes mass faith and repentance. Even the Jewish town of Capernaum, where Jesus centered his ministry, was in jeopardy of going to hell.

The people in these towns had every opportunity to trust in Jesus for their salvation, but they rejected him and refused to repent from their sin. Everyone who rejects Jesus’ messengers, rejects him. And everyone who rejects Jesus, rejects God. Rejecting God and his salvation, will doom a person to eternity in hell.

These warnings still ring true today! The only way to avoid the unbearable judgment of hell is by putting your faith in Jesus Christ and repenting from your sin! Have you done it? Friends, let me give you some advice: make hay while the sun shines!

 

  1. The Adversary of Ministry (17-19)

When the 72 returned, they were eager to tell Jesus that even the demons submitted to them in his name. This statement draws attention to the fact that Jesus has complete power and authority over demons and the powers of darkness. In fact, he uses this occasion to teach them about Satan, the adversary of ministry. Jesus personally witnessed Satan’s eviction from heaven. Satan was originally a beautiful and high ranking angel, but he led a rebellion against God. The Lord banished him and his fallen angels from heaven and sentenced to roam on the earth. Ever since, Satan and his demons have been actively working to deceive human hearts, destroy souls, and ruin ministries. But Jesus gave his followers the power to tread on these snakes and scorpions (a metaphor for Satan and demons) and to overcome the power of the enemy.

We live in a time and culture that vastly denies the existence of Satan and demons, but don’t be deceived! They are real and they are still on a mission to wreak havoc on people’s lives today. We see their influence all around us: murder, rape, abuse, addiction, suicide, infanticide, and genocide. But when we walk with Jesus and minister to people in the name of Jesus, we have power to overcome the evil forces and liberate people from spiritual bondage!

 

  1. The Joy of Ministry (20-22)

Nevertheless, Jesus did not want the source of their joy to be their power over evil spirits, but rather that their names had been written in heaven. When a person truly repents from their sin and puts their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, their name is recorded in the great registry book in heaven, which reserves their place there. This is the ultimate source of joy—a joy that can sustain people through the dark nights of life and the difficult days of ministry.

During that same hour, Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, expressed his joy to the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, for making the gospel accessible to those who would come to him in a simple and humble childlike faith. He was so overwhelmed with the triune joy that he praised the Father out loud for giving him this ministry of revealing the will of the Father.

Even though a life of ministry contains danger and difficulty, it also filled with unimaginable joy. Just as Jesus himself experienced, there is great joy in being led by the Holy Spirit to reveal the purposes of the Father. And no matter what happens in ministry, the hope of heaven fills our hearts with joy—for we are able to say, “My place in heaven is already reserved, and I will live in perfect peace someday!”

So, I ask you: Is your name recorded in the registry book of heaven? That is—have you truly repented from your sin and put your faith in Jesus?

 

  1. The Blessing of Ministry (23-24)

And finally, Jesus concludes this teaching about ministry by pronouncing a blessing on his 72 followers. They were blessed because they got to see the Messiah and hear his teaching in person, and they had the privilege of partnering with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in kingdom ministry. Many of the prophets and kings of old desired this, but they did receive it.

It is indeed a wonderful blessing to be used by God to minister to others. Whereas the 12 apostles and 72 followers had the special blessing of being with Jesus while he was on earth, we have the privilege of ministering with the written Word of God, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, and 2000 years of church heritage. Let us appreciate all of the blessings God has given us and use them as we go to our harvest fields!

 

Well, now that we know a little bit more about ministry, let us make hay while the sun shines!

Flame Throwers & Fox Holes
Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51 marks a major transition in the gospel story. Thus far, Jesus’ ministry has been centered in Galilee, the northern region of Israel. From here until 19:44, Luke traces Jesus’ journey through Samaria to Jerusalem, where he would ultimately be “delivered into the hands of men.” This section is like separating wheat from chaff. On one hand, it focuses on the growing opposition toward Jesus which eventually culminates in his betrayal and crucifixion. On the other hand, it highlights the growth of the disciples as Jesus continues to prepare them for ministry after his ascension. Whereas miracles dominated the previous section, parables and teaching are the key elements in this unit.

In today’s Scripture reading, Luke tells us a story about “Flame Throwers and Fox Holes.” It teaches us how to respond to rejection and about the demands of discipleship.

 

Flame Throwers: Responding to Rejection (51-56)

When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, he started his journey to Jerusalem by making the unlikely decision to travel through Samaria. There was deep racial and religious tensions between the Jews and Samaritans. To Jews, Samaritans were a bunch of yellow-bellied back-stabbing half-breed heretics. This people traced its roots back to Old Testament times when a groups of Israelites from the city of Samaria broke ranks and intermarried with the pagan Assyrians, their archenemies. The prejudice between these groups was so deep that Jews would almost always take the long way around the east side of the Jordan River to get from Galilee to Judea. Most Jews refused to dirty their feet by stepping on Samaritan soil, but that is exactly what Jesus wanted to do.

As Jesus had done many times before, he sent messengers ahead of him to make reservations for food and lodging in a nearby village. When he and his group arrived, the villagers recognized that these boys weren’t from around there. They asked, “Where you fellas head’n anyway.” Jesus casually looked up and said, “We’re heading south…to Jerusalem.” Well, that was the worst thing he could have said. The word “Jerusalem” caused their blood to boil: it was the Jews capital city and the location of what they considered to be an apostate temple.

So, they discriminated against Jesus and his followers by flat out denying them services. They may as well have put up a “No Jews Allowed” poster on the grocery store window and place a “No Vacancy” sign at the Samaritan Central Hotel.

This passage reminds me of a little poem from 1968. It goes like this:

I pulled into Nazareth, was feeling ’bout half past dead

I just need some place where I can lay my head

Hey, mister, can you tell me, where a man might find a bed?

He just grinned and shook my hand, “No” was all he said.…

Have you ever been the victim of racism, religious discrimination, or some other type of prejudice? Have you ever been turned down, turned away, or rejected because you look different, talk different, or believe differently from someone else? Rejection, of any sort, hurts the heart and wounds the soul, and it usually either causes tears to flow or tempers to rise. How do you respond to rejection?

Well, when Jesus’ disciples James and John, saw what happened, they were royally ripped and were immediately ready to retaliate. Jesus had nicknamed these two brothers “The Sons of Thunder” for good reason. Their reaction is utterly astounding, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” This is just a slightly more sanctified version of saying “Jesus, do want me to go to my pickup truck and get my sawed-off shotgun and blow these suckers away?” Their instinctual response to rejection was to pray for God to pull out his heavenly flamethrower and incinerate these Samaritan simpletons. That is certainly one way of dealing with people who treat you poorly.

This passage reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend about 11 years ago. My friend, who will remain nameless, was an excellent marksman in the United States Marine Corp. and he served as a sniper during the Vietnam War. He is one of the few veterans that I know who talks openly about his combat experience. He asked me, “How’s your ministry going up there in Franklin.” I told him that it was going well. Then he said, “Well, if anyone in your church ever gives you any problems, you let me know. I know how to deal with people.” Now my friend has that type of quirky personality where you’re never sure if he is serious or not. Consequently, I am happy to report that I have never had to call him. Well, at least not yet!

Many people today are just like James and John. When they face any form of rejection, discrimination, or hostility, their immediate response is to fight back—either verbally, legally, physically, or even spiritually. But Jesus boldly rebukes this kind of pietistic pyromaniac attitude! Jesus came to save people; not destroy them!

Notice how Jesus dealt with rejection! He didn’t form a protest march to fight for his civil rights. He didn’t organize a rally to rail against this overt racial and religious discrimination of his day. He didn’t go to the media and make some political statement about how he was victimized by an unjust system? He didn’t engage in any debates over whether “Jewish Lives Matter” or “Samaritan Lives Matter.” He didn’t whine, complain, or become angry; and he certainly did not resort to violence. Do you know what he did? He simply moved on to another village!

Do you know what happens when everybody (even Christians) digs in their heels and fights for their rights? Before long, everybody is fighting each other. But Jesus shows us a better way! He would ultimately be rejected by people and be led like a lamb to the slaughter. He would willingly allow his hands and feet to be nailed to a wooden cross and die for the very people who put him there. That is how Jesus responds to rejection! How about you?

 

Fox Holes: The Demands of Discipleship (57-62)

As the smoke began to clear and Jesus and his disciples were walking toward another village, he had three random encounters that he used to teach us about the demands of discipleship—or what it takes to be a true follower of Jesus.

One individual approached him and made the confident claim, “I will follow you wherever you go.” At least the man already understood that to be a disciple of Jesus required a willingness to follow him wherever he went, but Jesus detected an overzealousness in his voice and wondered if he really understood the ramifications of his claim. So, Jesus helped him reflect on this by offering him a vivid image of the demands of discipleship. His now famous words, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head,” compelled the man to consider whether or not he is really willing to give up the comforts and conveniences of an ordinary life to follow Jesus. Isn’t it ironic that even the animals have a home, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords never knew if he would have a simple bed or pillow to rest his weary head? As we just saw, Jesus had been denied basic travel necessities.

In this brief exchange, Jesus is making the point that true discipleship demands a willingness to face uncertainty, hardship, and rejection. He never promises that the Christian life will be easy, but it always requires sacrifice!

Please don’t misunderstand what Jesus is saying. He is not saying that Christians shouldn’t own property or have possessions or save money. He is saying is that one must never allow earthly possessions to get in the way of discipleship. He has not called us to a life of luxury, but to a life of sacrifice. His powerful words force us to ask ourselves, “Am I willing to give up everything to follow Jesus?

The next two encounters show Jesus initiating the call of discipleship to others, only to be met by excuses. The first man said that he would follow Jesus, but he first wanted to go and bury his father. At first glance, most people assume that this conversation took place between the time the man’s father died and when he was buried, but that is not the case here. He was really asking Jesus to let him care for his father during his declining years until he died. But Jesus discerned that this man was using his family situation as an excuse for delaying his discipleship. So, he responded with blunt but humorous paradox: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

When Jesus extended the call of discipleship to another man, this guy offered a similar excuse, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those in my home.” Jesus responded to this plea with the proverb: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” In farming, the best way to plow a straight row is to keep looking ahead at some fixed point in the distance ahead; looking back would cause zigzags all over the countryside. Likewise, Jesus was saying: True discipleship demands fixing your eyes on me and not looking back for any reason.(Ryken 502)

Both of these encounters are getting at the same thing: If we want to be a true disciples, it demands immediate commitment and utmost loyalty, even over one’s family. Nothing is more important than following Jesus, not even the claims of our own families, which are the strongest of all earthly claims. If it comes down to a choice—as it sometimes does—we must do what Jesus wants us to do, not what our families want us to do! (Ryken 505)

When people say “I love my spouse more than anything” or “I always put my kids first,” they are committing the sin of idolatry. What they are really saying is “I love the gift more than the gift-giver!”

Who do you love most? Who is your top priority? Who has your undivided loyalty? If it is not Jesus, then you are not a true disciple yet!

 

The demands of discipleship are hard! True disciples of Jesus don’t retaliate with violence when they are rejected. True disciples are willing to leave everything behind for him: property, money, material possessions, personal ambitions, comfort, convenience, security, and yes, even your family! The story of flame throwers and fox holes requires all of us to reckon with our relationship with Jesus Christ. And so, where are you?