Sermon on John 15:1-10

This sermon was preached at Prince of Peace on Saturday, May 24th, 2014.

One of my friends over at the seminary has a five year old daughter named Norah. This past week, Norah had a bit of a cold, and wasn't feeling very well. When I walked over to their house, Norah was sitting on the porch with her mother, cuddled up in her arms, as her mother was reading a book for her. Even though Norah said had she wasn't hungry, her mother had brought out some snacks for her to eat so that she would feel better. As she continued reading, Norah wrapped her arms around mother's neck and dug her head into her shoulder.

When a child gets sick, what they really want is just to be with their mom or dad. The comforting scratch on the back or head gives them the assurance that only comes from such a close and caring relationship. Even when I got a pretty bad stomach bug last summer, I was laying in my apartment thinking of how I really wished I had a friend to be with me, to help me through my pain. Why do you think this is? Where does this need come from to have others there when we're in pain? It points to a greater truth about all of us: not only are we made to be in relationship, but we need the love that comes from being in relationship when we are at our weakest point.

While I think we can all agree on this, what I want us to consider today is this: We all need God because even right now we are already at our weakest point. We are right now suffering from sickness and hurt. Jesus came to heal that sickness, and what we can learn from this passage in the Gospel of John about the True Vine is not just about how we can be and do better, but why we need him if we want to be able to do anything at all.

Jesus says, “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser.” He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Sometimes, we read this passage to mean that we need to do good things, and that those good things come from Jesus. We think about it selfishly, as if Jesus is giving us the secret formula for being a good person. This makes us think the way we show our trust in him is by doing more for him as proof of our love. Now, I do believe that when we have faith in Jesus, it should show itself in what we do and how we live. But, I think there is a deeper level to this that shouldn't be missed. If you'll remember little Norah who I told you about earlier; she actually had a ballet recital later on the day when I went over to visit them. Norah had been looking forward to this recital for months, and would have been devastated if she were unable to go and perform. Her mother wanted her to go to the recital, but wanted to make sure Norah would be healthy enough to do so first. There was no way that without her mother's help she would have been healthy enough to perform. Her mother gave her what she needed to heal, but also kept Norah from doing things that would actually make her sickness worse.

I think what we need to realize before we consider what sorts of things we can do for Jesus is that first and foremost: We don't abide in Jesus so we can do more, we abide in Jesus because without him we can do nothing. We are sick children in need of the love of our heavenly Father. It's helpful to think of sin as a sickness. Being in sin is not the way we're meant to live. The sinful life is not the healthy life. We were made to be holy; we were set apart by God among his creation to be made in his own image. We see Paul proclaim in Acts 17 that “[God] himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything,” and that we are “God's offspring” because he created us in his image. This truth should be evident to us because as Paul says, “he is actually not far from each one of us.”

A branch isn't separate from a vine and a young child doesn't ever actually leave their parent's house. All we as branches and children can do is disobey. It's by our disobedience to God that sin enters into the world. We were made to be the image of God, but sin distorts that image into something nearly unrecognizable. Where there is meant to be love, we have bickering and division. Where there is meant to be charity, we have selfishness and greed. Where there is meant to be righteousness, we have corruption and deceit. And this is in all of us. It's easy to point to those around us and say “at least I don't do such and such a sin!” But, we need to realize that it is all of us who are sick, not in degrees as if sin had a scale for us to measure ourselves on, but we are all terminally ill with sin.

This is why we read Jesus saying “if anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” Sin blocks us off from God. It is a disease which knows its own cure. And the only way it can continue to spread and destroy is by keeping the branches away from their source of life. When a vine is planted, it gives water to all of it's branches, but when something blocks a branch's veins, it cannot give water to the branch. Sin clogs our veins like a blood clot, keeping us from the living water of the Holy Spirit which brings life. And so the only thing left to do with a dead branch is to throw it away. Jesus doesn't want us thrown away, so he calls us to abide in him so that he can give us what we need to live. If we don't abide in him and receive what he has to give us, we will die because of sin. Again, we don't abide in Jesus to do more, but we abide in Jesus because we are sick and helpless and without him we can do nothing.

“If you keep my commandments,” Jesus says, “you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.” We shouldn't think about keeping the commandments as appeasing God, as if we could do anything to make him love us more than he already does. He gives his commandments because that's what it takes to be healthy. Norah didn't want to eat the fruit and cereal her mother gave her, because her sickness was telling her she wasn't hungry. When her mother said not to run around outside, it wasn't because she didn't want Norah to have fun, but because she needed to rest in order to heal. It is sin which tells us we don't want God's commandments. Sin tells us we don't hunger or thirst for righteousness. Keeping the commandments of Christ is part of the path to healing from the illness of sin. When we love God and our neighbors, we are being healed of the idolatry of self that sin has placed in our hearts. When we give to everyone who has need, we learn to let go of our earthly treasures which will be destroyed, and to exchange them for the treasure of heaven—the love of God and eternal life in his kingdom. When we rest on the Sabbath day or give up our worries about this life, we are trusting in God's provision. Because God is the only one who can truly heal our sickness.

We need to remember that sin is more than just not being good, or not obeying God's law. It's like a contagious disease that infects our human nature. We can try to beat it by ourselves, but it's so deeply ingrained in our marrow and flowing in our bloodstream that without the help of a true professional, we can only battle the symptoms, but we can't treat the disease. Sin isn't only in our actions, it's in our hearts. It's in our anger, our lust, our greed, and our pride. And fight all you want, but you will never overcome it on your own. We need the help of God, the help of Jesus Christ, if we ever want to be healed of the disease of sin. This is important: If we don't rely on God to heal us, even if we follow his commandments perfectly, we are still only treating the symptoms and not the disease. Selfishness, greed, deceit, lust, and all of these things are not the sickness, but they are symptoms of the greater sickness of sin. They are meant to be treated, but only after the main treatment has already been made. Otherwise, they will continue to spread from their source.

So now, our question is this: how do we receive the treatment for the disease of sin which is blocking us off from abiding in the True Vine?

In the famous thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians, Paul writes, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” No matter what we do, it is nothing of we don't have love—just like treating the symptoms is nothing if you don't have the treatment for the disease. And according to the apostle John in his first letter, “by this we know love, that he laid down his life for us.” The treatment for sin is love, and we love by not only loving one another, but by being loved by God. We love because he first loved us. We don't measure our salvation by how much we love God or how much we do in his name, but our salvation comes by his love for us and by what he has already done in Jesus Christ. Our faith is just that: Faith. We have faith in God's love for us because he sent his only son while we were yet sinners to die for us. Even when we waver, his love remains strong. That is the assurance of faith, not that we love God but that he loves us and will continue to love us, not based on what we do or how we act, but because we are his and he has made us in his image.

When Norah finally got to her ballet recital, she was still feeling sick. But the dance was only about a minute long, and she was healthy enough to follow along in the routine with the other little girls in her dance class. She was noticeably tired, her movements were slow, and it completely wiped her out. But after the recital, her parents ran up to her and told her what a great job she did. Because even as she was sick and only had the talent that a five year old can muster, her parents saw her on stage as a beloved daughter delighting in performing for them.

God does call us to perfection, but he also delights in every attempt we make to love him. When we do good things or even when we gather here in worship, we aren't pleasing God because of our talent or devotion. We are pleasing him because he loves us the same as he always has and because he sees us through the loving eyes of a Father. We are nothing more than sick children doing a one-minute dance recital slightly off beat. Yes, we are getting over our sickness, but even if we were completely healthy, we're not even as talented as a five year old compared to God. God isn't impressed by us, but he loves when we follow his commandments because he sees us through his eyes of love. His commandments are for healing and life, not so you can boast when you follow them but so you can know God more deeply and love him more fully. When we love one another, when we love him, he sees what we were always intended to be: images of God. And we cannot do any of this if we don't abide in his love which we have through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God loves you and he wants you to be healed from the sickness of sin. The only treatment for this sickness is love and true love can only be found in him. Abide in his love because you can do absolutely nothing on your own to heal yourself. Even all that we do here is an unimpressive mess. There is no way we can meet the standards of God. But that doesn't matter. When we perform for him instead of ourselves or each other, he's delighted in our awkward dance routines because he is our Father and he loves us as a good father loves his children. And as it is written, “every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” The more we abide in his love, the more we will see come out of it. But the first thing we need to do is abide in his love and know that we won't be cut off from it by him. Only the branches that have already died are cut off. But we have life by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, once for all, to heal us of sin. Because he chose to die, now we, even if we die, will live through him. He will raise us up on the last day and bring us fully healed into his eternal kingdom. No branch that abides in the love of God will see death. And we know we have the love of God not because we are able to do great things in his name, but because he has shown his love to us through his Son. If you believe in him, abide in him, and live through him because he abides in you.

Homily on Mark 9:42-50

This Homily was preached in the Morning Prayer service at the Trinity School for Ministry Chapel on Tuesday, April 8th, 2014.

Mark 9:42-50 Homily

Yesterday, as I was waiting for lunch to start, I was over in the bookstore reading one of the Calvin and Hobbes collections Pam keeps under her desk. I'm sure most of you are aware of the comic strip—thankfully not a collection of two historical thinkers having a dialogue on civil liberties. It's the story of Calvin, an inconsiderate, wildly imaginative, and reckless child and his stuffed animal friend, Hobbes, who comes to life in Calvin's imagination. Calvin likes to go on adventures in his own mind, and he brings Hobbes along for the ride, often blaming the stuffed tiger for the trouble he gets in when his parents come around to discipline him. In other words, Calvin is a kid just like any other kid you've probably met. I have a younger sister that's going to be turning eleven this year, and I'm friends with enough of the families in our community to know that children can be troublesome, to say the least. In fact, the most discomforting sound in a household of small children is actually the sound of silence. It's usually a sign that they're up to no good. Most parents know that quiet means it's time to start calling names to find out just what sort of mischief is going on behind closed doors.

Now, if this is an accurate description of children, then we need to consider how that might influence our understanding of the teachings of Jesus in Mark which are taught while a child is with him. It makes me think of the time last week or the week before (they all kind of blend together at this point in the semester), when Rebecca did the Scripture reading with her daughter Naomi in her arms. I want us to hold onto that image while we go through the teachings of Jesus this morning, because that's the same thing Jesus was doing as he taught his disciples.

First, let's jump back a little bit in our Gospel passage. I'll be starting from the story which drove Jesus to pick up this child, where the disciples are caught arguing over who was the greatest. Jesus uses the child to emphasize the point that the one who wants to be the greatest must be the least. Does a parent holding their child consider themselves greater or less than the child in their arms? What comes first; the parent's physical toll of holding and calming a child, or that child's peace? Jesus is enacting the very lesson he teaches the disciples here by holding this child in his arms. A child may want to be the greatest, but a parent wants to serve. By his actions, holding this child in his arms, he shows the servant leadership that is expected of his disciples.

Next, John says to him that there was another person casting out demons in his name and that the disciples tried to stop that person because it wasn't one of them. But, Jesus says no one doing mighty works in his name can do so for long and still be against him. The child Jesus is holding is the example here. The child doesn't fully know who Jesus is, but wouldn't it be counter-intuitive for Jesus to use that as an excuse to not let the child come to him? This is essentially what the disciples were doing to this person casting out demons. They were saying, “you only sort of know about Jesus, so you aren't allowed to know him at all.” No, Jesus wants those who seek to find and those who ask to be given the gift of Life.

This brings us to the reading for today, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” By debating who is the greatest, we are not only harming ourselves with the corruption of pride, but we are harming those Jesus came to serve by not also bending down to pick up the lowly and serve them in parental humility. Paul calls himself a father to the Corinthian church through the Gospel preached to them. All ministers are to serve the church as a parent serves their child. I don't have children of my own, but I can venture to guess that raising a child should bring to mind your shortcomings before it does your merits as a parent. In the same way, we must lead the people of God in full humility, knowing that only by his grace are we able to be examples, and not by any righteousness of our own. The infants of the faith can teach those full-grown just as well as the other way around. By boasting about greatness, we don't just distance ourselves from those we are called to serve, but blind ourselves to the lessons they have to teach us.

Likewise, we should not cut off those who may not fully understand from partaking in the power of Jesus Christ. If Priscilla and Aquila had reprimanded Apollos for his preaching instead of instructing him in the Gospel, his entire ministry may have been erased from the Church's history. The duty of the minister is the equip the saints for the ministry, meaning all who come earnestly seeking after the name of Jesus Christ are to be welcomed and brought up in the faith to share the Gospel and encourage the saints.

Because Jesus Christ came to us when we were still insolent children and patiently dealt with us, not as we deserved, but out of his love, so we follow his example. By the redemption in his blood, which sanctifies us to be a holy priesthood, and by the promise fulfilled in his resurrection, which seals us with his Holy Spirit, we are to share in the work which he has prepared for us to walk in. Do the work set before you in the humility of Christ, fully aware of your sin. Receive those who seek after God with the love of Christ, knowing that you, also, were once lost. And be purged of those evil things which would keep you from fulfilling this call through repentance by the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit.

By these things we remain in the light and are the salt of the earth. In these things we have peace as the family of God, adopted by the Spirit of Christ to be true children and heirs of his kingdom.

Homily on John 9:1-17

This homily was preached in the Morning Prayer service at the Trinity School for Ministry Chapel on Monday, Feburary 17th, 2014.

John 9:1-17 Homily

There's a certain phrase I've heard used a lot recently. It's mostly used when someone is grieving or going through hard times, and it's a phrase I have some trouble with. I know the good intentions behind it, but cannot support its assumptions. It's a short phrase and it goes like this: “Everything happens for a reason.”

This phrase is used mostly as a comfort to those who mourn or suffer. It's used as a reminder that God is in control and that he uses all things to serve his purpose. But, its message has an ugly implication underneath. It assumes that God is the cause of our suffering. Saying everything happens for a reason is saying that God intends suffering. This phrase comes about through an unwillingness to accept the meaninglessness of suffering. We ourselves, at Trinity, have a friend, a sister and mother to all of us at this school, who is currently in the midst of suffering.

Martha is suffering from leukemia and it's thrown this place into some shock. But, what amazes me, and what shows the true Gospel in the midst of all of this, is that even as we suffer together with her, we also share in her joy. I've seen evidence of many visits to her on social media, and they all have the same sentiment of love about them. Prayers are raised not only for healing, but for her ministry at the hospital where she is being treated. I've gained insight into how much Martha touches the lives of those around her. And what amazes me most is to see her still offering prayers and encouragement to others with selfless vigor.

I don't believe everything happens for a reason, because I don't want to blame God for our suffering. But I can say that everything that happens can serve a purpose. God might not have caused the brothers of Joseph to sell him into slavery, but he used that act to save those very brothers from famine. When “his disciples ask him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

The sufferings of individuals are not easy for us to reconcile. But, our job isn't to give a reason for suffering. We are called to take part in suffering and share in the pain of those around us. Our calling is to point to suffering and agree, “yes, this is wrong. This is not good.” We can't justify evil with a “but God says...” or “but, you should...” Evil is bad. It's also real. And that's something we need to recognize, and not try to sweep it under the rug of phrases like “everything happens for a reason” to make us feel better about it. The only way you can combat suffering is by stepping into it and taking on the full force of it's wicked affliction.

The Philippian church could receive Paul's exhortation to rejoice because while he was in Philippi, they saw the joy he had in the midst of suffering. They knew that while he was in prison, he sang songs to God. They trusted him because of his suffering on their behalf. Paul's own example of this was in Jesus, and he wrote about it to the Philippians in his epistle, that “though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Jesus didn't need to suffer, but he stepped down from his place in the heavenly courts to take part in our suffering. The love of God was shown in that he chose to lower himself to the utmost in order to be with us. The most incomprehensible truth of the Gospel is the fact that “the Word [who was with God and who was God] became flesh and dwelt among us.” This is what draws us closer to him: the fact that he came to us. “We love because he first loved us.” And not only this, but knowing that we could not bear our suffering, he took our suffering upon himself, lifted up on the Cross and dying, very God of very God, as punishment for our sins.

This is the God we serve and worship. Over the centuries we've cried out to him, begging for an answer as to why we suffer the way we do. He didn't give a reason to make our suffering more bearable. He didn't justify who he is with our suffering, or even command us to stop complaining. He chose instead to join us in our suffering. He came down, he walked among us, and he died on a Cross.

In our passage, he says, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When Jesus rose again from the dead, he accomplished the work of God. He also assured us that the light was still in the world and not defeated by the darkness. There is no night, because the light of the world is risen. We need to trust that the light is among us, and we can still do his work as long as we have the light.

Our community at this school has been attacked by darkness. Martha is still in the hospital and still going through treatments, but the darkness cannot overcome the light. The light defies understanding, because light in the darkness is joy in the midst of suffering. The light is continued encouragement and prayers for others in the midst of personal need. The light is the Gospel. It's the truth that we serve a God who did not reason away our suffering, but came down and joined us in the midst of it. He took the punishment for sin upon himself when it wasn't required of him. Others reason that this couldn't have happened. It was Judas on the Cross because no prophet could demean himself so much. Or Jesus was clearly just a man because the God of the universe wouldn't stoop so low as to make himself like us. But for those whom the light has cured of blindness, we see his suffering and we worship him. We worship him because he didn't tell us that our suffering is alright. He didn't tell us that it was all part of his plan. He didn't tell us to deal with it and stop complaining. He didn't do any of these things, but he came to us, he wrapped us in his love, and he says to us continually, “Abide in my love.”

Sermon on Matthew 11:2-11

This sermon was preached at Prince of Peace on the weekend of December 14-15, 2013.

Expectation is part of our everyday lives. We have expectations in our relationships. We have expectations in our jobs. We have expectations of ourselves. And if you've noticed, we have a lot of expectations that are never met. Sometimes we put a financial investment in something that promises return. We expect to be healed of loneliness by beginning a romantic relationship. We expect the government to change things because we voted for a certain politician. Over and over, we find our expectations unmet. We lose our financial investment because the project failed. We find that the people we've expected to heal our loneliness are just as broken as us, and just as in need of healing. And of course, we find out that no matter the promises, no governor has the power to change the world in a single term. We have a history of unmet expectations. How can we trust the promise of expectation when time and again, our expectations are left unfulfilled?

This Advent season is all about expectation. We are in expectation of the coming Messiah. This expectation is represented by the Christmas day miracle: God made flesh as Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit from the virgin Mary. This was the long expected Messiah of Israel. He is the one to redeem the whole of creation. But, as we continue waiting through this Advent season, even after Christmas day comes and passes by, we are still waiting. We are waiting expectantly for the coming again of Jesus Christ. The season of Advent only lasts about three and a half weeks, but we have been in the true Advent from the day Jesus ascended into heaven. We wait for him to return. We expect him to return.

John the Baptist is not much different from us. He began his ministry as one calling out from the wilderness. He baptized people in the Jordan river for the forgiveness of sins. He called people to repent and be ready for the one coming after him. He knew Jesus was coming. This is what drove his ministry. He called people to repentance because the one who judges the sins of the world was near.

But what happened to him? After he baptized Jesus and Jesus took over the ministry, he slowly faded from the gospel picture. We find out that he was arrested by Herod and put in prison. Things had taken a bad turn in the life of John the Baptist. And that is where we come in on our passage for today,

“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'”

John the Baptist, who preached the coming Messiah, and recognized Jesus as that Messiah was now questioning everything that had happened. This doesn't mean that John doubted Jesus, but perhaps he doubted his method. John probably wasn't expecting to be waiting for death in a prison cell once Jesus came around. Shouldn't the messiah be overthrowing the Roman authorities and re-establishing the nation of Israel as God's chosen people? Jesus was supposed to bring redemption, but instead John found himself at the mercy of sinful Gentiles.

Roughly thirty years after this moment, Paul is writing to the church in Rome about this same kind of experience.

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

And this is still our experience today. The expectation in the last days is like labor pains that come before childbirth. We look around us and we see that things are not right. We are in a world that is not right. We see famine and destruction. People killing each other with no remorse. There are some of us who are having trouble making ends meet. Jobs are hard to come by. Families are being torn apart. Drug abuse is destroying lives. Wars are taking even more. And we inwardly groan with all of creation in these last days. We eagerly wait for our adoption into God's household because it's hard going day-by-day in a fallen world. Jesus came with the promise of salvation, but when we look around, we don't see it. So we ask, “Is this the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

And how does Jesus respond? Our passage reads,

“And Jesus answered them, 'Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.'”

When we feel like our Advent expectations aren't being met, the problem is not with Jesus. The problem isn't that Jesus is forsaking us. The problem isn't that Jesus was unable to fulfill his promises. The problem is that we aren't seeing Jesus with the right eyes. We have a wrong perspective of what Jesus is doing in the world. John the Baptist, trapped in a prison cell, couldn't see past his own experience. He heard about these miraculous things that Jesus was doing in the world. If I were in John's place, I know my first reaction to hearing this news would be to ask, “but what about me?” In the dark confines of his prison cell, John was unable to see the light that was shining throughout the world. We cannot be prisoners to the darkness around us. We cannot be blinded by the walls of sin and death that surround us. Jesus is doing wonderful things in this world. His good news is spreading throughout all nations.

Our perspective needs to shift. We need to not look at the darkness, but into the light. We need to realize that the darkness isn't so dark because the light of the world has come. Death is temporary for those who have the good news of Jesus Christ. By his love, the works of God are being performed by people throughout the world. “The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” Our expectations are being fulfilled in these things; our expectations of the reign of God on earth. The pains will come because the world is in the pains of childbirth. This world as it is won't meet our expectations, because we are called to heavenly expectation. As we grow in our understanding of Christ, we see how fallen the world is around us. And we see why the reign of God needs to come into the world.

It's not about overthrowing the powers that be, but lifting up the lowly. It's about sharing in the suffering of sin and death. Jesus Christ did not only come to abolish death, but to join in its misery. His cry on the cross was not only “It is finished,” but, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus took part in the suffering of the world. He took on the flesh of a man and the very nature of a human person. He lowered himself from his heavenly place and took part in our suffering. And he did not leave us alone, but gave us the promise of his return through the Holy Spirit.

We groan inwardly, awaiting our adoption into God's household. Paul writes that “in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” We need to be assured that our hope is not in this life. Our hope is not in jobs, money, or relationships. Our hope is in Christ. And we can be assured that our hope will be fulfilled because he rose again from the grave as our promise. Until then, we need to wait patiently. We must stay ready for when that time comes.

As I said earlier, Christ came into the world to suffer along with us and to bring us peace in that suffering. We as Christians must join with Christ in sharing the suffering of the world around us. We aren't called to rule over others, but to serve them. In the world we move forward by moving up. We become successful by stepping over the people below us. Money and power are our gains. But in the kingdom of God, moving deeper into God is lowering ourselves. It's taking the lowest place and valuing others as greater than ourselves. Our belongings are not our own, and so we are called to give and serve. Jesus used John the Baptist as the example,

“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’”

Jesus uses John the Baptist to show what a citizen of the Kingdom looks like. Not someone dressed in fine clothing. Not someone shaken by the wind of the social climate. John was a prophet of God who stood firm in his proclamation. But even though, “there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” Jesus teaches that “the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

We need to join in this heavenly call by changing our perspectives to heavenly values. In expectation of our Lord's return, we take part in his work here on earth. Jesus asks, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”

There is work to be finished here on earth and Jesus has set his servants to care for it. The brokenness of the world is not a sign that Jesus hasn't done his job. It is a sign that Jesus' mission continues.

“As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

As we wait for the Lord in expectation, it means we have the opportunity to share in his work. Jesus says that the signs of his kingdom are that “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” Let's be bringers of the kingdom in this way. Let's take part in his mission to the world. Let's take care of the poor and the oppressed around us. Instead of ignoring the homeless, let's sit and eat with them. Instead of blaming addicts for their problems, let's stand by them and pray with them. And instead of scoffing at those who do not know Christ, let's share the good news and welcome them into the family of God.

This can only happen by faith in the power of the Gospel. We should expect Jesus to work in mighty ways. Even through our poor and broken selves, the glory of God can shine. We need to expect Jesus. It's easy to grow impatient when we are surrounded by darkness. But, darkness has no power over light. And Jesus, the light of the world, will keep his promise to return. We need to stay in expectation of his return. This means we need to remain in daily prayer. We need to meditate on the word he has given us in the Scriptures. We need to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to commune by the Spirit at the Lord's table. And we need to love those whom Christ loves; the last and the least. Because these are the ones who will make up his kingdom.

It's easy to be distracted by the world, but we cannot let that take us away from our hope. Our hope isn't in investing in the right business ventures. It isn't in romances. It isn't in political powers. Our hope is in the one true God who reigns for ever and ever.

We need change our perspective. John the Baptist had trouble looking past his jail cell. We have trouble looking past the problems of this life. Our problems could be finances, relationships, or just staying stable. But you can be sure that the problems of this world will pass away. Jesus Christ has overcome the world.

We need to look to our heavenly promise. Our God is everlasting and he will bring full redemption to all of creation. Our situations may seem hopeless, but so long as God lives, there is always hope. Trust in that. Trust that with God, even the impossible can be done. Even the most hardened sinner can turn to repentance. Even the deepest mourning can turn to joy. There will come a day when he will wipe away every tear. Stay ready for that day. Stay ready by prayer. Stay ready by Scripture meditation. Stay ready by doing the work of the kingdom; serving the poor and sharing the good news. Stay ready by remembering that your expectation is not based on human works, but on the work of God: that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again from the grave. Our expectation is that he will come again and make all things new. But until that day comes, let's share in the work he has given us to do.

Homily on Amos 3:12-4:5

This homily was preached in the Morning Prayer service at the Trinity School for Ministry Chapel on Thursday, December 5th, 2013.

Amos 3:12-4:5 Homily

*the first portion of this homily was cut from the audio due to technical difficulties*

The summer before I came to seminary, I went on a trip to the South Rwenzori Diocese in western Uganda. When I got back, I had already moved all of my belongings out of my old apartment, so I had to stay at a friends place. I took a shower and then unpacked all of my clothes from the trip and threw them into the washer. The washer finished running and I opened the lid, and from it, I removed a drenched, washed-out, shriveled-up United States passport which I had only bought a few weeks earlier for that trip. It had been left in my pants pocket and now it was ruined.

This is probably a less gruesome image than what the Lord had spoken through Amos.

*the following portion of the homily is presented in the audio*

“As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.”

These images of couches and beds, and summer houses and winter houses, are images of wealth. Specifically, these are images of Israel's wealth which they keep for themselves in the land. They “oppress the poor, [and] crush the needy.”

God does not delight in prosperity, but in our giving out of what we have. In Luke, Jesus teaches that “everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” And maybe you weren't given financial wealth. Since we're at a seminary, I'm going assume that's a majority of you. But, we still have the responsibility of caring for others from what we do have. For some it may be, as Bishop Neil mentioned yesterday, our time. For others, perhaps it's a talent or skill that helps another in need, or your car for a person who needs a ride. We all have something to give and it's very tempting for us to want to keep it to ourselves. It's my blessing so I'll make use of it however I want.

And it's not just only ourselves, but also only our friends; only the people we like to be around. This is a problem of identity; that we see our identity on a human level and not a spiritual level. God created all people in his image, not just some. And his desire is that they would come to worship him together. That they know him, as Jeremiah tells us, that he is “the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.” These are the things in which he delights.

But, Israel wanted to believe that Israel's God is only for Israel. The judgment on Israel isn't just for their sin, but for their worship. This goes for our worship too. How can we worship the God who delights in steadfast love, justice, and righteousness, but not learn to show delight in these things ourselves?

Through Amos, the Lord points out the hypocrisy of Israel. He declares to them, “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” They put on the show of righteousness in the temple, but the rest of their lives are brushed with the shades of sin. It doesn't matter how much we write on our tithe check, or how much we clap our hands along to the songs, the Lord knows our hearts and where our real treasure is.

I don't say this as a condemnation. But to encourage us to consider those around us. Not just those next to us in the pews or those who sit with us at dinner. Consider those poor and needy. Those who have been crushed and oppressed. Consider those who stand in darkness and don't see the light of Christ. And consider what we have to give them. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required.”

The greatest treasure has been given to us. We are called to share that treasure with the rest of the world. The Gospel screams from our hearts with joy that cannot be contained. Christ has come in the flesh,very God of very God. And although “no one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.” He is our God, and our God is for the whole earth and all creation.

Hear the warning of God through Amos this morning. Those who worship at the altar but oppress the poor and crush the needy aren't worshiping God, but idols of their own making. Those who go to the temple and give their tithes but do not pay attention to those in need around them don't pay offerings to God, but only to their own conscience. We can't fall into the same trap as Israel by growing content with a passive and contained worship life.

It's good to tithe, and it's good to worship the Lord in song. It's good, but not all. The Lord delights in steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. Our worship should come out of our delight in these things because to do so is to delight also in the things of the Lord. And our delight in these things is rooted in the Lord's practice of them on our behalf. In his steadfast love, he sent his only Son. Because of his justice, he died for the sins of the world. And because of his righteousness, he rose again from the grave to bring us into his new life as new creations in him. Out of this truth, we worship him and take delight. Our worship reminds us of who he is and what he has done and is doing in, through, and with us. And how good this news is; so good that it should be shared throughout all the world.

Let us give out of what we have and not count our blessings as only our own. The Lord loves the needy and grieves over the wicked. In our worship, let us learn to have hearts like his, to truly worship him in his fullness of being; his steadfast love, his justice, and his righteousness. Let us delight in these things which he has given for the whole world.The summer before I came to seminary, I went on a trip to the South Rwenzori Diocese in western Uganda. When I got back, I had already moved all of my belongings out of my old apartment, so I had to stay at a friends place. I took a shower and then unpacked all of my clothes from the trip and threw them into the washer. The washer finished running and I opened the lid, and from it, I removed a drenched, washed-out, shriveled-up United States passport which I had only bought a few weeks earlier for that trip. It had been left in my pants pocket and now it was ruined.

This is probably a less gruesome image than what the Lord had spoken through Amos. “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.”

These images of couches and beds, and summer houses and winter houses, are images of wealth. Specifically, these are images of Israel's wealth which they keep for themselves in the land. They “oppress the poor, [and] crush the needy.”

God does not delight in prosperity, but in our giving out of what we have. In Luke, Jesus teaches that “everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” And maybe you weren't given financial wealth. Since we're at a seminary, I'm going assume that's a majority of you. But, we still have the responsibility of caring for others from what we do have. For some it may be, as Bishop Neil mentioned yesterday, our time. For others, perhaps it's a talent or skill that helps another in need, or your car for a person who needs a ride. We all have something to give and it's very tempting for us to want to keep it to ourselves. It's my blessing so I'll make use of it however I want.

And it's not just only ourselves, but also only our friends; only the people we like to be around. This is a problem of identity; that we see our identity on a human level and not a spiritual level. God created all people in his image, not just some. And his desire is that they would come to worship him together. That they know him, as Jeremiah tells us, that he is “the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.” These are the things in which he delights.

But, Israel wanted to believe that Israel's God is only for Israel. The judgment on Israel isn't just for their sin, but for their worship. This goes for our worship too. How can we worship the God who delights in steadfast love, justice, and righteousness, but not learn to show delight in these things ourselves?

Through Amos, the Lord points out the hypocrisy of Israel. He declares to them, “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” They put on the show of righteousness in the temple, but the rest of their lives are brushed with the shades of sin. It doesn't matter how much we write on our tithe check, or how much we clap our hands along to the songs, the Lord knows our hearts and where our real treasure is.

I don't say this as a condemnation. But to encourage us to consider those around us. Not just those next to us in the pews or those who sit with us at dinner. Consider those poor and needy. Those who have been crushed and oppressed. Consider those who stand in darkness and don't see the light of Christ. And consider what we have to give them. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required.”

The greatest treasure has been given to us. We are called to share that treasure with the rest of the world. The Gospel screams from our hearts with joy that cannot be contained. Christ has come in the flesh,very God of very God. And although “no one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.” He is our God, and our God is for the whole earth and all creation.

Hear the warning of God through Amos this morning. Those who worship at the altar but oppress the poor and crush the needy aren't worshiping God, but idols of their own making. Those who go to the temple and give their tithes but do not pay attention to those in need around them don't pay offerings to God, but only to their own conscience. We can't fall into the same trap as Israel by growing content with a passive and contained worship life.

It's good to tithe, and it's good to worship the Lord in song. It's good, but not all. The Lord delights in steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. Our worship should come out of our delight in these things because to do so is to delight also in the things of the Lord. And our delight in these things is rooted in the Lord's practice of them on our behalf. In his steadfast love, he sent his only Son. Because of his justice, he died for the sins of the world. And because of his righteousness, he rose again from the grave to bring us into his new life as new creations in him. Out of this truth, we worship him and take delight. Our worship reminds us of who he is and what he has done and is doing in, through, and with us. And how good this news is; so good that it should be shared throughout all the world.

Let us give out of what we have and not count our blessings as only our own. The Lord loves the needy and grieves over the wicked. In our worship, let us learn to have hearts like his, to truly worship him in his fullness of being; his steadfast love, his justice, and his righteousness. Let us delight in these things which he has given for the whole world.

Homily on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

This homily was preached in the Morning Prayer service at the Trinity School for Ministry chapel on Thursday, September 26, 2013.

Matthew 6:1-6,16-18 Homily

I think we all know this sermon: Do your good deeds in secret, and the Lord will reward you. We can't boast in our works, but only in the grace of God our Father given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. So, do your good deeds in secret, because you must seek the love of God, and not the approval of others.

But, there's a slight issue here. What about when we do deeds that are meant to be in the public eye?

For those of us involved in ministry, there are times we are meant to show good works in our public lives so that they can be seen and imitated by others. Jesus prayed loudly before Lazarus' tomb, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” Paul writes to the Philippians, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Peter writes in his first epistle, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” So, as ministers or future ministers, how can we apply this teaching to the way we conduct ourselves in our doing good for the Kingdom?

We have to ask ourselves what the purpose is behind this teaching. To introduce this section of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your father who is in heaven.” But I've already listed three examples from Jesus, Paul, and Peter, where it is shown that there are times when good deeds are done and seen by others. I think it's clear that Jesus can't mean that he is just concerned with our good deeds being seen. It's not like if someone else happens to walk in on us praying that God will then be like, “Nope. That one doesn't count. You'll have to do it again later when no one's looking.” And imagine what that could mean for the soup kitchen industry.

The conclusion that has to be drawn is that Jesus is saying we shouldn't try to impress others with our righteousness. In each of the three examples above, the point of being seen by others is so that God would be glorified. Jesus prayed so that the people would believe that he was sent by the Father. Paul wants the Philippians to imitate him so that God will be with them. Peter wants the Christians to show their good deeds in order that God will be glorified.

There are now two further questions we need to ask. Why are there two separate teachings on practicing good deeds? And, how do we know which deeds we must do in secret, and which in public?

I think both of these questions have the same answer. It's all about glorifying God in what we do.

So, what's with these two different teachings? On one side, doing good deeds publicly will bring pride and lose us the reward we have from our Father in heaven. On the other side, we have our public deeds being seen by others so that they may be brought into God's grace and so that God would be glorified through their witness. We have to be aware that both of these teachings are in the Scripture for a reason. They are both meant to be followed.

We Christians must learn to glorify God both in secret and public places. There is no time in our Christians lives at which we can give up doing one or the other. We need to glorify God in secret because God desires us to have a personal relationship with him. We praise him even when no one else is around to hear because our praise is meant for him alone. We love him in secret because we were made for his most intimate love. And we serve discreetly because we are confessing our loyalties to him and not to others. The good that we do should not be influenced by how we might appear to others but by our love for God.

On the other hand, we need to glorify God publicly because we are called to share his good news with the world. We praise him with our brothers and sisters because God wants his people to be one. We love him in communion because his love is meant for all. And we serve in the midst of others because we are his representative servants to the world. The good that we do in the midst of others is not meant to magnify ourselves, but magnify the Kingdom here on earth to the glory of God.

Both good things secret and public are important for us. But then we are led into the second question. How do we know which deeds we must do in secret and which in public?

While I probably can't answer this question definitively for each of us—since I think we all have our own contexts we are asking from—I do believe there are some guidelines as to how we can answer this question.

When Jesus goes through the list of good deeds, what he doesn't say is “don't ever let anyone see you do good.” But he says “when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you … when you pray ... [don't] stand in the synagogue and at the street corners, that [you] might be seen by others … and when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.” What we see here is Jesus telling us not to intentionally draw attention to ourselves when we do these things, because then our reward is in our fame. If you are drawing the attention of others to you, then you aren't doing these things for the glory of God, but for the glory of self. The easiest way to tell if you should be doing your deeds publicly is whether you are intentionally trying to draw attention to yourself as you do them.

Our public deeds should come out of the same love as our secret deeds. They should be motivated only by the glory of God out of thanksgiving for salvation. We don't do them for the purpose of lifting ourselves up, but to serve and lift up others. We don't do them to increase ourselves, but to decrease ourselves so that God might increase. “And the greatest among you shall be like the youngest and the leader as one who serves.” Because we are not called into leadership so that we can exercise dominion or gain power, but so that we can serve and give ourselves up for those whom we serve.

For this, we have the greatest example in our Lord and Teacher Jesus Christ, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,” and he said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” And he has not only washed our feet, but our whole bodies by his very blood when, “being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

We must love the Lord our God in secret and not call attention to ourselves when we do good publicly. The good that we do is not to glorify us, but to glorify the one who sends us. And when we do these things in secret, even when we are seen, we will find that the one who sees in secret will reward us. And our reward is found in the joy and peace of his Spirit, and the hope of salvation.

Sermon on 1 Kings 19:19-21

This sermon was preached at Prince of Peace on the weekend of June 29-30, 2013.

One thing I value about being here and at the seminary is that I have been able to form real relationships with people older than me. I've learned a lot about life and what to expect as I grow older, and hopefully wiser. One unfortunate truth I've found is that many of the older men I know have struggled with the same problem. It's almost expected now that when I meet an older man he deals with the same issue as all the others that I know. You've probably heard of it. It's called 'high cholesterol.' Now, I've also found out that the only cure for this seems to be a good diet and exercise. Some of the older men I know have gone on either vegan or nearly-vegan diets in order to help with the problem. Others have made daily trips to the gym before or after work. If they do these things consistently, they can still sneak in a treat now and again.

As Christians, I think we tend to view our relationship with God in the same way we view diet and exercise. Being “Christian” is like going on a spiritual health kick. These health kicks are all a matter of substitution. For every bad food you eat, you make up for it with either exercise or eating good food.

Every time we have spiritual junk food, we try to offset it with some form of spiritual broccoli. You can ignore that guy who is in need over there because you've been going to Bible study on Wednesdays. You don't need to give your time at this outreach event because you've been faithful in your tithes.

The thing is, our spiritual life is not a diet. It's an entire changing of our anatomy. Our bodies reject the things we used to eat. Our old habits now have a warning label on them; beware: will induce vomiting. Going back to what we used to eat, in the spiritual sense, is like trying to be satisfied by a bowl of wax fruit. It just won't work.

The Christian life is not a spiritual diet. It is continuously following God's call in our lives.

When God calls us, it means making a decision. This decision has two parts.

First, it is a decision to step forward into his call.

And second, it is a decision to leave behind the life he is calling us from.

I want us to look at our Scripture passage for today from 1 Kings. It reads that “Elijah passed by [Elisha] and cast his cloak upon him.”

When a rabbi put his cloak around someone, he was calling that person to be his disciple. Elisha would have known this. As Elijah passed him by, he had to make the biggest decision of his life. And there wasn't a lot of time for him to make it. Elijah was on the move, and Elisha probably had about a minute to decide to follow him or not.

Sometimes, when God calls us, we don't have the time to sit and think it out. We must be ready to hear the call of God. When he calls, will you follow or will you question? The work of the Kingdom is not for those with idle hands. It is work. It's giving to those in need. It's showing kindness to those who might hate you. It's encouraging those who are depressed. It's an active life to be a member of the Kingdom of God. And God calls you to this activity.

In our passage, Elisha was not being called to an easy life. Earlier in this very chapter, Elijah had a death sentence called on him because of what he did in the name of God. He was alone and hated by his own people. Elisha would surely be called into this same life. Our decision to follow God when he calls isn't always easy. But it's the most important decision of our lives.

God will not call you to an easy life. If you want to be an imitator of Christ, look at what he went through. He had no place to rest his head. He was despised and beaten. He was constantly harassed by those around him. And he was eventually crucified. I'm not saying everyone here will be crucified. I'm pretty sure the Romans aren't doing that anymore. But how can we expect an easy and comfortable life, when Christ himself had a life of hardship? If we call ourselves Christians and imitators of Christ, how do our lives look in comparison to his?

I am not saying that we are all called to be prophets like Elisha. Elisha was no less in God's favor plowing his field than as the prophet of Israel. But God does have a calling on our lives. A calling which is to be wise with our spending. To be kind to those around us. And to preach his Gospel to those who do not know Jesus Christ. We will fall short of this calling. Even as the Holy Spirit pushes us. We are still broken creatures. But God is merciful and he continues to call us into his ministry. He has allowed us the honor to participate in his plan for the salvation of the world. As you continue in your faithfulness to God's call, he will continue to call you more to himself. To the one who is trusted with little, will be trusted much.

Jesus told a parable of three servants who were each trusted with a portion of their master's wealth. Two of these servants traded the wealth in the market and made a profit. The third buried his wealth in a field. He buried it because he was afraid losing it would make the master angry. When the master asked each what happened, the two showed their profit. But the third only gave back what was given to him. The master entrusted more to the two and he had the third thrown out.

Sometimes our fear is that we will lose what has been entrusted to us. We will make people hate Jesus because we misrepresent him. We will cause more harm than good when we try to help a neighbor in need. But if we do not put ourselves out there, what good are we doing? God is the one who is in control of all things. We can trust that he will work through even our mistakes. How can we learn if we are afraid to fail? You can't hit a home run if you're afraid of popping the ball into the outfield and getting caught out. If God didn't want to risk failure, he wouldn't have called us.

We must remember whenever we go out to follow God, there is grace. We don't have three strikes and outs. We have unlimited forgiveness and mercy. God is on your side. He will be there to comfort you. If you're afraid of rejection, then remember that even Jesus was rejected. If your worried about your flaws, remember that Jesus called you to himself because of them. Because he knows you need help. He is your strength. During one of my first times passing out flyers for a Christian event in college, I felt God pushing me to talk to a certain student outside the school library. I knew I should, but I was afraid of rejection. I ended up not doing it, and beat myself up about it afterward. But, in the end, God did not love me any less because of my failure. And that experience made me more proactive in seeking others out for Jesus.

Look at the Apostle Paul. The Lord spoke to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So Paul boasts about his weakness because the power of Christ comes out in our weakness. When you are weak, you have the power of God on your side. We need this power because what we are called to is great.

Like Elisha, It could mean leaving behind everything you ever knew. It could mean moving to another country. It could mean giving up the job or lifestyle you once had, or always wanted to have. And it's not guaranteed to be better. It's not guaranteed to be better because our hope is not only for this life. God's call on us isn't to go on a spiritual diet. We can't just watch our carbs and keep everything else relatively the same. We are changing the very foundation of our lives. And you can't change a foundation without taking the whole building down. If the life you have after God's call is the same as the life you had before, there might be something wrong. We must examine our lives and consider the ways our hands are still gripping on the world.

We are afraid to let go because we know following Christ means losing our lives for his sake. We may be forced to find our joy in suffering rather than pleasure. We may be forced to endure poverty rather than abundance. We may find ourselves with people unlike us who hate us rather than friends and family who love us. Or worse, our friends and family may become enemies because of the Gospel we preach. And in the seconds after Elijah placed his coat around him, Elisha had these questions to answer. And like us, he probably didn't have an answer for what may come. But, he did have faith. And he had the Lord to guide him. If the God of all creation is behind your call, you have nothing to fear; not because he won't let you suffer, but because your suffering will be glory, and honor, and power. And that suffering will bring joy and eternal peace in his Kingdom.

Not much time had passed when Elisha “left the oxen and ran after Elijah.” He knew following God's call was greater than the life he had. He asked Elijah if he could kiss his father and mother goodbye, and Elijah allowed him to go. What happened next is unexpected. If you'll remember, Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. That means 24 individual oxen. This means Elisha had a good life going for him. Having 24 oxen means he was doing pretty well for himself.

And what did he do with these 24 oxen and the yokes they were tied to? The passage tells us he “took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people.” He broke up the yokes, made a fire, and boiled the meat of the oxen. That was his livelihood. That field probably generated his whole income. And it was big enough to need twelve yoke of oxen to plow it.

Jesus says “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Jesus is responding to men who have heard the call of God but still have life in this world tugging at them. Our duty to the world cannot come before our duty to God. We cannot long for our past when God's call has been placed on our hearts. You cannot go out to do the Lord's work with your head turned to what you left behind. Elisha made sure that would not be an issue for him.

This isn't a spiritual diet. We can't stash the Oatmeal Cream Pies in the back of the pantry as a treat. Our spiritual genetics have been changed. Those things we used to live on are now death to us. The love of money is no longer a means for success, but a means for damnation. Greed is no longer a way to preserve your life, but to lose it. By keeping mementos of our old life around, we are only presenting openings for the devil to attack. If you're a recovering alcoholic, you don't keep a case of beer in the basement. If God has called you to live simply and serve the poor, going to Sharper Image might be a hindrance. We must rid ourselves of those things which might call us back into the world. That is more than packing them away and stuffing them in a storage locker. It means destroying them. Elisha took the pieces of his old life, sacrificed them to God and then used them to feed his neighbors.

There is a cost to discipleship. It means no longer living for self-indulgence but for service of others. You are not your own. You are Christ's own. And your life should be a reflection of that. Living for Christ means living in sacrifice. His sacrifice redeems us. Living in his sacrifice cleanses us from sin. And taking part in his sacrifice makes us holy people of God. Sacrifice of ourselves on behalf of others is living in Christ-likeness. That means giving out of what we have, even if we only have little.

Do you know what we have? At the very least, what we all have is the message of Christ. We have him and him crucified. And we have the Lord going with us to proclaim this message. Elisha was called to be the prophet of Israel. We are all called into the priesthood of believers. That means we should all be ministers of reconciliation between others and God.  Everyone in this building has been called to this ministry. But it's not a ministry confined to this building. We are to go out into the world. That means where you work. In your neighborhood. Where you shop. Where you eat. And among everyone you know. We are called to be ministers in those places. To bring Jesus Christ into every corner of our lives.

God may not be calling you away from your plow. But he is calling you to work the fields for Christ. How you do your work and how you use your wealth is a testament to Christ in your life. You can't substitute good for bad. God's judgment isn't done on a scale. Good and evil cannot co-exist. Because sin isn't cholesterol. You don't balance your sin out with good spiritual things. Sin is a cancer. It must be removed completely or it will continue to spread. We can't have just a little. God is calling us to change the way we live.

You are Christians. You are called into Christ's sacrifice. If you are not living in that sacrifice, you aren't fulfilling your call. And you don't have to start with something big. God knows you. He knows where you stand. He will walk alongside you. You can start small. Ask a neighbor to come to Bible study. Pay for the meal of a homeless person. If you feel up to it, sit and eat with them. Limit the times you purchase something for yourself each week. Little by little, God will work with you. I can't go out and run a marathon tomorrow morning. But what I can do is go for a jog around my block. I can work myself up. But it requires consistent practice and progress. If I jog around my block and in a year I'm doing the same thing, that isn't progress. Our goal is to make progress. And we won't run out of ways to grow. Perfection is a pretty high calling. It's one I think we'll all still be working on for awhile. Eventually, we may be trusted with a big call. But if we trust in God, we will be ready when that call comes. God is good. He is merciful. He'll help us get there.