SERMON: I AM THE WAY

I AM THE WAY

Preached by Gregory W. Lee

23 September 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 14

1. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.
2. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4. You know the way to the place where I am going."
5. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

-- as we start the message this morning, I want to take a scientific poll -- let's say that you are starting on a journey -- you're going on a trip somewhere -- you've never been there before, but you've got your journey all mapped out -- you know exactly what roads you need to take and about how long it will take you to get there
-- and let's say that as you stop to gas up for the trip, a person there at the gas station finds out where you are going and tells you about this great short-cut that will cut time off of your trip -- instead of it taking 4 hours to get there, you can get there in about 3 hours
-- now, I want you to raise your hands -- how many of you would take the short-cut?

-- I'm come to realize that our world is divided into two kinds of people -- people who take short-cuts and people who don't -- I'm one who doesn't take short-cuts -- even though it drives Kim crazy, I like to drive right through the middle of Valdosta when we go to town -- I know it takes longer, but I like to see what's going on
-- Kim, on the other hand, is a short-cut nut -- she searches out short-cuts and back roads and is always trying to find a quicker way to get where-ever it is she's going
-- sometimes, these short-cuts work and she finds ways to get where she's going in as short a time as possible -- but sometimes they don't -- I'm going to tell on her for just a second
-- shortly after we moved into our house, she thought she could find a short-cut through the woods off of Highway 94 -- so she drove down 94 looking for a road that would lead her to our house -- and she drove and drove and drove -- finally, when she saw a sign at a church that said, "God allows U-turns," she figured that was a message and she turned around and drove home the regular way
-- it seems like most people like short-cuts -- everybody's in such a hurry that they just want to get to their destination as quick as possible -- sometimes it works -- but sometimes it can lead to big problems

-- I imagine most of you are familiar with the story of the Donner Party -- but did you know that this whole situation happened because they were looking for a short-cut to California?
-- in April 1846, George and Jacob Donner and their families left Springfield, Illinois, headed for California -- at that time, there were lots of people going to California, looking for a better life -- and the Donners were no exception
-- they joined up with a larger group -- a wagon train -- and stayed with them for two months -- this wagon train -- led by a man named Russell -- followed the well-known and established California Trail -- it led through St. Louis -- the gateway to the west -- and into California -- the Promised Land
-- but, after being with the Russell wagon train for a while on the California Trail, several of the travelers heard about this new short-cut -- the Hastings Cutoff -- that would get them across the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Desert quicker than the California Trail -- supposedly, it would only take them a week to get to Reno while it would take almost three weeks to get there following the California Trail
-- so, a lot of the folks decided to take this new short-cut -- they elected George Donner as their leader -- and the Donner Party wagon train -- 87 people in all -- took off on the Hastings Cutoff for California while the rest continued on the California Trail
-- but, the short-cut didn't pan out -- it actually took them three weeks longer than normal to get to Reno -- and when they finally rejoined the California Trail, they were three weeks behind schedule -- because of this, they didn't start through the pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains until October -- because of their late start through the mountains, they wound up getting trapped by a raging snowstorm
-- they tried to press on and go over the summit, but the storm was too fierce and the snow too deep -- so they made camp and settled in for the duration -- after their food ran out, they slaughtered their oxen to survive -- but they totally ran out of food in mid-December -- when that happened, fifteen people decided to hike out for help, leaving the rest of the people at the camp
-- over time, both groups of people -- those who were hiking out for help and those left at camp -- resorted to cannabilism to survive -- earning the Donner Party a gruesome reputation that has survived to this day
-- of the 87 people who made up the Donner Party and who took the Hastings Short-cut -- 39 people died and only 48 survived

II. Jesus is the Way
-- in the journey of life, we are confronted with lots of promising shortcuts -- sometimes the road we are on looks perilous -- filled with dangers -- with lots of ups and downs -- we find ourselves in valleys as well as mountains -- going in and out of storms -- going through narrow passageways and rough terrain
-- and as we go along, invariably, we see roads leading off of our path -- going to the right or the left -- wide roads -- good looking roads -- roads that promise easy travel
-- these roads cry out to us, "Take us -- take us -- all roads lead to heaven anyway -- why follow that narrow rocky path -- follow us and get there quicker"
-- but, despite all their claims, these short-cuts end up costing us a lot more than they are worth -- they can mire us down into lives as worldly Christians -- or can even derail us on our path to heaven
-- in this passage, Jesus warns His disciples and us that there is only one road that we should follow as we make our way to Heaven -- "Don't look for short-cuts -- don't look somewhere else for directions -- just follow the path that I have laid out for you"

-- as we start looking at this in a little more detail, let me give you the context -- this passage occurs on the last night that Jesus was with His disciples -- He is with them in the Upper Room and has just shared with them the Last Supper -- as they're sitting around the table, Jesus has just told them that one of their group was going to betray Him -- He has told Simon Peter that he would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed -- and He has told them that He is leaving them
-- as you can imagine the disciples are sitting there in shock -- not only is there a betrayer in the midst -- not only will the one whose faith has been the strongest end up denying Christ three times -- but now they are told that Christ Himself will be leaving them alone
-- they are confused and worried about all the future, so Jesus gives them these words of comfort and direction

-- look down now at John 14:1

1. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.

-- Jesus was telling them, "Don't worry -- just believe -- just trust in God the Father and trust in Me -- I have put you on the road you are to follow -- I have put your foot on the path -- now trust in me -- believe in what I have told you and don't worry about tomorrow"
-- Jesus comforts them by trying to get them to focus on Him -- He is saying, "So long as you trust in me and my words, you will be fine, no matter what life throws your way -- no matter how the road looks as you journey along"
-- these are words of comfort and hope for us as well -- what does your road look like right now? -- is it smooth and easy going -- or are you passing through a valley -- caught up in a storm -- no matter what it is, Jesus tells us, "Don't let your hearts be troubled -- trust in God -- and trust in me -- and I will see you through"

-- verse 2
2. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
-- Jesus knew that the root of their worry that night was the fact that He was going to be leaving them -- so here in verse 2 He tells them where He is going -- He tells them He is going to the Father -- but He is not just going to Father for Himself -- He is going to the Father to prepare a place for them
-- notice that Jesus doesn't say that He is preparing a place for Himself -- isn't that curious? -- why is that?
-- what do you do when you have guests come to stay in your house? -- you prepare a place for them before they get there -- you get that spare bedroom ready -- you make sure they have clean sheets and clean towels -- you get everything ready for them to come and stay with you
-- but you don't prepare a place for yourself, do you -- no, because it is your home -- your place is already prepared -- that is what Jesus is telling us in His passage -- don't worry, because I'm going home, and what's more, I'm getting ready for you to come and live with me there

-- verse 3
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4. You know the way to the place where I am going."
-- once again Jesus says, "Don't worry" -- if I am going to all the trouble to make you a place, then trust that I'm going to come back and get you again -- and regardless, it's not like I'm going somewhere that you don't know -- you know where I'm going and how to get to the place where I'm at
-- in the three years that He had been with them, Jesus had showed them the path to heaven -- He had showed them the way to get to the Kingdom of God -- He had taught them and trained them to recognize it and set their feet on the path
-- now, He says, I'm going ahead -- but as I go, you will see the signs I have left for you -- you will see the signs of my passing -- and eventually, I will meet you on that road and walk with you the rest of the way

-- look at verse 5
5. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
-- here we see Thomas at it again -- poor old doubting Thomas -- you know, Thomas isn't mentioned much in the scriptures at all -- but the times he is, he always seems to come across as doubting and skeptical and somewhat fatalistic -- let me give you a couple of examples
-- earlier in His ministry, the Jews had tried to stone Jesus, causing Him to leave Judea -- but when word came to Him that his friend Lazarus had died, Jesus decided to go back to Judea to raise Lazarus from the dead -- the other disciples didn't want to go -- they were afraid that all of them would be killed -- but Jesus said, "let us go to him." -- and then Thomas stands up and addresses the disciples and says, "Let us also go, that we may die with him"
-- and then there's that scene in the upper room, when all the disciples are telling Thomas that they have seen the risen Christ and Thomas says, "Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it."
-- Thomas seems to have been the pessimist in the bunch -- he was always the one who had to be shown the truth before he would believe it -- I think Thomas was from Missouri, the "Show Me" state -- he wouldn't believe anything unless he saw it with his own eyes
-- and now we see him in this passage complaining to Jesus -- "how are we going to find you when you leave -- we don't know where you are going -- so how can we know the way to where you are going?"

-- now, before you judge Thomas too hard, think back to what him and the other disciples were thinking at the time -- think back to what they knew that night in the upper room -- they were still thinking worldly -- they were still thinking that Jesus had come back to Jerusalem to set up a wordly kingdom -- to restore the kingship of Israel
-- at the time they didn't understand that Jesus was talking about a spiritual kingdom -- they didn't know that He was talking about the kingdom of Heaven -- and they had no real idea that Jesus was going to be killed -- much less raised from the death in three days
-- Thomas' complaint was understandable -- and I'm sure he was speaking for the whole group -- "Lord, we don't understand -- here you are talking about leaving us and going to your Father's house and coming back for us -- and you tell us that we know the way there already -- we don't understand"
-- how many times have you been in Thomas' and the other disciples' shoes -- how many times have you looked at your situation and complained to God, "Lord, I don't know what is going on -- I don't know where you are -- I don't know how to get to where you are -- I don't know the way out of this -- I don't see an answer to my problem"
-- but then Jesus makes it clear in the next verse -- look at how He responded to Thomas

-- verse 6
6. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
-- Jesus says, "Don't you understand -- you do know the way -- I am the Way -- I am the Truth -- I am the Life" -- this is the secret to realizing the promise of Hope that Jesus was sharing with His disciples that night -- this is the secret to staying on the road to Heaven
-- Jesus has already told us that He is our sole provider -- "I am the bread of life" -- He has already told us that He will shine on our path -- "I am the light of the world" -- He's already told them that they have to come through Him to start on their journey -- "I am the gate" -- and He's told them that He's the one who's going to make sure they don't stray off the path and fall for the short-cuts -- "I am the good shepherd"
-- now Jesus says, "I am THE way" -- there is only one way, and I am it -- do you want to know what the road is, Thomas? -- I am the road -- I am the way

-- kind of like the guy who went to Egypt to see the pyramids -- when he got there, he hired a guide and the guide led him down this road to the desert -- when they got to the desert, the road ended -- there was nothing but wind-swept sand for as far as the eye could see -- the man asked the guide, "where's the road?" -- the guide looked at him and said, "I'm the road" -- the guide knew the way -- if this man wanted to see the pyramids, all he had to do was follow the guide and the guide would show him the way

-- Jesus is telling us here that He is our road -- He is our way -- He will show us how to get to the Father's house -- if we want to go to Heaven, there is only one way to go -- and that's with Jesus -- that's why it says here, "No one comes to the Father except through me" -- it says the same thing in Acts 4:12, " Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

-- you might hear people telling you that there are many paths to God -- that there are many different spiritual routes you can take to Heaven -- short-cuts that are easier and faster than following the Word of God
-- don't believe them -- look at what Jesus says, "I am THE way" -- there is only one way and if you want to get to Heaven, you have to follow Him
-- when it comes to getting to heaven, there are no short-cuts in life

III. Closing
-- for the past couple of weeks, the sporting world has been abuzz with the news about what the New England Patriots and their coach, Bill Belichick, did
-- in just seven seasons under Belichick, the New England Patriots won three superbowls -- that says a lot about the coach and about the team -- it takes hard work and perserverance and determination to make it to the super bowl just once -- you have to be able to out-play and out-think and out-coach your opponents just to stay in the game -- but to get there and then to win it three times -- that is remarkable
-- but for some reason -- maybe he just got tired of the work -- maybe he just got enamored with the glamour of being the super bowl winning coach -- maybe he just got lazy -- for whatever reason, Bill Belichick decided to take a short-cut to success
-- rather than reviewing game films like in the past -- rather than preparing for games by studying his opponent and fine-tuning his own team -- Bill Belichick decided to cheat -- he got caught taping the calls from his opponent during a game
-- it's a whole lot easier to win if you know exactly what your opponent is going to do on every play -- what a perfect short-cut
-- but it has turned into a disaster and is tarnishing the reputation of a brilliant coach and a tremendous team -- now, despite all the work that they put in to win three superbowls -- people are going to have to ask, "did he cheat in them, too? -- did he win fairly?"

-- short-cuts just don't work -- they promise the world -- they promise an easy path to heaven -- but they lead to disappointment and disaster
-- Jesus says there is only one Way to heaven -- and that is Him -- He is the Way -- He is the truth -- He is the life -- and no one can come to the Father any other way
-- a short-cut won't get you there -- you can only get there through Him

-- as I close this morning, I want to invite you to consider where you are on your journey of life -- are you following the path that Jesus laid out for you? -- are you walking in His light -- following His signs -- obeying His directions
-- are you growing in grace and becoming more like Him as you get nearer and nearer to heaven -- or are you slipping in your faith? -- are you not working as hard as you used to? -- not reading the Bible as much? -- not praying as much? -- not serving as much?
-- are you falling for short-cuts, thinking it doesn't matter?
-- Jesus says that He is the way -- and if we are to get to heaven -- if we are to be justified and sanctified and made holy in His presence -- we have to follow Him
-- this morning, I want to invite you to look at yourself and commit again to following Him as He leads us to glory -- if you want to come to the altar and pray and do so, I would be happy to pray with you -- Let us pray

SERMON: I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

(Photo Source: www.art.com)

Preached by Gregory W. Lee

9 September 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 11:25
25. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
26. and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

-- in May of 1940, the people of Britain were facing their darkest hour -- their former prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, had sought to appease Hitler and the German army by offering them the right to attack a province of Czechoslovakia, thinking that would be the end of Germany's advance
-- but, Hitler continued to march through Europe, taking over all of Czechoslovakia and then sending his army to Poland -- because of this, the British declared war on Germany and promptly voted Chamberlain out of office
-- he was replaced by Winston Churchill, but it seemed to be too little, too late, to stop the advance of Hitler in Europe
-- on May 26, 1940, less than one month after Churchill took office, the British army suffered an astounding defeat -- British troops in Dunkirk on the Belgian coast were forced to retreat and flee Europe in the face of a large-scale German offensive
-- by this time, Hitler had taken over all of mainland Europe -- including Belgium and France -- and now he was turning the full force and fury of the German military against England itself
-- the people huddled in their homes, shuddering at the thought of the Germans coming against their home land -- their army stood in defeat, massing on the shores of Britain in a last-ditch effort to stop Hitler's approach
-- but in the midst of the approaching darkness -- in the moment hope had been abandoned and it looked like all was lost -- just when the people needed a savior to promise hope and life and a future, Winston Churchill stood up in the House of Commons and delivered a message to the people of England
-- he said, "What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over -- I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin -- Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization -- Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire
-- the whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us -- Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war -- if we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands
-- but, if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science
-- let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties -- and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, "This was their finest hour.""
-- with that speech, Churchill spoke light into the gathering darkness -- with that speech, he resurrected hope and the will of the British people to stand against the evil of Hitler and the German military -- and with that speech, he turned the war around and brough forth the determination and the courage that was needed to defeat Germany and her allies

-- in life, we face many different types of battles -- usually, we are not facing battles against military foes like the British were facing in 1940 -- our battles are the trials and storms of life -- sickness and death -- financial problems -- relationship problems -- temptations and sin coming our way -- just the everyday stuff of life
-- some of the battles we face are minor -- just bumps in the road of life that don't cause any real heartache or concern
-- but other battles are more difficult -- lingering sicknesses -- wayward children -- unfaithful spouses -- the death of a loved one -- battles with sin and temptation that we seem powerless to defeat
-- it is in these battles of life that we find our backs up against the wall -- fighting against something that we really can't understand -- and finding ourselves living from day to day without any hope of victory -- some days it seems like the darkness is just going to overcome us and consume us
-- but, as the old adage says, it is always darkest before the dawn -- and just when it seems that life can't get any darker -- just when it seems that the battle can't get any worse -- just when it seems that we are facing sure and certain defeat at the hand of our enemy -- God shows up
-- the Bible has been called a love letter from God -- but it is more than that -- it is a manual of war -- in its pages, it tells of battles fought and battles won -- it tells of valiant heroes who stood against a tide of rising darkness -- but it also tells the story of those who fell in the midst of the struggle
-- however, throughout scripture, one theme remains constant -- a Savior is coming -- one who will take the battle to the very gates of hell and who will stand victorious at the last day

II. Scripture Lesson
-- if you would, look with me now at John 11, and let's read about one of these battles
1. Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.
3. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
4. When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
5. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.
-- for Mary and Martha -- the two sisters from Bethany -- no day had ever seemed darker than the one they now faced -- no battle had ever seemed so great -- no enemy so overwhelming
-- their beloved brother, Lazarus -- their provider and benefactor and the head of their household -- was sick and nigh unto death -- what would happen if Lazarus was to die? -- how would they live? -- where would they get food? -- who would protect them and watch over them?
-- Palestine in the first century was not an easy place to live -- especially if you were Jewish and living in an occupied land -- and especially if you were unmarried women
-- their battle loomed large -- their future looked dark -- and so they turned to the one person they knew who could come to their aid
-- at this time, Jesus was in the midst of His ministry -- He had been going throughout Israel -- preaching and teaching and healing -- He had fed the five thousand with just five loaves and two fish -- He had walked on water across the Sea of Galillee -- and He had healed the blind, the lame, and the crippled
-- now, I want you to understand what was going on -- this was a time of darkness on earth -- ever since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden -- ever since they gave into temptation and disobeyed God -- Satan and the powers of darkness had controlled the earth -- Satan held in his hand the power of sin and death -- and all mankind was under his control and his authority
-- but now Jesus has come -- proclaiming that He was the Messiah -- proclaiming that He was the light of the world -- the gate through which men and women might come to heaven -- the bread of life that brought healing and restoration -- the Good Shepherd who would lead His flock to fields of safety
-- everything that Jesus said -- everything that Jesus did -- was a blow against satan -- it was a strike against the darkness -- it was a military advance in the battle for the souls of humans -- bringing light and hope and courage to fallen men
-- and so satan struck back by attacking Lazarus, someone that Jesus loved and cared about deeply -- this was not a battle to see if Jesus could heal -- He had already proven that -- this was a battle of life and death

-- skip down to verse 11
11. After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."
12. His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better."
13. Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14. So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,
15. and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
-- by tempting Adam and Eve to sin, satan had brought death into the world -- and now he has caused Lazarus to die -- not simply to just prove that he could do it -- but to issue a direct challenge to Jesus -- "you claim to be the Son of God -- you claim to be the Messiah -- now what are you going to do about Lazarus"

-- verse 20
20. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21. "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
23. Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24. Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
-- Martha -- the sister that we like to use as an example because she chose being busy in service to the Lord instead of choosing to sit at Jesus' feet like her sister Mary -- Martha shows a depth of faith in her response to the coming of Jesus
-- she knew that Jesus could have healed Lazarus if He had come in time -- but even now she trusted that in the end -- when Jesus established His kingdom and when the resurrection of the dead occurred -- that Jesus would raise her brother from the dead and she would see him again
-- in answer to her faith, Jesus responded with His most powerful "I Am" statement -- verse 25
25. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
26. and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
-- in this statement, Jesus does several things -- first, He points out that the resurrection is not just something that happens at the last day -- it is something that He is bringing about Himself -- Jesus is the resurrection -- He is the gate to eternal life -- it is only through Him that the resurrection occurs
-- secondly, Jesus points out that the battle has shifted -- no longer does satan control the power of death on earth -- no longer does satan have the power to take lives forever -- Jesus is life -- and not only does He have the power to bring life through His preaching and teaching and healing -- but He has the power to raise the dead to life now -- at this very moment -- and not just on the last day
-- when satan killed Lazarus, he was daring Jesus to do something -- and Jesus was pronouncing that He was about to do just that -- He was going to demonstrate His power and His authority over all life -- even life beyond the grave

-- verse 28
28. And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you."
29. When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.
30. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
31. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
-- verse 33 is interesting -- the NIV tells us that when Jesus saw Mary and the other Jews weeping with grief at the death of Lazarus that He was deeply moved in His spirit and troubled -- other translations say that the sight of Mary and the Jews weeping stirred Jesus to anger
-- what caused such extreme emotions in Jesus? -- was it just the loss of a friend -- of someone He loved? -- no, I don't think so -- I think it was related to the whole battle that had been going on since the fall of Adam and Eve
-- Jesus was moved in His spirit -- He became troubled and angry -- not just at the loss of His friend Lazarus -- but at the power of death itself
-- it was not God's original intent for death and sin to stalk mankind -- it was not God's original intent for us to live in fear of death -- this was brought about by an attack from the enemy, and it made Jesus angry

-- so Jesus asked to be taken to the place where Lazarus lay -- verse 34
34. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.
35. Jesus wept.
36. Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37. But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
38. Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
-- once again, the Bible tells us that Jesus was deeply moved -- He became visibly emotional and angry when He stood before the tomb of Lazarus and was face to face with the sign of the enemy in the life of someone He loved

-- verse 39
39. "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
40. Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41. So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
43. When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"
44. The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
--how amazing would it have been to hear Jesus cry out, "Lazarus, come forth" -- think about it -- the same voice that spoke life into being at the start of time now spoke life into the dead
-- "take off the grave clothes," Jesus said, "and let Lazarus go" -- with these words, Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Resurrection and the Life -- freeing Lazarus, not only from the cold grip of death in the tomb -- but from the power of Satan that had held this world in bondage for thousands of years

III. Closing
-- so what does this story of Lazarus mean to us? -- I think C.S. Lewis captured the importance of this event in his story, "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" -- if you remember this story, the world of Narnia has been held under the cruel grip of the white witch for thousands of years -- darkness and cold had gripped the land -- and it was always winter -- never spring
-- the inhabitants of Narnia had begun to lose hope that anything could be done -- that Narnia could be freed from the white witch
-- but then whispers of a savior began to be heard in the land -- Aslan -- the lion king -- the savior of Narnia -- is on the move -- bringing with him hope and encouragement
-- and when he comes, he will take the battle straight to the evil queen -- and will shatter her power over Narnia -- restoring the land to goodness and ushering in a time of peace and righteousness
-- in the midst of the battles in our lives -- when it seems that the darkness is closing in on us -- when it seems as if all hope is lost -- a whisper can still be heard -- the voice of Jesus crying out, "I am the Resurrection and the Life"
-- in the midst of the battle, it might seem like the darkness is winning -- it might seem like our very life is in the balance -- but Jesus says otherwise -- His words bring hope and encouragement and tell us that He is on the move -- the battle has already been won -- and He has released us from our grave clothes and from the power of Satan and death and sin
-- no longer do we need to live in fear of death or the things of this world -- Jesus has overcome the world -- and we have overcome through Him
-- if you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior -- if you have asked Him to come into your life and to forgive you of your sins -- then He has shattered the chains of satan and given you the power to stand against the storms of life
-- as Christians, we know that the struggles of life are not the end of the story -- as Christians we know that death is not the final answer -- as Christians, we put our hope in the One who tells us, "I am the Resurrection -- I am the Life -- He who believes in me will live, even though he dies -- and whoever lives and believes in me will never die"
-- do you have that faith today? -- can you trust in those words today? -- if not, then I invite you to receive Jesus and the power of Resurrection and Life by asking Him to forgive you of your sins and to be your Lord and Savior today
-- let us pray

SERMON: I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD

(Photo Source: springsfel.tripod.com)

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
26 August 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 10
11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
15. just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
17. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again.
18. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

-- this morning, we're continuing in our series on the "I Am" statements of Jesus -- so far, we have looked at two of them -- "I am the light of the world" and "I am the gate" or "I am the door" -- in each of these statements, Jesus has done two things for us
-- first, He has declared Himself to be divine by using the reserved phrase, "I Am" -- ego eimi -- the same Greek phrase used in the Septaguint -- the Greek translation of the Old Testament in use in Jesus' day -- to describe the God of the Old Testament -- so, in using the phrase "ego eimi" -- "I Am", Jesus is stating definitively, "I Am God"
-- and, secondly, Jesus is using these "I Am" statements to tell us a little of His nature or character or intrinsic qualities to help us better understand and relate to Him as our Lord and Savior

-- this morning, as we turn our attention to Jesus' third "I Am" statement in the Book of John, "I am the Good Shepherd" -- we see Jesus sharing with us the same things -- verse 11 tells us what Jesus wants us to understand from this metaphor
-- He tells us who He is -- He is God
-- He tells us what He is -- He is the Good Shepherd
-- and finally, He tells us what He's going to do -- He is the Savior
-- so, let's look back now at verse 11 and let's study together this remarkable declaration from Christ

II. Jesus is Good -- Jesus is God (Jn 10:11-13)

-- verse 11
11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

--Jesus is God
-- in this verse, Jesus gives us two declarations of divinity -- the first, of course, is "I Am" -- "ego eimi"
-- the second, is a little less obvious to our 21st century ears -- notice what Jesus says here in this verse -- "I am the good shepherd" -- not "a" shepherd -- not just "I am the shepherd" -- but "I am the GOOD shepherd"
-- by using this term, Jesus was claiming for Himself divinity once again -- hold your place here and flip back over to Mark 10 and look at verses 17-18

17. As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.

-- in these verses, we see a man coming up to Jesus and wanting to know how to inherit eternal life -- He cries out to Jesus, "Good teacher" -- and notice what Jesus' response is, "Why do you call me good? -- no one is good, except God alone" -- Jesus gets to the heart of the matter -- to be good is to be God -- and if the young man wanted to inherit eternal life -- if he wanted to enter into God's kingdom, then he had to recognize Jesus as being more than just an upstanding moral teacher -- a man who knew God -- he had to recognize that Jesus was good -- that Jesus was God

-- turn back over to John 10 -- in the same way, here in verse 11, Jesus is saying He is more than just a shepherd -- the word "shepherd" can also be translated as "pastor" -- the Pharisees could say they were shepherds -- they were the pastors -- the leaders --of the church and the temple in Jesus' day
-- but, the difference was, they were not and could not be "the good shepherd" -- only God is good -- and only Jesus was the good shepherd

-- Jesus makes that point very clear in verses 12-13 -- look back at verse 12
12. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
-- the Pharisees and the other shepherds in the church were not "the good shepherd" -- they were merely hired hands -- and, as a result, they failed to take care of the sheep as they should have -- when trouble came their way, they turned and ran, leaving the people of Israel to their fate
-- in Ezekiel 34, God pronounces judgement on these false shepherds -- these leaders who don't take care of His people -- in verses 1-4, Ezekiel writes, "1. The word of the LORD came to me:
2. "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?
3. You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
4. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally."
-- God says that because they have refused to take care of the sheep, God is going to remove the flock from their care -- and in verses 15-16 God says:
15. "I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.
16. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice."
-- in other words, I am the Good Shepherd

III. Jesus is Shepherd
-- verse 14
14. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
15. just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

-- Jesus is Shepherd
-- in Isaiah 40:11, we see a touching picture of Jehovah Roeh -- Jehovah the Shepherd -- Isaiah writes, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."
-- Jesus tells us that He is a good who relates to us in this way -- He cares for us as a shepherd cares for his flock -- as a shepherd takes care of the health and well-being of the sheep in his care
-- last week Jesus told us that He was the gate to the sheepfold -- once you have entered in through that gate -- once you have entered in through Jesus, you are of His flock
-- He knows you and you know Him

-- this word, "know" -- doesn't mean just to know with head knowledge -- you can read about someone and know all the facts, but still not know them
-- college football season is just around the corner, and I have been reading everything I can on Georgia's starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford -- I know where he was born -- I know where he went to high school -- I know how many yards he threw in high school -- I know why Georgia recruited him so highly -- and I know what he did last year -- but I don't really know him -- I just know about him

-- Jesus says that He knows His sheep and they know Him -- the Greek word here means more than just factual knowledge -- it means knowledge gained by experience -- it means knowing with the head and the heart -- it means knowing intimately -- knowing as a husband knows a wife and a wife knows her husband -- or as a Father knows His Son
-- notice that Jesus says that all who go through that gate -- all who come through Him -- belong to His flock -- it doesn't matter if you are Jew or Gentile -- male or female -- as it says in the familiar children's song, "black and yellow, red and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world" -- once you go through the gate, you are in His flock -- and there is only one flock and one shepherd

-- just as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:4-6 -- "There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
-- all of us who have entered in through the gate of Christ are in His flock -- part of His body and filled with His Spirit

IV. Jesus is Savior
-- look back at the second part of verse 15 again
I lay down my life for the sheep.
-- now look down at verse 17
17. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again.
18. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

-- Jesus is Savior -- as the Good Shepherd, Jesus lays down His life for the sheep -- it is a choice -- it is something that He willingly does
-- it is not something that was forced on Him -- the crowd may have said "Crucify" -- Pilate may have pronounced the judgement and sent Him to Golgotha -- but it was not their choice or their decision that put Jesus on the cross -- it was His own free will

-- do you remember the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" -- one of the most compelling scenes in this movie was at the crucifixion of Jesus -- Jesus has collapsed on the ground at Golgotha -- on Mount Calvary
-- the cross is laying on the ground where Simon has dropped it at the direction of the Romans -- and as the Romans move to put Jesus on the cross, He stirs Himself up and crawls onto the cross Himself, spreading His arms on the crosspiece and placing his legs on the cross
-- there is no doubt -- it was Jesus' choice to be on the cross

-- as it says here in verse 18, "I lay my life down on my own accord" -- Just as it was Adam and Eve's free will that allowed them to take the forbidden fruit and eat it and bring sin into the world -- it was Jesus' free will that allowed Him to go to the cross and lay His own life down for ours to take sin back out of the world
-- notice, too, in verse 18 that His death was not the end -- it was merely the first step in God's great plan to bring us back into a relationship with Him -- Jesus willingly laid His life down for us -- but Jesus also took up His life again -- He emerged from the cold, darkness of the tomb triumphantly alive
-- and in doing so, Jesus became the reconciler between God and man -- the redeemer of all the sheep of the flock
-- that is what a Shepherd does -- that is what a Savior does -- that is what our God does

V. CLOSING
-- In what is probably the best-known Psalm of all -- Psalm 23 -- King David wrote:
1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

-- as I close this morning, how many of you can truly say this of yourself? -- How many of you can say with all honesty, "The Lord is my Shepherd?" -- Is Jesus your Shepherd? -- Is He your God? -- Is He your Savior?
-- it takes more than just coming to church every Sunday -- it takes more than a bumper sticker or a fish symbol on the back of your car -- it takes more than perfect attendance at Sunday School and Bible study
-- it takes knowing Him -- knowing Him as God and Shepherd and Savior -- knowing Him -- not just with your head -- but with your heart
-- if you want to know where you are with God today, then think about this -- sheep follow where their shepherds lead -- they obey the voice of their Master and they love the One who cares for them -- are you following Jesus today? -- are you living for Him today? -- does He know you and do you know Him?
-- if you can't honestly say today that the Lord is your Shepherd -- if you can't say that you are following Him in obedience and trust and faith -- then I would invite you to respond to God's word -- to come to the cross and meet His there -- to enter in through the gate of the sheepfold so you can become one of His flock
-- let us pray

SERMON: I AM THE GATE

(Photo Credit: craftmonkeys.typepad.com)

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
19 August 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 10

7. Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
8. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

-- the other night, we were flipping through the channels on the t.v. and ran across a new reality show called, "Who wants to be a Superhero?"
-- the premise of this show is that the contestants come up with an original idea for a superhero -- they design a costume -- and they come up with the superpowers and characteristics -- and then they live it out
-- each week, they are tested for courage, integrity, self-sacrifice, compassion and resourcefulness -- and whoever fails the test, has to leave the show in disgrace
-- at the end of the season, the superhero who is left will be immortalized in a new comic book created by Stan Lee, the legendary comic-book creator who brought us Spider-man, The Hulk, The Fantastic Four, and the X-Men
-- as we watched a few minutes of the show, I had to laugh -- it was all pretty silly -- watching these grown-ups parade around in costumes and pretend to be superheros -- of course, when you grow up in the midst of real superheros, the fake ones just don't hold a candle

-- when I was really young, I became aware of these real superheros in our midst -- brave and courageous -- filled with integrity and self-sacrife -- defining compassion -- modelling resourcefulness -- of course, I am talking about the superheros that we all know and love -- our mothers
-- something happens when a woman becomes a mother -- she develops super-powers -- she gains the ability to see through the back of her head -- and can catch a child stealing cookies from a cookie jar at 20 paces
-- she gains super-hearing ability -- and can hear a lamp break as a result of horseplay from half a mile away
-- she gains super-sensitivity and can sense danger and trouble -- she can be in the middle of a telephone conversation when all of a sudden she stops and just knows, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that her child is up to something and needs to be stopped
-- she can kiss away hurts and dry tears -- and she knows how to fix everything from a toy car to a flat tire on a bicycle
-- but, more than anything else, she has the superpower of protection -- I remember when I was real little -- we were driving in town and someone cut us off -- my mother had to slam on brakes -- now this was before wearing seatbelts became the thing to do -- I'm sitting in the front seat -- the car abruptly stops -- and before I could move one inch in the seat towards the dash -- whoosh! -- a super-mommy lashes out and holds me firmly against the seat -- protecting me from danger and harm
-- you want to talk about super-protection? -- have you ever seen a mother when her child is threatened? -- she would walk on water and cross a raging sea to keep her baby safe -- and, just let something happen when a group of mothers is together -- they are like a pack of she-lions -- fiercely protecting their children from harm
-- it's a lot like what happens when a wolf tries to get too close to a buffalo calf -- all of the mother buffalo form a circle -- put their calves in the center -- and face out towards the wolf -- with their horns pointed at him and their eyes just daring him to get any closer

-- super-protection from super-moms -- but, truth be told, they are only living out the God-given ability and desire in their hearts -- at their best, they are only imitating the behavior of their God and their Savior

-- lest we forget, God has always been protective over His children -- don't forget -- it might have been Moses and Aaron who actually said the words to Pharoah, but it was God who said, "Let my people go" and poured out His wrath on the Egyptians until they did so
-- lest we forget, it was God who brought down the walls of Jericho and gave His people power to fight back the enemies that attacked from within and without
-- lest we forget, it was God who protected David from the lion and the bear -- and who gave him the ability to slay the giant Goliath
-- and lest we forget, it was Jesus who went to the cross and died for our sins -- who took our punishment on Himself so we didn't have to bear it -- who took our hurt on Himself so we didn't have to suffer
-- God has been and always will be the God who protects
-- we see that right here in this passage as we look at the third "I Am" statement of Jesus -- "I Am the Gate"

-- look back with me now, if you would, at verse 7

7. Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.

-- now, at first read, this doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to us -- how could Jesus be the gate? -- it would make better sense if He said, "I guard the gate" or "I keep the gate secure" -- but not, "I am the gate"
-- in order to understand this, you have to know two things about sheep and sheepfolds and shepherds in the first century
-- first, you need to understand that the relationship between the shepherd and his sheep was entirely different from what we understand in our country -- a lot of people around here have livestock -- granted, we don't have a lot of sheep -- but we do have a lot of cattle and pigs and other animals
-- farmers here gather their livestock up and put them in a pasture with plenty of food and water and basically just leave them alone -- they might check on them every day or so -- but they don't stay with them 24/7

-- it wasn't like that with the shepherds in Jesus' day -- the shepherds in Jesus' day lived with their sheep -- they didn't have fenced in pastures like we had here -- their pastures were poor quality and very sparse -- and it took quite a bit of area to feed a flock of sheep -- the shepherd would stay with the sheep, leading them from one valley of grass to the next -- leading them from the field to a water source in the middle of the day
-- because they were using communal pastures and communal drinking holes, there were times when the sheep from one flock would mix with the sheep from another -- but, because of the amount of time they had spent with the shepherd, they would recognize him -- and when it was time to go, they would see him leave and hear his voice calling to them and they would follow -- just like a bunch of ducklings follow their mother from the nest to the water
-- so, in the first century, sheep were not just livestock to the shepherd -- they were like family

-- secondly, you need to know that the shepherd was the supreme protector of the sheep -- sheep aren't the brightest bulb in the lot, if you know what I mean -- they needed protection and they needed guidance -- and they depended on the shepherd to do that for them
-- so at night, the shepherds wouldn't leave the sheep alone like we do with our livestock -- they'd make a sheep-fold for them -- using rocks or branches or something like that to make a temporary corral -- and they'd make a circle out of it, leaving just a small opening for the sheep to enter for the night
-- but, these sheep-folds didn't have a gate -- the shepherd himself would be the gate -- he would lay down in front of the opening and sleep there at night -- making sure the sheep didn't wander out during the night -- and making sure that nothing would come in and harm the sheep
-- in this passage, Jesus is teaching the people and He's telling them, "I am the gate for the sheep" -- "I am the gate" -- I know who you are -- I gather you in -- I bring you to safety -- I protect you from harm -- nothing is going to bother you when you are in my fold -- nothing is going to harm you when you are in my care -- I am the gate -- and I won't let nothing in at night
-- verse 8

8. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

-- many people had come before Jesus, claiming to be the Messiah -- claiming to know the secrets of life -- claiming to be able to protect the people and to guard them -- but none of them were the real deal -- none of them were the gate -- they were only thieves and robbers who came to steal the sheep away in the night
-- but Jesus said, "Those who knew my voice -- those who knew the Promise of the real Messiah -- those who knew who I was -- they refused to listen to the stealers of their souls and instead listened only for their Master's voice"

-- verse 9

9. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

-- Jesus is the gate -- He is the only way to safety and security and rest -- He is the only way to eternal life -- as it says in Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." and in Romans 10:9, "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

-- the only way to eternal life with the Father -- the only way to Heaven -- is through the gate -- through Jesus -- and none other
-- and Jesus promises that if we enter through Him -- then we will belong to His fold -- we will be part of His flock -- and He will not allow harm to come our way

-- to enter through the gate means that we are in the hand of Jesus -- and nothing can take us out of that hand -- nothing can separate us from the love of God that we have in Christ Jesus -- not death nor life -- not angels or demons -- not the present or the future -- nor any powers -- not height or depth -- nor anything else in all creation

-- you think Mommy arms are powerful? -- wait until you are safe in the arms of Jesus -- there is nothing that is going to harm you -- there is nothing that is going to hurt you

-- oh, the world might throw all it has at you -- it might throw trials and trouble and storms your way -- it is going to try to steal and kill and destroy you and all you hold dear
-- but once you are safe in the sheep-fold of Christ -- once you have gone through the gate of Christ and salvation and been justified by the blood of the Lamb -- then there's nothing that the world or the thieves or the robbers can really do to you

-- in Matthew 10:28, Jesus says, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
-- they might take your material possessions -- they might take the temporary things of this world -- they might even take your life -- but they can't take you out of the super-strong arms of Christ -- they can't kill your soul
-- only God has the power of death and life in His hands -- only God has the power to destroy both soul and body in hell -- but Jesus says, "If you come in through the Gate -- I will protect your soul -- I will guard your life -- and I will lead you out to green pastures -- I will make you lie beside the still waters -- I will give you rest -- you have nothing to fear -- I Am the Gate"

III. Closing
-- several years ago, one of the top game shows in America was "Let's Make a Deal" -- if you remember that show, people would dress up and try to get chosen to be the next contestant
-- they'd run down to the stage and Monty Hall would offer them a prize just for coming on the show -- but, they'd always be given the opportunity to trade their prize for something that was hidden in a box or behind a curtain or behind a door
-- at the end of the show, there was always "The Big Deal" -- the top two contestants who had won the prizes with the highest value were shown three doors -- the top contestant was allowed to pick one of the three doors -- and then the second contestant had to choose between the two remaining doors
-- they never knew what was behind the door -- it could be a prize greater in value than what they had won -- or it could be something that was worth a lot less
-- but, the only way to find out, was to choose a door and see what was beyond it
-- we find a similar choice in our lives today -- we confronted with many doors and many gates -- some of them promise wealth beyond imagination -- others lead to nothing but trouble and heartache
-- while the world screams at us -- "Pick us -- pick us -- go through this door -- go through this gate" -- Jesus quietly says, "I am the Gate -- I am the Door -- I am the only path that leads to where you really want to go -- listen to my voice -- trust in Me -- and know that I Am"
-- what gate will you pass through today? -- what door will you choose?
-- one leads to destruction -- the other to life -- abundant and full life
-- what will you do?
-- let us pray

SHAPING THE ANSWER

Several weeks ago, I watched a clip of Melissa Etheridge interviewing and questioning the democratic presidential candidates on behalf of the gay and lesbian community. As she turned her gaze on Tommy Thompson, you could see him wince at "the" question that he knew was coming. "Do you think homosexuality is a choice or is it genetic?"

As I reflected on this clip for the past couple of weeks, it struck me how limiting that question truly is and how the use of "the" question by the gay and lesbian community is shaping the answer that they receive. Of course, by asking that question, they are trying to force the answer to be, "it is genetic," because if anyone answers, "it is a choice," then they would immediately respond with one of the following pat answers: 1) "I did not make a choice to be gay;" or, 2) "Did you choose to be heterosexual?"

Using "the" question and framing it this way limits the answers to one of two -- either it is genetic or it is a choice. But, perhaps, the best answer to this question is "none of the above." And, if that's the answer, then what makes a person a heterosexual or a homosexual.

Wading into the deep end on this issue for the first time, here are my thoughts on the homosexuality issue using the issue of alcoholism as an analogy:

1. Is it a choice? If this question means, "Do people choose to be attracted to same-sex persons in a sexual manner," then I would have to say, for the most part, no. I don't think that anyone consciously would choose to be gay and to accept the lifestyle that goes along with this choice. Likewise, I don't think anyone in their right mind would choose to be an alcoholic and suffer through the associated lifestyle. So, if it's not a choice, then what is it?

It could be genetic, but it could also be a learned behavior. Think about prejudice. Is prejudice a choice or is it genetic or is it neither? Prejudice is not genetic. Babies aren't born prejudiced. It is not a choice in that people make a decision one day and say, "from this moment on, I will prejudge this race." It is a learned behavior, picked up over time as children learn to copy the actions of the adults in their lives or are negatively influenced by someone and apply that negativity towards an entire race.

But, for sake of argument, let's rule out learned behavior in this discussion of homosexuality.

2. Is homosexuality genetic? Maybe. Looking at the issue of alcoholism, we know that some people have a genetic predisposition to become an alcoholic. Maybe it is the same with homosexuality. It is possible that some people have a genetic predisposition to be homosexual. But, does that mean that this genetic predisposition has to be activated?

3. How does the gene get turned on? In the case of the alcoholic, the genetic predisposition to drink alcohol to excess happens only after the first taste of alcohol. I am sure that there are genetic alcoholics all around us who have never expressed this trend of alcoholism simply because they have never had a drink of alcohol. Assuming (and this is an assumption on my part without any scientific evidence to support it) that the genetic tendency for homosexuality works the same way, then in order for homosexuality to be expressed by an individual, they would have to first act upon it. If a person chooses to remain celibate for life, then their genetic predisposition to heterosexuality or homosexuality will never be truly expressed.

4. What would cause someone to act on this genetic predisposition? Now here is where the debate over choice really heats up. Statistics show that the majority of homosexuals come from broken homes or single parent homes. In the case of male homosexuals, a large proportion of them come from a home where there was not a strong male parental figure. Perhaps the expression of this genetic predisposition for homosexuality first became expressed when the child began seeking a relationship and love to make up for the lack of a relationship with a parental figure. In such a case, this would not be a true choice the person was making, because they would be driven by a desire for a missing relationship and end up expressing it in a sexual manner. This leads us very close back to the question of a learned behavior.

5. So, is homosexuality a sin? Based on my exegesis of passages such as Romans 1, I would have to say that it is. We know that genetic tendencies can cause us to have desires and urgings that are sinful. Look again at alcoholism. The expression of this genetic predisposition, the drinking of alcohol to excess and all that goes along with it, is definitely a sin. In fact, if you were to carry this back to the doctrine of original sin, you could make the case that all sin is the result of a genetic predisposition. Because Adam and Eve sinned, our very genes were corrupted and now we have within us this genetic predisposition to sin. In ourselves, we have lost the ability to turn away from the temptations our genes trigger within us.

6. So, does a genetic predisposition for homosexuality mean that people will be homosexuals? The anwer, of course, has to be "maybe." Why do people participate in the sin of premarital sex? It is because they are acting on a genetic predisposition within them to procreate. We are sexual beings. There is no doubt of that. But, we have within us the capacity to choose whether we will give in to this genetic tendency or whether we will not. If we give in to it and participate in premarital sex, then we have sinned. The Bible is clear on this. Why can't the same case be made for homosexuality? If it is a sin, as the Bible seems to define it, then giving in to the temptation/urge/genetic predisposition, would be sin.

7. So, is homosexuality a choice? In one sense, yes. It has to be. Just because you have a temptation does not mean you have to act on it. Just because you have a genetic predisposition, doesn't mean you have to act on it. A person can be an alcoholic genetically and never drink a drop of alcohol. A person can choose to have or not have premarital sex. And a person can choose whether to participate in homosexual activities or not. In this sense, it is a choice.

So, what is the answer to "the" question: Is homosexuality genetic or is it a choice? The answer, I think, I has to be, "Does it matter?" The real question is, "Is homosexuality a sin? And, if so, are you choosing to sin in this way?"

SERMON: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
12 August 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 8:12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

-- has there ever been a time in your life when you were in total darkness? -- a darkness so complete that there was not even the slightest glimmer of light? -- I have -- one time in my life -- and although I was really young, I remember it to this day
-- when I was about 4-5 years old, we took a trip to West Virginia -- on the way, we stopped off in Tennessee at a place called the Lost Sea -- it is the world's largest underground lake and is found deep inside of a mountain as part of an extensive cave system called Craig Caverns
-- I remember walking down a steep descent into the cave -- and then we followed a lighted path that wound us farther inside the mountain until we came to the lake itself -- we got into glass-bottom boats and spent about 30 minutes riding on the water until the guide brought us back out at another spot
-- at one point on the way back out, the guide stopped and asked everyone to stand completely still -- he then turned off a light switch that was on the wall of the cave -- and we were immediately plunged into total and complete darkness
-- you know, it is almost impossible in our day and age to be in total darkness -- there are so many sources of light that even if the power at your house was to go off, you would still be able to see a glow of light on the horizon from a near-by city
-- in fact, even if there was a total black-out, like the one that occurred in New York City back in 1977, there are still lights -- we always have the moon and the stars and the other heavenly bodies that light the night sky -- even if the midst of a storm, we have lightning and other momentary sources of light
-- and, if nothing else, we have lightning bugs and other forms of bioluminescence to give light to our eyes at night
-- it is a rare thing indeed to be in total darkness -- and I can still remember how I felt when the guide turned the lights off -- the way momentary fear and panic gripped me there in that cave -- to be in a darkness so thick and so complete and so stifling was terrifying
-- I can tell you that I never want to be in total darkness like that again -- it's just not something that we were created for

II. Darkness Covers the Land
-- you know, there's just something about being in the dark that seems to suck the life out of you -- it just seems to draw hope and life from your body and makes your fears seem more real and more dangerous
-- that's why all of the experts in wilderness survival tell you the same thing -- next to a shelter, the most important thing you need for survival is a fire -- not only does a fire provide warmth -- but, more importantly, it provides light -- it pushes the darkness away, and gives you hope and comfort -- just the presence of light may make the difference between life and death when you are lost in the wilderness
-- in the history of the world, there have been two occasions when the land was covered with darkness and there was no light to be seen -- and in both of those occasions, God provided light to give us hope and comfort and life
-- the first time the land was covered with darkness was when God created the world -- as we read in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. -- Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." -- everything was dark -- there was no light -- and God knew that man could not survive without light -- so we read in Genesis 1:3 that God said, "Let there be light," and there was light."
--the second time darkness covered the land was not long after the first -- as you know, God created Adam and Eve and put them in the Garden of Eden, warning them not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil -- you know the rest of the story
-- the serpent came along and deceived Adam and Eve and they disobeyed God and ate the fruit -- and at the moment they took the fruit into their body -- at the very moment that sin entered into the paradise of God -- darkness once again covered the land
-- not a physical darkness, like in the beginning -- but a darkness none the less -- a darkness of the heart -- a darkness caused by sin

-- darkness is a funny thing, isn't it -- if you think about it, darkness is not even really a thing -- it is the absence of a thing -- darkness is the absence of light -- without the context of light, there is no such thing as darkness
-- think about it -- you can have low light -- normal light -- bright light -- flashing light -- but if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness -- that's the meaning we use to define the word
-- darkness isn't -- if it were, you would be able to make darkness darker -- the only way you can make something dark, is to remove the light
-- in the Garden of Eden, the light of God that was reflected in the hearts of Adam and Eve and all humankind was removed and replaced by sin -- and darkness rushed in to take over
-- and for the most part, this spiritual darkness continued to hold sway over this world for the next four thousand years
-- but then, just like in the beginning, God spoke again -- He said, "Let there be light" -- and Jesus was born to Mary in a stable in Bethlehem on Christmas morning -- Isaiah wrote this about the coming of Christ in Isaiah 9:2, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

-- which brings us to this passage
-- as this passage from John 8 opens, we see Jesus standing in the temple court near the place where the offerings were given -- in this place in the temple, candles were burned 24 hours per day, every day, as a reminder of God's presence in the pillar of fire leading the Israelites through the wilderness towards the Promised Land

-- look back at verse 12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

-- standing in that place, in the light of the candles that represented the presence of God, Jesus spoke to the people who had come to the temple to worship and announced "I Am" -- I Am the One that was sent to shine light into the darkness of this world -- I Am the One who has the power to lead you from the darkness of sin and death that you have been walking in and lead you into life with the Father -- I am the One who can remove the darkness of sin from your heart -- I Am the light of the world
-- the Jewish people had been looking for this light for a long time -- through His prophets, God had been promising to send this light -- the Messiah -- who would save the people from their sins and restore them to righteousness with Him
-- John tells us that the last prophet sent to proclaim the coming of the Messiah was John the Baptist -- in John 1:6-9, John writes, "There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. -- He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. -- He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. -- The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world."
-- and now Jesus stands up in the light of candles that represent the presence of God and announces "I am that light -- I am the light of the world"

-- verse 13-20
13. The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."
14. Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.
15. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.
16. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.
17. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
18. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
19. Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
20. He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

-- as Jesus spoke and announced Himself to be God -- to be the Messiah -- to be the light of the world -- the Pharisees took their normal stance and argued against Him
-- in this passage, you can clearly see the darkness of unbelief in the hearts of the Pharisees -- Jesus spoke words of hope and comfort and life -- but the Pharisees refused to believe Him because they knew better
-- "you don't have the authority to speak such things," they said -- "You don't have the authority to claim to be the Messiah -- your testimony is invalid"

-- Jesus took this opportunity to shine His light at the heart of the Pharisees

-- first, He said, your judgement of me is flawed -- you judge through the eyes of man -- you are looking at me through the eyes of flesh -- and you are judging me based on what the world is telling you -- for that reason, you can't accept who I am -- you won't let the true light shine in your life

-- secondly, Jesus told them that His testimony was valid because He was sent by the Father -- "There are two sources of light in this place -- there are two words of truth -- the light of the Father as represented by these candles -- and the true light given by Me to the world -- My Father and His words testify to who I am and why I have been sent"
-- the Pharisees refused to accept the light of Christ into their hearts because they didn't know the Father -- they knew religion -- they knew how to do good works -- and how to come to church and sing the hymns and go through the motion -- but they didn't have a relationship with the Father and so they couldn't accept the Son when He came to shine His light on their lives

-- verse 21
21. Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."

-- this verse is a prophesy of Christ to the Pharisees -- in essence, Jesus is telling the Pharisees, "You have been looking for the Messiah for a long time -- you have been longing for the true light that will shine in the darkness -- and it is here right now"
-- "but you will not accept it -- and one day, I will leave and you will have missed your opportunity to come to Me -- you will continue to look for the Messiah -- your people will continue to long for the coming of the Messiah -- but you will remain in darkness and will be unable to follow me and come into relationship with the Father because of your unbelief -- and because you have refused to believe in me, you will die in your sins"

-- verse 22-30
22. This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, `Where I go, you cannot come'?"
23. But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins."
25. "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied.
26. "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."
27. They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.
28. So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.
29. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
30. Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.

-- twice in these verses, Jesus appeals to the Pharisees -- twice in these verses, Jesus shines His light into the life of the Pharisees, trying to get them to come into the light and follow Him
-- He warns them that they will die in their sins, unless they turn from the darkness of their sins and believe that He is God -- that He is the great "I Am" -- in verse 24, Jesus says, "If you do not believe that I Am, then you will die in your sins"
-- and again in verse 28 Jesus says, "When you lift up the Son of Man -- when you put Him on the cross and see Him dying for the sins of the world -- then you will know that I Am"
-- "Come to Me," He says -- "Trust in Me -- Believe in Me -- I Am the Son of Man -- I Am the true light of the world -- I Am your Savior and your Messiah"
-- but the Pharisees persisted in their unbelief, and walked away in darkness that day

IV. Closing
-- In John 1:5, the Apostle John writes about Jesus and says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" -- darkness can never overcome the light -- and evil can never overcome the goodness and the holiness of God
-- John goes on to say that this light, the true light, had come into the world to give light to every man -- do you know what that means?
-- that means that Jesus came to dispel the darkness in the world and in our souls once and for all -- for when He comes to live in our hearts, then all the darkness and the evil that once was there has to flee, because the light has overcome the darkness
-- what is this light? -- it is the presence of God shining through us, literally lighting up our body and our home and our surroundings -- a reflection of the perfect light of Christ -- the light of the world -- as it says in Psalm 27:1, "The Lord is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear."
-- now, here's the question of the morning -- as we stand in the presence of this holy altar -- seeing the light from the candles that represent the presence of Jesus with us in this place -- I want you to ask yourself this question, "Do I have this light in my heart? Is Jesus my light and my salvation?"
-- Jesus stood up in the temple and announced that He was the light of the world -- and when He rose from the dead over 2000 years ago, He brought the light of God back into the world -- for you and for me
-- He died so that our sins might be forgiven and our darkness taken away once and for all -- all that remains is for us to embrace the light and ask Jesus to come in our heart -- to shine through us forever and to be our light and our life
-- if you don't know this light -- if you don't know Jesus as your light and your Lord and your Savior this morning, then I want to encourage you to respond to His word today -- to ask Him to forgive you of your sins and to wash the darkness of your heart and your life away through His presence
-- as always, the altar is open and God is here to meet you in this place -- His light His here to show you the way and give you hope and life today
-- let me close by reading you a short poem, and then I'll pray and we'll sing our last hymn and open the altar


There is a light that shines within
Those whom Jesus has delivered from sin
There is a darkness surrounding
That's dispelled by God's Grace abounding
Reach out to hold that Light aloft
To shine a beacon to the Cross
The only way our world will know
Is if we shine our Light to show,
There is a hope -- there is a King
And if they hear the song, our hearts sing
The darkness will fade around us each time
We open our hearts and let our Light shine
-- let's pray

Thoughts on New Harry Potter Movie

Last night I took a break and went to see the newest Harry Potter movie. I know this has been a controversial subject in the church, but thankfully, we're seeing less and less of that now. Not long after the first Harry Potter book came out, a member in my congregation asked me to denounce it from the pulpit. I told him that I wouldn't do so until I had first read it on my own and found it to be harmful. So, I borrowed a copy from a friend and read it cover to cover in a matter of days. Needless to say, I was blown away by the book. Granted, the writing is never going to win a Pulitzer Prize, but it was a great children's fantasy book with clarity between good and evil and didn't promote the evil and witchcraft as critics maintained. I have since read (and purchased) all of the Harry Potter books and seen each Harry Potter movie in turn.

I was very much interested in seeing this new movie since the Order of the Phoenix was my favorite book to date. I think Rowling did an admirable job capturing the angst of the teen-aged years and the struggle that Harry was going through as he was being confronted with the evil of Voldemort and having to choose which side he was going to give allegiance to. How similar to all of our paths -- we all have points in our lives where we have to choose whether to follow good or evil, light or dark, God or not.

I thought the movie was very good, with outstanding performances by the actresses who portrayed Delores Umbridge and Luna Lovegood. The plot never slowed greatly, and I thought the director did a great job balancing the darkness and foreboding of the book and still keeping in mind the age that it was written for. Still, this series has turned more dark of late, and is definitely not suited for younger audiences.

In both the book and the movie, Harry and his friends take it upon themselves to learn how to defend themselves from the dark arts of Voldemort and his followers. What an indictment that carries against us as a church and as a people. If we are not faithfully training them up in the way they should go, then which way will they go? If we don't teach them how to follow the path of light, will they have the faith and fortitude to learn to follow Christ on their own, or have we condemned them to a path of our own making? It is our responsibility as Christians and as parents to be defenders of the faith and to pass on that faith and the responsibility that goes with it to those who will follow.

On a lighter note, those who are fans of the books and/or movies, are aware that first year students are "sorted" out by a "sorting hat" to put them in the right house, the dorm where they will live in community for the duration of their time at the Hogwarts school. Rebel Without a Pew borrowed from this and came up with a "Ministry Sorting Hat." You can view the post here.

LIVING LARGE AT SCHOOL

I am currently at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, going to Course of Study for the Methodist Church. Rather than staying in the dorm this year, I opted to once again go out to Stone Mountain Park Campground, about 30 minutes from campus, and stay out there in my camper. The natural setting seems more conducive to study to me than staying in a dorm in downtown Atlanta for two weeks. Also, the dorm the Course of Study students used to stay in was very bad and not very comfortable. This year they got new accomodations that are evidently very, very nice. Still, I'm happy where I am, now that I have hot water in my camper again.

This year I'm taking two courses: New Testament I and Our Mission from God -- Evangelism. I am doing better in the New Testament class because it is a traditional class. The professor lectures, we take notes in orderly fashion, and it is pretty much given to you in black and white. The evangelism class is another story. No lecture, no notes so far (4 days into the class). It is a lot more touchy, feely than I feel comfortable with. Being somewhat of an introvert and finding myself in a class with dynamic, type A personalities, I am overwhelmed. The instructor gave me a slight, non-direct rebuke for not participating in the discussion today, but it's hard to get a word in when you are being talked over so much. Regardless, the books for the class were good, and I am picking up a few things from the discussion around the table. I just don't have a lot to input at the present time.

While it's hard to be absent from home and work and church for two weeks, it's still somewhat of a vacation to come out and stay at Stone Mountain. Once the afternoon storms passed through on Wednesday, I was able to take my kayak out on the lake for a few hours, and I went to a movie tonight. Activities that I could not do during a normal week. I've had these kayaks for a couple years now, and haven't had an opportunity to use them but a handful of times because of working full-time and pastoring part-time.

So, bottom-line, I am not going to be posting a lot during the next two weeks, and there won't be any sermons to add to the site while I am here at school.

NOT THINKING TANGENTIALLY

This morning I had an epiphany. Maybe not so earth-shattering as most, but an epiphany none-the-less. For the past several years, I have been going through life thinking tangentially. In other words, rather than focusing on what is inside my circle, I have been paying more attention and giving far more importance than I should to the tangential things of life. In short, I have been following a never-ending line that I have absolutely no control or influence over. And it has been affecting my and the ministry in our churches.

This tangential way of thinking that I have been involved with concerns the state of the United Methodist Church (UMC), in particular, and the state of American Christianity in general. I'm sure that everyone is aware that our mainline denominations, including the United Methodist Church, have been bleeding members for the past several decades. According to the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, the official newspaper of the North and South Georgia conferences, the UMC lost one percent of its members during 2005-2006, and 40% of all churches reported not a single profession of faith. This translates into a loss of 70,000 members or 1,400 members per week. Forty years ago, the UMC had 12 million members. Today, we have less than 8 million members.

Now, stick with me. Here's the part where I start going tangentially. I grew up in the UMC. Granted, we weren't real regular church goers during my childhood, but we still went. And when I was in college, I continued to flirt with the Methodist Church from time-to-time. Finally, when I moved back to Georgia from the far-off land of Tennessee, my wife and I felt called to place membership in a rural Methodist Church with a membership of about 25 people or so.

When we walked in on that first Sunday, at the invitation of a friend, I quickly realized that, counting me, there were only three men in the whole place. A sea of women's faces greeted us, and even the pastor was a woman (a story for another post). Hardly what I expected, but probably not all that different from hundreds of other UMC churches on a given Sunday. As we joined this church and started worshiping there, a revival of sorts broke out. Not a fall-on-the-floor, slain in the Spirit, miraculous healing, 5,000 brought to Christ in a single day type of revival. But a revival none-the-less. As we worshiped there for the next two years, the church began to grow. A few people at a time, a man here or there, until the church reached a normal Sunday morning worship attendance of 100 people, with at least 40% of the church comprised of men.

Now, here's the interesting thing. At the same time this was happening, the UMC was in decline. At the same time this was happening, 40% of the UMC churches across the nation were not showing a single profession of faith. At the same time this was happening, pastors in the Valdosta District of the South Georgia Conference were coming back from annual conference, complaining about the lack of participation, the lack of committment, the mounds of paperwork, the latest insane requirement from the conference, etc. And, do you know what, those of us who were worshiping in that little rural church in south Georgia didn't care! We didn't pay it any attention. We were busy worshiping the Lord and bringing our neighbors to Christ and establishing outreaches and visitations and doing service projects for the elderly in our community. We could care less about the state or the fate of the UMC as a whole. We were serving God where we were to the best of our ability and He blessed our efforts!

After being in the church for a couple of years, I felt an insistent tugging to become a pastor. Finally accepting the call, after months of wrestling with God and denying it was happening, I entered the candidacy program, went to License to Preach School, and was appointed to be a local pastor at two small UMC churches. And, an important shift in my thinking occurred. Slowly but surely, I began thinking tangentially. I had never put much thought or concern about the UMC or the Valdosta District or the South Georgia Conference. I had heard about the Bishop, but no one I knew had actually ever seen him. But now, as a local pastor, I was suddenly inundated with paperwork for the conference, requirements to get reports in to the district, calls for special Sunday offerings, and was given a general awareness of the "connectedness" of the Methodist Church.

Needless to say, this was new ground to me. But, trooper that I am (tongue-in-cheek), I went ahead and tried to fulfill my requirements the best I could [I have that type of personality that allows me to gripe and complain while still getting all the paperwork in on time and completed to the best of my ability]. And, as time passed, I became more concerned with getting this stuff done. I became more concerned about our connections with other UMCs. I became more concerned about "The" Church. And, as I started trying to get all of the paperwork done and started trying to get all of my pre-work done for Course of Study and started trying to meet all of the demands of a part-time local pastor, my time and energy shifted from my original circle of life to the tangential line that was now touching that circle, the tangential line of the UMC.

And, truth be told, I let it envelope me. It became my all-in-all. It became my focus. I preached on the general evil of decline in the Methodist Church. I urged my members to do something, anything, to stop the decline. To bring people into the church. I berated them for not doing more. I tried to encourage them that, although small, they could make a difference. And they accepted it with humor and grace. Over time, as I bemoaned my situation to a fellow traveler on this path called "Christianity," I began to realize that I, perhaps, had begun to lose my first love.

I realized that I didn't worship at church anymore. As the songs were played, I would sing the words and think about what came next. I would look to see who was there and who was missing and wonder whether I should call them or not. I realized that I didn't read the Bible like I used to. Before, it had been a love letter to me. Now, it was a source for sermons. Before, I had spent quiet times in the presence of the Lord reading His word. Now, I had to put the Bible aside to get the paperwork done or the pre-work for Course of Study completed. I never had time to read the Bible or to read much of anything other than required texts (in fact, I have a stack of books in my room that is about four feet tall, filled with books that I bought and have not yet found time to read.). My first Love was gone, replaced by the UMC.

Just recently, I have become aware of this. We have been having a problem with a lack of attendance in our churches for the past six months. People have just not been committed. They have been indifferent, apathetic, and generally not willing to come and participate and volunteer at the various projects that we have been doing. In fact, we have had to cancel some activities that have been going on since the time of Adam and Eve (tongue-in-cheek!), simply because there was no interest this year. And as I have prayed about this, I have come to the conclusion that this is partly my fault.

We had a family decide to take a break from the church for several months because they didn't "have faith in the church" any longer. And that shook me to the core. Faith in the church? Is that what they were putting their faith in? Is that what I've been putting my faith in? Looking back, I would have to say, "Yes." The church, that tangential line, had become the most important thing in my life and in my preaching and teaching. It was less about bringing people to Jesus and more about the declining membership. It was less about God changing lives and more about the lack of committment. It was less about walking in faith than trusting in our budget built on last year's income.

The time has come, I think, to stop thinking tangentially. When my wife and I were members of that little rural church and not a pastoral family, we truly loved and worshiped the Lord. Our focus was not on the District, or the Conference, or the fate of the UMC. It was on God. And, I think, this is where it needs to be now. This is the circle. This is what is important. Not the tangential line. The circle of our life where God is, where God works, where God moves.

What would happen if all of us in the UMC, from the elders down to the local pastors, from the deacons to the laity in the pews, quit worrying so much about being connectional and realized that we are connectional, not because we are Methodists but because we are Christians formed by Christ into His body? What would happen if we truly realized that the Church is not the structure or the programs or the institutions of the Conference or the District, but that the Church was the people? What would happen if we quit worrying about what happened on a district and conference and national level and instead started putting our time and energy into being who God called us to be, where He called us to be, doing what He called us to do?

My experience is that this course leads to revival. At least it did when I was a member in my first local UMC church in over 20 years. And if a revival can break out in one church, it can break out in a hundred. If a revival breaks out in our congregation, if the people start focusing on God again, if the people become committed and have faith again, not in the church, but in the Lord, then that revival can spark other revivals and then the United Methodist Church can be revived as a whole. Not because we've wrung our hands about it. Not because we've spent any of our time and energy focused on it. But because we've gone back to our Wesleyan roots and preached Christ crucified and not "God save the church."