SERMON: THE WAYWARD BUS

THE WAYWARD BUS
3 January 2010

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 2 Peter 1

1. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2. Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6. and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7. and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,
11. and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

-- one of John Steinbeck's lesser known, but more poignant novels, is "The Wayward Bus" -- unlike most of Steinbeck's novels, this novel does not concern itself with politics or the social issues of his day, but instead focuses on the matters of the heart and the purposes of individual lives
-- like most of his novels, this story is set in southern California, just north of the Mexican border -- it is the story of Juan and Alice Chicoy who make a living ferrying passengers between San Juan de la Cruz and Rebel Corners, which is nothing more than a crossroads 42 miles south of San Ysidro
-- at this stage in Juan's life, he has started to realize that nothing really changes in Rebel Corners -- it is the same thing every day -- it is the same people every day -- in fact, the only people that live in Rebel Corners is Juan and his wife Alice and the two young people that they have hired to help them run their bus stop and diner -- even the travelers that pass through on their way to San Juan are just nameless and faceless to Juan -- just people passing through who have no real effect on his life
-- it's safe to say that Juan's life is in a rut and that he is becoming increasingly tired of living life that way -- of living the same-old, same-old, day-in and day-out

-- as Steinbeck's novel continues, we are introduced to the next group of passengers who are traveling on Juan's bus -- first, there is a family of three on vacation, seeking a break from the monotony of their lives and hoping this trip revives not only their lives but their relationships
-- next, there is Ernest Horton, a traveling salesman who has spent his whole life chasing a dream -- trying every get rich quick scheme in the book, but failing to do more than just jump from opportunity to opportunity without any change in his direction or his life
-- the other transient on the bus is a young, blonde woman who has gotten by in life by using her looks to attract male attention -- she is always passing through somewhere on the way to somewhere else, so she never uses her real name -- instead, she uses a series of false names in her encounters with men to create the temporary illusion that she is living a different life rather than getting by as a stripper who sells her body to make a living
-- finally, Juan and Alice's former employee Norma is on the bus -- Norma's whole life has been lived in the fantasy that she was in a relationship with Clark Gable -- she would write him long letters professing her admiration and love and was convinced it was only a spiteful manager who kept Gable from responding to her -- even though this is a fantasy that is only in her mind, Norma has quit her job and is moving to Los Angeles to start a new life with Gable although everyone knows that this will never happen
-- so, in a very real sense, all of the passengers on Juan's bus that day were the same -- they were just like Juan -- they were all trapped in a rut -- trapped in a life that never changed -- continually subjected to the same failing and foibles without ever seeking a change for the better

-- as the story progresses, we learn that the road to San Juan has been turned into a muddy mess and there was a chance that the bus might not make it and might get stuck -- Juan gives his passengers a choice -- they could go forward or they could go back and wait for the road's conditions to improve -- they choose to go forward and Juan, claiming that the bus slipped in the mud, intentionally runs the bus out of the ruts on the road and into a ditch -- he then sets out on foot, ostensibly to seek help but actually running away from his life, leaving his passengers to reflect on their lives and their relationships in life -- while he is gone, the passengers examine their lives and begin to see the rut they have been in and they all resolve to make changes in their lives -- Juan eventually returns and the bus continues on its journey, leaving a lingering question in the air -- will these passengers commit to making a real and lasting change in their lives or will they fall back into their old familiar patterns -- into their old familiar ruts?

-- you know, that's a question that a lot of people ask at the start of each new year -- it's really common for people to use the new year as a time to make changes in their lives -- to get out of their ruts -- to put aside routines or bad habits so that they might make a fresh start and head out in a new direction with new meaning and purpose
-- all you have to do is visit a bookstore to see how so many people are fixated on changing their lives as the new year rolls in -- the shelves of bookstores are filled with self-help books on every topic under the sun -- from finance to weight loss -- from getting better organized to home remodeling
-- even Christians aren't immune from this desire to get out of the ruts in our lives -- I got a flyer in from a Christian bookstore yesterday that was filled with ads for the One-Year Bible and for devotionals and journals because the managers of these stores know that a lot of Christians make spiritual resolutions for this new year -- there were even faith-based diet books and exercise videos for those Christians who had made more traditional resolutions in the new year
-- the question, though, is the same one that Steinbeck asked in his novel -- will all of these people who make resolutions actually change their lives or will they find themselves back in their same rut again in a matter of days or weeks or months?

-- studies show that we are actually a lot better at making resolutions than keeping them -- only about half of us can keep a New Year's resolution for one month -- only about 40% of us can keep them for six months -- and less than 20% of all people can keep a New Year's resolution for two years

-- why is it so hard for us to make a change in our lives? -- why is it so easy to fall back into our familiar ruts? -- scientists tell us that it's part of our nature -- they call it homeostasis -- but what it means is that people are typically resistant to change -- we like things to stay the same -- not that we necessarily like the things we are doing, but we find it more comfortable to accept the familiar than to step out into the unknown -- that's why we can so easily find ourselves in ruts that are too deep to get out of
-- experts have studied the difference in people who are able to keep resolutions versus those who are not able to keep them -- and they have concluded that the difference between the two comes down to motive -- it has to do with your inner desire
-- the people who keep resolutions are those who are actually able to change their thinking -- who are actually able to change their understanding -- people who make and keep resolutions do so because they change from the inside out -- and this change on the inside gives them the motivation to change on the outside -- to change their behaviors in order to make a difference in their lives
-- of course, that should make perfect sense to us -- as Christians, we understand that change has to come from within -- that change is not so much about what we do but more about who we are -- that's the big difference between Christianity and other religions
-- we recognize that we can't become holy -- that we can't just change our lives -- by simply changing our behaviors -- all that does is clean the outside of the glass and leaves the inside dirty
-- we understand that real change comes only when we allow God to transform us from the inside out -- when we allow change to begin inside us -- with our heart and our motives and our desires -- then, and only then, will we see change in our behaviors and our lives
-- that's what the Apostle Peter is reminding us of in this passage -- in this passage, he gives us the keys to transformation -- the route to follow to keep resolutions in our lives -- to make a change in who we are and what we do
-- let's take a few moments and look at these in a little more detail

-- verse 1

1. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2. Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.


-- the first thing Peter tells us that we have to do to see and make real changes in our lives is to know Jesus
-- this, of course, means more than just head knowledge -- it means more than just knowledge gained through information -- it means knowing Jesus as one spouse knows another -- it means experiencing Him in your life -- knowing Him inside and out -- relying on Him -- trusting in Him -- believing in Him
-- to know Jesus means that you have not only assented with your mind, but also with your heart, that He is God and that only through Him and His atoning death on the cross can you receive forgiveness of your sins and eternal life
-- to know Jesus means that you are covered with His righteousness -- that you are His -- that you are in Him and that you experience His grace and peace and presence in your life
-- you know Jesus in this way through faith -- through the matters of the heart and soul and spirit more than the mind

-- verse 3

3. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.


-- the second thing we have to do to see and make real changes in our lives is to know the power of Jesus -- Peter tells us here that Christ's divine power has been given to us -- we know that power through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives
-- Jesus told us that when we believe on Him -- when we know Him -- that we are filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit -- that God lives in us to comfort us in our sorrows -- to teach us in our ignorance -- and to empower us in our weakness
-- when we talk in the church about spiritual gifts and spiritual power, we aren't talking about some supernatural ability that has been given to us -- we are talking about the power of God made manifest in our lives -- the power of the Holy Spirit working through us to accomplish His purposes in this place
-- Peter tells us that through the Holy Spirit -- through the power He gives us -- that we have everything that we need for life and godliness -- when Peter is talking about "godliness," he's talking about what's on the inside -- he's talking about sanctification -- about the Holy Spirit working within us to make us holy and righteous in our thoughts and our minds and our hearts -- godly and holy lives start on the inside as the Holy Spirit cleanses us and makes us more like Jesus
-- but notice that Peter says that this power is not only for godliness but also for life -- here he is talking about our external life -- you know, we tend to forget that Jesus did not just come to give us eternal life -- in John 10:10 Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full" -- Jesus was talking about giving us an abundant, Christ-centered life here on earth -- what he's saying is that the Christian life should not just be lived with the end in mind but should be experienced daily
-- Peter points out here that the world corrupts us -- it leads us astray through our own evil desires and draws us into temptation and sin -- this is the rut that all humanity falls into -- this is the rut that Christ came to pull us out of -- this is the rut that Christ came to overcome
-- Peter tells us that we can't do this on our own -- left to their own devices, our hearts deceive us -- our motives betray us -- our desires lead us astray -- that is why he says that we must rely on the power of Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit if we want to see change in our lives -- if we want to see our lives transformed into the abundant and holy lives that Jesus promised

-- look back at verse 4 again

4. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6. and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7. and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

-- the final thing we need to do to see and make real changes in our lives is to know the life of Jesus -- Peter uses the term "participate" or "partake" in the life of Jesus
-- what he is saying is that transformation comes through participation in the life of Jesus -- it implies activity on our part -- it encourages us to step forward in faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit to make changes in our behavior -- to make changes in what we are doing
-- this is part of the overall process of sanctification -- first, we have to change who we are by knowing Jesus -- then, we have to change what we are by actively stepping out in faith
-- Peter points out in verses 5 through 7 that we should be adding to our faith -- that we should be building on the foundation that started when we first came to Christ -- he tells us that to faith we should add goodness or virtue -- this is referring to our integrity -- to our character -- to the change in motives and desires that comes through knowing Jesus
-- next, we add knowledge -- we learn more about Jesus and what it means to walk with Him -- we experience Him in our lives as we grow more and more like Him everyday -- we add self-control -- we begin to change our lives -- we begin to take action and choose to put away the old things of the world that used to control us and take up the new things and the new way of life in Christ
-- the next step is perseverance -- keeping-on, keeping-on -- committing to this new way of life -- not letting ourselves slip back into the ruts of this world but persevering and overcoming through the power of the Spirit -- which leads us to godliness -- to holiness -- to becoming different in our thoughts and minds and desires and behaviors
-- by becoming godly inside and out, Peter tells us that we are able to start loving by showing brotherly kindness -- brotherly love -- the phileo love that we often talk about -- until we reach the point where we can love like Jesus -- where our lives are completely and totally characterized by God's agape, unconditional love for all

-- all of this starts with action on our part -- with participating in the divine nature of Jesus -- that's why Peter tells us to "make every effort" to do this -- it is faith with feet -- it is more than head-knowledge -- it is life experience through the power of the Holy Spirit

-- verse 8

8. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,
11. and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


-- Peter says that this is the way to lasting change -- this is the way to making and keeping resolutions in your life -- this is the way to keep from being ineffective and unproductive -- from living lives devoid of power -- from living lives in a rut
-- notice that Peter says in verse 8 that if these things abound in you -- if they are present in increasing measures -- meaning that this is a process -- this is something that you have to work at and that gets built up in your life step-by-step
-- change is rarely instantaneous -- change usually takes time and starts with incremental steps until the goal is reached -- that's why we don't teach first-graders calculus -- but we start with the basics of addition and subtraction and they work their way up to higher levels of mathematics
-- Peter says that these steps are the way that you make your calling and election sure -- this is how you know that you are saved -- this is how you know that you are continuing on in the path to salvation -- when you can look back and see incremental changes in your life -- when you can look back and see how your faith and how your life has changed through the power of Christ in you
-- do that, Peter says, and you will never fall -- and you will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom of Jesus Christ

III. Closing

-- Jonathan Edwards -- the great preacher who lived in the 1700's and who is best known today for his sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" -- sat down at the age of 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life -- every year, he added to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions -- 70 things that he resolved that he would do to reach his goals in life
-- the first resolution on his list was this: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions.…Remember to read over these resolutions once a week."
-- Edwards didn't casually make New Year's resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them -- each week he did a self-check -- each week he summed up how he was doing and sought God's help in the process
-- as Peter tells us in this passage, this is the only way to make and keep lasting changes in our lives -- we have to know Jesus -- know His power -- and know His life

-- I once read about this youth group that bought a run-down house to use as their meeting place -- the house was ideal, except for one thing -- it stunk -- it literally stunk to high heaven -- it was almost unbearable -- and they tried everything to get rid of the smell -- air fresheners -- candles -- incense -- even those plug-in fragrances that you see -- but, they couldn't get rid of the smell
-- all those fragrances and scents would do was cover the odor up -- but it would linger -- and the next day when they went back in, it met them in full force once again
-- finally, they figured out how to get rid of the odor once and for all -- they gave the house a deep cleansing -- they pressured-washed the outside walls -- they steam-cleaned the carpets -- they scrubbed the ceiling and the inside walls -- and the smell left, never to return again
-- many of our experiences at keeping resolutions and making changes in our lives is just like that -- all we do is spray a little air freshener over the things that are stinking up our lives, but it does no good -- it covers it up for a while, but the odor keeps coming back
-- the message of this passage -- the message of the Bible -- is that transformation -- lasting change -- only comes through deep cleansing -- it only comes when we allow God to work in us and through us to clean us of our bad habits and our ungodly behavior from the inside out
-- if we are going to see lasting change in our lives -- if we are going to add to our faith -- then we are going to have to allow God to scrub the walls of our heart -- room by room -- by knowing Jesus -- knowing His power -- and knowing and participating in His life
-- as I close, I want to encourage you to take a moment to think about changes that you might need to make in your life -- maybe spiritual -- maybe physical -- maybe you just find yourself in a rut and you realize that you need to get out
-- as I close, I want you to join with me in prayer and ask God to help you take that first step at making a difference in your life -- to take that first step at changing your life forever
-- regardless of what the statistics say, change is possible -- we can keep our resolutions -- if we rely on Christ to help us to do so
-- let us pray