SERMON: HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE

HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE
11 October 2009

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Psalm 116

1. I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
2. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
3. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
4. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!"
5. The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
6. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.
7. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
8. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,
9. that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
10. I believed; therefore I said, "I am greatly afflicted."
11. And in my dismay I said, "All men are liars."
12. How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
13. I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
14. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
15. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16. O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant ; you have freed me from my chains.
17. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.
18. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,
19. in the courts of the house of the LORD-- in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

-- in 1990, one of the most influential business management books of all time was published by Dr. Stephen Covey -- "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" -- this book revolutionized the way business managers looked at running their companies and managing their people -- before, managers simply looked at the bottom-line and managed people as nothing more than another resource -- another tool -- to increase profits in their business
-- but Covey's book moved management past that and emphasized the value of each individual's efforts in the overall success of the business -- instead of just looking at people as something to be used, Covey suggested that highly effective companies and highly effective and successful people in life had seven habits in common -- all based on valuing the people that worked in their organization -- in fact, Covey argued, these seven habits will not only make you an effective businessman, they will make you a successful person in your personal life as well
-- the seven habits that Covey lists in his books are:
1. Be Proactive -- when problems and obstacles come up in your life, don't waste time blaming people or things -- but focus your energy on moving forward;
2. Begin with the End in Mind -- in other words, have a vision as to where you want to go;
3. Put First Things First -- focus on the steps that you have to take to accomplish your vision -- don't waste time and energy on tasks in the future, but focus on what you need to do today to accomplish this vision;
4. Think Win-Win -- remember other people have goals and visions, too, and work with them to come up with an answer that helps everyone;
5. Seek First to Understand and Then to be Understood -- in other words, you have to know and understand the people that you are working with first and what their needs are before you can explain your own needs -- as John Maxwell said, "No body cares how much you know until they know how much you care";
6. Synergize -- by which he means to bring together everyone in your organization and let them contribute to the overall goal and direction of a project;
7. Sharpen the Saw -- which focuses on self-renewal, including physical, mental, spiritual, and social aspects of life

II. Habits of Highly Effective Spiritual People
-- now when you think about it, there's really nothing ground-breaking in Covey's book -- the seven habits he listed are things that most of us knew we should be doing -- not only in business but in our personal lives as well -- we just had never thought of putting them together like this
-- but sometimes it takes someone like Covey to sit down and synthesize these ideas into one easily readable book that can ignite a spark and start a revival of sorts -- what Covey did here is similar to what Rick Warren did in his book, "The Purpose-Driven Life" -- Warren didn't come up with anything new but simply restated biblical principles in a new way that caught America's attention and revitalized the church
-- thinking about this, I thought it would be helpful for us to take a few moments this morning and do the same thing with our spiritual lives -- you know, I've often said that I don't have an original thought in my head -- that everything I give you is either begged, borrowed, or stolen -- but, truth be told, I think that is true for everything -- I think everything that we know and that we say and that we

do is merely a reflection of God's word played out in our lives and just repackaged in a different way by some author or speaker or preacher

-- so, this morning, I have come up with the "Habits of Highly Effective Spiritual People" based on Psalm 116 -- there's nothing new that I'm going to be giving you here -- you've all heard this before -- but maybe by presenting it in a new light and repackaging it for you in this way -- you might gain some insight into your spiritual life and the Holy Spirit might be able to speak to you and catch your attention on some changes that you need to make
-- these habits are based on this fact -- if you were to study the lives of any great saint -- if you were to read the biographies or study the habits of any person of faith that we look up to -- from the Apostle Paul to Mother Teresa to Billy Graham to St. Augustine or any of the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 -- they all have one thing in common -- they all have followed and applied the three habits of highly effective spiritual people that I have derived from this passage -- #1. Believe and Know God -- #2. Follow and Serve God. -- #3. Praise and Thank God
-- the difference between them and us, though, is that one little word, "habit" -- instead of just giving lip-service to these principles -- instead of just playing at these on Sunday mornings -- these great men and women of God lived them out -- these principles became habits in their lives -- things that they did consistently -- day-in and day-out -- without even thinking about it -- these habits defined their lives -- they energized their walk with Christ and they turned these people into heroes of faith and inspiration for us
-- so, let's take a moment this morning and look at each of these habits individually and consider how we might move from doing these haphazardly in our lives and how we might make them truly part of us as we seek to grow closer to God everyday

a. Habit #1 -- Believe and Know God

1. I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
2. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
3. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
4. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!"
5. The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
6. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.


-- when Rick Warren's book, "The Purpose-Driven Life," came out, the first four words in that book captured the attention of America -- "It's Not About Me" -- those four words, more than anything else, set the stage for the success of that book and the plan for life that it contained
-- the opening words here of the Psalmist should do the same for us as we look at the habits of highly effective spiritual people -- "I love the Lord" -- those four words mean so much -- these four words should be what defines us as people and what gives purpose and meaning to our lives -- "I love the Lord"
-- when we say that, we are saying several different things -- first, we are saying that we believe in God -- that is the starting point of any spiritual life -- you have to believe that God is -- you have to believe that God is there -- that He is real -- and that He loves you and has a plan and purpose for your life that is greater than your own -- believing in a personal God who knows you and loves you gives your life meaning
-- Shia LaBeouf is one of Hollywood's best and brightest stars -- for the last several years, he's been at the top of the box office, with movies like Transformers and Indiana Jones -- in fact, the last Transformers movie pulled in over $200M in it's opening weekend -- but, despite being one of Hollywood's highest paid and most productive actors, LaBeouf told an interviewer in June that his life has no real meaning or purpose -- he said -- and I quote -- "Sometimes I feel like I'm living a meaningless life, and I get frightened -- I have no answers to anything -- What is life about? -- I don't know"
-- the message is clear -- faith is essential to finding fulfillment and purpose in life -- believing in God is the first step in that process

-- the second thing we say when we exclaim, "I love the Lord," is that we know God -- in verse 1, the Psalmist says that God heard his cry of mercy -- in verse 2 he says that God turned His ear to him and the he would call on God as long as he lived
-- to love God is to know God -- it is to have a personal relationship with Him -- this means that you can speak to God and know that He hears -- that you can go to God with any of your problems -- with any of your needs -- with any of your worries and cares -- and you know that the God of all the universe -- the Lord God Almighty -- will stop and listen to you and speak back to your heart because He cares
-- when I use the term "know" here, I am not just talking about head-knowledge -- I'm talking about heart-knowledge -- I'm using the term "know" in the same sense that the Bible does when it says that Adam knew Eve -- a better term might be "experienced" -- it means that we know a person intimately, inside and out, with our head and our heart and our emotions and our whole being -- that is what we mean when we say that we know God -- that is what we should be striving for
-- that is why we pray and speak with God -- that is why we read His word -- that is why we listen for His voice in the church and in His people -- so that we can get to know Him better and experience Him in our lives

-- the third thing we imply when we say, "I love the Lord," is that we know what God has done for us -- look back at verse 3

3. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
4. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!"

-- this was the state of our being before we came to know God -- we were trapped by sin and death -- we were sentenced to eternal separation in outer darkness -- we had no future -- we had no hope
-- but when we cried out for help, God heard us and sent His Son to the earth -- through Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross, our sins have been forgiven and we have been ushered into eternal life with Him -- all we have to do is receive His free gift of salvation
-- the Psalmist said that God was gracious and righteous and full of compassion -- He saw our needs -- He heard our cries -- He had compassion on our souls and He poured out His grace and righteousness into our lives
-- that is why the Psalmist can say, "when I was in great need, He saved me" -- we know and recognize what God has done for us

-- these three things taken together are what we mean when we say "I love the Lord" -- we mean that we believe and know God -- this is the first habit of a highly effective spiritual person

b. Habit #2 -- Follow and Serve God

7. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
8. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,
9. that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
10. I believed; therefore I said, "I am greatly afflicted."
11. And in my dismay I said, "All men are liars."
12. How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
13. I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
14. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
15. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16. O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant ; you have freed me from my chains.

-- the second habit of a highly effective spiritual person is to follow and serve God
-- I recently read a story about the Stephens family in Katy, Texas -- they were going out to eat one day with their 8-year-old son, Tyler, when they passed a homeless man holding a sign -- just like you probably do everyday when you go to town
-- Tyler noticed the man and said, "Let's take that man something to eat" -- Tyler's father looked at the man -- looked at the way he was dressed -- the location where he was sitting -- thought about the fact that it was starting to get late and there wasn't many people around and he replied, "That's a great idea, but it's probably not a safe for us to stop and do that"
-- when they got to the restaurant, Tyler had big tears coming down his cheeks -- when his father asked him why he was crying, Tyler said, "What good is an idea if that's all it ever is?" -- they bought food and carried to to the man

-- I think Tyler's question to his father is one that all of us who name the name of Christ should stop and ask daily -- "What good is an idea if that's all it ever is? -- What good is believing and knowing God if we do nothing more?" -- ideas -- and Christians -- without action are useless
-- to truly live out the Christian life -- to be a highly effective person in our spiritual lives -- we have to put our faith in action -- we have to do more than get saved and sit in the pews -- we have to pick up our cross and follow Christ and serve Him by serving others
-- look back at verse 7

7. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
8. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,
9. that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
10. I believed; therefore I said, "I am greatly afflicted."
11. And in my dismay I said, "All men are liars."
12. How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?

-- the Psalmist points out that God has done so much for him -- He delivered his soul from death -- He wiped away the tears from his eyes -- He put his feet on a firm path
-- thinking about how good God has been to him, the Psalmist asks, "What can I do in return? -- how can I show Him my love?" -- and then he answers the question
-- verse 13

13. I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
14. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
15. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16. O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant ; you have freed me from my chains.

-- I will call on the name of the Lord -- I will fulfill my vows -- I will serve Him

-- I heard a story this week about a Greek professor who had survived the atrocities committed by the Nazis in his homeland during World War II -- as a result he had dedicated his life to establishing an institute to heal the wounds of war among his countrymen and women.
-- at the end of his presentation at the conference, he reached in his worn leather billfold and pulled out a very small round mirror
-- as he held the mirror up, he explained what it was all about -- One day when he was a small child during World War II, there was a battle in his hometown with the Germans -- after the battle, he found the broken pieces of a mirror from a German motorcycle laying on the road near his house
-- he took the largest piece and began to smooth it down by rubbing the edges on a rock and ended up with this small round mirror that he kept in his wallet
-- the professor said that he became fascinated by the fact that he could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine – in deep holes and crevices and dark closets -- It became a game for him to try to get light into the most inaccessible places -- over the years, he kept the little mirror, and would take out from time to time and continue the challenge.
-- he said, "I grew to understand that this was not just a child’s game, but a metaphor for what I might do with my life. -- I came to understand that I am not the light or even the source of light. But light – as truth, understanding, and knowledge – is there, and it will only shine in many dark places if I reflect it. -- I can be the reflected light that changes people.”

-- this is what God wants from us -- He wants us to reflect His light and shine it into the darkness of this world by following and serving Him where He leads -- there's a lot of darkness in America today -- you don't have to look far to find it -- and our calling as Christians is to speak life into death -- to shine light into the dark
-- the life of every great hero of the faith was characterized by this one simple fact -- they cared about others and they served God by serving those who needed their help -- as Christians, we should be striving to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others -- this means more than just throwing money at ministry -- this means getting your hands dirty -- going into the places where Jesus went when He was here -- visiting the people Jesus visited when He was here -- ministering to and serving them and meeting both their physical and spiritual needs
-- before you leave here today, ask yourself the question, "Where is God calling me to serve? -- Where is God calling this church to serve?" -- and then go out and do it

-- there was a recent study published in Current Biology -- we've always heard that people who are lost tend to walk in circles -- and so these scientists devised an experiment to find out if it was true or not -- they put volunteers in the middle of a forest in Germany and in the middle of a desert in Tunisia
-- when they could see the sun or the moon or some elevated distant landmark, they could move in a straight line -- but when cloud-cover or moonless nights prevailed, the hikers began walking

hopeless circles -- the authors of the study concluded that people need absolute cues such as the sun or moon to keep going forward
-- that's what following and serving God does for a Christian -- it keeps us from going on circles -- it keeps us from going round and round and walking and getting nowhere -- following and serving God puts our path on the path and helps us move forward and become more mature in our faith -- it gives direction and purpose to our faith
-- that is why following and serving God is the second habit of highly effective spiritual people

c. Habit #3 -- Praise and Thank God (verses 17-19)
-- the final habit of highly effective spiritual people is to praise and thank God -- look back at verse 17

17. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.
18. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,
19. in the courts of the house of the LORD-- in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

-- verse 17 calls to mind one of the praise songs that we occasionally sing in church -- "We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord" -- remember that? -- this song and this verse remind of something that I think we've forgotten -- praising and thanking God for what He has done is a sacrifice that we offer to Him
-- under the Old Testament law, the people of Israel were required to offer specific sacrifices to God periodically -- these included sacrifices for sin -- sacrifices for the birth of a child -- or sacrifices of thanksgiving for something God had done in their lives
-- because of the way worship has evolved the years, we tend to approach worship passively now -- just look around you -- the setting of the church encourages passivity -- the congregation sits in pews focused at the front -- just like you were audience at a concert or play or movie -- and it implies that all the action takes place up here -- and that your role is just to view it and enjoy it -- this is especially true in larger churches where there is less interaction between the worship team and the congregation
-- but that's not what God intended our worship to look like -- our worship should be both corporate and personal -- when we come to church on Sunday, we should be approaching it as an offering to God -- we should come in reverence and awe and offer up our whole being in praise and thanksgiving as a living sacrifice to God
-- worship on Sunday morning should be a time when we come together as one body and one people and tell God, "Here we are -- we are yours -- do with us as You will -- because of everything that You have done, we offer ourselves to You -- we are fully and wholly Yours"
-- when we come together to worship, the sole question on our minds and in our hearts should be, "How can I praise God today? How can I experience God today?" -- we should always come to church as active participants -- not passive observers
-- however, this final spiritual habit is not just reserved for Sunday mornings -- it is to be a way of life -- we should be constantly thanking and praising God with our voices and with our hearts and with our actions
-- Terry Tekyll, the author of "The Presence-Driven Church," says that we should make a practice of singing hymns to God throughout the day -- as we drive from place to place -- as we go about our daily activities -- because when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God, our souls draw near to Him and He draws near to us
-- the lives of the spiritual giants that we know and read about are characterized by times of praise and thanksgiving -- just look at the Psalms -- just read through Paul's epistles -- and you'll see passage after passage where they cry out to God in praise and thanksgiving
-- praise and thanksgiving energizes our walk with God and keeps the focus of our life on Him -- that's why this is the third habit of highly effective spiritual people



III. Closing
-- The Barlow Girls are a contemporary Christian band -- a group of sisters who are really burning up the Christian charts right now -- their most recent song is called, "Beautiful Ending" -- it is a song that asks a question, "At the end of my life, will it be beautiful?"
-- in other words, when you look back at your Christian life -- when you look back at a lifetime of walking with God -- what will you see?
-- will you see random circles and broken promises? -- will you see a life that looks like a rollercoaster -- with many ups and downs and no consistencies? -- will you see a life that failed to accomplish great things for God?
-- or, will your life be beautiful? -- will it have been effective and successful? -- will it have made a difference in the life of someone else?

-- that is our goal with the three habits of highly effective spiritual people -- to live a life pleasing to God and to end life well -- to stand before the throne of God and have Jesus say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant"

-- this week, my challenge to you is to think about these three spiritual habits and to compare them to your life right now -- are you living your life to its fullest potential? -- are you actively living out these three spiritual habits in your life? -- and, if not, will you make whatever changes you need to to move forward with Christ?
-- let us pray

SERMON: THE PORTRAIT OF A CHRISTIAN

THE PORTRAIT OF A CHRISTIAN
4 October 2009

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Colossians 4

7. Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
8. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
9. He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
10. My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)
11. Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
12. Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
13. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
15. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
16. After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
17. Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord."
18. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.


-- at the turn of the twentieth century, Oscar Wilde published his only novel -- a book called, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" -- this novel tells the story of a young man named Dorian Gray who is so beautiful and so perfect in his appearance that an artist asks to paint a portrait of him
-- as the artist works on the portrait, Dorian becomes convinced that he is truly so beautiful and so perfect that nothing else matters except maintaining his beautiful appearance and fulfilling all of his wants and desires, no matter how sinful or how debauched they might be
-- realizing that one day he will begin to get old and his beauty will fade, Dorian cries out, expressing his desire to sell his very soul in exchange for maintaining his appearance -- Dorian's wish comes true with a unique twist -- as he grows older and falls into sin after sin, his external appearance never changes but the portrait that the artist painted changes and displays the true appearance and nature of Dorian's heart
-- throughout the years, Dorian would gaze at the portrait which served as a reminder of the effect of his actions upon his soul, with each sin displayed as a disfigurement of his form or through a sign of aging -- so, while Dorian remained as beautiful and youthful as ever on the outside to those around him, the portrait showed the true picture of who he was on the inside

-- although Wilde's work was considered innovative and cutting-edge in his day, it really wasn't -- it was as old as the Bible itself -- it really reflected the message and the warning of the Bible to the people of God
-- Christ's harshest criticisms were reserved for those people in His day who were very much like Dorian Gray -- people who presented one face to the public while looking very different in their hearts and their souls
-- in Matthew 23:25-28, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and warned them of this trait in their lives -- "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! -- You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. -- Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
-- "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! -- You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. -- In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

-- Jesus didn't condemn the Pharisees because they looked good on the outside -- He condemned them because their beauty was truly only skin-deep and merely covered up the ugliness of their hearts and souls
-- as our Bishop is so prone to say, God loves beautiful people -- but He's more concerned with beauty on the inside than beauty on the outside
-- Jesus repeatedly warned His followers and us not to follow the path of the Pharisee -- not to look good on the outside while being dirty and unclean on the inside
-- unfortunately, we've gotten it wrong -- we put far too much emphasis on external appearances in this country -- our advertisements and our media and our culture all tell us the same thing -- what matters most is what's on the outside -- if you look good on the outside, then you are worthy of praise and adoration

-- however, the Bible says something different -- it says that what makes a person truly attractive to others is not your external appearance but the condition of your heart and soul
-- to follow Christ -- to live according to His word -- means that you become beautiful on the inside -- and if you do that, your outside will begin to reflect the true beauty that lays within

II. The Portrait of a Christian
-- as some of you know, I recently have been dabbling in genealogy again -- and I managed to get some photographs and portraits of some of my ancestors from the 1800's -- it is amazing to see similarities in physical appearance that have been passed down throughout the generations from these people who went before
-- I thought about those pictures this week, and I realized -- maybe for the first time -- that they really don't tell me who my ancestors were -- they tell me what they looked like on the outside -- but they don't tell me who they were -- they don't tell me whether they were attractive to the people around them for more than their external appearances -- they don't tell me if people in their day were drawn to them because their hearts were made pure in Christ
-- I couldn't help thinking about Mother Teresa -- she was certainly not the most attractive woman in the world -- her life ministering in India to the untouchables and the downcast in that country had taken its toil on her -- she would never be included in People Magazine's annual list of the 50 most beautiful people in the world
-- yet, I am certain that she was on God's list of beautiful people -- not because of her external appearance -- but because of her heart -- and everyone knew it -- people were drawn to her -- they wanted to be around her -- because they could see what was on the inside -- they could see the beauty within
-- as I reflected on all of this, I wondered what my portrait would show the world if I was Dorian Gray -- what would people see if they gazed on a picture of my heart and soul rather than a picture of my external appearance? -- would they be drawn to a heart that reflected the goodness and righteousness of Christ Himself? -- would they see a picture of beauty? -- or would they be repulsed by a picture of ugliness and wickedness and sin?
-- the picture of a Christian should be one of internal beauty and holiness and righteousness -- it should reflect the very nature of Christ -- and it should be obvious to those around them

-- in this passage from Paul's letter to the church at Colosse, he paints for us a picture of such a man -- he draws for us the portrait of a true Christian
-- before we turn back to this passage, let me give you the context -- scholars believe that Paul typically did not write his own letters -- meaning that Paul did not put pen to paper -- but would dictate the letters to the churches while a scribe would write them down
-- and that's just such a beautiful picture in my mind -- this letter to the church at Colosse was written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome -- and I can see him pacing around his home there -- chained to a Roman soldier -- pouring out his heart and preaching to an invisible audience while the scribe recorded every word that Paul uttered
-- most scholars believe that Paul would take the finished letter in hand and would read it to himself again -- making sure it was accurate and captured his thoughts for the various churches -- and when he was satisfied, he would add a final closing to the letter in his own hand -- putting pen to paper as he greeted and encouraged individuals in the church that he knew
-- that's exactly what we see here in this letter to the Colossians in verses 7-18 of Chapter 4 -- here Paul gives messages specifically to people in Colosse and Laodicea that he personally knew and mentions by name several others who were helping him in his ministry
-- there's one person listed here that I really wanted us to focus on this morning because I thought it was such a wonderful picture of a true Christian
-- if you would, look back at verse 12 and let's see what we can learn about Paul's friend, Epaphras

12. Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
13. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

-- Epaphras is mentioned several times in Paul's letters -- both here in Colossians and in the letter to Philemon -- Paul calls Epaphras his dear fellow servant -- his fellow prisoner in Christ -- someone who was with Paul in Rome and who ministered with Paul and to Paul in that place -- someone who obviously meant a great deal to Paul

-- Paul writes here that Epaphras was "one of you" -- now that has a couple of different meanings
-- first, Epaphras was one of them because he was from Colosse -- he was their own -- he could be trusted
-- you know it means something when someone is "one of you" -- it gives them a little more credibility -- a little more respect -- let me give you an example -- a few years ago at work, we were needing to get access to the farmer's land north of the base -- there was a flock of birds that was roosting on his property and they were a hazard to our planes and we wanted to go on his property and chase them away -- so the guy that we hired to specifically work on bird problems like this went to the farmer's house and knocked on his door and was abruptly turned away -- the farmer refused to talk to him
-- so he called me and asked me to go with him -- I went and we knocked on the farmer's door and when he opened it, he gave us that look -- that one that says, "I don't trust you and I don't want to talk to you" -- but when I started to talk to him, his demeanor completely changed -- he realized we were kindred spirits -- he asked me where I was from and when he found out I was from Adel, we started comparing notes and turns out that we had friends in common -- and before long, I had secured permission to go on his land -- not because I'm a smooth-tongued devil or because I had a persuasive argument -- nope, it was simply because I was one of his own -- I was a local farmer boy who happened to work for the Air Force and so he trusted me
-- that's what Paul's saying here when he says that Epaphras was "one of you" -- Paul had never been to Colosse -- he had never met most of the people in the church there -- but he says, you can trust me because I know Epaphras -- he's "one of you" -- he can vouch for me and my message

-- now, like I said, that phrase has another meaning, too -- Epaphras was one of them in position -- he was not an apostle or prophet -- he was not a professional minister -- he was not an ordained elder -- he was simply one of them -- just an ordinary saint who followed the example of Christ
-- now there's important lesson there to realize as we look at this portrait of a true Christian -- the most effective ministers are not the professionals -- the people who touch lives and really make a difference in the world are not the pastors and prophets -- not the ordained elders -- but the common, everyday man and woman who sit in the pews on Sunday mornings and who follow the teachings of Christ
-- remember that it was professionals who built the Titanic -- it was an amateur who built the ark -- God doesn't want to use you because you are a professional -- He wants to use you because you are one of them -- you can speak with credibility and with truth because people will trust you -- this means that you don't have to travel to Papua, New Guinea, or the Honduras or anywhere else to be an effective minister of the gospel -- all you have to do is minister to the people around you -- to the people that you know -- that's what Epaphras did and that's why we know his name today

-- Paul writes that Epaphras was a "servant of Christ Jesus" -- because he was one of them, he cared about them and ministered the gospel of grace to them -- in Colossians 1:6-7 Paul says that the church of Colosse was started because of Epaphras -- scholars believe that Epaphras founded the church while Paul was ministering in Ephesus -- it is likely that Epaphras was converted in Ephesus and brought the gospel with him to Colosse

-- Epaphras served Christ by ministering to the people he knew in three distinct ways

-- first, he was an evangelist -- in Colossians 1:6, Paul writes that the church of Colosse heard the gospel from him -- he didn't keep his faith private, but he shared it with those he loved
-- you know, I've heard people say that God didn't call them to be an evangelist or that they spread the message of Christ through their actions -- that may be true in one sense, but at some point, you have to open your mouth -- at some point, you have to tell them what you believe and why you are doing what you are doing
-- that's all that Epaphras did -- he told his friends and neighbors about the joy that he found in Christ -- about the salvation that Jesus' death and resurrection made possible -- and they responded and believed because they trusted him and could see it played out in his life -- after all, he was one of them
-- you don't have to be a professional to tell others about Jesus -- you don't have to know the plan of salvation from the Romans Road or the Four Spiritual Laws -- you just need to tell others what you believe and why -- maybe that's something that God is calling you to today

-- secondly, Epaphras was a teacher -- In Colossians 1:7, Paul says that the church at Colosse learned what it meant to be a Christian from Epaphras -- regardless of whether this means that Epaphras specifically discipled and mentored other Christians there in Colosse or whether he just showed them by example, the truth remains -- he taught them how to live as a true Christian in a pagan society
-- we teach people everyday, whether we mean to or not -- our words and our actions and our behavior paint a picture that instructs people on what we believe and what we hold important in our lives -- we need to be careful to make sure that we are leading people to Christ with our actions -- that we are teaching people how to obey the word of God -- rather than teaching them the wrong things
-- teaching others is something that Christ called all of us to -- whether professional or amateur -- whether clergy or laity -- in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said to go and make disciples and to "teach them" everything that He had commanded us to do
-- Epaphras was a teacher of Christ -- and his lessons built the church at Colosse on a firm foundation

-- finally, Epaphras was a warrior -- Paul tells us here that Epaphras "wrestled" or "labored fervently" in prayer for the church at Colosse -- the Greek word that is used here is where we get our term "agony" -- it was used to describe wrestlers in the Greek gymnastic games who strained and struggled and wrestled with their opponents to overcome them
-- Epaphras wrestled in prayer for the Christians at Colosse -- not only did he speak the word of God to them -- not only did he teach them what it meant to be a Christian -- but he interceded on their behalf before the throne of God -- through his agonizing prayers, he fought against the rulers and the powers and the spiritual forces of evil that were coming against the church -- Epaphras stood on the front lines of a battle -- not a physical battle, but a spiritual battle -- he wrestled for the souls of men
-- specifically, Paul says that he worked hard for them and prayed that they would stand firm in the will of God -- that they would become mature and perfected in Christ -- growing more and more like Jesus every day -- and he prayed for their spiritual assurance -- that they would know beyond the shadow of a doubt that they belonged to Christ -- that Jesus was a real presence in their lives -- and that they had been saved through the death and resurrection of Christ


-- what a difference we see between the portraits of Epaphras and the Pharisees that Jesus rebuked -- the Pharisees put forth an image of beauty and perfection that was only skin-deep and that had no real impact on their world -- while Epaphras put forth a picture of a man who followed God -- a man who was beautiful inside and out -- who put his time and focus on the needs of others -- sharing with them the message of Christ -- teaching them what it meant to follow Jesus -- wrestling for them in prayer

III. Closing
-- I want to close by sharing with you a story from Eugene Peterson, the pastor who translated the paraphrase that is called, "The Message"
-- when Peterson was in seminary, he made the acquaintance of a German immigrant to New York who was an accomplished artist -- Peterson's friend hated Christians because of what he had seen them do in Germany during the time of Hitler -- he hated the church -- and he thought Christians were hypocrites -- all of them
-- "The Christians he had known had all collaborated with and blessed the Nazis -- the Christians he had known were responsible for the death camps and the cremation of six million Jews -- the Christians he had known had turned his beloved Germany into a pagan war machine -- [so] the word "Christian" was associated in [his friend's mind] with state church Christians who had been baptized and took communion and played Mozart all the while they led the nation into atrocities on a scale larger than anything the world had yet seen."
-- Peterson wrote that his friend made a partial exception for him and said that he wasn't all bad because they were friends -- one day, Peterson's friend offered to paint a portrait of Peterson as a present because of their friendship -- as he worked on the portrait, he refused to let Peterson see it until it was done -- when it was done, he let Peterson see it
-- it was not what Peterson expected -- the portrait that his friend had made was not what Peterson looked like on the outside but what his friend thought Christians looked like on the inside -- the eyes were flat and empty -- Peterson's face was portrayed as gaunt and unhealthy and unkind
-- Peterson kept the portrait and writes that he has it to this day -- he put in a closet and takes it out from time to time as a reminder of what he can become if he is not careful to follow Christ with his whole heart -- he looks at the picture and then he looks at his heart and tries to make sure that they do not match [Source: Eugene H. Peterson, Leadership, Vol. 6, no. 3.]

-- each and everyday, we paint a portrait of our hearts and our souls for those around us -- our challenge is to paint a picture with the brush of Christ -- to live our lives in such a way that those around us are changed for the better and are drawn to the Savior's embrace
-- as we leave here today, we have a choice to make -- we can either live lives like the Pharisees -- clean on the outside but dirty within -- or we can live lives like Epaphras -- clean and righteous and holy inside and out
-- I pray that we choose the path of Epaphras -- the path of Christ -- and that the picture that we paint for those around us brings them joy and peace for eternity
-- let us pray

SERMON: THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL

THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL:
FIRST-PERSON NARRATIVE OF THE PRODIGAL SON
NAYLOR UMC HOMECOMING
27 September 2009

I. Introduction (Luke 15:11-32)

11. Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.
12. The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
13. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17. "When he came to his senses, he said, `How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'
20. So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21. "The son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. '
22. "But the father said to his servants, `Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.
24. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
25. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
27. `Your brother has come,' he replied, `and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28. "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
29. But he answered his father, `Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31. "`My son,' the father said, `you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

II. Narrative of the Prodigal Son

-- Stupid -- stupid -- how could I have been so stupid -- there I was, living in the lap of luxury -- and look what I traded it for -- I guess I just didn't know how good I had it
-- back then they called me prodigal -- excessive -- wasteful -- I didn't think I was any of that -- so what if I liked the finer things of life -- so what if I enjoyed wearing fine robes and drinking fine wine? -- so what if I enjoyed spending time in town with my friends -- feasting and having fun? -- is that prodigal? -- is that excessive? -- how is that different from any other young man of means? -- how is that different from you?
-- it's not like we couldn't afford it -- it's not like we were poor -- Father had worked very hard in life -- he had accumulated great wealth -- our villa was the largest in our town -- our family the most respected -- we had great flocks of sheep and goats -- we had a large vineyard -- groves filled with olive trees -- Father was a leader in the synagogue -- when he stood on the Sabbath and read from the Holy Scriptures, everyone would listen to his word
-- he also had a place at the gate of the city -- which, as you know, meant that he was a judge for our people -- we were a family of means -- we had money -- we had position -- we had prestige -- so why not enjoy it? -- how does enjoying what God has blessed us with make me a prodigal?
-- my brother didn't call me prodigal -- he had another name for it -- he called me spoiled -- well, maybe I was to some extent -- so what if Father did treat me a little better? -- so what if he was a little more lenient with me than Brother? -- it's understandable, isn't it? -- after all, our mother died giving birth to me -- I'm the baby -- I'm the memory of Father's first love -- when he looks at me, he remembers our mother -- and so maybe that did make him spoil me a little -- but what's wrong with that? -- like I said, it's not like God hadn't blessed us -- so why not enjoy it?

-- but, no -- neither of them would -- every day both Father and Brother would get up at dawn and head to the fields and work like common slaves -- I just couldn't understand that -- it just wasn't right -- it just wasn't seemly for men of our position to work in the fields with the servants -- isn't that what we had servants and slaves for in the first place? -- why should we lower ourselves to their level?
-- our role was to be the leaders -- the rulers -- the reapers of the wealth -- surely God didn't bless us this way just to bind us in hard labor -- surely God didn't intend for us to get our hands dirty -- after all, didn't our great King Solomon write in his book, Ecclesiastes, that such labor was meaningless?
-- in Ecclesiastes 2:22-26, he wrote, "What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? -- All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. -- A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. -- This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment? -- To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. -- This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."
-- see what I mean? -- Solomon says that it is the sinner who has the task of toiling and striving under the sun -- but God blesses those who please Him -- obviously, God was pleased by our family -- He had blessed us so much -- so why continue to toil in the field? -- why continue to work? -- why not take our rightful place and enjoy the good things of life that God given? -- why not eat and drink and be merry and enjoy life?

-- my arguments didn't matter -- they fell on deaf ears -- Father would make me go to the fields, too -- but my heart wasn't there -- I was no good at manual labor -- I was no good tending sheep or goats or picking grapes -- I knew I was wasting my time -- I knew that God had called me to better things -- that's fine if Father and Brother wanted to do it -- but my heart was elsewhere for I had heard the siren call of the town
-- that was the one thing I enjoyed more than anything else in the whole world -- I enjoyed walking into town wearing my best robe -- with the sound of gold coins jingling in my pocket -- young men calling out to me as I passed -- older men nodding in respect as I went by, knowing that I would one day take my father's place at the gate and at the synagogue as the leader I knew I was -- that was what I was made for -- that was what I lived for
-- but, still, that wasn't enough -- after a while, I had tasted all the pleasures our little town had to offer -- it was the type of place that you would say rolls up the sidewalks at night -- of course, we didn't have sidewalks -- but you get my meaning -- the vendors would fold up the tents at night and the town would just go to sleep -- but I dreamed of more -- I dreamed of going to a place where the fun and excitement didn't end at sundown
-- I had been to Jerusalem with Father and Brother to celebrate the Passover -- now that was a place of excitement -- when we were there to celebrate the great feast, Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims -- with people from every land under the sun -- the celebrations lasted all night long -- you've never seen such a sight -- that was the type of place where I belonged -- not here in some backwoods villa -- and certainly not here working in the fields like a slave -- no, I needed more -- I needed better
-- I kind of felt like your prophet Howard Hughes, who was the richest man on earth for a time -- he had everything -- he had tasted all that life had to offer -- but when they asked him how much more money he needed to be happy, he said, "Just a little more -- just a little more"
-- that's all I wanted -- just a little more -- just the opportunity to live in a place of excitement and opportunity -- I place where I could go and make a name for myself -- but I had two problems -- first, I still lived in Father's household -- I was still under his rule -- I was still bound to follow his ways -- and he would never allow me to leave
-- and, secondly, I didn't have enough money -- the allowance that Father gave me was enough for here -- but it wouldn't be enough for Jerusalem -- I needed freedom and I needed money -- if I just could make my own decisions without anyone else telling me what to do -- if I could just be financially independent -- then things would be so much better -- then I would be free
-- but how could I make that happen? -- I spent days and weeks and months thinking about my dilemma -- I moped around the villa -- I just couldn't be happy -- the old sights and the old sounds and the old thrills around town just weren't enough -- I needed more, but I didn't know how to get it
-- and, then, a thought crossed my mind -- a bold plan -- an ambitious plan -- all of a sudden, I realized that I didn't need more money -- I already had it -- it was my share of Father's villa -- my inheritance -- this was a vast amount of money -- this was more than enough money to go and live in Jerusalem
-- in fact, if I had my inheritance today, I could go anywhere -- I could even go to Antioch -- or Ephesus -- or Athens -- or, for that matter, I could even go to Rome -- yes, that's where I should go -- it was said that all roads lead to Rome -- the heart of the civilized world -- the center of culture and government
-- in Rome, I could become someone -- in Rome I could fulfill my calling -- a young man of means and ambition could rise to power and influence and prestige -- God had gifted me with so much talent and intellect that surely this is what He wanted -- He didn't want me to be stuck here on this villa in the middle of Judea -- He wanted me to go to Rome and to be a leader among leaders -- why, with the money from my inheritance, I could rise in power -- I could buy my Roman citizenship -- I could even serve in the Senate or in the courts of Caesar himself
-- the only problem was, I couldn't get my inheritance until Father died -- according to our law, it was only at that time that Father's estate could be divided among Brother and me -- unless.... unless I did the unthinkable -- unless I asked for it now
-- but, of course, that would mean rejecting both Father and the law of Moses -- it would be the same thing as telling Father that I wished he was dead -- it would be telling him that I would be better off if he wasn't around
-- if I did this -- if I asked for my inheritance now -- I was cutting all ties with my family -- I was rejecting all of the relationships I had -- I would no longer be worthy of being called a son -- I would be separated once and for all time from Father and could never come home again
-- but, wasn't it worth it? -- wasn't my happiness here and now of more importance? -- why discipline myself and follow Father's rules and obey his wishes and serve him by working in the field all in the hopes of a future reward? -- why not live for life now and not worry about the future?
-- who knew how long it would be before Father died and I would receive my inheritance? -- and, if he did, Brother would get two-thirds of the estate anyway -- why not just get what could now and get out? -- I knew it would hurt Father -- but surely he would understand over time
-- and, so that's what I did -- and so that's how I ended up here -- living in a pig pen in a foreign land

-- oh, it didn't start like that -- it broke Father's heart, but he divided the estate among Brother and me -- and I took my share and I headed out to Rome -- I saw the sights of Jerusalem -- I visited the brothers in Antioch -- I bought fine robes and fine wine and passed by the temple of Artemis in Ephesus -- I listened to the Greek philosophers of the Areopagus teach at the place where Paul would later argue with them about God -- and then I made my way to Rome
-- oh, it was just like I imagined -- the city was thronging with people from every land under the sun -- Roman soldiers in their burnished armor and their chariots passed by -- Senators with their robes of purple brushed by on their way to Caesar's court -- I saw with my own eyes the Coliseum and the Pantheon -- I enjoyed a bath -- a hot bath with running water -- with other young men eager for fame and fortune just like myself -- Rome had gymnasiums and libraries and shops
-- oh, the shops -- they never closed and they had everything imaginable -- gold from Cush -- you know it better as Ethiopia -- spices and fragrances from the east -- food from every land in the known world -- it was just like I imagined
-- and there I was, striding into town with the finest robes and with the sound of my inheritance jingling in the pouch at my waist -- it was so easy to find friends there -- it seems like I had no sooner walked through the gates of the city than men and women flocked to my side -- eager to make my acquaintance -- we had such a good time together -- we laughed -- we played -- we drank -- we attended parties at the best estates -- everyone wanted to be my friend -- until the day I reached in my pouch and felt only a few copper coins at the bottom
-- how was that possible? -- where did it all go? -- I had nothing to show for it -- just a rented room around the corner -- just a few belongings -- I turned to my friends for help -- as much as I had lavished on them, surely they would be willing to lend a hand to me in my need -- but my friends were gone -- they had moved on to the next dreamy-eyed man from a foreign land who had walked through the gates of Rome looking for fame and fortune
-- I sold my robes -- I sold the few possessions I had managed to scrape together -- I eventually had to move out of my room -- I couldn't afford it any more -- I started living on the streets -- begging for hand-outs from those I had counted as friends not that long ago -- and, then the famine hit -- and I got hungry -- the hand-outs dried up as everyone was affected -- no one had anything to share -- they took what they had and just took care of their own family -- but, I no longer had a family -- I had taken care of that
-- finally, I had no choice -- I sold my services to a local farmer who sent me to his fields outside of town -- and, so here I am -- in the worse place a young Jewish man could ever be -- standing in a pig pen -- serving that which God called unclean and told us to avoid at all costs -- it's even reached the point where I would be happy just feeding in the pig's trough -- but no one even cares enough about me here to give me a pod from their swill
-- it's funny how life looks so different from this side of things -- before, I chafed under the rule of my Father -- before, I didn't think I had enough -- before, I longed for freedom -- for the right to make my own decision and to live my own life just as I pleased
-- I didn't realize just how good I had it -- I didn't realize that all of those rules and all of that service and all of that discipline was for my own good -- to protect me from my own stupid choices
-- I've really made a mess of things -- I've completely separated myself from my father -- I put up barrier after barrier between us -- I let my pride and my anger and my hurtful words come between my father and me -- I made an idol out of money and power and position -- I worshiped at the altar of "having a good time" -- I coveted and I lied and I stole just to get by -- but, worse than anything else, I dishonored my father and my God by totally rejecting him and walking away
-- now what can I do? -- it was stupid to leave -- but it's just as stupid to stay here -- as your prophet Forrest Gump would say, "Stupid is as stupid does" -- just because I ended up here in a pig pen because of my sin doesn't mean I have to stay here -- even if I was to just go back and live on Father's villa as a servant -- as a common slave even -- I would be so much better off than here -- for even a servant in the house of my Father has more than I have now
-- there's no way that I could ever go back to where I was before -- there's no way that I could ever earn Father's love again -- but maybe if I just turned around -- if I repented -- if I returned to him, he would let me live off the crumbs that fall from his table -- that would be something -- that would be better -- that would actually be more than I could hope for at this point
-- pride and sin brought me here -- I can't let pride keep me from going home

-- and, so, I made up my mind -- I would return home and throw myself at my father's mercy -- I would ask that he would not give me what I deserved but would instead give me what I didn't deserve -- even though I had rejected him -- even though I had turned away -- I would just beg him to pour out his mercy and grace in my life so I could just live as a hired hand on his estate
-- it's been months now since I headed home -- it took a lot longer to get home than it took to leave -- where before I had ridden in chariots and on ships -- now I had to walk -- and with every step, I repented in my heart -- with every step I practiced what I would say when I saw his face -- if he would let me see his face after I had rejected him the way I did
-- "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. -- I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' -- Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. " -- every step -- every cadence brought the words to my lips -- "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you"
-- and, so here I am -- back where I started -- that's the villa over there -- I'm on my father's land now -- the servants in the field saw me coming and ran to tell him -- what will he do? -- what will he say? -- will he reject me just as I rejected him? -- will he throw me out and refuse to see me?
-- another step -- another recitation -- "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you."
-- what is that ahead? -- who is coming? -- is Father sending the servant back out to me? -- whoever it is, he's running hard -- he's coming down the lane -- it's --- it's Father! -- but that can't be -- men of his stature don't run -- men of his position don't do that -- but, it's him -- it's really him
-- can it be? -- can he really be humbling himself and leaving his position of power to come here? -- to come to me?
-- here he is -- now, just like I practiced -- "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. -- I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'"
-- what is he doing? -- why is he picking me up? -- what's going on?
-- you've been waiting for me? -- you've been looking for me? -- you're giving me your robe -- your best robe -- the robe you wear when you stand at the gate -- when you serve in the synagogue -- Father, no! -- I'm not worthy
-- your ring? -- you're giving me your ring? -- you're letting me back in the family again? -- no, this is more than I deserve -- just make me a common slave and that will be enough
-- sandals? -- you're putting sandals on my feet? -- slaves don't wear shoes -- you're saying that I am not a slave -- you're saying that I'm your son?
-- you mean all I had to do was to come home? -- all I had to do was return to you? -- I have nothing to offer -- I have nothing to give -- I'm not worthy of any of this -- but still you welcome me back with loving arms?

-- well, it's been one week and all is good -- I have been restored to my position -- everything that was lost has now been found -- everything that was dead -- my life -- my soul -- my heart -- my relationship with Father -- everything has been made new again
-- prodigal -- they called me prodigal -- they called me excessive -- but, it turns out that I wasn't the truly excessive one in the family -- Father was -- his excessive love has poured out on me -- his excessive mercy and grace has showered on me and I have been made new -- I have been restored -- I am his son again

-- but, what about you? -- where are you at with your Father who is heaven? -- as Christians, we all sin -- we all put barriers and obstacles between us and our Father -- as the Apostle John says in 1 John 1:8, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
-- how many of us have wandered away from our Father? -- how many of us has sinned allowed barriers to come between us and our God? -- maybe you're not in a pig pen like I was, but maybe you are in a distant land -- far away from home -- far away from God -- far away from Abba Father
-- but, if anything, my story should tell you this -- Father God is prodigal with His love and grace and mercy -- and as John wrote in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." -- if we just turn around and head home, God will run to meet us and put the robe of righteousness around our shoulders -- He'll put the ring of family on our hands -- He'll put the sandals of justice on our feet
-- but, we have to take that first step -- we have to repent -- we have to turn from our ways -- and turn home -- and, if we do that, He promises to meet us there

-- what distant land are you in this morning? -- what pig trough of pride and idolatry and sin are you feeding at today?
-- Father is waiting here for you -- if you will only come, He will make all things new -- if you will only come, He will welcome you with open arms

-- let us pray

SERMON: WHAT ABOUT HIM?

WHAT ABOUT HIM?
13 September 2009

I. Introduction
- turn in Bibles to John 21

18. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
19. Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
20. Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?")
21. When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
22. Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

-- for the last 25 years or so, the world has been on the brink of complete and total destruction -- and very few people have even been aware -- despite the fact that scientists and other concerned experts have been crying out and trying to get public attention to this impending environmental catastrophe, no one seems to have noticed -- probably because it involves an animal no bigger than the size of your thumbnail
-- starting around 1972, wild honeybees began to disappear -- a colony here -- a colony there -- and no one -- outside of scientists and a few beekeepers -- even really paid any attention -- I certainly didn't -- it wasn't until someone drew my attention to it did it even register that we had fewer bees in the wild than we had back in the 70s -- but now that I knew about it, I could see it
-- I remember as a kid we used to get a jar and catch the bees feeding on the azaleas around our house -- the flowers always just seemed alive with bees -- they were everywhere and you had to be careful or you would get stung -- but lately, we didn't see many bees feeding in the azaleas -- in fact, thinking about it, they were pretty rare -- you just didn't see bees anymore -- but, so what? -- it was just a bee, right?
-- but by 2006, scientists worldwide started to get concerned -- by 2006, all of the wild honeybees in the world had virtually disappeared -- they just weren't there any more -- no matter where you looked, you couldn't find them
-- and, then, in late 2006, we started seeing the same thing happen with commercial bee colonies -- complete colonies of bees -- beehives with thousands of bees went to zero almost overnight -- the bees just disappeared -- there were no piles of dead bees -- there was no indication of what might have happened -- one day, a beehive would be filled with worker bees going about their business -- and the next, the hive would be empty
-- scientists across the world began comparing notes, and found out that this was a worldwide phenomenon -- as of right now, over half of the United States has been affected by these disappearances -- now called "colony collapse disorder" or "honey bee depopulation syndrome" -- Canada, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Slovenia and the Netherlands all have experienced the same thing -- with some commercial beekeepers losing over 40% of their hives in one year alone -- recently, colony collapse disorder has been reported in South America and Asia -- it is truly becoming a worldwide epidemic
-- now you might be asking yourself, "So what? -- So what if bees disappear? -- What does that matter to me? -- What does one little insect have to do with me?" -- well, it turns out it has a lot to do with you
-- everyone here knows about the symbiotic relationship that bees have with plants -- plants put out showy flowers to attract bees -- the bees come and feed on the flowers -- and in the process, they get covered with pollen, which they carry to other flowers, pollinating them and helping the plants to reproduce
-- this relationship has reached the point with some plants that these species are totally and completely dependent on the presence of honey bees for their existence -- if the honey bee was to disappear, then these plants would not be able to reproduce and would eventually die out
-- a good example of this is almonds and avocados -- both of these plants are dependent on honey bees for pollination -- if the bees were to disappear, we are very likely to lose both of these plants forever -- beyond the environmental effects, can you imagine the economic disaster that would result?
-- fully one-third of the food we eat depends primarily on bees for pollination -- in addition to almonds and avocados, this includes such species as peaches, soybeans, apples, pears, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers and strawberries
-- can you imagine south Georgia without watermelons and cantaloupes? -- that's what we're talking about here -- that's the extent of this environmental disaster that the world is facing -- and all because of one little animal no bigger than your thumbnail -- one little insect that most of us overlook in our daily lives -- but the honey bee is one little insect that has a vital part to play in agriculture and in the environment as a whole -- and if it's not there -- if it's not doing it's job -- then the world is going to suffer -- we're going to suffer
-- I think this is something that we're just now starting to really understand -- as a whole, we're just starting to grasp the importance of these little parts of the environment that we once overlooked -- when we look at nature, we've always just kind of assumed that we can do without certain animals and it won't really matter -- but now, we're finding out that if you take away one little part -- like the honey bee -- the whole ecosystem can collapse, resulting in world-wide environmental effects
-- back in the 1930s, Aldo Leopold published a series of essays in a book called "The Sand County Almanac" -- in that book, writing on the complexity of nature and how the environment is like a living organism made up of many important parts, Leopold said, "The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."
-- if there's anything that we know for certain from our experience with colony collapse disorder and the effect of the disappearance of honey bees worldwide, it is that every part of the environment -- no matter how small or insignificant it might seem -- has a job -- and that every part of the environment is needed

-- we can say the same thing about the church, as well -- you know, a lot of times, we tend to think of the church as an organization -- as a bunch of people who just get together once a week to sing and praise God and go home -- but, the Bible tells us that this isn't what the church is at all -- it's not an organization -- it's not a club -- it's a body -- it's one organism made up of many parts -- and if every part is not there, doing their job, then the whole body suffers -- then the whole body ceases to function
-- we're all familiar with Paul's teachings on this -- how many of you have never read or heard what Paul has to say about the church being a body -- in 1 Corinthians 12:12, Paul wrote, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body"
-- hold your place here and flip over real quick to 1 Corinthians 12 -- let me just remind you of what Paul said here -- look at verse 15

15. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
16. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
17. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
18. But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
19. If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20. As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

-- there's nothing here that you haven't already heard -- Paul is telling us that the church is a body made up of many parts -- and that God has put us where He wants us to be -- He has decided what our role and our function in the body is to be -- whether that's a foot or an ear or an eye
-- but, if that's the case and we all know that -- then why do we continue to compare ourselves with others? -- or, even worse, why do we continue to compare others to ourselves?

-- flip back over to John 21 and let's talk about this for a minute -- here in the last chapter of the gospel of John, we read of Jesus' final words to Peter -- Peter, as you know, was the Lord's staunchest defender during His ministry -- right up to the point where Jesus was taken prisoner by the high priest and carried off to trial -- it was then that Peter wavered and denied that he even knew who Jesus was
-- now, after Jesus had died on the cross and has risen from the dead, He comes back to Peter and restores him to fellowship again -- Jesus lets Peter know that he is important -- he is part of the body of Christ -- and he has a job to do -- "Feed my lambs," Jesus told him -- "Take care of my sheep -- Feed my sheep"
-- and now He leaves Peter with these final thoughts

-- look back at verse 18

18. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
19. Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"

-- John tells us here what Jesus meant verse 18 -- Jesus was referring to how Peter was going to die -- we know that Peter was martyred -- we know that he died for his faith -- legend has it that he was crucified in Rome upside-down at his request instead of right-side up, because he felt unworthy of dying in the same way that Jesus had died
-- but, I think verse 18 means something more, as well -- in context, I think Jesus was telling Peter that he no longer was his own man -- now, he belonged to Jesus -- in other words, when Peter was younger, he decided what he was going to do -- how he was going to dress -- where he was going to go -- but now, he's part of the body of Christ -- and Jesus was placing him in the body where He wanted him to be -- Jesus would tell him what to wear and where to go and what to do -- Jesus was, in effect, giving Peter a job -- telling him where he fit in the body of Christ

-- look back at verse 20

20. Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?")
21. When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
22. Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

-- as Jesus is telling Peter all of this -- as He's telling Peter what he's going to do and even how he's going to die, Peter looks back and sees John following them -- he turns to Jesus and says, "Lord, what about him?"
-- how many times have you said those same words to Jesus? -- how many times have you felt the same way as Peter -- "Lord, look at what I'm doing -- look at how I'm serving you -- I'm here every Sunday -- I lead worship -- I teach Bible study -- I go on missions -- I'm doing it all -- but look at Jim over there -- what about him? -- look at Jane -- what about her? -- they're not doing anything -- they're not helping at all"
-- when you think like this, it can lead to a lot of problems

-- it can affect our personal walk with Christ
-- depending on what you are called to do in the church, it can make you feel prideful about what you are doing for the Lord -- in other words, it can cause us to think more highly about ourselves than we ought to
-- William Morris was the head basketball coach at La Salle University from 1986 to 2001 -- one year, LaSalle was having a pretty good season and everyone was talking about them -- one morning, Coach Morris was shaving when the phone rang -- His wife answered it and called out to
him that Sports Illustrated wanted to talk to him.
-- Coach Morris was excited -- here he was, getting a call from Sports Illustrated to interview him because of what a great job he was doing with La Salle's basketball program -- he got in such a hurry to finish shaving and get to the phone that he cut himself with his razor -- so, covered with blood and shaving cream, he took off running downstairs to answer the phone -- he ended up tripping and actually fell down the stairs -- but, finally, bleeding and bruised, he made it to the phone and breathlessly said, "Hello"?
-- The voice on the other end asked, "Is this Speedy Morris"? -- "Why, yes it is -- how can I help you this morning?" -- the voice continued, "Mr. Morris, for just seventy-five cents an issue, we can give you a one-year subscription to Sports Illustrated."
-- needless to say, Coach Morris' ego deflated rather quickly -- it's not uncommon for us to find out that we're not really as important as we think we are
-- in Romans 12:3, Paul wrote, "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
-- just because we may be in a more visible role in the body of Christ doesn't make us any better than anyone else -- it just means that God has decided to put us there and we need to just do our job the best we can with His help

-- the same goes true for those people that God has put in the less visible roles -- those people who serve behind the scenes -- those people that we don't think are important, but who play a vital part in the overall health of the church just like honey bees play a vital part in the overall health of our environment
-- Peter asked Jesus, "What about him? -- What's he going to do? -- Why isn't he doing what I'm doing?"
-- and Jesus said, "Don't worry about him -- worry about yourself -- worry about what I have called you to do -- your job is to follow Me"

-- God places us in the body of Christ where we are needed -- He puts us where He wants us -- and He gives us the talents and the tools and the resources that we need to succeed in that place
-- we should never look down on someone because they don't seem to be serving God in the way we think they should -- we should never look down on someone because their job in the church seems menial or unnecessary in our eyes -- we should never feel bad if we aren't the ones leading Bible study or preaching or teaching or doing any of the other more visible acts of service in the church
-- God has puts us where He wants us -- and if we are serving God where He has placed us -- whether that's as a janitor or a dish washer or a Sunday School teacher -- then we are just as valuable and worthy in His eyes as Billy Graham or Bishop King
-- my favorite quote from Martin Luther King, Jr talks about this -- he wrote, "If you are called to be a street sweeper, sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry -- Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.'"
-- the important thing is that we are serving God where He wants us serve -- God has called all of us to work in His body -- we all have a role to play -- some roles are visible -- some roles are less visible -- but they all are important
-- as the old saying goes, "there's not any small parts -- only small actors" -- when someone writes a play, they write every role for a reason -- Every role, regardless of stage time or number of lines, is important, otherwise it wouldn't have been written
-- what this is telling us is that in the body of Christ, there are no extras -- there are no unnecessary parts -- everyone is vital and important to the kingdom of God

-- finally, these words of Christ in response to Peter's question tells us that we are to be ourselves -- we're not to try to be anyone else
-- a lot of times in the church, we tend to fall into the trap of uniformity -- in other words, we try to make copy-cat Christians and copy-cat pastors and copy-cat churches -- we expect everyone in church to look and act just like everyone else -- we expect every pastor to look and act just like the pastor next door -- and we expect every church to look and act just like the church down the road
-- and so we tell people, "You need to be doing this or you need to be doing that -- or you should quit doing what you're doing"
-- or we look at the church down the road and say, "Look at what they are doing -- why aren't we doing that -- we need to do that, too"
-- but God made us diverse -- He made us different -- He made us different parts -- and the miracle of the church is how God puts all of us together and forms this wonderful body that is capable of doing eternal work here on earth
-- every one is not called to do everything -- every one is not called to teach Sunday School or to preach or to do a certain ministry or get involved in a certain function just because every one else is doing it
-- every church is not called to do everything -- we're not all called to minister to the homeless -- to have a massive youth program -- to send missionaries around the world -- or to run a clothes closet
-- instead, we are called to do what God tells us to do -- what I do as a follower of Christ may not be what you are called to do -- what we do as a church may not be what the church down the road is called to do -- but together -- when we are doing what God has called us to do -- we are doing kingdom work and making an eternal difference in this world

-- it all comes down to Jesus' final words to Peter in this passage -- "You must follow Me" -- our focus should be on following Christ -- on doing what He has called us to do
-- we shouldn't spend our time trying to make everyone look the same and having them do the same thing -- we shouldn't worry about whether others are doing as much for the Kingdom as we are -- and we certainly shouldn't think too highly of ourselves or that we are doing more than someone else
-- every part is needed -- every member is needed -- every church is needed

-- Peter asked Jesus, "What about him?" -- but that's not the question we need to be asking
-- the question we should be asking is, "What about me?"
-- What does Jesus want you to do for Him? -- Where is He calling you to serve today?

-- if you are not actively involved in serving God in this church in some way, then as we close in prayer, I would invite you to ask God to show you what He wants you to do -- I want to invite you to ask God to put you where He wants you to be
-- if you need advice -- if you want to talk about how you can serve God in this church -- then just let me know and I'll be glad to set up a time to meet with you and help you get plugged in

-- as we go to the Lord in prayer, just remember this -- every member should be involved in ministry -- every member should be a minister -- because every member is needed

-- let us pray

SERMON: THE SALT OF THE EARTH

THE SALT OF THE EARTH
6 September 2009

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Matthew 5

13. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

-- I'm not sure how much you know about the process of becoming a pastor in the Methodist Church, but one of the things that a new candidate must do is to have a psychological profile conducted before they appoint you to a church -- I guess the Methodist Church must know that anyone that God calls to be a pastor must be out of their mind -- but, anyway, it is a requirement -- so about 10 years ago I went over to Columbus to the psychologist assigned by the Conference and took a battery of psychological tests including the Myers-Briggs Personality Test
-- when the tests were over and the psychologist was going over the results with me, I was highly surprised that he said that my results showed that I was a rebel in regards to authority -- that just did not sound like me -- I am a very compliant person -- I tend to do whatever the authority above me tells me to do -- I do what my boss says -- I dutifully fill out all the paperwork that the Methodist Church sends me -- I follow the rules -- the last word I would use to describe myself would be "rebel"
-- but, lately, I've started wondering if this test wasn't more accurate than I first believed -- I have found myself at odds with my doctor and I have made the decision that I am just not going to do what he has told me to do
-- several years ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol -- my doctor put me on medicine for both and told me to lose weight -- and I've been trying to do that but obviously not making much progress -- but, here's the thing that I'm just not going to do -- my doctor told me that I needed to cut salt out of my diet -- and, honestly, I tried -- I bought salt substitute and I tried eating my food without salt -- but I quickly decided that this was not for me
-- I kind of felt like Mark Twain -- one time Twain decided that he should quit smoking and drinking -- but it only lasted one hour -- Twain said that after one hour he came to the conclusion that life just wasn't worth living if a man couldn't have a cigar and a glass of wine from time to time -- he said he would rather die first -- and that's kind of how I feel about salt
-- have you tried to eat grits without salt? -- how about corn on the cob -- or mashed potatoes -- or eggs -- you just can't do it -- those foods are inedible without salt -- they have no taste -- it's like eating sawdust -- and I quickly decided that I was just going to rebel against my doctor on this one -- I would take my medicine -- I would try to lose weight -- but I was not going to cut salt out of my diet -- that was just not going to happen
-- and, honestly, I think Jesus understands -- He knows the value of salt -- He knows how necessary salt was in a person's life
-- you know, in Jesus' day, salt was even more valuable and necessary than it is in our own day -- we use salt primarily to season our food today -- to enhance the flavor of the food we eat -- to bring out the quality of the food -- salt just makes things taste better
-- but, in Jesus' day, salt was necessary for life -- in a time without refrigeration, salt was used to preserve food and to store it for long periods of time -- kind of like we do now to some extent with salt-cured ham and pickles -- but in Jesus' day, it was the only way to preserve food -- if you didn't have salt, you had no way to store food for winter or to keep food in your pantry during the lean times of the year
-- the people in the first century AD used salt for a variety of purposes -- in addition to preserving food and enhancing flavor -- salt was used to purify and cleanse wounds -- it was used to line the bottom of their clay ovens to keep mold and mildew and germs from growing inside -- farmers would add salt to their soil as a type of fertilizer
-- in fact, salt was so valuable that some Roman soldiers were actually paid with salt instead of money -- that's where we get our English word "salary" from -- it comes from the Latin "salarium," which literally means, "an allowance of salt given to a Roman soldier" -- it's also where we get the phrase, "not worth his salt" -- if a Roman soldier was derelict in his duties, the centurions would refuse to pay him because he was "not worth his salt"
-- people needed salt -- they couldn't live without it -- I think that's one reason why Jesus used salt as a metaphor here in verse 13 to describe Christians
-- so, let's take a few moments this morning and consider what Jesus was trying to get across to us in this passage about salt and light

II. Scripture Lesson (Matthew 5:13-16)
-- these verses come in the context of the sermon on the mount -- the synoptic gospel writers -- Matthew, Mark, and Luke -- tell us that early in Jesus' ministry that he went up on a mountainside in Galilee -- more likely just a tall hill -- and sat down and delivered this sermon to teach what it meant to truly follow Him as His disciple
-- it's in the first twelve verses of the sermon on the mount that we get the Beatitudes -- the short teachings from Jesus that start "Blessed are those who" or "Blessed are the poor in spirit or the meek or the pure in heart"
-- the Beatitudes are about character -- about how a follower of Christ is to think and believe and live in their hearts
-- but here in verses 13-16, Jesus shifts from character to the influence of character -- He shifts from talking about "those who" to specifically saying "you" -- before, Jesus described what the character of a Christian should look like -- now, He shows us how the character of a Christian is supposed to influence and change the world around us
-- He does so by giving us two word pictures in these verses that illustrate the same point -- salt and light -- things that were both necessary for life -- things that both were needed and that both had a purpose -- things that we just couldn't live without -- rather than looking at both salt and light, let's take a few moments and consider what Jesus was teaching us by comparing us to salt

-- look back at the first part of verse 13

13. "You are the salt of the earth.

-- now, this is important -- this is something that you can easily overlook if you read this passage too quickly -- Jesus says here that we are the salt of the earth -- we are -- we're not being made salt -- we're not in the process of becoming salt -- Jesus says if you are His disciple -- if you have received Him as Lord and Savior -- if He has forgiven you of your sins -- then you are the salt of the earth
-- this simple statement carries with it a couple of profound thoughts -- to say that we are the salt of the earth tells us who we are and what we should be doing
-- first, it tells us who we are -- we are the followers of Christ -- we are Christians -- that word, "Christian" literally means "little Christ" -- it implies that we are imitators of Christ in character and behavior and action -- it implies that we possess all of those characteristics that Jesus listed in the Beatitudes -- it implies that our lives are salted with His presence -- that is who we are -- not who we are becoming
-- this reminds me of a little game that I play with Brooke -- do you remember what it was like to be a teenager? -- do you remember how hard it was? -- how your self-esteem and your self-worth was based more on what your peers thought of you than reality? -- well, when Brooke's having a normal teenager day and she's not thinking very highly of herself, I like to turn to her and ask her this question, "Who are you?" -- and then I give the answer -- "You are a princess -- you are the daughter of the King -- you are God's beloved creation -- and that is how you should live"
-- that's the same thing that Jesus is doing for us here in this passage -- He's reminding us of who we are -- when the world gets us down -- when things and people and bosses and jobs and everything is just stomping on you and telling you that you are worthless -- Jesus says "Who are you? -- You are the salt of the earth -- you are the very imitation of Me -- you have within you My Spirit and My presence -- you are valuable beyond measure -- you are the heirs of the kingdom of God -- now live like the royalty you are"

-- which brings us to the second thought from this statement -- when Jesus says that we are the salt of the earth, it tells us what we are to do
-- as I mentioned earlier, salt was extremely valuable in Jesus' day -- it was used as a preservative and to flavor food and to purify and cure disease -- and all of these are the same functions that Jesus is calling us to perform in our lives today
-- as the salt of the earth, Christians are to preserve and flavor the world around us -- the Scriptures tell us that apart from Christ, this world and the people of this world are rotting and decaying -- they have no life -- they have no hope -- they are on a path that is leading them straight to Hell and eternal separation from God
-- it is our job, as Christians, to preserve and flavor the world -- we are to be for them the very presence of Christ -- we are to be His hands and His feet that reach out and point the world around us to life and salvation and eternity through Jesus
-- we are to carry the good news of the death and resurrection of Christ to this world -- to let them know that there is hope -- that there is salvation -- that there is forgiveness of sins and restoration of the soul through the body and blood of Jesus
-- as Christians, we are to live in such a way that we have an impact on our world and flavor it with the presence of God

-- look back at the second part of verse 13

13b. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.


-- Luke carries this teaching a little farther in his gospel -- in Luke 14:34-35 he records Jesus as saying that when salt has lost its saltiness, it is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile -- those are harsh words, indeed
-- what does Jesus mean here? -- what point is He trying to get across?
-- Jesus has been talking about the impact that a Christian should have on the world around them -- they are to season and preserve and flavor this world with the gospel of Christ -- but now Jesus asks the question, "What happens if the salt loses its saltiness? -- what happens if the salt doesn't do what it is supposed to do? -- What value does it have then?
-- any housewife -- for that matter, any cook or any scientist -- will tell you that salt doesn't lose it's saltiness -- sodium chloride -- table salt -- is such a stable compound that it is very difficult for it to be broken apart and lose its character and its flavor -- in other words, salt just doesn't lose its saltiness
-- Bible scholars have suggested that the salt in Jesus' day was different -- it wasn't pure table salt -- instead it came from the Dead Sea -- it was often mixed with impurities, making it less salty -- and that there were conditions in which the salt could be leached out or made less effective -- possibly through exposure to water or the air -- excessive sunlight -- or even other chemicals
-- and the scholars say that when once the salt content had dissolved or drained away, the residual mineral would be salt that had lost its savor -- and it was good for nothing other than being thrown away and trampled by men
-- but that's really missing the point that Jesus was trying to make here -- the issue isn't whether salt can lose its saltiness or not -- the issue is whether the salt is fulfilling the purpose for which it was made -- is the salt being made available to this world to preserve it and season it and purify it?

-- not too long ago, I knocked our saltshaker off the cabinet and broke it -- Kim went out and bought a new saltshaker -- this was one was made out of aluminum so I wouldn't break it
-- shortly after she bought it I was cooking supper and the dish needed more salt -- so, I grabbed up the saltshaker and shook it over the dish and tasted it again -- still needed more salt -- so, I grabbed the shaker again, shook it over the dish, and tasted it -- no difference -- nothing had changed -- I tried one more time -- and then I noticed something
-- this saltshaker has a plastic cap that covers the holes on the top -- it didn't matter how hard I shook it -- until this cap was removed, no salt was coming out -- it was unavailable -- it was not fulfilling its purpose

-- when we're trying to understand this verse, let's not get caught up on semantics or argue about whether salt can really lose its saltiness or not
-- the point that Jesus is trying to make here -- the question that He's asking us this morning is, "Are My people actively involved in the affairs of this world to the point where they are having an influence on the people around them?" -- or, to make it more personal, "Are we living out our character in such a way that we are preserving and seasoning and purifying those we come into contact with?
-- are we available to the world around us or have we lost our saltiness?

-- remember what this verse is all about -- Jesus isn't challenging us to become salt -- He's not saying that if we follow Him that eventually we will become salty in our nature -- no, Jesus says that we are salt and that we are either fulfilling or failing to live out the responsibility that goes along with it
-- either you are living a salty life by preserving and seasoning and purifying everything and everyone that you come into contact with or you are not -- there is no middle ground -- and Jesus offers harsh words for those who have lost their saltiness
-- what good are those who have lost their saltiness -- who have made themselves unavailable to the world -- Jesus says they are not good for anything

III. Closing
-- in one of his messages, John Stott quoted Robert Bellah, a sociologist who teaches at the University of California at Berkeley -- Bellah's focus of research is on the influence of religion on a community -- in other words, can a community of faith have an effect on those around them?
-- In an interview in Psychology Today Bellah said, "We should not underestimate the significance of the small group of people who have a new vision of a just and gentle world -- the quality of a culture may be changed when [just] 2 percent of its people have a new vision."
-- we have more than 2 percent of the population in our community represented here this morning -- so, why aren't we having more effect? -- why aren't we having more influence?
-- any cook will tell you that it just takes a little bit of salt to change the entire flavor
of a dish of food -- if we are salt, as Jesus says we are, then why aren't we having more of an impact on the world around us?
-- have we lost our saltiness? -- are we keeping our salt in the shaker away from the world that we are called to minister to?

-- we need to start thinking of this sanctuary as a salt shaker -- we can come in here once a week -- we can fellowship with all the other salt -- we can worship together and have a good time and think that our job is accomplished -- but really, we're just sitting in a shaker with the cap on
-- God wants us to be available to this world -- He brought us together in this place as His salt so He could shake us out on the world around us -- He wants us to be an influence for Jesus -- He wants us to preserve and season and purify this community for Him

-- the question that I want to leave you with this morning is this -- have you lost your saltiness? -- is your Christianity only lived out inside this salt shaker of a sanctuary?
-- salt sitting in a shaker has lost its saltiness -- it can't fulfill its purpose -- it will never exert its preservative and curing effect until it is shaken into the world around it
-- Jesus called us salt -- He wants us to permeate and penetrate every level of society and to season this world -- but you can't do that sitting in a shaker and just coming to church every Sunday and doing nothing more
-- as I close in prayer, think about these questions -- are you sitting or are you shaking? -- have you lost your saltiness or are you living as the salt of the earth?

-- let us pray