MARK 8:27-38 | WILL WORK FOR GOD

WILL WORK FOR GOD

MARK 8:27-38

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

WE SEE THEM IN BIG CITIES AND SMALL TOWNS LIKE OURS.  WE SEE THEM STANDING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND SOMETIMES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!

WE SEE THEM AT THE ENTRANCE TO OVERSEAS MARKET, AND ACROSS THE STREET IN FRONT OF HOME DEPOT.

THEIR HAND SCRAWLED SIGNS ON PIECES OF OLD CARDBOARD BOX READ:

“WILL WORK FOR FOOD.”

SOMETIMES THEIR MESSAGES ARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT – GIVING US A GLIMPSE INTO HOW THEY GOT WHERE THEY ARE IN LIFE;

OTHER TIMES, LIKE FOR THE ONES IN FRONT OF HOME DEPOT, THEY WILL LIST THEIR SKILLS AND TALENTS, HOPING YOU WILL TAKE THEM HOME TO HELP YOU FINISH UP THAT PROJECT THAT NEEDS MORE SETS OF HANDS THAN YOU HAVE.

SOME OF THEM ARE SINCERE – THEY REALLY MEAN IT – THEY WILL WORK FOR FOOD OR PAY; OTHERS ARE NOT, SIMPLY HOPING THAT YOU WILL TOSS THEM A DOLLAR AS YOU PASS BY.

SOME WILL WRITE FUNNY MESSAGES ON THEIR SIGNS ABOUT HOW THEY REALLY INTEND TO USE THE MONEY TO BUY BEER, HOPING THEIR HONESTY AND SENSE OF HUMOR SPARKS SOMETHING IN YOU TO GIVE.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS ON THE HOMELESS TELL US THAT TOSSING THESE FOLKS A DOLLAR IS A TERRIBLE WAY TO “HELP THEM,” AND SUGGEST THAT WE SUPPORT THE AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND PROGRAMS THAT TRULY HELP PEOPLE; WHICH, OF COURSE, IS WHAT WE DO AS A CHURCH.

NOW DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAVE STARTED THIS MORNING’S SERMON IN THIS WAY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW; AND MOST OF US WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW, THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS MORNING.

THESE ARE NOT THE FOLKS ON WHICH I WANT TO FOCUS;

INSTEAD, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT US; AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SIGNS YOU ARE HOLDING IN YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW; OR HAVE PROBABLY PLACED IN THE PEW BESIDE YOU AT THIS POINT.

WILL WORK FOR GOD.

THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING – WORKING FOR GOD; AND THE “WHO” I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS US.

AND WHAT I HOPE WILL REALLY PLEASE YOU THIS MORNING IS THAT I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD BE WORKING HARDER; OR DOING MORE;

NO, THIS MORNING, I WANT TO DO A LITTLE CHEERLEADING; A LITTLE CELEBRATING; A LITTLE BRAGGING, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT THE WORK WE DO FOR GOD.

THIS PAST MONDAY WAS LABOR DAY – THE DAY OUR NATION CELEBRATES THE WORK WE DO… BY MOST OF US TAKING A DAY OFF FROM WORK.

I KNOW – THAT SEEMS SORT OF COUNTERINTUITIVE, DOESN’T IT?  CELEBRATING WORK – OUR LABORS – BY NOT WORKING!?!

IT REMINDS ME OF BACK IN THE DAY, WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, AND HOW THEY WOULD SUSPEND STUDENTS FOR SKIPPING SCHOOL.

YOU PUNISH KIDS FOR NOT COMING TO SCHOOL BY TELLING THEM THEY CAN’T COME TO SCHOOL FOR THREE DAYS!?!

I’M SURE IN DAYS OF YORE, AND PERHAPS STILL TODAY IN SOME OF THE LARGER, MORE INDUSTRIALIZED PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, PEOPLE STILL CELEBRATE LABOR DAY WITH PARADES, LABOR UNION RALLIES, SPEECHES ABOUT HARDWORKING AMERICANS, ETC.;

BUT TODAY MOST OF US CELEBRATE LABOR DAY MORE AS THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER – ON THE BOAT, IN THE POOL, AT THE GRILL, OR CATCHING UP ON HOUSE WORK OR YARD WORK OR BY DOING LITTLE WORK PROJECTS THAN BY ACTUALLY CELEBRATING OUR WORKING NATION.

THIS MORNING, HOWEVER, AS I WAS SAYING, I WANT TO CELEBRATE OUR WORKING FOR GOD BY BRAGGING ABOUT IT A BIT.

NOW I KNOW THIS TOO IS SORT OF COUNTERINTUITIVE BECAUSE AS CHRISTIANS, AND AS THE CHURCH, IT IS OUR NATURE TO DO GOD’S WORK QUIETLY; UNASSUMING; WITHOUT FANFARE AND REALLY, WITHOUT TAKING CREDIT;

“THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST, AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST…” AND ALL THAT!

“DO GOOD WORKS – JUST DON’T LET YOUR LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHT HAND IS DOING.” – MT. 6:3

“DO NOT BE BOASTFUL, PROVOKING OTHERS TO ENVY.”  – GL. 5:6

“BEWARE OF PRACTICING YOU PIETY BEFORE OTHERS IN ORDER TO BE SEEN BY THEM; FOR YOU HAVE NO REWARD FROM YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.” – MT. 6:1

BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT; – NOT ABOUT DOING GOOD WORKS, GOD’S WORK SO THAT OTHERS WILL SEE IT – WILL SEE US;

NO, WHAT I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT TOGETHER THIS MORNING IS THAT OUR WORKING FOR GOD IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED; SOMETHING TO BE ENJOYED; SOMETHING THAT IS HONORABLE, TRUE, AND JUST.

GOOD WORKS ARE NOT OUR ONLY EXPRESSION OF OUR FAITH IN GOD, BUT THEY ARE ONE OF THE MORE TANGIBLE WAYS WE SHOW WHAT WE BELIEVE.

IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING JESUS TELLS THOSE WHO WANT TO FOLLOW HIM “TO DENY THEMSELVES, TAKE UP THEIR CROSS, AND FOLLOW HIM.”

THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT BEING FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST CALLS UPON US, AT TIMES, TO DENY OURSELVES; THAT IT COSTS US SOMETHING; AND THAT WE MUST MAKE SACRIFICES.

SOME OF THEM ARE PRETTY SIMPLE: WE HAVE GIVEN UP OUR SUNDAY OF SLEEPING IN, OR READING THE NEW YORK TIMES TO BE HERE THIS MORNING; INSTEAD OF BRUNCHING WITH FRIENDS OR GETTING AN EARLY START ON THE WATER TODAY WE ARE IN CHURCH.

LATER IN THE SERVICE MOST OF US WILL GIVE UP A PORTION OF WHAT WE HAVE EARNED, AND FOR MANY OF YOU, A VERY LARGE PORTION OF WHAT YOU HAVE EARNED FOR THE WORK OF GOD’S CHURCH.

SOME OF YOU HAVE SACRIFICED NOT ONLY YOUR SUNDAY, BUT YOUR SATURDAY NIGHT OF STAYING OUT LATE TO BE HERE;

AND STILL OTHERS OF YOU HAVE GIVEN UP NOT ONLY SUNDAY MORNING AND SATURDAY NIGHT, BUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS WELL, TO BE HERE FOR CHOIR PRACTICE.  AND MAYBE YOU WERE HERE ANOTHER NIGHT THIS PAST WEEK FOR A COMMITTEE MEETING.

OF COURSE THERE ARE MUCH GREATER SACRIFICES THAN THESE THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE MADE “IN DENYING THEMSELVES AND TAKING UP THEIR CROSSES” SO THESE SEEM HARDLY WORTH MENTIONING.

SOME OF THOSE WHO ARE CHRISTIANS TODAY, IN PLACES OF PERSECUTION AND VIOLENCE, ARE STILL, LITERALLY, GIVING UP THEIR LIVES FOR THAT IN WHICH THEY BELIEVE;

AND THAT IS WORTH NOTING, ALWAYS;

BUT LET US NOT LOSE SIGHT OF OUR CELEBRATING WHAT WE DO WHEN WE WORK FOR GOD.

THERE IS PLENTY TO CELEBRATE RIGHT HERE – AT CHURCH, AND ON THESE GROUNDS, BECAUSE MANY OF YOU ARE OFTEN HARD AT WORK, BEHIND THE SCENES, COUNTING MONEY, GOING TO THE BANK, FIXING ELECTRICAL AND AIR CONDITIONING  PROBLEMS; PLUMBING AND PAINTING PROJECTS; SETTING UP THE SANCTUARY FOR WORSHIP, ETC.

STILL OTHERS OF YOU STEP OUTSIDE THE BUILDING – STILL DOING THE WORK OF THE CHURCH – BY VISITING OUR HOMEBOUND MEMBERS, TAKING THEM MEALS, SENDING CARDS TO OUR SICK AND THOSE RECOVERING FROM SURGERY.

PRAYING FOR OUR CHURCH, THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE WORLD – IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ALL OF US DO IN WORKING FOR GOD.

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL TO KNOW THAT DOZENS AND DOZENS OF CHILDREN THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY HAVE HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL THIS YEAR WITH BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES PROVIDED BY YOU?

DID YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE USED A PORTION OF YOUR GIVING TO HELP PARTICULAR CHILDREN IN NEED, IDENTIFIED BY THEIR TEACHERS, WHO ARE COMING TO SCHOOL IN NEED OF SHOES, CLOTHES, AND OTHER BASICS?

IN SHARING WITH ANOTHER PASTOR RECENTLY I WAS ABLE TO DESCRIBE OUR ANNUAL KID’S COINS COLLECTION THAT PROVIDES SCHOOLING AND HEALTHCARE FOR OUR ADOPTED CHILDREN IN HAITI (THEY HAVE A SIMILAR PROGRAM IN THEIR CHURCH FOR MISSIONS).

EVERY MONTH WE RECEIVE THANK YOU NOTES FROM OUR DENOMINATION FOR OUR SUPPORT OF MISSIONARIES IN MALAWI AND MADAGASCAR.

THIS PAST SUMMER WE HELPED WITH NOT ONE, BUT TWO NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMER VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS, SOME OF YOU BY HELPING OUT PERSONALLY, OTHERS BY PROVIDING MONEY AND RESOURCES.

RECENTLY, BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PASTOR’S DISCRETION FUND, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP A WOMAN WHO HAD ESCAPED VIOLENCE AND ABUSE TO RELOCATE TO A SAFER, MORE SECURE LOCATION.

EVERY DAY WE ARE PROVIDING SPACE IN WHICH SOME OF THE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE BEING EDUCATED; WE HELP EXPECTANT AND NEW MOTHERS; ASSIST PEOPLE IN GETTING OFF THE STREETS AND AWAY FROM ADDICTION.

THROUGH OUR SUPPORT OF OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WE ARE PROVIDING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS; TUTORING PROGRAMS; HELPING LOST AND RUNAWAY TEENAGERS.

THROUGH OUR GIVING TO 2 CENTS A MEAL AND OUR FOOD DONATIONS TO THE FISH AND LOAVES FOOD PANTRY WE ARE FEEDING PEOPLE.

DID YOU KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TROPICAL FLORIDA PRESBYTERY AND THE FLORIDA KEYS OUTREACH COALITION, THAT BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE FUNNELED NEARLY $60,000 INTO HELPING WITH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY?

RECENTLY, WE HAVE SUPPORTED EVERYTHING FROM PROVIDING BIBLES TO OUR TROOPS, TO HELPING AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A PHYSICAL CHALLENGE, TO SUPPORTING SUMMER JOB CREATION IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO PROVIDING CLEAN DRINKING WATER TO PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD.

WERE WE TO CONSIDER THE SUPPORT WE GIVE THROUGH OUR NATIONAL DENOMINATION AND THROUGH THE FOUR SPECIAL OFFERINGS WE RECEIVE TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS, WE COULD EXPONENTIALLY INCREASE THE “WILL WORK FOR GOD” WE DO AROUND THE GLOBE.

AND WHILE I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PEACE COVENANT IN PARTICULAR, LET’S ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE THIS MORNING VISITING FROM ELSEWHERE REPRESENT CHURCHES IN OTHER PLACES DOING EQUALLY WONDERFUL WORK WHERE YOU LIVE.

AND THIS DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL THE STORY OF YOU – THE CHURCH – AT WORK IN THE WORLD EVERYDAY WHEREVER YOU ARE; FOR THAT FOR WHICH YOU VOLUNTEER; OR SUPPORT WITH YOUR GIVING; OR GO-TO-BAT-FOR IN YOUR DAILY LIVES.

IT DOESN’T BEGIN TO INCLUDE THE WAYS YOU “LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELVES” WHERE YOU ARE; WHERE YOU LIVE; WHERE YOU WORK; WHERE YOU SERVE GOD BY SERVING OTHERS.

AND IT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE WAYS THAT WE GO ABOUT OUR JOBS, AND OUR LIVES, AND OUR FAITH IN QUIET, UNASSUMING WAYS; IN OUR FAMILIES, IN RAISING OUR CHILDREN, IN OUR SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, AT OUR WORK, AND HOW WE LIVE OUT OUR FAITH EVERYDAY.

AGAIN, MY POINT IS NOT FOR US TO PUT OUR THUMBS IN OUR LAPELS, BOW OUT OUR CHESTS, AND SAY: “LOOK AT ME!”

IT IS TO REMIND US OF THE GOOD FEELINGS, THE GOOD WORK, THE LIFE CHANGING WORK, SOMETIMES, WE DO FOR OTHERS, AND FOR OURSELVES, WHENEVER “WE WORK FOR GOD.”

WE DO NOT BOAST, BUT NEITHER, AS OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING REMINDS, ARE WE TO BE ASHAMED OF CHRIST AND OF OUR WORK FOR THE GOSPEL.

IN THE FACE OF THE EVERYDAY BAD NEWS WE SEE, AND HEAR, AND READ, THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS BEING LIVED OUT BY BELIEVERS ALL OVER THIS NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD!

OUR GOAL AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST IS NOT TO “PROFIT FROM GAINING THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSING OUR LIVES;”

BUT TO LOSE OUR LIVES FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, AND IN SO LOSING OURSELVES IN THE WORK OF GOD, FIND OUR TRUEST AND BEST SELVES.

THIS IS WHAT JESUS MEANT WHEN HE SAID THAT THOSE WHO “LOSE THEIR LIVES FOR MY SAKE, WILL FIND THEM.”

HE DIDN’T JUST MEAN WE HAVE TO LITERALLY LOSE OUR LIVES FOR HIM, THOUGH CERTAINLY THERE ARE THOSE THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND EVEN TODAY WHO HAVE;

BUT RATHER, LOSING OURSELVES LIKE ONE LOSES THEMSELVES IN LOVING SOMEONE ELSE – “LOST IN LOVE;”

OR “LOST IN THOUGHT;” OR “LOST IN THE MOMENT;”

THAT IS, SO CAUGHT UP IN IT, SO IMMERSED IN IT, SO CONSUMED BY IT, THAT WHATEVER IT IS AND WHOEVER WE ARE, SOMEHOW BECOME AS ONE;

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO AS BELIEVERS MELDED TOGETHER IN ONE.

AS CHRISTIANS WE DO NOT “WORK FOR GOD” IN ORDER TO CURRY GOD’S FAVOR; TO EARN GOD’S LOVE; TO WIN OUR SALVATION;

INSTEAD, AND PRECISELY BECAUSE GOD LOVES US – WE WANT TO WORK FOR GOD.

OUR LIVES OF FAITH AND WORKS DO NOT EARN US ANYTHING, BUT THEY ARE INSTEAD, INDEED, AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF AN INWARD FEELING OF BEING LOVED BY GOD.

SO TAKE YOUR “WILL WORK FOR GOD” SIGN WITH YOU THIS MORNING AND USE IT – EVEN IF THE WORDS ARE ONLY WRITTEN ON YOUR HEART, AND ON YOUR MIND, AND IN YOUR SOUL – AND USE YOUR STRENGTH TO WORK FOR GOD BY WORKING FOR OTHERS.

AS YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED, BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

RAH, RAH, SIS BOOM BAH!!  MY CHEERLEADING FOR THIS MORNING!