I believe that last year’s faith and work initiative was incredibly successful. I have heard positive feedback from the leadership boards at both churches and have received encouraging remarks from many parishioners and community members at-large. I hope that we have all gained a new perspective on our own work, increased our appreciation for other jobs, and have received insight into how we can connect our Sunday worship to our Monday work, regardless of vocation. I hope that we will all continue to implement the principles we have learned and be inspired by the testimonies we have heard from each other. We will continually pray for the legislators, farmers, educators, fire/rescue personnel that we have commissioned, and we will remember to pray for people who represent other types of work in our church and community. But it is now a new year and it is time to focus on other important issues!

As we implemented last year’s vision, very quietly and under the radar, I had been seeking the Lord for a new vision for this year. And as it turned out, my trip to China in August had a more profound effect on my life than I could have imagined. It has caused me to think about the church and the world in fresh ways. Likewise, my ongoing participation in the Ockenga Fellows Program has stirred my mind and enflamed my heart. Through both of these endeavors, the Lord answered my prayer about this year’s initiative for our church community. Back in November, he crystalized some thoughts in my mind and enflamed some passions in my soul, and led me to the vision of culture, community, and civility. I have vetted this tripartite vision with our church leaders an am excited to unpack it with you today.

Therefore, this morning’s sermon will actually comprise three mini-sermons where I will establish the biblical precedent for each of these focal points and paint a picture of how our church family will engage them throughout the year.

 

Reflecting Kingdom Culture

Our first goal for 2016 is to reflect kingdom culture. By this, I mean that we will highlight the incredible diversity within the body of Christ. The kingdom of God is comprised of people from different genders, races, ethnicities, languages, cultures, and theological and socio-economic backgrounds. Here are a couple of biblical passages that emphasize this:

Galatians 3:26-29– You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Matthew 28:19-20– Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

 

The Galatians passage speaks to the fact that, as Christians, our common faith in Jesus Christ breaks down the walls that have been erected by the sinful postures of racism, sexism, and prejudice. Likewise, the Great Commission passage in Matthew 28 reminds us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for people of all nations, not just people who look and talk like us. The Greek word translated here as “nations” is (ethne) which literally means ethnicities. The mission of the Christian church is to share the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to people of all ethnicities.

Unfortunately, the Christian church has struggled with reflecting kingdom culture. Eleven o’clock on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour of the week in America. Attitudes of cultural arrogance continue to persist in the minds and hearts of Jesus’ followers, which means that we still have a lot of work to do.

We would all do well to remember the chorus from the children’s song:

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white, they’re all precious in his sight.

Jesus love the little children of the world.

So, how can our church reflect kingdom culture? Well, it is really difficult to build a multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual church in an area that is 97% white Caucasian American English speakers. This will not be our goal. Rather, we will host a series of guest speakers that represent the diversity in the kingdom of God. Throughout this year I am excited to introduce you all to my good friends:

• Jonatan Toledo, who is from the Dominican Republic and is the children’s pastor at Lion of Judah, a largely Hispanic Baptist church in Boston
• Ken Lui, a Taiwanese-American Presbyterian pastor from Brookline, MA
• Xi Yi Yao, a Chinese Missiologist at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (one of my guides for my trip to China)
• David and Feruza Krason, missionaries to the middle eastern country of Uzbekistan (Feruza is a native Uzbek and has been translating the Bible into her native language)
• Gabriel and Rebecca Boucher, from YWAM in Dunham, Quebec (Gabriel is from Quebec and Rebecca grew up in Marseille, France)

 

I trust that these friends will expand our vision of the many cultures in the kingdom of God!

 

Engage Kingdom Community

Our second goal for 2016 is to engage kingdom community. By this, I mean that we will seek to gain a better understanding and engage the human needs represented right here in our local communities. Here are a couple of Bible verses that speak to this initiative:

Proverbs 11:10– When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.

Matthew 5:15-16– 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. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The Proverbs passage highlights that fact that when God’s people engage the community, everyone is blessed. The whole village, town, or city ought to benefit from the prosperity of the righteous. On the contrary, when the wicked prosper, they keep all of the benefits to themselves, and the whole community suffers.

In the Matthew passage, Jesus reminds us that it is our Christian duty to shine our light into the world. We do not keep our good deeds for ourselves, but we share them with the community at-large so that everyone may give praise to God in heaven.

Along with our series of guest speakers from different cultures, we will also host a series of guest speakers to help us better understand the needs in our communities and how we can engage in ministry to meet them. I am thrilled to announce that we will hear from:

• Bonnie Gatchell from Route 1 Ministries in Boston, a ministry that deals with human trafficking and women who are exploited in the sex industry.
• Bob Begley from Martha’s Kitchen in St. Albans. Bob will speak to us about the issues of hunger and homelessness in our area.
• Pastors Pete and Jo Fiske from the Church at Prison, who will help us understand the needs of the incarcerated and those transitioning from prison to the community.
• DCF/NFI- They will share with us about the incredible need for foster care in our county.
• Beth Crane from Watershed Mentoring, who will present opportunities for mentoring youth
• Sheriff Bob Norris, who will help us understand issues of crime and substance abuse in our area.

I am confident that each one of these speakers will help us to be more aware and sensitive to the needs of our communities and to engage them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Practicing Kingdom Civility

And finally, our third goal for 2016 is to practice kingdom civility. The term civility means formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech. Unfortunately, civility is not very common in our society today. We seem to be living in an era where people either err on the side of oversensitive political correctness where language becomes so ambiguous it actually becomes unintelligible or an arrogant bombastic attitude that says “my freedom of speech gives me the right to say whatever I want to whomever I want whenever I want…if you don’t like it, too bad for you!”

Likewise, we are living in a time where the “us against them” mentality is pervasive in almost every discussion, whether it is religion, politics, social issues, or sports. It is fashionable to denigrate and even demonize everyone with who we disagree. We see this type of rhetoric on news shows, newspaper headlines, and even Facebook posts every day, but instead, God wants us to practice kingdom civility. Look at these two New Testament passages:

Hebrews 12:14-15– Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Romans 12:10-21– Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Allow me to conclude with a wonderful quote about civility from St. Therese of Lisieux. In her little book The Story of the Soul, she says:

Dear Lord, there is this other nun who really irritates me by whatever she says or does and I know that the devil is very much mixed up in it because “it was certainly him who made me see so many disagreeable traits in her and I didn’t want to give way to my natural dislike of her so I told myself that charity should not only be a matter of feeling but should show itself in deeds; so I set myself to do for this sister what I should do for someone that I love most dearly, so every time I met her I prayed for her and offered God all of her virtues and her merits and I’m sure that this would greatly delight you Jesus, for every artist likes to have his works praised and the divine artist is pleased when we do not halt the exterior of the sanctuary where he has chosen to dwell, but that we go inside and admire its beauty.

 

            It is my goal and hope that we will all praise the divine artist by growing in our practice of civility in 2016! I will preach a number of sermons on this important topic and I hope to have Dr. Douglas Birdsall, founder of The Civilitas Group come and speak to us about being civil in an uncivil age!

 

Conclusion

            Culture, community, and civility! I think that 2016 is going to be a good year!

“At most you will spend about 5 percent of your waking hours in church. 95 percent of your life you spend in the world. The scorecard is about the 95 percent out in the world—Pastor Victor Penz

 

1.) Ethics

• Philippians 1:27– Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12– Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
• God calls Christians to exemplify the highest ethical code of conduct in our lives and workplaces.
• Consistent moral conduct builds respect, trust, and admiration. If our integrity is compromised, we lose our credibility.

 

2.) Excellence

• Colossians 3:23-24– Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
• So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
• God has called Christians to a standard of excellence in everything they do, including their work!
• “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” — Martin Luther

 

3.) Endurance

• 1 Corinthians 4:12-13- We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly.
• 1Corinthians 15:58– Be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as we know, our labor is not in vain in the Lord.
• God calls Christians to work hard and endure whatever displeasures we face.
• “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.” -William Barclay

4.) Encouragement

• 1 Thessalonians 4:11-16- Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
• Ephesians 4:29-32– Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
• God calls Christians to encourage people. He wants us to inspire people with hope, courage, and support.
• “I’m tired boss…mostly I’m tired of people being ugly toward each other. I’m tired of all of the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There’s too much of it. It’s like pieces of glass in my head all the time. —John Coffey, in The Green Mile

 

5.) Evangelism

• Acts 1:8– But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
• God calls Christians to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people wherever we go.
• 2 Timothy 4:1-2 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season.
• We must be ready to share our faith with others when God gives us opportunities.
• “It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor.” —Martin Luther

 

Evangelism Approaches

• Build good relationships at your workplace.
• Pray for your boss, coworkers, clients, etc.
• Share your personal story of faith.
• Invite co-workers to come to church or a church function with you.

 

6.) Entrepreneurism

• Proverbs 11:10– When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.
• Romans 12:6-8– We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
• God gifts and calls some Christians to start businesses and organizations to expand his kingdom.
• Some ventures are primarily evangelistic, but others focus on alleviating human suffering or promoting the common good in society (Social, Nutritional, Medical, Political, Economic, Educational)

 

Harry Ironside was an influential evangelist and pastor during the first half of the 20^th century. When he was a boy, he worked for Dan Mackay, a Scottish shoemaker, or “cobbler,” as he preferred to be called. The humble cobbler was a forthright Christian and his little shop was a real testimony for Christ in the neighborhood.

On the little counter in front of the bench on which the owner of the shop sat, was a Bible, generally open. This caused many customers to ask religious questions and Mackay took these opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. Over the years, many people professed Christian faith right there in the cobbler shop.

It was Harry’s chief responsibility to pound leather for shoe soles. A piece of cowhide would be cut to suite, then soaked in water. He had a flat piece of iron over his knees and, with a flat-headed hammer, he pounded these soles until they were hard and dry. It was a tedious process and it often seemed unnecessary to the young apprentice.

What made his task worse was the fact that, a block away, there was another cobbler shop, and in it sat a jolly, godless cobbler who gathered the boys of the neighborhood about him and regaled them with lewd tales that made him dreaded by respectable parents as a menace to the community. Yet, somehow, he seemed to thrive and that perhaps to a greater extent than Harry’s employer. Harry noticed that he never pounded the soles at all, but took them from the water, nailed them on, damp as they were, and with the water splashing from them as he hammered each nail.

One day Harry ventured inside and asked, “I notice you put the soles on while still wet. Are they just as good as if they were pounded?” He gave him a wicked leer as he answered, “They come back all the quicker this way, my boy!”

“Feeling he had learned something, he related the instance to his boss and suggested that he was perhaps wasting time in drying out the leather so carefully. Mr. Mackay stopped his work and opened his Bible to the passage that reads, “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of god.” “Harry,” he said, “I do not cobble shoes just for the 50 or 75 cents that I get from my customers. I am doing this for the glory of God. I expect to see every shoe I have ever repaired in a big pile at the judgment seat of Christ, and I do not want the Lord to say to me in that day, ‘Dan, this was a poor job. You did not do your best here.’ I want Him to be able to say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”

Then he went on to explain that just as some men are called to preach, so he was called to fix shoes, and that only as he did this well would his testimony count for God. It was a lesson Harry was never able to forget. For the rest of his life, he said, “Often when I was tempted to be carelessness, and to slipshod effort, I have thought of dear, devoted Dan Mackay, and it has stirred me up to seek to do all as for Him who died to redeem me.

 

On Friday, September 8, 2015, a perfect storm was brewing over north western Texas. With most of the area suffering from months of severe drought conditions, combined with wind gusts of 65 mph, all that was needed was a spark to create a nightmare.
That spark came at 9:40 a.m., when the Iowa Park Fire Department was called to a brush fire on the side of US RT 287. By the end of the day, 14 homes plus several outbuildings, oil equipment, power lines, and animals were lost. More than 100 families were evacuated by emergency personnel more than the 11,700 acres burned, but thanks to the efforts of firemen and rescue workers from several communities, plus help from the Texas Forest Service, there were no human casualties; just a few cases of minor smoke inhalation were reported.

            In the days following the ferocious fires, hundreds of community members sent public thank you letters to the Iowa Park fire department. Here are a few of those letters:

I’m not sure words could ever express the gratitude of so many people to all of the volunteers who helped fight the massive wildfires over the past weekend. Although our home was never in immediate danger, it was much too close for comfort. The hours these volunteers spend away from their own homes and families can never be replaced. The families of these heroes deserve recognition, as well. A strong support system is a must for this type of dedication. It is sad that it takes a tragedy such as this to let these people know how much we appreciate them…What a great place to live! Again, thank you everyone!
James and Darla Jordan

Thank you to everyone who worked and fought so hard and diligently to contain the fire in the 367 W area on Friday. There are no words to completely express our deepest gratitude to ALL. Emergency and utility crews from all over passed by us as we waited for news on our home. Each of these crews were God-sent to us and may they be blessed abundantly for their service.
Again, thank you to ALL. We feel blessed our home was saved, but we have neighbors that lost everything. Please pray for healing and lend support to these families. Always support your area fire departments, you never know when you will need them. Iowa Park is a great place to live.
Mark and Tammie Patterson
We would like to thank the volunteer firefighters for their tireless efforts to control the fires this past weekend. A very special thanks to the Iowa Park Fire Department. After three days of fighting fires they quickly responded to the fire of our barns on Sunday evening. Even though they were fatigued, they fought very hard and were able to save one barn that would have burned. We so appreciate their dedication to the residents of Iowa Park.
Judy and Mike Mitchell

 

What wonderful letters from an appreciative community! When you sacrifice for people or serve someone, it sure is nice to be thanked. Some kind words and a thank you card goes a long way toward expressing gratitude and appreciation. This is precisely why we have organized today’s service: to recognize, thank, and pray for our local fire and rescue workers.

Although fire departments and rescue workers didn’t exist in Bible times (at least not in the way we think about them today), the Bible does express the theme of thanking God and the people who do good work in the community. In verses 2-3 of today’s Scripture reading, the Apostle Paul thanks God for the “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” of the church in the city of Thessalonica. Paul started this church by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, but was forced to leave town because of the growing persecution. As the months passed, he was deeply concerned about the condition of the congregation. But now that he had recently heard a positive report about the church, he sent them this letter to personally thank them for their faithfulness and to encourage them to keep up the good work.

 

Turning from Idols (9)

There are so many things that I would like to tell you about this whole passage, but I will reserve those comments for another day. Today I want to zoom in on just verses 9-10, which is the heart of Paul’s message. The news of the Thessalonians faith and faithfulness was spreading all over the Mediterranean world, all the way to the regions of Macedonia and Achaia. Even in the midst of fierce persecution, their faith was thriving.

So, how did these Thessalonians become Christians? Verse 9 says that “they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” The Thessalonians were Greco-Roman people; they were pantheistic, which means that they worshiped all sorts of created things like the sun, moon, stars, planets, and trinkets that were fashioned out of wood, stone, clay, or metal. They believed that these inanimate objects had special power to help them and make their lives better. But when they heard Paul’s message about Jesus Christ, they repented from their idolatry and put their faith in the only true and living God. They became Christians and started worshiping the Creator rather than the creation. They left their idols behind and made a commitment to follow the one true God.

            This verse compels us to reckon with the commitments of our own hearts. It forces us to face our own idolatry. What is an idol? It is anything we worship other than God, and it is just as prevalent today as it was in Greco-Roman times. I don’t know very many people who worship the sun, moon, or stars today, but you don’t have to look very far to find people worshipping money, material possessions, work, hobbies, nature, or even their own kids. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have things or that we should quit our jobs or that we shouldn’t love our kids—I am saying that when any of these things becomes more important than God, they are idols.

            We hear idolatrous idioms all the time. Here are a few of my favorites: 1.) “I put in 80 hours at work every week”—and they never have time to attend or serve at church. 2.) “I feel closest to God when I am out in nature”—which is almost always a recreational copout (a form of religion with no accountability to anyone but themselves.) 3.) “I love my kids more than anything in the world”—which sounds like good parenting, but is really flat out idolatry.

            Where is your heart’s commitment? Do you worship the creation or the Creator? Have you repented and turned away from your idols? Do you really serve the only true and living God?

 

Rescued from the Flames (10)

After Paul asserts the necessity of turning from idols to the one true and living God, he continues to unpack the gospel of Jesus Christ by highlighting what Jesus did for us. Christians are to wait patiently for God’s Son, Jesus, who will return to the earth someday.

The biblical gospel, as expressed here in verse 10, is both bad news and good news. The bad news is that everyone will stand before God on Judgment Day and will give an accounting of their life. Since God is eternally holy and perfect, he must judge all sin and evil with eternal punishment. If he didn’t do this, he would not be just, and therefore could not be God. The Bible affirms that this eternal judgment is hell, which is described as a “lake of fire” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This is the “coming wrath” that Paul mentions here. This is bad news indeed, especially because none of us has lived a perfect life. We are all sinners who have fallen vastly short of God’s glory.

But the good news is that those who make a faith commitment to Jesus Christ will be saved from this coming wrath. Jesus died on the cross to offer forgiveness and atonement for our sins. He was raised from the dead to conquer death and offer eternal life in heaven to anyone who would give their life to him.

When you stop and think about it, Jesus, God’s only Son, is really the greatest fire/rescue worker who has ever lived! He is the only one who can save our souls from the coming wrath! He climbed onto a wooden cross to deliver us from the eternal flames. He stretched out his arms to rescue us from the fires of hell!

I think we all wonder where we will go when we die. Will you allow Jesus to rescue you? Will you make a faith commitment to him today?

 

Allow me to conclude with a little story. Rev. Sam and pastored the church in a sleepy little town called Epworth. The large parsonage (or rectory) was located next to the church and Sam and his wife Susanna wasted no time filling the bedrooms—they already had eight children and another one on the way. (After all, what else is there to do in a small town.)

On the fateful night of February 9, a fire sparked in the upstairs and quickly swept through the parsonage that housed the pastor’s family. Around midnight, Rev. Sam was awakened by a shout from the street, “Fire!” He flung open his bedroom door and found his home filling with smoke. He woke Susanna, and his two eldest daughters, then he raced for the nursery where the five youngest children slept. He grabbed the youngest child, Charles, and hastily urged the others to follow his lead out of the house. Three other children did. But little Jacky, who was only five years old, remained sound asleep and hidden by the thick haze.

By the time the family realized that he was still inside, Jacky finally awoke and called out for his mom and dad. His cries were heard from the street, and Rev. Sam darted back into the house and attempted to mount the burning stairs, but hey quickly gave way under his weight.

Fearing Jacky was lost, Rev. Samuel knelt down in the burning hall and commended his soul to God. With the flames licking the ceiling of his room, Jacky attempted to run through a doorway, but found it impossible. He then climbed onto a chest near the window and was spotted by those in the yard downstairs.

While a ladder was called for, one courageous man from the community stood on top of the shoulders of another and reached for the terrified child. At the exact moment the little boy leapt into his rescuer’s arms, the roof came crashing down and fell inward, sending debris and flames into the night sky.

As the rescuer reunited the boy with his family, Rev. Sam cried out with a sense of relief, “Come, neighbors, let us kneel down. Let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go, I am rich enough.”

This fire in Epworth, England happened back in 1709. The pastor’s family bore the surname Wesley. Little Jacky’s real name was John Wesley, the one who would grow up and establish the Methodist church and become one of the greatest preacher’s in Christian history. Reflecting on the life-and-death situation years later, John wrote that he was “a brand plucked from the burning.” Just like the rest of us, God had a mighty purpose for young John Wesley.

Do you believe in the on true and living God? Have you repented from your sin and idolatry? Have you leaped in to Jesus’ arms and been rescued from the flames?

If you pause for a minute and reminisce back to your school days, I would be willing to bet that most of you had a favorite teacher—that is, a teacher who either said or did something that profoundly affected your life. Who was your favorite teacher?

For me personally, I had so many wonderful teachers that it is hard to determine a favorite. I remember Mrs. Barbie, my kindergarten teacher. She hardly looked like a “Barbie” doll, but she was the nicest woman in the world, taught me phonics, and gave me a great academic beginning. I remember Mrs. McKinney, a third grade para-educator who spent extra time with me when I fell behind the rest of my class in reading.

            I remember the concern on Mrs. Ripple’s face when she took me aside and told me that I was in jeopardy of flunking the fifth grade. I also remember her sacrifice her planning periods to help me memorize my states and capitals and get me graduated to junior high school. Not growing up in the church, I remember that it was my Mr. Meahan, my seventh grade social studies teacher, who first exposed me to the Bible and religion when we did a unit on the Middle East. And finally, I distinctly remember suffering from a serious case of “senioritis” during my sophomore year of high school, when my physical education teacher and football coach taught me a great life lesson. Mr. Dettorre always said, “When you do the little things well, the big things take care of themselves.” His words of wisdom were true for football, school, and life!

            As I reflect back over my own school days, I don’t mean to brag (especially among such a crowd of high academic achievers), but I have to tell you: I graduated high school with a whopping 2.6 cumulative grade point average. Now that may not sound very impressive to most of you, but I came from a background of intense trauma and grew up in a family that didn’t value education. My family theme song was Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall.” Do you remember the lyrics: “We don’t need no education; we don’t need no thought control. Hey, teacher, leave those kids alone!”(I guess Pink Floyd never learned that you shouldn’t use double negatives in English grammar). But in all sincerity, if it wasn’t for an outstanding and dedicated team of teachers, I am quite sure that I never would have graduated at all. I thank God for all of the amazing teachers who have influenced my life.

It was Henry Brooks Adams who said, “Teachers affect eternity; they can never tell where their influence ends.” All of us have memories of certain teachers who made a difference to us. Some were in elementary school, some in junior high, some in high school, and some in college. They differ in a thousand ways, but they have this in common: They cared about us, they made a difference, and we are better people because we knew them. Who is your favorite teacher?

 

A Teacher Named Jesus

I met my favorite teacher during my junior year of high school. I was a wayward, angry, cynical, sarcastic, unmotivated, alcoholic, reckless, devious, and destructive teenager, but upon receiving an invitation from a fellow classmate, I stumbled into church one Sunday morning and met the teacher who would alter the course of my life forever. Yes, the name of my all time favorite teacher is Jesus!

            I had never been to church before, but that first Sunday I was so impressed with Jesus’ teachings and the love I experienced from the congregation, that I started attending every week. After about six months of regular church attendance, I became convinced that Jesus was in fact God and that he died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins and he was resurrected on the third day and offers eternal life to anyone who would follow him.

            So, on a cold night in February of my junior year, I prayed to receive Jesus Christ as my teacher, Savior, and Lord. He saved my soul and began replacing the anger, bitterness, and confusion in my heart with love, peace, and joy! I had a genuine conversion experience! Not long after this, Jesus revealed the vocational calling of my life to be a pastor to his people. Ever since that night 20 years ago I have faithfully sat under Jesus’ tutelage. He has taught me so many things and has improved my life in innumerable ways. He is my favorite teacher!

            If you have ever picked up a Bible and read one of the four gospels at the beginning of the New Testament (which are biographies about Jesus), you can’t help but see that Jesus is a master teacher. Even atheistic philosophers acknowledge this fact. Jesus employed all of our most sophisticated teaching tactics long before modern educators coined the terms. Jesus appealed to aural, visual, and kinesthetic learners. He taught by exhortation, image, object lesson, allegory, dialogue, debate, riddle, rhetorical question, proverb, paradox, parable. He utilized the models of co-teaching, student teaching, and internships with his disciples. He was a proponent of place-based education: he taught by the seashore, on the mountains, on the plain, in a boat, in the synagogue, and in the Temple.

Jesus’ curriculum covers a multitude of topics and answers of life’s deepest questions. His lessons not only cover religious topics like God, faith and prayer, but he also taught about practical matters like virtue, character, ethics, morality, sin, money, relationships, marriage, parenting, health, aging, worrying, dying & death, and most importantly heaven and hell—what happens after we die!

I would just say this about Jesus’ teaching: If you find yourself struggling in some area of your life, I encourage you to seek Jesus’ guidance. If you find yourself overwhelmed by some life circumstance, look to Jesus’ wisdom! If are spiritually lost or confused about the meaning and purpose of your life, Jesus not only has the answer—he is the answer! Is Jesus your teacher?

Jesus’ Greatest Lesson

In Mark 12:28-34, Jesus, the master teacher, teaches one of his greatest lessons. One of the teachers of the law came and interrupted Jesus while he was having a debate with a group of religious leaders about the possibility of resurrection. This teachers of the law hated Jesus because he was upsetting the religious status quo of the day. They were looking for a way to get Jesus to incriminate himself so that they could do away with him. This particular teacher thought he was pretty smart when he posed Jesus with the trick question, “Of all of the commandments, which is the most important?”

But this teacher of the law should have known that it is impossible to outfox the wisest and smartest and greatest teacher in human history. Jesus responded by quoting the great Shema from the Book of Deuteronomy, which affirms that there is only one God and that he requires us to love him with our whole heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This one line summarizes the Ten Commandments, reflects the essence of Jesus’ teaching, and outlines the core ethic of Christianity.

Even this teacher of the law recognizes the brilliance of Jesus’ answer. In verses 32-33, he affirms Jesus’ teaching and goes on to make the point that to love God with all of your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself are more important than offering sacrifices and burnt offerings. What he meant by this was that true affection for God and care for people are far more significant than outward acts of religiosity.

When Jesus saw that the teacher had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him anymore questions!

Even 2000 years later, Jesus’ teaching still penetrates our hearts. When the teacher of the law reckoned with the fact that true love for God is more important than all of the religious acts in the world, Jesus said that he was close to the kingdom. But how about us? There are many people today who play religious games with God. They say things like: “Well, I guess I will go to church and just get it over with,” and “I’ll drop my check into the offering plate so I can go to heaven when I die.” God cares about our hearts!

            So, how close are you to the kingdom? Do you really love God with all of your heart? How are you doing at loving the people God has placed in your life?

             They called him Rabbi—“Teacher”—and meant it as a great compliment, for he was indeed the Master Teacher. But no one goes to Heaven simply by calling him Teacher. It is true, but it isn’t enough. For he is more than a teacher; he is also Savior and Lord. He is more than a teacher of moral precepts; he is also the Savior of the world.

            Part of what it means to be saved is admitting that you need salvation, that you can’t save yourself, and that Jesus Christ is the Savior you need. As long as you cling to your own good works as your hope for Heaven, Jesus is not your Savior. To be saved by Jesus means to stop trying to save yourself. When you finally give up on yourself and say, “Lord, I’m a sinner and I know it,” in that moment you have become an excellent candidate for salvation.

So it comes down to this. Is Jesus your Savior? Have you ever turned away from all your good works to trust Jesus Christ and him alone for your salvation? The good news is that Jesus died for you. He paid the price so that by trusting in him alone you could be saved. I invite you to open your heart right now and place your trust in him. In the moment that you do, he will become—not just your Teacher—but your Savior, too.

            As I conclude, let me leave you with the words of Daniel Webster, who said, “If we work on marble it will perish. If we work on brass, time will efface it. If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust. But if we work on men’s immortal minds, if we imbue them with high principles, with just fear of God and love of their fellow-men, we engrave on those tablets something which time cannot efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.”

As we boarded the bus in Beijing on the first morning of the Ockenga Fellows trip to China, our fearless leader, Dr. David Horn, director of the Ockenga Institute at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, led us in a devotional from Psalm 8. This Psalm of David testifies to the majesty of God throughout the earth. As “Emperor Horn” (as we affectionately dubbed him) read the words aloud and elucidated their meaning, I remember thinking about how appropriate this Psalm was for a group of New England pastors as we embarked upon a two week journey to see how God is working in China. Little did I know at the time, but God would continue to impress the refrain of this Psalm, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,” into my heart throughout our expedition.

In this morning’s sermon, I would like to share with you a series of stories from our adventure in China to illustrate some of the key themes imbedded in Psalm 8. As I exposit the Psalm and tell some stories, I hope that you will catch a glimpse of the inspiration that I received from seeing God’s majesty in China.

 

God’s Majesty Displayed in Weakness (1-2)

As soon as our airplane touched down in Beijing and we dropped our luggage off at our hotel, we swiftly headed off to see Tiananmen Square, one of the largest most famous public squares in the whole world. It was first constructed in 1651 and over the years it has been enlarged to cover an area of over 100 acres. The square derives its name from the massive stone Tiananmen (“Gate of Heavenly Peace”) which is situated at the northern end. To the south is the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, where the body of the communist dictator still lies in state.

            It is quite ironic that the name Tiananmen means “Gate of Heavenly Peace” when one considers the history of conflict and carnage that has occurred on that square. Some of you may remember the Tiananmen Square Massacre that took place in 1989, where the Chinese army opened fire on a massive group of demonstrators who were protesting the oppressive Chinese government. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands more were wounded in the clash.

            As I stood in the square and watched droves of modern Chinese soldiers march in mechanical unison, I took a deep breath and tried to imagine what that scene must have looked like in 1989. When I closed my eyes, I could almost hear the harrowing gunshots and haunting screams. I could smell the terror and blood lingering in the square. And that is when something startled me. I felt a hand grip my thigh and latch onto my right leg. At first, I thought it must be a thief trying to pick my pocket, but when I opened my eyes, to my great surprise I saw a little Chinese boy. He must have been only 2 or 3 years old. He squeezed my leg and looked up with a big grin on his face. For a moment, I wondered if he got mixed up and thought that I was his father, but then I saw his parents standing a few feet away shrugging their shoulders and laughing hysterically. The little boy started speaking to me, but I couldn’t understand a single word he said. (I can barely understand my own 2 year old, let alone 2 year old Chinese.)

            After I patted him on the head and spoke to him in English, he released my leg and ran giggling back to his mother. Even with a major language barrier between us, I could easily read the universal parental code on her face. Without uttering a word, she said, “Thank you for being a good sport with my boy.” As I reflected back on those few minutes, I realized the incredible irony of what just took place. I was standing in a place that was infamous for its violence and bloodshed, and this little boy and I shared a moment of gentle innocence and pure love. Truly, God’s majesty was displayed in the gesture and weakness of this little child.

This is exactly what King David was writing about in Psalm 8:2—“Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and avenger.” This means that God often uses the weak to defeat the mighty. His strength is more than sufficient to empower the weakest of men and to overturn the mightiest of foes. We have seen this principle revealed throughout biblical history and I experienced it again in Tiananmen Square less than two weeks ago—a sweet child speaking in the place of totalitarian oppression!

            Have you seen God’s majesty displayed in weakness? I’m sure that we could all bear personal testimony, but the greatest example of this is Jesus dying on the cross. Through his weakness and sacrifice, Jesus triumphed over the strength of his enemies and the oppression of sin!

 

God’s Majesty Displayed in Creation and Creatures (3-4)

Psalm 8 continues with David reasoning that humanity’s position seems insignificant when compared to the majesty of God’s creation: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.” David was familiar with the night sky. In his youth before he became King of Israel he was a lowly shepherd. In his pastoral days, tending his father’s flocks in the hills near Bethlehem, he often slept under the stars. Lying on his back he would survey the constelations above him. He recognized that the heavens, with the moon and stars, were the work of God’s fingers and as he contemplated their greatness and mystery, he cried out: “What is man that you are mindful of him?” Compared to God’s creation of the heavens and earth, humans seem like such an insignificant part of the universe, but it is not true. God is mindful of every human being on earth and he cares deeply about each one!

I pondered this truth multiple times while in China. When I climbed the Great Wall and peered across the jagged and majestic mountains, I was blown away by the work of God’s fingers. It was amazing to contemplate how God could sculpt these massive rocks and then surround them with forests and rivers and lakes. Standing there, I understood the significance that David felt as he considered God’s handiwork in the night sky.

            Likewise, it is easy to feel insignificant when visiting the most populous nation on the planet. China’s has 1,371,890,000 people, which represents almost 19% of the world population. It has more than four times as many people as the United States. Shanghai and Beijing are two of the world’s three largest cities. Shanghai’s population of 24,150,000 people, which is roughly three times larger than New York City. It makes the “Big Apple” look like “the Little Cherry!”

            But even considering the vastness of God’s creation and billions of people on this earth, it is astounding that God knows and cares for every one of us! In Luke 12:7, Jesus tells us that even the very hairs on our head are numbered. Remember that God knows you intimately; he knows everything about you; and he cares for you. Yes, God’s majesty is revealed in his creation and every one of his creatures.

 

God’s Majesty Displayed in Divine and Human Authority (5-8)

In verses 5-8, David moves from the smallness of human beings in comparison to the vastness of the universe to the authority which God has given us on earth. David was astonished that the creator of the galaxies would bestow such a significant role to rule over his creation. Our position of only slight inferiority to the heavenly beings is supremely seen in our authority. Only the supreme God could elevate those so low to a position so high—dominion over creation. Heavenly beings have a spirit but no body. Animals have a body but no spirit. Only humans have both, and they are given authority to rule over the earth.

I saw God’s majesty displayed in human authority when I witnessed the marvelous architectural wonders of China. Certainly the greatest of these was the Great Wall. I had seen many pictures of it, but to walk on it in person was awe-inspiring. The wall was originally conceived by Emperor Qin Shi Huang (c. 259-210 B.C.) in the third century B.C. as a means of preventing incursions from barbarian nomads into the Chinese Empire, the wall is one of the most extensive construction projects ever completed. Over the next millennia, the wall, in its entirety, would extend over 14,000 miles (more than 4 times across the surface of the United States.)

            I also saw God’ majesty displayed when I cycled around the top of the Xian city wall. Xian is one of the oldest cities in the world and served as China’s capital for over 1,000 years. The wall was constructed in 1370 by the Ming Dynasty and is still in mint condition today. The wall is 40ft. high, 50ft. thick, and 9 miles around.

            Finally, I saw another great achievement of human authority when I visited the famed Terracotta Warrior museum outside Xian. This marvelous mausoleum for the first Qin emperor contains over 6,000 life sized terracotta soldiers and horses which the emperor had constructed to protect him during the afterlife. They had remained buried for 2,000 years until two farmers accidently uncovered them while drilling a well in 1974.  

            Gazing upon these architectural feats makes one appreciate human authority, creativity, and effort. But sites like these also raise the potential for people to elevate human ingenuity to the level of idolatry. What I mean is that most people are pretty good at remembering that they have authority to rule over the earth, but few like to acknowledge that God is the one who has given us this authority. We are more apt to hear phrases like “Look at what I have done!” than “Praise to the Lord for what he has given us!” We need to remember that even though we do have authority over this earth, God is the one who has given it to us and that he is still above us. It is his majesty, not ours!

 

I certainly witnessed God’s majesty in every aspect of my trip to China, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity. On the last night of our trip, our director led us in a time of reflection and sharing. He asked us the question, “Of all of the things that you have seen and learned on this trip, what is your biggest take away?” Here was my answer: Wherever you go in this vast world, people are essentially the same!

Even though China is on the other side of the world and the people speak a different language, have a different history, live in a different culture, inhabit a different landscape, eat different food (really different), and are ruled by complexly different government systems, I was most profoundly struck by our similarities. What is it that makes us human beings? We laugh and love; we hurt and hide; we worry and weep. We are all created in God’s image and have been marred by sin of our common forefathers. And just as we all see the same moon and stars and sun in the sky, we all share the same need for Jesus.

            I saw this most clearly when I attended a Chinese house church two Sunday’s ago. After having the privilege of preaching to a congregation that was mostly comprised of young attorneys, we broke into small groups to share prayer requests and pray together. As we went around the circle, do you know what people wanted to pray about? Marital problems, family conflicts, work issues, health concerns, and spiritual guidance! The exact same things that we pray for in our churches here in Vermont!

            Whether we are living in American democracy or Chinese communism, we can join with our brothers and sisters in Christ and proclaim together, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth!”

For a lot of people, winning the lottery is the epitome of the American dream. But for many actual lottery winners, the reality is more like a nightmare.

Evelyn Adams won the New Jersey lottery not just once, but twice, in 1985 and then again in 1986, to the tune of $5.4 million. Today the money is all gone and Adams lives is worse off than when she won the lottery. “Winning the lottery isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. I won the American dream but I lost it, too. It was a very hard fall. It’s called rock bottom. Everybody wanted my money. Everybody had their hand out. I never learned one simple word in the English language—‘No!’ I wish I had the chance to do it all over again. I’d be much smarter about it now.” She also lost money at the slot machines in Atlantic City.

Sometimes what we consider a profit can actually be a loss, and sometimes what we consider a loss is actually a profit. Profit and loss are often thought about in terms of money and material possessions. A Profit & Loss report shows how much money has been earned and spent during a particular period of time. If you have ever owned a business, been the treasurer of an organization, or kept a strict personal budget, you know what a profit and loss report looks like.
Many people also keep track of their spiritual profits and losses. Now I don’t know anyone who actually does this on paper, but in their minds, they tally up their good deeds and compare them with the sins they have committed, and as long as their good deeds (profits) outweigh their sins (losses) they believe they will go to heaven when they die.

            But just like the financial world, profit can be loss and loss can be profit in the spiritual world.  This is the lesson that the Apostle Paul learned in his own life and it is the lesson he wants us to learn this morning.  Let’s see what he means!

                                                                       

True Christians (1-3)

Paul begins by contrasting false teachers with true Christians. He says that believers comprise the true “circumcision”. His use of the pronoun “we” shows that he includes himself and the Philippians in this group. Paul, or course, was a circumcised Jew, and the Philippian church was probably composed of entirely uncircumcised Gentiles. The common ground between them is their commitment to the gospel. As believers, Paul says, they are the true people of God, the true circumcision. (Thielman 167)

Physical circumcision was no longer a sign of right standing with God. Now the true people of God are known by three characteristics: They “worship by the Spirit”, “glory in Christ”, and “put no confidence in the flesh”. Christians are the ones who worship properly because they are directed by God’s Spirit rather than be trapped in external rules and rituals. True Christians do not put confidence in themselves, neither in the ritual of circumcision, nor in obeying the law. They do not take glory or boast in anything they do. They only boast and brag about Jesus Christ!

This stands radically opposed to the false teachers who said the Gentiles had to be circumcised to be acceptable to God. The Philippians had to make a choice—glory in Christ or in human religious achievement.

And we also have to make the same choice today! Are we going to glory in Christ or are we going to rely on our moral and religious achievement? Genuine believers have their complete hope and confidence in Christ’s finished work on the cross, not in themselves being good people, law abiding citizens, morally faithful, or even being religious. The Judaizers were religious people and moral citizens, but they were not Christians. Where do you put your confidence? (Anders 243)

Paul’s Profits (4-6)

If anyone had the right to brag about religious status and human achievement, it was Paul. Paul had more credentials and better accomplishments than any of the Judaizing false teachers. He was born into the right family and made all the right decisions.

His list of profits beings with “circumcised on the eighth day.” This was one of the proudest claims a Jew could make, namely, that he was in strict conformity to the Law because he was circumcised on precisely the right day. Next, he asserts that he is from “the nation of Israel.” By this, he possesses all the rights and privileges of God’s chosen people because he belongs to them by birth. Furthermore, he was from the tribe of Benjamin. Again, there is a note of pride expressed as the apostle writes these words. The tribe of Benjamin, though small, was nevertheless highly esteemed. He was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” which means that he spoke the language of his ancestors. Ability to speak the ancient languages was a mark of faithfulness to the old culture.

After he alludes to his inherited credentials and status, he moves on to boast about his personal achievements. First, he was a Pharisee. In regard to the law, the Pharisees were the strictest of the Jewish sects. He had the highest academic and religious credentials one could have. And as for zeal and passion, no one could question him. As a Pharisee, he intensely persecuted the church and sought to destroy it. And as for legalism, he was faultless. He obeyed the Law right to the letter. He was as righteous as any fallen human being could be. (Hawthorne 132)

            George Whitfield, in his Easter sermon The Power of Christ’s Resurrection said:

                        Without this, though we may be moralists, though we may be civilized, good-natured people, yet we are no Christians. For he is not a true Christian, who is only one outwardly; nor have we therefore a right, because we daily profess to believe that Christ rose again the third day from the dead. But he is a true Christian who is one inwardly; and then only can we be styled true believers, when we not only profess to believe, but have felt the power of our blessed Lord’s rising from the dead, by being quickened and raised by his Spirit, when dead in trespasses and sins, to a thorough newness both of heart and life.

Were you born into a good Christian family? Are you an upstanding citizen?  Have you lived a good moral life? Do you have a good education?  Are you good at what you do?  Are you patriotic? Have you achieved a high degree of success?  Do you attend church regularly? Do you put a lot of money into the offering plate?

            Don’t get me wrong; these are all good, but none of them can get you to heaven.  So many people fill in their profit columns with these types of things, thinking that God will accept them because of their personal achievements. But nothing could be further from the truth.  As far as God’s favor is concerned, human profits mean nothing to him; they can actually be losses when it comes to heaven. 

 

Paul’s Losses (7-11)

And yet, in spite of all of these impressive profits, Paul put no stock or confidence in them. Jewish observers would place him at the top of the religious elite, but he placed it all in the loss column. For him, nothing belonged in the profit column except Christ. As a matter of fact, Paul considers “everything” to be a loss compared to the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ. He gave up all of his religious status and human achievement so that he could solely pursue his relationship with Jesus Christ. In comparison to Christ he considers all of these other things as rubbish. The word translated here as “rubbish” is the Greek word sku,bala which literally means “dung”. All of his credentials and human achievements were as worthless as dog dung compared to the surpassing greatness of Christ.

But why does Paul give up his religious status and human achievements? So that he may gain Christ and be found in him. All attempts at human righteousness fail. Humans, regardless of how hard they try, can never attain a righteous standing before God.

So, how does one obtain righteousness? Paul says that righteousness comes from God himself and is given through faith, the only way to God. This is why god sent his son Jesus. Humanity is lost and sinful. No one is good enough to get to heaven. But God sent Jesus to live a perfectly righteous life, die on a cross, and be resurrected from the dead so that anyone who puts their faith in Christ receives Christ’s righteousness.

None of Paul’s credentials or achievements could guarantee resurrection after his death; only Christ could do that since he was already resurrected. Therefore, he wanted to Know Christ in the power of his resurrection. And to know Christ in his resurrection meant that he also had to know him in his sufferings. For like Christ, he first must experience suffering and death before we are resurrected.

            Paul came to the point where he opened his ledger book.  He looked at what he had accumulated by inheritance and by his efforts and reflected that these things actually kept him from Christ.  He then took the entire list and placed it where it belonged—under the list of liabilities.  He called them “losses” and under the profit column he wrote, “Jesus Christ alone.”

            Have you exchanged your profits for losses?  Have you exchanged confidence in yourself for confidence in Christ?  Or are you trusting in a kind of goodness that will never be accepted by God?  If you are, let me warn you that your goodness will take you to hell. But if you are willing to lay your goodness aside, counting it a loss, God will credit Jesus Christ to your account and your “account” will be secure in heaven! (Boice 170)

 

             Accumulating human righteousness is a lot like playing Monopoly.  The game has colorful money and is enjoyable to play, but only a fool would try to pay their bills with it or take it into town to buy groceries.  A different kind of currency is used in the real world.

            It is the same spiritually.  There are people who think they are collecting assets before God when they are only collecting human righteousness.  God tells them they must leave the play money.  Our goodness has no value in heaven.

            Sometimes what we consider a profit is actually a loss, and sometimes what we consider a loss is actually a profit.  The only thing we need to get to heaven is true faith in Jesus Christ, nothing else.  And Paul says to beware of anyone wh teaches anything to the contrary!

1.) The Priority of Praying for Politicians (1-2)

            Paul begins this section of the letter by making a plea to Timothy and the Ephesian church to pray for all people. He uses four different words for prayer—supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings. Although these terms are clearly linked together for emphasis, they each highlight different aspects of prayer. The first word “supplications” means specific requests. The second term translated here as “prayers” is the Greek word proseuca.j (proseuchas), which refers to asking for God’s general blessing and care. The third term “intercessions” refers to a bold and urgent appeal on behalf of another person. The fourth term is the Greek word euvcaristi,aj (eucharistias) from which we get our English word Eucharist. These are prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving to God for what he has done.

            Paul expected Timothy and the Ephesian church to employ all of these forms of prayer “for all people.” But what exactly does this mean—every single human being on earth? Probably not! It would be virtually impossible for anyone to pray for every person. Paul most likely has in mind here “all [kinds] of people.”

            This point is reinforced further by the fact that Paul immediately singles out one “kind” of people in verse 2—“kings and those who are in high positions.” In the context of this letter, the “king” would have been the Roman Emperor and “those in high positions” were the civil authorities in Ephesus and throughout the Roman Empire. Now we have to remember that at the time of the writing of this letter, the Roman Empire was starkly opposed to Christianity. Their worldview and values couldn’t have been more different. Some of the politicians ordered Christians to be thrown into the arena to be eaten by lions, but Paul urged the church to pray for them anyway.

            This verse echoes a theme that we see repeated throughout the New Testament about church and state relations. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus told his disciples, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. In Romans 13:1, Paul says, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

            Legislators, it is true that you have been elected to your position by your constituents, but it is also true that you have been chosen by God to make laws for our state. It is not an accident or coincidence that you will represent your communities; you have been divinely called to this role. And God wants you to use all of the talents and skills that he has given you to make just and wise decisions. He wants to you to exhibit the virtues of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. He wants you to roll up your sleeves and work hard on behalf of his people. Being a legislator is a difficult but high calling; may the Lord richly bless your work this session!

            Church, God has called all us to pray for our politicians. It is our Christian duty to pray for our president, congress, governor, state legislators, and town officials. We need to pray for the ones we like and dislike—the ones with who we agree and disagree—the ones who share our worldview, values, morals, convictions, and the ones who don’t.

            The reality is that some of you love President Barack Obama—you think he is the best thing since…well, Bill Clinton. That is fine! Make sure you pray for him! Some of you despise our President; you are opposed to everything that he represents. That’s fine too! You don’t have to vote for him, but you better be praying for him! God calls us to pray for all kinds of people, but we must make it a high priority to pray for those who make laws and govern our nation and state.

3.) The Purpose of Praying for Politicians (3-7)

            Some of you may be wondering why Paul was so passionate about Timothy and the church to pray for their government officials. Well, he reveals that purpose in the second part of verse 2 when he says “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and dignified in every way.” Paul understood that the governing officials have the power to make people’s lives miserable or peaceable. In the midst of a culture often scorned Christianity, Paul deeply desired that the government would allow Christians to live out their faith without fear.

            Along with this, Paul wanted the church to pray for the politicians because they had the ability to change the societal conditions that would enable the gospel of Jesus Christ to flourish. In verse 4, Paul makes a profound theological statement that directly contradicted the heresy that was being spread in Ephesus. The false teachers promoted a religious view that God’s grace and salvation were only for certain types of people, namely those who conformed to their judaizing philosophies. But Paul corrects this view by saying that “God desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.” The term “all” means “all kinds” as it did in verse 1. God desires all kinds of people to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ; it is not limited by race, ethnicity, gender, background, or occupation.

            Paul clarifies the gospel in verse 5 when he says, “there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all…” This is the very core of the Christian message: the only way to receive forgiveness and get to God in heaven is through the one man Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only one who lived a sinless life and could give himself as a guiltless ransom. He is the only one who could provide atonement for humanity’s sins.

This message is the whole reason why Paul was appointed to be an apostle. It was his God-given mission to proclaim the faith and truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why Paul wanted Timothy to pray for the civil authorities.

            Now religious freedom in modern America is very different than it was in the Roman Empire. We enjoy many rights and privileges that our Christian forbearers could only dream about. For the most part, we are currently able to live quiet and peaceable lives and pursue godliness and dignity, worship God, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ freely. But that may not always be the case! Our governing officials still have the power to alter societal conditions and make them more or less favorable to religious freedom. Our governing officials still have the power to make decisions to either enhance or inhibit the common good. Our governing officials still have the power to either amplify or hinder the mission of our church, which is “To know Jesus Christ and to make him known to the world.” So, for these and many other reasons, we still need to pray for our politicians!

            Why is this so important? Because the gospel of Jesus Christ is a matter of life and death: eternal life and eternal death! There is still only one God, and there is still only one mediator between God and humans, the man Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect life and willingly died on the cross to provide atonement for our sins. Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven! There is no other! Mohammed can’t get you there! Buddha can’t get you there! Good works can’t get you there! Being a “good” person can’t get you there! Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way!

            Therefore, I ask all of you: Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins? Have you responded to the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the redemption of your soul? Have you experienced the hope, peace, and joy of knowing that there is life beyond the grave?

 

            Franklin County Legislators, thank you for joining us here today so that our church community might fulfill our Christian duty of praying for you. We want you all to know that we are grateful for you and your commitment to serving our communities; we deeply appreciate your work! We also want you to know that this family of faith will not just go through the ceremonial motions of praying for you today, but we will be offering supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for you throughout this difficult session. And if there is anything else that we can do to assist you in your work, please let us know!

            “The two men sat silent for a little, and then Lord Peter said: “Do you like your job?” The detective considered the question, and replied: “Yes—yes, I do. I know it to be useful, and I am fitted to it. I do it quite well—not with inspiration, perhaps, but sufficiently well to take pride in it. It is full of variety and it forces one to keep up to the mark and not get slack. And there’s a future to it. Yes, I like it. Why?”
“Oh, nothing,” said Peter. “It’s a hobby to me, you see. I took it up when the bottom of things was rather knocked out for me, because it was so exciting, and the worst of it is, I enjoy it—up to a point. If it was all on paper I’d enjoy every bit of it. I love the beginning of a job—when one doesn’t know any of the people and it’s just exciting and amusing. But if it comes to really running down a live person and getting him hanged, or even killed, poor devil, there don’t seem as if there was any excuse for me butting in, since I don’t have to make my living by it. And I feel as if I shouldn’t ever find it amusing. But I do.”
            This conversation is taken from Dorothy L. Sayers’ crime novel Whose Body?. I share this insightful dialogue with you because it illustrates the various attitudes people have toward their work. As the passage implies, people work in particular professions for a range of reasons: maybe it is an honorable occupation, perhaps they have a talent for that type of work, or perchance they even gain a sense of satisfaction from it. And if I may add to Sayers’ observations, some people actually feel divinely called to their vocation, others follow in their parent’s footsteps, and still others take whatever job they can to pay the bills. The latter are likely to have the bumper-sticker, “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.”

            What is your attitude toward your work? Why do you do what you do? Does your work give you a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment—or is it something that you loathe, scorn, and despise? Do you look forward to going to work every day or do you wish you could retire right now? Do you love your vocation or do you find yourself fanaticizing about doing something different?

            I’ll never forget the day I told my father that I felt God calling me to be a pastor. He wasn’t much of a religious man, and I could see the confusion and doubt on his face. But he finally looked at me and responded, “Son, I have driven a plow truck for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for 30 years and I have hated my job every single day of my life. Now I confess that I don’t really understand why you want to be a pastor, but if that truly makes you happy, I will support your decision.”

            I genuinely appreciated my dad’s sentiment. Unfortunately, he only ever experienced the first half of King Solomon’s adage:

                        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? (Ecclesiastes 2:22-25)

            Like Solomon, I have come to conclusion that the primary reason people don’t have peace, joy, and satisfaction is that God is not foremost in their lives. I also believe the reason why so many people don’t find fulfillment in their vocation is that they do not view their work from a proper theological perspective; they compartmentalize God from their work. When God is disconnected from work, it is no wonder there is such little joy in it.

            Today, I would like to help us reconnect God to our work by presenting a biblical theology of vocation. Through sharing a host of Bible passages, my goal is to convince you that your work matters to God, and that what you do, why you do it, and how you do it, makes all the difference in the world.

 

I. The Divine Rhythm of Work (Genesis 1; 2:1-3)

            Where does the idea of work originate? God is the creator of work and he himself is the original worker! The first verse of the Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth.” (Genesis 1:1) The very first thing that God did was work. By his very nature, God is a worker and he did the work of creating the universe and everything in it.

            The rest of Genesis 1 describes how God created light, water, land, vegetation, the sun and moon, sea creatures, land creatures, and ultimately human beings. When he had finished his great creation with all of its intricate details, he stepped back to reflect and saw that his work was good. (Gen. 1:31) As he breathed a sigh of satisfaction on the seventh day, he rested from all of his work, and thereby established the divine rhythm of work and rest that he would pass on to human beings. (Gen. 2:1-3)

            Did you notice how God’s work in Genesis 1 sets the pattern for our rhythm of work and rest for us? When we break God’s pattern by either neglecting work or worshipping work, we become miserable. I have seen people break God’s pattern in both directions. I hear it in idle comments like “I’m not going to look for another job until my unemployment runs out” and “Shoot, I get more money on welfare than I would if I had a job.” These attitudes of laziness will never be rewarded with a sense of divine satisfaction.

            I also hear it in comments like “I haven’t taken a day off in five months.” or “I haven’t taken a vacation in fifteen years.” To people who live like this, I just want to applaud them and say, “Wow, how impressive! You should be very proud of yourself, you have succeeded in completely disobeying God!” It is impossible to experience true satisfaction when you never take time to rest from and reflect on your work. Remember this: A nose constantly at the grindstone eventually feels the pain! When we get out of balance with God’s rhythms of work and rest, we become discontented and dejected!  

 

II. The Divine Role of Work (Genesis 1:28; 2:15)

            The second thing I would like us to consider is the divine role of work. In Genesis 1:28, right after he created the first man and woman, he commanded them to “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every living creature that moves along the ground.” God gave Adam and Eve a second job in Genesis 2:15—“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

            We may say that God created Adam and Eve to be bi-vocational—they were to be both gardeners and governors. Governing, we might say, was their intellectual or mental work; gardening was their physical or manual work. By both of these roles, they would work for their food and sustain their lives. God did not just spontaneously provide them with food, but he created them with the mental and physical abilities to get food for themselves—he gave them brains to think, plan, and manage—he gave them arms, legs, and hands to pick, prune, and plant. God gives the birds their food, but he doesn’t throw it into their nests—the same is true for us.

            If God’s very first command to human beings was to work, then work must be one of the most fundamentally God-honoring things we can do! Today we live in a church culture that falsely dichotomizes spiritual work and secular work. Do you think that God wants us to read our Bible’s and pray all day long? Do you think God wants us sit around the campfire and sing praise songs all night? Don’t misunderstand me, the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and praise are certainly important, but that is not the vocation to which God has called most of us. God has created each one of us with unique gifts and talents to contribute to his kingdom. He has called some people to be pastors, preachers, and missionaries—but he has called most to be doctors, nurses, teachers, carpenters, farmers, waitresses, truck drivers, and lawyers (well, maybe not lawyers.)

            Martin Luther is credited with saying, “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

            God is glorified through many vocational roles. Consider this brief survey of occupations we find in the Bible: Adam and Eve were gardeners and governors, Cain was a crop-farmer, Abel was a livestock farmer, Noah was a shipbuilder, Abraham was an entrepreneur, Esau was a hunter, Joseph was the vice-president of a large corporation, Moses was a shepherd, Joshua was a general, Caleb was a spy, Rachel was a homemaker, Deborah was a judge, Boaz was a businessman, Ruth was a barley-bailer, David was a king, Ether was a queen, Asaph was a songwriter and musician, Jesus was a carpenter and teacher, the disciples were fishermen, soldiers, and tax collectors, Lydia was a businesswoman, and the Apostle Paul was a tentmaker!

            What is your vocational role? What has God created and called you to do?

 

III. The Responsibility of Work

            The third point I would like us to consider is that God has given us all the responsibility work. Ponder these verses from the Book of Proverbs:

• Proverbs 14:23- All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
• Proverbs 21:25- The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse                 to work.
• Proverbs 31:13-17- She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

Also, contemplate the Apostle Paul’s words from II Thessalonians 3:7-10:

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.

            These verses don’t need a lot of explanation. They simply testify to the fact that God has given every man and woman the responsibility of work. He wants us to use the skills he has given us to earn our keep and contribute to his kingdom.

            Consider the parable of the man who came across three stonemasons who were working at chipping chunks of granite from large blocks. The first seemed unhappy at his job, chipping away and frequently looking at his watch. When the man asked what it was that he was doing, the first mason responded, rather curtly, “I’m hammering this stupid rock, and I can’t wait ’til 5 when I can go home.”

            A second mason, seemingly more interested in his work, was hammering diligently and when asked what it was that he was doing, answered, “I’m molding this block of rock so that it can be used to construct a wall. It’s not bad work, but I’ll sure be glad when it’s done.”

            A third mason was hammering at his block fervently, taking time to stand back and admire his work. He chipped off small pieces until he was satisfied that it was the best he could do. When he was questioned about his work he stopped, gazed skyward and proudly proclaimed, “I am building a cathedral!”

            All three masons were doing the same job, but only one found satisfaction in his work. I wonder what the difference was?

 

            If you want to find divine fulfillment in your vocation, follow God’s rhythm, role, and responsibility of work!

            Frederick II, who ruled the Roman Empire in the thirteenth century, conducted a cruel experiment. He wanted to know what man’s original language was: Hebrew, Greek, or Latin? He decided to isolate a few infants from the sound of the human voice. He reasoned that they would eventually speak the natural tongue of man. Wet nurses who were sworn to absolute silence were obtained, and though it was difficult for them, they abided by the rule. The infants never heard a word from a human voice, and within several months they were all dead. 

            The experiment did not prove man’s original language, but it did prove that humans cannot live apart from relationship. The infants were physiologically fine; they died from a lack of social interaction. God created us in his own image, which means that we are relational beings. We were created to be in relationship with God and one another.

            But tragically, sin has broken our relationship with God and has marred people’s relationships with each other. And that is why Jesus left heaven and came to earth. He became incarnate and sacrificed his own life on the cross to atone for our sins so that our relationship with God and each other could be restored. The mission of the church is to share this good news with the people of the earth. Christianity is all about relationships!

            Unfortunately, many people in the world today have a distorted view of Christianity! They have been taught that it is a belief system based around rules, regulations, and rituals. Now it is true that some of these things exist (as in any religion), but none of these represents the true essence of the Christian faith. Christianity, at its very core, is a religion of relationships!

            The Apostle Paul, as he came to the waning months of his life, concludes his final letter by emphasizing relationships. As he lay in the dungeon cell in Rome awaiting his execution, he tells Timothy to do his best to come to him soon (v. 9). They had a deep personal relationship with one another. Paul had been Timothy’s spiritual father who mentored and encouraged him in the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was the one who had sent him to Ephesus to get the church in order, but now he was calling Timothy to Rome because he wanted to see his face one last time before he died.

            In this very personal conclusion to the letter of Second Timothy, Paul highlights the nature of Christian relationships. I would like for us to spend some time today reflecting on three aspects of Christian relationships found in this text.

 1.) The Importance of Personal Contact in Christian Relationships (9-22)

            The first thing I would like us to notice in this text is the importance of personal contact in Christian relationships. In the ancient world, hand-written letters were the only means of communication for people separated by distance. The apostle Paul wrote and received his fair share of letters during his lifetime (much of the New Testament is comprised of these letters). Even though letters helped Paul maintain relationships with churches and individuals, nothing could replace the importance of face to face personal contact.

            Paul begins this final section of his letter with a passionate plea for Timothy to leave his post in Ephesus and come to Rome soon. He makes his desire known in verse 9 and reiterates it in verse 21, where he adds “Do your best to come to me before winter.” Paul would not only need his cloak before the cold set in, but he also knew that the Mediterranean Sea was closed to shipping from November to March, and if Timothy was going to make it to him, he would have to set out immediately.

            Why was it so important for Paul to see Timothy face to face again before he died? Two reasons—first, there is a natural desire for anyone who is dying to physically be with their loved ones. Second, Paul was lonely in his suffering. In verse 11, he mentions that only Luke is with him. All of his other ministry colleagues had either deserted him or were off on missions somewhere else: Crescens (of whom nothing else is known) had gone to Galatia. Titus was in Dalmatia. Tychicus was almost certainly the one who delivered Paul’s letter to Timothy and was probably commissioned to take Timothy’s place. Carpus was at Troas; Prisca and Aquila were in Ephesus with Timothy; and Onesiphorus had already died. Erastus was in Corinth and Trophimus was in Melitus. Paul mentions all of this to show Timothy how much he wanted him to come to him.

            Every one of these names represents a deep personal relationship forged in the fires of work and ministry and suffering together over a period of years. Relationships like this do not develop without close personal contact over a long duration of time. Personal contact is important in Christian relationships!

            A number of years ago I had someone close to me experience a traumatic event. He got home from work one day and discovered that his wife had left him. It was incredibly inconvenient for me at the time, but I got in my car and drove 600 miles to be with him for a few days, and that made all the difference. Likewise, you all know that my grandfather died two months ago. I wasn’t able to be with him when he passed, but I made a long trip to see him three weeks before. Those were three of the most profound days in my whole life!

            Many of you have experienced the privilege of being at the bedside of a loved one when they have passed away. Even though it is emotionally difficult, there is a special grace that comes with physically being there and holding their hand when they breathe their last breath. I always love reading obituaries that say, “She died with her loving family at her side…” It is not always possible to be there when someone dies, but it is important to try to spend time with that person before it is too late.

            Even with all of our modern technological advances in communication, nothing can replace old fashioned face to face interaction. You never hear anyone say, “Hey sonny boy, I’m dying; text me.” Or “This is probably going to be my last day; lets skype tonight.” If you have a loved one who is dying or going through a difficult time, make sure that you are for them, regardless of the inconvenience. Christianity is a religion of relationships!

            How much importance do you place on personal contact in relationships? E-mail is excellent! I-phones are incredible! Facebook is fun! Hand-written letters are luxurious! But none of these things are a substitute for face to face personal contact in relationships!

2.) The Reality of Desertion and Opposition in Christian Relationships (10, 14-15)

            The second thing I would like us to notice in this text is the reality of desertion and opposition in Christian relationships. In verse 10, Paul shares some disheartening news about Demas, who had deserted him because of his love for this present world. Demas had been one of Paul’s ministry colleagues and was with him during his first imprisonment (Col. 4:12; Philem. 24), but he had abandoned Paul because he loved the material and temporal things of this world more than the eternal things of God’s kingdom.

            In verses 14-15, Paul also expresses the pain of opposition he experienced at the hands of Alexander the metal worker. This Alexander was probably the same one mentioned in I Timothy 1:19-20, whom Paul had to excommunicate from the Ephesian church because he was spreading heresy. It is not entirely clear what Paul means by “caused me a great deal of harm,” but it is probable that Alexander had something to do with Paul getting arrested and transferred to death row in Rome. If this is the same Alexander, Paul was a victim of his vindictive nature. Unfortunately, Paul experienced the harsh reality of desertion and opposition in Christian relationships. But even in the midst of his pain, Paul put his trust in God’s justice; the Lord always judges evil!

            Like Paul, some of you have felt the agony of abandonment and the ache of opposition. Some of you still bear the scars of rejection; maybe you were deserted by a parent, a spouse, a child, or a friend. Some of you have been opposed by a coworker or fellow church member. It is especially painful when we are hurt by another Christian (or so called Christian). This is one of the tragic realities of living in a sinful world.

            But instead of harboring bitterness and resentment in our hearts, I encourage you to place your trust in God’s justice! Instead of sinking into the pit of self-pity, focus on the fact that Jesus and Paul experienced greater injustices than you. And always remember that God will execute ultimate justice on Judgment Day.

 

3.) The Beauty of Reconciliation in Christian Relationships (11)

            The third ting I would like for you to notice in this text is the beauty of reconciliation in Christian relationships. In verse 11, Paul tells Timothy to: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” This sentence is remarkable when we consider the context. The Book of Acts (13:13; 15:36-41) tells us that Mark was at the center of the dispute that led to Paul and Barnabas parting ways. Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them on their second missionary journey, but Paul didn’t think it was wise because Mark had deserted them on their first missionary journey.

            Even though Paul had been hurt by Mark’s attitude and actions in the past, we see that Paul had forgiven him and the relationship had been reconciled—so much so that Paul considered him helpful to his ministry and he wanted to see him before he died.

            This verse serves as a model of reconciliation for all Christians. One of the sad realities of living in a sinful world is that people hurt each other and relationships are broken. And if you haven’t noticed, even Christians hurt each other with their words, attitudes, and actions. We have all hurt someone and someone has hurt us, but God calls us to reconciliation. If you are the offender, God calls you to repent from your sin, sincerely apologize for your offense, make restitution, and do your part to repair the relationship. If you are the offended, God calls you to forgive the offender and the offense, let go of any resentment or bitterness, and do your part to reconcile the relationship. There is great beauty in reconciled relationships.

            Have you hurt someone? What have you done to reconcile the relationship? Have you been hurt by someone? Have you forgiven them? Have you done your part to reconcile the relationship?

            Christianity is a religion of relationships! As Christians, we need to maintain personal contact, recognize the reality of desertion and opposition, and strive for reconciliation in all of our relationship!