Sunday, July 15 2007
Luke 15:1-7
Senior Pastor
It was last year and we had a new custodian on duty one night when I was in a small group Bible study. He didn’t know to tell the person asking for help that we do not give out money here. So she showed up and asked for help, and he came and got me out of my study to talk with her.
Her story was that her brother had died in Texas and she was on her way out of town. She had gas but she didn’t have any money to feed her three kids along the way. Could I help her? Well, I have been taken enough times that I usually say no anymore. But let me tell you this, reading your Bible can be dangerous. It can change the way you think. It can change the way you act.
We had been up there in the room reading our Bibles and talking about how we might reach out with the hospitality of Christ. So, I said I would help her. But it came to me while I was talking to her that she needed more than just a few dollars to get the kids some snacks on the way to the funeral. So, I told her we would like to help her more when she returned. I asked her for her phone number and address. I said I would like to find out more about her situation and see if we couldn’t become her church home.
You know what, she got kind of belligerent and skittish about getting help from the church. Oh, she took the money. But a few days later when I called the phone number it was a bogus number. She had lied to me. It was probably all a lie.
I don’t like that she lied to me. But it is evidence that she needs the church all the more.
John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement understood that. He knew that people needed to hear the Gospel, but not only hear it; they needed to experience the Good News in action. So, much of his work was serving those in need, especially the poor. Lovett Weems, Jr. in the book Leadership In The Wesleyan Spirit, which the Bishop has asked all Oklahoma Methodists to read, says, one of the keys to the success of the early Methodist movement was they understood that to thrive spiritually they needed to serve. Hence our title for today – Walking with Wesley: Focuses on Serving.
Weems tells the story of a newly appointed preacher. It is his first Sunday. It is time for the service to begin but he does not appear. Finally the head usher goes to his study to see if he is there. He is standing at the window looking outside. The usher says, “Pastor, we are ready to begin.” The pastor turns and tears are running down his cheeks. “What is wrong?” asked the usher. “Are you ill?” The minister replied, “No. I was just looking out in the alley at all of those dirty little children playing.” The usher said, “Oh yes, I know what you mean, but you will become used to it.” The pastor replied, “Yes, I know. That is why I am crying.” (p. 55, Leadership In the Wesleyan Spirit)
It is easy to grow accustomed to the problems in our
society. It is easy to overlook the
pressing needs all around us. It is
easy to become religious and forget what is primary. It is easy as churchgoers to become focused exclusively on
serving the church rather than serving the people. That is precisely what had happened to the
Church of England in Wesley’s day. But
one of the reasons the Wesleyan revival happened was because, in contrast to
the established church, Wesley stressed serving others and reaching out to meet
the needs of those around us. The
lesson for churches is just as relevant today:
If we want to thrive, serve.
Our text from Luke says that the sinners and tax collectors were coming near to Jesus and listening to him. The folks who were already religious didn’t like that. So, he told them a parable about a shepherd having 100 sheep. One got lost. Jesus asks: Which one of you doesn’t go after the one that is lost?
“What does this good shepherd do? The good shepherd goes and finds the lost sheep. But think of the ninety-nine. They could say, ‘Wait this is favoritism. This is a kind of affirmative action for lost sheep. What about us? We did not get lost!’”
“How does the good shepherd respond to such questions? The good shepherd reminds us that the one sheep is not loved more than the ninety-nine. Rather, the one lost sheep is the one in need. This is not favoritism. It is strategic concern.” (p. 46, Leadership In the Wesleyan Spirit)
As a pastor my tendency is to take care of the ninety-nine. I have responsibilities here at the church. But if this first part of the parable is not enough, Jesus goes on to say once the shepherd finds the lost sheep and brings it home there is going to be a celebration. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (v. 6-7)
Again being churchgoers we could think this is unjust. But Jesus is trying to tell us about the priorities of heaven, the priorities of God. God loves all people and wants everybody to know it. So, of course, reaching those who are lost, who are disconnected, who are out of touch with God, is of strategic importance.
When we come to do a baptism, we celebrate the person who is being baptized. It doesn’t mean your baptism or my baptism is not important. But the excitement, the joy, the focus that day is on the person who is being baptized.
The Good News comes for us as we serve others and help them consciously turn toward God’s people and God’s love. Because when they do, we get to celebrate with them. In serving we get to experience a taste of heaven. That is what Jesus is pointing out when he tells us that there will be great joy in heaven every time one who is lost is found. There will be joy in heaven every time one who is sinning repents. There is great joy every time one who is outside of God’s family is brought in. All of us who are a part of God’s people will be part of the celebration.
So, if we are to walk with Wesley, we need to serve. Not only is it important for those who receive our good works, it is important to those of us serving. Because serving helps us grow in our faith. Serving helps us get closer to God. In serving we are drawn closer to Christ, we get to experience the very presence of the risen Christ.
Here at First Church we try to put that into action. That is why we continually offer you opportunities for Christian service. Just this summer we have given you opportunity to serve in building a Habitat for Humanity house. Last month we gave you instructions for serving through the YWCA, plus we had opportunity to give through the Oklahoma Blood Institute. This month we’re offering an opportunity to serve the Child Advocacy Center. Some of our youth are just back from a weeklong mission project called Youth Force. I’ve been gone this last week serving at one of our camps for elementary students.
If you were here last week you had special opportunity to serve those most vulnerable in Africa through our Nothing But Nets Campaign. Of course every week you have opportunity to serve through The Bridge, our alternative outreach service to the Enid community. Lorenzo is leading that for us, but in a new work like this, he could always use more help. We also serve through our financial giving that goes far and wide through the portion we always send out for United Methodist mission efforts.
That is a very impressive list, don’t you think? Yet, I know that some of us still think somebody else will do it. Some of us think, I have served my time on that committee or on that project. I am done. Some of us think I am not into missions. But realize that for Christians, serving is not an optional category. Jesus gave us the model. It is being a servant. Christians are servant leaders. The question is not: Will I serve? The better question for the Christian is: Where will I serve?
Where will I serve? It could be asked like this: Where can I be a blessing? It might be helpful to ask: How has God gifted me to serve? Using the imagery from our parable today you might ask: Who is lost that I could find? Perhaps you might ponder this one: To whom could I carry God’s love?
In that spirit I will be re-ordering my weekly priorities somewhat to make sure I create enough time to reach out to those just coming into our church family. I want to make sure we are throwing open wide the door into this family of Christ. I want to make sure we are focusing on the one who is lost, the one who is searching, the one who is looking for a way to come into God’s family. If Jesus is to be believed, you and I are to do this. So, as we close today Marilyn will play for a short time to allow us some time with God to search for an answer to those questions. I am going to move to the altar to kneel and pray. I invite you to join me. Let us pray.
…reading your Bible can be __________________.
…the early Methodist movement… to thrive
spiritually
they needed to __________.
It is easy as churchgoers to become focused exclusively
on
serving the church rather than serving the ____________.
If we want to ____________, serve.
“…the one lost sheep is the one in ________.
This is not favoritism. It is strategic concern.”
v. 6 - ____
…Jesus is trying to tell us about the priorities of
____________,
the priorities of God.
The Good News comes for us as we serve others and help
them…
Because when they do we get to celebrate ________ them.
So, if we are to walk with Wesley ____ ________ to serve.
Jesus gave us the model. It is being a ______________.
Where will ___ __________?
Where can I be a blessing?
How has God gifted me to serve?
Who is ________ that I could find?
To whom could I carry God’s love?
I want to make sure we are focusing on the one who is
________
Kid’s Question:
What is the model Jesus gave us?