Whatever Takes Us Away

I think things went well this past Sunday. The Youth Group did a great job leading the congregation in song, reading scripture and short stories, and I did what I could for a sermon (see post below for the message). However, things didn't exactly go as I had planned . . .

You see, I had planned on a praise & worship service, with a little bit of devotional reading about worship, but as last week rolled on MY plans were changed. I've been listening to sermons by several preachers on my iPod while at work, as well as good music and parts of the Bible. While listening to a sermon last week (Thursday to be exact) I was confronted by God on giving a sermon. I wanted to make it quick, easy, painless, easy, simple, and really easy. God however, wanted me to do more than the easy. He gave me a message and I was His mouthpiece on Sunday morning. I had expected to get comments afterwards, and I did.

To my surprise many said they really enjoyed the message (and apparently some told the pastor I had a future behind the pulpit). A few parts of the service went a little long, but I can't control, nor do I want to control, everything. I managed to squeeze eight songs out of everyone, stretching their vocal chords (and mine as well), and introduced some songs new to them. I don't see myself doing this every Sunday any time soon (famous last words?!?).

At any rate, the service went well and the youth group did a great job.

As the apostle Paul neared the end of his life on earth he writes to Timothy, still urging him on to continue his task. 2 Timothy 4:1-8 says, “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; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day – and not only me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

I think we all long for that time when will be taken by the Lord; not that we look forward to our earthly passing, but to our eternal birthing. And, as Paul instructs young Timothy, so must we; you and I, instruct these younger ones in our church.

Proverbs 4, verses 1 & 2 say, “Listen my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.” And again in verses 20 through 23, “My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.” Wisdom like that, from the Bible, and from the elders in our churches can make a world of difference.

Many of you reading this have been in the faith longer than I have been alive! God bless you for that; and I can only hope and pray that God may strengthen and sustain me as my years grow on! But, just because we’ve been in this a while, and yes, this is the next generation to take over the church, it doesn’t give us a pass to retire from our own Christian action. We can’t just hand over the reigns. On the contrary, these young people and the younger ones still, will and SHOULD lean on us when the time comes for them to be our leaders. They need good examples of what it is and what it means to be a good Christian man or woman. They need to learn about humble leadership. Jesus gave us all the perfect example of this by the washing of His disciples’ feet. These young people need direction and training, they need encouragement, correction and rebuke when needed. And I think, most of all, they need to know love.

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul writes about love. "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

We, as the adults and elders in the body of Christ, need to raise our children, all of the children from the youngest to the oldest, in a way that would allow them to grow and become what God intended them to be, and do it in and with much love.

That said, you and I are not finished. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my own so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Just because we have the future of the church knocking doesn’t give us the right to roll over and sleep! Retirement? I think there is no such thing for us. If we sit back and relax who will give the instruction? Who will raise them?

Now, to those of you here helping with the service, and to those of you near the same age: listen to these who are mature in their faith, heed their instructions. The race isn’t always easy and you WILL endure hardships along the way. Trials will come, but they come and help us to grow in maturity, in knowledge and in understanding. Going back to the first passage of scripture, 2 Timothy 4:5 "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." Paul tells Timothy here there will be struggles, trials, hardships – but it is no reason to roll over. Ask any of the elders here this morning if trials and temptations have helped in their faith maturity. I think most, if not all, might say that the things they’ve endured in life have helped.

We need to instruct in righteousness, and to the best of your ability, listen, hear and put into practice what is said and taught. We aren’t here to tell you how to live, but only to share our own experiences (whether good or bad) – and the outcomes of the decisions we’ve made so that you can learn from and become better equipped in your life’s race.

We all run the race the apostle Paul wrote about. Some choose different approaches to the race, give up and quit is one approach. Run at a moderate pace, choose mediocrity is another, but Paul tells the church in Corinth, and by us reading his letter to them, he tells us to run differently; run as for the prize! Train and prepare! He also goes on to tell his fellow worker and his son in Christ, Timothy, to stand in those times of trials “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season;” And towards the end of his own race the mentor tells young Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Let us do likewise, finishing that race by the power of the Holy Spirit, discharging all the duties of our own ministries, and always striving for that crown that will last forever, keeping to our faith to the very end.

This week marks the one year anniversary for our Pastor at New Harmony UMC. I think the man needs a break! I think he may have only missed a couple of weekends (due to seminary time), and he deserves to sit down and relax during church for a change.

This Sunday's service will be lead by the Youth Group and myself. There will be much singing, reading of scripture and some more singing. I may even have a short message (yet to be determined).

And, like the Pastor, the Youth Group deserves a little break as well. We won't be having Youth Group Sunday evening. Since those of you that normally come will be leading the service I think you should have a little time off also. We will still have Sunday School @ 9:15 in the Youth Room, so bring a friend or family member to join us.

Oh, don't forget we will be having lunch after the service, anyone and everyone is invited to come. Bring something to share, bring your appetite.

Until then, enjoy the rest of your week!