St. John’s Church on Morgan Hill

Blake Heffner October 29th, 2006

“God, I’m Just a Kid!” A Confirmation Meditation

October 29, 2006 Texts: Jeremiah 1:4-10 I Timothy 4:12

INTRO: “God, I’m just a kid!” That’s a rough translation of Jeremiah’s response to the Lord. Can you confirmands identify with him? You have finished the course of preparation; you are ready to stand before God, your families and this church family to profess your faith in Jesus Christ and your desire to serve him. But, somewhere in the back of your minds, aren’t you thinking, “It’s finally over! Now I can go back to where I was before – on the sidelines, out of the limelight. Nobody will expect much of me. I’m just a kid!” Well, I have news for you. God has done some pretty big things through kids like you. We’ll take the next few minutes to look a few of them. [But first, let us pray…]

1. Jeremiah

Let’s start with Jeremiah. By his own admission, he was way too young to assume the responsibility of prophet to the nation of Israel. He didn’t know how to get up in front of people and speak. A lot of us can identify with him – no matter what age we may be.

That didn’t faze God! The Lord said, “Heh, you don’t have to worry! I know you; I had this plan for your life from before you were born! Don’t say you’re too young. I am putting my words in your mouth. Just tell the people what I tell you. Don’t be afraid – I will be with you and protect you.”

If you feel a little like Jeremiah today, take heart. The Lord has a plan for your life too – He had it before you were born. And the Lord will equip you to say or do whatever it is he wants you to do. Do you believe that? If so, then this is the day to say “Here I am, Lord, send me, use me!”

2. David

David is another famous person whom God selected when he was very young. You can read about this in I Samuel 16. Samuel, the judge, has been sent to Bethlehem find the next king of Israel. He comes to Jesse’s house and announces that the next king would be one of his sons. So, Jesse brings his boys front and center. Eliab is the oldest. He is tall and strong, and a great soldier. But, the Lord tells Samuel, “Don’t look on the outward appearance. That’s the way people usually judge, but I look on the heart!” So, seven of Jesse’s fine boys have been paraded before Samuel – and the Lord tells him to reject each one of them. “Is this your whole brood?” Samuel asks Jesse. “Nope,” he replies, “My youngest is our tending my sheep.” So they go fetch David, and immediately Samuel knows he is the one. He is the youngest, and the least likely candidate, but the Lord knew something no one else did: David was a young man after God’s own heart. So, while he was still just a kid, Samuel anointed him with oil and declared him to be the next king of Israel.

Isn’t that encouraging. Everybody else seems to judge us by how we look, or how well we do in sports or in school. Are we pretty or handsome? Are we tall and strong and fast? It can make you feel pretty inadequate, right? Never forget David. The Lord looks at what’s in your heart – not at your size or shape or strength or brains. And if your heart is right with the Lord, there’s no telling what He can do through you!

Remember David’s clash with Goliath? He was still just a kid; his brothers told him to go home. Yet, David was the only one courageous enough to face that monstrous warrior. You know what happened: that huge giant went down with just one stone from his slingshot. David said, “This battle is the Lord’s.” Trust the Lord to handle your battles, to get you through every tough challenge, and you will be victorious in life!

3. Isaac

Isaac was just a kid when the Lord asked his father Abraham to sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Imagine that! You can read the whole story in Genesis 22. It is a very significant story. Isaac is lying there on the pile of wood, all tied up. His father raises the knife to kill him – and then an angel of the Lord says, “Stop! Don’t kill your son. You have passed the test!” And Abraham saw a ram that was caught in a bush by his horns. Abraham took the ram for his sacrifice and his son was spared.

Young Isaac became the most graphic picture of how you and I are saved by God’s grace. Because we are sinners, we deserve to die. But God offered Jesus, his only Son, to be the ram, or sacrificial Lamb, who dies in our place. Jesus died so that we might live and serve the Lord. God invites us – no matter how young or old we are - to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to serve him. When you come front, you are saying: “Yes, Lord, thank you for saving me by grace; now I am ready and willing to serve you with my life.”

4. Jesus

We know something about Jesus when he was a boy, just twelve years old. It’s an interesting story. His parents brought him to Jerusalem for a big festival, but when they left for home, Jesus wasn’t with them. They assumed he was traveling with the group until about the third day, when he wasn’t anywhere to be found. Jesus, they soon discovered, was back in the Temple, listening to the teachers of the Law, and asking them questions. He was just a kid – but Luke tells us, “All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.”

You might say, “Well, he was the Son of God, he had an advantage!” But the truth is that he was fully human. That means, at 12 he was pretty much like you. You have the capacity to understand God’s Word. I pray that you will want to keep this conversation going, that you will want to keep on learning about the Lord and participate in the life of the church – even if or when your parents might not be here with you.

5. Timothy

Paul wrote two letters to his friend Timothy. We don’t really know how young Timothy was; he may not have been an adolescent like you. But, clearly he was young enough that some people were criticizing him and not respecting his calling to teach and preach God’s Word. I believe Paul’s advice in our scripture lesson was written for you, too: “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith and purity.”

In other words, “Don’t let anyone put you down or dismiss you by scoffing, ‘You’re just a kid!’” Paul has profound insight here. At your age you are already old enough to set an example for the rest of us – in the way you talk and act. Last fall, one of our recent confirmands got up in a rather heated meeting and did just that. She expressed being disturbed by the whole discussion and said, “In Sunday School we were taught to live by a simple song: The B-I-B-L-E. Yes, that’s the book for me. I’ll take my stand on the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E.” This young lady had expressed her faith and genuinely witnessed to all of us!

6. Ways You Can Make a Difference Right Now

The prophet Isaiah wrote: “ A little child shall lead them.” I believe this means God is still using young people like you to accomplish his purpose. God never says, “You’re just a kid!” God looks at your heart and has a plan for your life, to use you to build his kingdom. In closing, let me suggest a few ways in which you are already able to make a difference:

A. Humility and Obedience

Right now you are in a position where people give you orders – at home, in school, on the athletic field. Am I right? Well, learn to take orders with an attitude of humility. Respect those in authority over you. They are not always right – but they deserve your respect either way. And, they deserve your obedience. This seems to go against everything society is telling you, and even what your mind might be telling you. Why, you surely know more about some things than your parents. But, Jesus said the mark of a true disciple is the willingness to be a servant and not the boss. Right now is a good time to learn and practice humility, servanthood, and obedience to those in authority over you. Until you master this, you can never be a living sacrifice.

B. Love

Paul counseled young Timothy to be an example by his love. This is the perfect time of life for you to learn to treat everybody with respect and care. Others may be forming cliques and excluding kids who not in the “in” crowd. But you can reach out to such kids and be sensitive to their feelings. You can’t possibly be best friends with everybody, but you can respect everyone. You can accept those who are different from you – maybe they wear a turban or don’t eat the same foods. Get to know them and understand why they do what they do. You will be a shining example of Jesus’ love for all people. You may be just the friend someone else has been looking for.

C. Faith

Paul told Timothy that despite his youth, he could show others what faith is all about. We have planted the seeds of faith within you. Now it is up to you to keep cultivating these seeds. Like tender plants, faith will die unless we keep watering it. You have been required to come to church regularly; now it’s up to you to be a faithful worshiper.

You’ll really appreciate your faith when you mess things us. When you’ve really blown it, the world will condemn you. But, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Even your friends may walk away from you, but the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. Other people may not forgive you, but hold a grudge against you. Yet, if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just; he forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness! So, when you make mistakes – and we all do – turn to the Lord because he is merciful, confess your sins, seek forgiveness. The Holy Spirit will pick you up, dust you off, and get you going in a new direction.

D. Purity

We could spend an hour talking about purity. The simple fact is that at your age you are relatively innocent. Praise God! Try to stay this way. You will be exposed to all kinds of thoughts and suggestions in the years ahead. Learn to listen to your conscience. When you are tempted to do something you know is wrong, pray to the Lord for wisdom and courage and strength to resist the temptation. This is why it is important to stay close to Jesus Christ, stay in his Word, and stay in fellowship with other Christians. Otherwise, all alone we are much weaker and more vulnerable to temptation. Make every effort to remain pure in your hearts and minds, in your words and deeds.

There is so much more I would like to say this morning, but we’ll have to leave those things for another time. Let us pray…

Jeremiah 1:4-10

The Lord said to me, “I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.”

I answered, “Sovereign Lord, I don’t know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say that you are too young, but go to the people I send you to, and tell them everything I command you to say. Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Then the Lord reached out, touched my lips, and said to me, “Listen, I am giving you the words you must speak. Today I give you authority over nations and kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

I Timothy 4:12

Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct , your love, faith, and purity.

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Blake Heffner October 22nd, 2006

“Celebrating Two Heroes” October 22, 2006

Texts: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

INTRO: This morning we are going to celebrate two heroes among us. Kevin Johnson, whom Lauren just sang about, died four years ago, on October 20th at the tender age of 13. He would have been confirmed that fall, and this would be his senior year in high school. Our other hero is with us this morning. Lester Race, Sr. turns 80 years young tomorrow – praise the Lord!

There is only one legitimate reason that we dare focus on people other than Jesus Christ in a sermon. They need to exemplify or embody some facet of God’s Word. By the time we finish, I hope you will agree that both Kevin and Lester really serve as models for us, and the light in their lives can inspire us to live our own lives in faith, love and hope. First, let us pray…

1. Smile!

Both our heroes smile – easily, naturally and warmly. My earliest recollection of Kevin is of this exuberant lad in maybe second or third grade bursting into church with a big smile and saying “Hi!” Kevin could melt a snowstorm with that big grin. And if that didn’t work, he’d lay one of his bear hugs on you. Lester, you can try to hide behind that fuzzy white beard, but your grin is just as disarming. When you smile, your eyes twinkle with delight. You and Kevin have made so many of us feel warm and accepted.

I discovered – to my astonishment – that the word “smile” does not occur in my Bible – at least according to Strong’s Concordance. Isn’t that amazing? Yet, can you imagine Jesus not smiling most of the time? He had a way of disarming folks, with both his look and his words of compassion. Rev. Fritz Shafer, who served our church for 10 years, used to say: “God is smiling on us!” Whether it’s in there literally or not, I believe he was right. And smiling is an effective way for us to reflect God’s love toward one another.

2. Enthusiasm!

Both our heroes are poster boys for enthusiasm. Kevin was enthusiastic about so many things. When he was in midget basketball, he wasn’t the greatest player – though he was very tall. Kevin played with gusto. His first basket ever was for the other team, but that didn’t stop Kevin. He kept on playing. Kevin enjoyed being an acolyte here. Even when other kids didn’t think it was cool, Kevin would eagerly say “Yes!” whenever he was asked.

I got a birds-eye view of Lester at work back in the nineties, when we went out to Fort Berthold, North Dakota, on our two workcamp trips. When it came to any facet of carpentry or construction, Lester was in his element. One day, we had to repair a door to the church. It was terribly out of plumb. No problem for Lester! He found a way to straighten things out and make every thing work – with enthusiasm. With his infectious laugh and light-hearted approach, Lester has a way of making any effort seem like fun!

These guys exemplify the spirit of Ecclesiastes 3: “All we can do is be happy and do the best we can while we are still alive. All of us should eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for. It is God’s gift.” Next time you feel that your job or your schoolwork is getting you down, think about Kevin and Lester. Put a smile on your face and roll up your sleeves. The way to find happiness in our work is to approach every task with enthusiasm and zeal.

3. A Positive Outlook!

“Home on the range,” as we sing, “there never is heard a discouragin’ word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.” That’s the way it is with our heroes. They know how to look on the bright side of things. When Kevin was going down to Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia for radiation therapy, he got to know two older men. They told his mom, Gina, how Kevin helped them get through their ordeal: “If Kevin could show up everyday with a smile on his face, how could we complain about our problems!” In the darkest days of Kevin’s crisis, when a doctor or nurse would ask him how he was doing, he’d usually say, “Excellent!” In his thirteen months of fighting cancer, he never asked “Why me?” and he never complained.

Lester has that same outlook. I asked him the other day about his life and career as a “jack of all trades.” He said quickly, “No complaints!” That speaks volumes in this day and age when so many folks are dissatisfied with what they have, what they are doing, and who they’re with Our heroes have the capacity to look beyond the clouds and see blue sky.

4. A Time for Everything

Our heroes both bring us face to face with the mystery of God’s timing. The scripture lesson begins: “Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. He sets the time for birth and the time for death… God has set the right time for everything… and he never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does.” On this side of heaven we will never comprehend why a boy is given only thirteen years and another is given eighty or ninety. Birth and death both remind us how little we understand of God’s timing and plan. We have plenty of questions about such things, and no clear answers. We would certainly write the script differently if we were in charge. But, the Bible tells us that everything happens at the right time. Today let’s pause a moment and thank God that He is in control of the universe and every little thing that happens in our lives. Let’s admit how little we really understand and thank God that we are not in charge! Let us believe that God really has a plan that transcends the pain and suffering we experience.

5. Facing Suffering with Faith and Hope

Both our heroes have endured suffering, sustained by their faith. Kevin, at his young age, believed that God who loves us all has prepared a place for us, through Jesus Christ. We have a heavenly destiny and it will be glorious. This hope prompted Kevin to listen to a special song during his radiation. It’s called “Survivor” – by the group Destiny’s Child. It goes like this: “I’m a survivor, I’m not gonna give up, I’m not gonna stop, I’m gonna work harder, I’m a survivor, I’m gonna make it, I will survive, Keep on surviving.’” I believe Kevin did make it. He is a survivor and child of God!

You may be less familiar with Lester’s own taste of suffering. About 23 years ago, Lester and Dolores’ son Scott and Tammie had their first child, named Meghan. Meghan was born with an incomplete brain. She could hear but not see. She would never talk or walk. Meghan defied all the odds and lived to the age of five years! Meghan brought love and affection out of every person who met her. You can ask anyone in the family. Commenting on this stage of his life, Lester says simply “faith gets your through.” Amen.

Friends, all true heroes are strong in courage and hope. With hope, they are able to endure the pain and hardship we face. The Apostle Paul was such a person. He wrote: “I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal his sons… We know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth… We [too] groan within ourselves… [Yet] we know that in all things God works for good with those who love him…” (Rom.

This is beautifully expressed in an anthem the choir will be singing in two weeks, on All Saints Sunday. Listen to the lyrics:

Everywhere I look around me there is pain in ev’ry eye; Broken hearts and promises, the sorrow of good-bye. I see suff’ring little children in a world that isn’t fair; and the only hope is the hope I have of a place somewhere. Where eyes don’t cry and hearts don’t break. We’ll never ever wonder why again. Our questions here He’ll answer there. Where eyes don’t cry and hearts don’t break.

It’s beyond my understanding how ev’rything will be; I only know my faith has sight of things my eyes can’t see. And a million years of endless joy for ev’ry tear we’ve cried, Will be the gift the Father gives as he welcomes us inside. Where eyes don’t cry and hearts don’t break. We’ll never ever wonder why again. Our questions here He’ll answer there. Where eyes don’t cry and hearts don’t break…

Let us pray…

Gracious and loving God, we bless you for the gift of these two men of faith and love and hope. Let the light of Christ we have seen in their eyes and their smiles, their enthusiasm and genuinely positive outlook inspire us.

O God, we humbly confess today that we really do not understand how things happen as they do. Yet, we believe that you are the One who has determined a time and a season for everything under heaven. You have gathered Kevin to yourself – yet made so much of his brief life among us. You have given Lester Sr. so many productive years. We thank you that we can celebrate his vitality today. Bless him, we pray, and his whole family.

Finally, Lord, we acknowledge that you have used difficult circumstances in our lives to teach us many things – how precious every moment is, how priceless love and joy are, and how blessed we are to have a living hope for eternal life, in and through Jesus Christ. Lord, when life hurts, lift our eyes and hearts toward you – remind us of your love that transcends time and space, your promise of a seat of honor at the wedding feast of Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords. In Jesus’ name and for his glory we pray. Amen.

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Blake Heffner October 15th, 2006

“Report from the Mountain!” October 15, 2006

Texts: Luke 9:28-36 Psalm 145

INTRO: This morning’s gospel lesson recounts the extraordinary experience of the transfiguration of our Lord. Peter and James and John were so awed by the experience that when they came down the mountain, they kept it all to themselves. They could not begin to describe the event in words, so they simply told no one what they had seen and heard.

In somewhat of a contrast, the psalmist is unable to keep the works of God to himself. Acknowledging that no one can really fathom God’s greatness, nevertheless one generation shall tell of God’s mighty acts to another. They should not try to contain themselves. It is fitting to meditate on God’s wonderful works and proclaim his deeds and abundant goodness!

1. A Report from Bethel and Greenville

Three weeks ago, I stood here and asked for your help. I asked you to pray that I might be endowed by the Holy Spirit with the ability to preach God’s Word with boldness at two small Brethren churches in Western PA, during their annual revival services. Well, I first want to say “Thank you!” From several days before leaving and all through the week, I felt the effect of your prayers. A number of folks out there said, “We’ve been up on the mountain” of the Lord. Rev. Dale Rummel said we were on a spiritual plateau. The Holy Spirit was definitely moving among us. And, I can’t keep quiet about it. Thank you so much, all of you, who prayed so diligently. Our collective prayers were heard and answered – with all the glory going to God!

The revival was not what you might think. People out there are very laid back. They are not emotional; and my preaching wasn’t geared to evoke emotions either. They did not rush to the altar. But, in their own way - by their word of mouth inviting others to come out, by their singing with full hearts and voices, and by their many gestures of hospitality, the folks in the Bethel and Greenville churches expressed their exuberant joy in the Lord. Almost like Peter and James and John, we knew in an indescribable way that we were enjoying a feast of worship and fellowship in the Spirit of God.

2. Just the High Points
A. We explored the love of God the Father, including the fact of His jealousy. That may sound strange, but we learned that jealousy is part of God’s love for us: it is the other side of the coin. On the obvious side, God has loved us from before the world was created and had a plan for our salvation through Christ from the beginning. God regarded Israel as his wife. And this is where jealousy comes in. Most human jealousy is not virtuous, of course. We are all acquainted with the “green-eyed monster.” The virtuous form of jealousy is the natural consequence of marital affection: it is the fierce desire to protect a love relationship or avenge it when broken. Every married person knows or can imagine the strong feelings that come if someone would try to interfere with our marriage bond. That’s how passionately God feels when his people worship or serve anything other than Him. If you want a graphic picture of this, I recommend you read the story of Phinehas in Numbers 25. The bottom line question for us all is are we loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength? Do we love God before everything else or somewhat further down the list of our priorities? Think about it. Are you and I fully devoted to the God who loves us like a husband? Do we offer God the first fruits of our labors? Or, are we offering Him “leftovers” of our time, energy, enthusiasm, trust, & affection?
B. We also focused on the love of God the Son. Here we looked at several examples of surrender to Christ: John the Baptist said of Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Paul declared, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.” Jesus said simply, “Abide in me and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me… because apart from me you can do nothing.” Friends, the theme of discipleship is nothing new to you. The question is: have you and I given up the idea of walking beside Jesus as equal partners? Or is he truly our Lord and Master? Have we come to the realization that apart from him we can do nothing? Indeed, he must increase and we must decrease!
C. The next evening we focused on God the Holy Spirit. I can summarize the mission of the Spirit’s work with a simple metaphor. It’s been making the rounds on the internet lately: Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. “God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, pride and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.” Pretty neat, eh? Pretty accurate too. Are you wearing your new smiling face today?

3. Another Mountain-Top Experience

While we were preparing to go out to Western PA, we all witnessed another mountain-top experience. It began in a deep, dark valley out near Lancaster, called Nickel Mines. We all watched with stomach-wrenching sadness as the story unfolded about the execution-style shooting deaths of those little school girls in the Amish country. Charles Carl Roberts, IV - a 32-year-old husband and father of three - perpetrated what no one who knew him ever thought possible. This tragedy was unspeakably horrific.

And yet, in the aftermath, the Amish families and friends of the victims took us up the mountain of transfiguration. You must have heard their testimonies. They reached out to Roberts’ wife and children with love and mercy and forgiveness. We could spend all afternoon trying to understand their theology. But, the simple truth is that they take Jesus’ words literally. One woman said: “If you have Jesus in your heart and he has forgiven you… how can you not forgive other people?” These people have taken the whole nation up the mountain of transfiguration. They trust and obey Jesus’ teaching about loving our enemies. They have shown by their words and deeds of love what the kingdom of God is like. Non-Christian folks have no way to comprehend it or explain it. They are speechless – but they realize these are people who truly believe what they say, and live what they believe. It is breathtaking!

Friends, in the light of this event and the witness of the Amish people near Nickel Mines, how can we cling to our relatively petty grievances? We should be ashamed of how slow we have been to forgive each other. Why, last fall, some folks actually told me not to preach about forgiveness. They said that this will take time. Absolutely correct. The Amish acknowledge that the emotional pain and scars from this event will take years to recover from. But, it didn’t take them any time at all to know what the Lord wanted them to do. They didn’t need a sermon on forgiveness to extend it so readily. Yes, we have come through a traumatic event of our own – though far from cold-blooded murder. I am embarrassed that I actually listened to those who said that it was too soon to forgive. The Amish folks of Nickel Mines have proven that theory false. Why should it take Christians who have Jesus in their hearts any time at all to share the forgiveness they’ve known with others who desperately need it? Perhaps we have not all been to that mountain, but it is time for us all to journey there, together. If the love of Jesus is truly in our hearts, then it’s time for us to forgive each other, even if the other person hasn’t asked for it. It’s time to seek the reconciliation through the cleansing blood of Jesus. It’s time to show others are watching that the love of Christ doesn’t merely dwell in Lancaster County. It must dwell in our hearts, and in our fellowship. How often do we pray in the Lord’s Prayer - forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us? It is time to believe what we often say –and to live out what we believe.

Let us pray…

Lord, thank you for the witness of your children near Lancaster. We ask you to bless them in the wake of this utterly terrible experience.

Heavenly Father, that pumpkin picture is really accurate. Forgiveness is not a human virtue; it is a divine gift of your love. Open us up this morning, reach deep down into our hearts and minds and scoop out all our resentment and bitterness, our accusations and sense of self-righteousness. Pour into us, with your Holy Spirit, your incredible love, your grace and mercy, your forgiveness – which reaches out to enemies as well as friends. Only by this transforming process will we ever be able to enjoy the freedom of being your children. Only through letting go, will we be able to receive your joy and peace.

Bless us and keep us in your love, through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

From the ABC NEWS Report:

Midwife Rhita Rhoads was present for the births of two of the five girls who were killed and also speaks of forgiving the gunman.

“If you have Jesus in your heart and he has forgiven you … [how] can you not forgive other people?” Rhoads said.

“I’m sure it’s going to be a struggle to go on without a loved one like that,” said Elmer Fisher. His 7-year-old cousin, Naomi Fisher, was among those murdered. “But I think they trust in God that he’s going to take care of them and everything’s going to be fine.”

When asked if Roberts’ wife would still be welcome in the community, Fisher said he believed she would, adding she would be welcome even at the funerals for the dead girls.

Such are the minds of the forgiving. Passages from the New Testament are taken literally in this community, and the Amish believe they need to love their enemies, which may be beyond the ability of most people, especially so close in time to the murders.

Luke 9:28-36

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.

Psalm 145

I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.

2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.

4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.

5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. [b]

6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.

7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.

11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,

12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made. [c]

14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

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Blake Heffner September 24th, 2006

“Pastor MIA – Help me!” September 24, 2006

Texts: Ephesians 6:18-20 & Revelation 2-3 (sel.)

INTRO: In two weeks you pastor is going to be MIA – that is, missing in action. I will be “missing” on October 8, because Sharon and I have been invited to visit two small congregations in Western PA where they are holding their annual revival. I will be “in action” – because they have invited me to be their guest preacher for four straight evening services – Sunday through Wednesday.

Now before you start to chuckle politely under your breath, understand that I protested the very thought of this when it was first proposed last spring by Rev. Dale Rummel. You see these are the Church of the Brethren congregations that he served for some years before retirement. Dale’s the one who submitted my name to the committee. I said to Dale, “I am not familiar with the tradition. Why, I’ve never even been to a revival.” He replied, “I’ve heard your sermons; you’ll do fine.”

Then, in June, when the chairperson of the Revival Committee, Harry Mahlon called to say that the committee voted and wants to invite me to be their guest in October. I protested again, “Honestly, I don’t feel I have the gift for evangelism. We don’t even have altar calls here at St. John’s.” I could have protested more vehemently, but didn’t, that I am the one who needs revival – at least as much as they do out there. Harry muttered something about how Dale said I would do fine, and then he got my attention: “Things have changed over the years. It used to be folks would bring their unchurched neighbors and there was an evangelistic emphasis. Nowadays, just our own folks come, and it’s more about renewal than revival.”

“Ah, renewal,” I said, “I understand the need for renewal. I need it, and it seems our church here in Williams Township needs it too. So, I guess I’ll accept your invitation, and pray that I may learn something I can bring home.”

That’s why we’re going to be missing for a week – missing and in action. That’s nice, you may be thinking – but why bring it up in this message? Three reasons.

1. I need your help!

I am absolutely asking every Christian friend and prayer warrior I know to pray for me in the weeks leading up to this revival, and especially during this event. There is good historical precedent for this. The Apostle Paul asked his friends in Ephesus to pray for him and his ministry. After he challenges them to put on the armor of God – read about it in vv. 10-17 – he goes on to say:

“Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel… Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.”

What an encouraging thought: the great preacher and teacher Paul needed folks to back him up in prayer. If he did, I do even more so. So, first of all then I am asking you – each one of you, young or old – to pray for me, that I may (like Paul) make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. I have never seen myself as a bold preacher – and be honest, neither do you! But, Paul says that’s how he must speak, not how he wants to speak. So, I am asking you to pray that the Holy Spirit fill me with a holy boldness that is not of my nature. Then we will all know it is of God. In addition, I am asking you to join me in praying for the saints in those two little churches. One gets about 25 folks out to worship, the other maybe 50 or 60. Their pastor told me over the phone that he feels they are in a real spiritual swoon. It’s not that folks haven’t heard the gospel or don’t know Jesus; it’s more that they’ve become complacent with Christ. They don’t seem fully alive. Paul bids his friends to pray for all the saints; so please pray for these folks.

2. What would “revival” or “renewal” look like here?

Since this revival is about all I can think about lately, I asked the guys at a recent mens’ breakfast to rate the spiritual temperature at the Blue Church and our church. Surprisingly, they were unanimous. The guys from the Blue Church said that on a scale of 1-10, they were no more than a 4 or 5. That’s lukewarm. Our guys said the same. We are not cold – God forbid. But we are certainly not hot either. If Jesus were to sit down and write a letter to St. John’s Church on Morgan Hill, what do you think he might say?

A. Would he write as he did to the church in Laodicea? “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Imagine living in Laodicea and reading that for the first time. How would you feel? What would you do? Friends, we better think and pray hard about this – because there are clear signs of lukewarmness among us:

Listen to how we sing hymns. Are we singing from our hearts, with full voices – or are we kind of half-heartedly vocalizing and letting the choir and the organ carry the tune?

Look around at coffee hour. There was a time you would never see a newer person standing alone in the Social Hall – because if no one else, Sue or Eli would be right there introducing themselves and introducing them to others. That’s why their pictures are on the wall. But, why have we slacked off? Why is it so hard for Phyllis to even get folks to put the coffee on anymore? Have we lost our passion for real fellowship and fallen into just talking with our favorite friends?

There is not a soul among us who would say that the Bible is bunk. Most of us would profess it to be God’s living Word. Then why is it there are so few folks coming to our Bible studies? Can is be there are only a handful of men and just a few more women that have a hunger for God’s Word? If they are not offered at convenient times, then why aren’t more adults attending an adult Sunday School class? If you ask me, there is the hint of lukewarmness in the air.

I am encouraged by the fact that we have a Mission Team now. But, wow, have we fallen off in our benevolence giving. We are a very generous group when a special guest comes and we take up a love offering. Why is it so hard to put a significant portion of our offerings into benevolences – by which we support mission work locally and globally. Now, next Sunday, don’t scare Jane by putting all your offering into benevolence. That’s not the answer. I believe God want us to be people with a passion for mission all the time.

B. OK, that’s enough about lukewarmness. Would Jesus possibly connect us with the church in Ephesus? That church was faithful in its toil and patient endurance for the Lord. They were working well – but it was kind of going through the motions. “I have this against you Ephesians, you have forsaken your first love… Repent and do the things you did at first.” Are there not ways in which we have fallen away from our first love? Have we taken God and God’s grace for granted? Have we allowed some weeds to grow in our lives that choke out the good fruit? Are there some things we need to repent of ? Is there a disconnection between Sunday morning and the rest of the week?

C. Finally, on a more positive note, might Jesus also pair us up with the church in Philadelphia? That was the little and faithful church of the group: “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Friends, I personally believe that the Lord is eager to send this message to us. We have made a difficult choice. We have made it for good reasons 0 in order to keep God’s Word and not deny his name. I am getting a little tired of hearing the skeptical comments – like how are we ever going to do what we used to do? How are we going to survive and, better, thrive? We may seem weak in the eyes of some – we may not do everything we used to do in the same old ways – but I firmly believe that the Lord is setting before us an open door and inviting us to step through it. It is a door leading to more joy in the Lord, richer worship, more effective mission and, yes, even “revival.” I, for one, am eager to see what the Lord wants to do with us and through us in the next five years. If Christ opens the door, it can only lead to good things, no better things! Let’s determine to go through that door with gusto!

So, I am really asking you for help in three ways. Pray for me, that the Lord will prepare me to preach a living Word in three weeks. Pray for those two churches in Western Pa – called Bethel and Greenville. And please be praying for our church family here on the hill. Ask the Lord what he wants to do with us and through us. Ask him to give us the fresh wind and fresh fire of the Holy Spirit. Thank you…

Let us pray…

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Blake Heffner September 17th, 2006

“Not I, But Christ…” September 17, 2006

A Confirmation Meditation

Texts: Galatians 2:15-21 & Revelation 3:14-22

INTRO: I’ve had a marvelous experience this week – and a rather rare one: two members of our family have been preparing for confirmation. On Tuesday, Rhonda and Lauren Spirko reached the point of saying: “We’re ready!” Ready to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and to serve Him as Lord. Ready to stand up before God and this family to confess this faith and the desire to live for Jesus. In a few minutes you will all have the joy of participating in this ancient rite of the Church.

Among other things, our candidates studied a short chapter entitled, “How to Become a Christian” by John Stott. I believe Stott’s message – the perennial good news - is worth our consideration this morning. So here we go…

1. What Christianity is Not

Stott wants us to be very clear about what Christian faith is. So, he begins by illustrating what it is not. First, Christianity is not primarily a creed. Although there are many classic expressions of faith, which are instructive and useful, Christianity is not mainly “head stuff.” It’s not a matter of filling our minds with correct theological principles or doctrines. It’s entirely possible to know all about theology and not be a Christian. For example, Stott writes, even the Devil knows some theology. James wrote in his letter: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.” OK, Christianity is not just a matter of thinking the right things about God.

Secondly, Christianity is not primarily a code of conduct, either. It’s not God’s “to do” list. A lot of folks think, if we can keep the Ten Command-ments and the Golden Rule, we’ll be fine. If we can just find a way to love the folks who live under our roof and our neighbors, be kind to our coworkers, and live as decent citizens, we will please God. It’s not that our behavior doesn’t matter. But, we can do all the right things and still not be a Christian. This is what Paul is arguing in his Letter to the Galatians: keeping the rules of Jewish law will not put us right with God. If that would have been possible, then Jesus did not need to die on the Cross for us! Yes, his death would just be a waste of a good life! We could never work our way into heaven – that‘s why Jesus came to us, to offer us a gift we could never earn or purchase. That’s why it’s called grace.

Thirdly, many people identify Christianity with rituals and ceremonies. Stott insists: Christianity is not a system of religious observances. We do, of course, routinely celebrate Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. We hold weekly worship services and educational opportunities. These are all precious and profitable. But it is possible to engage in these outward practices and still miss the core of Christianity. We could have perfect attendance for fifty years and still stand outside the kingdom of God.

Christianity is neither a creed, nor a code of conduct, nor a ceremonial system. Again, it is possible to believe all the right things, do the right things, and be at all the right events – and still miss the heart of Christianity. Are you with me? Do you agree?

2. The Example of John Wesley

Stott offers a vivid example of all this in the life of John Wesley, the father of Methodism. John, his brother Charles, and a few friends were students at Oxford. In 1729 they founded a religious society, which they later called the “Holy Club.” These students were really intense about their faith. They believed all the classic creeds. They lived impeccable lives – meeting together several times a week for encouragement and Bible study. They visited prisoners in Oxford Castle; they founded a school in a slum area - paying the teacher and clothing the children out of their own pockets. And, they were exceedingly religious. They attended Holy Communion weekly, fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays, as monks do. They prayed together throughout everyday and read the Bible voraciously. Yet later, John looked back and reckoned that he was not even a Christian during that period of his life. He wrote to his mother that his faith may have been that of a ‘servant,’ but it was certainly not that of a ‘son.’ Do you understand the difference?

What was missing in Wesley’s life? In 1735 he sailed for Georgia to serve as a chaplain to the colonists and a missionary to the Indians. He returned home two years later feeling demoralized and defeated. However, it was on that trip home that he met some Moravians, who impressed him with their piety. A short time later, on the 24th of May, 1738, Wesley visited a Moravian meeting on Aldersgate Street, East London. He wrote what has become a famous entry in his Journal: “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

For years he had been trusting in himself – his belief, his charitable works, and his religious zeal – but now John came to put his trust completely in Jesus Christ as his Savior. That is the key to becoming a child of God – the core of Christian faith and life. In Paul’s own words, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

3. How to Become a Christian

OK the, how do we become a Christian? Stott explains commitment to Christ simply in terms of A – B – C - D.

A. Something to Admit

Our first step is to admit that we are sinners who need a Savior. By sin, the Bible means self-centeredness. That is what separates us from God and from each other. The Bible declares we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s plan for our lives. Because the wages of sin is death, that is what we deserve.

B. Something to Believe

But, “God so loved the world – and each of us, personally – that he sent his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). That is the gospel in a nutshell! “B” stands for believing this good news: that Jesus died so we might live. His precious blood was shed that the stain of our sins might be washed away.

C. Something to Consider

We need to consider that Jesus Christ wants to be our Lord (or Master) as well as our Savior. He didn’t come merely to free us from our past; he cam to offer us a new future. As Lord, Jesus calls us to leave our old ways and learn his ways. With Peter and James and John of old, we are invited to become his disciples and follow wherever he leads us.

D. Something to Do

“D” stands for something to do. This is a critical piece of the puzzle. The first three steps take place in our hearts and minds, the fourth involves cultivating this new relationship for the rest of our lives. John Stott says it was Revelation 3:20 that made all this clear to him: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock (Jesus says); if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” This is not just a moment or an event, it is an ongoing intimate relationship.

Friends, I can personally attest to this truth. I was brought up in the church – spent nearly every Sunday in worship and Sunday School. I was confirmed at 14. But ten years later, on September 20, 1975, I realized that I had missed the boat. I had been a ‘servant,’ but not a ‘son’ of God. That day I opened the door and invited Jesus Christ into my heart and the journey has been unbelievably rewarding!

Today, we have the joy of celebrating that two of our sisters have also opened this door. They are ready to stand and publicly profess their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and desire to serve him as Lord…

Prayer of Commitment:

This famous picture by Warner Salman depicts Jesus standing at a door and knocking. It represents the door to the human heart – your heart, my heart. There is no latch visible on this door – suggesting that it must be opened from the inside. I invite all of you to do this today – whether for the first time or the hundredth time. Let us pray the ABCD prayer:

Lord, Jesus Christ, I admit that I have sinned against God and others, and I have gone my own way. I repent of my self-centeredness.

I thank you for your great love in dying for me, for bearing in my place the penalty of my sins.

Now I open the door of my heart to you. Come in, Lord Jesus. Come in as my Savior, to cleanse and renew me. Come in as my Lord, to take control of me.

And by your grace, I will serve you faithfully, in fellowship with your other disciples, all my life. Amen.

Quotations and the above prayer are from Christian Basics, by John Stott (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991), pp. 14-25.

Galatians 2

15″We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

17″If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”[d]

Revelation 3

14″To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

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Blake Heffner September 10th, 2006

“To Be Continued…” September 10, 2006

Rally Day – A Communion Meditation

Text: Matthew 28:18-20

INTRO : How many times have you watched a television show and, after a very dramatic scene, the screen goes dark and the three words appear: to be continued? Most often, you feel a let down. You want the story to be finished, you don’t want to wait until next week – or, next season. This morning, we’re going to play with that idea a bit and see how so much of what we are doing in worship, and this morning in particular, is to be continued!

Before we get to the storyline, I want to offer you a mini-lesson in Greek. Thank goodness we don’t need to know Greek to read the Bible. But, a little knowledge can open up some of its meaning. The present tense in Greek can be translated in two ways: as a point in time or as continuing action. For example, the same verb can mean “I sit down,” or “I am sitting down.”

So what, you ask? Well, consider that famous passage in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus is teaching about prayer. Jesus says: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” This text could also be translated: “Keep on asking, and you will receive, keep on seeking and you will find, keep on knocking and the door will be opened.” I believe that this is the more accurate way to read it – as an on-going process. Are you with me? Let’s try to put the Great Commission, which Linda read, in that form.

It could be rendered: “Keep on going to all people everywhere, and keep on making them my disciples. Keep on baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And, keep on teaching them to obey everything thing I have commanded you.” My contention, friends, is not only that we can translate the commission this way, we should under-stand it as an on-going mandate. Well, let’s put this into practical terms:

1. Baptism is to be continued…

Paul teaches in Romans that baptism is not a singular event, it’s a lifelong process through which we are constantly dying and rising with Christ. This means that for little Charlotte, her life in Christ has begun today, but it is to be continued…(as the liturgy puts it) as she lives and grows in Christ. She will become a mature child of God only if we show her God’s love and teach her God’s Word. There is an essential connection between baptism and instruction is right there in the Great Commission.

2. Christian Education is to be continued…

This morning is Rally Day, and we’re celebrating that Christian Education is to be continued here at St. John’s. How consoling it is for teachers to realize that we don’t have to get in all across in one week – we have from September through May! Thank God, we don’t have to learn all there is in God’s Word by age 15 either, we have a lifetime. Sunday School is not just for kids. We have two great classes for adults. If you don’t find one to your liking, let us know and we’ll look for one - because spiritual growth is to be continued.

3. Singing God’s Praise is to be continued…

I hope you share my enthusiasm that the Senior Choir is back in business today, and the younger choirs will be very soon! Worship is just not the same without choral music – & today we are glad it is being continued…

4. The Lord’s Supper is to be continued…

Of all that we do repeatedly in worship, perhaps the clearest example is the Lord’s Supper. When Jesus initiated this feast, he said, “Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, do it in remembrance of me.” He was indicating this sacred meal needs to be continued… We need to keep on taking this bread and eating it, keep on taking this cup and drinking from it. This is the reason many churches celebrate the sacrament every week. We don’t; so we need to take advantage of every opportunity to commune.

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5. Christ’s presence is to be continued…

The beautiful thing about the great commission is that is comes with a great promise: I will be with you always. In other words, through the Holy Spirit Jesus’ presence is to be continued! Christian life is not just a moment, or a day, but a life in and with Him – a continuous journey of faith and love.

6. Suspense…

Finally, you know why television programmers enjoy writing “to be continued?” It creates suspense. You leave the show wanting more, wondering how it will end. The Christian life should be that way, too. We should leave here with the expectation that God has more for us… more to tell us, more to give us, more work for us to do. My prayer today (and I hope yours) is that the Holy Spirit will keep on whetting our appetites to experience God’s presence in worship, keep on creating a hunger for God’s Word and understanding, keep on kindling in us a desire for joyful fellowship and adventures in service. This feast is to be continued! Hallelujah!!!

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Blake Heffner September 3rd, 2006

“What’s in Your Toolbox?” September 3, 2006

Texts: Psalm 15 & Romans 12:6-18

INTRO: “What’s in your wallet?” That’s what Capitol One wants you to ask every time you leave the house – are you prepared to meet your financial needs? This morning, in the midst of Labor Day weekend and the first weeks of the new school year, let’s ask a similar question: In a spiritual sense: What’s in your backpack – as you head to school? What’s in your purse or your attaché case? What’s your toolbox as you head to work? What are the essential things that we need to carry with us to be good Christians? What are the most important virtues we need practice each day?

This whole issue was sparked afresh for me when I was looking at an ancient spiritual guidebook, written for monks nearly 1500 years ago. It is known as St. Benedict’s Rule for Monks. At the beginning, Benedict asks: What are the instruments for good works? He goes on to answer that question by listing some 72 virtues and attitudes for good living. He sums it all up by saying: “These are the tools of the spiritual craft. If we employ them unceasingly day and night [then we’ll be OK on the Day of Judgment].”

1. Psalm 15

Perhaps a thousand years before St. Benedict, the psalmist sat down to make his own list. What does it take to be able to enter the Temple, to live on Mt. Zion? He came up with a comparatively short list of six things:

· Walk blamelessly and do what is righteous

· Speak the truth from your heart and do not slander others

· Honor those who fear the Lord; despise the wicked

· Keep your word, even if it hurts

· Don’t lend money at interest, and

· Do not take a bribe against the innocent

Basically: Walk right, talk right and deal rightly with your money! If these ways are in your spiritual toolbox, he affirms, you shall never be moved.

2. Paul

The Apostle Paul created several lists of do’s and don’ts. One of his classic ones is found in our lesson from Romans, chapter 12. We can summarize them in about a dozen bullets:

· Whatever gifts God has given you, appreciate them and use them

· Let your love be genuine – that means

· Honoring others above yourself & not being proud or conceited

· Practicing hospitality

· Rejoicing with those who rejoice & mourning with those who mourn,

· Living in harmony with others, and

· Blessing those who persecute you - that is,

· In addition, we are to keep our spiritual fervor high, by

· Being joyful in hope

· Being patient in affliction

· Being faithful in prayer, and

· As far as possible, living at peace with everyone.

That’s roughly a baker’s dozen “tools” for living. It is a tall order and worthy goal. If we exhibit these virtues, surely we will be as light for the world and salt for the earth!

C. St. Benedict’s List

So, some five hundred years after Paul, St. Benedict sat down to write out a rule for his monks. He wanted to give them a blueprint for living that would really serve as the whole toolbox – everything a sincere person would need to live a holy Christian life. Benedict came up with the list that is printed on your insert: some seventy-two points!

You may be surprised that virtually every one of these virtues apply to living the Christian life today. Benedict begins with the two greatest commandments of Jesus – to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Next, he lists five of the Ten Commandments. The Golden Rule is no. 9: “Not to do to another what you would not have done to yourself.” That’s simply the negative version of “Do unto others what you would have them do to you.”

Then Benedict addresses the kinds of things that we identify with monastic life: self-denial, asceticism and fasting. It is important to note that these are things Jesus urged on all his disciples. Self-denial is not in vogue in the church today – at least the main line Protestant churches. But, our Pennsylvania German forebears embraced such values: frugality and self-denial were instilled in every generation until recently.

Monastic life wasn’t a complete escape from the world. Benedict urged his monks to relieve the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick and even bury the dead. Monks were to help anyone in trouble and even console the sorrowing.

You might think that living in an atmosphere of prayer would make everyone agreeable. Benedict knew better. He commanded: don’t give way to anger, don’t nurse a grudge, entertain deceit in your heart, or give a false peace.

On the positive side, Benedict followed Paul carefully: underlining the need to speak the truth, bear wrongs patiently, love one’s enemies, and bear persecution for justice’ sake.

Look at No. 36: Not a great eater! You’d think in a monastery there wouldn’t be enough food for overeating. Today, do we think carefully enough about the quantity and quality of food we eat?

I love the next few, too: Not drowsy. Not lazy. Not a grumbler. Not a detractor. Teachers in school really would like to put those on a blackboard! What a different world it would be if we all decided not to be grumblers or detractors!

Right after that, Benedict cultivates an eternal perspective: Put hope in your God. Attribute to God – not to yourself - whatever good you see in yourself. On the other hand take responsibility for the evil that you have done. Have a healthy fear of God’s judgment, be in dread of hell, and desire eternal life with passion. I don’t know many folks who dread hell these days! If we did, we wouldn’t be so reluctant to share Jesus with others. And the majority of people don’t take responsibility for their sins anymore. Right? We’re great at making excuses.

With the biblical authors, Benedict understood how critical our words are: Guard your tongue against evil and depraved speech. Don’t love talking. Don’t say useless things. Don’t try to get everyone laughing. We might do better to get folks laughing these days – life is way too sobering.

Of course, Benedict urges his monks – and us – to be diligent in prayer. He concludes with words that come right out of the New Testament: Hate no one. Don’t be jealous or envious. Don’t love contention. Beware of haughtiness – or pride. Pray for your enemies and make peace with your adversary before the sun sets.

His final point is really a key: Never despair of God’s mercy. That is so vital! After such a long – and challenging – “to do” list, virtually every one of us feels like a failure. We fall short of keeping this list every day. How wonderfully Benedict reminds us that the bottom line is God’s grace and mercy.

When we fail, we have a High Priest, Jesus Christ, who has made the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. “Therefore,” the Letter to the Hebrews declares, “We have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, we can approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Isn’t Benedict’s concluding remark encouraging? “These are the tools of the spiritual craft. If we employ them unceasingly day and night, and return them on the Day of Judgment, our compensation from the Lord will be that wage he has promised: ‘Eye has not seen , nor ear heard, what God has prepared for those who love Him.’”

Let’s return for a moment to God’s mercy and notice a subtle but significant distinction between these three texts. The psalmist and Benedict tell us to do this and that, then God will bless us. Paul, on the other hand, invites us to offer ourselves to Jesus Christ first, and receive his precious grace, then go out and serve the Lord. Chapter twelve begins: “I appeal to you, my brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Martin Luther declared: “Good works will not make a person good, but a good person will do good works.” Do you see the difference? We can’t work our way into heaven – none of us are good enough for that. But if we surrender ourselves to Christ Jesus, as living sacrifices, then the Spirit of the Lord at work in us, will enable us to do good works – not in order for us to be saved, but because we have already been saved by the grace to God!

So, what’s in your wallet, your purse, your backpack, your toolbox?

Let us pray…

Scripture lessons: Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Romans 12: 6-18

6 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. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 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.
Love

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

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Blake Heffner August 27th, 2006

“Through it All” August 27, 2006

Texts: Psalm 125 & Isaiah 54:1-10

INTRO: Change has been on mind. Maybe it’s been on yours too. If so, you’ll enjoy the message that someone sent to me via email this week: It’s titled: “To All The Kids Who Survived the 1930’s 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s!!” Perhaps you’ve already come across it. It’s a light-hearted look at how different we thought and behaved just a few decades ago.

“First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn’t get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick-up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-Aid made with sugar, but we weren’t overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING !

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. [Sports weren’t all organized like they are today: we chose different sides for every pick-up game, and there were no refs or umps!]

We did not have PlayStations, Nintendo’s, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD’s, no surround-sound or CD’s, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms…….
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house, knocked on the door or rang the bell, or, just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW to deal with it all! If YOU are one of them . . CONGRATULATIONS!”

Times have changed so many things, but you have to wonder what we’ve gained. Year’s ago this was a copier: carbon paper. Now we have machines that will run off 100 pages a minute. We used to have adding machines and typewriters; now we have pcs and laptops, mp3 players and ipods. The newest computers don’t even have floppy disk drives anymore – because in the future our data will be stored right on CDs and little memory sticks. Everything’s faster and smaller, but is it better? Wise old King Solomon became quite cynical: “There is nothing new under the sun!” he lamented. We find new ways of doing things, but they are not always an improvement on the older ways. So, what’s the point of all this commentary?

Lately, I’ve looked into the eyes of a student going off to a new university and I saw fear. Real fear and trepidation. I hear it in many voices about the church here – are we better off now, or are we in trouble? Honestly, I’ve seen it in the mirror. I have moments of doubt and anxiety. So, for any of us who have been feeling a little bit troubled, I offer two points:

1. Change doesn’t necessarily mean improvement or progress. Things may or may not be better; they are just different. The good old days had their own set of trials. But, years ago we knew nothing about child predators. Pornography was something you had to go out of your way to find – now it’s available at the click of a mouse. People have always abused alcohol and tobacco, but who ever dreamed of all the kinds of drugs available today? Folks had tough economic times in the past, but – up until the past twenty years - those who were employed enjoyed relative job security and company loyalty. Workers usually got medical insurance and pension benefits. And they could be fairly confident about Social Security when they retire. No longer! Today’s young adults face a future with no guarantees. Our world presents more dangers and temptations than ever, and we face them with less confidence, less security & less hope. In the fifties we believed that every day things were getting better and better; today we are sure they are not. Where can we find solid ground, a place to stand strong?

2. Get a piece of the Rock - Trust in the Lord!

Prudential Insurance used to say: “Get a piece of the Rock.” The psalmist heartily agrees:

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore.

Friends, you must have heard this before – maybe a hundred times. But the question is, when you and I find the very ground beneath our feet shaking, what do we do? Do we reach out for friends – or a bottle of pills – or do we take hold of the Rock of Ages – Who cannot be moved?

When we feel confused and bewildered – racing down the river of current events, seemingly without a paddle – to whom do we turn? Have we learned to trust in the One who surrounds us, like the mountains around Jerusalem? Have we learned to trust in Jesus Christ like Andre Crouch - who composed the beautiful song Don sang for us?

I’ve had many tears and sorrows;

I’ve had questions for tomorrow;

There’ve been times I didn’t know right from wrong.

But in ev’ry situation God gave blessed consolation

That my trials come to only make me strong.

Chorus Through it all, through it all,

(Oh,) I’ve learned to trust in Jesus;

I’ve learned to trust in God.

Through it all, through it all,

I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

Friends, have you come to the point (with Andre Crouch) where you can sincerely thank God for your troubles – and see His hand at work in the storms of your life?
I thank God for the mountains

And I thank Him for the valleys;

I thank Him for the storms He brought me through;

For if I’d never had a problem,

I wouldn’t know that He could solve them;

I’d never know what faith in God could do.

It is times like these we are living in right now – challenging, trying times – when we have golden opportunities to discover “what God can do” – that God is near to the brokenhearted, that his love is not fickle but steadfast, and that his power is able to overcome any obstacle, even mountains!

At the very lowest point in Israel’s history, the Lord spoke those marvelous words of promise to Israel: “The mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed!” This is why Anne Graham Lotz says, “We have everything when we have Jesus - a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The old gospel hymn we love to sing proclaims this!

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand – All other ground is sinking sand…

In ev’ry high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil…

When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand – All other ground is sinking sand.

Friends, have you come to the place where you know that “through it all” Jesus Christ is the solid Rock on which you stand? If so, please stand and sing that great hymn as our statement of faith – No. 404!

Invitation to Prayer:

If you are not sure that you are standing on the solid rock of Christ, that you are wholly leaning on his name, then I invite you to become sure this morning. I invite you to build your hope on the One who doesn’t change with the times. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever. You can be assured of “forever” – an eternal life with Christ and all the saints, by simply offering yourself to him.

Pray with me…

Lord Jesus, I am so rattled. Some days I can’t tell which end is up, whether I am coming or going. I am confused about so many things. I am afraid too. I have had so many doubts. But you understand me and you love me – with all my doubts and sins. You gave your life for me on the cross of Calvary. You shed your blood in order that my sins might be washed away and I might inherit a brand new life – and eternal future, with you and all the saints. Lord, I offer myself to you today – with all my shortcomings, all my failings, all my tears. Have mercy on me, forgive me. Pour your Holy Spirit into me and fill me with your love, joy and peace. Raise me up with new confidence, enable me to walk in your light and serve you in the world – for it is in Jesus’ name I come and in his precious name I pray. Amen.

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Blake Heffner August 13th, 2006

“Tips for Riding the Carousel of Life”

Sermon by pastor Blake Heffner - August 13, 2006

Texts: Matthew 6:31-34; II Timothy 2:14-18; Isaiah 58:6-9

INTRO

“The circle of life” is the common idea that human life comes full circle, from birth to death. This week, it seems I was given vivid glimpses of the whole process. We welcomed a new baby into the family and said farewell to a member of our extended clan. I was blessed by a woman who is dying, and – like you - experienced a few of life’s more mundane bumps and turns. This morning, I’d like you to imagine this circle on its side: life is like a carousel. – it doesn’t just go round and round, it also goes up and down. Let’s consider a few biblical tips for riding well…

1. The wonder of life – photo of Amelia and Charlotte

Sometimes life seems to be so routine, so predictable, so mechanical. Riding on the merry-go-round is anything but that. We may be aware of the mechanisms, but when the music begins we just sit back and enjoy the ride.

When a baby is born, we can even take it in stride! As long as mother and baby are healthy, it’s no big deal. Many of us have been there before. But not two-year Amelia. When you get the chance to look at this picture close up you will enjoy Amelia’s concentration. She is studying her new sister moments after meeting her for the first time. What do you think is going through her young mind? Is this one princess – wondering what it will mean for a second princess to live in the castle? Or is she just in awe of this new person, almost the size of her doll?

Life is a marvelous mystery. The psalmist (Ps.139) writes: “It was you [Lord] who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. [Why, God,] you know everything about me. Even before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely.” We should never let daily life become purely mechanical and routine. To ride well, we need to cultivate the sense that every phase of life has its wonder-filled moments. God is worthy of our praise – at every age!

2. Living in the present moment – Joan

I had the privilege of visiting someone who has mastered this art. Joan Schaible is a member of this family of faith. She has had a rather long and pretty healthy life – up until about five years ago, that is. These last five years have been filled with dozens of hospital stays and surgical procedures. Why just about everyone who works on the fifth floor of the Payne Pavilion at St. Luke’s knows her by name. Doctors just drop in to say hello to her.

Why? It’s because Joan is one of those rare individuals who has actually learned to live one day at a time, moment by moment really, and she is truly grateful for every little thing. Now she is basically confined to her home, on oxygen. They say she’s got cancer in three places. She’s lost a lot of weight, and most of her former spunk. But you’d hardly know it. Joan still wears a smile; she appreciates the littlest gestures of kindness. When her daughter Sabina plays arpeggios on the piano, you’d think Joan was in Carnegie Hall.

Somewhere along the way, Joan has learned to live the way Jesus taught us – not to worry about what we will wear or eat, not to worry about tomorrow – because God grants us the privilege of living one day at a time. I hope that you might try to visit with Joan as see for yourself a woman of genuine serenity – despite her physical condition and her prognosis. You will be blessed. And, how blessed we will be when we simply trust God for our basic needs and make the most of every moment.

3. Controversies tend to come and go – Earl

Thursday evening we attended the viewing of my father’s cousin, Earl S. Heffner, Jr. Earl had a remarkably successful life as a lawyer and philanthropist; his obituary was nearly a whole column long. What struck me about Earl is how he graduated from Muhlenberg College and later served as Chancellor of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church.

What’s so strange about that, you ask? Nothing these days! But, two hundred and sixty years ago this dual allegiance would have been unthinkable. You see, Henry Melchior Muhlenberg was a Lutheran pastor sent to Pennsylvania to help organize the German Lutherans. Count Ludwig von Zinzendorf was a born and bred German Lutheran who became the leader of the renewed Moravian Church. Both men had strong personalities and great leadership qualities. Zinzendorf desired to abandon denominations and form a truly united church of all Christians. Muhlenberg thought that was a preposterous notion. These two powerful men never saw eye to eye, and they made it hard for German Lutherans and Moravians to get along.

The whole point is that on the carousel of life – today’s controversies may be gone by tomorrow. It is well for us to heed Paul’s advice to Timothy: “Tell the people to avoid quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.” Paul offers such a warning several times. Many controversies that are hot-button issues one day are insignificant in another. We haven’t taken that counsel to heart of late. We have forgotten that, as Christians, we have so much more in common than we have dividing us. Hopefully, years from now, the things that charge us up today will be like the Muhlenberg/Zinzendorf issue – merely a another footnote to history.

4. Care for those who ride with us

Getting back to the merry-go-round. Remember how – if you had enough tickets to keep riding – you’d begin to notice the people riding around you, maybe even strike up a conversation? On the carousel of life, the Lord commands us to pay attention to the folks who are riding along side of us. Stretch your imagination – beyond any merry-go-round you’ve ever seen. Imagine that there are literally millions of people – of all ages, colors and nationalities – riding on this same carousel. Many of them are poor and out of work. Some haven’t had enough to eat in several days. Many haven’t had the privilege of education that we take for granted.

Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” In the Middle Ages, one theologian taught that we cannot pray that prayer sincerely without praying it on behalf of those who do not have daily bread. Furthermore, if we pray that prayer earnestly, and have more than enough bread, we need to share of our surplus with those who are hungry.

The prophet Isaiah put it bluntly: “This is what God wants from us: to share our food with the hungry, invite the homeless poor into your homes, put clothing on those who need clothing. Then, when we do this, ‘the lights will turn on,’ and God will be quick to answer our cries for help.” Friends, we are riding the carousel of life with so much more baggage than we could possibly use. Let us constantly be aware of the others who are riding along with us – both locally and globally. Let us commit to regularly sharing a portion of our wealth with our neighbors in need.

5. When the ride is dizzying – focus on One Person

In closing, I’ll confess the one aspect of carousel riding that particularly grabbed me this week is the fact that life takes us up and down – sometimes at a feverish pace. Do you ever remember getting nauseous on a merry-go-round? I do. The first remedy for an upset stomach is not getting off the ride. No, it is to focus on one object. Traditionally, the merry-go-round has a feature perfect for this – the brass ring.

The Apostle Paul had his eye on a brass ring of sorts when he wrote: “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” Our lives in the Heffner household have unusually dizzying of late. I know what I need – it’s to look away from our burdens and focus on the One person who can help: Jesus Christ. He is the One who says: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn form me… and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Amen!

Friends, when the ride is just too much for you, look to Jesus, lean on him, trust him to carry that heavy burden. He will pick it right up and give you rest. There is no better way to spend your time on the carousel of life than in his tender loving arms. Let us turn to him in prayer…

Prayer

Jesus, precious Jesus, you are the One who has taught us about life: how wonderful it is, how we can trust our heavenly Father for all our needs, and how relatively secondary our burning issues are compared to your love and mercy.

Lord, bless us today with a fresh appreciation of your presence and providence. Open our eyes to see your face in our neighbors around us, and move us to reach out to them in effective ways.

We bless you that you are indeed our Rock and Fortress, and we need not be afraid. You are our Good Shepherd, who cares for his sheep. Grant us faith to trust you for all our needs and the serenity of knowing that even our eternal security is assured through your death and resurrection. We praise you! We bless you! We want to live for you! Help us to keep our eyes on the prize – in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Blake Heffner August 6th, 2006

“Rejoice in the Lord - Always!”

Sermon by pastor Blake Heffner - August 6, 2006

Texts: Philippians 4:4-9 John 7:37-39

INTRO No wonder a lot of folks think the Apostle Paul was crazy. He wrote some to the most incredible things. Among them, at least three times he orders his readers to be joyful. He orders this – and then adds “all the time, in all circumstances.” What do you think? Was he crazy? Is that even possible? Let’s take a look at this idea. We’ll need some help from the Holy Spirit, so let’s begin with prayer…

1. Always!

The first reason we have of questioning Paul’s sanity is that we can look around and fail to find anyone who is joyful all the time. Perhaps you can’t even imagine what that would be like. There are obvious reasons why we aren’t joyful all the time.

Someone will say: “I’m not joyful today because every night when I watch the evening news it looks like we’re closer to World War III. I’m afraid of what might happen next. Sorry, it’s hard to be happy when you’re anxious.”

Another will say: “Look, I’m angry right now!” That flooding in June was the third time in less than two years. I busted my butt [pardon the expression] to get everything restored, and all of a sudden we’re back to square one. The government hasn’t been very helpful, and our insurance company is giving us the run around! I’m fed up and not full of joy today.”

A third person might say simply: “I have been grieving the loss of my wife for months now. I can’t sleep and don’t want to eat. Every morning I wake up feeling miserable. I find myself weeping uncontrollably. My friend, “joy” is just not in vocabulary at the moment.

Fear and anger and grief are real and justifiable emotions. Emotions normally come and go. You can’t command someone to have an emotion. Yet, Paul strongly commands us to rejoice “always – in all circumstances.” He uses the imperative form of the verb. So, the joy he is referring to must be something other than an emotion. Something that we can experience independently of whether the sun is shining or not, whether we have our health or not, whether we are succeeding or failing.

2. In the Lord!

The key for Paul lies in the phrase “in the Lord.” Now you’re thinking – oh, come on, don’t give me some religious gobbledy-gook about every gray cloud having a silver lining, or the darkness is not dark to God. That’s not what this is all about. I want you to listen very carefully.

Eugene Peterson put it this way. “Joy is not a requirement of Christian discipleship, it is a consequence. It is not what we have to acquire in order to experience life in Christ; it is what comes to us when we are walking in the way of faith and obedience” (A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, p.96). That means you and I don’t have to conjure up a smile for every situation in order to be a Christian. No, but joy comes with the territory of being disciples of Jesus. We receive a joyfulness and peace that are clearly not dependent upon outward circumstances.

You know something interesting? During the process of canonizing a saint, the Roman Catholic Church demands proof of joy in the candidate’s life. Pretty neat. Their thinking is that genuine saints don’t walk around with a sour face and personality.

That’s a high standard for us. The good news is that “joy in the Lord” is a free gift of God’s grace. Jesus said: “I have told you everything so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete… [Yes,] you are sad now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with joy, the kind of joy that no one can take away from you” (John 15:11; 16:22).

“Joy in the Lord” is not merely an emotional high. It seems like an attitude – but it is more. It is a quality of life that we can have continually – no matter where we are on life’s emotional roller coaster. And, NO ONE can take it away from us! The Devil will try to steal our joy, but he can’t take it if we won’t give it to him!

“Joy in the Lord” is what our kids learned to sing about this week in Bible School:

I’m trading my sorrows; I’m trading my shame; I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord. I’m trading my sickness; I’m trading my pain; I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord. Yes, Lord, yes, Lord…

“Joy in the Lord” is the “joy of the Lord” that we receive in trade. We trade our messed up, fragile and broken ‘old’ lives for Jesus’ whole and abundant new life. We trade in our sorrows and sickness, our shame and our pain for his victorious and eternal life. This trade is not something we do only once – we have to renew the transaction everyday. That’s why the song ends with the series: “yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, yes Lord… Amen.”

Someone has said that “j-o-y” happens when there is “zero” between Jesus and you. That’s right!

3. Keep on rejoicing!!

Friends, Paul’s talking about an ongoing process. Writing in the present tense, he means literally: “Keep on rejoicing in the Lord – all the time. I’ll say it again for emphasis: Keep on rejoicing!”

Do we have this straight now? Joy in the Lord is not something we conjure up by thinking happy thoughts; no, it comes from Christ being present within us. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit – which we receive when we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord. It is what Jesus described in our gospel lesson as the stream of life-giving water that wells up from within us and overflows for those around us.

This is the only way to make sense of “rejoicing always.” We can have it “in the Lord” – no matter where we are or how awful the situation – because Jesus Christ is always with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. And he has given us a promise – which the children heard often this week: “Because I live, you will live also” (Jn.14:19).

This is it in a nutshell: Because the Spirit of Christ is the source of joy, we can rejoice also. Because the Spirit of Christ is the source of love, we can love also. Because the Spirit of Christ is the source of peace, we can experience peace in the midst of turmoil. All these things and more are ours – free gifts of grace – when we receive Jesus Christ.

Friends, I don’t know about you, but I crave more that joy in my life, more of that love, more of that peace. And we surely need more of these things in our corporate life as a congregation. So, please receive this closing exhortation with all the imperative urgency of the apostle Paul:

Be joyful when we gather for worship. Be like the psalmist who wrote, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go up to the house of the Lord.’” Why not invite someone to worship with you every Sunday – that some of this joy might rub off on them.

Be joyful when we gather for the fellowship time. Make it your purpose to seek out someone who is alone and greet them. Introduce yourself and strike up a conversation. If we only talk to our close friends, we will miss the joy of genuine Christian fellowship.

Be joyful in your prayer life this week. No matter how heavy your burdens, begin your quiet time with a little silent singing: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” Jesus promised us his joy in all its fullness.

Finally, share your joy with others this week. There are so many folks right around us that have absolutely no joy in their lives. They are downcast, or worn out, or frightened, or brokenhearted. You may be the only ray of light that shines on them. Offer them genuine joy “in the Lord” – not a superficial smile, but a loving, caring hug in the name of Jesus with words of comfort, hope and encouragement.

Let us pray…

Prayer
Gracious God, our heavenly Father, it is embarrassing to think how easily we miss the gift of joy in the Lord. How often we find ourselves downcast or frustrated or despairing. Yet, you have promised us your very own joy – through Jesus Christ.
We turn to you, yearning to find this elusive joy today. Enable us, by your Holy Spirit, to trade in our sorrows and shame, our sickness and pain for the joy of the Lord.
Jesus, because you live, we will live also. Come into our hearts afresh today. Pour into our hearts your love and joy and peace. Let these marvelous qualities well up and overflow our lives to bless those around us.
And we pray that joy in the Lord will someday fill this whole church family. When people come for the first time, may they see our joyfulness in you.

In Jesus’ name, and for his glory. Amen.

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