Sermon John 4:5-42 Living Water

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon John 4:5-42 Living Water

March 23, 2014

There is an old story about power relationships. It was contained in a email that went viral in 1998 and still shows up from time to time. The story is probably false, but it is still a pretty good story. Here it is.

“ACTUAL transcript of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995. This radio conversation was released by the Chief of Naval Operations on 10-10-95.
Americans: "Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision."
Canadians: "Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision."
Americans: "This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course."
Canadians: "No, I say again, you divert YOUR course."
Americans: "THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE15 DEGREES NORTH. THAT'S ONE-FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP."
Canadians: "This is a lighthouse. Your call." ¹

Last week we listened in on a conversation between Jesus and a very powerful man, Nicodemus. Today we will look at another conversation Jesus had, this time with a person who had no power at all. And we will find some surprising things happen in the Kingdom of Heaven. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

God, my maker, hold me this day, with the same hand that shapes the mountains, with the same hand that cradles the deep. Keep my heart soft and supple, make my faith strong and firm. Renew me, re-form me, re-create me into the image of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.²

John 4:5-42 ⁵ So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ⁶ Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. ⁷ When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" ⁸ (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) ⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus has encountered a Samaritan woman. This is all you need to know about her. As a Samaritan she is a member of a despised minority. The Samaritans were people who had been forced to move to the region north of Jerusalem by the Assyrian Empire in the 8^th century before Christ. When they arrived they began worshiping Yahweh, the God of Israel. Even though they worshiped the true God, they were not accepted by the people of Judah because they were not descended from Abraham. The Samaritans were not permitted to worship in the Jerusalem temple. And when they built their own temple it was destroyed. The people of Judah and the people of Samaria hated each other so much that Jews traveling between Jerusalem and the region around the Sea of Galilee would detour through Jericho and the Jordan valley just to avoid traveling through Samaria. Actually most Jews would go out of their way, but not Jesus. On his way home after the Passover Jesus went through Samaria and encountered a Samaritan.

The Samaritan who met Jesus that day was a woman. A woman was completely powerless in that day. She could not own property of her own. She could not work. She was completely dependent on her husband or father or son to take care of her. She could not divorce her husband, even though her husband could divorce her. And this woman had lost five husbands, five men who had either died or divorced her. The only thing going for her at that moment was that a man, not her husband, probably the brother of a late husband, was taking care of her. This Samaritan widow was as powerless as you can get.

The context of this story is that Jesus, a Jewish rabbi or teacher, with all the power in the world encountered a completely powerless woman. But something is odd here. The powerful, male, Jew is thirsty, and the powerless Samaritan woman has the bucket he needs to get a drink of water. So, who has all the power? She does. The powerless have been lifted us, and the powerful brought low. Welcome to the Kingdom of Heaven, where Jesus said “all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11) Let's listen to their conversation.

¹⁰ Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." ¹¹ "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹² Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" ¹³ Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." ¹⁵ The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

Jesus has done a remarkable thing. He has offered a Samaritan, a Samaritan!, eternal life.

It doesn't matter if we are descended from Abraham or not, if we believe in Jesus Christ and experience the transformation of the Holy Spirit then we can be assured of eternal life. All differences of ethnicity and gender dissolve in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Samaritan woman who heard these amazing words from the mouth of a Jewish man wasn't sure if she could believe them or not. They sounded too good to be true, and she had been disappointed before. So Jesus showed her a sign, a miracle, that brought her to belief. Let's listen some more to their conversation.

¹⁶ He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back." ¹⁷ "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸ The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." ¹⁹ "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet.

^{Jesus knew all about this woman's life. She realized that only God would know these details. And therefore Jesus must be a prophet of God. And since this prophet has brought such exceptionally good news, she was convinced that he must be the messiah, the Christ, they had been waiting for. To which Jesus answered, 26} … "I who speak to you am he."

So through a Samaritan woman Jesus has proclaimed himself to be the messiah or Christ. He has been sent by God to initiate God's reign on Earth. He is the leading edge of the Kingdom of God. The woman's reaction is to run back to village telling everyone she meets the good news that the messiah has come and that Samaritans and women are included in his kingdom.

And this is good news for us. We too are included in the kingdom. It doesn't matter who we are or the awful things we have done. If we believe in Jesus Christ and accept his transforming spirit we too receive the living waters of eternal life.

Father in heaven. We too desire to drink of the living water of eternal life. We know that we are not worthy to drink this water. So we ask for the gift of faith with the promise that all who believe in your son will have eternal life. Amen.

1http://www.snopes.com/military/lighthouse.asp

2Kimberly Long, Feasting On the Word Worship Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013), 108.

Sermon John 3:1-21 Born From Above

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon John 3:1-21 Born From Above

March 16, 2014

This is the second Sunday in the season of Lent. And we shift gears. We enter into the Gospel of John and we will be looking at four people who have personal interactions with Jesus. Next week we will meet a Samaritan woman, this will be followed by a blind man and finally a dead man brought back to life. Today we will look at a political and religious leader who came to talk with Jesus. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

“Loving God, you have given me the gift of this new day, and you send me out to live it fully and well. Help me to be attentive to your direction and leading. If you should call me to go in some direction, give me courage to try this new thing. If you present me with a mysterious truth or grace, help me to understand, or to seek understanding, with a sense of wonder and faith. Whatever this day may hold, I trust that you will keep me in all my comings and goings. In your Son’s name, I pray. Amen”.¹

John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Nicodemus was a member of the ruling Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, a very powerful man. He was a Pharisee, a member of a major conservative political party. And he was a scribe, a very knowledgeable man in the Hebrew law, prophets and psalms. He came to Jesus at night, probably to hide his meeting from others who might question why he was meeting Jesus. He was curious about Jesus, but he had not yet come to belief. Let's listen in to their conversation.

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

As we know from our study of Matthew, Jesus has come to Earth to initiate the reign of God in the Kingdom of Heaven. Nicodemus wants to know what this is all about. And Jesus has told him that it is like a rebirth. People enter the kingdom of heaven by being reborn. This confused Nicodemus so he replied with an absurdity, wondering how someone could reenter their mother's womb. This is not at all what Jesus was talking about. For Jesus, entering the Kingdom of Heaven requires a transformation of life; you become a new person; you are born again.

This is work of the Holy Spirit. When you accept the Spirit into your lives he begins the lifelong work of changing you into an adopted child of God. God created us in his image. But this image of God in us was defaced by sin. As a result it is no longer visible. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, God's image is restored in us, and we grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Sadly, Nicodemus could not understand these things. He knew about God, but he never experienced God in his life. This experience of God in your life is the Holy Spirit. It is what Jesus means by baptism of the Holy Spirit. Our water baptism is symbolic of the reality that the Spirit is at work in our lives. But for Nicodemus this has never happened. He has settled for just knowing about God. He has never taken the next step from knowing about God to knowing God intimately through his Spirit.

How do you move from knowing about God to knowing God intimately? You do that through spiritual practices. Jesus told us to pray and meditate on scripture every day, fast, and give generously to the poor. Do these things and you will be filled with the Spirit of God, who will make you more and more like Jesus Christ.

Let's now listen to Jesus' teaching to Nicodemus.

11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

So according to Jesus, Nicodemus did not believe even though he has seen signs and miracles. Therefore he must not have been reborn to new life by spiritual baptism. Had he received this kind of baptism he would believe that Jesus had come from heaven and would return after being lifted up on a cross and resurrected from the dead. And this kind of belief is necessary for eternal life.

I urge you to examine your faith. Do you believe that Jesus came from God? Do you believe he died for our sins? Do you believe he was resurrected to new life? If you do then you have received baptism of the Holy Spirit and you are assured of eternal life. If not, then you must fast, give to poor, and pray that God will fill you with the Holy Spirit, transformation of life, and belief in Jesus Christ. Once this happens you too can be assured of eternal life. Let's listen to the promise that Jesus made for all who believe in him.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John Buchanan was a Presbyterian pastor for nearly half a century. He recalls a baptism of a two-year-old boy in his congregation. After the child was baptized with water, Rev. Buchanan put his hand on the boy's forehead and said, “You are a child of God, sealed by the Spirit in your baptism, and you belong to Jesus Christ forever." Unexpectedly, the little boy looked up and responded, "Uh-oh." According to Rev. Buchanan this was the correct response. When the Holy Spirit comes into your life everything changes. You become a new person. You belong to God. Your life radically changes. You believe in Jesus Christ and are assured of eternal life. And now you are called to love your neighbor as much as God loves you. Uh-oh, your life will never be the same.²

I think Nicodemus did finally come to belief in Jesus Christ. At Jesus' trial he risked his own life intervening on Jesus' behalf. And after the crucifixion he helped Joseph of Arimathea take Jesus' body to the tomb. Church tradition tells us that Nicodemus was martyred for his faith. And so we can expect that he, being loved by God, now enjoys eternal life.

Let us pray. Father in Heaven we ask that the Holy Spirit come upon us this day baptizing us into new life in Christ. Help us to come to belief not just with out minds, but with Christ like behavior. And we thank you for the promise of eternal life. Amen.

1Kimberly Long, Feasting On the Word Worship Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013), 104.

2Adapted from Thomas G. Long, http://day1.org/3823-the_start_of_the_trail

Sermon Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus' Ministry

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus' Ministry

March 9, 2014

Today is the first Sunday in the season of Lent. Lent is a time when we engage in spiritual practices including daily prayer, giving alms to the poor, and fasting. Sundays are not included in Lent because we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ every Sunday. Today we will look at the preparation Jesus made to begin his ministry. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

Holy God, as this day surrounds me like a garden with a thousand trees, give me enough knowledge to obey your commandments, and to choose the fruit that gives life: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.¹

Last Friday the Presbytery of New Castle had their March meeting. At the meeting a young woman, Caitlan Quinn became a Candidate for the Ministry of the Word of Sacrament. She had been an Inquirer and had gone to seminary. But now she and the presbytery are seriously discerning God's call on her life. She was very happy at the meeting for several reasons. She is getting married in August. She is serving the children and youth at the Chestertown church. And she has recently passed her ordination exams. These test are very difficult because we hold our pastors to a very high standard. Jesus too had tests he must pass before starting his ministry. And the proctor for these exams is the devil.

Matthew 4 1-11 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Jesus prepared for his ministry on earth just as we prepare for Good Friday and Easter with a 40 day period of prayer and fasting. During this time we are told that he was tested. God sent the devil to administer this test. And the purpose of the test was to see if Jesus truly was ready to begin his ministry. Let's look at the first question and Jesus' answer on the test.

3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

The devil administer the following test. He showed Jesus some stones and told him to use his power to satisfy his own hunger. Now we know that Jesus had the power to turn stones into food. Later in his ministry he will turn water into wine for a wedding and will feed five thousand people with just a few loaves of bread. So the question is not about Jesus' ability to turn the stones into food. He can. The question Jesus is being asked is whether or not he should use his power to satisfy his own needs and desires. Are Jesus' motives selfish, or does he use his power to serve others.

Jesus' response was that he will not use his power for personal benefit. Rather he will do whatever he can do to help others. So too in our ministries. As a church of Jesus Christ we do things not to benefit ourselves but to benefit our neighbors whom we are commanded to love. And Jesus knew that the best thing he could do for others is to proclaim to them the word of God.

Let's listen to the second question and answer on the test.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

The devil is tempting Jesus to do ministry the easy way. If Jesus would just jump off the highest point of the temple and fly away like Superman, everyone would see this spectacular miracle. And this would bring everyone to belief immediately. Jesus' ministry could be accomplished in a few minutes. I couldn't be any easier.  But Jesus knew it wouldn't work. Time and again throughout the Old Testament God would do the miraculous and people would believe for a while. But then they would forget what God had done and their faith would be gone. Jesus wanted people to have a more lasting faith. So he knew that a miracle would be involved, but not until people were ready. Jesus had to do the long and difficult work of nurturing people in the faith through his teaching and prayers. Then they would be ready for the miracle of his resurrection. So too with us. The church must prepare it's members with preaching and teaching to accept miracles when they occur.

And this brings us to the third question and answer.

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

The devil has offered Jesus political power. Jesus could use this power to bring all the kings and heads of state to faith. They could then order their people to be baptized. Constantine did this in the fourth century when he ordered everyone in the Roman empire to go to their nearest river to be baptized at the point of a sword. But Jesus knew that people do not come to faith when told to by government. People come to faith only after a long period of prayer, worship, Bible study, and fasting. Only by engaging in spiritual practices does someone come to faith. Jesus knew that no one could be ordered to believe. He could not enlist the aid of the powerful to make the powerless believe. So instead of using the powerful, he reached down to the powerless and lifted them up. This is our calling as church to reach out to powerless in love.

With this Jesus has passed his test and was ready for ministry. In his ministry he will serve the needs of others. He will avoid the spectacular until people are ready and emphasize the ordinary of prayer and Bible Study. And he will lift up the powerless to faith. So too with the church of Jesus Christ. We are called to serve the needs of others. We are to bring people to faith with worship, prayer and Bible study. And we are to reach out to the powerless. This is our test. Will we pass it?

Let's pray. Father in heaven, we are hungry and tempted to serve ourselves. Help us to serve others in need. We hope that Jesus will come in glory to bring everyone to faith. In the mean time help us to bring people to faith in the ordinary way. We prefer to worship with the powerful. But help us to reach out to the powerless. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

1Kimberly Long, Feasting On the Word Worship Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013), 90.

Sermon Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21 Take On Something for Lent

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21 Take On Something for Lent

March 2, 2014 Ash Wednesday

This is Ash Wednesday. We start a 40 day period of preparation for the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sundays are not included in Lent because Sundays are always set aside for a celebration of Jesus' resurrection. But today is not Sunday. And so we gather in a solemn assembly to consider our own mortality and the reality of sin in our lives.

For many people Lent is a time to give things up. You will hear people say things like, “I'm giving up chocolate for Lent.” And there is nothing wrong with this. But I urge you not to give something up but to put something on for Lent. I urge you to begin a spiritual practice which will sustain you throughout your lives. To learn about spiritual practices we return to the side of a mountain near Capernaum where we will hear our teacher, Jesus.

Matthew 6:1-6 ^NIV Matthew 6:1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Spiritual practices, or what Jesus calls “acts of righteousness”, are things you do in private. You may do them alone, or with a small group of family and friends, or at church. These are not things you do in public. That's why we have gathered in this sanctuary tonight. We are far away from the cares and concerns of the world so that we can spend some time alone with God. Let's listen to Jesus as he talks about spiritual practices.

² "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The first spiritual practice you could take on for Lent is to give to the poor. This you must do in private to prevent you from giving in order to receive some benefit for yourself. You are to give out of the love you have for your neighbor. You may give through to the church, through other charities, or directly to people in need. I know you already give, but during Lent, as a spiritual practice give more. Giving is important, but it is not the only spiritual practice. Let's go back to Jesus.

⁵ "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

It is certainly acceptable to pray in public. But as a spiritual practice you must pray privately. You may do this by yourselves or with a group of believers. When you pray you should also meditate on scripture because the Bible teaches you how to pray. In Matthew 6 Jesus teaches us how to pray with what we call The Lord's Prayer. The Book of Psalms is filled with ancient prayers. I know you all pray, but during Lent I urge you meditate on scripture and pray every day. Pick a set time for your prayer. You could pray in the morning when you first wake up, or at night just before you go to bed. You could pray before meals. Pick the place and time that is best for you. There is a new app for your smart phone or tablet. It is called “Daily Prayer PC(USA)”. You can use this app to find scripture and prayers to use each day. Just remember that during Lent you should pray every day. So we have heard about giving and prayer as spiritual practices. Let's get back to Jesus and find another.

Matthew 6:16-21 ¹⁶ "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

So far we have heard about giving to the poor and daily prayer as regular spiritual practices. Now we turn to one we don't often do, fasting. As protestants we rarely fast because in the Middle Ages the church abused this practice. But today we need to recover fasting as a spiritual practice. Fasting helps us to remember that we have seen and tasted the Lord. We are satisfied by feasting on the word of God. Just remember that your fast is not public. It is between you and God. So don't go around telling others that you fast. Just do it.

So we have learned from Jesus about the spiritual practices of giving, praying and fasting in private every day as acts of righteousness for Lent. But we have one final question. Why should we do these things? Let's hear how Jesus answered this question.

¹⁹ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So in the coming kingdom of heaven there will be a new banking system. You will not deposit dollars into your account. In the Bank of the Kingdom of Heaven you make deposits by giving alms to the poor, praying and meditating on scripture every day, and fasting as a way of coming closer to God. I urge you to start making deposits in the bank this Lent. Let's pray.

Father in heaven, we promise to you on this Ash Wednesday that we will give more to the poor, pray every day and fast throughout this Lenten season. We ask that you bless our deposits in the Kingdom of Heaven Bank so that they will be invested and grow into your kingdom. Amen.

Sermon Matthew 6: 24-34 Don't Worry

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon Matthew 6: 24-34 Don't Worry

March 2, 2014

This is the final Sunday in the season of Epiphany. And we have been on the side of a mountain listening in, as Jesus taught his disciples and a crowd from the surrounding community. His teachings have been practical, helping us to obey the traditional law by doing simple things that prevent situations from getting worse. Jesus has clearly told us that we should publicly demonstrate our faith even if this gets us in trouble with the culture or government. We are to reconcile with those with whom we are angry before we get to violence. We are to avoid situations and actions that could lead to adultery. We are to reconcile with our spouses before we get to divorce. And we are to respond to evil with love. All these things we do because we are citizens of a new kingdom of heaven which is coming to earth. Today we will tackle a problem we all face. We worry too much. We'll get to this, but first let's pray.

God, as this new day dawns, may your Spirit guide my feet and reveal you to me in new ways as I walk through your world today. Amen.¹

Matthew 6:24-34 ²⁴ "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

This is the traditional law. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to serve two bosses. One will tell you to do one thing and the other will tell you to do something else. There must be clear lines of responsibility and authority in any organization. And no worker should work for two people. But we do have divide loyalties. We have to think about our job, and our family and our church. Our time and resources have to be carefully allocated. We have to make sure that we give an appropriate amount of our time and money to the church. And we have to take care of our families. All of this can lead to conflict. Some children want to play soccer on Sunday mornings rather that come to church. What do we do? Sometimes a new car or vacation causes us to not have enough left over for giving. What do we do? Sometimes we are just so busy that there is no time for daily prayer and Bible study. What do we do? Let's listen to Jesus.

24You cannot serve both God and Money. ²⁵ "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

The problem we face is that when we value something more than God we begin to worry. And whatever it is that is more important to us than God, we worry about that thing the most. For example, if we value money more than God then we will worry about money. We worry that we won't have enough to put food on the table, pay the rent and the utility bills. We worry that we won't have enough for retirement. We worry that we won't leave enough to the kids. We do things to deal with our worries. We try to earn more or save more. But it really doesn't matter how much we make or how much money we have invested we still worry about it. We worry that the stock market will go down. We worry that government will cut social security. We worry about everything because money is more valuable to us than God.

Jesus gives us practical advise to help us stop worrying. Let's listen.

²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ²⁸ "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

So Jesus wants us to do three things. The first is to go to the YMCA at take a long look at the geese on the lake. These geese have no worries. God provides them with all the food their need. God has given them feathers which keep them warm on the coldest of days. They don't go to work in the morning and toil all day. All they do is sit on the lake. And if there is any kind of problem they just fly away. So go down to the Y or maybe just look out your window and see what it is like for birds for whom money is no concern. They haven't a care in the world.

The second thing Jesus wants us to do is to walk outside and take a look at the daffodils coming up from the ground. Do you think daffodils worry about utility bills? Are they concerned about credits cards. Their only concern is feeling the warmth of the sun telling telling them that it is time to grow and bloom. So take a long look at the daffodils growing in your garden and see what it is like to have no concerns and no worries.

So Jesus wants us to take a long looks at birds and flowers. And then he wants us to do what they do. Birds and flowers put the kingdom of heaven first. They have no concern for anything else because they know that God will give them everything they need. So too with us. If we put the kingdom of heaven first, if God is more important to us than money, then our worries will go away too. We look at the birds. We look at the flowers. And we put God first in our lives. And our concerns bother us no more.

So Jesus wants us to be free from worry. But, for what purpose? What can we do if we are free from worrying about money? Well, let's listen to Jesus and find out.

³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So according to Jesus if we stop worrying then we can start seeking. And that which we seek is the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness of God. What Jesus wants is for us to stop fretting about ourselves and focus on what he has been teaching us. Don't worry about money, but overwhelm evil with love. Don't worry about your job, but reconcile with those who make you angry. Don't worry about the future, but stay away from things that get you into trouble. Don't worry; do what Jesus commands you to do. And the investment you make in heaven will payoff handsomely.

Let's pray. Father in heaven we know that the birds and the flowers don't worry the way we do. Help us by calming our fears and allow us to fully seek your kingdom. This we pray in your son's name. Amen.

1Kimberly Long, Feasting On the Word Worship Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013), 88.

Sermon Matthew 5: 38-48 Be Perfect

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon Matthew 5: 38-48 Be Perfect

February 23, 2014

For several weeks now we have been with Jesus on the side of a hill near Capernaum on the bank of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is seated near the top of the hill. Around him are his disciples. The poor fisherman and farmers of the community have gathered to listen in. So far we have heard some surprising things about a new kingdom of heaven that is coming. As the advance guard of this coming kingdom Jesus wants us to publicly, and nonviolently obey the laws of God. To do this Jesus has given us some practical advice which helps us to obey the law. Today we will continue listening to Jesus' teaching, but first let's pray.

Lord, as I begin this new day, give me understanding, that I may observe your law of love. Lead me in the path of righteousness and teach me to delight in your way. Turn my heart to your word and help me forsake selfish gain. Confirm your promise in my heart and lead me to eternal life with Christ my Lord. Amen.¹

Matthew 5: 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

As was Jesus' customary teaching style he started by reminding everyone of the traditional law that all knew. “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” To understand this we have to get beyond eyes and teeth. This laws deals with the principle of proportionality. For example, someone crashes into your car causing $1500 in damages. Your car was legally parked and you have no fault. The person who damaged your car is required to pay $1500 no more and no less. The judgment must equal the damage. This is proportionality, an eye for an eye.

The purpose behind this principle is to prevent our anger from getting out of hand. Suppose someone hits us. Our reaction, out of anger, is to hit back and hurl an insult. The other person then hits again, hurls his own insult, and takes out his knife. And you are in a viscous cycle that leads to violence and death. But the law demands proportionality, not retribution leading to an ongoing feud.

So how would all this work in the context of the Roman occupation? According to Jesus the people were not engaging in a proportionate response. Rather, they were resisting. Resisting evil can take many forms. There is passive resistance where you do nothing and suffer the consequence. For example, a Roman soldier tells you to carry his pack for a mile, which Roman law says he can do. A passive resister would refuse to carry the pack and be thrown in jail. The other possibility is active resistance. You could take the soldier's pack and throw it in the river. Then you will find yourself in a fight with that soldier, a fight you will probably lose.

Jesus doesn't want anything to do with resistance. He argues for proportionality. But how would this work? Jesus' concern is with a proportional response based on love. God loves us with infinite love. What's our proportionate response? It is to love God will all our heart, soul and mind. And if we want to be loved, then what should we do? We should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. So a proportionate response to evil is to smother it with love.

When a Roman soldier wants you to carry his pack, don't resist. Rather make a proportionate response of love. Gladly offer to help, pick up his pack and carry it for not one but two miles. Image how happy that will make the Roman soldier. And image how receptive he will be when you talk to him about your God for two miles. So, according to Jesus, the way to deal with evil is not to resist it, but to overwhelm it with love. Jesus put it this way.

Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The traditional law, not in our Bible but in rabbinic teaching, is to love our neighbors but hate our enemies. But the God we follow doesn't hate our enemies. Have you noticed that God sends sunlight and rain to the fields of people we can't stand. This upsets us so much that we pray to God that he will hate them as much as we do. But God doesn't hate our enemies. He loves them.

There is a wonderful story from the author Victor Hugo in his book Les Miserables. This book has been turned into movies and a Broadway musical. In it there is a character named Jean Valjean. Valjean had just been released from prison and needed a place to stay. A pastor allowed him to stay in a room in the manse. That night Valjean decided to leave the manse and on his way out stole silver candlestick holders used by the church. These were very expensive. In the early morning hours Valjean was arrested and lied to the police saying that the pastor of the church had given him the candlestick holders. So the police took him back to the manse to ask the pastor if this was true. When they returned to the manse they reported to the pastor that Valjean had been caught. And they asked the pastor if he had given the candlestick holders to him. The pastor had to decided what to do.

The pastor must have hated Valjean for what he did. And he must have prayed that God would punished Valjean for his evil conduct. But the pastor was a disciple of Jesus Christ. He new that God loves everyone, even sinners. He knew that Jesus wants us to love our neighbor as we loves ourselves, and has told us to love our enemies. So he lied to the police and told them that he had given the candlestick holders to Valjean. And he allowed Valjean to keep them in order to start a new life.

All of this is called grace. Grace means we love those who do not deserve to be loved. The love we receive from God is certainly undeserved. We have done nothing to merit it. But our gracious God loves us anyway. And we are called to gracious love, loving those who don't deserve to be loved at all.

Valjean took the love he received from that pastor and turned it into love for other. He was given new life and used it to bring the transforming power of God's love to others. How could we do any less? We have been so blessed by God's love here in this church. Our mission is to love our families and friends and even our enemies as much as God loves us. So what are we to do? If someone needs something or demands something, give it to them, and go the extra mile publicly displaying God's love to the world.

Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we have heard your teaching this day. We will not to resist evil and hate our enemies. We pledge to do as you do, loving our enemies with such extravagant love that your grace is on display to our world. Amen.

1Kimberly Long, Feasting On the Word Worship Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013), 73.