Sermon - 2017-09-03
In our society, we push ourselves and our loved ones to be the best. For many of us, we watch the Olympics and we see the athletes stand upon the three level stands of First, Second and Third. We hear the national anthem of the first place. Everyone can clearly see who is the best and who should have the honor. We look and see who is the fastest runner, the fastest swimmer, and even the best at whatever the competition is about. We have competitions to bear witness of which person and where the honor should be. However, have you every really stopped to think about the competitions that we have and what really they do for us in life?
We have competitions to see who is the fastest? Fastest swimmer? Why? Why not just get into a car or a boat? That would make so much more sense right? Or how about other sports, baseball, football, soccer, hockey, or even tennis. What is the purpose of the sport? Yet there is something about watching and bearing witness to someone working so hard and succeeding because of the hard work that we want to support and even bestow honor upon them. Paul challenges the Christians in Rome to not simply strive against one another in meaningless sports or competitions but rather strive for things that matter, kindness, gifts of compassion, or love. These are the real areas in our life that we need challenges to help us improve. However in our loves, we do not strive to see who can give the most money in the church, we do not see who can donate the most hours to those who are in need, or we do not measure the amount of love that is poured upon those around us.
Yet these are the areas that in a community, as our call to discipleship, and in our journey is also the hardest to do. So then why don’t we make them the place where we compete? One of the main reasons that we do not compete is that these competitions are not settled in a short amount of time. These are often things that we do over the course of hours, days, weeks, or years. Yet, it could fit nicely into the every four-year pattern that is done with the Olympics.
Like working to be the best at running or any competition, we have to practice. These areas of treating someone else with honor, showing them respect or even loving someone is something that we can work on to improve. Especially since doing these things often goes against the very foundation of who we are as creatures in this world. We treat someone with honor because they are able to give us something, we show someone respect when they are someone who can teach us something, or we love someone because of what they have or what they will give to us.
While some of us may be scratching our head in wondering, ok, so what is it that I have to do. Cause right now, I just want to eat queso which I normally do while watching a game. Tell me plain and simple and I will do it. Jesus comes right out and says it, “if you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me”. Wait, that sounds hard and not something that I want to do. How about I just do the last two parts. I mean two out of three, that’s not bad, that should get me to look like a disciple right?? No, putting on a Cowboys jersey does not mean you are on the team. These are the steps of discipleship, to deny our own will, our own wants, and realize that God has something far bigger and better planned for us in this world to be a part of and something far greater in the next world as well. We think only of the glory of this world, how high on the podium stand and if our anthem of glory will be played. Yet soon, after a few years, we realize that the glory is fleeting, the medals and trophies do not matter, and really it is only God’s judgement that matters.
We are brought back over and over again, to the few and simple hurdles that we are called to overcome. Yet it is those hurdles that can seem like walls or barriers that we shall never be able to overcome. Only to realize that Christ has been helping us along the way the whole time. Realizing that Christ has completed and succeeded that work over and over again, for our sake. So why then are we running this race? Why are we struggling so much? More often than not, we are not even aware that we are running in the wrong direction. We are not aware that Christ is running with us and towards us. We fail to realize that the race is already over but we still want the crown. Yet Jesus, the bestower of the crown is giving it to you. Yet it is not a crown of gold but a crown of thorns. It is not a high podium of honor or throne of glory. It is a cross.
This week as you feel that you are caught in the rat race, the stresses of this life. Stop and ask yourself, why am I working this hard for this thing. Is this something that I need to be so stressed out about or is this something that really does not matter. Oh and yes, you still have to do your homework. For truly, we need to keep our eyes on the gift and love that God has bestowed upon us and not so distracted by so many things, including ourselves. Amen.
We have competitions to see who is the fastest? Fastest swimmer? Why? Why not just get into a car or a boat? That would make so much more sense right? Or how about other sports, baseball, football, soccer, hockey, or even tennis. What is the purpose of the sport? Yet there is something about watching and bearing witness to someone working so hard and succeeding because of the hard work that we want to support and even bestow honor upon them. Paul challenges the Christians in Rome to not simply strive against one another in meaningless sports or competitions but rather strive for things that matter, kindness, gifts of compassion, or love. These are the real areas in our life that we need challenges to help us improve. However in our loves, we do not strive to see who can give the most money in the church, we do not see who can donate the most hours to those who are in need, or we do not measure the amount of love that is poured upon those around us.
Yet these are the areas that in a community, as our call to discipleship, and in our journey is also the hardest to do. So then why don’t we make them the place where we compete? One of the main reasons that we do not compete is that these competitions are not settled in a short amount of time. These are often things that we do over the course of hours, days, weeks, or years. Yet, it could fit nicely into the every four-year pattern that is done with the Olympics.
Like working to be the best at running or any competition, we have to practice. These areas of treating someone else with honor, showing them respect or even loving someone is something that we can work on to improve. Especially since doing these things often goes against the very foundation of who we are as creatures in this world. We treat someone with honor because they are able to give us something, we show someone respect when they are someone who can teach us something, or we love someone because of what they have or what they will give to us.
While some of us may be scratching our head in wondering, ok, so what is it that I have to do. Cause right now, I just want to eat queso which I normally do while watching a game. Tell me plain and simple and I will do it. Jesus comes right out and says it, “if you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me”. Wait, that sounds hard and not something that I want to do. How about I just do the last two parts. I mean two out of three, that’s not bad, that should get me to look like a disciple right?? No, putting on a Cowboys jersey does not mean you are on the team. These are the steps of discipleship, to deny our own will, our own wants, and realize that God has something far bigger and better planned for us in this world to be a part of and something far greater in the next world as well. We think only of the glory of this world, how high on the podium stand and if our anthem of glory will be played. Yet soon, after a few years, we realize that the glory is fleeting, the medals and trophies do not matter, and really it is only God’s judgement that matters.
We are brought back over and over again, to the few and simple hurdles that we are called to overcome. Yet it is those hurdles that can seem like walls or barriers that we shall never be able to overcome. Only to realize that Christ has been helping us along the way the whole time. Realizing that Christ has completed and succeeded that work over and over again, for our sake. So why then are we running this race? Why are we struggling so much? More often than not, we are not even aware that we are running in the wrong direction. We are not aware that Christ is running with us and towards us. We fail to realize that the race is already over but we still want the crown. Yet Jesus, the bestower of the crown is giving it to you. Yet it is not a crown of gold but a crown of thorns. It is not a high podium of honor or throne of glory. It is a cross.
This week as you feel that you are caught in the rat race, the stresses of this life. Stop and ask yourself, why am I working this hard for this thing. Is this something that I need to be so stressed out about or is this something that really does not matter. Oh and yes, you still have to do your homework. For truly, we need to keep our eyes on the gift and love that God has bestowed upon us and not so distracted by so many things, including ourselves. Amen.
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