Pentecost 8c July 22 2007

Slide 1: Paul wrote Collosians 1:21
At one time you were separated from God. You were his enemies in your minds, and the evil things you did were against God. The Holy Bible : New Century Version

The Apostle Paul, in a letter to the church in Collosae, wrote boldly about his relationship with God and about all humanities' relationship with God revealed in Jesus. Paul said, up until meeting Jesus, he was God's enemy. Be honest; that goes for all of us, at some point in time we are God's enemies (Collosians 1:21). Paul is so very right about this. Even after we meet Jesus, we still often kick and scream, fighting hard against God in our sin and pride; but all that is beside the point that Paul is making here. In Jesus we meet the God who overcame human resistance in the cross and who overcomes our sin and pride so that He can do something completely new with us. We are no longer God's enemies. Instead we are the one's who Jesus came to save from meaninglessness and hopeless -- giving us the promise of something greater -- life beyond death.

Slide 2: In Christ the Good News became everything for Paul, Collosians 1:25, “I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,”

Paul's new life in Christ came with a commission. No longer God's enemy, he spread the Good News that God wanted his glory to shine in every person's life. Paul sees Christians as courageous followers of Jesus going into all the world with a message of hope. Gone are the barriers of ethnicity and class. Gone are all the old divisions of Jew and Gentile. Gone is the animosity between God and humanity. God's glory becomes clear in Jesus. Sin could not stop Jesus coming, the cross and death could not stop him from reaching into our lives.

Slide 3: In Christ the Good News becomes everything. Collosians 1:26
“the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.” The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version,

God's glory was hidden from most of the world's people before Jesus. Paul word's to describe the situation (Collosians 1:26 & 2:2) μυστηρίου literally meant God's glory was a mystery, a secret just hidden from view. God's glory was revealed to ancient Israel; but the rest of the world's people knew only God's care for all the world, not God's personal care for them as individuals. In Jesus the glory of God is revealed for people of all ethnicities and creeds. In Jesus the secret is out; God's glory is revealed and God intends for that glory to reflect in each of our lives.

Slide 4: Image: Earth

OK. You might be saying. Sure up in heaven, in the sweet by and by, God intends to do something big and maybe its possible that he could use any of us to show his glory. But look around, you might say, we still live here on this earth. One wise Christian put it to me this way, “Forget the mumbo-jumbo about God's glory shining in us and tell us what it looks like when it happens.” He's so right. We have God who is involved in what happens on this earth and we should start talking about how God is going to do something in real life. We live in an age that knows war, violence, sin, and death. They are constant reminders for all of us that the Kingdom of God is only now coming into being. We, the church need to be courageous and live because eternity matters, neighbors matter, and God matters for us and for the whole world.

The Kingdom of God it hasn't yet been fully realized in anyone's life. Sure, we in this church have heard about God's care for all creation; but we have our eyes open. Evil is real. Sin, death, and the Devil are constant reminders that God's glory is still hidden from many. Even worse many around us have never sat long enough in God's presence to know the peace that comes only from God and from no place in this world.

Slide 5: Christ's mission--Collosians 1:28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. New Revised Standard Version,

Paul wrote to the church who live in the real world. He wrote to a church that wrestles with what it means to follow Christ when there are so many lesser gods to follow. He said that we proclaim Jesus so that people will be ready to meet him, not in the sweet by and by, but right now. Our challenge as Christians is to go into the world faithful and hopeful. We need to act in small ways and enormous ways that let God's love out for all the world. God can and will do incredible things in our lives and for all that God can do for the people around us.

Slide 6: Words: Get to work? Image: mop and broom

In our Gospel story from Luke 10:38-42 two sisters bickered about what to do when Jesus came to their home. One sister, Martha, worried about serving their guests. She was the one with the apron on getting glasses ready and making preparations to serve her guest. Mary, the other sister, sat down with Jesus. The serving sister, Martha, complained. “Come on Jesus, make her help.” Jesus tells her that Mary has chosen better. Mary was sitting with Jesus, taking in his glory. Martha was up fussing.

We live in a world of distractions. Truth is people have always been distracted. Martin Luther Told a story about his dog watching a treat on the table with total concentration saying to his companions at supper,
“Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope.”1

Many people know that we have a new dog at home and Martin is so right. Our little Dog is so focussed on whatever he is doing in the moment. But we are more complex and way more distracted than our dogs.

Slide 7: Image: Church words: Called to service? Called to worship?

Jesus challenged Martha to stop being so busy and to sit down and live in the kingdom. Jesus challenged his hearers over and over in very different situations to pick one good thing from many. In this moment Jesus glory is the greatest thing; but Martha felt the need keep working to host Jesus; she did not feel the freedom to sit down and listen.

A week ago my wife and I stayed with a friend whose life is very busy. She's a stay at home mom with 2 kids at home and 1 on the way. She's very active running a small business on the side and serving in church as a Bible study leader and a key Sunday School volunteer. She and her husband played on the church softball team and are part of a small group.

Our friend told us that she read a book about prayer thinking it would help her pray more; and she found herself praying less. She read another book about getting enthused about the Bible and faith and she said she wanted to read her Bible even less.

Jesus doesn't want us just to be busy. He wants us to be in his presence. If you need to sit with him and weep he will receive you. If you want to come to him singing in thanksgiving and praise he will receive you. If you come tired and just wanting to sit he will receive you. If you come in prayer with a question he might challenge you or comfort you or confront you. If the time is right and you see a neighbor in need he's calling you to serve.

Slide 8 Image: Church Words: Called to Christ

We live in a world of distractions. Truth is people have always been distracted. And Jesus goes with us into this world of distraction. He comes along side us when he hear the Good News and when we share it. He comes along side challenging us to give to our neighbors and to receive in return from God. He comes not because its the right time for us, but this is the right time for God. If you need to just sit with him sit today. If you need to sing with him sing today. If you need to serve with him do it. Jesus came so that the kingdom of God would come near to us.