Sermon Notes June 18, 2017

Transcription

1 Sermon Notes June 18, 2017 Do Good (Three Simple Rules #2) Romans 12: 9-21 (The New Living Translation) 9 Don t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, I will take revenge; I will pay them back, says the Lord. 20 Instead, If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads. 21 Don t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. A Word from John Wesley (The Nature, Design and General Rules of Our United Societies) By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men: To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison. To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine that "we are not to do good unless our hearts be free to it." By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to others; buying one of another, helping each other in business, and so much the more because the world will love its own and them only. By all possible diligence and frugality, that the gospel be not blamed.

2 By running with patience the race which is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and offscouring of the world; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them falsely, for the Lord's sake. It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation, - From The United Methodist Book of Discipline p The Painting of John Wesley by William Hamilton From Bishop Rueben P. Job (Author of Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living) Doing good, like doing no harm, is a proactive way of living. I do not need to wait to be asked to do some good deed or provide some needed help. I do not need to wait until circumstances cry out for aid to relieve suffering or correct some horrible injustice. I can decide that my way of living will come down on the side of doing good to all in every circumstance and in every way I can. I can decide that I will choose a way of living that nourishes goodness and strengthens community. But taking appropriate care of self and living selflessly are not opposites. Rather, they are essential elements of a healthy and productive life. To love God with all of life and to love one s neighbor as oneself is not to denigrate, deny, or devalue self. It is to proclaim the heart of our theology as Christians and to place enormous value on self and on neighbor. It is to choose to live in the reign of God NOW. To begin to live as a citizen of a new order in which God s love for all creation is recognized and proclaimed in word and deed. Three Simple Rules That Will Change the World; p and p. 49. Video Resource: Bishop Job describes the reason behind Wesley s second general rule. Reflection on the Word: 1. How is Romans 12 like Matthew 5? 2. Why does Paul instruct the church to love as a way of conquering evil? Family Time or Small Group Discussion: 1. Could you without reservations, love your enemy? 2. What is doing good all about? 3. What are some of the ways that we can do good? 4. Is doing good something that we do just for others? 5. In what ways can you be good to self?

3 Series Progression: Last week I read this story by Peter Rollins in church as a way of illustrating the power of John Wesley s first rule do no harm. In the center of a once great city there stood a magnificent cathedral that was cared for by a kindly old priest who spent his days praying in the vestry and caring for the poor. As a result of the priest s tireless work, the cathedral was known throughout the land as a true sanctuary. The priest welcomed all who came to his door and gave completely without prejudice or restraint. Each stranger was, to the priest, a neighbor in need and thus the incoming of Christ. His hospitality was famous and his heart was known to be pure. No one could steal from this old man, for he considered no possession his own, and while thieves sometimes left that place with items pillaged from the sanctuary, the priest never grew concerned: he had given everything to God and knew that these people needed such items more than the church did. Early one evening in the middle of winter, while the priest was praying before the cross, there was a loud and ominous knock on the cathedral door. The priest quickly got to his feet and went to the entrance, as he knew it was a terrible night and reasoned that his visitor might be in need of shelter. Upon opening the door he was surprised to find a terrifying demon towering over him with large dead eyes and rotting flesh. Old man, the demon hissed, I have traveled many miles to seek shelter. Will you welcome me in? Without hesitation, the priest bid this hideous demon welcome and beckoned him into the church. The evil demon stooped down stepped across the threshold, spitting venom onto the tiled floor as he went. In full view of the priest, the demon proceeded to tear down the various icons that adorned the walls and rip the fine linens that hung around the sanctuary, while screaming blasphemy and curses. During this time the priest knelt silently on the floor and continued in his devotions until it was time to retire for the night. Old man, cried the demon, where are you going now? I am returning home to rest, for it has been a long day, replied the kindly priest. May I come with you? spat the demon. I too am tired and in need of a place to lay my head. Why, of course, replied the priest. Come, and I will prepare a meal. On returning to his house, the priest prepared some food while the evil demon mocked the priest and broke his religious artifacts that adorned his humble dwelling. The demon then ate the meal that was provided and afterward turned his attention to the priest. Old man, you welcomed me first into your church and then into your house. I have one more request for you: will you now welcome me into your heart? Why, of course, said the priest, what I have is yours and what I am is yours. The heartfelt response brought the demon to a standstill, for by giving everything the priest had retained the very thing that the demon sought to take. For the demon was unable to rob him of his kindness and his hospitality, his love and his compassion. And so the great demon left in defeat, never to return.

4 What happened to the demon after this meeting with the elderly priest is anyone s guess. Some say that although he left that place empty- handed he received more than he could ever have imagined. And the priest? He simply ascended his stairs, got into bed and drifted off to sleep, all the time wondering what disguise his Christ would take on next. - Peter Rollins, The Orthodox Heretic, Salvation for a Demon. After the service, I was enjoying lunch with my family when my daughter asked, Dad, do you really think that Jesus would come disguised as a demon? I replied, Why not? What can I say? I m usually wiped out after preaching three sermons and so I don t always give out the best theological words in the aftermath! Reflecting on our conversation, I discovered that my daughter was wrapped up in thoughts of conversion. She heard the story from the perspective that the demon came to convert the old priest. When the priest gave away his heart, she worried that in doing so the priest turned his back on Christianity. Then she wondered about the demon as the story took a twist just like a biblical parable. Did the demon convert? That surely would be the cleanest of endings if the demon did! But we will never know. That s often the case with our actions both good and bad. Of course, some of our actions have immediate consequences but, much of our actions (and inactions) result in things we will only know over time or perhaps never know at all. That s an important consideration when thinking about the do no harm rule. If we weigh the consequences and set out to complete the pros verses cons list, we fail at living by the rule. Do no harm is a lifestyle which the priest in Rollins story was completely converted to seeing through. When I spoke to my daughter about how conversion was really at the beginning, the light bulb went off. The priest was 100 percent all in and thus had no fear of the demon. He had already given his heart to Christ and so what an opportunity opened when the demon asked for his heart. By all means, here is my heart for in your taking you receive Christ. Thanks to a Sunday afternoon conversation, I was able to see something new and wonderful about the three simple rules: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God. If we practice these rules then we are really embarking on a journey of transformation to where we embrace a conversion to a lifestyle. We become more than followers of rules and commandments. We become holy men and holy women who have the power, through the Holy Spirit, to conquer every form of evil that comes our way. And this happens only as a result of a lifestyle change in which the rule of Christ s love is at work in everything that we do. So do no harm. Do so as something more than a good rule follower or practicing Methodist. Do so, so that when you are seen by others they believe that they have met Jesus in disguise. Do so and others will receive more than they ever imagined.

5 Sermon Points: I bet there are only a few of you here this morning that know the story of Miss Margery Meanwell. Her story was first published in England in 1765 and it became a parental favorite story to be read to the children. In addition, Miss Meanwell s story was later adapted as a curriculum and was taught in the local schools. But I won t go there since school s out for the summer although I am willing to wager just a little that there are quite a number of teachers who hope that some of their students, both incoming and outgoing, might study the virtuous merits of Miss Meanwell, who by the stories end, became Mrs. Goody Two Shoes. Ever been called a Goody Two Shoes? Remember your reply? No, I m not. You are. You are Goody Two Shoes, Goody, Goody Two Shoes. Before long the playground erupted in annoying childhood put down choruses, finger pointing and disruption of previously semi-well behaved children now wanting to prove themselves as evil. All of which, Miss Meanwell excuse me Mrs. Goody Two Shoes would have such a problem with. I can hear her voice Children, children CHILDREN! What s so wrong with being good? Why Mr. John Wesley said, Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. Whew long sentence which my lungs are happy to report as being shortened to a simple rule of do good. Do good. Do good (I m getting my mainly voice back.) Say it with me. Do good. Why? Why should we do good? Here s where Mrs. Goody Two Shoes and the people, as John Wesley would call them, the Methodists can help us out in our understanding of why it is important for us to do good in the world. The appeal of Miss Margery Meanwell transformation to Mrs. Good Two Shoes was in the way she lived. Miss Meanwell was born an orphan and lived with only one shoe to wear. Instead of bitterness, as a result of her poverty, she lived generously and with compassion to all. This attitude made her attractive and a well- suited suitor of extraordinary means came calling. All of which is a fancy way of saying that Miss Meanwell married rich. She went from the reality on having only one shoe to the possibility of having a shoe store in her closet. And what did she do? Well she made sure that other orphans didn t suffer with one shoe. With a heart full of love, she gave two shoes to all in need. Thus, she became known as Mrs. Goody Two Shoes. Please keep her story in mind for there is one more like it that I need to tell. It s the story of our marquee name and the name we use to describe who we are as disciples of Jesus Christ. Some of you may know the origins of how we received the name methodists and for some this will be a first and perhaps an answer to that question you have been afraid to ask out loud. What does methodist mean?

6 Methodists were goody two shoes kind of folk. They had a heart for the poor, the orphaned, the widowed, the imprisoned and the slave. They took up the causes that others in jolly ol England refused to bat an eyelash over. And as England further divided into two classes of people those with wealth and means and those struggling to make ends meet, the Methodist stood in the gap. They did so by having a method or a way about them. The term methodist was conceived as a derogatory name much like being called goody two shoes. But they didn t care about the derogatory nature of the name calling. Lives were at stake. Hearts were broken and in need of repair. And they believed that evil could be conquered by doing good. John Wesley wrote to the Methodists these words of encouragement, By running with patience the race which is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and offscouring of the world; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them falsely, for the Lord's sake. It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation. There s a lot in that quote and its long so let me translate from the 18 th Century English to Modern English. Do good unto others because it speaks volumes that will often raise the eyebrows of the world and will cause the world to take note. And do not expect the world to come by your side peacefully as you do good just as the world didn t come along peacefully for Christ when he cared for the poor and the diseased. Do not let your witness be deterred. It matters. It is effective and lives, including your own, will be made new. Show the world that salvation is real and it is available to all. Why then should we do good? The short answer is the obvious one. The world needs us to. We can t bury our heads in the sand. We can t just look the other way. And we can t live in fear of the name calling anymore. We just can t. Of all the things we commit our lives to none is more important than your commitment to be a witness of our living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And such witness requires of you to love others. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. When God s people are in need, be ready to help them. Live in harmony with each other. Don t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don t think you know it all! Don t let evil conquer you, conquer evil by doing good; doing what is right and just before the eyes of the Lord and in doing so give testimony that you are saved. There I said it. Someone is going write me this week and accuse me of being Baptist. Even Methodists believe in salvation right? I sure hope so! Friends, we do good not because we mean well or because we really want to be a goody two shoes we do good not because John Wesley told us to or that Methodists have a really cool name now that we know the meaning we do good because we are saved through the blood of Christ and thus we who claim such salvation see the world through his eyes. We see the hurt, the pain and the suffering and we don t shrink or just put up our hands in frustration. We act. We respond. We give. We love like there s no tomorrow for we know, thanks to Jesus, where our tomorrows will be. Amen. Thought for the Week: Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, In all the ways you can, in all the places you can, At all the times you can, to all the people you can, As long as ever you can. - John Wesley, 1783