Get Ready – For Complete Obedience
09/09/07
Deut. 30:15-20, Luke 14:25-33
Sept. 9th, 2007
Dear friends in Christ,
When you live in a part of the world with 4 distinct seasons, it seems like you’re always getting ready for the next one. In spring we’re getting ready for summer, at the end of summer, our thoughts turn to fall. And in the fall, we get especially busy in preparation for winter. Winter is our longest and harshest season, so it’s important that we have certain things ready. We try and get the leaves raked and the perennials covered before the first snow fall. It’s good to have the furnace checked, so we don’t wake up one cold winter morning without any heat. It might be a good time to check the tires on the car and get some new ones if they’re overly worn, or maybe replace that old battery. We’ll need to try and remember where we stored the boots and hats and mittens, so we’re ready when the snow and cold comes. At least for me, fall is the season to get ready, for winter is coming and it’s best to be prepared.
Fall is also a good time to think about getting and being ready spiritually. The distractions of summer are behind us, as we settle back in a more regular routine. It’s a good time to reflect on life’s deeper meanings, and especially our relationship with God. Perhaps it’s because I’m in the spirituality business, and I see regularly how suddenly life can change, but I think it’s awfully important to live and be spiritually ready every day. On August 1st we were all shocked as the 35W bridge collapsed without warning and for no obvious or apparent reason. None of the 13 people that died, nor the others that were injured, planned for tragedy in their lives that day. They were just heading home or going some place they needed to be, and their lives suddenly ended or were forever changed. You never know, so you better be ready.
With this in mind, I decided to organize my messages in September and October around the general theme “Get Ready.” We’ll look at ways we can get ready and be ready spiritually in our lives. We’ll begin this morning by looking at the choices before us and making the good choices God wants for us so that our lives will be full and blessed.
I remember some years back as a young adult being in a small group discussion and the question was asked, “When was the first time you realized you were an adult?” I remember someone said, “When I had to fire my first employee.” Unless you’re Donald Trump, I suppose, that’s not a pleasant thing to have to do. Another mentioned, “When I had to plan and attend the funeral of my mother.” Now I don’t remember how I answered, but I’ve often thought that in adulthood we come to realize that life is full of choices, and that with the choices we make, there are consequences. To be an adult is to accept the consequences, good or bad, from the choices we make. It’s to own up to our decisions, not blaming someone else or faulting others for the way things are.
Now there are things that happen which we did not choose, accidents and random acts that are beyond our control. But we always have a choice. In that case, we have a choice in how to respond. In listening to responses to the bridge collapse, I heard some very different responses. Some, understandably, were angry at God and questioned God’s existence for allowing such a thing to happen. Others were grateful for God’s protection, especially that the 60 school children on the bus all got off safely. We always have choices, and adults have an awareness of both choices and consequences.
Choices and consequences are obviously nothing new. I mention them this morning because two great leaders, Moses and Jesus, speak about them. They are speaking about spiritual choices in our lives that make a huge impact. Listen first to Moses in Deuteronomy 30: 19, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him.” And now Jesus in Luke 14:27, “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?”
Both leaders are putting a choice before their listeners. And the choice is quite clear. The Lord God wants all of their obedience and devotion. Nothing less will do. Before you sign on to be a disciple, says Jesus, count the cost. If you don’t think you can do it, then don’t go forward. There will be conflict. The values of God and the values of the world won’t necessarily line up. Other gods will seek attention and devotion, but we are to follow only God our maker.
There’s a cost to follow. Listen to what tradition says happened to the 12 disciples of the early church. Andrew died on a cross. Simon was crucified. Bartholomew was flayed alive. James (son of Zebedee) was beheaded. The other James (son of Alphaeus) was beaten to death. Thomas was run through with a lance. Matthias was stoned and then beheaded. Matthew was slain by the sword. Peter was crucified upside down. Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows. Philip was hanged. Only John made it through alive, but he was exiled to a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. That’s hard to hear. Following the Lord has a cost, and we should all be grateful for the price those first disciples paid.
Now, we do not live in the same world or under the same circumstances as those first courageous disciples. But this urgent command to follow the Lord God wholly and completely still applies. Where the rubber hits the road for us is in the choices and priorities we make. Remember, we all have choices. Adults own up to their choices and consequences. Are we hearing this Word of the Lord today, making our devotion to Him our top priority?
I came across this calculation of how a typical life span of 70 years is spent. Listen to these surprising numbers: Sleep.................23 years.........32.9%
Work.................16 years..........22.8% TV.....................8 years..........11.4% Eating................6 years...........8.6% Travel................6 years...........8.6% Leisure...............4.5 years.........6.5% Illness................4 years...........5.7% Getting Dressed..............2 years...........2.8% Religious Involvement.............0.5 years...........0.7% When put in these terms we see how little a priority spiritual matters occupy in our lives. It’s the least amount of time of all that we do. And yet both Moses and Jesus say this should be our first priority, not our last.
The start of a new school year is the perfect time to reset priorities. It’s a great opportunity to give God and commitment to Christ’s body, church the kind of priority that both Moses and Jesus speak about. Now I’m not suggesting other things aren’t important or of value. But I am suggesting that too often we’ve let other things completely crowd out what is of ultimate value, our relationship with God.
Some of you know about vectors. For those who don’t, a practical application will help. Let’s suppose we are in an airplane, flying to Europe. But somehow right at the beginning of our flight, we are knocked off course just a few degrees. As we keep flying, that little discrepancy in our direction is amplified over time and distance. And so we don’t arrive in Europe at all. We arrive somewhere in North Africa. Just a few degrees off at our point of origin produces a large variation in our final destination.
When it comes to our lives of faith, we want to be flying in the right direction. Remember, a life can change or come to an end suddenly and without warning. We don’t want to be off track. If we are, we want to correct that. Now the good news is that it doesn’t take a huge change to get us where we need to be. A small change, done over time, can bring large results. So, what small changes, might you make, to improve your spiritual life? Could you find a few minutes every day to spend in prayer? Could you make regular, weekly worship a priority? Could you volunteer to serve in the nursery or assist in God’s Gathering or with our youth programs? How will you respond to this Word of the Lord to make your spiritual life a priority?
Now, here’s the really good news from the lessons. God requires all, but in giving all, there is life. Look at the results that God wants us to have, if we will follow God and respond in faithfulness to what God asks of us. Moses tells the people there is life, prosperity, and blessings to multiple generations. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul says God desires that our lives be filled with the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus says God has come that we might have life and have it abundantly. That’s the promise.
With the promise, there is the choice. Will we take up the cross and follow, giving our relationship with God the attention God desires? Will we give and serve as we are called to do? Or will we make other choices that lead us away from the promises God has for us? I pray, we will all listen to the words of Moses, and choose life, by loving the Lord our God above all else. It’s not easy. It conflicts with much that goes on in the world. But that’s the life to which God calls us. Life is full of choices and consequences. May we choose rightly, loving the Lord our God above all, and by so doing, receive all that God has promised. Amen
Sept. 9th, 2007
Dear friends in Christ,
When you live in a part of the world with 4 distinct seasons, it seems like you’re always getting ready for the next one. In spring we’re getting ready for summer, at the end of summer, our thoughts turn to fall. And in the fall, we get especially busy in preparation for winter. Winter is our longest and harshest season, so it’s important that we have certain things ready. We try and get the leaves raked and the perennials covered before the first snow fall. It’s good to have the furnace checked, so we don’t wake up one cold winter morning without any heat. It might be a good time to check the tires on the car and get some new ones if they’re overly worn, or maybe replace that old battery. We’ll need to try and remember where we stored the boots and hats and mittens, so we’re ready when the snow and cold comes. At least for me, fall is the season to get ready, for winter is coming and it’s best to be prepared.
Fall is also a good time to think about getting and being ready spiritually. The distractions of summer are behind us, as we settle back in a more regular routine. It’s a good time to reflect on life’s deeper meanings, and especially our relationship with God. Perhaps it’s because I’m in the spirituality business, and I see regularly how suddenly life can change, but I think it’s awfully important to live and be spiritually ready every day. On August 1st we were all shocked as the 35W bridge collapsed without warning and for no obvious or apparent reason. None of the 13 people that died, nor the others that were injured, planned for tragedy in their lives that day. They were just heading home or going some place they needed to be, and their lives suddenly ended or were forever changed. You never know, so you better be ready.
With this in mind, I decided to organize my messages in September and October around the general theme “Get Ready.” We’ll look at ways we can get ready and be ready spiritually in our lives. We’ll begin this morning by looking at the choices before us and making the good choices God wants for us so that our lives will be full and blessed.
I remember some years back as a young adult being in a small group discussion and the question was asked, “When was the first time you realized you were an adult?” I remember someone said, “When I had to fire my first employee.” Unless you’re Donald Trump, I suppose, that’s not a pleasant thing to have to do. Another mentioned, “When I had to plan and attend the funeral of my mother.” Now I don’t remember how I answered, but I’ve often thought that in adulthood we come to realize that life is full of choices, and that with the choices we make, there are consequences. To be an adult is to accept the consequences, good or bad, from the choices we make. It’s to own up to our decisions, not blaming someone else or faulting others for the way things are.
Now there are things that happen which we did not choose, accidents and random acts that are beyond our control. But we always have a choice. In that case, we have a choice in how to respond. In listening to responses to the bridge collapse, I heard some very different responses. Some, understandably, were angry at God and questioned God’s existence for allowing such a thing to happen. Others were grateful for God’s protection, especially that the 60 school children on the bus all got off safely. We always have choices, and adults have an awareness of both choices and consequences.
Choices and consequences are obviously nothing new. I mention them this morning because two great leaders, Moses and Jesus, speak about them. They are speaking about spiritual choices in our lives that make a huge impact. Listen first to Moses in Deuteronomy 30: 19, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him.” And now Jesus in Luke 14:27, “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?”
Both leaders are putting a choice before their listeners. And the choice is quite clear. The Lord God wants all of their obedience and devotion. Nothing less will do. Before you sign on to be a disciple, says Jesus, count the cost. If you don’t think you can do it, then don’t go forward. There will be conflict. The values of God and the values of the world won’t necessarily line up. Other gods will seek attention and devotion, but we are to follow only God our maker.
There’s a cost to follow. Listen to what tradition says happened to the 12 disciples of the early church. Andrew died on a cross. Simon was crucified. Bartholomew was flayed alive. James (son of Zebedee) was beheaded. The other James (son of Alphaeus) was beaten to death. Thomas was run through with a lance. Matthias was stoned and then beheaded. Matthew was slain by the sword. Peter was crucified upside down. Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows. Philip was hanged. Only John made it through alive, but he was exiled to a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. That’s hard to hear. Following the Lord has a cost, and we should all be grateful for the price those first disciples paid.
Now, we do not live in the same world or under the same circumstances as those first courageous disciples. But this urgent command to follow the Lord God wholly and completely still applies. Where the rubber hits the road for us is in the choices and priorities we make. Remember, we all have choices. Adults own up to their choices and consequences. Are we hearing this Word of the Lord today, making our devotion to Him our top priority?
I came across this calculation of how a typical life span of 70 years is spent. Listen to these surprising numbers: Sleep.................23 years.........32.9%
Work.................16 years..........22.8% TV.....................8 years..........11.4% Eating................6 years...........8.6% Travel................6 years...........8.6% Leisure...............4.5 years.........6.5% Illness................4 years...........5.7% Getting Dressed..............2 years...........2.8% Religious Involvement.............0.5 years...........0.7% When put in these terms we see how little a priority spiritual matters occupy in our lives. It’s the least amount of time of all that we do. And yet both Moses and Jesus say this should be our first priority, not our last.
The start of a new school year is the perfect time to reset priorities. It’s a great opportunity to give God and commitment to Christ’s body, church the kind of priority that both Moses and Jesus speak about. Now I’m not suggesting other things aren’t important or of value. But I am suggesting that too often we’ve let other things completely crowd out what is of ultimate value, our relationship with God.
Some of you know about vectors. For those who don’t, a practical application will help. Let’s suppose we are in an airplane, flying to Europe. But somehow right at the beginning of our flight, we are knocked off course just a few degrees. As we keep flying, that little discrepancy in our direction is amplified over time and distance. And so we don’t arrive in Europe at all. We arrive somewhere in North Africa. Just a few degrees off at our point of origin produces a large variation in our final destination.
When it comes to our lives of faith, we want to be flying in the right direction. Remember, a life can change or come to an end suddenly and without warning. We don’t want to be off track. If we are, we want to correct that. Now the good news is that it doesn’t take a huge change to get us where we need to be. A small change, done over time, can bring large results. So, what small changes, might you make, to improve your spiritual life? Could you find a few minutes every day to spend in prayer? Could you make regular, weekly worship a priority? Could you volunteer to serve in the nursery or assist in God’s Gathering or with our youth programs? How will you respond to this Word of the Lord to make your spiritual life a priority?
Now, here’s the really good news from the lessons. God requires all, but in giving all, there is life. Look at the results that God wants us to have, if we will follow God and respond in faithfulness to what God asks of us. Moses tells the people there is life, prosperity, and blessings to multiple generations. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul says God desires that our lives be filled with the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus says God has come that we might have life and have it abundantly. That’s the promise.
With the promise, there is the choice. Will we take up the cross and follow, giving our relationship with God the attention God desires? Will we give and serve as we are called to do? Or will we make other choices that lead us away from the promises God has for us? I pray, we will all listen to the words of Moses, and choose life, by loving the Lord our God above all else. It’s not easy. It conflicts with much that goes on in the world. But that’s the life to which God calls us. Life is full of choices and consequences. May we choose rightly, loving the Lord our God above all, and by so doing, receive all that God has promised. Amen