January 22, 2017
Do these names--Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Flemming, Roger Youderian--mean anything to you? Do they ring a distant bell? Well, we'll come back to them later.
THE COMING
So, just over two thousand years ago, something absolutely miraculous happened. The world was given the Savior. God sent part of Himself to us in the form of a human being. In the plans of the Almighty, that very special man paid the price for all of us, and on His arising from the grave, God drew a line in the sand. This line stretches around the world. On the far side of the line is the Old life. On the near side is the miraculous New Life.
We cannot underestimate the universal power of this risen Christ. The event was so world-shaking, the earth actually quaked! Not only did the earth move, but the sun grew dark; it became Midnight at midday. In fact, dead people rose from their graves in witness to this powerful event.
We know that the Almighty repeatedly bore witness to who Jesus was, all through His life, with Angels, doves and miraculous events. These miracles convinced John the Baptist, in his cell preparing to die, to fully accept who Jesus was.
But, within this earth-shaking event, a final symbol of Power went into the inmost sanctum of the Jewish faith, the holy home of His beloved people: God's might ripped the Veil of the Temple in two. Now, this Veil was not like what we think of as a veil today. It was 5-6" thick, woven of fantastic cords of cloth and gold. It was ripped open, top to bottom. What did this give witness to? It meant that the Holy of Holies was open to the world: Nothing remained as it was before. A whole new way of being for all humans had come into reality.
THE LINE IN THE SAND
Back to the line in the sand. I like to think of it as a threshold – step over, step in! It goes all around the world.
Well, what do we call accepting this open invitation to step across the Line? Jesus called it a new birth. Unfortunately, this gift of a miracle is also called "Born Again," as Nicodemus, the member of the Sanhedrin called it. That precious term, "being born again" has been calloused, made fun of, and cheapened even by the church itself.
It is so very radical, that it is easier to coarsen it, just explaining it as a backwater necessity in another new religion.
Our pastor, Gordon Cosby, called this happening "Putting your weight down," and he surely made it plain that there is a vast difference on God's side of the line. As he preached in his last days, Gordon stressed that this new life is only the beginning. It goes on and on, through death, into the unimaginable, glorious realm on love and joy. You have become a completely new being!
Jesus also spoke so warmly about making the transition. He said "I stand at the door and knock…"
He knocks for everyone. And if you welcome this mighty, spiritual Being in, into your life, He says, "I will sit and eat with you and be your friend and guide." We have learned that in the Middle East, particularly, if you invited someone in to stay for dinner, you offer the great compliment of hospitality, and you are now on warm, intimate terms.
I like to show this intimacy with hands clasped, fingers entwined.
So, yes, this gift was first offered to the Jews, and many, many followed the Way. Then, by divine instruction, that great, Good News was opened to everyone. This sharing of grace was even spoken by prophets in the Old Testament. In general, most believers are now called Christians.
LIVING AS NEW BEINGS
So, we can rejoice that we are new beings, BUT we still have to LIVE in this world, until we are called into the next. This world is a beautiful and awful place. Human beings have just about ruined the Eden we were given. Sin and woeful death are rampant; we abuse each other and our world. Yet, as Christians we have been called. In these next few years we may be tested as never before here in the US. We have only seen just the beginning in these last few days!
UNIQUE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHRISTIANS
Yes, we and millions of individuals are called, as no others in the world are called. Even though we are called, that does not make us better than anyone else; we are just different because we have responded to the One who so deeply loves everyone, and has called each by name.
We have the joy and responsibility to bear witness to the Love who has called us! This is unique and peculiar to those who have responded to this Way. WE ARE TO DO GOD's work by spreading His love and witnessing about Jesus
No one else can bear THIS witness but those who have been changed, AND are in the process of being changed. There are those who rebel at being called to their best selves. They say, "What's wrong with the way I am? I'm a good person?" And with this they turn away from this marvelous self they were called to be. This is the attitude of the rich young ruler talking to Jesus.
Another disturbing phrase I hear from time to time is, "I don't discuss religion because it's my private affair." This may be valid for some phases of life when faith is new, but for a person who has been in the church for 40 years, it's just pitiful. Gordon hinted that these reluctant souls might be spiritual babies when they get to heaven.
TOOLs FOR THE NEW LIFE As a radically new being, we don't exist in this world alone. We are given help. We have had the way opened to us, as signified by the tearing open of the Temple Veil. We can pray and commune with our Heavenly Father directly in prayer. Mystics and those who maintain that they have had near death experiences, describe our prayers as intense rays of light that shoot up to the heavenly throne immediately. Think- intense, laser rays going to the feet of God.
We have the blessings of fellow Christians around the world. It is sometimes startling to meet someone on the other side of the world who looks so very different, yet you can recognize a believer. This recognition is a source of joy.
We are blessed with the written Word from the Lord given to His faithful, first in the oral traditions and later captured in writing--the events, prophesies, principles and truths we need to internalize to live our maximum life.
And we have the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit. There is no way to measure the spirit's powerful influence in the lives of Christians … even the powerful effect on the World itself.
We are so well equipped!
FAITH INTO WORDS
Just a few weeks ago, I asked Gail Arnall if she has noticed recently that so many places you go, stores, ticket takers, attendants, check-out clerks are offering a "blessed day"? I believe, particularly in the African-American churches, there is a movement to bless those around them, INTENTIONALLY. It pleases me to return the blessings. Gail said she and Anne Jarman had just been talking about this very thing.
A couple of years ago, one of the Church of the Saviour's dearest participants, Rev Charles Demeré, passed away.
At the end of his memorial service. they gave out buttons which say, "USE YOUR VOICE!" This legacy made a remarkable impression on me. I have always been a bit shy, hesitant to speak up, feeling inadequate on many fronts. This button challenge I decided to accept. I decided to speak out spiritually, politically and in my family and my community. I am claiming my power.
Recently, I started reviewing my resolution and when I had failed to speak up for my faith. If I were to go back through the years, it would have been too depressing. So I concentrated on recent times.
WITNESS SITUATIONS
So I'm thinking, there was the time, (and I do have to thank Mike Little, for he has stretched my faith) when I had serious issues with Muslims. So, at our Muslim-Christian gathering, I cooked a very traditional Sudanese dish, and that was all; but when I went back to the kitchen here was a large, handsome Sudanese man. What do I say? Well, I asked him his name. He said IASSU, I believe, and from my vast knowledge of Arabic(?) [eyebrows raised!] I said, "that is Jesus" he said "yes, the prophet", and I said, "yes, it must be wonderful to have such an important name!" LATER I proceeded to whip myself secretly for my inadequacy. I felt I could have said so much more.
So it comes to me, again and again. How do I put my faith into words authentic for me?
Not only that, words that others can truly hear? This is a prayerful matter for me. I also know that I must have compassion for those in speaking to.
Habakkuk puts it this way, "write your message on the wall, clear and large, so that a person who is running by can understand it." To me, this means I must prepare myself to speak and write, particularly about spiritual matters, so that it can be understood by others, MEETING people IN THEIR OWN SITUATION.
I believe there are very poor ways to witness, and some very clear ways. One of the poorest I ever heard was a group of Christian men in Texas who patronized a store run by a Muslim man. They decided that he needed to be a Christian. So they went regularly and continually trying for a long time to convert the man to believe in Jesus. But they were really pestering the man, and finally, he asked them not to come back. Their hearts were in the right place, but he was not in the position to hear. There is indeed more to witness than just words.
As you already know, there are many varieties of witness. Some are kindnesses, some are helpfulness, some are defense. Some gestures are just the opening for any one of a variety of witness.
We must be aware of what the Bible says about this very opportunity: Paul writes to Timothy: "Do everything you can to present yourself to God as a person who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the Word of Truth."
Who we truly are, is to be constantly in our minds.
One of my most unusual forms of speaking out is this "N" shirt I am wearing. [at this point remove outer shirt, revealing the tee shirt with the Arabic "N,"] It is the Nazarene symbol painted on the doors of Christian homes throughout the Middle East. The N means the household has one of three or more choices: convert to Islam, pay a significant fine, leave the area, or be killed. These are our brothers and sisters in the faith who are members of some of the oldest churches on earth. Many maintain the old Aramaic Jesus language in their worship.
Another Muslim encounter Jim and I had was with an Uber driver. We got far enough in the conversation to learn that he participates in a local mosque. I finally, finally got to ask why there is very little comment in the Muslim community about Muslim terrorists. It seems they really don't want to talk about it and are somewhat ashamed that those are Muslims, because that is radically different from what the Koran teaches. We also learned that he and his wife have a premature daughter that he was very concerned about. So we said we would pray for her.
As we know, there are many varieties of WORD-BEARING. Through the ages, individuals have been burned, eaten by wild beasts, cannibalized, shot by arrow, chased out of their homelands and imprisoned for years all because of their love for Jesus.
This is where those five men mentioned earlier come in: they were on a very thoughtfully planned evangelical mission to the Huaorani Indians of Ecuador. The group was Jim, Ed, Nate, Peter and Roger, who had left their families at home. After long, thorough preparations, the men landed their plane with gifts for people there. However, the Huaronai were fierce, inter-tribal cannibals, and did not grasp the peaceful intentions of these men. They murdered and probably ate the entire group.
And here we are, often too modest, too shy, too afraid to offend, or be politically incorrect, to claim who we are. Sometimes I feel that we often forget how unique we are, and worship at the altar of inclusiveness. When we rightfully witness, Power will be given.
We are the people of the Risen Christ. In the Last Days, Christ presents us to the Almighty as His own. When each of our life books is opened, Christ steps up and says "there is no condemnation. This is my brother, my sister: Their price is paid. Close and seal the book."
So, in preparation for my sharing today, I was thinking of my, and others' witness failures, and even successes: I was reminded of Pauls' superb witness in the court before King Agrippa, "but for these chains…", the magnificent court case we heard earlier. And it suddenly reminded me that I had my own court case.
Jim and I were appointed Jimilu Mason's conservators. When we accepted the honor, we did not realize that her family holding Guardianship were severely antagonistic, and so we ended up in court. Since Jim had done most of the financial part of our responsibility, he was prepared by OUR attorney quite well, and I was along for moral support, having done most of the social duties. Unbeknownst to me, I was about to be given a rare privilege to witness. Jimilu's attorney called on me. I am thankful I did not faint on the way to the witness box. I was asked many routine questions for quite a long time. Then the question of the day came about the Church of the Saviour, which Jimilu loves with all her heart, for this is where she crossed the threshold. The question went something like this," I understand by your website that your members call themselves 'Donkeys.' Is this correct?"
Fortunately, I was well acquainted with the Church of Jesus Christ, Right Now, one of our beloved outreach communities. I knew what the Donkey means to them and was honored to speak for them and their desire to be Christ-bearers; as the donkey was, who carried Jesus into Jerusalem, to face crucifixion.
Fortunately, before I spoke about them, I paused a second and sent a quick ray of Prayer upwards, that I might be faithful and accurate.
This was an incredible blessing for me to tell of the faithfulness of this brave band of Christ- Bearers, and actually mention JESUS on the way to Calvary, in court.
I'm going to close with a couple of more secular thoughts which have special meaning for me. One thought has been running through my meditations: Paul, in his letter to the Romans says God has poured out his great mercy and love to us, blessed but undeserving people. If poured out, we receive it joyously into our lives as His people. We are the carriers and interpreters to the world. I even look back to the nearly 1000-year-old legend of the Cup at the last Supper, at which Nicodemus caught Christ's poured out blood at the cross, the Holy Grail. The image of the quest for the Grail Cup has pervaded Western Culture for centuries. As each of us receives and overflows with authentic love of Jesus to others, can it be that we, the redeemed, are the holy grail?
How many of us remember the old Danny Kaye movie, THE COURT JESTER? If you remember, raise your hand! (There are several!)
Jim and I have enjoyed for many years certain rhymes in THE COURT JESTER. One of the rhymes unexpectedly stood out to me: "the chalice from the palace has the Brew which is True." Think about that!
Can we carry the Brew which is True from the heavenly palaces beyond, as a blessing to the world?
Are we a continuation of the holy grail, pouring out to others Christ's love, in each situation given us?
What a mighty challenge!
Finally, my concern today is for each of us to have the caring, loving words in our hearts and minds, circulating there every moment, so that no matter the circumstance, we can share the most effective witness God will guide us To offer……….As God's Spirit opens the Way !!!
HALLELUJAH AND AMEN