Come on Home!

COME ON HOME[

Are you not tired of having just enough religion to make you uncomfortable at a cocktail reception and yet ill at ease in the presence of the Holy?

There is time to come back to simple holy living.
Time to come back to self-control, Christian simplicity, and spiritual discipline energized by God's grace. "Now is the time. We have been through it all-- the grasping, the looking, the searching. We have lived as people who try to serve God and mammon, and we know now that it cannot be done.
Too many Christians have drifted into letting the world tell them how to dress, what to drive, what songs and entertainment with which to saturate the soul, and just how to put me first at the expense of other people whom nobody puts first. Some who take the name of Christ seem owned by their ambitions, chained to a success formula, enslaved by the hunger for prestige-- diseases they have caught from our sinful culture. They fill up the ranks of the Christian jet set.
Visit any important Christian conference and you will see them-- "dressed alike, talking alike, smiling alike, looking over the shoulders of the people to whom they are speaking in order to see who else has come into the room."
The world has taught us to reach for the things that matter least while neglecting the things that matter most. Prayer, Bible study, devotion, and obedience have been elbowed to the margins as Christian self-help propaganda taught believers to dress for success, win through intimidation, fulfill themselves, enjoy sex, and lose weight.
Richard Baxter's 17th-century description fits today's cosmopolite evangelicals like a glove:
When we should study God we study ourselves; when we should mind God, we mind ourselves; when we should love God, we love our carnal selves; when we should trust God, we trust ourselves; when we should honour God, we honour ourselves; and when we should ascribe to God and admire Him, we ascribe to and admire ourselves: and instead of God we would have all men's eyes and dependence on us, and all men's thanks returned to us, and would gladly be the only men on earth extolled and admired by all. And thus naturally we are our own idols.
Even spirituality has become something to be utilized. We were coached to practice the spiritual disciplines in order to achieve self-fulfillment, discover happiness, become fully human, and overcome stress. Such behavior is a lilac-scented blasphemy. The only reason to practice the spiritual disciplines is because of who God is. Not even Hollywood has "out-glitzed" evangelical religion. Popular Christianity has been polled, charted, televised, and made "user friendly" by the best ad crews in the world. But now we know that making Christianity compatible with the loose living and undisciplined conduct of our culture does not work. The popular church "has lower standards for membership than those for getting on a bus."
But we have learned a few lessons, haven't we? "Now we can see . . . where uncontrolled living goes. We know the misery. We have felt it.
“ It is time to come home. Time to stop trying to be citizens of two countries. It is time to stop trying to blend God's way with our own wants and lusts. Come home to Christian simplicity, discipline, and holiness of heart and life. The journey is not easy. The worldly culture will try to sweep you back into its whirlwind of shallow gratifications, its conscience- deadening maze of greeds and lusts, its "cosmetic diversions and plastic pleasures."
Resist them in the power of the Spirit. They are vapors of fantasy that lead only to emptiness. On the other hand, the holy life to which God is calling you is "astonishing in its completeness," as Thomas Kelley writes.
Of the holy life, he says,
Its joys are ravishing,
its peace profound,
its humility the deepest,
its power world-shaking,
its love enveloping,
its simplicity that of a trusting child
... It is the life and power of Jesus of Nazareth.

(1) We need to deliberately break the insulation that separates us from entering into God's Presence, the "Shekinah." God's Presence is life-giving. We must enter into the Presence and worship, wherever we are coming from.
(2) We need to break the bondage of self-consciousness before the judgment of other human beings. "If I buy into this radical response I will be stepping back into the '30s-- I will be an ignorant sheep---

" NOT if it is truly GOD who is calling you to come HOME

Dealing with Existential Fear

Faith in the Presence of Fear
John 20:19-31
Psalm 16
Words for Our Day

The opening words of Psalm 16 are the cry, "Protect me, O Lord God,
for I am trusting in you!" The Psalmist, David, is using what seems
to me the language of fear. He probably had good reason to fear, for
his life was often in danger.

Do you ever feel fear? Is it a sin to feel negative emotions? Is it
evil to have questions or even doubts when it seems everyone else is
so certain about so many things?

In the very last chapter of the last book in the Bible (Revelation 21)
is a list that sometimes bothers me. It is a list of people who are
not going to enter the New Jerusalem. In fact John, the writer of
Revelation, says they will have part in "the second death."

Now part of that list I can understand would not fit in heaven: "the
abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, and all liars" is how
the list ends. But the part that bothers me is how the list begins.
The list of those who miss heaven begins: "But the fearful and the
unbelieving... will have their place in the lake of fire." What does
this mean? Sometimes I feel like the Cowardly Lion, and I admit there
are a lot of questions I cannot honestly answer.

Can the feeling of FEAR keep me out of heaven? [Before I go any
farther, let me say I believe the answer is NO FEELING will keep
you or me out of heaven. Feelings are emotions-- feelings are
results, not causes-- and God is not seeking reasons to exclude,
but to INCLUDE. He is not willing that ANY should perish.
In the Gospel Thomas is afraid to believe and Jesus comes to him--
in the Psalm David is afraid, and he cries out "O God help me!"]
No the feeling will not exclude you.

Still, there IS a fear that can keep us from taking hold of the
gift of LIFE. And there is an unbelief that is not of the mind
but of the heart that says, "I will not submit to God even when
He speaks clearly to me." This passage from John helps us
understand how we can dare trust the Risen Savior.

I. THE DISCIPLES WERE AFRAID TO BELIEVE HOW MUCH GOD LOVED THEM

They lived in a time and place every bit as scary as our own
terror-threatened post-9/11 time. They thought: "It is too good
to be true!" Jesus came and dispelled their fears somewhat--
it took a while.

But Thomas wasn't there. He said, "I have to SEE for myself."
He was afraid to let himself get built up just to be let down
again.

Looking again to Psalm 16, David prays for God's mercy, but
even as he prays he recognizes how audacious it is to talk
to God. He says, "MY GOODNESS EXTENDETH NOT TO THEE." In
another place (Psalm 8) David says, "WHEN I CONSIDER THE HEAVENS,
WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM?"

Many of the theologians of our day (whether post-modern, or
process, or deconstructionist, or whatever-- I'm probably ten
years behind in labels) seem to be saying, "You common people
have no idea of how big God really is-- and so you can never
speak about Him with any kind of certainty!" And some of them
carry it so far they are saying 'GOD'S LOVE, IF IT IS THERE,
IS TOO BIG, TOO MYSTERIOUS FOR US TO KNOW AND BE SURE ABOUT.'
It is almost a blocking FEAR before the mystery of God's love.

BUT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE-- WHO TRULY IS BIGGER THAN WE CAN
IMAGINE-- HAS SPOKEN TO US IN THE LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION
OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST!

That message is understandable even though we can never understand
WHY God should love us! That message IS: GOD LOVES YOU!

Jesus said: "Thomas, I'll help you believe! Blessed are those
who have NOT seen, and still believe! FAITH WITHIN US SAYS:
Jesus really DOES know and care about ME!

Even after the disciples began to grasp the fact that Jesus
was alive, and that He was with them again, there was a
hesitation to dare to believe what Jesus was asking them to
do (commanding them, actually).

II. THE DISCIPLES COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT GOD EXPECTED OF THEM

Jesus began outlining his assignment for the church that very night.
First, he BREATHED ON THEM, and said: RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!
Be carriers of God! Be contagious with LOVE! Exude confidence
that God is GOOD!

I'm sure they did not grasp it fully then-- nor even fifty days
later at Pentecost-- but the disciples-- and you and I-- are to
be the place where God lives on this earth. We are God's housing!

Do YOU think of yourself as a tabernacle of God? Is God welcome
in YOUR body? In your relationships? is that a new thought to
you? Is it a bit frightening?

God is what this frightened world needs right now! And who do
you suppose God is wanting to use to meet your neighbors and
mine, face-to-Face?

Jesus began assigning His disciples a role in telling the
world that all their sins had been forgiven on Calvary. This
is mysterious, and not easy to understand:

"Those whose sins you forgive they will be forgiven... those
whose sins you don't forgive they will remain..?"

We can stop and get hung up on the translation of words here--
OR we can understand that WE have a part in sharing the Good News
of Salvation.

FEAR said, that night, "Lord Jesus we have all been afraid!
We have all forsaken you and run away! How can WE ever accept
such an assignment?"

But FAITH SAID: "YOU CAN SHOW ME HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT!
YOU CAN HELP ME SHARE THE MESSAGE OF SINS FORGIVEN!" And that is
exactly what happened.

That is all well and good for the disciples..then..and for the
worship times in church. But what about the everyday fears that
come-- AND WHAT ABOUT THE REALLY DARK PLACES IN LIFE THAT COME
TO US ALL? Can fear defeat us when we face the worst life can
offer? It is frightening to think there are people who hate us
just because we live where we do, and believe what we believe-
but in the darkness is where even little lights can shine brightly!
Jesus loves YOU! He is with you and me! He says "Tell people that
God loves them! God is GOOD!"

III. WE ALL FACE FEAR'S CHALLENGE IN OUR DARK HOURS OF THE SOUL

Faith's victory over fear is NOT just doctrine or theory. We cannot
help at times FEELING overwhelmed-- even pushed toward despair.
In the Garden of Gethsemene Jesus Himself prayed like one who
hated, even dreaded what lay out ahead. He prayed, "O MY FATHER,
IF IT BE POSSIBLE, LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME!"

In the Psalm (16) David wrote the script for the Messiah's hope
even though it was 800 years or so before the time-- he wrote for
Jesus-- and for all who follow Jesus-- "THOU WILT NOT LEAVE MY
SOUL IN HELL, NOR SUFFER YOUR OWN TO SEE CORRUPTION"

Our souls somehow become the battlefield of fear versus faith.
For insight into that aspect of the emotions of fear and temptation
to unbelief there is no better book than The Book of Job. Job
loved God-- and refused to believe God was anything but GOOD!
He certainly did not understand what was going on. But Job said,
"GOD KNOWS! I WILL TRUST HIM!" Faith went beyond what it could see,
and even what it could NOT see-- and reached for the hand of God.

In some of Britain's darkest hours in WW II, the people listened by
their radios on New Year's Eve as their king, King George VI, gave
his annual greeting to his people over BBC. It was truly a fearsome
time. The very existence of their nation was at risk. And the king
that night quoted words that have since become famous. He said:

"I said to the man who stands at the Gate of the Year, 'Give me
light that I may tread safely into the unknown.' And he replied,
'Step into the darkness, put your hand into the hand of God, and
that will be to you better than a light and safer than a known
way.'"

David said, "In your Presence is joy! If I can just BE WITH YOU I
will be all right!" We do not have to wait until we die and go to
heaven to know God's Presence. He is near, He is with us today.
If we will let Him he will live within us, and walk with us. We
may not know all about Him, but we may know Him. He loves us,
and his perfect love casts out fear, our own fear, and the fear
that we cannot tell our frightened neighbors with assurance:
"God is GOOD! God loves YOU!."

THe Jesus Prayer

THE JESUS PRAYER

Luke 18: 9 - 14



Two men went up to the temple to pray to the one true God. One

man stood by himself in his shining goodness. The other man stood

afar off in consciousness of his sinfulness.



This is a pointed story. Jesus told it to some people who were

trusting in themselves for salvation, and were actively putting down

other seekers after God.



In this story the first character, THE PHARISEE, was the sort of

fellow you think of as the pillar of society. He was regular in

paying his bills, he belonged to the Rotary Club, he drove a Cadillac,

he tithed a pretty hefty income.



The second character, THE TAX COLLECTOR, was different. He was

far down the social scale. He had a shady reputation. He had

business dealings with unbelievers. He would not deny being a sinner.



The PHARISEE had a LOAD of righteousness-- self-righteousness.

It was a comparative righteousness. He compared himself to people he

despised: "I thank You God that I am not as others are -- thieves,

rogues, adulterers, or, God forbid, even like this tax collector

standing there!" And he measured his religion in adding up the good

things he did. "Add these things up," he said to God. "I fast twice

in the week, I give a tenth of all my income, I'm really quite a

valuable addition to your temple, God!"



The TAX COLLECTOR, on the other hand, stood far off, away from

the altar. His head was down. He smote his breast. He acknowledged

his sin.



It is not acceptable in polite society today to talk about "sin"

and "guilt." We deserve a break today! Remember rights, and

entitlement! Guilt is always bad-- always unhealthy.



I agree that guilt is something we do not have to live with. But

I do not agree that all guilt is either inappropriate or bad. There

is a kind of acknowledging of guilt which is actually healthy, because

it accepts responsibility. Facing real guilt is the first step to

real forgiveness and real peace with God. "IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS," is

the promise, "GOD IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO

CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS." (I John 1:9) [We like the "all

unrighteousness" part-- we don't always hear the "If we confess"

part!]



The Bible says that whether we are up-and-outers like the

Pharisee, or down- and-outers like the tax collector, "all have

sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) We are all

sinners by birth, and every one of us have sinned by choice. Sin is

putting anything or anyone ahead of God.



Two men went up the hill to pray. The PHARISEE went up the hill

to the temple knowing that he was better than most people. The TAX

COLLECTOR went up the hill to the temple knowing that he had come

short of God's glory. He didn't try to fool either God or himself for

even a minute. He prayed this prayer: "Lord, be merciful to me a

sinner."



Two men went down the hill from the temple that day. Jesus said

the tax collector went back home justified. The Pharisee just went

back home.



The simplicity of the prayer the tax collector prayed all too

often escapes us. We know that following Jesus involves doing as well

as being. Being Christian takes discipline and prayer. So we forget

how simple and how basic it is to say from the heart, "Jesus is Lord!"

We memorize Romans 10:9,10, but we forget the impact of that short

prayer.



When we get away from the simplicity of the faith we start

building our own righteousness. We begin to THINK like the Pharisee,

even if we don't actually put his prayer into our own words.



THIS IS REFORMATION SUNDAY - On this particular Sunday of the

year we recall one man in history who re-discovered the power of the

Jesus prayer and changed the course of history



Let me just mention again a few facts from Luther's life that

underscore this story Jesus told:



Martin Luther was born in 1483, and as a young man started out to

study law. About the time he finished law studies, in 1505, a

lightning bolt scared the wits out of him, and he promised God he

would become a monk-- went on to become a priest-- was a

brilliant but not-very-happy seeker after salvation.



The church of Luther's day was often guilty of praying the prayer

of the Pharisee. Like every human institution, our own included,

there was a strong incentive to preserve the machinery and to

forget the spirit of Christ-- to legalize and legislate, and

forget the simple truth of grace. Luther was frustrated,

unsatisfied in his own heart.



In 1513, the year after receiving his Doctorate and becoming

teacher/preacher at Wittenberg, Martin began lecturing on the

Psalms. When he arrived at Psalm 72, as he was lecturing to the

students he got new insight concerning "the righteousness of

God." (Have you read Psalm 72 lately? I had to re-read it again

to see what was so revolutionary as to catch Martin Luther's

imagination:



(Psalm 72:12) For (God) will deliver the needy when he cries

for help, the humble also, and him who has no helper. (13) He

will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the souls of

the needy he will save....)



Martin Luther began to see the compassion of God. Up until this

time Luther had only feared God, as a tyrant judge. He began to

see God's righteousness as a quality which God was willing to

give to believers, and which would make them acceptable in his

Presence.



Then in his study of Romans Luther re-discovered "The Just shall

live by faith!" Luther discovered that he had had it all

backwards: WE DO NOT ACHIEVE FAITH BY BEING RIGHTEOUS, BUT WE

RECEIVE CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH! Still Luther asked

questions of himself, recorded in his works, such as:



"Are you alone wise? Can it be that everyone else is in error and

has been in error for so long? What if you are wrong and lead

into error so many people who might then be eternally damned?



But Luther could not remain quiet forever. Things came to a head

when fund raisers came through Saxony selling coupons to get

people out of purgatory. It was just three years after Psalm 72

had spoken to him, and after he had re-discovered the great truth

in Romans "The just shall live by faith!" that the crisis came.



On October 31, 1517, exactly 478 years ago this very week, Martin

Luther nailed his 95 Theses, 95 statements for debate on, among

other things, why the sale of indulgences were evil- on the

Cathedral door in Wittenberg, Germany. He wrote these

propositions for debate in Latin-- but the 95 theses were also

translated into the common German, and printed, and spread far

and wide. The business of indulgences, salvation from purgatory

by works, was ruined in that part of Saxony. The Reformation was

under way.



Nearly four years later, in April of 1521, Luther was summoned to

Worms to defend his position before a Diet of the clergy and

secular rulers. On the first day of his appearance Luther saw

that he would not be permitted to make a speech, and he begged

for a day to think of his answer.



Luther was not admitted to the Diet the next day until nightfall,

and he stood in the candle-lighted Episcopal hall next to the

great cathedral. After realizing again that there was no room for

debate, Luther made this statement:



"Unless I can be instructed and convinced with evidence from the

Holy Scriptures or with open, clear, and distinct grounds and

reasoning-- and my conscience is captive to the Word of God--

then I cannot and will not recant, because it is neither safe

nor wise to act against conscience."



And then he added the famous words: "Here I stand. I can do no

other. God help me! Amen" And with those words Luther became an

outlaw.



Thus endeth the "history lesson" this Reformation Sunday!



The "two ways of justification" are still with us today.



If we are honest-- there are times when we have stood in the

place where the Pharisee stood in the story. We have compared

ourselves to other mortals instead of seeing a holy God. We have

added up our good and hoped it outweighed the bad.



But there are NOT two ways to find peace with God. There ARE NO

human beings who can justify themselves in God's holy eyes. There are

NONE of us who dare to despise others, and compare our holiness with

other sinners.



In our Wesleyan tradition we need to learn to live in the healthy

tension between the call of God to holiness and the humility of

knowing that our performance often comes short of God's glory. Our

Savior can give us grace to live above willful sin in word thought and

deed. Our Savior also taught us to pray every day, "Forgive us our

debts as we forgive our debtors!" Can we live with the paradox of not

sinning and confession our sins? Can we seek to be God's instruments

and NOT seek to use God selfishly?



There is a prayer, an ancient prayer, actually, that came out of

this passage, no doubt. It is called The Jesus Prayer. I'm sure that

a number of Nazarenes would not want to pray this prayer because we

have been forgiven and are no longer in active, willful, outbroken sin,

no longer in rebellion against God. . . .



I can still hear the wisdom of my elders saying "If we start

calling mistakes 'sin,' it won't be long until we are calling sin

'mistakes.'" In other words we cannot excuse any willful sin in our

lives.



Still the fact remains that Jesus has given us the Lord's

Prayer-- and also he has given us this story to keep us from trusting

in our own righteousness, and comparing it with others. That ancient

prayer, the Jesus Prayer simply goes like this:



"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."



It is a powerful prayer when it becomes a way of life! Shall WE pray?





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