Go Light Your World

Mary Rodgers, Nov. 21, 2004
Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or by how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We are speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God. He is already a friend with you. How? You say. In Christ. God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong so that we could be right with God.

Go Light Your World

One April 14, 1912, the world's largest ship struck an iceberg. There were 2200 people aboard the Titanic. Twenty lifeboats, with an average capacity of 65 people per boat were lowered into the water, most of them were only half filled with people. As the Titanic started to sink, 1500 people were in the water, crying out to be saved. The lifeboats refused to return to the aid of those in the water for fear of being swamped with survivors. One survivor said, "After the ship went down we heard cries for a quarter hour. We did not go back in the direction the Titanic had sunk." Do you know how many of the lifeboats returned to pick up the drowning? Out of the twenty lifeboats ONLY ONE lifeboat returned to pick up those who were drowning. I suspect that you have heard this tragic story as I had when I was reminded of it a few weeks ago. But when I heard again I wasn't prepared for the sentence that was added on to the end of the story by the one who told it. He said the usual ending: Out of the twenty lifeboats ONLY ONE returned to pick up those who were drowning, and then he added: You and I, this church, we are lifeboats. I was captivated by that line and it hasn't left me alone since I heard it. Me? You? The Church? A lifeboat?

If the Apostle Paul had lived in another time and had been thinking in metaphorical terms he might have talked about lifeboats in the passage we read today. Paul does two things in this passage: First, he affirms what Christ means to him and then he goes on to trace out the nature of his ministry. In a sense it is a model for ministry. Now I know that Paul can be a bit convoluted in the way he writes. But if we weed through it all you can clearly see what he believes about God. I went through and underlined the words that pertained to his understanding of Christ and here were the key words and phrases that emerged:

One man died

everyone

a resurrection life

Messiah

created new

new life burgeons

reconciliation

fresh start

forgiveness of sins

With those nine key words or phrases we can begin to piece together what Paul believes about Christ. Here is Paul's faith statement:

Christ died for everyone. Because of that, everyone can have a resurrected life, a life that is transformed, created new, a life with hope, love and possibility, where reconciliation can occur, fresh starts happen, and sins are forgiven. Everyone can have a life way better than the one that had without Christ.

As soon as he has laid out his understanding of Christ he moves to the nature of his ministry. It's like he says this to those who around him:

Ok this is what Christ is all about and here's what we should be doing. Listen to the key words and phrases that describe his ministry. What we should be doing as those who follow Christ.

Task of telling

Christ's representatives

God uses us to persuade

Speak for Christ now

The picture grows clearer. We have the task of telling. We are Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade others. We speak for Christ now.

There are people out there who know nothing of what I've just spoken about. They don't know about love or forgiveness, they do not know that transformation and change can happen, they do not know that they are not all alone, they do not know Christ.

Did you know that if you invite 4 friends to come to a church event. One will come. A poll by George Barma showed that about 25% of the adults in the US (who do not already have a church home) would go to church if a friend invited them. If you invite four friends to come to a church event where there is the possibility that they might hear and feel and learn about the things we find in this passage one will come. One out of four may not sound like good odds but imagine the difference it could make to the ONE. It might even be a lifeboat for them.

This is such great church and sometimes I wish that you could see and experience the things I get to see and experience from my unique perspective of being one of your Pastors.

The other day I was getting ready for the second service and as I walked through the commons area out of the corner of my eye I saw a little girl about 5 years old run into the arms of a women who was not her mother or any other relative. It was a friend she knew from church. It was a gift to witness that great big hug.

And I thought that there are more children out there who need that kind of hug……

Last week Lisa and I did a house blessing for one our members and the house was packed with people. Some church members, other friends, and work colleagues. Some Christian and some not. We laughed and we prayed, we sang and we blessed and as I left I thought about all the people who had "overheard" the gospel that afternoon.

I also thought that there are people out there who need that kind of community……

You may not know that I am a table parent for the Jr. High's at the Logos dinner. And they are as much fun as they are challenging! They've begun a tradition. When they hear that I'm getting ready preach they spend much of the dinner hour deciding what word or words they are going to give me to use in that sermon. They consider it a challenge "to keep me on my toes." Last sermon the words were "pig" and "trailer park." I know it's random, they're Jr. Highs! I was successful with pig but not with trailer park.

Although it did fit into the prayers because it was during the hurricane season. Today's word is hotdog! I think we make God laugh when we do this. It's a gift to see what wacky ways the spirit will use to get Jr. Highs to listen to a sermon!

There are other youth out there who need to know the laughter of God.

It's really cool to sit back there and to be able to see your eyes. It is amazing the things we see. Every now and again I can see that the Spirit it has moved you n some way. Maybe it's in a smile, or in your tears, or how you discretely move to the music. Sometimes it is a sigh or even spontaneous applause. When I'm really fortunate you come and tell me what moved you. For instance I know a who mother who loves it when her young son says "In Jesus Christ we are forgiven." She knows he doesn't fully understand but she also knows that one day he will. I also know that every time we say the Lord's prayer there is a husband in this congregation reaches out to hold the hand of his wife.

There are people out there who need to know about forgiveness and about love.

This is a great church. And there are people out there who need this place of possibilities. Our ministry, your ministry is to be representatives, to tell, to let God use you to persuade. We can create possibilities for others and God transforms. We may even be giving life boats without even knowing. One out of four will come.

There are some people who have the ability to walk up to someone they do not even know and begin to talk to them about Christ. We can that having "the gift of evangelism." Not everyone has been given that gift. And that is not what I am talking about today. What I am talking about is being representatives of Christ that create possibilities for friends we already know. One out of four will come.

I was talking to the Chair of Church growth committee about this sermon and he said Mary don't build us up and then leave us hanging without know what to do. Show us what you want us to do. Demonstrate it. So in honor of his request and in demonstration that yes we Pastor do listen I give you these ideas. The first thing is that we will give each family four post cards that can be used as invitations. That's one way to begin. Here are some others.

Skits:

Joe Moss / Mary (Business colleagues)

Mary / Matt Legler (Teen-age friends)

Mary / Sara Bennett (Run into each other at the mall)

God is good. This is a great church. One out of four will come! Thanks be to God!!!

Amen.

© Copyright, 2004, Rev. Mary Rodgers
All Rights Reserved.
Providence Presbyterian Church
Fairfax, Virginia