I believe in confession. I also believe in getting stories out before others can get them out for me. I like to take ownership of events on my own terms. So, today, I need to make an honest confession.

In the late 80’s, around the time Back to the Future was released, Michael J. Fox was sort of a hero of mine. I have an older sister who, on occasion would get an issue of Teen Beat magazine and Fox would often be featured (along with Kirk Cameron and Ralph Macchio). I thought Fox was cool.

I found myself desiring the jean jacket pictured above. If Michael J. Fox wore it, it had to be cool. Therefore, my parents did their best to deliver. We went to the Muncie Mall and found the jacket that most resembled the jacket Fox wore.

Yep, with this jacket, I would become “cool”.

Now, in the late 80’s, in order to take your jean jacket to the next level, one needed buttons/pins to accessorize the jacket. Most of the buttons would feature your favorite band or catchy phrases (like “gag me with a spoon”).

My jacket had 2 buttons. I thought they were awesome. This is the part where the honest confession comes in…The two buttons were…

Tear for Fears

Amy Grant

Whew! I feel better getting that off my chest.

Now, don’t judge me. I’m sure you all made some questionable music choices “back in the day”. At that point in my life, I considered the Purple Rain soundtrack to be as edgy as my Quiet Riot tape.

 

 

Church competition is alive and well, my friends!

We hear comments from our friends…We read statements on social media…We read blogs…Sometimes I get e-mails from a friend when he’s convinced his pastor is talking about my church (generally when he references “those other Christians” or “some churches around here”…and it’s to say that we don’t really believe the Bible because of our moderate to liberal position…that “some churches aren’t Bible-believing churches”…which, I’m not even sure what that means…what exactly is a “Bible-believing” church???)

Yes, my church is better than your church! Well, at least in my opinion.

Of course, you probably believe that your church is better than my church. Well, at least according to you.

Of course, one of us is wrong!

Then again, maybe we’re both wrong?

What makes your church better than my church? Theology? Worship style? Size of the congregation? Participation in missions? Number of small groups and Bible studies?

We compete in a number of ways. We pit Calvinism against Arminianism…Protestants versus Catholics…conservatives versus liberals…fundamentalists against everyone…contemporary versus traditional…low church versus high church…emerging church against everyone…and then there is Westboro Baptist.

I’m thrilled when I hear about people who are extremely passionate and excited about their local church.

However, I find myself growing tired of the attempts to “one-up” one another. Isn’t that what church wars are all about…me trying to prove to you that my church is superior to yours? Me trying to demonstrate that, while your efforts are nice, they aren’t even comparable to the amount of awesome that is my church?

Regardless of theology, size, etc…we really shouldn’t be in competition with one another. We might disagree on a number of issues. However, if we’re both trying to convey the love of Christ, shouldn’t we lay down the competition?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you love your church. I love my church too. I just don’t feel like we need to compete. I’m glad your church is doing whatever it’s doing…it doesn’t make your church any better and mine any worse. I’m glad my church is doing what it’s doing…it doesn’t make my church any better and yours any worse.

The reality is that we should be celebrating one another’s successes and supporting one another through failures. God uses big churches. God uses small churches. God uses conservative churches. God uses moderate churches. God uses liberal churches. At the same time, there are unhealthy big churches. There are unhealthy small churches. There are unhealthy conservative, moderate, and liberal churches.

We’re all hoping to connect people with Jesus as we love God and love one another, right? When we compete, we aren’t doing a very good job of loving one another.

On Sunday, January 5th, we started a new worship series called “The Line Between Good and Evil.” I had the opportunity to share the first message in the series, titled “The Struggle Between Good and Evil.” The series is inspired by Adam Hamilton and Church of the Resurrection. So, some of the material in the sermon is influenced, borrowed, and inspired by Hamilton. You can probably guess that Hamilton did not talk about “Sons of Anarchy” or chocolate covered cherries.

You can listen to the message by following this link…or you can read the manuscript below.

The Line Between Good & Evil: The Struggle Between Good & Evil
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:6-7

This morning, we begin a five-week series dealing with “The Line Between Good & Evil”. The struggle between good and evil really is the defining story of the human condition. The struggle between good and evil is all around us.

We would like to think that we are more civilized, yet evil is a very apparent reality in our world today. Just watch the news, television programs, movies, read the Bible, or search within ourselves and it’s there…good versus evil. Every single day, we make choices between good and evil. We have all encountered evil…whether it’s in the small stuff we label as bad decisions or the obvious evil of abuse, addiction, crime, and violence.

Stories about the struggle between good and evil are abundant in film, television, and literature. So, I want you to share with your neighbor, what is your favorite story about good and evil?

Whether it’s on the news, in the movies, in our homes, schools, community, world, or inside of us, good and evil is all around us.

Currently, my favorite good versus evil story is “Sons of Anarchy. If you’ve not seen it, it’s the story of a rough and tough motorcycle gang. And, honestly, as one of your pastors, I probably shouldn’t be watching it.

Two of the main characters are Jax & Clay. Clay is the embodiment of evil – the man is pure evil. Any glimpse of good with clay is simply an attempt to deceive others and position himself to get his way. Jax, on the other hand, is a very intriguing character. Deep down, he wants good to triumph over evil. His character displays the struggle between good and evil. He wants the club to return to its roots and get out of the gun smuggling business. He desires to pursue the more honest business of drug smuggling and prostitution! Of course, he does a great deal of evil along the way. However, he feels it is all justified because it will bring about a greater good.

So, that’s my favorite story. What’s one thing that all of our favorite stories probably have in common? The hero. In most stories, good conquers evil. How many of you shared a favorite good versus evil story where evil won?

Let’s think about our story. In our story, as Christians, Jesus is the hero. He gave it all to conquer evil and calls us to spend our lives pushing back evil and darkness.

Now, we tend to use the word evil to describe degrees of badness. There is bad. And, then, there is evil. Evil is worse than bad.

There are various types of evil.
1. Doing wrong things in order to achieve self-gratification. It’s wrong, but it feels good, so I’ll do it.
2. Doing wrong things that will hurt others in order to achieve self-gratification. It’s wrong, it hurts others, but it feels good, so I’ll do it.
3. Intentionally hurting others in order to bring ourselves satisfaction. It feels good to hurt others. We get satisfaction in hurting others. We do what we know is wrong and simply don’t care what the consequences might be for others. We do it even though we know there will be painful consequences for others…and we get pleasure from this.

If we’re going to be honest with ourselves this morning, we would all be willing to admit that we struggle with the line between good and evil.

Think back to this morning’s Scripture.
– Adam and Eve struggled with the line between good and evil
– They are in the garden, living in the midst of perfection, walking in harmony with God
– They are given one rule
– They receive one offer from that sneaky snake that there might be an alternative to God’s story
– They make one decision that brought shame, guilt, embarrassment, and pain.

The point of the story in the garden is to see ourselves in the story.
– God has given us all this “good”
– God provides us with some parameters
– God gives us the freedom of choice
– And, we choose to operate within our outside God’s parameters.

How do you respond when someone tells you “no”? I can tell you how I respond…I want it more. I may not have even wanted whatever it is that bad, but once you said “no”; I’m all about it.

We’re not so different than Adam and Eve. We have everything. Yet we want the one thing we’re told we cannot have. So, we attempt to get as close to the line as we can. We can all hear that sneaky snake saying “Did God really mean that? Come on, just one bite. Just a little taste.”

So, like Paul in Romans 7, we struggle because what we want to do, we don’t do. But, the evil we want to avoid, well, that’s what we do.

Left un-checked, evil has the potential to devour us.

God provides these parameters…a path, if you will…
And sin is anything that causes us to stray from that path.
However, there is repentance.
And, when we repent, we return to the path.

This is our story- we’re on the path, we stray, we return, we stray, we return, etc.

There is a path – As Christians, Jesus is our path. Will we choose to follow?

The path we’re meant to follow is the path Jesus walked. To follow, to live as he lived. And, what does that path look like? Let us remember Micah 6:8, He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 25 about the two greatest commandments? To love God and to love one another as we love ourselves. That’s the path…to do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly, to love God and one another.

The truth is, we stray. But, there is always grace. So, we struggle…maybe not to the level of Jax and Clay, but we all struggle…even with small acts of evil…such as speaking poorly of others, gossiping, telling half-truths, being selfish, not fully disclosing the condition of items we’re selling, fudging numbers at work, being unfaithful in our thoughts and actions, being abusive in words and actions.

One of my battles with evil comes in the form of chocolate covered cherries. They are so good. If I open a box, there as good as gone. I simply can’t help myself. I know they are bad for me. I know they are on the list of things my doctor told me to avoid. And, yet, here I am with a box of chocolate covered cherries. Does anyone not struggle with this? Seriously, if you’re not tempted by chocolate covered cherries, raise your hand. I’ve got to get rid of these things and go the way of the carrot.

Of course, there is good news. The good news is this…no one is beyond redemption. We’ve all strayed from the pat, but there is always grace. There is always redemption. The Christian faith isn’t about guilt – our story is about grace. That’s the good news! No matter how far we stray, no matter how heinous the evil we may have done, we can always, always, always return. Because our God is a God of new beginnings…of 2nd, 3rd, 1 millionth chances.

Are there consequences? Absolutely. But there is also grace. Hear the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. If we humble ourselves, pray, seek God, and desire to change our evil ways, God will be faithful to forgive and bring about healing! No one is beyond redemption. Say that with me, “No one is beyond redemption.”

Now we are left with this question: How do we overcome this struggle? How do we overcome evil? I believe there are three key steps:

1. Come to Christ with a desire to become new people – make a decision to follow.
2. Engage in Christian community. Today, you all are awesome because you have perfect attendance. Make a commitment to be here – to worship, to study, to pray, to remember, to grow, to listen, to give, to serve, to encourage one another, to point each other towards good.
3. Read Romans 12:9-21. To do good. We are called to overcome evil with good.

How are we doing good? We knocked it out of the park through our seasons of giving campaign (College Care Packs, Dimes for Turkeys, Jubilee, Kids Against Hunger), we have ministries like Feed the People and Feed the Kids, through our Christmas Eve offering, we raised over $3,000 for missions, and all of our mission and outreach ministries are doing amazing things. Get on board. Pray for these efforts. Give of your time, talents, and treasures towards our missional efforts, find ways each day to overcome evil by doing good!

We will face the struggle between good and evil every single day…How will we choose to respond? Will we walk the path of Jesus or make our own? Will you love God, love one another, do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God?

May we go from this place bringing the light of Christ into the dark corners of our world, overcoming evil with good. Amen.

This message was shared at Christ UMC in Lafayette, IN on December 15, 2013

Read James 5:7-9

10 MORE DAYS!!! (Said with great enthusiasm)
Ten more days. (Said with great complacency)
Ten…more…days. (Said with a sense of dread)

Some of us are so excited for Christmas that we can hardly contain ourselves. Ten more days before the insanity of presents, friends, family, traveling, and the inevitable mass chaos…we can’t wait!

Some of us are rather complacent when it comes to the holiday…we could take or leave it.

Of course, some of us are overcome with a sense of dread. Ten more days before the insanity of presents, friends, family, traveling, and the inevitable mass chaos…we want to cry out, “Sweet Lord Jesus, take me now.”

For some, 10 days feels all too soon. For others, 10 days feels like an eternity.

In the midst of it all, we pause to worship the one we are supposedly honoring in the midst of the insanity of presents, friends, family, traveling, and the inevitable mass chaos this holiday brings.

So, we gather together this morning, in the midst of the insanity and chaos and we hear a passage of Scripture from the book of James that tells us to wait…patiently.

Let’s be honest- how many of us, in the midst of this season, could use a little patience?
– Patience with our family
– Patience with our friends
– Patience with our co-workers
– Patience with the knuckle-heads driving like lunatics in shopping center parking lots
– Patience with department store employees
– Patience with the people ringing bells outside the stores that make you feel guilty for not carrying cash and making a donation…to the point where you want to say, “Oh, I give through my church.”

Now, James is really talking about patiently waiting for Jesus to return and announce the full reign of God. The manner in which we wait patiently for Jesus to come and usher in the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, is directly related to our ability to be patient with one another.

The season of Advent brings about a holy tension between patient waiting and eager anticipation…between sitting back in our chairs and resting our feet or leaning forward on the very edge of our seats…between passivity or activity…between preparing or procrastinating.

So, let’s look at the kind of patience James is spurring us towards.

To learn about patience, James encourages us to consider the farmer…
Before a farmer plants seeds, they do the hard work of analyzing and preparing the soil, determining what kind of seed will best produce in the field. Then, the farmer plants seeds. After the seed has been planted, they just kick back and wait until the harvest, right? NO! They are working hard each day to ensure, as best they can, a bountiful harvest. They have to be prepared…what if we experience a drought…what if it floods…and so on. Then, they harvest the crops. Of course, that’s when the farmer kicks back and takes a break until it’s time to plant again, right? NO. They begin the process of analyzing, planning, preparing for the next season. The farmer doesn’t just plant and walk away until the harvest. The farmer addresses needs as they arise. The farmer waters when necessary…takes care of weeds when necessary…the farmer works while waiting for the harvest.

During the season of Advent, we are reminded to patiently wait for the fullness of God’s Kingdom to be revealed.

Therefore, we are expectant as we wait. We are hopeful as we wait. Like the farmer, we should be actively working to prepare…working to bring a glimpse of the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

In the midst of our struggles…in the midst of our pain…in the midst of any tension we may face, we are called to wait…to be patient. Let’s be honest, it can be terribly difficult to wait. When we are at the end of our ropes, it’s hard to wait. When on Friday, we learn of yet more violence in schools, we grow impatient and want to cry out, “Lord, please come soon.”

Ten more days.

In the next ten days, many of us will be packing up our cars to travel to visit family and friends. I don’t know about you, but traveling during the holidays makes me feel like my car is the size of this toy. We load the car up with way too much junk…fully realizing that we will be bringing back even more junk…and hit the road.

What’s the question that we all dread, but know we will hear? “Are we there yet?”

For my kids, it’s a bit of holy expectation when we travel to Ohio…

“Are we there yet?”
“No, we’re only in Frankfort. Just watch your movie or go to sleep.”
“What comes after Frankfort?”
“Tipton.”
“Are we in Tipton?”
“No, I just told you we’re in Frankfort.”
A little time goes by and the questioning starts again. “Now where are we?”
“We’re in Tipton.”
“Is Greenville next?”
“No.”
“When will we be there?”
“Probably in about three hours.”
“What’s after Tipton?”
“Elwood. Alexandria. Muncie. Albany. Ridgeville. Union City. Then we’ll be in Greenville.”

This goes on and on for the majority of the journey. In the past four years, we have worn a pretty good path between Lafayette and Greenville, Ohio. You would think the kids would get it. But, they are so excited they want to be there NOW. They don’t fully understand patience in waiting. Therefore, it’s only appropriate that they test my patience on a long journey.

So, we finally make it to Greenville, drive through town, and as we pass the Maid-Rite I can proclaim, “Girls, we’re almost there.” With that statement, the anticipation builds…and the questioning becomes even more rapid…
We turn on Arcanum-Bears Mill Road. “Are we there yet?”
“No. It’s 3 more minutes.”
We turn on Spidel Road. “Are we there yet?”
“No. It’s 2 more minutes.”
We turn on Routzong Road and as soon as the girls see the Red Barn they joyfully proclaim…”We’re here!”

The wait – is – over!

Ten more days – and yet – our waiting is not over. We aren’t simply waiting for Christmas. We are waiting for the fullness of God’s reign. We’re almost there.

Now, here’s where James lays down the trump card. In the midst of our patient waiting, he has the audacity to tell us not to grumble with each other. Are you kidding me?

Let me be straight-forward and remind us all that there is a difference between grumbling and holding one another accountable. Grumbling is just complaining for no reason. Grumbling is complaining with no intention of helping improve the situation. However, we are called to hold one another accountable. So, if I’m not getting the job done and you call me out, that’s not grumbling. However, if I’m getting the job done, but you think I should tuck my shirt in more often…well, you’re nitpicking about things that really aren’t kingdom issues, that really don’t matter and well, that’s grumbling. Of course, that’s why I wear sweaters!

I’ve found that the best way to avoid grumbling is to serve. Serve by giving generously of our time, talents and treasures. Serve those you are most tempted to grumble about. Serve those who try your patience the most! Find ways to encourage and build up those you have a desire to tear down. When we’re tempted to belittle the person who accidentally rang up the wrong price on that item you just have to have…realize that they probably aren’t paid enough to have a merry Christmas, realize that they are loved by God, and find it in your heart to be kind, to be patient, to not be a jerk. Being a rude, impatient jerk won’t help remedy the situation! Earlier in the book of James, he calls us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” If we could get that right…it will be a lot easier to avoid grumbling, it will be a lot easier to be patient.

There are two questions I ask myself throughout the day that help determine whether or not I am being patient, whether or not I am grumbling, and whether or not I am giving generously as I patiently wait. Those two questions: Am I being faithful to God? Are my words, thoughts and actions bringing God glory? Ask yourself these questions throughout the day…at work, at school, at home, wherever I find myself. Ask yourself these questions and see if your ability to be patient increases.

As we patiently wait to fully experience the Kingdom – we are hopeful that there is more to the story than what we experience here and now. And, if that is our hope, we should live out our hope. We shouldn’t be sitting back on our backsides…we should be finding ways to reach out in love and service…to give generously of our time, talents, treasures to address the basic needs of those in our community and world.

This church has a great track record of helping and we should celebrate! Through our Seasons of Giving campaign, we have sent 60 college care packages; served 26 families through Dimes for Turkeys; served 20 families through Jubilee; we have people helping with Family Promise, and we have the potential to provide nearly 50,000 meals or more for our community and Mission Guatemala through Kids Against Hunger. This is great. This is amazing. But, we can’t stop now.

While we patiently wait, we should be looking for ways to generously give and serve daily – demonstrating our love for God and one another. Consider signing up for the Kids Against Hunger packing event on MLK, Jr day; help out a neighbor (shovel, bake cookies/dinner, listen)

Here’s a simple thing everyone can do…PRAY- for our church, schools, neighborhoods, for the least, last, and lost in our community…every day for the next 10 days. Pray that you and I, that this church will be able to bring about a greater good for the Kingdom of God that we might make disciples of Jesus Christ that this world will be forever transformed. Without prayer, it will be difficult for our efforts to be fruitful. If you will commit to this, to praying for our church, schools, neighborhoods, and community…if you will, say “Amen.”

Giving, serving, and praying will help us grumble less and be a bit more patient. If you don’t believe me, try it!

It’s not about what you “can” do…I don’t care about what you can do. It’s about what you WILL do. So, what will you do? Are you going to give? Are you going to serve? Are you going to pray? When you do, you’ll find your ability to be patient increase.

 

So, in typical conservative evangelical Christian fashion, the American Family Association has called for a boycott of Radio Shack. Why? Because Radio Shack wishes customers a “happy holiday” instead of a “merry Christmas”. I know, it’s ridiculously offensive. I’m sure Jesus sheds a tear every single time a Radio Shack employee wishes someone a “happy holiday” or saves money as a result of the “holiday savings event”.

Could it be that Radio Shack and many other businesses who have gone the way of observing “holidays” rather than “Christmas” realize that we live in a pluralistic society? Could it be that these businesses prefer not to disenfranchise customers who don’t happen to be Christians? Could it be that these businesses understand that not all customers celebrate Christmas?

Do we understand that saying “merry Christmas” does not make a person or a business anymore of a “Christian” than those saying “happy holidays”?

Do we not realize that the person who we desire to wish us a “merry Christmas” might be a Muslim, Hindu, Jew, atheist or something other than Christian?

Are we Christians really this narrow-minded? Are we Christians really this petty? Unfortunately, I’m afraid the answer might be “yes”.

Maybe instead of wishing customers a “happy holiday”, businesses should wish customers a “merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Festivus, whatever!” But, many of my Christian brothers and sisters would not be satisfied. That kind of political correctness would be equally offensive…because we’ve bought into the myth of a Christian nation and believe that, “Dammit, this is America! We love us some Jesus. So wish me a merry freakin’ Christmas.”

So, a “Christian” organization is calling for a boycott over words. That makes sense. It’s totally appropriate to over-react to the use of pleasant words meant to spread a bit of joy into your daily routine. The way we over-react to the “war on Christmas” gives the impression that some of my Christian brothers and sisters believe this to be persecution!

I’ll be honest, I’m more offended by the businesses that say “merry Christmas” but fail to pay their employees enough to actually have a merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Festivus, or whatever. Many “merry Christmas” companies fail to realize that there is a major difference between minimum wage and a living wage. And, don’t even get me started on the lack of healthcare and benefits many “merry Christmas” companies fail to offer the employees they supposedly care so much about…

I guess I’d rather call for a boycott on companies based on their actions. Let’s boycott companies that demonstrate a lack of concern for their employees rather than for whether or not they wish me a “merry Christmas.” And, guess what, there are many churches and “Christian” businesses that would make the boycott list. I’m all for boycott’s, let’s just boycott for the right reasons. Boycott businesses that exploit employees and customers. Boycott businesses that discriminate. Boycott businesses that try to run out organizations and other businesses that help those in need. But, boycotting over holiday greetings? That’s just ridiculously childish.

What does the “merry Christmas” greeting accomplish anyway? My guess is that it somehow makes Christians feel better about exploiting the birth of Jesus as a way to practice extravagant greed and materialistic consumption. So, when the cashier (who, let us remember, doesn’t make enough money to have a “merry Christmas”) wishes me a “merry Christmas” when I’m spending hundreds of dollars on a bunch of crap, I feel that I’m doing my part to honor the birth of Christ and stimulate the economy. It’s a win/win!

So, here is my unofficial greeting to you: Happy Holidays! Merry Xmas! Festivus for the Rest of Us! Chag Sameach! Joyous Kwanzaa! Peaceful Nothing! Whatever! Happy Birthday, Jesus…I hope you like crap!