Sidney UMC - Fifth Sunday in Lent - 04/03/22 - Sermon - “Enjoy the Journey!” (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 5 of 7)

Sunday 04/03/22 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:                 “Enjoy The Journey!”                                            (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 5 of 7)                                    

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 126                                  

New Testament Scripture: Philippians 3:4b-14

Gospel Lesson: John 12:1-8 

          So, I remember about 3-4 years ago I saw something on TV and on Facebook that just said, “YOLO”. It was in all capital letters, it was the letter Y, the letter O, the letter L, and another letter O. I thought, “YOLO,” well what is that? Well, I had to look this up. The fact that I had to look this up meant two things though my friends. One, I was no longer cool and with it, because I had to look this up, and two I was getting older. When I did look this up, I discovered what the famed “YOLO” meant.

          Does anyone here know what “YOLO” means? It means “You Only Live Once.” Before I knew what this meant, I thought “YOLO” was a World Cup Soccer player who played for Brazil. I was wrong.

          For us Christians we would say that yes, we live only one earthly life, and then we live one eternal life with God. So, on some level, yes, we all already know “YOLO.” This expression however, “YOLO” is not designed to just tell us a commonsense fact, it is designed to tell us to essentially not worry about tomorrow.       

          If understand the meaning of “YOLO” or “You Only Live Once,” we should not really worry about the future, or save or plan ahead. Instead, we should just live for today, as tomorrow is promised to no one.

          Well, as nice as “YOLO” might sound in the moment, most of us know that if we lived every day of our lives with a “YOLO,” or a “You Only Live Once” mentality, we might end up making some poor choices. Further, we might not have planned much for the future, as every day we lived only for the moment and never planned ahead. You see the bible does not tell us not to consider the future, only to not worry about it. It is a fine line and a balance for sure. Should we be consumed with the future? No. We also should be foolish and unwise either.

          The reality my friends is that whatever we have here on earth, we are but stewards of. We are caretakes of all that God allows us to have, to possess, and to own. We have what we have in part because of our God given gifts and graces, and we should remember that we are, but caretakers of what God has given us.

          Am I saying that we should never have any fun then? No, I am not saying this at all. We have a “YOLO” example in our gospel of John reading for this morning. As a result, I want us to think about extravagant kindness, generosity, and giving. Is it ever proper, is it ever fitting, to do something extremely generous, over the top, and kind for someone once and a while? I would say yes, and that such extreme generosity from time to time is a good thing. Periodic extreme generosity though, is much different than “YOLO.”

          For those of us that have been participating in our Lent Study, called “Why Easter Matters,” by Pastor Andy Stanley, we heard in session 2, in part, about our gospel lesson for this morning. Pastor Andy Stanley talked about the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with a bottle of costly perfume. Mary pours a pound of costly perfume made of nard of Jesus’ feet and anoints his feet using her hair. The whole house and likely beyond was filled with fragrant perfume that was often used to anoint the body of someone who died. Such a bottle of perfume made of nard was quite costly. Imagine spending an entire year of your income on such a bottle of perfume. Imagine just spending an entire year of income on something else?

          I mean “YOLO” right? What would make you spend that kind of money, so quickly, if you had it spend? What special circumstance would have to exist to be moved to such unbelievable generosity?

          Before diving into this morning’s gospel lesson more specifically, Psalm 126 for this morning, once again reminds us about God restoring our fortunes, our hope, our joy, and it reminds us of what is possible through God (Ps. 126, NRSV). What would make us spend a years’ worth of income though?

          In looking at our reading from the Book of Philippians for this morning, the Apostle Paul said that he was a person from a great family, who had great faith, and had great social standing. Yet, the Apostle Paul says none of these things compare to Christ, as all he has, all he has done, and all he has accomplished is rubbish compared to Christ (Phil. 3:4b-9, NRSV). The Apostle Paul, therefore, is putting the value of everything he is and has, below the value that he has in Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:10-14, NRSV).

          In looking more deeply at our gospel of John lesson for this morning and thinking of this idea of “YOLO” or “You Only Live Once,” lets talk about Mary pouring a bottle of perfume worth a year’s wages on Jesus’ feet. Remember that the bottle of perfume, once again, which included a pound of perfume made from pure nard, cost about a year’s wages. This was a sign of extravagant generosity.

          In looking at the gospel of John reading for this morning, it says starting in John 12:1, once again:

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ² There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. ³ Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (Jn. 12:1-3, NRSV).

          So, six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Lazarus’ house in Bethany for a dinner party. Lazarus, the one that Jesus raised from the dead, he invited Jesus over, and Mary and Martha were there. At this dinner, Mary decided to take a pound of costly perfume, break it open, and anointed Jesus’ feet with it. Mary used her hair as the applicator for anointing the oil. The fragrance filled the house and likely poured out of the house. This perfume was costly, and usually used, again, to anoint a dead body. The fact that it was used so quickly and so excessively was shocking. It we the equivalency of someone buying a new car or even a house. Can you imagine such extreme generosity?

          I would like to share a very recent story of such generosity. This story is actually about the retired NBA player Shaquille O’Neal. Here is the story dated February 24, 2022:

“Shaquille O'Neal's generosity knows no bounds. Shaq is one of the wealthiest players in the NBA, having amassed a small fortune during his career in the NBA as a superstar. On top of that, he made a lot of smart business decisions and investments and is reaping the reward for that these days” Shaquille O'Neal is clearly a very wealthy man. But unlike a lot of wealthy people, Shaq uses his money to give back to the community. O'Neal has been very generous on numerous occasions. When he once bought a bike for a young kid, he explained that every time he leaves the house, he wants to bless someone and help the needy. His latest endeavor in that vein is truly remarkable. Shaquille O'Neal visited a family of 11 to take them out to dinner. Not only that, but he also bought dinner for another family at the restaurant. After the dinner, he took them to a Mercedes-Benz showroom and bought them a new car. And as if that was not enough, he spent a lot of time with their children, teaching them about the value of family and love. When he saw that the family also had a damaged mini-van, he took them to a Ford dealership and bought them a new mini-van so that they wouldn't have to struggle with their old one. Shaq's generosity is truly the stuff of dreams. He once saw a kid at a store who was upset because his parents couldn't afford his shoes, so he bought the kid 2 pairs. And another time, he generously tipped a server at a restaurant $4000 simply because they asked him for it. O'Neal's willingness to give back to the community is a true inspiration to us all. And it also serves as a reminder that we should all strive to help those who are in need. If there were more people like Shaquille O'Neal in the world, it would surely be a much better place (https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-media/shaquille-oneal-bought-a-family-of-11-a-new-15-passenger-mini-van-a-new-truck-and-took-the-entire-family-out-to-dinner-thank-you-shaq-a-million-times-you-have-been-such-a-blessing-to-us-in-so-many-ways).

          Now most of us are not capable of the level of extreme generosity that I just read regarding Shaquille O’Neal, but we are capable showing our own signs of extreme generosity. Yet, some may always question our motives.

          Specifically in our gospel lesson for this morning, once again, Judas Iscariot, the one who sold Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver, was shocked and appalled by Mary pouring the perfume on Jesus’ feet. In fact, the gospel of John reading picks up once again in 12:4 saying:

⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” ⁶ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me” (Jn. 12:4-8, NRSV).

          So, it is “YOLO” or “You Only Live Once”? Or is it good, biblical, and Christian to sometimes show excessive measures of generosity, love, and giving? I say that it is. How we do this and when we do this, well this is between us and God. When we do such things on different levels though, it changes people, and it also changes us. When I was given a too scale model version of this church, built for me, I felt that was extreme, excessive, and extravagant generosity. I treasure my own personal Sidney United Methodist Church.

          Can such things change the world, even if they only happen here or there? Well, if they did not, would I be preaching this story about Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume this morning? If it were not so out of the ordinary and so extreme, would it have even made it into the bible? We do not hear about what food was served at this dinner, or what people drank in this story this morning. We do hear about the perfume on Jesus’ feet though, and this extravagant generosity continues to change the world.

          In this season of “New Life,” we are offered new life in Christ daily, Christ will

 raise from the dead, on Easter, and we are coming into “New Life” as this pandemic

 winds down. As we work hard, as we toil, let us remember once and awhile my friends,

 to “Enjoy the Journey!” Amen. 

Sidney UMC - Fourth Sunday in Lent/UMCOR Sunday - 03/27/22 - Sermon - “Who Deserves New Life?” (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 4 of 7)

Sunday 03/27/22 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:              “Who Deserves New Life?”                                      (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 4 of 7)                                    

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 32                                      

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Gospel Lesson: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

          Some of us may remember that as kids we played various sports and games. We played them sometimes formally on teams or in leagues. Some of these sports had coaches that would tell us what position we were playing, what number we were batting, etc. Sometimes though, many of us had pick up games. Maybe we played basketball, soccer, dodge ball, kick ball, etc.

          Sometimes we even picked team captains. In fact, in organized sports, the captain of the team sometimes has that “C” on there jersey, so that everyone knows that they are indeed the team captain. Sometimes in Phys. Ed. class we picked team captains, but it often seems that in organized sports that the team captain had already been chosen. For those of us that chose team captains, or if the teacher choose team captains, we then know what will happen. We might think, “Will I get picked last?” or “I hope I do not get picked last!” Maybe we were an athlete that was the team captain, or maybe we got picked immediately. We all know though that there were always a couple of kids that got picked last.

          It was not that we necessarily disliked these kids, but we wanted to win. To win, we needed the best people, and the few last kids chosen, in our determination anyway, would not help us win. It could easily become a reality though that the last few kids chosen could begin to be seen as less important by others. I mean if we were to “pick so and so, or so and so,” well, we will probably lose. So, did the kids that got picked last then, did they begin to feel less important to the other students that were already chosen?

          When we try to see the world through the eyes of God, through the eyes of Jesus Christ, who are the few kids picked last? Meaning, if God was a team captain, who does he pick first? The scripture indicates to us that through His son Jesus Christ, he picks us all. This reality runs contrary to our culture and to who we are sometimes as humans.

          For example, I have never seen an Olympic event where the reporters were flocking to the person who came in fifteenth, after the race. The first, the second, and the third-place winners have distinctive elevations on the victory podium, and distinctive medals. Do not misunderstand here me, I do not think that competition is bad. I think that competition is a good thing, and it is what makes a market economy grow, it is what makes products improve, it is what make teams get better, and it is what pushes us to get better. This being said though, is the person who came in fifteenth place, just as important as a person, as the athlete that won the gold medal?

          From the standpoint of the Olympic event, obviously the gold metal winner is indeed the best, and the best athlete in the world at that event. Does God love the gold metal winner more than the person that placed fifteenth, however? In sports and in other facets of our lives, people who perform the best, get more recognition, and beat out the competition. Yet, we are all equal as people in the eyes of God.

          My late Grandpa Winkelman said it best, “Don’t forget who you are and where you have come from.” If you go great places in this world, and if you achieve great things, be humble. Remember that we are created in God’s image, and that our earthly successes are made possible by our God given gifts, graces, and talents, and through the love and the support of our families and friends. So, are there winners and losers in many things in the earthly sense? Yes, of course.

          Be assured though, that God loved the person who came in fifteenth just as much as the person who won the gold medal. It is important sometimes for us to remember that our earthly success does not make us better than others, in the sense of being a child of the living God. We are all equal to God.

          This morning, we have one of my favorite parables or stories from Jesus in the gospels of Luke. This parable or story, once again, is the parable of “The Prodigal Son.” There are two sons, and one, the oldest son, stays loyal to his Father, but the other son, the youngest son, runs off, blows his inheritance, and dishonors his father, family, and community.

          So far in our “New Life Is Coming” sermon series, we talked about dealing with trial and temptation, we talked about the need to stay strong in our faith, even when things are hard. Last week we talked about how we all need to repent of our sin and wrong doings, as we are all works in progress. We all can improve, and we all, especially in this season of Lent, are called to draw closer to Christ. In this season of Lent, we will have “New Life” in Jesus’ resurrection on Easter morning, we are invited to have “New Life” in drawing closer to Christ, and we pray for “New Life” in the form of this pandemic coming to manageable close.

          This morning however, in talking about the parable or the story of “The Prodigal Son,” my sermon is called, “Who Deserves New Life?” Who deserves to be picked for the dodgeball team, and who does not?

          We are remined this morning in Psalm 32:1:

¹ Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered                (Ps. 32:1, NRSV). 

          There are winners and losers in various capacities here on earth but are all equally loved by God. We are all offered forgiveness, and we are all offered the opportunity to have our sin covered, through Jesus Christ.

          We are reminded in this vein from the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, for this morning once again, starting in 2:17 that:

¹⁷ So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,  not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us (2 Cor. 5:17-19, NRSV).

          Here on earth, there are different levels of achievement and success, but at the end of the day, we are all God’s children. God loves the small child in Ukraine just as much as the small child in Sidney. God loves the older faithful brother of the father, just as much as the younger “Prodigal Son” of the father. Are there consequences for our actions? Absolutely, but God loves us all the same. First place, last place, faithful son, wayward son, God loves us all the same.

With this said, let us look at our gospel of Luke reading for this morning once again. Starting in Luke 15:1 it says:

15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. ² And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Lk. 15:1-2, NRSV).

          Jesus is treating everyone the same, even the outcasts, the people who are rejected, and I would imagine even those chosen last for the dodgeball team. Why? The answer is because God loves us all equally.  

          To better explain this point, Jesus then tells us the story or the parable of “The Prodigal Son” once again. Picking up in Luke 15:3, this is what it says of Jesus:

³ So he told them this parable:  “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. ¹⁴ When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶ He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands”’ (Lk. 15:3-19, NRSV).

          The youngest son of the father foolishly took his whole inheritance early. The youngest son went to a distant country and blew his inheritance on dissolute living. After he spent everything, a famine hit the land, and he was hungry and with out food. The youngest son began to feed pigs, which in Judaism is an unclean animal to be avoided. He is feeding animals that his faith says are unclean and should not be eaten. He has no food, he is homeless, broken, and penniless.

          He decides therefore, that we will go home and beg his father’s forgiveness. At this point though, we will return home not as the son of his father, but as a servant or an employee. You see, the youngest son, “The Prodigal Son” no longer feels worthy to be his father’s son, or to have his father’s love.

          So, the broken, penniless, dirty, homeless, and hopeless “Prodigal Son” makes the long journey back to his country. “The Prodigal Son’s” father, having not heard from him for some time, thought him dead. I mean the country that “The Prodigal Son” fled too, had a famine, and he had not heard from his son. His youngest son must have died.

           “The Prodigal Son” begins his long journey home, and his father, with his home and land in elevated place can see far down the road from his house. The father one day sees a man walking down the road. Who is this tired, sad, and tattered man? Suddenly the father thinks, this man looks like my youngest son that has died. Then the father realizes that this man is indeed his youngest son. The gospel of Luke reading then picks up in 15:20 saying of “The Prodigal Son”:

²⁰ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹ Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴ for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. ²⁵ “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. ²⁷ He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ ³¹ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found’” (Lk. 15:20-32, NRSV).

          So, what are the takeaways from the story or parable of “The Prodigal Son”? Well one, “The Prodigal Son” clearly made some poor choices. I mean how many of you here would give one of your children their share of their inheritance now. Further, “The Prodigal Son” did not come in first place in the Olympic event. Instead, the prodigal son came in dead last. He had disgraced his father, his family, his community, and the teachings of his Jewish faith. By all accounts, no one would flock to him, sure God loves him the same as his faithful older brother, but he is in trouble.

          “The Prodigal Son’s” father is man of great wealth and prominence. Men of this stature at this time composed and carried themselves in a very regal and very fancy way. For “The Prodigal Son’s” father to run barreling down the street at his disgraced son was not only frowned up but was inappropriate. For “The Prodigal Son” was ritually unclean, needed to repent of his sin, and deserved to live out the rest his days in shame and disregard. Jesus ate with sinners and went to the outcasts, the lesser than, and the people that society said were no good though. “The Prodigal Son’s” father, however, comes running to his son. He has a robe put on him, sandals put on his feet, and ring put on his finger. He triumphantly brings his disgraced “Prodigal Son” home, and orders that the fatted calf be slaughtered for a celebration feast. There was music, celebrating and excitement.

          Then the older brother of “The Prodigal Son” heard this noise and this commotion at his father’s house. As a result, the older brother came home and found his disgraced younger brother with a robe, sandals, a ring, and a feast being prepared.

          The older and loyal son was angry at the father, and asked him how he could treat his disgraced son this way? The older son that he had always been loyal to him, never disobeyed him, and has never even been given a young goat to have a feast with his friends. The father then told the oldest brother, but you have always been with me and have always had a share my bounty.

Or to put it another way, the father told his oldest son, we know you were the best, we know you won the gold metals. We know that your youngest brother came in last, but I love him just as much as I love you.

          In fact, the father said to the oldest brother, I know that you think it is unfair that I slaughtered the fatted calf to honor your brother, and that I have never even given you a young goat. Finishing in Luke 15:32, the father says to the oldest son:

³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found’” (Lk. 15:32, NRSV).

 

          Friends, on this earth, we may have winners and losers. We may have those win trophies and those that achieve great success, and those who do not. Even so, whether we come in first place or last place. God will run after us with everything he has.

          The world has winners and losers, but everyone to Jesus is worth a celebration, a feast, a robe, sandals, and a ring on the finger. For if we are lost, God will stop at nothing to reconcile with us, and whether we come in first or last, God loves us just the same.

          So, as my sermon title says, “Who Deserves New Life?” To be honest friends, do any of us truly and fully deserve the love of God? I mean who is truly the greatest and who is truly the worst? So “Who Deserves New Life?” Nobody, but who gets freely offered it? Everybody.

          God the Father will pursue us, even when we have made a mess of things. We will still have earthly consequences for what we do but make no mistake the father will pursue us all. For as “The Prodigal Son’s” father said once again this morning Luke 15:32:

³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found’” (Lk. 15:32, NRSV).

 

          Come home anew today to God, to Jesus Christ today. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Third Sunday in Lent - 03/20/22 - Sermon - “Repent and Live!” (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 3 of 7)

Sunday 03/20/22 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:              “Repent and Live!”                                                       (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 3 of 7)                                    

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 63:1-8                                    

New Testament Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Gospel Lesson: Luke 13:1-9

          Every year in many jobs, or maybe in one or more jobs that you had if you are retired, we have and had our “annual performance review.” Maybe it was called something different where you are working or where you did work. Maybe it happened quarterly or even twice a year. It often involves that sit down meeting with your boss, and in this sit down meeting you discuss how well you are doing your job.

          Often in these meetings or these reviews, you hear about many things that you are doing well and right. These are the “highlights” or the “strengths.” Maybe you can remember, as I am talking, a similar meeting that you have had, or perhaps many such meetings that you have had. You were told your gifts and your strengths, but you were then also told your areas of weakness. Your areas where you can grow, area that you can work on, or what we commonly now call our “growing edges.” So, you hear the good and the bad.

          Imagine though if you had job review after job review, and your boss just said, “You’re doing great, and you having nothing to improve upon and no “growing edges.” Perhaps the first time you heard this from your boss you would strut out of their office feeling great. I mean after all, you have no weaknesses, no areas of growth, and no “growing edges.” After a few years of this though, I wonder if this reality would make us complacent and or stale? I mean we are just so good at every aspect of our job. We do not need more training, we do not need more equipping, and we do not need to do more in any one area of our job or lives. I mean we are just perfect and have no area to in which we can improve. Does this sound like anyone here?

          If we go to our annual job review or some other sort of review, and if we never get areas that we can improve upon, what is the likelihood that will just improve anyway? Do we improve all the time because we are pushing ourselves to improve, or are we also being pushed to improved? Do we need to be told by people that we love and respect that we can do even better than we are right now? If no one ever challenges you, pushes you, our tries to stretch you, will you really reach your full potential?

          I say and ask all of this, as we continue with our “New Life Is Coming” sermon series. New life is coming on Easter Sunday, as Jesus rises from the dead. New life is coming is us in this season of Lent if we but turn to Christ. New life is coming as this pandemic hopefully draws to a manageable close.

          The season of Lent is one of prayer, humility, giving up, giving away, self-reflection, and drawing closer to Christ. Part of the drawing closer to Christ though is tackling our weakness, our areas of growth, our “growing edges.”

          In this first week of this “New Life Is Coming” sermon series, I talked about dealing with Trials and Temptation, like Jesus did. Last week, I encouraged us last Sunday to Stay Strong in our faith and in our lives, knowing that there are many things that seek to tear us down. Part of what can also tear us down though is our weaknesses.

          The Apostle Paul reminds in 2 Corinthians 12:9:

⁹ but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me (2 Cor. 12:9, NRSV).

          If we have an annual performance review at work, or something similar, and if we have no areas of growth, weaknesses, or “growing edges,” then how do we really grow? If in this season of Lent, we do not seriously look at our lives and see where we fall short, then how can we ever grow, and grow closer to Christ? Are there areas of your life upon which you can improve? I know that there are areas of my life upon which I can improve.

          Some of us or many of us have heard the word “repent” before. We are called to “repent” of our sins and turn to Jesus Christ. We are called to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us, be cleaned of our sins, and become a new creation in Christ. Coming to Christ, “repenting,” being filled with the Holy Spirit, is to be forgiven, to be wiped clean, and to be made new. Yet, the disease of sin and brokenness is still with us. For the entirety of our lives as Christians, we should continue to strive to become closer to Christ. We should continue to “Repent and Live,” as we should all continue to look at our areas of weakness, areas of improvement, and our growing edges.

          Some people struggle with the idea that we are all sinners, even though we all are. We are and can be forgiven sinners, but we are all broken. None of us are exempt from this, except Jesus Christ, who was God in the flesh. This does not have seem punitive however, as the historical hallmark of the Methodist Movement is grace. We believe that God’s grace pursues us, follows us, and leads us. “Repentance” is our acknowledgement that we have areas of needed growth, areas of weakness, and “growing edges.” We all do have these areas, but sometimes we do not want to hear that we do. Sometimes when we hear the word “repent” we also hear that we are all awful. We are fallen, but God’s grace through Jesus Christ is abundant and offered to us all.

           In fact, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the word repent can be defined as:

1. to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life

2a: to feel regret or contrition b: to change one's mind (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repent).

          As I frame sin and repentance this way, and as we move through this season of Lent, what are the areas in our lives of needed growth, weaknesses, and “growing edges.” I have some, do you?

          Our reading from Psalm 63:1-8, ends with 63:8 for this morning saying:

⁸ My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me (Ps. 63:8, NRSV). The goal of the season of Lent and our lives on this earth, is to cling to God, to Jesus. Yet, we all have areas of our lives that we can do better.

          In fact, I get my sermon title for this morning from our gospel of Luke 13:1-9 reading, where we hear about repentance. For example, Jesus says in Luke 13:3:

³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did                     (Lk. 13:3, NRSV).

          Jesus than says in Luke 13:5, once again:

⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did”              (Lk. 13:5, NRSV).

          We so often hear the word “repent” and feel fear, anger, or think of “fire and brimstone,” but don’t we want to improve? Don’t we want to do better in areas of our lives that are harmful to us and harmful to others? I hope so, I do.

          In looking at our whole gospel of Luke 13:1-9 reading to get further context and understanding, lets look at this reading one more time. Starting in Luke 13:1 it says once again:

13 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? ³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. ⁴ Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

 

           To begin with, Jesus talks about a large massacre of some Galileans by Pilate, and Jesus asked if these people that were massacred were worse than other Galileans. Essentially, were they bigger sinners, resulting in their massacre? The answer is no. Are the people Ukraine bigger sinners that the people of the United States, resulting in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. No, we are all sinners. Jesus then says, that we all have to repent, every single one of us. We all have areas of needed growth, areas of weakness, and “growing edges.”

          Jesus then cites an incident where the tower of Siloam fell and killed eighteen people. This tower fell naturally, but there were eighteen victims. Jesus then said were these eighteen people that were unfortunately killed when the tower fell on them greater sinners than everyone else living in Jerusalem. Jesus then says no, these eighteen victims were not worse than the rest of Jerusalem, but we are all called to repent.

          One area where some churches, some pastors, and some Christians have failed throughout history is singling out groups of people. In this way, they claim that certain group of people is somehow worse than everyone else. The reality is my friends, is that we are all broken, and we are all in need of repentance. We all have areas of growth, areas of weaknesses, and “growing edges.” Unless we are perfect, then we all can continue to repent and grow. Our livelong journey to be like Christ, is us growing more and more.

          This is why in this season of “New Life” we are called to repent, to give up, to give away, and to draw closer to Christ. This is why last Sunday I said that we are all called by God, to serve in the name of Jesus Christ. Each and every one of you has gifts and graces to offer a hurting and a broken world, as we are all broken people redeemed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

          Our gospel of Luke reading for this morning ends once again, with what is often called “The Parable of the Fig Tree”. Picking up in Luke 13:6 it says:

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. ⁷ So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ ⁸ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down’” (Luke 13:6-9, NRSV).

 

          Jesus is telling us that like a healthy fig tree, we are supposed to bear fruit. If we are bearing no fruit and just existing, what good is this? Jesus calls us to be the best us we can be. This means in the season of Lent, and always, we can examine our lives to see where we fall short. You might say, “But Pastor Paul I cannot serve God, I am not a pastor like you.”

          Well let me tell you a made-up story. Many years ago, a Methodist Bishop put an add in a large city newspaper. The add said that the bishop was looking for people called by God to consider being Methodist Ministers or to serve in another type of ministry. After a month there was no response, at all. Not one letter, not one phone call, not one response. You see though, the add in the newspaper also said this, that each person who responded to the add needed to be completely sinless, and as a result, there were zero applicants.

          Friends, we are all broken, bad things happen, like the invasion of Ukraine, but God has called me, and God has called you. God is calling us all to “New Life.” Let us in this season of Lent then, confront our brokenness, our weaknesses, and our “growing edges,” so that God can better use us to grow our faith, our ministries, and our churches. May we in this season of Lent, and always “Repent and Live!” Amen.