Sidney UMC - UMC Student Sunday/Christ The King Sunday - 11/26/23 - Sermon - “Does Christ Reign In You?”

                                  Sunday 11/26/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Does Christ Reign In You?”

Old Testament Scripture: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24                                   

New Testament Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 25:31-46

          On this our UMC Student Sunday, and on this our Christ the King or Reign of Christ Sunday, I have a question for all of us, including myself, to consider. This question is “Does Christ Reign In You?” Christ the  King or Reign of Christ Sunday is a tradition of some churches and some Christian denominations. It is not a Sunday in the life of the church that is required of us by holy scripture, but is a Sunday where we emphasize the kingship of Jesus Christ. Jesus, king of our hearts, king of earth, and king of the universe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_Christ_the_King). All things affirmed by scripture, and as such, some churches like us, celebrate Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday.

          I still remember, and some of you might remember, as well, when King Charles III was crowned the king of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms still connected to the United Kingdom. This of course was after the passing of his mother Queen Elizabeth II. It was quite a fancy and an ornate service, as I remember. It involved the crown jewels and various other things. Since the rule of King Henry VIII in the first half of the 1500’s, the Church of England, or the Anglican Church, or the Episcopal Church, has been ruled by the sitting king or queen of the United Kingdom. For the last 500-years then, the head the Church of England, or the Anglican Church, or the Episcopal Church, once again, has been the current king or queen of the United Kingdom. Pope Francis is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and other Christian denominations have various types of governance.

          While King Charles III is the head of the Church of England, the real head of the church, the real king of the church is Jesus Christ. King Charles III and Pope Francis head different churches, but Jesus is the head of King Charles III and is the head of Pope Francis. This isn’t my opinion either; King Charles III and Pope Francis would tell you this themselves. Jesus is the King of us all.

          So often and in many churches, we invite people to turn from sin and darkness and to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. We invite them to receive the gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit, and eternity. We tell people that Jesus was God in the flesh and that he died for our sins. Yet he was and is also a king, as the crown of thorns was disrespectfully put on his head on Good Friday to show that he was and is a king. In fact, above Jesus’ head on his cross, and in different languages, it said in the Latin initials “INRI”, which in English translates to "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus,_King_of_the_Jews).

          What’s my point on this Christ the King or Reign of Christ Sunday? The point is this, not only did Jesus die for us, rise again, ascend to heaven, and one day will return in glory, not only are we all offered salvation and eternity through Christ, but Christ is indeed a king (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus,_King_of_the_Jews). Is Jesus the King of the Jews? Well Roman Governor Pontius Pilate thought he was on that first Good Friday. Christianity did start in its first 10-20 years as mostly a movement within Judaism, but then it became worldwide, as it is today. Jesus is Lord, savior, and yes, king of all. In fact, in the Book of Revelation 19:16, we hear about the return of Christ to earth. Revelation 19:16 says this about Jesus:

¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16, NRSV).

          On this Christ the King or Reign or Christ Sunday, we proclaim that Jesus Christ is “King of kings and Lord of lords”. Jesus is the king of our hearts, king of this world, and Lord of the universe. Jesus came to reconcile the whole world unto himself through his cross. As such, some churches and some Chirstian denominations, as I said, have a special Sunday every year where we emphasize that Jesus is a king. In some parts of the world kings and queens are more than just a thing of the past, but the idea of Jesus still being our high and powerful ruler is still a strong image.

          With all of this said though, if Jesus is all of these things that I said he is, and that the scripture says he is, what should we do with all of this? The answer on this Christ the King or Reign of Christ Sunday, is to allow the love of Christ to boldly live within us. Or as my sermon title asks, “Does Christ Reign In You?” A very popular contemporary Christian band is called “For King and Country,” but the “King” in this title, in not Charles III, but instead is Jesus Christ.  For us as Americans, the idea of a king is not often a welcome idea, as we fought our revolutionary war for independence against the British and King George III. Many Americans are against kings and queens ruling over us, as am I, yet Christ is the most virtuous, loving, fair, truth-filled, holy, righteous, and mercy filled king that there ever was or ever will be.

          The imagery of sitting on the throne in heaven, is all indications of a king. I can imagine in Medieval times that people living under kings and queens in Europe, Africa, and many other places could relate to Jesus being a king more than many do today, but on this Christ The King or Reign of Christ Sunday, the question I have for us all, including me, is “Does Christ Reign In You?”

          Further, do you know that if you know and love Jesus, that if you serve him as lord and savior, then you are royalty? By this I mean, we have a promise from Jesus Christ that we inherit his kingdom. The kingdom of God that we are not only building here and now, but the kingdom that Jesus will usher in when he returns. If Christ is a king, and if we are children of God than we are all princes and princes, for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is a king. As such, some Christian Churches and Christian denominations have this special Sunday every year. For as it says of Jesus once again, in Revelation 19:16:

¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16, NRSV).

          In Philippians 2:9-11, this what the Apostle Paul says about Jesus Christ our King:

⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11, NRSV).

          People bend the knee to a king, and since Jesus is “King of kings and Lord of lords”, one day every knee we will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is our king and our Lord.

          In fact, the prophet Ezekiel talks in our Old Testament reading for this morning, once again, about shepherding and saving the people of Israel. In closing this scripture, the prophet Ezekiel says in 34:23-34, once again:

²³ I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them; he shall feed them and be their shepherd. ²⁴ And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I the Lord have spoken            (Ezek. 34:23-24, NRSV).

          Jesus, as foretold in the Old Testament, or the Hebrew Bible needed to be a decedent of the great King David, which he was and is. Ezekiel speaks of King David, but also speaks of the kingdom to come in the Book of Ezekiel. God’s kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

          In looking at our reading for this morning from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus or the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul is telling the Ephesians that he thanks God for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Apostle Paul also praises the Ephesians for the love that have for each other. The Apostle Paul tells the Ephesians that he remembers them in his prayers, and that he prays that the Ephesians would have a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Christ more (Eph. 1:15-18, NRSV). The Apostle Paul reminds the Ephesians of the power of God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and how Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the father. Further, the Apostle Paul closes our reading for this morning from Ephesians 1:15-23, saying in 1:21-23 of Jesus, once again, that he is:

²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. ²² And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all          (Eph. 1:21-23, NRSV).

          For Jesus Christ is “King of kings and Lord of lords”.  If this is all is true then, once again, “Does Christ Reign In You?”

          Some of you may know that six-years ago I was blessed to go on a mission trip to the Central American country of Nicaragua. While there, we learned a lot, we served a lot, and we helped to fix part of a maternity building or birthing center for woman who were largely in the middle of know where, to have a safe place to give birth. On one of the buildings of one of the mission sites, part of gospel of Matthew scripture for this morning was posted. Let’s look once at our gospel of Matthew 25:31-46 scripture for this morning, to see just what type of king we have in Jesus Christ. In looking our gospel of Matthew 25:31-46 reading, it begins, once again, saying:

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. ³⁴ Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, (Mt. 25:31-34, NRSV).

          Jesus Christ, the “King of kings and Lord of lords” on his throne of glory sorting out the righteous from the unrighteous. The righteous, as Jesus says will inherit the kingdom of God, as we are all royalty as children of God, because Jesus is our king. The next part of this gospel of Matthew 25:31-36 reading for this morning is what was written in Spanish on one of the mission building entrances in Nicaragua that I saw. It said, picking up in Matthew 25:35, once again:

³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ³⁸ And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? ³⁹ And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me’                    (Mt. 25:35-40, NRSV). 

          You will notice that this section of our gospel of Matthew reading refers to Jesus Christ as the king. Jesus, our king, is rewarding those who have faith and trust in him, but also is acknowledging that they lived and loved like him. Our faith in Christ alone saves us, but Jesus is saying that the fact that they loved and served people is exactly what he taught us and how he lived here on earth. 

While the sheep or the righteous are rewarded by King Jesus for their faith, and while they are affirmed for how the lived, the goats, or the unrighteous did not live like Jesus. It’s not that works save us, because they do not. Yet if we truly know Jesus Christ, the “King of kings and Lord of lords,” how can we not try live and love like him? How can we not serve, feed, and cloth. These works don’t save us, but Jesus is saying that the goats or the unrighteous, if you knew me, why didn’t you live and love like me? Faith in Christ is what saves us, but we are called to live and love like Jesus Christ.

          Whenever I read this gospel lesson of Jesus on judgement day, separating the righteous from the unrighteous, I always think of the third verse of the hymn “The Battle Hymn of Republic,” which number 717 in our United Methodist Church hymnal. In the third verse, the verse says in part:

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat (UMH, 717).

          On this Sunday my dear friends, as many churches, and as many Christian denominations celebrate Christ the King or Reign of Christ Sunday, I ask us all, myself included, “Does Christ Reign In You?” For Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is truly the “King of kings and Lord of lords”. He is sovereign, and we who love him, will inherit his kingdom. Between now and then however, let us live and love like Jesus. Let us serve, feed, cloth, and do all of the things that Jesus did. May we share the good news of Jesus Christ with a world that desperately needs hope. Let us also remember that we are royalty, for our Lord and savior is a king. So, princes and princesses of Christ, “Does Christ Reign In You?” Happy Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Consecration Sunday/25th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/19/23 - Sermon - “Encourage One Another and Build Up Each Other!”

                                     Sunday 11/19/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Encourage One Another And Build Up Each Other!”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 123                                       

New Testament Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 25:14-30

          Imagine a church that loves Jesus, that preaches the gospel, that is serious about missions, and that also loves and cares for each other. I can preach the full gospel every Sunday, which through the power of the Holy Spirit, I always strive to do. I can love Jesus and we can all love Jesus. We can be serious about missions, like shoe boxes, the Food Bank, missionaries, etc., but if we don’t truly love and care for each other, are we really living into the fullness of what the body of Christ is supposed to be?

          By this I mean, a church can preach a great gospel and biblical message, but it might not do any missions. A church can love Jesus, but it not be very warm and loving to each other. For those of us that have attended different churches in our lives, we have probably seen different types of church, with different focuses, and different church cultures. I believe that we have and are continuing to build a Christian family here at Sidney UMC that spreads the gospel of Jesus Christ, loves Jesus, is serious about missions and service, and also loves and care for each other deeply. The body of Christ by definition is an extension of our family, and we love Jesus, share Jesus, and serve others.

          A healthy and growing church, I believe strives to do all of these things well, and a healthy and growing church also is strengthening current ministries and adding new ministries. A healthy and growing church is seeking new ways to reach new people for Christ, to meet the needs of people, and to speak and live our faith in Christ. I want people to love being part of our church. I want people to grow closer to Christ, closer to each other, and to be challenged to turn away from sin and brokenness, as we seek Christ together. I want people to be part of a church where the people feel like they can create and lead ministry, not just the pastor. Specifically, a church where people are pursuing God’s call on their lives, in the church, and in general. A church that looks and loves like Jesus Christ.

          A church like that is a church worth fighting for, investing in, and promoting. So much so, that if we love a church like that enough, we might even be willing to give some of our time, our talent, and our treasure to support the church. In fact, a church like this is captured well this morning by the Apostle Paul, once again, in our reading from 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. The Apostle Paul ends this reading, once again, with 5:11 saying:

¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing (1 Thess. 5:11, NRSV).

          I believe, brothers and sisters, we invest our time, our talents, and our treasure in things that we believe in and care about. On this “Consecration Sunday,” our church finance committee has asked me to give my famous “Sermon on the Amount” message. To talk some about giving. I have been in churches where the pastor railed about giving ten-percent to the church. Some did this because they felt it was what was required, some did this happily, and some not so happily. I met people unhappy with there church or pastor, or both, who keep attending because it is, as they say, “there church”. That level of commitment is admirable, but what does it say about us to stay part of something because you made a commitment, but at the same time you longer get any growth or joy out of it? Should we have expectations on the what our church is supposed to be? Yes, I think so!

          Given all this, as I said, we give to what we love and believe in. Some of us really love to give to the church of MacDonald’s, or perhaps the church of Pepsi or Coke, to the church of Ford or Chevy, to the church of Spectrum TV, etc. If it is something that we don’t like, and if we are not forced to use our time, our talent, and our treasure we often do not extend those things.

          What I have hoped for all twelve years that I have been in ministry is to have churches where the people feel like that, they are part of something significant, and bigger than themselves. Being part of a church, because the church is your people, your family, and because you love and learn with your family. Most people that I know don’t feel this way when they pay their annual taxes to the IRS or the State of New York.

          The question I have asked churches before, is if you had millions of dollars, what would you spend it on? There are various options, but we tend to put our time, our talent, and our treasure into things that we value and love. There are things we have to pay, like taxes, insurances, etc., but we are excited to pay that five-percent or ten-percent, or whatever it is? Imagine if were excited to pay our taxes, if we were excited to pay our car insurance, mortgage, or rent? Believing in something makes all the difference, and when a church is united in mission, vision, and purpose, then we are more likely to offer our time, our talent, and our treasure. I would say on some level it is not just biblical, but it is also common sense.

          If our community of faith is part of the bedrock of our lives, then the church is doing well what is supposed to be doing. The church grows because we are rooted in Christ, because we preach and live like Christ, we love and serve like Christ, and we love and serve each other. We hear in the first verse of our Psalm 123 reading for this morning, in Psalm 123:1, once again:

¹ To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!                       (Ps. 123:1, NRSV). 

          Are we encountering Christ in this place, through our community of faith, and are we living our faith out together? I know that I am. I really love this church and the people in it. I love Sidney and the people of Sidney. When my parents visited last Sunday, for example, they told me that if they lived closer that they would be in this church every Sunday. This is not just because their son is the pastor, but because this church preaches and shares Christ, serves and loves like Christ, and loves each other like Christ. It is a warm, friendly, and welcoming church.

          The Apostle Paul says as much to the church in Thessalonica or the Thessalonians this morning, once again, in our 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 reading. The Apostle Paul writes beginning in 1 Thessalonians 5:1,

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you (1 Thess. 5:1, NRSV).

          While the Apostle Paul does mention some concerns for the church in Thessolica or the Thessalonians to consider in 1 Thessalonians, this is mostly a letter of encouragement. Some of the Apostle Paul’s letters were written because some churches had real problems that needed addressing. Further, I saw a funny meme recently that said, “If the Apostle Paul was alive today, we would be getting a letter.” Whether its Romans, or Philippians, or Ephesians, or Thessalonians, this meme said we would all be getting a letter. I just like in this reading though, that the Apostle Paul said to the Thessalonian, you don’t really need a letter, but I wanted to write to encourage you. Amazing!

          The Apostle Paul also wrote first Thessalonians to tell the church in Thessalonica about the second coming of Christ to earth. To this end, the Apostle Paul picks up in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, saying once again:

² For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!                  (1 Thess. 5:2-3, NRSV).

          Scriptures like this remind us that one day Jesus will return, and that when bad things happen, it can get us thinking about how soon this return will be. Whenever a war breaks out, there is genocide, or a massive illness, many begin thinking and discussing if the time of the Christ’s return is coming soon. We of course have no idea when this will be, and the Apostle Paul tells us to stay ready and vigilant. 

          The Apostle Paul encourages the Thessalonians, picking up in 5:4, saying, once again:

⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; ⁵ for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. ⁶ So, then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober, ⁷ for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation (1 Thess. 5:4-8, NRSV).

          The Apostle Paul tells the Thessalonians and us to stay focused on Christ, to share Christ, to live and love like Christ, to serve like Christ, and to love each other like Christ. We should not take our lives or our faith for granted, as we have a promise from Jesus, both now and eternally. In fact, to further encourage the Thessalonians and us, tell us, picking up in Thessalonians 5:9, once again:

⁹ For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing (1 Thess. 5:9-11, NRSV).

          Preach and share Jesus Christ, love like Jesus, care for and serve others like Jesus, reach out in missions and service, and love and care for the body of Christ. The formula for the church that was instituted by Christ, and is being emphasized by the Apostle Paul this morning.

          On this our “Consecration Sunday,” where I was, I asked to preach my annual “Sermon on the amount” sermon, you will notice that we have giving cards for 2024. Bright orange, in fact! It is amazing to me that church has existed in many countries for two-thousand years by the giving, the faith, and the generosity of the body of Christ. Some countries still pay a “church tax,” were citizens fund the churches through taxation, but many countries fund the church through the giving of the people. The reality then is that the church has the resources we need, when we are willing to give of our time our talent, and our treasures. I tend to only want to give to those things that I believe it. I believe in this church, and so Melissa and I give all we can.

          In introducing our gospel lesson for this morning, which is the parable or story of the talents, once again, we hear about handling what God gives us wisely. This reminds me of when I started seminary school in 2010, and then graduated in 2014. I was determined to finish with no student loans, which was no easy feat! I also think of the Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey, who often quotes part of Proverbs 22:7, which says:

the borrower is the slave of the lender (Prov. 22:7b, NRSV).

          In order to achieve my goal of finishing seminary with no seminary debt I worked up to 80-hours a week, while going to school full-time, and for two years of seminary, serving two churches. I worked so much in fact, the last year that I was a part time pastor I made almost twice what I make now. All this money however, was going to pay for school, books, and school related expenses.

          In hindsight the schedule that I ran during seminary was reckless, to say the least, and the last month I was in school, I was so burned out that sometimes when I woke in the morning, I saw sparkles briefly for a few minutes. My body could not digest meat, and I longed for sleep. I know many people that have a lot of student debt however, and this is huge problem in our country today.

          The reason I was so vigilant, through scholarships, working, grants, etc., to pay my way through seminary, was not because I was worried about the Christian Church or the body of Christ. We know that in Matthew 16:18 that Jesus says that the gates of hell will not overcome the church. I am not worried about the future of Christian Church, but I do think that some of our institutions could be in jeopardy. I want to be able to serve Christ and be less of a financial liability for a church. Meaning I can serve Christ through the church, and will continue to do so, even if I am at church that can’t pay me much at all. This is the sacrifice that made for four years during seminary.

          This has allowed Melissa and I to be give more of our time, our talent, and our resources to our church family, and to the church in general. Melissa and I don’t live fancy lives, and after our basic expenses are met, we give as much as we can. As the founder of the Methodist Movement, John Wesley said:

“gain all you can, secondly save all you can, then give all you can” (https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/book-review-of-simple-rules-for-money-john-wesley-on-earning-saving-and-giv#:~:text=Wesley%20famously%20preached%20that%20Christians,current%20ideas%20on%20living%20faithfully.)

          It sounds easy, but it can be incredibly hard. We give of who we are, what we are, and what we have, and hopefully to things that we believe in. I remember reading once that John Wesley at his height earned about $300,000 a year in today’s money, yet he gave away ninety-percent of it. Giving can be a tough topic to talk about, but it is why this church family has existed for almost two-hundred years.

          In diving into the parable or the story of the talents for, let’s look once again at our gospel of Matthew 25:14-20 reading for this morning. Starting in Matthew 25:14, Jesus says once again:

¹⁴ “For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵ to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. At once ¹⁶ the one who had received the five talents went off and traded with them and made five more talents. ¹⁷ In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸ But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. ²⁹ For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ³⁰ As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Mt. 25:14-30, NRSV).

          Our relationship with our time, our talent, and our treasure that God has entrusted us with matters. Many of us don’t like discussing this topic, but it is important. If I didn’t run the crazy schedule that I had in seminary, Melissa and I might not be able to fund our Compassion International Child and other things. Could Melissa and I buy a new car with an expensive car payment? I guess we could swing it, but then we wouldn’t be able to give away nearly as much.

          Again, we are all different, but where we put our time, our talent, and our treasure speaks to what we love. As we prayerfully consider our giving to God through our church family and the church in general in 2024, we get to ask to God where we should best spend our time, our talent, and our resources. Melissa and I plan to give a more next year. We will make sacrifices if needed, because we believe we are in a church the preaches and shares Christ, serves and loves like Christ, takes missions and outreach seriously, and are part of a church that loves and cares for each other. We believe that we are part of authentic Christian Church, and because we love Jesus and the church, we give.

          We also believe that God blesses our faithfulness in various ways. When we are faithful to God, God can bless us and grow us in a variety of ways. As my step-dad Mike always said when I was young, “You can’t out give God”. So, as we continue to “Encourage One Another And Build Up Each Other,” may we prayerfully consider where we put our time, our talent and our treasure. With this said, this concludes my annual “Sermon on the amount!” Amen.

Sidney UMC - Veteran’s Day Sunday/24th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/12/23 - Sermon - “Come To Christ Or Christ Comes To You!”

                                    Sunday 11/12/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Come To Christ Or Christ Comes To You!”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 78:1-7                                        

New Testament Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 25:1-13

          Many of us have seen images of Jesus. There are all sorts of them. Maybe we have seen them in churches, like the portrait of Jesus that we have downstairs in our church fellowship hall. Maybe we have our own portrait of Jesus in our home or apartment. We have likely seen images of Jesus on television, and maybe even on the internet. In fact, one our Sidney Fire Department fire fighters dressed as Jesus for Halloween this year.

          There is a great debate over what Jesus looked like, as we don’t know exactly for sure. Some people, think Jesus may have been good looking or not good looking. We don’t know how tall he was, his eye color, etc. Some folks have argued for example, that the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible Prophet Isaiah predicted that Jesus would not be good looking, but there are different views on this. While this is true, and while I have seen many depictions of Jesus, many of us still know and love Jesus.

It is probably true that whenever I pray and envision Jesus with my eyes closed that I will probably imagine the very pale looking Jesus we have portrayed in our church fellowship hall. Even though Jesus was probably not pale, and probably did not have light hair, as some of us have come to think of Jesus. Even though portraits of Jesus are probably mostly historically inaccurate, we still know and love Jesus. Isn’t just human nature to want make a portrait or a painting of Jesus if you are a Christian? I have seen white Jesus, I have seen Korean Jesus, I have seen Native American Jesus, and so on and so forth.

I suppose that it does really matter what Jesus looked like in the flesh, but more importantly who Jesus was, what he did, and who he still is today. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that on earth Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, was fully God and fully human. I believe that he lived a perfect life, taught love and forgiveness, performed miracles, died for us, rose again, ascended to heaven, and will one day return in glory. I cannot definitely tell you what Jesus looked like physically, but my Lord and Savior, died for me. When I pray, when I worship, I have felt the presence, the power, the love, the grace, and the healing of Jesus Christ our Lord.

          I came to Christ as my Lord and Savior at thirteen years old, and even though my soul was saved, I still follow and surrender to Christ daily. As the first part of my sermon title says for this morning, “Come to Christ,” this is something I did at the age of thirteen. Even so, the scriptures tell us that we can freely choose Christ, but the scriptures also says as my sermon title for this morning says, “Come To Christ Or Christ Comes To You!”

          Basically, put my friends, we are all going to be face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ one day. The good news is, is that we can decide how this face-to-face meeting will go, and we can even have some power over the circumstances of this face-to-face meeting with Christ. When we stand before Jesus Christ face-to-face, will we tell the Lord of life, that we thought that he would be taller? Do tell the savior of the world, that we imagined that he would look different? Or will we be in such awe in Christ’s presence that it won’t matter?

          There are so many veterans that I know that love and believe in Jesus. I can imagine that during there military service, especially if it was combat or a dangerous situation that their faith in Christ was central. All of us, will one day stand the presence of Jesus Christ our Lord. At least this is what the scripture tells us. Do we want to stand before Jesus, knowing him ahead of time, or just meeting him for the first time? You see, according the scriptures and centuries of belief, we will all one day see Jesus. To put it another way, as my sermon title says for this morning, once again: “Come To Christ Or Christ Comes To You!” You can know him here and now, but either way, we will all encounter the King of Kings and Lord of Lords one day.

          When I stand in presence of Jesus one day, the only defense that I can give for myself is my faith in him. There is nothing I have done or can do, that will justify my right to be among the righteous for eternity. For only through Christ are we made righteous.

          Being a veteran from the Armed Force can be a complicated thing. Some were drafted, some enlisted, and there are other stories of how different people ended up in the military. There is also a lot of opinions about the military, what the military should be, how the military should function, etc. Some people critique a certain war as needed or as unnecessary. We sometimes hear of soldiers that did not serve with distinction and were dishonorably discharged. Yet the majority of our soldiers service with honor, distinction, and decency.

          Some veterans that fought in wars came home to parades, and others came home to being heckled, spat upon, and called things like “baby killer.” In our culture it is so easy to criticize and critique a soldier, a war, etc. Yet, the mere fact that it is legal in this country for me to be able to stand here saying what I am saying right now, is possible because of the brave men and women who sacrificed so much.

          If you feel like you have freedom, if you feel like you can be yourself, if you feel like you speak without fear, then we can thank our veterans and those who never made it home for that. It is so easy to critique, to judge, to make opinions, but there are countries and cultures in this world that do not have anything close the freedoms that we enjoy in these United States. Does our country have problems that we need to continue to work on? Yes, of course!

          I know this though; thousands and thousands of people risk life and limb to get to these United States every year. Our military, our Armed Forces is tasked with keeping us safe and they serve sometimes in the hardest and roughest of conditions. Even though war is not something as Christians that we like, we grateful for the service of our warriors, and the freedoms that they have paid such a high price to give us.

          As I have also said, I will always do everything that I can to honor our service men and women, and our veterans. For without them, I might not have this pulpit and the freedom that I have to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. In addition, some of our veterans carry real scars and emotional scars. We owe it to our warriors to honor their service and their sacrifice. You know else honors their veterans and their soldiers? Just about every country that I can think off. The Canadians, the British, the French, etc., rightly thank and honor those people that defend their freedom and their ability to live free lives. For all of these reasons, and countless more, I say on behalf of a grateful church, thank you to our warriors, our soldiers, our veterans. You will always be loved and respected here.

          Whether a soldier, a veteran, a bank robber, a teacher, a pastor, etc., we will all encounter Jesus Christ one day. In fact, in looking at our reading for this morning from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the Apostle Paul, once again, writes to the church in Thessalonica or the Thessalonians. Starting in 4:13 that Apostle Paul says, once again:

¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. ¹⁵ For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died                             (1 Thess. 4:13-15, NRSV). 

          The Apostle Paul tells the Thessalonians, the church in Thessalonica that if people die in Christ, we have great cause for hope. Why do we have hope, as living people for those who have died in Christ? We have hope, because we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and according to the Apostle Paul that through Jesus, “God will bring with him those who have died.” Those who die in Christ will be with Jesus, but we all will encounter Jesus. We get to choose, or as my sermon title says “Come To Christ Or Christ Comes To You!” The Apostle Paul then concludes our reading from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, in 4:16-18, saying of Jesus, once again:

¹⁶ For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words   (1 Thess. 4:16-18, NRSV).

          The scripture tells, especially in the Book or Revelation, about the return of Jesus Christ to earth. The vast majority of Christians for the last two-thousand years have believed that one day Jesus would return and then we would truly have a world of peace, righteousness, joy, and prosperity. There are also many understandings about what this return of Christ will look like. Further, when will the church of Jesus Christ that is alive on earth go to be with Jesus Christ? The three main categories of the return of Christ in field of study of “Eschatology,” or “The Last Things” are what we call “Pre-Tribulation,” “Mid-Tribulation,” and “Post-Tribulation.”

          To put this another way, when with the church of Jesus Christ go to be with Christ. I believe that when we die in Christ we go to be with Christ, but what if Christ returns and we are still alive? The Book of Revelation also talks about this seven-year period of time called “Tribulation.” This is a time in human history of great uncertainty, evil, violence, destruction, and the rise of the “Anti-Christ”. This is what the Book of Revelation says is the end of the world. Folks that believe in the “Pre-Tribulation” believe that church on earth will be “Raptured” or taken up into heaven before this time of “Tribulation” begins.

          Then are some Christians that are “Mid-Tribulation,” and believe that Jesus will return mid-way through this time of “Tribulation.” The are also those that believe that Jesus will return after the whole seven-year “Tribulation” occurs. These “Post-Tribulation” folks would say that the Christian Church must live through all the turmoil, evil, and tumult of the time of “Tribulation.” There has long been scholarly debate about the return of Christ, “The Rapture,” “The Tribulation,” etc. What most Christians agree on though, is that Jesus will return one day. As Our communion liturgy says: “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again” (UMH, pg. 14). When we say those words, do we mean them literally, or just metaphorically?

          The historic church and most Christians have believed for two-thousand years that Jesus will return. Do I think the “Pre-Tribulation” “Rapture” perspective would be best for the Church of Jesus Christ? Well of course! We would be gone before all the terribleness of “The Tribulation” goes down. As a student of our faith however, some believe in the return of Christ differently.

          Beyond this though, the biggest reason that myself and majority of Christians for two-thousand years have believed in the return of Christ to earth, is because Jesus himself told us this would happen. In fact, when we look at our gospel lesson from Matthew 25:1-13 for this morning, once again, Jesus gives us a parable or a story. This parable or story is often called “The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids.” This parable or story is about the return of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at what Matthew 25:1-13 says for this morning, starting again with Matthew 25:1 saying:

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  ² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept (Mt. 25:1-5, NRSV).

          Jesus tells us in this parable or story called “The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids” that the kingdom of heaven can be compared to ten young women who took oil lamps out to meet the bridegroom. The church of course is the bridegroom of Christ. Of these ten young women, Jesus tells us, once again that five of these young women were wise and five were foolish. The wise took oil for there lamps and the foolish took no oil for their lamps. The bridegroom, or Jesus however, was delayed, and as a result, the ten young women got tired and fell asleep while waiting.

          Our gospel of Matthew 25:1-13 reading then says picks and finishes in Matthew 25:6-13, saying:

⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹² But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

          Of the ten young bridesmaids, five were ready and five weren’t. Jesus says however, he will return to us at the appointed time that only God knows. Jesus tells us to “Keep awake” spiritually, and to know that one day he will return in glory.

          On this Veteran’s Day Sunday, one our great national hymns, and our closing hymn for this morning, talks about the return of Christ. Written by Julia Ward Howe in 1861, and sung by thousands of Union Soldiers, as they fought to rid this country of our original sin of slavery.

          While this hymn in part talks about the soldiers dying to make enslaved people free, it also talks about the return of Christ. For example, in the first verse of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which is 717 in our UMH, the hymn starts by saying: “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” The glorious return of Jesus Christ. In the fourth verse of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” highlighting what Union Soldiers were fighting for in the Civil War, in part compares Jesus to the Civil War saying: “As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free His truth is marching on.” In the fifth and final verse of our closing hymn “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” the verse begins speaking of the return of Jesus Christ. The fifth verse starts by saying: “He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave”.

          Friends we don’t live in a perfect country. We did not start as a perfect country, but I think that over time we are becoming as the preamble of our Constitution says, “a more perfect union.” We have freedom, because of our soldiers, our veterans, and we can have freedom spiritually, through Jesus Christ. Knowing Christ and following Christ is amazing, but either way my friends, “Come To Christ Or Christ Comes To You!” Thanks again to our warriors, to our veterans. Happy Veteran’s Day Sunday! Amen.