Monday, November 23, 2009
Pastor Merritt's message entitled "of First Importance from 1 Corinthians"
http://intranet.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/Crossroads/2007-02-12.mp3Of First Importance--Hear Pastor Merritt's message
Give Me Oil in My Lamp! a message by Pastor Merritt
November 22nd, 2009
The title of my message is “Give Me Oil in My Lamp!
The text is from the Gospel lesson—
1"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
Dearly loved by God;
Part 1: Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning!
As I read through this gospel lesson this week, a simple little song popped into my head the tune stuck with me all day long and brought back memories of long ago summer camps. Maybe you remember this same little song—
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning
Give me oil in my lamp I pray
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning
Burning, burning; Keep it burning till the light of day.
And, as that song went around in my head it occurred to me that we often make things more complicated than they really are. Take our gospel lesson for instance! Jesus’ parable, a simple story drawn from everyday life intended to illustrate an important lesson, is straightforward enough.
In this particular parable, the original listeners would immediately have understood that the ten virgins were the bridesmaids who were responsible for preparing the bride to meet the bridegroom.
Everybody knew that! It was common knowledge. Jesus uses this illustration of the bridegroom and the ten virgins as an example of the way in which the followers of Christ (the bridesmaids) are tasked with making sure that the Church (Christ’s bride) is ready to meet the bridegroom (Jesus) when he comes again. Not very complicated is it?
Everybody also knew that the custom of the time was for the bridegroom to go to the home of the bride’s father on the night of their marriage. Here, he would receive the father’s blessing and be given the daughter as a bride. The couple, attended by the bridesmaids, would then process to the bridegroom’s home for a marriage feast and celebration with family and friends.
So it is that Jesus uses this illustration to demonstrate that he will soon go to the Father’s house to receive the Father’s blessing and collect his bride (the Church) to enter into the marriage feast. While Jesus is away at the Father’s house, the bridesmaids (you and me) are charged with preparing the bride (the Church) for the marriage while watching for Jesus’ return to begin the marriage feast. Prepare and watch, again fairly simple!
We also learn from this parable that only half of the followers of Jesus will be ready when he returns. Only half will have done what was expected of them while he was at the Father’s house. Only the wise virgins will have prepared the Church for Christ’s return.
From this illustration it is stunning to learn that half of those who claim to be friends of the bride (the Church) will be totally unprepared when Christ returns. Their lamps will have gone out, they will not have oil; time will have run out and they will not to enter into the marriage feast. One half of all who claim to know Christ will not be acknowledged by Him! Just think about that for a moment!
We learn from Matthew 25 that there are dire consequences if we fail to prepare and watch. Quickly we realize how grim the consequences are: The unwise virgins (half of those who claim to be followers of Christ) are not allowed into the marriage feast, are not acknowledged by Christ, and the door to heaven is locked forever. Next, in the parable of the talents, the unfaithful steward who failed to use the gift given him by his master, who buried his talent in the ground, is thrown into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Finally, when the sheep are separated from the goats, when the true believers are separated from the pretenders, when the ones who actually did what was expected of them are separated from the ones who did nothing, the ones on the left, the goats, are cursed and thrown into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. If that doesn’t get your attention on this last Sunday of the church year, I don’t know what will! Christ’s message is simple and clear.
Let’s go back to where I started with that silly little song and see if we can make even more sense of this parable:
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning,
Give me oil in my lamp I pray.
Part 2: Give me oil in my lamp I pray is good theology—
In this little prayer, we acknowledge that the oil comes from God to begin with and has nothing to do with what we’ve done. The oil in the parable represents the grace of God that is given to each believer in abundant measure. The oil represents the fullness of God’s mercy, of God’s compassion, and of God’s forgiveness.
Mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, received through the Word and Sacraments, keep our lamps burning brightly as we wait for the Christ’s return and there is never a shortage of oil. God’s grace is available to all.
The wise virgins represent those believers, who receive God’s grace at every opportunity; who have adequate oil in their lamps; who even have extra oil as they wait for his return. They will not run out. They are prepared!
The foolish virgins represent those who have professed Christ but then despise preaching and His word. Their lamps once burned brightly but now they have run out of oil and their lamps have gone out.
Think of all the people you know who once were active in faith, involved with the church, and committed to Christ but who are now inactive, uninvolved, and uncommitted. The oil of grace, God’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness is always available but they have chosen not to avail themselves of it.
Part 3: Keep it burning till the light of day—
A burning lamp is the sign of an active faith; a faith that is involved and committed; a faith that keeps shining through until Christ comes again. When your lamp goes out darkness enters into your life, into the lives of those around you, and into your world.
The foolish virgins slipped into the darkness of sin because they ran out of oil. Without God’s continued mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, a great darkness upon us, not around us but inside of us. Jesus explains it like this—
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-24)
Great darkness surrounds you when the light of Christ, your lamp goes out! Maybe the words to this little song are important: ‘Give me oil for my lamp keep it burning, burning, burning; keep it burning till the light of day.”
It’s just when our sin is the darkest that Jesus comes to us with words of encouragement and hope—
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46)
We never need stay in darkness. If there is something preventing you from receiving the oil of grace; God’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, I urge you to receive it today, to put light back in your lamp, to have that extra measure of oil to see you through till the light of day. Your sin is forgiven and you are empowered to live a life of faith.
And, here’s something else to think about, Jesus tells us—
14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Reminds me of another little song—“This little gospel light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let shine all the time, let it shine. Put it under a basket, no, I’m gonna let it shine……………….” But that’s a sermon for another time!
Part 4: Burning lamps!
A final thought or two: a burning lamp equates to an active faith which leads to faith in action. Jesus could not be clear than he’s been in Matthew 25. The faithful steward invests what God has given them. It reaps a return for the Master. The good and faithful servant serves others and in doing so serves Christ himself.
John puts it this way, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:16-20)
James put it a different way: What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:14-18)
Burning lamps, active faith, and faith in action! In last week’s gospel lesson Jesus reminded us that the darkness of despair closes in on the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, the sick or the imprisoned when our lamps go out, when the gospel is not shared in word and deed. But, when the gospel is shared, this is what we learn from Jesus—
35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40And) the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
Mother Teresa, known for her great mercy and compassion, was asked after winning the Nobel Prize, “What is the gospel?” In front of the rich and famous, the world’s leaders, she humbly replied, “The gospel is written on your fingers?” With that she held up her hand and demonstrated, “You-Did-It-To-Me.” Mother Teresa added, “At the end of your life, your five fingers will either excuse you or accuse you of doing it to the least of these. You-Did-It-To-Me!”
You did it to me! Together, as the Church we are committed to doing what needs to be done at home and abroad; proclaiming the gospel, forgiving sins, feeding the hungry, quenching the thirsty, sheltering the strangers, clothing the naked, treating the sick, and visiting the prisoners all on Christ’s behalf.
Through Christ and because of his gospel we are empowered to turn chaos into compassion, misery into mercy, darkness into light, and death into life. With lamps burning brightly, we are the Church, prepared as Christ’s bride, watching for His return, active in faith with our faith in action.
And, now, because this is LCMS World Relief and Human Care Sunday, let me take just a moment to thank you on behalf of our Synod. Over the years, I’ve seen many people living in darkness, without hope and helpless, first as a police officer, then as a missionary, then as a parish pastor, and now as the director of disaster response for LCMS World Relief and Human Care.
Examples are our recent work together in: Fort Hood, TX, American Samoa, Eldora, IA, Baja California, Atlanta, GA, Sumatra, India, Alaska, the Phillipines, and in Beulah, ND.
Christ’s vision for his Church is one of selfless service to others rather than selfish service for our own benefit. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, so we come to the poor and needy to serve, not be served, and to give our lives in the service of Christ’s gospel. To let our light shine!
A touch of mercy, the gospel of hope and forgiveness, only takes a minute to deliver but its effect lasts an eternity. Moments of mercy turn a lifetime of misery into a meaningful eternity! Listen again to those words and let them sink in: Moments of mercy turn a lifetime of misery into a meaningful eternity!
Christ’s mercy toward us motivates us to be merciful to others. No one ever need suffer again in the cold and dark of despair and sin, lost and alone. There is the shining light of the gospel as our lamps burn brightly!
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning,
Give me oil in my lamp I pray,
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning, burning, burning,
Keep it burning till the light of day.
Let me close with the chorus to this little song:
Chorus
Sing Hosannah, sing Hosannah
Sing Hosannah to the King of Kings
Sing Hosannah, sing Hosannah
Sing Hosannah to the King!
Benediction
23Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
The title of my message is “Give Me Oil in My Lamp!
The text is from the Gospel lesson—
1"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
Dearly loved by God;
Part 1: Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning!
As I read through this gospel lesson this week, a simple little song popped into my head the tune stuck with me all day long and brought back memories of long ago summer camps. Maybe you remember this same little song—
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning
Give me oil in my lamp I pray
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning
Burning, burning; Keep it burning till the light of day.
And, as that song went around in my head it occurred to me that we often make things more complicated than they really are. Take our gospel lesson for instance! Jesus’ parable, a simple story drawn from everyday life intended to illustrate an important lesson, is straightforward enough.
In this particular parable, the original listeners would immediately have understood that the ten virgins were the bridesmaids who were responsible for preparing the bride to meet the bridegroom.
Everybody knew that! It was common knowledge. Jesus uses this illustration of the bridegroom and the ten virgins as an example of the way in which the followers of Christ (the bridesmaids) are tasked with making sure that the Church (Christ’s bride) is ready to meet the bridegroom (Jesus) when he comes again. Not very complicated is it?
Everybody also knew that the custom of the time was for the bridegroom to go to the home of the bride’s father on the night of their marriage. Here, he would receive the father’s blessing and be given the daughter as a bride. The couple, attended by the bridesmaids, would then process to the bridegroom’s home for a marriage feast and celebration with family and friends.
So it is that Jesus uses this illustration to demonstrate that he will soon go to the Father’s house to receive the Father’s blessing and collect his bride (the Church) to enter into the marriage feast. While Jesus is away at the Father’s house, the bridesmaids (you and me) are charged with preparing the bride (the Church) for the marriage while watching for Jesus’ return to begin the marriage feast. Prepare and watch, again fairly simple!
We also learn from this parable that only half of the followers of Jesus will be ready when he returns. Only half will have done what was expected of them while he was at the Father’s house. Only the wise virgins will have prepared the Church for Christ’s return.
From this illustration it is stunning to learn that half of those who claim to be friends of the bride (the Church) will be totally unprepared when Christ returns. Their lamps will have gone out, they will not have oil; time will have run out and they will not to enter into the marriage feast. One half of all who claim to know Christ will not be acknowledged by Him! Just think about that for a moment!
We learn from Matthew 25 that there are dire consequences if we fail to prepare and watch. Quickly we realize how grim the consequences are: The unwise virgins (half of those who claim to be followers of Christ) are not allowed into the marriage feast, are not acknowledged by Christ, and the door to heaven is locked forever. Next, in the parable of the talents, the unfaithful steward who failed to use the gift given him by his master, who buried his talent in the ground, is thrown into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Finally, when the sheep are separated from the goats, when the true believers are separated from the pretenders, when the ones who actually did what was expected of them are separated from the ones who did nothing, the ones on the left, the goats, are cursed and thrown into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. If that doesn’t get your attention on this last Sunday of the church year, I don’t know what will! Christ’s message is simple and clear.
Let’s go back to where I started with that silly little song and see if we can make even more sense of this parable:
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning,
Give me oil in my lamp I pray.
Part 2: Give me oil in my lamp I pray is good theology—
In this little prayer, we acknowledge that the oil comes from God to begin with and has nothing to do with what we’ve done. The oil in the parable represents the grace of God that is given to each believer in abundant measure. The oil represents the fullness of God’s mercy, of God’s compassion, and of God’s forgiveness.
Mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, received through the Word and Sacraments, keep our lamps burning brightly as we wait for the Christ’s return and there is never a shortage of oil. God’s grace is available to all.
The wise virgins represent those believers, who receive God’s grace at every opportunity; who have adequate oil in their lamps; who even have extra oil as they wait for his return. They will not run out. They are prepared!
The foolish virgins represent those who have professed Christ but then despise preaching and His word. Their lamps once burned brightly but now they have run out of oil and their lamps have gone out.
Think of all the people you know who once were active in faith, involved with the church, and committed to Christ but who are now inactive, uninvolved, and uncommitted. The oil of grace, God’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness is always available but they have chosen not to avail themselves of it.
Part 3: Keep it burning till the light of day—
A burning lamp is the sign of an active faith; a faith that is involved and committed; a faith that keeps shining through until Christ comes again. When your lamp goes out darkness enters into your life, into the lives of those around you, and into your world.
The foolish virgins slipped into the darkness of sin because they ran out of oil. Without God’s continued mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, a great darkness upon us, not around us but inside of us. Jesus explains it like this—
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-24)
Great darkness surrounds you when the light of Christ, your lamp goes out! Maybe the words to this little song are important: ‘Give me oil for my lamp keep it burning, burning, burning; keep it burning till the light of day.”
It’s just when our sin is the darkest that Jesus comes to us with words of encouragement and hope—
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46)
We never need stay in darkness. If there is something preventing you from receiving the oil of grace; God’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, I urge you to receive it today, to put light back in your lamp, to have that extra measure of oil to see you through till the light of day. Your sin is forgiven and you are empowered to live a life of faith.
And, here’s something else to think about, Jesus tells us—
14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Reminds me of another little song—“This little gospel light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let shine all the time, let it shine. Put it under a basket, no, I’m gonna let it shine……………….” But that’s a sermon for another time!
Part 4: Burning lamps!
A final thought or two: a burning lamp equates to an active faith which leads to faith in action. Jesus could not be clear than he’s been in Matthew 25. The faithful steward invests what God has given them. It reaps a return for the Master. The good and faithful servant serves others and in doing so serves Christ himself.
John puts it this way, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:16-20)
James put it a different way: What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:14-18)
Burning lamps, active faith, and faith in action! In last week’s gospel lesson Jesus reminded us that the darkness of despair closes in on the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, the sick or the imprisoned when our lamps go out, when the gospel is not shared in word and deed. But, when the gospel is shared, this is what we learn from Jesus—
35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40And) the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
Mother Teresa, known for her great mercy and compassion, was asked after winning the Nobel Prize, “What is the gospel?” In front of the rich and famous, the world’s leaders, she humbly replied, “The gospel is written on your fingers?” With that she held up her hand and demonstrated, “You-Did-It-To-Me.” Mother Teresa added, “At the end of your life, your five fingers will either excuse you or accuse you of doing it to the least of these. You-Did-It-To-Me!”
You did it to me! Together, as the Church we are committed to doing what needs to be done at home and abroad; proclaiming the gospel, forgiving sins, feeding the hungry, quenching the thirsty, sheltering the strangers, clothing the naked, treating the sick, and visiting the prisoners all on Christ’s behalf.
Through Christ and because of his gospel we are empowered to turn chaos into compassion, misery into mercy, darkness into light, and death into life. With lamps burning brightly, we are the Church, prepared as Christ’s bride, watching for His return, active in faith with our faith in action.
And, now, because this is LCMS World Relief and Human Care Sunday, let me take just a moment to thank you on behalf of our Synod. Over the years, I’ve seen many people living in darkness, without hope and helpless, first as a police officer, then as a missionary, then as a parish pastor, and now as the director of disaster response for LCMS World Relief and Human Care.
Examples are our recent work together in: Fort Hood, TX, American Samoa, Eldora, IA, Baja California, Atlanta, GA, Sumatra, India, Alaska, the Phillipines, and in Beulah, ND.
Christ’s vision for his Church is one of selfless service to others rather than selfish service for our own benefit. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, so we come to the poor and needy to serve, not be served, and to give our lives in the service of Christ’s gospel. To let our light shine!
A touch of mercy, the gospel of hope and forgiveness, only takes a minute to deliver but its effect lasts an eternity. Moments of mercy turn a lifetime of misery into a meaningful eternity! Listen again to those words and let them sink in: Moments of mercy turn a lifetime of misery into a meaningful eternity!
Christ’s mercy toward us motivates us to be merciful to others. No one ever need suffer again in the cold and dark of despair and sin, lost and alone. There is the shining light of the gospel as our lamps burn brightly!
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning,
Give me oil in my lamp I pray,
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning, burning, burning,
Keep it burning till the light of day.
Let me close with the chorus to this little song:
Chorus
Sing Hosannah, sing Hosannah
Sing Hosannah to the King of Kings
Sing Hosannah, sing Hosannah
Sing Hosannah to the King!
Benediction
23Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thanksgiving Thoughts!
Most of us are familiar with the traditional story of the first Thanksgiving where William Bradford proclaims a day of Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock to celebrate the Pilgrim’s survival. With the help of some friendly Indians, nearly half the Pilgrims had survived that first terrible year in the New World. Now, they gathered to thank God for life and for a harvest so abundant that it would see them through the next difficult winter. In 1621, they were thankful like we often sing at Thanksgiving—
“Come, you thankful people, come; raise the song of harvest home. All is safely gathered in ere the winter storms begin.”
They were thankful to have survived but what most folks don’t know is that this feast at Plymouth Rock was not the first Thanksgiving celebrated in America.
The first recorded thanksgiving actually took place in Virginia more than 11 years earlier, and it wasn’t a feast. The winter of 1610 at Jamestown had reduced a group of 409 settlers to just 60 sick souls. The survivors prayed for help, without knowing when or how it might come. When help arrived, in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England, a prayer meeting was immediately held to give thanks to God.
They held hands and sang Psalm 100—
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues to all generations.
Perhaps, it would serve us well to follow their example this Thanksgiving!
“Come, you thankful people, come; raise the song of harvest home. All is safely gathered in ere the winter storms begin.”
They were thankful to have survived but what most folks don’t know is that this feast at Plymouth Rock was not the first Thanksgiving celebrated in America.
The first recorded thanksgiving actually took place in Virginia more than 11 years earlier, and it wasn’t a feast. The winter of 1610 at Jamestown had reduced a group of 409 settlers to just 60 sick souls. The survivors prayed for help, without knowing when or how it might come. When help arrived, in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England, a prayer meeting was immediately held to give thanks to God.
They held hands and sang Psalm 100—
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues to all generations.
Perhaps, it would serve us well to follow their example this Thanksgiving!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Christian Care in Times Disaster or Crisis
Tragedy at Ft. Hood
"The tragic killings at Fort Hood continue to bring to the forefront of our society the world’s need for Christ’s bountiful mercy and compassion," Merritt said. "The united prayers of the people of God seek comfort and peace for the victims, survivors, and communities affected by this shocking attack. LCMS World Relief and Human Care joins our nation in grieving for those who were lost and offers the consolation of the Gospel to their family, friends, and the entire Fort Hood community."
Monday, November 2, 2009
Genuine Love results in genuine Action!
“Genuine Love results in Genuine Action!”
Romans 12:9-21
Rev. Glenn F. Merritt
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
The title of my message is Genuine Love results in Genuine Action!
My children of God and friends of Jesus;
I’m the luckiest guy around. As the director of disaster response for LCMS World Relief and Human Care, I respond to disasters your on behalf and your genuine love results in genuine action for those in need. I’m the luckiest guy around!
Let me give you an example—
This summer, I was in Iowa visiting with folks affected by the massive flooding. One family really caught my attention. Not only had they lost their home and all their possessions but also the husband and wife lost their jobs as a result of the floods. Their three adult children, two with disabilities, lived with them as well as an infant born out of wedlock to a friend of the family. Their situation was desperate and growing worst by the minute.
FEMA and the Red Cross had done all they could do and now they had nowhere to turn, that is until I showed up with her pastor representing you—the members of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. On your behalf and working through their local congregation, together we provided this LCMS family with 6 months of transitional housing, with gift cards from local businesses for food and clothing, and with funds for the immediate medical needs of their family.
Your Genuine Love resulted in Genuine Action. For 15 minutes the adult daughters hugged me and thanked me. I received the hugs that you deserved (you can claim them later if you like) but do you see what I mean? Your caring, concern, compassion, and generosity led to love in action. What a great job!
The other night I read a Bible passage that made a lot of sense to me--
Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get in the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
Spring tornadoes followed by heavy rains sent rivers over their banks, killing at least 24 people, leaving thousands homeless, destroying businesses, and washing away farmers' crops. 83 counties in Iowa were declared state disaster areas; in Wisconsin, 30 and more in Indiana 29, Missouri and Arkansas.
Speaking of inviting people home for dinner or giving them lodging, a couple of weeks ago I was on the Texas Gulf Coast following Hurricane Dolly. I ran into a retired couple whose mobile home had been destroyed by the storm. There was a gapping hole 20 feet long in the ceiling and the floors in the living room and kitchen had collapsed from water damage. They were living in their van with the motor running 24 hours a day so they could have air conditioning and charge up the wife’s oxygen machine. She was unable to walk due to chronic respiratory disease and her husband was in worse shape. They were living on diet root beer, peanut butter, crackers, and a few MREs they had gotten from the National Guard. They were helpless and hurting with nowhere to go, no family to help until you showed up.
Together we helped a local pastor move them into an air-conditioned efficiency apartment, get food and medicine, and get their clothes laundered. Get this—they were not even members of the church yet she held my hand, thank God for the help, and said, “Nobody has ever been this kind to us, you must be an angel.” Maybe we are all angels; ministering spirits bring goods news to those in need.
I never get tired of doing what I’m doing. Together we’re doing a lot of good. The pastor and I shared the gospel and now this couple is joining our Lutheran church in San Benito! Just think about it—Genuine Love results in Genuine Action, which brings in a harvest of souls. It like Paul wrote to the Galatians:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
The result of God’s love found in his grace given through Jesus Christ is action. Genuine Love results in Genuine Action! Our response to the hurting and helpless in our world, especially the household of believers, is a direct reflection of God’s love. It isn’t easy to love as Jesus loved us. Sacrificial love is hard. It takes ‘sacrifice’ but such sacrificial love is the litmus test of our faith.
Love for one another is the proof positive of faith and discipleship. Love always sacrifices for the sake of others.
Of course, we know the story of God sacrificing his Son. Remember this verse—“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Here, the Father—our loving heavenly Father—allows his Son to die to save us from the dreaded enemies of sin and death. God’s actions had nothing to do with our love—“not that we loved God”—and everything to do with his love—“but that he loved us….”
The love of the Father is made visible through the sacrifice of his Son. The love of the Son is made visible through his sacrifice at Calvary. The love of both the Father and the Son are made visible through our sacrifice for others. Genuine Love results in Genuine Action for the Father, for the Son, and for Christians.
Paul Harvey tells this story—“A man was finally enjoying his greatest pleasure. He had gotten the sports car he had wanted all his life but now his wife wanted to drive it. Being a Christian and knowing that he shouldn’t be selfish he agreed and she drove away.
A few blocks from home she got into an accident and totaled the car. Can you imagine how she felt? She was physically okay but had to fill out the paperwork before leaving the accident scene. When she reached into the glove compartment to get the registration and insurance cards, she noticed an envelope clipped to them. She opened the envelope, and read this note, written in her husband’s handwriting: “Honey, remember it’s you I love, not the car.”
Remember, it’s you Christ loves, not all your possessions, not all your money, not all your good deeds. It’s you, that’s the gospel! It’s you he loves!
Amen!
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus may our lives always exemplify your life of love. Send your Holy Spirit to guide and direct our words and actions that we may love as Christ has loved us. Motivate us by your gospel to love others in response to your great love for us. Amen
Romans 12:9-21
Rev. Glenn F. Merritt
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
The title of my message is Genuine Love results in Genuine Action!
My children of God and friends of Jesus;
I’m the luckiest guy around. As the director of disaster response for LCMS World Relief and Human Care, I respond to disasters your on behalf and your genuine love results in genuine action for those in need. I’m the luckiest guy around!
Let me give you an example—
This summer, I was in Iowa visiting with folks affected by the massive flooding. One family really caught my attention. Not only had they lost their home and all their possessions but also the husband and wife lost their jobs as a result of the floods. Their three adult children, two with disabilities, lived with them as well as an infant born out of wedlock to a friend of the family. Their situation was desperate and growing worst by the minute.
FEMA and the Red Cross had done all they could do and now they had nowhere to turn, that is until I showed up with her pastor representing you—the members of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. On your behalf and working through their local congregation, together we provided this LCMS family with 6 months of transitional housing, with gift cards from local businesses for food and clothing, and with funds for the immediate medical needs of their family.
Your Genuine Love resulted in Genuine Action. For 15 minutes the adult daughters hugged me and thanked me. I received the hugs that you deserved (you can claim them later if you like) but do you see what I mean? Your caring, concern, compassion, and generosity led to love in action. What a great job!
The other night I read a Bible passage that made a lot of sense to me--
Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get in the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
Spring tornadoes followed by heavy rains sent rivers over their banks, killing at least 24 people, leaving thousands homeless, destroying businesses, and washing away farmers' crops. 83 counties in Iowa were declared state disaster areas; in Wisconsin, 30 and more in Indiana 29, Missouri and Arkansas.
Speaking of inviting people home for dinner or giving them lodging, a couple of weeks ago I was on the Texas Gulf Coast following Hurricane Dolly. I ran into a retired couple whose mobile home had been destroyed by the storm. There was a gapping hole 20 feet long in the ceiling and the floors in the living room and kitchen had collapsed from water damage. They were living in their van with the motor running 24 hours a day so they could have air conditioning and charge up the wife’s oxygen machine. She was unable to walk due to chronic respiratory disease and her husband was in worse shape. They were living on diet root beer, peanut butter, crackers, and a few MREs they had gotten from the National Guard. They were helpless and hurting with nowhere to go, no family to help until you showed up.
Together we helped a local pastor move them into an air-conditioned efficiency apartment, get food and medicine, and get their clothes laundered. Get this—they were not even members of the church yet she held my hand, thank God for the help, and said, “Nobody has ever been this kind to us, you must be an angel.” Maybe we are all angels; ministering spirits bring goods news to those in need.
I never get tired of doing what I’m doing. Together we’re doing a lot of good. The pastor and I shared the gospel and now this couple is joining our Lutheran church in San Benito! Just think about it—Genuine Love results in Genuine Action, which brings in a harvest of souls. It like Paul wrote to the Galatians:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
The result of God’s love found in his grace given through Jesus Christ is action. Genuine Love results in Genuine Action! Our response to the hurting and helpless in our world, especially the household of believers, is a direct reflection of God’s love. It isn’t easy to love as Jesus loved us. Sacrificial love is hard. It takes ‘sacrifice’ but such sacrificial love is the litmus test of our faith.
Love for one another is the proof positive of faith and discipleship. Love always sacrifices for the sake of others.
Of course, we know the story of God sacrificing his Son. Remember this verse—“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Here, the Father—our loving heavenly Father—allows his Son to die to save us from the dreaded enemies of sin and death. God’s actions had nothing to do with our love—“not that we loved God”—and everything to do with his love—“but that he loved us….”
The love of the Father is made visible through the sacrifice of his Son. The love of the Son is made visible through his sacrifice at Calvary. The love of both the Father and the Son are made visible through our sacrifice for others. Genuine Love results in Genuine Action for the Father, for the Son, and for Christians.
Paul Harvey tells this story—“A man was finally enjoying his greatest pleasure. He had gotten the sports car he had wanted all his life but now his wife wanted to drive it. Being a Christian and knowing that he shouldn’t be selfish he agreed and she drove away.
A few blocks from home she got into an accident and totaled the car. Can you imagine how she felt? She was physically okay but had to fill out the paperwork before leaving the accident scene. When she reached into the glove compartment to get the registration and insurance cards, she noticed an envelope clipped to them. She opened the envelope, and read this note, written in her husband’s handwriting: “Honey, remember it’s you I love, not the car.”
Remember, it’s you Christ loves, not all your possessions, not all your money, not all your good deeds. It’s you, that’s the gospel! It’s you he loves!
Amen!
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus may our lives always exemplify your life of love. Send your Holy Spirit to guide and direct our words and actions that we may love as Christ has loved us. Motivate us by your gospel to love others in response to your great love for us. Amen
Friday, October 30, 2009
A Harvest for the Helpless
A Harvest for the Helpless!
Rev. Glenn F Merritt
October 17-18, 2009
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, St Louis, MO
Grace, mercy and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The title of my message is “A Harvest for the Helpless!” The text is a portion of the Gospel lesson as read earlier:
Luke, chapter 10, verses 1-3
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
My dear Christian friends;
Today as we celebrate the feast of St Luke, we learn from his writings that God’s grace through Christ is a message is meant for all people. In his Gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke teaches us the importance of fervent prayer, joyful proclamation, and deep concern for the lost and helpless.
Luke is the loyal comrade who stays with Paul when he is imprisoned in Rome and after everyone else deserts Paul, it is Luke who remains with him to the end (2 Timothy 4:11). Luke was a physician born at Antioch in Syria as Greek and Gentile.
It is not at all surprising then that Luke's gospel would show a special sensitivity to the Gentiles. In Luke’s gospel, we find parables and stories laced with God’s forgiveness for all, Jew and Gentile alike.
Luke's unique perspective on the ministry and message of Jesus can be seen in the six miracles and eighteen parables not found in the other gospels. Only through Luke do we have the parable of the Prodigal Son and the story of Pharisee & the Publican—teachings on unwarranted forgiveness and sincere repentance.
Luke is the one who tells the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man who ignored him. Only in Luke do we hear the story of the forgiven woman disrupting the feast by washing Jesus' feet with her tears. Throughout Luke's gospel, Jesus takes the side of the sinner who wants to return to God's mercy.
Luke records how Jesus to welcomed and ate with sinners; how Jesus interceded for those whose faith wavered (Peter who denied him), how Jesus offered eternal life even to the world’s worst (the thief on the Cross); and, how Jesus came to seek and save the lost.” Forgiveness and God's mercy to sinners is of first importance to Luke as he urges us on to “A Harvest for the Helpless!”
Part 1: I know what it’s like to be helpless, do you?
After getting out of the Air Force in 1966, I went to work on the 5600 level of a phosphate mine in western Montana. One day the miners in the main tunnel, called a drift, hit an underground lake plunging me (and others) into ice cold water and total darkness for over 28 hours. As I struggled to keep my head above the rising water, I was left helpless and on my own. No friends, no family, no help, no rescue!
Slowly, I felt my way up dark mining shafts, called stopes, trying to find a way out, a way to the next level, a way to save myself, only to be disappointed time and again. There was no way out! Hours passed as I searched alone in the cold and dark. Rescue, Rescue, Rescue was my only hope.
When you are trapped you feel was lost and alone, cold and fearful, without hope and helpless! I never wanted to know that feeling again but I’ve been helpless other times too! Lots of times!
Part 2: Have you ever know the helplessness of sin?
I have and it’s a feeling more dreadful than being caught in a cold dark mine shaft! When the darkness of sin closes, we are truly helpless! We are plunged into a cold, dark mind shaft. Search as we may, there’s no way out; try as we might we’re trapped, lost and alone; at a spiritual dead end with rescue our only hope.
Sin brings us to an emotional, spiritual, and physical darkness that chills us to the bone, that leaves us lost and alone, fearful of God and separated from our family and friends. It’s, easy, so easy, to find ourselves up to our chins in sin and there’s no way out; there’s no way out unless someone rescues us.
Now Christ’s words recorded by Luke, echo in our ears, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Just when we’ve given up; when we were totally helpless; when there was no hope, God rescued us. He sent laborers to bring about “A Harvest for the Helpless!” You and Me!
Think about it! The Apostle Paul writes, “For, there is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.” (Romans 3:23)
‘A Harvest for the Helpless!’ is first and foremost about you and me! The harvest is plentiful and we are the harvest! Somebody, somewhere, sometime, some place prayed to the Lord of the harvest to send out a laborer to bring us safely into God’s storehouse of mercy and peace; to give us hope and a future; to harvest the helpless; and to rescue you and me. Yes, the harvest is plentiful and we are it! The Harvest of the Helpless begins with us!
Part 3: But it doesn’t end there.
In a strange turn of events, God plans that the harvested, you and me, become the harvesters of the world’s helpless! And, there are plenty of helpless out there, living without hope; at a life’s dead end; nowhere to go; trapped in the cold and dark of despair.
The darkness of despair is the kind of helplessness that closes in on the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, the sick or the imprisoned. These are ones that Jesus talked about in Matthew 25:
Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
Again, Christ’s words in our text echo across the reaches of time, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Part 4: A harvest for the helpless waits only for more laborers!
The words of an old hymn keep going around and around in my mind—
Hark, the voice of Jesus calling,
“Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting,
Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Long and loud the Master calls us,
Rich reward He offers free;
Who will answer, gladly saying,
“Here am I, send me, send me”?
I can’t get them out of my mind. I’ve seen too many helpless too many times; first as a police officer, then as a missionary, then as a parish pastor, and now as the director of disaster response for LCMS World Relief and Human Care. Site examples: American Samoa, Eldora, IA, Baja California, Atlanta, GA, Sumatra, Winnie, TX, India, Alaska, the Phillipines, and in Beulah, ND.
I’ve seen the helplessness of despair causes people to think that no one cares; that there’s no hope, that there’s no possibility of rescue.
Oh, I know that you remember the story of the U.S. Navy submarine that was rammed by a ship off the Massachusetts coast many years ago. I’m sure your pastors have used it! It true! The entire crew of the submarine was trapped hundreds of feet below the surface. Every effort was made to rescue them but all without success. They were alive but losing hope.
Near the end of the ordeal, a diver descended to the sub and pounded on the hull of the sunken vessel. In response, he heard this message tapped out in Morse code—“Is there any hope?”
Is there any hope?
Thousands of people, people just like you and me, are lost in the cold dark waters of life. They, too, are tapping out, “Is there any hope?”
There is hope!! There is a harvest for the helpless! There is the gospel and there is Christ! It’s easy to give up without hope but Jesus Christ is their hope—just like he is our hope—all it takes is laborers to bring in the harvest. That’s all!
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
By now you’ve probably figured out that I survived the darkness of that mine disaster more than 40 years ago. Three men didn’t survive but I was rescued when a burst of light broke through from up above and guided me to safety and to life. Life is such a good thing when you’ve been a prisoner of death. Saved to save others!
Christ’s vision for his Church is one of selfless service to others rather than selfish service for our own benefit. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, so we come to the poor and needy to serve, not be served, and to give our lives in the service of Christ’s gospel.
A touch of mercy, the gospel of hope and forgiveness, only takes a minute to deliver but its effect lasts an eternity. Moments of mercy turn a lifetime of misery into a meaningful eternity!
Christ’s mercy toward us motivates us to be merciful to others. No one ever need suffer again in the cold and dark of despair and sin, lost and alone. There is hope!
Our nature as Christians is to be merciful, sharing the gospel in word and deed, not with ulterior motives, but purely because of Christ’s sacrificial love for us. If you’ve received mercy, it’s the most natural thing in the world to share mercy! There’s a lot of talk about being merciful and sharing love out there but all talk and no action brings few results.
John puts it this way, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:16-20)
James put it a different way for those who don’t get it: What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:14-18)
Together, as the Church we are committed to doing what needs to be done at home and abroad; proclaiming the gospel, forgiving sins, feeding the hungry, quenching the thirsty, sheltering the strangers, clothing the naked, treating the sick, and visiting the prisoners all on Christ’s behalf.
Through Christ and because of his gospel we are empowered to turn chaos into compassion, misery into mercy, darkness into light, and death into life. There’s no turning back, we are the Church! You did it to me! You did it to me! You did it to me!
Yes, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Father, all that we’ve done or ever will do is done because of your love for us. In Christ, we’ve been harvested so that we might reach out to harvest the helpless and hurting for an eternity with you. Strengthen us for the work ahead; give us eyes of compassion and hearts of mercy as we serve you and our Savior in all things. Bless us with the power of your Holy Spirit that we may never tire of sharing the gospel and serving others. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen
Rev. Glenn F Merritt
October 17-18, 2009
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, St Louis, MO
Grace, mercy and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The title of my message is “A Harvest for the Helpless!” The text is a portion of the Gospel lesson as read earlier:
Luke, chapter 10, verses 1-3
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
My dear Christian friends;
Today as we celebrate the feast of St Luke, we learn from his writings that God’s grace through Christ is a message is meant for all people. In his Gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke teaches us the importance of fervent prayer, joyful proclamation, and deep concern for the lost and helpless.
Luke is the loyal comrade who stays with Paul when he is imprisoned in Rome and after everyone else deserts Paul, it is Luke who remains with him to the end (2 Timothy 4:11). Luke was a physician born at Antioch in Syria as Greek and Gentile.
It is not at all surprising then that Luke's gospel would show a special sensitivity to the Gentiles. In Luke’s gospel, we find parables and stories laced with God’s forgiveness for all, Jew and Gentile alike.
Luke's unique perspective on the ministry and message of Jesus can be seen in the six miracles and eighteen parables not found in the other gospels. Only through Luke do we have the parable of the Prodigal Son and the story of Pharisee & the Publican—teachings on unwarranted forgiveness and sincere repentance.
Luke is the one who tells the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man who ignored him. Only in Luke do we hear the story of the forgiven woman disrupting the feast by washing Jesus' feet with her tears. Throughout Luke's gospel, Jesus takes the side of the sinner who wants to return to God's mercy.
Luke records how Jesus to welcomed and ate with sinners; how Jesus interceded for those whose faith wavered (Peter who denied him), how Jesus offered eternal life even to the world’s worst (the thief on the Cross); and, how Jesus came to seek and save the lost.” Forgiveness and God's mercy to sinners is of first importance to Luke as he urges us on to “A Harvest for the Helpless!”
Part 1: I know what it’s like to be helpless, do you?
After getting out of the Air Force in 1966, I went to work on the 5600 level of a phosphate mine in western Montana. One day the miners in the main tunnel, called a drift, hit an underground lake plunging me (and others) into ice cold water and total darkness for over 28 hours. As I struggled to keep my head above the rising water, I was left helpless and on my own. No friends, no family, no help, no rescue!
Slowly, I felt my way up dark mining shafts, called stopes, trying to find a way out, a way to the next level, a way to save myself, only to be disappointed time and again. There was no way out! Hours passed as I searched alone in the cold and dark. Rescue, Rescue, Rescue was my only hope.
When you are trapped you feel was lost and alone, cold and fearful, without hope and helpless! I never wanted to know that feeling again but I’ve been helpless other times too! Lots of times!
Part 2: Have you ever know the helplessness of sin?
I have and it’s a feeling more dreadful than being caught in a cold dark mine shaft! When the darkness of sin closes, we are truly helpless! We are plunged into a cold, dark mind shaft. Search as we may, there’s no way out; try as we might we’re trapped, lost and alone; at a spiritual dead end with rescue our only hope.
Sin brings us to an emotional, spiritual, and physical darkness that chills us to the bone, that leaves us lost and alone, fearful of God and separated from our family and friends. It’s, easy, so easy, to find ourselves up to our chins in sin and there’s no way out; there’s no way out unless someone rescues us.
Now Christ’s words recorded by Luke, echo in our ears, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Just when we’ve given up; when we were totally helpless; when there was no hope, God rescued us. He sent laborers to bring about “A Harvest for the Helpless!” You and Me!
Think about it! The Apostle Paul writes, “For, there is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.” (Romans 3:23)
‘A Harvest for the Helpless!’ is first and foremost about you and me! The harvest is plentiful and we are the harvest! Somebody, somewhere, sometime, some place prayed to the Lord of the harvest to send out a laborer to bring us safely into God’s storehouse of mercy and peace; to give us hope and a future; to harvest the helpless; and to rescue you and me. Yes, the harvest is plentiful and we are it! The Harvest of the Helpless begins with us!
Part 3: But it doesn’t end there.
In a strange turn of events, God plans that the harvested, you and me, become the harvesters of the world’s helpless! And, there are plenty of helpless out there, living without hope; at a life’s dead end; nowhere to go; trapped in the cold and dark of despair.
The darkness of despair is the kind of helplessness that closes in on the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, the sick or the imprisoned. These are ones that Jesus talked about in Matthew 25:
Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
Again, Christ’s words in our text echo across the reaches of time, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Part 4: A harvest for the helpless waits only for more laborers!
The words of an old hymn keep going around and around in my mind—
Hark, the voice of Jesus calling,
“Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting,
Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Long and loud the Master calls us,
Rich reward He offers free;
Who will answer, gladly saying,
“Here am I, send me, send me”?
I can’t get them out of my mind. I’ve seen too many helpless too many times; first as a police officer, then as a missionary, then as a parish pastor, and now as the director of disaster response for LCMS World Relief and Human Care. Site examples: American Samoa, Eldora, IA, Baja California, Atlanta, GA, Sumatra, Winnie, TX, India, Alaska, the Phillipines, and in Beulah, ND.
I’ve seen the helplessness of despair causes people to think that no one cares; that there’s no hope, that there’s no possibility of rescue.
Oh, I know that you remember the story of the U.S. Navy submarine that was rammed by a ship off the Massachusetts coast many years ago. I’m sure your pastors have used it! It true! The entire crew of the submarine was trapped hundreds of feet below the surface. Every effort was made to rescue them but all without success. They were alive but losing hope.
Near the end of the ordeal, a diver descended to the sub and pounded on the hull of the sunken vessel. In response, he heard this message tapped out in Morse code—“Is there any hope?”
Is there any hope?
Thousands of people, people just like you and me, are lost in the cold dark waters of life. They, too, are tapping out, “Is there any hope?”
There is hope!! There is a harvest for the helpless! There is the gospel and there is Christ! It’s easy to give up without hope but Jesus Christ is their hope—just like he is our hope—all it takes is laborers to bring in the harvest. That’s all!
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
By now you’ve probably figured out that I survived the darkness of that mine disaster more than 40 years ago. Three men didn’t survive but I was rescued when a burst of light broke through from up above and guided me to safety and to life. Life is such a good thing when you’ve been a prisoner of death. Saved to save others!
Christ’s vision for his Church is one of selfless service to others rather than selfish service for our own benefit. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, so we come to the poor and needy to serve, not be served, and to give our lives in the service of Christ’s gospel.
A touch of mercy, the gospel of hope and forgiveness, only takes a minute to deliver but its effect lasts an eternity. Moments of mercy turn a lifetime of misery into a meaningful eternity!
Christ’s mercy toward us motivates us to be merciful to others. No one ever need suffer again in the cold and dark of despair and sin, lost and alone. There is hope!
Our nature as Christians is to be merciful, sharing the gospel in word and deed, not with ulterior motives, but purely because of Christ’s sacrificial love for us. If you’ve received mercy, it’s the most natural thing in the world to share mercy! There’s a lot of talk about being merciful and sharing love out there but all talk and no action brings few results.
John puts it this way, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:16-20)
James put it a different way for those who don’t get it: What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:14-18)
Together, as the Church we are committed to doing what needs to be done at home and abroad; proclaiming the gospel, forgiving sins, feeding the hungry, quenching the thirsty, sheltering the strangers, clothing the naked, treating the sick, and visiting the prisoners all on Christ’s behalf.
Through Christ and because of his gospel we are empowered to turn chaos into compassion, misery into mercy, darkness into light, and death into life. There’s no turning back, we are the Church! You did it to me! You did it to me! You did it to me!
Yes, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Father, all that we’ve done or ever will do is done because of your love for us. In Christ, we’ve been harvested so that we might reach out to harvest the helpless and hurting for an eternity with you. Strengthen us for the work ahead; give us eyes of compassion and hearts of mercy as we serve you and our Savior in all things. Bless us with the power of your Holy Spirit that we may never tire of sharing the gospel and serving others. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)