Hebrews 11:1-16
Good morning! Welcome to Covenant Presbyterian Church … my name is Tom, and I’m glad to be here, and I know that you are, too.
We gather, from east, west, north and south, and all around the town …
We’re Republicans, Democrats and Independents … we’re all over the Christian map … we’re diverse, we’re different … we each wear our own pair of glasses … we see Christ from our own angle … we’re passionate and laid back; visionary and satisfied; eager for change and pleased with convention.
We gather in the name of Jesus …
To refresh our memory … who we are, what’s up, what counts.
To remember the things of God!
Which reminds me …
A preacher attended a preaching conference … wanted to use humor a little more effectively.
One of the featured speakers approached the pulpit and said, "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn't my wife!" The crowd gasped! He followed up by saying, "And that woman was my mother!" - The crowd burst into laughter.
The next Sunday, the pastor decided he'd give this humor thing a try, and use that joke in his message. As he approached the pulpit, he tried to rehearse the joke in his mind. It suddenly seemed a bit foggy to him.
Getting to the microphone he said loudly, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of another woman who was not my wife!" The congregation gasped. After standing there for 10 seconds in the stunned silence, trying to recall the second half of the joke, the pastor finally blurted out, "...and I can't remember who she was!"
To remember who we are … the stories of our life together in Christ … Joshua & Rachel know that when our family gets together, I tell the same jokes, the same stories - everyone laughs, moans and groans and everyone remembers!
That’s what we do here – we remember … all the way to Adam and Eve … Moses parting the sea … or was that Charleton Heston? … David & Goliath; the woman at the well … Paul in a Roman jail.
We remember:
Life is more than meets the eye …
We live by the Word of God …
We’re surrounded by a cloud of witnesses: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; Sarah, Leah and Rebecca; Moses, Aaron and Joshua; Peter, Paul and John; St. Teresa and Mother Teresa; Martin Luther and Martin Luther King, Jr. …
We stand on the shoulders of great people – parents, grandparents; pastors, Sunday School teachers – the named and the nameless who give us their best.
Memory … the things of God …
[12] What shall I return to the LORD
for all his bounty to me?
[13] I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD,
[14] I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.
[15] Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
[16] O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
You have loosed my bonds.
[17] I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice
and call on the name of the LORD.
Memory:
I am who God says I am.
I have what God says I have.
I can do what God says I can do.
“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
Simple … basic and simple!
Simple is the heart of the gospel.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Heaven is simple … hell is complicated …
Heaven says: “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Hell shouts: “never enough, more is needed.”
Heaven assures: “I will come and find you, so you can be with me forever.”
Hell unsettles: “You’re not good enough yet … still more to do; you may not make it …”
The strategy of hell: gum up our life with complications … and do you think for a moment that Satan cares if you’re in church?
Heavens no.
The church is one of Satan’s best allies too many times … programs weary us, challenges deplete our energy; sermons put us down … words that exclude, words that condemn.
Satan loves busy Christians … fuss and fret … hit the road running; nothing good enough; more needed … collapse at the end of the day, and before you know it, we’re resentful, irritated, angry at others for not helping us … we look at the glass, and it’s half-empty … we look at others, and their faith isn’t good enough … and we begin to carry within a slow, seething discomfort that takes away the joy of the LORD!
Hurry is heaven’s enemy and hell’s best friend.
The kingdom of God is simple …
I am who God says I am.
I have what God says I have.
I can do what God says I can do.
One of my favorite poems … D. H. Lawrence:
As we live, we are transmitters of life.
And when we fail to transmit life, life fails to flow through us.
….
And if, as we work, we can transmit life into our work,
life still more life, rushes into us to compensate, to be ready
and we ripple with life through the days.
Even if it is a woman making an apple dumpling, or a man a stool,
if life goes into the pudding, good is the pudding,
good is the stool,
content is the woman, with fresh life rippling in to her,
content is the man.
Give, and it shall be given unto you
is still the truth about a life.
But giving life is not so easy.
….
It means kindling the life-quality where it was not,
even if it’s only in the whiteness of a washed pocket-handkerchief.
The simple basics - faith, hope and love.
Treat each other kindly.
Take time to listen.
Turn the light on in the room when you enter it.
Be of good cheer.
Remember, you’re doing better than you think, and so is the person next to you.
Say “Yes!” as often as you can, and then some.
There’s always a way through, you’ll find it.
Leave no one behind; include everyone.
Apologize quickly.
Turn around and try another tact.
Hold your views lightly.
No matter how passionate you are, those who take a different approach are your best friends.
Walk slowly with each another.
Say “Jesus my LORD” often.
Read your Bibles a little bit each day.
Keep it simple.
Learn to say, “Thank you LORD!” and say it often!
Basic and simple! To God be the glory. Amen!
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