Worldwide Federation of Couch-Wrestlers

Someone once told me that people should not survive their children. No worries there. My children are doing everything in their power to see that I don't. Yesterday, my friend Clint and I went to my daughter' upstairs apartment to deliver a futon. Her old couch was looking ratty and disgusting. Evidently, her ex-husband thought that a white suede couch was a good idea for a home with toddlers. After two years, the couch looked like it has been dropped into a monkey cage. Getting the futon up the stairs was no problem. Getting the couch down the stairs was a problem. I believe it must have weigh a half ton, and was broken so badly it almost flopped. Clinton and I wrestled the thing to the metal staircase. I got behind it, down the stair, while we tipped it over the edge, It came down the stairs like a freight train. Fortunately, I had the good sense to get out of the way before hit hit the bottom. If you recall the scene in Jurassic Park when the car gets stuck in the tree, you have some idea what it was like. Once we got the couch down the stairs, then we had to get it to the dumpster. Clinton hit on the idea of hooking a hand truck to one end and dragging across the parking lot. It made the going a lot easier, though we did leave a curious green mark across the asphalt. (If asked, I will deny this last part.) We thought we were home free when we got to the dumpster. But then the apartment manager came by. "Do we leave this on end, or what?" we asked. He eyed us like a traffic cop who was just asked by a speeder to hold his beer while he fished out his liscence. "Nope, in there." he answered. Clinton and I looked at each other in astonishment. The top of the dumpster was about seven feet in the air. We eyed the couch. We eyed the couch. We eyed the stairs we had just taken it down. Then we eye the manager. "Okay," he said. Clinton has a saying that, when you eat a plate of frogs, the best plan is to start right away, and eat the big one first. Right then, I would rather eat a plate of frogs than get a hernia lifting that couch. But the manager helped, and the three of us managed to get it tilted up, and with a herculean effort, especially by Clinton, we managed to lift it up and into the dumpster. I wonder if Clinton is still my friend. There is no real moral to this story, except maybe the part about the frogs. But it is a shout out to Clinton, and that anonymous apartment manager, without whose help I would probably still be wrestling with that couch. Thanks to both of you, and God bless.

I Get to be a Fire Fighter!

Last week was VBS at church, where I had two lifetime "firsts." The volunteer fire department members in our church brought the ladder truck. The kids l loved it. So did I. They let me, along with the other children, test the equipment. First, I got to hold the fire hose. For anyone who has never done this, it's not as easy as it sounds. When I think of holding a hose, I think of a garden hose, which you can hold with one hand. Not this behemoth. the nozzle was six inches wide, and had a handle as big as a toaster. When you open it full blast, it kicks like a drunken mule You have to have a big guy bracing you from behind just to make sure you aren't knocked over and thrown around like a bug on a whip. Then, I got to ride on the ladder. I couldn't believe they were letting me do this. The extended it down towards the ground, hen they put a harness on me so I wouldn't fall off, and hoisted me high into the air. It was then I remembered that I had a mild fear of heights. I started to sweat. My heart did a drum solo in my chest. I made it up about thirty feet before I had them let me down. Afterwards, I sat wishing I could do it again. One thing I learned about the life of a fire fighter. Whatever they do, they cannot do alone. There has to be someone standing behind you, holding you up while you do your job, or someone raising the ladder, watching in case you get in trouble. It's like the rest of life. This is the way God made us. Without help, we will always fall. With God's help, and the support of others, we can put out all he fires that life brings our way. Life's a lot more fun when we have help.

The Wrong Kind of Childish

Remember all those Bible School pictures of Jesus and the children you saw as a child? Something has always bothered me about those pictures. Now I think I know why. In the pictures, Jesus is sitting on a rock under a tree with happy children pressed around him. He is teaching and they are listening attentively. Now, Jesus is doing what I always imagine Jesus would be doing. But these children are not like any children I know. Kids don’t sit attentively. The children in those pictures don’t act like children. They act like little adults. There are a lot of qualities of children that we don’t want to copy. When Jesus said we should be act like children, the disciples were already acting childishly. Jesus said this in Matthew 18. Like most of Jesus’ sayings, it came as an answer to a problem. Matthew 18 opens: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" The disciples were acting like spoiled brats. They had been told that they all would be given thrones when the kingdom comes. Yet they were fighting over who would be second in command. If Jesus is in charge, does it really matter who is second in command? This was childish. In response, Jesus had a child stand in front of the group. He said” "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 18:3-4) Jealousy and bickering was a problem in the early church. However, today we seemed to have overcome it. At least, that’s the way we report it. I did a Google search on the subject of jealousy. I found lots of sermons and teaching on the subject, but very few examples. Most of the examples that were admitted to were either hundreds of years old, or they were about crazy people, Few examples came from ordinary churches like ours. I am being facetious, of course. There is a lot of jealousy and bickering, even in churches like ours. Much of it, though is quiet bickering. We don’t say it, but we think it. Jealousy is a hidden sin, and the mischief which arises from jealousy is hidden, too. It comes in subtle forms, barely visible. Even so, it is devastating. Jesus did not tell to release our inner child. He referred to a child’s humility. Humble yourselves like a child. A child had no status in the world of Jesus. He wanted them to trust themselves completely to the leadership of Jesus, following like a toddler follows his mother. But the argument continued. It was an ongoing argument that went even during the last supper. Peter thought James was trying to upstage him. Judas thought John was getting uppity. The natural tensions of men travelling together had took its toll on the disciples. Matthew 18 is Jesus’ answer to the childish tensions in the church. First, Jesus says don’t hurt each other. If anyone hurts one of His children, it would be better for a millstone to be put around their neck and they be thrown into the depths of the sea. It is not physical children He is talking about. It is believers who follow Jesus with childlike faith. Notice also to whom Jesus is speaking. He is not speaking to unbelievers, but his disciples. If you ever come to the place of actually hurting each other--watch out! You’re hurting one of God’s children. The problem of family abuse is huge. It is estimated that one out of three women in America will experience some form of physical or sexual abuse before they are grown. The prevalence of domestic violence against women and children is actually greater among religious people. Anyone who strikes a woman or abuses a child or physically or harms any member of the church will be dealt with harshly by God. We cannot help what unbelievers do, but we can punish abusive or violent behavior. Christians can be among the cruelest people in the world. They can always justify their behavior as defending the kingdom of God. But the next time you want to burn a brother at the stake, remember who his Father is. His Father will not take kindly to us mistreating his children. But what do you do with the person who gets abusive? You try win them back. In vs. 16, He gave them a parable about a shepherd with a hundred sheep, who leaves them in the field to seek one who is lost. In context, this is about reclaiming our own. If a fellow believer has gone astray, try to reclaim them before you do anything else. He gets practical in verses 15 and 16. Go talk to him in private. If he refuses to listen, take someone else with you. If that doesn’t work, take it to the elders. If he refuses to listen, then let him go. After this, Jesus gives us a positive reason for learning to get along. We have authority when we are united. In verses 17 and 18 he says if we bind something in earth, it will be bound in heaven. If we loose something on earth, it will be loosed in heaven, and that if two or three agree on earth, it will be done for them in heaven. Being disagreeable will hinder our prayers, but being united in a single cause will loosen the doors of blessing in heaven. But the disciples kept quarreling. The Devil attacked the kingdom from the inside, stirring up their petty bickering and jealousies. Peter started getting nervous. “Lord, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?” It’s not hard to imagine why Peter said this. There were some people around him who he having to forgive all the time. There must have been someone who was constantly needling Peter. This childishness goes on, even among disciples. Peter was ready to haul off and hit him, but if he did, according to Jesus, he might have a millstone put around his neck. Then he would be sent to have to bring the guy back. Jesus’ response is clear. “No, seventy times seven.” In other words, however long it is n necessary. He explains why in verses 23-35 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." The man owed “ten thousand talents.” Or literally “A myriad”--the largest number possible. Adam Clarke notes that the amount is the equivalent of 67,000,000 pounds, the annual income of the British Empire in his day. Today, it would be close to a billion dollars. A hundred denarii in our money would be worth about seven dollars and fifty cents. One billion dollars. Seven dollars and fifty cents. See the difference? We owe a debt that we cannot pay. “The wages of sin is death.” God forgave us and granted us eternal life with Him. So how can we bear grudges? The things that separate us are so petty—a forgotten birthday card, a small promotion, a dirty look. Even large things seem small by comparison. How can we take so seriously money taken from us, if God has given us so much? I once was approached by a choir member to go rebuke another member, because she thought the woman in the congregation was looking angry whenever they sang! Are there are any conditions of God’s forgiveness? Only one--that we forgive others. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” God expects us to forgive as we have been forgiving. Forgiveness is not easy. Forgiveness does not begin with somehow wishing away our anger towards a person and acting nice to hem. Forgiveness simply means to forego retribution. When we are hurt, we do not hurt back. Someone hurts us, and we feel they should be hurt in return, to even the scales of justice. We forgive when we decide not to settle the score ourselves. Forgiveness progresses to treating the one who has hurt us no different than we would treat another, Then in time, we may reconcile with our brother—or not, if he will not reconcile with you. We cannot practice retribution without deserving it ourselves. Without forgiveness, there can never be reconciliation. If we do not reconcile, our petty grievances will mount until they become a mountain of bitterness, obscuring the light of God. Getting along with flawed, sinful people is a like dancing with a porcupine. We’re going to get stuck, no matter how careful we are. But the Kingdom of God makes it worth it for us to climb above our vindictive natures and forgive each other. One of my favorite stories of forgiveness is that of Elizabeth Elliott. Her husband, Jim Elliot was one of a group of missionaries who flew into a remote region of the Amazon to evangelize the Aucas, an isolated tribe. Before the could begin, the Aucas ambushed them and killed them all. Elizabeth Elliot, after she had grieved for her husband, went to the Auca tribe and continued her husband’s work. At the Lausanne Conference on World Evangelism in 1974, Elizabeth Elliot showed up with an Auca tribesman. She introduced him by saying. “This is my dear friend and elder of the Auca church. He is also the man who killed my husband.” Her forgiveness of the Aucas enabled her to win the tribe. When we act like Jesus, we make Him visible to the world. When we get wrapped up in personal disputes, we show ourselves to be childish. But God forgives children, too.

The Wedding Feast

When you’re a preacher, people think you know everything. For example, a woman recently said to me. “I was watching television the other day, and that guy was on—I can’t remember his name, but you know the one—who was talking about the End Times. He was explaining Revelations, and it was very interesting. Who was that man? I explained as nicely as I knew how, that I didn’t know who she was watching. I couldn’t know. Actually, I knew a lot of preachers it could be, but it would be impossible to pick out which one. Cable television and AM radio especially are full of preachers who have “figured out” revelation. What I wanted to say, but did not dare to say at the time, was that she should be careful about such preachers. God left Revelation obscure for a reason. That’s because he wants us to know the outcome of the End Times, but not the date of it. Some very smart men in history, including people such as Sir Isaac Newton, spent a lot of time trying to figure out the dates of the End Times based on Revelation. But every prediction they made proved wrong. If men like that can’t figure out the End Times, what chance to you and I have? Nevertheless, preachers keep trying. The reason they do has less to do with knowing the will of God than it does with attracting a crowd. One of the secrets of preaching is that if you want to attract a crowd, preach on one of two things—either the End Times, or other people’s sins. The End Times attracts the frightened, while other people’s sins attract the judgmental. There are plenty of both in the church. There are many who ask why God would deliberately give us a picture of the end that is obscure? The reasons are set down in this parable. He does it to keep us on our toes. God wants us to expect his return at any time, and be ready at any time. The day we stop thinking the end is near is the day He is most likely to come. Matthew 24 is Jesus’ End Times speech. He and his disciples were near Jerusalem and they were looking at the magnificent temple of the Lord being constructed by Herod As they talked about how beautiful it was, Jesus said. “Do you see all this? I tell you the truth, not one stone of it will be left on another. All of it will be thrown down” This of course caught the interest of the disciples. They wondered, “When will this be? And what will be the sign of your coming at the end of the age?” They wanted to know when the End Times would be, just like we do. In the speech that followed Jesus listed several events which were not the sign of the End Times. Unfortunately, many people have misinterpreted His words to indicate that they were signs. . Wars and rumors of wars are not a sign of His coming. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and famines are not a sign either. People will be wicked, but that is not a sign, either. People will always be wicked. There will be false prophets. People will point in many directions at what they think will be a sign, but they will be wrong. Jesus also gave a couple of signs that were problematic. He mentions the “abomination of desolation” and even though we know that this is the desecration of the temple, we cannot be sure what he meant by that. His ales tell the parable of the fig tree, which many interpret to be about the rebirth of Israel--but again it is not clear that He, meant this. No, the only sign that Jesus gives that can be certain is in verse.14, on which we all agree; “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” People point to all kinds of End Times signs, but this is the only one that Jesus actually and definitely gave was one which we cam something to do about. If we want to see Jesus come, get the Gospel out, that’s the only reason we’re still here. Once the job is done, we’re done. The disciples were concerned with the future. Jesus is concerned with the present. In the light of the End Times, how do we live today? Again, this concern is reflected in a parable. In Matthew 24:45-51, Jesus tells them. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth; he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to him, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So Jesus wants us to stay on task. We must watch constantly and carefully for the second Coming, and be prepared to give an account of ourselves when He comes. But what Jesus does not say is this—what precisely are we supposed to be doing? What does it meant to watch and wait for Jesus? He gives us a hint in the following parable. Matt 25:1-13 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for you.' "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came.’Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” A wedding in Jesus’ day was not like a wedding in our day. A wedding feast included all the rituals and gatherings we have leading up to a wedding into one enormous blowout—the showers, the groom’s dinner, the bachelor party, and many we never thought of having. It was a huge occasion. One of the highlights of the wedding was something that happened the night before. There was a party at the home of the bride. All the family gathered and partied, except for the groom. The groom and his groomsmen processed through the streets. As they did, the young women of the town followed them, carrying lamps or candles to light the way, until they came to the bride’s house. It must have been a beautiful procession. Now, Jesus tells of ten girls. They were virgins, which meant they were of marrying age, but had not yet found husbands. They are not interested in the bridegroom. but the unmarried groomsmen in the procession. When they got to the hall, they went inside, the door was shut, and they partied most of the night. It was the only place where they could mingle without the social restrictions of the time. So these women knew their futures could depend upon being in that party. Five of the women have a problem--not enough oil in their laps. This is a disaster, they think. . So the girls go to the next street to buy oil. While they were gone the procession comes. These girls are literally left out in the cold. The point of the story is this—we must be ready for the End times--but how? Here’s where I think much of the preaching on this passage is wrong. Many of interpreters focus on the oil. Oil is sometimes used as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit. So they interpret it to mean that we should keep full of the Spirit when Jesus comes. But this is really not about the oil or the Spirit. There’s no doubt that we should keep full of the Spirit until Jesus comes, but that’s not the point of the parable. Another interpretation says that oil is a metaphor for obedience. These girls were lazy, and did not keep a sufficient supply of oil on hand for the evening. That’s possible, but I do not think it is right either. If we think that it is our disobedience that can mess up those who wait, then which act if disobedience is it? Smoking? Drinking? Not going to church? Is it neglect of religious rituals such as baptism? It doesn’t seem consistent with the Gospel that those who watch and wait for the Lord’s return will be excluded because of some temporary or unwitting lapse in obedience. There is a better interpretation. This is not about the oil. It’s about being present. What made these five different was not that they did not have lit lamps, but when the party came they were not there. They were under a mistaken impression that the lamps mattered. When it comes to Jesus, we can be equally impulsive. In our desire to be ready, we can overlook the most important thing—we go by God’s grace. Jesus is not trying to trick us into disobedience. He accepts us by His grace, not by our obedience. Those who miss out are those who become obsessed by proving themselves worthy. Let’s talk about a modern day version of one of these virgins. A man is very religious. He reads the Bible, especially Revelation. He knows the Lord is near, and when God comes, we will be judged. So he prepares himself. He learns the Bible, witnesses, and tithes. But he never feels like he does enough. He wants by his effort to be secure in his position. In the process, he misses out on the one thing that will get him to heaven—God’s grace. This man misunderstands the heart of God. It is not about preparation. It is about watching and waiting for Jesus to return with expectation and joy. You have a place in heaven, if you wait for it. Look to Jesus for your salvation, not to what you do. Keep looking, and waiting, and live a live in preparation and you will go with Him in the end. Preparing for the End Times Matthew 25:1-16

A New Blog is Born

For those of you familiar with my other blogs, I say welcome. For those who find this blog by intention or pure random web surfing, I say welcome, too. This blog is my attempt to pull together what I have been doing with my other blogs. In the past, I've had several blogs, one for my new book, one for poetry, and one for everything else. Keeping up several blogs has proven to be harder than I thought,and more confusing. So I am pulling it together to make it easier to find and hopefully easier to read. The big news in my life right now is that my book, Mapping the Christian Life, has come out under RevPress and is available online through Amazon, Evergreen Press, or by writing yours truly. I found this by accident today. I did a google search of my book and first discovered it being sold by an English onliine bookstoer for eleven pounds, twenty-eght shillings. You can't imagine how fun it is to say "shillings" in regard to something I've written. Mapping the Christian Life is about the stages we Christians go through in our journey from initial contact with Christ to our final days on earth with Him. It is based on the Psalms of Degrees, the fifteen psalms that lie between Psalm 120 and 134. My goal in writing this book is to give Christian leaders, pastors, and ordinary Christians some perspective on the long road before them. We often think about where we are today. We do not think enough about where we were and where we will be tomorrow in regard to our faith. I hope you will all order the book now and read it. When you do, I would appreciate it if you would drop me a line telling me how you like it. I am looking for testimonials to help when I present it to others. I have set up a new blog for the book. You can reach it by clicking on the picture of the book or by navigating to http://Mappingthechristianlife.blogspot.com. I am also looking for opportunities to speak about this and other related issues. You can reach me at bfleming2@carolina.rr.com. In future weeks, you'll be seeing many kinds of things on this blog. I hope you'll become a regular follower of mine. Whether you do or don't, I hope you won't be shy about giving me your feedback.

Fair's Fair

In Matthew 19, A rich man came to Jesus. He said “Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus said. “There is none good but God.” Jesus told him to obey the commandments. The man responded by saying “which ones?” We break commandments all the time. Can we say that any commandment is less important than another? Jesus goes on to tell the rich man he should be perfect. If he wanted to be perfect, he had one more thing to do—sell everything and follow Him. It was a price too big for him to play. He went away. He couldn’t let go of his possessions. But his story isn’t about the rich man. It’s about Peter and the other who watched this go down. Peter was a working class boy. He’d seen the kind of person this rich kid was—pampered and spoiled. Who could blame him if he felt satisfaction at seeing this boy put down? He wondered. Is it really fair, if at this late date, this rich boy gave it all up and followed Jesus, he would get the same reward as him? So he said in verse 27. "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" What if this rich kid had repented and he had received eternal life? Is it fair for this kid to get what he got? Is it fair for him to receive the kingdom just like Peter and the others, who had followed Jesus for three years? How could this boy have what they had. I’ve heard this same sentiment in the church. Old families think they should be treated more favorably than young families. New believers have been told they should take a back seat to old ones? There is no limitation in the Kingdom. If you get a piece, that doesn’t make my piece any smaller. But Jesus assures Peter in 28 and 29: "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” Jesus adds “Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” He repeats this in verse 20:16. Between these two, He tells this parable. Matthew 20:1-16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' "'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. "He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." The workers have a point. If you hire one man and he works for twelve hours and you give him one denarius, then hire a man to work for one hour and you give him one denarius too, the second man makes twelve times as much per houcr as the first. When they complain, the boss says it’s none of their business if he wants to be generous. Jesus lets this stand as a rebuke to those who insist on fairness. What does it mean to be fair? The online dictionary lists more than sixteen meanings of fair. Among them are: o Free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice, ex. a fair decision. o Proper under the rules: a fair fight. o Moderately large or ample: a fair amount. o Moderately or tolerably good: a fair health o without irregularity or unevenness: a fair surface. o pleasing in appearance; attractive: a fair young maiden. o Having stable and normal vital signs: fair condition. What these definitions have in common is evenness. Fair is even, smooth, and balanced. Fairness is everyone getting the proper amount. In a fair world, everyone would have the same. Those who worked a full work day would be paid the same for the same hourly work. Lawyers would bet ten dollars an hour instead of two hundred. Or else laborers would be paid fifty, like auto mechanics. But who decides the amount everyone should be paid? Should we all get ten dollars or fifty for the same work? Who determines the equivalency of work, anyway? No one can agree with what’s fair. But that doesn’t stop us from arguing about it. We don’t know what’s fair in our families. Husbands and wives can never agree on what’s fair. Should the man take out the garbage? Should the woman cook and be expected to cut the grass? Anyone who has ever raised children has been told that they are “no fair.” We question whether God is fair. We say to God that it isn’t fair a loved one died. It isn’t fair that we get sick, or get a cold, or lose the lottery. We go through the same problems the rest of the world does, but somehow we think that God is particularly picking on us. Wars have been fought over fairness. The Germans resented the way they were treated after World War I, and this led to World War II. Criminals often have the greatest since of fairness. They justify their crimes it by claiming life wasn’t fair to them so they have the right to cheat and get what’s coming to them. It isn’t always fair to be fair. Mercy is greater. If we all got what we deserved, none of us would have anything. Besides, who decides what’s coming to us? Jesus said “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” Jesus did not mean that we should judge unless absolutely necessary, not even judge whether or not life if fair. Our sense of fairness and judgment is so flawed by sin that it is largely unusable. No matter how wise we think we are, we are not wise enough to judge other people, or God. “The last shall be first and the first last,” Jesus said. Those who have the most to be forgiven will get the most forgiveness. That doesn’t mean that the rest of us can’t be forgiven, too. It just means that God is in charge of settling accounts. This isn’t easy. The itch to judge is so deep in us that we just have to scratch it God put it in us for a reason—one day we’ll judge the earth. Until then, we must refrain. The desire to judge is much like the desire for sex. God put the capacity to judge in us for a particular time and place. When we need to decide what’s fair, that capacity is in us. Until then, we learn and grow more from not using it than from using it. We refrain from judging what’s fair for the same reason a teenager ought to refrain from sex, because or judgment is not fully formed. We are too immature to use it. But how? The desire to judge is strong in us. If we don’t watch it, it will be all we think about. There are people in this world who are as obsessed with judging as others are obsessed with sex. They have to justify or condemn ever situation. They have an opinion on everything, no matter how ill-informed they are on the subject. They divide people into two categories. . Everyone is either good or bad to them. Everything that happens is either fair or unfair. They think that the whole world is their business. First, recognize our own limitations. We can’t judge because we never know all the facts. Our judgment is based on our knowledge, what we see and hear. It cannot be based on what we do not know. To judge people now is not to have all the facts at hand. Second, recognize our own sinfulness. Even if we had all the facts, our selfishness and sinfulness gets in the way. We have all been hurt, too. Even if we were absolutely sinless, we could not avoid bringing our own prejudices and pain into any decision we make. Third, recognize God’s completeness. The real reason we do not judge is because to judge is to usurp the place of God. He is the judge, jury, and the executioner of the wicked. He doesn’t need our help. “God isn’t fair.” Think for a moment about the absurdity of that remark. How could the one who invented what’ fair be unfair? If he did it, by definition it becomes fair. Besides, if God weren’t fair, how would we know? Are we in a position to judge Him, when we can’t possibly know what He knows? If God is unfair, we should be grateful. If God treated us fairly, we would all be judged. It is only our arrogance which makes us think that we deserve better treatment than we get. Letting go of fairness is a liberating experience. Once we give up being the world’s regulators, we can get on with enjoying ourselves. We can celebrate the magnificent generosity of God, without worrying about what other had. Think for a moment about those day laborers in Jesus’ parable. In the first batch of laborers, there was more than one hired. Let’s suppose at the end of the day, one complained of mistreatment, because others got what he got. Now let’s suppose there was one who didn’t complain. While one complains, the other goes home. He is out living life, while the other is grumbling and stewing. There are two ways we can live this life. One is to be God’s policemen, judging others, trying to regulate the fairness of the world, and failing at every turn to be really fair. The other way is to let God be His own policeman, and live instead in the enjoyment of His blessing. As we said last week, he Kingdom of Heaven is a party. It is much better to be a guest, than to be the bouncer.

Come to the Party!

"A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'" Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Is this story realistic? Why would a man force other people to come to a party. It seems strange behavior, even in Jesus’ day. Jesus begins by saying “A certain man.“ What kind of man? He must be someone wealthy and powerful or else he would not have servants. Powerful men travel in powerful circles. They do not just socialize—they network. Such a man does not just throw a party--he throws an event. Parties are part of the way he impresses on others his wealth and power. They not just about weddings or birthdays—they are about showing the world how strong you are, and have become. Jesus doesn’t give the circumstances of the party One thing is clear, though, this party was intended to impress. Other powerful men would be coming. This would show them that this was a man of means. All was in readiness. Gallons of wine? Check. Mountains of meats and sweets? Check. Dazzling entertainment for every taste? Check. Hired waiters and servants to stand at his beck and call? Check. Everything was in readiness, except one thing—the guests. Not all the guests, of course. The people he wanted to impress would be there. However, he was concerned about what they would see. They would see an empty banquet hall, with mounds of food and only a few people. This would be a disaster. It would send the message that he was unimportant. He had prepared a list of the most important people in town to grace his banquet hall that night. One by one they made their excuses. There was no specific reason his guests did not come. There were many. Each one of them had what they thought to be a valid excuse. “I just purchased a field and I have to go inspect it.” “I just got a team of oxen, and I have to train them.” “Don’t bother me now—I just got married!” The list of excuses was probably a lot longer than that. Each thought had a valid personal reason for not going to the party. Not one of them had something that could not be put off of for a day or two. You can always inspect new property. You can always check out the horses. When you get married, you will always have your wife. Isn’t this the same situation God is in? God’s majesty and glory demands that he be worshipped. God had prepared a list of people who were to worship Him—Israel. But God’s people did not come. One by one we make our excuses. “God, I would like to worship you, I really would. But you know how it is. There’s so much to do at work. I’ve got a business trip, that I have to take. Afterwards, we’ll get together. I promise.” “Jesus, I know you want us to spend time together, but—well, you know. We’ve got a new crew to manage on the job. This is the weekend of our training seminar. It’s only once a year, and the rest of the time I can spend with you.” “Jesus’ I’ll be back to prayer soon, but—well, we’ve just been married. You know how important family values are. I’ve got to take care of my wife, then I’ll come back to you.” One by one, we make our excuses, but we forget one thing--- The kingdom of God is a party. It’s not a duty. It’s not a solemn occasion. It’s a time nad a place where people come, have fun, and rest. It’s a time of refreshment. The whole purpose of the gathering for the guests is to enjoy themselves. The greatest missed opportunities in our lives are not the things we avoid, but simply the things we fail to appreciate. We live our lives like a man who walks through acres of diamonds, and all we see are shiny rocks. We do not know what is ours, if only we will take the chance. This man was willing to give his friends and acquaintances a party. There would be music, dancing, gifts and favors, laughter, entertainment, joy. In exchange, the man asked only one thing—to glorify his name. The whole purpose of the party was to bring glory to the man who threw it. The purpose of the party of God is to bring glory to him, and let the whole world know how wonderful and powerful he is. So what kind of message do we send about God to the world, when we find every opportunity to miss it? Ton Compolo was right when he said that the kingdom of God is a party--Not some timid after church pot luck, but an eye-popping, full-on blowout of a party. It’s a party that lasts forever. Yet here we are, wallowing in the mundane, selling real estate and breaking horses while the King of Glory beckons us towards paradise. The world is full of unforgettable wonders. The problem is that they come with a price. The price seems nothing when you have seen what there is to see, but on the unseen side of them, before you get to them, it seems like a burden and a drag. If someone says to you, “Let’s go to church,” how do you feel? For many of us, it seems like more of a prison sentence than a party. Who can blame people for thinking this way—after all, we treat church like a prison, sometimes, or a dose of castor oil. We say to our children. “Go to church, it’s what you’re supposed to do. Go to church, you need it. Go to church, I had to do it, and so do you.” Who can wonder why kids don’t see church as a party? I sympathize with people who think this way. Church really isn’t fun, sometimes. But it’s not just a worship service that we’re being invited to attend. It’s a divine party. What’s party-like about the Kingdom of God? For one thing, it’s a place where we’re welcome. The first rule of throwing a party is to treat all guests as welcome. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God welcomes you. His presence is the one place where we are all the same. His company is the one company where we are all equal. For another thing, there are riches there beyond imagining. Nothing is withheld from us—nothing. We can enjoy the riches of the world, because the King o Glory gives them to us. For a third thing, we can’t beat the company. We get to spend all of eternity with Jesus Christ. He is the one who is really in control. Yet for all this, we make excuses. This man is in danger of being embarrassed. So he decides upon a daring course of action—kidnapping. He tells his servants. “Go out to the highways and hedges and make them come.” In other words, shanghai them! This was often done in those days. The Roman roads, for example, were built in just such a manner. If a road was built through your town, the mayor had the authority to force every citizen to work on the road crew. Slaves and patricians worked side by side, it didn’t matter who. They were legally entitled to kidnap people for any purpose. If they could force you on a road crew, they could certainly force you to a party. This story is found in all three of the first three Gospels. One difference between Luke’s version and the other is the phrase, “and hedges.” He tells his servants to search the highways and hedges. Don’t just stop with the people on the road. Is you see a guy out trimming is hedge, grab him, too. If someone tries to jump the fence, grab him and drag him back. God’s banquet hall must be full. It’s really a funny picture, servants chasing strangers to shanghai them to a party. But it makes sense. The master was embarrassed by the ones he invited. They let him down, because they would not come when he needed them. Don’t worry, God is no going to force you to come to church. He gives you freedom not to come, if you wish. But God is making sure that His banquet hall will be full. If it is not full of Presbyterians, it will be full of Baptists If it is not full with the Baptists, he might open the door and let in a few Catholics. If it is not full of church people, then he is liable to go out to the homeless shelters and the crack houses and the biker bars and pull in a few people to the kingdom that might surprise you. One way or another, He will be worshipped and glorified. But if He has do to that, you are going to miss out. He will not hold the door open to us forever. Verse 26-27 is one of the harshest things Jesus ever said "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Notice the context. He is not inviting us to die. He is inviting us to party. Eternal happiness and joy. If the cross for that is forsaking our father and mother, it will be worth it. If the cost is to be nailed to a cross, then it is worth that, too. It is worth the nailing and the pain and the suffering. You can come, too, though you may have to die to get here. But in the end, it will all be worth it. My friend Tom Marshburn, in is trek up the Pacific Crest trail, rights about crossing the high Sierras. He had a devil of a time getting to the top. He lost the trail, encountered bears, and had to chop his way through the underbrush for hours. He was discouraged and exhausted. Then suddenly, he was at the top, and saw the world stretched out at his feet. Suddenly, he did not care any more. The view was worth the trouble. God’s party is worth it, too.