Celebrating the freeing, supportive presence of God.  So your experience of God may become your experience of life.  It is wonderful what God can do!

  

 

February 6, 2005

Sermon Archive

THE LOG IN YOUR EYE

    

ONE OF THE MORE FAMOUS QUOTES FROM JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT GOES LIKE THIS. JESUS SAID, "DO NOT JUDGE, SO THAT YOU MAY NOT BE JUDGED. (NOW, HERE IS THE PART OF THE QUOTE I WAS THINKING OF.) WHY DO YOU SEE THE SPECK IN YOUR NEIGHBOR'S EYE, BUT DO NOT NOTICE THE LOG IN YOUR OWN EYE? OR HOW CAN YOU SAY TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, 'LET ME TAKE THE SPECK OUT OF YOUR EYE,' WHILE THE LOG IS IN YOUR OWN EYE? YOU HYPOCRITE, FIRST TAKE THE LOG OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE, AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CLEARLY THE SPECK OUT OF YOUR NEIGHBOR'S EYE."

OF COURSE, WE THINK OF JESUS AS NOT ONLY "TALKING THE TALK" BUT "WALKING THE WALK." AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, WHEN DID JESUS LOOK TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY LOGS IN HIS EYE BEFORE COMMENTING ON THE SPECK'S IN OTHER PEOPLES EYES?

THE ANSWER? THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN OUR LECTIONARY SCRIPTURE LESSON FOR TODAY. THESE VERSES ARE OFTEN CALLED THE TEMPTATIONS OF CHRIST. FOR THEY DEPICT THE TEMPTATIONS THAT JESUS ANTICIPATED FACING IN HIS MINISTRY.

BUT, BEFORE WE GET TO THOSE TEMPTATIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF POINTS.

THE FIRST IS THAT JESUS WAS WILLING TO LOOK AT HIS OWN LIFE FIRST BEFORE TRYING TO LEAD OTHERS IN THEIRS. HE WAS WILLING TO LOOK FOR ANY LOGS IN HIS EYE BEFORE COMMENTING ON ANY SPECKS IN OTHERS' EYES.

FOR JUST AFTER JESUS WAS BAPTIZED BY JOHN IN THE JORDAN, JESUS HEADED INTO THE WILDERNESS FOR A TIME OF RETREAT. AT THE BAPTISM, GOD HAD JUST SAID TO HIM, "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED." YET JESUS KNEW THAT TO TRY TO FULFILL HIS MISSION AS THE SON OF GOD PERFECTLY, THAT HE HAD TO PREPARE.

HE KNEW THAT HE HAD TO LOOK AT HIS OWN LIFE FIRST TO SEE WHERE HE MIGHT POTENTIALLY FALL OR FAIL.

SO HE FIRST OF ALL FACED HIS OWN POTENTIAL TEMPTATIONS.

TODAY IS THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. AND THAT IS WHAT LENT IS ALL ABOUT. IT MEANT TO BE TIME TO EXAMINE OUR OWN LIVES. IT IS MEANT TO BE A TIME TO LOOK FOR ANY REAL OR POTENTIAL LOGS IN OUR OWN EYES BEFORE CONSIDERING COMMENTING ON THE SPECKS IN OTHERS EYES.

AND WHAT IS OUR MEASURING STICK TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY LOGS IN OUR OWN EYES. AS CHRISTIANS, OUR MEASURING STICK IS CHRIST.

IN OTHERS WORDS, NOT JUST BY OUR OWN EVALUATION OF OURSELVES, BUT IN THE LIGHT OF JESUS' LIFE, IS THERE ANY LOG YOU OR I NEED TO CONSIDER REMOVING FROM OUR LIFE?

SOME OF YOUR KNOW NORM SYLOR. HE WAS THE CAMP DIRECTOR AT CAMP ASBURY FOR MANY YEARS. HE USED TO REPEAT A PHRASE FROM TIME TO TIME THAT STILL STICKS WITH ME TODAY. IT WENT LIKE THIS. YOU MAY BE HE ONLY BIBLE SOMEONE ELSE MAY EVER READ.

IN OTHER WORDS, OTHERS JUDGE OUR ACTIONS. AND IF OUR ACTIONS REFLECT THE LIFE OF JESUS, THEN OTHERS MAY HAVE THEN "READ THE BIBLE" AND BE INSPIRED TO BE MORE CHRIST LIKE TOO.

ALSO, YOU AND I KNOW WITHIN OURSELVES HOW WE NEED TO CHANGE TO TRY TO BE MORE CHRIST LIKE IN OUR LIVES.

SO, AGAIN, LENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FOR THE LOGS IN OUR OWN EYES AS CHRIST WAS WILLING TO LOOK FOR ANY LOGS IN HIS.

A SECOND POINT IS THIS. CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT JESUS GOAL IN LIFE. HE WAS THE SON OF GOD BY BIRTH. YET, WHAT WAS IT GOING TO MEAN TO FULFILL BEING THE SON OF GOD AND OF BEING OUR SAVIOR TOO.

JESUS KNEW THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO BE EASY. HE KNEW THAT IT WOULD TAKE REAL SACRIFICE. HE KNEW FOR HIM THAT IT WOULD COST HIM HIS OWN LIFE.

YET, MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW WAS HE GOING TO LIVE HIS LIFE TO FULFILL HIS CALLING AS THE SON OF GOD AND SAVIOR?

AND TO TRANSLATE THAT INTO OUR OWN LIFE? YOUR GOAL AND MINE IS NOT BE A THE SON OF GOD OR SAVIOR. IN A WAY THAT IS A RELIEF.

YET, YOUR GOAL AND MINE, SHOULD WE CHOOSE THIS MISSION, SIMPLY IS TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST.

THERE MANY THINGS WE COULD AND DO WITH OUR LIVES. YET, WHAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE? WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOCUS OR CALLING OR DUTY OF YOUR LIFE?

I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST. IT IS THE HIGHEST GOAL THERE CAN BE.

SO, JESUS WAS WILLING TO LOOK FOR ANY LOGS IN HIS EYE SO HE COULD MAKE HIS GOAL OF BEING THE SON OF GOD AND OUR SAVIOR.

LIKEWISE, YOU ARE INVITED, CALLED TO LOOK FOR ANY LOGS IN YOUR EYE SO THAT YOU CAN FULFILL THE MEANING OF BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST.

FOR, AGAIN, THERE IS NO HIGHER CALLING, NO MORE IMPORTANT GOAL, NO MORE CHALLENGING GOAL THAT CAN MAKE THE MOST POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE AND THE WORLDS OR BE MORE FULFILLING THAN BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST.

THUS, AS JESUS WAS AWARE OF HIS GOAL IN LIFE TO BE THE SON OF GOD AND SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, SO TOO YOU ARE INVITED TO CONSIDER YOUR PRIMARY GOAL IN LIFE AND THAT SUCH A GOAL BE NOTHING LESS THAN BEING A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE OF CHRIST.

SO, WITH THAT IN MIND, THAT JESUS WAS WILLING TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY LOGS IN HIS OWN EYE BECAUSE HE WANTED TO FULFILL THE PURPOSE FOR HIS LIFE, LET US LOOK AT WHAT POTENTIAL LOGS HE COULD BE FACING AS THE SON OF GOD.

LOOKING AT VERSE 3, "THE TEMPTER CAME AND SAID TO JESUS, "IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, COMMAND THESE STONES TO BECOME LOAVES OF BREAD."

THE TEMPTER WANTED JESUS TO MISUSE HIS POWER AS THE SON OF GOD.

YET, JESUS' REPONSES? "IT IS WRITTEN, 'ONE DOES NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

AND, TURNING TO A FINAL TEMPTATION FOR JESUS, "THE DEVIL TOOK HIM TO A VERY HIGH MOUNTAIN AND SHOWED HIM ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD AND THEIR SPLENDOR; AND HE SAID TO HIM, 'ALL THESE I WILL GIVE TO YOU, IF YOU WILL FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP ME.'

THIS TEMPTATION REMINDS US TO CONSIDER WHOSE KINGDOM ARE WE WORKING FOR.

"AND JESUS SAID TO HIM, 'AWAY WITH YOU SATAN! FOR IT IS WRITTEN, 'WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE ONLY HIM."

THOSE WERE TWO OF JESUS TEMPTATIONS. AND WE CAN RELATE THE MEANING OF THOSE TEMPTATIONS TO OUR LIVES.

YET, PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT ARE YOUR TEMPTATIONS BECAUSE OF WHO YOU HAPPEN TO BE? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED TO CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE SO YOUR LIFE TAKES ANOTHER STEP TOWARD REFLECTING THE LIFE OF CHRIST?

ON ASH WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK, I MET WITH TWO GROUPS OF PERSONS. FIRST THE RELEASE TIME CHRISTIAN EDUCATION PUPILS CAME AT 1:45 PM. AND WITH THEM, WE HAD AN ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE.

AS PART OF THAT SERVICE, I ASKED THEM WHAT POSITIVE CHANGE THEY COULD MAKE IN THEIR LIVES FOR LENT.

IN FACT, THEY EACH WROTE DOWN THEIR THOUGHT ON A PIECE OF PAPER. THEN, EACH PUPIL FOLDED THEIR PAPER AND PUT IT IN A BUCKET AND WE THEN BURNED THEM, FOR THEIR THOUGHT WAS BETWEEN THEM AND GOD.

THEN, I TOLD THAT THEM IT WOULD TAKE A BIG EFFORT TO MAKE THAT POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES. SO AS AN EXPRESSION OF THAT EFFORT, I INVITED THEM TO POUND A NAIL IN THE CROSS THAT WE SEE HERE THIS MORNING. AND EACH OF THEM POUNDED A NAIL IN THE CROSS.

AND THEY WERE INVITED TO PICK UP A POCKET CROSS THAT THEY COULD CARRY WITH THEM THROUGHOUT LENT TO REMIND THAT OF THE POSITIVE CHANGE THEY WERE SEEKING TO MAKE IN THEIR LIFE FOR THE 40 DAYS OF LENT.

ALSO, MANY THAT AFTERNOON AND OTHERS THAT EVENING IN THE ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE RECEIVED THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES AS A SIGN OF REPENTANCE AND THEIR SEEKING TO BE A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST IN A WAY THAT THE SPIRIT LEAD THEM FOR LENT.

WE CAN SEE THE NAILS ON THE CROSS THIS MORNING OF THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY MADE THEIR COMMITMENT. AND THIS CROSS WILL BE SET UP ON THE FRONT LAWN OF OUR CHURCH THROUGHOUT LENT WITH THESE SIGNS OF THEIR COMMITMENT.

AFTER BOTH SERVICES, I WAS TALKING WITH PERSONS ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT FOR LENT. AND, OF COURSE, I CANNOT REVEAL WHAT THEY SHARED. BUT LET ME SAY THIS, I WAS DEEPLY MOVED BY THE DEPTH OF SOUL SEARCHING THAT PERSONS HAD PUT INTO LOOKING AT THEMSELVES AND INCREDIBLE SACRIFICE THEY WERE WILLING TO MAKE IN THEIR LIVES SO THEIR LIFE COULD BE MORE LIKE CHRIST'S.

THUS, AS THEY HAVE RESPONDED, SO I INVITE EVERYONE TO RESPOND.

AS THE SPIRIT LED CHRIST INTO THE WILDERNESS, HOW IS THE SPIRIT LEADING YOU LOOK AT THE LOG IN YOUR EYE. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP OR SACRIFICE OR ALSO ADD FOR LENT SO YOUR LIFE CAN REFLECT CHRIST'S MORE FULLY. THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS IN THE INSERT IN YOUR BULLETIN TODAY. YET, PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD SAYING TO YOU THIS MORNING?

DURING THIS TIME OF HOLY COMMUNION, I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE YOUR TIME IN THE WILDERNESS, YOUR TIME OF BEING LED APART BY THE SPIRIT.

AND AS CHRIST WAS WILLING TO LOOK AT HIMSELF, I INVITE YOU TO LOOK AT YOURSELF.

IF YOU DECIDE TO THERE IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO LET GO OF OR SACRIFICE FOR LENT AND/OR IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU FEEL THE SPIRIT IS LEADING YOU TO ADD DURING LENT SUCH AS ATTENDING ONE OF THE SPECIAL STUDIES OR SERVING GOD IN A NEW WAY TO YOU, I INVITE YOU TO PICK UP A POCKET CROSS.

THE THEME FOR THIS LENTEN SEASON IS FROM THE WORDS OF JESUS, "TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME."

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU TO "TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW CHRIST" FOR THIS LENTEN SEASON?

 

 

 

Up 11-28-2004 12-05-2004 12-24-2004 1-02-2005 1-09-2005 1-16-2005 1-23-2005 1-30-2005 2-06-2005 3-06-2005 3-13-2005 3-20-2005 03-27-2005 04-10-2005 4-17-2005 04-24-2005 05-01-2005 05-08-2005 05-15-2005 05-22-2005 05-29-2005 06-05-2005 6-19-2005 6-26-2005 7-03-2005 7-10-2005 7-17-2005 7-24-2005 8-07-2005 8-14-2005 8-21-2005 8-28-2005 9-04-2005 9-11-2005 9-18-2005 9-25-2005 10-23-2005 10-30-2005 11-06-2005 11-13-2005 11-27-2005 Thanksgiving-2005 12-04-2005 12-18-2005 1-08-2006 1-15-2006 1-22-2006 1-29-2006 2-05-2006 2-19-2006 2-26-2006 3-05-2006 3-12-2006 3-26-2006 4-02-2006 4-09-2006 4-16-2006 4-23-2006 4-30-2006 5-07-2006 5-14-2006 6-04-2006 6-18-2006 6-25-2006 7-02-2006 7-16-2006 7-23-2006 8-06-2006 8-20-2006 9-03-2006 9-10-2006 9-17-2006 9-24-2006 10-01-2006 10-08-2006 11-26-2006 12-03-2006 12-10-2006 12-24-2006 01-14-2007 02-10-2008 3-2-2008