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!

June 26, 2005

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD

A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TOWARD PORTVILLE, NEW YORK, WHERE I WAS SERVING A CHURCH THERE. PORTVILLE, AS YOU MAY KNOW IS JUST EAST OF OLEAN, NEW YORK, IN THE SOUTHERN TIER.

AS I WAS DRIVING, NANCY WAS IN THE CARE TOO, I COULD SEE A LONG LINE OF CARS AHEAD OF ME. USUALLY THE DRIVE FROM OLEAN TO PORTVILLE ISN'T TOO BUSY, BUT THIS DAY IT WAS.

THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LONG LINE OF CARS AHEAD ME CAME TO A HALT. I HIT MY BRAKES JUST IN TIME TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF US.

BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAR BEHIND US DID NOT REALIZE THAT ALL THE CARS WERE STOPPING. HE SLAMMED INTO THE REAR OF OUR CAR.

FORTUNATELY, THE SPEED OF THE OVERALL PROCESSION WAS SLOW ENOUGH THAT NANCY AND I WERE NOT HURT. BUT, THE BACK OF MY CAR? THAT WAS A DIFFERENT STORY.

ACTUALLY, THE BACK OF MY CAR HAD BEEN DENTED BEFORE BECAUSE OF ANOTHER ACCIDENT.

SO, WHEN THIS MOST RECENT CAR HIT THE BACK OF OUR CAR, MY RESPONSE? WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT FIRST DENT IN OUR CAR AND THE LATEST ONE FIXED FOR FREE. BECAUSE WHOEVER PLOWS INTO THE REAR OF YOUR CAR IS AUTOMATICALLY AT FAULT.

SO, WE GOT BOTH DENTS FIXED.

NOW, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THE SCRIPTURE VERSE THAT AMANDA READ FOR THIS MORNING DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY COME TO MIND, "WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE."

WHEN THAT OTHER DRIVER HIT THE BACK OF OUR CAR, THAT VERSE DID NOT COME TO MIND, BUT THE IDEA OF IT DID.

FOR I TRULY BELIEVE THAT GOD WORKS FOR GOOD AND THAT GOD WORKS FOR GOOD IN ALL THINGS.

THAT GOD WORKS FOR GOOD, LET'S RECALL A FEW VERSES OF THE 23RD PSALM.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.

HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES.
HE LEADS ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS.
HE RESTORES MY SOUL.

OR FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT, FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE US HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON … ."

CERTAINLY GOD IS WORKING FOR GOOD.

BUT THEN HERE IS WHAT SOMETIMES SEEMS TO BE THE TOUGH PART. FOR THE SCRIPTURE SAYS "WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD . . . ."

"ALL THINGS?"

A WEEK AGO THURSDAY, ON JUNE 16TH , EARLY IN THE MORNING, MANY INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL OVER WYOMING COUNTY MET AT THE BURNCLIFF CONFERENCE CENTER. FROM OUR CONGREGATION, NECOLE HURLEY WAS THERE.

WE WENT TO HEAR A SPEAKER, A NATIVE OF THIS AREA, BOB ALMETER.

BUT IT TOO WAS A SOMBER OCCASION. AND WE KNEW THAT GOING IN.

FOR IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME THAT BOB HAD RETURNED TO HIS HOME COUNTY TO TALK ABOUT A TRAGEDY IN HIS LIFE AND THAT OF HIS FAMILY.

HE HAD TOLD THIS STORY, KATIE'S STORY, MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. HE HAD TOLD HIS STORY TO HUNDREDS OF HIGH SCHOOL GROUPS, COLLEGE GROUPS, LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUPS.

BUT THIS TIME HE WAS TELLING IT TO HOMETOWN FOLK. AND HE WASN'T SURE HE COULD GET THROUGH TELLING IT TO US. BUT HE WAS WILLING TO TRY.

SO, IN AN UNFORGETTABLE WAY HE BEGAN TELLING US OF HIS BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER KATIE, WHO HAD BEEN A FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENT.

HE TOLD US ABOUT HER GROWING UP, LOVE OF SPORTS, HER BEING A STATE TRACK CHAMPION. HE TOLD US OF HER TWO BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD, TWO GIRL FRIENDS.

AS HE TOLD HIS STORY, HE CARRIED KLEENEX AND WOULD OFTEN WIPE AWAY A TEAR. HE USED SEVERAL KLEENEX AS HE SHARED. IT WAS LIKE IT HAD HAPPENED YESTERDAY.

THEN, AS WE KNEW HE WOULD, HE SHARED HOW HIS DAUGHTER AND HER TWO BEST FRIENDS HAD GOTTEN INTO A VEHICLE WITH THREE BOYS, ONE OF WHOM, PROBABLY ALL THREE, BUT THE DRIVER IN PARTICULAR WAS LEGALLY DRUNK.

HE TOLD US OF THE EYE WITNESSES WHO HAD SEEN THEM SPED OFF THAT NIGHT. AND HOW, AFTER ONLY 38 SECONDS, HAD SLAMMED INTO A HUGE OAK TREE KILLING INSTANTLY KATIE AND HER TWO BEST FRIENDS.

WHEN BOB ALMETER RECEIVED THE NEWS OF HIS DAUGHTERS DEATH, I IMAGINE HE DID NOT THINK EITHER OF TODAY'S VERSE FROM THE BIBLE, "WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD … ."

ESPECIALLY THAT PART, "ALL THINGS, LORD, ALL THINGS?" MY DAUGHTER AND HER TWO BEST FRIENDS?

BUT EVEN THOUGH THAT BIBLE VERSE MAY NOT HAVE COME TO MIND IN THOSE HORRIFIC MOMENTS, OVER TIME THE IDEA HAS.

AFTER BOB'S TALK WAS OVER, THE PARTNERS FOR PREVENTION STAFF HANDED OUT THESE KEYS CHANGES.

IT IS A SIMPLE KEY CHANGE. IT SIMPLY SAYS KATIE. HE WOULD LIKE EACH OF US TO USE IT AS OUR KEY CHANGE.

FOR BOB SAID THAT HE WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW KATIE PERSONALLY AND NEVER TO FORGET HER.

SO WHEN ANYONE SEES ANYONE ONE DRINKING, THEY DO NOT LET THEM DRIVE. OR WHEN A POLICE OFFICER IS ABOUT TO HEAD BACK TO THE STATION AFTER A TIRING DAY AND THEY SEE SOMEONE WEAVING DOWN THE ROAD, THAT THEY MAKE THAT EFFORT TO STOP THAT DRIVER.

IN FACT, BOB SAID THAT HE IS VERY GRATIFIED AS HE HAS SEEM MANY POLICE OFFICES HAVE THIS KEY CHANGE WITH KATIE'S NAME ON IT HANGING FROM THEIR REAR VIEW MIRRORS.

NOTHING CAN REPLACE BOB'S LOST OF HIS DAUGHTER. AT THE SAME TIME, BY BOB'S TELLING THE STORY OF HIS DAUGHTER, AS DIFFICULT AS THAT IS, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, HE IS CREATING INCREDIBLE GOOD. FOR NONE OF US WHO HEARD KATIE'S STORY THAT MORNING WILL EVER FORGET IT.

AND THANKS TO BOB, WE ARE JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS NOW WHO HAVE HEARD THAT STORY ACROSS NEW YORK. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY LIVES HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAVED.

BOB HAS FOUND A WAY THAT EVEN HIS TRAGEDY WORKS TOGETHER FOR GOOD. ALL THINGS, ALL THINGS.

I REMEMBER WHEN OUR SON, JEFFERSON WAS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. THEN TWO MONTHS LATER HE WAS HEADING FOR COLLEGE.

HE WOULD BE AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME. I REMEMBER MY WAY OF COPING WITH THAT WAS TO DENY THAT I HAD ANY FEELINGS.

BUT THEN CAME THE DAY, AFTER PACKING FOR A WEEK, TO LEAVE HOME. JEFF BACKED OUR OF OUR DRIVEWAY AT 109 LAKE STREET LOOKING VERY HAPPY. THEN A I STARTED TO BACK OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY AND SAW HIM BACKING OUT IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR, IT ALL HIT ME. THOUGH FORTUNATELY IT WASN'T, IT FELT LIKE A SOMEONE HAD JUST DIED. JEFF, OUR SON, WAS LEAVING HOME.

"WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD…"

BUT IN THAT MOMENT, IT DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAY.

SOMETIMES TOO THERE CAN BE A CHANGE IN PASTORS. UNEXPECTEDLY A CHANGE OCCURS. AND WHEN YOU HAVE FELT CLOSE TO THAT PASTOR, REMEMBERING WHEN HE WAS THERE IN TIMES OF CRISIS AND JOY. AND WHEN THE CHANGE IS UNEXPECTED BY THE PASTOR AND HIS WIFE TOO.

"WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD…" ALL THINGS, LORD, ALL THINGS?

YET, HOW COULD PAUL HAVE WRITTEN THOSE WORDS, "ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD…?" WHAT IS IT BASED ON?

FOR ONE IT IS BASED ON PAUL'S OWN EXPERIENCE WITH GOD THAT WAS A REDEEMING ONE EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR, STEPHEN.

YET, MORE THAN THAT, IT IS BASED ON THE CROSS, THE CROSS ON WHICH JESUS DIED.

FOR WHAT WORSE THING COULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED THEN THE HORRIBLE AND CRUEL DEATH OF THE SON OF GOD ON A CROSS WHEN HE DID NOT EVEN DESERVE IT.

YET, WHEN WE THING OF THE CROSS, DO WE THINK OF SOMETHING BAD OR SOMETHING AMAZING GOOD, EVEN DIVINE?

THE CROSS REMINDS THAT GOD HAS OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD, HEARTACHE WITH HOPE ETERNAL, EVEN DEATH WITH LIFE.

IN OTHER WORDS, GOD KNOWS HOW TO TAKE ANY SITUATION, NO MATTER HOW BAD IT MAY SEEM TO THE INDIVIDUAL OR OTHERS AND TURN IT INTO A SITUATION OVER WHICH ONE CAN REJOICE.

FOR GOD HAS A WAY OF MAKING ALL THINGS, ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.

I WAS TALKING WITH REV. MELBA MEYER THE OTHER DAY. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CHANGE IN OUR CONGREGATION FOR YOU AND ME. AND THE THOUGHT THAT CAME TO HER WAS THIS, "WAIT UPON THE LORD." THROUGH THE FEELINGS AND THINGS FEELING DIFFERENT FOR AWHILE, "WAIT UPON THE LORD," FOR THE LORD WILL CREATE SOMETHING WONDERFUL AND GOOD.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK MELBA IS RIGHT. "FOR WE KNOW ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD… ."

IN TIME, LET US PREPARE FOR THE GOOD GOD HAS IN STORE.

FOR, AS THE SCRIPTURE CONTINUES, "WE KNOW ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, FOR THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE."

AND WHETHER YOU ARE A GRADUATE TODAY, A CHURCH MEMBER OR FRIEND, A PASTOR, WE ALL ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO GOD'S GOOD PURPOSE.

MAY EACH SEEK TO BE FAITHFUL TO GOD'S CALL ON EACH OF OUR LIVES TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSE.

FOR I CAN SEE IT NOW, "FOR THOSE WHO WAIT FOR THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH, I FEEL IT NOW.

YOU, GRADUATES, SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS LIKE EAGLES,

YOU, AS A CONGREGATION, SHALL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY,

YOU SHALL WALK AND NOT FAINT."

IN ALL THINGS, WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.

Webmaster's note:

This is Doug Wilson's last sermon as Pastor of Perry UMC - we will miss him, and wish him all the best at the Geneseo UMC.

Please take some time to browse our Sermon Archives - where we'll be storing sermons for you to enjoy again...

Also you may email the church for any Sermons you'd like to see again. perryumc@frontiernet.net