Sermon Sampler (September 12th) - Heavenly Parties

This past weekend marked the 9th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and (thanks to the heroism of ordinary people) a field in Pennsylvania. These events which all occurred on the same day, have come to be known by simply the designation 9/11 (the date that day). On that one day the whole world seemed to change. I know personally I can never see an airplane flying low again without wondering if it isn't going to crash into a building. For many patriotism and pride in country became the immediate and resounding response to these attacks meant to engender fear and terror. At some point in time, a deep sense of anger came bursting forth from seemingly the entire country.

Nine years later, the world is still different. I still wonder when I see airplanes flying low and the anger is still very much present. We only need to look at news stories where people are protesting mosques being placed near ground zero, or clergy seeking to burn the sacred book of another religion's faith to see this deeply ingrained anger.

While caused by big things, like events such as 9/11, anger comes to the forefront for many people because of the little things to. We become angry when we are cut off in traffic, or when our waiter or waitress isn't kind enough, or when our computer doesn't work properly. Anger is a seemingly ever-present part of many of our lives. But what does the Bible have to say about it?

As I was pondering this problem of anger, and seeking out a text that adequately addressed the issue, I came accross the following passage from Luke's gospel (Luke 15:1-10).  Here Jesus is telling about how a person would react upon losing a sheep or a coin and making an analogy between that person and God.  The point is that God seeks out the lost, and then upon being found and brought back, there is rejoicing (literally a party) in Heaven!

Initially I struggled to see how this story connected with the problem of anger (especially anger when we feel like someone or something has wronged us).  But then I took my 3 year old daughter to her first day of pre-school and watched as several children were scared and cried.  Then I noticed one little boy who seemed to be making it his duty to destroy and disrupt everything he came in contact with.  I watched as his teachers continued to be patient and showed absolutely zero signs of frustration or anger, but rather compassion and understanding!  I wondered how this could be, and then the passage from Luke, about lost sheep came to mind.  I realized that this little boy was not a bad child, he too was scared and missing his parents.  He was truly a lost sheep.

This simple event unlocked this text and showed me what God was trying to tell me about anger.  It allowed me in the smallest of ways to glimpse others through the eyes of God, and to realize that the person who cut me off, the rude waiter and others who caused me anger were not bad people, but rather that they were lost sheep.  Now the next step I don't expect all to make, but for me I was able to see those men who flew airplanes into buildings, killing thousands of people also as lost sheep.  Their act was unspeakably terrible, even evil, but the men themselves were sincerely mistaken, and truly lost.

Another glance at the passage from Luke reveals not only insight into understanding those who cause us anger, but also direction for how to proceed after we gain that understanding.  For the shepherd and the woman did not simply realize that the sheep and coin (respectively) were lost, but they sought them out and found them.  God is that shepherd and that woman.  God is the one who seeks out all people and finds them where they are, then brings them back into the fold.  As I read and realized these things, and read Jesus emphasis on the rejoicing and celebrating that occurred every time one of these lost sheep is found and brought back, I felt convicted to do something.  I felt the Spirit urging me to be a part (even if only in a small way) of the process of finding and bringing back.

My question to you is who are the lost sheep in your life?  Who are those that God is nudging you to understand and see with new eyes?  Furthermore where is the Holy Spirit moving you to be a part of the finding and bringing back of one of those lost sheep?

Grace & Peace,
Pastor John