I would like to share the sermon I gave in church this last Sunday. Please let me know your thoughts on this. Blessings! -Pr. Durk
Great Expectations
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Matthew 7:21-29
Last Sunday a tornado ripped through Hugo, a town just north of the Cities. Cars were tossed around. Roofs ripped off. Homes leveled. Possessions strewn everywhere. A two-old boy was killed and many injured. One thing I noticed in the video footage is that in spite of home being destroyed, the foundations remained. Unmoved and unharmed. The foundations withstood the storm. Well, in our gospel reading this morning from Matthew, Jesus tells us that those who do God’s will are like the man who built his home on a rock. Those who hear Jesus’ word and act on it are like this man as well. The rains came, the floods hit, the winds blew, but the house did not move because of its foundation.
After church today- in the car on the way home or over lunch- what I hope you remember from today’s sermon is this: When we seek God’s will our discipleship is strengthened. When we hear Jesus’ words and act on them, our discipleship is strengthened. When we don’t seek God’s will, when we fail to act on his words discipleship weakens and ravels and comes undone.
Today Jesus tells us to seek God’s will? Now here is a huge and deep question. What is God’s will for my life, you might ask. What is God’s will for this congregation, we might ask. The other day I was reading a book containing selections from spiritual writings of leaders in the early church. The editor summarized the theme of God’s will be saying this. When most people seek God’s will they are looking for answers, for definite direction. What the early church Fathers and leaders indicate is that seeking God’s will is not about answers, but about growing in our relationship with God in Christ. When we seek God’s will we grow closer to our Lord.
Over the last few months my prayers for our congregation have centered on doing God’s will. That is, I’ve prayed that we will grow in our relationship with God in Christ. Grow in our life of worship. Grow in our life of studying the Bible. Grow in our life of giving financially. Grow in our life of leadership and participation. Grow in our outreach in the community. At the end of our service you will have the opportunity to fill out a Time and Talent survey in this effort. I am curious how you have been praying for your spiritual growth and for our congregation these last few months.
If we turn to Matthew’s gospel for a minute. Our reading comes at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. What we hear in that Sermon is a called to action. It might be summarized with the short phrase; “Act on it!” Act on Jesus’ words. Do God’s will. Act on it! The bar of expectations is raised. The bar is set very high Here are a few things Jesus tells us to do- his words we are to act on : we are to be the salt of the earth…the light of the world…we are not to speak unkindly of our neighbor….we are not to look lustfully upon another person…we are not to divorce…we are to love our enemies…we are to pray and give alms…we are to serve God only…we are not to worry about our lives…we are not to judge others…are to ask God for all that we need… Elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus says we are to love God with our whole being and love our neighbor as ourselves. Our reading brings to a climax what we are supposed to do! Act! Act on Jesus’ words.
Another rich source containing God’s expectations is the Ten Commandments. 1st I am the Lord your God you shall have no other gods. 2nd- Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 3rd-Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. 4th- Honor Your Father and Mother 5- You shall not kill 6th- you shall not commit adultery. 7th-You shall not steal. 8th- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 9th- You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. 10th- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or slave, or ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
If you sense that Jesus is putting us on the spot this morning you are right. His words sound a message of judgment. A strong message of accountability. His words put us on the spot to look at how we really are doing in terms of “acting on Jesus’ words.” Today can be a time of soul searching and evaluation. In living under Jesus’ reign, in his kingdom, we are called to do God’s will as well as to hear and act on Jesus’ words. Doing so is like having a solid foundation for our life of discipleship.
This place of Jesus judging us brings to mind an experience that my wife and I have had over the last few months. We have had the pleasure of watching our daughter in synchronized swimming. She is on the Osseo Maple Grove SyncroGators swim team for Osseo and Maple Grove- who went to the State Meet this year. Being new to this sport we have slowly learned about the scoring and evaluating system of this sport. For individual competitions or figures the girls are judged based on artistic merit and technical merit. The scores are announced from the judges. Competitions are based on the judges providing a score for their routine.
Of course, in a much more profound and important way, the Lord our God judges us. Evaluates us. Measures us. Assesses us. God is ever so aware of our hearts and love of Christ and discipleship. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus clearly lays out God the Father’s expectations for us. Only those who do the will of God will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who act on the words of Jesus will live under the rule of God. And will be part of that future kingdom of God. Even those who think they are doing good works in the name of God may be judged harshly because perhaps what they were doing do not reflect the will of God.
Now, I think we are all aware that because we are human, we fail. We fall short. We disappoint God. We let God and our neighbor in Christ down. We do not live under the reign of Christ at all times. We fail to meet God’s expectations. Thankfully, with our God in Jesus Christ there is love for us, there is forgiveness in Christ for us. There is grace for us. There is a fresh start for us. So, when we the challenge from Jesus to “act on it!” Do it! Hear and act! We are able to do so because God’s Holy Spirit is moving and working on us at all times.
So this week what challenge will you take on? Maybe it will be Great Commission to reach out in the love of Christ. Maybe it will be in your stewardship of time, talent, and treasure of financial resources. Maybe it will be committing yourself to weekly worship. The Psalm writer proclaims “Come, let us worship the Lord.” May it will be picking up your Bible to read God’s Word. Maybe, just maybe, in seeking God’s will you will grow closer to God in Christ.
My friends we can hear the hard and challenging message of Jesus today because he is our rock. He is our foundation for faith that will not be moved. Standing on the rock or building on the rock we can withstand judgment as well as all the storms of life. As the familiar hymns rings out with: The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. She is his new creation by water and by word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride. With his own blood he bought her and for her life he died.
