January 23, 2005 The Thorn of Procrastination Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:10 (Matthew 13:3-9) Jesus told them

many things in parables, saying: Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Thorns. Little things. Things that prick, penetrate and progressively poison. Unexpected things. Low-lying vines that trip, tangle and eventually imprison. In the weeks to come we are going to look at some of the thorns of life. As you can see our tree has been transformed into a thorn tree per se. It stands at the foot of the cross to remind that there was One who wore a crown of thorns for us. We are also reminded of Isaiah 53:4-5 which says: Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

What a perfect time to look at this thorn named procrastination. We have just passed the height of Procrastination Season. Internally and externally we have voiced things such as, next year I'm going to start ... next year I'm going to stop..." Now three weeks into that next year, the question is how are we doing? If we havent started those things that we have put off its time! Listen to the The Procrastinator's Poem:
I've gone for a drink and sharpened my pencils, Searched through my desk for forgotten utensils. I reset my watch, I adjusted my chair, I've loosened my tie and straightened my hair. I filled my pen and tested the blotter And went for another drink of water Adjusted the calendar, and I've raised the blind And I've sorted erasers of all different kinds. Now down to work I can finally sit, Oops, too late, it's time to quit.

Can you relate? Listen to how Charles Swindoll describes our thorn for today. Chances are you'd never pick this slick little guy out of a crowd but many, over the years, have come to regard him as formidable Quick as a laser and silent as a moonbeam, he can pick any lock in your home or office. Once inside, his winsome ways will captivate your attentions. You'll treat him like your closest friend. Ah . . . but watch out. He'll strip you without a blink of remorse. Master of clever logic that he is, the bandit will rearrange the facts just enough to gain your sympathies. When others call his character into question, you'll find yourself not only believing in him, but actually quoting and defending him. Too late, you'll see through his ruse and give him grudging credit as the shrewdest of all thieves. Some never 2

come to such a realization at all. They stroll to their graves arm-in-arm with the very robber who has stolen away their lives. His name? Procrastination. His specialty? Stealing time and incentive. Like the proverbial packrat, he makes off with priceless valuables, leaving cheap substitutes in their place: excuses, rationalizations, empty promises, embarrassment and guilt ... No piper was better paid. No liar was more respected. No bandit better rewarded. We joke about procrastination but it is serious business. Colonel Rahl, commander of the British troops at Trenton, New Jersey, was playing cards when a courier brought an urgent message stating that General George Washington was crossing the Delaware River. Rahl put the letter in his pocket and didn't bother to read it until the game finished. Then, realizing the seriousness of the situation, he quickly tried to rally his men. His procrastination was his undoing. He and many were killed. The rest were captured. Most tragic are our own personal stories. How much of our own lives has this thorn called Procrastination taken from our lives? What issues have gone unresolved? What opportunities have been missed? How many what ifs and if onlys have been created? Think about this - all of us would agree that we live in an "instant gratification" society. We want what we want right now - fast food, one hour developing, microwave ovens, instant credit. At the same time we live in a society in which procrastination is prevalent. How can we be both at the same time? That question leads us to a fundamental truth about this thorn. A strong relationship exists between procrastination and priorities. For example, we never 3

have a problem putting off the things we like to do. For those of us who like to eat, myself included, we would never say, "well I think I'll put off eating that piece of warm pecan pie, heaped high with whipcream, until tomorrow." One of the tasks in dealing with this thorn is to see and hear what it is revealing about our priorities. Actually, procrastination does us a favor. We are limited to what we can do as human beings. We can't do everything, right now, today. Procrastination helps us to order those tasks. Some we must deal with now, others need to be dealt with at another time. Some need to be wiped off the schedule for good. The issue is - what is at the top of our list? For example, one highranking need is the need for security and comfort. If we must face a task that will be difficult and uncomfortable we tend to put it off. We replace it with other activities that are far safer. Some of those activities are irresponsible, some of them are ridiculous. Often times we end up solving nothing. We may avoid what we think will be discomfort but in its place experience actual discomfort in the form of worry and guilt. Misplaced priorities result in "no win" situations. The Christmas season is not long behind us. How would have the Christmas story been different if its characters had procrastinated? But they didnt. When the wisemen saw the star announcing the birth of a new king they took off, even though it would be a journey of many miles and many months. When Mary and Joseph were told to move to Egypt to escape Herod they moved and when it was time to come back, they came back. When the shepherds got the message of Jesus' birth from the angels, they hurried off to see him. How

about the Lenten story that is fast approaching? What if Jesus had put off the journey to the cross? The real issue for us today is - how long does it take us to respond to the call of God in our lives. How might our lives be different if we stopped putting off God's activity in our lives? You know the comments. I'll getserious about the church when the kids are older. I'll get serious about God when I have more time. I'll give my life to Jesus when death is imminent. I'll settle down when I've had all the fun I want to have. When I was in college I decided to try woodcarving. I even joined a woodcarving club in Bismarck. To be honest the most creative work I did was the imaginative places I received stitches on my fingers. The woodcarving club had a demonstration at the mall every year and this particular year was my first. They had a pile of polished wooden pieces about the size of a silver dollar with the letters T-UIT. When I asked them what they were for they told me to wait. Sure enough, not long after someone came by to look. One of the old timers attempted to convince the onlooker to consider the hobby of wood carving. The person responded, I would like to do that maybe someday when I can get around to it. To which the carver handed him the little wooden, round piece with the word tuit imprinted. No more excuses, he now had a round tuit. Im not going to give out any wood round tuits but I want to share with you a few simple scriptural tuits: From Hebrews, using the wandering Israelites as an example, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." (Hebrews 3:7-8 NIV) Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:2, "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." A lot of things in 5

our lives need to be procrastinated. Many of them need to be laid aside once and for all. But this can't. Today, right now, is the time to respond to God. Putting off God has major consequences it may mean someone's needs might not be met, it may mean a heart full of anxiety and unhappiness, it may mean an eternity spent separated from God. Don't put off until tomorrow what needs to be done today. February 6, 2005 A THORN NAMED FEAR Scripture Reading: I John 4:7-20 John was eccentric. He wore a heavy brown corduroy coat and a wool stocking cap pulled way down over his head during most of the Holy Land trip. He had a nervous look, a beautiful deep voice and a highly articulated vocabulary. He was very funny although it was pretty evident that it was a cover for a lot of hurt and insecurity. He shared that his church on the east coast did not like him. He would probably have to move when he got home. He was being interviewed for ordination. He had been turned down once and it looked like it would happen again. Feeling sorry for him and laughing at him at the same time he became a part of the group with which I hung around. We were on the top of Megiddo, an ancient tel left behind as ancient civilizations over the centuries built on top of one another. We were about to descend an ancient waterway built some 800 years before Christ. It was an engineering phenomena. A shaft surrounded by a winding staircase carved into its walls descended 183 steps down to a long horizontal shaft leading to a spring at the bottom of the hill. As we waited in line, John commented in his matter of fact manner, "It looks like its time to face another 6

fear." I asked him what he meant. He said, "First, I had to face my fear of flying to get to Israel. Then when we climbed to the top of Masada in the cable car I had to deal with my fear of heights. I am afraid of water, so I wasn't very excited about our boat tour on the Sea of Galilee and now I have to go down into this tunnel with claustrophobia." Like John, we have all felt the discomfort of this thorn named Fear. It creeps into our lives in a dozen different ways. Fear of failure. Fear of heights. Fear of crowds. Fear of disease. Fear of rejection. Fear of unemployment. Fear of what others are saying about us. Fear of moving away. Fear of height or depth or distance or death. Fear of being ourself. Fear of buying. Fear of selling. Fear of financial reversal. Fear of war. Fear of the future. Fear of the dark. Fear of being alone. I still remember the frightful feelings I experienced during my first year of seminary. I was afraid of being so far away from my family and friends. I was afraid of going into the ministry even though that was what I came to do. I was taking a class involving hospital chaplaincy and I was afraid of opening the hospital doors and making the visits. It eventually culminated in an overwhelming fear that I had cancer. I thought I could feel a lump. I went to the doctor. The doctor, in examining me, gave a "I think you're paranoid" smile, and said, "You don't have anything to worry about." Easy for him to say. I thought I was dying. We might be able to tell some funny stories about our fears but when the thorn called fear buries itself in our heart it isn't so funny. How do we remove this thorn? Our clues come from the Bible. I searched on my computer for all the verses that contained the words "fear" or "afraid". Over 500 were found. I was amazed at the number of times these words are found in 7

statements made by God or Jesus in which they say, "Fear not" or "Don't be afraid", including our scripture reading this morning. God doesn't want us to be living our lives in fear. He comes to each of us as we face the thorn and says, "Don't be afraid!" This is our first clue. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember the story of Jesus walking on the water? The disciples were out fishing during the night and a storm came up. That was scary enough. Then the disciples saw something walking on the water towards them. The Bible says they were terrified and cried out in fear, "It's a ghost!" When they discovered who it was, Peter got out of the boat and began to walk towards Jesus. He was doing alright until we read, "when he saw the wind he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" Peter took his eyes off of Jesus. He looked instead at the wind and the waves and he began to sink. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. David writes in Psalm 27, "The Lord is my light and my salvation -whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid?" As we read through the Psalm we find out why he was able to express such words of faith. He talks about his keen desire to be always in the Lord's presence -- to seek the Lord's face -- to wait for the Lord. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Our second clue is this -- we need to keep fear in its proper perspective. A man and wife were camping in a campground that was having some problem with bears. After getting settled into the tent and before falling asleep the wife remembered that they had left the food chest outside underneath the picnic table. Because of the bears the 8

wife insisted that the husband go outside and put it into the car. He didnt want to go outside again so the husband insisted there would be no problem. Sure enough, the next morning, just as the sun was coming up, there was a big ruckus. A bear was going through the food chest. The husband and wife jumped out of the tent screaming, scaring the bear into a clump of bushes nearby. The wife, very agitated, told her husband to get in there and get that bear. The husband didn't take time to think twice. He took off after the bear. It sounded like quite a fight and drew the attention of most of the other campers. Before long the husband returned with hardly a scratch. The other campers rushed over to the bushes to see what had happened to the bear. There it lay, exhausted and beaten. The campers were astounded. They approached the husband and asked, "Werent you afraid of going in after that bear?" The husband answered meekly, "It's this way. I've never met that bear before, but I am very well acquainted with my wife. I chose to go after the bear." Jesus says in Matthew 10, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Fear is a legitimate emotion. It has been given to us by God. But the Bible gives us only one legitimate direction for our fear. And that is towards God. Jesus words here in Matthew and such statements as the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom are a theme repeated often in the Bible. It is not cowering fear; it is respect and awe. It is giving our attention first to pleasing God and making him happy - letting him take care of our worries. Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 10, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of 9

your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Fear God, but don't be afraid. In other words, if we trust God completely with our lives, following his will and obeying his commands, we will have nothing to fear. Many of the thorns that we have produced with our worries will disappear. As for the thorns that can't be avoided, we will not have to fight them alone. The power of God will be our sword and shield. No thorn can penetrate. Another good way to keep fear in perspective is to remember the words that we heard in our scripture reading this morning. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made perfect in love." We will not fear God when we realize how much he loves us. We will not fear the unknown when we remember God loves us so much he is personally and totally involved in our lives. We will not fear death if we remember a loving God awaits us. Love and fear cannot occupy the same heart. When love comes in fear goes out. All of us have heard about the Underground Railroad. On one of the trains which drew into the Toronto station, a woman who had helped hundreds of slaves cross the border saw a black man still hiding in the corner, afraid that he was still being pursued. She cried out in reassurance: "Joe, why are you crouching there? Youre a free man. Youre living on free soil!" Why in the world would any of us cower in fear? The God of love is with us. Along with David we can proclaim, "the Lord is the strength of our lives -- of whom shall we be afraid?"

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A THORN NAMED LONLINESS February 13, 2005 Doug Diehl Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7 One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, hate, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed. As I mentioned last week I took a major personal risk to take off for Kentucky for my first year in seminary. I was afraid being alone on the road, especially as I drove through the big cities. I had never done that before I was not to impressed when I would get myself packed in the middle of eight lane traffic with semi's threatening to run over the top of me. Asbury seminary was in a small town to the south of Lexington - so the map said. Not wanting to tackle big city traffic again I left the Interstate early. I was dumbfounded by the roads - narrow and winding, ditches instead of shoulders -11

trees everywhere. My internal compass, finely honed by the north-south, eastwest roads of North Dakota was totally screwed up. I was lost -- sure that I was heading for a Kentucky holler full of "shotgun-toting" hillbilly moonshiners. I came to a small town. I needed lunch and I needed directions. Only black faces greeted me in the tiny caf - another new experience for a North Dakota boy. I asked for help. They didn't speak English, at least not the kind of English I understood. I left discouraged and frustrated. I felt like an alien in a strange land. Page 1 Doug's Sermons I was all alone. None of us like to feel alienated. Alienation and its companion loneliness are some of the most desolate experiences of human life. Loneliness is like a piano without keys Like a violin without strings Like a sanctuary without a congregation Or a choir where no one sings. Loneliness is like a blade of grass Growing through a crack of cement. Loneliness is like a camp ground Without a single tent. Loneliness is like a mocking bird That cannot sing a song. Loneliness is a feeling That one does not belong. Like a pansy in a corn field Hidden where no one can see. I know all there is to know about loneliness 12

Because it lives inside of me. (Copied) As you know most thorns are removed using a pair of tweezers or in extreme cases a pliers of some sort. Both tools have two ends that come together to pull the thorn. Imagine a spiritual tweezers used to pull out this thorn Page 2 Doug's Sermons named Lonliness. On one side of the tweezers is engraved with the word "Come." The other side is engraved with the word "Go." At the head of the tweezers or pliers is a picture - the picture of Jesus. He is the one who speaks the words. Jesus says, "Come" - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) We are never really alone. Jesus is always with us. He understands. He experienced loneliness at its deepest. On the night he was arrested he went out into the garden with his disciples to pray. He was left alone as they fell asleep. Judas approached with soldiers to betray him. The rest of his friends scattered. He faced his accusers alone. He carried his cross to the hill called Calvary alone. He hung on the cross alone. Finally, alienation was complete and horrendous. Jesus sensed that even God had left him as he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." (Matthew 27:46) We have a friend, named Jesus, who understands alienation and 13

loneliness. He says, "Come unto me." He promises us as he promised his disciples, "Surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age." Jesus also says "go." The transition verse is Matthew 4:19 - "Come, follow me ... and I will make you fishers of men." In John 15:16 we read - "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last." Matthew 28:19 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." One of the most effective cures for loneliness is to get ourselves wrapped up in the lives of other people. We are not called to hide, keeping the good news of Jesus as the world's best kept secret. We are not called to be defensive. We are not called to look out only for ourselves. We are called to be on the offense. We are called to serve. In fact, we were created to reach out. We can't expect to find fulfillment and meaning in life if we are totally selforiented. Find a lonely person and give them some time and attention. Find someone who has so little they will appreciate anything and give to them. Instead of waiting for a smile, give a smile. Instead of waiting for a hello, give a hello. Instead of waiting for a letter, write a letter. Instead of praying for yourself pray for someone else. Tell someone about Jesus.

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"Come" and "go." A tweezers engraved with these two words, powered by Jesus, will pull out the thorn named Loneliness. But -- there is a twist. Loneliness, in one form, needs to be embraced. This Page 3 Doug's Sermons alienation comes as a consequence of our relationship with Jesus. The Bible and history tell us that participation in God's movement brings alienation. Jesus experienced it as he walked to the cross. Joseph and Mary experienced it - bearing the baby named Jesus in a cattle stable - then fleeing to Egypt, far from home, to escape the madman Herod who was determined to get rid of the one who had been born to be King of the Jews. We can find it even today in our world in places where a relationship with Jesus Christ brings alienation through persecution and imprisonment. But what about us? Very few of us suffer any kind of loneliness or alienation because of our faith. Two things can be said about that. First, in our intentional or unintentional desire to not feel alienated we as Christians have become too accommodating to the world. We don't want to rock the boat. We don't want to be labeled as fanatics. We want to have our so called "fun" like everyone else. So we keep quiet. We blend in. It becomes difficult to distinguish between the followers of 15

Jesus and those who are not. Secondly, a day is coming when the issue will come to a head. At one time the activities of the community revolved around the church. People could safely assume that their neighbor had a Christian faith or at least an understanding and respect of it. The sacredness of Sunday was taken for granted. Those days are over. If the present trend continues, the number of church goers in our society will be a substantial minority. It is evident in our own community as it is becoming more and more difficult to schedule church activities. Government is moving in to take away the privileges of churches. In the name of church/state separation and civil liberty we are becoming a faithless nation. In a book I read recently, the author said a proper description of Christians should be "resident aliens." We live here on this earth and yet we don't belong here. Our priorities are different. Our values are different. Our concerns are different. Or at least, if we are truly following Jesus, they should be. We need wisdom when it comes to this thorn. Often we feel alone and alienated for all the wrong reasons. We withdraw when we are supposed to be involved and we are involved when we are supposed to be separated. May God give us His wisdom to know the difference and the courage to live rightly. Come to Jesus. Go for Jesus.

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February 27, 2005 A THORN NAMED CHANGE Scripture Reading: Hebrews 13:1-9 In 1850 the number of people living on this earth reached 1 billion for the first time in history. By 1930, 80 years later, that number had doubled. During the next 30 years another billion was added. Today there are over 6.4 billion. Virtually no books existed in the world until the year 1500 AD. Only 35,000 existed by 1900. Today, over 500,000 volumes are turned out every year. For thousands of years, until 1800 the top speed for human travel was 20 mph, that being on horseback. With space travel human beings can travel at more that 16,000 m.p.h. Change. It is one of only a few areas of life of which we can be certain. Some changes are exciting some are dreaded. Some changes come fast, too fast. Other changes come far too slow. Some changes are necessary. Others turn out to be mistakes. Age has something to do with how we view change. When we are young change is usually anticipated and welcomed but as we grow older, we make an undetected transition. Instead of welcoming change we begin to dread change. I don't think I ever considered "change" to be a thorn until I pastored for eight years in the predominantly elderly, rural, South Dakota

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communities of Britton, Langford and Pierpont. The majority of changes in those communities were changes of "loss". When I began pastoring in 1983 one of the small congregations had 23 members. When I left they had only 13 - 8 of those loses were through death, the other two because of relocation. Very seldom is change dreaded when living in progressive, growing communities or when one is young and vital. But change is frightening when life, as one has always known it, is endangered. It is tough when one is faced with changes in one's own health or the health of a spouse. I have some mixed feelings about these "thorn removing" sermons. First, I am afraid of whisking the thorns away with a few words of wisdom, pacifying myself but leaving nothing helpful. Second, I realize that I cannot remove your thorns for you. It is a task that belongs to you and God. Third, I realize that each of us has to make the ultimate choice whether or not we even want to fight the thorns. And fourth, I realize that all thorns cannot be removed. Some can only be lived with. I dont know if you are aware of Pauls thorn. Although we dont know what it was Paul shares in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians that he suffered from some kind of thorn in his flesh about which he had prayed 18

much for its removal. The Lords answer to him was, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. Today we are talking about one of these irremovable thorns. Change cannot be stopped, and in most cases we wouldn't want it to be. We were born into a changing world. From the moment we drew our first breath of air we began to change. We won't stop until we draw our last breath. The apostle Paul was well acquainted with change. It was on the road to Damascus that he was struck down blind by the light of Jesus and was changed from a persecutor of Christians to Christianity's greatest missionary. In his letter to the Philippian Church he shares some principles of life that will help us keep the changes in our lives from growing into debilitating thorns. Listen to what Paul writes: Philippians 4:11-13 -- ... I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." God's grace, comfort, strength, and love can be found in all situations. The change might be for the better or for the worse but God will meet us 19

there. Paul writes in Romans 8, "For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him" and "nothing can separate us from the love of God." Philippians 3:4-8 -- If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ." Our attitude towards any change in our life will be determined by this simple rule. If what we are changing to is more desirable than what we are now experiencing we will welcome the change. If what we are changing to is less desirable than what we are now experiencing we will dread the change. Sometimes the choices are clear. Sometimes they can't be because the future is involved. If we perceive the future in faith and hope we will easily make the change. If we perceive the future in fear and negativism we 20

will not. Philippians 3:13-14 -- Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." One of the reasons why as we grow older we have a harder time making changes is because we have so much more past to hold onto in comparison to the quantity of future. We need to appreciate our past. Our memory is one of the greatest gifts of God. But we only make ourselves miserable if we try to live as if we can go back. It is impossible. As Paul says, we must lay aside the past and press on to the future, not just to what lies ahead in the world, but to the heavenly future that God has in store for us. God is a God of change. Sometimes we as a church are culprits in dragging our heels. That kind of behavior is costly. We cannot return to the "good old days." We cannot expect to survive with the battle cry -- "We've never done it this way before!" Yes, dimensions of God and our faith do not change -- the truth of Jesus life, teachings, death and resurrection; the importance of prayer and Bible Study and a proactive love towards our 21

neighbors. However, that does not mean God's spirit will not work in new and different ways to bring God's will to completion. We as individuals, we as a church, must continue to press onward and forward as we respond to God's moving. Philippians 1:21-25 -- For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." Two kingdoms operate in this world. One kingdom is on the decline. The other is on the increase. Since the entry of sin into the world the kingdom of this earth has been changing through decline, decay and death. It is on a slow ride down hill and there is nothing we can do about that. It is part of Gods judgment. However, about two thousand years ago another kingdom came to be - the kingdom of God. That kingdom is on an upward climb. Jesus said the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed -- the smallest of all seeds that would someday grow up into a tree big enough to nest all the birds of the air. Paul was torn between the two. He wanted to remain on earth - he

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had more work to do helping in the church. He also wanted to experience the kingdom of God in all of its fullness. If our future with all of its changes is rooted only in the kingdom of this earth we have reason to despair. We have nothing for which to hope. All we have to look forward to is loss after loss. If our future is rooted in the kingdom of God we have cause for optimism. Yes, we will still suffer the pain of loss through change but in its midst we will experience the phenomena of joyful hope. We continue to be changed, one degree by another into the likeness of Jesus. And some day, when we see Jesus face to face and we will become just like him. All the loses, all the tears, all the sacrifices, all the disappointments will be taken away and all that has been good will be restored which much, much more besides. A THORN NAMED STRESS Doug Diehl Scripture Reading: I Kings 19:9b-13 One of the traditional sites of Jesus' crucifixion stands at the top of a 40 foot cliff. Its face marked with various caves and rock outcrops it can easily be described as Golgotha, the place of the skull. However, the picture of the old rugged cross set on this hill was marred by an Arab bus station located immediately at the bottom of the hill -- revving engines, honking horns and the strong smell of diesel fuel. 23

As we looked at the hill and then to the bus station our guide reminded us that Jesus' crucifixion was not the only crucifixion of the time - it was a common method of capital punishment for the Romans. He also told us that crucifixions were very public events. Almost always they took place along a very busy road in order to serve as a deterrent. He also said that the crosses were very short so that passersby could look eye to eye at the convicted. What could be more humiliating than hanging on a cross, stripped naked, as the public walked close by some crying, some shaking their heads, some ridiculing, some apathetic. This noisy bus station was a reminder of the noise of the passing crowd that day. I thought about this strange contrast. How many persons drove by this hillside each day not even thinking about the fact that this could be the place on which Jesus, the Savior of the world, was crucified? How many people on that day two thousand years ago walked by Jesus hanging on the cross and had no idea that this crucifixion was different? Jesus was no ordinary criminal. With this man on this cross, the sins of the whole world were being dealt. The contrast is the most graphic in a short little story within John's record of the crucifixion. "When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 'Let's not tear it,' they said to one another. 'Let's decide by lot who will get it.' . . . So this is what the soldiers did." While Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, including the sins of these soldiers, they 24

were playing games - throwing dice - to see who would get Jesus' clothes. Today's thorn is named Stress. What could this image at the cross have in common with stress? Stress is the body's reaction to life initiated by specific events in life. These events can be difficulties such as the loss of a job or a spouse; they can be occasions of joy such as a wedding. These events can actual or anticipated. Stress can be experienced through illness, poor health habits or environmental issues such as overcrowding and natural disaster. These events, called stressors, produce a physical response -- butterflies in the stomach, nervousness, accelerated heart beat, muscle tension. The subject of "stress" has been a top story for several years. We now know that stress can lead to stomach and intestinal disorders, heart problems, depression and suicide. We hear about mid-life crises, people going over the edge and burn-out. Stress has become a thorn in our society, in our community and maybe in your life. Stress is a thorn in my life. It is difficult to evaluate. One moment I wonder if I am just imagining the whole thing - feeling sorry for myself. The next moment I look at some of the symptoms and realize I may really be in trouble. Often I feel guilty - like a failure. Hardest of all, as I look around to see who might be able to help me out, I see my environment full of people full of stress. What do we do about this "thorn called stress?" We begin by realizing stress is not bad in itself. We need stress to function and to grow. In a devotional, some years back, the writer tells about her newly sprouted daffodils tilting all different directions with 25

sadly flopping leaves. She remembered the hurry with which she planted them the previous fall and also the nurserymans advice, "bulbs should be planted deep. If the sprouts don't have to push up through a lot of earth, they won't stand straight when they're grown." Stress isn't really the problem. What is the problem is when we allow the thorn to penetrate deeply. Heres how we do it: First, we don't take care of ourselves. We put ourselves into unnecessary stressful situations, we partake in habits that bring unnecessary stress to our bodies and minds. We let our lives be dictated and pulled by silly and meaningless whims and wishes of the world around us. We don't give ourselves time to recover from the stresses of everyday life. Second, when unavoidable, unanticipated stressors enter our lives we respond to them in an unhealthy manner. Again, what does stress have to do with a group of soldiers playing dice at the foot of the cross? This very dramatic image teaches us a fundamental truth about stress - Jesus, the son of God, hanging on the cross, dying for the world and below the cross, a group of soldiers, totally oblivious to what is going on, playing games. You and I live in the shadow of the cross. We sit in its shadow this morning. Some of us wear the cross around our necks. Many of us have a cross hanging somewhere in our home. Some of us carry a cross in our pocket or purse. Recorded within the minds of 99% of us, is that moment when at baptism or confirmation or religious conversion, we recognized the cross and claimed Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. We live in the shadow of the cross, but so 26

often act as if we are totally oblivious to its reality -playing games, our attention focused on what we can get out of Him and the gifts that He has given us. It is a misdirection of focus and it is that misdirection that is often the culprit in the creation of this thorn called stress. Do you remember these words of Jesus? "Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. . . . But seek first (God's) kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Life works best when we focus first on God's way. We are tempted to focus on the worries of our personal lives - we want to look good, we want to fit in, we want to be popular, we want to be rich, we want to be secure, we want to feel good. In striving for those things we overextend our health, our credit, our time - we sacrifice our families, eventually turning into stressed-out messes. Look at our economy, stressed as it responds to an enormous deficit, the consequences of all kinds of addictions, and the results of greed and dishonesty among the financial community. And how do we respond? We play games. Most ridiculous of all we have come to believe that the answer will be found in scratched tickets, pulled levers, flashing lights and numbered ping pong balls. We have only succeeded in creating a whole new set of stresses. The cross stands in the shadows, signaling the answer to it all, and we play games. We look everywhere but the right place. We bind ourselves up in consuming habits; we allow our school, economic and community systems to create unbelievable demands on our schedules and our children's schedules. We become so consumed by 27

stress that we can't even find time to spend a few moments with God during the day. Like Elijah we look for the answers in the wind and fire -- the flashy, busy things of life and we are never quiet enough to hear the still, small voice. I don't share this to make us feel guilty. Guilt is not the answer. In the cross God says to us, "I love you completely. See, I love you so much I have given my own Son to carry your guilt for you." Whether the stress we bear is self-inflicted or the result of undeserved tragedy we are given these words of comfort by Jesus, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light." We can read all kind of articles and go to all kinds of workshops on stress. We can gain valuable suggestions for stress management, ranging from a good exercise program to bio-feedback. Fundamentally, however, it will depend on our focus. Will we focus on ourselves, playing games which use and misuse and abuse the gifts that God has given us or will focus on the one who went to the cross for us, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace? Will we live in the dark, energy-sapping pain of the thorn called stress or will we live in the refreshing, peaceful, comforting shadow of the cross?

A THORN NAMED SOMEBODY March 20, 2005, Palm Sunday Doug Diehl 28

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-6, John 4:34-38 Bill Geist, in his book Little League, devotes a few paragraphs to Herm, one of his little league players: Herm looked determined. At four feet six inches and about sixty pounds, he would step up and pound the plate with his bat before striking a rugged stance. He beat on the plate nonstop until I yelled, "Hermie, here comes the ball!" Herm would look up, draw the bat back and swing as hard as he could. His strikeouts were monumental, and numerous, the rule rather than the exception. Everything else was a walk. Herm was not what you'd call a contact hitter; he was more of a ... well, his coach last year would always yell "a walk's as good as a hit" and Hermie took it to heart. He didn't really swing anymore, he explained, because "when I do, bad things happen." "The only thing holding me back is the equipment," he'd say. "Those bats are too heavy." All sorts of things hold us back from being all that we can be. We call them handicaps, disabilities, excuses, limitations. Some are real, some are imagined. Some are honest, others are deceiving. Some of them we can do nothing about. Others we can do a whole lot about. Among the list appears a Thorn - a Thorn named Somebody. The Thorn Named Somebody is sneaky. This thorn sneaks in, in a variety of ways, often unnoticed. But this Thorn is extremely dangerous. As with most thorns, if given power it will handicap our lives. It never ceased to amaze me when something got lost or broken in our house and Dustin or Destri were questioned as to who was responsible they could both say without batting an eye, "I didn't do it -somebody else must have done it." Maybe they were 29

telling the truth. Although I have never seen him or her, maybe there is a person named Somebody who sneaks into unsuspecting homes to break, hide and mess things up. Somebody continues to harass us as we grow older. The government is a mess. Did I do it? Not me - but Somebody is responsible. The president, congress, the lobbyists - they are responsible. My life is a mess. Am I responsible? Not me - but it is Somebodys fault -- my parents, my genes, my environment, my teachers. Our church can not move ahead because we do not have the finances or personnel. Is it my fault? No way! Somebody is not doing the job. Isaiah was living in some troublesome times. God's people were unfaithful, not living up to their Covenant with God. They were about to experience the consequences of their unfaithfulness. As Isaiah prays in the temple he is confronted by a vision of God. He sees the holiness of God as compared to the condition of the people. Does Isaiah respond, "Sorry God but Somebody else is at fault here." No, he replies, "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." That thorn named Somebody may seem like a convenient excuse but when the time comes to stand face to face with God, Somebody will not be around -it will be a one on one visit. If we change the words ever so slightly from "Somebody else is responsible" to "Somebody else will do it" we see a second way this Thorn can handicap our lives. 30

Once upon a time there were four persons named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. But Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about it, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, and Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody and Nobody did the job that Anybody could have done in the first place. Or this variation: I know that all of you were saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our church's most valuable members - Somebody Else. Somebody's passing created a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Somebody Else has been with us for many years, and for every one of those years, Somebody did far more than the normal person's share of the work. Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone's lips, "Let Somebody Else do it". It was common knowledge that Somebody Else was among the largest givers in the church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed that Somebody Else would make up the difference. Somebody Else was a wonderful person, sometimes appearing super-human, but a person can only do so much. Were the truth known, everyone expected too much of Somebody Else. Now Somebody Else is gone. We wonder what we are going to do. Somebody Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Somebody Else did?

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Once again, Isaiah provides for us the example. Isaiah records in 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" We have all heard too many guilt provoking sermons and speeches on volunteerism. Although the stories and cartoons concerning inactivity appear to be funny they get tiring after awhile. However, some critical truth lies in the midst of it all. Just as with Isaiah, every one of us is confronted by the same dialogue with God. God says to each one of us, I need to heal broken hearts, I need to bring salvation to the lost, I need to teach the children that I love them ... Who will I send? Who will go for us? The proper response is not, "Somebody else, God. Somebody else will go." Remember, ultimately when we meet God it will be one on one. Somebody will not be there. We either answer, "Here I am Lord, send me" or "Not me, Lord. I'm not interested." Here is a more personal illustration. Last Sunday morning as I arrived at the church, I noticed a dirty pizza cardboard lying in the parking lot. I decided to do a test of sorts. You see Im still looking for Somebody. I left it lying to see if Somebody would pick it up and throw it away. Later that afternoon when I came back for committee meetings the cardboard was still lying in the same place. I brought it in and used it to bring up this same issue with the committee members. I dont know how many walked by that piece of cardboard last Sunday maybe no one else saw it. But there have been other Sundays when we have walked by other observed messes and we have done nothing about it. Im not saying it has happened in this church but I have actually had church members walk 32

by garbage as they came into church and not only did not pick it up but complained to me about it commenting that we are paying Somebody to take care of stuff like that and they need to do their job. Im also embarrassed to say that far too often we listen to persons - unhappy about this or that in the church while at the same time unwilling to go out of their way to help. We have a committed, hard-working staff who sincerely wants to do the very best possible job. We have a number of committed volunteers who continually step up to help carry out the ministry of the church but only so much can be done. The quality and quantity of ministry that can be done by our church is limited only by the percentage of our people who choose to sit back, expecting Somebody to do it. In Lukes record of the first Palm Sunday, as Jesus rides into Jerusalem and men, women and children shout in praise to him, some of the religious rulers yell at Jesus to quiet the crowd. Jesus replies, if these people would be quiet, the stones themselves would cry out in praise. A contemporary Christian singer by the name of Nicole Mullins alluded to this scripture during one of her performances, after which she made the comment, I dont want the rocks having to praise Jesus on my behalf. Whether it be praising Jesus or working for Jesus are we content sitting back and letting somebody else do it? Or do we want to number ourselves among the crowd - willing to praise Jesus with our voices and talents and resources? A little fellow in the ghetto was teased by another who said, "If God loves you, why doesn't he take care of you? Why doesn't God tell someone to bring you shoes and a warm coat and better food?" The little lad thought for a moment then with tears in 33

his eyes, said, "I guess He does tell somebody, but somebody forgets." The only way we can get rid of the thorn named Somebody is to become the Somebody. Are we willing? May we with Isaiah respond, Here I am Lord, send me. A THORN NAMED ANGER April 3, 2005 Doug Diehl Scripture Reading: Numbers 20:1-12, John 2:12-16 During my second semester of seminary I lived with a friend by the name of Stan in a very small trailer house. How small was it? It was so small I had to walk through the bathroom to get to the bedroom which had been built on back. Stan expressed his anger freely. I remember one night - his turn to cook. He was making chicken. He forgot to lay out the frozen bird earlier in the day and he was mad. As he fretted and fumed, I suggested an alternative. He said, "No, way. We were going to have chicken and we will have chicken." Those were the days just before microwaves so there was no such thing as a quick thaw. To make a long story short I remember cutting into a darkly baked chicken finding bloody, cold meat inside. It was not a pretty sight and needless to say the chicken was angrily tossed into the garbage can. Stan was bothered because I didn't get mad. He often told me that it would make him feel much better if I would blow up once in awhile. But I didn't and I was proud of it. I learned the lesson growing up. Actually, I was taught that it was wrong to express anger outwardly. I concluded it was wrong to feel anger - period. 34

Back to Stan. As I said I was proud of the fact that I did not get mad. I perceived the trait as a sign of my spirituality. I can't believe how wrong I was. For one thing I did get angry. I just held it in. Instead of blowing up I turned my anger inward. I became depressed. Instead of confronting Stan with my feelings, I complained about him to others. Instead of blowing up I left the scene. I avoided Stan, spending more time with friends who had a similar temperament. A potential friendship became a non-friendship. Because of poor use of anger on both our parts it was impossible for a good relationship to develop. The Thorn Named Anger. As with the other thorns we have discussed, we take away its power and pain with the recognition that it is not bad in itself. Anger is a gift from God. If used properly anger can be beneficial and if expressed in assertive and affirmative ways it can be powerful and healing. We read of the anger of God in the Old Testament. We find instances of anger in Jesus' life. In Matthew 23 Jesus gets after the Pharisees. "Woe to you teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! ... You blind fools! ... You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" The scriptural classic takes place as Jesus drives the moneychangers out of the temple with a whip, turning over their tables and yelling "Get these things out of here! You are turning my Father's house into a market!" Anger is okay and yet it has a very dark side murder, physical and emotional abuse; ugly, cutting words that can never be taken back; destruction of property. (I've got a golf club that will never be quite as straight as it once was. Apparently golf clubs are 35

not made to be hurled into outer space.) How can something good become so bad? What makes the anger shown by Jesus different than the anger we experience? The answer lies in motivation and consequences. Anger happens when a wish or a desire is not fulfilled, or when a perceived need is threatened. We feel an urge to change the situation or remove the threat. We feel an urge to destroy it. With Jesus those wishes and desires revolved around God and other people. He was concerned for them. Anger goes wrong when these things are selfdirected -- my wishes, my desires. These wishes, needs or desires can basically be put into four categories. 1. The need to feel powerful. If we feel we are responsible for our own behavior we feel powerful. If we feel our behavior is determined by others we feel weak. If we feel weak we will probably express anger, either to restore a sense of power or to blame others we believe are controlling our lives. Alexander the Great approached the pinnacle of power by wanting to conquer the world; Jesus taught that the path to power was to want nothing. Alexander the Great said, "lead and be powerful" but Jesus said, "serve and be powerful." If our focus is serving others for their sake we will have no need to be angry. If we are looking to make ourselves look good we will be angry anytime that need is threatened. 2. The need to feel self-sufficient. We do not like to be dependent on one another - I'll do it myself, I don't need help from anyone." Instead of asking for help or admitting the need for help we get angry. Anger covers up the horrible feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. 36

3. The need to feel important. We want the attention of other people. We like to be noticed. We want to be understood. If we can't get it in normal ways we make a scene or we act out. Our self-esteem is part of this. If we do not feel good about ourselves we have a tendency to accept criticism angrily. A mature person is one who does not depend upon the opinions of others for happiness - satisfaction comes from the inside, not from the feelings and approval of others. This is one area in which our need for a relationship with God is crucial. If we are secure in our relationship with God - if we are aware of how much God loves us - we will not have to fight and kick and scream to let other people know that we are important. This tells us how extremely critical it is to pay attention to one another. We must let our children, our parents and our friends know that they are important to us. 4. The need to be perfect. Have you ever seen an athlete blow up in a game after making a mistake? Have you ever seen a fellow student rant and rave because their straight-A report card has been marred by a "B?" Have you ever seen a woodworker bust up a project because he made a mistake? Some of us believe that we are supposed to be perfect. If anyone or anything gets in the way of our becoming perfect we are angry. If anyone suggests that we are not perfect we are angry. The other difference between bad anger and good anger has to do with consequences. As Jesus acted out his anger, he desired to bring people to the truth. The consequence was intended to lead the people to something better. Too often our anger is expressed in ways that hurt and destroy - people, property, even ourselves. 37

Remember, losing one's temper is not the only bad use of anger. Anger turned inward into depression, bitterness and revenge can be just as harmful. The central issue, then, is not whether it is right or wrong to be angry but it is the ways in which we express our anger. To be fully aware of our anger or hate - to be free to integrate it in ways that are both powerful and respectful - make us vitally alive. It brings health to us and health to our relationships. There are no good or bad feelings; feelings simply are. Moral choice begins not with the experiencing of feelings, but with their expression. One of the great myths about anger is that it is an emotion over which we have no control. That is untrue. Anger becomes a seemingly uncontrollable reaction only because we have developed a habit of expressing and releasing our anger badly. Battling the Thorn named Anger takes prayer. When we pray about a problem we admit we have a problem. When we pray to God about our use of anger not only do we experience his forgiveness for anger badly expressed but we come in touch with the power of the Holy Spirit which will help us in dealing with this thorn. The battle takes realistic thinking. We can not expect this world or other people to take care of us. With God's help we must take on this responsibility ourselves. The battle will require the courage to admit our feelings to others. The battle will require allowing others to help us identify where we are using anger poorly. The battle will require accepting the truth. We are not as powerful, as self-sufficient, as important, or as perfect as we wish to be. "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to 38

speak and slow to become angry, for one's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.... the one who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it -- he will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:19-21,25) A THORN NAMED LUST April 17, 2005 Doug Diehl Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12:1-10; Matthew 5:27-30 It was back in January that we began our discussion of the Thorns of Life. If you remember we started with David - David, the young shepherd boy, who brought down the 9 foot tall Goliath with a slingshot and a lot of faith in God. We made a connection between giant killing and thorn removal. A very small thorn, if infected, can feel very, very big. Courage and Gods help is needed in getting rid of both. In our scripture reading the years have gone by. David is no longer a shepherd boy. He is the king of Israel - a very good king. It is a beautiful, still, summer night. David can't sleep. He walks out onto the roof of the palace and gazes at the beautiful sky full of stars. He looks below at the moonlit landscape. God has given him this kingdom to rule. He feels content and satisfied. His eye notices movement. Through the window of a neighboring condominium he catches a glimpse of a woman bathing. She is beautiful. 39

Unable to keep his eyes off of her, he doesn't notice an enemy creeping towards his heart from within him - a thorn - a giant, God defying thorn. No problem for David. He is a giant killer after all - right? No, this time it is different. This time David doesn't stand up courageously as he did to 2 Goliath. He doesn't even notice it. He lets the giant have his way. It is not a giant named Goliath but a thorn named Lust. David calls in an aide. "Who is this beautiful woman?" The aide informs him that she is the wife of Uriah, one of his soldiers out on the battle field. David thinks to himself, "A married woman, yes. The wife of one of my own men, yes. But I'm the king and I just have to have her." He sends for her and sleeps with her and the thorn named lust begins its destruction. Time passes. Bathsheba comes to David to tell him she is pregnant. Since Uriah has been in battle for many weeks it is evident that David is the father. David thinks to himself, "No way can I risk the people finding out that I have done this." He sets up Bathsheba's husband to be killed in battle and after a time of mourning he takes her for his wife. Does he get away with it? According to our scripture reading - "no." God has seen the whole thing and he isn't going to let David get by. He loves David and his people too much. He sends the prophet Nathan to expose David and inform him of the consequences of his sin. David could handle the giant named Goliath but he couldn't handle the thorn named Lust. I wonder if maybe God didn't allow this story about David to remain in the scriptures as a 40

warning. If the great king David could fall victim to Lust, we all better watch out. How true that has proven to be. History is full of powerful, popular persons brought down by the Thorn named Lust. Think of the damage this thorn causes - destroyed marriages, murder, rape, dehumanization and abuse not only of one another as adults but abuse of our children. The thorn named Lust is a primary reason why we even have the volatile issues of abortion rights and gay rights today. The advertising industry uses this thorn to entice us to buy products we dont need. An untold number of persons are destroyed inwardly because of bondage and guilt over the inability to talk about or handle their own sexual feelings. Pornography is rampant with the internet epidemic. As with the other thorns in our series we ask the question - how do we deal with this thorn? First, we must put the area of sexuality in its proper perspective. God created us to be sexual beings. In Genesis 1:27, "So God created man (or humankind) in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created him." Whether we want to talk about it or not we are sexual beings with all that goes along with it. Our sexuality is a gift from God. It is to be used and to be enjoyed in the atmosphere of love, responsibility and commitment. Lust is a distortion of our sexuality - it is sexuality gone wrong. It is more than a casual glance or a fleeting thought. It is a condition in which a person lives with runaway, uncontrolled sexual passion. Lust denies relationship. It turns another person into an object - a thing to be used. Lust cheapens sexuality. Whereas God gave us our sexuality as something to be shared and 41

respected, we worry only about feeding our needs at the expense of respect and love. Whereas God gave us our sexuality to be expressed and enjoyed in an atmosphere of commitment, we find it expressed as an issue of instant gratification. Lust is a perversion of God's creation. Listen to what Paul writes to the Romans, "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.... Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts." We don't get rid of the thorn named Lust by denying that it exists. We can't deny our sexuality. God gave it to us. But we do need to express it and teach our children how they should express it in a godly, responsible way. It's funny that even though the issue of sex and sexuality is so pervasive in our society today we as Christians don't want to talk about it. We allow our children and those outside of the church to draw their own conclusions from what is portrayed on television, in smutty books, at the theatre and from academicians who don't have the faintest idea that there is a Christian perspective. We can't afford to have them educated in this critical area of life by default. That's our first point in dealing with this thorn. We need to admit our sexuality as a gift and teach and learn how God intends us to use this gift. Second, lust is a condition of the heart. Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount, "You have heard it said, 'do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully - with the intention of having her - has already committed 42

adultery with her in his heart." And then listen to this, he goes on, "If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." Not only does Jesus tell us that this is serious business but he also tells us that the seat of our lust is our heart. Do you remember learning in Sunday School - "Oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little eyes what you see, for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see?" Steve Green starts one of his songs with children singing that song. He breaks in with these words: "What appears as a harmless glance Can turn to romance And homes are divided Feelings that should never have been Awaken within, tearing the heart in two Listen, I beg of you! Guard your heart, guard your heart Don't trade it for treasure, Dont give it away Guard your heart, Guard your heart." We guard our heart by intentionally setting our eyes and our minds on those things that are good for us. David saw Bathsheba through the window. When the glance turned to gaze, the temptation turned to lust and the lust turned to adultery and murder. It may be a children's song but the truth is evident -- be careful little eyes what you see. Be careful little eyes what you do with what you see. Third, we have a Lord and Savior who understands our temptations and struggles. The 43

author of the book of Hebrews in talking about Jesus writes, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin." He was tempted - even in this area - but he never sinned. Jesus understands our struggles and if we look to him for help he will do just that. Charles Swindoll writes, "When Lust suggests a rendezvous, send Jesus Christ as your representative. Have Him inform your unwanted suitor that you want nothing to do with him... nothing His death and resurrection freed you from sin's stranglehold and gave you a new Master ..." David sinned and yet he was not defeated. When confronted by Nathan concerning his sin David repented, accepted God's judgment and God's forgiveness. God didn't give up on him and it was through David's family that years later he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ. Even the thorn named Lust doesn't have to have the last word.

A THORN NAMED HISTORY April 3, 2005 Doug Diehl Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:1-6; Isaiah 43:18-21 How could anyone call History a Thorn? If it wasn't for history none of us would be here. Think of all the valuable memories we hold. We learn valuable lessons from history, although we tend to ignore them. History is important. And yet, history can

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also be one of those thorns keeping us from the abundant life Jesus came to give us. Our scripture reading from Exodus is a case in point. The Israelites escaped from Egypt only months before. They had seen and done some pretty remarkable things: crossing the Red Sea as God held the waters back; eating manna miraculously sent by God, drinking water that came out of nowhere. Best of all they were heading for the Promised Land, leaving a life of slavery. The group is stopped at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Moses, their leader, has gone up the mountain for a so called meeting with God. Why has he been gone for such a long time? Have they been abandoned? Why did they ever left Egypt in the first place? Sure they had been slaves but this is too adventuresome - no fast food restaurants, no electrical plug-ins, no showers. Impatient and worried they begin to panic. So -- what do human beings do when the going gets tough? They get religious. Only, the Israelites don't turn to the God Moses has been telling them about. They turn to a familiar god of Egypt. They turn in their gold earrings, melt them down and craft a golden calf. To make a long story short the people get into trouble with God. God tries to lead them in new directions, bring them to an abundant land of freedom. What do they want to do? They want to go back to the old and the familiar. Instead of trusting God to take them forward they give into the thorn named History.

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History becomes a trouble causing thorn when we hold on to it too tightly or spend too much time and energy looking backwards. This thorn wears at least four different faces. The first is nostalgia. We talked about that when we discussed the Thorn named Change. We cannot live in the past, as great as it might have been. When we intentionally choose to live in the past -(please hear the word "intentionally because there are those who have no choice) -when we intentionally choose to live in the past we are saying to God, "I don't trust you for the future. I can't believe you have anything better for me." An English businessman visited a friend in Uganda who was an avid sportsman. Although he had some serious misgivings the friend talked him into a lion hunt. He was so nervous he couldnt sleep the night before. The next morning, as they started out, almost immediately they found fresh tracks. The sportsman in great enthusiasm identified the tracks as belonging to a full-grown lion. "Tell you what we had better do," said the English man just as enthusiastically. "You go ahead and see where he went, and I'll go back and see where he came from!" The second face this Thorn wears is resentment and/or bitterness. We have been hurt or let down and we refuse to let go of it. We hold on to history, calling it up over and over again. It grows and gnaws and torments and eventually our personality

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takes on the characteristics of the feelings. We turn into resentful, bitter people. Some time ago Time Magazine told about a middleaged lab technician who had worked at the same Pennsylvania paper mill for 19 years. He was an exemplary citizen and yet one day he exploded, bursting into the mill with two pistols, killing some of the men he had known for over 15 years. The community was stunned. But as the investigation took place they discovered a man full of hatred. Several victims had been promoted over him. Others had quit riding with him because he was reckless. Beneath his picture in the magazine was the caption -RESPONSIBLE, RESPECTABLE -AND RESENTFUL. A third face this thorn wears is similar to resentment. It can be described as damaged emotions. Some very horrible things may happen to us in our personal histories which in turn handicap us. We are hurt by someone we desperately care for and we are afraid to love again. We are deceived by someone we trust and we are afraid to trust again. We were abused and we ourselves have turned into abusers. A fourth face of the thorn is guilt, described by such statements as "if only ...", "I wish ...", "why didn't I ..?" How do we deal with this thorn named History? 1. We must face the events in our history squarely and honestly. For those things in our past that were good we need to value them and hold on to them, while at 47

the same time acknowledging that we can no longer live back there. For those things in our past that were bad we need to acknowledge that they happened. We might need to share it with someone who will listen confidentially and accept us unconditionally. 2. When we need to do it, we must accept our own responsibility in the past events. Even if we were totally innocent, we may be responsible for reacting badly especially if we are holding on to it, embittering our spirit and handicapping our life. We must forgive. We must forgive those who were involved. We need to forgive ourselves. It is part of accepting responsibility. 3. We must ask ourselves if we really want to let go of it. Do we want to let go of the past and move on to an unknown future? Just like the Israelites it may be safer to revert to the past, no matter how bad it was, than to move ahead into a new life. 3 4. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us what is really going on inside of us and how we need to pray. This is most important. The Holy Spirit is ready, willing and available to help us. Charlie Steinmetz was incredibly gifted, designing and building the great generators for Henry Fords first automobile plant. One day the generators broke down. The plant came to a halt. Fords mechanics failed to get the generators going again. They were losing money. Ford called Steinmetz. The genius came, puttered 48

around for a few hours, and then threw the switch that put the great Ford plant back into operation. A few days later Henry Ford received a bill from Steinmetz for $10,000. Although Ford was a very rich man, he returned the bill with a note, "Charlie, isn't this billing just a little high for a few hours of tinkering around on those motors?" Steinmetz returned the bill to Ford. This time it read: "For tinkering around on the motors: $10. For knowing where to tinker: $9990." Henry Ford paid the bill. The Holy Spirit knows where to tinker. In Romans 8:26 we read, the Spirit help us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us James tells us in 4:3 that we often do not receive because we ask for the wrong things. Most of all, we need to remember that just as God is progressively at work in history He also desires to be progressively at work in us as individuals. God wants to make us into new creatures, transformed by the renewing of our minds. With our cooperation God desires to remove from us those things that are not Godlike and to produce within us those things that are. To harbor guilt, resentment, hurt, nostalgia over the old life is to say just like the Israelites, "I don't care if you say you want to take me someplace far better, I want to go back to where I was." This would not be the last time the Israelites would moan about going back to 49

Egypt. In fact, God finally had enough and said, "Alright, if you're not interested in the good things that I have waiting for you, I won't let you go" and God didn't. The adult generation was never allowed to see the Promised Land. May we never miss out on the good things God has for us tomorrow because we are insistent in hanging onto yesterday. NO MORE LET THORNS INFEST THE GROUND May 1, 2005 Doug Diehl Scripture Reading: Numbers 33:50-56; John 14:15-21 It didnt take long before thorns made their appearance in Biblical history. Soon after Adam and Eve sinned they were confronted by God announcing the consequence for their sin. To Adam God decrees, 17Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, You must not eat of it, Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. (Genesis 3:17-19 NIV) Thorns poked into the experience of earthly life and have been sticking around ever since, externally and internally. After church on Easter Sunday, we left for Missouri to see Destri and Jesse. We 50

spent Sunday night in Sioux Falls at a motel. After Dustin arrived from Fargo he and I took the dogs for a walk along some sort of dike. It was too dark to see the ground but not so dark that we didnt notice the dogs hopping from paw to paw and nipping at their feet. We were clueless as to what was going on until we got to the lighted parking lot. Their paws were covered with little thorns, very small cockleburs. The night clerk in the lobby had quite a show watching us remove those thorns from two dogs that not only didnt appreciate the thorns but also did not appreciate the removal process. Life is full of thorns. We simply pick them up as we go along in life. Some of those thorns sit just under the skin and are no more than annoyances but some painful and festering thorns have buried themselves deep. Weve talked about several of them these past weeks thorns that go by the name of history, lust, procrastination, somebody, anger, fear, alienation, change, stress, alienation, ingratitude, and misrecognition. Just like our two dogs who enjoyed neither the thorns nor their removal we are much the same. As uncomfortable as the thorns in our lives might be we often choose to live with them rather than go through the pain and challenge of having those thorns removed. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on Jesus head. I looked through the Bible and checked out all the verses containing thorns.

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Within that list I found several verses that will provide the basis for this sermon in our wrap up of the thorns of life. We can start by asking what brought a thorny judgment to Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were created by the very hands of God and placed in a paradise in which they had access to everything, were placed in charge of everything, and were given permission to enjoy everything. Everything 9,999,999 animals, plants, fruits all of it was theirs. Out of all of that, only one thing God had asked them not to pursue to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Robert Barron, a Roman Catholic theologian, insightfully discusses this original sin in the Gardens of Eden. He says the tree of the knowledge of good and evil basically represents a foundational, critical decision will we let God be God or will we grasp to become God ourselves? In the prohibition, God does not say we are not to have knowledge of good and evil. God is saying we must not seek to find that knowledge by bypassing God and grasping divinity for ourselves, ending up with foolishness and a huge mess. Rather we are to find that knowledge by allowing God to grasp us, to love us and reveal what is good and evil within that incredible relationship God desires with us. So that is where we start and where we finish it will determine a thorny life or a smooth life do we grasp divinity for ourselves or do we allow ourselves to be grasped by God? 52

And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on Jesus head. The scriptures also give us other hints at how to guarantee a thorny life or how to avoid a life full of thorns. Proverbs 15:19 (NIV) 19The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway. Simply put, if we are lazy with the living out and the direction of our lives, we will find our lives full of thorns. If we are reflective and intentional in living righteous life a God-directed life we will find our lives as a straight, smooth highway. Proverbs 22:5 (NIV) 5 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them. This is much the same. In this case, the wicked also translated perverse and deceitful find their path in life full of thorns and booby traps. It is those who guard their hearts from wickedness who will avoid them. We know today that the most alert, effective and strong sentry we could ever conscript to guard the door of our hearts is the one offered to us by Jesus himself the Holy Spirit. 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV) 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. In a parable told by Jesus, he likens the hearers of Gods word to different kinds of soils, describing some hearers like this: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew 53

up and choked the plants. (Matthew 13:7 NIV) Later as he explains this parable to his disciples, he says, The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22 NIV) Although we have heard and received the word of God it may never sprout and bear fruit if it is choked out by the worries of life, in particular concern over the things of life. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on Jesus head. Paul shares a secret in taking away power from the thorns in our lives. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NIV) we read about Pauls own struggle with a particular thorn in his life. He writes, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me. From the Garden of Eden up until this very day God has allowed the presence of thorns into our lives, not to make us miserable, but to remind us of our need for God and to drive us to God for his help. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on Jesus head.

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Only God can help us deal with our thorns. In fact, in an incredible act of love Jesus bowed his head to a crown of thorns. Jesus carried those thorns to the cross and he removed their sting and power once and for all. In one of the greatest hymns of the Christian faith Charles Wesley writes, Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing No more no more - let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; he comes to make his blessings flow how far? far as the curse is found in your life, in my life - far as the curse is found. Have you ever noticed how when we get a sliver or sticker under our skin, a miraculous power takes over in our bodies to push that thorn out? Of course there can be complications to that process so the simile can only go so far. But the truth of the matter is, when it comes to the thorns in our lives, we will not remove them by getting out the spiritual magnifying glass and the giant, holy tweezers, and poke and prod and pull at those thorns. We rid ourselves of the thorns of our lives by making room for Jesus. No more let sins or sorrows grow no more let thorns infest your ground the Lord has come and he will drive them out. The Thorn of Distraction Sharla McCaskell January 30, 2005 55

Truth be told if we were to share stories about times in our lives that we have been distracted, more than likely they would include car bumpers and burnt food. We all, Im sure have stories about times that we have been distracted while driving that either resulted in a fender bender or a near miss. Or, while cooking how many times have we put cookies in the oven and thought we had time to put a load of wash in and the phone rang on our way to the wash, which ultimately resulted in burnt cookies. As we celebrate and acknowledge the ministry of the United Methodist Women today, we draw upon their theme for the year which is Our World Through Prayer. We work our way now too and through the Lenten season, and are going to take a closer look at the Thorns of life. Knowing that the theme for the UMW year is prayer, distraction seemed like a thorn that we all have to contend with, especially in our prayer lives. We could spend a whole year on Prayer itself, but in practical terms lets look at turning distractions during prayer, into prayerful action. Ask a half dozen people what prayer is and youll get answers anywhere from, talking to God, to asking for whatever we want, to oh thats private, thats between God and me. Put in simple terms it is an expression of dependence. Like the cry of a trusting child looking up to a loving parent, we are saying I need 56

you. In contrast, to not pray is an expression of independence, as if saying to God, I can handle this situation with my own resources. I will figure out an answer. This ultimately limits the powerful help from God and our experience of His reality in our lives. Piggy backing on Pastor Dougs sermon from last week, the Thorn of Procrastination, todays Thorn of Distraction keeps us from having intimate time with God. If you are like me, we struggle to stay focused when we pray. We begin to pray and find ourselves thinking beyond our prayer time to what else we need to squeeze into the day. We are tempted to think that such distractions are simply symptoms of the frenzied times we live in . But saints throughout the ages have wrestled with wondering thoughts during prayer. The disciples also struggled to stay vigilant in prayer. When Jesus took them to the garden, He asked them to keep watch with Him. When he arose from prayer and found them sleeping, He said, not just once but 3 times So could you not watch with me one hour? The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Jesus gave specific instructions to His disciples on how to pray. In Matthew 6:6 we are instructed to go away by ourselves, all alone and shut the door behind us and pray to our Heavenly Father secretly. And your Father, who knows your secrets, will reward you.

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Jesus also prayed with people. He taught his disciples to pray a prayer that used plural pronouns, assuming that the prayer would be prayed by a community: Our Father, give us, forgive us, By talking with His Heavenly Father about every part of His life on earth- Jesus found guidance, strength, comfort, and renewal of vision and purpose. All of these inner benefits can be ours, if we are willing to take the path of action, instead of that of distraction. Distraction takes place in forms other than ringing telephones and noisy children. Distraction can come in the form of selfishness and lack of faith. For prayer to be effective our prayers must be consistent with Gods will. Praying to win the lottery or for your boss to be sacked , so you can have his job, is not prayer that is pleasing to God. Jesus said, not my will , but thy will be done. Debbie, a young mom had two small children, three year old Timmy and six month old Melissa. While Debbie talked on the phone one day to her friend, she was sorting out a kitchen drawer and kept an eye on the children. But as time went on she got more and more engrossed in her phone conversation and paid less and less attention to Timmy, who was playing with his baby sister. After almost an hour on the phone, Debbie hung up and turned around to get Melissa. Shocked , she realized both children had vanished. Rushing down the hallway to Timmys

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bedroom, she found him playing with his truck and Melissa gurgling happily on the floor. Timmy, said his mom in a voice that spelled trouble, Mommy told you to never pick up the baby. You could hurt her. Your not big enough to carry her. You disobeyed Mommy. But mommy, Timmy cried, I didnt pick her up, I rolled her down here. In our lives do we relate with Timmy, who found a way around his mothers instructions or with his mom totally distracted by the latest news. When Paul wrote to the Christians at Phillipi, he specifically complimented them on their obedience to God, which we find in Phillipians 2:12. Paul was struck by the fact that they didnt only obey God when he, Paul was with them. They also obeyed God when Paul was not with them. Obedience to God wasnt something they felt pressured into. It was their hearts desire. Is that how we feel in our communication with God? Is our prayer life out of duty or because we desire intimate conversation with our maker. A Native American man was in downtown New York, walking along with his friend, who lived in New York City. Suddenly he said, I hear a cricket. Oh your crazy, his friend replied. No, I hear a cricket. I do! Im sure of it. Its noon hour . You know there are people bustling around, cars honking, taxis squealing, noises from the city. Im sure you cant hear it . Im sure I do. He 59

listened attentively and walked to the corner, across the street, and looked all around. Finally on the other corner he found a shrub in a large cement planter. He dug beneath the leaf and found the cricket. His friend was duly astounded. But the Indian man said, No my ears are no different from yours. It simply depends on what you are listening to. Here let me show you. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change- and dropped it on the sidewalk. What are we listening for? In order to hear the voice of God in our prayer life or in our personal relationship with him we must close the door on distraction, by turning off the TV, the radio and the cell phone. In Mark 1:35 it says, very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place, where he prayed. Recently in a study by Beth Moore, that we are doing here at the church, she challenged us to first thing in the morning ,empty ourselves before God, so that we may be filled by His spirit instead of ourselves. It is easy to tell God all of the things we want to make our day go just right for us, but first we must empty ourselves through confession and honesty before we can receive the filling for the day by the Holy Spirit. The UMW theme of Our World Through Prayer challenges us to expand our horizons and go outside these church walls to take action through prayer for Gods 60

world locally and globally. One of the books of study this year is the book entitled Concerning Prayer. In this book they highlight the prayer-directed faith of Mother Teresa. She often spoke of rightousness and freely gave the map to anyone who wanted to follow her path. Through prayer you will believe and through belief you will love and through love you will serve. Those of us who desire to follow the pattern of Jesus Christ learn through the life of Mother Teresa that prayer is the foundation for knowing the Spirit of God, and transformation is the consequence. In the sermon given in her honor after she received the Nobel Prize for Peace, one can hear the challenge of being in a prayer filled relationship with God: If there is something that our divided world without peace needs then it is people who in the name of Christ will cross boundaries to lessen their neighbors need, regardless of standing and reputation. First Church where do we stand? What kind of reputation do we have? We are proud of this talented and gifted church family. Pastor Doug and I comment often what a privilege it is to be in ministry with you. The women and men alike go above and beyond in so many ways that lend a helping hand locally and afar. But friends, it is deeper than that, we are asked to stop what we are doing, to concentrate, and to support people who desire for us to stand in unity through

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prayer for them. They desire spiritual wholeness, and healing and peace. The weekly prayer needs in this church are something that we can not brush aside, human lives make it through another day knowing and trusting that prayer is being offered on their behalf. These prayer requests are dealing with not only physical needs, but for restoration of relationships and the desire to have others know Christ in a personal way. In the name of Christ are we willing to be less selfish in our prayer requests and to intercede on behalf of someone we may not even know, but are willing to care about. Are we willing to shut the door on distraction and take action that brings friendship, strength and even hope to others. Let our reputation be one of strength that others witness in us for our power and passion for prayer. Derek Redmond was favored to win the four hundred meter race in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Halfway into his semifinal heat, a fiery pain seared through his right leg. He crumpled to the track with a torn hamstring. As the medical attendants were approaching, Redmond fought to his feet. He set out hopping, pushing away coaches in a crazied attempt to finish the race. When he reached the stretch , a big man pushed through the crowd. Wearing a t-shirt that said have you hugged your child today Dereks father approached his son saying you dont have to do this. Yes I do, Derek replied. Well then, Said his father, we are 62

going to finish this together. Fighting off security, and the sons head buried in the fathers shoulder, they stayed in Dereks lane to the end. The crowd clapped, then stood, then cheered, and then wept as the father and son finished the race. What made the father do it? What made the father leave the stands to meet his son on the track? Was it the strength of his child? No, it was the pain of his child. His son was hurt and fighting to complete the race. So the father came to help him finish. God does the same. Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference. Amen! Thorn of Misunderstanding Sharla McCaskell February 20, 2005 A Story is told of a little girl who was asked to write an essay on birth. She went home and asked her mother how she had been born. Her mother who was busy at the time, said the stork brought you darling, and left you on the doorstep. Continuing her research she asked her dad how hed been born. Being in the middle of something, her father similarly deflected the question by saying, I

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was found at the bottom of the garden. The fairies brought me. Then the little girl went and asked her grandmother how she had arrived. I was picked from a gooseberry bush, said grandma. With this information the girl wrote her essay. When the teacher asked her later to read it in front of the class, she stood up and began, There has not been a natural birth in our family for three generations In studying todays lectionary text we hear Jesus speak to Nicodemus of being born from above- or being born anew. He was not talking of a natural birth. As he explained to Nicodemus, he was talking of a spiritual birth- a birth that was, and is, somehow supernatural. The story begins with Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night. Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews. As a leader, we might speculate he came to Jesus in the darkness so no one would see him. However, night does not mean darkness in John. Night is a metaphor, a symbol representing separation from the presence of God. Those who prefer darkness to light have separated themselves from Gods presence. Nicodemus is drawn to the light, but the way he lives his life has him in darkness. Nicodemus begins his conversation with Jesus by identifying Jesus as a teacher and as someone with whom God is with. He knows Jesus due to his reputation with miracles, but he still does not see Jesus for who he really is. Jesus 64

response to Nicodemus is in the form of a teaching. Jesus tells him, what really matters is that a person must be born again, or born anew or that person cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Born again is only one way to translate the word from the original Greek. The word in Greek is anothen. Anothen means born again and from above. When Nicodemus hears the word he immediately translates it into its simplest form. Nicodemus believes Jesus is talking about a physical rebirth. He even comments that it is impossible for someone to be physically born again. Jesus does not imply a physical rebirth. Jesus means a rebirth of body and spirit which comes from above. Jesus is trying to broaden Nicodemus understanding of God. Nicodemus didnt get it. He doesnt catch the metaphor. He takes the words literally. Nicodemus, as a teacher in Israel, should not have found the idea of rebirth strange. So Jesus tried again and said one has to be born of water and the Spirit. To recognize Jesus for who He is, to begin to see the light of God in Christ, a rebirth has to occur. Jesus reminds Nicodemus of an Old Testament event that we find in Numbers 21, that serves as an indication of his saving power. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 65

Nicodemus disappears from the conversation at this point and the gospel of John sets the stage for what Martin Luther called the the Gospel in miniature. In John 3:16it is the scripture that we know and seem to understand more clearly.For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Though unworthy, God loved the world, and as part of that world.God loves us. The story of Nicodemus is a reminder to us all that Jesus speaks and offers us a fresh start, a fresh breath of his Spirit. We each have different stories to tell when we have experienced new birth or new life in Christ. For some of us we may have a specific time or place that we asked God to help us start anew, while others of us had more of a John Wesley experience. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, who at age 35 was a dejected and rejected ex-missionary, whose preaching turned people off more often than it turned them on. Then one night at a prayer meeting on Aldersgate Street in London, the holy spirit broke through the life of this broken pastor and he felt his heart strangely warmed. He said that through his trust in Christ, in Christ alone for his salvation, an assurance was given him that even his sins

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were forgiven and he personally experienced Gods grace. An officer in the Navy had dreamed from childhood of commanding a great battleship one day. He finally achieved his dream and was given commission of the newest and proudest ship in the fleet. One stormy night, the captain was on duty on the bridge when he spotted a strange light rapidly closing in on his own vessel. As his ship plowed through the giant waves, the light rose and fell just above the horizon of the sea. He ordered his signalman to flash a message to the unidentified craft on his port side, Alter your course ten degrees to the south. Within seconds a reply came, Alter your course ten degrees to the north. Determined that his ship would never take a backseat to any other, the captain snapped a second order, Alter course ten degrees- I am the CAPTAIN! The response was beamed back, Alter your course ten degrees- I am Seaman Third Class Smith. By this time, the light was growing ever brighter and larger. Infuriated, the captain grabbed the signal light and personally signaled, Alter course, I am a battleship. The reply came just as quickly, Alter your course, I am a lighthouse. Here we are now in the season of Lent. We are challenged during Lent to review our lives before God. For some of us we are like Nicodemus, our

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journey has been in the dark and we need Gods renewal and a clear understanding of new life. Or for some of us we desire to feel the freshness offered to us through the Holy Spirit. For others of us we are like the ship and need to alter our course and turn away from old habits and turn toward God and experience Gods grace. Born again might mean knowing in a personal way, that our heart has been warmed. God desires for you and I to believe in His promises and experience His grace in a fresh new way. Nicodemus had a hard time understanding this born anew concept. It didnt seem natural to himit isnt natural, it is divine.

Thorn of Ingratitude Sharla McCaskell March 6, 2005 There is a story about a blind man who challenged world great, Arnold Palmer to a round of golf. Arnold thought to himself, that wouldnt even be a challenge. The blind man persisted and he even said he would like to wager some money on the game. Now, Arnold Palmer really was having second thoughts. He didnt want to be rude but he didnt want to just walk away with this mans money so unfairly. Even more persistent the blind man wouldnt 68

take no for an answer. Giving in, Arnold agreed to the match and asked the man, when should we meet to play? Excited and smiling the blindman said, Meet me tomorrow night at 10:30. In the gospel lesson today we find Jesus restoring sight for a man born blind. Though it is the Sabbath day, Jesus remarks that as long as he is in the world, there is work to be done. "I am the light of the world", he says. Jesus puts mud in the eyes of the man and sends him to the pool to wash. The blind man is healed, he can see. Praise God, right? Yet, for such a miraculous healing, for such a great gift of sight given to one who has never seen before, it doesn't seem that many find reason for rejoicing. The disciples, the neighbors, the Pharisees, even the man's parents seem less concerned with the healing of the blind man than they are with the details - how the healing was done, when it was done, by whom it was done. The disciples questioned the Lord if this mans blindness were because of his sins or the sins of his parents. The mans neighbors questioned if this could really be the neighbor that they knew to be a beggar. The Pharisees came to investigate. They had their own set of questions. Some insisted this man Jesus, cant be of God for he healed on the Sabboth. While others asked, how can a sinner do such miraculous things. They questioned whether this was actually 69

the former blind man. So, they ask the mans parents.now surely these people would be appreciative to anyone that could heal their son of his blindnessand even they afraid of the repercussions, said go talk to him yourself, we do not know how he can now see. The man of new found faith stands firm in his belief that Jesus is truly a man from God. Jesus then explains that he is the Son of Man and the man professes his belief even after being thrown out. In the 38 verse it says, Then the man said, Lord I believe, and he worshiped him. This part is interesting to me.here is this guy who has been questioned, rejected by his own parents, thrown out to the streets and instead of running as fast as he can he stops right then and there and worships the Lord. Now this is a man filled with gratitude. Can you imagine the thankfulness this guy feels towards Jesus? Wow what a journey this guy has taken. He migrated from blindness to sight, to insight, to a faith relationship, and finally to worship his savior. For most of us it takes most of our lifetime to take such a journey in our faith, yet for this guy it only takes a day or two. The book of John doesnt say what happened to this man after the events recorded in todays Gospel Lesson. Maybe he went out to look for a job, where he could use his newly restored eyesight. Maybe he went home to evangelize

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his parents, or just maybe he helped spread the good news following the resurrection of Christ. We dont know what happened to him but I can imagine that this man went forth with a heart filled to overflowing with gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord. He had personally received the gift of sight from Jesus. In English there is a relationship between gift and giver. Ingratitude severs that relationship between the giver and the gift. If I receive a gift without giving thanks or gratitude, I am simply taking it. I am saying either it has no value to me or I deserve it. Which is worse, but in either case it distances me from the giver. When I receive a gift and acknowledge the giver, it draws us closer. This man must have felt drawn to worship Jesus for this wonderful gift. It drew him closer to Jesus, when the doubters were questioning who really was this healer man. Andrew Carnegie, the multimillionare, left $1 million for one of his relatives, who in return cursed Carnegie because he had left $365 million to public charities and had cut him off with just a measly million. Strangely enough we Christians are like that of Carnegies relative sometimes. We have been given so much and blessed in so many ways but we feel we have

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earned more. But when we are truly thankful, and recognize that gratitude helps to strengthen our faith and draw us closer to the giver of life, the giver of living water, and even the very one who gives sight to the blind. As our faith grows our gratitude becomes so much more than saying Thank you for the things that happen to us that we like or complaining about the things we dont like. Gratitude, when we are trusting in God, begins to mean that we thank God for all the things that come along. Somehow the glass is half full more often than half empty. Fanny Crosby, who wrote Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine was blind from her earliest childhood, as a result of an accident, wrote this when she was only eight years old. Oh, what a happy child I am, Although I can not see. I am resolved that in this world, Contented I will be. How many blessings I enjoy That other people dont To weep and sigh Because Im blind, I cannot and I wont. Even those who are permantly blind can have hearts of gratitude, when they have faith. The man in the scripture was not only healed of his physical blindness but discovered he was no longer spiritually blind. Our very own

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Clayton Hyde shared with us once that we can be physically blind but still have vision. The same is true on the opposite end, we can have perfect eye sight and be blind to the understanding of Christian discipleship. The only thing that can hold us back from experiencing the healing power of God in our lives is our own resistance to the fact that we too are offered some holy mud not only in our eyes, but our hearts and our lives. Then, we are asked to trust Christ by going and washing in the pool, where our lives are restored and we see anew. Many years ago, as the story is told, a devout king was disturbed by the ingratitude of his royal court. He prepared a large banquet for them. When the king and his royal guests were seated, by prearrangement a beggar shuffled into the hall, sat down at the kings table, and gorged himself with food. Without saying a word , he then left the room. The guests were furious and asked permission to seize the tramp and tear him limb from limb for his ingratitude. The king replied, that beggar has done only once to an earthly king what each of you does three times each day to God. You sit there at the table and eat until you are satisfied. Then you walk away without recognizing God, or expressing one word of thanks to Him Today we gather at the Lords table. Jesus offers us new life, new sight, and a 73

whole lot of grace. May we come to this table out of gratitude for his love for us, may we come drawn closer to the giver of the gift of forgiveness and like the blindman may we desire to worship our Lord because we believe in Him. Thorn of Recognition Sharla McCaskell 04-10-05 Recognize him. I cant believe we didnt recognize himWe spent a good share of the day with him and how did we not recognize him? Would you slow downI cant keep up with you. This morning when we left Jerusalem I couldnt have got you to run for anything. I will be ready to run with you in a little bit. I just need to figure this out How did we not recognize him? I mean we have seen him and heard him teach and preach, many times. We should have recognized that voice anywhere. It is a voice filled with compassion and love, forgiveness and authority. I mean if we didnt recognize him by his voice, we surely should have recognized by all that he knew. It never dawned on me when he first joined us. He seemed to not know anything about this

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whole last week. I thought for sure this guy was in the dark, where had he been in a tomb or something. He was asking questions that unless you were a stranger to the area you should know the answers to. And then when he explained the scriptures to us from Moses to the Prophets, you think we would have caught on but no we were to depressed and downcast. I mean I kind of took offense when he called us foolish and slow of heart. Think about it, our hopes were dashed, our Lord, the very one whom we hoped would redeem Israel had been condemned to death and crucified. Our hope had been taken from us, the very person who healed the sick, turned water into wine and restored sight to the blind was supposedly dead. Talk about blind.we were the blind ones. Hold up, Ive got to catch my breathI mean Im trying to keep up with you but Im talking too you know. Thanks, whew I am as anxious to get back to Jeruselem as you are but Im not in as good of shape as you are. Weve put a lot of miles on these sandals today. I know we should have listened to the women, you dont have

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to keep pounding that one on me. I mean think about it how believable is it that the tomb our Lord was buried would be empty and then that they had seen angels too You know how women are, always adding little tidbits to stories. I know, we should have listened to the women!!! Can we change the subject? Im glad you urged him to come stay the night with us and Im really glad your wife didnt mind you bringing a stranger home for dinner. Recognized himthats when we recognized him. There he was, our guest, and he ends up taking on the role of host. Man, my eyes really started to open when he took the bread, and gave thanks and broke it and began to give it to us. Did you see his hands, what more evidence did we need. Right there, he was, at the very same table as us..Jesus.the very man we saw hanging dead on the hill. And as quick as we realized who he was,( ) he was gone. You should have seen your mouth,( ) it was wider than this pathwe hadnt even eaten yet, but talk about heart burn!!! It was then that we realized why our hearts had been burning within us,

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remember while he walked with us and opened the scriptures to us. Recognize him.I still cant believe we didnt recognize himok ok, Ill stop talking and start runningthis path is a whole lot more different at night, you know. I cant wait to get back to Jeruselem and tell the discipleswait up, wait up!!! Luke doesnt explain to us why the two did not recognize Jesus immediately but I suspect those very same reasons are true for why you and I dont recognize Jesus in our lives as well. I mean after all we are busy people. We are preoccupied with work and family, hobbies and everyday things like sleeping and eating. Like these two travelers, doubt and misunderstanding keep us from seeing Jesus at work in us and around us. It is easy for us to question why bad things happen to us, why our health fails, why some of our relationships fail and yet the many everyday blessings around us go unrecognized. As humans we need tangible evidence to believe in the very hand of God in our lives. When we lack hope we find ourselves doubting more than believing. Evidence.we need fingerprints, or DNA or the ability to touch or

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see. Soon after 9-11 when the real intense pursuit for terrorists was underway.the Secretary of Defense made this statement in a news conference The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Hear that againthe absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. I have made that into a poster in my office, to remind me that the same is true in our faith. When we question, when we doubt, when we dont recognize our God at work in our midstit for surely doesnt mean that our God is the one that is absent. There are times in my life when I have been very alone and filled with doubt or fear and looking back I recognize Gods spirit, at work in my life in a most obvious way. Craig Larson tells of a Coloradeon who moved to Kansas and built a house with a large picture window from which he could view miles and miles of rangeland. The only problem is, he said theres nothing to see. About the same time, a Kansan moved to Colorado and built a house with a large picture window overlooking the Rockies. The only problem is he said, I cant see anything, the mountains are in the way. 78

Where are we looking for beauty, where do we believe we will recognize Jesus? Maybe we find ourselves on a journey filled with doubt and hopelessness. Or maybe we are at a fork in the road and need direction and encouragement to make good choices that will give us meaning and roots to grow on. John Beehler compares our faith to that of a lightbulb. Full of potential yet fragile. Then something unexpected happens and our hope is shattered. We find ourselves in similar circumstances like that of the 2 travelers in our scripture lesson. We are filled with despair and hopeless. We dont recognize God walking with us, we seek other ways for fulfillment, we are blind and senseless to Gods spirit. Yet, if we choose to include God on our journey and ask him to reveal himself through the reading of His word and recognize Him in the breaking of the bread, we will be restored through his grace and know that even through paths of darkness the light of Christ brings us hope and even restoration. When we too listen, open our eyes and believe in Christs promises, we start to be restored as Christ personally reveals himself to us 79

during our journey. The very road marked by defeat and shattered hope was and is a different road now. The road was and is full of possibilities. The return trip found these two travelers on the: Same road with a different destination. Same road with a different conversation. Same road with different observations. Same road with recognizable hope. May this be true for us today as well. May our journey that we may have once found hopeless or without a destination, be filled with the hope of Christ that he restores in us through his resurrection. Recognize HimRecognize Him He is herehow can we not, Recognize Him. AMEN! Gracious God, We thank you that through your word, through the breaking of the bread and the community we share as your church we have come to recognize you. May we acknowledge you, for your word says you will make our paths straight. Today oh God, may we encounter you as the Risen Christ who sustains us with a recognizable hope. May we run to tell others of your love for us. AMEN.

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