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A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had joined the
Facebook community. I realize that many of you are not on Facebook so
allow me, one of the oldest members of this young community to orient
you. This internet community was set up to connect the six degrees of
separation that you may have heard about. For example, you know Jerry
who knows Alfred, who knows Julie, who knows Beatrice, etc. Facebook
is an attempt to connect the proverbial small world. 35 million
people are presently connected to this computer community, most of
them college students. The first things one is asked when signing up
for this Facebook is your age, relational status, hometown, where you
live now, school history, etc. Then there is the important stuff like
interests, favorite music, books, TV shows, movies, and quotes.
Finally there is a place to put something “About Me”. Next there is
the fretful step of inviting friends. I confessed that I invited only
a few and after week one had seven Facebook Friends. I was so
excited. Last week I celebrated 56 friends. This week I am up to 97
Facebook Friends, most of them Fightin’ Texas Aggies who have tutored
me through this Facebook maze. So now you know about Facebook, except
I haven’t told you about The Wall, perhaps the most
intimidating part of Facebook.
The Wall is where one posts comments and life updates for everyone to
read. Sometimes it is deep philosophical insights and other times it
is some kind of code like “BTHO Fresno State.” I have to admit, I am
a little timid about The Wall. Most of my communication takes
place through the “send a message” option, which is one-on-one like
e-mail. However, there are two problems with this. One is that means
to keep in touch with my 97 Facebook Friends would take 97 e-mails,
and the other is that Christianity is really more about living on
the wall. Our lives are to be lived in a way that everyone else
can see who we are and see who Christ is through us. So for all of
us, Facebook users and those who actually interact with people face to
face, I have one question. What is written on your wall?
Much of the Bible was written with The Wall kind
of mentality. It was intended to be read by everyone. Paul wrote
letters to the church in Thessalonica, but wanted everyone there to
read it and then pass it on to others. Listen to what he wrote on
The Wall of the Thessalonians, in I Thessalonians 5:12-24, and see
if these words are not applicable for our lives. Hear now the Word of
the Lord:
12But we appeal to you,
brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have
charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; 13esteem them
very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among
yourselves. 14And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the
idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with
all of them. 15See that none of you repays evil for evil,
but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16Rejoice
always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in
all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not
despise the words of prophets, 21but test everything; hold
fast to what is good; 22abstain from every form of evil.
23May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely;
and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls
you is faithful, and he will do this.
The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to
God. In this passage the apostle Paul encouraged an eschatological
readiness in his readers focusing on the most crucial elements. As I
look at this passage I see some things that need to be reflected on
The Wall of every follower of Christ. Tell me, what is
written on your wall?
Consideration of others is to be written on The
Wall
Paul was writing to a very young church. Christianity
was rather new to Europe and probably every member of the Thessalonian
church was a new Christian. Leaders were being confronted regularly,
responsibility for each other was not being offered regularly, and
there was always that human tendency to get even with someone who
mistreated a person. Paul pointed to the Parousia, the return of
Christ, and said, “He is coming back. We are not sure when, but
let us be ready for that moment every moment. Respect those in
authority, not because they are better than you, but because God has
appointed them to do some very hard work and they need your support.
Be at peace with each other, because nothing will derail a community
of faith faster than bickering within. Be accountable to each other,
because your influence on another is incredible – you can get the idle
member back in line, you can encourage the wounded, and help the
weak. You can actually model the ethic of love commanded by Christ,
by doing good to each other rather than retaliating any wrongs. Be
considerate to others – all others.”
Sometimes we forget about our connection to each other. I was
reminded of the power of this connection this week not from Facebook,
but by a first grader, who sensed a connection to those across the
world. Last Sunday while we were singing the last hymn, Grant Socol,
a first grader, brought a note to me saying that he had an idea to
open a Lemonade Stand for the week leading up to our Nothing but Nets
celebration today. The church staff went by Thursday afternoon to see
how sales were going and in the time I was there, Grant and his mom,
Kara, had raised enough money to buy one net and save a family of four
in Cote d’Iviore, Africa. “Admonish the idlers, encourage the faint
hearted, help the weak…” I watched a six-year-old boy do that very
thing this week. At last count he had purchased seven nets.
There are so many ways that we can express
consideration toward others. We can honor our leaders, we can
encourage our fellow workers, and we can as Paul put it in verse 15,
“Always seek to do good to one another and to all.” One thing people
ought to be able to read on The Wall that is you life is consideration
of others. So tell me, what is written on your wall?
Character within is to be visible on The Wall
Paul was addressing a church, but the character of a
church is only as good as the character of its members. William
Barclay said Paul was advocating that the church in Thessalonica be
a happy church, a praying church, and a thankful church.
The only way that was going to happen was if the members of that
church were happy, praying, and thankful. They had to be persons of
Christian character. For that to happen it must be intentional,
because we humans are prone to complaining, not praying, and being
ungrateful. That’s just who we are. Paul went on to say that our
character is to include an openness to the Holy Spirit, and this is
more scary than writing on my Facebook Wall.
I have
known the Holy Spirit to change people’s lives entirely. When I was a
homesick boy in Houston, Texas 31 years ago, I prayed for permission
to go home. Instead, the Holy Spirit called me to full-time
ministry. Then the Holy Spirit gave me a wonderful Texan wife to make
sure I stayed here and followed that calling. Just ask her why she
fell in love with me and she will tell you - God made her.
C. S.
Lewis wrote about the great lion Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia.
The children asked Mr. and Mrs. Beaver if Aslan was a tame lion and
they laughed. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs.
Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t
safe. But he’s good.” This is the role of God in our lives. Never
confuse the Almighty for tame or even safe. This same God will lead
you out of your comfort zone more than once. ’Course he isn’t
safe. But he’s good.
Character is
something that people are looking for on your wall, in your life. Let
it be seen by all by rejoicing always, praying constantly, and being
thankful in everything. Oh yes, and don’t quench the fire of the
Spirit. Let that burn brightly in your life.
So tell me, what is written on your wall?
Is consideration of others written there and is a character within
reflected on The Wall that anyone can read?
Confidence in God is to be written on The Wall
I love
how Paul wrapped up this passage. He just finished listing some very
brief instructions that look like a mother’s list for her teenager
returning from school in the afternoon, “Don’t forget to take out the
trash, mow the yard, clean your room, be patient with everyone, always
do good to one another, rejoice always, don’t quench the Spirit, hold
fast to what is good, abstain from every form of evil, and sweep the
porch.” Then he unveils the power of it all - The God of peace
himself. Paul prayed that God would sanctify the Thessalonians
entirely, presenting their spirit, soul, and body blameless when
Christ does return. Then he wrote, “The one who calls you is
faithful, and he will do this.” Now that is some kind of confidence!
Leon Morris wrote in his commentary on this passage, “What matters
is not our feeble hold on God, but God’s strong grip on us.”
I have never
met anyone who lived with this kind of confidence more than Mary
Brown. I met Mary about six years ago when I arrived at First United
Methodist Church in Pasadena. She was in my office on my first Sunday
at 8:00 a.m. sharp. She took my hand and the hands of the other
pastors and began to pray one of the most beautiful prayers. Her
voice was soft, but her spirit was firm. She prayed that God would
bless my ministry at that church and speak through my message that
morning. Mary met me every Sunday morning and offered powerful
prayers each time. As time went on I learned that Mary was working
closely with Restorative Justice in the prison system. She was
visiting with prisoners offering them the same soft voice and firm
prayers that she offered on my behalf on Sundays. What is so powerful
about this is that Mary’s husband was murdered in their front yard a
few years before I met her. A disgruntled worker had followed him
home and murdered him while his wife and son were sleeping inside.
Mary went to the sentencing and read an impact statement. She told
the murderer how her life and the lives of her children had been
devastated by his act of anger. She told him that the murder also
shattered any sense of innocence and threatened the trust of
humankind. Then after elaborating on the pain that one man’s sin had
brought to this family, she looked at the man who murdered her husband
and said, “We forgive you.” Over time she presented that man with a
Bible, and continued to be involved in Restorative Justice. Mary
Brown died last month after being stricken with cancer for a second
time. She knew she had the cancer before the doctors did. One day,
about a year ago, she was praying and she sensed God telling her the
cancer was back. She told her pastor, the Lord had assured her with
these words,
“Don’t worry, it won’t
be bad.”
At her funeral one of her pastors, Cheryl Smith said,
“In the midst of days
when we can’t even spell the word control, we have an assurance.
“Don’t worry—it won’t be bad. It won’t be overwhelming because I—the
high God of Heaven—will walk your road with you. I, the creator of
heaven and earth will sustain you and comfort you. And when that day
comes in which you can journey no more—when the road gets long and the
load too heavy, I, myself, will lift you and carry you home.”
That is confidence. I want that kind of confidence written on my
wall.
Someone asked me this week if I was going to continue
Facebook after this series of sermons. I am not sure, but I know one
thing it will be hard to quit when and if I do. I have gotten to know
several of you much better through this medium. I have even received
a request to baptize one of our college students who you will get the
chance to meet in a couple of weeks. Still, it is a little unnerving
that so many of you can see my wall. I hope that on it you will see
consideration of others, character within, and
confidence in God. I hope I will see the same qualities on your
wall whether I find it on Facebook or in your life. So tell me
what is written on your wall? Amen.
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