Choosing Death to Pride.
Good Morning Friends,
We are about to enter the Stewardship Season at Church and I have something for my privileged rich white friends to think about. It is really a choice. But stick it out because I do not want you to go away disappointed but changed. First a praise report to help you choose. We received some pretty high praise yesterday from a person of color in Immokalee.
She said that she had never ever met a white person who was not tight until she had been blessed by the people where I work. It really got me to thinking about all the toxic charities and even churches that just do not get what is underneath our motives. Honestly we want the best of both worlds but Jesus says no, it is one or the other and we are either going to be disappointed or surprised by the joy of his guidance in our start overs when Choosing Death to Pride.
Scripture: Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Matthew 19:16-22 (NIV)
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Matthew 4:5-11 (NRSV)
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
Message: Today we are faced with text that challenges our assumptions. It is, if read properly, both frightening and foreboding. And today I would like to extend a challenge to you to think about it not as the questions of a man alone but a question of the church facing its last temptation. This is not a coroner’s report or even an attempted suicide. It is a look in the mirror at life and death. So what do we make of the rich man in today’s scripture from Matthew as he approached Jesus asking what he must do for eternal salvation? If we are honest we might say that he seems pretty close to the image of success most of us have. He is one of the most respectable persons that comes to Jesus asking for something. This man is rich, and, whether a product of his labor or his birth, he seems to have succeeded in this world. He seems to be doing all right. He seems to be the paragon of devotion blended with worldly success. In today’s world he would be an Elder in the Church leading us as a community comfortable with religion and faith. He seems almost perfect. But do not put him in charge of the Stewardship Campaign. A prideful church can be pretty pathetic. He and others in this congregation may attend Sunday service and even respect God the Almighty, but there is one fatal flaw. To us, he seems as close to the image of success as we can imagine. But one cannot be tight and white and be a follower of the way. Sorry. One has to give one’s life away. All else will disappoint. And to give your life to God raises the question of death. And our appropriate avoidance of it. I think that Jesus found it difficult to talk to his friends about death. He avoided it on many occasions. We do all that we can do to avoid it too. But sometimes the joy of starting over gives us a chance to get it right. Have faith friends. The dream is still alive and some still have the vision to see it.
Pray we lose our pride. Pray we learn to trust God. Pray we choose the way of the cross. Pray we realize that we cannot have the best of both worlds. Pray we realize it is either heaven or earth. Pray we rejoice that life is tenacious. Pray we realize that eternal life is not about holding on but in letting go. Pray we choose the way of the cross and the thorns and find joy.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 