October 1 "2017 "Two Sons

October 1, 2017 Exodus 17.1-7, *Matthew 21.23-32 “Two Sons” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

If you are a parent, one of the greatest lessons you teach children is to follow directions. [slide # 1 family/sunset ] When toddlers turn two, they are said to be going through the “no” stage. More often than not, their answer to every question is an emphatic “no”. “No mommy, no…. No daddy, no” [slide # 2 pouting child]

When kids get older, it seems they have a million ways to say “no”. They use frowns and funny faces. They might collapse their bodies, flail their arms, and curl their lips, expressing a keen displeasure and indifference for doing many things a parent can think of. [slide # 3 child covering ears ] How in the world does a good parent get the message through the minds of those who have their own minds and whose wills as strong as an ox?

Parents learn to persist in prayer, [slide # 4 praying parents] persist in communicating, and persist in patiently waiting for the Spirit to do its great work.

The word from the gospel of Matthew reminds us to take our comfort and strength through obeying the will of God and following directions. Matthew was one of the twelve devoted disciples; he learned to do what Jesus directed him to do, but there is a debate over whether Matthew actually wrote the book we call Matthew.

Scripture tells us that Matthew was a Jewish tax collector under Roman rule. [slide # 5 tax collector] He was pretty much forced by the Romans to collect high taxes from his own people. So, his own people despised him for selling out rather than rebelling against the Romans.

One of the reasons there is doubt that Matthew wrote the gospel of Matthew is because it is said to have been written in the Greek language. The language of the Jewish person was of the Aramaic and Hebrew alphabet. [slide # 6 Hebrew/Aramaic] Greek was the language of the upper class ruling society. Some think it not likely that a Jewish fellow like Matthew, could be familiar enough with the Greek language to write his own version of the gospel. Also, the note that we see in bibles that claims it is “the gospel according to Matthew” [slide # 7…according to Matthew ] was said to have been added two whole centuries after Matthew was written. Nevertheless, scholars unanimously affirm the tradition that Matthew is indeed the author of the gospel of Matthew. We have respect for our many Christian traditions, but we want tradition to unite us and never divide us.

The Holy Spirit uses the gospel of Matthew to help us follow Jesus closely just as Matthew did. [slide # 8 footprints] As disciples, like Matthew, we want to do what our Jewish brothers and sisters have done this weekend for Yom Kippur. It is the one day of all 365 days set aside to closely examine one’s life and think about how well we are following in Divine footsteps. [slide # 9 crowd following Jesus]

It is a day to make up our minds to get back on track and sing once again the song, “I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.” [slide # 10 no turning back…]

We want to be the child of God that Jesus talks about in verse 28. The one who actually went to work in the vineyard when the father asked him to go. We want to avoid being a no show in the vineyard.

How good are we at following God’s direction? In America, God’s word is accessible 24 hours a day through television, books, radio, live streaming, YouTube and ways we have not even heard of. Are we tuned in at least as much as those in China, Russia, and Africa who may be without the luxurious access to God’s word that we are accustomed to.

Do we hear the voice of God speaking to our hearts – especially since October is stewardship month – do we hear what God is saying to us about giving offerings, saving, and tithing? [slide # 11 God is speaking]

Are we like a very wise Bethel lawyer who advises, no matter how much or how little we earn, we should save SOMETHING? [slide # 12 savings jars] Are we like a new Bethel grandmother who notes that when she began tithing, the special blessings that came her encouraged her to make tithing a constant habit. [slide # 13 tithing]

We may be like John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who taught that Christians should earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can.

Or, you may have learned some hard lessons like I have had to learn. An acquaintance asked to borrow $10 from me. I did not have $10, but I promised her that if the Lord provided me with $10 before the end of the day, I would give it to her. Surprisingly, I did receive $10 by the end of the day, [slide # 14 ten dollar bill] but I really, really did not want to give it away. I had to search my heart.

Every year our Bishop, Bishop Peggy Johnson meets with clergy and presents various agendas for the year. [slide # 15 Bishop Johnson] During that time, we worship, take communion, and collect an offering for some urgent mission. A few years ago, in addition to special offerings, Bishop Johnson asked us to support a medical mission across the ocean. I put it out of my mind saying to myself that there were too many offerings to support all of them. Within the week, I had a dream of a very, very thin seemingly malnourished woman walking under a bridge with a baby in a carriage and a little child walking alongside her. I believed God was asking me to support the mission the Bishop had talked about, so I did. [slide # 16 worship is following…]

What is it that Jesus has put in your mind more than once about money or missions or sharing and caring? What is the driving force behind your giving? Truly the Holy Spirit is trying to drive us as individuals and as a church. Are we willing to go?

We are not always willing to go where the Spirit leads. More often than not, we want to do what we want to do and go where we want to go and spend what we want to spend. Nevertheless, every day a prayer lives in the heart of Christians: not my will but yours be done, God. [Slide # 17 signs…God’s will]   [slide # 18 your will…]

As Frances Havergal wrote in the 1800’s, [slide # 19 Frances Havergal] “Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.” [slide # 20 take my life…]

We do well to give our whole life to God, not just our tithes and offerings. All the money in the world cannot save us or keep a church alive. It is giving our lives to those who need us most that keeps the church alive. [slide # 21 row of feet] It is hearing the hearts and the cries of those on the fringes of despair that leads us from a place where we hear God’s word to a place where we are doing God’s will! [slide # 22 be doers…]

May it be so today and every day for every child of God. Amen. [slide # 23 no one has ever become poor…] [slide # 24 Jesus walking in sand]