January 31, 2010: “YOU Be Jesus!”
Posted on : Jan 28th, 2010 | By office | Category: This Sunday's Service
Welcome to
LifeServe 2010
Whose lives are different because of you?
Who would have ever believed that for our first all-church service opportunity we have over 33 people signed up for our own version of “EXTREME MAKEOVER” as we partner with our friends at Oportunidad! WOW. This is fabulous!!!
Last Sunday, Julia Garcia – the minister/director of Oportunidad spoke during the sermon. She spoke with such passion about the ministry of Oportunidad. Oportunidad is a spiritual community serving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender homeless people who live mostly beneath freeway underpasses near the MacArthur park area. Almost all of the people they serve are addicted to drugs and alcohol as a means of survival. These persons have been told they are worthless by their culture and their churches and have become “throw-aways.” Kobie wrote about us being a “throw away” society in this week’s reflection. (If you missed it, check it out on our website: Bread for the Journey.)
Julia’s ministry at Oportunidad begins with embracing the sacred value of each person, finding the presence of God within them, and helping them to find that within themselves. Along with that ministry comes the need to provide clothing, HIV/AIDS testing and education – especially for and with those who are sex workers – food, counsel and spiritual support. That all happens at Oportunidad’s ministry site. This Saturday and Sunday, a team from our church and members of Oportunidad are going to come together to clean up and paint Oportunidad’s ministry site. Additionally, we’re going to strip and wax the floors and organize the clothes that they distribute as part of their ministry.
This work is clearly what we’ve been talking about all this month. It’s how we make a difference in the lives of others. The question we have been asking all month is: “Whose lives are Different because of you?” As I thought about that question, I was reminded of a bizarre “epitaph” that the prophet Jeremiah wrote for (King) Josiah. [King Josiah assumed the throne at the age of 8 after his father was assassinated and ruled over the southern kingdom of Israel, known as Judah. He was noted for rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, and restoring Jewish faith and practice among his people.]
In their book, The Externally Focused Church, Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson write of Jeremiah’s epitaph (“remembrance of someone who has died”). They ask:
What will you be remembered for? What will your church be remembered for? Few of us will have biographers to record our foibles and successes. People usually associate great men and women with one great ideal, invention, achievement, or cause. Mention the name Lincoln and most people will say, “freed the slaves” or “preserved the union.” Mention George Washington and you’ll hear, “father of our country.” Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered for his “I have a Dream” speech.
Jeremiah wrote about King Josiah. He didn’t write a lot. Just a short couplet- “Josiah did what was right and just, so all went well with him (i.e. personally and his kingdom). ‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?’ declares God.” (Jeremiah 22: 15-16).
Thirty-nine words have rarely been weighted with such content. To defend the cause of the poor and needy is what it means to know God. One day you’ll be gone, but those who knew you will think of something when your name comes up. What will go forward from your life?
What we “do” with our lives does make a difference. A huge difference! In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus gathers “The Twelve” and gives them the same power and authority that he has to bring about healing and wholeness!
“Jesus summoned the Twelve and sent them out after giving them the following instructions:
Heal those who are sick,
raise the dead,
cure leprosy,
expel demons.
You received freely – now freely give.”
Matthew 10: 5-8
When we look at those words, “this charge from Jesus” seems unbelievable. But last Sunday we heard how we ourselves will do those very things as we are sent out in partnership to help at and with Oportunidad. And in the process, we will discover what Jeremiah said of Josiah: “He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well (for him and his kingdom). Is that not what it means to know me?’ declares God.” (Jeremiah 22: 15-16).
I expect after this weekend that none of our lives will be the same. What we do will have made a huge difference in the lives of others. Christ will be seen through our work and I pray that, in doing so, we too will see Christ.
Blessings,
Dan
This Sunday’s Scriptures:
Jeremiah 22:11-16
What will you be remembered for? Jeremiah remembers King Josiah for the way he served the poor and the needy.
Thus says the Holy One your God concerning Josiah’s son Shallum, ruler of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah as ruler and was forced to leave this place: “He will never return. Josiah’s son will die in the land of his exile. He will never see this country again.
Woe to the ruler who builds a house without integrity and its upper rooms with injustice, enslaving the citizenry, not paying for their labor!
Woe to the ruler who says, “I will build myself a spacious house with airy upper rooms, and numerous open windows, cedar paneling painted in vermillion.”
Do you outrival other rulers because you panel in cedar?
Did not your predecessor, like you, eat and drink?
He practiced justice and integrity and all went well for him.
He defended the cause of the poor and the needy, and all went well for him.
Is that not what it means to know me?” says the Holy One, your God.
Matthew 9:32 -10:8
Jesus gives his followers the same power and authority that he has to bring about healing and wholeness.
As they were leaving, some people brought Jesus a person who was possessed by a demon and unable to speak. Once the demon was expelled, the individual began to speak – to the great surprise of the crowd. “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!” they proclaimed.
But the Pharisees (religious legalists) said, “He casts out demons through the power of demons.”
Jesus continued touring all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of God’s reign and curing all kinds of diseases and sicknesses.
At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus said to the disciples, “The harvest is bountiful but the laborers are few. Beg the overseer of the harvest to send laborers out to bring in the crops.”
Jesus summoned the Twelve, and gave them authority to expel unclean spirits and heal sickness and disease of all kinds.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: the first were Simon, nicknamed Peter – that is, the “Rock” – and his brother Andrew; then James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Phillip and Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew, the tax collector; James, son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
These twelve Jesus sent out after giving them the following instructions:
Don’t visit Gentile regions, and don’t enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: “the reign of heaven has drawn near.”
Heal those who are sick, raise the dead, cure leprosy, expel demons. You received freely – now freely give.