Suncook United Methodist Church
Sunday July 25, 2010
Colossians 2:6-19 The Message Bible
Luke 11:9-13 New Living Translation
Buyer Beware
A reading the letter from Paul to the Colossians…chapter 2 verses 6-19 from the Message translation: (read passage)
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray…
Loving God, we thank you for this day. We thank you that we may come into your house and worship you. We ask for your Spirit to be with us this day…to feel your presence with us. We long to hear your still small voice speaking to us…guiding us as we walk this journey of faith. May we hear the word you have for us this day. Speak Lord…your children are listening.
Have you ever bought anything only to find that it wasn’t what you expected at all? Something that someone told you “you have to have this…it is awesome!”…only to find that it really doesn’t work for you…you actually hate it. I mean don’t get me wrong. . . I have bought some real awesome stuff that someone has suggested but what I’m talking about that stuff that you say to yourself “ why, oh why, did I buy this?”
I remember when those “Space Bags” came out. I thought to myself that this would be something awesome. I could store all those cloths in it when they were out of season. . . switch them out. . . boy I was going to have a lot of space now. Well. . . they really haven’t worked for me. I have the worst problem with them. They never stay deflated for me. Well at least I have a place to store my stuff. . .even if it really doesn’t give me extra space. Or how about things that say they are just like the original but it cost less so you can save money only to find out that it is nothing like the original and that it actually cost you more than if you had gone out a gotten the original. My gosh. . .there are so many things out there that are not what they seem. Things that don’t really work as they say it will. . . Things that kind of give that “false advertisement” way of presenting themselves. . . Things that are not truly the original but make a very poor attempt of being it.
Over the past couple of weeks we have been talking about how Christians need to “Re-Think Church”. . .about how church is not a building but it is the people in it. . .about how we need to think of church as a “verb” instead of a noun. . .about how at our baptism, we begin our journey of faith and become part of a church where we learn by the example of others how to become part of that verb. But there are so many “different churches” how are we to begin to decipher which one is right for us. . .how are we to know if the church we are part of is really following the ways of Christ so that we can be His hands, feet and voice in the world?
This world gives us a variety of ways and places to worship. Unfortunately . . .there are some people in the world who have decided on their own what parts of the bible work for them and which parts don’t. . .and choose to ignore the parts that just don’t work for them. These parts of the bible only applied to the “Olden Days”. . .they are just too “Old Fashion” for us today. God didn’t really mean. . .what He really meant was. . . With all these choices, how are we to know what is The Way and what is not really the way? Well. . . the scripture for the letter to the Colossians that we read this morning gives us insight on what to look for as we try to make choices for our journey that we call life.
Even back in the time that the letter was written to the Colossians, there was a problem with trying to choose the right way to go. (Can you see how history repeats itself in this) There were many religious leaders that were teaching “A New Way of Doing Things”, a way that was better than the old way, a way that was excluding some of the people while exalting others, a way that really didn’t put into account Jesus’ ministry and what He came to say and do. Why is it that we, as the human race, think we need to improve on things that have stood the test of time as it is? Why do we think that newer is better?
You may be thinking to yourself, about right now, “Pastor Ruth. . .if they had the same problem as we have now back then and history repeats itself, how are we to discern what it is we are supposed to be doing. . . how can we know?”, well. . .I’m glad you are thinking that. . .it shows you care. One way that we are able to figure it all out is by the grace of God. You see God’s grace not only shines down upon us but it also enlightens us. It is through prayer. . .conversations with God. . . that we can receive what we need. All we have to do is ask for insight, wisdom, and discernment. Remember the scripture from Luke this morning:
And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
God will bless us with all that we ask for. . .if it is His will. . .if we but ask. This also holds true as we seek to find ways to “Re-Think Church”. . .as we discern ways to reach out to those around us with the Gospel of Grace.
Church. . .society will have us believe that anything that we do. . .as long as it makes us feel good. ..is a good and true thing; but. . .in the scripture that we heard this morning it tells us something different. We need to see things through the eyes of God in order to discern what is good, what is right, and what is truly from God. All we have to do is ask for His view and guidance. If it isn’t in the Word. . .if it isn’t the whole Word of God and just parts of it that will make us feel good. . . then maybe. . .just maybe. . . it is something that is an imitation that really isn’t as good as the “real thing”. The Word of God may make us squirm at times but just think about the alternative. As Robert Frost says in his book “Our heavenly Father”, “What God does not protect us from, He will perfect us through.” It is in our squirming that we become more like Christ. . .enabling us to be His feet. . .His hands. . .and His voice in the wilderness.
We have a choice to make church…we can accept just the part…the imitation…or we can accept the whole…the original…in its wholeness and goodness…which will you choose…which will you choose?
Amen.
Colossians 2:6-19 (The Message)
Luke 11:9-11 (NLT)
Psalm 100:1-3 (NLT) (Call to Worship)
Worship Theme: “Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”
and sermon, “Buyer Beware”
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
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Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 25, 2010
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
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