Healing, Part IV

Warm winds were blowing in from the South this morning. With a blue sky and sunshine accompaniment, there's a strong sense that spring is indeed in the air.

Pastor Brad strapped on a guitar and greeted us, noting that Darlene was home sick today. He quoted a passage about worship, that it is something ongoing throughout the week but celebrated in a special way corporately on Sunday.

After a time of worship, an offering was taken. Brad shared that our capital campaign will finish up in June, but that the exciting work initiated with the building project is but a beginning. We then spent a time in prayer for the various needs of our church family and the community.

Healing IV: Envy

Envy is a much bigger deal than we're aware of. So we will first turn to James 3:14-16. Envy is not earthly and unspiritual, it is of the devil. Wherever you find envy and selfish ambition you find disorder and every evil practice.

Envy is, in essence, resenting God's goodness in other people's lives while ignoring His blessings for us.

We see it in the office when people go on vacation and we envy the amount of time they had off. Sometimes it might be envy when a friend gets a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Sometimes we envy stages in life, people who are older than us or younger us. We envy things we don't have. Sometimes it's talent or money or whatever it is.

In Genesis 4 Cain's envy led to murder. In Genesis 31 Rachel envied Leah because Rachel couldn't have a baby. Later Joseph's brothers envied Joseph for his dreams and visions, and father's favor.

David was envied by Saul. Many other passages show the destruction of envy. In the New Testament the chief priests handed Jesus over to be crucified because they envied Him.

Envy rots the bones. It's a sickness. Who or what do you envy? How do we beat this?

1. Don't compare yourself to other people. Galatians 6:4

2. Celebrate when good things happen to other people. Romans 12:15
Story of Jonathan and David had insights along this line. Jonathan rejoiced with his friend who would be king.

3. Instead of ignoring God's goodness in our lives, start to embrace it. Ecclesiastes 6:9
Better to appreciate what God has given you than looking over at someone's greener grass. Keep in mind that if you think someone else's grass is greener, there's a lot you don't see. No one has an easy life.

Always be thankful, for this is God's will for those of you who belong to Jesus Christ.

Brad closed with a story about his dad's battle with cancer the last six months of his life, and the gratitude he exemplified because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was in his heart.

Communion, Not Competition

We've finally adjusted to our summer schedule and a sunny summer morning it is. The red sash on the cross, hung there last week as a reminder of Pentecost, seemed especially vibrant this morning with the sunlight streaming in the window.

"Good morning!! I’m grateful you’re here today," Pastor Brad said in his opening remarks. "As it is the first Sunday of the month, we will be celebrating communion… instituted by Jesus, who said, 'Do this in remembrance of Me.'"

Announcements were several.
Elsa 1: Bonfire one week from today at Borndal’s 7:00 p.m.
Elsa 2: I have need of containers, bins and things for youth group project. They will be returned.
Ruth Ann:  The Bloodmobile will be here July 8, parked out back. July is a month when blood is especially needed….
Brooke 1: Baby shower after church.
Brooke 2: VBS starts a week from tomorrow. Asked to bring items we buy from the dollar store. Volunteer orientation next Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Dwayne thanked the congregation and Brad for all the help and support as his mother was passing away.

Traditional greeting set us in the direction of worship, initiated by Chuck and the quartet. “And I know, yes I know, Jesus’ blood can make the vilest sinner free.”

The worship songs today were from the silver song book. During the offering, the quartet proceeded to sing “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder” a capella.

Today's Scripture reading was taken from John 3:1-17, the story of Nicodemus.

Before prayer it was pointed out that Muriel is now 94 and we sang “Happy Birthday” for her. We lifted up many needs, spoken and unspoken.

Communion, Not Competition 

Brad began by reading I Corinthians 13. “And now I show you the most excellent way…”

Have you ever looked at a catalog for a Christian college or larger church? The back part is information about the classes or the financial statements. Usually it is quite dry. The front part is put together by PR people who show pictures of green hillsides with kids playing soccer, or students sitting on the grass with their teacher, all listening attentively, smiling.

The aim of these the images is to show us more than just a college or church. If you come here, you will be part of a community. Folks come to church looking for community. Another word for community is church.

Paul’s letter to Corinthians is a letter to a community, a community of believers. He states that these people are quite talented, gifted. But gifts by themselves do not bring community. Gifts are valuable but it is the wrong focus to focus on our gifts. Love is the basis of community.

“What do you mean by love, Pastor Brad?”you may ask.

The word here is agape, which has nothing to do with emotion. Paul is talking about a mindset, an act of your will… a determination that I will seek that person’s highest good. I will not return evil for evil.

I Corinthians 13 is about love in action: Love is patient, love is kind. It reflects the God we worship. God does not deal with us according to our sins…

Other aspects of love deal with the nature of community. Love does not envy.

To illustrate the way envy works, Brad shared a legend about some people who were trying to get a holy hermit to sin. First, they appealed to his lusts, without success. They then attacked his doubts and other areas of weakness. No luck. Then the devil got in the act and went to the hermit and said, “Did you know that your best friend has just been elected to be Bishop of Alexandria?” The holy man’s face showed that he was crestfallen, a look of envy in his eyes.

Brad cited examples of envy from all walks of life, including pastors. Envy latches on to the differences between us. But love is not this way… Love sees people as people, not cars, houses, retirement income.

It was pointed out that when we think that we want to swap places with someone with goods or the rest, you have to swap everything. Not just what we see, but everything, including the children, the cancer, the hidden pressures they carry. An example of this is found in the poem Richard Cory by Edward Arlington Robinson. People in that town thought the respected Richard Cory was living the ultimate good life, but they couldn't see the whole picture.

We were reminded to remember that whatever gifts we have come from God.

Brad then told the story of his friend who was a pastor, and how a church a mile away grew to a thousand members and Brad’s friend was jealous... until one day while in prayer the Lord showed him that this church was an answer to his own prayers. He had been praying for God to reach unbelievers and needy in their neighborhood. This church was attracting people who his own church was not attracting. Instead of seeing that church as competition, he understood that it also had a purpose in God's plan and he even gave a financial contribution to that ministry.

"If God gives you something, accept it with a grateful heart. But boasting puts us in competition, not communion."

I have a friend who died last summer, Jim Hawkinson. Jim, who was known for his bluntness, said, “God has given you some good gifts.”

“Thanks,” Brad said.

“What are you thanking me for?”

“That seemed like a nice compliment.”

“I wasn’t complimenting you. I was complimenting God.”

The message was brought to a culmination by a story about William Carey's remarkable humility in light of all that he achieved in India. Love is not puffed up. Love is not proud. We're not to be like cotton candy, all fluff and no substance.

One problem with knowledge is that it puffs people up. Love builds up. All too often we look down on people who don’t know as much as we do.

Love does everything it can to preserve community. The mark of the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life is how you love people.

Here's a prayer for you today: Lord, show me myself as I really am. And above all, show me who You are.

We ended the service by sharing the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

Eye Exam

"There's no better way to start our week than to spend time with God who loves us." So began another service here at New Life Covenant Church in Saginaw, MN.

Announcements today included:

1) The Valentine's Banquet is coming soon, Feb. 12 here at the church. This celebration of romantic love includes a free dinner ($10 donation per person welcome) and an evening of entertainment. The social hour begins at 5:30 upstairs. The very special meal will be followed by a talent show, as well as a coffee and dessert bar.
2) Paula Sexton invited everyone to go see a theater production of Agatha Christy's "And Then There Were None" at St. Scholastica on evening of February 19th or afternoon of the 20th. Let Paula know your preferred time and a group will be assembled.

The Quartet led our worship today after which Paula Gayle shared with us about a program she is part of called Mentor Duluth. Paula shared stories of friendships and the influence adult mentors are having on young lives, many of which develop into long term relationships. It is a form of building community. Paula noted the need for more mentors for boys. Anyone interested in more information can speak with Susie Newman who has been active as a mentor for several years.

The offering was taken, then Angela read the first twelve verses of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5:1-12. This was followed by a time of prayer as we lifted up the many needs in our midst. Pastor Brad then proceeded with his sermon.

Eye Exam

Pastor Brad began with some hilarious examples of similes used by college students. Here are a couple that had us in stitches.

John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.

Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.

I missed the point of all this, but we all had a good laugh.

The Sermon on the Mount could have been given a different title, Brad noted. He would possibly have called it "What Lies Beneath" because it touches on many themes but always goes deeper, goes underneath to the heart of the matter. Matthew 6:19-21

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

In another place Jesus said to guard our hearts above all else, and that the eye was the lamp unto the body. When our eyes are good, we're focused on God, and sunshine fills our souls. But when we have an eye toward the world, our hearts deceive us and lead us astray.

The media is a very powerful influence and sometimes uses that power to get us to focus our attention on what we don't have, or what they tell us we "deserve" to have. We've all heard of urban myths. Here are some Suburban Myths we can fall prey to.

Myth 1: "When I have more stuff, like them, I'll be happy."
Myth 2: "When I have more stuff, like them, I'll be more important."
Myth 3: "When I have more stuff, like them, I'll be more secure."

Brad briefly discussed the havoc envy can cause. It will darken our souls and is the antithesis of kindness. He said it is like an "evil eye" and he defined it like this... "Envy is resenting God's goodness in other peoples' lives while ignoring God's blessing in yours."

In Psalm 73 David owned up to his struggle with envy.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.

21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

EdNote: For a refreshing read, check out Psalm 73 in The Message, Eugene Peterson's modern interpretation of the Scriptures.

"Unchecked envy will destroy you." Brad cited several passages to support this statement including Proverbs 14:30 "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." And James wrote, "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."

Brad also reminded us that it was because of envy that the religious leaders of Jesus' day handed Him over to the authorities to be crucified. Let's not fool ourselves. Envy can cause great damage.

And so, we return to the Eye Exam. Here are four tips for maintaining healthy eyes.

1) Put stuff in its proper place.

It's not wrong to possess things, but it is wrong for things to possess us. Most of it is just junk anyways and you can't take it with you. Billionaire Ross Perot acknowledged that "things don't buy happiness."

2) Refuse to play the comparison game.

Comparing is always going to cause problems. If you compare to someone above you, you feel inferior. If you compare with someone below, it only feeds your pride, which is also unhealthy. Our identity is found in being children of God, not in how many possessions we accumulate or what neighborhood we can afford to live in.

3) Become the most generous person you know.

4) You cannot serve two masters. It's either God or money.

Jesus alone is worthy of worship. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth with grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.