“The Challenge of Keeping Our Treasure”

Sermon Delivered By Rev. Dick Stetler – April 10, 2016

Centenary United Methodist Church

Act 9:1-6; John 21:1-12

 

    This morning we are going to discuss what can easily happen to millions of committed people that become unaware they have left their path.  This can happen to men and women in every vocation or pursuit regardless of their age.  That path that people can easily drift from is remaining anchored in their optimistic, positive, loving attitudes while being exposed to the uncertainties of our world.  Jesus called this consciousness, living in the Kingdom of God.

    How many times have we found former Olympic Gold Medal winners that have become grossly overweight and out of shape?  What happens to a number of people in the medical community that fall into the trap of prescription drug abuse?  How many seniors come to mind that have lived very active and productive lives only to slowly succumb to despondency and a reliance on countless medications?           

    In our Gospel lesson this morning, we have some indication that a number of the disciples had suspended their mission very shortly after the death of Jesus.  Peter suddenly announced, "I'm going fishing."  Other disciples appear to have agreed with him.  They returned to the profession they left behind when Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) 

    There are as many reasons to leave our chosen paths as there are people.  Most of those reasons come from distractions that are disguised as opportunities.  Other distractions can create fear because they come in a form of uncertainty due to the rapid changes taking place all around us.  As the disciples initially experienced, it is one thing to follow Jesus and quite another to assume the leadership role that he once filled.

    The Apostle Peter had several personal struggles.  Even though Jesus told Peter that he was the rock on which Jesus would build new beginnings for humanity, he initially failed in moving forward in that task.  (Matthew 16:18)  Peter embraced Jesus' teachings but he could not escape the impact of his training that he received from his Hebrew culture and heritage. 

    Peter and the Apostle Paul differed widely in their understanding of their mission.  This difference came into sharp focus during a meeting in Jerusalem. Their confrontation represented a theological war of words between the Jew and Gentile groups that were both followers of Jesus. The Gentiles were being told, "To be saved, you must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses." (Acts 15:1)  They responded, "What? Think again, my friend!  We are not Jews; we are Greeks." (Acts 15:2)

    Although Paul was a highly decorated Pharisee, after his Damascus road experience, he changed his mind about what had valued.   He counted his Hebrew pedigree as garbage. (Philippians 3:8)    The two schools of thought parted ways. Peter and a number of disciples chose to remain in Jerusalem.  Paul and his disciples embarked on three missionary journeys spreading Jesus' message into the Greco-Roman world.  A number of scholars believe that it was Paul that saved the way of Jesus from being brought back into the fold of Judaism.

    What can we do today to insure that we will not walk away from the path that enables us to display attitudes anchored in the Kingdom of God? Our mission today is to awaken an angel living inside of us while adapting to the wide range of very different life-experiences caused by our rapidly changing world.  Such angels come in all shapes, sizes and levels of education. 

    A woman in one of my Bible study classes told of a frightening episode while she was in another country with her two children.  Her husband was in the same country attending meetings while she and their children rented a car.  There were no maps, no GPS units and they were traveling in a land where few people spoke English.  Her car was running low on fuel. 

    As she crested a hill, she spotted a gas station.  When she pulled up to one of the pumps, she saw four men loitering outside the building.  All four of them came over to the car.  Fortunately, the car doors were locked. They wanted her to get out of the car. When the men could not open the car doors, they began rocking the car back and forth.  The children began crying, "Mommy, Mommy, what is happening?"  She said, "God, I need your help right now. I don't know what to do."

    She had not finished saying these words when a motorcyclist pulled up.  He got off his cycle and he told the four men in their native language to stand down.  They backed off and she rolled down her window to thank him.  He spoke perfect English and offered to help.  She handed him her credit card.  He said, "This pump only takes Tunisian currency.  Let me take care of that for you." He filled her tank for her.  

     She tried to give him money but he refused to take it.  He gave her directions to her hotel because she was headed in the wrong direction.  She said, "What is your name?  He put on his helmet, mounted his bike, pulled up along side her car and said, "My name is Gabriel."  After saying those words, he was gone.  She could not hold back her tears.

    Trying to interpret all the symbolism in this adventure would be challenging. The point is that when it is our time to be Gabriel for someone in need, it is important that we remember to remain sensitive to whatever is happening in front of us. There have been countless people of faith in every generation that said, "I don't want to get involved."  This dilutes their treasure.  When we do not use what we have been given, it can leave us.

      There is an amazing spirit that takes hold of us that grows each time we enter the drama of other people.  We develop heightened sensitivities, our radar for detecting need becomes sharper and we find more opportunities coming where our Gabriel can be helpful.

    A friend of mine was in a grocery store some years ago and found a little girl in one of the aisles facing the shelves where the soups were located.  She was just standing there by herself.  He crouched down on her level and asked, "Are you here with your Mommy?"  She shook her head "yes."  He said, "Why don't you and I find her?"  She took his hand and the two walked around the store.   

    The mother was standing in the check-out line.  When she saw her daughter, she lost control of her emotions.  She had forgotten that she brought her daughter with her.  This mother seldom had her daughter while she was grocery shopping.  A normal tape had been playing in her mind and being with her daughter on this occasion was not on that tape.  Being alert, as my friend was, his Gabriel knew what to do.   

      Something happened during the spread of Christianity that created a disconnect between Jesus' invitation to become Gabriel and the needs of the institutional church.  We join choirs, become a member of small groups, give dollars to the budgetary needs of the church, teach Sunday school classes and attend worship services.  We can easily add to our involvements labels like AME, Anglican, United Methodist or being a born again Christian.

    In the process of serving the needs of ourselves and our church, our treasure can slowly drift.  We tend to cloister ourselves around what is familiar when Jesus wanted us to go in the opposite direction.

    The more we practice being Gabriel, the less we think of ourselves in terms of our assumed identities.   Our pedigrees, our levels of education, our self-importance, our past accomplishments do not matter to the Gabriel living inside of us.  It is our ability to adjust to new life-experiences and our constant thirst for more and more knowledge that allow us to grow older as creative, productive and unique individuals.

    Peter finally developed a new and much larger perspective on Jesus' request to "feed my sheep." Peter made a giant leap of faith and became Gabriel due to a vision he experienced (Acts 10:11f)  He went on to minister to the family of a Roman Centurion even though it was forbidden for a Jew to even enter a Gentile's home. (Acts 10:28) 

    Our treasure is to awaken the Gabriel spirit within us and let it show up every day.  Paul said, "Let God change you inwardly by a complete change of your mind."  (Romans 12:2)  Jesus said to Nicodemus, "A person is born physically from his parents, but he is born spiritually when his spirit awakens." (John 3:6) 

    Because of Jesus’ assignment of sending his disciples into the world, perhaps it is best if we use our own initiative and imagination to empower our Gabriel to show up with our sleeves rolled up, prepared to become involved with what each day brings.

    A hymn written in 1969 is one of our favorites at Centenary.  Here are the words to its first verse that expresses one of those ways that our Gabriel begins to live. 

It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.  That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it; you spread his love to everyone; you want to pass it on.

    We secure our treasure while also living fully in the world by passing on God's love to others.  Living compassionately in all phases of life is the path that bears much fruit.