SPECIAL DAYS: Ash Wednesday

February 17, 1999

LESSONS: Psalm 51:1-7; Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, 2; Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

SERMON TITLE: Out of the Ashes

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  1. I was stationed at the Navel Radio Station in Winter Harbor, Maine.
    1. We received a message that the home of one of the Chief Petty Officers was on fire.
      1. We jumped into the station's fire truck and headed for the scene.
      2. We had all had fire fighting training.
        1. It was for a ship's fire.
        2. The principles were the same.
    2. I remember the feelings that I had as I hooked up a fire hose to the hydrant close to the fire.
      1. Attempting to hurry.
      2. Fumbling with the coupling
      3. Finally getting it attached.
      4. Turning on the hydrant.
    3. All the volunteers fought the fire as best we could.
    4. You remember feelings that were shared by all the crew, civilian and navy.
      1. The emotion in fighting the fire.
        1. Standing holding a three inch hose battling the all-consuming fire.
        2. It had got quite a start, we were. Civilians and military, all volunteers.
      2. It was a relief when the fire was out.
        1. You looked at the devastation.
        2. You wondered what could be left.

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      3. The emotions that were shared as we walked through the building after the fire was out.
        1. It was a somber, and even sad experience.
        2. Especially as we helped remove what could be salvaged.
  2. What was more significant was what developed later as time passed and a new home was built.
    1. The chief talked about a new appreciation of life.
    2. It brought he and his family closer together in a renewal of vows and purposes.
    3. A new consciousness of the value of things, material things developed.
    4. We were a closer knit community, because we had helped, supported and cried with one another.
  3. It is amazing what can come out of the ashes of life.
    1. What was discovered is that the building of values and relationships was more important than the material.
      1. It took a kind of repentance.
      2. It took a type of conversion.
    2. We do not need a crisis to be able to experience the same feelings.
    3. We do not need a disaster to develop the same kind of community.
  4. What we need is simply a sensitive awareness of God and life.
    1. These are, in a sense, contrasts.
      1. It is the contrast between what we may know that God desires and what we want.
      2. It is the contrast between what we may know how what God wants us to be and what we want to be.
      3. It is the contrast between what we may know of how God wants us to do and how we want to do.

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    2. What God desires is to help heal us.
      1. We go to the physician for our physical needs.
      2. We go to a counselor for our mental needs.
      3. God is the physician of the soul.
  5. We can insure the salvation our souls.
    1. Salvation is a matter of repentance.
    2. Salvation is a matter of forgiveness.
    3. Salvation is a matter of taking one step at a time.
      1. There is a "Peanuts" comic strip featuring Charlie Brown.
        1. In the first frame Charlie swings his bat and misses the ball for strike two.
        2. With grim determination he faces the pitcher, takes another swing, and, as usual, strikes out.
        3. Dejectedly he trudges out of the batter's box dragging his bat behind him.
      2. He walks up to Lucy, throws down his bat, and says,
        1. "Rats! I'll never be a big-league player! I just don't have it.
        2. All my life I've dreamed of playing in the big leagues. But now I know I'll never make it!"
      3. "You're thinking too far ahead, Charlie Brown," Lucy says. "What you need is to set some immediate goals."
      4. Charlie's face looks puzzled. "Immediate goals?" he asks.
      5. "Yes, immediate goals," Lucy says. "For instance, start with this next inning when you go out to pitch. See if you can walk out to the mound without falling down."

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    4. It is important to know where we are stepping and how our steps may impact on our lives.
  6. I remember another story about a home on fire.
    1. The fire fighters knew there was a man inside.
      1. They were desperate to rescue him.
      2. They could not get in the door where he was.
    2. When, finally the fire was out, they found the man barricaded behind the door.
      1. He had not done so deliberately.
      2. He had tried to save so much that the door could not be opened.
      3. He lost his life.
    3. Jesus said, Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it, (Matthew 10:37-39 NRSV).
  7. We can walk without falling down.

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