SPECIAL DAYS: Fifth Sunday in Lent

April 9, 2000 - LESSONS: Hebrews 5.5-10; John 12.20-33, NRSV

SERMON TITLE: Authenticity

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INTRODUCTION:

  1. A father took his 5-year-old son to several baseball games where The Star-Spangled Banner was sung before the start of each game.
    1. Then the father and son attended a church on a Sunday shortly before Independence Day.
    2. The congregation sang The Star-Spangled Banner.
    3. After everyone sat down, the little boy suddenly yelled out, "PLAY BALL!!!"
    4. Professional baseball is a game.
      1. To play you must understand the rules of the game..
      2. The game must be played according to the rules.
      3. The rules are not made up by the players of the game.
      4. The umpire is the arbitrator of the rules.
      5. The umpire, to have credibility, must be authentic.
      6. Authentic: Worthy of trust, reliance, or belief.
      7. Authenticity: Trustworthy, genuine.

MAIN BODY:

  1. For the moment imagine that Christianity is a game.
    1. In what kind of a game would we be engaged?
    2. It must be admitted that in organized religion there is a lot of game playing going on.
      1. The stay away game
      2. The withhold my contributions game
      3. The cut you dead game
      4. The inactivity game
      5. The recognition game
      6. The blame game
      7. The change the rules game.
        1. I'm right, your wrong.
        2. I orthodox, your not.
        3. I live the truth, you do not.
        4. I'm saved, your not.
        5. I have the right social position, you do not.

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    1. We play all kinds of God games.
      1. Why games
      2. If only games
  1. We need to be sensitive to the stark and uncompromising fact that God does not play games.
    1. Read the parables of Jesus.
      1. The ten maidens
        1. Five were saved
        2. Five were lost
      2. The separation of the sheep and goats.
        1. The sheep were saved
        2. The goats were not.
      3. The Sadducee's games
      4. The Pharisee's games
    2. In the movie, The War of the Roses.
      1. The Roses are playing the divorce game.
        1. The last scene in which they are seen has them hanging on a chandelier
        2. The connections slipping until it and they fall to their deaths.
      2. The games that we play bring greater harm to ourselves than they do to the one's we are attempting to hurt, influence, control, or get even with.

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  1. Christianity is not a game, it is a way of life.
    1. It is a way for the week to become strong.
      1. If you talk with Governor Jesse Ventura you will discover that he believes that it is a rather silly game.(1)
        1. In The Washington Post of September 30 the article is headlined: "Ventura: Organized Religion Attracts the 'Weak-Minded,"
        2. Gov. Jesse Ventura the former wrestler told Playboy magazine that organized religion is for "weak-minded people."
        3. "Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers," the governor said. "It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business."
        4. Ventura spokesman John Wodele said he wanted to clarify those remarks: "Understand that he was talking about extremists of the religious right who are often intolerant, and the governor cannot stand intolerance...."
      2. Organized religion is not for "weak-minded people."
      3. Organized religion does not "tell people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business."
      4. The religion of Jesus is a way of growth.
        1. Faith
        2. Love
        3. Hope

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    1. It is a way with eternal consequences.
      1. Ask the disciples who fist proclaimed the "good news."
      2. Ask the first Christian martyrs who had to contend with a hostile environment.
      3. Ask our Pilgrim ancestors who endured the severe hardships in a new land.
    2. They all recognized that this is a way of life and death.
  1. In this way God is the rule maker.
    1. We cannot make up our own rules.
    2. The rules are a given.
    3. If you want to live you must follow the rules.
    4. Otherwise you are out.
  2. Jesus is the revealer of the rules.
    1. Jesus is authentic; he has authenticity.
    2. His authenticity is attested to by the Father.
  3. Notice the important points made in today's lessons.
    1. Hebrews 5:5-10, NRSV
      1. So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest,
      2. He was appointed by the one who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you";
      3. as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
      4. In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death,
      5. he was heard because of his reverent submission.
      6. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered;
      7. having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

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    1. John 12:20-33, NRSV
      1. Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
      2. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
      3. Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
      4. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
      5. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
      6. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
      7. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.
      8. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
      9. "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--'Father, save me from this hour'?
      10. No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.
      11. Father, glorify your name."
      12. Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
      13. The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder.
      14. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
      15. Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
      16. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
      17. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
      18. He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

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  1. In this way there is only one purpose.
    1. To become like the Jesus Christ.
    2. He provides the information we need.
    3. He provides the clear examples of that we need to accomplish.

CONCLUSION:

  1. There is a wonderful story which illustrates this and reminds us of our need. It was recently told by Hal Brady.(2)
    1. "An old man and a young man were on the same platform before a vast audience. A special program was being presented.
    2. As part of the program, each was to repeat from memory the words of the 23rd Psalm.
    3. The young man, trained in the best speech techniques and drama, gave, in the language of the silver-tongued orator, the words of the Psalm: 'The Lord is my Shepherd...'
      1. When he had finished, the audience clapped their hands and cheered.
      2. They asked him for an encore so that they might hear again his wonderful voice.
    4. Then the old gentleman, leaning heavily on his cane, stepped to the front of the same platform and in feeble, shaking voice repeated the same words:
      1. 'The Lord is my Shepherd...'
      2. "But when he was seated, no sound came from the listeners.
      3. Folks seemed to pray.
    5. In the silence, the young man stood to make the following statement:
      1. 'Friends,' he said, 'I wish to make one explanation.
      2. You asked me to come back and repeat the Psalm.
      3. But you remained silent when my friend here was seated.
      4. The difference? I shall tell you. I know the Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.'"
  2. This is the difference.
    1. Let us play ball with God.
    2. Let us follow God's rules.
    3. Let us become acquainted with Jesus.
    4. He will help us to live and to grow and to thrive.

1. Associated Press, "Ventura: Organized Religion Attracts the 'Weak-Minded,'" The Washington Post, September 30, 1999, A14.

2. Hal Brady, Dallas, Texas, 25 April 1993.

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