May 25, 2008

Dear friends, you know that the passage our good deacon just read is a very popular gospel passage. If you grew up in the church, you’ve heard the words many times. If you are new to Christian scripture, the message may remind you of something familiar. In 1988, a jazz artist with a four-octave range made a small fortune with his musical translation, “Don’t worry, be happy.” Don’t worry. Be happy. God has all things under control, you can relax. No need to fret; someone else is in charge. Besides, worry makes you old. Worry gives you wrinkles. Don’t worry, be happy. Everything you need is close at hand. Don’t push so hard for more. Don’t obsess about perfection. Relax, notice all is well. The world rotates on its axis without your oversight. The sun shines on the earth without your attention. Air and love come into your life without constant striving. Let go. Let God. These are very comforting words. They are easy on the ears. We want to hear more about this laid-back theology. Who doesn’t like “vacation style faith?” Put down the responsibilities. Let go of the commitments. Take a week off and just Be. What a refreshing idea. What welcomed instruction. Now this is good news to get excited about.

Yes.  But.…Awww, man! Did you see that coming? Somewhere in the back of your mind, were you a little suspicious, a bit unconvinced? Did you have a notion that a catchy reggae song and the gospel of Jesus Christ might not be exactly the same? The idea of putting down anxiety is definitely articulated, but there is another equally important command in today’s lesson. Remember the context of this passage. Jesus has traveled all through the Palestinian region. He is drawing crowds. His reputation is growing. People want to hear him preach. They want to be present when he lectures. They hang on every word. On this day, he is sitting on a hill surrounded by his 12 disciples speaking to the largest crowd he’s ever gathered. What he says this day will be immortalized as the “Sermon on the Mount.” In the middle, at the very center of his long discourse, Jesus makes the points we heard this morning. One is the realization that God is in complete and absolute control, which means we can be at ease. 

The second issue Jesus drives home is that God has standards and expectations. As loving and giving as God is, the Almighty does insist on one baseline requirement. God does not tolerate divided loyalties. He demands a choice. Jesus tells us that the Father knows our natures and our capacities through and through. He built us. He knows that we cannot give our hearts and our allegiance to more than one entity. “No one can serve two masters.” For he will either disregard one and commit to the other, or strive to please one and give the other what’s left over. God knows we are not capable of giving him our whole heart and attention while we are pursuing other idols. So, God takes a stand. Choose. Decide. Commit. Here, now, declare yourself. Who do you love? Whom do you trust? 

When something goes really well in your life, where do you go to give thanks? Where do you go to celebrate? Whom do you give credit? When sorry and worries come to your door, where do you turn? Whom do you see as powerful enough, loving enough, sure enough to deliver you through the crisis? The answer is either God or Not God. God or Not God. Believers have a sense of God. We know the essential nature and behavior of the Almighty. “Not God” takes on various forms. “Not God” is often described as the structures of the world. “Not God” can be success or achievement. “Not God” can be popularity or financial abundance. The opposing master might even be our dearest human relationships. “Not God” can be family, friends, or pursuit of our own individuality. “Not God” can be very attractive and compelling. “Not God” is strong and comforting, welcoming and giving. “Not God” gives good stuff and makes us feel secure.

But, “Not God” is not God and all the other forms it takes are less than God. As appealing and powerful as they are, they are still weaker and more limited than the one, the true God. And, God says, you should know better and you need to choose. Whose side are you on? Are you with me or with the Not God of your dreams? And, if you aren’t sure, let me clarify the question. Whom do you worry about pleasing, me-God or your boss?   Who don’t you want to upset, God or your mother-in-law? If put to the test, whose rules would you follow, God’s or your coach’s? Who are you most afraid of disappointing, God or your friends? 

These are not rhetorical questions. They are at the heart of our faith. We give our attention and our loyalty to the things we love most. We take care and are mindful of meeting the expectations of the people and structures we hold most dear. And we are absolutely aware that these “masters,” these other loyalties, do come with expectations and with requirements.

Participation on a team means coming to practice. Miss practice and no game time on the field. Leave work too often, too early, no promotion. Forget to call home, forget important occasions and the loved one moves on. Serving a master means just that – serving. In order to reap the benefits that come from aligning oneself with something or someone else, we must give in return. All the other masters, all the other “Not Gods” share this in common with the one God. Our God says if you want all the blessings I bring, I need to come first. I need to be your first love, your central loyalty, your real focus.

We know this about our God. We know this is his baseline expectation, but do we take his requirement seriously? Do we believe he is paying attention and making note of our daily devotion or do we rationalize – not today, but someday. Someday, I won’t have to be so consumed with getting ahead and then I’ll be more faithful. Not today, but someday, the kids will be older and I’ll have more time to spend on my relationship with God. Not today, but someday, praying will be more important that this other thing that’s taking my attention. God knows what’s in my heart. 

Indeed! God does know and he is not fooled. Other masters, even when they look like positive life affirming things, are still other masters and, in serving them and meeting their demands, we put God at the back of the bus. God is not content with the leftovers of our life. Someday is not soon enough. For the real master, someday is today and He holds up the question, who do you serve? Who holds your love and your trust? Your answer lies in this response, today, every day, do you ask, “hmmm, does this decision here bring me closer to God? Does my action in this situation glorify God? Does my participation in this activity please God most or does it satisfy some other loyalty?”

Sometimes the answers are easy and we quickly turn to righteous living. God or knocking over a liquor store – not a hard decision. Fixing pancakes with the family or getting to church – tennis team tournament or Sunday worship. Do we play or pray? Ahh, a little harder! Participation, self-esteem building, well-balanced lives, all-important.   Faithfulness, devotion, sacrifice, also worthy. Which one wins out? Ultimately, who or what is it that commands our heart? This is the central and convicting message of this morning’s gospel. These are the harder words to hear from the passage. 

But this is our gospel lesson and gospel means “Good News.” So, standing alongside of the very pointed question, who will you serve, is this encouraging promise. If you choose God, if you decide God is your central love, then you will notice that all other worries and cares, needs and concerns are lifted up. In choosing God over Not God, a new perspective envelops us. We become aware, dimly, then more clearly, that we truly have all that we need. Aligning ourselves with God, the level of our neediness diminishes. We are satisfied with what God provides. It is sufficient and good. We have enough and more. We have the food we need, the clothes required, shelter strong enough, love and affirmation to spare. God promises, God, guarantees, if we put our trust in him first, all will be well for us. He will provide and meet our heart’s noble desires.

God says it is in putting me first that you can “not worry” and “be happy.” The lack of worry, the condition of happiness, is the consequence of choosing God over all other loyalties. Don’t worry, be happy is the result of faithfulness. Pursue God and all good things will come to you. This is the promise. 

What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? How will we pay for college? How will the world know we are valuable? How will I be accepted and appreciated? Our souls are anxious.

Our Creator answers, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Strive first for God and the rewards are amazing. Peace of mind, self-acceptance, self-awareness, sense of purpose will follow.   Strive first for God and in addition to the emotional and spiritual blessings, our physical needs are met.   God holds our destiny, our wellbeing in his sure hand. He will keep us secure and aloft. 

Scripture tells us: When God is our first and prime focus, everything else comes into right order. Love God. Put away “Not God.” Love God and experience the result. Don’t worry, be happy, becomes our reward. All that good stuff will fall all about us. And this is the good news for today and all our days.    Amen.