What Are You Holding On To?
Prelude
Welcome
Drama "Crossing The Desert (Of Life) And Findin' Nuttin' But Sand, Sun, And Superficiality." -- an original drama by Arley K. Fadness.
Call to Worship
Come, Creator God, who made the heavens with a word, who gathers the oceans together.
Come, powerful God, whose wisdom stands forever, a gift to all generations.
Come, generous God, who provided safe travels and a blessing to Abraham and Sarah.
Come, healing God, who calls us daughters and sons, whose grace can make us whole.
Come, great God, who is worthy of our gladdest songs, and our deepest commitment.
Amen.
*Hymn of Praise # 28 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Invocation (the Lord’s Prayer) O God, As we sit here, we wait to know your presence. We are the fragile ones who dare to hope for your company. We are those who believe that you would never turn away from us. Come, Holy Spirit, come. Touch us with your life and call to us in your voce of wisdom.
Responsive Psalm from Psalm 33 TLB
1 Let the godly sing with joy to the Lord, for it is fitting to praise him.
4 For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust.
5 He loves whatever is just and good, and his unfailing love fills the earth.
6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
8 Let everyone in the world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
13 The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.
14 From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.
15 He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.
18 But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.
19 He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.
20 We depend on the Lord alone to save us. Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in his holy name.
22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
Our Offering to God Let us offer meaning to others by bringing our gifts
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication Receive all that we bring to you, O God: the small gifts and the large. Use them to enlarge life for others.
*Hymn of Prayer # 344 Be Thou My Vision
Pastoral Prayer
O holy God, great Physician, Lover of all people, we are astonished by your amazing grace. We are captivated by your power and awed by your mercy. In the heart of our hearts, we long to know you more deeply, and to know peace and healing. We strain our ears to hear you call us daughters and sons, like so many before us. We pray for the faith that can make us whole.
And we pray for those in need of your healing this day:
For the sick, for the injured and hospitalized, and for those whose illness has isolated them from their community. Give them a spirit of healing and hope ....
For the outcast, and for those whom we have cast out through our action, or inaction. Shine a light on our prejudices, soften our hardened hearts, and transform us for loving service toward every Christ we meet ....
For those who mourn and weep. Let them stand firm in your promises, buoyed by your strength and care. Give them the comfort and assurance that nothing can separate them from your love.
Loving God, we pray for healing and hope to reign in this world. Where there is conflict and war, let there be peace. Where there is hunger and poverty, let there be abundance. Where there is distress and despair, let there be light, warm and unquenchable.
We pray to hear your words: “Follow me,” for they are words not only of discipleship, but of assurance — that as your disciples, we will never be forsaken. You will lead us, all of us, into unexpected places. Give us the courage to follow you each day of our lives. Amen.
*Hymn of Praise # 373 All to Jesus I Surrender
Scripture Reading Luke 18:18-30
18A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother.’” 21He replied, “I have kept all these since my youth.” 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 23But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. 24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27He replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” 28Then Peter said, “Look, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Message What Are You Holding On To?
"A certain ruler asked Jesus, 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'..." This leader sought reassurance, some way of knowing for sure that he had eternal life. He wanted Jesus to measure and grade his qualifications, or to give him some task he could do to assure his own immortality.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am pleased to announce a Preaching Series based on a
poll on the spiritual needs of Americans. According to
George Gallup, Jr., six spiritual needs surfaced in that
nationwide poll. They are:
1) The need to believe life is meaningful and has a purpose. 2) The need for a sense of community and deeper
relationships.
3) The need to be appreciated and respected.
4) The need to be listened to and to be heard.
5) The need to feel that one is growing in faith.
6) The need for practical help in developing a mature faith.1
This morning we consider the number one need of believing life is meaningful and has a purpose.
Seventy percent of those polled cited this need. Let me begin with a story Michael Foss tells. It's about an executive in a high-rise office building in New York City.
The executive had a seven-foot fluorescent light that had
burned out. But in the office building only the janitors could
replace light bulbs, and the cost was twenty dollars. In his mind this was exorbitant. So he decided he would replace it himself. He went to a lighting outlet near his home and bought the proper light bulb and got up early the next day, drove his car into town, caught the subway into the city, carrying the seven-foot fluorescent bulb all the way, and sneaked in through the foyer before anyone else was there except the security guard. Then he replaced the bulb. He took the old tube and placed it up against the wall behind his desk chair so no one would see it. And for the rest of the day he pondered how he would get the burned-out bulb past the janitors. Finally he had an idea. He had seen a construction site near where he had boarded the subway, so he would stay late, sneak out of the building carrying the burned-out tube and toting it on the subway, and get off at his stop. But instead of going to his car, he would take the tube to that construction site and put it in their dumpster.
So he called his wife and told her he would be working late. He waited until well after six o'clock and successfully sneaked through the lobby, and, holding the fluorescent tube vertically, sat down on the subway.
And that's when events overtook him. An amazing thing began to happen. As the subway began to fill up, more and more people came and held on to that fluorescent light as if it were a stanchion. Finally, when he reached his destination there were six people hanging on to his light tube and he had a better idea.
When his stop arrived, he simply got up and walked out ...
leaving those six people holding onto his fluorescent light as if it were a stanchion.2
I wonder what happened at the end of the line? I picture a man or woman suddenly discovering that he or she is left holding a burned-out fluorescent light tube and not a subway stanchion after all, and I wonder what he or she did with it.
Or, a more unpleasant scenario might be that the subway car came to a sudden stop and those who were holding the burned-out tube dramatically discovered that what they thought was a source of security and stability was neither. What a mess!
The number one question this morning is: What Are You Holding On To? What gives your life meaning and purpose?
A certain young man, a rich young ruler, came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Another way to ask it is: "How do I find meaning and purpose in life and in the life to come?"
This rich young ruler, no doubt, was a good person. But
there gnawed at him a restlessness and a feeling that something was lacking within his heart and soul.
He was searching for something to fill the void. He needed something to hang on to.
Dr. Victor Frankl, a concentration camp survivor and a
psychotherapist, wrote a wonderful book titled Man's Search For Meaning.
When asked about the success of his book, Frankl replied, "I do not at all see in the best-seller status of my book so much an achievement and accomplishment on my part, as an expression of the misery of our time; if hundreds of thousands of people reach out for a book whose very title promises to deal with the question of meaning in life, it must burn under their fingernails."3
What are you holding on to? You want your life to be filled with meaning and purpose. Can we find it by trying to obey the Law?
The young ruler did not murder. He did not commit adultery. He honored his father and mother. He obeyed the commandments, at least this is what he told Jesus. But the Law never brings happiness. It brings either pride or despair.
What are you holding on to? Your wealth? The young ruler was rich. But he couldn't give it up. "His countenance fell," says the Bible. He went away sad and discouraged. This man’s wealth made his life comfortable and gave him power and prestige. When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, Jesus was touching the very basis of his security and identity. The man did not understand that he would be even more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth. Jesus does not ask believers to sell everything they have, although this may be his will for some. He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important in our life than God. If your possessions take first place in your life, it would be better for you to get rid of them.
Because money represents power, authority, and success, often it is difficult for wealthy people to realize their need and their powerlessness to save themselves. The rich in talent or intelligence suffer the same difficulty. Unless God reaches down into their lives, they will not come to him. Jesus surprised some of his hearers by offering salvation to the poor; he may surprise some people today by offering it to the rich. It is difficult for a self-sufficient person to realize his or her need and come to Jesus, but “what is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God.”
Is there meaning in what you buy and sell and create and invent? You've seen the sign, "I Shop Till I Drop." Or that bumper sticker, "This Car Stops At All Garage Sales." What are you holding on to?
Will success do it? It didn't for Buzz Aldrin. Remember Buzz Aldrin? decades ago we watched the TV intently as
first Neil Armstrong and then Buzz Aldrin set foot on the moon.
These two men quickly became household names. Their
accomplishment was legend.
Even though decades have passed since their moonwalks, you still might recall Aldrin and Armstrong's years of hard work, dedication, and discipline that prepared them to walk on the moon. What you might not recall, however, was Aldrin's later emotional breakdown and his slow, painful recovery.
Buzz Aldrin said it resulted from the terrible
disillusionment he felt after working so hard, achieving every
goal set before him, and then finding it all empty when it was over. His dreams, fantastic though they were, were not lasting enough. He walked on the moon, but after that -- no purpose, no meaning.
Nowadays there's a great search for meaning in self. I read somewhere that just before Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated as president, someone made an attempt to assassinate him. After the would-be assassin was captured, the authorities grilled him. "Are you a member of the Ku Klux Klan?" "No." "Are you a member of a radical union?" "No." Finally they asked him, "Do you belong to a church?" He responded by saying, "No, I belong only to myself ... and I suffer."
Where then does meaning come from? Take a look at Psalm 8 and David. David, the greatest king that ever lived in Israel's history and life, found himself searching. Some believe David wrote Psalm 8 after a great victory in his life. Chuck Swindoll suggests that this song was composed by David after he killed the giant Goliath.
If so, picture David, like Buzz Aldrin. He is a great hero
in his country. He has earned the praise of people everywhere, but something is not right. As he prepares to go to bed that night he can't sleep. He feels empty. He wanders outside. He looks up into the Milky Way and he asks the questions you and I ask in moments of quiet and reflection: "Who am I? What is humankind? Why am I here? What is my purpose in life?" In David's words, When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
David doesn't stay depressed as long as did Buzz Aldrin.
Immediately he answers his own question: Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet. -- Psalm 8
And as David pondered the answer, especially his place in the eternal scheme of things, life took on meaning and purpose for him."4
What are you holding on to?
I'm holding on to Christ. And as I hold on to Christ I
realize God has held on to me long before through God's amazing grace and wondrous mercy.
Let go of anything that offers nothing but empty promises and broken words. With Christ I live -- and my life has meaning and purpose. Amen. ____________
1. George Gallup,Jr. National & Religion Report, Volume V, Number 11 (May 20, 1991),p. 1.
2. Michael Foss, Easter Sermon, 1993, Prince of Peace Lutheran, Burnsville, Minnesota.
3. Faith at Work, Volume 106, No. 1, Jan/Feb 1993, p. 3., Faith at Work Inc., 150 South Washington Street, Suite 204, Falls Church, Virginia 22046.
4. Ibid., FAW, p. 3.
*Hymn of Response # 220 Break Thou the Bread of Life v 1,2
Communion
Hymn # 220 Break Thou the Bread of Life v 3,4
*Sending forth May God go with us and before us,
setting tables of community and care and holding us in the heart of all meaning and purpose.
*Postlude
A Chancel Drama - "Crossing The Desert (Of Life) And Findin'
Nuttin' But Sand, Sun, And Superficiality." by Arley K. Fadness.
Synopsis: A traveler crossing the desert (of life) seeks a cool
drink that will really satisfy. A bartender offers drinks that
are only temporary. The traveler meets other travelers who are
thirsty as well. All conclude they are thirsty for something more
lasting than what the bartender has to offer.
Theme: The Need To Believe That Life Has Meaning And Purpose
Characters: Travis (a travelin' man)
Bartender Joe
Olympic Athlete Chad
Sad Selma, college dropout
Clancy Clown, dressed as a clown
Tone: Mix of humorous and serious
Setting/Props: The Last Chance Bar
Approximate time: 5-6 minutes
(Music: Sons of the Pioneers' "Cool, Cool Water" or some current
"water" song)
Travis: (Appears on stage, crawling on the floor) Water, water,
bottled, Artesian, mineral, anything wet!
Bartender: How about this Handy Wipe? Heh, heh. Just kiddin',
podner. What'll you have?
Travis: (Groans) I'm dying.
Bartender: Mortuary's across the street.
Travis: (Starts rising, leans on bar) Hey -- I've been crossing
this here desert fer three days now. Canteen went dry yesterday.
108 in the shade.
Bartender: (Leaning on bar) Yeah, it's hot out there.
Travis: (Feels bartender's face) Sure you're not one of them
mirages?
Bartender: (Laughs) Well, I might be and I might not be. What'll
you have?
Travis: Whatiyah got?
Bartender: Depends on your taste. Yah really thirsty?
Travis: Could drink the Mississippi dry today.
Bartender: You crossed the Mahara Desert you say?
Travis: Yep.
Bartender: By foot?
Travis: Naw.
Bartender: Mule? Horseback?
Travis: (Mysteriously) Neither.
Bartender: You gotta Jeep out there? (Points outside)
Travis: Yep.
Bartender: Really!
Travis: It's mine.
Bartender: Came in that? And you're thirsty?
Travis: Yep. Now whatchya got to drink?
Bartender: (Still talking about the Jeep) Air conditioned?
Travis: Yep. What's in that jug? (Points)
Bartender: (Puzzled) Don't see any sand on it. None on yer
clothes.
Travis: Jeep's airtight. Four-wheel drive. Cell phone. Passenger
TV. Got it all.
Bartender: Whoa -- you got all that and still you're thirsty???
You got to be kiddin'.
Travis: (Angrily) Hey, dude. Is this the Last Chance Bar or what?
Ya got drinks, ain't yah?
Bartender: (Regains composure) Well, yes -- and your trip across
the Mahara Desert hasn't taken you three days, has it? (Pause)
How old are you, friend?
Travis: Thirty. (Irritated) What's that got to do with gourds in
Greece?
Bartender: Your desert travels have really taken you thirty
years! Not three days.
Travis: Well -- yeah. If you put it that way. I'm bummed!
Bartender: Okay. I see.
Travis: See what?
Bartender: Here's (show bottle) what might help. Tranquility for
the Trail. Improves your self-worth. Only temporary though.
Travis: Naw. What else yah got?
Bartender: Well, here's a blend of Hopps and Barley. Called Ego
Booster.
Travis: I'm really thirsty -- could use a shot of that.
Bartender: (Shows another jug) Gin and Grin. Great upper.
Travis: (Pushes sample drinks aside) Naw, I need a real drink!
Something, something --
Bartender: Yes?
Travis: Something that satisfies not just here but here. (Points
to stomach and then heart) Something deep.
Bartender: You mean spiritual? I'm not a priest -- (brightly) but
I do priestly things.
Travis: Like?
Bartender: Like listen to confessions, give advice, counsel ...
Travis: Oh, yeah? Give me something that really lasts, will yah?
What's with him? (Points to athletic-type person who is very
morose and has been sitting at the bar.)
Bartender: He just came in before you. Said he's thirsty, too.
Travis: Hey, how ya doin'?
Chad: Who, me?
Travis: Yeah. Been in the desert?
Chad: Yep. Just came back from the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Travis: How'd you do?
Chad: Won a medal. 200 meter dash. Worked for ten years for that
goal. (Brightens up) Wow! Was that something great! (Gets
excited; jumps up) I ran. I ran with everything I got ... ooo ...
Bartender: I saw you on TV. Great run. Let's see your medal.
Quite a thrill, eh?
Chad: (Glumly) You know it was then. It was great ... but ...
Travis: But what?
Chad: Now what? For years I dieted, trained, disciplined, worked
out, ran hard, achieved my goal ... but now what?
Bartender: (To Travis) I think he's actually depressed.
Travis: You're right -- Father -- (laughs) ... What about her?
(Points to a sad Selma)
Bartender: Dunno. Comes in every day from the desert. Orders a
Gin and Grin. Says she's a college dropout. No major. Not even a
minor. She says she's not sure where she's going. Kinda confused.
Generation X, you know.
Travis: What about him? (Spotlight on clown who has been in the
shadows till now)
Bartender: Ask him.
Travis: Hey, I'm Travis. Just came off the desert. How are you
doing, man?
Clown: Clancy Clown's my name.
Travis: What do you do?
Clown: Make people laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh. (Fakes
laugh; goes into a routine) You know why cannibals don't eat
clowns, don't cha? (Pause) Cause they taste funny. Ha Ha. (After
a few antics goes and sits sadly at the bar.)
Bartender: And what makes you laugh?
Clown: Nobody. (Long pause) Just give me one of them ... (points
to a jug)
Travis: (To bartender) You've got a good business here, Joe.
Bartender: Unfortunately, yes.
Travis: Unfortunately?
Bartender: Yes, unfortunately. I'd rather do something else. Sure
I'm kinda priestly for some, but I'd rather you folks got a drink
that lasted, that filled you deep and quenched your true thirst.
Something that kept you healthy and fulfilled and focused ...
Travis: Yeah -- I know what you mean!