Being A Cause For Praise

Dr. James Mayfield
Tarrytown United Methodist Church

October 31, 2004

Text: Matthew 5:14-16

Jesus was speaking to his disciples and to any who follow him when he said: “You are the light of the world. Don't keep your light hidden under a basket. Let it shine, so people will praise God for your good works, and thank God for people like you.”

When we live as Christ intends, our living reflects the light John talked about, the Light that shines in the darkness. What does that kind of living look like? This morning I want us to remember a few stories about Jesus in order to call to mind what is involved in being the light of the world.

Jesus lived a life of compassion. Remember the story about the ten lepers who cried out to Jesus for mercy? He healed all ten. Remember the story about Jesus healing the Roman army officer's servant? Remember the story about the Canaanite mother who came to Jesus, pleading that he have mercy on her daughter whose life was tormented by a demon? Jesus healed the child. The four gospels tell story after story of Jesus being confronted by need and pain and his responding with compassion. When you are confronted by need and pain and you respond out of compassion doing whatever you are able to do, your living reflects the light of Christ. And it is then people thank God for you and for what you do.

Jesus lived, trusting God. Perhaps no incident in his life reveals his trust in God more clearly than Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he was crucified. “Father, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will by thine be done.” And when we live confidently trusting God, we are able to bear whatever cross we must bear. Many of us in this congregation remember Tom Allen, John Gully and others who endured a long and difficult struggle with cancer. Tom and John were never defeated by the disease, even though it finally caused their death. John and Tom lived into their deaths; they were faithful disciples who learned from their teacher: “Father let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” In the way Tom, John and others in this congregation have lived into their deaths, the light of the Gospel shined in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it. We who grieved his death said to one another: “Thank God these people .”

At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, he was tempted to misuse his abilities to feed his own hungers, to be a religious show-off and become a celebrity, to become a person with great political power. But Jesus knew his purpose, his mission. He kept his focus on God and because he did, he was able to say no to the temptations that came his way. When we see people remaining true to Christ, and not only saying no to various temptations to misuse their abilities and gifts but using their gifts to serve others, we see God's grace in action through what they say and do, and we say: “Thank God for people like that.”

Remember the story about the two friends who were discouraged by the crucifixion of Jesus and bewildered by stories about his resurrection? As they walked from Jerusalem to Emmaus the risen Christ walked with them, although they did not recognize him; and he taught them. He enable them to grasp and understand what had happened. It all began to make sense; life began to make sense, and in the breaking of bread, they recognized him. Many of us can tell stories about persons who have happened along in our journey -- friends, colleagues, teachers. They helped us grasp and understand what the Gospel really is. They helped us make sense of our lives. Through them we discovered hope. And we say: “Thank God for those people.”

Remember the story about Jesus feeding the multitude? All the disciples had was five loaves of bread and two fish. Although their resources were obviously inadequate for what the situation called for, when Jesus asked, they gave what they had; and as inadequate as their gifts seemed to be, when Christ blessed what they had to offer, it became more than enough. Through the inadequate gifts of the disciples, the grace of God was able to do amazing things. There have been those times when there was a significant need, but I did not get involved because I was convinced what I had to offer was so inadequate that to offer it would be a wasted effort, and yet there were others, whose gifts were also inadequate, maybe even less adequate than mine, but in faith they offered what they had to offer. What they offered was blessed the grace of God and it turned out to be more than enough. And ministries I thought would never come into being began to flourish. Needs I did not think could be met, were met. Where I saw no hope for positive change, positive change happened -- all because some people offered what they had to offer, and as inadequate as it seemed to me, it was more than enough when blessed by the grace of God. Thank God there are people like that, people who in the face of real need will offer what they have, even though what they offer seems inadequate. By the grace of God it somehow becomes enough.

Jesus was a man of prayer. Throughout the four Gospels there are references to his setting aside time for prayer. When his disciples asked, he taught them about prayer, and even gave them a prayer to help them learn how to pray. We have to be taught about prayer and how to pray. How grateful I am for those persons, teachers, role models, mentors who have helped me discover what little I know about prayer. Thank God they did not keep their light hidden under a basket. But then, prayer was so much a part of who they were it was impossible for the light to be hidden. Thank God for people like that.

Jesus was forgiving. Remember the story about the woman who was about to be stoned to death because she was caught in adultery? Jesus not only saved her life; he transformed her life with forgiveness. Remember Luke's story of the crucifixion and Jesus saying to penitent criminal “Today you will be with me in Paradise ”? And we remember those persons in our lives who in mercy have forgiven us for wrongs we did and messes we made. They mercifully offered us another chance when we knew we did not deserve it, And because they did, we know what it is to say: “Thank God for these people.”

Remember the story about Jesus driving the money changers from the temple declaring that the temple was to be a house of prayer not a den of robbers? We also remember those who have gone against what was popular to stand up against what was wrong. We admire those whose integrity in following Christ leads them to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done, even though they know that to do so is going to cost them dearly. Thank God there are people like that.

All too much of the time, I confuse admiring Jesus with following Jesus. All too often I try to substitute my appreciating the faithfulness of others for my being faithful. Christ expects more from us than applause. Being the church, is more than being a fan club for Jesus. Being a member of the community of faith calls for more than admiring the faithfulness of others.

The words Jesus spoke to his disciples are also addressed to us: “You are the light of the world, Don't keep your light hidden under a basket. Let it shine, so people will praise God for your good works and thank God for people like you.”

God, help us live as you intend us to live. Amen.

Pastoral prayer:
God, show us the way to peace – peace with justice. Enable us to be instruments of justice -- not as revenge for the past, but as justice that puts an end to injustice and liberates persons from fear and sets them loose to live with hope. And as much as this is needed in the Middle East , it is also needed in our nation. We too need to be set free from various kinds of fear. We too, need to be set free from resentment and festering anger. Help us focus more on striving toward the future you want us to have than on getting even for what has upset us in the past. God, we are fond of remembering Jesus said that just as your eye is on the sparrow it is also on each of us. Help us realize that just as you are concerned for us, you are also concerned for those with whom we are angry and are afraid may do us harm. At this time when there is such intense political conflict all around us, help us not only see ourselves as being precious in your sight but also enable to see those with whom we strongly disagree as also being precious in your sight. God, help us love our neighbor as we love ourselves – even the neighbor we view as our enemy. Enable us not merely to say but to live the prayer Jesus taught us. “Our Father …”

John 1:5 Luke 17:11-19 Matthew 8:5-13 Matthew 15:21-28 Matthew 26:39 Matthew 4:1-11 Matthew 5:13-21 Matthew 6:5-13 John 8:1-11 Luke 23:43 Luke 19:46