Third Sunday in Lent!
Exodus 20:1-4,7-9,12-20
Focus Statement: In this scripture is the giving of the ten
commandments
to the Hebrew people. The first ones
deal with our relationship to God, and
the
rest deal with our relationship to each
other.
Function Statement: Because of this sermon, the congregation will be
prepared to renew their commitment to God in communion and to better their
relationships with God and people.
1st Movement:
When I was in elementary school, we lived in Lemay, MO which is
just on the Southwest edge of St. Louis.
Now, when we visit up there it seems pretty much like St. Louis. Where we went to elementary school was
Hancock School # 3. In good weather, we
walked home from school, at least after we were a few years along in
school. We walked about four blocks down
a street, turned right on our street, and walked about the length of two more
blocks down it to our house.
On the corner where we turned was a little community
tavern. This was a pretty mysterious,
dark place to me. The windows were dark and you couldn’t see in. We usually didn't see much activity around
it. We would seldom even see anybody
coming out of it. I can remember even
walking down the side of it and across the back of it at times to avoid going
in front of it which was really cutting across its property. I don't guess the owners minded because there
was somewhat of a path around it where kids did this, and I don't ever remember
anybody stopping us and telling us not to.
There was even this kind of slide of dirt at the back that you could run
or slide down right before you came out on the street.
One day, we did see some activity though. This was after we got more nervy and usually
walked across the front of it. As we
were approaching, we heard some shouting, and about that time a man came
running out of the tavern and jumped in his convertible car. As I recall, it was a classic thunderbird
convertible; might not have been classic then.
Just about the time he got in it and started to peal off, a man came
running out the door of the tavern shooting at him. He fired at least two shots. Luckily the man didn't return the fire
because we were standing just behind this man that was shooting, probably about
10-15 feet behind him. After the man
fired about two times, he turned around and went back in the tavern. Needless to say, we didn't waste any time
getting by the tavern that day.
I never did hear what happened that day. I could have been a robbery, but I think it
was a car that I saw there quite frequently, so I really doubt that was the
case. I believe I saw it there even
after this incident. I suspect that two
guys got into an argument over something and that was the end result. What could be so bad that the one would come
out shooting real bullets at the other?
What was going on here to cause this? This was a real unexpected occurrence
then; maybe not so much so today!
2nd movement:
In our scripture this morning, we have recorded where God gives
Moses the ten commandments for the Hebrew people. These were rules whereby people could live
peaceably together before God in a society.
The first ones deal with the peoples relationship with God, and the
others deal with the peoples relationships with each other. This is still a pretty good set of rules to
live by. Just about anything that we do
to hurt God or others can be traced back to breaking one or more of these
rules! If we lie to sell a product, it
is covered. If we lie, to make ourselves
look good it is covered. If we take from
our company, it is covered. When you try
to kill someone such as this man did coming out of the tavern, it is
covered!
Jesus summed them up into an even more concise set of rules,
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your strength, and with all your
mind, and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27) You can't sum it up any better than that;
when we do something that hurts God or people, we are failing in love! To live in the kingdom of God is to live in
love! Sometimes that isn't so easy
though! Sometimes people get our
goat! Sometimes we just want to give
them what they have coming to them! But
Jesus would say to live in the kingdom is to live in love!
3rd movement:
That isn't always easy!
We are constantly having to decide whether to live as kingdom people or
to live as the world. Do we judge people
or love people and let God be the judge?
Do we take something that is not ours or do we trust Christ for what we
need? Do we gossip about someone or do
we lovingly try to find something good to say about them? It is an everyday
decision! It is easiest to live as the world! Christ came to live as a kingdom person, and
we crucified him, but he did it, and because Christ could do it, he can help us
do it too! Christ can help us to live as
kingdom people! We need regular
encounters with the risen Christ to help us to be Kingdom people. That is what communion is. As we encounter Christ at the table this
morning, Christ can help us to live in love and to live as kingdom people! Only in Christ can we really live as kingdom
people, living in the world but not of the world! Do you struggle with this one? Christ can help you to be a Kingdom person!
Prayer of
Confession
Service of
Communion
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