Friday's thougths on Sunday's sermon

This is a very rough draft of Sunday's sermon. It needs lots of work. If you have thoughts on this email me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your

thoughts with the readers of this blog click on the 'comments' box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

THERE IS A STORY ABOUT ALBERT EINSTEIN BEING INVITED TO SPEAK AT SWARTHMORE COLLEGE AT A BANQUET. WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR HIM TO SPEAK HE STOOD UP AND SAID, “I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. WHEN I DO I WILL COME BACK.” IN SIX MONTHS HE CALLED THE PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL AND SAID HE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. THEY SCHEDULED ANOTHER BANQUET AND HE SPOKE.



IT ISN’T I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. IT IS I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH TO SAY, AND WHEN TO STOP SAYING WHAT I WANT TO SAY.


I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. I REMEMBER ONCE OUR BISHOP WROE TO ME RELATED TO SOMETHING I HAD DONE, “I AM SPEACHLESS THINKING ABOUT YOUR BEHAVIOR”, SHE WROTE ME WITH AN EMAIL TO SAY SHE WAS SPEACHLESS AND I WROTE HER BACK SAYING TO HER, “I’VE NEVER SEEN A BISHOP SPEACHLESS COULD I DRIVE TO DENVER TO SEE THAT?”


IN A PIVITOL TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING I MIGHT SAY THAT PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO LISTEN TO I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.


I KNOW I WANT TO GIVE YOU A WORD. I WANT TO CONVEY SOME OF THE WISDOM ACQUIRED OVER THE YEARS. THAT’S WHAT JESUS DID. HE GAVE THEM THE A WORD. HE CONVEYED HIS TRUTH BEFORE HE LEFT THEM.


I’D SAY SOMETHING A LITTLE OBSCURE ABOUT GOD LIKE WHAT ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD WROTE, “IT IS AS TRUE TO SAY THAT GOD IS PERMANENT AND THE WORLD IS FLUENT AS THAT THE WORLD IS PERMANENT AND GOD IS FLUENT.


IT IS AS TRUE TO SAY THAT GOD IS ONE AND THE WORLD IS MANY, AS THAT THE WORLD IS ONE AND GOD MANY.


IT IS AS TRUE TO SAY THAT IN COMPARISON WITH THE WORLD, GOD IS ACTUAL EMINENTLY, AS THAT, IN COMPARISON WITH GOD THE WORLD IS ACUTAL EMINENTLY.


IT IS AS TRUE TO SAY THAT THE WORLD IS IMMANETN IN GOD AS THAT GOD IS IMMANENT IS THE WORLD


IT IS AS TRUE TO SADY THAT GOD TRANSCENDS THE WORLD AS THAT THE WORLD TRANSCENDS GOD.


IT IS AS TRUE TO SAY THAT GOD CREATES THE WORLD AS THAT THE WORLD CREATES GOD.”


I COULD SAY SOME OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID.


FOR EXAMPLE PLATO SAID GOD IS THE SENSE OF IDEAL THAT DRAWS US TOWARD IT.


AND JAMES CONE WHO SAID GOD IS ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF THE OPPRESSED AND GOD IS LIBERATION FROM OPPRESSION.


AND SCHLIERMACHER WHO SAID, “THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD BECAUSE THE BIBLE BRINGS US A SENSE OF GOD CONSCIOUSNESS.”


OR KARL BARTH WHO SAID THAT GOD IS THE MYSTERY BEYOND ALL MYSTERY AND THE GOSPEL IS A STONE THROWN AT THE UNIVERSE.


I COULD QUOTE ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD WHO SAID, “THAT RELIGION WILL PROSPER THAT WILL RENDER TO THE COMMON GOOD SOME DEGREE OF ETERNAL GREATNESS.”


I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY AND FOR A CHRISTIAN PREACHER WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY WE CAN BEGIN TO THINK OF JESUS AND WHAT MIGHT HE HAVE SAID. AT A TIME WHEN IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN HIS LIFE, “SEEING THE CROWDS HE WENT UP ON A MOUNTAIN AND WHEN HE SAT DOWN HIS DISCIPLES CAME TO HIM AND HE TAUGHT THEM.


WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HE SAID, AND WHEN IT TRY TO GET IT TOGETHER TO SAY WHAT I THINK I OUGHT TO SAY I BEGIN WITH A WORD ABOUT ATTITUDE.


WE HAVE COME TO CALL IT BE ATTITUDE. YOU KNOW THOSE BEATTITUDES THAT SAY, “BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, AND BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN, AND BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THRIST FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, AND BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL AND THE PURE IN HEART AND THE PEACEMAKERS.


HE GAVE THEM THE WORD AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A WORD ABOUT ATTITUDE.


I THINK WHAT HAS MADE THIS PLACE WHAT IT IS WRAPS AROUND THE ATTITUDE AND I WANT TO SUGGEST THAT YOU CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN YOUR ATTITUDE; YOU BE ATTITUDE.


HOW IMPORTANT IS ATTITUDE? SOMEONE SAID, “BUZZARD NESTS SELDOM HATCH EAGLES”.


IT’S THE CAN DO ATTITUDE THAT IS HERE. I WAS THINKING OF STORY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR CALLED IN ONE OF HIS ARMY ENGINEERS AND ASKED, ‘HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO THROW A BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIVER?’ ‘THREE DAYS,’ THE ENGINEER TOLD HIM.


‘GOOD!’ SAID THE GENERAL. ‘HAVE YOUR DRAFTSMEN MAKE THE DRAWINGS RIGHT AWAY.’


THREE DAYS LATER THE GENERAL SENT FOR THE ENGINEER AND ASKED HOW THE BRIDGE WAS COMING ALONG. ‘IT’S ALL READY.’ REPLIED THE ENGINEER. ‘YOU CAN SEND YOUR TROOPS ACROSS RIGHT NOW, THAT IS IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PANS. THEY AREN’T DONE YET.’


THAT’S THE BE ATTITUDE ABOUT THIS PLACE.


WHEN YOU FINISHED REMODELING THE CHURCH BUT YOU HADN’T BUILT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE THERE WAS A CONGREGATIONAL MEETING AND I REMEMBER A YOUNG WOMAN STANDING UP AT THE MEETING IN THE SANCTUARY, “WE HAVE GONE THIS FAR BUT WE HAVEN’T FINISHED OUR PROJECT. WHEN WE BUILT THE PARLOR WE HADN’T PAID FOR IT. IT’S TIME FOR US TO START A PROJECT AND FINISH A PROJECT. WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? LET’S GET IT DONE.” AND WE DID.


I REMEMBER A MEETING AT THE CHURCH WHEN THE RECESSION HIT AND IT HIT US HARD AND A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH CAME TO THE ADMINSITRATIVE COUNCIL AND WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT PLEDGES AND BUDGETS AND PROJECTS AND WHAT WE COULD DO AND WHAT WE COULDN’T DO AND A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH AND HE SAID, “I THINK WE NEED TO BUILD A HABITAT HOUSE. INSTEAD OF FEELING SORRY FOR OURSELVES WE OUGHT TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE.” AND WE DID.


SO THE WORD I WOULD GIVE YOU IS ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDE AND YOUR BE ATTITUDE; TO KEEP IT AND TO LET IT MOVE WITH YOUR.


THERE IS A JOURNALIST NAMED WILLIAM ZINSSER. HIS FIRST JOB WRITING FOR THE BUFFALO NEWS AS A CUB REPORTER WAS WRITING OBITUARIES. HE WAS THINKING ABOUT THE PULITZER PRIZE. HOW IN THE WORLD ARE YOU EVER GOING TO BE AN AWARD WILLING WRITER DOING OBITUARIES? WHEN IN THE WORLD WHERE I GET A CHANCE TO COVER AN INTERESTING STORY.


BUT THEN HE GOT A BEATTITUDE. HE CHANGED HIS ATTITUDE. HIS EDITOR SAID TO HIM, “LISTEN KID. NOTHING YOU WRITE WILL EVER GET READ AS CAREFULLY AS WHAT YOU ARE WRITING RIGHT NOW. YOU MISSSPELL A WORD, YOU MESS UP A DATE, AND A FAMILY WILL BE HURT. BUT YOU DO JUSTICE TO SOMEBODY’S GRANDMOTHER, TO SOMEBODY’S MOM, YOU MAKE A LIFE SING, AND THEY WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL. THEY WILL PUT YOUR WORDS IN LAMINATE.” ZINSSER GOT AN ATTITUDE; A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE. HE SAID, “I WOULD ASK EXTRA QUESTIONS AND GO THE EXTRA MILE.”


I HAVE A FRIEND WHO WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE CHURCH HE HAD BEEN APPOINTED TO. HE SAID IT WAS A CHURCH THAT WAS FULL OF OLD PEOPLE AND HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING THEM TO CHANGE.


SOMEONE GOT TO HIM AND CHANGED HIS ATTITUDE BY TELLING HIM, “THE PEOPLE IN YOUR CHURCH REALLY KNOW MORE ABOUT CHANGE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW UNTIL YOU GET OLD ENOUGH TO GRASP THE WISDOM THEY HAVE LEARNED. THEY KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO LEAVE A JOB THEY’VE LOVED AND THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS TO FACE ILLNESS, AND SOME OF THEM THE DEATH OF THEIR CHILDREN AND SOME OF THEM THE DEATH OF THEIR HUSBAND OR WIFE. THEY KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO FACE THE FACT THAT THEY CAN’T DO WHAT THEY COULD AND THEY HAVE TO ADJUST. THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT CHANGE BECAUSE EVERY DAY THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH A NEW CHANGE.


BE ATTITUDE IS THE WORD I GIVE YOU. ABOUT AN ATTITUDE THAT SAYS “YES WE CAN.”


SAINT FRANCIS SAID IT, “START BY DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY; THEN DO WHAT IS POSSIBLE; AND SUDDENLY YOU ARE DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE.”


AND NEVER UNDERESTIMATE WHAT GOOD CAN BE DONE IF YOU WORK TOGETHER. HELEN KELLER SAID IT, “ALONE WE CAN DO SO LITTLE; TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH.”


I WANT TO GIVE YOU A WORD LIKE THE BE ATTITUDES. LIKE JESUS SPOKE WHEN HE SAW THE CROWD AND HAD THEM SIT DOWN ON THE HILL.


I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY SO I WILL DO WHAT JESUS DID I WILL GIVE YOU AN AWARD.


HE TOLD THEM, “YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH,” AND “YOU ARE THE LIGHT TO THE WORLD”.


HE GAVE THEM AN AWARD. THIS CHURCH DOES GET ITS SHARE OF AWARDS AND LETTERS OF COMMENDATION FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AND AWARD. I AM REMINDED OF SOMETHING LEONARD BERNSTEIN SAID. IF YOU EVER HAVE SEEN VIDEO OF HIM CONDUCTING AN ORCHESTRA IT LOOKS LIKE HE BECAME COMPLETELY WRAPPED UP IN THE MUSIC. HE SAID ONCE, “YOU BECOME THAT COMPOSER.” HE WOULD LOSE A SENSE OF HIMSELF. HE WOULD BECOME THE MUSIC.


THE AWARD I GIVE YOU IS THAT SAME THING. THE AWARD YOU OUGHT TO GET YOU SHOULD GET AS A CHURCH BUT I THINK IT GOES BACK TO THE KIND OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH.


THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE OF GREAT ACCOMPLISMENT BUT YOU’D NEVER KNOW IT BECAUSE PEOPLE HERE DON’T TALK ABOUT IT.


THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE BEEN THROUGH REALLY HARD THINGS IN LIFE BUT INSTEAD OF BREAKING YOU DOWN YOU LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM AS CHALLENGES AND YOU KEPT ON GOING BUT YOU EVEN BUILT UP SPEED. IT SEEMED THE MORE YOU WERE DEFEATED THE MORE STRENGTH YOU FOUND TO FACE THE NEXT CHALLENGE.


SUE MONK KIDD ONCE WROTE ABOUT RABBI LIEBERMAN AND TELLS HOW HE FELL ASLEEP ONE NIGHT AND HAD A DREAM. IN THE DREAM HE DIED AND GOES TO STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF GOD. AS HE WAITS FOR GOD TO SPEAK, HE FEARS GOD WILL ASK HIM, ‘WHY WEREN’T YOU MOSES…OR DAVID…OR SOLOMON?” INSTEAD GOD SURPRISES HIM. GOD SIMPLY ASKS, “WHY WEREN’T YOU RABBI LIEBERMAN?” SUE CONTINUES BY WRITING, “WHEN MY LIFE IS OVER, I DOUBT GOD WILL ASK ME WHY I WASN’T I MOTHER TERESA. THE QUESTION I MOST FEAR IS< “WHY WEREN’T YOU SUE MONK KIDD?” THE MOST GRACIOUS AND COURAGEOUS GIFT WE CAN OFFER THE WORLD IS OUR AUTHENTICITY, OUR UNIQUENESS, THE EXPRESSION OF OUR TRUE SELVES.”


THAT’S THE AWARD I WOULD GIVE YOU. YOU HAVE COME ACROSS AS THE PERSON YOU WERE BORN TO BE. PECULIARITIES, AND ECCENTRICITIES AND STRANGENESS AT TIME. DEMANDING AND THOUGHTFUL AND KIND AND WONDERFUL. YOU HAVE PRESENTED YOURSELVES AS NO LESS THAN OTHER PEOPLE BUT NOT GREATER IN YOUR MINDS. THERE IS NOT ARROGANCE HERE, THERE IS SINCERETY AND CHARACTER.


HOW DO YOU FIGURE A CHURCH WHOSE ENERGY IS SUCH THAT THEY CAN PUT TOGETHER A GARAGE SALE THAT INVOLVES TWO TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCKS TO STORE ALL THE STUFF THAT COMES IN OR AN ALL CHURCH PICNIC WHERE THE HIGHLIGHT IS DUNKING THE MINISTERIAL STAFF IN A WATER TANK BY THROWING PROJECTILES AT A TARGET? HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN A CHURCH THAT THERE IS A PULPIT CONVERTED TO A BASKET LIFT WHERE THE PREACHER HAD TO CLIMB A LADDER TO GET UP TO THE PLACE WHERE THE SERMON WAS PREACHED AND IT BOBBED UP AND DOWN THE CONGREGATION WATCHED, AND HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN A CHURCH WHERE THE YOUTH GROUP ADVENT DINNER THEATER IS BEGUN WITH THE SENIOR MINISTER BEING INVOLVED AS A VIDEO DRIVING ONE OF THE TEENAGERS AROUND AS IF A CHAUFFER DELIVERING A ROCK STAR TO A CONCERT?


WE FOUGTH ABOUT WHETHER THE AMERICAN FLAG OUGTH TO BE IN THE SANCTUARY AND THE BATTLE WAS INTENSE BUT WE WENT OUT FOR BREAKFAST AND CONTINUED TO BE FRIENDS EVEN IN OUR DISAGREEMENT. WE DEBATED OVER THE BUILDING OF A COLUMBARIUM BUT WHEN WE FINISHED IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN ENJOYED BY EVERYONE YOUNG AND OLD. WE HAD BATTLES OVER THE KITCHEN AND AT ONE TIME EVERYTHING WAS LOCKED UP AND NOW IT IS OPENED UP FOR COMMUNITY USE.


WE HAVE DISAGREED WITH EACH OTHER AND WE HAVE STAYED TOGETHER. YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE AND I GIVE YOU THE AWARD FOR ANTHENTICITY. YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE LIGHT TO THE WORLD.


I GIVE YOU AN AWARD AND I GIVE YOU A WORD.


FINALLY, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A WARNING.


JESUS SAID, “DON’T PUT YOUR LIGHT UNDER A BASKET.” HE SAID, “DON’T THROW YOUR SALT ON THE GROUND TO BE TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT.”


I WANT TO GIVE YOU A WARNING. THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PUT THE CHURCH DOWN; PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY THAT THE CHURCH HAS NO FUTURE, DON’T LISTEN TO THEM.


THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO THINK IF THE CHURCH DOESN’T DO WHAT THEY THINK THE CHURCH OUGTH TO DO THEY WILL THINK THE CHURCH ISN’T WHAT THE CHURCH SHOULD BE.


THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL FORGET THAT THE CHURCH IS ABOUT ALL IF US NOT JUST SOME OF US, DON’T LET THEM CONTROL IT.


DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD DO OR WHO YOU SHOULD BE. DON’T LET ANYONE PUT YOU DOWN IN THE CHURCH, OUT OF THE CHURCH OR BEYOND THE CHURCH.


THE CHURCH IS BIGGER THAN ANY ONE OF US AND ITS MISSION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL OF US TOGETHER.