April 15, 2007

Attitude Adjustments

Sitting on Your Ticket

Philippians 2:12-18

Opening Words: Next week I begin a fourteen week sermon series called Attitude Adjustments. I would be guilty of plagiarism if I did not give credit to James W. Moore for the core of these messages. I will make available the complete sermon series in the near future. However, today it will have to suffice to say that I have discovered that your attitude about life is truly significant. If you have a rotten attitude, then you can ruin anything. If you have a great attitude, then you can survive anything.

This morning’s message is really becoming an introduction to this new sermon series. I have called this message God’s Sitting on Your Ticket. This morning’s primary text is Philippians 2:12-18.

Philippians 2:12-18 ¹²Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

¹⁴Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Robert Fulghum tells the story of sitting next to a young woman at a Hong Kong airport. She sat there quietly, wearing faded blue jeans and an old T-shirt. Suddenly, she began to cry. He tried to ignore for at first but her crying grew louder. After a few long minutes he looked at her and asked, “What is wrong?” She told him the whole story. Through the tears, she was returning home sooner then she had planned. Her money had run out and she had been waiting to fly home on stand by. She had been waiting in that airport terminal for two days and she just received the news that a seat was waiting for her. However, her problem was she had lost her ticket. The plane was about ready to leave. Robert Fulghum frantically helped her looked through her possessions but the ticket couldn’t be found. His heart was breaking for her and the only thing he could think of doing was inviting her to get something to eat. After dinner he would talk to the powers that be and try to get her home. She accepted his kind offer of warm food. She stood up to collect her things when she suddenly screamed. There was her ticket on her seat. She had been sitting on it the whole time. She hugged Robert Fulghum and thanked him for his kindness. She ran toward her gate and he never saw her again.

I tell you that story for one reason. There are many people in our world today who are sitting on their tickets. How many people in your life do you know who are just sitting there feeling sorry for themselves. They wallow in self pity, they believe the whole world is against them, they have thrown in the towel, they are angry and frustrated, and they feel like giving up on life, itself. They think they have lost their ticket but they are just sitting on it. The answer to their problem is right there but they are missing it. That is really the story behind this morning’s scripture lesson. The answer to their problem is within easy reach.

Let me give you some background. The church at Philippi was an ideal church in many ways. It was appreciative and benevolent. The apostle Paul founded the congregation during his second missionary journey during a storm of persecution. Paul had a deep affection for this congregation and the congregation had a deep respect for Paul. He had been their spiritual mentor from the very beginning. The problem is Paul and the congregation are now separated. Paul is writing this letter from a Roman prison cell. The people are in Philippi. Everyone knows Paul’s life is about over and the people of that church begin to wonder if they are going to be able to move forward without him. Maybe Paul did too good of a job? The people are too dependent on him so he writes this letter to encourage them to do something they have they never done. Move forward in the faith without him. That is what verses twelve and thirteen are say, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” The foundation of their faith is not Paul. The foundation of their faith is Jesus. He is the ticket and he is within easy reach and the same is true for us.

We too are working out our salvation. This morning I am going to give you three reminders for holy living. These three reminders are rooted in the Bible. They act as God’s blueprint for life. The foundation of our faith is Jesus. So if you would like to live a life that is pleasing to God remember these three things. Let us look at them one at a time.

Remember: Life Is Worth Living

Someone once said the seven ages of life are spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills, and wills. Life can be difficult and challenging. However, life is worth living. If Jesus is the greatest life we have ever received, the time we have in this world is the second greatest gift. I believe you should celebrate every stage of life. It is a great gift from God!

A few years ago I was trick or treating with my children. It was a wonderful day. The sky was clear and the colors of the season were at their height. Kathy stayed home to pass out the candy. We walked down the street with our neighbor. House by house we hit them all. Everyone was happy when it suddenly happened. My neighbor’s son, who was about 11, saw his buddies across the street. He ran off with them, leaving his mother behind. He was laughing but his mother started to cry. I tried to ignore it but she would not let me. She said, “Did you see that? He left me and didn’t even say, “Good-bye.” I knew her son. (I was glad to see him go.) She said, “Someday he is going to leave me!” I said, “He is 11 years old. I think you have a few days left with him. Why don’t you enjoy him now?” She could not and she was an emotional wreck the rest of the day. Today, that 11 year old boy is twenty. He is a wonderful young man. He is in college and works long hours. I will see his mother and say and say, “There is your boy!” She will tear up and say, “He isn’t a boy. He is a man. He doesn’t need me anymore. I wish he was 11 years old again.” Let me say this clearly. Your children maybe five, eleven, thirty or fifty but they still need you! I am not speaking of co-dependency. I am speaking of mature relationships, where people grow up and live on their own. The scriptures tell us we are embrace today. You will never have this twenty-four hour period again. It is unique. It is special. It is a gift from God. What are you going to do with it? It is really your choice.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said: One's philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility. Are you getting the most out of today or are you sitting on your ticket? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Remember: People Are Worth Loving

Fredrick the Great once said, “The more I get to know people, the more I love my dog.” He has a point. There are some challenging people in this world. Do you have anyone in your life that is challenging? Could it be that someone finds you challenging?

When I started out in the ministry I was contacted by my pastor from when I was just in high school. He gave me some advice I will never forget. He said, “Russ, let me tell you a secret about the ministry. Ninety-eight per cent of the people in the church are wonderful; the secret is forgetting the other two percent.” I have been in the ministry for over twenty years and I believe he was wrong. Ninety-nine per cent of the people I have worked with are wonderful.

Maybe that is the secret of life. Ninety-nine per cent of the people we know are great. The secret is forgetting that one per cent. God intends us to live in a community. We are to invest our lives in the people around us. People are worth loving. Are you lovingly investing in the people around you or are sitting on your ticket? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Remember: Christ Is Worth Following

The other night it was my privilege to go to St. Michael’s with our confirmation class. Terry Hazel is the priest in that parish and a friend of mine. We walked through the sanctuary of that church and he told us about his tradition. He ended by saying that every person has four parts. There is our physical side. There is our intellectual side. There is our emotional side. And finally, there is a spirit side. He encourages us to take care of all sides of our beings and I couldn't agree more. We live in a world where so many are out of balance. Christ is worth following.

Several years ago, a fire broke out in a hotel in Chicago. The guests of that hotel stood on balconys waiting for the fire department to rescue them. One fellow found the courage to to back into the building. He discovered through the smoke an exit. He went back to the balcony to lead several people to safety. That was a good thing. The problem was others didn’t follow him. They didn’t believe him so they stayed on the balcony and waited for the fire fighter. That help never came and they died. Their ticket to safety was there but they refused to use it.

Don’t let that happen to you. Follow God’s blueprint for life. Say, “Yes!” to life and get the most out of everyday. Say, “Yes!” to the people in your life. Say, “Yes!” to Jesus and live for eternity. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”