September 13, 2009

Seizing the Moments

Moments of Opportunity

Matthew 25:14-18

Opening Words: We believe in an omnipresent God. In other words, we believe God is universal. He has the ability to be in all places all the time. He is not limited to the sanctuary of this church, He is everywhere. That is part of the Good News! There has never been a time when you were orphaned by God, He has always been with you.

This morning I begin a new seven part sermon series that celebrates God’s omnipresence. I have called this sermon series Seizing the Moments. We are going to be looking at moments in your life when you may have forgotten God was present. Moments when you could have learned something new about God and yourself. We will be looking at everything from moments of opportunity to moments of grief. Let us begin this sermon series in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, verses fourteen to eighteen. May God give you ears to hear. Let me call this message Moments of Opportunity.

Matthew 25:14-18 14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

Years ago the noted Austrian writer Franz Kafka wrote a parable about a man who waited outside of a door his entire life. The door was manned by a doorkeeper. For years the man looked at the door and wished to enter. For years he plotted, schemed and planned on how to get past the doorkeeper. He thought of everything but he never tried to simply open the door because he was afraid. As he was dying, he looked at the doorkeeper and ask, “why? Why did you keep me out?” The doorkeeper responded, “I didn’t. This is your door and I am your doorkeeper.” The man responded, “Then why did you stand in my way?” The doorkeeper answered, “I would have been glad to open the door for you but you never asked to come in.” Can any one here relate to that man at the door? Is there anyone here who isn’t seizing the opportunities in your life because you are afraid? Let me ask you this question.

Zig Ziglar once said, “Napoleon was able to win all of those battles because he understood the value of five minutes.“ When was the last time you missed out on an opportunity? It may have been a business opportunity. Everyone who invested took a risk but they made a fortune. But you decided to play it safe so you bought the General Motors stock! It may have been an opportunity to continue your education. Your friends went to college but you decided to work in the factory. You knew manufacturing would never fail. It may have been an opportunity to say the right words. You waited for a better time but a better time never came. The words, “I love you” or “I am sorry” have never been uttered. Has anyone one here missed out on an opportunity at love? You never had the courage to ask him or her out on a date. Has anyone here ever felt like they missed an opportunity to relocate? You stayed in the Mahoning Valley because it was home but everyone in your family moved away. Let me ask you the question again. When was the last time you missed out on an opportunity? At the very heart of this morning’s Gospel lesson is a missed opportunity. That is why it speaks to us. Let us look at it together.

We find ourselves in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew. Jesus is telling a parable. In the Master’s story a business man goes away on a trip, leaving his servants behind to run the business. This practice sounds odd to us but not to Jesus’ world. No, he did not divide his assets equally, he divided his assets based on ability. To one he gives five talents. (A talent is a weight of measure. What us were weighing effected the monetary value. If they were weighing silver then the value was about $75 per talent.) To another he gives two talents. To the third servant he gives a single talent. The five talent and the two talent servants accept, appreciate and use their talents. But the one talent servant is afraid to try. We are told beyond our reading he buried his talent and doesn’t even try. In other words, he lays on the ground at the door afraid of the doorkeeper and fails to seize his opportunity. In the end he is reprimanded by his master. His situation generates a timely question. Are you seizing all the opportunities you have in your life? This morning I am going to help you seize every opportunity in your life. After all, I believe life is one big opportunity. So if you are ready to begin say, “Amen!” If you want to seize every opportunity in your life then you must do three things.

Appreciate

The first thing you have to do to seize every opportunity in your life is to appreciate everything about your life. How many things or people in your life do you take for granted? In the parable the one talent servant didn’t appreciate his single talent. Perhaps, he was preoccupied with loosing it because of his own insecurities. If you want to seize the opportunities in your life then you must appreciate what God has given you.

There is an old preaching story about a farmer who spent his entire life on the same old farm. He hungered for change so he went to a real estate agent to put the farm up for sale. The real estate agent listed the farm with these words:

Beautiful farmhouse, ideal location, excellent barn, good pasture, fertile soil, up-to-date equipment, well-bred stock. Near town, near church, near school. Good neighbors.

When the farmer read the advertisement he saw his old farm through new eyes. He decided not to sell! He said, “All my life I have been looking a place just like that!” Can I say something you already know? Each one of us has good lives! Don’t take them for granted!

On Thursday afternoon I went to the United Methodist Women’s luncheon. My wife Kathryn was the program. She gave an overview of her ministry, To Russia with Love. She had all kinds of experiences in her seventeen trips. She has had all kinds of reactions from people about her trips. Some believe the trips are great! Others have a few questions. Some don’t believe she should be helping the Russians. The former Soviet Union used to be our enemy and the Russian people can not be trusted. We have poor people right here in the good old U.S.A.! Maybe that is how you feel? I believe those negative reactions are based on good old prejudices. Let me say this.

Two things always happen when you go on a Volunteer in Missions trip overseas. The first is you gain a greater appreciation for the land in which you are visiting. Their culture, tradition and their way of life is fascinating. However, the people there are much like the people here. I don’t care if you go to Russia, South America or Asia. You discover people are basically the same. There are good people everywhere. The second thing that always happens is you have a greater appreciation for America. I have never been on a mission trip and wanted to stay. I have never met a person who wanted to stay. People want to go home. If you want to appreciate America then leave America so you can discover how the rest of the world is living. With all the challenges facing our country this is great. Our country is still a land of opportunity. How much of our country do you take for granted? How much of your life do you take for granted? If you want to seize every opportunity in your life then learn to appreciate everything in your life. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Accept

The second thing you have to do to seize all the opportunities in your life is accept what God has given you. The person in the parable didn’t accept what he had because he was more concerned about what the others were given. I hope that is not your story. Are you more concerned about what you have in life or are you more concerned about what others have? If you want to seize every opportunity in life then simply accept what God has given you.

One of the most famous stories in the Bible is the story of Adam and Eve. God placed them in the garden and they lived in paradise. They had complete freedom, except for one rule. Do not eat from the tree of knowledge. You know how the story ends. Both of them eat the apple from the forbidden tree and are expelled from paradise. What was their downfall? They could not accept what they had because they became preoccupied with what they didn’t have. How many people do you know who are just like Adam and Eve. They become preoccupied with what they don’t have?

Let me state the obvious. There are certain things in life we can not do and certain things you can not change. Let me give you a few examples:

I will never be 6’5”.

I will never run the four minute mile

I will never be famous

I will never sing at the Metropolitan Opera

We will never control gravity

We can not change the past

We can not stop the aging process

Everyone here is going to die

Do yourself a favor. Admit there are certain things about your life and station you can not change.

How many people in your life play the “If Only” game? If only they were taller, smarter, more educated, more connected or better looking then they would do something. There are certain things in life you can not change. Accept the fact there are certain things in your life that you can not change and appreciate the things in life that God has given you.

When Jesus went to the garden to pray there were certain things in his life he didn’t like. The Master prayed, “Father, I don’t want to drink from this cup, but if I must, I will drink. Thy will be done.” Jesus accepted his situation in life and so must you! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Use

The third thing you have to do to seize all the opportunities in your life is use what God has given you. The one talent servant didn’t use what he had. He buried it in the ground to protect it. Jesus’ point is clear. God expects you to use what he has given you!

When Leo Buscaglia was teaching college he would ask the students top write a paper answering this question: If you only had five days to live, how would you spend that time? The answers were interesting. People would tell others in their lives they love them or forgive them. Others said they would walk on the beach and examine the sunset. Buscaglia wrote the same words on every paper: Why don’t you do those things now?

One of the great problems facing our society today is procrastination. What are you waiting for? Starting using what God has given you. And all of God’s people said, “Amen.” Let me end with this story.

Years ago Peruvian sailors came a cross a strange sight. They were at the mouth of the Amazon River when they spotted a Spanish ship in distress. Her sailors were laying on the deck of the ship near death. They were the picture of death because they were literally dying of thirst. When the Spaniards saw the Peruvian, they cried out, “Water! We need fresh water!” The Peruvian sailors were surprised and responded, “Then let down you buckets and help yourself!“ The mouth of the Amazon is so wide, the Spaniards thought they were in the middle of the ocean, which is undrinkable water. The Amazon is fresh drinkable water. That mistake almost cost them their lives. They had lost hope and we afraid to try. I hope that is not your story!

Life is one big opportunity! Are you getting the most out of life? Are you seizing every opportunity? Or are you afraid to drop your buckets? Are you laying on the ground at the door afraid of the doorkeeper? If you are then get up and try. Don’t be afraid to appreciate what you have. Don’t be afraid to accept what you have. Don’t be afraid to use what you have. Life is one big opportunity! Don’t miss a single one! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”