September 23, 2007

Why?

Why Jesus?

Colossians 1:15-20

Opening Words: There are five basic questions. There is who, what, when, where and why. Each question is important but the most probing question is the question of why. When you ask why it means you are digging below the surface. It means you are trying to understand the complete situation or concept. It means you are using the mind that God has given you. Never underestimate the question of why?

For the next seven weeks we are going to be asking the question why. We are going to be asking why the church clings to certain practices and beliefs. There is more to it then simple tradition. There is a reason behind the practice. Why do we value the life of Jesus? Why do we value the Bible? Why do we observe the sacraments of communion and baptism? Why do we spend so much time talking about missions and trying to develop fellowship? Why is the church itself important? There are Biblically based reasons behind all these questions. They are in place to develop you as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We begin our journey today with Jesus, himself? Why have you decided to follow Jesus?

The text for this morning is both theologically thick and complicated. It is have to be enough to say that Jesus was the greatest life, who ever lived. Jesus was both fully God and fully human. He is the right choice for you in your spiritual quest.

Colossians 1:15-20 ¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Former president Ronald Reagan once had an aunt who took him to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, "Do you want square toes or round toes?" Unable to decide, Reagan didn't answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldn't decide, so the shoemaker replied, "Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready." When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-toed shoe! "This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you," the cobbler said to his indecisive customer. Reagan never forgot that lesson.

Have you ever stopped to consider how many decisions you are forced to make in your life? Should you go to college or not go to college? If you go to college what will you study? If you don’t go to college what skills do you have or need to master that make you employable? You have to decide if you will marry or remain single. What lucky person out there will agree to spend their life with you? You must decide where you will live. Will you rent or buy? Will you buy a car or lease a car? How many children do you want? How many children can you afford? How much money should you lay aside for college tuition? How much money should you save toward your retirement? Should you have the surgery or take the pills? Life is filled with some difficult decisions. Have you ever wished you didn’t have so many options? Have you ever wished some one would make some decisions for you? Perhaps, that is why you are a Christian? Perhaps, that is why you have decided to follow Jesus? You parents decided for you that you would be a Christian.

In America, seventy-seven per cent of our population says Christianity is their faith of choice. America is a Christian dominated nation. America was settled with religion freedom in mind and the religion our founding father’s choice was Christianity. Our past has influenced our present. I hope it will influence our future. With this in mind let me ask you a sensitive question. Are you a Christian only because your family has always been Christian or are you a Christian for other reasons? Why Jesus? Are you a Christian only because your family was Christian or was following Jesus your own choice? Everyone must answer that question for themselves.

The other night after dinner and the communion service someone asked me the question, with all the religions in the world how do we know Christianity is the one true faith? It is an excellent question. It caught me off guard and I felt like I gave a feeble answer. Today, I would like to answer that question again. I would like to give you three reasons why I believe Christianity is the one true faith. Three reasons why I have decided to follow Jesus. This list is not complete. There are many reasons to follow Jesus, many reasons why Christianity is the one true faith. Each one of my reasons begins with the letter E. So if you are ready for my three reasons say, “Amen!”

The Christian Ethic

This is reason number one. I have decided to follow Jesus because of the Christian ethic. The teachings of Jesus am offers the most complete and authentically human way to live. This is not found in any other belief system. Christianity challenges us to love our neighbors and our enemies. It challenges us to sacrifice for strangers. Christianity has changed this world for the better.

Albert Schweizer was a brilliant scholar – he had doctorates in philosophy and theology. He was a concert organist. And then in 1905 he claimed God had called him away from all that to do what was really important. He resigned his university posts, trained to be a medical doctor, and then went overseas to serve the people of French Equatorial Africa. The reason he made such a choice was the Christian ethic. From his theological training he knew about something called the "reverence for life." It is one of the core teachings of our faith. It says every living being has a will to live and should be given the same reverence for life that we give to ourselves. This reverence of life calls us to do as much good as we can to all creatures. Albert Schweitzer valued the people of French Equatorial Africa. He saw the significance of the Christian ethic.

The Christian ethic has changed our world. In the past two thousand years no organization has had such a positive impact on the world as the church. I do not have clue how many hospitals, child’s homes, food kitchens and schools have been started in the name of Jesus. Anybody can recognize a problem. That takes no skill. However, historically the church both recognizes a problem and finds a solution. One of the reasons I have decide to follow Jesus is the Christian ethic. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

The Christian Experience

This is reason number two. I am a Christian because of the Christian experience. The most significant moments in my life (getting married, having children, graduations, ordination, making friends and burying loved ones) are all related to Jesus. I believe God has led me all the way! God will lead me to the very end. Christianity isn’t part of life, something that I do on Sunday morning. Christianity is my life! I wouldn’t miss the Christian experience for anything because the Christian experience gives me purpose.

I love the story of well-known New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra and Milwaukee Braves power hitter Hank Aaron. The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other. As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, "Henry, you're holding the bat wrong. You're supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark." Aaron didn't say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, "I didn't come up here to read."

We did not come into this world to just live and die. We did not come into this world to just be consumers. Jesus teaches us that we are in this world to glorify God. The Westminster Confession of Faith says, "The purpose of life is to glorify God." And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

The Christian Promise of Eternity

This is reason number three. I decided to follow Jesus because of the Christian promise of eternity. John 3:16 summarizes the entire New Testament. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him may not parish but have eternal life. That is the Good News for you and me. Over the past twenty years I have officiated at hundreds of funerals. Sometimes I knew the person. Sometimes I did not know the person. It did not matter. The separation was difficult. It is at that moment that I remind those present of the Gospel message. You have heard me say it before.

Jesus was born in the ordinary way but he lived the extraordinary life. He never committed a single sin yet he was executed as a common criminal. Jesus was dead. They put him in the tomb. For hours his body was lifeless. Then it happened on that wonderful Easter morning Jesus walked out of that tomb alive and well. I can not tell you how that happened. I can not explain a miracle. However, I can tell what the scriptures say so clearly. All of us of faith walked out of that tomb with Jesus. Death has no hold on us! We are going to live for eternity. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” Let me end with this story.

Walt Disney was ruthless in cutting anything that got in the way of a story's pacing. Ward Kimball, one of the animators for Snow White, recalls working 240 days on a 4 1/2 minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White and almost destroyed the kitchen in the process. Disney thought it was funny, but he decided the scene stopped the flow of the picture, so out it went. Disney wanted the perfect movie. If someone made a movie of your life how perfect would it be? So much depends on your choices. What will stay and what will go?

There are six billion people in the world today. Two billion, one-third of the world’s population, have decided to follow Jesus. The Master is the right choice. There are many reasons to follow Jesus. I just talked about three. There is the Christian ethic. Jesus teaches us to value everyone. Second there is the Christian experience. Jesus gives us a purpose. Third, thee is the Christian promise of eternity. When our days are done in this world we get to go home. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”