The Doubting Thomas Story | A Sermon from John 20:24-29

Introduction
We’ve been studying stories from Scripture about the resurrected Christ.  And I think it is fitting today for graduate Sunday that we look at the famous story of “doubting Thomas”.  Although graduation is a time of great celebration and joy, it can also be a time of doubts, fear, and anxiety because graduation marks a significant time of life change.  Graduates, and their families, are walking into an unknown future.  We believe, by faith, it is a bright future.  We are excited for the new challenges ahead, but the unknown is a foggy mist that clouds what lies ahead and can make the road an anxious one to travel.

The Disciple Thomas wrestled with what he could not see.  He was absent the first time the resurrected Jesus appeared to the other disciples.  Though they testified he cold not believe something he had not yet seen.  Perhaps his story will encourage our graduates, their families, and all of us today.

John 20;24-29
²⁴ One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),^[a] was not with the others when Jesus came. ²⁵ They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

²⁶ Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

²⁸ “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Show Up to Go Up
Thomas had doubts, but he still showed up.  I don’t know why Thomas was absent the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples, but I’m glad he didn’t give up.  He’s quite honest in sharing his doubt.  Even though the other Disciples are adamant:  “We have seen the Lord!”  Thomas was skeptical:  “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”  He doubted, but he didn’t walk away.  He stayed connected with the other disciples.  And because of that, Thomas eventually saw Jesus too.

In uncertain times, it’s so important that we keep showing up—in worship, in prayer, in Christian community.  It’s ok to have your doubts, but don’t give up.  Show up.  Eventually, Jesus showed up for Thomas. He’ll show up for you, too.

Graduates, your young adult years are some of the most formative of your whole life.  Today, you are just barely out of high school—still children in your own thinking.  Over the next 4-5 years, you will have some of the most important experiences and make some of the most important decisions of your life.  Decisions about college, work, career, marriage, children…  Choices that will chart the course of the rest of your life.  And you will be making these decisions for yourselves as adults, not under the direction of your parents.  (Of course your parents will still love and support and advise you, but it will be different than when you were a child.)  These are years you need faith and direction from God.  Don’t walk away from Him in these years when you need God the most.  Show up for Him (even if you doubt) and Jesus will show up for you just as He showed up for Thomas.

Faith and doubt can coexist.  Thomas’ story names our doubts and reminds us doubt isn’t the enemy of faith.  Honest questions can lead to stronger, deeper faith.  Jesus isn’t afraid of your questions; He welcomes them because he knows they are opportunities to be real and go deeper. 

Seek a Personal Faith
Being honest about your doubts and yet continuing to show up is how we seek a personal faith that’s real and makes a difference.  Thomas didn’t want to hang his hopes on the faith of the other apostles.  No, Thomas didn’t just want hearsay—he wanted his own experience with Jesus.  He wanted to touch Jesus’ wounds.  He wanted to see for himself.

And for us, seeing for ourselves builds a faith that is firm and real.  Having experienced the risen Christ for myself over the years steadies me through whatever difficulties I face.  I know Jesus is real because I talk to Him every day.  I have seen Him in countless moments of ministry.  And I have felt His comfort in the darkest nights of my soul.  But I want all of you to have your own personal faith in Jesus.  When troubles come or you ultimately face the dark day of death, you don’t want your faith to be something you borrowed from me (or anyone else).  You want it to be your own personal experience of the risen Jesus.  So keep on seeking your own personal relationship with Jesus.

For We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight
But even with that being said, I want you to know that relationship comes by faith, not by sight.  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.”  Doubting Thomas was given a rare opportunity when Jesus showed up and said, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side.”  It doesn’t happen that way for most of us.  Most of us must learn to believe without seeing, but Jesus says it is a greater blessing when we do.

It is not that we believe blindly.  The evidence is there.  We can “see” Jesus in a myriad of moments.  I hope our graduates have “seen” Jesus in their parents’ love, in our congregation’s support, and in the ways we’ve worked together to bless our community.  Perhaps they have seen Jesus in their friends or in the way someone has walked through adversity.  When we view life through the lens of faith it can reveal the risen Christ among us and can equip us to face the unknown with incredible spiritual fortitude.  This is true blessing.

After graduation (and in life in general), the path is rarely clear.  There is very little growth or reward if we always remain hidden in the mediocrity of our comfort zones.  We must at least occasionally be bold and have the faith to step out and take some risks to be rewarded with the full blessing Jesus wants to bestow.

Doubting Thomas learned to walk by faith too.  His faith in Christ led him to walk all the way from Jerusalem to India (over 3,000 miles), sharing his faith in the resurrected Christ’s all along the way.  To this day, there are churches in Syria and India that trace their founding to Thomas’ ministry.

Where will your faith in Jesus lead you?  Learn to trust Jesus step by step, even when you can’t see the full picture.

Beautiful Scars
Thomas touched Jesus’ wounds.  How do we “touch” Jesus now?  I can think of several ways.  We can touch Him through worship.  We can touch Him through Scripture.  We can touch Him through the Church and through loving service.  We can touch Him through the sacraments—as we encourage one another through baptism and as we partake of His body and blood in Holy Communion.  We touch Him whenever we participate in any of these by faith and we can touch Him through the relationships we have with each other.

Notice, that Jesus didn’t hide His scars from Thomas or any of the disciples.  Jesus’ scars became proof of His identity.  His scars were beautiful scars because they showed how much He loves us.  Graduates (and everyone):  Perhaps you have some wounds of your own.  Perhaps you will receive new wounds in the days and years ahead.  But don’t forget this truth Jesus reveals:  Your wounds and experiences shape you. Jesus’ scars are proof that suffering is not erased by resurrection but transformed through it into something beautiful.

If you put your faith in Jesus, the scars you have now and whatever wounds you receive in the future can have meaning.  The pain is real, but Christ has the power to transform it all into something for which you will be eternally thankful and proudly display as a testament to the goodness of God.

The Call Forward
Jesus commissions all His disciples—even doubters.  As we read in Matthew 28:19-20 last week, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all the nations,^[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Graduation is not the end—it’s the beginning of your mission.  Walk by faith.  Live with hope.  Go forth with courage.  And trust in the risen Lord.  This is a call forward for our graduates and for all of us.

A Message for Graduates and Everyone - 2025

My youngest child is graduating from high school.  
Graduation is an exciting milestone. You’re stepping into your own life—making choices, living your values, deciding who you want to be. And while this message is for our graduates, it’s also for all of us, because we’re all charting our path or recalibrating our direction from time to time.

I’m 51 now. I may feel the aches of age, but I still remember sitting where our graduates are—on the edge of something new. The year I graduated high school was also the year I started dating my wife. That one decision shaped so much of who I am today. Moments like graduation set us on paths that echo for a lifetime.

Don’t Be a Fool
In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus shares a parable about a rich man who stored up his wealth and planned to “eat, drink, and be merry,” not realizing his life would end that very night. Jesus warns, “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Graduates, and anyone just getting started: you may not have much money yet, and that’s okay. What matters most is that you walk with God. Even when it feels like you’re on your own, your family, your church, and your Lord are with you.

The rich man’s mistake wasn’t success, it was selfishness. He forgot about the people who helped him during hard times. When he had plenty, he thought only of himself. Jesus reminds us: life is not measured by what we own. When our time comes, we leave it all behind. What lasts is our relationship with God and how we loved others.

Be Generous
Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

As you begin your adult life, practice generosity. One powerful way to do that is through tithing—giving 10% of your income to God through the church.

Start while you have little. If you earn $10, giving $1 may not seem like much, but it forms a habit. Later, when you're blessed with more, you’ll already be a faithful giver. Tithing not only supports your church—it strengthens your trust in God and keeps your heart focused on His Kingdom, not just your own success.

Tithing helps you guard against greed and reminds you: "It’s not all about me." It’s a spiritual discipline that builds your faith and blesses your church, your community, and your soul.

Trust God
The years right after high school are the most formative of your life. You’ll make decisions about school, career, relationships, maybe even parenthood. You’ll need God’s guidance like never before.

Sadly, these are also the years when many people drift away from the church. I urge you—don’t drift. Dig in. Stay connected to God and His people.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” That’s a promise for graduates—and for all of us.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person worship in 2020, our church worried how we’d survive. But God proved faithful. People gave generously. We even ended the next two years with a surplus. Rather than store it away, we launched Operation Mercy Drops, giving monthly $1,000 grants to people in need. God has used it to bless many—and to bless us for giving.

You never know how much good can come from trusting God, being faithful, and giving generously.

Recalibrate
In the book One Man’s Wilderness, a man living off the grid in Alaska realized his watch had drifted off time. He had to recalibrate. Sometimes, we do too.

Maybe you had clear goals when you were young. Are you still on the right path? Have you drifted? A little drift over time can lead far off course. Take time to pause, pray, and ask God to get you back on track.

And if you’ve never done it before, today’s a perfect day to say yes to Jesus and follow Him.

Whether you’re just starting out or years down the road, the message is the same:
Build a rich relationship with God, be generous, and trust the Lord in all you do.

Welcome to the First Day of the Rest of Your life

Introduction
Today, we celebrate our graduates.  I had each one on my mind as I planned this sermon.  

I thought about the Walker, who used to come sit in my office and ask such interesting questions—whom I had the honor of sponsoring to attend Chrysalis last summer.  

Grace, Amy’s niece, who is always so sweet and kind and faithful to attend youth and Sunday worship.  I loved seeing her volunteering at the Miracle Field in April.

Henry, Big Mama’s grandson, who I first met in VBS. He lives in another town, but has so often visited our church and I’ve prayed for him many times.
And our college graduates. 

Kate, who has such a sweet, sweet spirit and I can see in Kate a deep love of Christ and a desire to serve Him in our community.

Then there’s sweet Sydney, who started out as part of our youth program, then in Sunday worship, and has remained active in our church throughout college.

And I remember JC as a young girl in our children’s program and visiting her assemblies over at Christian Heritage—now all grown up and graduating college.

But I thought of all the people in my church too and even Christians who don't attend my church.  The title of the message is: Welcome to the First Day of the Rest of Your Life.  And that’s true not only for graduates, but for all of us. Through Christ, we can always make a fresh start.  And so each day is like we just graduated.

For this message, God gave me 1 Timothy 3:1-7 to preach.  It’s not the scripture I would have chosen for this occasion.  And even though I tried to choose another topic and scripture instead, God kept leading me back to this one.  So, I believe it’s the one God chose.  In it, the Apostle Paul writes to his young apprentice Timothy about the organization of the Church and the different roles in it.  In particular, Paul gives Timothy the qualifications of a Bishop.

1 Timothy 3:1-7
¹ This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” 

Right off the bat, let me clarify, the Greek word the New Living Translation renders as “church leader” is Episkypos.  It’s where we get the English word Episcopal, like the Episcopal Church.  What Paul is talking about here is not just the average run of the mill church leader.  He’s talking about Bishops.  The NRSV and KJV actually translate it as Bishop.  “Whoever aspires to the office of bishop…”

² So a church leader [bishop] must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. ³ He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. ⁴ He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. ⁵ For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

⁶ A church leader [bishop] must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. ⁷ Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

Bishops are Leaders
Bishops are leaders in the church.  As the early church in New Testament times grew and expanded rapidly, they organized like this.  A group of new Christian believers would gather weekly—usually in somebody's home—to pray, worship, study Scripture, and celebrate Holy Communion. They also worked together to make new disciples, feed the hungry, and help the poor.  They usually didn't have a church building at this stage (Christians didn't have money for extra buildings and their meetings were often outlawed).

Each house church had a pastor and there might be numerous houses of Christian worship in an area.  (Remember, most people at that time had to walk to church.  So their church had to be within walking distance.)

Each area had a Bishop to oversee all the many house churches in the area.  That's literally what Episkypos (Bishop) means.  It literally means overseer. This is how most Christian denominations are still organized today. 

And this is how the United Methodist Church is organized.  We group local churches together in a larger area and a Bishop is appointed to oversee them.  We break areas down even further into districts & have district superintendents help the Bishop.

So in the early Church, the Bishop was the top leader in the church.  Not that they were more important. Paul makes it abundantly clear in other passages that no person in the Church is more important than another.  No office or role is more important than any other.  The Body of Christ needs all its many parts.  It’s just that the Bishops are leaders.

As the leaders of a large area of Christians, Bishops need to understand Christian doctrine.  They help keep the various local churches on the right track, teaching the right things. They keep churches moving in the right direction fulfilling Christ’s mission to make disciples.

Bishops are also spokespersons for the whole Church.  In the NT Times, Bishops were the ones city officials would talk to when they wanted to get a message to all the Christians in an area.  As representatives for the whole Church, Bishops needed to represent Christians well.  That’s why Paul said their lives must be beyond reproach.  They should be self-controlled, wise, have a good reputation, good at entertaining guests, able to teach, not drunks, not violent, gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy, good at managing their own family.

Obviously, it's a tall order and it takes a special person to be a Bishop.  But what does this have to do with graduates?  And what does this have to do with you? 

Practical Application
We all have an important roll to play in the Body of Christ.  No role is more important than another.  Graduates, as you graduate, you have completed an important part of your training.  Maybe part of that is so you can get a certain job and have a career, but I think it goes deeper.  More important than earning a living, you will make a difference in this world.  You will shape your family.  You will impact your community.  You will influence people.  How will you shape them?  What impact will you have?  Will your influence be positive or negative?  You decide by your character and how you choose to live.

Will you aspire to be a Bishop? (I’m not aware of any of our graduates or anyone from my church here who aspires to be a Bishop, but you could if God calls you to it and the Church recognizes it, more power to you!)  Whether or not you aspire to be a “Bishop”, the qualities Paul lays out are great aspirations for us all.

The characteristics of Bishops in the New Testament exemplify the qualities every Christian should aspire to.  Lives beyond reproach, self-controlled, wisdom, a good reputation, hospitality, able to teach, not getting drunk, not violent, gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy, good at managing you own family…

Those are good qualities for our graduates to shoot for.  They’re good aspirations for all of us.

1 Corinthians 12:18-21 – ¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. ¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. ²¹ The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”  And verse 27 – ²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

I pray you will will aspire to have the very best qualities!

Closing
Let’s do something together.  This is for graduates.  This is for their parents and grandparents and everyone.  I want you to look at your feet.  Go ahead.  Do it…  Those are your feet.
Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!”
I hope you will use your feet to take you places to share the Good News of Jesus.

Look at your hands.  Do it…Those are your hands.
Ephesians 4:28 says, “use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.”
I hope you will use your hands to do good work (whatever it is) and that you will have generous hands that help the needy just like Jesus has helps you.

Now, put your hand over your heart.  Feel it beating…  That’s your heart beating.
Matthew 5:8 says, “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”
I hope you will let Jesus keep your heart pure so you sincere and honest.  Let everything you do flow from the purest of motives.

The truth is, we all fall short.  But the Good News is there is forgiveness and redemption in Jesus.  So if you need to make a fresh start, turn to Him today.  Whatever happened in the past prepared you for the future ahead.  But make a commitment today to follow Jesus into the future He wants for you.

A Message for Graduates and Everyone

Introduction
Graduation.  To be 18-19 years old.  To be poised on the precipice of starting your own life.  Your life, where you make your own choices, live out your own values, and decide who you want to be.  I’m so glad I get to share a message for graduates today. 

I’m 48 years old.  Is that old?  I don’t know.  It’s a lot older than our graduates, but it’s still a lot younger than many people!  In many regards, I do feel old.  Why do my feet hurt in the morning when I stand up for the first time?  How can they hurt?  I haven't done anything yet.  I've only been sleeping!  I guess they just hurt because I've been walking on them for 48 years.

But in many ways, I feel like I am still the young man sitting out among the graduates poised to begin my adult life.  I will forever be linked to my senior year of high school, because it was the year I began dating the woman who became my wife.  So much of the man I am today was shaped by that decision and the dreams we had together--dreams we worked so hard to realize.  1992 was the year that I began the journey of who I am today.

My words today are for the graduates, but they are really for all of us.  We all need to remember what it is to be young and charting the direction of our lives.  We also need, at times, to recalibrate our lives to get back on the path of righteousness.

Luke 12:13-21
¹³ Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” ¹⁵ Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

¹⁶ Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. ¹⁷ He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. ¹⁹ And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

²¹ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Don't Be A Fool
The best advice I can give to graduates, to anyone really, if have a rich relationship with God.  Graduates often start with very little money.  If they have a job, they usually aren't earning much.  Their parents probably paid most or all of their expenses.  Then, suddenly, they are out learning to pay for groceries and clothing and laundry detergent and other things.  They may just barely scrape by for a few years and they may long for the day when their finances aren't so tight.

So here's an important word for you.  You're not doing this all by yourself.  Even when you think you are all on your own, you parents, your family, your church are still pulling for you.  And even if no one else is there, God is surely with you.

But don't be a fool like the man in Jesus’ parable.  He was a fool because he was greedy and selfish. He didn’t think of others.  I do feel some sympathy for him, because farming can be a tough business.  Most years, farmers are just scraping by.  Insects and plant diseases and drought often eat up your produce and you may barely have enough or maybe even come up short.  There are many lean years.  I'm sure there were people who helped the farmer in Jesus' story during his lean years.  But when he finally had a good year with a surplus, all he thought of was himself.  Instead of turning to help others who may not have been so fortunate, he thought only of himself and how he could enjoy the pleasure in this world.  He planned to take it easy saying, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come” but didn’t realize he was about to die and lose it all.

None of us knows how many days we have.  and when this life is over, the things of this world will belong to others.  We can't take them with us.  Therefore, we should think of others instead of clinging to what we have.  And we should value our relationship with God above any worldly goods because they are only temporary.

Be Generous
Be a generous person.  Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
Always remember, God is taking care of you, and therefore, you can be a generous person who does what God calls you to do.  

You don't have to live out a scarcity mentality.  When you live for a long time barely making it or not having enough, you can get in the habit of clinging to what you do have.  You always have this mentality that you've got to hoard up every little bit you do have because tomorrow you may be without.  Some people get into this way of thinking so strongly that even when they have extra, they still feel as though they must hoard what they have.

That's why I'd like to challenge you today to tithe.  A tithing is giving 10% of your income to God through His Church.  I'd like to clear up some confusion about the tithe, because even a lot of older people misunderstand this term.  I hear people from my church say things like, "I just stopped by to drop of my tithe."  But they weren't really giving a tithe, they were giving and offering because their donation was not 10%.  And I'm not saying I don't appreciate the offering; that's not my point.  I just want to be sure we use precise language.  A tithe is a very specific offering--it is 10% of your income.  If you are giving an offering, great!  But call it an offering and reserve the term tithe for when you give 10% of your income.

The minimum standard for giving in the Bible started with the tithe--giving 10% of a person income to God through His Church.  For graduates, I challenge you to start tithing now while you don't have a lot.  You may think, "That's just not possible.  I hardly have anything to start with."  That's OK.  If you hardly have anything, your see, your tithe won't be much.  10% of $10 is on $1.  However, if you start tithing now, you will develop the habit while it's easy and then later when you do have a lot, it will already be a way of life for you.  If you wait to start tithing until you are wealthy and making 6 figures, your tithe will be very large and harder with which to part.

And the Church needs your financial support.  Our bills and our staff need to be paid, and this is only possible when people give generously.  The Church can only function to the degree it is funded.  That's just the way it works. So we need people to give and the tithe is the biblical standard of giving.

However, the tithe isn’t just about what the church needs.  It’s also about what you need.  Tithing helps you remember life isn’t all about you.  It helps you guard against greed.  It’s also something to help you practice your faith in God’s providence—that He is going to take care of you.  Tithing is an exercise of faith that strengthens your trust in God, helping you build a rich relationship with Him while building His Kingdom.  The tithe is a win, win, win--a win for the church, a win for God's Kingdom, and a win for your spiritual life.

Trust God
Trusting God and maintaining a strong relationship with Him is something young adults really, really need.  The ten years after high school graduation are the most formative of your whole life.  Thin about it.  From the ages of 18 to 28, people are leaving their parents home, maybe going to college or joining the military or starting a career.  They may be choosing a spouse and who will be the most influential person in their life of the rest of their life.  They may be having kids of who be a minimum 18 year responsibility.  If ever there is a time in life when people need God's guidance, grace,  and help, it is those young adult years.  

Sadly, these are also the years when most people drift away from church.  I know it can be difficult to stay connected in that time of life, but it is so worth it and so needed.  I challenge graduates to not drift away but to delve into their relationship with God through the Church.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  Us older people also must continue to trust God.  And sometimes we struggle.  The last 2 years have been a huge exercise in trusting God because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.  As church, we struggled.  I remember vividly our church leaders concerns in the March of 2020 when we learned we had to shut down in-person worship for an undetermined period of time.  "How will we pay our bills if people aren't attending church and putting offerings in the offering plate?"  We knew we could survive for a few weeks, maybe a few months, but how long without continued giving?

What we found is that God was faithful and people continued to give faithfully.  And as the days and weeks and months wore on, people continued to give.  We actually saw an increase in giving.  We were cautiously optimistic, but we thought, "Well, we don't know how long this is going to keep going on and how this pandemic is going to affect the economy and trickle down to our supporter's personal finances."  However, by the end of 2020, I found that the church ended the year with a surplus--something that hadn't happened in the last 10 years I'd pastored the church.  

And it was in that moment I sensed the Lord leading me to the parable we read today of the rich man who built bigger barns.  I sensed God asking me, "What is your church going to do with this extra?  Are you going to build bigger barns to store it all away? Or are you going to trust Me and help people?"

So I shared this with the finance committee and said, "I think we need to help people in our community, because a lot of people struggling right now."  And Finance was wise and cautious.  They said, "Well, we still don't know what the future holds.  Let's wait a little while longer and see if giving continues to provide a surplus."  So we waited a few more months into 2021.  When giving continued to be generous, finance recommended and the elected Church Council approved a new charitable program called Operation Mercy Drops.  With Operation Mercy Drops (OMD), church members identify and sponsor people in our community who have a special need to receive a $1,000 grant.  (Click here to read about Operation Mercy Drops.)  We made a commitment to give a $1,000 grant each month for at least 12 months.  So many people have been blessed by this so far.  God has been good to the givers and the receivers because we chose to give instead of building bigger barns.

You can't even imagine how much good can be accomplished when people trust God, are faithful, and give generously.  Lives are changed when we choose to think of others instead of hoarded our extra in bigger barns.

Recalibration
A few weeks ago, a member of my church gave me a book titled One Man's Wilderness.  It's the story of Richard Proenneke, who in the 1970s moved to the Alaskan wilderness to build a log cabin and live off the land.  It's a fascinating story; I love that kind of thing.  Well, since Richard was cut off from civilization, a man named Babe would fly in some supplies every so many months.  After about 10 months of isolation, Richard asked Babe what time it was.  He found his watch had drifted off by about 15 minutes.  He had to recalibrate his watch to get back on the right time with the rest of the world.

We all need a recalibration from time to time.  Do you remember being a graduate, with your whole life ahead and you had your great goals and ideals you wanted to realize?  Or maybe it was at another time in your life, when you had a clear vision for the kind of future for which you wanted to strive.  How are you doing?  Are you still on the right path? 

We all drift off course from time to time.  It may not even be by much, but over time a little drift can make you miss the target by a lot.  So, it is good for us to stop every now and then and think about it and commit to do the things we need to do to get back on the right path.

What do you need to do today to get back on the right path?
Or if you are just starting out, what do you need to do to help you become the person you need to be?
I invite you to pray to God about it and ask Him for help.
And if you've never don it before, I invite you today to accept Jesus invitation to come follow Him.

Ekklesia 1 - Rediscovering Church

Introduction

I’m so very proud of the graduating class of 2020. Our church recognizes graduating students every year and we are always proud of each one.  But I can honestly say, we have never had a year like this one.  Each graduating class is unique and has its own struggles, but your class—2020—has faced a pandemic that has shut down the entire world.  Humanity has faced plagues before—some far deadlier than COVID 19.  However, nothing has ever shutdown the entire globe, all at the same time—from Asia to Europe to Africa to America.  Class of 2020, your year will go down in history as one of the most challenging of all times.  Perhaps one day, when you are old and gray, you will take your grandchildren of great grandchildren in your arms and you will say, “I was in the graduating class of 2020.  They canceled the last 2 months of school, along with proms and sports and all our extracurricular activities.  But we endured and we graduated.”  And I hope, after having some time to reflect upon your experience,  you will also be able to say, “We learned more during that crazy time about what really matters in life than we could have ever learned in our classrooms.”

I hope we have all been reflecting and learning a lot more these day—about life, about death, about the meaning of it all and what’s really important.  I know many pastors and Christians have been reflecting on what church is all about.  It has now been nine weeks since we had a regular onsite worship service at Pleasant Grove.  All our services since March 15^th have been “online only”.  In fact, the graduates and their families that joined us for worship in the sanctuary on May 17 (about 60 people spread out for social distancing) were the first “congregation” we’ve had on site in over two months (other than a small worship team that’s helped us lead our LIVE stream service on Facebook).

And so, many pastors and Christians have been pausing to reflect on what “Church” is really all about.  What is the purpose of Church?  If we can’t meet in person, are we really still a church?  Pleasant Grove Methodist is a very active church; our calendar is normally full of activities.  But for the last two months, all of those activities have been canceled.  We've tried to limit our work to only what we've felt had to be done--online worship, managing essential administrative tasks, and some vital mission work that needed tp be done.

High school seniors from this year’s class know what it’s like to have activities canceled.  Your senior year is supposed to be full of special activities.  Yet many of those activities have been canceled.  Does that mean you are not a senior?  Does that mean you won’t be a graduate?  Does the cancellation of these extracurricular activities nullify all the work you’ve done for over a decade in your academic career?  No.  Of course not.  They will still graduate.

Here’s why.  It all goes back to the purpose of your education.  I’m not an expert in public education so I don’t know if I can perfectly distill down the essence of public education.  However, I’m certain what is most central to a high school education is not marching band or football games or prom or baseball or even the graduation ceremony itself.  All of these (and more) have become beloved traditions of high school education and it hurts your heart when they are taken away.  But the cancellation of all these activities does not nullify in any way whatsoever the fact that you are high school educated graduates. 

Therefore, the purpose of a high school education must be something greater than our beloved traditions—something that you have attained.  Again, I’m not a public educator, but I would speculate that the core purposes of a high school education is to teach you the knowledge you need to succeed in life.  To this you might add, the skills you need to succeed in life.  Perhaps, even more important, maybe, is that a proper education teaches you to be a good person who will be a good citizen. (That’s something that’s important to all of us, because the last thing we need is a bunch of smart, skillful people running around doing evil things!)

As I said, I’m not an educator.  I’m a pastor.  So the big questions on my mind through all this craziness has been: “What is essential about church?”  It’s a question I’ve thought about many times over the years throughout my ministry—it’s not totally new.  However, this question—what is essential about Church—has become especially pressing for me during this time when so many of the traditional things the American Church does have been called off.  Does that make sense?

So today, I’m beginning a new series titled “Ekklesia,” because Ekklesia is the Greek word Bible originally used for “church”.  My purpose today is not to give answers.  Today, I want to give questions. I will spend more time in the next two Sundays sharing some answers about the essence of the Church from Scripture.  But today, I want to get everyone asking the question.  And maybe, as part of that, the graduates of the class of 2020 can ask some deep questions about their own lives as well.  Maybe we can all ask ourselves some core questions that get to the heart of our individual lives.

Jesus always had a way of asking the right questions.

Matthew 16:13-18

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

¹⁵ Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. ¹⁸ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Important Information
Jesus reveals some very important information in this short conversation.  First of all, he reveals that he is the Messiah (Chosen One), the Son of the living God.  These were actually Simon (Peter's) words, but Jesus did not dispute them.  Jesus affirms Peter's statement.  Everyone has an opinion about the identity of Jesus--both today and in Jesus day.  Some say he is a prophet, a religious leader, a revolutionary, or even a fiction character.  But Jesus asks, who do you say I am and Peter replies he is the Chosen One, the Son of the Living God.

Jesus also reveals that God inspired Peter to believe this.  Peter didn't get that idea from any person, but directly from God.  It was divinely inspired.  We ought to pay careful attention to this revelation then.

Lastly, Jesus reveals that the Church (Ekklesia) will be founded on Peter’s kind of faith in Jesus.  This is huge.  For any church to stand and remain legitimate, it must be built upon the affirmation that Jesus is the Chosen One, the Son of the Living God.  Otherwise, it is not really a church and will crumble.

Foundations are Critical

The foundation is the most important part of any structure.  Last Saturday morning, a group of men from my church went to another member's house to help build a porch.  We worked for about 8 hours, but nearly half that time was spent laying the foundation.  We needed to take our time and make sure everything in the foundation was right.  Was it level?  Was it square?  Was it firm?  It was very important to make sure the foundation was firm, because otherwise the structure--no matter how pretty--would not last or be reliable.  Once the foundation was laid, we moved very quickly and the rest of the porch was assembled very fast because it was built on a firm foundation.

Foundations are not just for buildings.  Your high school education  is the foundation you need to succeed in life.  It is only a foundation.  You still need more.  Maybe you  go on to get a college education or job training or you  go to work.  But you wouldn’t be prepared to begin those things without the foundation you built over the first 18 or so years of your life.  And a faulty foundation will give you trouble with everything else you try to build in your life as an adult.

What’s Your Purpose?

Your foundation is built from far more than just your education.  Here’s where the questions come in.  Who are you?  What is your essence?  Remember, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”  Well, who do people say you are?

What you family and closest friends say may be some indication as to what’s most essential about you.  They know you well and may see things you don't  However, if you really want to know the core of who you are, I would recommend looking to God.  God is the One who designed and created you.  He is the One who brought you into this world and has been guiding you all along the way (even if you didn’t know it).  He was there all along.

This is a message especially applicable to graduates as you enter a new phase in life (but it’s also a message we all need to consider during this time when our normal lives have been turned upside down).  Who are you?  What is your purpose?  What kind of life do you want to build?  I would think this is the time for schools and educators to be asking the same things.  What is school all about?  What is the purpose of eduaction?  Now that all the extra stuff has had to be canceled, what is it about school that is essential and cannot be canceled?

Graduates, as you start a new phase of life, you have so much potential and a great amount of freedom to build whatever kind of life you want.  What do you want to build?  More importantly, What do you think God wants you to build?  Because, here’s the thing, what God wants you to build will be so much more fulfilling than anything else.  Believe it or not, God knows you better than you have ever known yourself and His way will always be the better way.

This is a message for everyone, not just graduates.  The COVID 19 pandemic has been awful, but it has given us all a unique opportunity.  Since our normal lives have been so severely disrupted, don’t miss the opportunity to take a good, hard look at what’s most essential in your life.  Now that so much of the fluff is stripped away, ask the question:  Who are you?  What’s your purpose?  What kind of life do you want to build going forward?  Many of us in so many ways will be building something new in our lives in the coming days.  What will it be?

I pray you won’t just opt for the easy, comfortable thing, which is to just go back to the way things were before COVID. (That may not even be possible.  The world has changed.)

I am looking at my own life.  I am also looking at the Church to see what needs to change.  I think that’s what God wants us all to do.  After all, I believe this life is not my own anyway—it belongs to God.  And this church is not ours either—it belongs to God.  So, I want both my life and our church to be what God wants it to be.  How about you?

I invite you all to meditate on the questions God has put on your heart.

A Graduation Sermon

Introduction
            It’s amazing how fast the years go by.  One minute you're a kid excited to be starting preschool or kindergarten and it seems like it will be an eternity before you graduate high school.  But the years go by so fast and before you know it you've gone through elementary school, middle school, and high school and your graduating.  Then maybe you've finished college and gotten your first job or you're getting married or having kids and then your own kids are graduating high school!  The older I get, the faster it seems the years go by!
            This is the time of year high school students graduate and begin a new phase of life as young adults.  They are excited and maybe a little apprehensive about what lies ahead.  Parents are proud, but also full of bitter sweet emotions--seeing their babies grow up, happy and excited for them, but also maybe a little worried and sad to let them spread their wings and leave the nest.
            Today, I want to share something for parents and graduates to comfort and encourage you in this transition.  However, it's not just for graduates and parents.  It's for everyone who if we has ears
to hear.

Psalm 16:7-11
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.  8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.  11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Praise God!
            Can we just take a moment and, as the Psalm suggests in verse 7a, just praise the Lord for all He has done?  Parents, you've survived changing dirty diapers and crying babies, the terrible twos (when your precious angel baby turned into a diabolical demon child)!  Somehow, you managed to keep food on the table and the bills paid when there never seemed to be enough money to make ends meet!  You taught them to drive and they didn't crash a die in burning ball of flames!  You survived boyfriends and girlfriends and arguments over prom dresses and makeup.  And, through it all, you had the joy and pleasure of holding this precious life in your hands and nurturing them and learning from them and being challenged by them because they are so much like you and yet so distinct from you!
            Graduates, you managed to grow from a baby who had to learn to use the toilet to learning the ABC and how to write and math and algebra and geometry and maybe calculus!  And you survived history and English literature and writing essays and countless pop quizzes and finals and SATs.  And you managed to deal with parents who love you so much but just don’t really fully understand your life and the new times we live in!
            Can we all just pause for a moment, just to praise God for being with all of us every step of the way!  Just close your eyes (or keep them open and look up to the heavens) and shout "Thank You God!  You have been so good to me!"

You Know What to Do
            And if you’ve been walking with the Lord, if you’ve let Him be with you through it all, He's now incorporated into your heart—into everything you are, the way you think, the way you act.  You don’t even have to think about it, any more than you have to think about breathing or making your heart beat.  Have you ever noticed that when you go to sleep, you don't have to remember to breathe?  It's just keeps happening.  And you heart keeps right on beating.  And the Psalmist says, “Even at night while I sleep, my heart instructs me.”  If you've let Jesus into your heart, his Holy Spirit instructs you every step of the way, and you don't even have to think about it.
            Graduates, as you go off to your next adventure, you take with you all you have learned from school, from your parents and teachers and friends and your church.  It’s part of who you are now.  You need not worry about the unknown that may await you.  You’ve prepared.  Our thoughts and prayers go with you, but not only that.  A part of all that has loved you and nurtured you and cared for you goes with you. It is now part of who you are.
            Parents and family, friends and loved ones, church, you have invested in your young ones so faithfully.  Your wisdom and experience goes with them, as does the Lord.  So take heart and have faith.  Do not worry or be anxious (it wouldn’t do any good anyway).  But in everything give thanks and praise to God for what He has done and give your cares and concerns to the Lord in prayer.
            We can all go forth with confidence, thanking the Lord for all we have shared with one another, trusting that each graduate has the wisdom and character to make the right choices in the days to come. 

Verse 8-9 – Keep your eyes on the Lord. 
            Keep your eyes on the Lord.  Remember what you have learned.  Remember the Lord and His ways and what He has done for you.  For you!  And so walk with Him.  You will grow and mature.  Your faith may change as you gain more knowledge and wisdom, but faith need not be shaken.  Only let your childish ideas grow up and change if needs be, but never lose your childlike faith and trust in Jesus.

Verse 10 – For God will never abandon you. 
            God will never leave you or forsake you.  Never.  “For God loved you so much, He sent His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.  God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save it.”  And Jesus went so far to save you as to lay down his life for you on the cross.  And so, Jesus will never leave you or forsake you.  He goes with you!
            This is a promise that gives hope and assurances to graduates and parents and to all who truly trust in the Lord!  For nothing—not even death—can separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord.  So take courage and rejoice!  All of you!  For if God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Verse 11 – “You make known to me the path of life…”
            We had five high school students from my church graduate this year.  I’ve known each of them for many years.  I met Rachel Ward when she was only 10-years-old (one year younger than my youngest daughter is now).  She has worked in the church nursery for several years, loving kids and serving the Church.  I'm so proud of the caring and thoughtful young woman she's become. 
            JC McDonald was also about ten when I first met her.  I will always remember how she invited me to come to her elementary school to for a special program to show pastors what they were learning.  She is also a fine young lady. 
            Twins, Meredith and Ward Barber, started coming to my church when they were in middle school.  They wanted to join the church along with their mother and older sister.  So we had a crash course in what it means to be a Christian and they made their professions of faith and joined and then came back a few months later to go through our formal confirmation classes.  I was a chaplain for Ward's middle school football team.  I was at many of the Beta Club and Honor Society meetings with Meredith because two of my children were also in those programs.  I'm so proud she is now graduating as valedictorian of her high school. 
            I had the privilege to help sponsor Will Maddox to attend a Chrysalis weekend spiritual retreat.  Two years ago, Will's family lost their home to a fire in the middle of the night.  Will's sister had to leap to safety from the second story window.  She survived, but with a broken pelvis.  And Will was such a caring big brother to her while she was in the hospital and as she recovered through physical therapy. 
            I have been a small part of each graduates' life, and part of their family, to some degree for many years.  Everything I’ve taught in my sermons and in our conversations and what our church has offered them was founded on God’s Word, the Bible, and intended to steer them safely down the path of life.  (Not just this life, but True Life, Eternal Life.) 
            These graduates' parents, who brought them to church each Sunday, wanted the same for them as I have--that they would know the love of God and trust Jesus and have eternal life.   I hope they have listened to us and taken to heart what we’ve offered.  If so, it is part of who they are and will steer them down the path of life, if they obey.
            The Word of God, the Bible, is readily available to each graduate and to us all.  Most people have many copies of the Bible (if you need a Bible contact me and I will give you one).  The Bible it is readily available on the internet at biblegateway.com, on your smart phones, you can even listen to the Bible on an app while you are driving in your car. 
            And these words of Scripture are the Living Word of God—the Word of Life.  They are a conversation with your Creator.  They can continue to steer you down the path of life if you will listen to them.  But will you?
            I started reading my Bible every day when I was a senior in high school.  Each night, before I went to bed, I would read one chapter.  However, when I went to college, I faced a dilemma.  My first year in the college, I lived in a dorm with a room mate.  And my first night there, I found my self laying in the bed thinking, "Am I gonna pick up my Bible and start reading?  My roommate's gonna think I'm some sort of Bible-thumping, religious fanatic."  And then I saw my roommate reach over and grab his Bible and start reading!  So my dilemma was solved and I continue my habit of reading a chapter of scripture from the Bible every night until I read through the entire thing.

Challenge
            Graduating from school is a momentous transition.  It is a great time for graduates to start a new and healthy spiritual habit.  It's also a great time for their parents to do the same.  Actually, anytime is a great time to start a new and helpful spiritual practice.  So I would like to issue a challenge--to parents, to graduates, to everyone--why not start reading a chapter from your Bible each night.  And cut yourself some slack.  You're probably not going to understand everything you read and that's OK.  Reading the Bible is not about getting and understanding more information.  It's about spending time with your Creator--the one who designed you and breathed life into you and Who loves you and desires more than anything to spend time with you and be loved by you.  When you pick up your Bible and read, you are in the presence of God and His words pour into your heart and become part of who you are without you even knowing it.  Then, no matter where you go or what you do, as the Psalmist says, God will counsel you in your heart, make known the path of life, and fill you with the joy of His presence and the eternal pleasures of His right hand.
             Will you take the challenge to read one chapter of your Bible each night before you go to bed?