Unity Church of Castro Valley
Sunday Message for July 6, 2008
MOVING INTO ACTION
Today we are talking about Moving Into Action. You noticed in the scripture reading this morning that Jesus asked for action. He didn't just tell the man with the withered hand, "You are healed." He asked for action. He said, (Matthew 12:13) "Stretch out your hand." Because sometimes it is important to put 'feet on our prayers.'
The man with the withered hand could have spent the rest of his life with faith that he had been healed - but until he stretched out his hand and felt it and saw it, he would have never been sure.
We can pray for abundant prosperity in our lives and have faith that it will happen; but we can't just sit on our couch and wait for the money to fall from heaven into our laps. God has gifts for us, but he wants us to be self-sufficient too.
THE BOOK OF JAMES
True believing is not an act of the understanding only, but a work of the whole heart. Merely agreeing with any form of doctrine, or mere historical belief of any facts, wholly differs from this saving faith. Let me read to you the scripture in
(James 2:14-26) "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?
If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?
Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road?
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead."
BUMPER STICKERS
There was a great bumper sticker that sums this up real well. It said, "Service is love in work clothes." I think I would have enjoyed meeting the person who put that on their bumper.
It's interesting to speculate on the personality of the drivers of the cars that have the different bumper stickers.
There's the self-critical:
I suffer from occasional delusions of adequacy.
The instructive:
He who angers you, controls you!
No matter how much you nurse a grudge it won't get better.
The cynical:
How can I miss you if you won't go away?
The humorous:
Veni, Vedi, Visa: I came, I saw, I did a little shopping.
If they don't have chocolate in heaven, I ain't going.
The assertive:
Don't treat me any differently than you would the queen.
Of course I don't look busy. I did it right the first time.
The downright aggressive:
Do not start with me. You will not win.
I can be one of the bad things that happens to bad people.
Senior citizen. Just give me the damn discount.
There was even one that said:
Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.
But the one that most expresses what we are talking about today - Moving Into Action - is "Service is love in work clothes." It really wraps up what James was saying in one sentence.
FAITH & GOOD WORKS - CONFLICT & BALANCE
There has been a long-standing debate in the church about the relationship of faith and good works. The Protestant Reformation was the result of this conflict. The core belief of Martin Luther was that it is God who saves us by grace. We can not work our way into God's favor. No, we are there already. God loves us as we are and extends mercy and salvation to all, no matter how wretched and sinful we may be. This doctrine of grace was a reaction to the corrupt teachings that exploited fearful believers, extracting money from them so that the proper acts of worship could be done in order to save them from Hell. Grace. What a breath of fresh air! We don't earn our way. We are accepted as we are. What good news!
Well, yes and no. You can see the danger in that too, can't you? The folks who act like it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you have proper beliefs. The ones who are obsessed with "correct dogma." Doctrinal purity becomes the goal of religion, not deeds of love and mercy. That's a path to controlling and sometimes dangerous behavior. As another bumper sticker puts it, "God loves all people but probably prefers the fruits of the spirit to religious nuts."
It's a balancing act. Always has been. Witness James writing about that very thing in the early days of the church.
And we in Unity know that we are absolutely and completely accepted by God without having to do a thing. But we also know that there is a perfect Law of Attraction - that whatever we put out, we get back.
FAITH & GOOD WORKS - INTEGRATED IN AN ORGANIC WAY
James makes faith and works an unified system. He says, trying to separate them is like cutting apart the body, they are so integrated with one another, they can't live apart from each other. He says that good works nurture faith and faith gives rise to good works. I surely have seen that in action. How many times have you been motivated to do something good for someone and then have it turn around and you discover that it was you who received the blessing? It was you who grew in faith.
When these things came your way, you simply had to trust God for the strength to get through. And your faith grew. Faith and works bound together each supporting and nurturing the other.
Love extended in service to others is a daily discipline. It is the basic orientation of the Christian life. William Penn wrote:
"I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."
So remember the bumper sticker that reminds us of our calling as Christians to love our neighbor because they are like us. "Service is love in work clothes."
PRAYER CHAPLAINS
And if you want to see 'love in work clothes', I will show you what it looks like. It looks like our Prayer Chaplains. Would Maxine, George, and Claudia please come forward.
In the book of Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah is asked by God, "Whom shall I send and who will go for us?" Isaiah responds, "Here am I! Send me!" Today we gather to celebrate and recognize each of you - for you have said, "Here am I! Send me!"
Heeding the call to being a Prayer Chaplain means you were first willing to participate in 38 hours of training. In addition, you've committed to:
** A daily spiritual journey, based on love, faith, prayer and gratitude
** To demonstrate an active commitment to Unity Church of Castro Valley's principles and beliefs
** To hold a spiritual space of possibility for others and yourself, knowing and trusting that God is in charge
** You've committed to prayer, both with yourself and with others
** To lovingly listen
** To having and demonstrating a genuine interest in the well being of congregants and the other Prayer Chaplains
** And to hold all that is shared in strict confidence.
You have agreed to put this commitment into action by:
** Providing a minimum of 2 hours of monthly Prayer Chaplain service
** Making telephone contact with those assigned to you on a monthly basis
** Maintaining communication with the Prayer Chaplain Trainer and staff as needed on a regular basis
** Attending all meetings and annual training sessions
** Being punctual and to actively participate in all discussions.
In the awareness of the activity of the Holy Spirit, which has led you to this moment of commitment, I invite you to your heart space and if your heart says "Yes," I ask that you respond with the words "I Am" to these questions.
** Are you willing to accept this commitment and dedication?
** Are you willing to remember to open a space for God no matter what?
** Are you willing to do your best to stay "prayed up?"
** Are you willing to support the other members of the Prayer Chaplain team?
** Are you willing to practice self-care?
I'd like to quote from Myrtle Fillmore's Healing Letters:
"As you learn to see the fullness of God's life and love and power and substance in others, you will know that you need not pour out your own for them. You will have the knowledge and the light to call their attention to what they have and to prompt them to use it."
Blessed ones, you have said, "Yes, I will create a space filled with compassion and love for anyone seeking it." I thank God for each and every one of you, your time, your energy, and your dedication. I thank you for the many, many visible and invisible, ripples of blessings, which will be the results of your loving service. You are, indeed, an incredible gift to this ministry. On behalf of our entire church community, thank you Prayer Chaplains.
Maxine would you come forward. Maxine, my prayer for you, is that God would always be present with you, that He constantly bless and protect your beautiful voice. I ask that God inspires you in your prayers for others and is with you in all that you do.
George would you come forward. George, my prayer for you, is that God would always be present with you, that He constantly bless and protect you at work and at play. I ask that God inspires you in your prayers for others and is with you in all that you do.
Claudia would you come forward. Claudia, my prayer for you, is that God would always be present with you, that He constantly bless and protect you in all your dealings with friends and family. I ask that God inspires you in your prayers for others and is with you in all that you do.
So please join me in welcoming our new Prayer Chaplains who are ready to serve you in prayer. Very soon, you will see them before and after every Sunday Service in the foyer. They are there to pray with you for any challenges in your life. They are eager to serve and are definitely 'love in work clothes.'
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 12:13; James 2:14-26
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