Monday, June 2, 2008

Sermon "Reunion Time"

Reunion Time” – Pastor Nancy Cantrell

Deut 11: 18-24a

Reunions, this is the time of year when most families have them. My Dad’s family, the Floyd’s, have them the first Sunday in June. We have them at a beautiful park on the banks of the White River. I’ve learned allot about my family, myself and why I am who I am by simply listening to past stories, advice, directions and life shared.

I’ve heard the men of my grandfather’s generation laugh when he reminisces about being out on the week-end then on Sunday evening attempting to come home he would throw his hat in the door before he went in, that way he knew whether it was safe to come in or not. This story would be followed by my Grandmother’s version of the many destroyed hats. I’ve heard of struggles through the depression, my Grandfather and Grandmother were actually a part of the migration west during the 30’s that has become famous in the book “The Grapes of Wrath.” They really did live under a big tree with a tarp stretched to make a tent for two years as they picked lettuce in the fields of California. My Dad was seven weeks old when they made that dusty uncertain trip west in a Model A. As these stories would get told even the youngest would sit spellbound, laughing at the funny parts and hurting with family members because at times they got separated looking for work, barely having enough food, and crippled by poverty. 

Over a red checkered table cloth, soda pop on ice, paper plates and food spread from one end to the other I would hear stories of my Dad’s generation. Tales of deer hunting exploits, the deer get bigger every year, Babe the Blue Ox has nothing on deer that my Dad and his family have killed and drug 14 miles out of the woods, up hill all the way. At times the stories would take a darker turn and ex-spouses names would get mentioned eyes would simply rest on an empty lawn chair. As these stories would get told even the youngest would sit spellbound, laughing at the funny parts and hurting with family members who got separated due to bad choices, barely keeping the family together and crippled by the ravages of divorce.

This was followed by stories from my generation, memories of how we encouraged my younger brother, Thomas. You see Thomas was the youngest and we felt the need to educate him in farm life such as how to call hogs. To call the hogs on our farm we would grab Thomas by the arms throw him over the tin sheet fence of the pig pen, shake his body up and down and yell at the hogs. They never failed to charge the dangling boy, just as they reached his legs we’d jerk him over the fence as the hogs slammed into the sheet of tin. Thomas has never been the same. As the evening would draw near our conversations always seem to remember sad times, one cousin crippled by disease, one by drugs and alcohol.  As these stories would get told even the youngest would sit spell bound, laughing at the funny parts and hurting with family members who got separated by sickness or addiction, barely able to get through the day and crippled in more ways than one.

When I read Deuteronomy chapter eleven it almost feels like reunion time. The book of Deuteronomy is Moses giving final instructions to the new generation of people about to cross into the Promised Land. Everyone one with the exception of Moses, Caleb and Joshua who had seen the plagues of Pharaoh; the dry ground under the Red Sea; and the law given at Sinai were dead. Now as he spends time with these eager young family members he gives direction as he remembers things about the his people – good and bad. It was like story time at the family get-together with the kids listening and learning about the history of those who went before them, history that had shaped and formed them.

Deut. 11: 18 - Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Fixing the words in their hearts and minds; tie them to their hands and foreheads as Moses uttered these words could he have been remembering the time when…They came to Sinai, the Lord called to Moses and said, ”Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob. You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now, therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession.” When Moses told this to the people, they all answered as one: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

It wasn’t but just a little while later they were dancing and bowing before a golden calf. Moses knew they needed to do more than just say the words, they needed fix them in their hearts and minds.

How are we fixing God’s Word in our minds? How many of you know the words to “Acky Breaky Heart?” How do you know those words? You know those words because you heard them repeated, over and over and over and over and admit it, you have sang them. So how do we fix God’s Word in our minds? Repetition, reading it, saying it over and over. How about fixing God’s Word in our heart? You know the heart is different than the mind. We fix God’s Word in our heart by asking Him to help us, to reveal the truth of the Word to us by letting the Holy Spirit through the Word form us, change us, and make us more like Christ.

Yes, I believe when Moses was giving these directions to the new generation of Hebrews he remembered part of the family that had made a vow to God to obey, to listen, then chose not to…and they were consumed by fire, families separated, lawn chairs left empty, and crippled in life.

Duet. 11: 19-21 - Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heaven are above the earth. As Moses uttered those commands between mouthfuls of cold fried chicken and potato salad, could he have been remembering the time when…He stood before the burning bush and tried to get out of the call, how he had asked for help and received Aaron. Through the years Aaron fell hard but each time made the choice to repent and return to God. Later on the journey in the wilderness God actually gave a sign to all the people that Aaron really was the priest of His choice, when out of the twelve staffs of Israel only Aaron’s budded. With all the mistakes Aaron made one of them was not with his children. He taught them about life by instructing them to fix the Word upon their hearts and minds.

And when it was time for Aaron to die, it was God who took Aaron, Moses and his son Eleazar to the mountain top then gave instructions to make Eleazar the priest. Moses smiled as he thought… because that wasn’t the end of the story. Eleazar taught his son the Word of the Lord and when the nation openly sinned against God at Shittim God began to punish them with a horrible plague. As this sickness was spreading, and when I say spreading I mean to the number of 24,000 dead. It was Phinehas, Eleazar’s son who with his zeal for the Lord put a stop to the sin and the nation was saved. Aaron had taught Eleazar, Eleazar had taught Phinehas to fix the Word in their heart and mind. And because of that they were blessed.

How and what are you teaching your children? Do you read the Bible with them? Do the kids see you watch more “Family Guy” or “Wheel of Fortune” than time spent in activities that would make you more like Christ? Are sporting events more pressing than worship services? Do they see you spend money eating out or buying things then wrestle with whether to pay your tithe? We all teach our children something.

Yes, I believe when Moses was recounting this command in Deuteronomy to the new generation of Hebrews he remembered part of the family that chose to teach their children…and they received a covenant of peace from the Lord himself.

As Moses speaks to his family he knows the only way to blessing is to fix the Word in the mind and teach it to the children. We call it Learning.

He understands for the family to continue they will need to fix this Word not only in their minds but also in their hearts. They will need to not just know what the Word says but to know God, to have a deep desire for Him, adore Him, worship Him in the corporate setting and individually. We call it Loving.

And God will be with them, supply for them, watch over them, care for them, fulfill his promise to and for them.

Deut 11: 22 – 24a –“ If you will diligently observe this entire commandment that I am commanding you, loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him 23 then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and mightier than yourselves. 24 Every place on which you set foot shall be yours…” As Moses tells stories, gives direction, and remembers … his words begin to give hope. Hope that when the word is fixed in them they will carry the great news of God every where they put our foot. When we get the Word fixed in our hearts & minds then teach it to our children we give this hope filled message of a God who gives, cares, provides and blesses to a lost and lonely world. We take God’s love in Jesus to those across the river and take this incredible good news everywhere we put our foot. We call it Leading, leading others to Christ.

It’s June, time for reunions. Maybe it’s time for a reunion with God. It might be the first time you’ve ever heard about this God who loved us so much that he made a way to have a family relationship with Him, through His Son Jesus. If that’s you today, He is here, choose him. He is ready for a new generation to follow Him… for you to follow.

Or maybe you need to have your memory stirred up, stories of the past shared - good and bad – sitting spellbound laughing at the funny parts and hurting at the sad. But choosing blessing by fixing the Word in your heart and mind, teaching it to the children and taking it everywhere we put our foot. 

Benediction

“…I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore…” Deut 30: 19b – 20a