Larry E. Lenow
FUMC
3-9-08
Lent 5A
Purpose Driven 4
“It’s All About Serving”
Text: Ezekiel 37:1-14
I have to deal with some dead shrubbery. I knew that this would happen. Last summer the builder of our house put in some shrubbery. I didn’t have any input in it; it was part of a package, required by code so we were told. Fortunately, these shrubs were cool-looking spirea with blossoms in a color we liked and it fit in very well. That was the good news. The bad news is that these shrubs were planted in early July just as the temperature was reaching the high nineties. The further bad news is that the landscaper put these little shrubs with their nice round root balls directly into clay soil. Now when I say clay, I’ve seen artists at Libertytown throwing pottery with material that was less clay than this. It was hard to tell whether the shrubs were dying of thirst in the heat or drowning in water held in the clay. Sure enough, by September there was nary a leaf to be found. In the last week as the weather has warmed I have held my pruners in my hand. The time has come to deal with the skeletal remains. But on a hunch I scratched the trunk of each little shrub with my fingernail. I found green. May I say to you I was surprised and resurrection is my business. By the way they are about to be replanted in properly amended soil.
Last month I was talking with Mark Ogren, our District Superintendent. He was sharing with me reports he had heard from some of our Virginia people who are on the Agencies getting ready for General Conference this summer. Mark said we ought to be glad that we are part of the Virginia Conference. Because in other parts of the country, in the West and in the Northeast the church is in serious trouble, cutting Districts, downsizing, letting Conference staff go. I suppose that’s it for the old mainline denominations. We might as well start folding up the par aments. Our day is over. We are dying. I guess we’re done… well maybe not quite done yet.
God takes Ezekiel out to a valley in the wilderness. In the dust of the desert valley, there are skeletons, skulls, dry bones. What are bones doing in this valley you ask? They are the long dead casualties of war. They are victims. Israel had been defeated, crushed, destroyed, killed. They are no more. They are no more, because dead is dead. I hate to be blunt but that’s just the truth. Dead is dead – except with God. Prophesy to these bones Ezekiel; speak the words of the Lord. Command the breath. And God gives life. God gives life. The Creator God renews the earth each spring. The Lord who called us and said, “Follow me,” gives life to the church. And God gives life to you, even you. Even in your confusion, your brokenness, your weakness, your boredom, and your “I’m not really sure what’s wrong but something’s not right” God gives life to you. Because you were shaped for serving God. This is, Rick Warren says, our fourth purpose in life. Now let me remind you that we have already said that: 1) You were planned for God’s pleasure. 2) You were formed for God’s family, and 3) You were created to become like Christ. We add to that today 4) You were shaped for serving God.
“You were put on earth to make a contribution. You weren’t created just to consume resources-to eat, breathe, and take up space. God designed you to make a difference with your life. While many best-selling books offer advice on how to ‘get’ the most out of life, that’s not the reason God made you. You were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants you to give something back. This is God’s fourth purpose for your life, and it is called your ‘ministry’ or service….you’re not saved by service, but you are saved for service. In God’s kingdom, you have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill. This gives your life great significance and value.” (pp. 227, 228)
So you have a place, you have a purpose; you have a role and a function. And I would add a codicil to Warren’s case. Not only are we shaped for serving God but let us say one thing further. When God gives us life are compelled to serve and it is when we serve that God gives us life,
God gives us life when we serve. Warren reminds us of an example that I suspect most of us have heard. If you look at a map of the Holy Land you will see that the Sea of Galilee is due north of the Dead Sea, which is only a few hours drive south. The Sea of Galilee teems with life. Fresh water flows into it, but also flows out from it. The Dead Sea, on the other hand is the lowest point within the land mass of the earth. Water flows into it and stagnates. As a result its salt content is so high that nothing can live it. Our spirits operate in much the same fashion. If we do not share love, if love does not flow from us, we lose our capacity to receive love, even and especially God’s love. And understand that when I say love I am not referring to an emotion but rather God’s presence, God’s grace, God’s life in us. We hear of the valley of dry bones and some of us may say I’ve been there. I am there. That’s exactly the way I feel. But it is the breath of God that can bring those bones together, knit those sinews and give us life. Many of you bear witness to what I am trying to say. When God gives us life we find that we are compelled to serve. And when we serve we find that God’s spirit animates us and gives us live. I don’t know which came first the chicken or the egg. But this I know, serve Christ and you will see the face of Christ.
But how do I serve? Where do I serve? I don’t have anything to offer. Of course, you do. You just have to connect the dots. It’s a matter of putting who you are at the disposal of the Kingdom of God. Warren gives a tool in the acronym SHAPE. Now you understand that this is much longer conversation that needs to take place in your study groups. But the shorthand version is simply this: S is the spiritual gifts. These are God-given gifts and graces. H stand for heart. These are the bundle of desires that attract you. Or as I like to say, it’s what floats your boat! A is for abilities. These are your skills; it is what you can do, what you are good at. It could accounting, gardening, cooking, teaching, serving the poor, painting, electronics, sports, computers. Everyone is good at something, you may just not be aware that you can put it to service in the cause of Christ. P is for personality. It is your temperament. Some folks are good at working with people; others are better working with things. Some are patient, others are passionate. Some prefer to take leadership, others say just tell me what to do and I will do it. None are better than others, they’re just different. E stands for experience. It represents the sum total of who you are. What you learned in school or in the school of hard knocks. Where you’ve been, what you’ve learned, who you are. SHAPE can help you discern and find how you can serve God. But it’s not the real issue here.
The real issue is will you serve God? I don’t care how old you are, how weak you are, how sick you are, if you are ready to serve God will animate you and give you life. Right up until the time God calls you home and then the adventure continues.
So friends let me close with a couple of questions. 1) Does your faith matter to you? Everyone knows the answer is supposed to be “yes” but I mean really, does your faith matter to you, does it animate you? 2) Are you ready to serve God and receive God? If so, then 3) What’s your SHAPE?
So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling and the bones came together, bone to its bone, and there were sinews on them, and flesh, and skin but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, prophesy to the breath mortal and say, Thus says the Lord, Come o breath upon these slain that they may live. I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them, and they lived, and they stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
Hear the Word of the Lord.