Pentecost 4: Matthew 5:13-16; Mark 6:6b-13, 30
June 20, 2010
During college I would hook up with a friend in Chicago to ride with him across Indiana and Ohio on Interstate 80 to and from school in Connecticut. He owned an old Plymouth, 8 cylinders with high tail fins. It was a heavy car that he nicknamed: "Sherman" as in Sherman tank. Little did I know back then that some years later I would be riding along that same stretch of Interstate 80 a week ago Friday in another big vehicle with the name Sherman as in Sherman United Methodist Church printed on the sides.
I was reading on the bus and came across this Chinese proverb. "If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people." To piggyback on this, our mission team this year was all about growing people as disciples of Jesus Christ.
We stopped to spend two nights in Sandusky, Ohio so our group could enjoy a day at Cedar Point
that has the most daring rollercoaster rides anywhere before heading on to Coshocton, Ohio for the work camp. We stayed in the Columbus Ave UMC and worshipped with the congregation there last Sunday morning. They usually average about 70, but with our group of 36 the congregation swelled to about 100 or so. Our youth praise team and band performed two special songs for the service. Very nice.
Pastor Barbara Stephens-Rich preached on the theme of Pentecost and the basic mission of the church. She compared Christians to being like electrodes that catch the energy and light of Christ and send it on to energize and kindle his light in others. Then she said: "What a wonderful example of this today than the SUMC mission team who left home, family, comfortable beds, rode 500 miles on a school bus to a place they have never seen to help people they have never met. What a wonderful example of the spirit of Pentecost of spreading Christ beyond the boundaries of our comfort zones."
It was fitting too that later in the day we passed through Milam, Ohio which is famous because it's the birth place of Thomas Edison the inventor of the light bulb.
On our first day of camp during the morning devotion video, Jeanie Mayo told the story about an elderly lady who had suffered much. Her friends tried to console her with comments like – "God is good. Keep praying. God will help you through." Finally, the woman said, "this is all good, but what I need most is Jesus with skin."
"Jesus with skin" is what we were this week in our own group as we bonded together – adults to adults, adults to youth, and youth to youth. We formed new friendships with other adult leaders and youth from Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio who had come to be 'Jesus with skin' as well. We were Jesus with skin as we scraped, caulked, primed and painted; repaired roofs; built ramps and steps for the residents of Coshocton. We were 'Jesus with skin' as we listened to their stories and got to know one another.
The residents were 'Jesus with skin' too as they welcomed us into their homes. They gave the crew I was on free access to the bathroom and let us eat lunch in their kitchen. One resident made us homemade ice cream to enjoy after we finished painting their porch. Another grilled cheeseburgers for our lunch so that we didn't have to eat the usual cold cuts from the work camp kitchen. And on Friday another resident served us warm oatmeal cookies with cinnamon chips fresh out of the oven. The hospitality we received was tremendous and went along with the theme of the camp which was "undeserved." The residents did so much for us before we had done much for them.
The "undeserved" theme was taken from the story of the Prodigals in the gospel of Luke 15. The Father's love for his lost son is the key point. Even though the younger son squandered his inheritance in loose living, the father still welcomed him back home into the family with forgiveness and love. The father is the sign of God's grace that surrounds us all the time. God's grace is always at work for our well being. We just have to be willing to trust in God's grace to get us through any difficulty or mistake that comes along. We don't deserve it, but this is God's way. God wants his children to succeed.
We experienced God's grace by helping us to depend on one another to get our jobs done. God's grace was in those tools and materials showing up on the work site to enable us to work. It was evident in helping all us to be patient, cooperative and to persevere despite the heat. God's grace was evident as well in a very special way with one of the youth that someone will share with you in a moment.
God's grace was evident too by all of your support. Many gave money for the food drive. Over half of the food donations for the entire camp came from one church – SUMC. Praise God. Many of you helped with gas money too. Praise God. And sponsorships. Praise God. Neck coolers, ladders and of course, many prayers. And Praise God for our bus. What a blessing this was for most of us to be able to ride together for the trip. And the AC was super. So super in fact that some had to put on hooded sweatshirts.
In many ways I was reminded this week of the scripture: "For we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
As we were "Jesus with skin" to others and others were "Jesus with skin" to us, we discovered God's grace abounding all around us for the good of all. Minds and spirits that were ailing and broken were renewed. Hopes rekindled. New life born. We all grew closer to God and God to us.
Yes, if you want prosperity for 100 years and forever, then grow people as disciples of Jesus Christ. What the world needs is not simply the Jesus we talk about, but the "Jesus with skin" they see at work in all who look to him as their Savior and Lord.