Who Are We Doing It For? - Matthew 16:25; 22:34-40
I wish I could
always say that I have done the right thing for the right reason. Unfortunately, that has not always been the
case, in fact as recently as November it was not the case. I have donated blood since I was old enough
in high school. I began donating because
I saw it as an important way I could give of myself to help someone in
need. I used to have it marked down to almost
the day when I could donate again.
However, since I have struggled the last thirteen years with atrial
fibrillation, I have had to pick and choose when I felt good enough to
donate. It had been quite a while since
had donated, and then one day this past November I saw a notice that with a
blood donation at the hospital, each donor would be given two passes to
Carousel Cinema—and since there were a couple of movies I wanted to see that
were coming out in December, I was determined that regardless of how I felt, I
would feel good enough that day to make a donation…and I did, and after giving
the blood I happily collected my movies passes and left. A good thing done, tainted, though, by doing
it for all the wrong reasons.
This reason for
doing things is not a lot different than the guy who comes to pick up his date
sporting a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers.
Then maybe takes her out to an exquisite restaurant for the ultimate
dining experience. Maybe the evening is
followed up by a night of dancing if that is her thing, or maybe he bites the
bullet and takes her to the theater for the latest chick-flic or, if she’s the
cultured type, to the symphony or an opera.
Why does he do all of this? It would be wonderful if his motives were
pure and it as about simply impressing her or presenting her with an enjoyable
evening. We’ve seen it though, if not in
real-life, on more television shows or movies than we care to count. He’s done it hoping, perhaps even expecting,
or worse yet, later demanding, to get to second or third base, or even a “home
run.”
What do either of
these stories have to do with our Scripture readings today? At first glance, it may seem like they have
nothing at all to do with them, but in reality, they have everything to do with
them. We live in a culture that tells us
it is all about us. It is all about what
we want. We expect to have things our
way. We are taught to “look out for
number one,” (with the understanding that number one is us). We act in self-preservation and fear what
something may “cost us.”
Into this “all
about me” society we hear Jesus say, “For those who want to save their life
will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” We hear him say, “You shall love the Lord
your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
mind…[and] You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Nowhere in this do we hear Jesus say do it
for yourself, protect yourself, do whatever you can to gain more for yourself. Jesus’ words are about putting God ahead of
ourselves and placing others before ourselves.
Jesus’ words are about sacrificing ourselves…about losing our lives. Jesus calls our motives into account and asks
us to check our heart. Jesus’ words,
though, imply not only immediate consequences, but eternal consequences…His
words tells us that if we do all that we can to “have it all” now will result
in us having absolutely nothing to look forward to come the day we meet Him
face to face—that our earthly self-preservation and self-pleasure result in
eternal separation from the source of true life. I believe this word applies to us as
individuals and as a church.
Ironically, the
movie passes I obtained after giving blood were not accepted for the movie I
intended to use them for in December.
And hopefully, in those scenes where the guy tries to round the bases
after the fancy date finds the evening grinding to a halt with a slap to the
face and the slamming of a door. We
could spend a great deal of time talking about things we do in our lives at
home or work where we become focused in on ourselves that we lose everything
else around us. However, I want us to
consider a different direction. I want
us to consider how this attitude of putting ourselves first endangers us in
within our faith.
The idea of
everything “being about me” too often infiltrates the church. Maybe it is when we are praying, we find
ourselves praying in such a way as to impress others with the words we use and
the eloquence of our prayers, rather than remembering we are carrying out a
conversation with God. Maybe we are
teaching in Sunday School or a study group so folks can praise us, rather than helping
others become stronger disciples. Maybe
we put an extra check in the collection plate so we can claim a little more off
our taxes, rather than offer sacrificial giving in order to further God’s
Kingdom. Maybe we complain about the
sound and distraction of children in our worship, that it bothers us, rather
than celebrate the sound of young voices and hear the words of Jesus, “Let the
little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these
that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”[i] Maybe it
is simply that we come to church in order to be seen and socialize, rather than
to worship our Creator. Jesus warns that
if we do things for the praise and attention of others, when we do things for
our own benefit, then we have received all the credit we can expect, and it is
of no value in God’s eyes. Jesus warns
if we do anything to cause others, especially the young ones, to stumble in
their faith, not only are our efforts valueless, we would be better off having
a stone tied around our neck and thrown into the lake than to stand before His
throne.[ii]
This also applies
to us not only as individuals, but also as a congregation. We need to check and reflect on why we do
what we do—who are we doing the things that we do for?
When we gather
for worship, are the things that we do about us, about getting fed, about
making us happy, or do we gather to give ourselves in worship to God—so that
worship, in whatever form it takes is about Him, about giving ourselves
completely over to God, emptying ourselves before Him, and not about “getting
something out of it.”
When we reach out
in missions, whether through a food pantry, offering benevolence assistance in
the community, giving out manna bags, collecting canned food, do we do these
things so that we can feel good about ourselves, maybe even boasting to others
about all the things that we are involved in, or are we doing them because
truly want to offer the provision of God to those in need and be the arms of
Christ wrapping about the hurting?
When we offer an
event for the community, whether it be an Easter Egg Hunt, a Music Festival, a
Family Fun Night, or any other community event, do we make it about us? Is it about getting another person in the pew
or more money in the collection plate?
Or is it because we truly want to offer a free no-strings attached gift
(reflective of God’s grace) to the community for their benefit? Is it because we want to show them that we
truly care for them and want to get to know them?
In other words is
our worship about loving God with all our heart and soul and mind and are our
events, whether outreach or fellowship focused about truly loving our neighbor
as a neighbor?
This last part
may almost seem to against anything and everything we’ve ever heard or thought
about why we do things in church and church growth. Aren’t we supposed to be trying to get more
folks in church?
Well, yes and
no. Our desire is not to be about
getting more folks to sit in the pews, it is not about adding to our numbers so
that we can have more hands dropping coins into the collection plate. Our desires should be to see this family, for
that is what we are as the Body of Christ, brothers and sisters with Christ and
with one another, but it should be to see this family grow, grow exponentially
as we celebrate more and more folks come into a saving relationship with our
Savior and welcoming our new brothers and sisters with the same joy that a
family welcomes a newborn baby. It is
about fulfilling the commission of Jesus Christ to make disciples of all the
world, doing it not for any reason that would benefit ourselves, but solely for
the benefit of others and for the glory of God.
How do we do
this? We follow the model of God’s Word,
as shown in the creation of the church when those gathered were wholly and
solely focused on loving God completely and loving their neighbor not just as
they loved themselves, but actually more than they loved themselves…and watched
the grace and presence of God’s Spirit change things:
Awe came
upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell
their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had
need. Day by day, as they spent much
time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with
glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the
people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being
saved.[iii]
Who are we doing
it for? My brothers and sisters, we have
the key, let us resolve ourselves, as individuals and as a congregation to love
God completely and love our neighbor unconditionally that we will truly find
life, the abundant life that comes from a life open to God. Imagine the awe of God’s presences among
us—imagine lives completely open to one another—imagine watching God, not us,
not our human efforts, but God, adding to our number every day.
In the Name of
the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen!
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