During the Advent/Christmas season my sermons have been one-word themes based on the letter W.On successive Sunday gospel lessons these themes emerged:Waiting, Warning, Wonder, Woman, Window, and Wisdom.
Looking ahead to the New Year I raise three additional W-words that could become priorities for you and me in 2010.
The first W is WORSHIP
What we need to do:Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Why we need to do it: When Billy Sunday (former baseball player) was converted to Christ, a Christian man put his arm around his shoulder and said, "Billy, there are three simple rules I can give you, and if you hold to them, no one will ever write BACKSLIDER after your name. Take 15 minutes a day to listen to God talking to you. Take 15 minutes each day to talk to God. And take 15 minutes each day to talk to others about God."A good starter to this habit is set aside minutes in the early morning and late evening to give thanks to God for blessings received and blessings hoped for.
The second W is WORK.
What we need to do:Romans 16:12 “Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.”
I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Why we need to do it: A significant and often overlooked way that we serve God is in our everyday tasks. Martin Luther understood this when he wrote, "The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays -- not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."
The third W is WITNESS
What we need to do: Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
I Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
Why we need to do it:Francis d'Assisi once invited a young monk to join him on a trip to town to preach. Honored to be given the invitation, the monk readily accepted. All day long he and Francis walked through the streets, and byways.They rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. At day's end, the two headed back home. Not even once had Francis addressed a crowd, nor had he talked to anyone about the gospel. Greatly disappointed, his young companion said, "I thought we were going into town to preach."
Francis responded, "My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk!
