Making Room for Service: Embracing God's Call

1. "Our context today and their contexts are very different, but they both tell about crucial moments of decision making within a community. First, let's look at that Joshua chapter 24. It's my favorite verse, and I'll tell you why. Imagine this. All of the tribes of Israel have been gathered together. They are in Shechem, city in the north. This is the exact place where God had once promised to Abraham long ago when he first entered the land of Canaan." [28:12] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "The tribes of Israel were being asked to make a decision between trusting in God's promises, as made to Abraham, or trusting in the false gods that had been buried by Jacob. Trusting in God's promises or trusting in false gods. That was the choice. Then, and I imagine this with a loud, booming voice, Joshua said, Now, if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But, as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." [29:12] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "Jesus' teachings, you see, had become more and more difficult. But he didn't worry about crowd sizes. He was teaching about abundant life. He was teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood and how in doing so, they would abide in him. But this was difficult teaching, even for some of his closest followers. So when Jesus asks those remaining with him, do you also wish to go away? Well, Peter responds, maybe not with as much gusto as Joshua, but he responds with heartfelt consideration. Lord, whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." [31:12] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "And I encourage you to meditate on both of these verses. Commit them to memory if you haven't already, because they can act as a compass in times of deliberation and discernment during your life. Both of these verses highlight individuals and communities renewing their decision to trust in God's promises and to trust in the bread of life, Jesus. So, they can serve as a reminder to you when you ask that question that we've been asking throughout the sermon series already. For what and for whom will I make room and space in my life?" [32:13] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "But most days with our actions we choose to serve our immediate fleeting self-centered desires instead of serving the Lord. Do you remember that familiar nursery rhyme, pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake? Do it with me if you know it. Do the hand motions, right? They're doing it on the screen. Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can. We'll stop there because I don't know the rest. This nursery rhyme from centuries ago hints at the desire even then for fast food." [35:15] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "Jesus however is offering something different something much much more. Jesus tells us that he can offer us the bread that does not perish bread that does not get old this kind of bread is the word of eternal life for all and it doesn't come in fast food packaging it takes time to understand and truly digest here bread is a metaphor. We've been using it for many weeks now. Bread is a metaphor for our deepest need. The need for which we hunger and yearn often without even knowing it." [37:20] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "Jesus is the bread of life that gives life to you and to me and the whole world and making room for serving him and others is what will give us true contentment and abiding joy. If left up to ourselves our cravings would keep us focused on our own limited small self-centered interests. God's view however is much much wider and God wants to work through us for the sake of God's mission in the world." [38:21] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "Bishop Tutu began to speak of the evils of the apartheid system. How the rulers and authorities that propped it up were doomed to fail. He pointed a finger at the police who were there to carefully record all of his words and he said, you may be powerful, very powerful, but you are not God. God cannot be mocked. You have already lost. Then in a moment of unbearable tension the bishop seemed to soften coming out from behind the pulpit he flashed that radiant Tutu smile and began to bounce up and down with glee saying, therefore since you have already lost, we are inviting you to the winning side." [39:22] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9. "Serving God's kingdom and God's will being done on earth is an invitation to each one of us. It is after all the winning side and we are invited to do God's work with our hands today. So as we look to those elections this fall, remember there will be promises made by local and national politicians on all sides for quick fixes. None of these are the choices of the promised reign of God and no candidate is speaking words of eternal life. Only Jesus can provide the true bread from heaven." [40:53] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


10. "Because the reality is that when we are not engaged in serving in some kind of way, well those false gods from that oak at Shechem, well they will continue to try and unbury themselves. And as we reach for them, and as we try to fill all that emptiness and that God-shaped hole in our lives with things that just don't satisfy, well, I invite you to make room. Make room to serve God and others. And make time to come to this table again and again and again to receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is the food that will satisfy." [43:24] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)