An elderly Scottish woman was making her way through the countryside. Each time she came to a crossroads she would toss a stick into the air. Whichever way the stick came down was the direction she went. At one intersection, however, an old man saw her toss her stick into the air not once, not twice, but three times before resuming her journey.
The old man was curious. “Why are you throwing your stick like that?” he asked.
She squinted and replied, “I’m letting God direct my journey by using this stick.”
“Then why did you throw it three times?” asked the curious old man.
“Because,” she said, “the first two times He was pointing me in the wrong direction.”
I see a few of you have tried tossing that stick as well.
Jesus said, “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock . . .” Let’s talk today about rock-solid living.
Let’s begin here:
Very Few People Live Lives of Great Significance.
That ought to be obvious to us. Some people live their entire lives and never contribute anything to the betterment of our world. This Memorial Day weekend we remember those who have given their lives in the cause of freedom. And that’s a good thing. In India there is a cemetery where the bodies of American soldiers are buried. Over the entrance to the cemetery are these words: “Tell Them We Gave Our Todays for Their Tomorrows.” That’s sobering, especially when there are still young men and women overseas sacrificing themselves on the battlefield. We salute them and remember them in our prayers.
One of the most famous pictures from World War II must surely be the photo of five valiant Marines raising an American flag on the island of Iwo Jima. The young man in the center of the photo was John Bradley. After the war, Bradley moved back to Antigo, Wisconsin, married his high school sweetheart, and raised a family. Although John Bradley won the Navy Cross for saving a fellow soldiers’ life, he preferred not to talk about the war. And he absolutely refused to accept the hero worship that others tried to force on him. One of the few comments Bradley ever made about the war, he made to his young son, James. In response to James’ remark about heroism, John Bradley replied, “The heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who didn’t come back.” (1)
Today we honor the memory of those who didn’t come back. But they’re not the only heroes to whom we are indebted. There are many who have made the ultimate sacrifice in behalf of the common good.
In 1998, Captain Timothy Stackpole was severely injured and almost died while battling a fire. Somehow, Captain Stackpole recovered enough to return and resume his job. His only comment on the whole situation was, “It’s my calling.” Those words took on a whole new meaning when, on September 11, 2001, Captain Timothy Stackpole died while trying to battle the blaze in the World Trade Center. (2)
You have probably read that immediately after the tragic events of September 11th retailers who sell Halloween costumes announced that the most popular outfits were those of firefighters and police officers. Retailers around the country sold out of these costumes quickly, and manufacturers worked overtime to produce more. Don’t say we don’t have heroes anymore.
There have always been people who have shown extraordinary courage, not for their own benefit, but in service to others.
Remember the Oklahoma City bombing? Rebecca Needham Anderson, a nurse, heard the first 911 call and headed immediately to the devastated federal building to aid the injured. Her husband, Fred, drove Rebecca to the scene of the disaster that morning on April 19, 1995. Shortly after arriving, Nurse Anderson was struck on the head by concrete from the collapsing federal building. She died five days later. Her heart, kidneys, eyes and liver went to recipients. “She gave her life doing what she wanted to do,” said Fred Anderson. (3) What can we say in response to such dedication to duty?
We remember this weekend the courage and the sacrifices made by heroic people through the ages. Of course, you don’t have to give your life in order to make your life count. Being a great parent, making a difference in the community, serving your church--there are many ways your life can have an impact. But there are many people who never leave their mark on the world. They’re here only for their own gratification. They give no thought about their responsibilities to the rest of humankind.
Jesus said on one occasion, “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’”
On a theological basis, this is a difficult saying. Is Jesus saying that St. Paul was wrong--that we are saved by our works, not our faith? On a theological basis, this is a difficult saying, but on a practical real-life level it is quite obvious: Not everyone lives a life of great significance. Some people totally waste their lives. Others spend their lives simply surviving. Only a few make an impact on the world.
Even Many Religious People Miss the Boat.
The words of Jesus are quite interesting: “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’”
I don’t want to sound judgmental, nor do I want to impose on you some of my personal biases, but there are many religious people who are an embarrassment to God. They talk a good game, but that’s all it is--talk. In fact, some of the people who use a Christian vocabulary most vocally, bear little resemblance to the Christ whose banner they say they salute.
I read once about a man, a politician, who talked a great deal about the Almighty’s blessings and the Christian confessions that would become pillars of the new government he would create. He appeared to be an earnest man weighed down by historic responsibility. He handed out pious stories to the press, especially to church papers. He showed off his tattered Bible and declared that he drew strength for his great work from it. Scores of people welcomed him as a man of God, a man sent from God. Indeed, Adolf Hitler was a master of outward religiosity, with no inward reality! (4)
“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven . . .”
A man wrote to Readers Digest sometime back. It seems his wife was behind a car that sported three bumper stickers: The first one read, “Don’t be fooled by genetically engineered food--demand labels and safety testing for food”; the second bumper sticker read, “Eat for the health of it”; and the third read, “Support organic farmers.” The car was in front of her at a McDonald’s drive-through. (5) It’s difficult to have an impact in the world if we are saying one thing and doing another!
You may or may not think that former president Jimmy Carter was a great president. We will let history make that judgment. But I believe you will agree that the former President is a wonderful ambassador for Christ. After his term as president of the United States, Jimmy Carter desperately wanted Americans to catch the vision of providing quality housing for under-resourced people. Rather than immediately hitting the speaking circuit, he and his wife Rosalyn bought hammers and started hitting nails for Habitat for Humanity. After months of embodying the vision, during which the entire nation had seen him swinging a hammer on the evening news--then he started giving talks about it. And people listened. How could they not listen to a man who had calluses on his hands from living out the picture God had painted in his mind? (6)
Not everyone lives a life of significance. Even many religious people misunderstand what Christ has in mind for them.
According to This Passage, the People Who Make a Real Difference in This World Are Those Who Are those Who Hear the Words of Jesus and Do Them.
Jesus said, “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock . . .” The key to making your life a life of significance is to live according to the teachings of the Master. Love your neighbor. Love God. Live according to God’s laws. Take seriously your responsibility to leave this world a better place than you found it. We honor the memory of those who gave their lives for their country because we believe they were giving their lives for a better world--a world of freedom and dignity for all people.
Dr. Alan J. Meenan, tells an important story that emerged from the Los Angeles riots some years ago. These were the same riots that made Rodney King a household name. A Hispanic man by the name of Fidel Lopez was trapped by this race-based rioting. He was beaten within an inch of his life, battered by bottles and bats, punched in the face with angry fists, and kicked mercilessly, until an African American minister, Bernie Newton, threw himself on top of him. Bernie Newton cried to the crowd, “If you kill this man, you’re going to kill me first.” When he finally out-shouted the rioters, he got Fidel into his car, and took him to the Daniel Freeman Hospital. Some time later, he raised $3,000.00 from a collection in his own congregation to give to Fidel. That was the amount of money the rioters had stolen from him.
Later Mr. Lopez asked Reverend Newton, “How can I begin to thank you? You saved my life. Why did you do what you did? Why did you risk your own life?”
Bernie Newton answered, “Because I am a Christian. Because I believe in sowing love, not hate. Because I believe in healing and not hurting. Because I believe in Jesus the Prince of Peace and the Prince of Love.” (7)
This is the hope of the world--that there will be many people who will heed Christ’s teachings. Obviously not everyone will. Heavens, not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” will get it. In fact, some people use religion to shield themselves from God. Today we honor those through the ages who have heard Christ words and acted upon those words. Especially these words: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
1. “The Man in the Photograph” by James Bradley from Flags of our Fathers. Reader’s Digest, Nov. 2000, pp. 125-129.
2. From the New York Post. Quoted in Reader’s Digest, Dec. 2001, p. 74.
3.”Honors in Store for 10 Nurses,” Parade magazine, May 6, 1996, p. 16.
4. Today in the Word, June 3, 1989.
5. Brooks Monk, Jacksonville, FL, January 2002, pg. 206.
6. Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2002).
7. Hollywood Pulpit, http://www.fpch.org/hollywoodpulpit.org/sermon031005.html.