AS SOME OF YOU KNOW I WAS ABLE TO SPEND A FEW WEEKS THIS SUMMER IN OHIO WHERE I’M FROM. I OFTEN FIND FROM ALMOST EVERY SITUATION COME UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES…ON THIS TRIP THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS FOR ME TO COLLABORATE WITH MY BROTHER ON A SHORT MESSAGE FOR THE JULY 4 WORSHIP SERVICE AT HIS CHURCH AND THE CHURCH I GREW UP IN, ZION MENNONITE. HE WAS ASKED TO TALK ABOUT PEACEMAKING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND WAS IDENTIFIED AS A YOUNG PERSON THAT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT. AT 36, HE WAS OF COURSE FLATTERED TO BE REFERRED TO AS “YOUNG” BUT HE WAS ALSO A BIT NERVOUS. MY BROTHER IS A GREAT SINGER AND FINDS IT SECOND NATURE TO SING IN FRONT OF LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE BUT HE WAS REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT SPEAKING IN FRONT OF THE SAME CONGREGATION HE REGULARLY SINGS FOR. IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE I THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. SO, HE CAME TO ME, HIS BIG BROTHER, FOR SOME HELP. SO, THE MESSAGE I’M GOING TO SHARE TODAY WAS WRITTEN COLLABORATIVELY BY MY BROTHER AND I IN ONE EVENING IN LATE JUNE. I’VE PERSONALIZED IT A BIT BUT THIS IN LARGE PART IS WHAT WE WROTE TOGETHER AND HE PRESENTED ON JULY 4.
THIS MORNING, I’M GOING TO TALK ABOUT PEACEMAKING….BUT ALSO PRAYER AND FORGIVENESS BECAUSE I BELIEVE ALL THREE GO TOGETHER.
WHEN WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THE TOPIC OF PEACEMAKING, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT…AND A COUPLE OF VERSES JUMPED OUT.
IN MATTHEW 6:12-15…THE LATTER PART OF THE LORD’S PRAYER AND VERSES MOST OF US KNOW BY HEART AND HAVE PROBABLY PRAYED MANY, MANY TIMES.
(12) FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE HAVE ALSO FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS. (13) AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE. (14) FOR IF YOU FORGIVE MEN WHEN THEY SIN AGAINST YOU, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU. (15) BUT IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE MEN THEIR SINS, YOU FATHER WILL NOT FORGIVE YOUR SINS.
NOW WE COULD SUBSTITUTE “SINS” OR “TRESPASSES” BUT THE MESSAGE WOULD BE THE SAME.
IN THIS PASSAGE JESUS TALKS ABOUT FORGIVENESS IN THE CONTEXT OF A PRAYER. WHEN I THINK ABOUT PEACEMAKING, I BELIEVE THAT PRAYER AND FORGIVENESS ARE TWO KEY PREREQUISITES TO BEING AN EFFECTIVE PEACEMAKER. WHY? ……
WELL, FOR ME TO BE AN EFFECTIVE PEACEMAKER I HAVE TO HAVE THINGS RIGHT WITH GOD AND THOSE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. IN PRAYER I HAVE A TOOL THAT ALLOWS ME TO SEEK FORGIVENESS AS WELL AS A HEART TO FORGIVE….. IT GIVES ME INNER PEACE. WITHOUT PRAYER I WOULDN’T HAVE THAT INNER PEACE AND ANY ATTEMPT TO FORGIVE OR SEEK FORGIVENESS WOULD NOT BE SINCERE. AND IF I CANNOT FORGIVE OR SEEK FORGIVENESS THEN HOW CAN I BE A PEACEMAKER…. WHAT I HOPE IS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS AS IT SAYS IN SLIDE #5 MATTHEW 5:16, WHICH READS, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN.
NOW LET ME DIVE INTO A COUPLE OF THESE POINTS….
PRAYER: JESUS SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME TALKING ABOUT PRAYER AND PRAYING….HE EVEN GIVES US INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PRAY IN SLIDE #7 MATTHEW 6:5-14. “BUT WHEN YOU PRAY, GO INTO YOUR ROOM, CLOSE THE DOOR AND PRAY TO YOUR FATHER, WHO IS UNSEEN.” FOR WHEN WE ARE NOT TRYING TO LIVE UP TO OTHERS EXPECTATIONS AND TRYING TO IMPRESS OTHERS WITH OUR WORDS AND PERCEIVED SINCERITY THEN IT BECOMES LESS SINCERE. NOW I DON’T THINK WE HAVE TO LITERALLY CLOSE OURSELVES IN OUR ROOMS TO PRAY…RATHER GOD IS CHALLENGING US TO MAKE PRAYING ABOUT ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL PRAYING AND GOD…INCLUDING OTHERS IN THE PROCESS TAKES AWAY FROM THE QUALITY OF THE CONVERSATION.
GOSHEN COLLEGE PRESIDENT DR. JAMES BRENNENMAN IN AN ISSUE OF THE GOSHEN COLLEGE BULLETIN EARLIER THIS YEAR WROTE AN EDITORIAL TITLED HEALING THE WORLD PEACE BY PEACE. IN THA ARTICLE HE “SAYS MAKING PEACE MEANS INVITING GOD TO BE PRESENT IN OUR LIVES, DAY BY DAY, MINUTE BY MINUTE.” ONE WAY OF INVITING GOD INTO YOUR LIFE… MAKING HIM AN INTEGRAL PART OF YOUR LIFE… IS THROUGH PRAYER.
I’D LIKE TO SHARE AN EXPERIENCE WITH PRAYER MY BROTHER HAD WHILE ON HIS SEMESTER ABROAD (SST) IN THE IVORY COAST 16 YEARS AGO.
IN 1994 MY BROTHER WAS IN THE IVORY COAST AND FOR SIX WEEKS HE STAYED WITH A RELATIVELY AFFLUENT, POLITICALLY CONNECTED AND VERY RELIGIOUS FAMILY. THERE ARE PROABABLY LOTS OF THINGS ONE WOULD EXPECT TO LEARN AND EXPERIENCE WHILE LIVING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY BUT WHAT MY BROTHER LEARNED AND EXPERIENCED WAS NOT AT ALL WHAT HE EXPECTED.
HE QUICKLY FOUND OUT HOW IMPORTANT PRAYER WAS TO THIS FAMILY AND WOULD BE TO HIM. HE ALSO QUICKLY FOUND OUT HE HAD A WEAK STOMACH THAT DIDN’T HOLD UP TO FOOD HE WASN’T ACCUSTOMED TO…SOMETHING I’M GLAD I DON’T SHARE WITH HIM. AS A RESULT OF HIS WEAK STOMACH, HE GOT SICK AND AS A RESULT HIS BODY AND ATTITUDE WEREN’T DOING VERY WELL. ON TOP OF THAT HE WAS DEALING WITH A NEW CULTURE, NEW LANGUAGE, NEW FOOD AND DIRTY WATER. HE WAS REALLY SICK AND WAS LOSING SO MUCH WEIGHT THAT HE HAD TO BUY A BELT AT THE MARKET JUST 2 WEEKS INTO HIS 3 MONTH STAY. (AS HE SAYS WEIGHT WATCHERS HAS NOTHING ON A DEVELOPING COUNTRY WHEN YOU GET INTO SOME BAD FOOD OR WATER.) THE NAUSEA, VOMITTING AND DIAHREA WAS ALMOST MORE THAN HE COULD TAKE. IT FELT LIKE THE STOMACH FLU THAT WOULDN’T END. BUT, RATHER THAN GETTING HIM MEDICINE, ALL HIS HOST FAMILY WOULD DO WAS PRAY AND THEY WOULD BOLDY SAY THAT HE NEEDED TO PRAY MORE. ALL HE WANTED WAS SOME BOTTLED WATER, MEDICINE AND A STOMACH THAT WASN’T FIGHTING HIM. BUT THEY WOULD JUST PRAY…THEY PRAYED EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK. THEY HAD PRAYER MEETINGS, PRAYER VIGILS, CHURCH PRAYER MEETINGS, AND GENERALLY PRAYED, WHAT MY BROTHER DESCRIBED AS ALMOST NON-STOP 24/7. THEY USED EVERY OPPORTUNITY THEY HAD TO PRAY. OW MY BROTHER AND I GREW UP IN THE CHURCH BUT PROBABLY WENT MORE OUT OF HABIT THAN FOR ANY SPIRITUAL REASON. THAT’S ONE THING WE HAD IN COMMON AT THE TIME.
BUT AS A RESULT OF THEIR URGING AND, FRANKLY, PUSHING HE BEGAN TO GO WITH THEM TO THEIR PRAYER MEETINGS ON THE PORCH, THEIR PRAYER MEETINGS AT THE NEIGHBORS’ HOUSE AND THEIR PRAYER MEETINGS IN THE CHURCH. HE FOUND HIMSELF PRAYING…HE PRAYED AND PRAYED AND PRAYED. AS MY BROTHER POINTED OUT…IN MATTHEW 6:8 IT SAYS YOUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU ASK HIM. AND THAT VERSE REALLY RANG TRUE TO HIM IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE. THOUGH HE WANTED HIS PHYSICAL ILLNESS CURED, GOD HAD A DIFFERENT PLAN…AS A RESULT OF ALL THE PRAYER HE FOUND HIMSELF FEELING SOMEWHAT BETTER PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. NOW, HE DIDN’T EVER ADJUST TO THE FOOD AND WATER. HE CAME HOME ABOUT 30 POUNDS LIGHTER AT 125 POUNDS AND HE WAS REALLY BETTER UNTIL HE RECEIVED SOME DOCTORING HERE IN THE STATES 3 MONTHS LATER.
IN HINDSIGHT HE REALIZED THAT HIS FAMILY WAS PRACTICING A FORM OF PEACEMAKING THROUGH PRAYER. THEY BELIEVED THAT A LOT OF ONE’S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH WAS TIED TO ONE’S SPIRITUAL HEALTH….BY PRAYING FOR ME AND ENCOURAGING ME TO PRAY THEY WERE TRYING TO BRING ME SOME PEACE AND IN DOING SO WERE BEING PEACEMAKERS. WITHOUT PRAYER THAT PEACEMAKING WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.
IVORY COAST IS A COUNTRY THAT SUFFERED THROUGH A TERRIBLE CIVIL WAR. IN FACT THEIR FORMER PRESIDENT, CHARLES TAYLOR, IS CURRENTLY ON TRIAL FOR WAR CRIMES THAT OCCURRED DURING THAT TIME. BECAUSE MY BROTHER LOST TOUCH WITH THEM DURING THE WAR, I DON’T KNOW THIS FOR SURE…BUT I’M PRETTY SURE OF TWO THINGS. THE FAMILY MY BROTHER PROBABLY SUFFERED TERRIBLY…PROBABLY LOSING FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS AND PRAYER MOST LIKELY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE HEALING PROCESS…PUT THEIR HEARTS IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO FOREGIVE.
FORGIVENESS: IN LUKE 7:36-50, WE FIND THE STORY OF JESUS BEING ANNOINTED BY THE SINFUL WOMAN. SLIDE #10 THERE WERE LOTS OF OBSTACLES IN THIS STORY THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE WOMAN FROM EVEN BEING THERE AND THERE WERE MANY CULTURAL REASONS WHY JESUS COULD HAVE DENIED HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO WASH HIS FEET.
AS I MENTIONED THEN…MANY WOULD HAVE FROWNED ON THE FACT THAT JESUS WAS EVEN IN THE HOUSE OF THE PHARISEE. IT WAS TABOO FOR A WOMAN, ESPECIALLY SOMEONE THAT WAS POSSIBLY A PROSTITUTE, TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF MEN LIKE SHE WAS IN THE STORY. IT WAS EVEN MORE INAPPROPRIATE FOR HER TO TOUCH A MAN AS SHE DID WHEN SHE WASHED JESUS’ FEET WITH HER HAIR AND KISSED THEM. NOW THAT WAS REALLY AGAINST THE CULTURAL NORMS. YET JESUS WENT AGAINST WHAT WAS CULTURALLY ACCEPTABLE AND LOOKED INTO HER HEART….AND I BELIEVE THAT HE FORGAVE HER SINS IN ALLOWING HER TO WASH HIS FEET IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR JESUS TO SAY, ESPECIALLY IN THE PRESENCE OF PHARISEES, THAT’S NOT THE WAY YOU ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OR YOU CAN FORGIVE SOMEONE LIKE THIS WOMAN ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE DIDN’T FOLLOW THE CULTURALLY PRESCRIBED STEPS WHEN ASKING FOR THAT FORGIVENESS.
WE NEED TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES BY PUTTING OURSELVES IN JESUS’ SHOES…HOW MANY OF US CAN TRULY SAY THAT WE GO THE EXTRA MILE TO FORGIVE OTHERS ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE AWKWARD IN THEIR REQUESTS FOR THAT FORGIVENESS.
AT THE SAME TIME WE SHOULD ALSO TRY TO PUT OURSELVES IN THE SHOES OF THE WOMAN…HOW OFTEN DO YOU GO TO SUCH LENGTHS TO SEEK FORGIVENESS?
FORGIVENESS IS A TWO-WAY STREET. IT TAKES A SINCERE HEART TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND THEN NOT REPEAT THE OFFENDING ACTION. IT TAKES AN EQUALLY SINCERE HEART TO FORGIVE, TRULY FORGET AND MOVE ON. WE AS HUMAN BEINGS AND CHRISTIANS TALK A GOOD GAME WHEN IT COMES TO FORGIVENESS…BUT HOW WELL DO WE ACTUALLY DO? DO YOU GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS? DO YOU CREATE OBSTACLES WHEN IT COMES TO FORGIVING OTHERS?
IF WE CANNOT FORGIVE OR SEEK FORGIVENESS WITH A SINCERE HEART THEN WE CANNOT BE EFFECTIVE PEACEMAKERS. WITHOUT PRAYER, FOREGIVENESS IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. IF WE DON’T HAVE PEACE IN OUR OWN LIVES, THE KIND OF PEACE THAT COMES FROM A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, ONE THAT COMES THROUGH PRAYER…TRUE FOREGIVENESS IS FLEETING…IF THERE IS CONFLICT IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS…. THEN HOW CAN WE LET OUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN.
PEACEMAKING: SO, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU HAVE THINGS RIGHT WITH YOURSELF AND GOD THROUGH THE ACT OF PRAYER AND IF YOU HAVE THINGS RIGHT WITH OTHERS THROUGH THE ACT OF FOREGIVENESS…THEN YOU ARE EQUIPEED TO BE AN EFFECTIVE PEACEMAKER. PRAYER LEADS TO FOREGIVENESS WHICH LEADS TO PEACEMAKING WHICH LEADS TO MORE EFFECTIVE PRAYER. I ACTUALLY LOOK AT LIKE A CYCLE.
BUT YOU MAY ASK YOURSELF, PEACEMAKING IS ONE OF THOSE BIG WORDS THAT THE MENNONITE CHURCH AND CHRISTIANS LIKE TO USE…BUT THAT DOESN’T APPLY TO ME….I’M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT IT MEANS… AFTER ALL I’M JUST ONE PERSON...I’M NOT RICH, POWERFUL, CONNECTED OR WELL-KNOWN…WHAT CAN I DO THAT WOULD POSSIBLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WELL, THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS (ACCORDING TO WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY)… I’D LIKE TO POINT OUT TWO OF THE DEFINITIONS…IT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM A FREEDOM FROM NEGATIVE THOUGHTS OR EMOTIONS WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT CAN COME FROM PRAYER…TO HARMONY IN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT CAN COME THROUGH THE ACT OF FOREGIVENESS…OF COURSE THERE IS ALSO THE DEFINITION MOST OF THINK OF WHEN WE HEAR THE WORD PEACE….THE ONE THAT INVOLVES GOVERNMENTS AND TREATIES BUT YOU’LL NOTE IT’S #4 IN THE LIST.
SO IT’S SOMETHING THAT EACH OF US CAN DO…AND IT’S SOMETHING EVERYONE SHOULD DO. IN FACT, EACH OF US IS A PEACEMAKER.
IN DR. BRENNEMAN’S EDITORIAL…HE SAYS “A BUSINESS PERSON IN A MANUFACTURING COMPANY MUST NOT BE VIEWED AS A SECOND-CLASS PEACEMAKER TO A VOLUNTARY SERVICE WORKER IN SOME FARAWAY COUNTRY, AN ENGINEER IS NO LESS CALLED TO MAKE PEACE THAN A PREACHER. A BASKETBALL COACH WHO WORKS MIRACLES OF HEART, MOTIVATION, DISCIPLINE AND TEAMWORK MAY, IN FACT, OUTPACE A BOOKISH THEOLOGIAN IN CREATING A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD. THE SOCIAL POLICY EXPERT IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IS NO LESS A POTENTIAL PEACEMAKER THAN A SOCIAL WORKER ON SKID ROW, THE POLITICIAN NO LESS THAN THE MEDIATOR, THE WONKY GREEN ECONOMIST NO LESS THAN THE RADICAL PROPHET”. WE ARE ALL PEACEMAKERS.
THEN AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS WE ARE TO CULTIVATE PEACE. IN THE GOSPEL, JESUS CULTIVATES PEACE BY INSTRUCTING HIS FOLLOWERS THAT THE SERVANT IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM. WE CAN CULTIVATE PEACE BY OUR MANY ACTS OF SERVICE……. IN OUR WORKPLACES, SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, AND EVEN IN OUR FAMILIES. WE CAN TAKE STEPS TOWARD PEACEMAKING WHEN WE AFFIRM OTHERS, WHEN WE EXPRESS APPRECIATION, OR WHEN WE SAY A SIMPLY THANK YOU OR YOUR WELCOME. WE CAN ALSO BE PEACEMAKERS BY PRAYING FOR AND WITH OTHERS…BY FORGIVING AND SEEKING FORGIVENESS. THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS EXPRESSES SOME WAYS TO CULTIVATE PEACE. “LORD MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE. WHERE THERE IS HATRED LET ME SOW LOVE, WHERE THERE IS INJURY, PARDON, WHERE THERE IS DOUBT, FAITH, WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR, HOPE. WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS, LIGHT. AND WHERE THERE IS SADNESS, JOY.” THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE CAN BE PEACEMAKERS WITH EVERYTHING WE DO AND EVERY INTERACTION WE HAVE WITH OTHERS.
WHEREVER YOU ARE AND WATEVER YOU DO ASK YOURSELF SOME QUESTIONS. ASK YOURSELF… AM I CULTIVATING PEACE IN THE WAY JESUS INSTRUCTED US IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT? THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY BEFORE YOU SAY IT…BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW YOU ACT TOWARD OTHERS….DEDICATE TIME TO PRAYING FOR PEACE…. AND NOT JUST THE OBVIOUS STUFF. PRAY FOR PEACE IN YOUR HEART AND THE HEARTS OF OTHERS…. PRAY FOR PEACE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS…..PRAY FOR PEACE IN YOUR COMMUNITY…PRAY FOR PEACE AT YOUR WORKPLACE…..PRAY FOR PEACE AT HOME.
FORGIVE THOSE THAT HAVE TRESPASSED AGAINST YOU OR ASK FOR FORGIVENESS IF YOU HAVE TREPASSED AGAINST SOMEONE…DO IT WITH A SINCERE HEART…A SINCERE HEART THAT CAN ONLY COME THROUGH PRAYER AND FOREGIVENESS BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT RIGHT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS, YOU CAN NOT BE AN EFFECTIVE PEACEMAKER…THE KIND OF PEACEMAKER YOU THINK YOU NEED TO BE…BE KIND TO HOMELESS MAN ON THE CORNER, SAY HELLO TO THAT CO-WORKER THAT AT TIMES RUBS YOU THE WRONG WAY, INVITE SOMEONE THAT YOU WOULDN’T NORMALLY INVITE TO YOU HOME FOR DINNER, SHARE A BLESSING WITH SOMEONE THAT IS HAVING A BAD DAY OR IS HAVING A CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER, CALL THAT FAMILY MEMBER THAT YOU HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE OF SOME HISTORY YOU MIGHT HAVE, WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND PRESIDENT OBAMA DEMANDING AN END TO THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN, VOLUNTEER AT THE AT THE WOMEN’S SHELTER, PRISON OR MIGRANT CAMP, FIND A WAY TO GET INVOLVED WITH PERSONS AND IN SITUATIONS THAT NEED A LITTLE LOVE.
AND REMEMBER, YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A DIPLOMAT, MEDIATOR OR MEMBER OF A CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKER TEAM. THERE ARE WAYS TO BE PEACEMAKERS THAT AREN’T ALWAYS SO OBVIOUS BUT ITS CLEAR THAT THE WORLD NEEDS A LOT OF HEALING AND YOU AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO BE A PEACEMAKER AT HOME, IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND IN THE WORLD.
THIS IS WHERE THE FOUNDATION OF PEACE BEGINS AND THIS IS WHERE WE CAN CULTIVATE AND BE PEACEMAKERS.
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