We are currently in a series reading through the book of James. And to recap a little where we have been, the author identifies himself as James, the brother of Jesus and one of the church leaders in Jerusalem. James was one of several younger half-brothers of Jesus. At first, he did not believe that Jesus was actually the Messiah and even challenged Jesus in what he was doing (as we see in John 7). After Jesus’ resurrection, something significant changed in James, and he would become a very influential voice in the early church. Wrote this letter to Jewish Christians who were scattered all over the world about 30 years after Jesus’ resurrection. Interestingly, James uses some pretty harsh words to encourage a repentant change in his audience. In fact, this passage were looking at today has caused so much controversy in the past that some, like Martin Luther, the guy who started the Protestant Reformation, tried to have the book of James removed from the bible. Truth is, James’ words are nothing new, In fact much of what he says echoes Jesus and the other NT writers like Paul and John. But he’s very direct, and says it from a different perspective. So because of this, I am declaring this a no-nudge sermon. This means you are not allowed to nudge your spouse, your kids, the person sitting in front of you and say, “Hey are you listening, he's talking about you!” Because at the heart of the book of James, is to look at your own life and nudge yourself. As Pastor Marc shared these last few weeks from James 1, he begins with a challenge to have a different outlook on life: have joy in the midst of facing trials. Remember he is writing to people who were already facing issues like persecution. They were dying for their faith and he’s telling them to be happy about it! Be excited because God is doing something in you during this time! And then he says don’t just listen to God’s word, go and do what it says. It’s as if he’s saying, why listen if you're not going to do it? So take what you hear and make it happen. Now today we are going to be skipping over the beginning of James 2 and look at the 2nd half of this chapter. So for those of you with OCD, I sincerely apologize, but it is a fitting challenge for us on this Confirmation Sunday. Here’s the tension I want you to sit with for a second... What if I told you that your faith was worthless? Even if you have been following Jesus for the last 20 years, what if I told you that your faith has been wasted this whole time? Harsh words right? This is the very question James provokes to his audience. It’s such a profound question and one that fits really well with what Marc shared last week. Do not merely be listeners of the word, but do what it says. Don’t just look at yourself in the mirror; don’t just evaluate your life; don’t just read God’s word or here some guy preach it every week only to then forget it all and go about your day like nothing happened. No! You need to go and do it what you learned; put it into practice. I heard a story once of a pastor who candidating at a church. He preached a rock solid sermon with plenty of “mmmms” from the congregants. Sure enough, vote was passed and the new pastor was moving to town. On his first official Sunday as their newly installed pastor, he preached the same sermon from his candidating weekend. Confused, the congregation just shrugged it off to a mere mistake; thinking he simply forgot he preached this sermon. So they left, and the next week they eagerly came back, only to hear the pastor preach the same sermon a 3rd time. So the chair of the search committee approached the pastor to ask what was going on. To which the pastor replied, “I’m glad you noticed, when the congregation starts living it out, I’ll move on to the next sermon.” Truth is, I know we all know this. We all know that our actions need to line up with what we say and believe. When Jesus sums up in Matthew 22 that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves, we jump on the bandwagon. “Go Jesus! Whoot Whoot!” But then we quickly find ourselves ignoring God. We go on with our busy lives, forgetting he exists until the next time we need him. He’s not part of our regular conversations around the dinner table or hanging out with our group of friends. We’re not looking for what God is doing in the world around us so that we can name it and celebrate. And then there are our neighbors. The people around us that can be annoying, are hard to love, that we don’t like at all. People that are loud, smell funny, are weird, or leave their junk all over their yard and it is making mine my nice yard look trashy (I hear this comment a lot). We intentionally choose to not love them. And it’s hard, our emotions get the best of us, so naturally we put ourselves first. But the issue is, when we say we believe, but then don’t do what we believe in. We are revealing to the world that we are fake, we are liars, even hypocrites. The world sees this, we see this in others, maybe you can see a little of this in yourself too? James actually gives us a very specific illustration, one that he probably had heard had happened. And, no shock to us, it's a situation that happens even today, all the time. “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.” (James 2:15) Suppose your neighbor just mentioned they are struggling to pay their bills. Suppose you are helping out at AWANA and a kid said they only get one meal a day. Suppose you are in line at the grocery store and the person in front of you is struggling to pay for their food. Whatever the story is, imagine that after hearing about what is going on in their life, the next thing you do is say, “Bummer, well I you get that figured out.” And that’s it?! That’s all you do! Someone is actually in need and God has placed them in your path, but all you do is wish them well without actually helping make them well? James is saying, “That is not the kind of faith Jesus died for or has called us to.” Now I get there are two realities at play here. First is that it’s hard for people to ask for help. It takes a significant amount of humility and even embarrassment to ask for help like this, even from complete strangers. And then to get rejected over and over again can be very disheartening and feel hopeless when you really are trying to just make ends meet, pay the bills, or even just get home. Second reality is that it’s normal for us to be fearful of what the other person is really doing or needing. The other day, my wife was up in the cities and after coming out of a store. As she was walking to her car, a gentleman approached her and handed her a note. On the note it read, “I’m deaf and need to help pay for my gas. Can you help me?” I’m sure many of us already have fears running through your head… Is this person safe? Are they really deaf? Do they really need money for gas? But the bigger question is, what do you do? Now for sure safety and stewardship matter in situations like this, so hear me when I say that, but James tells us that our faith in Jesus, because of what Jesus has done for us, we are called us to action. This isn’t just James’ words, in Mattew 25, Jesus tells us this parable known as the Sheep and the Goats. And at the end of the parable, we read this: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ Think about all the different examples in that story. Like James, there is someone who is hungry or without clothes. Then there is someone who is stranger and lonely. Students - think about those who end up sitting by themselves at lunch. One of the most lonely times of a student’s day can be during lunch at school, this is spoken from experience. Then there is someone who was thirsty. This is the whole point of our Walk for Water event in a few weeks. That not only experience the need for getting water, but actually raising money to help provide clean water. And lastly there are those who are sick and in prison. Just on the other side of town we have the corrections facility with currently 43 people on-site. These examples exist around us and we are challenged to do something; to put your faith into action and show them God’s love. Or how about the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. Guy is beaten and left for dead and people are literally trying to avoid helping him. That is until the Samaritan stops, tends to the guys wounds, brings him to an inn and even uses his own money to pay for the guy to recover. At the end of the story Jesus asked the question... “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” This idea of putting your faith into action is not a new concept. Simply just saying you believe in God means nothing. That’s why James says in verse 19… You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:19). Think about that a second, the demons also believe in God. And they shutter, they are scared! They know who God is and what’s coming. But do we? You see, James is trying to emphasize the point that genuine faith in Christ produces a changed life. The way we live as followers of Jesus must reveal the claims we make for our faith. He even gives two examples of people with genuine faith to affirm this point. In verses 21-24, he talks about Abraham. As the story goes, Abraham had been waiting a long time for this son that God promised him. And then finally, after Abraham was old and grey, his son Isaac was born and God was faithful and life was great. Until God told Abraham to sacrifice his kid on an altar like a sheep. Such a significant sacrifice, and interestingly it becomes a significant picture of God sacrificing his own son on the cross many generations later. But Abraham had such a genuine faith in God that he followed through, and sure enough God provided. And James tells us… You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. (James 2:22) James also reminds us of Rahab’s faith. Back in Joshua 2, we read about Israel beginning the conquest of the promised land. And as they sit on the shores of the Jordan River, Israel sends spies into Jericho, who end up needing to hide in the house of Rahab, the local prostitute of all people. But as we read the story, Rahab reveals that she has faith in who God was, she knew she needed to help them. So she hid the spies from the Jericho army. Her actions were the result of her faith. So as James concludes, we are made right by God through a faith that produces works. Again, nothing new, Paul says in Ephesians 2… For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) You are saved and redeemed by your faith, nothing else (very important). Salvation comes by having faith; by putting your trust in King Jesus, and not by works, you cannot do good to earn your salvation. It is 100% a gift from God through Jesus Christ. But immediately after telling us this, Paul says that we were created to do good works through Jesus. Paul expects just as much as James does, for the kind of faith that leads to a changed life. When we put our trust in King Jesus, we then give him the reins to lead our life to change us and shape us into people of God’s Kingdom. They approach the same idea from different perspectives. So here is one truth I want us to reflect on today from this text: What you do with what you hear matters. This is a very important truth because the choices you make, or even lack of choices, based on what you know can significantly impact the outcome of what happens next. It even impacts what happens to other people. Words, without action, are simply just words. It’s easy to say things, but a genuine faith is a changed life through Jesus. Know that this isn’t a challenge to simply change your behavior and go do things. That is not the point of what James is saying. He is giving you a reality check to nudge yourself and ask, “Am I really living a life of faith?” As we close this morning, I know for many of you I am speaking to the choir. I have only been here for not even 3 months, and your generosity and care time and again has blessed our family; and for you all I am so grateful! I hope that this same love and care you have shown us is being shown to every person you meet. Even still, this challenge goes to anyone who consider themselves followers of Jesus (myself included in this challenge); and even to our Confirmation students this morning. Because today you declared before this congregation that Jesus is your Savior and your King. You have gone on a two year journey, exploring God’s word and the building blocks of our faith and you have stood before us and confess a personal faith through your confirmation vows. But know that confirmation is not the end; it’s not a graduation from the church. It's merely a stepping stone, if not the beginning of now living out your faith. You say you believe in Jesus, prove it! Don’t let your faith be wasted. And so this morning, I invite us to ask ourselves: Are there things in your life that Jesus is calling you to do or not do, but you are refusing to follow through? I’m inviting you once again to look at your life in the mirror and consider if you are really living what you believe? Are there places in your life where the choices you make do not reflect the faith you claim to have? I absolutely love in the movie, “To Save a Life,” this profound quote, “What is the point of all this if you're not going to let it change you?” So where in your life do you need to let Jesus take control that your faith can grow and you can continue to follow him better? If this is you, I simply invite you to repent and believe; to turn from your sin and focusing on yourself and put your trust back in Jesus as your Savior and King to lead your life. And by this faith, may your life become a testimony to what Jesus is doing in you. Because what you do with what you hear matters. And today, James challenges us to prove our faith! Sermon Script For: First Covenant Church, Red Wing, MN Sermon Script Date: May 7, 2017
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The following text was used for a day-long retreat at Oak Hills Christian College.
Opie Hughes was a man who lived out in Pennsylvania who has been color-blind his whole life, unable to see mostly reds and greens. For his birthday, Opie got a life changing present, special glasses that allow him to see color. (Watch Opie's life changing experience here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTpCTDwjHZQ). The things in his world had always existed right in front of Opie. But something wasn’t right, he just couldn't see things the way they were supposed to be. He couldn’t see the beauty and diverse colors in our world. Can you imagine not being able to fully experience a well-crafted painting, the beautiful autumn leaves, even the face of your spouse and kids. Everytime he looked around, he wasn’t seeing things as they truly were. There was still something off. But the second he put on those glasses, his perspective changed. And his life would never be the same again. Sometimes I wonder if those of us who have been in the church for a long time may find ourselves colorblind; having a hard time seeing where God is at work in our world and where he is call us to go out in faith. It’s easy to become comfortable when the church life is part of your weekly routine. Many of us try our best. We work hard, we do the right things, we read Scripture, we pray, we attend every event and service… so it may be difficult to rethink what God is asking of us. Do we have the eyes that see the real picture? Do we have the vision to partner with what God is already doing in us and in our world? We talk about this word shift… it means to move from one place to another; or to have a change in direction. I have found in my own faith journey that following Jesus tends to be a series of continual shifts in our life. It’s kind of like driving a car with a manual transmission. It’s an active process of being ready to intentionally changing gears over time. Likewise, we need to be ready and intentional to make these shifts happen in our faith journey. This morning we talked about shifting your story; a shift away from a story of flaws and failure. Too often we find ourselves being defined by these words way more than we should; and it destroys our souls. But we no longer need to dread or be eaten alive by words. Instead, we can find rest as we shift our story toward God’s hope and peace in our life. We can move forward in spite of those difficult situations. We also took a look at shifting your perspective. Many times we get stuck at seeing ourselves as incapable and expendable, serving because we should or have to do. Because of this we diminish the work God has laid before us, as well as our own abilities and purpose. But God calls us to shift our perspective; and see that he has made us capable and valuable. He has chose each of us to be a part of his work in our world. So we have to look at things differently. And now we find ourselves on the last leg of this journey with a call to shift your actions. Too often we have a tendency to jump right to this; saying “Just tell me what I need to do”. You can’t imagine how many times I hear that phrase from people; I know I have even said this before. The immediateness of our culture begs us to focus on the “how”, leaving the significant “why” question out of the picture. So we end up with meaningless work, going through the motions of attending and serving because it is what I should do. Or we eventually rebel and leave the faith. I see this issue with many families I work with; we so easily focus on just changing the actions and behavior. I even had a parent once come up to me saying, “I just want you to fix my kid so they would stop doing blah blah blah”. She continued, “You need to preach more to our youth about obeying their parents.” Now while I do agree she has a good point, the root of the problem is that we so quickly focus the actions without addressing the heart; without seeing a shift in their story and perspective. It isn’t until those things have happened that you’ll be able to understand who God really is and what he wants for your life… That’s when your actions truly shift. But I want us to recognize that there is a reason I saved this one for last. Its because I truly believe that our faithful actions are not something we do FOR, but as a response TO what God has done for us. When our story and perspective shift because of God’s grace and forgiveness in our life, our actions have greater purpose as we respond to that overwhelming gift. The things we do and the way we live, it’s doesn’t earn favor with God. You can’t be more forgiven or find greater salvation by doing good things... You’ve already been fully given that. Ephesians 2 tells that it is completely by grace alone. So what is the point then of shifting your actions? It’s all because you are responding to what happened for you. In Romans we hear some amazing words that speaks to this shift in our actions. Paul starts off by describing in the first 11 chapters the Gospel message and our salvation through Christ. It’s so beautiful and theologically deep. Paul is calling them here to shift their story to Christ! And it's no coincidence either that Paul starts with this first before addressing their actions. Paul knew full well that the why matters before the how. And so after setting the stage to shift their story, Paul says what I assume is some pretty familiar words: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2, NIV) Therefore, because of who Christ is and his sacrifice… because God has completely extended to you his mercy and grace… because of this major shift in your story and perspective, I am calling you now to live differently. Do your best to show the world who God is and what he has done by how you live. This is how you can truly worship him. I feel like there is this connection to James 2 where it says, “Faith without works is dead,” that the lack of works reveals an unchanged life or a spiritually dead heart. But I want to also consider for us in our context, as those who are leading or will one day be pastors and leaders in the church, that the opposite of that statement is also true. That our works without faith is dead. When we get so consumed in works, which can include doing some great things, we miss God in it. And I’ve heard stories from some many great former pastors who got tired of just doing things and so they quit. They had lost the faith in their works. And in some areas I can see that happening in my own story. If we are truly going to be effective for the sake of the cross, faith and actions have to go hand in hand. And so we are challenged to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Again, it’s a call to shift your perspective! When we do this we begin to see that our old ways of living simply don’t work anymore. You’re actions should be evidence of a renewed mind. So let me ask you this: Does your life show evidence of a renewed mind? Has your story and perspective shifted in such a way that when you do life here at school, in the dorms, when you serve in the community, and even when you go home; does your actions reveal a response to what God has done for you? What does it actually look like to be a Christ follower in our world? Is it what we have always been doing? Or does our story and perspective require a shift? I sometimes wonder what blind spots I might have. What ethnic, cultural, gender-related, economic, or even regional assumptions do I have that block me from understanding where the Spirit is moving in my life or in the world? Where am I being invited to shift, to change, to grow? Will I have the eyes to see God at work and get on board with it? I believe that the early church leaders were men and women who deeply loved Jesus and were often willing to give up their lifestyle; give up their plans; and even give up their lives in order to share this story about Jesus Christ with everyone they met. They are our role models, our heroes in the faith. I pray that we can be as willing, committed, and energetic today. So as we wrap up our time together, and bring to a close our final shift; there are two areas that I want to challenge you to start rethinking your actions. The first is to rethink how you serve together. Serving is something we, in this room, will do a lot and for a long time in our life. For many of you now it’s volunteering. At some point you may find yourself on staff at a church or non-profit; and at times it can feel like you really are a servant; someone’s butler. But we are being invited to see God at work around the globe and to see our connections to those in need, not just as a program we lead once a week or as a mission trip we go on next summer… but as an integral part to our discipleship. When you are at a place to serve someone, have you asked yourself why. Whose glory is it for? Are you wanting people to see you, celebrate you for your service, and build up a resume for something greater to come along your path? Or are you wanting people to see Jesus through you, celebrating how God intervened to meet a need, and to build up his kingdom on earth? Tomorrow, you will have the opportunity to go and make a difference at the Boys & Girls Club, the food shelf, and the soup kitchen. Three key places where you can meet the hungry, homeless, and lost. Before you go, I invite you to consider these three questions. For what purpose are you going today? What do you plan to accomplish? Why does this matter? These questions can help you rethink your actions. If any of your answers seem alarming, like maybe your purpose for going is because you have to; and I admit that is a thought I have had many times, even while I was a student here. And it is great that you can recognize that, but I hope it gives you the space to realize you may need a shift in your story and perspective before you go and serve. Having the wrong purpose, the wrong agenda, and the wrong value can significantly hurt the people around you and the reach of the ministry. So what purpose will you go tomorrow? What do you want to see happen? And why does that matter? The second area I want to challenge you in is to rethink how you play together. This is getting to the idea that, at this very moment, we in this room are doing life together. Our stories have been connected for our time here at Oak Hills. For a few years these people around you are truly your neighbors. Yet, these relationships have some long-term impact. Some of my best friends are people I met here, and they continue to be people who influence me to be a better pastor, husband, father, and follower of Jesus. Looking back on my college life, one of my biggest regrets was not investing in the relationships around me. Believe it or not, I am an introvert. After I’m done here, I’m gonna go and hibernate in my hotel room. But even introverts were designed to need relationships. And I know I missed out by not caring enough about the people here. So some questions to consider: What investments have you made into your relationships here? How have you contributed to making Oak Hills a better place to be? How have you cared for and built up others on campus? When was the last time you went out of your way to serve someone you don’t normally hang out with? When we start thinking about the people around us, caring about them and serving them, we have the potential to make Oak Hills a better place. But it starts with each of us shifting our actions and rethinking how we even play together; how we do life together. Every time we intentionally gather together, we have the opportunity to build great friendships. And that is something you will spend much of your time trying to do in the church. We know it matters to build relationships; many times we just need to actually go do it! So today we have set aside the rest of time to let that happen. For the rest of the afternoon we are going to hang out together, play games together, eat unhealthy food together, and give space to deepen friendships. And I encourage you during this time to ask these four questions. What investments are you making in your relationships as we hang out? How are you contributing to making Oak Hills a better place right now? How are you caring for and built up others on campus? When are you going to go out of your way to serve someone you don’t normally hang out with? That is your challenge for this afternoon. Shift your story, your perspective, and your actions... In that order! The following text was used for a day-long retreat at Oak Hills Christian College.
During the summer of 2007 I was working out in Wisconsin for a small lawn and landscaping company. Each day I would show up not knowing what the project was for the day. Some days were great as I would get to go from house to house on a riding mower and mow lawns all day long. I absolutely just love the smell of fresh cut grass. But sometimes I would show up early in the morning to find out I was stuck on landscaping duty. And I remember there was this one particularly hot and sticky day I was on that landscaping crew, and the 4 of us, crammed in the cab of a little truck, pulled up to this pretty nice looking house with a pretty bad looking yard. There were patches of dirt where some of the grass had died all over, making this yard look like it had chicken pox. And that’s when the boss handed us a flat shovel told us our job today was to uproot all of the remaining grass in the yard so we could lay down new sod. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever had to uproot grass by hand but I can tell you that it is pretty much what hell will be like. So as I stood there and looked at that big, ugly yard out in the scorching heat of the sun with no shade in our future; I said to myself, “are you kidding me?! We can’t do all this by hand! This is impossible” And as I dug my shovel into the ground, I began to rethink my life decisions. Think about this, have you ever been asked to do something and your response was, I can’t do this? Maybe you were invited to be a part of a task, project, or even go through a situation with someone that you believed was impossible? Time and again that was the story of God’s people throughout the Bible. One particular story is of a prophet named Isaiah, who lived around 700 years before Christ. Isaiah was a man called by God to lead Israel in the midst of a very tough time. You see Assyria had invaded the land, so they were experiencing so much uncertainty and corruption that directed so many problems for Israel. God comes to Isaiah and basically gives him a to-do list: share God’s word with all the people, call the nation to repent for their sins of idolatry and injustice, publicly challenge the kings of Israel in their leadership, and stand up for the people by constantly praying for them and loving them regardless of the outcome. Now that's a big job! Basically, Isaiah was being asked to risk his life by doing something drastic and counter-cultural; and obviously something that no one else would do. In order for Isaiah to be used by God to do what he was being called to do, Isaiah had to undergo a major shift in his own life. Like each of us will do at times... Isaiah would begin focusing on his own personal struggles, doubts, fears, and limitations that led him to question God’s call. He had to experience a shift in his mind of how God could actually use someone like him. We’re going to take a quick look at Isaiah’s story and see two shifts in his life might speak changes that God wants to make in us in order to be used for his purposes in our world. Isaiah 6 says this. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:1-5, NIV). As amazing as this vision was, it immediately led Isaiah to a place of recognizing the reality of his limitations, shortcomings, and inadequacies. Often in Scripture, when someone is given a glimpse of the glory of God, they are first reminded that “all have sinned and fall short” of that glory as we read in Romans 3. Isaiah realized that he was nowhere near acceptable to God. The words from our first session continued to echo throughout his mind. He was admitting that he was overwhelmed by how incapable he was to be in the presence of God, let alone be an example to God’s people. While we can learn great things of Isaiah’s humble posture, God did not want Isaiah to stay in that place for long. God wanted him to make the shift from focusing on his weakness and sin to being available for God’s work. And that was only going to happen with God’s forgiveness. And this was Isaiah’s experience... Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:6-7, NIV). This message that the angel gave Isaiah changed his perspective. He shifted his view from his own inabilities to seeing that God had made him acceptable. By seeing himself as forgiven by God, Isaiah was now more than capable of doing what God had called him to. His limitations, shortcomings, and inadequacies would not hold him back. And we too find ourselves in the same boat; forgiven and made capable. But this is difficult to remember since we are living in a world that intentionally focuses on our flaws and failures, and most of the time there is a camera there to film and share it with the world. And while this context may never go away, we can shift our perspective. The power of perspective has the potential to change our outcome. I’m gonna say that again. The power of perspective has the potential to change our outcome. That day we had to uproot the grass by hand, I was working alongside a guy named Steve. He was a shorter than I was, a little skinnier, and definitely did not have as much muscle as me. Yet his response to our job was very different than mine. We both heard the same words from our boss. And you saw my response… Are you kidding me? We can’t do this! But Steve clapped his hands together and said, “Alright, let’s get started!” And because of this, he was more capable than I was all because of his perspective. And he finished that day excited about all that we accomplish, while I went home ready to quit. So I ask you this, what limitations, shortcomings, and inadequacies keep you from pursuing Christ and his priorities? What flaws or failures are holding you back? POINT 1: GOD IS CALLING US TO SHIFT OUR PERSPECTIVE FROM INCAPABLE TO CAPABLE God makes us capable. Time and again I hear stories of people who chose to see themselves as capable, and now God is doing an amazing work in and through each of them. It’s time to stop seeing ourselves as incapable and shift our perspective to realizing that it is God who makes us capable. I’ll be honest with you this morning, this is my word. This is the word that is eating me alive. I can’t tell you how many times these past few weeks I have felt incapable. Felt like I had no idea what I was doing, I am probably not the right guy for the job, and I should probably just give up. And this is why it was a good thing I got married, because my wife has been my cheerleader reminding me that God is continually making me capable. I am in the midst of shifting my perspective right now. And it isn’t easy, but I am beginning to see the places where I have grown and how God truly has made me capable in my inadequacies. But perhaps this morning you see yourself as incapable for a deeper reason. Perhaps you resonate with Isaiah and feel stuck. You're asking questions like, “why would God even want to use someone like me, especially after all the things I’ve said and done in my past.” It’s making you question why God even brought you to Oak Hills; called you to be one of the next leaders in his Church? I can’t do that! Remember, I’ve been there. If this is you, maybe the first shift you need is in your relationship with God this morning. And so I invite you to start there. Isaiah’s story shows us a guy who already knew God, but still needed to find forgiveness. So if you need that this morning, call out to him because God’s grace is bigger than any mistake you can make. Let him forgive you so that you may begin to see yourself as capable. (Pause) But there is more to this. Because after Isaiah experienced forgiveness and finding himself capable, he heard a voice that challenged this notion that he was not needed by God. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” I relied, Here am I, Send Me!" (Isaiah 6:8, NIV). Many times we get stuck thinking, “God doesn’t actually need me… the Creator of the universe could reveal his glory a lot better than I could… there are many other people who could do that and accomplish more than me.” These phrases are all too common among the church of today. As a leader in the church, whose job is to equip the saints for ministry, it can be disheartening to hear so much apathy toward serving. We should be careful not to allow these thoughts to shape the way we live out our mission for God. They become obstacles rather than motivating us to serve him. Isaiah had to fight this same attitude. The Scriptures tell us that God has indeed chosen us for his mission and his glory. God doesn’t ask people to do things just to make them feel good about themselves or to occupy their time. The Bible says that God has created us for a purpose: Genesis 12 - God asks his people to be a blessing to all nations Exodus 19 - God asks his people to be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” for the world Isaiah 52 - God asks his people to declare peace and the good news that he reigns Matthew 5 - Jesus tells his people that we are the light of the world Matthew 28 - Jesus tells his people to “go and make disciples of all nations” John 20 - Jesus tells his people, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” Ephesians 2 - God tells his people that we are his “handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works” These are just a few... And such verses reveal that God has entrusted us to proclaim Christ and pursue his priorities in our world. Could God have created a world where he didn’t operate through humans? Yes, but Scripture tell us that he didn’t. He designed a world where we are invited to bring his kingdom now by the power of the Spirit. If we are going to shift the way we see God using us, we need to stop seeing ourselves as insignificant to God’s kingdom. POINT 2: GOD CALLS US TO SHIFT OUR PERSPECTIVE FROM EXPENDABLE TO VALUABLE We need to shift our thoughts from “I’m not really that important for God’s mission” to, “God has gifted and invited me to be a part of his redemptive work in the world.” We need to shift our view that we are “expendable” to extremely “valuable”... And we are valuable to the One who called us “the very people I have created” (Isaiah 57:16). Consider this: How often do you find yourself saying “I’m not needed” or “someone else will do that”? I’ll even be bold enough to ask, what excuses do you continually give when God opens a door for you to serve? And even if you are serving somewhere, do you see your involvement as an expense of your time and energy; serving because you feel obligated or think it’s just what you’re supposed to do? Have you considered why God has called you at that time and place? Perhaps even to be the starting point for making these shifts in your life? We need to find ways that we can remind ourselves that we have worth. We cannot forget that each of us is a vital asset to that ministry God has called us to and remember that God considers us valuable. I look back at all my years of volunteering, serving in the most random spaces... And honestly feeling forced to do outreach during my years at Oak Hills. Yet today I look back and see how vital those moments were for me. The experience of God equipping me for what lies ahead. Difficult conversations on someone questioning God’s existence to kids walking up to me after cutting their wrists saying, “Mikey help”! One of my biggest regrets was not seeing the value of God’s calling in the here and now. How much more could I have been equipped if I had shifted my perspective back then. As we reflect on our stories from earlier, we find that it is God who makes us capable and valuable. We need to look at our story and abilities differently if we are to fulfill the calling God has given us. So where do you find yourself this morning? Do you see yourself capable to do the work God has called you to? Or are you stuck on your insecurities and failures? I invite you to use this space shift your relationship with God. Find forgiveness and peace for the things that are holding you back. Let him make you capable for the work that lies ahead. Or are you wrestling with finding value in your work; questioning why God would use you or thinking you are not needed? Consider what God is calling you to long term; what is the path your heart is being drawn toward? And why now? How is right now preparing you for then? Use this space to see the value of what God is doing in your life in the present. May we ask God to continue to remove the obstacles of thinking that we are incapable and expendable. May we continue to be built up and to build up those around us as we pursue and proclaim God’s truth: that by his mercy, he has made us acceptable and valuable. And may we daily allow God to be the one who shifts our sense of how he can use each of us. ** Some of the content for this message was taken from the Shift Curriculum, provided by the Evangelical Covenant Church. http://shiftcurriculum.org/ The following text was used for a day-long retreat at Oak Hills Christian College.
Growing up my parents had both loved the Lord and were committed to raising their kids to know God as well. And so I grew up in the church world my whole life. It was practically a second home for me at one point. Up until 2nd grade I couldn’t really complain about life. Other than this annoying girl named Brianna who always sat next to me in class and would pinch my arm with her claw-like nails, I had some pretty close friends and family who I saw often. But in 2nd grade my family moved to a new town. A new town meant a new school. And for some reason at my new school, all the new kids were geeks and losers. No one wanted to be around the new kid. Seriously, that cartoon Recess was all about my school. At that time I did not realize that I would spend the next several years of my life trying to fit in. I mean I think I worked harder at making friends than I did at school work. I would go from group to group trying to make them my friends. I was slowly beginning to realize that I was un-wanted. Many of my peers did not want or care to have me around their group. I tried so hard to prove myself worthy of their friend… and it seemed like I was just not good enough for them. There were two groups however... one group pretty much let me hang out with them so they had someone to make fun of, and then there was this other group that became a bad influence and got me in some serious trouble a few times. So I had a dilemma, do I continue to destroy my self-esteem by being bullied, or do I hang with people who were making me into the bully? Eventually I got to a place where I was giving up. I stopped trying to fit in because I realized that I didn’t. After eating lunch by myself each day, I would go sit at my locker and wait for class to begin again. You see on tv shows the kids who are ignored at their locker… that was me. And it would be a very lonely season in my life. Fast forward a few years and now in high school, my dad began to share those words that you never want to hear from someone close to you. He had just found out that he had a pretty big cysts on his kidney. And so that sinking feeling set it. Those words scared me to the depths of soul. I had already lost extended family and other people I knew to cancer. And so the fear began to ring through my mind. What would this do to our family? What if my dad dies? Money was already tight… we be able to pay for the bills? Would I need to drop out of school to get a job? What if we couldn’t afford to keep our house? What if...? Reminiscing a few months ago with my dad about this event in our family’s past, he made the profound comment that "Sometimes all that we have left is faith." So our family would remain heavily involved in the church and I too was finding myself getting more involved. And in many ways things in my life would begin to shift in a new direction. I was finally beginning to find a place to fit in, and so I started volunteering. But our church quickly became apathetic... we had become one of those churches where 20% of the people did 80% of the work… and I was part of that 20%. That made me quite angry. I was almost ready to walk up on stage during the pastor’s sermon one Sunday and scold our congregation. What started this all was because I signed up to take pictures at our church’s VBS. But found myself forced on stage leading large group, coordinating games that were going on outside, and leading a small group of kids because no one else wanted to do it. I was furious with the apathy of the adults in our church. And that anger would grow as I was beginning to realize the more I became involved, the more expectations were being put on me by my church and even my own parents. As great as some of these experiences were, I was beginning to feel used. I had such a hard time saying no and walking away from some of these things because it was argued that if I didn’t do it, it wouldn’t happen. So there I was, my senior year in high school, and I was bitter about life, frustrated with my current situation, and desperately wanting a fresh start! And so I found myself hours away from home and at this very campus. My name quickly etched on the door of my dorm room. Here I had found a place where no one knew my name; the exact opposite of cheers is what I desire! No one had any expectations of me, they did not know the baggage I was carrying from my past. I was free to be the real me! But the difficult thing about college is that while you get a fresh start, in many ways you have to basically start over. You basically have to go back and re-answer questions like who am I, where do I fit in, and why do I matter? One key moment I recall was sitting in the back of this classroom where the class discussion brought me to a place of questioning my own salvation. I mean I literally walked out of class not knowing if I was even saved and what was the whole point of this faith thing? Do I really believe this? What would this mean for the rest of my schooling; my career path I was on? How do I even begin these conversations with people? I was lost in where I was supposed to go in my life. While trusting God builds stronger faith, I truly believe that wrestling with your doubt also builds stronger faith. Getting through that season was one of the most impactful times in my faith journey. I eventually graduated from Oak Hills and have been involved in youth ministry for the last several years. And over the few years in ministry, I have had times where I felt stuck. I had great opportunities in front of me, and lots of affirmation and exciting events that took place. But as a leader I felt stuck because goals weren’t being met, people weren’t getting on board, and making vision happen is so hard. Then of course then you have those critical people are always the loudest voice in the congregation… constantly complaining about what they don’t like and how you’re killing the church. It’s hard to not take things personally because of how much time, energy, and sacrifice you gave; so I would get depressed, once again feeling like I am not good enough. Getting stuck has caused two things. First, it caused me to feel like I was incapable to fulfill the needs of where God had placed me; continually questioning if it is time for me to move on. Maybe I really don’t know what I’m doing. Getting stuck also caused me to work harder, dedicate more time than I should, and say yes to too many things. And I found myself continually saying the words, “I’m tired.” Experiencing this in my own young journey, it doesn’t surprise now me when I hear statistics like 90% of pastors work 55-75 hours a week, 70% have lower self-esteem than when they first started, and 50% are discouraged enough to possibly quit. So here I am before you today. This is my story: I am unwanted, not good enough, finding myself giving up beacuse I’m feeling lonely, scared, angry, used, bitter, and frustrated; I am needing a fresh start because I became lost and stuck; I was depressed and incapable, leading me to say those dreadful words, “I’m tired”. Now it’s quite obvious I left out the many good things in my life. Left out in my story was the people or events that gave me encouragement, strength, affirmation, and even hope. Stories of where God was at work and I was seeing fruit produced right before my eyes. But for some reason the dark and hurtful stuff in our life always seems to carry more weight. For some reason the bad things in our life color blind us from the good. We often find ourselves remembering and sharing our story as one of struggle and pain; we carry this depressing baggage around with us; we let it define and in some ways even change us. I believe all of us, no matter what season of life you find yourself in, we all can relate to some of these words. And so for now, in this moment, let’s sit with it. I ask you, as you look at this list, what words stick out to you in your story this morning? What words grab maybe your attention and makes you say, I feel like that describes me well. I invite you to grab a word or two in your mind and I want you to hold it there for a second. Maybe today you feel like this word you have is eating you alive and you don’t know what to do about it. I mean, I’m not kidding when I say I had a 3 hour conversation with my wife the other day because one of these words was beating me down; and I had a difficult time seeing myself bigger and better than that word. Maybe you can relate this morning? Or maybe this word of yours is one that has been a recurring experience throughout your life, and you dread just thinking about when it will happen next. If you're like me, just thinking about this word causes tension in your soul, get’s ya anxious, and you just feel icky and dark. And it is in this very moment, this very posture we find ourselves in, that Jesus says these amazing words... Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV) I’ve heard this passage many times in my life, but you don’t really understand its power till that word in your mind has you on your knees, till you’re at that place where you feel like you can’t do this anymore. It is in the midst of my flaws and failures Jesus invites me to come. And not just to come, but come with the expectation to find rest. Rest from whatever word is eating you alive or you dread to see return. Rest from your anxious and tense soul. This is the message of hope that our Lord and Savior brings. And it all begins with going before Jesus. Some of the most powerful moments in my faith journey were when I fell on my knees crying out to God for help. And I’ve learned that when my story is becoming about my flaws and failures, I need to run to that posture. Because every time after that… When I stand up, my story changed. I believe this passage is calling us to make our first shift. It's a shift away from our story of flaws and failure to God’s story of hope and peace. We no longer need to be bound by words like unwanted, not good enough, giving up, lonely, scared, angry, used, bitter, frustrated; Jesus can be your fresh start; becoming found and un-stuck; we can get joy and find ability to move forward, but most of all we can find rest. So this morning we’re going to give you space to reflect on your story. There are five stations spread out around the FC. And each station has it’s own unique activity and thoughts to dwell on. So follow the instructions provided at each station. And take your time! So if you find a station that you connect well with… go ahead and spend most of your time there. It’s okay if you don’t get to all the stations. And after you all leave this room, we’re going to setup to take communion here. So after a little while, when you are ready, I invite you to come to the Lord’s table. Because my hope for you during this time is that you can find rest from whatever words are defining you this season of life, and that your story can begin to shift toward God’s hope and peace. And what better way to do that then at the table of our Lord? May of 2005 was a big deal for me. For the past several months, I had been getting ready for the big day when I would walk across the stage, shake my principal’s hand, and graduate from high school. We all remember that moment...and when “senioritis” kicked in, it couldn’t come fast enough! This moment was a big deal, because it would be one of the biggest transitions you would ever experience.
That is...until a few years later, when you make another transition from college into your first job in your field. Then there is the transition from being single to married. And don’t forget the transition to parenthood with birth of your first child. Or the transition that comes from relocating your family for a new job, becoming “empty nesters”, or receiving a phone call letting you know that you are now grandparents. Our life is full of transitions. For some, they can be exciting - like an Indiana Jones adventure, where you’re just waiting to see what is around the corner. Whether you are about go off to college or begin a new job, that eagerness keeps us energized and ready for a fresh start. For others, transitions can be very hard. Saying goodbye to loved ones or walking away from difficult situations can leave a stain on our past and a personal vow to never return. Whether your transition is on good or bad terms, one feeling that we all experience is worry. The fear of the unknown that leaves us wondering what to expect next. I’m sure Joshua and all of Israel felt the same way just before crossing that Jordan River. In that moment, God told Joshua, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9). Things were about to change, and they did not know what would happen next. They were encouraged to have faith and hope in the Lord, and to move forward with confidence, knowing that God was with them. This time of year we cannot help but notice transitions. If you find yourself facing a transition this season, or if someone close to you is in transition, may you remember to be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go! A friend posted this question the other day, and it has stuck with me throughout Easter weekend. The question about why wasn’t directed toward Jesus’ actions on the cross. It’s very clear that Jesus was the Messiah who had come to be the sacrifice that would save the world from their sins. But reading this story 2000 years later, there are a lot of why questions that we don’t normally ask. So here are two big why questions that I have been dwelling on these last few days:
The first question is, why did the disciples disappear from most of the crucifixion story? After Judas betrays Jesus in the garden, the disciples deserted him and fled (Matt 26:56). Now after all that time seeing what Jesus was capable of doing by his power and authority, you would think they would feel safer sticking with Jesus than fleeing. I mean, he had just healed the ear that Peter had cut off before the disciples ran. After this, we hear a little bit about Peter and his denying Jesus story. Following that is the story of Judas hanging himself for betraying Jesus. And finally a few names mentioned at the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus. So where was everyone? Had they given up? Did they begin to think that maybe they were wrong about Jesus? Maybe he wasn’t who he said he was? Were they so worried about their own life that going into hiding was the best option? The other question I have been dwelling on is this, why did the disciples come back? Why was there this sudden change in the disciples that brought them out of hiding and stepping into the faces of so many that they recently feared to share about Jesus? This is a dramatic change for the disciples compared to the first question. And as you move into the book of Acts, they would go on to do some amazing things, which many would die for. Something significant had to have happened that Easter morning; something that would impact not just one or two of the disciples, but the many who followed Jesus at that time. The greatest miracle and truth Jesus had done can be summed up in these eleven words: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matt 28:6). If you find yourself wrestling with doubt this season, dwell on these two questions. Dig into scripture and see what you find. This isn’t just some story; something significant happened that morning that people would die for throughout the next 2000 years! Why?! Other suggested reading: As I reflect on Nouwen’s words about the father, I wasn’t able to completely relate to the story as I did for the two sons. However, I was drawn to a few statements that Nouwen makes. In the conclusion he writes, “Though I am both the younger son and the elder son, I am not to remain them, but to become the father” (pg 121). An experience that I will make the assumption we all have; that we can fully relate to the sons in the prodigal story. And through Nouwen, we discovered that both the sons were lost in some way. And while we can fully relate to them, we are not to stay there, but to become more like the father. We have been accepted as we are, but he loves us to much to leave us that way. Our spiritual journey is a life of pursuit to become like our heavenly father. But then Nouwen notes, “Recently, on looking into a mirror, I was struck by how much I look like my dad” (pg 123). I constantly find myself in this state. One great example is that I constantly remember the image of my dad who had horrible lower back pain. And I can picture him: sitting in his rocking chair, his legs crossed like a pretzel, his right hand on his back, his left hand propping his forehead up, and a painful look on his face. And he would sit in this position for an entire evening in pain. Not too long ago, I found myself in that exact same position dealing with the exact same pain. The next words to vocally come out of my mouth were, “Crap, I am exactly like me dad!” As humorous as that statement was meant to be, it’s true. I am noticing more and more I am very much like my father, and I am actually proud of it. Sadly that’s something everyone cannot say. I am proud because my dad is, and always has been, a great role model to me for being a husband, father, employee, and follower of Christ. In continuation of Nouwen’s quote stated earlier he writes, “No father or mother ever became father or mother without having been son or daughter, but every son and daughter has to consciously choose to step beyond their childhood and become father and mother for others” (pg 121). This is a great observation. At some point we consciously choose to take on a new role in our life, and the same goes for our spiritual journey. It makes me wonder if the younger son’s conscious choice was an act derived from an attempt to become the father? When he had “come to his senses” (Luke 15:17), the story shows us that he immediately is thinking of his father. But I wonder, as he is thinking of what he will do in verses 17 through 20, did he ask himself, “what would my father do?” Surely my father would have told me to make amends; apologize for my behavior; right my wrongs. But how did I know what it means to be a father? It was by watching my father in my childhood. I remember when I was a sophomore in college, I knew I was ready to be a father. I wasn’t married yet and actually had only met my wife for the first time then. But a part of me was consciously drawn to the idea of having the responsibility and lifestyle of a father. Fast forward five years, I am years out of college and two years into being married; and my daughter was born. The first moment of holding my child, and I was now a father. I was no longer just a son or husband, but my status had changed to father. All that I had learned from watching my father would not be lived out as I become the one embracing my child. In relation to my spiritual journey, I have always been a part of a community that sees the presence of God. So from a very young age, I’ve been told to pursue being the father. There have been moments in my life where I had to make conscious choice to return to our heavenly father, but subconsciously it’s what I have always known to be doing; to pursue becoming more like the father. *Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son (New York, NY: Doubleday, 1992). In reading and reflecting on the parable of the prodigal son, it is almost overwhelming how the story from each perspective is evident in our life beyond the greater divine story Jesus it trying to convey. Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of a younger son’s story; that we find ourselves exiting a life that we soon seek to find refuge from. This time, I look back and see the moment when my story intersected with the life of the elder son. The story of the elder son takes place after the younger son’s story. The younger brother has returned from a life of wasting away his inherited wealth after disowning his family; only to return back to his family when he was extremely poor and hungry. The surprise to the son was his father’s response; he celebrated his return, he threw a party, and feasted on the fattest calf. Instead of, “I told you so,” the father says, “my son, welcome home!” But this response didn’t just surprise the younger son; the older son was also confused. The elder son even questions his father’s actions by saying, “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!" (Luke 15:29). My elder son story almost feels too real since I am also the eldest son in my family; and I have a younger brother. There are a good number of years in age difference between my brother and I. So when I was off in my college years, living life responsibly – working different jobs to pay the bills for the car, rent, phone, and food; my brother was back home, still in high school and, from my perspective, mooching off our parents. And my perspective was based on my life back in high school. If I wanted a car, then I went out and got a job to pay for it, and the gas! If I wanted a cell phone, I made sure I had enough money at the end of the month to help pay for it. A good son will work for what he wants. Sure my parents helped and extended me grace at times, but I sure worked a lot. My brother, however, didn’t really have a job. He’d go and help the grandparents every now and then, but for the most part, it felt like life was handed to him. Oh well, at least my life is feeling more accomplished. But I recall in the midst of this time in my life, the moment when I stood there as the elder brother reflected in Rembrandt’s “Return of the Prodigal Son” painting. Home visiting for the holidays, I noticed that the internet connection for my parents was horrible. It was quite obvious, too, since my parents were also complaining about how slow it was, and my parents had not idea how to fix it, let alone even restarting the hardware. Being somewhat tech savvy, I dove in and tried to fix the situation like a good son does. Something else to know about my younger brother is that while I am somewhat tech savvy, he is extremely tech savvy; which is why he works with it as a career now. So in figuring out the internet problem, I came to find out my brother had setup the internet to pump most of the internet access to his room, only leaving the bare minimum access for the rest of the house. Infuriated with my brother’s selfishness and disregard for the fact that my parents spend good money to which my brother took advantage of them since they knew nothing about it; I told my dad what happened. Read to, like a good brother would, watch my younger brother get into big trouble; my dad showed him grace! I stood there and watched as my dad had a simple conversation with him; and after a quick confession, the situation was over and they moved on. This looked nothing like a punishment I would have, and he should have, received for taking advantage of others for personal gain! He didn’t work at all for that internet, nor did he even ask! And my father’s response would not, in my opinion, teach him a lesson. My disproval to my father’s response didn’t come in in a conversation afterwards like in the parable, but in my actions. Immediately I reset the router and instituted my own decisions on who gets how much internet, then password protected it myself. I questioned my dad’s ability to parent… if he wouldn’t punish my brother, then I would! And this began almost two years of treating my brother as if he was my own kid. Condemning and punishing him as I could for the actions and bad choices he made. In Henri Nouen’s book, “The Return of the Prodigal Son,” he comments that “the parable that Rembrandt painted might well be called ‘The Parable of the Lost Sons.’ Not only did the younger son… get lost, but the one who stayed home also became a lost man… He did his duty, worked hard every day, and fulfilled all his obligations but became increasingly unhappy and unfree" (69). It took me almost two years to realize the enslavement of my heart and destroyed relationship with my brother. All this time I thought what my brother needed was someone to set him straight, but my father knew he needed someone to show him love and grace, and he knew that even when this whole story began. Who am I to question my father’s ability to be a father? He knew more about it than I did and he knew his children more than I did. And because of my ignorance, I am still working on amending the relationship with my brother. As the elder son, instead of questioning my father, I should have watched, learned, and embraced by brother. This was a lesson I wished I would have learned much sooner. *Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son (New York, NY: Doubleday, 1992). |