Three Words for Troubled Times

February 16, 2003

The Rev. Dr. Anthony J. Godlefski, Pastor

Montgomery United Methodist Church

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, good morning! I have to tell you that from time to time it happens to us preachers that we have a message prepared and a Scripture all picked out. And then comes the end of the week, and something inside of us says, “No, no. For this week there’s something else you need to say.” This has been such a week. And so, my dear friends, with your indulgence I’ve changed the original title of this week’s sermon, and it is now “Three Words for Troubled Times.”

If I don’t talk with you about this today, I think I’ll be ignoring something that’s on everybody’s mind. Our minds have been so filled with what’s in the news and the issue of world peace. I’d like to share some insights from Scripture on that with you today.

First of all, a reading from the Gospel of St. John, the tenth chapter, starting at verse seven.

So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth. I am the gate for the sheep. All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever comes in by me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I am come in order that you may have life, life in all its fullness.”

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Jesus said, “I am come that you might have life, and have life in abundance, in fullness.” Dear friends, I want to talk with you about those words today. The first thing Jesus said is “I am come.” It’s a done deal. There’s nothing that you and I need to do about that. There’s nothing that you and I need to change except to accept Him. “I am come.” It is done.

“Why am I come? So that you might have life.” Not just good life, but wonderful life, life in abundance. That’s what Jesus wants to say. I think that’s what Jesus wants us to know in these difficult and troubled times.

I’ve never been quite so struck by the words that come just before it as I have been lately. “The thief” – the thoughts of fear, the thoughts of terror – “comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy.” To steal our life, to steal our joy, to kill the wonderful, abundant life. “But I am come,” says Jesus, “that you might have life.” That’s what we should be thinking about as Christians as we face difficult times together.

We serve a Lord who is come to bring us life and to lift us up out of terror and to lift us up out of fear. That’s why He came. And so, dear friends, as you watch the news, and as you think about things this week, I’d like to invite you to take hold of three words. Take hold of them, brave Christian, and make them your own. And the three words are these: R.P.L. – Relax, pray, and live! – because that’s what Jesus wants you to do. Let’s take those words one by one.

Relax. Relax intelligently. I think that’s what we’re called to do in these troubled times. Reason 1: You can do something about the bombardment. “What do you mean, Pastor? I didn’t know we were being bombarded.” Yes, I believe we are, dear friends. I believe America is being bombarded. And let me say a blanket apology to any of you who are involved in this particular industry. But I believe that America is somewhat bombarded by the media.

I was told earlier this week that, on the news, all the major news networks had the same story, that everybody should go out and buy duct tape and plastic. Did you hear about that? All the major news media were reporting this.

So after a meeting at church, I went home and turned on the 10 o’clock news to see why we were being told to buy duct tape and plastic. There wasn’t anything about it, until about a half hour or forty minutes into the show. I waited, past the Hollywood gossip lady. She was on first! And yet, all these people were concerned about duct tape and plastic. They finally got to the story, and they interviewed a lady at Home Depot who was buying duct tape and plastic. The story ran two minutes! And then it was on to the sports and weather. Friends, I would contend that we have to take the media with a grain of salt, because we are bombarded.

There are some things I don’t understand about the media. Maybe you can help me out. I don’t understand the music that they play under the voice when there’s going to be a snowfall. Do you understand that? It’s like Gustav Holst’s “Planets”.

Snowfall of the century. Stock up now.
Dun-du-du-dun, du-du-du-dun dun dun.
Go to the supermarket. Buy milk. Buy bread. Buy cheese. Buy water.
Dun-du-du-dun, du-du-du-dun dun dun.

What do they mean? Every storm is the storm of the century on some network. Listen for the music next time. Why not just tell the truth? The truth is, maybe it’s gonna snow and maybe it’s not. Or, if you’ve got really good forecasting equipment, “Probably it’s going to snow, but you never know. That’s the weather report for today.” That’s all they have to say. But no, it has to be a big thing.

Friends, relax intelligently when it comes to what the news wants to bombard you with. You have a Savior, and you have a God you can trust in.

And you can know a second thing about relaxing. Friends, we’ve been here before. Now, most of you are probably not old enough to remember the Cuban missile crisis. But for those of us who remember, that was a big deal. It really was. Cuba is not far off the coast of Florida. It was a terrifying situation. We are talking about nuclear bombs on the mainland. I understand that things came down at one point to two submarine commanders, one Russian, one American, who hesitated and hesitated and hesitated, because they knew in their hearts what destruction was going to ensue if they pushed the button. It was really close. We’ve been here before.

Some of you remember hiding under desks. Do you remember how we were supposed to hide under our school desks? Talk about duct tape and plastic!

Many of you remember Desert Storm in 1991. That was terrifying, too. But we’ve had some good years since then, right? We’ve been here before. We trust in God to see us through. So, relax intelligently and trust God. Let’s take the administration at face value. They say that they are people who are open to the leading of the Lord. Let’s pray to the Lord, and let’s have it that way. Let us be a people who trust God, and live accordingly.

Second point: Pray. Pray calmly. Pray confidently. And pray with a positive picture in your mind. Pray as our Savior taught us: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." That is, envision the world as God would have it be. Not terror and fear, but filled with mutual respect and cooperation. A world at cooperative peace. Can you envision when the world will be at peace? Can you envision when we will have a prosperous, cooperative economy that will be free-flowing and mutually beneficial? Can you envision it, the Kingdom come? Can you envision an economy where poor people are taken care of, too?

I have a great privilege from time to time of tucking Dylan in and having night prayers with him. We take turns saying the prayers. It’s so beautiful to hear a child’s prayers. Once he prayed, “Dear Lord, please bless the poor people, that they may not be so poor. And maybe, if the rich people weren’t too rich, and poor people weren’t too poor, everybody would have something.” Isn’t that beautiful?

Can you envision it? Can you envision a world at peace? Let that be your prayer. Envisioning prayer, and surrounding prayer – surround those troops with the light of Christ. Surround your loved ones with the protective light of Christ. Effective, powerful, important prayers – that’s the second thing we can do. Pray calmly, pray confidently.

And the third thing, my dear friends, is live. Go out and live. Live confidently. Live bravely. Because if we’re terrified, the terrorists have won, and nobody wants that. Live bravely – prudently, yet bravely. How do you do that? Well, maybe you spend less time watching network TV and more time reading a good book. Maybe a little less newspaper and a little more piano playing. Maybe a little less work and a little more love for your family, a little more expression of that love, a few more hugs and kisses. May your “worry” energy be channeled into brave living, whatever that is for you. I believe deeply that it’s God’s will for you and for me.

I have a Scripture for you. It’s 10-10. Oh no, not WINS 1010. It’s John 10:10. “I am come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” May it be so for you. May you walk and live with courage, because God loves you. I do, too. Have a blessed week. Amen.