That's a strange question for a preacher to ask, isn't it? Yet, it's a question that is asked by many, even those who profess to be Christians, especially during a time of trial and tribulation.
My sermon today is not an argument for the existence of God. My personal belief is that any God I have to defend is not god at all. My God is big enough to defend Himself. In fact, Scripture says that God has already given us enough of a revelation of Himself that God doesn't need defending. Turn with me to Romans 1:18-25 and let's read that together.
The Scripture writers never even entertain the question "Is God real?" The answer, a resounding YES!, is presumed from Genesis to Revelation. The Scriptures tell us that the fool - the person who bases his or her life on something other than reality - says in his heart "there is no god." When we look closely at the Hebrew, we find that that verse isn't entertaining any argument about the existence of God. It is saying that the man or woman who bases their life on any reality other than that God is vitally interested and involved in their lives, is basing their life on something other than reality. I have to admit that I am foolish sometimes. I live my life at times as if God isn't vitally interested or involved in my life. Isn't that what we all do when we sin? We place ourselves out of relationship with God, who is not only interested and involved in our lives, but who cares deeply for us. How do you feel when someone you care deeply about acts as if you aren't inter!
ested in them and involved in their lives? God cares for you and I more that anyone else we know cares for us and God hurts when we live our lives as if God isn't interested or involved in our personal affairs.
I'm talking as if God is sitting right here right now with great interest in us and wanting to be involved with us in even our mundane, non-spiritual, irreligious affairs. Those of us who are people of faith can accept that fairly easily. But, there are many, and maybe even some here, who cannot so easily accept that. God knows us pretty well and knows that we humans need a live demonstration sometimes. That's why God came to us in a particular time in history to demonstrate His care, His interest and His involvement in our lives in the flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ.
But, some would say, Jesus Christ isn't here with us right now, at least not in the flesh. Those of us who are people of faith would be opposed to such impertinence but might agree that Jesus Christ, the person, isn't sitting here in our midst right now in the same way as the person sitting next to us is. And we would be wrong.
Turn to John 16:7-9 and read with me. Jesus said that when he left us bodily, he would not leave us alone but would send us His spirit to live in us. We don't have Christ living among us in the flesh. But we do have His spirit living in us. Becaue God's spirit lives in us, we are called the Body of Christ and it is through the Body of Christ that God chooses to care for this world through flesh and blood, incarnational, involvement.
When we read that we are the Body of Christ in Scripture, we usually think of some incorporeal, invisible entity - some ideal - that we're part of. We don't grasp that, as the Church, we're the flesh and blood, visible, real embodiment in, through and with which God's Spirit moves to demonstrate God's love and care for this world. Because we fail to grasp that reality, according to I Corinthians 11:30, the Body of Christ is weak, unhealthy and even threatened with death.
I'm a cynical person. I reserve doubt when I'm told that my government really cares for me. I have grave doubts when a big corporation tells me that they care for me. How many of us believe the bank cares more about us than about profits? Or our HMO? We would view anyone who believes that such institutions really care as naieve, wouldn't we? Is it any wonder that there are those who doubt that this institution we call the church really cares about them? Is it any wonder that there are many who doubt that God is really interested and involved in their lives and cares deeply about them when the Body of Christ demonstrates such interest and involvement through institutional programs rather than the individual members becoming personally interested and involved in their lives.
I'm not advocating that we tear down the instutional church. I think we need the institutional church to encourage and enable its members to become interested and involved in the lives of their neighbors. But, I don't think that the 1 to 2 hours we spend here each Sunday is the holiest time of the week either. I once read about a little church that has a hand carved sign over the inside of its doors that says something like: The holiest time of our worship is the moment when the people of God, having been renewed and refreshed in their sharing together, go out into the world to be the Church.
Who here knows who Parmenas is/was? Anyone? Well, Parmenas is a man who appears in the Scriptures only once. Not only is he a one-hit-wonder, but when he does appear, he appears in a list, most of whom are also one-hit-wonders. In a lesson on studying everything we find in Scripture as if it is of utmost importance, I would like to focus on this seemingly unimportant individual. Turn to Acts. 6:5. That's all we ever hear of Parmenas in the whole of Scripture. Tradition says he died a martyr's death in Turkey, where he is still venerated. Other than that, we know very little about him. But, maybe we know more about him than would be evident on the surface. You see, Parmenas is a Greek name. It means Steadfast or Strong. It's derived from two words - para meaning beside and menides meaning abide. So Parmenas is someone who shows themself steadfast in abiding beside another. Now, we don't know whether Parmenas got his name because of his steadfastness in abiding in Christ, or because of his steadfastness in living alongside members of the community. But , I think both factors were involved in his being selected with those others to serve the church in a special way.
Our world doesn't need another institution that says "We care." Our world needs more Parmenas's who will be steadfast in abiding beside an individual or a family and demonstrating God's care for them with real flesh and blood ministry.
Matthew 5:16 tells us to let our lights shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify God. The Greek for good works means deeds which bring glory. When we let God's Holy Spirit work in, through and with us to demonstrate His care for those around us, the question "Is God Real?" won't be asked. Our God will be glorified as the God who is interested and involved in the lives of His children and who cares deeply for them.
Simon was changed to Peter and God was glorified.
Saul was changed to Paul and God was glorified.
Would you be changed to a Parmenas so that God is glorified?
Now I am going back to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, "Where are you going?" Your hearts are filled with sadness because I have told you these things. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. When I go away, I will send the Helper to you. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come. When the Helper comes, he will prove to the people of the world the truth about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment. ... I have many more things to say to you...But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth...The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me. John 16:5-14
Something from the Sprit can be seen in each person, for the common good. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom, and the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit gives faith to one person. And, to another, that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. The Spirit gives to another person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy. And he gives to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages and to another the ability to interpret those languages. One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person. A person's body is only one thing, but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. Some of us are Jews, and some are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some are free. But we were all baptized into one body through one Spirit. And we were all made to share in the one Spirit. The human body has many parts. The foot might say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. The ear might say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the ear from being a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell. If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them. So then there are many parts, but only one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the foot, "I don't need you!" No! Those parts of the body that seem to be the weaker are really necessary. And the parts of the body we think are less deserving are the parts to which we give the most honor. We give special respect to the parts we want to hide. The more respectable parts of our body need no special care. But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that need it so our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share its honor. Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body. I Cor. 12:7-27
I pray also that you will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us and that you will know how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his holy people. And you will know that God's power is the same as the great strength God used to raise Christ from the dead and put him at his right side in the heavenly world. God put everything under his power and made him the head over everything for the church, which is Christ's body. Eph 1:18-20, 22-23
Look into your own hearts before you eat the bread and drink the cup, because all who eat the bread and drink the cup without recognizing the body eat and drink judgment against themselves. That is why many in your group are sick and weak, and many have died. I Cor. 11:28-30
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your deeds which bring glory to God. Mt. 5:16
