Rev. Karl W. Kruse
Elim Evangelical Lutheran Church
Ogden, Utah
August 1, 2004
Luke 12:13-21 NRSV) Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” {14} But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” {15} And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” {16} Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. {17} And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ {18} Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. {19} And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ {20} But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ {21} So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
“... God said ... ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
A year ago at this time, I was preparing to head to Tanzania for a short-term mission trip. A few weeks before that I was back in Minnesota on a family vacation when my dad told me and my brother that he had prostate cancer, and was setting all of his affairs in order. He started giving away some of his possessions to his children and his grand children; and he explained to us the arrangements he had made for his burial and grave marker.
When I was half-way around the world in Tanzania, my dad was in the hospital undergoing treatment for his prostate cancer. My dad was surrounded by a whole lot of prayer, and now, a year later, it looks as though his treatment has been completely successful. I praise God, not only for the physical healing that my dad has experienced, but also for the renewed insight that he received, that absolutely nothing belongs to him, and that everything belongs to God.
My dad is an extremely hard worker, and takes great pride in what he does. However, nothing belongs to him. Everything belongs to God! Everything, including his very life, belongs to the one, to whom he will ultimately return.
Today, I want to ask you two questions. First, are you ready today for God to say to you, “This very night your life is being demanded of you.”? I’m really not all that worried about your house, or your furniture, or your pension plan - since none of that belongs to you anyway. What I am concerned about is your personal relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ.
I’m not asking you if you know about Jesus. Most of you have been coming here for years and have heard lots about Jesus. You can probably recite to me the Christmas story and the Easter story, and some of the miracle stories. But do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? Can you tell me stories about how you have come to know and experience Jesus personally - in ways that are deeper than your relationship with your own mom or dad, your own husband or wife, your own children or grandchildren? I want to hear your stories about how your relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ, has become the richest treasure in your life.
You see, that’s what Jesus said really matters. Here at Elim, we can have the prettiest church in all of Ogden, with lots of dedicated people giving their blood, sweat and tears to maintain it; but if the actual people of this congregation - the children, the youth, the adults - if the actual people are not rich toward God, what difference does it make? “This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”
The first question is, are you ready to hear those words yourself? Are you ready to hear, “This very night your life is being demanded of you.”?
The second question is, what about those who live right around us in this neighborhood? Does God love those who actually live here as much as He loves you who drive here? Absolutely! Does God want the people who live here to know him personally, in the same way and the same amount as He wants you to know Him personally? Absolutely! Will the people of this neighborhood come to Elim to grow in their relationship with God because we have a beautiful building on the corner of 23rd and Jefferson? Absolutely Not!
Recent studies have shown that 70% or better of people who come to a church for the first time, come because they were directly asked and invited to come with someone. Having a big beautiful building on the corner of 23rd & Jefferson won’t bring people to church, nor will it establish a life-giving, personal relationship God.
The idea of “Evangelism” scares the heck out of a lot people. And yet, it’s been said, that evangelism is simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. Since, according to Jesus, nothing belongs to us - we have no treasures we can call our own - we are all beggars in need of that living bread from heaven, Jesus Christ. In John 6:27 Jesus says: “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”
Are you a beggar who has already experienced that living bread from heaven, Jesus Christ? Have you experienced Jesus filling your life? If you have, then not only is it your responsibility, it is also your joyous opportunity to simply tell another beggar where they can find bread.
That’s why Elim is involved with Convoy of Hope. You have said that you want this church connecting the Good News of God in Jesus Christ with this neighborhood. Well, your voice has been heard, and now we’re giving you an opportunity to respond through Convoy of Hope. Now is your chance for one beggar simply to tell another beggar where to find bread.
On Saturday, August 14th, 35,000 pounds of food will be given away. But Elim’s involvement - your involvement - with Convoy of Hope is not simply about the food that will be taken home and eaten, because that food will all run out. Your involvement with Convoy of Hope is simply to share the love of God in Jesus Christ that comes to you, and to me, and to everyone in this neighborhood with no strings attached.
It’s not about you. It’s not about me. It’s not about Elim. It is all about Jesus. Believe it or not, that’s why this church exists - to serve as a vessel for people to come into a living relationship with Jesus Christ. God has placed us here, for such a time as this, to invite our neighbors into a personal and living relationship with Jesus Christ.
There are lots of different ways to volunteer with Convoy of Hope - some are behind the scenes, while others are right out there face to face with the people. In whatever way God has gifted you, there is an important way to be involved.
Is your relationship with God such, that you are ready to hear the words, “This very night your life is being demanded of you.”? And, since God desires no one to be lost, and since God’s love for you is the same as it for those who live in this neighborhood, how will you reach out with the love of Jesus to those around us who will hear the exact same words as you; “This very night your life is being demanded of you.”?
Paul says in Romans 10:13ff - For “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
So, the second question comes down to this; “How will you choose to be involved? How will you choose to be one who brings good news? How will you choose to respond to Jesus by demonstrating his love, so that someone else can come to believe in Him and be saved? How will you be that beggar who simply tells another beggar where to find bread?”
God has provided you all the treasures of your faith, and all the treasures of your life for such a time as this. How will you answer the call?
Amen
