Moving on with our lives

Sunday was the last sermon on our new mission statement. We discussed living as a disciple. As I am writing this on Ash Wednesday it seems only right to look at the things that I preached on and also ways that we can use Lent as a means to live our lives more faithfully. I believe that living faithfully is not just for myself but also for my community of faith. Just as I believe that Lent is more than just a call for repentance for us as an individual sinner but also us as a community to repent of social sins.
Sunday I began talking about what it means to be a disciple. The word itself means being a student or someone who chooses to follow a certain creed, instruction or person. The key was that the disciple chooses. Being a disciple implies choice and also requires discipline which has the same root. To be disciplined means to adhere to certain behavior or order in one's life. If we are to be disciples that would also in my opinion require us to live a more disciplined life. Certainly if we claim to be disciple of Jesus Christ, it would mean that we would choose to live our lives in such a way as what Jesus demonstrated in his life, death, and resurrection.
To be able to do that would require us to be accountable to one another. One of the ways that United Methodists may differ from other denominations is our concern for accountability. John Wesley began the methodist movement based on accountability groups called classes. They would hold members of the group, usually no more than 12, accountable for their lives both in their personal piety and social piety.
The 2004 Book of Discipline conveys for all members of our church the expectation of discipline within the experience of the individuals and in the life of the church. It goes on to say that if one wants the support of a community of faith, they should be accountable to that community. I believe that is true no matter what community of faith a person attends. In fact the BOD states that if one only receives support of their community and does not have any accountability that it promotes moral weakness. This can be true in church, families, and even in government. We build dependency rather than inter-dependency. The flip side is one who holds others accountable without having a supportive community. This can promote cruelty and legalism. To live our lives fully we need both.
So how do we live faithfully and accountable. John Wesley suggested three simple rules, Do no harm, Do all the good you can, and Show your love to God. (Actually this last was to attend to the ordinances of the church though Reuben Job suggested show your love to God.)
Do no harm. John Wesley has a list of what was included in that. Though Thoman a Kempis a German monk of the 15th century had a lot to say and certainly influenced John Wesley. Thomas stated that we often fail to notice how inwardly blind we are. In the ways we treat others and in the ways we judge others, are often similar to the very things that we do ourselves or wish we could do. In psychology we call that projection. If I am judgmental about a person or situation, I first, as Jesus said, need to look at myself. Thomas states that we frequently do wrong and to make matters worse we make excuses about it. Look at our society where we want to blame others for what is wrong with our world. We rarely want to take responsibility for our actions. I had someone install cable in the parsonage and he began to talk abotu how the problems of our society seem to be getting worse. He talked about removing prayer from schools as an example. I had time to reflect on that and I disagree. That is a symptom and depending on one's belief about abortion that may also just be a symptom. What I believe is happening is that we choose not to be responsible for our choices. For instance many people do not even hold a day holy for God. Sabbath was so important to God's plan for us and we reject it. We have sporting events and other distractions on both Saturdays and Sundays that seem to take priority over our time with family and with God. Families and individuals often do not take time each day to discipline themselves in prayer and reading scriptures whether from the Bible, Torah, or the Koran. Tomas stated that if a person would honestly examine their own behavior they would never judge other people harshly.
Reuben Job stated that we can change our attitudes instead of seeking harm that today I will invest my life to bring healing instead of hurt, wholeness instead of division and harmony with the ways of Jesus just today.
The second rule was to Do Good. John Wesley stated that there is not a day that goes by that there is an occasion to do good. Poor families needs can be addressed, children educated, people to receive healing, people need to hear the good news, prisons to be visited. In fact the classes would spend part of their week raising money and doing for all of the above. What drives us is what Jesus stated as the great commandment to Love God and to Love our Neighbor. Paul states in Romans 12:9-10, 13 Let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. Love one another and outdo one another in showing honor. Contribute to the needs of the saints and extend hospitality to strangers.
The last rule is to stay in love with God. Wesley saw this as attending public worship, the Eucharist, private and family prayers, seaching the scriptures, Bible study, and fasting. Reuben Job stated that staying in love with God was essential to holy living and also involves feeding the lambs, tending the sheep and providing for others as in John 21:16-16.
I closed the sermon with these ideas from Kempis. "At the day of judgment, we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done, not how well we have spoken but how well we have lived our life." He also stated, "If however you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find him." In our holy living as a disciple, no matter where we are, may we seek Jesus in all that we do for if we do we will surely find him at work.