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Sermon Archive - October 4, 1998
Pastor Danielson
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Luke 17:5-10
A summer ago, Tait and I, together with two of his friends, Mike Behring and
Jeremy Seldon, spent a week in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Besides fishing and
just relaxing, what we enjoyed most was eating, especially eating-out in the
many fine Italian restaurants and "all you can eat fish-fry places" tucked
back in out of the way places. If you've lived in the "northwoods" or
vacationed there you know what I'm talking about.
One of our favorite backwoods restaurants is Spread Eagle, Wisconsin's "Log
Cabin," just across the Menomonee River from Iron Mountain. I think new owners
have changed its name, but that's what it was called all the years I was
growing up.
One Friday evening the boys and I arrived at the Log Cabin early and were
seated immediately. As we enjoyed an incredible fish fry, the dining room
began filling-up to overflowing and soon there was a waiting line that
stretched outside. The waitresses were racing to and from the kitchen, bussing
their own dishes, probably washing them too. It was a madhouse! A bit
embarrassed for sitting in idle conversation while so many were waiting to be
seated, I asked for the check and handed our waitress cash enough for the bill
and tip. As she turned to take the orders of another hungry table, to my
surprise, son Tait began to stack our dishes and bus them to a tray table
across the room.
I thought to myself, "Poor guy! After two years of waiting tables at a
country club, busing dishes is a force of habit! He probably doesn't even
realize what he's doing." Tait worked so quickly and efficiently that only
Mike and I noticed. As we all walked toward the door I turned back toward our
table momentarily and saw our waitress staring in puzzlement, first at the
clean table, then at the stack of dirty dishes, and then back again at the
clean table. She was in a state of shock!
On the way to the car I walked along-side Tait and said something like: "Once
a waiter always a waiter." To which he replied, "No, I just thought she
needed some help ---I've been there."
In today's text from the Gospel According to St. Luke Jesus points out, in a
rather oblique and convoluted way, that servants should not expect praise and
accolades for doing what servants are supposed to do. If we are called to
serve, then simply fulfilling our responsibility as "servants" should evoke no
great desire for recognition. We don't serve because we're rewarded, we're
rewarded because we serve.
Does it bother you to have to clear a dirty dinner table?
That's what servants do.
Does it bother you to be called from your favorite television program to
listen to a friend whose had a bad day?
That's what servants do.
Does it bother you to be the last one to leave the teen room because no one
else put away the pool cues?
That's what servants do.
Does it bother you when, after a church committee meeting, you have to stay,
straighten up, turn out the lights, and lock-up while others race home to
watch a televised ballgame or favorite sitcom?
That's what servants do.
Does it bother you when you agree to serve on a community board and soon
discover that the other board members are willing to "talk the talk but not
walk the walk" leaving you running yourself ragged?
That's what servants do.
Does it bother you when you work hard to plan and prepare for a church "Clean-
up/Fix-up Day" or "Rally Day," and only a fraction of the expected helpers
show and you and half-dozen others are left with too much work and too little
time, so you just work harder faster.
Surprise! Serving is hard work ---done without complaining!
It's hard to toil without the appreciation we feel we deserve but, as
Christians, we can tell if we are true servants of God only by how we react
when we are treated as such.
Pastors must constantly battle the "darker side" of servanthood, both
personally and corporately. How much time would we spend in community service
if nobody ever knew what we did? I'm including myself in this query. How
willing would I be to serve on the Lake Forest Seniors Resource Commission if
there wasn't a certain amount of recognition that went along with it ---an
invitation to the mayor's private "Lake Forest Day Luncheon" and this month's
"Recognition Luncheon," also hosted by Mayor Waud.
How hard would you work at preparing and serving PADS meals or building
"Habitat for Humanity" houses if someone else always got the credit for it? I
think I know the answers to these questions and I pray that I am not one day
embarrassed by them. In earthly realms, especially in the present age, service
is optional and appreciation (usually by way of a monetary reward) is
obligatory. But, within the kingdom of God, service is obligatory and
appreciation optional.
The desire to have our contributions noticed and appreciated is certainly not
unusual, or necessarily wrong. But, we must struggle constantly not to let any
lack of appreciation from others cripple our own willingness to serve or, for
that matter, prevent us from freely expressing genuine, well-timed gratitude
toward others for their service. It is both comforting and disconcerting that
nothing escapes the notice of the One to whom we answer and that, indeed, "The
Father who sees in secret, will reward us openly."
Again and again, scripture tells us that when we move beyond our need to be
recognized, we are free to experience the true richness of the life God has
given us. And we experience this richness in different ways. I can't tell you
how many people work quietly and anonymously behind the scenes to make St.
James the "servant church" that it is. I say I can't tell you, not because I
don't know who they are and what they do (although sometimes I don't). I can't
tell you because, in doing so, I would embarrass them ---embarrass them
perhaps even into not continuing their "selfless service."
Because of the generosity of "unseen servants" our worship books are all
straightened in their racks by Tuesday, monthly newsletters are collated,
folded, bagged and mailed in timely fashion, plants are watered, library books
shelved, light bulbs changed, refrigerators emptied of spoiling food, so on
and so forth. Keep in mind, Jesus does not rule-out the possibility of reward
or recognition. In fact, Jesus himself used the principle of reward in many of
his other parables and offered this familiar word of praise: "Well done, good
and faithful servant."
This morning, we begin (began) a new "Inquiry Series" designed to prepare
prospective members for membership at St. James. We are introducing
(introduced) a study guide written by our friend Dr. Martin Marty in which he
says this about "serving" in the church:
"There is a prayer that says "we offer with joy and thanksgiving what God has
first given us---our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of God's
gracious love."
We offer ourselves. That's the point of it all."
"Stewardship (says Dr. Marty) means filling out the church's calendar of
doings and dealings. Some will rehearse in a choir, to offer praise in
beautiful songs. Others will make quilts for Lutheran World relief or
chaperone a youth group, visit with worship guests or serve as trustees of
church property. What is not on the church calendar is just as important and
revealing. The ways of obedience and love. We belong if we can turn back our
persons and our ways to God. In doing so, we get to show forth the person and
the ways of Christ in the world."
To which I would add: For all that the true servant does, he or she does not
expect thanks but is himself thankful!
AMEN.
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