| Redeemer Lutheran Church 1084 W. Bullard Ave. Fresno, CA 93711 Phone: (559) 439-8500 Fax: (559) 439-8585 office@redeemerfresno.com The Reverend Clarence Eisberg Phone: (209) 725-9082 Cell: (209) 631-3108 pastor@redeemerfresno.com Worship ~ 8:30 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. Family Ministries ~ 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion ~ 2nd & 4th Sundays |
The Reverend Clarence Eisberg |
June 26, 2011 |
| “A Cup of Cold Water . . . A Reward?” |
| We have all seen the big, hairy Viking who is the spokesman for Capitol One Visa Card. on all the rewards you could be getting. Every credit card company out there is trying to convince us that running up even more debt is a “rewarding” thing to do. We will be recipients of all those wonderful “rewards” if we just use their card for all our purchases. Discounted merchandise, frequent flyer miles, room upgrades, even cash back formulas, are all promised by various cards as our “reward” for increasing our monthly credit card bill. But for the most part, all those perks and presents are trotted out in order to draw our attention away from our ever escalating balances and the bank’s very high interest rates. This “final reward” was described best in the old folk tune “Sixteen Tons” by Ernie Ford where the miner admits he is just “another year older and deeper in debt… I owe my soul to the company store.” Regarding “rewards”…Do you remember how good it made you feel to be “rewarded” for memorizing bible verses in Sunday School? Did you ever covet your friend’s perfect attendance Sunday school pins? What about those “Awana Bucks” or plastic jewels to put in your plastic crown pin or stripes on your sleeve as you rose in the rank of “the Lord’ s army”. The real joy was the joy of “mission accomplished.” (Sermon helps Lenard Sweet) Matthew tells us that Jesus is getting ready to send out his disciples. He did not sugar coat the situation they would be facing. He warned them that pain and persecution, criticism and complaints, disgrace and even death would accompany their efforts to serve as messengers of the gospel. The entire chapter 10 of Matthew is filled with advice and warnings. “Be on your guard…” When arrested do not worry about what to say..For the Holy Spirit will give you the words, for it will be the Father speaking through you.” “Whoever acknowledges me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” “Take up your cross and follow me.” “He who receives you receives me…” Jesus promised there would be three rewards. First, for those who give the greatest sacrifice…. “Those who lose their life for His sake will find it.” The second reward is a reward for those who welcomed a “righteous person.” How many people do you know who openly proclaim themselves to be “righteous?” Exactly. Once you claim the attribute of righteousness you prove you don’t have it. What Jesus is talking about is a reward not based on any individual accomplishments but a reward based on the righteousness of God flowing through you to others. Remember the Widow of Zarepath who welcomed the prophet Elijah when he was fleeing the wrath of Jezebel? (I Kings 17:7) When Elijah arrived at the city gate he saw a widow gathering wood for her last meal. He asked if she could bring him a jar of water for a drink and a piece of bread. She responded that she was down to her last of flour for her last small cake of bread for her and her son. For death was at her door step. Elijah told her that God of Israel promised: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain.” She did what Elijah said… and they all lived. And a reward for the smallest and seemingly insignificant act of kindness….giving a cup of cold water. Jesus said that even this smallest act of kindness given in His name will be rewarded. What would be one word that describes this act of kindness…? It is the word “hospitality”. That’s a good way to describe the act of “giving a cup of cold water?” Never underestimate the power of a cup of cold water. Giving a cup of cold water to someone in need… a simple act of kindness… is a way to fulfill the command of Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.” The Apostle Paul in his great chapter on “Love” used two words which describe practical actions that a Christians should take in order to make “love” a reality. He said: “Love must be sincere. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Practice hospitality.” (Rom. 12:9-13) “During the Second World War Dr. Ernest Gordon, later Chaplain of Princeton University, was a prisoner of war in Thailand. In his book, “Through the Valley of the Kwai” he reflects on the difference between two Christmas seasons he spent in prison. He says that in Christmas 1942 there were thousands of American soldiers in that prison who robbed the sick among them, mistreated one another, and did not care whether the other prisoners lived or died. During the following year, a healthy American soldier began giving his food to a sick buddy to help him get well. In time the sick prisoner recovered, but the buddy who had given him food died of malnutrition. The story of the man who sacrifices his life to save a buddy made the rounds of the camp. Some of the prisoners remarked that he was a lot like Christ. Some of the soldiers began to recall passages from the Bible they had learned years earlier under far different circumstances. One of the passages stated, “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Some who were Christians took heart and began to witness to other men. The prisoners began to ask about Christ and to meet for bible study. When they began to know Christ as Lord the entire atmosphere in the camp changed from despair and desperation to hope and compassion. When Christmas of 1943 arrived, Fr. Gordon said, 2000 prisoners assembled for worship. They sang carols and someone read the story of the birth of Jesus from a Gospel account. In spite of hunger, prisoners who were well shared food with the sick to help them gain strength faster. They cared for one another. They agreed that the difference came about because of faith in Christ and people who lived his love in the midst of unloving circumstances.” It was an act of hospitality, a gift of a cup of cold water. How many of you have heard of the Wall Drug Store, in South Dakota? The owners, Ted and Dorothy were having trouble keeping the story afloat. Five years earlier they had moved from another state to buy the store and now it was going under. That was not unusual in 1936. One day Ted said to Dorothy, what could we do to get people to stop here and buy something? The only thing Dorothy thought of was to give them a cup of ice-cold water. That might be a nice treat in the middle of South Dakota, in the days before air conditioning. The towns there are far and few between, and people would like the break and the drink of water. Ted thought it was silly and too expensive, but Dorothy prevailed. Ted drove a little ways from town in every direction and put up a sign that said, “Only twenty miles to Wall Drug Store, and your cup of free ice-water.” To Ted’s amazement, people were soon lining up for their free drink of water, and more than enough bought an item or two. Then they came up with the idea of paying people anywhere to put up a sign, directing people to the Wall Drug Store. The store was saved, and as you may know, people are still stopping in Wall at the drug store and buying a few things. The Wall Drug Store still lives off that idea of a “free cup of cold water.” They still have signs. There is a sign in Long Island, one in Amsterdam and on a bus in London. Do not be fooled, it was not the free “cup of cold water” that made the store a success. It was their welcome, their service, and their attitude toward the thirsty traveler once they were in the store. Jesus said that whoever welcomes the disciples, as they went out to “tell His story”, were in reality welcoming Him. Why did Jesus use this example? He was stating that those who give a cup of cold water would receive the same reward as the one who proclaims the forgiveness of God’s love displayed at the cross of Jesus? The answer lies in the culture in which Jesus lived and spoke. Listen to verse 40 (read) You see in the Jewish culture “to pay respect to an ambassador of the King was the same as to pay respect to the King who had sent him. To welcome with love the messenger of a friend was the same as to welcome the friend himself. Many Jewish rabbis were familiar with saying: “He who shows hospitality to the wise is as if he brought the first fruits of his produce to God, Himself.” Here is the chain of events: 1) God has tremendous love for people who are spiritually lost People know there is a spiritual hole in their life. They have three options. A) Deny the existence of God. B) Create a religion that enables them to “earn” a way into heaven or Nirvana C) accept the love of God displayed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. 2) God Himself begins the process of salvation 3) Jesus stands in the Jordan River and those gathered hear John the Baptist cry out: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus then begins his ministry, defeating Satan, accepting the outcast and forgiving sins. 4) Then there comes the human messenger, the disciples who pass on to others the good news which they have received. 5) Finally there is the believer who welcomes God’s messenger. H.L. Gee explains these words of Jesus with this story. “There was a lad in a country village who, after a great struggle, reached the ministry. His helper in his days of study had been the village cobbler. The cobbler, like so many of his trade, was a man of wide reading and far thinking, and he had done much for the lad. In due time the lad was licensed to preach. And on that day the cobbler said to him, “It was always my desire to be a minister of the gospel, but the circumstances of my life made it impossible. But you are achieving what was closed to me. I want you to promise me one thing. I want you to let me make and cobble your shoes for nothing and I want you to wear them in the pulpit when you preach. And then I’ll feel you are preaching the gospel that AI always wanted to preach standing in my shoes.” Beyond a doubt the cobbler was serving God as the preacher was and his reward would one day be the same…. |
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