Sunday, January 22nd, 2006—3rd Sunday after Epiphany-Year
B
“Would You Like to
Disconnect Now?”
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 AND Mark 1:14-20
The words and music of “Never Gonna Let You Go”
can be heard in the background as the Michelin Man is inspecting tires
from the assembly line. The image is a little disturbing as his level
of “love” for his work is somewhat extreme. He seems to be
almost “fondling” the tires as the highly emotional song plays
on. We giggle at his “obsession” with Michelin tires and hope
someday to be able to afford a set! It seems a little extreme, but the
impression is that obsession is required to produce a safe product. One
of the best-selling perfumes of all time bears the same name. No, not
Michelin . . . Obsession! Disturbing images of a deeply intertwined relationship
appear on the screen as “desperate” voices whisper the product
name. If you spray this stuff on, he will be putty in your hands, is the
not-so-subtle message! Then there is the Perdue Chicken guy who insists
he’s not obsessed with convenience. Yet, we see his ready-made chicken
recipes in concert with several odd convenience gadgets. We conclude he
is obsessed. Therefore we should buy his chicken and make our life extremely
convenient! Extreme commitments and obsession seem to be the answer to
fulfilling relationships and useful products. If you’re not living
life on this extreme edge, you’re missing out, I guess.
The trouble is that so many of us are in trouble because of our obsessions!
Obsessed with chocolate we struggle to sleep at night or button our pants
in the morning. Obsessed with relationships we barely have room to breathe
emotionally. We lack perspective. We drown in the sea of whatever happened
this morning. Or, we worry what someone else thinks of us today. Obsessed
with gadgets we find human beings somewhat boring and inconvenient. Obsessed
with our work we can never simply relax with others. We live to be so
“productive” that we simply work, eat, and sleep. Always our
mind is working on a problem, issue, or project. When everything is solved
we spend our time thinking about what the next project will be. For some
workaholics, it’s about the money. The more the better and there’s
never enough. For some it’s simply the busyness and the “sense”
of fulfillment it brings. For some it’s about the praise the work
will gain us.
Obsessed with “the latest” we constantly scour
the internet. We must know what’s “NEXT” and how we
can be ahead of the curve. Today is just a snapshot that’s already
old by the time it’s developed. Even tomorrow seems to have a little
age on it, before it arrives. Many of us are afraid we will miss the next
trend and be hopelessly out of touch. Obsession robs us of our present.
The future seems so much brighter, why bother with today?
When we spell it out this way it seems absurd! But oh, when
obsession is cooking in our minds and hearts it seems so logical, so reasonable,
so fun! When you first settle in on a new obsession all else seems to
fade into the background. This is your new goody bag and it always seems
bottomless. Endless supply of newness and excitement! So much to be discovered!
So little time!
If this train sounds like a familiar ride, you know what
the last stop always is: disappointment. If only the conductor were more
honest at the start of our obsession. “All aboard! All aboard for
disappointment! Have your ticket to disappointment available!” Alas,
he is not nearly so honest and we can find ourselves as the Apostle Paul
warns, “Engrossed in this world.” Paul invites us to disconnect
from these entanglements.
Corinth was a world-class city with many attractions and
distractions. Several languages could be heard as one walked down the
street. International cities present wonderful displays of culture and
beauty. But they also offer multiple ways to lose your way. The pull of
culture can be strong. Usually, it’s not pulling you toward the
life of holiness. When Paul wrote these words movie theaters and cable
T.V. did not exist. Of course there was live entertainment that could
curl your hair, but access was much more limited. If ancient Corinth provided
an opportunity to get engrossed, imagine the challenge we face today.
Bono, leader of the rock group U2, has written several songs
about the distractions of the modern world. “New York” is
a song that describes the moral drift that can happen in a world-class
city that never sleeps. Lyrics like, “In New York, freedom looks
like too many choices . . . In New York you can forget, Forget how to
sit still, Tell yourself you will stay in, But it’s down to Alphaville
. . . In New York I lost it all to you and your vices . . . I hit an iceberg
in my life.” It’s a product of obsession with experiences.
Many people can’t stand the thought of missing an opportunity. When
freedom looks like too many choices, integrity suffers. People immersed
in modern culture struggle to hold onto moral high ground. If you constantly
and willfully expose yourself to questionable situations, you will find
trouble. Although the song treats moral disasters with a simple “Oh
well,” most of us have seen the pain and devastation “obsession”
lifestyles can bring.
Are hobbies bad? Should we never try to experience culture?
Paul is not saying that. Not all culture is bad. The Nazarene Covenant
of Christian Conduct gives a guideline for moral choices.
33.3. In listing practices to be avoided we recognize that
no catalog, however inclusive, can hope to encompass all forms of evil
throughout the world. Therefore it is imperative that our people earnestly
seek the aid of the Spirit in cultivating a sensitivity to evil that transcends
the mere letter of the law; remembering the admonition: "Test everything.
Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thessalonians
5:21-22)
33.4. Our leaders and pastors are expected to give strong
emphasis in our periodicals and from our pulpits to such fundamental biblical
truths as will develop the faculty of discrimination between the evil
and the good.
We suggest that the standard given to John Wesley by his
mother, namely, "whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness
of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish
of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over
mind, that thing for you is sin," form the basis for this teaching
of discrimination. (33.2-33.4, 904.11-4.16)
(Romans 14:7-13; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Ephesians 5:1-18;
Philippians 4:8-9; 1 Peter 1:13-17; 2 Peter 1:3-11)
I’ve avoided a difficult phrase long enough. What
in the world can Paul mean by, “From now on those who have wives
should live as if they had none” (7:29)? Unfortunately there may
be some husbands who have always lived what this passage seems to be saying,
to their families’ disadvantage. Yet, these words come from the
same man who wrote in deeply poetic terms about the marriage covenant.
Paul is not advocating marital neglect or easy divorce. So what is he
getting at? We’ve all seen examples of couples who were so close
there was no room for others at all. Psychologists call this enmeshment,
lives so intertwined as to be turned inward. God is offering us a different
version of reality, including marriage. Mark 1:14-20 says
14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God. 15"The time has come," he
said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother
Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17"Come,
follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
18At once they left their nets and followed him. 19When he had gone a
little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a
boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left
their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.”
The call to Christian discipleship is a call to a new, higher
purpose. That purpose is to reach out to others with the love that has
changed you. Marriage is a core commitment. Family is part of God’s
foundation for society. But a family’s purpose cannot simply be
their own happiness. Families exist to serve others through the church
and to change the world. The nuclear family provides precious pooled resources
of love and strength. These cannot be squandered. Today we often complain
that family life drains us of resources. The truth is that the love of
an emotionally healthy family provides for basic human needs.
Shelter, security, and emotional support provide a strong
foundation for pursuing higher goals in life. A strong Christian marriage
provides intimacy and mutual encouragement. Yet, it can’t remain
healthy if it doesn’t find a higher purpose. Rick Warren’s
book, The Purpose-Driven Life, reminds us of God’s plan for a fulfilling
life. Paul is reminding us of this key principle. There are moments and
commitments that supersede the marriage commitment. God would never call
us to make choices which make the marriage commitment weaker. But at times
He calls us to set aside family concerns to reach out. Paul’s language
here is based on the urgency of the times. The needs are so great that
the label “Christian” should define us, not any other label.
But these words are balanced by Paul’s earlier command from the
same chapter for married couples to “come together again so Satan
will not tempt you” (7:5). In the gospel passage, James and John
left their business commitment behind, but not their relationship with
their father.
Distractions come in many forms. The pursuit of happiness
is ultimately an empty pursuit. The pursuit of a relationship with God
will lead you on a journey that ends in genuine happiness. Shopaholics
will have a difficult time maintaining a Christian commitment. Materialism
can be all consuming. But God reminds us this world is passing away. It
is temporary. Paul is inviting us to live with eternity in view. Make
choices you can be happy with forever. Advertisers will do their best
to convince you that happiness is impossible without one more purchase!
Your heart knows better. Listen closely to your conscience. Hear Jesus
calling you along the shoreline. “Come, follow me,” Jesus
said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).
So how is that journey going for you? Are you smack in the
middle of something wonderful with Jesus? Are you tired, but fulfilled
because your higher purpose is aligned with His? Are you living out your
commitments faithfully? Are your commitments in balance with your higher
Christian calling? Ministry isn’t just for paid professionals. In
fact, the best kind happens when regular folks give themselves fully to
God’s great fishing expedition. How does your life stack up with
God’s vision? This bright journey leads us ever deeper into God’s
light. No time for lesser things. If you give yourself fully to God’s
mission, every part of your life will grow. If Jesus is having His way
in your life, you are seeking to bring others into the light. Paul shows
us we can live in new ways. You can be a caretaker of God’s property,
instead of a slave to the things of this world. Your heart can be broken
by the things that break God’s heart. Your marriage can serve others
and build up the church. You can live with higher purpose. You can bring
others with you. No distractions.
This morning if you find yourself engrossed in worldly things,
there is a way out. It requires a choice. Out of the darkness and into
the light. You can always choose to disconnect from worldly distractions.
Simply turn off the DVD player. Hit the power button on your T.V. Click
the little red “x” in the upper corner of your web browser.
Choose not to pull into the SuperStore parking lot. Keep your marriage
and family in balance with God’s kingdom. Would you like to disconnect
now? I’m with you. Let’s keep our Christian focus . . . together!
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