SERMON # 2 “THE BIG LIE’ Sept. 25, 2011
From Sermon series, “You are Important to God.”
Exodus 17:1-7 Ps.25:1-8, Philippians 2:1-13, Matthew 21:23-32
My grandma Lucy was always the front of all accumulated wisdom in the Donnelly family. I remember that one time, as a child, I boasted to her that I had tricked a friend into selling me his tape recorder. I thought that I had made a fantastic bargain, until the thing broke the next day. Well when I went to complain to her, Grandma let me have it with one of her morality lessons.
She said, “Don’t you know that if something seems to be true, it’s probably a lie.”
Of course, many of us have been tricked and deceived and taken advantage of in our dealings with other people, but the problem emerges when our cynicism compromises our relationship with God.
The background of today’s first reading is the Exodus, the most incredible miracle in the Old Testament. God supernaturally intervened to free his children from slavery in Egypt. No longer did they have to endure forced labor to build the Egyptian pyramids. God not only freed them, but he also promised to inspire them, to provide for them, protect them, and to guide them to a promised land, where they would be free to build their own nation. Initially, the people cheered, but, then the complaining, the grumbling, the doubt began.
-Some complained that life as slaves was preferable to wandering in the desert.
-When God didn’t give them exactly what they wanted, when they wanted it, they claimed that God had lied to them…..that he really would not provide for their needs.
You see, for 400 years the Jews have been beaten, brutalized, and brainwashed. The forced labor not only broke their backs, but it also broke their spirits. Soon they forgot about God, as they grew to believe the big lie.
The Big lie was communicated, cruel and unjust punishment, exploitation of the weak, the rape of women, and overcrowded slum-like living conditions. And eventually the big lie was believed; and many of us believe it to this day.
The big lie, simply communicated, is this: You are not important. You are not important.
Today we continue our discussion on a mini-sermon series on how and why you are important to God. This truth is the foundation to a) healthy and vibrant Christian lives, b)Unfortunately, so many of us have been brainwashed by the big lie, that we may doubt the truth that we are important to God, at least at the heart level. No wonder, because in our own day and time, we hear over and over again, by words and deeds that we do not matter to others.
a) How many times do people, whom we have trusted, say that we are unimportant by their betraying our trust? Parents, spouses, children, supervisors, teachers, neighbors, clergy, lay servants and others can make that message all to clear. When is the last time you were given the round and round by an elected official? Or the IRS, or the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, or your medical insurance company? Or the cable company? Do you feel important to them?
b) Still other times we may have a disagreement with someone, and we get hit below the belt. Comments of thinly veiled ridicule may win an argument by employing the big lie.
c) There is a whole cultural level of lies too. Earlier this year I advised a retreat for teenagers, which focused on self esteem. During the course of that weekend, all 13 girls in attendance (ages 12-18) confessed that they believed that they were fat and ugly. Where did that come from? These girls were all lovely and thin, but they were crippled by the big lie. How horrible!!!
d) But men share in this, too. I was part of a men’s group, where we were discuss our relationships with our Fathers. Every man in the group admitted that he could remember statements for his father, which questioned or belittle his own manhood.
It is this sort of spiritual and emotional devastation which led Jesus to oppose the big lie with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength.
-By word and deed, Jesus demonstrated that you are more important to God then traditions, institutions, profits, and the warped egos of two bit bullies.
This is what is occurring in today’s Gospel. Jesus was up building the lowly of society; prostitutes, outcasts, thieves, tax collectors, the old, the sick, and the poor. He reached out to down trodden people to show us today, that He now reaches out to us, as well. God let His own son descend into the violence of the big lie, that He might lift up you and me. His enemies called Him a liar, and said that He lies so unimportant, that, He didn’t even deserve to live. Jesus humbled himself and took his full force at the big lie; which killed him on the cross.
But Jesus, who is the truth, rose from the dead to show that in regard to Jesus, the truth is always stronger than the lies.
So, God is reaching out to all of us, that within our own heart, that we might replace the big lie with God’s big truth – the truth that we are so important to the king of the universe, that He is here, ready, able, and willing to comfort, console, and heal and renew you, if you give him a chance.
This is the truth as we hear in today’s reading from the Psalms, God is leading us to understand and embrace this reality.
“Lead me in your truth and teach me; for you are the God of my salvation; in you have a trusted all the day long.”
Will you let God lead you to the truth? Rebecca is the name of one of these young girls whom I described earlier at the retreat. Through prayer ministry, like what, we are after today, she has opened up to heart to God’s amazing love. Right now at this very hour, she is standing up before her church, giving thanks to God – because now she knows that she is beautiful and precious to God. She is rejecting the big lie and has been set free by the reality of God’s love. May it be for all of us.
Let us Pray
Lord, speak to word of truth to our hearts, mind, bodies, and souls. Open our ears to hear and believe that we are so precious to you, and that your opinion out weights that of any other person or persons; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
--The Rev. John Donnelly, Christ Church Quaker Farms
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