May 11, 2008
The Rev. Dr. Dennis E. Morey, Pastor

Sermon: Pentecost 2008 "In the GOD business"
Scripture: Acts 2
 
The disciples, chosen by Jesus, were all grown men who had an occupation.
James and John had been in the fishing business with their father Zebedee.
Peter and Andrew also were fishermen. Matthew was in the tax collecting business. Some of the occupations of the disciples are not known. They all had left their business, whatever it was, and joined Jesus.
Jesus was calling them into the "God business". No longer would their primary occupation be the focuss of their lives but everything they did would be centered on their relationship to God.
The most exciting thing of the day was no longer a record increase in the collection of taxes or some huge catch of fish, but the miraculous healing that happened at the hand of Jesus, and profound teachings that changed them forever.

Jesus chose those disciples to come and they chose to follow Jesus every moment of every day trying to hear every word and follow his instructions. They were absorbed into his every deed and word. Something happened to them that turned their thinking upside down.

What had happened was the result of a two way choice. Jesus chose them. He said, "Come follow me." They replied by dedicating their lives to him.
Jesus was their clear choice.
Jesus still chooses disciples, you and I were chosen. We read in John 15:16:
"You have not chosen me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last."

We read in about a good man who was rich. Jesus knew his choice had been his wealth. Jesus told him to sell it all give it to the poor and follow him. But the rich young man could not and went away sad. He was in the "me business". He missed being in the "God business". Whatever good he accomplished it was only for the few short years of his life. He missed eternity.

We read in Luke 9 about someone who chose to wait until his father died; someone else who wanted first to return home and say good-bye to everyone. They were both first in the "me business".
Jesus warned those he chose, that they could not plow a straight row while looking back and hanging on to their past goals.

In the second chapter of book of Revelation we read about the church of Ephesus. Christ said, "I know your good work, but this I have against you, you have abandoned your first love."
They were no longer motivated by their love for Christ, as when they first chose him. Now they were working first to keep up their good reputation, to make the world a better place, always working for compromise.

While none of those things are bad, they can make us focus on ourselves. We enter the "me business" and are led away from Christ. When we do good things in response to being chosen by Christ, Christ is the focus, not us.

In today's scripture, these who were chosen by Christ, and had chosen Christ, were told to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit who would teach them what to do next.

What was God going to do next? God was going to draw many more to this Good News accomplished by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles so they could speak boldly. They were no longer in hiding. As they spoke everyone could understand and the Holy Spirit helped each person to hear.

It was no accident those 3000 were in Jerusalem. They weren't there just for the Feast of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit drew them to the place where they could hear about Christ.

The disciples knew there were many gathered there for the Feast of the First Fruits of the harvest. The religious would review the Ten Commandments, make sacrifices and talk about what a privilege it was to be a Jew.

For the disciples, no doubt the words of Jesus came to mind recorded for us in Matthew 9:37&38. Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
That day 3000 who came to participate in the Feast of the First Fruits became the FIRST FRUITS of the Kingdom of God. That day 3000 people became a body of believers who would help change the world.
Whatever their occupation, from wherever they came, they would return with a new focus. They were no longer in the "me" business. What they experienced in Jerusalem would now influence every thing they did.

Today our world calls us to be in the "me business".
We worry about the job if we will get the raise, or be able to keep the job. We worry about our kids behaving and somehow getting through school. We worry about our health, we worry about retirement, it is too close or too far away, or it is lasting beyond our money supply, and the list goes on. All these things we worry about when we are in the "me business".

How much worry would there be in life if we became focused on God's business?
Would God provide everything we need to share God's love?
Would God lead us to the right job? Would God give us wisdom and opportunities to represent God? Would God help us in our family life?

Would God give us the right amount of resources at the right time?
What kind of peace would that bring to our hearts?

God's choice for all of us hinges on our choice to leave the "me business" and get involved in "God's business".

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