FROM PASTOR MAC

Sticking like glue


What newspaper or magazine can you pick up these days without reading a quote from John McCain or Barack Obama? But the next day, can you remember what you read?

Preschool -
Now enrolling for Fall 2008!

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On the calendar

• Sun. Sept. 7 — Family Bowling Night (in Toccoa | map) - 5-7 p.m.

• Mon. Sept. 8 — Fall classes begin for the 13-week Emmanuel Arts Academy (registration deadline is Sept. 5)

• Sat. Sept. 13 — Lay Speaking classes begin at Hartwell First UMC - 9-Noon (classes also meet on Sept. 20, Oct. 4, and Oct. 11)

• Thurs. Sept. 18 — Monthly Mobile Food Pantry - 11 a.m.

YOUTH calendar

• Sun. - Sept. 7

  > Family Bowling Night (in Toccoa | map) - 5-7 p.m.

Readings leading up to
Sunday, Sept. 7

 • Exodus 12:1-14 (text | audio)
 • Psalm 148 (text | audio)
 • Romans 13:8-14 (text | audio)
 • Matthew 18:15-20 (text | audio)

A Newsweek writer notes that the challenge for candidates is to say things in ways that stick with voters. Usually, that involves using some kind of memorable metaphor.

"Without an indelible metaphor," the Newsweek writer commented, a candidate's "policy speeches are written in invisible ink." Metaphors often make the difference between whether what we say bounces like rubber or sticks like glue.

Maybe that's why Jesus told 50-plus parables. Maybe that's why God inspired particular writings in our Bible about the faith journeys of such people as Jonah, Job, David, Mary, and Martha.

When we hear the name Jonah, who doesn't see him being swallowed up and spit out by a great fish? Or what about Job? How can you not feel some sense of his pain, or the pain of Mary at the foot of the cross?

These characters provide in themselves "indelible metaphors" that help us with our faith journey. These metaphors help us understand who God is — and who we are as people made in His image and living in this world.

In last Sunday's sermon we looked at a few "indelible metaphors" found near the end of Paul's letter to the Ephesian church. He said, in effect, "You know what it means to be the 'body of Christ' — the church — but remember you are still vulnerable and helpless against the devil's schemes to divide and destroy the church."

So, he told them, "put on the on the whole armor of God, so that you might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11).

By using metaphors such as belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, sword — and attaching them to words like faith, salvation, truth, righteousness, Spirit — Paul’s words stick like glue.

Yet, I think Paul's best "indelible metaphors" are action items. He says "put on" and "stand." These are metaphors that call us to act. We must do something God cannot do for us against the devil’s schemes. We must choose God by "putting on" what He provides, and then we must "stand," undergirded His great power.

If we want to stand strong for the work of Christ, we must choose God and put on that armor. That means we must intentionally choose to…

  • Praise and worship God together with other fellow believers in church;

  • Pray continually, and invite God into our world, into our life;

  • Participate in Sunday School and Bible studies;

  • Serve the poor, the needy, the sick, and those who grieve;

  • Give of our time, talents, and service to God’s church;

  • Give the first part of the fruits of our labors back to the Lord;

  • Take part in the Holy meal: Communion — in repentance, in remembrance, in faith.

Scripture teaches that these action steps are the necessary glue that will empower our lives to stick to the one thing that really matters: God.