Pentecost 5

Pentecost 5 ‘EZER July 6 & 9, 2006

“Who’s #1?” This is a popular question in our culture: in the world of sports with Wimbeldon or the World Cup of Soccer; in determining and announcing who’s the richest person in the world; in the world of “beauty” as a magazine identifies (a process that offends me!) the “most beautiful people in the world.” We have the Emmys, the Tonys, the Oscars, the Doves, the Country Music Awards and the list goes on and on. “Are that many people actually that interested in identifying and knowing ‘Who’s #1?’” I ask this , well-aware, that I sound (and am!) out-of-style and have not been chosen for any of the before mentioned lists! Have you? If we’re not included, why are we so interested? What difference does it actually make? Do we long to be like them?

Who’s #1 in the Church…in the body of Christ…in the eyes of God? Consider such Scripture as “The first shall be last and the last shall be first”. Consider Jesus’ announcement, “I’ve come not to be served, but to serve.” In the Hebrew Scriptures, God is known as “’ezer”, translated “servant”, though a very special kind of servant… it means either a good friend who helps you because of loving concern for you…servant- hood motivated by deep love for the one being served. An example of “’ezer” is Psalm 46:1/ “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present (‘ezer) help in times of trouble.” “’Ezer” - one raised up by the power of God to help the lowly.

I witnessed and participated in this type of servant hood less than a month ago in Cairo, Illinois. 17 people, usually concerned about fashion, caught up in fellowship…17 people, prone to “getting”, presenting the Gospel…17 people, naturally a bit self-centered, centering ourselves around the needs of others…17 people, usually determined to look out for ourselves, determined to look out for one another and the folks calling Cairo “home.” Jesus washed his disciples’ feet as a farewell, as an exemplary and loving act. This was the responsibility of the lowliest servant in the household, the one farthest away from being #1!-----“ ‘Ezer ”. If you’re interested, ask any of our 17 Grace missionaries about the foot-washing experience on our final night in Cairo…humbling, honoring, and---a least for the foreseeable future---life-changing.

Paul’s parents must have been as proud, happy, and delighted as any parents could be when he was born. In part they showed their joy by naming him SAUL, which means “The Big Man” or “The Great One.” Until he met the risen Jesus, Saul probably was pleased with his name…the same name as Israel’s first anointed king. But, after meeting Jesus, all that changed. The devout Jew, dedicated to ridding Jerusalem of what he considered heresy, became the devout apostle of the very gospel he’d intended to eliminate. Might it have been to demonstrate the intensity of his conversion to Christ that Saul received the new name of PAUL…which means, by the way, “little guy” or “someone of little or no account”?---“Big Man” to “little guy”!

I was one of two adult leaders of Crew #2 while serving our Lord in Cairo, Illinois. Allison Dudney and Lindsay Ground were my two Crew members from Grace, with the remaining Crew members calling Nebraska home. We spent our first two hot days scraping, caulking, masking, and painting the humble house of C.J. Davis…a 30 year resident of Cairo. C.J. sat in the open door of his parked car in front of his home for hours on end. Late in our second day, C.J.---who by now was calling me “Rev”---said: “Hey Rev! I got a question for ya’?” Putting down my caulking gun, I went over to the car to hear and respond to his question. The conversation went as follows:

C.J.- “Rev, you pastor a church back in Ohio, right?

Rev.- That’s right, completing my 18^th year there and I’ll celebrate my anniversary of Ordination

on June 15^th, this coming Thursday.

C.J.- Is it a great big church? I mean, is it your fulltime job or something like that?”

Rev.- Although there are some who think I only work on Sunday mornings, ½ day a week, it’s a

pretty big congregation and there’s always more to be done than I have time or energy to do. Was that your question?

C.J.- Naw. I ain’t actually asked it just yet. I was wondering…Why do ya ‘all do all this?”

Rev.- Do what, C.J.? Serve a large church in Ohio fulltime?

C.J. – Naw! Why do ya’all leave Ohio to do what ya’all are doin’ way down here in

Cairo…here, fixin’ up my little house?”

You see, it was right then that our outreach effort…our mission trip…our service project became evangelism! It was right then that I was given the opportunity to cease the work and share the Word. C.J. witnessed a type of servant hood… “ ‘ezer”…he could only wonder about, he had to ask about. I said: “God loves you and so do we, C.J.! God has been very good to us; He’s blessed our congregation. We feel sent to Cairo to be a blessing to you!” His big, tired eyes appeared weepy, and this large man faintly whispered amidst his emotion: “God bless ya, Rev., and all these here kids!” AMEN.