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There's No
Place Like Home First let me say how wonderful it is to be here with you. Allison and I looked forward to our move to Memphis to become a part of the Calvary family. It's a joy to be here, and I am looking forward to doing wonderful ministry with each and every one of you. I certainly want to thank Doug, Peggy and the staff and people of Calvary Church for extending to us a warm and Spirit-filled welcome. Allison and I appreciate the invitation and look forward to a long-lasting relationship as we seek to bring others to the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. When Doug told me I would be preaching today, I pondered what I would say or what message God would place in my heart. And I thought, since I'm about to undertake a journey, it would be nice to craft a sermon around what it means and what it feels like to be on a journey. In today's Gospel lesson, we find Mary, the mother of our Lord, going on a journey. Whether she knows it or not, she's on a journey. The angel of the Lord comes to Mary and says, "The Lord has chosen you to be the mother of the Christ child." Mary has to digest that news, that revelation. Mary has to take it in, and she perhaps doesn't know what it means, what the costs are, and what sacrifices to her own personal life she'll make being the mother of the Messiah--the Savior of the World. It can't be all that easy raising the Son of God. Mary begins her long journey. From the moment the angel visits Mary, she starts a new journey where she'll have to deal with what it means to be the mother of the Son of God, what it means to bring the presence of Jesus Christ into an unsure, unstable and, to a great measure, faithless world. I thought, I'm about to take a journey, and I am not sure what that means for me. I don't know where the Lord will take me, and I don't know where the Lord will take you. However, I do know that together we're all on a journey. From the moment the Lord said to the people of Calvary Church, "You have been chosen to bring the presence of Jesus Christ into people's lives," from that very moment, you began a journey of new life. Not only are we with Mary, but we must decide where the Lord is calling us to go. My favorite movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz comes on once a year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. That's the Sunday when I quickly rush home from church and do all that I need to do, so as not to be disturbed once the movie begins. The Wizard of Oz is filled with so many deep spiritual messages that, when I think about it, I can hear the Lord calling us back into fellowship with Him. At the beginning of the movie, Dorothy lands in this place called Munchkinland. From the very first moment, she's lost, she's a lost soul, and she's looking for a way to get back home. She finds some friends, and they come to her aid. They constantly remind her "Stay on the yellow brick road; don't stray off of the yellow brick road. Whatever you do, stay on the yellow brick road." From the very beginning, she's befriended by strangers--she was lost, and now she's found. Dorothy doesn't realize it, but she has been found, and so she continues down this road, while picking up more friends. Remember, she picks up a scarecrow, a tin man, and then a lion, all of whom are in need of something added to their own individual lives. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion are all missing something in their lives, and they're looking to find those missing pieces. These fellow sojourners travel with Dorothy down this road, and they come upon the likes of an evil one-- the witch. I think the witch represents sin and evil in the world; evil that tries to take our attention off of God's presence and place it on the presence of the world--evil that has us looking not to God as our source of strength and salvation, but to the world. Although the witch offers Dorothy those "things of the world," she nevertheless stays on the road and makes it to Oz. It is at Oz that her wishes, along with those of the Scarecrow, the Lion and Tin Man, are granted. And it is here, in the land of Oz, that all experience a tremendous sense of inner peace--inner strength. While the Land of Oz may be fantasy, the Kingdom of God is not, and we are all on a similar journey. God calls us to take journeys at various points during our Christian pilgrimage, and so we are called to bring others along with us. We're called to bring those who are also searching for the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. During our
spiritual pilgrimage, we mustn't look inward, but outward. By looking
outward, we invite those who too are looking for the power of Jesus Christ
to come and radiate in their own lives. This is precisely the reason you
and I come to Calvary Church each and every Sunday, so that we can feel
the power of God radiate in our lives. We can rejoice because on our own personal journey, on our own pilgrimage, God gives us friends to help us along the way. When we stray off the road and begin to turn our attention and focus back to the world, God always provides someone or some answer that will allow us to get back on the road and refocus on God's Kingdom. We are completely clueless as to where this journey will take us, but we are called nevertheless to be faithful. We are called to trust that Jesus will take us where we need to be, and we rejoice in that, because we know that we don't have to take the journey alone. We know that God is Emmanuel--that God is with us. Whether we see God or not, God is here. Whether or not evil and sin confront us, God is here. God is present, and it's that Love that draws us back into fellowship and community with Jesus Christ. This is the core message of Truth found in today's Gospel lesson. Mary cannot begin to fathom the commitment she has made in deciding to be the mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But she is willing to trust in God's promises. Mary allows God to place her on the Road; she trusts God enough to say, "Lord, I know You will have me be where I need to be." Calvary Church is a very powerful ministry. I have seen people come to this place seeking that Road that leads to the throne of Grace. Many want what you have. They want to know the love of Jesus Christ each and every day of their lives, and that's why they come to Calvary. That's what makes this place so special, you know what it means to share the love of Christ. The people of Calvary truly know what it means to give the love of Christ to the stranger, and we're willing to bring them in as a part of our corporate communion. Like Mary, we're willing to trust that through the power of the Holy Spirit God will lead us to where we need to be. We pray each and every day asking for God's presence to lead and guide us. We have no idea where the Lord will take us each day, but we trust Him. We have no idea where the Lord will take us in these next few seconds, but we trust Him. We trust in God, and are willing to allow God to take us down that path that leads to eternal life. I give thanks
to God for each of you. You are very special to God and God's Kingdom.
Allow God to continue to work in and through you as you continue to travel
down that Road that leads to eternal life. May God bless you and your
ministry to God's people in this wonderful city of Memphis. Gospel:
Luke 1: 26-38
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