July 17, 2023 "I Came Here to Do Something"

7-16-23 “I Came In Here to Do Something….?” 2 Kings 7:1-11 (Unison);  Romans 8:1-11     
Sermon Preached by Rev. Dr. J. Ben Sloan at Eastminster Presbyterian in Columbia, SC, USA

 I heard a comedian once speak of turning middle aged.  He said when you turn middle aged your brain starts having some electrical shorts So you walk into a room intent on doing something but when you get into the room you forget why you came in there.  Fortunately, he said there is this button that God has invisibly installed on your backside.  So when you go back to sit down, you press the invisible button and you remember why you were supposed to go into the room. 
    Many people illustrate this in their lives.  At one point they had a purpose- a reason- that motivated them forward, but then when they got to some point, they got distracted, or they just forgot what their purpose is.  We are not here by accident.  We are the Bible and shorter catechism says, put here to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.   That is our purpose.  We are not here to be made comfortable, to be entertained, to waste our lives.  Don’t get me wrong, God also put us here to enjoy life- which is part of enjoying Him.  But God does not exist just for our own comfort.  We exist for His pleasure.  Our passage says that those who live according to the flesh- as if there is no God- no spiritual sense at all- have their minds set on the what the flesh desires- whatever their feelings dictate.  He says the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God and is death.   Gang violence is death; abuse of our bodies leads to death; not valuing others made in God’s image- thinking you have the right to shoot them- is death; the way of selfishness is the way of death.  The way of Christ is the way of life.  You and I in this room are stewards of the Good News- that there is a way of life.  There is a way to eternal life- and it begins right now. 
      I love this story from 2 Kings 7.  The people were starving to death in a siege of their city.  They had run out of food.  People were becoming desperate for food. The king was mad at God for the disaster- and wanted to kill Elisha- God’s prophet. Elisha told them they would have more food than they could handle by the next day.  No one believed him. 
     But two lepers totally separate said, we’ll climb over the wall and go to the Arameans and surrender, but at least eat.  But when they climbed over the wall- they realized whole Aramean army had fled out of fear of an illusion- the army thought they heard horses and chariots.  So, the lepers were just having a feast on all the food the enemy army left behind.  Only when they were full did they begin to think of those in the city still starving to death.  The people were starving to death- but they didn’t need to starve. They didn’t know the good news that the army had left a feast on just the other side of the wall.  There was abundant food for everyone.   The lepers finally went back and the people didn’t believe them at first.  But finally they realized what happened and there was a stampede out of the city to get food.  We are called to not keep good news to ourselves.  The world is starving for hope and good news- we have it, and we don’t need to keep it all for ourselves. 
           The United States surgeon general said that loneliness is an epidemic in America.  It is aggravated by staring at cell phones even in the presence of family and others; and loneliness and isolation was aggravated by Covid.  But now the pandemic is over, and people are still left with loneliness.  One leading Psychiatrist, Daniel Amen (known for his 11 brain clinics and 12 NYT best sellers) said there is one simple step we can take- go to church or go back to church!  Church is the place where we learn to love one another- despite our imperfections and differences.  We want to love them by helping them physically, and mentally- but the church has something to say no one else can say.  No government agency can say it.  No civic club will say it.  We are the only ones who can say that there is a way beyond the grave for sure.  We know it is sure because our leader- Jesus has already made it through the tunnel of death and came back to tell us that it is ok.  He has been over the wall- and the enemy is gone- there is a way to life.  No one else will dare to say that there is life on the other side of the wall of death- but us.    We have a purpose- we have come into this generation- with this knowledge and this love in our hearts to tell others of the Great Love that can give life- now, and in the life to come- that is Jesus.   So how do you share faith?  Pray for others who say they do not believe or will not go to worship (Ro. 10:1); Identify with Christ (Ro. 1:16)- put an Eastminster magnet on your car, or say you go to Eastminster on your about info on social media; Then invite folks when you have the opportunity;  Be ready to share your story (testimony) of why Christ is important to you and then look for opportunities to do so; Know the Gospel and be ready to share it and look for an opportunity so share that Christ died for our sins on the cross.  
     We also are urged by Paul in this passage to set our minds in the right place.  The selfish person has their mind set on what they can get- more stuff, better stuff, fancier stuff.  The spiritual person has their mind set on what they can give- how can I love, how can I serve God better.  Your mindset is how you make sense of the world.  If you make sense of the world only by what you can touch and see- then you are leaving out faith, hope, and love.  Carol Dweck is a Psychologist at Stanford and recently wrote a bestselling book called “Mindset- How to fulfill your potential.”  KJV Prov. 23:7 (As a man thinketh so is he.”  God cares not just about our actions and words, but also about our thoughts.  One of Kay’s and my verses for the year is Philippians 4:8 which says, “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.”  If we practice this way of thinking it changes us.   Pray, Identify, Invite, Be ready. Live the life (last)
     I am so excited to be the pastor for missions- and outreach for the next year.  I am excited that we can build a church building in Mexico where the church is outgrowing its buildings.  As someone who has come back to Eastminster after many years of ministry- I can say I am so proud of how this church cares for the hungry, the homeless, the hurting all around us.  I am so grateful to be a part of a church that doesn’t think only of itself, and to have pastors who lead in this way.  I hope you are excited too.  Let us look into how we can set our mind on the Spirit  I am excited that in this post covid time- we can come together and invite other people over the wall to join us in the feast of God.