1 Corinthians 9:24-27

I love a good athletic event. The Super Bowl was great this year. There was a safety and a 98 yard drive. Then a 1 point difference in the score and that was just the first half. Then it all came down to a hail mary on the last play.

Speaking of athletic events, have you heard the story of Zoe Koplowitz? In 2011 she ran in the New York City Marathon. She trained hard to run the grueling endurance race. She started with all the other runners, but finished last. The winner of the race that year finished in 2 hours and 23 minutes. Zoe finished in 31 hours and 21 minutes. In 2011 Zoe had run in 23 NY City marathons. In 2000 it took her over 36 hours to finish.

Oh, did I mention that 30 years ago Zoe was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis? She literally walked the whole way. Early on in the race the elite athletes passed her but she kept walking. Then the hard core runners passed her, but she kept walking. The official record may say that she finished last but she finished. And in my book she won. She set her heart and mind on a goal and through discipline and dedication she achieved it! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoe_Koplowitz )

The Corinthians knew about sports. Remember they were Greeks. The Greeks invented the Olympics. In fact near Corinth was a place called Isthmia which was the site of games that rivaled the ancient Olympics. Paul, who made his living making tents, may have made tents for the visitors to Isthmia, because a temple and race track were the only permanent structures there. The contestants and spectators usually live in tents during the events.

So when Paul used the analogy of an athlete, the Corinthians could understand. They had seen runners training and racing. They had witnessed boxers who "beat the air" and others who hit their opponents.

So Paul told them: In a race all the runners race but only one gets the garland crown. So he admonished them to run the race like they mean to win it. To live the Christian life like they are trying to win a race. Not to receive a wreath that will wilt, but to receive the eternal reward of heaven. Paul himself pledged not to beat the air but to apply himself.

Sometimes I think we preachers do the church a disservice. We preach about how salvation is a free gift of grace. Which it is! But then we don't talk about the dedication and discipline it takes to be a Christian. So people think that being a Christian is just about sitting around letting Jesus save us.

Don't get me wrong. Salvation is a free gift of God's grace. All you need to do to be forgiven of your sins is repent and put your trust in God who sent Jesus to save us. That is being saved.

Being a Christian is different. Once we are saved by grace, we are called to live as followers of Christ. Following Jesus is not easy. Following Jesus is not about sitting around. It is about following Jesus our team captain who worked and prayed and suffered and died and then rose again. Talk about your 4th quarter comebacks!

Did you know that I am a quarterback? I am a point guard too. If you don't believe me ask my family. When USC or the Panthers or Duke are playing I am right there in my armchair telling them what do to. Go for the long bomb. No, a short drop off. Run it up the middle. Fake the drive and shoot a trey. I can play defense too. That is one of my favorite things to yell at the TV: "Defense." I even have the moves.

I am a certified armchair quarterback! Sometimes I think too many in the church are armchair Christians. Some think that just showing up once in a while for the game is enough. What if the Giants and the Patriots had just shown up for the Super Bowl without training or even trying?

That would have been boring. Maybe that is why some people think that Christians are boring. Some do so much sitting and not much doing.

Paul told the Corinthians, and us, to approach the Christian life like an athlete. That means training with discipline. A serious athlete trains every day. They exercise and push themselves.

In the same way we Christians need to train. That means crunching some Bible verses before breakfast. It means going on a spiritual diet of peace, patience, kindness etc. - the fruits of the Spirit. It means showing up to training and practices and then showing up for the game.

If we are honest with ourselves we could all confess to having been armchair Christians. But I know that this church has also followed Paul's advice. I have seen you rolling up your sleeves to feed the hungry, host the homeless, clothe the needy, and educate those in poverty. I have witnessed you all in training, going to Sunday school and Bible studies. I have seen you in the game witnessing to your friends and performing acts of charity for your neighbors.

That is what the Christian life is all about. Striving like an athlete who disciplines her or himself to win a trophy. But we are not talking about the Vince Lombardi trophy or the Stanley Cup or the World Cup. Those things are temporal. We are talking about the everlasting trophy of eternal life in Jesus. So keep training and showing up for practices and run the race of life like you mean it! Then you will have run the Marathon of life and no one can accuse you of being an armchair Christian.

Psalm 30

Once upon a time there was a great mountain climber. He thought he could climb any mountain on his own. Of course we all know that the first rule of any kind of dangerous sport is "never do it alone." But he set out on his own to climb a very treacherous mountain. He was nearing the top when he slipped and all his ropes came unfastened and he was sliding down a steep slope towards a cliff. Just as he reached the cliff he grabbed hold of a seedling and it stopped his progress. But there he was hanging off the side of a cliff holding onto a small seedling that would not hold his weight for long. He looked up to heaven and cried out "Lord, I have never called on you before, but if you are up there please help me!" Just then a voice boomed from heaven, "Let go." The mountain climber protested, "But if I let go I will fall hundreds of feet and surely die." The voice came back, "Let go and I will catch you." The mountain climber responded, "Is there anyone else up there?"

The writer of Psalm 30 and this mountain climber could have started a club. Psalm 30 says, "As for me, I said in my prosperity, 'I shall never be moved.' By thy favor, O LORD, thou hadst established me as a strong mountain; thou didst hide thy face, I was dismayed."(vs. 6-7) Apparently the psalmist was successful and wealthy. He thought he had it made. In hindsight he realized that it was God who had made him what he was. And when God "hid his face" or stopped showering him with blessings, he was done for.

I see a lot of people in our world like that. We are truly blessed. Even the poorest in America are rich compared to people in some countries. And even the worst off today have more hope than people did ages ago when there wasn't medical care and the ability to move food over vast distances. And personally we are blessed with family and friends and this wonderful church family.

But we rarely consider how blessed we are. We think we are sitting on top of the world because of our own brains, or wealth, or strength or good looks. Too often we don't realize that they are blessings. They were given to us not made by us. So like the psalmist we think "I have it made" and we turn our backs on God. It is only then that we fall flat on our faces and realize that without God we are nothing.

Like the mountain climber the psalmist called on God. The psalmist said, "To thee, O LORD, I cried; and to the LORD I made supplication." (vs. 8) Like the mountain climber he thought he was on top of the world. But then he discovered that he was really hanging above a precipice. In his words: "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise thee? Will it tell of thy faithfulness?" (vs. 9)

And God answered the psalmist. "I will extol thee, O LORD, for thou hast drawn me up, and hast not let my foes rejoice over me." (vs. 1) "O LORD my God, I cried to thee for help, and thou hast healed me." (vs. 2) In other words he said "Lord I know you are up there! Please help me!" And God helped.

God hears us when we call on him. Even when we have turned our backs on God he will hear. He can pull us out of whatever pit we may fall in. Even is it was our won fault that we fell in the pit. Sometimes he may not do it in the way or at the time we want. Often the answer tells us to do something that we are uncomfortable with. And so we would rather hang on to the seedling of our own strength instead of falling into the hands of God!

Unlike the mountain climber the psalmist put his faith in God. He let go and put his trust in God to save him. That is what it takes. As long we hang on to the seedling we are trusting in our own abilities and not in God. But if we let go then we allow God to hold us up. In the end he is the only one who can.

The Psalmist then praises God. He said, "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness." (vs. 11) God does that! God takes the worst of situations and turns them into the best. The psalmist knew this and trusted God to lift him up.

We too can trust that God will hear. One way of doing that is to praise him even before we see the answer. Most of the time we ask God for help and then we wait to see if God will answer. Then we praise him. But if we truly believe God will answer then we should thank God for the answer even before we see it.

Finally the psalmist declares what he has learned through all of this. He says, "For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime." (vs. 5) Sure he had turned his back on God and thought he could care for himself. And by doing that he had turned away from God's help. He was the one who had left God not God who had left him. But when he turned back, God forgave.

So he said, "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." (vs. 5) Have you every spent a sleepless night? I have spent a few. Either because I was in pain or because on of my family were sick. The night can seem to last forever.

But then the morning comes, a new day. In the same way times of hardship happen and they may seem like an endless night. But as sure as the sun rises Joy will come. God will bring salvation and bring us unspeakable Joy!

Trust in God because Joy comes in the morning! Those who put their trust will know that joy. So let go! Stop trusting in your grip on life and allow God to catch you! Your long night or self reliance is over, and Joy comes with the morning!

2 Kings 5:1-14

Naaman, the main character of our Old Testament lesson today, was a big man. He was the commander of the army of the King of Aram, or Syria. He wasn't just some measly one star general he was a five star general in charge of it all. Naaman wasn't the commander of some small third rate army either. Syria was one of the superpowers of the day. Naaman was a military strategist, a warrior, and a leader.

Naaman was also a war hero. He had won great victories for the King. Of course the inspired author of Kings recognized that God's hand was behind these victories. As a result Naaman was probably famous. We know that he was highly valued by the king.

Naaman was a big man, a leader and a hero, but he was also a leper. Back in that day lepers were cast out of society. For the purpose of the public health they were not allowed to socialize with normal people. Normally a big man like Naaman would be given a comfortable place in the palace and would be invited to banquets to tell of his great victories. But instead Naaman's hands were tied by an incurable disease.

Naaman was a big man and he was used to doing things in a big way. One day Naaman heard from his wife that there was a prophet in Israel that could cure him. His wife had heard it from a slave girl who had been captured during one of his campaigns. Naaman probably sneered at the prospect of going to a prophet of Israel. By that time Israel had become just a stop on the way to bigger and better things. But Naaman was a desperate man, so he decided to go to Israel as the slave girl suggested.

When Naaman decided to do something, he did it in a big way. First he went to the King of Syria and asked for a letter of introduction. Then he took enough gold and silver to ransom a king. And Naaman went straight to the Palace of the King of Israel. At first the King of Israel didn't know what to do, but then Elisha the prophet sent him word that he could heal Naaman.

Now Naaman came to Elisha expecting big things. He came with his horses and chariots probably expecting to find a palace or temple or something. Instead he found a humble dwelling. It was probably a comical sight. Naaman "The Great" with his private guards and his gold and silver assembled before the small farm house. Naaman expected the prophet to come out and perform some kind of elaborate ritual. Maybe this prophet would come out and lay hands on him and call on God to heal him. Maybe he would anoint him with oil and herbs or something. Perhaps he would make sacrifices and chant incantations and use potions. But Naaman was disappointed. First of all Elisha didn't even come out of his house. He sent his servant out to relay his message. And all he said to Naaman was "Go wash in the Jordan seven times." Now the Jordan was just a muddy little stream compared to the great rivers of Syria.

Naaman was used to doing things in a big way, so this seemed ridiculous to him. The task given him by Elisha was so small it was beneath him. If Elisha had told him to conquer a kingdom for God, he would have. If Elisha had told him to slay a dragon, he would have. If Elisha had asked him to pay twice what he had brought with him, he would have. But take a bath in a muddy brook? Why bother? He didn't come to Israel to take a bath. He could have done that back home. So that is where he headed; back home.

In anger Naaman started back to Syria. But one of his aids talked to him. "If the prophet had asked you to do something great you would have right?" "Without hesitation," Naaman replied. "Well then, why won't you do this little thing that the prophet asks?"

Naaman decided that it was worth a chance to try it. So he went to the Jordan and bathed seven times as Elisha had told him. And when he finished he was healed and his skin was a healthy as a newborn babe's. And Naaman the great learned a lesson. He learned how great the God of Israel really is. This God doesn't need trumpets and fanfare and elaborate ceremonies to be the Almighty. This God can use even the muddy backwaters of the Jordan and a humble prophet to do a great work.

Like Naaman we like to do things in a big way too. So when we can't do it in a big way we apologize for the little thing that we do. We say, "It's all I could do," or "It's the least I could do." When a friend is ill we drop by or send them a get well card. And they say, "Thank you very much." And we apologize: "It wasn't much, it was all I could do." An acquaintance dies so we take a dish to the family or send flowers. They say, "Oh thank you very much." And you say, "It's the least I could do." What you really mean is: "I am sorry I couldn't do more. If I had the power I would bring him back to life. If I could I would take your grief away. I am so sorry that I can't heal your illness and make you healthy again."

You know today many people are like Naaman. They are Spiritual lepers separated from God by their own sin. And many people are seeking some kind of spiritual meaning and center to life. The problem is they aren't looking to Christ. They are looking to new and exotic religions and cults. Occasionally they come to a Christian and we tell them, "Believe in Jesus and you will be saved." But they want to do it in a big way. They want to slay some spiritual, emotional or interpersonal dragon to find peace. They think they have to make a pilgrimage of the soul to access some cosmic channel. "No," we say, "just believe in Jesus and be saved," and they walk away like Naaman. What can you do? Love them? Pray for them? Is that all? There must be more I can do?

Like Naaman we would like to do things in a big way. We would like to buy them a new life or health. Sometimes we would even take their suffering on ourselves. So we apologize for only being able to do the small things. Sometimes we even neglect the small things because they seem like a mere drop in the bucket.

Jesus taught his disciples what to do. He said "Ask and you shall receive; search and you shall find; knock and it will be opened to you." Is this idle talk or is it a promise from God? It is a promise that God will hear and answer our prayers. A friend would get out of bed to answer your call. Even evil people give good gifts to their children. How much more will our Heavenly Father hear and bless us. Jesus told his disciples to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to reach the lost. What happened? Evil demons were cast out and Jesus saw Satan fall that day. Praying may seem small but God promises to use it for great ends.

"The least I can do is pray!?" Sisters and Brothers in Christ think about what you are saying. Imagine that you had a friend in jail. And you believed that they should be released. So you went to the President of the United States and arranged an audience. And then you sat in the oval office and told the president why your friend should be pardoned. Would you then go back to your friend and say, "I am sorry, all I could do was go to the President and request a pardon." Of course not, you would be satisfied that you had done all that you could. Why then do you apologize for going straight to the Almighty. If you have a friend that is enslaved by some sin, or who is ill, or who is imprisoned by some circumstance, the most you could do is go straight to the one who has power over all situations; the one who can conquer all sin. They don't call God "Almighty" for nothing. Of course once we ask God for help we have to make ourselves available to be part of that help.

"Ask and it will be given to you; search and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you." So don't apologize for "only" praying. Instead pray with persistence as Jesus taught. God will answer your prayers. Sometimes the answer is "yes" sometimes it is "no." And sometimes it is, "Not now." Whatever the answer is, it is what is best.

What do you need? What does your neighbor need: healing of body or soul? freedom from a situation? freedom from their own sin? salvation, assurance, hope, peace? Ask God to meet that need. I know it seems like a small thing to do, but God promised us to take that small thing and give us a great gift for it. All Naaman had to do was take a bath. It was such a small task that he almost didn't do it. Don't make that mistake. Ask. It's the biggest little thing you will ever do.

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Mark 1:40-45

The story is one we have all heard before. Jesus heals a leper. Well, I am the preacher. I guess you all expect me to say something about it. O.K...

Leprosy in Jesus' day was a debilitating and incurable disease. By law people who had contracted leprosy were required to segregate themselves from society leaving their families and homes. They could not buy or sell and they were required to announce their presence to anyone who happened upon them by yelling, "unclean." To touch a leper was a crime and people would stand at a distance and throw them food as charity and as a way to get them to go away.

Such was the man who came to Jesus one day. Yet in violation of custom and law Jesus touched the man and healed him. Then after being told not to tell any one, he did just the opposite. So go ye and do likewise. Amen.

Before you go and call the Bishop to tell him that you have a burned out preacher on your hands let me assure you that my apparent lack of enthusiasm was just an act. My point is that this is the way most modern day Christians respond to this passage. We have heard over and over again about Jesus healing and cleansing lepers. It is the same old story. We have all heard about the horrors of the disease. We have heard the analogies with AIDS and cancer. We have heard preachers speak about the faith of the leper to even approach Jesus to ask for cleansing. We have heard them speak of Jesus' compassionate act of touching the leper as an example to us.

It's the same old story. But that attitude is a direct contradiction to what this story is really about. Oh, it is about a man being cleansed of leprosy but there's more. It's a story about enthusiasm. The man was cleansed and then told not to tell anyone! Yet he ran all over and blabbed it to everyone.

He must have known Jesus better than I do. I would be afraid to blab if I had been told not to. But this guy was so excited by what Jesus had done for him that he just couldn't keep it to himself. But this seems to be an isolated incident. Because most people do seem to keep silent whether they are told to or not.

I am here today to break to silence. I'm here to tell you that Jesus has cleansed me and delivered me from my own uncleanness. I've never drunk alcohol except for those times I took communion at Lutheran and Episcopal churches and that was just a sip. I've never taken drugs or cheated on my wife or been addicted to gambling or credit or cheated on my taxes. I have never been down and out and of the street with no place to go; with the whole world against me.

I'm sorry that my testimony is not as dramatic as some people's. But Jesus has cleansed me. I made a conscious decision for Christ when I was 8. I'm sorry, but that story is not very dramatic either. I was sitting in front of the TV and Billy Graham said that each person needs to make their own decision for Christ, so I did. I had always believed in Jesus because that was what my parent's taught me. It's as simple as that. Not very big and colorful, huh? In fact it was a small black and white TV.

I may not be a fantastic sinner, but I am a sinner. And if it were not for Jesus, I would not only be headed for Hell, I would be living it now. Through Jesus I have been cleansed of an ailment that prevented me from having fellowship with my Heavenly Father. But because Jesus touched me with his forgiveness, I can experience the love of my Father in Heaven once again. And that is something to be excited about.

I am sorry it's the same old story again isn't it? I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see. I was lost in sin and unclean, and Jesus set me free. But that is something to get excited about, isn't it? We were all lost and unclean and separated from God. But Jesus touched our lives and made us clean and gave us a renewed fellowship with our Father in Heaven.

Yet, I haven't heard a lot of people talking about it lately. Did Jesus save you and take away your sins? Then say, "Amen." Maybe Jesus told you to be hush hush about it? That is what he said to the leper. But the leper told people anyway!

I don't think Jesus told any of us to keep quiet. In fact as I read the Bible, it seems to say that the redeemed of the Lord should say so! So I want everyone who has been cleansed by Jesus to say, "Amen!" I understand that we usually don't do that kind of thing here and that's fine. I'm not suggesting that we need to change that tradition of quiet reverence. But just for today let's make an exception. I want every one who was redeemed by the Lord to say so and shout, "Amen!"

I know it's just the same old story, but there are those who have never heard it. So follow the example of the leper. Freely tell the good news of what Jesus has done for you. Tell people that he cleansed you and saved you. You don't need to make up something just tell it the way it happened.

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