Righteous by Faith

Preached by Michael Cheuk
February 17, 2008, Second Sunday in Lent
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

Valentine’s Day was this past Thursday, and couples all over the country flocked to florists for roses, and made reservations at restaurants for romantic meals.  Valentine’s Day is also big day for engagements, which we usually consider to be something shared between two people.  And yet, I think anyone who’s been married knows that on some level, while the proposal says, “Will you marry me,” the reality is also a little bit: “Will you marry us – me, my cranky dad, my overprotective mother, my feuding sisters, and my crazy uncle?”  In fact, it seems most of us go through an inevitable phase in our relationship – whether before or after marriage – when we are confronted by the unspoken rules of our partner’s family.  In our family, one person might say, the toilet paper falls flush along the wall!  No, in our family, the right way is to roll over the top so it’s easy to reach!  Or, in our family, we go all out with surprise birthday parties with a big fancy meal at a restaurant and presents galore!  Well, in our family, the birthday kid was lucky to get a cake from Kroger’s with a card that said, “Love, Mom.”

We all know these differences, right?  And many of us have felt the stress of introducing a new partner to the family.  Or perhaps you’ve seen it from the other side of the table, awaiting a son to come home from college with his new girlfriend, visiting for the weekend.  And whichever side you’re on, we all hold our breath, waiting to see if it’ll be a good match.  Did you remember to tell the new boyfriend that in our family, we root for the Hokies?  Did you caution him not to tell Mom and Dad that he’s voting for Hillary Clinton?  Did you remind her to rave about your mother’s signature “Jello Delight”?  Will your girlfriend remember to take out her nose ring so that Grandma won’t have a coronary?  We worry about all these rules, and worry about whether our chosen partners can adapt to them quickly enough so that they will be “all right” with our family.  Many times, the trouble with our in-laws is that they act like “outlaws”-breaking the unspoken rules of our family, or refusing to change and adapt to fit to the way we do things.

Well, in our New Testament lesson this morning, a similar situation was taking place. 

Jesus, You Da Man!

Preached by Michael Cheuk
February 10, 2008, First Sunday in Lent
Romans 5:12-19; Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7

For football fans around the world, last Sunday’s Super Bowl must rank as one of the greatest, if not the greatest game in the history of the Super Bowl.  And for those of you who saw the game, you witnessed four quarters of smash-mouth football, culminating in four, amazing final minutes.  You watched the Patriots methodically march down the field and score to take a four-point lead with 2:42 to go.  And who can forget the Giants’ last drive, highlighted by Eli Manning’s Houdini-like escape from the grasp of the Patriots’ linemen, followed by his desperation floater to David Tyree, who launched himself into the air for an incredible one-handed, velcro-helmet catch.  In 1972, there was Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception.”  Last Sunday, we witnessed Eli’s “The Flee to Tyree” that ultimately resulted in a winning touchdown for the Giants.

Equally interesting to me was the buildup to the game, in which most of the attention was given to the Patriots and their league MVP quarterback Tom Brady.  All season right up to the Super Bowl, Tom Brady was “da man,” leading his team to a perfect 18-0.  Eli Manning, however, was “da maligned,” criticized by former teammate Tiki Barber for his lack of leadership, and belittled by frustrated Giants fans for his erratic play so far throughout his career.  But something happened to Eli in the playoffs-he stopped throwing interceptions, he started managing games, and he led his team to victories on the road.  But right up to the Super Bowl, there were still doubts in people’s minds as to which Eli Manning would show up-the fumbling, bumbling doof or a quarterback worthy of the Manning pedigree.  And the hopes and dreams of Giants fans everywhere were tied to Eli’s performance.  If the Giants had lost, they would have said, “Ugh, it’s the same old Eli.”  But the G-Men shockingly won the game and became world champs, with Eli being named Super Bowl MVP and awarded a trip to Disney World.  Eli Manning is now “da man.”  Along with Michael Strahan, Eli is now the face of the Giants, the one who represents all the G-Men.  My, how the world has radically changed for Eli and Giants football!

In today’s Old Testament lesson, we heard how the story of another man and how the whole world was radically changed for all.