Journeying in God’s Law

Preached by Michael Cheuk
March 15, 2009, Third Sunday in Lent, Year B
Psalm 19

Over a week ago, a new superhero movie called the Watchmen hit the silver screens all across the country.  It is based on a limited comic book series of the same name that appeared in 1986.  As far as superheroes go, the Watchmen are pretty new, and from time to time, writers invent new superheroes with new superpowers, cool outfits, and funky names.  This week, I’ve been thinking about a new superhero possibility named “Righteous.”  Her super-strength is that she embodies “God’s Law.”  What do you think?  Will it make it big in Hollywood?  Probably not, because I suspect if “Righteous” were to fit into the stereotype that many people have about God’s law, then this superhero would be cold, unforgiving, judgmental, and her main superpower is that she can suck all the fun out of any party!   When people see her coming down the street, they duck for cover and turn the other way hoping that she won’t notice them to point out their faults and failings.  No one likes a self-righteous person, much less a self-righteous superhero.

In this characterization, I know I have grossly exaggerated one reaction that some people might have about God’s law.  But I do think laws, rules and regulations can get a bad rap in our society and culture.  We hear stories about the legislative branch of our government writing complicated and convoluted laws that very people can understand.  We hear about all the rules and regulations that are imposed on businesses that actually make doing business more difficult.  We feel that some laws place unnecessary constraints upon our own freedom.  And these feelings are not limited to adults.  In our youth meetings, we’ve been discussing about how to relate to our parents.  One night, I asked the youth this question: “If you could create the perfect parent, what characteristics would be on the top of your list?”  Our youth responded: The perfect parent lets me do whatever I want to do; the perfect parent fully accepts and loves me, is lenient and fun, and lends me money.”  Reading a list like that, it almost gives the impression that our some of you parents out there are dictators!

As I’ve said, laws, rules and regulations can get a bad rap.  That’s why it is somewhat surprising to read Psalm 19 this morning and hear the glowing words that David the psalm writer used to express his attitude toward God’s Law. 

Journeying With One Another

Preached by Michael Cheuk
March 8, 2009, Second Sunday in Lent, Year B
Psalm 22:23-31

I’ve got a question for you this morning.  When you go on a trip, let’s say an eight-hour drive to Atlanta, how many of you would prefer making that trip alone?  How many of you would rather have a friend travel with you?  I see that most of us here would rather travel with a companion.  I’m the same way.  While I’m naturally an introvert, and do not mind at all being alone, I do prefer going on trips with a friend or family members, to share the journey with me.

Today, on this second Sunday in Lent, we continue our sermon series on the Journey to the Cross.  Last Sunday, we focused on journeying with God.  Today, we want to acknowledge the fact that our journey with God is not a solitary journey.  Rather, we also journey with one another, as described by the words of the hymn we just sang this morning: “We are pilgrims on a journey.  We are brothers (and sisters) on the road.  We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.”  These words verbalize what it means to journey with one another.  But it seems to me that here at Farmville Baptist, while most of us have companions to travel with us on our earthy journeys, on our spiritual journey with God, many of us basically walk alone.  It seems to me that, other than Sunday School, there are not many opportunities for us as a church family to honestly share with one another what is really going on in our lives, to relate to one another our ups and downs in our faith journey, to truly walk with one another through the struggles and trials of our lives.  Now, every Sunday for 15 to 20 minutes, you get to hear what I’m thinking and what’s going on spiritually in my life, but there are hardly any opportunities for me or for others to hear what you’re thinking and what is going on in your life, spiritually or otherwise.  Yes, we come to church on Sunday mornings, but we often come as spiritual Lone Rangers.  But let’s remember, even the Lone Ranger had his Tonto.

Now, I know that many times, we’re happy with our spiritual anonymity. 

Journeying with God

Preached by Michael Cheuk
March 1, 2009, First Sunday in Lent, Year B
Mark 1:9-15; Psalm 25:1-10

Rites of passage.  A rite of passage is a ritual that marks a change of status or identity in the life of an individual.  In many cultures, young people, especially young men, go through a rite a passage in which he leaves his family and community and goes through a transition period before finally being re-incorporated into his family and community as a new person, with a new identity and life purpose.  In many Native American cultures, an important rite of passage is the vision quest.  A vision quest is a turning point in life taken before puberty to find oneself and the intended spiritual and life direction. When an older child is ready, he or she will go on a personal, spiritual quest alone in the wilderness, often in conjunction with a period of fasting. This usually lasts for a number of days while the child is tuned into the spirit world to gain a vision of his life’s direction.  Once the vision is granted, the child returns to the tribe to pursue that vision.[1]

We in westernized cultures do not have rites of passage identical to the Native American vision quests, but we too have our own rites of passage.  For many youth, getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage that marks the transition between dependence upon one’s parents for transportation to a greater independence of mobility.  For many teenage girls in the deep South, the debutant ball is a rite of passage, a “coming out” into genteel society as a proper young lady.  I think for many young people today, college is a rite of passage.  Sure, a college campus is certainly not a wilderness, and students certainly don’t fast during this period, as evidenced by the “freshmen fifteen.”  But the college years are a period where most students detach themselves from their families and communities to spend time “finding themselves” and to figure out what to do with their lives.  And hopefully, by the end of four years (or five or six), students will emerge as full adults and be reincorporated back into society after going through an elaborate ritual and celebration called “graduation.”

In today’s Gospel Lesson from Mark, we see that Jesus went through an important rite of passage called baptism.