Sermon June 18, 2006

6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. 12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

In the summer of 1973, I attended a basketball camp in Millersburg, Kentucky, located about an hour north of Lexington. The camp was scheduled to last a week and promised personal interaction and hands on coaching from some of college basketball’s elite company; legendary UK basketball coach Adolph Rupp, Kentucky alumnus Dan Issel were scheduled to be there, along with many other college players and coaches. My parents suggested that, if I wanted to go, I would need to save my money, which led me to construct a small wooden box that I would use as a bank to start putting my grass-cutting money in. Did I mention that this camp was scheduled to last an entire week? I was due to arrive on a Sunday afternoon and scheduled to return home the following Saturday; six nights of sleeping in a bed that wasn’t mine, away from my beloved home. Up to that point, I had spent the night with friends only a few times, so I wasn’t sure if I could make it away from home for an entire week. Friends, I had no idea how difficult that week would turn out to be.
My mom and dad drove me to Millersburg, got me all set up in my dorm room (we stayed at a military academy) and, knowing my reluctance said, “You’ll be fine- have fun and we’ll see you next Saturday.” When I woke up on day three (Tuesday morning) of basketball camp week, I was absolutely miserable! I can remember eating breakfast that morning with fellow campers and feeling a little sick to my stomach. I felt as though the walls of the cafeteria were slowly closing in on me. I felt the other camper’s eyes looking at me, somehow knowing that I was crying; no- dying on the inside! There was only one way to explain what was going on with me- I was HOMESICK! To make a long story short, I called home about noon that day and my mom came and got me and we were safely at home by 7:00 p.m. From that day forward, I understood what it really meant to feel homesick and I hoped that I would never feel that way again.
That experience from my early teenage years had good and bad effects on my life. The good is that I can take what I learned from that and if I sense that one of my kids is feeling homesick, I can console him or her saying: “You know, it’s ok if you’re feeling a little homesick. I understand and what you are feeling is normal. Everything here at home is just fine. We love you and we miss you and we look forward to your coming home.”
On the other hand, there have been some lasting impressions that weren’t so good. For many years I felt the same sense of fear and panic I felt at age thirteen, when I drove past a cemetery. Obviously, I associated a cemetery with death and death to me meant being away from home- forever! Therefore, when I saw a cemetery, I saw a basketball camp that was scheduled to last a lifetime and beyond and I would be trapped there forever! I came to the conclusion that I needed to change my perspective of the after life.
Perhaps our scripture lesson for this morning can help us. Verse eight of second Corinthians chapter five reads:

8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

In other words, Paul said that he’d rather be in heaven with the Lord than here on earth. But then he says in verse nine:

9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

Seventeenth century Presbyterian minister Matthew Henry had this to say regarding our scripture lesson:
“The believer not only is well assured by faith that there is another and a happy life after this is ended, but he has good hope, through grace, of heaven as a dwelling-place, a resting-place, a hiding-place. The happiness of the future state is what God has prepared for those that love him…”

I don’t know about you, but it has taken me a long time to believe- really believe- that the eternity that exists for those who put their faith in Christ, is full of happiness and yes, even joy!
To know that a loved one who has passed is still okay is a very common desire in our society. Think about how many movies or TV shows you’ve watched where the living just want to hear the message that their loved ones are okay, or where someone who has passed on wants to get that message to someone on earth. One of my earliest memories about this is the movie “Carousel,” where the hero is killed and goes to heaven, and the people up there are polishing stars all the time. That’s Heaven? Lots of star polishing? Are you ever finished? There are a lot of stars out there.
And of course, there are jokes about heaven. Like the one where the man arrives at the gates of heaven. St. Peter asks,
"Religion?"
The man says, "Methodist."
St. Peter looks down his list, and says, "Go to room 24, but be very quiet as you pass room 8." Another man arrives at the gates of heaven. "Religion?"
"Baptist."
"Go to room 18, but be very quiet as you pass room 8."A third man arrives at the gates. "Religion?"
"Lutheran."
"Go to room 11, but be very quiet as you pass room 8."
The man says, "I can understand there being different rooms for different religions, but why must I be quiet when I pass room 8?"
St. Peter tells him, "Well the Presbyterians are in room 8, and they think they're the only ones here.”
Putting “Carousel” and jokes aside, what then are we to do with all of this?
We’ve established that our hope is certain. The Christian’s final resting place is one filled with all the goodness of home and so much more. Paul emphasized that, while heaven is our destination (and a good one it is); there is life to be lived to the glory of God. If we choose to live our daily lives with an eternal perspective our trials and tribulations may not seem as catastrophic as they might seem at the moment. I have certainly gained a sense of perspective since those anxious hours at camp over thirty years ago. I’ve faced trials and triumphs, experienced grief and joy. And the best I can wish for you is that you are able to live with the feeling of home.
Home means different things throughout the seasons of our lives. What are some of your fondest memories of home? I realize that some of our childhoods may have left something to be desired, but just think for a moment, about what in your life has given you the greatest sense of love and security. I believe that the Bible teaches that whatever it is that gives us a sense of peace, tranquility, safety, and security is what our lives will be like in heaven.
As we celebrate Father’s day this weekend, I’m reminded of my feelings of home. From my younger years, I remember feeling as happy as I ever felt when my dad and I played football in the backyard. It wasn’t that he was telling me jokes or tickling me or anything like that, it’s just that he was with me and he seemed as though he wanted to be with me and he was having fun! I also remember some times when I was in my twenties when our whole family (all five of us) would be together in one place and just sitting around talking; no TV and no distractions. Home took on a different meaning when I met Mindy we decided to start building a home of our own. Before we had kids we used to take naps on Sunday afternoons. We used to enjoy long periods of uninterrupted silence. And then, since we’ve had kids, the feeling of home a taken yet a different meaning.
If we choose to live with those feelings of home with tha eternal perspective- with the promise of what is to come. If we can get a broader perspective of our temporary setbacks- physical, mental and spiritual- and envision what life will be like in the promised "new heavens and the new earth”. If we have confidence and assurance of our final home; if we know our final destination; a place of peace, rest, without sin, we can enjoy the present. If we are certain of our eternal destiny, wouldn't that knowledge make our everyday lives easier to bear? If we live with the assurance that we have a happy eternity waiting for us when we die- shouldn’t that make a difference in the way in which we live?
In his book titled, “The Divine Conspiracy” author Dallas Willard talked about living with an eternal perspective:
“The meaning of present events in human life is largely a matter of what comes later.”

“We are greatly strengthened for life in the kingdom now by an understanding of what our future holds, and especially of how that future relates to our present experience.”

That is how I felt after I finally got home that fateful Tuesday evening in June of 1973. I clearly remember laying in my bed my first night home. I felt safe, loved, needed, and as peaceful as any thirteen year old boy could feel. I felt as though I was in the place that I was designed to be in. Even though it has taken me a long time, one of the lessons I learned through my difficulty at basketball camp was that I can choose to look at the events in my life with a temporal (that is, limited) or an eternal perspective. I believe that when we get home- home with our heavenly Father- these feelings and positive experiences of home are just some of what we, as believers, have to look forward to.

Latest and goodest

Friday June 9, 2006- 8:12 a.m.

Today is the end of a long and grueling week. Clergy kid 1 has had a bit of laryngitis and some allergy stuff going on since Sunday and she hasn’t been sleeping well (too much coughing). Therefore, Mrs. CC and I haven’t been sleeping well, either. Wed. night I slept on the couch to avoid Anytime one of the kids gets sick I am convinced- in my own twisted, little brain- that he or she is being sick just to make me angry. Like they can control whether they get sick or not! I am so all about me!

MH has had a terrible cough this week, too. Except when she coughs, she really coughs! It sounds like a lawn mower running over a steel blade when she coughs. UGH. Leave that at home, girl…

I took JH to lunch the other day and we talked (gossiped) about everyone in the building. We weren’t ruthless or mean, we just had discussions about the people and their situations.





11:17 a.m.
I can’t stand to see KM or RW around the building- they make me extremely nervous! I’m going to lunch now- 11:30-1:00- woo hoo! I sent a text message to my wife asking her for some special time tonight- I like my chances!

3:23 p.m.
I am desperately trying to keep my eyes open! I am working on my sermon for next weekend. I guess it’s not a very good sign when the person that is writing the sermon is falling asleep! What a snoozer this promises to be for all the others that will hear it.