Hymns: Lift Up Your Heads, Comfort, Comfort You My People, Christ of the Upward Way
Music: The Voice of God is Calling; HS Girls:What is this Light?
Liturgist: S Midge Reader: Gerorge Trimarco Candles: Bachorick family
John Preaching to the Crowds (stylized)
Luke 3:7-18
7John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” 891011121314
15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.161718
Opening Questions:
- When do you know that you've done the right thing?
- Should the church be specific in telling people what to do?
- Should God be specific in telling people what to do?
- Should my wife be specific in telling me what to do?
- How would you know if a direct order came from God?
- What is the first thing you think of when someone gives you a specific order?
- Is it possible for people to work together without a leader?
- When have you really really enjoyed being told what to do?
Jesus describes God in various analogies in parables:
· God as Father to prodigal son
· God as king giving banquet
· God as judge dealing with nagging supplicant
· God as landowner collecting rent
· God as employer leaving talents, paying workers similar wages, dealing with unforgiving servant, cautioning to keep watch. Mark 13:33 Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
Today: God as Boss.
God as boss is problematic because bosses are often not seen in such a positive light as God.
One day a man was having a conversation with God when his whole life flashed before his eyes as a series of footsteps on the sands of time. He saw that there were two pairs of footprints, but during the most difficult periods of his life there were only one set of footprints. He asked God “You said you will be with me throughout this journey, but why have you deserted me during the most critical times of my life??” to which God answered “Son, I did not desert you, I was always with you…you see only one set of footprints because during those difficult times in your life, I was carrying you in my hands”
· "Land of Oz" metaphor suggests that bad bosses fall into three groups: the boss with no brains; the boss with no courage; and the boss with no heart: the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man.
· Dilbert suggests that there are 2 kinds too much and too little
o micromanaging worst macromanaging - distant
o macromanaging worst micromanaging - cant keep hands off
Micromanaging in Wikipedia “In contrast to giving general instructions on smaller tasks while supervising larger concerns, the micromanager monitors and assesses every step and avoids delegation of decisions. Micromanagement is often easily recognized by employees, but micromanagers rarely view themselves as such. Micromanagers will also refute such claims by citing their management style as structured or organizational; this is part of the denial process.
The notion of micromanagement can be extended to any social context where one person takes an inappropriate level of control and influence over the members of a group.
1. God as boss
sometimes you give employees (us) broad values to act on: love one another
sometimes you give them (us) very particular directions : don’t marry your father’s widow
john does both - coats and satisfaction
2. Sometimes we can to work it out ourselves
If you pick the right people and give them the opportunity to spread their wings and put compensation as a carrier behind it you almost don't have to manage them. - Jack Welch
3. Sometimes we need micromanaging, specific rules: What then shall we do?
* early in our faith
* when lost
* when exhausted
*coming home asking about what to eat
* when uncertain
*driving: coming to a crossroads
Discernment about when we need which
talking to boss about needs
“Now that I look back, I realize that a life predicated on being obedient and taking orders is a very comfortable life indeed. Living in such a way reduces to a minimum one's need to think.” Adolf Eichmann
Is God (or at least John) a micromanager?
