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Not So With
You
Matthew 20:20 - 34
The first O.J. trial made DNA a household word. For hours and days on
end we all sat in front of out TV’s and took a crash course on what DNA
was and how forensic evidence would prove without a doubt who the real
killer was. But in the end all that it illustrated was that even if the
forensic evidence is unquestionable, it can still be, well, questioned.
But since the mid 1800's there has been a irrefutable type of evidence,
fingerprints.
Sir William Herschel first used fingerprints in July 1858 on native
contracts. On a whim, and with no thought toward personal
identification, Herschel had a local businessman, impress his handprint
on the back of a contract.
The idea was merely, “to frighten him out of all thought of denying his
signature." The native was properly impressed, and Herschel made a habit
of requiring palm prints, and later, simply the prints of the right
index and middle fingers on every contract made with the locals.
Personal contact with the document, they believed, made the contract
more binding than if they simply signed it. Thus, the first wide-scale,
modern-day use of fingerprints was started, not upon scientific
evidence, but upon superstitious beliefs.
As his fingerprint collection grew, however, Herschel began to note that
the inked impressions could, indeed, prove or disprove identity. While
his experience with fingerprinting was admittedly limited, Sir
Herschel's private conviction that all fingerprints were unique to the
individual, as well as permanent throughout that individual's life.
In 1880, a British surgeon named Dr. Henry Faulds took up a study of
skin grooves after he noticed finger marks on pieces of pre-historic
pottery. He developed a system of identification and forwarded his
findings to Charles Darwin.
Darwin sent the material to his cousin, Sir Francis Galeton. In 1892,
Galeton published one of the most significant books in forensic history,
titled simply, Fingerprints. Galeton’s book scientifically proved two
facts that still stand today; that not two fingerprints are exactly
alike and that fingerprints do not change over a life time. They are
unique and permanent. Galeton recognized twelve characteristics by which
fingerprints may be identified. These characteristics are basically
still in use today and referred to as Galeton’s details.
OK, I know, as much as you would like to continue this discussion on
forensic history, this isn't the police academy. This is a faith
academy. So you are probably asking what do fingerprints have to do with
faith?
I would like to make the suggestion that just like everything you touch
you leave a fingerprint or an impression in the same way whenever you
serve someone, in your own unique way, you permanently leave an
impression on them and alter the course of that person's life. To serve
someone is to leave in their lives the fingerprints of faith.
Our text today will be from Matthew 20:20 - 34. Let's listen to the text
together and set the groundwork for our sermon today. (Read text, pray).
It's interesting to me that Matthew tells us that the mother of James
and John knelt before Jesus to ask him a favor. She might have been
physically kneeling, but I believe that in her heart she was standing
straight. You know just being in the right posture doesn't mean you are
in the right frame of heart.
She was asking for a favor, and a few moments later the blind men in
this passage were begging for a blessing and I believe that there is a
world of difference between the two. Sometimes when times are tough and
we don’t have anywhere else to turn we come to Jesus all bent over in
need of a blessing. And sometimes we come and make a great show of
kneeling when what we are looking for is a favor. Don't confuse the two.
She wanted positions of honor for her two boys. But there was something
in it for her, you know. If Jesus granted this favor, it meant that
every time she opened her wallet to show off pictures of her kids she
could say, "And that's James on the left and John on the right and there
in the middle is Jesus, Lord and Master of the universe. So how are your
boys doing?"
People were living vicariously through their children then, just as now.
And this would be big stuff. You know every time I go to somewhere with
my mom, whether it’s the hospital for treatments, or Target when we see
someone she knows the introduction is never, “And this is Jeremy my
youngest son who is married to Trista and who has given me two wonderful
Grandsons Trafton and Rylan. It is always this is my son Jeremy; He’s a
preacher in Scuffelgrit.
Don't for one-minute excuse this woman's power play as the humble
request of a loving mother. Both she and her sons were after the same
things; power, position and all the perks that come with them.
Don’t you just love what Jesus said to her. "These places belong to
those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
Or in other words, "I'm sorry, madam, but I'm not in charge of advanced
placement. That's the Father's job. Besides, once you realize what it
means to be at my right and left, you might not be so hot for those
places anyway."
People like position because it brings honor. People like power because
it means control. People like money because it buys status.
We want those things because we want to make a mark. We want to leave a
legacy. We want people to know we were here when we're gone. We want to
be missed. And we think that the best way to make that mark and leave
that legacy and have the big funeral is to become important. To become
great.
But the problem is that Jesus’ definition of great and ours aren't
exactly in the same hemisphere. He said, "You know that the rulers of
the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise
authority over them. Not so with you."
Most people think that the way to make a mark is to accumulate as much
authority and power as possible.
Not so with you, Jesus said. You do it differently, like Booker T.
Washington. Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee
Institute here in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of
town when a wealthy white woman stopped him. Not knowing the famous Mr.
Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by
chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the
moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and
proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was
finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the
fireplace.
A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the
lady.
The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Me Washington in his
office at the Institute and apologized profusely.
"It's perfectly all right, Madam," he replied. "Occasionally I enjoy a
little manual labor Besides, it's always a delight to do something for a
friend." She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and
gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long
afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy
acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the
Tuskegee Institute.
People think the way to leave a mark is through intimidation and
control.
Not so with you, Jesus said. You do it differently. Like Teddy
Roosevelt. At Sagamore Hill, after an evening of talk, Roosevelt and a
friend would go out on the lawn and search the skies for a certain spot
of star-like light near the lower left-hand comer of the Great Square of
Pegasus. Then Roosevelt would recite:
"That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky
Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred
billion suns, each larger than our sun." Then Roosevelt would grin and
say, "Now I think we are small enough! Let's go to bed."
People think the way to leave a legacy is through fame and honor.
Not so with you, Jesus said. You do it differently. Like Sir Walter
Scott. Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No
one could write as well as he. Then the works of Lord Byron began to
appear, and their greatness was immediately evident. Soon an anonymous
critic praised his poems in a London paper. He declared that in the
presence of these brilliant works of poetic genius, Scott could no
longer be considered the leading poet of England. It was later
discovered that the unnamed reviewer had been none other than Sir Walter
Scott himself
You do it differently. How do we make a mark? Build a legacy? Leave the
fingerprints of God in the lives of others? Jesus said in verse 27
whoever wants to be first must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man
did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom
for many. We do it through service. Just like Jesus said serving others.
In the spring of 1883 two young men graduated from medical school. The
two differed from one another in both appearance and ambition. Ben was
short and stocky. Will was tall and thin. Ben dreamed of practicing
medicine on the East Coast. Will wanted to work in a rural community.
Ben begged his friend to go to New York where they could both make a
fortune.
Will refused. His friend called him foolish for wanting to practice
medicine in the Midwest. "But," Will said, "All I really want is to be a
great surgeon ... the very best, if I have the ability." Years later
that dream was realized. Will did become a great surgeon. The wealthy
and powerful came from around the world to be treated by Will at his
clinic; maybe you have heard of it ... the Mayo Clinic. If you want to
leave the fingerprints of God serve.
It doesn't matter how old you are. You can be so young that when you
think about the future, you have decades and decades ahead of you. Or
you can be so old that when you think about the future, you think in
terms of months or minutes. Age doesn't matter.
Neither does skin color. You can be red, yellow, black or white. God's
gifts don't come in shades. And the needs of people are color blind. You
just serve.
And it doesn't matter what tools you use. You can use a pulpit to preach
the message. That's service. Or you can use the tools of construction,
the shovel and pick. That's service. Or you can use pots and pans.
Doesn't matter. Pulpit, pick ax, or pot, its all service. Every one of
them will make a mark.
Every one of them will leave the fingerprints of God behind. If you want
to leave the fingerprints of God, serve others. That was Jesus' mission.
Is it yours?
One last story. Robert De Vincenzo, the great Argentine golfer, once won
a tournament and, after receiving the check and smiling for the cameras,
he went to the clubhouse and prepared to leave. Some time later, he
walked alone to his car in the parking lot and was approached by a young
woman. She congratulated him on his victory and then told him that her
child was seriously ill and near death. She did not know how she could
pay the doctor's bills and hospital expenses.
De Vincenzo was touched by her story, and he took out a pen and endorsed
his winning check for payment to the woman. "Make some good days for the
baby," he said as he pressed the check into her hand.
The next week he was having lunch in a country club when a Professional
Golf Association official came to his table. "Some of the boys in the
parking lot last week told me you met a young woman there after you won
that tournament." De Vincenzo nodded. "Well," said the official, "I have
news for you. She's a phony. She has no sick baby. She's not even
married. She fleeced you, my friend."
"You mean there is no baby who is dying?" said De Vincenzo.
"That's right," said the official.
"That's the best news I've heard all week," De Vincenzo said.
What a beautiful spirit! I wish I could say that I would have reacted
the same way, but I know that I would not have. I would have struggled
with feelings of resentment. I would have said, "See if
I try to help anyone else again!"
De Vincenzo's attitude is reminiscent of the spirit that God has shown
toward us. Despite mankind taking God's goodness for granted, despite
our repeated failures, God was willing to give not just a token amount,
but the ultimate sacrifice of His Son. He did so, not reluctantly or
with resentment, but willingly and gladly, knowing that while most would
only show disdain for his gift, some would respond in obedience
motivated by faith and love.
Paul writes in Romans 5:6-8 "For when we were still without strength, in
due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man
will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us."
May the realization of what God has given motivate you to respond to
him, and to reach out to others, with the same kind of love. You want to
be great? Leave the fingerprints of God and serve others.
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