Time Restricted, Timed Out, or Timeless

There are a few really sad moments in life.  Moments which, at the time, seem like the end of everything.  Moments of deep disappointment and humiliation that seems to crush our world at that instant. 

Can you remember when this happened to you: “you have to be ‘this’ tall to ride this ride?”  You can see it now, cant’ you?  The excitement on a child’s face melting into tears just because their age doesn’t match the requirements to be amused by life’s ride.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being told my age eliminates me from part of life!  Still, I suppose even I practice age-discriminating judgments.  I value life experience and the wisdom and maturity of thought that living life can produce.

   

What is the age of respect?  I think all of us come at this question in different ways.  In our modern culture, sometimes we give children too much power and respect well beyond their wisdom.  We poll elementary students on who should be president, or if drugs should be legalized, and report it on the national news.

 

Still, other times, we give children too little respect.  Children should be seen and not heard.  There are churches who take all the children out to their own a private worship because the adults are bothered by squirming and voices of their children.

We are living in a time of age confusion.   It puzzles us to the point where being a particular age seldom satisfies.  Isn’t it interesting, that when we are young, we long to be older; and vice versa? 

  

There is the giant step from twelve to thirteen where we receive the magic title “teenager”.  

 

Or age sixteen, the magic age of a driver’s license. 

Or age eighteen, the magic age of majority. 

Or sixty-five, the magic age of retirement.  

We spend most of our lives anticipating age milestones, but as we enter the twilight years, we long to be young again: to feel the excitement and have the energy to pursue adventure!

 

Another great irony is that those living at the extremes of the age-spectrum are often treated the same by the world.  They are undervalued, disrespected, and disappointed by all the signs that say, “Your age will restrict you from the ride of life!”  We either time in, time out, or run out of time. 

 

Is God a respecter of age?  Does God love us, view us, and sort us by age?  What part does our age play in the Christian content of our lives? 

 

This Sunday we will continue our sermon series, “Connecting the Content of our Lives” as we explore age! 

 

Inconspicuous Christianity

Do you have any really peculiar friends or acquaintances in your life?  If not, look in the mirror, it may be you, but no one dared to tell you yet!  



       
I am sure that through the years some probably said I am their “weird religious friend.”  I think nearly all of us have some really interesting acquaintances. 

Within my circle of friends, and even family relations, there really are some folks who might just scare you.  Remember, I grew up in the 60’s!  Some are, in or have been, in jail. Some were (hopefully no longer) downright criminals.  And unfortunately, some are now dead. 

 

How much of us do we really let people see?  Are there people in your social or familial circle with whom you might be a bit embarrassed, or even scared to share your faith because your “religious content” would be awkward or out of place?  

 

It has been true for a long time, but even more so today, that we have family, friends and work place colleagues who never really know much about our personal faith in Jesus Christ.  Sure, they may know we are a Christian, or “religious” or we go to some church, but that’s about as much as our firewall-of-faith will allow us to present to them. 

 

 

It’s not just that we are very private about our “religious faith,” but like the cowardly lion in the wizard of OZ who reads aloud the warning sign, “Haunted forest: I’d turn around if I were you,” we promptly turn around in like manner and retreat.

 

When it comes to our relationship with God, we have read the warning sign, “Do not bring your faith into the big three: family, friends and workplace colleagues. Don’t you dare go in!  It’s too dangerous; I’d turn back if I were you!”

 

If this is true, and I think it is for most of us, how do we connect the content of our family and friends with our relationship to God?

 

How can you be a Christian, leading a life of true and effectual discipleship in your family?  Even Jesus had trouble in his own home town.

As you know, we never talk politics or religion among our family members!  It’s politically incorrect and may even get us kicked out of the family!

 
How can you be a Christian, leading a life of true and effectual discipleship amongst your friends?  As you know, we never talk politics or religion among our friends.  It’s politically incorrect and may even get us kicked out of our “friends club!”

 

How can you be a Christian, leading a life of true and effectual discipleship in your work place?  As you know, we never talk politics or religion at our work place.  It’s politically incorrect and probably will get us fired! 

 

And for some, we may not dare to share too much of our personal faith in church. That’s a private matter and too much “religion” may get you excommunicated from the congregation.

Family, friends, and work – these may be the most difficult content of our lives to connect with God.  Come and hear this Sunday as we explore how to connect the content our family and friends with God!