April 20, 2008 “Two Penny People”

Romans 12:9-21, 1Cor 13, Luke 21:1-4, Eph. 4:32 – 5:2

 

          Among others, we have a unique and wonderful tradition in our church family of giving pennies to our children. The kids can put as much as two pennies in this jar for saying their prayers, doing what their parents tell them to do, and pretty basically having a week punctuated by good behavior and not being a pain to their parents or to God for that matter. Then at the end of the Sunday School year, all those pennies are put towards the good use of taking the kids all out to Burger King. The point of this clearly being for the church to help in doing its part to raise children who will as scripture says, “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

In a certain neighborhood . . . we won’t say which to protect their identities, lived two brothers, 8 and 10 years old, who shall we say, did not earn many pennies.  Whatever went wrong in the neighborhood, it turned out they had a hand in it.  Their parents were at their wits' end trying to control them.
     Hearing about a minister nearby who worked with delinquent boys, the mother suggested to the father that they ask the minister to talk to their sons.  The father replied, "Sure, do that before I kill them!"
     The mother went to the minister and made her request.  He agreed, but said he wanted to see the younger boy first, and alone.  So the mother sent him to the minister.  The minister sat the boy down in front of his desk and he sat behind it.   For about five minutes they just sat and stared at each other.  Finally, the minister pointed his finger at the boy and asked, "Where is God?"  The boy looked under the desk, in the corners of  the room, all around, but he said nothing.  Again, louder, the minister pointed at the boy and asked, "Where is God?"   And again the boy looked all around but said nothing. A third time, in a louder, firmer voice, the minister leaned far across the desk and put his forefinger almost to the boy's nose, and asked, "Where is God?"  The boy panicked, ran out the door, and ran all the way home.
      Finding his older brother, he dragged him upstairs to their room and into the closet, where they usually plotted their mischief. He finally said, "We are in BIIIIG trouble." The older boy asked, "What do you mean, BIIIIG trouble?"   His brother replied, "God is missing, and they think WE did it."

            One of the perks I get for being up here is that I get to see the look on the parents faces when their child turns around and looks at them waiting for the verdict: two pennies . . . or one . . . or God forbid . . .none. And though the look on the parent’s face sometimes says it, I have never seen a public “no penny occurrence” happen. You get to see the kids and sometimes you can read it in their faces, “Mom, dad, please don’t tell them the truth!” In that moment, their whole week flashes before their eyes. Everything they have done or haven’t done. Well, last week, it was pretty easy to pick up that there were a lot of one penny kids. And I don’t know if you remember or not, but Pastor Hank encouraged them with the phrase, “I want to see a lot of two penny people next week”. What a great phrase, “Two Penny People” and that’s what today’s sermon is about, two penny people. Who are they? What are they like? What are some of their characteristics? Now, as most of you are aware, we have a “Penny” in this congregation already but though this sermon applies to her, it’s not just about her.

          The first and most obvious characteristic of two penny people is that they are children. Now, being a spiritual child is a very Biblical concept and in fact it’s a prerequisite for being a two penny person. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Imagine passing on and reaching the pearly gates and not being allowed entrance because you are too mature, too adult, too know it all, too much of whatever it is that makes us grown-ups so that you are not able to gain access to the kingdom of God. Imagine being told that you are nowhere near enough like a child to be able live with God and his family in the way that he requires. Two penny people are children.

          Now being children, two penny people look to their parents for direction. So it is that two penny people look to God for their direction and for judgement. How will you know what is right unless God passes judgement on it and gives you the right direction? Judgement is often maligned as a bad thing but in the hands of a righteous God or a loving parent, it helps us to know what is the right thing and what is the wrong thing. What is the better choice for us and what is the choice that is not so good.  Want to know if what you’re doing is going to earn you your two pennies, then just like the kids up here, take a look over your shoulder at your heavenly Father’s face. Is He giving the nod to two pennies, one penny, maybe none? Two penny people seek God’s direction.

          Two penny people believe in God’s mercy. Two penny people know that even if they don’t deserve any pennies, they are going to get at least one. They know that god is a loving, forgiving God who is constantly giving them second chances. They know that even though it may come with a disapproving glance, a two penny person is going to get at least one penny. Two penny people know that the greatest mercy of all is found in the loving sacrifice of Jesus who in reality has already filled that jar with pennies for us. Two penny people believe and trust in God’s mercy.

          Two penny people show up with the intent of being two penny people. It’s been said that 90% of life is showing up. Well, 90% of being a two penny person is showing up with the intent of being a two penny person. Let me illustrate this. I like sports and I like to play sports competitively. For a guy like me, it’s very hard when someone gets put on my team and they don’t really want to play so they put out no effort. Oh physically, they’re present but they haven’t really shown up to play the game. Now, church is not a place for competition and I am able to separate the two but the principle is still the same. People can be here, sitting in these pews every week and still not really be showing up. Like the husband reading his newspaper while his wife is telling him all about her day, he’s present but he’s not really there. Truth be told, two penny people don’t wait for Sunday morning to be two penny people. Two penny people show up to everything with the intent of being a two penny person.

          Two penny people believe in the family of God. Two penny people believe that like in any family, we are responsible for and to each other. Two penny people know that the call is to love each other and encourage each other and help each other and build each other up and maybe even share some of their pennies with those who didn’t have a two penny week cause that’s what you do in a family. Two penny people help their lame sisters to walk where they cannot go and their blind brothers to see what they cannot because that’s what families do for each other.

Two penny people don’t sacrifice for each other, they give freely to each other.

          One time when Jesus was teaching in the temple, he saw rich people putting their expensive gifts into the temple offering plate. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Two penny people don’t sacrifice, they give freely.

          Two penny people believe in miracles. Sometimes this is hard because two penny people see miracles where most people see only the ordinary. They see the sacred where you and I see only the mundane. I don’t know if any of those kids know but you sure do. These pennies aren’t anywhere near enough money to get each of those kids a meal even at Burger King. But I bet you there’s going to be enough pennies when they get to the restaurant. That’s because those two penny people who are downstairs know that at the end, there’s going to be this white haired old gentleman who’s going to make sure that they don’t go without, right? And I’m not talking about Santa Claus, either. You can say that it’s just Hank being soft but I say that’s a miracle. Three months to the day from yesterday, I had a major heart attack. Yesterday, I was out playing softball with my sons and their friends.  I believe in miracles. I now have two stents in my heart. Yes, I know they have come through medical research and experimentation but they are miracles nonetheless. The ability to attain to such things can only come from one place. Look at the children we baptized today, consider your own children, your grandchildren. Are they not miracles? Consider this place. This church. This spiritual home we have here in a world spinning out of control. Do you not feel safe here? Cradled in the arms of your God and lifted up by the love of your friends? Please, tell me this is not a miracle. Two penny people see miracles in the grass that is turning green and those little seeds that will in just a few months become ripe, red tomatoes and beautiful yellow sweet corn. . .Two penny people believe in miracles.  Two penny people believe that God turns pennies into dollars.

          One time Jesus was at the beach and a lot of people followed him there. It got late and the disciples were worried about the people so they told Jesus it would be a good idea to send the people back to their towns and cities to get some food. Jesus said “They don’t need to leave. You feed them.” They answered Jesus, “We don’t have enough food for this crowd. We only have five loaves of bread and two fish.” “Bring them here to me” said Jesus. And he gave thanks to God for what he had provided and broke up the loaves and the fish into pieces and he gave the pieces to his disciples and they gave them to the people. And everybody had a great time and ate until they were full. Then the disciples gathered up what was left because they didn’t want anything to go to waste and they filled up twelve baskets with leftovers. The number of people who ate was about five thousand men plus the women and children who were present. Two penny people believe in miracles.

          Two penny people know that size doesn’t matter to God. You can be the smallest fish in the pond and God can still use you to swallow Jonah. You can be a shepherd like Moses or King David and still be a leader of a great nation. You can be a fisherman like Peter and still be the holder of the keys to the kingdom of heaven. You can be a crooked tax collector, a prostitute, a religious murderer, or a shady politician and be such a close friend of God that he calls you family. You can be a carpenter and still be the savior of humankind. Two penny people know that size does not matter.

          Two penny people live by grace and believe in grace for all people. They know that whatever they do, they are saved by grace and so they pass that grace on to everyone they meet. They also know that living a life filled with grace is the hardest thing they will ever do. It means being kind even to those who are mean. It means being loving even to the hateful. It means being merciful even to the cruel and forgiving even to the unforgiving. Brennan Manning writes that beneath every unhappy person, every lonely, mean, unforgiving person, is a child that did not receive enough love. Two penny people know that if that grace is to save everyone, everyone must know that grace exists.  Two penny people believe in grace for everyone.

The following is from 1 Corinthians 13, the two penny version!!

          And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but am not a two penny person, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and If I have faith that can move mountains but am not a two penny person, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but am not a two penny person, I gain nothing.

          Two penny people are patient. Two penny people are kind. They do not envy. They do not boast. They are not proud. Two penny people are not rude and they are not self seeking. They are not easily angered and they keep no record of wrongs. Two penny people do not delight in evil but they rejoice with the truth. Two penny people always protect, always trust, always hope, and always persevere. Two penny people are never defeated. But where there are prophecies, they will cease. Where there are tongues, they will be stilled, where there is knowledge, it will pass away. In fact, all things will pass away but these four will remain, faith, hope, and love, and two penny people.

Anyone want to go to Burger King?