Rev. Dr. Michael Stotts

Ex. 3:1-15
Mt. 16:21-28

Labor Day's a funny holiday. We call it Lobar day, but see it as the last day of summer when we don't have to work! Don't have to labor! [Except, however, all those poor folks who are forced to labor on this weekend, so those of us who aren't working will be able to go and buy things at Labor Day sales, with money earned by our labor!] Yes, a funny day, this day we call Labor Day.
All of which tells us, does it not, that we may be a bit confused about just what our labor is all about, in the first place. Is it something we do so we can buy a lot of stuff? Much of which we probably don't really need? For many of us our labor, is something we do so we can support our families--which fits with our love for our families--something we all need to do. But this Labor Day Sunday, we're also reminded that our faith calls us to have something called a vocation--to see our work as not only serving our own needs and those of our families--but also serving God--as our particular calling from God--what God has called us to do with the particular gifts God has given each of us.

In a sense you could say, whatever we do with our life's work, it should reflect our faith. Now I know, for many of us wethink that to let our faith show through our work is something we feel a little uncomfortable with. We don't want to appear "holier than thou" to those who work with us--even though our faith calls us to a life of holiness. So how can we live holy lives --lives that serve God, and show God to the world, without being seen as putting ourselves above others?

Well you know, though we shy away from a too public expression of our faith, we shouldn't be afraid to let our light shine--to let our faith show; because honestly--if our faith is genuine --then we'll be seen not as a show off, or holier than thou kind of person, as if we were trying to put ourselves above others. Rather, when people encounter someone who is holy in the way they live their lives in a non-judgmental way, they're admired for it. After all, a large part of being holy in our Christian faith is not just showing our faith, but being loving.

In our previous congregation, there was a young father who was in fact a new Christian. He hadn't had much exposure to the faith through most of his life, but one day, when he was a grown man, someone invited him to a Pentecostal church and he became excited and fascinated by this new faith and it's possibilities for his life. He was also, however, a man with an active mind, and he wanted to know more, and be free to search and question some things about the faith that he didn't understand--to find answers which he didn't feel were provided by what he experienced as a more superficial faith of that particular church, so he went looking for a church where the faith was share and lived, but also studied--and he found us.

He became an active member of that church, and in Disciple Bible Study in which he participated with us, he told us one day that because he was very much still learning the faith, that he would take his Bible to work with him, and it would sit on his desk all day. Now John, who was small in stature, worked as a dispatcher for a construction company, so there were all these big hefty, tough guy construction workers who would come in and out of his office all day. It wasn't unusual for them, and others who came into the office, to ask John about his Bible. Some would tease him about it's presence, but he would go on to explain in a genuine and humble way that he was a new Christian, and still learning about the faith. And he was a friendly loving guy, rather than a holier than thou type of person--putting others down, so those truck drivers liked him, and hence would listen. He would explain that as a new Christian, he kept that Bible there in case questions came to him about his faith. And they did. He would sometimes call me on his lunch break to ask about some theological question he was wrestling with--looking for some possible answers, so we'd chat for awhile and he'd work it through, and be satisfied, and then go back to work.

But you see, John was a wonderful example of someone whose life was becoming holy--but in a non-judgmental, loving way, that actually enabled him to witness to his faith, when people would question him, and he'd explains in his self-effacing, but energetic way, about how much the faith meant to him. And he said that often it led to some really interesting discussions with people who had questions about their own faith, who were searching or hungry for faith themselves.

We need not be holier than thou, you see, to let our faith shine through our work, our Labor. Moses in our lesson, walked on holy ground as he encountered the burning bush and heard the voice of God, but like many of us, he was afraid of taking on the holy work God had in store for him, because he wasn't sure how others would react. But God told him to just explain to folks that he was sent by God, and to go on to lead with faith--and he did, and because he had faith you see--and the courage to lead out of that faith finally--people followed. Because --people then, as in any era, including today are so hungry for faith, they are really are awed by, attracted to, will listen to someone for whom the conviction of a strong faith shows through--yes, in their labor, and all parts of their daily lives.

If then we cease be afraid to be seen as being holy, and to begin to let our faith show through--we then discover something else, as Moses did, you see. And that is , when people see genuine faith--they will follow you. Which is a good thing, because a part of our calling, as followers of Christ, is to lead in faith, for the benefit of others and our world.

Yes, as God told Moses to do, God calls everyone of us to lead those around us with our faith, which indeed will happen as our our lives become more holy, and our work reflects the values and faith which is ours. How holy is your life and the way you carry out your life's work? Does it show others your faith--or do you keep you light hidden under a bushel? We need not be afraid to let our faith show to the world though, because especially when people see us stand up for what is right in the sight of God--they will recognize it. When you're right, and following the word of God --you won't sound holier than thou--you'll be listened to, because one who is right in the eyes of God, will always be seen as the true person of faith, rather than a show-off.

I recall one time when Peg and I lived in town which had an open town meeting form of government. All major decisions came before all registered voters at the town meeting--any of whom could speak on each article before the town meeting. Peggy and I miss those town meetings because inevitably they were always lively times, there were always some interesting characters who spoke, and everyone had a chance to have their say. I recall one year in particular, when there were several innovative proposals on the warrant, to fund small amounts for helping people in need in the community as well as a number of larger proposals authorizing much larger amounts of money for capital expenditures for the town. The finance committee, in making their recommendations for each article as they were allowed to do, had recommended many of the larger capital expenditure articles, but for the social service agencies, the Finance Comm. had denied their smaller, innovative requests. As the evening progressed and votes were taken one by one on the articles, at first people seemed to just take the advice of the Finance Committee. But this really concerned me, as a pastor, so with as much moral force as I could muster, I got up to speak.

And I said, as quietly but as forcefully as I could, Mr. Moderator, I have to say that I'm angry tonight, I'm angry when we as a community can without blinking vote to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for a dump truck, and other capital items when we can't seem to find just a small amount for people --people in need in our community. It seems to me that people are more important than machines. I urge you, as my neighbors to consider who we are, as a community." or words to that effect. Well, at first I think the crowd was a little stunned--that a pastor would publicly admit to being angry, but because I was on the side of right and truth--speaking out of a faith that calls us to stand especially for those in need, and to value people far more than our equipment or material possessions, the people of the town voted with me; and on several similar articles voted the same way, often after others echoed a similar theme.

We need not be afraid to let our faith show through, you see. For when we are standing for what is right in the eyes of God, people will listen, and follow. If our faith is genuine, and we're on the side of what is right in God's eyes, most often people will listen, and indeed will follow.

But then, being holy means we can have the courage to not only stand for what is right, but also we need to give up some of what we have or have been in our not so holy times. Our faith calls us to give of ourselves for others, for example--to part with some of our material wealth, or our time or caring energies, that others who are in need might find new life. Earlier you heard Jesus words on this. As he approached the time when he'd have to face the cross himself, he also told his disciples , "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."

Yes, you see to truly follow Christ, may well call us to change at least a part if not all of our life's vocation or labor, or indeed many parts of our lives, to a more holy life and lifestyle. It may well mean giving up the parts of our lives that are antithetical to the faith. And it certainly will mean giving up the parts of our lives that keep us from knowing God in our lives, or from living our lives as Christ taught us God would want us to live those lives. Simply put, if we are to be the children of God we were made to be, we have to give up some of our ways, and what we have--we have to change. Yes, "those who lose their life for my sake, will find it," said Jesus.
The ancient Persian poet, Rumi, echoed these thoughts in one of his poems where he said this about giving of our lives--a giving, like little deaths, that we so often fear. He said:
. . . Don’t pretend to know
something you haven’t experienced.
There’s a necessary dying, and then Jesus is breathing again.
Very little grows on jagged rock.
Be ground. Be crumbled, so windflowers will come up
where you are.
You’ve been stony for too many years. Try something different. Surrender.
Yes, try something different--be crumbled, so that new life can spring forth --your new life in God.

Because indeed, you see, we do find a whole new life, when we have the courage to be humble, to give our ourselves--be crumbled for God--to sacrifice, to share, to love, to give up those parts of our lives, whatever they are, that make our lives something that is instead unholy. When we lose our lives for Christ sake--we find a whole new life--a life that is indeed holy. For God then is at the center of our lives. So we need not fear being holy. In spite of the sacrifice, or our fears of what people might say, we have an additional help--for God is with us! So how can we lose?

This week, when Peg and I went to our Pastor's Assembly up in New Hampshire, we heard our Bishop tell the story of his first parish assignment, where as is often the case with first assignments, and indeed with United Methodist Churches in New England, the church had a lot of financial problems, and other struggles. He said he dealt with them the best he could, but what especially got him through were people who surprisingly were holy--in what they said and did to witness to their faith, often at unexpected, but much needed times. He especially talked about one man, who whenever a tough problem was being discussed in a church meeting, and things seemed to be at an impasse or at a time when all seemed hopeless, this man would come to the rescue of his young pastor, and say, Pastor, I think we need to come to the Lord about this. What's the word of the Lord, here. And suddenly, he said, on such occasions, the tenor of the meeting would change. People would begin to think--like with their financial discussions, well maybe we should be thinking of how we could earn a little more this way or that--in other words some positive, faith filled attempts, not to give up, but to have faith that God would help them find a way. And you know what, said Bishop Weaver, God always did.

This Labor Day week end, think about how holy your life is. If it is not, think what you might be able to give up or change, so people could yes, see the faith in you-- in your labor and the person you are whether at work or not --not in a holier than though way--but a loving way that would give others hope. Because you know what? People need hope today--and Jesus showed us that indeed God is with us--always, to bring us to that hope, to new life, if only we'll center on our lives on God, and give up our unholy ways.

To be holy--to live a life for God may seem a scary occupation, a scary, sacrificial type of labor. this Labor day weekend. But if we'll only try to live our lives in a more holy way--we need not be afraid. For whoever will lose their lives for my sake will find that life--said Jesus--will find the life God meant us to have. Where God is always with us, guiding us, and through us giving the world around us . . . faith. That's not something to fear. It's something to celebrate. You might even call it a . . ."labor of love." Amen.