The Downtown Presbyterian Church

Sermons

Being Shaped Up

Jeremiah 18:1-11; Luke 14:25-33

September 5, 2004

Rev. Kenneth M. Locke

When I was first in the Army, back when it’s motto was “Be all that you can be,” my unit was in charge of taking new recruits who had nothing more than boots and uniforms and shaping them into soldiers. As part of that shaping process, someone yelled at them to wake up in the morning, yelled at them to eat, yelled at them to run harder and do more push-ups and then yelled at them to go to sleep at night. It was tough training. It really was.

Invariably there were always some who didn’t make it. And invariably when you pressed them they all said, “I didn’t know it was going to be hard! I thought the Army was supposed to be easy!” I always wanted to ask them if they had never watched a John Wayne movie.

But I shouldn’t have been surprised. We live in an easy, do it now, instant gratification world. Thinner thighs in 30 days. You deserve a break today. This amazing offer can be yours for only six EASY payments. We’ve all heard those lines. And as much as we might like to think we are immune to them, the reality is they are constantly shaping us. Our interests, our desires, our very expectations for life are constantly being shaped by forces larger than we are. A “C” isn’t good enough. Make the Team. Are you still driving that car? Aren’t you married yet? Don’t you have children yet? Don’t you have a house yet? Oooh, you’ve never been on a cruise? Honey, you’ve got to go.

Society, our work-place, memories of past joys and sorrows, those tapes of our parents’ voices that are constantly playing in our heads – all these forces are constantly trying to shape us. And they make it sound so easy! You’ll get out of debt and get control of your life if you just follow my 10 simple rules! It’s SUPPOSED to be easy, and we’re amazed when it’s hard.

There are lots of preachers and evangelism TV shows and Christian best-sellers foisting an easy, worldly, thinner thighs in 30 days approach to Christianity. Just read this purpose driven book, say the prayer of Jabez, buy the “Passion of the Christ” DVD and the “Passion of the Christ” nail necklace, then just sit back and do what God says. Just let God lovingly shape us and our lives will be peachy-keen.

And they’re right that God loves us so much God wants to shape us into the wonderful people we are meant to be. And none of us are too hard or too brittle or too dried out from anger or indifference. The weight of the world has not anaesthetized any of us so badly God has thrown us on the scrap pile. God wants to and can shape us into being all that we can be.

But make no mistake being shaped by God means God is more important to us than family. Being shaped by God means God is more important to us than career. Being shaped by God means picking up the cross and proudly carrying it against the social grain. Being shaped by God means willingly sacrificing our very selves. God is not going to yell at us. But being shaped by God can be tough.

It’s hard to make that sound easy and inviting, isn’t it? Can you see the signs outside the church? “Have you got it made? We’ll help you lose it!” “Is life going you’re way? Then you’re probably not going God’s!” “Free crosses. Nail one on today.”

Make no mistake friends –Christianity is simple but it’s not simplistic. Following God is straightforward but it’s not easy. Being molded by God is heavenly but the process can be hell on earth.

So why do we do it? Why not join the hedonistic revolution and let life be all about me? Why not let the world shape us into something easy?

Because the world shapes us inward, closing us to the outside, molding us into crammed, tight little balls with no other interest than ourselves and our insecurities and the secret realization that six-pack abs and to-die-for hair and a huge retirement fund ultimately are not very satisfying. In the end they will leave us bitter and angry and hungry for something that will fill us.

But when God shapes us God opens us up so we can receive the blessing of loving one another, the blessing of generosity, the blessing of relationships larger than we are. God shapes us into open vessels and then fills us with these blessings until they overflow and flow into the lives of our brothers and sisters.

If we are willing to put God above even our most intimate relationships, if we are willing to embrace a cross of love and carry it, if we are open to dying to ourselves and being shaped into Jesus’ image – God will shape us and fill us beyond measure.

Brothers and sisters make no mistake. We are constantly being shaped. But we have the power to choose the forces doing the shaping. May we all be as open to being shaped into God’s vessels as Jesus was open to being shaped into our salvation. Amen.