On Monday, I received a phone call from a young lady needing a wedding performed. She asked me a few questions and I gave her a few answers. The conversation lasted about 10 minutes and concluded with an amazing piece of wisdom given by me.
"The most important thing that you need is a marriage license. There is a 24 hour waiting period for a license in SC. You will need to contact the Clerk of Court, in a city in SC by Thursday, in order to receive the license in time for the wedding. They are not open on the weekend. Sometimes, people in NC (where she was from) go just across the state line and get a license and drive down and are married here in Horry County. Remember---there is a 24 hour waiting period."
Her reply--"Yes sir, I understand."
I hate it when young people call me sir!!
So, on Friday while pulling into SONIC for our daily limeade fix, my phone rang. The young lady frantically said, "Mr. Jenkins, I have a big problem. I arrived at the office to get my license and they told me it would be a 24 hour waiting period. Since today is Friday, they will not be able to get me a license until Monday. You are supposed to marry us tomorrow--what are we going to do?"
Do you remember our conversation where I gave you instructions and told you the most important thing was the license?
"Yes--but I thought that if I brought you a receipt then you would do the ceremony. Now they are saying that they will not give me a receipt or mail it to us. I have to pick it up--and the earliest it will be ready is Monday. What am I going to do?
"I am so sorry--It could be that someone here will perform the ceremony for you--but it would be illegal to do so. I wish I could help you, but the license is the essential part. One good thing--after all this issue, I am sure that it will give you great practice for handling stress when you are married."
She laughed--and replied, "Well Chaplain, I guess I will have to have my honeymoon before the wedding."
My answer--"I hope you have a great weekend--no license is needed for that!
So this week I made a great and valuable discovery.
NO ONE LISTENS TO A THING I SAY!!
The next day, Douglas and I went to Kroger to pick up part of a surprise for Sarah's birthday. On the way there, we talked about how it would be a surprise and a secret. We walked to the bakery and picked out a small cheesecake. Just above it, was a rack of candles--so we picked a box and walked toward the checkout. Again, I took the time to talk to Douglas about the cake being a surprise. He told me he understood. We walked to the car, hand in hand. I unlocked the door, and he got in and buckled up. After getting in, I cranked the car and looked in the rear view mirror and we went over it again.
We get home, Douglas rings the doorbell. Shhh--It is a surprise, Douglas. I will hide the cake behind my back.
Sarah opens the door and Douglas says,
"Mommy, we bought you a cheesecake and a lot of candles and we are going to have it for you tomorrow."
As I said, NO ONE LISTENS TO A THING I SAY.
So, I do not have a great deal of confidence as I stand before you as your pastor. Based on this past week, "Ain't nobody listening anyway."
But, is that really a bad thing?
Let's go to the scripture and see what is there for us today.
Acts 3
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.
Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this.
So, we see a healing, something miraculous. Peter gives all credit to God. He could have said, "Wow--look at what I just did!" Instead--all the good stuff was because of God.
The preaching event is peculiar. I spend some time getting sermons together. I hope to use correct grammar and have a flow of meaning and structure. It would be nice for some emotion to come forth from the sermon. A good sermon often has laughter and tears. Good stories remind us of our frailty and need of restoration and healing. Stories by themselves do nothing.
We go to scripture and see how God works in the lives of his people. We are reminded of his faithfulness and his precepts for his children. But the bible does nothing by itself. It is not a magic book filled with abracadabra and hocus pocus.
But something magical happens when "Word and Spirit" come together.
If anything of any eternal consequence takes place--it is all because the Spirit of God is at work.
I cannot get someone to follow through with picking up a marriage license or teach my son to keep a secret. How can I really speak words that make a difference?
How does that make me feel?
Great--It is not all about me, it is about the Word of God and the Holy Spirit working together.
Guess what? The same thing is at work in your life.
Guess what? The cheesecake was fine although the surprise was ruined. The couple will get married soon, after this little bump in the road. You will try again after failure--and will be given grace. It is all about God--now what a great DISCOVERY.
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