I’d Join a Church Like That!

May 10, 2009 [Mother’s Day]

Gal 5:1, 13-25

5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery…

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

NRSV

Some time ago I ran across this “checklist” for motherhood. Here are some of the things on it, and tell me if they fit. Mothers/grandmothers—give me an “Amen!” after any one of these that rings true for you.

You know you’re a mother when:

1. Your feet stick to the kitchen floor and you don’t care.

2. Your idea of a good day is making it through without a child leaking bodily fluids on you.

3. You have the local pizza dealer’s phone number memorized.

4. Your favorite television show is a cartoon.

5. Peanut butter and jelly is featured in at least one meal a day.

6. You’re willing to kiss your child’s boo-boo, regardless of where it is.

7. Your kids make jokes about burping, and other bodily functions, and you think they’re funny.

8. You’re so desperate for adult conversation that you unload on a telemarketer and HE hangs up on YOU!

9. The closest you get to gourmet cooking is making rice crispy bars.

Now, I’ve done a thorough, scientific study of motherhood—I live with one, after all—and I’d like to add another possible characteristic of motherhood:

YOU KNOW YOU’RE A MOM WHEN YOU SPEND AS MUCH TIME PLANNING YOUR CHILD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY AS YOU SPENT ON PLANNING YOUR WEDDING.

I don’t even have to look at the calendar to know that Emma’s or Cameron’s birthday is coming up. Months before the event, Barb starts talking about things to do. Might be a big party, or just a party with the family—but she starts talking about it, anticipating it, because she wants to make it special.

Just look—from Emma’s 8th birthday party last January, I have 2,947 pictures.

There were twelve 8 year old girls jumping, screaming, laughing, running for two hours straight.

Of course, one of the best things about these parties is that the kids are so excited, playing games and opening presents, that there’s always lots of pizza left over.

Get in your mind’s eye a party you’ve been to like this. Imagine how Emma felt.

I want you to imagine that Jesus Christ has thrown a party for you.

He’s put in just as much effort and energy as Barb did—even more. He’s hung decorations—red and blue and green streamers; huge helium filled balloons with the words “Just for YOU!” on them. Boxes of deep-dish Chicago style pizza from one of the restaurants by Wrigley Field. Chocolate cake with thick creamy fudge frosting, and a gallon of Breyer’s French Vanilla ice cream sitting next to it.

He’s invited your friends to this surprise party, and they’re all here. You laugh with them, and joke with them. Some of them don’t know each other, so you introduce them, and share stories that will connect them.

Finally, the time arrives that’s especially exciting: THE PRESENTS!

Now, when Jesus sent out the invitations, he specified on them, “No presents, please.” That’s because he is the one who wanted to get them for you.

He’s put them in the corner of the party room, and put a large sheet over them. Now, when it’s time to open them, he pulls aside the sheet, and you’re amazed! There are exactly nine of the most beautifully wrapped boxes you’ve ever seen—someone took a lot of time making them look just right, you can tell.

And with the pride and anticipation of a mother who’s worked tirelessly to make this a special time for you: Jesus picks up the gift wrapped in bright red, shiny paper and hands it to you.

As you take it, you look into Jesus’ eyes—and instantly you know what’s inside the box. You feel it shoot through your fingertips, it’s so electric. You feel it all the way into your heart. There’s only one word that can describe what you’re feeling, what you know’s inside that box:

LOVE.

You don’t even have to open it. That’s good, because no sooner do you experience that gift, than Jesus has a brightly wrapped purple gift for you.

You take it, and again, you feel what’s inside it—a feeling that shoots through you, almost makes you giddy.

Inside the purple gift is…

JOY.

And so it goes. Just in handing you the gifts, looking into the Master’s face, you know what’s inside each of the colorful boxes:

PEACE…PATIENCE…KINDNESS…GENEROSITY…FAITHFULNESS…GENTLENESS…SELF-CONTROL

After you experience that last gift, you’re simply overwhelmed. You look deeply into Jesus’ face, which now has a large smile etched on it, and you say, “Thank you…THANK YOU! I never, ever knew I could feel this way!”

When Jesus hears you say this, he beams, just like a proud parent. He knows then that all the work he put into the party, thrown in your honor, was worth it.

All that Jesus did when he was here on earth physically—being born, living with us, teaching us, healing us, dying for us, rising for us: All this was…party planning! He did all that so that he could feel the joy of seeing the expressions on your face as you touched each gift he’d carefully wrapped.

In his farewell discourse in John’s Gospel, he says to his disciples, “MY peace I give to you.” He could have continued. “MY love I give you…MY joy I give you…”

For all who dare let Jesus throw a party for her or him, these gifts become the very foundation of life! For all who dare treat life as a sacred gift, to be received with gratitude, joy, and faith—these are TREASURES. Sure, you don’t experience them 24/7—but you know they’re there. “Not as the world gives do I give,” Jesus the party-planner said in John’s Gospel—“What I give you, you’ll have FOREVER!”

Now, in my scientific study of parties thrown by mommies, there is one other thing you’ll see. Mom—or a designated older sibling—will have a legal pad and pencil. As each gift is opened, the gift is written down, along with who gave it. Why?

It is only right to write thank-you’s. It’s just tacky to receive toys, gift cards, movie passes without ever saying thanks to the people who took time to buy and give them.

So…how do you say thanks to Jesus, who spent 33 years of his life planning a party and giving us gifts?

Think about it. If you’ve just had the time of your life. If you’ve discovered a love that won’t let you go. A love that holds you and hugs you and gives you more than you could ever ask for. If you’ve discovered peace in the midst of a stress-filled world. If you’ve discovered joy in a sad world. If you’ve discovered patience in a quick-tempered world. If you’ve discovered self-control in a “if it feels good do it” world. If you’ve discovered generosity in a stingy, dog-eat-dog world:

If you’ve discovered all these things—YOU JUST HAVE TO SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS! You can’t be quiet. You can’t be shy. YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE PARTY-PLANNING BUSINESS YOURSELF!

Who do you know who could stand a good party? Who’s been beaten down in this world? If you’re going to thank Jesus, may I suggest that you single out such a person, and in some way throw a party for her/him—even if it’s an invitation to dinner [you pick up the tab] or just a phone call or card.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of a good party. Just look at the party this man once threw.

He’s Tony Campolo, a Christian sociologist, pastor, and author.

He told of a time when he accepted a speaking engagement in Honolulu.

Because of the time difference, he found himself wide awake and hungry in the middle of the night. So, at around 3 in the morning, he walked the streets of Honolulu looking for a restaurant. He finally found one, and it was the model of a “greasy spoon.” Just a row of stools with a long counter. The menu was one of those plastic things that had grease caked on it. The big guy behind the counter, whose name was Harry, wore a long apron that looked like it hadn’t been washed in a year.

After Tony sits down and surveys everything, Harry comes up to him, puts down the cigar that was in his mouth, and says, “Whaddya want?”

Tony was going to have eggs, bacon, biscuits—the works—but instead says, “I’ll have a cup of coffee and a donut.” Harry pours the coffee, then goes to the donut case, looks it over, then wipes his hand on his apron and picks up a donut, puts it on a plate, and places it in front of the now-not-hungry Tony Campolo.

About this time, some of the restaurant’s regular customers start coming in. Turns out that this greasy spoon is where the “ladies of the night” go after their “shift” is over, if you know what I mean.

A couple of them sit down next to Tony, and I can only imagine the expression on his face. They’re talking to each other, and one says, “It’s my birthday tomorrow. I’m going to be 39.” The other replies, “What do you want me to do? Sing you happy birthday? You want a cake, a party?” “Look, I don’t want anything. I’m just telling you it’s my birthday. Why do you have to hurt my feelings? I haven’t had a birthday party in my whole life, and I don’t expect to have one now.”

That gave Tony an idea. After they left, he asks Harry about that woman sitting next to him. “Yeah, that’s Agnes.”

Tony explains, “Harry, it’s her birthday tomorrow. What do you say that we decorate this place, and when she comes in tomorrow, we have a little party for her. She’s never had a party in her entire life.”

Harry’s face lit up. “That’s a GREAT idea!” He calls out his wife, and the three of them plan the party. Much to Tony’s disappointment, Harry insists on making the cake.

Tony arrives the next morning at 2:30 with the decorations. And this greasy spoon is transformed by the streamers and balloons. Harry’s wife had gotten the word out on the street that they were throwing a party for Agnes, and by 3:15 all the Honolulu ladies of the night were crammed into the diner.

When Agnes walks in at 3:30, everyone shouts “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AGNES!” Tony said he’d never seen anyone so stunned in his life. She was overcome. Her knees buckled, and she was helped to a stool. They sang happy birthday, and when Harry brought out the cake and candles, that did it. She started to cry. Harry said, “Knock it off, Agnes. Come on, blow out the candles, blow them out.” She couldn’t do it…so Harry did. And then he said, “Now Agnes cut the cake. Cut the cake!”

But she pauses. And looking at Tony says, “Would it be OK mister if I didn’t cut it right now? I want to take it and show it to my mother—she just lives two doors down. I’ll be right back. Would that be OK?”

Tony said, “Sure, Agnes, it’s your cake.”

So she picks it up, as if it’s the holy grail, and makes her way through the crowd and out the door.

There’s stunned, awkward silence. Finally Tony says what any good pastor would say, surrounded by wall-to-wall ladies of the night. He says, “What do you say that we pray?” And he leads them all in a prayer, praying that God would deliver her, would make her new.

After the prayer Harry leans over and says, “Hey, Campolo, you told us you’re a sociologist. You’re a PREACHER! What kind of church you preach in?”

In an inspired moment, Tony responded, “I preach in a church that throws parties for [prostitutes] at 3:30 in the morning.”

Harry looked at him and said, “No you don’t—NO YOU DON’T! I’d join a church like that!”

Tony ended this story by saying,

“I got news for you. THAT is the church Jesus came to create! I don’t know where we got this other one that’s half country club! Jesus came to create a people who would bring parties to those who have no parties! Who would bring celebration into the lives of those who have nothing to celebrate!”[from the YouTube video of this story]

Friends, Jesus Christ is in the party-throwing business.

Help him throw a party for someone who needs it.

THAT is the best way you can celebrate Mother’s Day.