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Following His Lead, Pull His Load

Following His Lead, Pull His Load

November 4, 2007

Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

2 Thess 3:6-13

Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

NRSV

Matt 11:28-30

28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

NRSV

OK—here’s some trivia. Can you name the old radio, then TV show, that began with this theme music?

Here are some clues. It was a Western. It featured narrators such as Ronald Reagan, Dale Robertson, Merle Haggard. It was sponsored by a soap company.

The answer: “Death Valley Days”. It told true tales of the old American West.

Do you remember who sponsored it?

Twenty Mule Team Borax.

Now, I grew up with this, but I never questioned the phrase, “20 mule team.”

It has an interesting background.

In the latter 1800’s, the compound “borax” was found in the Mohave desert, in the American Southwest. Borax became a key ingredient in detergents especially, but also in cosmetics.

There was one problem. Where borax was found—in the Death Valley region—was 165 miles from the nearest railroad point.

The Harmony Borax Works, in 1883, came up with a solution. Here’s a description:

A team of 20 mules pulled two wagons filled with borax and a third wagon containing a 500-gallon water tank. The specially built ore wagons weighed 7,800 pounds each and each could carry 10 tons of the compound. When the two cargo wagons were linked together with the water-tank wagon, filled to capacity, the total load was 36.5 tons. That’s why 10 pairs of mules were needed to pull this train.

The operation continued only until 1889, when borax was found in a more accessible location, but during those few years, the 20-mule teams hauled more than 20 million pounds of the mineral out of Death Valley, with each team making the round trip to the railhead in 20 days. And remarkably, throughout that entire time, not a single animal was lost, nor did a single wagon break down.

Even though the mule teams operated for only about six years, the image stuck around for decades. Marketing folks would say that it “branded” the borax product.

That image of a 20 mule team epitomizes ingenuity, dedication, hard work. It was not a coincidence that U. S. Borax sponsored “Death Valley Days,” because it linked its product to tales of people in the West working hard to make a future.

A 20 mule team.

You know, in a 20 mule team,

EVERYBODY PULLS THE LOAD.

That’s what’s behind Paul’s tough words today.

He tells the church in Thessalonica, “keep away from believers who are living in idleness.” Now, that sounds like keep away from lazy people. But the Greek means more than this. It carries the sense of staying away from people who are disorderly, disruptive. The Cotton Patch Version of the New Testament gets at this when it translates the verse,

“Part company with every brother who bucks out of the harness ....” [Hom, 11/18/07]

To put it bluntly, Paul says that if you’re part of the church, you have to be in the harness—you have to pull the load with everybody else.

You can’t stand on the sidelines, in clean clothes and without a drop of sweat, calling out instructions about where the team should be heading, or how so-and-so should be doing this or that.

You can’t say, “I want this church to grow” without being willing to go out and invite someone to church. Or without being willing to put time into creating and supporting new programs that will attract new people into church.

You can’t say, “I want our Christian education program to grow,” without being willing to accept an invitation to be a Sunday School teacher or participant.

You can’t say, “I want our church to reach out into the community,” without being willing to take part in projects we have for the community.

You can’t say, “I want our church to have great vision and programs,” without being willing to pay for that vision and those programs—without being willing to make a sacrificial financial commitment on the promise card you turn in next Sunday. [That’s one of the reasons we ask you to take a pledge card today. You have a few days to reflect on it—to make your statement of faith—to help pull the load.]

EVERYBODY pulls the load, in a 20 mule team.

Also,

EVERYBODY HAS A PLACE ON THE TEAM.

You might think that the mules were just harnessed together, and they started pulling.

It didn’t work that way.

They were divided up into pairs, and each pair had certain responsibilities. The front pair was the “leaders.” Behind them was the “swing team.” Then came pairs designated as “eights” and “sixes.” The last pair was called the “wheelers”—they had to be the strongest, since they were the closest to the load.

Everybody had a place on the team. The team would falter if anybody wasn’t in their place in the harness.

There is a place for you in the harness, here at CTUMC.

We advertise openings every Sunday. Isn’t this but a way of saying, “Welcome to the team?”

And just look around, and you’ll see openings for you. You just heard the opening for being part of a brand-new type of worship service for us, on Sunday evenings—sign up, and be in the “harness” for a year to get that moving as an outreach to this community in a new way.

You are important, and you have a place on this team—whether it be at the front directing, or at the back providing strength and power.

All you have to do is get in the harness. No one helps the team by staying on the sidelines, making comments. You help the team by getting in the harness, and making tracks.

Finally,

EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME DESTINATION.

That 20 mule team traveled 165 miles. Through desert, where temperatures could reach 130 degrees. Through mountains, with steep grades. Step after step, sometimes faltering, but ever moving ever ahead. When the railroad station finally came into sight, can’t you imagine the joy in their hearts? All the work, the sweat, the pain—all now worth it. They’ve reached their goal.

They must have felt an extra boost in their step, don’t you think? They must have felt like they felt when they’d started out, strong and refreshed. Seeing their destination, the men forgot any differences and arguments they might have had on the trail, and smiled and joked with each other. Seeing their destination, they pulled harder—their work was about to pay off.

You know, I feel that way every Sunday morning.

Throughout the week there’s the work-in-the-harness that must be done. Meetings to prepare for and go to. Appointments. Trips. Paperwork. Problems to address. And—oh yes—a sermon to write. These are all important parts of ministry.

But then Sunday happens, and I’m reminded of our destination.

On Sunday morning, I glimpse the railroad station—I see a place that’s BEAUTIFUL.

A place where children are welcomed, and from the earliest age experience the love of Jesus through the love of teachers. If you can’t be energized by the smiles and laughter of children in our halls, then something’s wrong.

I glimpse our destination on Sunday morning:

A safe place for teenagers to explore who they are, and to explore the boundaries of their faith.

Our destination…

A place where singles and couples and families learn where God is leading them in life.

A place where older adults can share their stories and problems, and find strength through each other to move ahead.

A place where young and old together can make a difference in a community, a nation, a world by engaging in generous and sacrificial acts of service.

By noon on Sunday, I’m tired—but I’m happy.

THIS is our destination.

And THIS is why I’m here. This is why you’re here. This is why we’re in the harness together.

When you kneel in prayer. When you sing a hymn. When you check the Ministry Menu. When you dig into the Bible. When you fill out your pledge card. When you serve the needy.

When you do these things, you’re thanking God for the opportunity to put one foot in front of the other. You’re thanking God for the people in the harness with you. You are helping us move closer to that railway station. YOU are helping make it happen.

And Jesus, the wagon master, smiles.

“Here,” he says. “food and drink for your journey.”

Then he pauses. With a twinkle in his eye he adds, “And remember—the best is yet to come!”