January 18, 2004, Number 2 of 7 in the Series: FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

The question of faith which is before us this morning is: "If I am a good person, why do I need God?" Or as a young college student put it: "I believe in God. I believe in being kind to people, treating them right, not hurting them. I believe in trying to make the world a better place. Why isn't it enough to just tell everybody to be nice to each other?"

The first thing we need to say, is that goodness is a quality to be valued and honored, and something to which we should all aspire. Goodness is a worthy foundation for our lives. But more than being good is required for a full life, the kind of life God intends for us.

It is good to help the elderly across the street, it is good to give to organizations that help others, and to share with those who have less. It is good to be fair, to be inclusive, and to conduct our lives in such a way that no one is, at least consciously, injured or diminished by our actions.

But, more than just being good is required for a full life. What is required, is an awareness of the presence of God in our lives and the desire to respond to that presence. You see, the presence of God adds another dimension to our lives, an essential dimension, which is absent if just being good is our standard.

Living our life as God wants us to becomes the WHY of our lives. Why do I live this way? Because I believe that it is pleasing to God. We become aware that we were created not just to DO but also to BE — to BE a reflection of something that is far more and far greater than someone striving to live a good life.

There are many good people who don't have an understanding of a purpose in life; whose lives lack the joy and the fulfillment that God intends for each of us. God wants us to be good, but also, to share in the fullness of life.

We are called by God to reflect God's love, and to be seen by others as a reflection of a higher and more transcendent force which we call God.

To be a good wife or husband and to raise our children to be good is a wonderful goal. But God asks us to be people who radiate a higher motivation as the reason for our goodness, and that makes all the difference in the world.

If we do good for our children because they are our children and because the law requires us to care for our children; to provide for them and keep them safe; the good is still done. But if we do good for our children because we see them as a precious gift to us and realize that God's love is reflected in this gift, then the goodness becomes something all together different. The good that we do is the same, but the motivation is profoundly different.

When we see a homeless person looking for a handout, we don't see simply a person in need, much less someone to step over or around. We see a child of God, our brother or sister, in need of respect, compassion, understanding and help. We see the Christ within them and seek to love and honor our Lord.

One issue which we will face in the coming national election is our care of Planet Earth. Now, the fact is that no credible scientist anywhere in the world doubts the reality of global warming. And this is just one of the serious issues having to do with the care of our environment.

Now, there are many reasons for our doing good in regard to the environment, not the least of which is that if we don't do something, the earth will not be able to sustain human life in the future. But, as Christians, we should understand that the earth is a precious gift of God for which we are grateful, and for which we are responsible. We understand that, in the words of the psalmist: "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" . . . which may be further translated as "The land belongs to the Lord, God." We understand that God provided the earth for the enjoyment and well-being of all who live upon it now, and, for those who follow. As one of my mentors has said "We don't inherit the earth from our parents, as much as borrow it from our children."

When God is in the picture, we see everything through different eyes, and that can make a world of difference.

A central part of the Christian faith is doing good for others, for the earth and all of its creatures, and for the generations who will follow us. We "do good" because it is an expression of God's love that flows through us to others.

And, we also do it because there is a nourishment which our souls crave, same as our bodies need the right foods, sunshine and exercise. Without nourishment, our souls remain stunted and undeveloped.

We are aware of the need for that nourishment, but we then try to fill it with other things; possessions, money, power, or even good things, like family or love of country, or dedication to a life's work. But, none of that is ultimately completely satisfying. The result is that we think we need just a little more, and then we will be fulfilled. But, let me ask you a question. How much money do you need? The answer is almost always: "Just a little more." "Just a little more" . . . a little more money, a little more power, a little more security, a little more of this or that.

But, I need to tell you, if you're not happy with what you've got now, you ain't ever gonna be happy! Because being happy is not about things, it's a by-product of living in a manner pleasing to God. In the end, I think we all will come to realize that nothing else really matters.

In the gospel lesson this morning, Jesus and his disciples attend a wedding at a village called Cana, in Galilee. During the wedding feast the wine runs out and Jesus directs the servants to fill six large stone jars with water and then to draw some out and take it to the master of ceremonies. When the man tasted the water, which had now become wine, he called to the Bridegroom and said: "Everybody I know puts his good wine on first and then when men have had plenty to drink, he brings out the poor stuff. But you have kept back your good wine till now!" John 2.1-11 (J.B. Phillips) John tells us that this was the first of the signs that Jesus did.

This story from the gospel of John is a fitting reading as we consider the question . . . "If I am a good person, why do I need God?", because it tells us that our lives are insipid, colorless and tasteless, unless Jesus is present. And, when we partake of Jesus, when he abides at the very center of our lives, then our lives are like the best wine; rich in color, a joy to the palate, full of warm and wonderful character which infuses our being with the joy of a wedding banquet. The presence of Jesus in our lives makes a joyous celebration of life; for ourselves and for others. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Eldon J. Simpson, Pastor

Jesus turned water into wine. Jesus turns our lives, which are insipid like water into the rich and satisfying

The problem with simply trying to be good is that it is difficult to know just what that means without a reference to some standard and every standard for what it means to be "good," in my experience has a religious origin, which is to say it is rooted in a desire to please God.

It is also difficult because it is hard to do. Most people would say that the admonition to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a good standard for being good. But can any of us really in all honesty say that we are capable of keeping to that standard for any length of time, say a hour?

This past week I discovered a website that allows you feed in some basic facts about your lifestyle; for instance, the type of home your live in and its size, the kind of diet you consume, the way you travel from place to place, etc. Based on the information you feed in a computation is made and your ecological foot print is provided in acres. The average American has an ecological footprint of 24 acres. Now I try to live a very frugal lifestyle and I was pleased to see that my ecological foot print is well below the national average. However, I was informed that if everyone on the face of the earth lived the way I do, we would need 3.8 earths to sustain everyone on the face of the globe! Which is to say that in order for me to enjoy my lifestyle a lot of people are living with a lot less than I am. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

EXTERNAL: We do good because it is an expression of God's love that flows through us to others.