Creekside Church Sermon of February 15, 2004 "A Dose of Reality" Luke 6:17-26	Rev. David Bibbee
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What is reality? Is it only what we perceive, like the man who declared, "Nothing is unless I says it is,"? Is reality, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder? Is reality, as portrayed by the world, a facade designed to shield us from the capital "R" reality that we choose not to see or live?

Reality is defined as "the totality of real things and events, but there are many perspectives about what constitutes reality. One of them I call, "Reality According to Tom."

In high school I worked in a jewelry store. Tom was the watch specialist. "All in the Family" was in its first season, and Tom didn't grasp the program's premise. He thought bigoted Archie Bunker was the hero. The day after graduation I walked into the store and Tom said, "The party is over! Welcome to the real world of responsibility where people work for a living and pay taxes." I hadn't planned on going to college, but Tom's "welcome to reality" comments made me to reassess my plans.

In the early 70's the goal of many in my generation wasn't to encounter reality but escape it. In college philosophy classes we had lively discussions about reality from the perspectives of metaphysics and epistemology. People who were into "Reality According to Tom" called college the "ivory towers of academia." "You better wake up and smell the coffee before they hand you that diploma. You have an appointment with the 'real world.'"

You have come today to learn something about what is real and what is not. You have not come to hear "Reality According to Tom, Dick, or Harry," but the gospel truth according to Jesus Christ.

We must admit from the start that reality according to Jesus, does not seem real, when set alongside the world as we know it. In today's text you will notice similarities with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. Luke calls it, "the Sermon on the Plain." Here is some of what he said:

You're blessed when you've lost it all.
You're blessed when you are ravenously hungry.
You're blessed when the tears flow freely.
You're blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out...

I can hear the people's response, can't you? "How do you think up such things, Jesus? You've got quite an imagination! Your version of reality might have a chance in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, but not here.... not now." Some Christians see the great disparity between Jesus' reality and the world's reality and try to reconcile it by saying Jesus never intended these words to taken literally. Its an impossible ethic that will only be real when God's kingdom finally comes. In the meantime, we should be realistic, and practical.

It wouldn't be wise for the world to operate by Christian management principles. We have to be realistic. But we also recall that God has different ways of doing things. In 1 Corinthians 1: 27 Paul said "..... God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." This means that disciples of Jesus "rethink" reality.

The world gives us latitude to do our "spiritual thing," but tells us that our outlook is unrealistic. But who gets to name what is real or not? Christians believe that Jesus holds the "facts of life." We believe that the ultimate reality God has in store for the world is found in him.

Our outlook is outrageous. But is more outrageous than the popularity of Reality TV? Survivor. /The Bachelor./ The Bachlorette./ Temptation Island. On this show, couples are brought to an island paradise and then separated. The man and woman are then seduced to see who remains faithful and who does not. Fox Television said the program is designed to "strengthen" relationships.

Joe Millionaire./ Average Joe. /The Apprentice./ My Big Fat Obnoxious Finance./ Fear Factor. On the Christmas Fear Factor, contestants were given three gift wrapped boxes. One contained a fly-covered squid. In another, worm sausage. In another, ant-covered cod fish egg sacks. To advance in the game the recipient had to eat one of the three.

ABC has a program called, "Extreme Make-Over." It isn't a contest. A team of doctors, psychologists, and producers pick the most suitable male and female guinea pigs on which to practice their crafts. Those chosen are flown to Los Angeles to undergo facial surgery, body tucks, breast implants, lyposuction, cosmetic dentistry. Some of the surgeries performed are life threatening. After recovery, they visit elite hair dressers, cosmetologists, and clothiers who color and adorn them. One reviewer said of the program: "Few things are more disturbing than low self-esteem and the allure of television's fifteen minutes of fame."

Unfortunately, there ARE more disturbing programs. The UPN network is producing an exploitive show called, "Amish in the City." Five sixteen year old Amish move into a house with five urban youths. The Amish encounter circumstances that city kids deal with daily, which, of course, includes what the producers call, "decadent sexual temptations."

In California, two twenty-four year old movie producers are selling a video to fund their next film project. So far, they have sold a quarter million copies and have earned over a million dollars for a film titled, "Bum Fights." They recruited homeless men to fight each other and perform dangerous stunts. Some have been seriously injured. When asked if they saw anything troubling by their project they said, "Absolutely not. We're actually helping these guys. We recruit them with food and clothing."

If this is reality, then for Jesus' sake give us something UNREALISTIC! There are disturbing parallels between conditions preceding the fall of the Roman Empire and the state of America society. The Empire was rife with violence. Institutions that provided stability in society broke down. The family disintegrated. There was an enormous emphasis upon militarism. Attacks by bands of Barbarians (Today we call them terrorists.), were wrecking havoc on society. Entertainment was the center of public life. Athletes had god-like status. Thousands flocked to the Coliseum to be entertained by violent, bawdy spectacles. Did you see the Super Bowl half-time show? Its real, all right, but is it reality?

The great Southern author Flannery O'Conner wrote about a crazy character named Hazel Motes. This is one of Hazel's memorable sayings: "Any man with a good car don't need redemption." Expanding her thought, "Any man with a Hummer, any woman who belongs to THE CLUB, anyone who wins the lottery, anyone who is self-satisfied and independently wealthy, anyone who wouldn't change a thing about themselves, anyone who likes life just as it is, don't need redemption.

Jesus said, "It's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll get. It's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self won't satisfy you for long. It's trouble ahead if you think life is all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're gonna meet it." To those who heard Jesus sermon, it was a shock to the system. He said the poor, the grief-stricken, the hungry, the persecuted-- the people everyone thought God frowned upon were in fact those closest to God's heart. Those at the bottom of the pile went to the top of the heap.

Before Jesus preached this sermon he healed many people. It was a sign that God was up to something. It was God's way of saying, "This is the way things will be different from now on." Jesus gave people a choice-- get in step with a new reality, or waste away in the old one."

I want you to recall a moment when you thought to yourself, "This is the way life is supposed to be." As you remember with one lobe of your brain, listen with the other about something that happened in an Oregon church. A single mother belonged to a women's small group. One of the members commented to Donna that she didn't look good. "When was the last time you saw a doctor?" It had been a long time. She couldn't afford insurance. The group took a collection and sent her to a doctor. Donna was diagnosed with a severe liver disease which would require a transplant within six weeks or she would die. The doctor told her about a specialist who could perform the surgery for $140,000-- this was cost ten years ago! In Donna's mind there was no question... it couldn't be done.

The small group went to the pastor to see if the church could help. The church was just completing an addition and was already $400,000 in debt. He was doubtful. Getting more from the church would be like getting blood from a turnip. But he prayed about it, and the answer was clear. The church had to help. A well known businessman who belonged to the church led the effort. Another member volunteered to work full-time for the next six weeks.

On Sunday the need was shared with the congregation. A special offering was taken. The collection totaled $60,000! The day after the pastor was asked to testify before the Oregon Legislature about people who couldn't afford insurance. The story hit the newspapers and television. Jars of money poured in from bars, businesses, and schools. In one week, $220,000 was raised! Donna was put on a plane and sent to Texas for a successful transplant.

This a snapshot of life at its best. What are your memories? Was it a moment when you unexpectedly became enthralled with the wonder of creation and found yourself saying out loud, "THANK YOU!"? Was it a reconciliation with an estranged family member? Did a friend make a sacrifice to pull you through a difficult time? Did someone you had misjudged came to you, offering to carry your hurt in their heart? Maybe you experienced it on Sunday morning when people come together to worship God, to love and support one another and give thanks to God for Jesus, without whose love we would have no reason to be together. Haven't you thought to yourself, "This is what its all about. This is what the world should be."?

There is a word for such moments. Its called, REALITY. It's the ONLY reality. The ones we have fashioned for ourselves will disappear. Life today being what it is, none of us can make it alone. If the branch isn't connected to the vine, it withers and dies. We cannot grow in our faith if the extent of time with God and fellow Christians is Sunday morning. Sunday often shrivels with the onslaught of Monday.

We must worship together. But we need help putting faith into practice. The marks of discipleship we've talked about-- Bible study, prayer, worship, service, making new friends and sharing faith with them, giving-- this happens in small groups where we help each other learn, practice, and grow in the life of discipleship.

The vision statement you adopted calls for the creation of and our participation in small groups. You'll hear more about this ministry in the months ahead. For now, let's just say we need them so we can stay in touch with reality-- the real one. The powers around us are persuasive. They weaken our resolve. They pull us away from our center in God. They pull us away from each other with their siren's song, "GET REAL!"

As I prepared this message a song popped into my head-- one of those tunes that wouldn't go away. If figured it came for a reason, so I decided to close with it. The song was written by Bruce Hornsby. Its called, "The Way It Is." Its a commentary on the wrongs of our society that have been accepted as reality, but shouldn't.

Standing in line marking time
Waiting for the welfare dime
'Cause they can't buy a job
The man in the silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies' eyes
Just for fun he says "Get a job"

They say hey little boy
You can't go where the others go
'Cause you don't look like they do
Said hey old man
How can you stand to think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, son

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
BUT DON'T YOU BELIEVE THEM!

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