March 23, 2007

Dear family and friends of WCPC:

We have two dogs.  The first is a yellow lab named Daisy.  The other is a mixed breed, pound dog named Podoodle.  Podoodle is little and cute for a dog.  She has a lot of personality as well.  Because of that everyone wants to play with Podoodle.  Now it’s not that no one likes Daisy, but she’s pretty big and doesn’t realize it.  Over the last year I’ve noticed that anytime we call for Podoodle, Daisy comes a running.  I think Daisy is sort of confused.  She will answer to Daisy or Podoodle.  She probably needs some counseling.

What’s your name?  What do you answer to?   People are often labeled, either by others or by ourselves.  You go to see your doctor and she tells you that you have cancer.  You’ve been labeled.  You are a biological organism and not a well one.  Your boss calls you into his office and tells you the company has to let you go.  You’ve been labeled.  You are unemployed, jobless, of less value today in the economic engine than you were a day earlier.  You and your spouse are having difficulties in your marriage.  One of you files for divorce and all of a sudden you’ve been labeled.  Relationally, you’re a failure.

Paul writes to the Romans that we shouldn’t let the world “squeeze us into its mold” (Romans 12:2)   But we let it do that all the time.  We allow what the world says about us to have more value, more significance than what God says about us.

Simon Peter, knew his share of failure and disappointment.  Imagine the labels he might have applied to himself, especially after his denial of Jesus.  Yet Jesus calls Peter, the Rock, who writes, later in his life, probably as it nears its end, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  (I Peter 2: 9  - 10)

You and I are more than biological organism, whether we are sick or well.  We are more than just part of the engine that fuels this economy.  We are more than the difficulties we have experienced in relationships.  We belong to God.  God has claimed us.  We have new names – beloved son, beloved daughter, of the Living God, brothers and sisters to Jesus. 

This Sunday, as we gather around the table of the Lord, remember who you are and who you belong to!

Your pastor,

David Jones