Reflections on "The World at Our Fingertips" Matthew 28: 16-20; 2 Corinthians 5: 16-20

I continue to not feel that comfortable with the sermons I am preaching as part of the iPhone theology series.  Ironically, I've been looking forward to the sermon series since last spring when I had the idea for the the preaching series.   But, so far, it has not worked as well as I would have liked.

Part of the dissatisfaction may result from just having preached about the minor prophets over the summer, which demanded that I work with the text each week, study different resources, and really dig into the text.  With the iPhone series, I start with the theological point about God and then move to find a text that explores that concept.  Inevitably, I end up with illustrations about the iPhone, a couple of texts, and then dissatisfaction with how I have treated the text in the sermon.

The sermons I preached Sunday drifted from the text below, but I could not remember where I had made those mid-sermon changes.

“The World at Our Fingertips” October 4, 2015; FPC, Troy; iPhone theology series; World Communion Sunday; Matthew 28: 16-20; 2 Corinthians 5: 16-20

Introduction: A few months ago, I was trying to get Skype on my computer to work so that I could communicate with a couple in South Africa about an upcoming baptism.

Skype – a way of calling someone through the Internet so that I can see their faces and hear their voices. I find that I use it fairly often these days to do things like pre-marital counseling with couples that do not live in the area.

I could have been using my Skype app on my cell phone, but I was not.

I was having trouble making the connection work, and my cell phone vibrated. I looked over, and there was a text message from the couple in South Africa, using a 937 cell number exchange, with a text of instructions to get the Skype set up correctly.

My daughter was in Costa Rica for a semester, and we communicated through the Viber app on my iphone. We could talk and see each other., and there were not additional costs.

Once a month, I can download through my email on my iPhone a monthly newsletter from mission partners in Africa that our Endowment Fund supports annually.

The world has become a smaller place because of technology.

In a real sense, the world is at our fingertips?

What do we make of this world?

Move 1: The world seems a smaller place.

a. Less scary world because it is more accessible;

1. Disneyworld – for years tourists have ridden a boat through scenes from countries around the world listening to the tune “it's a small world, after all”

2. Familiarity, seeing other people in their own setting; communicating with others helps break down barriers.

3. Makes those other people seem real, more like us.

b. Smaller world can also be scarier.

1. The rest of the world is not longer over there, way away from us.

2. The world is at our doorsteps, with all its differences and divides, including threats and violence, in our backyard.

100. All God's creation

1. Genesis tells us that God created all the world.

2. not just Troy, or OH, or the United States, but all the world.

Move 2: God's commitment to the world reflects our call to the world.

a. How would you end a gospel?

1. You have told about Jesus' birth; his healing and teaching; his miracles; his trial and crucifixion; his resurrection; what would be your final word?

2. Matthew – Go; make disciples; teach; baptize.

3. Go –

b. Christ – reconciles world to God.

Move 3: What do we do?

a. Brian Blount, the president of Union Seminary in Richmond, VA, shares a story told to him by one of the seminary's trustees.

She was working with a group of children and noticed that one of the children had pulled out a bag of crackers and had begun munching on them. She watched him as she led the activity to see if he were going to share his crackers. It became clear he was not.

At first, she ignored the young boy. Then she decided that it was a teachable moment. She engaged the boy biblically, “Remember Jesus and the little boy who shared his loaves and fishes?” she inquired. 'Lots of people were able to eat. Jesus came to teach us to share and be kind to others.' the boy's quickly and decisively responded: “No, he didn't. He came for our salvation.”

And apparently the salvation of the other kids did not require that he share his crackers.

b. Not a triumphant moment.

1. 11 disciples reminder that 1 has taken the path of betrayal.

2. “Some doubted.”

3. we go with humility and a story to share – the story of how we have discovered God's love and grace in our lives.

100. Paul uses an appropriate image – Ambassadors for Christ

1. not generals to force by gunpoint.

2. not debaters to compel people to believe

3. Ambassadors

4. live among the people.

5. engage themselves

6. work with them.

7. embassy is part of the United States, so they stand in who they are, but they reach out to those to whom they have been sent.

               8. Powerful image for us.

conclusion: World Communion.

God's gift to us that connects us to all the world.

A gift meant to be shared with the whole world.