With Our Lives

"With Our Lives"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "With Our Lives"

This Morning's Scripture reading is:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Do actions speak louder than words? Do words speak louder than actions? Can actions speak without words? Can words speak without actions? Can I stop asking questions so we can all get a breath?

Only for a moment.

Steven Curtis Chapman writes many songs that are fun to sing. One of my favorites is one from 2001: "Live out Loud." Here’s a little part of that song:

Wake the neighbors
Get the word out
Come on, crank up the music, climb a mountain and shout
This is life we've been given, made to be lived out
So, la, la, la, la, live out loud

This week’s Bible reading is one that encourages the folks in a house church in (try to say this one 10 times fast!) Thessalonica to continue to live their lives letting their actions and words match each other.

I wonder if the words were really encouraging a group of folks who too often missed the mark of matching words and actions to do better.
I wonder if Paul was really encouraging the folks in Thessalonica to know that they could, and to continue (or start) living out loud.

And some of you might be thinking already, "What more can I do to have my actions match my words?"

It’s something good to think about – but today isn’t about doing more.

It’s really about balance.

How does living out loud – having our actions match our words – relate to balance?

Well . . .

Yesterday at the Foods Resource Bank Community Harvest Celebration we had a chance to explore that idea. Intern Sumie from St. John’s Lutheran church and I presented a drama that has Sumie practicing - learning how to walk a tightrope. She wanted to achieve balance that way.

But balance in life isn’t about standing on a little wire while trying to avoid dangerous outcomes on either side. The balance in today’s Bible reading is about letting the things we do and the things we say match each other – staying balanced.

So if we say that we love God – our actions match that
If we say we love our neighbor – our actions match that.
If we say we love our church – our actions match that.
If we say that we seek God’s peace – our actions match that.
If we say that we are called to give to our neighbors in need – our actions match that.
If we say we want to be reconciled to folks we’re angry with – our actions match that.

The Bible calls us to help folks in trouble
The Bible says that God has provided and will continue to provide abundance.
Our faith tells us that there is enough for everyone
- Enough food to eat
- Enough shelter for everyone
- Enough resources so that all will have medical care
- Enough love so that no one should ever be neglected

And just one look at our world shows us

That there are folks in trouble
That our distribution of God’s abundance is way out of balance
That folks don’t have enough to eat
That homelessness is a world problem
That people die needlessly because they have no access to medical care
That children and adults are neglected, exploited and worse.

We are a people of abundance – and it’s important for us to let our actions and words be in balance.

Giving generously to the ministries of our church.
Supporting governmental policies that recognize the needs of those who don’t have enough.
Giving generously to ministries that help our neighbors in need.
Letting our words of love match our actions of love for all of God’s creation.
Living our lives out loud – balancing words and actions

It’s about showing God’s love with our words – and with our lives.

Close with player.