|
I'll Go MATTHEW 28:16-20
I’ll go! What a great title that would make for a book! Oh, that’s right. I did wrote a book and it is titled, “I’ll Go”! (And available on Amazon) Go is a dominant theme of the Bible. The Lord said to Abraham, the father of our faith, "Go from your country to the land that I will show you." The Lord said to Moses, "I have heard my people cry in their slavery. Go to Egypt, confront the Pharaoh, and lead my people to freedom." The Lord said to Amos, "Leave your herds, leave your sycamore trees, and go preach to my people Israel." Jesus said to his disciples, "Go and make disciples of all nations. My 71 years of ministry may be summarized in the word, "Go." When I was 18, the Lord said, "Go, preach and pastor two rural Minnesota churches.” After graduating from Hamline University, the Lord said, "Go to Japan for three years and be a missionary teacher.” After returning from Japan, Ellie married me and off we went to Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. On the 50th anniversary of graduation, the seminary established the Douglas and Eleanor Norris Scholarship Fund which many of you have financially supported. Our first summer in seminary the Lord said, "Go to Texas," so off we went to Angora goat country in Rocksprings where I was substitute pastor for two months. Then I did weekend youth ministry in a suburban south Chicago church and then in a downtown African American Church where Ellie taught Sunday School using Methodist curriculum and had to explain to the children what is a cow! After graduating from seminary, the Lord said, "Go to rural Minnesota and help design and implement a cooperative larger parish." Ten churches and four pastors worked as a team. When I developed serious sinus problems and was threatened with chronic laryngitis, the Lord said, "Go to Palo Alto.” 54 years ago, pulling a travel trailer, we came to Palo Alto. Then the Lord said, "Go to Manteca, Modesto, back to Palo Alto and then Merced.” After I retired, the Lord said, “Go and do interim pastorates in Paradise Valley and Glendale, Arizona, Wesley Church in San Jose, and, guess what, back to Palo Alto again! The Lord said, "Go, camp." In Minnesota and in this church, I directed children and youth camps throughout the summers. 53 years ago, the Lord said, "Go, direct Family Camp." I jumped at the opportunity for our family to be together in a camp. What a blessing Family Camp has been! Our youngest son, Craig, met his wife Laura at Family Camp. While we were in Manteca, the Lord said, “Go, get a Doctor of Ministry degree." Classes were arranged to fit a pastor's schedule. However, after I completed the class work, instead of writing the dissertation, the Lord said, "Change of plans! Go to Australia." We went to Australia for an incredible four month exchange. Then the Lord said, "Go, walk to Emmaus.” It’s not a physical walk, but a weekend retreat. A couple from Ohio who worshiped with us while doing special work at Stanford paid my way to go to Ohio for my walk. Five from Ohio paid their way to come to Palo Alto to lead the first walk of many walks in our buildings. Countless lives have been changed and blessed through the Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis, which is the youth version. For information on how you can participate, talk to Steve Wood who is very active. I firmly believe the Lord also calls you to go. We could go around the room this morning and hear fascinating stories of how the Lord is using many of you in ministry. The Lord said to Brenda and Nancy, “Go to Africa.” But, even if you are not called to go somewhere else, you are called to do ministry where you are. God calls all of you to ministry. Go where the Lord sends you, and do God's work. You may not necessarily be in the limelight. But, visible ministries cannot succeed without background workers. Charles Plumb was a jet fighter pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a missile. He ejected and parachuted into enemy hands where he spent six years in a Communist prison. Years later Charles and his wife were eating in a restaurant when a man came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!" Plumb was surprised the man knew him. "I packed your parachute," he said, "I guess it worked!" Charles couldn't sleep that night. He hadn't recognized the man. He wondered how many times he had seen him, but never noticed him, never said, "Good morning, how are you?" Charles had never taken the time to inquire about or thank the man who packed his parachute. After all, Plumb was a fighter pilot, and the packer was only a sailor. Now Charles Plumb asks people, "Who is packing your parachute?" Ministry would never happen if it weren't for all the quiet people in the background packing the parachutes. Don't ever think that what you do for the Lord is small or insignificant. Where is the Lord calling you? What is the Lord calling you to do? Don't think you have little or nothing to offer. We all have mouths and we all know how to talk. Milton Cunningham was a missionary on leave when he flew from Atlanta to Dallas. Seated next to him was a young girl with Down's Syndrome. In all her innocence, she asked, "Mister, did you brush your teeth this morning?" A trifle awkwardly, Milton answered, "Well, yes, I brushed my teeth this morning." "Good," she said, "that's what you're supposed to do." Then she asked, "Mister, do you smoke?" "No," he replied. "Good, 'cause smoking will make you die." Then she asked, "Mister, do you love Jesus?" That was easy. Milton answered, "Well, yes, I do love Jesus." "Good," she said, "we're all supposed to love Jesus.” Just then, a man settled into the seat next to Milton. He began reading his magazine, but the little girl nudged Milton and said, "Ask him he if he brushed his teeth this morning." She kept nudging him until Milton said to his new neighbor, "Sir, I don't mean to bother you, but my friend here wants me to ask if you brushed your teeth this morning." The man was surprised, but when he saw her, he answered, "Yes, I brushed my teeth." With a sinking feeling, Milton realized where this was going when she asked if the man smoked. When she asked if the man loved Jesus, Milton protested that the question was too personal. But, the little girl insisted, so Milton said, "Now she wants to know if you love Jesus." The man put down his magazine, and with tears in his eyes began to tell Milton how meaningless his life was, how he was searching for something, how he needed God, but he didn't know where to turn. So Milton, the reluctant missionary, joyfully and gratefully began talking to the man about Jesus, and led him to give his life to the Lord. We can all talk. We can all be sensitive to people around us, to be ready with encouragement. We can all talk about Jesus. We can all pack parachutes. We can all go wherever the Lord sends us. GO. © 2023 Douglas I. Norris |