070204 Steeple Article - Are Ye Able Said the Master

Our good friend and Glenn Memorial UMC minister of music, Steven Darsey, drove over from Atlanta a couple of months ago to share his wonderful musical talents of song and guitar playing at Friday Focus. Steven is a very able and willing servant to God’s people. He is often featured as the leading musician for church retreats with the famous preacher’s preacher, Fred Craddock, now retired from teaching preaching and New Testament at Emory University’s Candler Seminary.
Recently, Steven reported another “ennobling” experience with Fred. A couple of weeks ago during a phone conversation, Fred related one of his pithy sayings: "if you won't wear the harness, you can't pull the plow." Steven reminded me that "Pulling the plow" may not be anyone's first activity choice, but many of our church related activities are examples of putting on the harness so as to pull the plow in God’s kingdom. Some of these activities include worshipping God (through shared music, Bible reading, prayer, or going to church), writing messages of love and encouragement (like our shared mail or email messages, greeting cards and letters), fellowshipping with people of all kinds of backgrounds (like the Sunday school groups, Learning Center children, 301 dance club members and our fellow Christ Church people), pastoring and ministering to each other’s needs (like visiting or calling home bound or hospitalized friends, befriending and ministering to police and other public servants, preparing and serving meals for our various church meetings), or just being a friend with neighbors at home or work. We do this service willingly and with a sense of calling and purpose.
It is a great privilege to qualify as able and willing servants, especially in a place that strives so hard for worship, public service, Bible study and prayer as Dexter Avenue United Methodist Church and our shared community with others. We "wear the harness" and submit to the requisite discipline. Robert Shaw (one of the past century’s greatest choral and orchestral directors) once said in rehearsal, "if you want to be free, you must be a slave." Once done, the "new creation" opens up, and we discover that "his yoke is easy, his burthen is light."
Last week we considered how our felt needs require redefining and reprioritizing away from the materialistic and self-serving tendencies in today’s world. We also examined how we must discipline our wants so as to concert our energy toward constructive lasting experiences that are life giving and life sustaining. One of the best ways to stop feeding on addictive, super-sized, mega-trendy lies that tell us “I can have whatever I want” – is to seek first the kingdom of God. The rewards are great (peace, joy, fulfillment, purpose, eternal life, love, hope and faith) to them who serve the Lord and His people.
"Are ye able," said the Master, "to be crucified with me?" "Yea," the sturdy dreamers answered, "to the death we follow thee." Dear Heavenly Father, You tell us that we are able. Still, You whisper down eternity, and our heroic spirits answer, now as then in Galilee. Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine. Remold them. Make us, like thee, divine. Thy guiding radiance above us shall be a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty. In the precious name of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, who thinks it not robbery to humble us as servants even to death, Amen