Union Bridge COB, Union Bridge, Maryland, Mid-Atlantic District James Benedict, Pastor Sermon for Sunday, May 31, 1998 Acts 2:1-4; 12-21 CEV Romans 8:14-17 CEV YES, WE ARE! There is a lot of wisdom in children's literature. One example is the following lesson from the story, "The Phantom Tollbooth." In that story, a little boy named Milo is traveling through the Kingdom of Knowledge when he runs into a fellow named Alec Bings. Sitting across the room from Milo and Alec is a simple bucket recently filled at the well. But as Alec points out, it is more than that. He explains to Milo, "From here that looks like a bucket of water, but from an ant's point of view it is a vast ocean, from an elephant's, just a cool drink, and to a fish, of course, it's home. So you see, the way you see things depends a great deal on where you look at them from." Perspective, attitude, point of view call it what you will, it can make all the difference in the world. We see what we see because of where we stand, both figuratively and literally, and what we see determines what we know, what we believe and how we behave. And if perspective can make such a difference in how we see something as simple as a bucket of water, how much more difference it can make when what we're looking at is something as complex as another person. I was not very old when I first realized this, and I remember the occasion well. My Uncle Arnie, on my father's side, was an elementary school administrator and my cousin Jeff, from my mother's side of the family, found out that due to redistricting my Uncle Arnie was going to be his new principal. Jeff, to my astonishment, was terrified! It seems Uncle Arnie had something of a reputation. Now, after I thought about it, I could begin to see it. All the Benedict men of that generation can scowl effectively, and they have a way of speaking which makes it clear that paying attention would be in a child's immediate best interests. In addition, Uncle Arnie had gone mostly bald in his late twenties and shaved the rest off, creating the image of a very tough, tough guy. I suppose that's what the average student would have seen, and it made enough of an impression that it passed through the grapevine to my cousin. From where he stood, "Mr. Benedict" looked like someone to be feared, and avoided if possible. But I didn't stand where Jeff stood. I had the benefit of being able to see and know a little more than Jeff could see or know. "Mr. Benedict" was my uncle, my father's "little" brother. I'd seen Uncle Arnie smile, heard him laugh he'd even hugged me. He'd held me as a baby. We'd been fishing together. I'd even rubbed that scary looking bald head of his. Sure, he was strict, even with my brothers and me when we were visitors at his house. But I knew he really cared about kids not just me, but all kids. I had a perspective that let me see and know more. Our scripture this morning from Paul's letter to the Romans is all about perspective. It's about the blessing that comes when God's Holy Spirit enables us to see and know more about God than we have seen or known in the past. It is about the transformation that takes place in that grace-filled instant when we come to see God as God really is. What an instant, what a moment, what a gift -- because in the instant that we see God for who God really is, we realize for the first time who we are! Listen again and feel the power of these words: "God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father. God's Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised." Other people may look at God and see only a Creator to be admired, only a law giver to be obeyed, only a mystery to be wondered about, or only a judge to be feared. But the Spirit has revealed to us that we are a part of God's family. God is above all else a parent who loves us and wants to bless us. The Holy Spirit provides us with this new and better perspective on God. As Jesus promised in the gospel of John, the Holy Spirit will lead the disciples into all truth. That is how we are brought to faith in the first place, when the Spirit helps us to recognize in the stunning spectacle of Jesus on the cross the depth of compassion that God feels for us. Just one glimpse of that unfathomable love and we are changed forever. We can never think about God or about ourselves the way we used to think. The Holy Spirit assures us that we are beloved children of God and suddenly we find ourselves looking at everything and everyone else differently. This is what happened to the disciples on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came upon them and they were changed from fear filled followers into faith filled leaders. Not long before, the disciples had hidden behind locked doors out of fear of "the Jews." Suddenly all the people of Jerusalem were potential brothers and sisters, persons with whom the gospel could be shared, persons to be invited and included in the family of God through faith in Jesus. Of course, just because we gain a new understanding of God and of ourselves it doesn't mean all our problems go away. We may come to see that we are children of God, but that doesn't mean others will necessarily see what we see or treat us differently. I'm reminded of a story about the former governor of Colorado, Roy Romer. During his last reelection campaign, he arrived late one day for a barbeque in the small eastern Colorado town of Limon. It had been a hectic day. There had been no time for breakfast or lunch, and Romer was famished. As he moved down the serving line, he held out his plate and received one piece of chicken, and a small, scrawny drumstick at that. The governor said to the serving lady, "Excuse me, do you mind if I have another piece of chicken? I'm really hungry. The woman replied, "Sorry, I'm supposed to give one piece to each person." Romer insisted, "But I haven't had breakfast or lunch today and I'm starving." The woman was unmoved. "Sorry, but I've got my orders. Only one piece per person," she said. Romer is generally a modest man but has been known to display signs of exasperation. This was one of those occasions. "Ma'am," he said, "I'm the governor of Colorado, and all I want is another piece of chicken." The woman shot back, "Well, sir, I'm the lady in charge of the chicken. Now move along!" The Holy Spirit may reveal to us that we are children of God, but others may not recognize us as such. But then, being children of God is not about receiving special treatment from others it's about our knowing who we are and living out that identity, regardless of how others treat us. It's about looking to Jesus to see our example of how children of God are meant to behave in this world. As children of God, we are destined for glory and in this life the Holy Spirit gives us a foretaste of that glory now and then in nature's beauty, in moments of worship, in Christian fellowship and in covenant relationships. But while we wait for God's plan to be fulfilled, our role in this life is to be servants as Jesus was a servant. As children of God, we are set apart to serve, because serving others is "the family business." Robert R. Kopp, a Presbyterian pastor from North Carolina, drove this point home in a cute little story about Walter, a young man who went to work for the largest corporation in the world. The personnel director told Walter he would have to start at the bottom and work his way up, so Walter started in the mailroom. Walter liked his job, but often daydreamed about what it would be like to be an executive, the president, maybe even chairman of the board! One day as Walter was dividing the mail, he saw a cockroach in the corner of the room. As he walked over to step on it, Walter heard a tiny voice crying out, "Don't kill me! I'm Milton the cockroach, and if you spare me, I'll grant all your wishes." Walter thought it sounded like a good deal, and he spared Milton's life. Walter's first wish was to leave the mailroom and become a vice president, so Milton granted the wish. In fact, Milton granted wish after wish until finally Walter was the chairman of the board of the largest corporation in the world, with an office on the top floor of the tallest building in the world. Everyone looked up to Walter and he was very happy. Walter often said to himself, "I am Walter, and I'm at the top. No one is bigger and more important than me." Then one day Walter heard footsteps on the roof and went out to find a small boy on his knees praying. "Are you praying to Walter?" the executive asked the boy after all, he was the chairman of the board of the largest corporation in the world. But the little boy replied, "Oh, no. I'm praying to God." Walter was quite disturbed by this turn of events, so he returned to his office and sent for Milton the cockroach. "Milton," he said, "I have another wish. I want to be like God." The next day, Walter found himself back in the mailroom. Being like God being a child of God is not about being more important than others. It's about being in the family business, the business of loving, helping, healing, and forgiving. It's about speaking up for the less fortunate, speaking out against in justice, and always speaking the truth in love. It's about realizing the difference between what things cost and what things are really worth, and remembering that God will always take care of his own. Yes, we are children of God. May the Holy Spirit be poured out afresh today to reassure us of that and to empower us. May the Holy Spirit help us see the world differently because we are children of God. May the Holy Spirit move in our midst, and go with us from this place, so we might live with confidence in God's promise as we bring the message of his love to others. Amen.