Sermons In Time

"I Volunteer"

Old Testament: Isaiah 6:1-6

He was only one man. When the voice of the Lord came to him, he felt completely inadequate. His inability to speak without stuttering was embarrassing. To confront the leader of Egypt was like confronting an estranged father, let alone the leader of a great country. Yet, Moses went, and became the deliverer of an entire nation of people from slavery.

He was only one man. When he came into the temple, he was overwhelmed with grief and with the grandeur of the place. He was unclean, and lived among a people of whom he was ashamed. Yet, when the voice of God spoke to him, to tell of deliverance for all the nations, he listened. Isaiah responded, "Here I am," and became a bearer of the message of salvation for all the people of every age.

He was only one man. When the voice of the Lord came to him, he could only reply that he was too young. "I am but a youth" he said. But the word of God was persistent: "Don't discount your youth, for I have called you." Jeremiah listened, and became the great prophet of hope for all of Israel.

She was only one woman. When the trumpet sounded outside the gates of Jericho, she knew only too well that it would not be easy to get in. What was most needed was a simple deed. So Rahab took a basket and lowered it in order for the soldiers of Israel to come inside the gates of the city.

Each of these, and many more were volunteers.

Certainly, they were often reluctant, felt themselves inadequate for the tasks to which they were being asked to serve. In each case, however, they said, "Yes!" and because of their yes, history itself was changed. The word is very clear. Do not discount for one moment the importance of your own life as an individual. You may well be the very person needed to complete a task - no matter how simple or how difficult it may seem.

The truth is the finest work in the world is done by those who respond to the call of opportunity for service in the kingdom of God. Were it not for the simple, "Yes, I'll try," very little of any consequence would be accomplished in the world in which you and I live.

One of the interesting pieces of history going on right now in our world is that those who are being called into active duty by the President of the United States is that each of those who are in the reserves are there as "volunteers."

During the past year in the life of our church, we have been able to accomplish many things. Most of that which has been done has been done by those who have said gladly, "I will help." This simply indicates for all of us how important that "willing hand" is to the life of the Kingdom, and to the community of faith. It is our complete conviction this morning that those who say yes because they want to help do the very best job that can be done.

1. It is interesting that we sometimes limit our thinking when we think of someone who can volunteer. It is important to remember that one of the most influential persons in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's was an elderly woman by the name of Peabody who in her dignity and her wealth and in her venerable age confronted a judge in Alabama on behalf of the humanity of those who were black and had been disenfranchised.

In the Scripture, age has little to do with how effective one can be. Those who were older are respected. Those who are young are admired. Both young and old - from the lad to brought the two fish and five loaves, to the elderly Abraham - contribute immeasurably to the work of the Kingdom.

An interesting and important dimension of today is that the age of leadership we often look to in the world, from 50-65, is in short supply demographically. We are continued in dependance on those who are over 65 for leadership, and we are deeply in need of those who feel too young to take a larger role because of that age difference. for example:

Today, there are more people over 65 than there are teenagers. Teens now contribute 17 million hours annually to volunteer work, and those in college contribute 192 million hours. Those whom we think of as baby boomers (26-44) are now 45% of the adult population. It is no wonder they sometimes feel called upon too soon and too often. They are known as "the stressed and the busy."

In short supply are those between the ages of 45-65. Just the time that you expect the most of persons! These have been the backbone of the volunteer movement, and we don't have enough to call upon. Those who are over 65 are the fastest growing group in our society. There are 30m over 65, 3.3m over 85, and 40,000 over 100. These are now being seen as the "Chronologically Gifted!

Just another interesting statistic: presently, minorities make up 20% of the U.S. population. It is predicted that by the year 2080 those who are now considered minorities will comprise 40% of the nation's population. That number alone will make the work to be done need to meet the needs of a racially and culturally diverse population very important.

2. In the New Testament, Jesus said a word about his own work that is extremely important when we think of the work to which we are called as Christians. He said, "I came not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." Again, he said, "No one takes my life from me. I lay it down of my own accord."

As we think of those two statements, our inclination is to think only of the cross. Now, that is important. But we need to realize that those two statements are inclusive of all that Jesus did and was. They were really the root of a lifestyle.

If you look at the last one first, and apply it to our lives, it becomes not only important but very true. Another way to say the same thing is to say, "Nobody can make me do anything I don't want to do." That happens to be an accurate statement. To make it an affirmative one, one only has to say, "I offer myself of my own free will, and do those things in life I choose to do."

In fact, one makes choices out of our freedom to do that which is fulfilling. I have discovered through the years, and especially have I noticed this during the past year, that when you ask someone to do that which they want to do anyway, there is no limit to what that one can accomplish!

More and more I am convinced that all we ever do in our world in asking someone to help is to give them the opportunity to do what is important to them anyway. In fact, the moral life is just that. It is doing from the inside of the soul those things which make us become more fully human, more complete, more mature.

When we can thus invest our lives, joy comes, and with it deep satisfaction. The kind of selfishness in which one will not give of themselves is really a very childish and immature way to think and to live. When one withholds themselves, growth does not take place, and that one is deprived of the richness of a full life.

Even to say that does not mean that everyone needs to teach or to preach or sing in the choir. Nor does it mean that everyone must cook or sponsor a youth group or greet people at the door. Thank God, it does mean that some will have that privilege and will enjoy it. It also means that one does need to find those ways in which it is possible to reach out and express yourself in such a way that you have given of your best, and the world is better because of you.

3. We do things for different reasons. Probably all of them are very appropriate, and especially when they do something really good for us. For example, some will offer themselves on the basis of their own skill, and want it to be used to accomplish a task. The carpenter who wants to keep things in repair is just as important as the one who leads a prayer group. It may well be that the carpenter will want to be in the same prayer group, and the leader of the prayer group will want to be "gofer" for the carpenter.

Another reason for volunteering is because one likes to be with and work with people. So, those tasks like greeting become a natural for them. On the other hand, a quieter person may want to keep records, or keep up the library, or care for shutins. Each in their own way do what is most natural and seems best for them. It is important that we both respect those differences, and do our best to reward each for what they do and what they are.

One of the most interesting things about those who say, "Use me" is that almost never is the motivation a selfish one. Those who help seldom ask, "What's in it for me?" The question itself is far from the motive, for the motive is always accompanied by an understanding that I will get more out of this just in being a part of life than I can ever contribute. All of us understand that there is so much reward in being a part of the whole, it is a privilege to participate in the life of community, and to be a member or a part of all that is happening.

The other day this was illustrated for me by my son. He had just listened to the Bronco game in Denver. Denver had lost the game, and David was saying, "We did this, and we didn't do that..." He was a member of the team! And it was all by his own choice. He belonged because he chose to do so. We are all just one person each. None of us can do everything, nor should be expect or be expected to do so. One of the great causes of stress and burnout is trying to be all things to all people. But it is equally important to remember that each of us are valued and have gifts to offer of ourselves to the Lord and to the church and community.

The question is not, "Can I?" The question is, "What can I?" At the very heart of the question is the answer which each of us can give. The Lord has given to each of us special gifts. It is completely up to us how those gifts will be developed and will be used. May with those persons of old each of us be able to say, "Here I am, Use Me." Amen

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