Over the last several weeks, we’ve been reading from the book of the James.  As you probably know, one of the major themes of that book is that faith without works is dead.

If all I have is faith, then my faith is a delusion that I’m something I’m not.  If I say I’m a Christian but my life is not marked with acts of love and compassion for others, then I’m just fooling myself.

And if all I have is works, then those works will make me think I’m better than I really am.    I still need the faith that connects me to God’s grace so that works on their own won’t produce self-righteousness.

When we put faith and works together, however…well, that’s a powerful combination. It is sort of like when we combine Mentos and Diet Coke. [At this point we did in fact add Mentos to Diet Coke and watched a soda geyser shoot forth!] It unleashes a powerful result. 

Along these same lines, Jesus in today’s Gospel tells us what kind of works His followers will do:  they will engage in humble acts of service.  Interestingly, he makes this comment after His disciples were arguing about who was the greatest.

In His response, Jesus doesn’t condemn their desire to do something great. He simply redirects it.  Instead of allowing that desire for greatness to drive them to try to get ahead of others—to have more power, more things, a more prestigious position—they are to channel that drive into being the humble servants of all.

If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.  Those are the words of Jesus 2000 years ago.  Now fast forward to today, to a book by Jerry Porras called Success Built to Last:  Creating a Life that Matters, published by Wharton School Publishing. (Wharton was voted the number one business school in the world last year.)

After talking about why contemporary measures of success fail to satisfy and leave people feeling unfulfilled, disappointed, and even betrayed, they write “The Secret of Life”:  There is a good chance you feel there is something missing in life—or you are on an incessant search for meaning—until you make one simple choice.  Those uncertainties can dog you in a never-ending but noble quest until you just go out and serve somebody (page 38).

Do those words remind you of anybody?  It’s what we often call around here “the new old wisdom”.  What Porras is writing about today is precisely what Jesus taught 2000 years ago.  If you really want to do something great with your life, service is the way to go.

My hope is that as we leave here today, we’ll be the kind of people who put their faith into practice; who do the kinds of things that show we not only love God, but also one another.  And just in case any of us might need a little help with this, let me offer a few suggestions as to how we might serve someone this week.

First, at the picnic today you might just reach out to somebody you don’t know.  Our faith is a faith that is reaching out to others, seeking to welcome others and include them.  So a good place to start putting your faith into practice is right here and right now, introducing yourself to and talking with somebody you don’t know.

Another possibility might be to do something nice for one of our college students.  Think of what it would be like for one of our kids who has recently gone away to college to find a letter from one of us simply saying we miss you, are thinking of you, and remember you in our prayers.

Or maybe you might take that a step further and send them home baked cookies or brownies.

Or maybe you might take it a step farther still—send them a check for $25 with a little note saying, “We know college is tough so use this money to take a break and go out to eat” or something like that.

If that idea appeals to you—and I hope it does—but you don’t know how to contact any of our college kids, let me know and I’ll give you a name and an address.  I’d love for us as a community to be taking intentional steps to let our college kids know we care, that they continue to be an important and well loved part of our church family.

Here is another one:  pay attention to someone this week.  Maybe it’s a spouse, a kid, a friend.  But sit down and look them in they eye and ask them how they are doing and then really listen.  Don’t do it with the TV on or over a newspaper or while you are answering email.  Give them your full and undivided attention.

One more.  Many of us sponsor third world kids.  For less than the cost of cable or one meal out or a month’s supply of Coke—the cola, that is—we can keep a kid alive.  It seems like one of the best deals out there to many of us.  But sending the money is easy.  Maybe this week, take some extra time to write your kid a letter, and assure them of your love and prayers for them.

And if you don’t already sponsor a kid, maybe go online and check out Compassion International or some other charitable organization and consider doing so.

So there you have it—four ways of putting our faith into practice that any one can do.  Now the important thing is to pick one and actually do it!

May all of us make that choice, putting our faith into practice by being willing to serve, engaging in those acts that proclaim in no uncertain terms that we love God with all our hearts, minds and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves.  Amen.

Pay attention.

Adopt a kid.