Journey at the Movies 2012 - Good Deeds - How Good is Good Enough

Journey at the Movies 2012

“Good Deeds – How Good is Good Enough”

based on a sermon preached at Journey United Church of Christ on Sunday, September 2, 2012

Every summer Journey “goes to the movies” with a worship series that invites us to look at current films from a faith perspective.  While folks are not required to see the movie in advance, they are encouraged to see it if at all possible.  The worship services includes an intro to the movie, related scripture, video clips from the movie to help us make the connection and a message that brings it all together.  Our thanks to www.christinculture.com and www.holllywoodJesus.com for their insights. The video clips used in worship can be found at www.wingclips.com and www.youtube.com

Introduction to the Film: 

A successful, wealthy businessman, Wesley Deeds (Tyler Perry) has always done what's expected of him he assumes the helm of his father's company, he tolerates his brother's misbehavior at the office, he plans to marry his beautiful but restless fiancée, Natalie.  But Wesley is jolted out of his predictable routine when he meets Lindsey.  Lindsey is a down-on-her-luck single mother who works on the cleaning crew in his office building. When he offers to help her get back on her feet, the chance encounter with someone so far outside his usual circle ignites something in Wesley. This one good deed may finally spark his courage to exchange the life that's expected of him for the life he's always really wanted.

Good Deeds: Trailer from YouTube

Reading of the Day:  

Matthew 6:-34  (CEV)

1 When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven.

2 When you give to the poor, don't blow a loud horn. That's what show-offs do in the meeting places and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

3 When you give to the poor, don't let anyone know about it.

4 Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you.

5 When you pray, don't be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

6 When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you.

7 When you pray, don't talk on and on as people do who don't know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers.

8 Don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask.

9 You should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, help us to honor your name.

10 Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven.

11 Give us our food for today.

12 Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others.

13 Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.

14 If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you.

15 But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16 When you go without eating, don't try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

17 Instead, comb your hair and wash your face.

18 Then others won't know that you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.

19 Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them.

20 Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them.

21 Your heart will always be where your treasure is.

22 Your eyes are like a window for your body. When they are good, you have all the light you need.

23 But when your eyes are bad, everything is dark. If the light inside you is dark, you surely are in the dark.

24 You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing?

26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you worth more than birds?

27 Can worry make you live longer?

28 Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes.

29 But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn't as well clothed as one of them.

30 God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?

31 Don't worry and ask yourselves, "Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?"

32 Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these.

33 But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.

34 Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

The Message:  

Ritual is essential in life.  Whether it’s in work, at church or even in our families, rituals offer us the comfort of repetition and the familiarity - a little child who asks for the same story night after night – this is her ritual – or your own delight in keeping the holiday rituals as you remember them from childhood.  All of us have rituals that we remember and cherish.  Some are simple habits; others are beloved and precious because they are tied to memories of love and affection from earlier years; a few, like the sharing of bread and wine later in our worship, are woven into the very fabric of our faith.

How many rituals have you observed already today?  When you woke up, how you woke up, did you brush your teeth the same way, what did you have for breakfast, what route did you take to get here … what chair are you sitting in right now? 

Routine is good when it leads us to repeat good behaviors  - like when it drives me to get up every morning and do my workout, when it drives me to eat healthy, when it means I go to work or observe Friday “date night” with my husband or meet friends at our favorite restaurant.  Habits can be good.  Routines can be helpful.  Rituals can be deeply meaningful …

But not all habits are like that are they? Do you have any bad habits?  Things that your family nags you about as they roll their eyes?  Things that your co-workers have to remind you about routinely?

Habits can be bad.  Routines can be annoying.  Rituals can make us sigh …

CONSIDER THE DESTRUCTIVE FORCE OF RITUALS AND ROUTINES IN THE LIFE OF WALTER DEEDS. 

“GOOD DEEDS” CLIP

The rituals and routines and habits of Walter’s life have actually gone beyond  bad … we see how they unfold into the ugly.  You see, Walter is so focused on the routines and rituals of his life that he initially fails to see what’s really going on around him. It’s a lesson that Jesus tried to teach his followers as well. 

Mark 7: 17-23

After Jesus and his disciples had left the crowd and had gone into the house, they asked him what these sayings meant. 18 He answered, “Don’t you know what I am talking about by now? You surely know that the food you put into your mouth cannot make you unclean. 19 It doesn’t go into your heart, but into your stomach, and then out of your body.” By saying this, Jesus meant that all foods were fit to eat.

20 Then Jesus said: What comes from your heart is what makes you unclean. 21 Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, 22 unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. 23 All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God.

We all know what that’s like.  We’ve seen in our time as well.  And yes, we can succumb to the temptation ourselves – to “put on appearances” and be overly concerned about the impression we’re making on those around us, without giving any thought to what our hearts are really saying. 

The challenge Walter and the challenge for each of us is to have our hands and our hearts fully integrated … fully integrated in following the loving example of Jesus.  You see, he was seldom concerned about what the people around his thought of his words and deeds.  In fact, more often than not, he annoyed and frustrated the powers that be.  He reversed expectations and totally upset the social structure of his time to hanging out with tax collectors and prostitutes, giving attention to widows and orphans.  He taught what he lived and he lived what he taught. 

May we live up to the challenge when it comes to living out good deeds in our time and in our place.