Serving God means doing it His way
Joe Miller Jr.

Luke 4:21-30

Did McDonald's lead us into the fast food culture or did it just come along when the culture fit what they offered?

Fast food allows us to scurry from taking the kids (and grandkids) here to there, running to the grocery, cleaners,

Joe

bank, post office, meetings, exercise, and so forth.

Fast, cheap, convenient drive-through gives us choices to fit the individual. If I do not want a Big Mac, I can get McNuggets or Kentucky Fried Chicken, Sonic, Pizza Hut, and especially in East Texas, Dairy Queen.

Whether fast food is the cause or the result of a fast food culture, it seems to be here to stay. As Burger King advertises, "Have it your way." If you don't like it here, simply choose somewhere else.

Of course, fast food culture applies to more than fast food. We live in an era dominated by marketing that teaches us business better meet our expectations or we will walk. After all, it's all about me and what I need (or think I need).

Jesus did not live in a fast food culture. People felt fortunate if they had enough food to eat. Yet, the people in his own hometown responded to his sermon as if they too wanted to "have it their way."

So, the hometown boy has been throughout Galilee, and over in Capernaum he really did some neat stuff. How about taking care of your own hometown folks, Jesus? We have needs and wants, and you should use your ability to help us out. That is, if you are really who you say you are.

If You claim to be the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, then do something to prove it to us.

When Jesus let them know that he came for a bigger and more important task than taking care of their so-called needs, they became so irate that they tried to kill him.

Of course, we look with disdain on these folks from Nazareth. We would never create expectations for Jesus to meet our needs rather than take care of the marginalized of society. We would never expect our church to meet our own selfish ends rather than reach out to those in dire need.

We realize that Jesus passed onto His church the task of carrying out His mission. Rather than seek our own comfort from the church, we realize that we are the church. We accept our God-given responsibility as Christians to serve others rather than ourselves.

We know that the church is full of sinners, and we are among them. That is why we are there; to see what we can do to help Jesus bring about the Kingdom of God, just like it says in the prayer that he taught to us.

Take the Grace that is freely given by The Father through Jesus Christ the Son, and find a church in which you can serve. Email me at newtonumc@valornet.com with your thoughts.

Joe. Miller Jr. is pastor at First United Methodist Church in Newton.