I have been asked by a few people over the last few weeks, “Why are you against gambling?  What difference does it make?”  Let me try to explain.  What I talked about a few weeks ago was that ideas have power.  The idea of something for nothing or by luck has power and is not good.  It is impossible to isolate our values so they don’t affect seemingly unrelated areas of life.  Gambling is one of those practices that appeals to the lowest part of our financial nature.  The higher part is the productive, committed part that says, “Here is a product that will benefit people.  I’m going to sell it,” or “Here is a service that will help people and make a positive difference.  I’m going to sell it.”  All gambling is based on the notion that with luck I can get rich.  It brings out the worst in people, and it is something no community needs to support. They look to luck rather than preparation, hard work, and good execution.

             There is also a big difference between regulating what becomes legal and regulating personal behavior.  When the county makes something legal, its proponents will say – that makes it ok.  I want to make sure that the law approves as few harmful practices as possible.

             We are going through a stage right now in our culture where legislators don’t want to raise taxes but they need more money. An easy way to do this is through allowing and taxing gambling.  We have had widespread gambling in the past.  Ride out Devine Street and Garner’s Ferry Road and you’ll see near the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation an historical marker indicating there was a horse track where the children’s home now stands.  Further out by the VA Hospital there was another one.  That one belonged to Wade Hampton.  So we have had organized gambling in this state in the past.  We don’t have it now because back then we discovered that while it looks like fun, it’s actually quite harmful.  The human cost exceeds the human value. Right now it’s back on the upswing, and it will take awhile before we see the error of our ways and again restrict it.  However, I think it is important to take a stand and raise the issue wherever it makes sense.  The human cost is still too high.

The doctrine of works righteousness (salvation by good works) sounds so ancient.  Really, when was the last time somebody urged you to shore up your trip to heaven or your security in Christ by taking care of a homeless person (or something like that)?  While no one is that blatant about it, I am certain that I and most of us really do struggle with the idea that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works in any way.  How many of us give to get and not to give – for example?

             I’m convinced we struggle with it for two reasons, both of which are variations on pride. 

1.  I’m too proud to admit I can bring nothing to God that He would find worthwhile enough to exchange my effort for some kind of favorable treatment.  Yet, the Bible makes it plain that our righteousness (works) is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  Imagine that God comes to your house, and as a welcome gift you give Him a sack full of rags that you used to wipe your hands after you changed the oil.  We don’t want to admit it, but that’s how our works look to God.  The only work He honors for salvation is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  The basis for His favor is His love, mercy, and grace.  This is not a putdown to us but a tremendous source of assurance because God is reliable and unchanging and I am unreliable and changeable.
2.  I’m also too proud to admit that God doesn’t want my help in changing me.  To prove He doesn’t, He calls us dead (Ephesians 2:1), helpless (Romans 5:6), and tells us salvation is grace (pure gift) from start to finish (Romans 1:16-17).  Why, then, when we get sick do we double our church attendance, give more, and clean up our act as if God wouldn’t take care of our health unless we did more to get His attention?  God expects us to act like we belong to Him, but that belonging is His doing and my work or action is done only in response to the gift I have been freely given.  It is much more joyful to work for God because we’ve already been paid in full.  We don’t need to wheedle out of Him what it turns out He’s already given.  If He already loved the people who nailed Jesus to the cross while they were doing it, what do you honestly think you can do to earn more of His love for yourself?  I don’t go home at night hoping Patty will love me.  I go home because I’m already sure she does. 

             Can you give up the prideful and disconcerting notion that God requires you to do something to improve the level of His love for you?  Your Christian life will be a lot more joyful when you understand the assurance of the power of grace.

When you have trouble keeping your mind on your Bible reading, praying, or on a sermon (never happens at Shandon – right?), here are a few tips:

1) Don’t expect too much of yourself.  When you do, in any field of endeavor -including time with God – it leads to short-term trying harder and a long-term sense of failure frequently followed by quitting.  There are parts of Scripture that are fascinating.  There are prayer needs that are riveting.  There are others that are common and everyday but still important.  Set a level of focus that is fairly normal, and if you fall below that normal level of focus, make yourself go back and start again as a discipline. 

 2) Tell yourself you’re going to have to pass a pop quiz on this passage and make yourself pay attention to the details.  While you pay attention to the details, you may be surprised at the inspiration that pops out of the page at you. 

3)  When your mind wanders during prayer, just stop.  Say, “Lord, excuse me for just a moment.”  Pick up a paper and pen or pencil and write out the distraction you have.  Then you won’t forget it and you’ll be able to go back to it and deal with it when you’re through with prayer.  As soon as you’re finished jotting down a note, just start talking with God again when you were interrupted.

4) Ask yourself, “Why am I bored with this passage of Scripture or this prayer need?”  Maybe you need to eliminate that prayer for a time.  That’s ok to do.  With Scripture, maybe you don’t have any idea why it was written in the first place.  (For example: law, genealogies.)  You can also find out from a Bible dictionary why that Scripture was written such as Nelson’s New Bible Dictionary (the best one-volume, Bible dictionary I know of at this point).  That has helped me, at times, to make difficult passages more interesting.  Also, I’ve been really rewarded by puzzling over something that is in Scripture for years (like genealogies) and finally getting it.  As one man said to me, “I wouldn’t spoil your search to understand the genealogies by telling you why they were written for anything.”  Twenty-five years later, I’m glad Dr. Nelson didn’t give me a quick and easy answer, and I’m glad the Lord made me puzzle about it.  I’m not going to tell you why either.

Shandon Baptist is a tremendous treat to attend and participate in.  The way you are singing and worshipping the Lord is really special.  I’m grateful for the way God has grown your ability to worship through the years.  We’ve had wonderful worship leaders at our church, and I’m very grateful Scott Lee is here now and that God is using him to grow us in our ability to worship the Lord. 

             Our church is growing numerically in both the Sunday school and the worship service.  We’re having the highest number of visitors that we have had in a long time right now, both first-time visitors and total visitors.  Our giving is ahead of budget as you’ve been able to see in the newsletter.  All of this is just wonderful.  Let’s be sure to thank the Lord for this and express our gratitude to Him.  I wanted also to express my gratitude to you because the way you are stewards of the life the Lord has given you is making a big difference in the way our church is working right now.  

             It is wonderful to be your pastor.  I love seeing God work in my life and in your lives.  I look forward to seeing God continue to have His way with us in the days ahead.