"Do Your Best"

            This Sunday, March 10th, our Worship Service will have two foci.  First, we will be celebrating a baptism and, secondly, we are celebrating “Cub Scout Sunday.”  The theme for our service this week is “Do Your Best,” which is the Cub Scout motto.  My sermon focuses on how God calls upon us to do our best. 

Our scripture reading will be Matthew 25: 14-26, which is Jesus’ “parable of the talents.”  In the parable, two of the servants are praised because they did their best with the money, which was entrusted to them.  The first servant invested the five talents given to him and earned a 100% return on his investment—an additional five talents.  The second servant invested the two talents entrusted to him and earned a 100% return on his investment—two additional talents.  Both servants did their best.  Unfortunately, the third servant did not try to invest the talent given to him.  Instead, he dug a hole and buried it in the ground.  In other words, the third servant did not do his best and was condemned as a result.

Like the Cub Scout motto, God calls upon all of Christ’s disciples to do their best.  This is what happens when we celebrate baptism.  Tomorrow, the one who is baptized promises to do her best to serve God as a faithful disciple.  Similarly, everyone in the congregation will promise to do our best to strengthen her as a disciple.  We will do our best to surround her “with a community of love and forgiveness, that she may grow in her service to others. We will pray for her, that she may be a true disciple, who walks in the way that leads to life eternal.”

God calls upon each of us to do our best in life, especially as disciples of Christ.  We do our best through what Wesley called “works of piety,” such as prayer, meditation, scripture study, worship, and receiving the sacraments.  “Works of piety” help us to grow spiritually closer to God.  We also do our best through what Wesley called “works of mercy,” such as feeding the hungry, providing a warm coat for someone who needs it, helping provide shelter for the homeless, caring for those who need healing, helping our neighbors, and visiting those in prison.  “Works of mercy” also help us to grow spiritually, closer to God.  Finally, we do our best through “works of justice,” such as working to change social and political structures which oppress and exploit persons, thereby making them needy.  “Works of justice” also help us to grow spiritually, closer to God.

Feel free to post your comments on this blog.  If you live in the Meriden-area and do not have a regular church home, please consider attending Meriden United Methodist Church this Sunday.  Meriden UMC is located at the corner of Dawson and Main.  Our worship service starts on Sundays at 10 am.  Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.