HAND-ME-DOWN

Used--During this sermon, I used an old illustration of used tea bags.  You'll have to listen to the sermon to hear it, but it reminds me that our worship is somewhat used.  By that I mean, we tend to offer the Lord that which is "pre-owned" as the car dealers like to say.  Instead of offering Him our best and that which is new, we offer Him our leftovers.

I suggest this practice is not only displeasing to the Lord (which is bad enough), but it steers others away from the faith.  If the rest of the world sees us doing that, why would they be at all interested.  If our God is not someone for whom we're willing to sell out, why would they care?  I, for one, am not attracted to someone else's second or third choice.  I'm attracted to their "number one."

After our best is gone, we have little to offer that anyone would want.  Not many folks want second best.  To make matters worse, we seem to expect to fail in the area of sharing our faith.  If we expect to fail, why would we do our best?   We can be lovable losers and still enjoy the best of what the Lord has given for ourselves.

Sixty years ago, Ralph Kiner was a star outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Pirates at that time were cellar dwellers (lovable losers).  Kiner went to Branch Rickey (the Pirate General Manager) and asked for a raise commensurate with his performance as the leading home run hitter in the National League.  Rickey's response was simply this.  "We finished in last place with you, and we can finish in last place without you."  Kiner didn't get that raise.

Why is it we continue to ask for the Lord's blessing while holding out on Him?  We wouldn't put up with that.  Why would we expect the Lord to do so?