Rev. Dr. Bary R. Fleet - Pastor
August 17, 2008 -14th Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 45:1-15
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Matthew 15:21-28

That Which is Irrevocable

Irrevocable …. What in life is irrevocable? Actually, lots of things. Just ask a number of the Olympians: One slip, and their medal chances are gone … they don’t get a second chance. Have you ever had the experience of saying something and , as soon as it is out of your mouth, wish you could somehow take it back before it got to anyone’s ears? Sometimes we say things and we would do anything if we could take them back … but, once spoken, they become irrevocable.

We are slowly learning that Emails are pretty much irrevocable … once we send them, they exist in cyberspace pretty much forever it seems. (Yes, I know, AOL has a feature that allows us to “unsend” messages to another AOL user as long as they haven’t read it yet.)

Once a gun is fired, that is irrevocable. Toothpaste squeezed out of a tube can’t be put back.

I really like the idea of being able to re-do things when I’ve made a mistake … to hit the “undo” key on the computer … maybe several times and watch everything I’ve just done disappear … all the mistakes are gone. I like “a mulligan” when I’m playing golf … actually, I like them A LOT! I hit the ball badly and I take a “do over.” The bad shot doesn’t count.

Paul reminds us that a couple of things are irrevocable, specifically, the gifts and calling of God.

When God gives a gift, it is irrevocable … God never takes it back. It isn’t like giving a teenager the keys to the car … and then taking them back if the behavior isn’t responsible.

God blesses us so that we will become blessings to the rest of the world. That is God’s intent – for us to bless the world, and God gives us the gifts to do that.

Some of us are blessed with the gift of speaking, the gift of hospitality, the gift of organization, the gift of compassion, the gift of knowledge, the gift of teaching, and so forth.

So this morning is a wonderful time to ask ourselves what the gifts are that God has given us – whether we have used them or not. This is a time to consider the ways in which God wants us to bless the world around us …

The second irrevocable gift is our calling – which is tied directly to our gifts. What is it that God is asking us to do with our lives? God calls us – and never revokes the call.

God is a God gives irrevocably. Once claimed, we belong to God. That is what baptism is about … it is an irrevocable gift.

So is God’s forgiveness irrevocable. God is a God of second chances, a God who offers “do-overs.” The consequences of our sin may be long lasting, but God always gives us a chance to start over.

That is a big concept on Weight Watchers … when we are trying to lose weight, sometimes we fail to follow through; sometimes we sabotage ourselves; sometimes that indulgence is enough to encourage us to just give up … but we can always start over. Sure, we have to “un do” the previous damage, but the new beginning is always there … and that is God.

So, this afternoon, I would encourage us to consider the ways in which God has called us and “gifted” us … and give thanks … and live godly lives: being a blessing, claiming our gifts, and never being afraid to start over – in God’s name.

SERMON IN A SACK: A checker board. Talk about the rules about “undoing” a move. Even if we lose, God gives us a chance to start a new game.