Fish Sticks

"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whosoever believes in Jesus will not perish, but have everlasting life."

- Jesus, John 3:16

"Our sin is the greatest gift we can give God. It's a gift God chose to work with -- It's the gift that moved His heart to give His life for us."

- Anonymous

When I was in Junior High School, I found my best friend, Mike Lehenbauer. Together, we became like peas and carrots. We did everything together -- we walked to school together, hung out in the hallways together, we fished and camped out together, played football together, went to parties together, and occasionally got in trouble together. And even though I knew Mike like a brother, I had never met his family. So, one day, early in our friendship,  we're walking through the cafeteria line together at school, and he looks over at one of the cafeteria ladies and says, "Hi Mom!" And she says, "Hey, son!"... and she shovels three extra helpings of fish sticks on his plate. "Wowee!" I said to myself, "This could be a very lucrative arrangement!" I mean, I wanted to hang out with Mike anyway, ‘cause I liked him, but clearly just by being his friend, I could see some extra fish sticks coming my way.

There were other guys in school who would give Mike a hard time by saying stuff like, "Did you see your momma today, Mikey?" or "Did you bring momma her hairnet today?" But I thought it was the coolest thing that Mike's mom worked in the cafeteria. In fact, it got to the point that when we went through the lunch line together, Mike would look at mom… nod his head… she'd smile and just get radical with the fish sticks. And then she'd look at me and I'd be like, "Hey Momma! You be my Momma too?!" And she'd laugh and not only give me extra fish sticks, but she'd give me extra cinnamon rolls… and let me tell you, there was nothing like our cafeteria sticky buns. Whooowee! They would change your life, if you ever had one! They were more than ample proof that there was a God, and He was Good! That was the first time I can remember experiencing extravagant generosity! The second time was when I knew that Jesus gave His life to save mine.

When I read the Bible, I noticed that from beginning to end it is a story of extravagant generosity.

It started at creation… out of nothing God creates a world that can sustain life. But He doesn't just fill it with dirt, sand and water… He fills it with butterflies and daisies and eagles and gigantic redwoods and snow-capped mountains and breathtaking sunsets and turquoise seas and starfish and dolphins and yellow labradors and morning doves and babies of all shapes and sizes. Ample portions! God just gets radical with the fish sticks and cinnamon rolls! He creates man and woman, and says, "Be fruitful… Multiply… Increase… Love!... Live!... Laugh!... Enjoy!... Renew the Earth!" It was, and is, an act of extreme generosity from God the Father to us. And then Sin entered the picture.

I know we don't like to talk about sin these days… but sometimes you just have to call something exactly what it is so you can confront it and overcome it before it destroys you.

Sin is the condition of being separated from the Generous God who created us and is evidenced by all the choices we make that hurt, harm, wound, break, damage or kill ourselves or other people.

You see… if we're not living for God then we're living for ourselves… and selfishness can never generate that spirit of generosity that creates love and joy and life.

When I was a small boy growing up in Iowa, we would sometimes go out on a warm summer night and catch lightning bugs. You ever do that? They're bugs that have butts that light up like neon… very cool bugs! My brother and sisters would catch them and then put them in a glass jar and then screw the lid on real tight so they wouldn't fly away. And for about fifteen minutes, that glass jar would be like a glowing lantern. But then their lights would begin to dim and finally go out completely.

When you're living your one and only life separated from God, it's like you're living life in a glass jar with the lid screwed on real tight.

For a while life is good, and you're lit up and happy… but over time, your selfishness will begin to hurt your marriage, damage your friendships, rattle your mind, ruin your heart and suffocate your life until your light goes out. What you think will bring you pleasure… what you think is going to make you happy… All of a sudden, you are suffocating, and you feel trapped. And that's why, when I was little… I'd take those jars and open up the lids and set those bugs free… so their butts would light up the world all round them. And that's what Jesus did for you and for me.

In an act of extravagant generosity, God sent His only Son. Jesus came from Heaven down into your backyard. He saw you trapped inside a glass jar of selfishness… suffocating… and through His death on a cross that forgives you and I of all our sin… and then through His resurrection from the grave… Jesus invited all of us into an eternal relationship with the Generous God who not only created us and loves us… but The God who put His Spirit… His Generous Spirit…  inside each of us!

God so loved that He gave...and now so do we!

If you want to live life in personal relationship with the Cosmic Cafeteria Supplier of Fish Sticks and Sticky Buns… if your desire is to go through life with a glow (from behind) that blesses all those who know you…

Then why not ask Jesus to remove the ceiling of selfishness from your life and step into relationship with the God who gave His very best to make you His!

Pastor Harry

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