Life begins at 40

from our 40th anniversary service on June 2, 2013

Life begins at 40.  That's what "they" say.  I looked it up on the internet, which didn't even exist 40 years ago. I remember a time when a "mouse" was a critter you wanted to catch in a trap, instead of something you click on icons on the computer screen all day.  Anyhow, I found some good quotes on turning 40 on the internet.

This first quote goes with the old thought that 40 meant death was near, and you got black balloons on your birthday and condolences.  Life begins at 40....unfortunately everything else wears out, spreads out, and falls out.  A more hopeful one is Life begins at 40....I feel like I am 18 with 22 years of experience.

Life begins at 40 was made popular by Walter Pitkin who wrote a book by that same name in 1932.  It was  bestseller in 1933 and second bestseller in 1934.  Up until that time, one's life expectancy was not much longer that 40 years.  It has only been in the last century that our life expectancy has dramatically increased.

Life begins at 40.  Numbers are important in the Bible.  Let me build towards 40.  The number 3 represents God, sacred things.  The number 4 stands for the 4 cardinal directions.  The number 7, 3 + 4, represents perfection, wholeness, completeness.  The number 40 stands for a long time, the length of a generation.

You notice we didn't have any scripture passage read today.  I need your help in reviewing how the number 40 plays into our Bible story.  How many days and nights did it rain upon Noah and those on the ark?  40!  How many days did Moses spend on the mountain top with God in a summit conference?  40!  How many days did Elijah go in the strength of the feast that the Lord provided for him?  40!  How many years did the Hebrew children wander in the wilderness?  40!  (It wasn't just because Moses was a male and refused to stop and ask for directions.  God had other plans.)  How many days did Jesus spend in fasting and prayer in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry?  40!  How many days did Jesus spend in revealing himself to others after his resurrection and before his ascension?  40!  I could have come up with more!

Life begins at 40.  Here is the take home teaching:  The number 40 was the usual duration of a critical situation.  It was a time of waiting, holy waiting.  40 was the time of preparation for what God had next for his people. 

Life begins at 40.....for Westlake UMC.  I give thanks for all that you have done in the past, for dreaming, building, serving, healing, teaching, worshiping.  I can't wait to see what God holds for us next.

What is coming next?  I wish I knew.  I need your help in praying and discerning.  I do have some clues about our future.  I believe that it will look something like the joy yesterday at the Methodist build for Habitat for Humanity when a Cuban family who immigrated here got the keys to their new home.

I believe it will sound something like I heard in Disciple Bible Study this past year from a young woman.  She said, I grew up in a church where the answers were spoon fed to you.  It was rigid, judgmental, full of guilt and shame.  Now I know a God revealed in the Bible who is full of grace and forgiveness.  Now I know I can discover what a passage in the Bible means to me."

I believe it will look something like our new movement in this church called the Point, where we worship on Sunday evenings 3/month and go out into the world to serve 1/month.  Pastor Jim had 75 in worship there 3 weeks ago.  Pastor Jim talks about how we are all on a spiritual journey.  He says that Jesus is recognized by all major world religions as being a great teacher and prophet, who never hurt anyone, and never called anyone to hurt others, who sacrificed himself even to the point of death.

I believe it will sound like children singing praises to God in the Children First worship service we are going to start on September 1.  It will be a place and time where children and their families will get to sing, and dance, and shout, and move to worship God.

I believe it will look a lot like the Journeys Class that become affiliated with the Reconciling Ministries Network.  This class wants to be radically welcoming to all persons, especially those who have been excluded by hurtful language in our Book of Discipline.

Life begins at 40.  After the 40 days of rain, Noah and all those on the ark got to covenant with God in a whole new re-start of creation.  After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness the Hebrew children got to enter the "Promised Land."  After 40 days spent in the wilderness, Jesus began his ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing. 

I can't wait to see what God holds for us next.  Life begins at 40.  That's the good news I have to share today.