“Faith That Comes Alive: Searching”

1 John 3:18-22; Matthew 7:7-11

Reverend Skip Strauch

Most of us have heard the Star Trek voice boom out from the TV as the Star Trek science fiction series starts up, with the narrator saying: “Where no man has gone before!” There is a bumper sticker that reads, “I’m lost. Don’t follow me!” …There is something about searching that captures peoples attention.

The critical question is: households, do you lose your keys and have to go searching for them? Do you forget whether you are going up the stairs or down the stairs? And pause to wonder why?

This morning’s passage is about searching…and about finding. The passage begins, “Ask and you shall receive; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened unto you; for everyone who asks, receives; and everyone who searches, finds; and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

This Scripture passage is for you. In actuality, this passage is for everyone who searches. And, who allows God to help. As the passage says, “…how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” The Greek word for “search”, also used here in English is the word “seek”, is “Zee-tite”, and in this passage translates from the Greek as, “God-helped search”. The key is to search, with God’s help.

I want to explore in story, some rounding out of what “search, and you will find” looks like in our lives, by seeing what it looks like in others’ lives.

(A father with two children, seeking employment…)

A father had called 911 to ask about employment! He said, “Hi 911, I am in an emergency! I need a job… Now! I have two children and they have no mother (their mother died three weeks ago of a brain aneurism). I am 27. I am single. A widower. I have no income. I am looking for a way to make ends meet. I can work as a meat chopper, as a window cleaner, as a mechanic, as a garage man (fixing garage doors)…” 911 dispatch operator replied: Sir, this is 911! We are an emergency dispatch agency. You can’t just call us and ask for your whims. We are all about emergencies…! Father, protesting: “But this IS an emergency!” Dispatcher: Sir, you are taking up valuable time from others who have actual emergencies. Hang up and call 211!” The father replied: Okay… (hanging up and dialing 211)…

211 Operator said: “Hello, this is information and emergency resource helping! How can I help?” The father of two said: “You can help by giving me information!” The 211 Operator replied: “What kind of information do you need?!” The father said: “I need help finding employment.” The 211 Operator replied: “Okay, let me send you to our employment department….” (DHS Vocational Rehabilitation). The father, getting a little frustrated, said: “I have already talked with the 911 operator and now you are giving me the run around too!” The 211 Operator, thoughtfully replied: “Okay, I see. What type of job do you need?” The father of two replied: “I need a job as a plumber!” The 211 Operator, adeptly said: “Okay, my sink is plugged up! Can you stop by my house after I finish my shift at 3 p.m.?” The father: “Absolutely!”

The 211 Operator: “Are you sure you can handle plumbing?” The father seeking employment said: “Yes. I achieved a certificate in plumbing four years ago. Worked for three years, and was laid off with COVID when COVID started happening!” The 211 Operator said: “Okay. Do you have any disease now?” The father, smiling: “Yes! I have the disease of being out of work!” The 211 Operator: “Okay, that was funny. I like a plumber with humor. Here is my address (in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania): 683 Oak Street SE, Pittsburgh, 30821.” The father replied: “Okay. Got it! (Writing it down on a napkin dirtied by a McDonald’s hamburger ketchup stain). 3 p.m.?” The 211 Operator responded: “Yes! Give me four minutes to get there. 3:04 p.m.” Father: “You have made my day!!! Are you a person of faith, by any chance?” The 211 Operator responded: “Yes!!! I live, work, and breathe the Holy Spirit!” The father: “Wow! That is neat! I wish I had faith like that!” The 211 Operator responded: Okay, I am on work, so I can’t talk about my faith any more than I have. But when I get off work, I will share with you the good news!” The father: “Wow! That would be outstanding! You will pay me for my work, right?!” 211 Operator: “No, I won’t. Just kidding. Of course. I will pay you your first month’s rent and your food allowance. Just kidding. I will pay handsomely. Perhaps double what a plumber should be paid. How much would you charge for fixing an incinerator?” The father said: “$125.” The 211 Operator said: “That’s not much, buster. How about $450?” The father: (Taken aback) (silent for a moment) … “Wow! I can take care of your incinerator and your sink too.” The 211 Operator: “Okay. You’ve got a deal.”

The father: (doing the math on what was owed that he needed to pay…rent, food, oil, gas, a carburetor…) “That’s almost what I need!!!” The 211 Operator: “Almost? What do you need? (Feeing a bit uncomfortable)… The father: “I have two children, one of whom has cancer and can’t talk very well. The other is malnourished. I think I should hang up and just do the plumbing job for $450, ma’am.” The 211 Operator: “In the name of the Heavenly Father, child of Dean be healed!” The father, astonished: “How did you know my name?!! (Taken aback and about to hang up and forget the whole thing)… The 211 Operator: (sensing this…) “Just relax. Just relax. I have offered what I can. Healing your daughter of cancer. If you like, I can stop by your house and see how she is doing. I am also a nurse.” The father of two: (recovering his sense of purpose) “Okay. That would be great. How much would you charge?!” The 211 Operator replied: “Nothing. I just want to help out as best I can. If that is okay?” The father: Yes!! I will see you at your house at 3 p.m. (going over the address with her and ending the phone call).

Help comes from God, and through God, with God’s helpers. What if you were a helper, like this 211 operator was a helper? What if you needed something in searching, like this father?

(A couple who were childless were helped with finding an adoption agency…)

Let’s listen in about Rick and his wife, Mary, who found out that they were not able to have children from their urologist and from their gynecologist. Rick prayed. Mary prayed. Someone from their church, sensing God’s leading, offered them an opportunity to seek counsel with the pastor. They agreed. Met with the pastor. The pastor learned that they were not able to have children, despite being of age for having children (ages 24 and 27). The pastor prayed about this with the person referring the couple to him. They prayed, “Heavenly Father, gracious Son, Holy Spirit, pour out your energy upon us so that we can sense Your leading. In your precious name we pray, amen.” Two days later, someone joined the church, transferring membership from their existing church to this church. The new member happened to be an adoption agency director in town. They all agreed that this couple could benefit from meeting with the director of the agency. A meeting was arranged, after much prayer and reflection and thought, and the couple, in the end, decided to adopt. They adopted a gorgeous three-year old with deformities to his body, so grotesque that his parents gave him up for adoption. The couple loved their new son. God loves them all.

(A single mother of two children who finds employment, food, and shelter, all in one day…)

Hear now a story about Jennifer, a mother of two children, ages 4 and 7. Jennifer had just moved into town (Chicago) and had wanted to join a church. At the church, belonged four members who were, respectively, a social worker, a dentist, a housing agency director, and a food pantry director, all under one roof, one church. Within a day, the pastor had met with the new neighbors, invited them to church (to worship), invited them to meet with the four just-noted members, and to receive help. Within a day, Jennifer and her two young children were helped immensely. Jennifer found work as a dental hygienist (earning lots of income)(thanks to the dentist member), received food from the food pantry at their front door (thanks to the food pantry director member), made application for housing for Section 8 housing (thanks to the housing agency director member), and received prayer from all four in their various capacities and way. God is good. So are God’s members. 

Whenever you are searching. Let God help.

Amen.