Well, here is what it is.  Take out a pen or a pencil and write the word “check” vertically, c-h-e-c-k.  We are going to do an acrostic.  You know, Fellowship Church is known as the church of the acrostic.  That’s a little joke.  Go ahead and write the word “CHECK.”

“C” stands for character.  When I diesel through pain and suffering, it’s going to build huge character in my life.  My “yes” will be yes, my “no” will be no, and I will be a person of big time integrity.  When God plants trials in my life, when he allows them to happen, when he plows up the soil, I will develop character.  I can’t have perseverance or patience unless I’m going through trials, right?  Perseverance doesn’t happen in a vacuum.  I will develop character.  I hate to tell you this, it’s not fun, but looking back in the rearview mirror of my life, I’ve learned more about character during difficult times than in good times, and so have you.  That’s “C.”

“H” stands for heaven.  Heaven is going to be an ultimate place, an awesome place.  The pain and suffering we are enduring here, I don’t care how much it is, it’s not even a blimp on the radar screen compared to the joy in heaven.  That’s how great it’s going to be.

“E” stands for empathy.  This is huge.  When you go through pain and suffering, it will give you the opportunity to empathize with others.  Some close friends of Lisa and I are going through a tough time in a relationship.  They have had someone they trusted totally knife them in the back, and take advantage of them.  Years ago, as I have told you before, Lisa and I had someone we trusted, someone who was so close to us, do the same thing.  While it was happening, I said to myself, “How can God use this?”  I’ll tell you how he is using it now. I am able to help this person, and so is Lisa, through this time because we can empathize with them.  I am so excited to see how people are empathizing with others here at Fellowship Church.  There are parents who have lost children and you are empathizing with others who have lost children.   There are people who have gone through chemo.  You are empathizing with others.  The list is limitless.  Empathy is a big part of pain and suffering.

Ed Young said maybe you have a low-grade doubt, or maybe your faith has the full-blown flu. I don’t know.

Verse 6 in Philippians 1.  It says, “He who began a good work in will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Once we bow the knee to Christ, once he infiltrates our lives, His attitude is grafted into our being.  And He began, Jesus, a great work in me, years ago, when I received Him.  The Bible says that He will complete it.  The word completion is the same word used by Jesus right before He died.  Jesus said this, “TETELESTAI—it is finished.”

Do you know someone in your life who was really stoked, really fired up, who bowed the knee to Christ, but know you see them and they’ve drifted away.  They’re kind of in the deep weeds.  They’re messed up.  They have a family of crickets clinging to their hair.  Do you know people like that?  Maybe you’re saying right now, “Ed, you’ve just described my son.  You’ve just described to me my father.  You’re talking about my friend.  You’re talking about the person I invited to church today.”

One would think that surely God has folded His cosmic arms and spun on his cosmic heels and said, “This person has let me down.  This person has messed up.  This person is infiltrated with crickets.  I don’t want to have anything to do with him anymore.  I’m going to move on to other things.”  That’s not true.  The Bible does not say that.

Fellowship Church Grapevine: Within five minutes or so, all the questions have been used up, and it’s hilarious to watch our children trying to say something without asking a question.

Another thing Christ would address, I believe, would be Bart’s relationship with his parents.  It’s not good.  In fact, it’s horrible.  I think Jesus would say, “Bart, there’s a verse, Ephesians 6:1, and it tells children to love and to respect and to honor their parents.  Bart, you’re to honor your parents, not for what they have or have not done.”

I talk to young people now, in these days, and they’ll say, “Well, I can’t really respect my dad, because he didn’t do that, or he does this.  I can’t really love my mom, because she’s this or she’s that.”  Let me tell you something.  The Bible says categorically that we are to honor our parents, not for what they have or have not done, but for who they are.  Our parents brought us – and parents, in love, you brought your children into this world.  We are to love and honor them, and to obey them.  “Bart, when you obey Marge and Homer, you’re obeying me.  They’re not perfect, Bart, and I don’t believe either one really knows me personally.  But Bart, obey them.”

Then, though, I think Jesus would change gears.  He would say something that might shock some of you.  I believe Christ would say, “Bart, you’ve prayed some irreverent prayers in your life.  However, Bart, there was one time, on one episode, where you prayed – and you had some things right in that prayer.  Bart, I want to encourage you.  I want to tell you, you did some good things.”

Another thing Christ would address, I believe, would be Bart’s relationship with his parents.  It’s not good.  In fact, it’s horrible.  I think Jesus would say, “Bart, there’s a verse, Ephesians 6:1, and it tells children to love and to respect and to honor their parents.  Bart, you’re to honor your parents, not for what they have or have not done.”

I talk to young people now, in these days, and they’ll say, “Well, I can’t really respect my dad, because he didn’t do that, or he does this.  I can’t really love my mom, because she’s this or she’s that.”  Let me tell you something.  The Bible says categorically that we are to honor our parents, not for what they have or have not done, but for who they are.  Our parents brought us – and parents, in love, you brought your children into this world.  We are to love and honor them, and to obey them.  “Bart, when you obey Marge and Homer, you’re obeying me.  They’re not perfect, Bart, and I don’t believe either one really knows me personally.  But Bart, obey them.”

Then, though, I think Jesus would change gears.  He would say something that might shock some of you.  I believe Christ would say, “Bart, you’ve prayed some irreverent prayers in your life.  However, Bart, there was one time, on one episode, where you prayed – and you had some things right in that prayer.  Bart, I want to encourage you.  I want to tell you, you did some good things.”

Ed Young Jr.: They will say, “Dad, why…?”  “Ah!  That’s a question.”  “Mom, what if…?”  “Ah!  That’s a question.”

We’re not talking about the Flintstones here, are we?  We’re talking about satire.  An exaggerated look at life from a kid’s perspective.  Bart Simpson, by and large, is no role model whatsoever.  I’m in a series, though, entitled, “What would Jesus say…”  Last week I looked at what Jesus would say to Michael Jordan.  We talked about success.  Today, what would he say to this odd-looking character that was so popular?  I use the word “was” because there are two guys, now, from MTV, who are trying to ice out Bart for popularity.  Beavis and, uh, what’s his name?

Anyway, what would Jesus say to Bart Simpson?  What would He say to Bart Simpson?  Knowing Christ’s track record with kids, with children, I don’t think Jesus would turn Bart over His knee.  Instead, I think Jesus would put Bart on His knee, He would look at him, and tell him some things in a loving, straightforward fashion.

I think He would address Bart’s view of God.  I think He would say, “Bart, you’re a much-loved person.  Bart, you need to do the most important thing you can ever do.  You make all these choices to rebel.  You need to make a choice to receive me into you life.  Bart, I paid the price on the cross 2,000 years ago for everything you’ve ever done wrong, Bart, everything you’ve ever thought wrong.  In the past, present, future.  You’ve committed acts of rebellion, whatever.  Bart, I shed my blood on the cross for your sins.”  If Bart were a true-to-life ten-year-old, Jesus would say that.  “Bart, I love you.  I’ve taken this initiative.  Won’t you respond?  Won’t you receive me?  Bart, your life is spinning out of control.  You’re in the weeds, Bart.  You’re in the weeds.”

I’m so glad…I’m so thrilled that our God does not impose a question quota on us, aren’t you?  I’m happy that God does not limit us to two questions. – Ed Young Fellowship.

That spike-haired, goggle-eyed cartoon character that everyone loves to hate.  One writer said that Bart Simpson is the king of the un-liners: uncooperative, unambitious, unmannerly.  In fact, he’s the new poster boy for the underachiever.  A recent poll stated that more Americans know who Bart Simpson is than their local congressman.  Someone after the 9:00 service said, “I thought Bart Simpson was my local congressman.”

Who is this guy, and why do so many people want to turn him over their knee?  I call him a souped-up, 90s version of Beaver Cleaver.  He’s a ten-and-a-half-year-old kid from a place called Springfield.  He’s a video game addict, he’s sloppy, he’s dirty, he’s rude, he’s rebellious.  And he has nothing to do with obedience.  That’s Bart Simpson.

Bart is involved in a very unique family.  Some might call it a dysfunctional family.  Let’s meet Bart’s father.  His name is Homer.  Homer is a bumbling sort of guy whose favorite snack is pork rinds lite.  His favorite parental saying is, “Why, you little…”  Homer gives advice to Bart like, “Bart, don’t ever say a word until you’re sure you know how everyone else feels about it.”

Homer’s married to the lovely Marge.  Marge has a towering blue beehive hairstyle.  She sometimes hides things in this hairstyle; I’m talking about objects.  She wears a size 13AA shoe.  She gives words of wisdom like, “Bart, listen, don’t worry about the inside of a person, just the outside.  If you smile and worry about your outside then everyone will love you and invite you to all the parties.”

We don’t think about it.  We don’t wake up in the morning and wonder how our uvula is doing. – Ed Young Fellowship Church.

I am going to challenge you to do something if you are in this position.  I am going to challenge you to do what the Wise Men did years ago.  The Wise Men were shopping.  They were prosperous, brilliant, people well versed in the natural sciences.  The Bible says they shopped and shopped and shopped until as Matthew 2:11 says, “they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshipped him.”  They shopped until they dropped.

The Bible also says in Philippians 2:10-11, “At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth.”  So I ask you, there is not a better time in the world to put down the other knee and release your white knuckle grip on the cart.  When you do that and allow Jesus to push your cart, that is when you have true position.  You are adopted into the family of God.  The word adoption in the Jewish culture is a strong word.  You see, back in Jesus’ day, you could disown a biological child.  But if you adopted a child, you could not disown them.  We have a change to be adopted into the family of God.  Talk about position and influence.

How about possessions?  Once we come to know Christ and bow the knee to Him, we have true possessions.  We can tap into His reservoir of strength when the rogue winds blow and the difficult days hit.  Talk about adventure.  There is nothing like living on the rugged edge of adventure following the Lord.  Excitement.  Thrills, minute by minute.  Knowing you are living at the center of God’s purpose and plan for your life.  And relationships.  Jesus is the author of relationships.  He created the desire for the opposite sex.  He instituted marriage.  He gave us the gift of sexuality, the gift of communication, the gift of community.  Look at the benefits of following Him.  How long will you shop on the aisles of life?

Fellowship Church Ed Young: As I said, I am the quintessential questioner.  My questioning does not stop at my faith.  I’ve lobbed many questions God’s way.