By Dr. Rebekah McCloud

In October 1964, the most historic concert of all time was held in Santa Monica, California. The show featured popular performers of the time including Marvin Gaye, the Beach Boys, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and Leslie Gore, to name a few. There were three headliners: Chuck Berry, James Brown & the Flames and the Rolling Stones.

Some of you all are as old as I am or older and you haven’t always been saved, so you know James Brown turned it out. He camel walked, did some fast dancing, slid back and forth across the stage a number of times, added several splits and sang four songs. One of them was “Please, Don’t Go.” They put the cape on him and he threw it off several times. There was a lot of hooting and hollering, crying, yelling and screaming that came from the electrified crowd.

After James Brown’s performance, it was reported that Mick Jagger refused to leave his dressing room. It took Marvin Gaye to encourage him to go out and do his best. You see, the Rolling Stones were supposed to close out the event. Mick Jagger thought he was going to be the big dog on the show, but he was upstaged by the Godfather of Soul.

Grace, I have a question for us. Who or what is upstaging the God of our soul? The God who is the alpha and the omega. The God who provides over and over and over again. The God who knew us before we were in our mother’s womb. The God who gave his only begotten son. The Great I Am, the Rose of Sharon, El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh, the Bright and Morning Star, the God of the second chance and our comforter. Who or what is upstaging that God in our lives?

As Christians and stewards of God’s resources, nothing should upstage God. Amen. We are individual members of the body of Christ. That’s an awesome responsibility. To whom much is given, much is required.  This morning, I want to talk about two of those requirements.

First, Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.” It’s been reported that there about 2.2 billion Christians. Sadly, there’s so much darkness in our world. There’s murder and mayhem, crimes against children and the elderly, theft, tech crimes, lawlessness in high places, wars and rumors of wars. It sometimes feels like that world has turned its back on God. If the 2.2 billion of us were to all shine our lights, just imagine how bright the world would be. Amen. Who or what is upstaging our God?

Second, we are to carry out the Great Commission. Matthew 28:19 tells us, “Go ye therefore, and and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In our world, our country, our state, our city, our community, our family, our church and on our jobs, there are so many who are lost. Some are crying out for help. Do the 2.2 billion of us reach out and show the love of God? Or, do we avert our eyes, hurriedly walk away and leave the situation for someone else? Are we fishing or do we need to cut bait? Who or what is upstaging our God?

Stewards, there is so much work to do. Matthew 9:35 says, “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Just imagine if 2.2 billion Christians, that includes you and I, used the time, talent, and resources God has entrusted to us, what a difference we could make.

Let me be transparent, and I am not going to ask anyone to raise their hand or turn to their neighbor. I’m just going to tell the truth about Becky. I need to do better. I have and do let things upstage God: my job, my family, my civic commitments, stress, drama and downright foolishness. The busyness of my life sometimes crowds out quiet time and study time. Some days I get up running, come home wore out and fall into bed. Sometimes I start to pray and then fall asleep mid-prayer. My light didn’t shine and I didn’t fish. I let the transitory things of life upstage my God.

I’m not suggesting that any of this has happened to any of you or anybody you know. I’m just being real about my life and my struggle to stop letting things upstage my God. I use the word let, because I have a choice. So, if I am to be the steward the Bible says I am to be, I have to stop letting and choose—every time—not some of the time, but every time, choose the things of God. Amen.

He has been too good to me; he been “gooder” than good. Thank God for his mercy and grace. I know that even with my faults, he loves me. Thou I struggle, I hold fast to the words in Lamination 3:22-23, it says, “The steadfast Love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Let’s pray for and with one another and make a choice to not let anything or anyone upstage God. Amen.