The first O.J. trial made DNA a household word. For hours and days on end we all sat in front of out TV’s and took a crash course on what DNA was and how forensic evidence would prove without a doubt who the real killer was. But in the end all that it illustrated was that even if the forensic evidence is unquestionable, it can still be, well, questioned. But since the mid 1800’s there has been a irrefutable type of evidence, fingerprints.
Sir William Herschel first used fingerprints in July 1858 on native contracts. On a whim, and with no thought toward personal identification, Herschel had a local businessman, impress his handprint on the back of a contract.
The idea was merely, “to frighten him out of all thought of denying his signature." The native was properly impressed, and Herschel made a habit of requiring palm prints, and later, simply the prints of the right index and middle fingers on every contract made with the locals.
Personal contact with the document, they believed, made the contract more binding than if they simply signed it. Thus, the first wide-scale, modern-day use of fingerprints was started, not upon scientific evidence, but upon superstitious beliefs.
As his fingerprint collection grew, however, Herschel began to note that the inked impressions could, indeed, prove or disprove identity. While his experience with fingerprinting was admittedly limited, Sir Herschel’s private conviction that all fingerprints were unique to the individual, as well as permanent throughout that individual’s life.
In 1880, a British surgeon named Dr. Henry Faulds took up a study of skin grooves after he noticed finger marks on pieces of pre-historic pottery. He developed a system of identification and forwarded his findings to Charles Darwin.
Darwin sent the material to his cousin, Sir Francis Galeton. In 1892, Galeton published one of the most significant books in forensic history, titled simply, Fingerprints. Galeton’s book scientifically proved two facts that still stand today; that not two fingerprints are exactly alike and that fingerprints do not change over a life time. They are unique and permanent. Galeton recognized twelve characteristics by which fingerprints may be identified. These characteristics are basically still in use today and referred to as Galeton’s details.
OK, I know, as much as you would like to continue this discussion on forensic history, this isn’t the police academy. This is a faith academy. So you are probably asking what do fingerprints have to do with faith?
I would like to make the suggestion that just like everything you touch you leave a fingerprint or an impression in the same way whenever you serve someone, in your own unique way, you permanently leave an impression on them and alter the course of that person’s life. To serve someone is to leave in their lives the fingerprints of faith.
Our text today will be from Matthew 20:20 - 34. Let’s listen to the text together and set the groundwork for our sermon today. (Read text, pray).
It’s interesting to me that Matthew tells us that the mother of James and John knelt before Jesus to ask him a favor. She might have been physically kneeling, but I believe that in her heart she was standing straight. You know just being in the right posture doesn’t mean you are in the right frame of heart.
She was asking for a favor, and a few moments later the blind men in this passage were begging for a blessing and I believe that there is a world of difference between the two. Sometimes when times are tough and we don’t have anywhere else to turn we come to Jesus all bent over in need of a blessing. And sometimes we come and make a great show of kneeling when what we are looking for is a favor. Don’t confuse the two.
She wanted positions of honor for her two boys. But there was something in it for her, you know. If Jesus granted this favor, it meant that every time she opened her wallet to show off pictures of her kids she could say, "And that’s James on the left and John on the right and there in the middle is Jesus, Lord and Master of the universe. So how are your boys doing?"
People were living vicariously through their children then, just as now. And this would be big stuff. You know every time I go to somewhere with my mom, whether it’s the hospital for treatments, or Target when we see someone she knows the introduction is never, “And this is Jeremy my youngest son who is married to Trista and who has given me two wonderful Grandsons Trafton and Rylan. It is always this is my son Jeremy; He’s a preacher in Scuffelgrit.
Don’t for one-minute excuse this woman’s power play as the humble request of a loving mother. Both she and her sons were after the same things; power, position and all the perks that come with them.
Don’t you just love what Jesus said to her. "These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
Or in other words, "I’m sorry, madam, but I’m not in charge of advanced placement. That’s the Father’s job. Besides, once you realize what it means to be at my right and left, you might not be so hot for those places anyway."
People like position because it brings honor. People like power because it means control. People like money because it buys status.
We want those things because we want to make a mark. We want to leave a legacy. We want people to know we were here when we’re gone. We want to be missed. And we think that the best way to make that mark and leave that legacy and have the big funeral is to become important. To become great.
But the problem is that Jesus’ definition of great and ours aren’t exactly in the same hemisphere. He said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you."
Most people think that the way to make a mark is to accumulate as much authority and power as possible.
Not so with you, Jesus said. You do it differently, like Booker T. Washington. Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute here in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when a wealthy white woman stopped him. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace.
A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady.
The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Me Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely.
"It’s perfectly all right, Madam," he replied. "Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend." She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.
People think the way to leave a mark is through intimidation and control.
Not so with you, Jesus said. You do it differently. Like Teddy Roosevelt. At Sagamore Hill, after an evening of talk, Roosevelt and a friend would go out on the lawn and search the skies for a certain spot of star-like light near the lower left-hand comer of the Great Square of Pegasus. Then Roosevelt would recite:
"That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun." Then Roosevelt would grin and say, "Now I think we are small enough! Let’s go to bed."
People think the way to leave a legacy is through fame and honor.
Not so with you, Jesus said. You do it differently. Like Sir Walter Scott. Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No one could write as well as he. Then the works of Lord Byron began to appear, and their greatness was immediately evident. Soon an anonymous critic praised his poems in a London paper. He declared that in the presence of these brilliant works of poetic genius, Scott could no longer be considered the leading poet of England. It was later discovered that the unnamed reviewer had been none other than Sir Walter Scott himself
You do it differently. How do we make a mark? Build a legacy? Leave the fingerprints of God in the lives of others? Jesus said in verse 27 whoever wants to be first must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. We do it through service. Just like Jesus said serving others.
In the spring of 1883 two young men graduated from medical school. The two differed from one another in both appearance and ambition. Ben was short and stocky. Will was tall and thin. Ben dreamed of practicing medicine on the East Coast. Will wanted to work in a rural community. Ben begged his friend to go to New York where they could both make a fortune.
Will refused. His friend called him foolish for wanting to practice medicine in the Midwest. "But," Will said, "All I really want is to be a great surgeon ... the very best, if I have the ability." Years later that dream was realized. Will did become a great surgeon. The wealthy and powerful came from around the world to be treated by Will at his clinic; maybe you have heard of it ... the Mayo Clinic. If you want to leave the fingerprints of God serve.
It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can be so young that when you think about the future, you have decades and decades ahead of you. Or you can be so old that when you think about the future, you think in terms of months or minutes. Age doesn’t matter.
Neither does skin color. You can be red, yellow, black or white. God’s gifts don’t come in shades. And the needs of people are color blind. You just serve.
And it doesn’t matter what tools you use. You can use a pulpit to preach the message. That’s service. Or you can use the tools of construction, the shovel and pick. That’s service. Or you can use pots and pans. Doesn’t matter. Pulpit, pick ax, or pot, its all service. Every one of them will make a mark.
Every one of them will leave the fingerprints of God behind. If you want to leave the fingerprints of God, serve others. That was Jesus’ mission. Is it yours?
One last story. Robert De Vincenzo, the great Argentine golfer, once won a tournament and, after receiving the check and smiling for the cameras, he went to the clubhouse and prepared to leave. Some time later, he walked alone to his car in the parking lot and was approached by a young woman. She congratulated him on his victory and then told him that her child was seriously ill and near death. She did not know how she could pay the doctor’s bills and hospital expenses.
De Vincenzo was touched by her story, and he took out a pen and endorsed his winning check for payment to the woman. "Make some good days for the baby," he said as he pressed the check into her hand.
The next week he was having lunch in a country club when a Professional Golf Association official came to his table. "Some of the boys in the parking lot last week told me you met a young woman there after you won that tournament." De Vincenzo nodded. "Well," said the official, "I have news for you. She’s a phony. She has no sick baby. She’s not even married. She fleeced you, my friend."
"You mean there is no baby who is dying?" said De Vincenzo.
"That’s right," said the official.
"That’s the best news I’ve heard all week," De Vincenzo said.
What a beautiful spirit! I wish I could say that I would have reacted the same way, but I know that I would not have. I would have struggled with feelings of resentment. I would have said, "See if
I try to help anyone else again!"
De Vincenzo’s attitude is reminiscent of the spirit that God has shown toward us. Despite mankind taking God’s goodness for granted, despite our repeated failures, God was willing to give not just a token amount, but the ultimate sacrifice of His Son. He did so, not reluctantly or with resentment, but willingly and gladly, knowing that while most would only show disdain for his gift, some would respond in obedience motivated by faith and love.
Paul writes in Romans 5:6-8 "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
May the realization of what God has given motivate you to respond to him, and to reach out to others, with the same kind of love. You want to be great? Leave the fingerprints of God and serve others.
