Editor’s note: manuscript and audio differ slightly due to note-free sermon delivery.

Was it chance or was it destiny that placed the ring into the hand of a young Hobbit named Frodo Baggins? Young Frodo lived a simple, happy life there in the Shire, until the ring found its way into his possession. When Frodo accepted the ring with all of its dark, evil, mysterious powers, he accepted the challenge to take it to a land far away, to the Cracks of Doom, in order to destroy it and crush the evil reign of the Dark Lord Sauron. Joining him in the quest were an interesting and talented cadre of allies (Elves, Dwarfs, Humans), who supported Frodo in his epic journey.

You may recall this scene as the basic plot for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series, popularized again in 2001, 2002, and 2003 with the release of a film trilogy by the same name. Directed by Peter Jackson, the films won dozens of awards and multiple Oscars. The images Jackson created were stunning—a combination of incredible cinematography and gorgeous New Zealand landscape—leaving an indelible impression in the mind’s eye of those who watched the films.

These were the images that came to mind as I read once again the scripture lesson for today about wise men traveling great lengths to visit the Christ child. We don’t learn much about their journey, and the question that rose up in me as I read the passage once more was, “I wonder what their journey was like? I wonder what danger they faced and what difficulty they overcame?”

We know very little about their journey, and the song we sing about Three Kings from Orient misleads us because: 1) we don’t really know how many there were, 2) they probably weren’t kings, but rather astrologers or even Zoroastrian priests, and 3) they probably weren’t from the Orient but more likely from the area we know as modern day Iran. So it’s strange, these men traveling three months across desert lands to catch a glimpse of a Jewish infant. It would then take them another three months journey home. Half a year they spent on this risky, expensive quest. It had to be more than personal fulfillment. This journey must have been larger than them. This journey must have been . . . epic.

That’s why the images from Frodo Baggins’ epic journey came to mind as I read the scripture lesson. What the two stories likely have in common is the EPIC JOURNEY.

As a genre in literature and film, there are some qualities inherent in an epic journey: 1)the hero or heroes face incredible adversity—challenges and trials of all kinds, 2) the hero or heroes are joined by companions—allies who support the in their quest, and 3) the hero or heroes are always transformed by the journey in some powerful way.

So imagine a scene for me if you will. You’re sitting at home one day, minding your own business, when there’s a knock at the door. When you open the door, there’s a man standing there. “Hi! I’m Peter Jackson. You might know me as the guy who directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’ve heard about your life, and you’ve lived an amazing life! I want to write a screen play about your life, and I’m going to direct the film, but I need your help. My writers don’t have all the details. So can you help my writers? Three things I need from you:

1.       Think about all the adversity you’ve overcome. All of the challenges you’ve faced. All of the tough times and dark, desperate moments. What antagonists have you encountered?

2.       Then think about the companions you’ve had along the way. Who have been your allies? Who are the people who have supported you on your quest? Who are the people you have loved, and who have loved you in return.

3.       Then reflect on how the journey has transformed you? How has your understanding changed? Your capacity to love, to think, to perform? What metamorphosis have you undergone?”

Could you do it? Could you help write a screen play about your life? It seems that the people who can see their lives unfolding as an epic journey, and can articulate that, are some of the most interesting people you’ll ever meet. I want to tell you about a couple of people who epitomize what I mean.

The first is Terry Blevins. I’ll never forget the day I met Terry. It was July 10, 2005. I was—let’s say—approaching “old maidhood.” Give me a little credit! There were a lot of things I wanted to do before tying the knot and settling down! But what had happened is this—you know all the “fish in the sea” that people talk about? Well, by the time I got serious about settling down, all of the good fish had been caught, and what was left were the . . . crappie. It seems that the guys I’d go out with had one thing in common—they were all so shallow! Until I met Terry Blevins. Terry had a depth about him that I hadn’t encountered in those other guys. And I began to figure out why as I learned his story. You see, Terry was a widower. His wife had died a few years earlier in a tragic automobile accident. Terry’s love had been deep. His loss had been profound. And his story had become rich. He was transformed by the adversity he had faced and the support he received along the way. Transformed into a person who, quite frankly, was interesting to me. I married that boy five months to the day after I met him! (Children, do not attempt this at home!)

The second person who exemplifies this notion is a lady I met here at church soon after I became your pastor. A joyful person with a smile as wide as this room! Shortly after I met her, her husband died. That wasn’t in her plan book. After a while, her son began to encourage her to move back to Michigan so that she could be close to family and so that he could look after her. That wasn’t in her plan book, either. But after much thought and consideration, she decided it was the best choice for her. “Besides,” she mused, “there’s no way my house will sell in this market! If it’s meant to be, God will have to make it happen!” Well, her house sold quickly, and she moved to Michigan a couple of months ago.

I received a Christmas card from her, and included in it was a letter—you know, one of those “update” letters people send out this time of year. She wrote her friends, telling them about her move to Michigan, and how that wasn’t a part of the dream she envisioned for herself, but about how it became the best decision for her. And then, at the end of her letter, I was honored to be quoted by her. She wrote, “one of my pastors encouraged me to see this move as a great adventure.” She decided to take my advice! She determined to see this move as the next chapter in her life’s epic journey—a chapter yet to be written! Because she had no idea what adversity she might face in the coming months and years. None of us do. She has no idea what companions she might discover or what love she might enjoy. None of us do. She has no idea how this next chapter in her journey might transform her. None of us do.

So here, at the beginning of a new year, I’m going to encourage you just like I encouraged her: embrace this new year as the next chapter in your life’s epic journey! See it as an adventure! It’s true, you have no idea what adversity you might face in the coming year. Neither do you know companionship you might discover or what love you might enjoy. You can’t forecast how you’ll be transformed as the result of the journey this coming year. It’s all a great adventure!

I don’t know how many of you follow Tennessee Men’s Basketball. I know we have a lot of Lady Vols fans in the house, and some very despondent Tennessee football fans in the house. But I was watching an interview of Coach Bruce Pearl a day or two before Christmas, and he was not his usual, positive, upbeat self. Instead, he seemed frustrated, tired, and even pensive. You see earlier in the season, his team had some amazing wins: winning the NIT and defeating the number three ranked team on their own turf. Then his team lost three straight games in a row to teams they had no business losing to. In Pearl’s interview, he told the press corps what he had said to his team before sending them home for the Christmas holiday: “I told them to go be with their families, and to show their families that they had become men. I told them to serve rather than to be served.”

I thought that was pretty good stuff from a college basketball coach! He defined manhood/adulthood as serving vs. being served. I think that’s a great definition! Think about it. A child can’t serve; he must be served. I know this first hand having a three-year-old at home. He can’t make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for himself. I have to do it for him. I am the adult. I serve my child.

The same is true at the other end of life. The sick and the infirm can’t serve. They need those of us in the middle to serve them. And I dare say, if you’re here today—if you’re old enough to sit in “big church” but not yet in a hospital bed, then you’re here with me in the middle. It’s our job! It’s what we were created to do! SERVE!

But I fear we’ve be sold a bill of goods. We’re told that when you’re young, you work hard, you save money, so that when you’re older you can sit back and be served. It’s all wrapped up in the American Dream, right? No!!! That’s not the American Dream, that’s the American Death Sentence! Because to step toward service is to step toward life! And to sit back in a Lazy Boy and expect the world to serve you is a step toward a premature death. It’s a bold face lie that has no foundation in faith or in the life of Jesus Christ! Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) He didn’t say, “I have come that they might have life, and that it be . . . easy.”

But you know what I like about you guys? You haven’t bought it. You have rejected that lie. You choose to serve and you choose to live! It’s that choice that make this church probably the largest single source of non-profit volunteers in the entire county. I’m so proud of you for that! You’ve rejected the lie!!!

You may be wondering, “What does this have to do with the notion of ‘epic journey’ you introduced earlier.” It has everything to do with it. Here’s how:

To choose service is to engage the journey. To choose to be served is to choose to let others engage the journey. One is a choice toward life. The other is a choice toward death. Which will you choose?

So here we are at the beginning of a new year. 365 days. If I did my math correctly, 8, 760 hours—most of which you get to choose how to spend. Here’s my challenge to you for this new year. Everyone in this room can do this. Out of 8,760 hours, take one of them, and serve in some way you’ve never served before. It may mean serving that person that lives in the house with you. It may mean serving that person who lives next door. It may mean serving that person who serves you at the restaurant down the road. It may mean serving in some third world nation by helping build a well so that people will have clean water to drink.

One hour. Serve in some way you’ve never served before. It will change you in two distinct ways (or your money back): 1) it will make you more interesting (God knows we don’t need any more dull people), and 2) it will make your journey more epic.

Will you choose life? Will you choose to serve?