You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Embodying Hope in the Messiah ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
Dear Cross-Taker-Uppers,
We’ve come to that
time in the lectionary cycle where we turn toward the end of Jesus’ ministry. It happens one day when Jesus reveals that he:
“ …must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.
…Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ”
It sounds like Jesus is
challenging “followers”—or those who wish to come after him—to follow him into
death. …This would be a new definition
of “following.”
When Jesus says, “Follow
me” to the first “followers” on the shores of the Sea of Galilee at the
beginning of his ministry, no one expects that to mean that “followers” were
committing themselves to die like Jesus will die. Yet here we are, a dozen or so chapters
later, and Jesus is saying, “take up your cross.” But before you go looking to get and take up
a cross, perhaps we might consider what denying ourselves and what following
after Jesus might mean for us aside from a centuries-old model of public
execution!
I believe Jesus is
speaking somewhat metaphorically. He
reminds his followers that it’s possible to “win the world” but that it costs
you your life. So, it’s possible to have
the things of the world, but only at the expense of not having the things of
God. Those that “follow Jesus” …give up
self, bear the burden of discipleship, and follow where it leads. For Jesus …that clearly leads to Jerusalem,
great suffering, death, and resurrection.
For followers of Jesus …taking up our cross and following, likely doesn’t
lead to Jerusalem, great suffering, being killed and raised in the same
way.
It wouldn’t be fair to
try and make “cross-taking up” as just anything we want to trade it for. Following Jesus means living out the values
of the Kingdom of God—loving God and neighbors and ourselves. Helping to feed the hungry, while it can
include “suffering” generally isn’t suffering.
But being committed to justice for all, surely might mean taking risks
that require courage and conviction. None
of us is likely to end up in a public trial and being executed for “following
Jesus.” In general, Jesus was a man of
peace—who can argue with being peaceable.
But there are times when true “peace” requires action, resistance, maybe
even civil disobedience. But the
question here is not how quickly we might die for Jesus’ teaching or beliefs,
but really, how we live them out!
I believe Jesus is not calling us to die for what he or we believe in, but to LIVE FOR IT. Our “following” isn’t the commitment to end in death, but to transcend it. It’s about living …so that our lives are indistinguishable from the Kingdom of God.
So that “taking up our crosses” isn’t a hill on which we die or a belief for which we suffer—but is the work of living fully, as best we can, the values Jesus proclaims.
So, live long …and
prosper the work of Jesus’ hands!
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ There Ought To Be A Title ...but Jesus said, Don't Tell Anyone! ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ A Relentless and Indefatigably Kind Canaanite Sage Changes Everything ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Four Things You Can't See In English ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Repast on the Grass ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
Dear
Jesus-following people of God,
When I was a
pastor serving in suburban Philadelphia, in the summer, a lot of folks left
town—either going down to the beach or up to the mountains. In the summer, traffic eased, life slowed
down, and in and around Philadelphia, it was sweltering hot. It was cool in the mountains and breezy by
the sea, which is why for more than 250 years, Philadelphians made a summer
escape! …I wonder if that was when
summer vacations started?
During the summer,
in the lectionary, Jesus is traveling, too.
He travels back and forth across the Sea of Galilee, he encounters
storms, he stops for picnics, he seeks out quiet places to pray, he visits
friends, and all along the way he helps and heals people.
It’s in the
summertime that we witness some of Jesus’ most famous ministry moments. Feeding thousands by the sea, walking on
water, praying, fighting demons, healing the sick, the lame, and the
blind. In the summertime …Jesus is busy—showing
us the Kingdom of God!
Jesus doesn’t
imitate the Kingdom of God—he demonstrates the Kingdom of God. And he asks believers to follow him—not
playing the Kingdom of God—but demonstrating it. Feeding people at picnics, not being afraid
of the water, speaking good news to the people we meet, caring for those who
are hurt or wounded, offering words of grace, welcome, and encouragement.
Vacation is a time
of re-creation; I suppose, much the same way that Jesus’ summer in the
lectionary is about transformation—where people become more than those who simply
watch and see what Jesus is doing, but are converted to the work of the Kingdom
of God. …Which begs the question—what
are you doing on your summer vacation?
In just a few
short weeks, school will have begun, we’ll be reminded about regular calendar
commitments and be back to normal routines.
But perhaps this re-entry to regular life will come with the reminders
of what we’ve witnessed—of the natural world, seeing friends and family,
keeping safe from storms, relaxing on the water, enjoying picnics and backyard
barbecues …and Jesus—sharing, loving, directing, and converting us.
Hopefully, you’ve seen or had an experience of Jesus making a difference in someone’s life—maybe your own! Hopefully, you have stories to share with friends and neighbors, about how God is transforming your experience of the world. Hopefully, you’ll be adding your voice to chorus of those who are speaking about God’s love through Jesus.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading, the sermon entitled,
“ Five of Seven ...and a Bonus! ”
and the Affirmation of Faith and the Prayers of the People, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Wheat and Weeds ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Jesus ...and The Butterfly Effect ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
