MARK TWAIN ONCE SAID,
“MANY PEOPLE ARE BOTHERED BY THOSE PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE WHICH THEY CANNOT UNDERSTAND…” TWAIN THEN CONTINUED, “BUT AS FOR ME, I ALWAYS NOTICED THAT THE PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE WHICH TROUBLE ME MOST ARE THOSE WHICH I DO UNDERSTAND.” ….OUR TEXT FROM MARK’S GOSPEL TODAY MAY BE ONE OF THOSE TEXTS THAT CAN REALLY TROUBLE US… AND PERHAPS THEY TROUBLE US EXACTLY BECAUSE WE DO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH IS BEING ASKED OF US IF WE ARE TO BE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST… PERHAPS WE ARE MORE COMFORTABLE, HOWEVER, IF WE THINK THAT WE CANNOT OR DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS ASKS OF US…
TODAY WE BEGIN A NEW FALL PROGRAM YEAR… TODAY WE REGISTER OUR CHILDREN & YOUTH FOR THE START OF A NEW CHURCH SCHOOL YEAR & WE DEDICATE CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS & WE COMMISSION DEACONS… SEPTEMBER IS A MONTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS – EVEN IF WE NO LONGER START SCHOOL AT THIS SEASON…
YES - OUR NEW CHURCH SCHOOL BEGINS ANEW NEXT SUNDAY & YOU WILL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE SOME REGULARLY SCHEDULED OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE THAN CHILDREN & YOUTH… IF YOU READ YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS CAREFULLY YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE MORE WITH THIS CHURCH IN THE COMING WEEKS… THERE IS DAYTIME BIBLE STUDY & AN EVENING BOOK STUDY… THERE IS AT LEAST ONE SECOND HOUR, AFTER WORSHIP, SUNDAY MORNING ADULT EDUCATION CLASS PLANNED FOR EACH MONTH THIS FALL… IN ADDITION THERE ARE SOME SATURDAY “OVER SUPPER” EVENTS PLANNED FOR THE NEXT 3 MONTHS… THIS CHURCH’S MUSIC PROGRAM RESUMES BOTH THE ADULT CHOIR & BELL CHOIR REHEARSALS, THE DRUM CHOIR WILL BE SETTING UP A REGULAR SCHEDULE, THE ORCHESTRA WILL GATHER & PLAY IN WORSHIP FOR OUR HERITAGE/HOMECOMING SERVICE ON SEPTEMBER 27TH… THE ANNUAL FAIR IS COMING UP ON OCTOBER 24TH & MANY FOLKS ARE ENGAGED IN PREPARATIONS FOR THAT EVENT – WITH ITS MANY OFFERINGS & OF COURSE – THE ANNUAL ROAST BEEF DINNER. THERE IS LOTS HAPPENING HERE AT THIS CHURCH… EVEN THOUGH THIS CHURCH IS MOVING IN INTERIM TIME, A TIME BETWEEN SETTLED PASTORS, THIS CHURCH IS ALIVE & WELL, LIVELY & GROWING!
EVEN IF WE AREN’T IN THE AGE GROUP WHO BEGINS SCHOOL AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER DOES OFFER EACH OF US A CHANCE TO BEGIN ANEW ON OUR JOURNEYS OF FAITH… AND TODAY WE BEGIN WITH SOME OF THE MOST BASIC FAITH QUESTIONS:
ALTHOUGH PETER IS JESUS’ RIGHT HAND MAN & EVENTUALLY BECOMES THE ROCK UPON WHICH THE EARLY CHURCH WAS FORMED, HE IS SHOWN REPEATEDLY IN THE SCRIPTURES TO DEMONSTRATE MOMENTS OF INSIGHT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY SOME SORT OF FLAW IN HIS SIGHT…
PETER PRESENTS AS ONE OF THOSE UTTERLY REAL HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAS FLASHES OF INSIGHT & THEN BACKSLIDES SO HE CAN RELEARN, RETHINK, & REEXAMINE THINGS TO REALLY GET THEM… SOMEONE HAS SAID THAT PETER SEEMS TO BE AN INTUITIVE GENIUS WITH “FOOT IN MOUTH” DISEASE…. :) (I GUESS THAT IS WHY I LOVE HIM! PETER IS SO VERY REAL… HE DOESN’T ALWAYS GET IT!... AND HE OFTEN ASKS THE KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT HAVE ASKED! )
IT IS THIS PETER WHO APPEARS TO REALLY GET IT WHEN JESUS ASKS THE DISCIPLES, “WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” IT IS PETER WHO RESPONDS, “YOU ARE THE MESSIAH!”
AND THEN WE SEE THAT PETER BRINGS WITH HIM A HOST OF ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT TERM “MESSIAH” MEANS FOR HIM… WHEN JESUS THEN TELLS HIS DISCIPLE THAT HE WILL HAVE TO DIE, PETER TAKES JESUS ASIDE AND “REBUKES” JESUS… PETER DOES NOT IMAGINE A “MESSIAH” THAT WOULD DIE! PETER ARGUES WITH JESUS BECAUSE HE’S NOT READY TO FACE THE REALITY THAT JESUS KNOWS HIS FUTURE – A FUTURE THAT WILL INCLUDE: REJECTION, DEATH ON A CROSS, & ONLY AFTER ALL THAT, A RESURRECTION…
PETER CAN’T REALLY “HEAR” WHAT JESUS IS SAYING BECAUSE HE CAN’T FACE INTO THE REALITY THAT JESUS MUST SUFFER…. PETER CAN’T IMAGINE THAT HIS “MESSIAH” WOULD HAVE TO SUFFER & DIE…PETER SEEMS TO HAVE HIS OWN NOTION OF WHAT A MESSIAH SHOULD BE…. TODAY, WE TOO WE ARE REMINDED AGAIN THAT THE WISDOM OF CHRIST IS FOLLY TO THE WORLD!
WE MAY BE MORE LIKE PETER THAN WE WOULD CARE TO ADMIT… I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE ARGUED WITH JESUS, TOO, IF HE’D TRIED TO TELL US THAT AS A MESSIAH HE WOULD HAVE TO SUFFER, BE REJECTED, AND BE KILLED… WE MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN HEARD JESUS SAY THAT HE WOULD RISE AGAIN…
THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE IS SCANDALOUS TO US, EVEN TODAY! MOST OF US MIGHT RATHER ARGUE THE POINT THAT WE TOO ARE REALLY EXPECTED TO SUFFER IN THIS LIFE TO ACHIEVE ETERNAL LIFE… I THINK MARK TWAIN WAS RIGHT…I THINK WE DO UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS EXPECTS OF US… WE DO NOT LIKE IT…. YET WE DO UNDERSTAND IT… JESUS DID LET US KNOW EXACTLY WHO HE WAS THROUGHOUT HIS DUAL HUMAN & DIVINE LIFE ON THIS EARTH… JESUS DID WARN US THAT TO FOLLOW HIM WOULD CALL FOR SOME SUFFERING, SOME SELF-SACRIFICE, & A LOT OF TRUST IN GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR LIVES… YET LIKE PETER, WE DON’T ALWAYS WANT TO HEAR THAT KIND OF SCANDALOUS & COUNTER-CULTURAL NEWS…
MOST OF US DO NOT COME HERE ON A SUNDAY MORNING EXPECTING TO HEAR THAT WE MUST SUFFER THROUGH A LIFE OF COSTLY DISCIPLESHIP, DO WE? (WE MIGHT WONDER - WHERE’S THE GOOD NEWS IN THAT?)
ALREADY THIS MORNING WE HEARD THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS OF THIS CHURCH TESTIFY TO BECOME “faithful teachers and learners”… WE HEARD THEM COMMIT TO BOTH “give and receive wisdom” AND TO ASK FOR GOD’S HELP THAT THEY BOTH “follow and serve”… WE HEARD THEM ASK FOR GOD’S POWER TO WORK IN THEM & THROUGH THEM IN THEIR LEADERSHIP… IN THE MONTHS AHEAD THESE VOLUNTEERS WILL CONTRIBUTE TIME & ENERGY TO OFFER THE CHILDREN & YOUTH HERE WITH SOME SOLID & FAITH – FULL TEACHING ABOUT HOW TO BE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST…
IT IS UP TO EACH ONE OF US TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHO IT IS WE FOLLOW… IT IS UP TO EACH OF US TO DISCERN WHAT OUR RELATION IS TO JESUS, GOD & THE HOLY SPIRIT…
IF OUR CHILDREN & YOUTH ARE EXPECTED TO COME TO FAITH & BELIEF IN JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD & SAVIOR HERE EACH SUNDAY, CAN WE DO ANY LESS? ... WHEN WE ARE BAPTIZED & WHEN WE ARE CONFIRMED INTO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH WE AGREE TO GROW OUR FAITH… TODAY IS A GOOD DAY FOR EACH OF US TO RE-COMMIT TO THAT ONGOING JOURNEY, TO RE-COMMIT TO GROW & EXPAND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD: CREATOR, REDEEMER, & SUSTAINER…
IF WE BELIEVE WE ARE ON A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY TOGETHER – BOTH AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS… IF WE AIM TO BE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST, IT IS OUR SHARED TASK TO KEEP GROWING OUR FAITH & TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST…
PLEASE CONSIDER ANEW HOW YOU MIGHT ENGAGE MORE FULLY IN AND WITH THIS CONGREGATION ON YOUR JOURNEY OF FAITH…
CONSIDER FOR YOURSELF THIS FALL WHETHER THIS IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO COME TO A WEEKLY CLASS OR REHEARSAL… CONSIDER WHETHER THIS IS THE TIME YOU WANT TO STEP UP & TAKE ON WORK WITH A BOARD OR A COMMITTEE HERE AT THE CHURCH – WE STILL HAVE OPENINGS IN SEVERAL BOARDS & COMMITTESS… CONSIDER WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE YOUR LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT IN WHATEVER WAY YOU FEEL CALLED TO DO SO…
LET ME WARN YOU THOUGH… IT WILL COST YOU!!
THINK FOR A MINUTE ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE… WHAT’S THE 1ST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IF YOUR CAR BREAKS DOWN? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF 1ST WHEN A LEAK DEVELOPS IN YOUR PLUMBING SYSTEM AT HOME? IF THE KIDS SUDDENLY GROW & NEED NEW CLOTHES, IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR - WHAT IS APT TO BE THE 1ST THING YOU THINK ABOUT? I’M JUST GUESSING BUT I SUSPECT THAT OUR 1ST RESPONSE OFTEN IS: HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? THE REAL WORLD NEARLY ALWAYS INCLUDES OUR CONSIDERATION OF WHAT IT WILL COST!
SO IT SHOULD NOT SURPRISE US THEN, WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT IT WILL COST US TO FULLY ENGAGE IN OUR FAITH JOURNEYS…OF COURSE IT WILL COST SOMETHING! (AND I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL PLEDGES TO THE CHURCH HERE… ALTHOUGH I COULD… :) ) I AM TALKING ABOUT THE COST & THE COSTLINESS OF DISCIPLESHIP…
EVEN AS JESUS AFFIRMED THAT HE WAS INDEED THE MESSIAH ON A COSTLY JOURNEY JESUS ALSO AFFIRMED THAT TO BE HIS DISCIPLE WOULD BE COSTLY!… JESUS KNEW THAT TO FOLLOW THE WAY WOULD BE A COSTLY JOURNEY.
JESUS KNEW WHAT HE WAS ASKING WHEN HE SAID, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?”
IN MORE TRADITIONAL WORDS JESUS SAYS, “YOU MUST LOSE YOUR LIFE TO SAVE IT”... THAT IS AN OFT REPEATED REFRAIN, ISN’T IT? … SCATTERED THROUGHOUT JESUS’ TEACHINGS HE INVITES US TO LOSE OUR LIFE TO SAVE IT… TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST WILL COST US!
JESUS INVITES US TO SHOULDER WHATEVER OUR PARTICULAR CROSSES MAY BE…
JESUS EXPECTS US TO FOLLOW HIM DOWN WHATEVER NARROW ROADS GOD CHOOSES FOR US…
JESUS INVITES US TO DROP THE PRETENSE THAT WE FASHION OUR OWN LIVES… HE INVITES US TO FREE OURSELVES & EMBRACE THE LIFE THAT GOD OFFERS US… NOTHING IS MORE DIFFICULT AND NOTHING IS MORE COSTLY THAN THAT!
AND NOT ONE OF US CAN DO IT WITHOUT GOD’S HELP…
AND YES, IT MAY TAKE MORE THAN THIS LIFETIME…
YET GOD GIVES US THE TIME & THE HELP WE NEED… AND THERE IS THE PROMISE OF JOY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS LIFE & DEATH…
LET US CONTINUE TO EXAMINE AND TO LIVE THIS LIFE OF COSTLY DISCIPLESHIP… WITH GOD’S HELP… AMEN.