Sermon 6/27/04
No Excuse for You! - Luke 9:51-62
(view lectionary notes for this text)
Today, after a week of Diversion into Kings, we turn our focus back to the gospels, and begin a long summer study of the teachings of Jesus. I admit, the passages and lessons in the weeks to come get me a little excited, because, and you may not know this about me unless you were on the Relay for Life team with me, because I'm a bit competitive by nature, and I love a good challenge. And let me tell you, the challenges that Jesus sets forth for us in the gospels keep me constantly seeking to do better. As good church-going people, I think that we, or at least I myself, can take comfort in some sense that we are "basically good people." I generally avoid breaking the ten commandments; I'm that oh-so-descriptive 'nice', at least most of the time. I follow the rules, and I get along with people. I'm a basically-good-person.
The problem is that Jesus is not in any way satisfied with basically good people. Jesus wants, demands, challenges us to be so much more than that. So I invite you to rouse up your competitive spirit, and step up to the challenge. Today, when we celebrate the public commitments of children, youth, and adults to this congregation, and when we celebrate the already existing ministries of members of this fellowship, it is a perfect time for us to hear and respond to what Jesus has to say.
In our lesson today we hit on one of those strange expressions of the gospels, scattered here and there. "His face was set toward Jerusalem." What does this odd sentence mean? It means this: Jesus had his task - his mission - in mind. His face - his mind - is set toward Jerusalem - Jerusalem where Jesus will have to sacrifice himself, Jerusalem where Jesus will have to face his closest friends denying and betraying him, Jerusalem, where Jesus will wish another path was available, but where we will take the harder path instead.
On his way, he passes through a Samaritan village, and they can't stand up to his determination. They somehow sense where he is headed, what he is determined to do, what would be required to really, really offer him welcome into their lives - and they can't handle it. They excuse themselves from that responsibility. The disciples respond to this by offering to bring down fire and consume and destroy the Samaritans. Jesus, whom perhaps you can just picture rolling his eyes at their offer, rebukes them and moves on. The disciples excuse themselves from understanding Jesus and his path by trying to make scapegoats of the Samaritans. After all, aren't the disciples, journeying with Jesus, superior to them? Aren't they excused from further takes?
And then we come on this series of people who approach Jesus and offer to follow him. Jesus turns them all away, not even a little impressed with their offers of service. He's not impressed, because though they say they want to follow, to be disciples, he knows they only want to follow him in a half-hearted, not-entirely-committed way. To the first who offers to follow, Jesus reminds him that he has not even a home to fall back on - not even homes like animals have homes. Jesus asks another to follow, who will agree, after burying his dead father. "Let the dead bury their own dead," he responds, "go and proclaim the kingdom!" And another offers to follow, wishing only to say goodbye to family first. Jesus responds that there is no turning back once you commit to working for God's kingdom.
Jesus' words perhaps seem harsh. Certainly challenging. Is there no in-between, we wonder? Is it really all or nothing? The truth is that some things in life are really worth our complete commitment. Think of your relationships - how successful are relationship between parents and children, between spouses, between friends, when there is no commitment, or the commitment is weak and buckles under the weight of obstacles? Are your relationships worth your complete commitment? Is God worth your complete commitment? We can be assured that God, in God's graciousness, has deemed us worthy of complete commitment, complete love, complete grace.
How can we respond? What are your excuses for not getting on with it? What do you keep offering up to God as the reason why you will not commit to following Christ more completely? For me, excuses can come easily. As a pastor, you might think I have a pass, so to speak. After all, aren't I following God just by being a pastor? But for me, that's the very danger - I can hide behind my position - I can fail to take the more meaningful, life-changing risks that God wants me to take by trying to convince myself and God that I'm already doing enough. And, as a pastor, I'm perhaps less likely than you to have others call me to accountability and challenge me on whether or not I'm following Jesus closely enough. That's my excuse. What's yours?
Our excuses can come in many shapes and guises. Perhaps, we say, we are not following Christ right now because we are waiting until children are grown, until our family circumstances make it easier for us to go where God leads. Perhaps we worry that we don't have the resources necessary to follow God - we don't have enough money to do what we imagine or dream might have planned for us, or we don't have time to devote to it. We can't give up our current career path or lifestyle - too many sacrifices are involved.
Jesus tells us very clearly, and repeatedly, that there is nothing, nothing, nothing more important we can come up with to attend to than simply following him, becoming his disciple. His potential followers think they have some pretty good excuses. One has the death of loved ones to attend to, another wants to say goodbyes, just goodbyes to family before joining Jesus on his journeys. Another is apparently off-put by the prospect of lack of security of shelter and comforts of home. All these who approach Jesus say they are willing to follow him - almost, in just a little bit, after they do just one more thing. They are willing to sacrifice close to everything. Jesus says, "I'd rather have all of you, or wait until you have more to give." Don't be discouraged. Be challenged. Set your mind to the task of discipleship. Jesus' face is set toward Jerusalem. Let yours be too.
I want to close with this poem - a lighthearted parody on the well-beloved Footprints in the Sand, but a wise one even in its humor. One night I had a wondrous dream, One set of footprints there was seen, The footprints of my precious Lord, But mine were not along the shore. But then some stranger prints appeared, And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?" Those prints are large and round and neat, "But Lord, they are too big for feet." "My child," He said in sombre tones, "For miles I carried you alone. I challenged you to walk in faith, But you refused and made me wait." "You disobeyed, you would not grow, The walk of faith, you would not know, So I got tired, I got fed up, And there I dropped you on your butt." "Because in life, there comes a time, When one must fight, and one must climb, When one must rise and take a stand, Or leave their butt prints in the sand." (1) These words are funny but true. No excuses. Will we follow Christ, or will we make up reasons to stay put, stay comfortable, stay safe, stay here? The choice is ours. Jesus' face is set toward Jerusalem. Will you go with him? Amen.
(1) Author Unknown, but thanks to Lindy Black for the idea. http://home.twcny.rr.com/lyndale/Pentecost%204C.htm