Sermon for September 19th (Truth and Action)

Whoever claims to live in God must walk as Jesus did. Are you walking as Jesus did or are just you “doing it in your heart”? Follow me, Jesus said. Are you following him? Be honest. Are you following him in your marriage? Are you following him with your friends? Are you following him at work? Are you following him at church? I’m not asking you if you want to or if your intentions are good because I’m sure they are. But, “The person who says, “I know God,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

When my wife, Kristy, and I first found out we were going to have a baby, we really tried to prepare ourselves for what was going to happen. We bought diapers and a high chair, we had clothes ready for that first trip home, we made sure the car seat was installed correctly, we had our doctor picked out and another lady to help us through the birth, and we had phone numbers to call people when the baby was born. But that’s not all we did, we talked about what was going to happen and how we were going to handle it as parents. We went on a ton of dates before the big day to try and talk about our fears and our hopes—we wanted to be a strong couple before this little one came in and rocked our world. We wanted to be parents, but not only that, we wanted to be the best parents we could be.

Then my little girl was born and I began to realize that I had no idea what being a parent was really about. I still find myself today wanting to be a good parent “in my heart” but not always being willing to do it. I’d rather read about the Husker game on the internet than sit down and play with my kids. I’d rather hand over Micah to his mom than listen to him scream in my ear. I’d rather go to bed and stay there instead of waking up before dawn to get everyone ready for school.

I had tried to estimate the cost of diapers, clothes, beds and food. I had tried to prepare myself for how children would change my marriage and my life, but it is so different. Once you have a child, it doesn’t matter if you want to spend all night in the emergency room before a big day at work or if you were prepared to do it . . . you just do it. It’s what a parent does. Whoever claims to be a loving parent knows that the true cost of parenting really doesn’t have much at all to do with diapers, with food or even college tuition. The cost of parenting is paid with sleepless nights, broken hearts and a mind restless with anxiety about whether you are doing a good enough job from the time they are born until the day you die. I’m sure that there are a lot of parents whose intentions are good, like me, but if a person says, “I’m a good parent” but doesn’t do the things a good parent does then they are a liar, and the truth is not in them.

I’m going to be honest with you. If you believe that the hardest part about being a Christian is getting to church on Sunday morning then you have missed Jesus’ message. It’s not just about getting to church enough, “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” When Jesus carried his cross through the streets of Jerusalem, everyone knew what he believed . . . do the people you work with know what you believe? When Jesus was mocked and ridiculed on the cross, he did not rain screams of profanity down on their heads or argue that he was right and they were wrong. When you are criticized, what do you do? Get defensive? Would you rather be “right” in an argument and risk losing the relationships with your children, your friends and your spouse? Can you love and forgive someone who betrays you? Jesus did. Whoever claims to live in God must walk as Jesus did.

If you believe that tithing, giving ten percent of your income, is the hardest part about being a Christian, you have missed Jesus’ message. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” The new goal is not “hate”—the goal is Jesus above anything else. Above any other relationship—Jesus alone. In one Bible story, Jesus stayed to teach a group of people one night rather than leaving with his family when they called. Did Jesus hate his mother or his brothers? No, he stayed because he desired that this group of people might better know their Father in heaven and to be saved for eternal life. Did Jesus hate his life? Was that why he died on the cross? He died on the cross because He loved you above anything else—even more than his life. The new goal is not “hate”—the goal is Jesus—the goal is love above anything else.

Jesus said, “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Well what if he DID mean everything? What if we took Jesus at his word? What if we really did give up everything? What if we put Jesus first in our lives and not just “in our hearts”. What if we put Jesus first in our real, everyday lives with real, everyday things? What if we really did give up our jobs, our 401k’s, our houses, our football games, our clothes, our computers and our security and gave them in service to others? In service to God? Would our lives really be destroyed? Is it impossible?

What if Jesus meant what he said? What if the word “everything” really means everything!? What if we stopped making excuses? What if we stopped saying “That’s not realistic” just as an excuse to keep our Ipods. What if it’s not “realistic” to call ourselves followers of Jesus when we allow marriages to fail just because we’d rather feel justified in ourselves rather than forgive unconditionally? What if it’s not “realistic” to call ourselves followers of Jesus when the only people who know we are Christians are the other people in our church. “This is how we know we are in God: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.

When my little girl was born, I began to realize that I had no idea what being a parent was really about. And as I said before, I still find myself wanting to be a good parent “in my heart” but not always being willing to actually do it. But she still loves me, so do all three of my children, so does my wife even though I don’t deserve that kind of unconditional love from any of them. That’s grace. And yes, God knows that you had no idea what you were getting into when you became a Christian. You did not estimate the cost involved in being his disciple. Jesus died alone . . . his twelve disciples and all his followers, left him to die alone. And in your striving for being “realistic” in your life; to make it easier to be a Christian; in your passion for the things of this world rather than the things of God, you’ve abandoned Jesus on the road just like me. But Jesus Christ still loves you even though you do not deserve that kind of unconditional love. That’s grace.

The greatest tragedy, the worst offense I could ever make as a Father, or a husband, or a follower of Jesus is to admit my failures without ever seeking to change. To repent, to say “I’m sorry”, and then to still keep making the same old excuses. Making it easier on myself instead of giving up everything. For some reason, by God’s grace, we are loved. It cost you nothing. It cost Jesus his life. Jesus didn’t just love you “in his heart” while sitting on the couch. He walked the road of suffering and death according to his Father’s will. Jesus says, “Follow me.” Amen.

Sermon for September 5th

“This is the message that we have heard from Jesus and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” Light comforts and light exposes. Light blinds and light leads. Darkness comforts and hides. Darkness blinds and confuses. Are you walking in the light or hiding in the darkness? Are you being led by the light or confused in the darkness.

According to the book of 1st John, “If we say that we have fellowship with Jesus Christ while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son cleanses us from sin.” Light exposes. That why my family was so happy this summer when we finally got shades at the parsonage. At nighttime, when it was dark outside, turning on the lights inside exposed to the outside world a little too much sometimes. In the book of first John, we hear that, “If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When we get close to Jesus, he shows us how far from him we truly are in our hearts, in our actions and in our lives. He exposes us as sinners in need of a Savior.

Have you ever seen or gone to the Macy’s counter where they sell all that make-up? Have you ever seen the huge magnifying glass mirrors they have there and the brighter than bright light on the counter. These are the tools of the trade, to come close to your face and let the light expose your minutest skin defects and make you feel that the only way you can face the world is to buy a fifty dollar zit cream the size of a thimble. When your problems are exposed, we are all driven to hide or to stand up and face the light.

While I was attending the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music getting my Masters in Double Bass Performance, I spent a lot of time practicing. Kristy was working as a music teacher in some inner city schools there and would be gone all day, but I would be gone all day and all night. She would ask for me to come home and I’d tell her that I had to keep practicing or I had to go to work or I had to do something else. She could only make me come home when she’d get so frustrated and upset that she would cry. Then I’d feel bad and come. She called me a workaholic, but I didn’t feel the label stuck because I didn’t WANT to work so much, I felt like I HAD to do it for US.

Then, one night, I remember going to bed early (since I had to get up and work early the next day). Sometime soon after, I woke up with the realization that she was right. I was a workaholic and I had missed out on so much time with her that I could never have back. Ever. My sin was exposed to me though I know that I had been exposed to her and the rest of my family much earlier. When I realized what I was like, it was like I could look back at everything I had done up to that point and a light was shown on all of it. I could suddenly see what she had always seen before. When God’s light convicts you of your sin, you suddenly see things that you were blind to before. You start seeing yourself as God sees you. When you become a Christian and start walking in the light of God, you can’t be ignorant and arrogant of what you are like anymore. You are exposed and forced you to either confess your sin or live your life in the full knowledge of your hardheartedness.

But God’s light does more than simply reveal sin, it also leads you in the right paths. “If we say that we have fellowship with God while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true. But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. By this we may be sure that we are in Jesus; whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked.” Becoming a Christian is more than simply realizing your sin and confessing your need for a Savior; it is about following a new way that is opposed to sin and following your Savior. We have to walk the walk and follow Jesus.

I know that a lot of you now have some type of GPS navigational system in your cars, a Garmin or something. And when you type in your destination, the idea is that you are to follow those directions. If you get off course, some voice will start calling out to you, “you’re going the direction” or “recalculating” or something. You don’t type in a destination if you aren’t going to follow the directions.

As a Christian, we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. He is the light that shows us the path to take, but just seeing the pathway to our destination isn’t enough, we have to follow that path. When I graduated from seminary, I had to make a choice about what path to take regarding how I would be ordained. I was still a member of the ELCA at that time and the ELCA had made an agreement with the Episcopal church that every pastor MUST be ordained by a bishop. I believed that this undermined the authority of the Bible. I believed that God’s Word was effective whether I was ordained by a bishop or not. I didn’t want to do something that I believed would undermine peoples’ trust in God’s Word as their source of hope and power and have them put it in a human being instead. However, I knew that, to follow this pathway, would mean possibly getting in a lot of trouble. You see, I saw the right way lit up for me, but I also saw very clearly the impending danger. Just seeing the right direction doesn’t make it any easier to follow. I finally took the way that the light led me, I also did get into a lot of trouble. Thankfully, following God’s leading and walking in the light has led me to LCMC and to this church. There are many times in my life when I see the right thing to do and don’t do it; but, by God’s grace, I took the right path at least that once and that has made all the difference.

The book of first John continues, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” To live a life as a Christian we must walk in the light: that means following Jesus and walking according to God’s commandments “so that we may not sin”, but it also means seeing our sin, confessing it and trusting that Jesus saves us from that sin.

But how can you do both? The text says to follow the light, “So that you may not sin.” How is that possible? To not sin would be to deny what the text says later on, “if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” How can we believe both things at the same time? Are we supposed to “not sin” or confess that we cannot “not sin”?

How can we do both? Well, for once, my seminary training is really helpful. You see, in the language this letter was first written in, it wouldn’t have been so confusing. 1st John was written in Greek, like the rest of the New Testament. And in the Greek language there are different verb tenses than we have, namely, there is a way to show that an action repeats. Perhaps a better way to translate this verse, to get the point across, is to say it this way, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin, and sin and keep on sinning.” Once again, “So that you may not sin, and sin and keep on sinning.”

God knows that we fall short of the glory of God. If we say that we don’t we make him a liar the text says. But walking in the light means that if we do something wrong, when our sin is exposed by God’s light, we need to stop doing it and follow the light in a new direction. We can’t just doing that sin over and over and over again without attempting to change our behavior. Maybe we’ll fail, but when God’s light exposes us again, we must seek to follow God’s light in a new direction. If we continue doing something that we know is wrong without attempting to stop, we are NOT walking in the light and we are NOT living the Christian life.

But it’s hard to walk the walk isn’t it. For instance, the vast majority of couples that are getting married are living together. This is true for both Christian and non-Christian couples. And while having the same address is certainly no sin, what’s happening in the bedrooms at those addresses is according to God’s word. He commands that sexual intimacy be placed within a marriage and not outside it: this includes prohibiting both adultery and pre-marital sex. But the thing is, most couples know this! They know that God doesn’t like it and yet, even once the light exposes this as sin, well, nothing really changes. And, as I said before, it’s not about addresses, it’s about the behavior. We all have really awesome Christian friends or family members that either have done this or are doing it. I am sure some of you here are involved in this as well.

What can you do about it? Well, if you want to walk in the light you must do more than simply confess that what you are doing is wrong, you are called to change your behavior and follow Jesus, walk in his footsteps and in his light. There is nothing that can separate you from God’s love, you are forgiven completely—this is just one of many sins that we struggle with in this room—but repenting means to turn around and try to follow in the right direction.

We also must be wary of becoming legalistic and prideful of people who are trying to follow God’s will but continue to struggle. Many churches check people’s addresses before allowing them to be married as if that would stop all bad behavior. If you are struggling with this in your relationship, you are welcome here. We’re all struggling with something. And yes, you are welcome to be married here as are your children and friends in the same predicament. We cannot tie up heavy burdens on people so hard to bear without being willing to lift a finger to help. As Christians, we are called not only to shine Christ’s light to expose sin, but also to help people walk in God’s pathways.

All of us struggle to be the kind of Christians we want to be. We are embarrassed by our sins when they are exposed and we are constantly refusing to follow where Christ leads. The good news is that even as we are hiding out in our darkness and even when we choose the dark path rather than the lighted way, our darkness will never overcome God’s light. Just as the smallest sliver of light can fill up an entire room, Jesus love, compassion and forgiveness is enough to fill your life with hope. There is no sin dark enough that his forgiveness will not destroy and there is not direction you can walk where God will not follow you. Amen.

Sermon for September 20th

“He has more waffles than I do! She has more djeuce! Every morning it is the same routine. If one of my children gets pop tarts, the other must have them as well. If I tell one child I love them and the other one overhears, if I don’t immediately profess my love to THAT one as well drama ensues. That’s because my children are siblings and, since I’m an only child, I didn’t realize how “fair” everything had to be. My wife still remembers that her sister had her ears pierced a couple days BEFORE her ninth birthday—so unfair!—cause my wife had to wait until her ACTUAL 9th birthday. Our lives are ruled by our understanding of fairness.

This last week, at the MTV awards, the rap star Kanye West interrupted another musician, Taylor Swift, because he believed that Beyonce Knowles should have received the best video of the year award (no offense to Taylor of course, he said). But Beyonce’s video was the best video ever and she deserved it more than anyone else, he pointed out in the middle of Taylor’s acceptance speech! As he said later, he was just “keeping it real.” Just being fair? No. That’s NOT about being fair. To be fair, every single musician should have received the “Best Video Award”. Nah, this was a question of who’s video was the GREATEST!

I’m a Nebraska Cornhuskers football fan. I bleed red (which of course is ironic since everybody bleeds red) but what I mean is that when it comes to football I think that Nebraska is the greatest team . . . even if they re not. And they’re not. They’ve won their share of national championships, three in four years around the turn of the century (Go Big Red!), but, lately, they have been less than great. Yesterday, they played Virginia Tech, a top-15 team which has a much better team than Nebraska team and, surprise, surprise, Nebraska lost. Now, to be fair, they should’ve lost but . . . NO! That’s not fair! It’s not about fairness! Playing football isn’t about everybody getting a participation medal! I don’t really care that Nebraska isn’t as good of a team as Virginia Tech! They should’ve found a way to win anyway so that MY team could have won! I want my team to be the greatest! Our lives are ruled by an understanding of fairness, but we desire, in our hearts, to be the greatest. To be the best. To have the best team. To have the best schools. To have the best church. To have the most beautiful wife. To have the smartest kids. To be right. To be the best. Losers want things to be fair, winners just want to win, right?

In today’s story involving Jesus, the 12 disciples were arguing about “who was the greatest.” Were they saying that they were better than Jesus? No. This text isn’t about that. They know who the coach of their team is, but now that they know who’s in charge, they want to know who’s second in command, right? Of course, they aren’t God, everybody knows that, but who’s the best disciple? We can only speculate about how they would make this decision: who had done the most healings, who had cast out the most demons, who sat next to Jesus the most, who gets called the Devil the least often in conversations, that kind of thing? Because, of course, whoever is the greatest is probably the disciple most assured of going to heaven, right? Whichever disciple is the greatest is going to be the leader if Jesus ever dies, right? Whoever is the greatest is going to get the best seat at the parties involving all those prostitutes and tax collectors, he’s going to get to ride on the donkeys when they enter into towns, he’s going to be able to tell others what to do instead of being told.

You can understand this point of view, can’t you? I mean, it’s only fair, isn’t it, that someone is chosen to be the greatest? The disciples have given up their lives to follow this man, Jesus, and they are looking for a little payback. A little appreciation thank you very much! And who better to tell them who is the greatest, than the greatest of them all, Jesus himself?

Which of you is the greatest here in Saint Peters? How would you make that decision? I mean, I work here a lot. Shouldn’t I be the greatest? Some of you pray more than I do, I bet. Should you be the greatest? What about the people who have been here the longest? Who’ve put in the most time. What about the people who grew up Lutheran? What about the people who give the most money? Are they the greatest? What about the people who come to church every Sunday rain or shine? Or the people who are always willing to help out every single time there is a need?

Which one of you is the greatest here at Saint Peters? Don’t pretend that you don’t care, we all care! Or, at least if we can’t be the greatest, we don’t want to be the worst, right? You might not go to church ALL the time, but at least you go more than SOME people (you know who, right?) You may not be able to tithe, but you give all that you can! Maybe you are too busy to help out, but at least you aren’t as hypocritical as SOME people (you know who, right?)

Which church in Cornwall is the greatest? Don’t pretend that you don’t care, we all care! Who does the most community work? Who has the most kids in their church? Who teaches the right things and who teaches the wrong things? Who’s got money problems and who doesn’t? Where do the IMPORTANT people in town go and where do the losers go? We may not be able to be the best church in town, but at least we aren’t like SOME churches (you know what kind, right?) Who’s the greatest? Which church is the greatest? Which denomination is the greatest? We ALL care a lot more than we wish we did! Our lives are ruled by fairness, but our hearts are ruled by being the greatest . . . or, at least, we just don’t want to be the worst.

Jesus sat down, called the twelve disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” No, it’s not fair, it’s the complete opposite of fair. And what’s the worst part about this? It’s not just a one time deal, it’s not just about giving up your spot in the grocery line, this is about how you live your life in its entirety. Are you after greatness in your own eyes? Are you after greatness in the eyes of others? Jesus says, you have no idea about what greatness really looks like. You’ve got it all wrong. You’re backward. You think you are great, but you are not. You think you can see, but you are blind. You think that you are well, but you are sick. You are chasing after what you think is righteousness, when it is just a pile of junk.

Jesus took a little child and put it among his disciples; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” In ancient culture, children didn’t have any status in society. They were viewed as little more than property. To welcome a child into the community of faith was to give them status that they did not have in the society at large. Throughout the gospel stories, while the disciples let in lepers and the sick and those infested with demons to see Jesus, but they sent children away. I tried to come up with an example, of something, of someone who was not great, but those who are truly not great are forgotten—lost in the eyes of history. Jesus’ call may mean that we are unknown to the world, but known to God. We may be unloved by the world, but loved by God. .

Was it fair that God should become a human being? No, God didn’t need that. But he gave up his greatness to become the least among us, being born in a cattle trough. Was it fair that God should suffer and die on a heinous tool of torture because he forgave sinners? No, God was worth much more than that. But he gave up his life so that you might have eternal life. And was it fair that Jesus Christ, abandoned by those closest to him, betrayed by those who loved him, would then return, alive, and forgive those who had lost faith in him? Is it fair that even though we run from him, and refuse to listen, and treat each other like trash, that he should forgive our sins and love us unconditionally. No, it is not fair.

Jesus decided that he would not be served, but that he would serve. He cares more about loving than to be loved. While we spend our lives grabbing and clawing our way to greatness. While we argue about what is fair and what is not. Jesus Christ has come to give you faith, so that you might be saved. Not because you are great, but because you are not that great. Not because you are well, but because you are sick. Not because you are righteous, but because you are unrighteous. You should’ve died a sinner. But now, you are God’s chosen one and He has given up everything for you. We think that we are great because we have what everybody else has, or because we have the best awards or because our team wins. Jesus doesn’t love you because you are great. His love makes you great in God’s eyes. Amen.

Sermon for September 13th

I’ve noticed that we often have a lot of sign up sheets here at Saint Peters. We have sign up’s for the Bake Sale and for the Food Sale. We volunteer for council positions and for various programs that are offered each year. Today, I’m looking for volunteers who would like to suffer and be killed for their faith? Jesus said, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again . . . if any want to become my followers,” he said, “let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Do I have any takers? Should I put up a sign up sheet? Or not.

In the broadway musical, Rent, a musician named Roger falls in love with an erotic dancer named Mimi. Each of these characters is already infected with the AIDS virus when they meet. As the show progresses, Roger eventually breaks up with Mimi when he becomes jealous after finding out who her last boyfriend was. But it is more than jealousy, we find out, that is causing Roger to leave town and leave love behind. Roger’s best friend asks him, “Are you really jealous, or afraid that Mimi’s weak?” Mimi did look pale, Roger says. “Mimi’s gotten thin,” Mark presses, “Mimi’s running out of time. Roger’s running out the door.” When Mimi confronts Roger herself, after overhearing this conversation, she understands what is happening, whether Roger cares to admit it or not. Mimi says to him, “You don’t want baggage without lifetime guarantees. You don’t want to watch me die.” Loving Mimi meant experiencing suffering and death. That’s certainly not what love looks when you are trying to sell Romance novels.

When death is in the air, most people would rather just leave than stand by and watch helplessly, especially when they know they will be next. Jesus said, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again . . . if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” I’m going to die, Jesus says. And not only that, I’m going to suffer. It won’t be pretty. And if you follow me, you will be next. Do I have any takers? Should I put up a sign up sheet? Or not.

We have forgotten what it means to follow Jesus. But you may say, Well, all you need is love. Jesus is love. God is love after all, right? That’s it? But if Jesus was simply “love”, then why did everybody want him killed? I mean, why isn’t everyone a Christian today? Who could be against love? What does it mean to follow Jesus? Have you ever asked yourself that question? Why were the twelve disciples killed for their faith so long ago? Why are Christians around the world still killed today? If Jesus is simply love, and nobody could be against love, then why was he crucified? Why does he say that we have to take up a cross?

Did you know that the Romans, the ones who were in power at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, were actually very tolerant people? Even loving people? The ones that massacred so many of the earliest Christian followers were very much into love themselves. Why would they have been against the Christians? What was it about Jesus and his merry band of followers that was so awful that they had to be killed? What made it so hard to be a follower of Christ at the beginning while it seems so darn easy nowadays? Why were they all killed while we sit here comfortably in church today? What’s changed? What’s the difference? The laws? The people? The message?

The sociologist Rodney Stark explains that the worst crimes against the young Christian church occurred not because the Romans wanted to convert Christians to some other belief but because they believed that Christians were for all intents and purposes, atheists. You see, when the early church began, there were many, many other gods, shrines, philosophies and beliefs in Rome and the people could tolerate them all. Just because you worshipped Mithra didn’t mean that you couldn’t also worship Zeus. The more gods the better in fact! And don’t think for one instant that there wasn’t already a god of love.

But when the Christians came along, THEY would only worship their ONE God rather than the thousands of Greek and Roman gods. While the rest of the Greco-Roman world was tolerant of pretty much anything you could imagine, Christians were known by how they acted. And it was more than that they were known as Christians by their love. They also followed the commandments of God and this set them apart as well. Along with their fascination for the forgiveness of “so-called” sins, they were so intolerant that they would not worship any other gods, or follow other beliefs, or accept any other philosophies. And so what happened is what the historian Ramsey MacMullen calls “toleration gone mad”. In order to stay as tolerant of religions as possible, the people of Rome had no choice but to kill the atheistic Christians—it was that simple. We have forgotten what it means to follow Jesus.

Have you ever seen that show on MTV called, “Pimp my Ride”? Before there was “Cash for Clunkers” there was “Pimp my Ride” a show dedicated to taking an old car and making it look and act like a hot rod. Immense subwolfer speakers, shiny new rims, video game console for the passenger or a mini bar in the back seat. You may have heard me say this before, but I'm going to say it again: you can pimp my ride, but don’t pimp my Jesus. Don’t tell me that Jesus is love and forget that Jesus came to free us from our sins. Jesus is love, but we so often do not love. Don’t make Jesus into a shiny new doll that everybody should want to hold and forget that your crucified and risen Lord lives with nail holes in his hands and feet because NO ONE wanted him. Don’t believe for a moment that being a Christian means a lifetime of glory—Jesus says, “If any want to be my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Being a Christian involves suffering. And that doesn’t just mean suffering through the woes and perils of everyday life like everyone else. Sometimes to be a follower of Christ means to suffer for what you believe. Sometimes it even means that you will deny your own pleasure, your own best interests, for the sake of pleasing God and serving your neighbor.

We have forgotten what it means to follow Jesus . . . or have we. Perhaps we have not forgotten at all. Perhaps we realize only too well that if we truly follow Jesus there is only one path that is open for us: a path of tears, a path to a cross. A path to eternal life. Yes, but a path that has to go through death as well to get there and that doesn’t sound like so much fun. Perhaps this is why it is so much easier and desirable to just be spiritual rather than faithful.

To be spiritual is to follow whatever god, or philosophy or way of life that you choose in whatever way best suits you just like for the Roman people. To follow whatever path you want up the mountain of faith. To be faithful to Jesus is to follow a path already walked down by many others before you. And while the spiritualist imagines great wonders up there in the clouds, the faithful follower of Christ knows what is coming up around the bend: suffering, death, a cross and, yes, then, eternal life. Who wouldn’t want to skip church and just sleep in. Ignorance is bliss! But Jesus says, “Those who are ashamed of me and my words, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Are you ashamed of Jesus? Are you ashamed of his words? Are you ashamed of being called a Christian? Why are you ashamed of what you believe? I’m not saying that you are the only one, Jesus’ disciples were all ashamed of their Savior. For goodness sake, even good ol’ Peter didn’t want Jesus telling everyone about the suffering and death involved. But realize this, no matter how ashamed of Jesus you are, he is not ashamed to run after you and give you his words of love again and again no matter how often you refuse him. No matter how much you despise his words, when we ask for forgiveness Jesus will forgive you, even though you and I do not deserve this kind of love. No matter how far away you go looking for glory and a pimped up Jesus, the path to the cross is always near to you. And though that path is full of suffering, embarrassment and even, eventually, an inglorious death, to follow Jesus is to know the way, the truth and life. Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves, and take up their cross and follow me.” Do not forget what it means to follow Jesus. Amen.

Sermon for May 24th

Jesus’ disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world.

The earliest monasteries were set up when Christians, overwhelmed by the sins of society, left the cities and went out into the desert to pray, to reflect and to be alone. Eventually, these solo Christians got together in groups and lived in monastic communities with one another. It was a way to focus on their faith together without being affected as much by the outside world.

Many young adults, growing up in small churches across the United States, overwhelmed by the sins and hypocrisy of their friends and family, leave their small hometowns and go off into the city to party, seek education and find their own way. Eventually, these Christians get together with a group of people surrounding common interests or ideals, hang out on weekends and drink coffee together. It’s a way to focus on life in the world and become accepted without being affected too much by their faith.

Jesus’ disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world.

A community of faith, such as this one at Saint Peters, is NOT built around this church building. This church is not, finally, what we have in common. It is a place where we gather, but, as a building, it does not protect us from the world and it cannot be a world of its own. In some small towns, the church is its own world, where people come to escape the trials and tribulations of the day and get wrapped up in a new kind of place where there are always programs to be a part of, a choir to sing with and mission trips to go on.

In other places, the church is truly a sanctuary, where people go to find protection in afterschool programs to keep kids off the streets, out of gangs and out of the reach of drug dealers. In some countries, the church building is the only place to freely express one’s faith without the fear of death or persecution ensuing. But the community of faith Jesus speaks about is different than all of this.

A community of faith, such as this one at Saint Peters, is NOT built around our church building. While we have many people from Cornwall, a great many of you are not. Therefore, our church probably won’t ever simply a hometown congregation, the town won’t revolve around what we do and when we do it. If that is our goal, we’ll find that, for many, this is not their home. If we try to force being accepted in this way, it won’t work out very well.

A community of faith, such as Saint Peters, will also find it difficult to be a sanctuary. Our sanctuaries are our homes, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life, out in nature. If we need to find something to do, we find afterschool programs somewhere else, through sports teams or activities in other cities. So, if we get tempted to fill this church only with programs and special events, they might just feel like extra things that we have to do. And if WE feel that way, many other people in this area might feel the same way too. They don’t need another place to call home and they don’t need a sanctuary. So, is there anything left?

Everything is left. At least everything that Jesus Christ spoke about in the prayer we heard today. Jesus disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world. Churches in our society have often been sanctuaries for Christians, a place where they could feel comfortable believing in Jesus Christ, to remind them that they did not belong to a world that was going to pot, but that they had a different citizenship, a heavenly one. However, people in sanctuaries, like the desert monks, have a tendency to forget an important piece of Jesus’ prayer: while not being in the world, while needing protection from the world, disciples are sent INTO the world. And when we spend all of our free time at church, it’s tough to meet new people and share the news of Jesus Christ to people who have not heard.

There are also some unfortunate side effects of being the “hometown” church, even though, for many, it seems like the best of all worlds. Often, in a hometown church, new town members, especially the doctors, lawyers, principals, feel like they need to become a member of the church or else people might begin to wonder about them. They need to make connections. The hometown church often becomes part of the world. It “belongs” to the world in more ways than one. It can become very political and very hypocritical. People in hometown churches, like so many Christians in society, have a tendency to forget another important piece of Jesus’ prayer: you are in the world, but you do not belong to this world. Jesus explained that the world would hate his disciples because of what they believed and how that affected how they acted, but it is easy to just want everyone to like you. It’s easier to focus on becoming part of the world than to focus on your faith.

But Jesus’ disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world and you are hated for this.

A community of faith, such as this one at Saint Peters, is NOT built around this church building. Why do you come? Is it to feel accepted? Is it is feel safe? Is it to look at the pretty building? If so, you probably don’t like Saint Peters that much. It might be good enough for you, but you won’t want anyone else to come. You’ll be embarrassed that you’ve spent so much time and trouble on something that doesn’t really mean much of anything.

Jesus prayed, “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.” Jesus prayed that his disciples might have faith. That they would have a relationship to God. So that even in the world that hated them, they would be protected by God and be one with him. Not one with each other, as if our own agreement or our own community was the most important thing, but so that you might be one with God. Just as Jesus and his Father are one, Jesus prays that those whom God has given to him would be one with God as well. Jesus isn’t trying to make a church—he’s trying to give faith.

God gives his name and his words to Jesus. Jesus then gives God’s name and his words to his disciples. These words make the disciples hated by the world and, yet, protected in the world. Jesus’ disciples find their home in God and in his love for them. Jesus’ disciples find their sanctuary in God and in his words for them. “In the world you face persecution,” Jesus says, “But take courage; I have conquered the world!” This community must be built on Jesus or we are lost.

It is God’s name that makes you a community of faith and that community stretches out so much farther than this building. You wouldn’t be here if God hadn’t called you. At your baptism, God named you his child, once and for all. You can either hide that name by hanging out with others with the same name to the exclusion of all else, or you can hide that name while you are with others in order to try to protect yourself from them. But God will continue to call you by name until you hear the truth. A building can’t protect you. Hiding the truth from your friends can’t protect you. God himself is your only protection in this world. He gives you all that you have: a good name, true friends and neighbors, a devoted family and, finally, eternal life. This community of faith must be built on Jesus or we are lost.

A community of faith gives God’s word in good times and bad. When one of you is acting badly, a community of faith doesn’t turn a blind eye, but they talk with that person about their decisions. Loving doesn’t always mean tolerating each other; sometimes it means protecting one another from bad choices or calling someone out for bad behavior with the hope of repentance. If you don’t trust in God’s words, in his name, then it doesn’t matter how well you get along with one another, or how good you look to the outside world, you aren’t a community of faith.

A community of faith gives God’s word in the bad times as well. God’s word doesn’t just mean telling people off; it means struggling through sins with people, holding them close when all others would turn away until finally, through love and prayer, repentance happens. Whether that takes one conversation or years of praying. And it is here, where a faith community is at its best: when God gives the word of forgiveness. When God speaks the final word, “By God’s authority, your sins are forgiven.” That’s what this community of faith is based on: Forgiveness. God’s words. God’s name. Not one building. Not one town. Not one event. One faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world. This protection cannot be found anywhere other than in God’s word and in God’s name. Some of you have tried to escape the world you were sent into because it threatens you and your faith. Others have become so much a part of this world that you have compromised your faith and forgotten your first love. Take hold of Jesus and his promise and trust in his word alone, “In the world you face persecution,” Jesus says. It can be a threatening place “But take courage; I have conquered the world!” Trust in Jesus Christ alone. Amen.

Sermon for May 17th

I don’t know if you’ve noticed recently how ridiculous you have become. Not only that, but many of you are also very unevolved. Your faith makes no sense. You’re wasting your time. You have the freedom to let it all go, change your mind and live in the real world, but you just won’t. You’ve lived your life on crutches, being held up by the church and the Bible. And some of the most popular authors, speakers and professors have done their best to open up your cage and they’ve whispered in your ear: You are free! Fly away! Fly away from this religious poppycock.

The movie, Into the Wild, is a true story about a young man who leaves his family, his identity and his life behind to find freedom in Alaska. It takes him a few years to get there walking by foot, kayaking downriver, riding trains or hitching rides with people, but eventually he finds his way. When he does find the freedom he was seeking, he discovers that he has become trapped on the other side of a raging river that had only been a stream when he had first crossed it. Eventually, he dies by accidentally poisoning himself on what he thought were wild potatoes. As he lies, dying, trapped in his freedom, he writes the words, “Happiness is Shared”. He never knew true freedom, until he found out that he wasn’t really free.

A reading from Acts, chapter 10, ”While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.” That might sound pretty cool to us, but at the time, it was truly horrifying. Do you know who these people were? The people who were touched by the Holy Spirit? They were Gentiles. Barbarians. Dirty and uncircumcised soldiers! Who knew nothing, absolutely nothing, about God! It was almost unbearable.

But we are hearing the end of the story. Peter meets these Gentile sinners awhile earlier. He had just gone through a crash course in Diversity Training in a dream he had had the night before where God had lowered down a bunch of unclean animals and told him to “Kill and Eat” and explained that, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” And so, suddenly, Peter wasn’t a religious racist anymore! He now had lots of dirty Gentile friends. He’d even talked to a few and so, he was wondering what more they might want him to do so that he might show them what a tolerant fellow he could be! He says, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?” The preacher who will baptize 5000 people, can’t imagine what he’s going to do with a few Gentiles. It doesn’t even occur to him.

The leader of these dirty uncircumcised soldiers, Cornelious was his name, said he had a dream as well about meeting one of those stuck up Jewish Christians named Peter and that God had told him, to listen to all that the Lord had commanded Peter to say. So, Peter, being the dutiful follower of God that he was, starting telling these barbarians all about Jesus and the great gift of salvation that had been brought to the Jews. And then, something amazing happened!

“While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.” On those dirty, barbaric and uncircumcised people! Ewww. The passage tells us, “The circumcised believers, the Jews, who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God!”

You’d a thunk that they would’ve known better! Not Peter mind you, he had just gone through diversity training so what could you expect him to do. But these Gentiles should have known better than to get sucked into such a thing such as this. They didn’t have any proof that Jesus had REALLY risen from the dead did they? Peter said that he and his people were witnesses of the risen Jesus, but maybe they were lying or hallucinating. Didn’t these Gentiles realize that they were about to become part of a church that would be criticized in two of Dan Brown’s novels and in two full-length feature films thousands of years later! How ridiculous were they, right! To fall for Jesus right then and there!

These sinners are your descendents, the Gentiles. Even today, as a Gentile, you have no right to call upon God as your Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You don’t deserve this grace of God. While the Jews were God’s chosen people, the Gentiles were not. But while they didn’t have God, they had their freedom, right? The freedom to eat and drink and believe whatever they wanted. You’d think they would have tried to run as fast they could from crazy people like Peter. And you know what? I bet they did. But before they could reach the door, something spectacular happened. “While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.” And for Cornelious and his merry band of Gentile companions, they would be forever forward called children of God, “Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”

About once a week I hear or read or am told about how faith in Jesus Christ makes me ridiculous. Most of the time, no one comes right out and says it. But it’s pretty obvious what they think. When you talk to your friends and coworkers, you might feel like your values seem unevolved or judgmental compared to the opinions surrounding you. When you hang out with your friends on Saturday night, you might feel like a dope when you have to go home before midnight so that you can wake up to go to church the next morning. You have the freedom to let it all go, change your mind and live in the real world. Many popular authors, speakers and professors are saying that you are free! That you could fly away!

But it is already too late for you. For as many of you who were baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. You were buried therefore, by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father, you too might walk in newness of life. You are hearing the words of Jesus Christ, the promise is given and we will see what happens. We’ll let the Holy Spirit fly and fall and do its thing; working faith in your heart as it will. Just when you think you can fly away, the Holy Spirit tackles you and buries you with Jesus. Even in the face of your doubts. Even in the face of unanswered prayers. Even though you know you are unclean and don’t deserve it. The Holy Spirit falls where and when it pleases. Even on you. Your faith comes on the wings of the word and hunts you down like a hawk after a mouse.

You might have come inside the church doors this morning, expecting contemplation and conversation, sure and certain that you had everything figured out, but I pray that you leave here this morning sure of only one thing, that you have received forgiveness. For only in forgiveness is there true freedom. You might have come in here a free thinking spiritualist, but I pray that you will leave here bound to Jesus Christ alone, for only in him is there true freedom. Freedom to love. Freedom to serve. Freedom from death Freedom for life. .

When you think of freedom, you might think of a way of life that knows no boundaries. No one telling you what to do, or how to act or how to live. But the freedom that comes through the gospel is not freedom from the law, freedom from accountability or freedom from relationships. True freedom does not mean freedom from a relationship with Jesus. That kind of freedom is a trap. Religious freedom sounds great, but freedom apart from Jesus Christ is nothing less than a jail cell. Leaving you alone to die as much as it did the man in the movie who found himself imprisoned in his search to be free. “Happiness is shared” the man wrote. True freedom is a relationship with Jesus Christ. The freedom to be bound to him and to his word. To love and be loved.

Faith is love. The book of James tells us, that faith without love is dead. But faith and love both appear quite ridiculous in our world. Love is unevolved and makes you act kinda crazy. One professor I know refers to couples getting ready for a wedding as “legally insane” and he is more right than he is wrong. Love makes no sense, just like faith often does not. Sometimes you just can’t understand why you have faith at all, but then you realize that you never made the choice in the first place. You just fell into it. Just like the Holy Spirit fell on a bunch of undeserving Gentiles long ago. Just like a mother falls in love at the first sight of her child.

For those of you who have ever been in love, love is often a very ridiculous looking thing. And as silly as it may seem, Jesus has fallen for you. You’ve had a life only Jesus could love, but he only has eyes for you. And so, my advice to you, when you are challenged to prove your faith or defend yourself in the eyes of others, is just to admit the facts. Yes, I’m ridiculous. I’m in love. I tried to run away, but I couldn’t. I thought I found freedom, but it wasn’t apart from my beloved, apart from my Savior. I love Jesus, what else can I do? He has told me that I am his and he is mine and that we will be together forever.” Why do I read the Bible? Why do I believe it? Because it is full of his love letters to me.

Fly away from this love if you can. But no where else will find rest for your soul. Freedom for your mind. And peace for your heart. Only in God’s love is there true freedom; the freedom to love others and serve them unconditionally, not because it’s the smartest thing to do, but because you are truly free to do it. And when people ask you why? Tell them the love story, Jesus’ love story and, perhaps, the holy spirit just might fall on them when they hear the word. Amen.

Sermon for Maundy Thursday

When I was little, I learned this song describing the awesomeness of God. Maybe, you know it as well. He’s got the whole world in his hands, he’s got the whole world in his hands, he’s got the whole world, in his hands, he’s got the whole world in his hands. Now, listen again to tonight’s gospel reading, John 13, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.” God gives Jesus everything, all things God places into Jesus’ hands. And what do those hands do? They wash people’s feet.

During seminary, I spent a lot of time studying. During my first summer semester, while I was studying Greek, I would spend four hours straight each night working on my homework. I’d lock myself up in the study and . . . study, while Kristy did the dishes, did the laundry, cooked the meals and cleaned them up. But we both agreed that I was doing something really important. So important, it seems, that I couldn’t take the time to use my hands to do something as simple as washing the dishes.

Later on, once we had kids, I still had homework and so I would go into the study and, well, study. While I studied sometimes Kristy, my wife, would ask me to change a diaper because she was cooking, cleaning up, doing the laundry or doing the dishes. And yet, I would complain because, of course, we agreed, what I was doing was important and it didn’t seem right for me to take my hands away from my homework and, instead, clean out a poopy diaper. Jesus, on the other hand, knowing that the Father had given all things into HIS hands . . . well, he kneeled down, and washed dirt off of his disciples feet.

I’ve heard pastors say, more than once, that they make sure that they don’t get stuck moving tables or chairs around because there are people in the congregation who can do those things. They don’t want to get stuck doing it, they’ve got better things to do—more important things to do with their hands I guess? At the soup kitchen each week, they are often looking for volunteers to serve food. Of course, like many of you, I don’t have the time to serve this food because we’ve got to take care of our own families first and get them fed as well. What’s the best use for your hands in your life? What are your priorities? “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, put his disciples dirty feet in his hands and washed them.” Was that the best of use of Jesus’ hands? Surprisingly, the answer is yes.

The problem is, we can’t just argue that, “Well, he was Jesus. That’s what he was like.” Because Jesus commands us, “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

I’ve often wondered why churches never really got into the habit of foot washing, not just on Maundy Thursday, but on a regular basis in church as well. But, for whatever reason, I’m glad they didn’t. Jesus’ sermon on servanthood would have been lost amongst the rules and regulations of a sacrament. We might begin to think washing feet was all that our hands were able to do when it is just the beginning.

Jesus, the disciples’ Lord and Savior, their Teacher, took the place of the lowliest of servants. God had given everything into his hands and, instead of basking in this glory, Jesus served by washing his disciples’ feet. You can glimpse how counter-cultural his actions were when Peter argues against this kind of degradation of his teacher. Or, perhaps, he wasn’t so upset about the actions Jesus was taking, but he foresaw where this little sermon was heading. If Jesus was willing to wash feet, well, the disciples probably understood what that meant for them. I also wouldn’t mind getting my feet washed by Jesus, but I certainly don’t look forward to changing diapers or washing the dishes or scooping snow or serving soup.

God has placed all things into your hands, through the death and resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ. Theologians have called it the “Happy Exchange” where all that you have, all your sins, all of your dirt, all of your anger, all of your brokenness is placed in the hands of Jesus, or, more specifically, nailed into his hands on the cross. All that Jesus has, his salvation, his forgiveness and his eternal life, is placed in your hands. All that you have is his and all that he has is yours. All things are in your hands.

Now, what will you do with all this? Will you serve or be served? Will you rest on your laurels or share your abundance? You know God’s commandment, but what are you going to do? Well, we will probably all end up hoarding our glory in our own hands most of the time. It is our peculiar gift to be able to make the least use of God’s abundant and good gifts. But God will not abandon you or me just because we fail miserably in following his commandments because we can’t see past our own selfish desires. But he just keeps pouring out the love and forgiveness and salvation and life until one day we might finally realize that there is always going to be something overflowing. Our cups keep running over, so that one day we might feel free enough, be given the faith enough, to stop allowing God’s grace to splash all over us, and, instead, provide a drink for someone thirsty for God’s love.

At his last supper, Jesus didn’t just give you a commandment, but he gave you all that he has, his body and his blood—his very heart, his love. And he’s not threatening to take it away with a big bad commandment; in fact, he promises to keep pouring himself out for you, day after day, moment after moment, until you realize how much you have to give—you have all that Jesus has and he’s got the whole world in his hands.

Sermon for March 8th

Jesus sets two difficult demands upon those who believe in him in today’s gospel. First, the Son of Man must (MUST!) undergo great suffering, be rejected, be killed and after three days rise again. Second, if any want to be his followers, they are called to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. Follow him to suffering and death.

The disciples can’t imagine losing their friend, their teacher, their leader, their Messiah—Peter expresses that pretty clearly when he rebukes Jesus. But while this demand is hard, the next demand is even harder. Jesus says, “If any want to be my followers, let them deny themselves and follow me.” Today, I intend on equipping you to deal with the cross and suffering you will be called on to bear when the time comes. Some will suffer shortly and some will suffer long. We will all die one day, we don’t have to seek it out. Death will find us. In the same way, we shall all suffer, the question is, how will you deal with that suffering? Where will you turn when there is no escaping from it.

We like the idea that we could “escape” death rather than go through it. In the movie Star Wars Episode Three, the evil chancellor tells Anakin Skywalker that the Jedi would have him believe that death is natural. Yoda had said previously that death should be simply accepted and that any feelings of grief at the loss were signs of jealousy and greed. The chancellor says that there is another way to deal with death . . . to escape it.

Jesus said that he would actually have to die, not a beautifully natural thing and not something he could escape. It had to happen and the disciples didn’t like that idea too much. That didn’t seem like much of a goal. There’s nothing I could do or would want to do to convince you that dying for the sake of Jesus and your faith is a positive thing. We should all do our best NOT to aim for THAT as our goal. Why? Because death is not the new goal for a Christian.

But you, yourself, are not the new goal either. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I am always affected when I read the Voice of the Martyrs magazine about people who are being killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. However, even these people don’t normally just die for their belief in Jesus. They die for what they have done for others. Sharing the love of Jesus, teaching, being a pastor, standing up to civil injustices and that sort of thing. When Jesus says to take up your cross, the new goal is not you, nor is it your death, the goal is to serve. And when the time comes for your cross to be laid upon your shoulders, when you are called into service,I want you to be equipped to handle it. Whether you are called to take care of your spouse as they are dying, called to protect a young child from an abusive parent, called to drive someone to church or called to teach English in a country where Christianity is outlawed.

Once again, a Christian’s goal is not death, the goal is Jesus. The goal is the gospel. The goal is to inform and serve your neighbors—to share forgiveness with those who have not heard. But Jesus knew very well what the reaction would be to this proclamation. Jesus understood that while death was not the goal, it was the inevitable consequence of the message. Even today, in America. People tolerate Jesus, but they do not tolerate Christians. Christian beliefs are pummeled with words in the name of free speech. People are looked down on if they are too much of a Jesus freak. Have you ever been criticized, harassed or beaten for speaking about Jesus and the stories about him? Probably not. But are there times you haven’t talked about Jesus before you were afraid something bad might happen?

For me, personally, the biggest obstacle to sharing my faith is that I am afraid that I will look less socially attractive to the person I am talking to. I am a social person, and I like people to think that I am not only smart, but funny, tolerant, loving, thoughtful and, of course, humble. If I bring up even so simple a fact that I am the pastor of the Lutheran church in Cornwall, often conversations change. People probably figure that I might invite them to church or something. And nobody would want that! And what if I did? Invite them to church I mean. Well, that would just make things more uncomfortable wouldn’t it. Nobody wants to hang out with some Jesus freak. So do I always talk to people about Jesus when I’d like to? No. Why? Because there are many times when I treasure my possible friendship or ego or good name more than my relationship with Jesus. I often hesitate just long enough to miss my opportunity because I am worried that I’ll be seen in a poor light by those I am in contact with.

That’s what setting your mind on human things rather than divine things looks like in my life. So let’s talk about how you might journey through this same experience as well without compromising your faith. You will always need a loving community, friendship and a good name, but you are also called to follow Jesus, tell his story and proclaim the message about the forgiveness of sins. And following Jesus is bound to lead to some suffering.

First, this church, Saint Peters must be a place where people can find a home, find support and hear the message of Jesus. We come here to bed fed with God’s Word so that we know the stories and hear God’s forgiveness so that we can go back out to places where God’s Word is unknown and his stories untold. This community is called to be a place where people can share their joys, sorrows and sins openly and find support even if they can find no support anywhere else. A strong faith community like Saint Peters is essential in the midst of suffering.

Second, we must pray for one another. We can’t just see each other at church and hope that we’ll see each other again. When we get home, we’ve gotta connect with one another. If you notice that someone is gone, find out their name and be proactive about seeking them out; find out where they were. Someone close to me stopped going to one church because she didn’t show up for five weeks in a row and nobody called to see how she was. She didn’t feel cared for by those who were supposed to be her brothers and sisters in Christ. A strong faith community is a community that prayers for one another even in the midst of suffering.

Third, immerse yourself in God’s Word. Bible studies, attending worship, listening to Christian radio, reading your Bible, praying, conversations with other believers. When I go to the doctor, I expect her to know a good deal about my health problem. I want her to know different procedures to help me and to be read up on the latest medical information. If someone finds out that you are a Christian, it’s important that you have a basic knowledge of the Bible so you can answer some basic questions. It’s important that you can say something about your faith. You won’t know everything and people don’t want you to, but if you don’t know much of anything, it betrays a lack of interest.

And being immersed in God’s Word, both hearing it and reading it yourself, does something even more important, it gives you the words to speak. Prayer gives you a way to handle the difficult times in your life and provides a way to calm yourself before speaking to someone about faith topics. If you think that it is important to share the message of Jesus with others, but you don’t know how or when you would do it, focus first on your personal relationship with God and soon you’ll find yourself sharing the message without even really trying. It will come naturally. Scripture tells us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. When your heart is full of love for the Lord, it will come up naturally in conversations without feeling forced.

A strong community of faith. Prayer. And a closer relationship to God’s Word. These are three things that might help you feel equipped when you are called on to confess your faith, to serve others, to suffer—to bear a cross. However, it is important to remember where all this will lead you. Jesus says that to follow him, means following him to suffering and finally death. So don’t be surprised when you get a funny look. People who need love and support will often not be interested and find it offensive that you even brought it up! You might risk a friendship even though you love someone very dearly because they don’t want Jesus. Three’s a crowd you know. I know that this is frustrating and not what you’d like to hear, but it is the truth.

You are loved and cared for by the people in this place, I pray that you might realize that even if everyone disowned you, you would be supported here. While you are crying and hurting or nervous, know that you are being prayed for by the people in this place. Trust that you are in God’s loving hands throughout all of it. And finally, when you would rather not say anything at all, read the stories in the Bible, about God’s faithful servants, and come to church again to hear the words of forgiveness spoken for you. Once you realize how much you need to hear that you are forgiven, you might think of others who’d like to hear it too. Your friends, your family and your neighbors need to hear this message as much as you or me. I can’t motivate you to tell someone about how much God loves them, but God, through his Holy Spirit, can and will.

Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priest and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said , “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Some of you will suffer shortly and some will suffer long. But Jesus has suffered for you so that no matter when or how you suffer in your life for his sake and for the sake of sharing the gospel message, you can be assured that embarrassment, criticism, rejection and even death is not the last word for you. “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Amen.

Sermon for Ash Wednesday

Lent is a time for repentance, saying you are sorry for your sins. But one of the temptations during Lent is to say you’re sorry long enough just so you can get started doing the same things again. Giving something up for Lent or adding something on during Lent is called a Lenten discipline and it is a sucker for this temptation. It is good that we all seek to make amends for what we do wrong, to better ourselves for the sake of our family, our neighbors and our God. But, if this discipline is genuine, why do we ever give it up at Easter? Lent is a time to remember what Jesus went through, his sufferings, his temptations and, finally, his death, but it is our freedom in Christ that we are remembering as well. You don’t have to wait for Easter. You are free already.

Lent is not about giving something up for forty days in order to help you suffer enough. Jesus suffered for you and he doesn’t need you to pay him back. You are free. EVEN during Lent. ESPECIALLY during Lent. Why not try that freedom on for size and see how it suits you. As the readings remind us, the season of Lent is not to show off your piety, to tell others how grand and difficult you are going to be on yourself to make God happy. God is pleased with you because of Jesus. You are free already. What better time to remember this than Lent.

In college, I got into doing Lenten disciplines because that was the thing to do. I gave up pop, or soda as you all call it here, one year and only cheated three times! The next year, Kristy and I gave up eating out (saved us a lot of money). One year I decided to give Kristy a back rub for twenty minutes every night (dear Lord was I head over heels or what!) But, I’m going to be honest with you. By the third or fourth week, it was awful! Easter was like the day of freedom! I was so glad Lent was over! But, despite what the church calendar says, when Jesus Christ died for you he made it Easter every day! You are free already! Even during Lent. Every single day of it. You don’t have to suffer through it.

Perhaps you might consider enjoying the freedom you have in Jesus Christ this Lent rather then acting miserable. Try on this freedom and see if it suits you. You will no doubt punish yourself off and on like we all do from time to time, I don’t expect any of you to stop sinning this Lenten season, you’ll have multiple opportunities I’m sure to repent. But why not start something you don’t want to stop? Something worth continuing? Something that will build your faith in a positive way rather than making you want to vomit?

The Devil works hard enough in our lives to make us despair without us trying to pull on his tail and really tick him off. Instead of giving up ice cream to lose weight and show off how tough you are for Jesus, eat a bowl full of chocolate chip cookie day every single night and give thanks to God for the joy of being able to do it! Give yourself a reason to thank God that you won’t soon forget come Easter! Instead of volunteering for a job you hate, you might try doing something you love! The people you serve will probably be a lot happier when you show up the week AFTER Easter with a smile on your face instead of going missing in action suddenly in the middle of April. If you’d like to learn your Scripture better this Lenten season don’t force yourself to read Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy because you feel that you ought to. You may read your favorite Bible passages again and again and again until you’ve got them all memorized for your grandkids. You are free to do any of it.

Jesus didn’t suffer so that for forty days every year your life would stink! I don’t think he would appreciate it actually. Why not enjoy this freedom that he died for and take it out for a spin. Someone might actually ask you why you’re smiling so much this Lent for a change instead of being that thankful that they DON’T go to church.

When Easter comes, you probably won’t feel as relieved as you would have if you had given up watching TV or tried to stop swearing. You won’t stuff your face with chocolate or smoke like a chimney on that fine festival day. But, you might realize that Easter is a time to celebrate the freedom that you have EVERY day of your life. Not freedom in contrast with Jesus’ suffering but because of he suffered and died for you. YOU don’t have to suffer for your salvation; Jesus already did that for you. This Lent you are free already. And if you’d like to, instead of giving something up or adding something on for the next several weeks, you may try your freedom on for size and thank God he’s given you the ability to do so.

It’s traditional to simply repent on Ash Wednesday without ever hearing God’s absolution. But tonight, I’m just going to let the Holy Spirit fly and see what happens. Therefore, by God’s authority, I declare unto you the entire forgiveness of all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This Lent, you don’t have to wait until Easter, you are free already. Amen.

Sermon for November 2nd

My favorite TV show is Heroes, on NBC. I love the fantasy, the drama, the science fiction. I like to see lightning bolts fly out of people’s fingers, people going invisible and then going superhumanly fast and those things are all a part of this show. There’s no doubt some psychological reason for my interest with this type of genre, maybe I am an obsessive overachiever or am constantly losing my grip on reality. Maybe I just like special effects? Who knows? But, whatever the reason, I like to imagine what it would be like to have super powers. To be the strongest, the smartest and the fastest person in the world. The best of the best. To be special, both in my own eyes and in the eyes of others.

I carry this attitude with me into everyday life as well, like it or not. I like to be the best I can be and, if truth be told, I wouldn’t mind being the best in the eyes of others as well. I like to be told I am really good at what I do. It strokes my ego and makes me smile. I want to be a hero just like on the TV show even if I can’t create fire in the palm of my hand or fly around town. My parents called this attitude “self-confidence”. Others along the way have called this attitude “cocky”. Most psychology books would call this attitude “unrealistic”.

But I’d like to know what God thinks about my attitude? Is he happy that I am so focused on being the best that I can be? Being a hard worker must count for something. A hero, by definition, would help others out and, well, that is certainly biblical: “love your neighbor as yourself”. Does God praise these wonderfully traits of mine or does he notice them at all? What would it take to be a hero in God’s eyes?

I remember daydreaming when I was younger about the possibility of Jesus coming back to earth and finding disciples to walk across the countryside spreading the gospel message. I thought, “What if Jesus came to my door when my dad was gone and said follow me? I’d follow him right away!” I thought! “How cool would that be, right! And so I told my dad that if I was ever just gone one day he shouldn’t worry. Jesus probably just came back and asked me to be his disciple. I’d probably show up on the news that night.”

I wonder if that’s how the twelve disciples felt when they were asked by Jesus to come and follow him. I mean, they believed he was their Messiah! The awaited Savior of the Universe! The king of the Jews and he was asking them—them of all people!—to walk around with him and spread the news and do good deeds. They could be heroes! How wonderful!

Our gospel reading today sets the scene at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry where the disciples follow Jesus up a mountain after the crowds have gone home. They had just been called out of their ordinary lives, lives full of catching fish or counting silver coins, to a life of extraordinary faith and adventure! And now, Jesus sat them down for a pep talk. No doubt, Jesus was about to tell them what a great job they had done already and what great expectations he had for them!

Jesus begins by saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” You can imagine their surprise. “Pssst. Hey Matthew! Did Jesus just say the poor in spirit? Who’s he talking about? Jesus continued, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” “Uh, hey Jesus. I’m actually really happy to be here . . . not sad at all!” Blessed are the meek,” Jesus said, “for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness; sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

You’d have to imagine that the disciples felt a little gypped at this point. Heroes aren’t meek! They aren’t meek at all! They eat meek for breakfast! Heroes aren’t peacemakers! They have swords and shields and defend damsels in distress! I guess heroes are pure in heart, but they shouldn’t be persecuted. No, no, no, no! Jesus has this all wrong. Blessed are the heroes! The best of the best! The hard working, faith confessing, evil whupping, Messiah following disciples! The twelve special ones, you know. Who were these poor in spirit people? “We’ve got spirit, yes we do, we’ve got spirit, how bout you?”

For many of you, when you first heard the list detailing the kinds of people who were blessed by God, you might not have found yourself on the list. And for good reason, right? No one wants to be known as mournful, meek, poor in spirit person! That doesn’t sound good at all. A few of these things sound like positive traits, in a churchy, religious kind of way, but none of them seem THAT exciting. Who wants to be merciful? I want to be Mr. wonderful! I want to be a hero.

It is a strange thing really. When Jesus hands out his blessings, nobody really wants them. It’s not that we don’t want to be blessed, it’s just that we want to be blessed for our achievements and our hard work. Noble things. Heroic things. We want to be rewarded for our faith, not blessed because we have none. We want to be honored for our efforts, not blessed because we have to hunger and thirst for righteousness. We want Jesus to bless us on our terms. We want Jesus to praise us for our extraordinary abilities. Jesus wants us to utterly despair of our own abilities and to praise God’s name alone for our salvation.

Later on in the gospel of Matthew Jesus says, “I have come not for the healthy but for the sick. Not for the righteous but for the unrighteous.” At first, that can sound very upsetting if you feel good and think you’re doing alright in God’s eyes. But if Jesus has come to bless the poor in spirit, and he’s talking to you, perhaps you are more poor in spirit than you thought. Maybe it’s not something to be ashamed of. Perhaps, that righteousness you thought you had wasn’t much to look at after all.

God’s blessings are for you in fact, even if you don’t want them at first. You and I want to be heroes, not merciful meek peacemakers. But when you try to make yourself look so hot in God’s eyes you tend to move farther and farther away from his blessings. The more you trust in your own abilities, your own faith, your own understanding, the more you turn your back on God and his promises. You forget that everything is God’s and God’s alone. You forget that God wants you to fear, love and trust him above anything else. Above ANYTHING else, even above yourself and your heroic ambitions.

This passage describes what God values over and against what we think is important. It shows us that there are many in this world that are blessed in God’s eyes even though they are seen as second-class citizens to the rest of us. However, what I find most amazing is that these blessings are for you and for me, even though we never wanted them to be. We want to be heroes, but in God’s eyes we all come in second to Jesus Christ and his glory. The more you find yourself trusting God’s will for your life and trusting his values instead of your own, the more you will realize the hero Jesus was for forgiving your sins and blessing you with eternal life. Like it or not, these blessings are yours. You’re not the hero. Jesus is your hero.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness; sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God.” Amen.

Sermon for October 5th

Many of you work in businesses or for companies. Some of you even own your own business. So, many of you have also probably had to create, or learn about or memorize “mission statements.” They are all the fad now. Everybody must have one it seems. Churches, hotels, libraries . . . some of you might even have a personal mission statement. A seminary professor once told my class that a great mission statement for a church would be, “Come die with me.” We laughed. But then he told us why. “Come die with me.” Why would that be a good mission statement? Because that is finally what Jesus calls us all to do, this is where our hope lies.

What would you like to experience in your life? Buy a house? Finish the construction of a house? Buy a bigger house? Would you like to retire? Would you like success in your vocation? Do you want kids? Grandkids? Well, compare your desires to what the apostle Paul says he wants to know about in his life: the power of Jesus’ resurrection, the sharing of Christ’s sufferings, becoming like Jesus in his death, attaining the resurrection of the dead, getting the heavenly call from Jesus Christ. All these things have a common denominator: it looks like Paul is looking forward to the day when he dies. Now, that’s rather morbid isn’t it.

Paul doesn’t necessarily seem to want to die right away does he? He doesn’t seem especially depressed or suicidal. However, it does appear that Paul isn’t afraid to die; in fact, he sees that his death will possibly be more exciting and powerful than his life. He puts it this way, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” Seems like he is willing to do either for the sake of his faith in Jesus.

After Jesus was resurrected from the dead he appeared to many people including his disciples and said this, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” I am going to focus on just one part of this promise: “You will be my witnesses.” The Greek word that we translate as witnesses is pronounced martees or martwos—the same root for the word we now translate as martyr or martyrs.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses—my martyrs—in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” If we translated that verse in this way it would be a little more ear catching wouldn’t it? But you don’t hear that translation usually because the word can mean both things and, well, while many of us will witness and testify to the truth of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, few of us will be killed for that belief. Yet, perhaps, it’s just that we have a very small perspective about what being a martyr really entails. Have you ever met a martyr? Have you ever heard about someone who was killed for their faith? Do you think you will ever be a martyr?

Many church historians and sociologists have pointed out that the growth of the early church was due to the blood of martyrs. It seems that many, if not all, of the eleven disciples were martyred—killed because they confessed belief in Jesus Christ. Now, that might not seem that surprising, considering that in our time we often hear about suicide bombings and terrorist attacks by people within the Muslim faith. In fact, it might not even seem like much of a witness to truth at all.

However, there is a difference between a suicide bomber today and the martyrdom of the disciples at the time of Jesus. Psychologists point out that people will sometimes die for something they believe is true, but people will not die for something they know is not true. From all historical accounts, the apostles were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. If they were just making it up or unsure of the authenticity of their faith, it would be almost inconceivable for them to risk dying for it or to confess a made up faith to their executioners. Yet, that is exactly what they did. And their deaths led a tremendous number of people at their time and centuries later, to believe in Jesus Christ. God used their deaths to lead others to faith.

The same thing is still happening today in fact across the world. This world map, that was hung at the entrance to the sanctuary shows some countries around the world where people are being killed, beaten, imprisoned and persecuted because they believe and confess that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. This includes women, children and men. Sometimes they are martyred because they are deemed to be “proselytizing” or attempting to bring others to faith in Christ. Sometimes they are martyred because they own Bibles or give Bibles to others. Sometimes they are martyred because they are attending a Christian church. Sometimes they are martyred because they have converted to Christianity while their family, clan or nation disagree and feel disgraced. However, in each case, God uses their suffering, their persecutions and their deaths to support the faith of others and lead them to faith.

At the convention I recently attended, I heard the story of a family in Malatya, Turkey. Three Christian men were asked by five Muslim men to share their faith. They gathered together in an office where the three Christians were henceforth beaten and then shot in the head. Surprisingly, at least to the news media, the families of these three men publicly forgave the assassins who took the lives of their husbands and fathers. One Muslim reporter wrote this, “What these women have done has meant 1,000 times more than what 1,000 years of missionaries have done.” In fact, as this story is told and retold, God is leading others to faith.

A daughter of one of these men asked her mother awhile later when she would be able to meet the men who killed her Father. The mother thought she misheard, but after verifying her daughter’s question, she asked the child why she wanted to go see them. This four year old girl said that she needed to tell these men about Jesus so that when they would be able to go to heaven and could say they were sorry to her Daddy and the other two men. This is how God works. As we hear these stories, our faith is supported. This is how God works through a martyr.

The apostle Paul says he wants to know about the power of Jesus’ resurrection, the sharing of Christ’s sufferings, becoming like Jesus in his death. He wants to know about attaining the resurrection of the dead and getting the heavenly call from Jesus Christ. Paul and the other apostles, this girl’s father and even this girl herself have the mindset of a witness, the mind of a martyr; not wanting to die, but understanding that God can and will even use death to further his kingdom. They are not afraid of those who can kill the body, but pay attention to the one who has promised to save their body and soul.

What about you? Do you need to fly to Turkey or Iran or some other far off place and give up your life for the sake of the gospel? No. You don’t have to do anything. This is a promise. You will be my witnesses, Jesus says. You will be my martyrs.

How many of you expect to die someday? Well, for those of you who didn’t raise your hands, there is still a one hundred percent mortality rate throughout the world. Someday you will die. You might die in a car crash, you might die of cancer and you might die for your faith in Jesus Christ.

If you die in a car crash, I promise you, your family is welcome to hold your funeral here at Saint Peters. People will remember your life and your faith. We will remember you and remind all who are here of the promise Jesus gave you—your inheritance of eternal life. Not because you were a good person, but because you were made right with God through Jesus Christ. People will hear God’s promises and God will use your death to support our faith and lead others to faith. You will be a witness-a martyr.

People who are dying of cancer, often find themselves being told that they have a limited time to live. The doctor might tell you six weeks, or six months or maybe even a year. You might have met someone in this situation who wasn’t afraid any longer to share their faith with their family because time was short and death was near. You might have met someone who sought out Jesus at the end of their life. They wanted to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection, as Paul says. They were waiting for their heavenly call. On their conversations they supported your faith and led people to seek Jesus for comfort and prayer. They are witnesses. God uses them as martyrs.

Finally, there are people in this world who die for their faith in Jesus Christ. You remember the girl in Columbine who was asked if she believed in God. She said yes. And how many people around this country and the world were brought to faith by God through this young martyr? This holds true all across the globe as people live out their lives knowing that God’s calling continues through life and even at death.

Being a martyr, being a witness and sharing your faith with others is both a demand and a promise. Jesus commands that we go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that Jesus has commanded. He calls us into vocations to serve others, to find relationships and to love one another in the name of Jesus Christ. He tells us not to be ashamed of him and his words, but to share the good news joyfully. But finally, when your work on this earth is done, God promises that you will be his martyr, his witness, not only in your life but in your death whether you like it or not. You can live your life trusting that God can and will use you to spread his gospel and expand his kingdom. Jesus says, “Come die with me. I have promised you eternal life. You are my witness. You are my martyr.” Amen.

Sermon for August 31st

What does Jesus mean when he tells his disciples to “take up their cross and follow him.”? Consider the fact that up until this point, the disciples haven’t seen Jesus crucified on a cross yet. It hasn’t happened yet. So a cross, for them, is nothing special. It’s not salvific. It is not redemptive. It is simply a method for killing people. Why is this important? Because we have to distinguish between the crosses we bear and Jesus’ cross. The “crosses” you bear, your suffering, are not salvific or redemptive. The pain you have in your neck is simply that . . . a pain in the neck. It may be your “cross to bear” as the phrase goes, that pain in your neck, but it is much different than the cross Jesus had to bear. Your cross makes your life miserable for you while Jesus’ cross makes your life eternal for you.

Why is it so important to make this distinction? A distinction between your cross and Jesus’ cross? Because knowing the difference means that you can ask God to heal that pain in your neck without feeling bad, or ashamed or sinful or ungrateful to God. He intends you to have life and to have it abundantly. He listens to prayers for healing. He does not intend your life to be filled with horror, pain, fear and misery.

Many people believe that the pain in their life is their “cross to bear” as the saying goes. They believe that God has given it to them for their own good, or as a test, or as a punishment. Perhaps you have made the best of your pain under a mindset like this or learned something from all your problems and accepted them quite willingly. I am telling you that you may nail your crosses, your pain, your suffering and all your sin on Jesus’ cross. You don’t have to carry all that anymore. Call on Jesus to bear it all for you. He already bore the weight of your sin, your suffering, your pain and your death on his cross. Jesus was a pain to pain, suffering suffered at Jesus’ hands, death died once and for all on his cross. All those other “crosses that you bear” dim in comparison with the cross of Jesus.

There is a big difference between a cross you bear and Jesus’ cross. Many women have lived through a life of fear and abuse while being told that it was their “cross to bear”. Well that kind of cross leads only to death the way every other cross and crucifixion has, except one. Our crosses only lead to death and end there. Jesus’ cross is different. Jesus’ cross kills the power of death and leads to life. His cross alone and not any one of yours. Yet, the Devil always seeks to convince us that our “cross” is more important or integral to our virtue than Jesus’ cross. We are always tempted to hug our pain and suffering tightly to our chest, like a comforting teddy bear, rather than holding on tightly to the cross of Jesus—laying everything on him. There is a difference between your “cross to bear” and Jesus’ cross. One will always lead to death and stop there. The cross of Jesus leads you through death and then showers you with life.

When I lived in North Dakota on internship, I played in a racquetball league. Now, I tried very hard in this league but week after week I lost. It was very hard on my self-confidence, I must admit. I really dislike losing. But after three and then four weeks of losing I started thinking, “Well, hey, someone’s got to lose right? Why not me a future pastor? Someone who can really accept these loses with dignity. Someone who could bear that cross. Other people were happy to win at my expense? It was like I was doing them a favor. But then I won.

I won! And that was no good, because I had lost my virtue! My cross was stolen from me. By this time, I had become such a “good loser” that I missed that feeling of virtue once I had won. I know that this might sound a little weird, but I realized that I was actually attempting to use my suckiness at racquetball to defend myself from God. Yes, that’s right! Defend myself from God. How? If I could rely on my virtue and bear my own cross, I wouldn’t have to rely on God completely for my salvation. I thought I was being especially “Christian” when, really, I was just an especially bad racquetball player. Maybe my fellow players who were beating up on me each week thought favorably of my character, but God wasn’t impressed.

This is a common temptation. If we can’t be the best at something, we try to be really good at being the worst—martyrs hoping at least for pity if not for the prize. But in God’s eyes you and I are all the same and Jesus’ cross saves us all. We are sinners, not saints in ourselves. But when God finds us in Jesus Christ, we are saints through and through.

“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” As I said before, remember that, for the disciples, Jesus hadn’t died on the cross yet, so what did a “cross” mean to them? They didn’t have the resurrection in mind the way we do. Crosses, to them, were for crucifixions. Crosses were for criminals. Crosses meant death, and not a nice way to die either.

Earlier, Jesus had just told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering and be killed. Peter didn’t want this and he told Jesus so. You can imagine what the other disciples would have thought about this idea as well. Not too popular is my bet. But now Jesus is telling them, “I must die, even though you don’t want it to happen. And, if you are going to follow me, you might as well be carrying your own cross and prepare yourselves for death as well. Following me will get you killed. Deny yourselves and your desire to save your lives, leave your lives in my hands.

What would you do? Well, I’d probably run the other way. And, at the cross, that’s exactly what they all do. The disciples either betray Jesus, deny association with him, abandon him or watch everything from far away. It’s not until after Jesus’ resurrection that they are given faith to believe all that Jesus has told them: The cross he spoke of that day referred not only to their deaths, but also new lives. And later on, when they each marched off to their deaths whether carrying a cross or struck down with a sword, you can bet that they each believed that their lives were in God’s hands. They had tried to save their lives by abandoning Jesus at the cross, but they failed. Now that they would die for faith in Jesus, they could believe that God had chosen them for eternal life even after death.

If it hasn’t happened yet, every one of you will experience your own denial of Jesus, your disassociation with him, your doubt of God and your betrayal of your own morals. Thinking to save your life at every turn, no matter what the consequences, each one of you will die, “For the wages of sin are death.” But, my prayer for you is that when you have finally reached the end of your days, and there are no ways out, and death is approaching, you will finally realize and believe once again that God has chosen you for eternal life even after death. Your death has already died. Your sins are forgiven.

Jesus says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” There is a difference between your crosses and the cross of Jesus. You have many and they all end at death. Jesus has one and his ends with life. Jesus calls you to follow him all the way to your death, but finally, not to trust in your deathyou’re your suffering, but in his death and resurrection for your hope and eternal life. Amen.