As I was reading through some
commentaries on this particular Gospel reading this week, several writers jokingly
suggested that this might be a good Sunday for the pastor to be on vacation.
But as I prayed over this text and took the words and listened as I read them
over and over, I think that it is fitting that I am here this Sunday and not on
vacation.
It is important to be here because
of the words that Jesus says in this Gospel reading. Listen to these words: 49I came to bring fire
to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! That’s comforting! He
goes on to tell all those listening that he has a baptism in which to be
baptized…okay… But then he says “what
stress I am under until its completed! Let me say it again; Jesus says,
“what stress I am under…” I think this may be the first time that we hear Jesus
telling all of us and the disciples that he is STRESSED! Jesus stressed? How
can that be? He is the Son of God?
The
only time we like to remember when Jesus loses his temper is the most famous
story that we can recall. We remember when Jesus comes into the temple and
overturns the tables yelling about turning his “father’s house into a den of
thieves!” We remember that one because it is so linked to Lent and Good Friday.
This story we don’t hear too often. I don’t know why that is but it is
important to know what is going on with Jesus. A few weeks ago in our Gospel
readings, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. Jesus knew what was going to
happen when he got to Jerusalem. He has been teaching the disciples and the
crowds about who he is and told them about his own death and resurrection. He
is stressed out. He is at a point where he is stretched to his limit.
You
might ask,, “how can this be?” It is because God sent Jesus, God’s Son, in
human form to walk on this earth with us. What we are seeing is the human side
of Jesus. We are seeing the human reaction of a man who knows that he will
undergo “great suffering, rejection, be killed, and be raised.” I don’t know
what is in the mind of Jesus, but knowing the first three could be overwhelming
for any of us; and the resurrection part may not even enter our minds. I think
we can all relate to feeling stressed. We all know the stress of taking care of
our families, jobs, responsibilities, schedules, etc. let’s face it, we might
not be going to the cross but we do know stress. There are others in this world
that have those same stresses and proclaiming their faith to Jesus Christ can
be dangerous. We all know stress.
Jesus
does not stop at telling us he is stressed. He goes on to say that he has come
to create division. This is scary because he speaks of mother against daughter
and father against son. Is Jesus telling us that he has come to start a fight?
After all these words of “Love your neighbor, love your enemies”, are we
supposed to be fighting now? Is that old joke about spouses not getting along
with in-laws supposed to be THE WAY?
I
don’t believe that Jesus is telling us that arguing is the way. What he is
saying goes much deeper than that. In Jesus time, the Jewish people lived by
the law. The law came out of the first five books of the Old Testament and it
was called the Torah. These five books (Genensis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy) defined many aspects of life for the Jewish people and it is how
they understood being faithful to God. We, too, hold these books to be God’s
law in living a faithful life that honors God. We also believe that God sent
Jesus into this world because we keep falling short of this law.
We make mistakes and
we do things that are not always pleasing to God. Jesus came into this world to
acknowledge that we are broken and we make mistakes; despite that brokenness,
God sent his only son into the world to save us from that brokenness of the
world and save us from ourselves. God gave us the gift of Jesus to teach, walk
with us, and to die for our sake on a cross; a symbol of suffering and shame;
So that, through this death and resurrection for our sake we are no longer held
captive by our brokenness and our sin.
Brothers and Sisters
in Christ, this division that Jesus talks about is that he is showing us the
path to God in a different way. We tend to think of law as those things which
you cannot do; laws are restrictive. Let’s take the first commandment: You
shall love the Lord your God and you shall have no other Gods. Pretty cut and
dry…love God and no other Gods. That’s the law. Jesus comes to teach us “here’s
all the ways you can love God and having the God who is the creator is a Good
God to have on our side.” I know I am over simplifying this but Jesus shows us
the Good News that God has blessed us with so much that why wouldn’t we want to
show God our gratitude and love back; as a response to what we have first been
given.
So where does that
leave us? Last week our Gospel reading started off with Jesus telling us not to
fear little flock. Both these churches are celebrating anniversaries this year;
Chapel on its 150th and Woodsboro with its building construction 100
years ago. With these anniversaries we also have the church changing in the 21st
Century. The future of the church is uncertain. Budgets need to be met while
ministries need to continue. There are large numbers close to 80% of people in this nation that are unchurched.
Many others have stopped coming, for whatever reason.
As I said last week
God is doing something BIG. I don’t know what it is but this is our time to
look at what God is calling us to do in the church. Is God calling us to look
at each day in the life of the church as new and exciting? Does God call us to
change our thinking to praising God for a new day of ministry and the chance to
be a worker in God’s kingdom? Imagine how our lives would be different, how God
would change our lives when we look at each time gathering together to sing and
worship the God who has blessed each and every one of us in this way. Imagine
the hope and excitement of knowing that we look at the world as God’s creation
and giving thanks for this gift each day.
There is no promise
that this will be easy. We will be stressed out, but we are not alone. We are
all in this together…in this world, on this journey of faith, in our joys, and
in our sorrows. We do have each other and we do have the promises of God to be
with us.
Vacations do have
their place. But I am glad to be here in this place and worshipping the God who
has given us so much. I am glad that you are here because the church needs you…
the Church needs all of us to testify how God has changed our lives and shaped
who we are; and may we continue to tell the story of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ: AMEN
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