Online Sermons
19th Sunday in Pentecost (proper 23): October 11, Martha Rogers
Welcome to our website. You are here: The Word --> Online SermonsWhat a wonderful time of year it is---I really enjoy fall: the wind blowing and the trees swaying, the warm days and the cool nights. There's excitement with the children that something is changing. At many high school houses, it signals the end of the baseball season and the nearing end of football and marching band season. At these high school football games, I have so much fun watching the energy and enthusiasm of everyone present, especially the cheerleaders. I like their cheers and their spunk. I'm sure you've all heard these type of cheers….cheerleading, homecoming, football games, they are all part of this favorite time of the year.
I remember in my own high school days, we had a special cheer whenever we scored points against the other team. It went like this: GO, FIGHT, WIN SCORE: WARREN HIGH SCHOOL, WE WANT MORE!
There was another version of that same cheer which was used when the cheerleaders wanted the crowd to get up and stand for their team: GO, FIGHT, WIN, SCORE, IT'S WARREN HIGH WE'RE STANDING FOR! Then all of us would stand up and cheer for our school team.
I never was a cheerleader, but I would practice yelling those words while I was riding my bike or walking home from school. And then one day, it occurred to me that the words weren't logical or in chronological order! How could we win before we could score? (Go, fight, win, score.) Didn't we have to score before we could win? Oh well, putting the word win at the end of that cheer just wouldn't rhyme very well. Go, fight, score, win?
I'm learning that logic is not too important when you're spunky and in high school.
I couldn't help but think of these cheers all week while I was working on this sermon. I'm afraid to report that my cheering around the house and in the office became sillier and sillier this past week. I asked my own grown kids if the disciples of Jesus could have made a cheer for him, based on today's gospel, what would it be for?
"Come on, Mom," I heard. "You've got to be kidding."
No, I am not kidding, I replied. Let's give it a try.
And here is the cheer I made up for the Jesus' team based on today's gospel: GO,GIVE COME, FOLLOW, EAT YOUR PRIDE, TAKE A SWALLOW!
Oh no, that wouldn't work. Just what would thyme with the word 'follow'?
How about: GO, GIVE, COME, FOLLOW, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, IT ISN'T HOLLOW?
No, I'm not sure Christ Church or the Episcopal Church in general is ready for that kind of Scriptural cheerleading.
I'm sure you probably agree.
In the Gospel from Mark today, Jesus is approached by a faithful, energetic man who knows his commandments. He seems to long for something more. We can assume that this man led a respectable life—he has honored the commandments which are the basis of a decent life. But he's spiritually hungry. It isn't enough.
Without hesitation, the man answers to Jesus that he has kept all the commandments that were quoted to him. In effect, this man is saying, "I never in my life did anyone any harm." And that is most likely true, because Jesus looked at him and loved him.
Many of us live similar lives. We honor the commandments, we live good lives and we do not purposefully cause harm to any one else. A respectable life consists in not doing things. IN NOT DOING THINGS! Not insulting your neighbor, not stealing, not lying, not murdering and on and on. Not doing bad things is good. Respectability is good. But Jesus tells us today that respectability is not enough.
The real question that Jesus puts before this man in the gospel is: "What good HAVE YOU DONE?"
Christianity consists in giving. Giving of ourselves, our gifts, our time. It is an action word—being Christian is a state of being---a verb almost---it's not a possession to hold onto or a title to claim. Our 2nd lesson today says that the word of God is living and active.
Being Christian is being respectable and more. Jesus, in a way, says to this man: "With all your possession, with your wealth, with all that you could give away, what positive good have you done for others? Have you let your wealth be a stumbling block for you?"
And there is my challenge. Your challenge.
What is our stumbling blockWhat gets in our way of helping God create good and beauty and joy in this world? We, along with this man, are taught today to stop looking at goodness as consisting in NOT doing things. It may be respectable to never take away from anyone. It is Christian to give ourselves to someone. Whether that gift is time, talent or money.
Before Jesus invited this man to come and follow, Jesus specifically told him to go and to give---to get rid of what was in his way. Then, and only then, to come and follow. Why, there's my new cheer: GO, GIVE, COME, FOLLOW.
But the man had many possessions and he went away grieving. the challenge might have been too much.
This gospel is not so much a challenge about being wealthy, but it is rather a confrontation about what it is that we hold on to which makes us hesitate and stagger in our relationship with God. If our main interest is material things---our house, our car, our job, our belongings, our investments, our schedules and all those other things that get and keep our attention---if our main interests are material things, then our hearts, like this man's are primarily fixed and focused on things of this world. If our interest is in material things, we will think in terms of price. "What's it going to cost me?" is too often our bottom line. What's it going to cost me?
We should, however, think in terms of value. For there are values in this world far beyond money, there are things that have no price, and there are precious things that money cannot buy.
Today many of us, especially our children, know the price of everything and the true value of almost nothing. Think on that. Many of our teenagers know the price of everything and the true value of almost nothing.
After all, we live respectable lives and we've taught our kids well.
Today, many of us come and follow Jesus and then, and only then, do we think about giving. But the cheer that Jesus teaches us for our own homecoming with him is just the opposite: Jesus says: GO, GIVE, COME, FOLLOW! First, go and give or yourself. When you do, you'll find yourself and then come, and follow, me.
That's how justice will be established in this world. For biblical justice is defined as when no one goes without. NO ONE GOES WITHOUT.
When no one goes without attention. When no one goes without love. When no one goes without shelter or food or forgiveness or a place to belong or whatever their needs are. The list is long.
If we were to go and give of ourselves to fill those needs, then we would be participating in establishing a just society; loving the good from God, acting against the evil of letting our wealthy possessions, our schedules, our territorial needs, our things own us.
God has been trying to get this message through to us humans even way before Jesus was born! We're not fast learners.
Jesus knows that about us. Jesus knows that giving, real giving of ourselves isn't easy for us to understand or do. That's why he said it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle or to put it another way, it's easier for an elephant to go through the hole in a cheerio.
Together in this worship today, we will ask forgiveness for those things we have left undone, those things we have omitted to do for others. When we confess our sings of omission, we ask God to have mercy on us and forgive us so that we may walk in God's way, in newness of life. To walk in God's ways is to bring about a just society.
For with God to help us, it is possible to loosen our grasp on life and become more free in service to God as a grateful, giving servant for others. In our actions, in our words, in our thoughts.
For with God, all things are possible. That's what Jesus promises us today.
So maybe my cheer wasn't as absurd as I first thought: GO, GIVE, COME FOLLOW.
At least, to go and give is the way to come and follow Christ.
And that's a logical & reasonable way to keep a healthy soul.
GO, FIGHT WIN, SCORE?
No.
GO, GIVE, then COME, & FOLLOW. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, IT ISN'T HOLLOW!
Amen.