The Work of Today, Tomorrow and the Third Day

The Work of Today, Tomorrow and the Third Day
Psalm 27
Luke 13:31-35
Second Sunday of Lent
Year C

I am told that in the ‘60’s there was a television show called Run for your Life. My memory of early childhood is pretty good, but I don’t remember grandma watching that one. It may have been before my time. But anyway – it is the story of a man who is told by his doctor that he has an incurable disease and he only has a few years to live. The opening credits say that he has no family, and that he never took a day off in his life. But this was his decision to make the most of his life. He travels the world – meeting new people, going places that he has never been before, solving the problems of other people. But at the end of each episode – he is reminded that he is about to die- and that there is no way of escaping that reality. The story was intended to remind us all that we are all mortals – one day we will all die and there is nothing that we can do about it. No matter what we do choose to do.
They say that the television show ended in 1968 – I would have been old enough to remember Mannix, and Columbo, and hawai five O, the Mod Squad, Perry Mason. Grandma loved detective shows – but I don’t remember this one.
But the point that I want to make about the show – was that the man found meaning in his life, by running away from his own problems and getting involved in the lives of others. For him that was making the most of the time that he had left. It was a great concept – and something that we can all relate to and even learn from. But then again think about it – Run for Your Life – in times of danger, or fear, or chaos – how many times have we heard that phrase – run for your life. But was this man running for his life – or was he running from his life – or even fleeing his impending death?
What would any of us do in that situation? Do we tend to avoid the overwhelming issues of our own lives – by choosing to get overinvolved in the lives of others – because it is just easier – and it takes our minds off of the things that we really need to be dealing with.
I used that as an introductory story for today’s sermon – because the real question that I have for you today is what would Jesus do in that situation? What would jesus have us to do?
I was able to watch the opening credits of this show – where you hear the voice of his doctor telling him he has only a few years to live. And then you hear his conversation, why he decides to take this journey.
In Luke 13 – Jesus is on the journey of his life also. He knows that he must go to Jerusalem. And he has no bones about what is going to happen when he gets there. He is a prophet – he has a message that the current government does not want to hear. Jerusalem likes to kill its prophets. He seems to realize too that he has less than six months to live and he has to make the best of it.
Interestingly enough it is the Pharisees who give him the message run for your life. If you know that you are going to die – save your life- avoid death – don’t go there.
But Jesus has a different view of death – and of his relationship with bad news. Instead of running from it - he runs to it. He is ready for anything that must happen.
The good news for us today is that the scripture preaches for itself - Go tell that fox that today and tomorow I have been casting out demons, but on the third day my work is finished. I will go into the city that kills prophets and do what I have to do – but in the end – you will know that I am a prophet bringing news to the Lord.
Life, death, bad news, struggles, hardships are not something you walk away from – but it is something that you walk into.
In church we celebrate and sing – take me to the cross – but this lent we have to ask ourselves – do we really want to follow where Christ is leading us? We sing All to Jesus I surrender – but do we really surrender all of our lives to Jesus. On our life journey – are we walking toward our Jerusalems? Or are we walking away from them? Avoiding things that we know that eventually we must face.
In preparing for this sermon I came across this poem from Henri Nouwen
Don't surrender your lonliness, your pain, your fear so quickly.
Let it cut more deep.
Let it ferment and season you,
As few human or even divine ingredients can.
Something missing in my heart tonight
Has made my eyes soft,
My voice, so tender,
My need for God,
Absolutely clear.


Jesus not only refuses to run away from Jerusalem – he embraces it. He longs for it. He explains that he wishes those who were there would come to Gods love like a mother hen, but it will never happen.
Ed Heistand – says that at the Chicago Temple downtown – of you in the large sanctuary is a picture of Jesus looking over Jerusalem – but if you go to the chapel – there is a picture of Jesus – looking over another city – if you look closely you will see that it is a picture of the Chicago skyline. Jesus looks over our city too – praying, hoping, inviting, forgiving and waiting. Many in that city are telling him to go away to leave them alone to run for your life – and yet His prayers remain steadfast.
A little boy was collecting money from his paper route – when he knocked on a door. An elderly man answers the door and abruptly tells him to go away – his wife is really sick and he cant deal with the paper boy right now. But instead of running and avoiding the situation, he goes to his pastor and asks if he will stop by. See if there is anything that he can do.
The pastor not knowing the people feels that it might be a bad idea and there is nothing he can do to make a difference. But he goes anyway. The elderly man is about to slam the door in his face, when his wife asks him to let the pastor in. He comes in and talks to the couple – who know nothing about religion. But after talking with the pastor for afew weeks, wants to join church, knowing that her time is short, she wants to be baptized and receive eternal life.
A dying woman experienced new life, because a young boy refused to run for his life. He met the challenges of a cruel and hostile city with the love of God. What is God asking us to stand up, stay firm and deal with in our lives? In the lives of those in our city?
My favorite line in this passage is when Jesus says – today tomorrow and the third day I do I work. He says it twice. In some ways it is a prediction for his time in Jerusalem, when he is crucified, dead and buried and he rises on the third day.
But I think it also tells us to stand firm – until the third day. We have control over what we do today and tomorrow – but the third day – the day beyond the future is the day when God’s promises of love will come true for us- if we just stand firm that long.
Peace,

We are Glory Bearers

Year C
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-43
We are Glory Bearers

Introduction - Earthquake
Did any of you feel the earthquake – on Thursday morning? I felt it and immediately knew what was going on. Well sort of –I was awake enough to know what was happening, but sleep enough not to be sure if it was real or not.
As a matter of fact I was sure that I was dreaming, because there was no way in Illinois that I would be living through an earthquake for the second time in what two / three years.
I remember that moment of thinking that the wind was blowing the house, but the wind was coming from the ground and not the air. It was a rare moment that I never expected to feel again. For me a moment of God moving in my life in special way. A moment that you want to treasure – but which doesn’t last very long.
How do you hold onto those special moments – usually you take a picture, or your write a story – or you find the words to tell someone. You try to do something to hold onto the moment.

How do we Hold onto God Moments? Those special moments?
The gospel story takes place 8 days after Peter has a chance to experience God in his life. He has met a new friend – Jesus , and he realizes that he is not only a special person – he is the son of God. He has been invited to share in a special moment in Jesus life. The time when Jesus is praying with the law and the prophets, and Moses and Elijah come to join him. Like most of us, Peter asks the same question – how do I hold onto the once on a lifetime moment. And like all of us – Peter realizes there is no real way to hold onto God moment. There are no words, no images, no feelings that will adequately hold onto the moment. All you can really do is vow to hold onto that moment in your heart and remember.

Transfiguration Sunday
No moment on life is intended to last forever. The moment for us is transfiguration Sunday. The Sunday when epiphany ends and lent begins. The moment between seeing the light and entering into a time of darkness. I don’t think any of us will voluntary enter into darkness. We don’t chose to be sad, or depressed, or to suffer. We don’t chose to enter into the darkness of lent – we have to be coaxed into it or forced into it.
But it is in the darkness where we get closer to Jesus Christ. What does our relationship with Jesus mean? Who is this Christ for us? What difference does Christ make in our lives? Would our lives really be any different if Christ had not entered into our lives? These are the questions for us to ponder during the time of lent.



The Transfiguration Story
Every year we hear the story of transfiguration – every year we hear a different version of the same story. It is in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The concept of transfiguration is also in John.
In Luke’s version – Jesus brings his newfound friends – Peter, James and John with him on the mountain to pray. It is a mystery to us why Jesus chose to bring them there. Obviously it was a mystery to them also because they fell asleep.
While they are asleep, Jesus prays, and Moses and Elijah appear with him. A voice comes from the clouds and says – this is my son, my chosen, listen to him.
Luke doesn’t say anything about a bright light – or Jesus being transformed by the light. There is no light. The moment is so short and strange – that the disciples decide that they wont say anything to anyone.
But it is the moment for us that Jesus becomes the light of the world. In John Jesus says – I am the light of the world. Transfiguration not only means – change forms – it also means to experience glory – or light of God.
What light was lit your path recently? What illumination has taken place for you to see things more clearly? What shines for you in bright times?
Lent is a dark time, but it is a time for us to glorify God. Paul says that we are free – free to proclaim our love for Christ. It is a time for us to show others that Jesus is the light of our lives.


Story of Three Gold Miners
Three gold miners traveled to Montana territory to find gold. One day one of them found a strange looking stone. He broke it open and was thrilled to find gold. Soon – the miners found gold everywhere. They started to dance, sing and celebrate. They were rich. But soon they became worried – what if others found this place. They would lose their fortune. They had to keep it a secret.
On their next trip into town, they vowed that they could tell no one. They were very quiet in buying supplies, but they soon discovered that as the left, it seems that the whole town of prospectors was following them. Okay - who told – they discovered that no one had betrayed the secret. The prospectors said – you didn’t have to say anything. We saw the truth on your face. We could tell that you had found God. Or Gold – a Freudian slip.

We are Glory Bearers
What do people see when they look at your face? Light or darkness? Good things are sadness? God or the world?

What light do they see? What light has lit your path? What has illumined your dark places? What shines in your bright times?

I cant answer that question for you. I don’t know your dark places in your life? I don’t know your response to darkness. I don’t know the moment in your life when you finally saw the light. I don’t know your response to light. Did you run to it, or choose to keep on fumbling in the dark.
One of the promises of life – no matter how dark things may get – the light always comes. Lent always starts – but it always ends in the joy of Easter. Jesus is the light of the world.
Jesus is the light of my life. Jesus is the lense in which I choose to experience every moment. In Christ, every moment, every experience, no matter how short or how long is a God moment. A chance to see the light. Light is always a challenge to see things more clearly. A chance to see what needs to be done, what needs to be changed, who needs to be loved.
Lent is our chance to sit and wait for the light – and to be still enough to recognize it and respond.
What light do you walk by? What illumines your life? What shines in the midst of your darkness? The glory of God in the presence of jesus Christ.
We are glory bearers – ones who see the glory of God for ourselves. Ones who bear the glory of God in our lives, the ones who know the presence of Christ when we see and feel it. May the glory of God be with you always in all times – let us pray..
Amen.

Are you really the best person for the job?

February 7, 2010
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
Year C
Are you really the best person for the job?

MEMO TO: Jesus of Nazareth
FROM: The Jerusalem Management Consulting Firm
Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for
management positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken a
series of tests, and we have not only run the results through our computer,
but we have also conducted an in-depth interview with each of them by our
staff psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.
The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of
them carefully. It is the staff's opinion that most of your nominees are
lacking in background, education, and vocational aptitude for the type of
enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept and we
would highly recommend that you continue your search for persons with more
experience, higher qualifications, and greater managerial abilities.
Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and is given to fits of temper.
Andrew simply has no qualities of leadership.
The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal
interests above company loyalty and are quite boisterous.
Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine
morale among the ranks.
It is also our duty to inform you that the Better Business Bureau of Greater
Jerusalem has received reports on Matthew regarding questionable business
practices.
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus definitely have radical leanings
and both demonstrate attitude problems which would present difficulty in
their dealings with the public.
However, one of your candidates shows great potential. He is a man of
ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind,
and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious,
responsible, and is not afraid to take the initiative. We recommend Judas
Iscariot as the most qualified of all of your prospective candidates.
Sincerely,
The Jerusalem Management Consulting Firm

OF course, this is just a ficticous account of what Jesus was looking for in his disciples. He didn’t need to consult a management firm – he knew in his heart what he was looking for, and what they were capable of doing. Who is to say that he did not even know that Judas was the one to betray him. And yet the world had a need to be saved, and with every need that is a solution – if you are just willing to be open to the possibilities. If you look more at what can be, and not what is. If you realize that life and relationships are what we make of them, not what we see of them.
In many ways – Jesus is still walking the earth looking for disciples and calling us to a deeper journey – a deeper walk. He challenges us all to follow him, to trust him, to live for him, to become his disciples. Ones who honor his teachings, and his apostles – those who are able to tell the whole world that they have seen the messiah for themselves.
And how many of us – if we had to be reviewed by the Jerusalem Management Company – would be found lacking to do the Job. We would be found unworthy, and not really qualified. And yet for some reason, Jesus still calls, Jesus still challenges, Jesus still trust that we will listen, and follow – and we do.
Luke 5 is the real account of how Jesus went about picking his disciples. By getting involved with their lives, their concerns, meeting their needs, and challenging them to think a little farther then what they are used to thinking.
Simon Peter, and Andrew, and James and John are all fishermen. Very successful fishermen. Who are very proud to support their families in this trade that has been in their family for generations.
I don’t know much about fishing, but I am told that the best place to fish is in shallow water. And it is better to fish at night, not in the bright sunlight. And Jesus asks them to do the exact opposite of what they are used to doing. And it works, they are rewarded with lots of fish.
Lucky for me, this is not a story about fish, but about people. Jesus is calling these fishermen to become disciples and to fish for people.
I haven’t always been impressed with Peter. I guess I think of St. Peter, the guy who founded the catholic church – whose bones are buried beneath the Vatican. The guy who rejected Paul – because he had not seen Jesus in person. The person who had the power to determine who was and who was not a part of the church. This isn’t a story about Peter the saint
But about Peter the ordinary guy – who had a life, a commitment, an understanding of life. The guy who gave all of that up – to follow jesus. To give up all that he was familiar with to go to places unknown. Who gave up control and success – for constant questions. All for the sake of being called.
We were talking in our lectionary study group about the meaning of call. Being called by God. Usually when we think of a call from God – it is a challenge, something we have second thoughts about doing, something that will indeed take us away from our familiarity.
A call is something that we are afraid of. That we put off, that we reject and resist. We feel that we will lose something if we really listen to god.
I remember once in college, I was talking to a lady about considering becoming a pastor. But I am not quite sure if I was ready yet. She said that being a pastor is what you do when you have done everything else in life. And even though I knew then what she meant and I still know now – I thought – how do you know when you have done everything in life? At what point in your life do you know it is time to stop living, stop learning and finally become a disciple?
I actually made the decision to go to seminary and become a pastor – what else was I waiting for?



John Sculley was the head of Pepsi. Under his leadership, it had grown into a multi-national, incredibly diversified company, and his reputation meant that many other corporations tried to get him to join them. Among them was Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple Computer. Several times Scully turned Jobs down. But Jobs believed in what he was doing, and believed Scully was the man. After getting rejection after rejection, Jobs finally hit Scully with a challenge, a call, if you like, which the executive couldn't ignore. Jobs confronted him with this: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?"

The chance to change the world – that was the reason Peter was willing to go into the deep waters – even though he knew the fish were in the shallow waters. A chance to change the world – is what everyone in the fish boat was after. They all left their lives and followed Jesus. A chance to change the world – that might have been what I was after in becoming a pastor.

And John Scully – certainly got his chance to change the world in joining the Apple team. Pepsi is still going strong, but Apple is much stronger. Pepsi is still sugar water – or actually corn syrup water – but Apple has indeed changed the world. They bought us computers, then the IPod, the Iphone. Steve Job is a household name all around the world. Apple just announced a new product – the IPad. When was the last time we have had a new kind of Pepsi?
And yet with all of the success that Apple has had as a company – the church is bigger, much more successful, and most importantly has changed the world in many more ways – all one person at a time. Every time someone realizes the power of Jesus promises – the world is changed. And Jesus doesn’t always use business geniuses to become successful – but unqualified, scared, untrained people like you and me. People who are willing to listen to a call, respond, and go out into the deep water – against our better judgement.
A call is not an obligation, or a drudgery. We don’t have to sacrifice ourselves A call is an invitation. An invitation to put aside our fears, our obligations, our preconceived notions, our understandings of how life is, of what wont work, of what we don’t have time for, what we cant do, what we don’t know, what we are not qualified for, what we don’t trust – and listen, follow, fish, and never have another reason to look behind at what was.
Let us pray….

We ask ourselves what is behind it all
and meet the unanswerable a thousand times
and yet continue to be drawn
to the many doors of life.
We hesitate, but want to go on.
We are fearful, but want to learn
We are timid, but want to be courageous
We shrink back, and yet want to grow. We have to take courage and jump
We have to cut the ropes and set ourselves adrift.
We have to leave the solid ground to learn to swim.
We have to sacrifice our security and take risks.
Then we will experience God.

That prayer was written by by Ulrich Schaeffer** Amen.