[Propertalk] Fwd: Sermon for Proper 17A

[Joe Parrish]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: SERMONSHOP SERMONS <sermonshop-sermons.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Fri, Aug 26, 2011 11:55 pm
Subject: Sermon for Proper 17A


Dear Friends,

Tomorrow’s sermon is entitled “Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me” or
“It’s Not About You- Part 2” and deals with the Gospel (Matthew
16:21-27). Here it is:

	We just heard the end of an extremely painful interaction between
Peter and Jesus.  Do you remember last week’s gospel?  Jesus asked his
disciples what people were saying about him- who people were saying he
was.  The disciples answered that people were saying Jesus was John
the Baptist or maybe Elijah or Jeremiah or else one of the other
prophets.  So you remember what happened next?  Jesus looked right at
them and said, “Who do YOU say that I am?”  I’m sure there was this
huge, uncomfortable silence; then Peter loudly and clearly, spoke up:
“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”  Now we pick up on
this week’s gospel.  Jesus must have felt extremely encouraged- at
least one of them was getting it; so he went on to explain what was
going to happen to him- how he would suffer terribly and be killed and
after three days be brought back to life.  Peter took Jesus aside and
tried to talk sense into him.  “No, Lord- you’ve got it wrong.  You’re
just having a bad day.  These things really aren’t going to happen to
you- God wouldn’t allow it.  Get yourself together.”  Did you notice
how Jesus responded?  “Get thee behind me, Satan!  Don’t try to turn
me away from God’s calling.  Don’t try to tempt me to take the easy
way.”  Then Jesus turned to all the disciples and said, “Take up your
cross and follow me.”

My brothers and sisters, I hate to tell you- Jesus wasn’t just talking
to the twelve.  Across the centuries, he is speaking to us.  So I have
a question for you- that cross- the one Jesus is telling you to
carry.  How are you doing?

Now before we go much further into thinking through the implications
of this Bible passage, we’d better get something perfectly clear.  How
many times have you heard good Christian people talk about their
arthritis or their children or their job or even their husband (or
wife) being their cross.  Not so.  There’s a big difference between a
cross and an affliction, and we mustn’t get them confused.  An
affliction is a negative that life throws at you.  You don’t have any
choice about an affliction- it’s just the luck of the draw or the
consequence of an earlier sin or foolish choice.  You didn’t choose
your arthritis or your children.  You found out about the negatives
after you got the job or the husband or wife or children.  All those
things are afflictions.  We suffer through them, give them to God, and
do our best to get something for the Kingdom out of them.  If nothing
else, we can usually get some spiritual growth from most afflictions.
But a cross is different.  You choose a cross; and you choose it
knowing the difficulties that carrying it will cause for you.  Your
children may be an affliction, but your decision to be a loving parent
in spite of their behavior is a cross- a choice.  Your job may be an
affliction, but your decision to forgive those who wrong you is a
choice, therefore a cross.  So, how are you doing?

When Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me,” how does it apply
today in our society?  Before we go any further, it’s important to
note that there are probably as many crosses as there are people.
It’s almost as if your particular cross is especially designed for
you- your contribution to God’s Kingdom.  However, I’d like us to look
at three very important categories of crosses; because many of your
own personal crosses will fit in these categories.

CATEGORY 1: USE YOUR GIFTS FOR GOD, NOT JUST YOURSELF.  Did you notice
Moses in today’s Old Testament reading?  God had given Moses the gift
of leadership, and in today’s lesson we heard him struggling- would he
use it for God and for freedom for his people, or would he use it for
himself?  Since Moses was an Egyptian prince, he could have gotten
rich and famous using his leadership talents in Egyptian politics.
Instead, he chose to  put his life on the line for God.  He chose to
face down the Egyptian king in the name of God.  He chose to let God
use his hands and feet and lips.  The result- freedom for God’s people
and a mighty prototype for future freedom and justice seekers.  What
about you?  What talents do you have?  How did God gift you?  Don’t
even try to say you’re not gifted- we all are.  Each of us was born
amazingly gifted.  Some of us can explain anything while others of us
can fix anything.  Some of us can play a musical instrument or sing
while others can paint a picture or room or plant a garden or cook a
meal.  True- this giftedness must be developed into talents, but
that’s exactly one of the crosses God calls us to bear.  And those
skills- the cross we are called to carry is to use those skills to
build the church and reach out to God’s other children.  You know the
excuses- “I’m too busy; I’m too shy; I don’t want to get involved;
someone may criticize my work; etc.”  True- that’s why using your
giftedness for the Lord is a cross.  How are you doing with this
cross?

CATEGORY 2: LOVE.  St. Paul reminds us in today’s epistle that love is
the essence of gospel.  Jesus told us to love one another as much as
he loved us.  How much is that.  The story is told of a man who asked
Jesus how much he loved him.  Jesus said, “This much,” and he
stretched out his arms and died...on a cross.  Most of us do fine with
this until it becomes a cross... until the person we are expected to
love is unlovable; has crossed us; talked about us; stolen from us; or
in some other way misused or abused us.  What then?  Remember, we’re
not talking about love as a feeling.  We’re talking about agape’,
Christian love, an action, choosing what’s best for the other person.
We’re talking about forgiving our enemies, watching what we say,
keeping hold of our temper.  We’re talking about reaching out to those
who need our help, friendship, love.  What if we don’t especially like
that person (or that kind of person)?  Jesus’ parable of the Good
Samaritan answers that.  What if the job God is calling us to do isn’t
something we like doing?  Jesus washing his disciples’ feet answers
that.  How are you doing with this cross?

CATEGORY 3: LIFESTYLE.   Did you notice the thought for the week?  The
poet Carl Sandburg said, “There is an eagle in me that wants to soar,
and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.”
God expects us to soar like eagles, not wallow in the mud like a
hippopotamus.  God expects us to live a lifestyle worthy of his
children.  If you stop and think about it, we’re all children of the
King, so that makes us princes and princesses.  Paul reminds us how
God expects us to live so we don’t embarrass the family.  “10 No one
who loves others will harm them. So love is all that the Law demands…
13b Don't go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent.
Don't quarrel or be jealous.   14 Let the LORD Jesus Christ be as near
to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your
selfish desires.”  Do you love God enough to live as he wants?  How
are you doing with this cross?

Do you remember the story of the little girl and the pearls?  I think
the last time I told it was ChristMass, 2009.  The little girl was
about six years old- just started first grade that year and she had
just lost her first tooth.  She and her mother were in the dollar
store when the little girl spotted what looked to her like a beautiful
pearl necklace.  “Oh mother, can I please have it?”  “I’m broke, said
her mother, so you’ll have to raid your piggy bank.  All that week she
thought about that pearl necklace.  Her piggy bank was short, so her
aunt gave her the quarter she needed to make it up, but only after the
little girl had cleaned the whole kitchen including the dishes.  Next
Saturday, she and her mother went back to the Dollar Store and bought
the necklace.  I’ll have you know that child wore that necklace
everywhere, even to bed.  Pretty soon, her neck started to get a green
ring around it- that’s what cheap jewelry will do- but the little girl
didn’t care.  She still wore her necklace.  One evening when her daddy
was listening to her bedtime prayers, he asked “Jenny, do you love
me?”   “Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you,” she answered.  “Well
then, if you really love me,” said her father, “give me your pearls.”
“Oh daddy,” she said, not my pearls- but you can have my Barbie- you
know, the one that came with a horse.  She’s my favorite.”  “That's
okay, Honey,” her Daddy responded. “Daddy loves you.  Good night.”
And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.  About a week later, after the
bedtime prayers, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"
“Daddy,” she said, “you know I love you."  "Then give me your pearls,"
he said.  “Oh Daddy,” she answered, “not my pearls.  But you can have
my babydoll.  The brand new one I got for my birthday.  She is so
beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her
sleeper."  "That's okay,” said her father. “Sleep well.  God bless
you, little one.  Daddy loves you.”  And as always, he brushed her
cheek with a gentle kiss.  A few nights later when her daddy came in,
Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style.  As
he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear
rolled down her cheek.  "What is it, Jenny?” he asked.  “What's the
matter?”  Jenny didn't say anything, but lifted her little hand up to
her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl
necklace.  With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy.  It's
for you."   With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy
reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with
the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet
case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.  He had
them all the time.  He was just waiting for her to give up the dollar
store stuff so he could give her a genuine treasure.

So... how much do you love Him?  You call Him your savior.  Is He
really your Lord?  If he is, those crosses- keep at it...take up your
cross, your own special cross, not your affliction- your cross, and
follow Him.

For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
wisdom statements are posted on our parish web site. The address is:
http://www.stpaulsepisag.com .

Blessed preaching.
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan

 
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