Jesus' Help Wanted Ad

I wonder what it would be like to write a “Help Wanted” add for church membership?  I mean, if you were going to write something trying to get people to join the church, what might it look like? 

Here’s my tongue in cheek version:

Come to church so that Jesus can give you your best life now.
Easy, flexible scheduling.  No commitments.  No pressure.  Work church around your current lifestyle.
Receive irrevocable benefits with no obligation on your part.  Attend when you want, involve yourself where you want, little or no financial obligation necessary.
Be comforted that you are loved and accepted just as you are with no need to change or grow, and receive assurance that the problems you are experiencing are just temporary and are caused by something outside yourself.

Okay, maybe that’s a little bit over the top, but maybe not by too much.  I tend to think that we like our Christianity easy.  We like our Christianity comfortable.  We want it to be like that free ice cream cone some restaurants give you as you walk out: sweet, satisfying, leaving you with a pleasant taste in your mouth and a smile on your face.

But Jesus’ own help wanted ad, is far, far different from such a thing.  Jesus’ help wanted ad that he sets forth today is far less sweet, far less pleasant, and far less appetizing.

It all starts when Jesus and his disciples are walking around Caesarea Philippi.  Ever the teacher, ever the instructor, Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do people say that I am?”  What’s the going word on the street?  What do people think about all the things that I’ve done? 

Jesus gets an ear-full.  “Some say you are John the Baptist.  Other folks think you are Elijah.  Some say you are a prophet.”

It’s not much different today.  All sorts of folks have their opinions about who Jesus was.  Some say he was just a great moral teacher.  Others put him as a founder of a religion on the par with Buddah or Mohammed.  Others even say he didn’t exist.  There’s all sorts of stuff going on about who Jesus was and what he really did or didn’t do.  The more things change the more they say the same. 

But, ultimately, the question of who Jesus is isn’t about those folks out there. Ultimately, the question of Jesus identity comes down to every single one of us in here (points to heart).  And Jesus knows that.  Jesus understands that greatly, and so he brings it home.  “Who do you say that I am?”

I’m sure there was a pregnant silence.  I’m sure the disciples sat there for a few seconds waiting.  Thinking.  What was the right answer?  What should they say?  They’d seen a lot.  They’d seen Jesus feed the five thousand. They’d seen him calm the storm.  They’d seen Jesus cast out demons; heal the paralyzed; and bring the dead back to life.  They’d heard his preaching and teaching.  They had knowledge that few others had.  What could they say that would bring it all together?  How could they answer and account for all of these things?

Peter finally breaks the silence, “You are the Messiah.”  And Jesus sternly warned everyone to keep quiet.

Do you wonder why Jesus said this?  Do you wonder why, after such a big announcement, after such an important revelation that Jesus would demand silence?

It’s really no wonder if you understand what everyone believed the Messiah was supposed to do.  The Messiah was supposed to cleanse the temple.  The Messiah was supposed to defeat Israel’s enemies.  And the Messiah was supposed to bring God’s justice to the world.  Of course, the way the Messiah was supposed to bring God’s justice was to enthrone himself as the king of Israel, and Israel would then rule the world.  These were the expectations of the Messiah.  This is what every single good Jew was taught about the Messiah.  This is why the Jewish people longed for the Messiah.  They wanted a temple free from corruption.  They wanted their enemies, in this case the Romans, off their backs.  And they wanted the power and prestige that came from being the world’s powerhouse.  For Peter to announce that Jesus was the Messiah and for Jesus to offer him no correction otherwise was a HUGE deal. 

And Jesus knew that.  Jesus knew what the expectations were, but he also knew he would accomplish them in quite a different fashion.  For he would cleanse the temple–but not as expected.  And the enemy he would seek to overthrow was not any earthly power, but a power that enslaved every person on earth–from the most powerful king to the lowest slave.  The power and enemy that must be overthrown was the power of sin.  And God’s justice would be revealed in the most unexpected of places–on a cross at Calvary.  Jesus knew all of these things.  Jesus knew that his path was far different than the expectations of his followers and of his fellow Jews.

And so, Jesus began to break them in.  Jesus began to teach them, openly and plainly.  He didn’t want to sugar coat it.  He didn’t want to leave them with any doubts or questions.  “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.” 

This was too much for the disciples to hear.  This was too off.  This wasn’t right.  This was unheard of.  Never had this idea ever been expressed by any single teacher of Israel.  Never had this idea entered into any conversation about the Messiah.  This could not be the way that things would happen.  Jesus must be out of his mind, and so Peter takes it upon himself to correct Jesus.  In fact, it’s a bit stronger than correct.  You see, the Bible here reads rebuked.  Peter rebuked Jesus.  This is the same word the Bible uses when demons are rebuked.  Peter thinks Jesus has a demon.  Think about that for just a minute.  Peter speaks to his teacher in the same way his teacher spoke to demons.  That’s not good.

And Jesus responds in kind.  Jesus rebukes Peter in the strongest of terms, “Get behind me Satan for you are setting your mind on human things instead of divine things.”  Somehow, Jesus’ response is much more forceful.  Somehow Jesus response puts Peter to shame.  It might just be because the same voice that calmed the storm and brought the dead to life is now the one offering the rebuke.  And that rebuke stings.  There is no hint of softness in it.  There is no hint of tactfulness.  There’s no, “You might want to think about what you are saying, Peter.  Your opinion might be wrong.” 

No.  I’m quite sure that if Jesus would have said this in a church, there would have instantaneously been a movement to get rid of him.  “He needs anger management.”  “He needs counseling.”  “No good religious leader should ever call one of his flock Satan.”  Jesus’ actions here are very, very uncomfortable.

But he’s not done.  If you think his words to Peter are out of bounds, just wait until you hear what he says next.  Just wait until he gives you his help wanted ad.  “If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For if anyone wants to save his life, he will lose it, but if anyone loses his life for my sake and the sake of the gospel, he will find it.”

This is discipleship according to Jesus.

This is discipleship according to the Bible.

Deny yourself.  Give up your expectations.  Give up your hopes.  Give up your dreams and desires.  Give up all the things you wanted and what you wanted God to do for you.  Put them all away.  Deny your self.

Pick up your cross.  Do you know how the disciples would have heard this?  Do you know how revolted they must have been when Jesus said this?  Jesus basically told them, prepare to die.  When we think of carrying a cross, oftentimes we think of the trials and tribulations we face in life.  And they are tough, boy are they tough.  It’s tough to face a chronic illness.  It’s tough to work at a job you hate.  It’s tough to deal with broken relationships in your family.  There are many, many tough things we face in life, but they are not the cross.  The cross was an instrument of torture and death.  If you were carrying it, you were headed towards suffering.  You were headed towards pain and agony.  You were headed towards death. 

Give up all your hopes and dreams and desires, prepare to die, and follow me.  For if you want to save your life, you will lose it.  But if you lose your life for my sake and the sake of the Gospel, you will find it.

That’s discipleship.  That’s the job description.  There is no sugar coating it.  There is no explaining it away.  This is the demand Jesus puts on his followers.

And if you are like me right now, you are thinking, “There’s no way.  There’s no way I can do that.  There is no way I can give up all of my hopes and dreams and desires.  There is no way I can die to all of these things.  There is no way I can lose my life like this.  This is impossible.” 

And it certainly is impossible.  The disciples couldn’t even do it.  When Jesus was arrested, they all ran away.  When Peter tried to follow and was confronted, he denied Jesus three times.  None of them were willing to face the cross.  None of them were willing to lose their lives.  They all fell far short of Jesus’ call.  And they knew it.  They, like we know that we haven’t even come close to what Jesus demands.

At this point you may be sitting there thinking, “Then why am I even here?  If Jesus’ disciples couldn’t do this and if I can’t do this, then why do I even bother showing up here?”

It’s because Christianity isn’t primarily about what you do.  It’s about what God has done in Jesus.  It is darn near impossible for us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Jesus.  But guess who did deny himself?  Guess who did pick up his cross? 

You know the answer to that question.  You know who carried his cross to Calvary.  You know who was hung on that cross, and you know who suffered and died on it.  He did this precisely because he knew that we couldn’t.  He knew that the power of sin is too great within each and every one of us.  He knew that the power of sin would keep us focused on ourselves; would keep us trying to preserve ourselves.  He knew we couldn’t break out of sins power on our own.  And so he died for us.  When we couldn’t follow him and didn’t deserve to be his disciples, he died for us.  He bore our shortcomings.  He bore our sinfulness.  He suffered on our behalf.

And then he gave us his righteousness.  He gave us his glory.  He gave us his status as a beloved child of God.  We didn’t earn this status.  We didn’t deserve this status, but it is given to us by sheer grace.  And when we are grasped by that sheer grace; when the Gospel becomes real to us, something happens.  We are changed.

This change was evident in the lives of the disciples.  You know, the ones I told you about earlier who ran when Jesus was arrested; who denied him when confronted.  Those same disciples, when Jesus appeared to them after the resurrection and offered them peace; offered them forgiveness; then went out into the world and suffered for him.  They went out into the world leaving behind themselves and most of them dying in proclaiming the love of God in Christ Jesus.  When they understood how much they were loved and how they had been forgiven, they were changed.  And they gathered together to hear what Christ had done for them so they would never forget the sheer grace of God.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, you have received the same love that the disciples received.  You have received the same grace that the disciples received.  Jesus has poured out his life for you and redeemed you.  When you walk out into the world and find that you are being dragged away from discipleship; when the cares and concerns of the world try to entice you and whisper sweet words of temptation; when the Evil One tries to tell you that you aren’t worthy to follow Jesus; look to the cross.  Look to the Savior who is the Messiah.  Let your heart be filled with His love and His power, and you will find something surprising.  You will find something contrary to the way the world works.  You will find that you are denying your self.  You will find that you are seeking God’s will instead of your own.  You will find that you are losing your life, but that you have found something much greater.  You have found the Risen Lord; you have found Jesus. And in him, you have found abundant life.  Amen.

The Messiah is Among You

    Today’s second lesson contains one of my favorite Bible passages from the third chapter of the book of Galatians.  To me, it embodies the ideal that is the Kingdom of God and how that kingdom ideally operates.  St. Paul writes, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is no longer Jew or Greek.  There is no longer slave or free.  There is no longer male or female for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

    Imagine a world where we are not divided into categories or separated by gender or social status.  Imagine a world where those things make absolutely no difference at all: where Republicans and Democrats sit at table together and don’t argue about politics and who is right and who is wrong and whose fault it is for the economy or poverty or what have you.  Imagine a world where men and women do not blame gender differences for how one acts and the hobbies one engages in or the television shows a person watches.  Imagine a world where country folks are not called redneck hicks and city folks aren’t called city slickers and each works for the betterment of the other.  I can imagine such a world, and it looks pretty good.

    The early Christian church imagined such a world, and when it came to worship, they actually managed to enact it in many and various places.  And for many during that period, it was a sight to behold.  For in the Greco-Roman society, you just didn’t cross social, ethnic, and religious boundaries.  Jews didn’t associate and sit down to eat with Gentiles.  Slaves were not allowed to eat and associate with free.  Males and females had their various spheres and the two were not to clash.  But, when the early church gathered for worship, exactly those things happened.  All of these differences were set aside as the early church gathered to be nourished with God’s word, fellowship, and meal.  Those who were outside the faith marveled at this new world being embraced by this entity called the Church.  Within, there was no mystery.  Those who gathered believed that Christ had called each and every one of them.  They believed they were redeemed sinners and called to live differently, and it started in worship as they sought to have a piece of God’s Kingdom on earth.

    God’s Kingdom on earth.  It is something we pray for each and every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer.  “Thy kingdom come–thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  We see glimpses of this kingdom from time to time in our daily lives as we see acts of kindness, compassion, and hope.  We see glimpses of this kingdom as we see children laugh and play.  We see glimpses of this kingdom when we throw our heads back and laugh loudly and powerfully.  We see glimpses of this kingdom as we see the love and commitment in a couple married for 50 or more years.  But we know that kingdom has not arrived fully.  We know there is much still that must happen before that kingdom encompasses all of reality.  And, so it is that we gather for worship each week.  We gather for worship to pray for the fullness of that kingdom, and, this is important, we gather to enact a piece of that kingdom on earth.  Just like the early church, it is our goal now to provide a place where there is no distinction where all are clothed with Christ and we worship Him with reckless abandon.

    That’s the ideal.  But what is reality?  What is the reality of most of our churches these days?  These are the questions I began asking myself this past week as I worked on this sermon.  I started delving into my own heart and mind as I wrestled with this favorite Bible passage from the book of Galatains.  “For as many of you as are baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ and there is no longer Jew or Greek.  There is no longer slave or free. There is no longer male or female.  For all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

    As I took my journey of introspection, I realized something quite concerning.  I realized something quite unsettling.  A question began resonating deep within the recesses of my heart and mind.  “Do you see Christ in those who are gathering for worship?”   I had to stop for a moment as that question formulated.  I had to catch my bearings.  For I realized, I do not.  And I realized it’s not intentional.  I mean, when I come to worship each Sunday and see each of you, I see you.  I see Rick and Jean and Melvin and Suzie and Glenda and Shirley and James and Otto and Clarence and so on and so forth.  I see each and every one of you as the unique individuals that God made you.  But I confess to you this morning, I was not seeing Christ–and in many ways, I still am not–even though I should.  For seeing Christ in you and as we see Christ in one another, I believe, could set us apart tremendously from the rest of the world in how we treat each other.

    To illustrate, let me tell this old story that I believe I have recounted before.  There was once a monastery that had fallen upon hard times.  No longer did pilgrims travel to this holy place to chant the old liturgy and seek spiritual peace and guidance.  No longer did people offer donations to help the monastery engage its job and practice of prayer and holiness.  The stress and labors led the brothers to begin bickering and arguing amongst themselves.  Rumors often spread like wildfire, and bitterness reigned.

    The abbot of the monastery had tried many and various things to try and turn things around, but all had failed.  Nothing seemed to work, and so, at his last straw, he decided to visit a teacher who resided in a nearby wood.  According to legend, this teacher had regular visits with the Lord and spoke with the Lord just like you and I would speak on the phone.  Desperate for advice, the abbot sought this teacher out.

    Walking down an old, beaten path, the abbot finally came to the teacher’s humble hut.  The teacher was sitting outside, and the abbot saw that the teacher seemed to be expecting him.  The teacher stood and embraced the abbot, and unexpectedly, the abbot began shedding tears. 

    The teacher led the abbot into his home, and they sat down.  There, the abbot poured out his grief.  He told the teacher of how the monastery had fallen onto hard times–how pilgrims no longer sought spiritual comfort or peace there–how no longer people would come and worship with them and support them–how the brothers seemed to argue and bicker and fight and spread rumors–how he had tried everything he knew to reverse this process but how they had all failed.  Knowing that the teacher regularly spoke with the Lord, the abbot had come seeking a word that might help their situation.

    The teacher embraced the abbot once more.  “I know why you are here,” he said.  “The Lord told me to expect you.  That’s why I was waiting outside.”

    “Did the Lord give you anything to tell me?” the abbot asked.

    “Yes,” the teacher replied.  “He told me to tell you one thing.  He said, ‘Tell the abbot that he is to go back to the brothers and tell them, ‘The Messiah is among you.’‘”

    Pondering this news, the abbot returned to the monastery.  The brothers anxiously asked the abbot what the teacher in the woods had said.  The abbot gathered the brothers in the chapel and said, “The teacher said the Lord had one thing to say to us.  The Lord said, ‘The Messiah is among you.’”

    Immediately, this caused a stir among the brothers.  Who is the Messiah?  Is it Brother John?  Is it Brother Alfred?  Is it Brother Lawrence?  They began pondering the implications of this, and since they didn’t know who the Messiah was in their midst, they began treating each and every brother as if he could be the Messiah.  Soon, bitterness and rumor was replaced with gentleness, compassion, and friendliness.  The respect, love, and joy the brothers showed toward one another became palpable.  You could literally feel it when you walked into the monastery. 

    Soon, pilgrims from all over began making their way to the monastery once again to sing the old liturgies, to seek spiritual wisdom, to give their offerings, and to marvel at this group of brothers who treated one another in such a marvelous way.

    My brothers and sisters in Christ, we do not need anyone to tell us that the Messiah is among us.  We know that where two or three are gathered in His name, Jesus is with them.  We also know that as many of us who were baptized into Christ have clothed themselves with Christ so that there is no longer any distinctions.  Christ is among us and can be found sitting next to us.  How do we desire to treat Him?  Amen.