Messages, Meditations, and Musings on the Life of Faith by Rev. Dr. Scott E. Olson, Interim Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Preston, MN

Sunday, February 17, 2013

"He Loves to Tell a Story" - Sermon for Lent 1 (Narrative Lectionary 3)


He Loves to Tell a Story
Lent 1 (NL3)
February 17, 2013
Luke 10.25-42

Cindy and I don’t go to the movie theater very often, but we happened to see three recently within about a month and a half. One of them was Lincoln, which focuses on the last year or so of Lincoln’s presidency as he worked to pass the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery. I learned many things about Lincoln, one of which was that he was an incurable storyteller. There is a delightful scene where, during a tense time Lincoln was clearly winding up to tell a story. Before he can do so, one of his officials exclaims, “Oh no, he’s going to tell another story” and bolts from the room. Undaunted, Lincoln launches into a story that expresses his thoughts both poignantly and pointedly.

This Lent we are walking with Jesus, his disciples, and a cast of characters on his way to Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus is going to prepare us for what it means to be his followers, a people of the cross. In most of the readings between now and his crucifixion, death, and resurrection he tells stories. Jesus knew what Lincoln and others have known: stories are powerful because they open up our imaginations. That’s one reason why we have been using the Narrative Lectionary since last September. We are able to read the great stories of the Bible in their proper context as part of God’s greater story.

Today’s reading is a good example: not only are we able to read the stories of the lawyer and the Samaritan and Martha and Mary as part of Jesus’ teaching, we get to read them together. Normally, we would read these two separately and in the middle of summer. However, read together in Lent they take on a much different character. Not only do we see that being a follower of Jesus means balancing doing and being and listening, we are able to imagine different ways of thinking about the characters in the story Jesus tells. That’s important, because we are so familiar with the so-called Good Samaritan, we might be tempted to run from the church screaming, “Oh no, he’s going to tell that story again!”

I had a similar reaction when I saw the text for this week, but reading it in light of Lent and our journey to the cross has opened me up to some different ways of thinking about what Jesus is saying. First of all, as we did on Ash Wednesday, we have to acknowledge that when Jesus gets to the point in his story where the Samaritan enters the scene his audience would have been shocked. The feelings between Jews and Samaritans were just as intense as between Jews and Palestinians, except that neither the Jews nor the Samaritans had missiles. That gives us a clue that there is a lot more going on in this text than simply, “Do good to others.”

Second, one way we can stretch our imaginations in this story is “try on” different characters. I found myself wondering what it would be like to be the man who was beaten, robbed, and left for dead. Because Jesus is on the way to the cross, one ancient interpretation of the text identifies Jesus as the man who was beaten, just as he will be in Jerusalem. Another interpretation identifies Jesus as the Samaritan who comes along and “saves” those of us who are in the ditch, beaten and half-dead because of sin. However, I’d like to invite you into imagining what it would mean for us to be that person in the ditch, the one in need of a neighbor.

I think one of the hardest things for me to do is to admit when I need help and then accept it when it’s offered. I don’t think I’m alone. Even those times when I’m beaten up, stripped, and half-dead I’ll just suck it up and handle it myself. I’m trying to be better. Two winters ago, I returned from Winona having to shovel 6-10” of snow. However, I also needed to pay a visit to someone in a nursing home that I knew was actively dying. A neighbor offered to help with his snow blower, but I wasn’t about accept help; I could do it myself. Yet, a few minutes later I changed my mind because I was tired and knew I had a lot to do. With his help, we were done in less than a half hour and I was on my way. I made it to the nursing home just a few minutes before the person died and was able to share that time with the family.

I wish I could tell you that I have gotten over my pride and difficulty receiving neighborly help. For every time that I have accepted help I can name many more that I have not. Hearing Jesus’ story about the Samaritan and the half-dead man in the context of Lent helps me get over myself. Though it may be hard, this Lent I’ll try not to run from the room screaming when Jesus tells a story because I know it’s something I need to hear and enter into. What about you? Where do you find yourself in this story today? How is Jesus stretching you? Jesus is calling us to walk the way of the cross, a way that ironically leads to life. Thanks be to God! Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment