The Yoke of Love - Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Year A

 The Yoke of Love

Pentecost 6A

July 9, 2023

Christ, Preston, MN

Matthew 11.16-19, 25-30

I’m not sure why or how, but I grew up thinking I had to do things myself, that I couldn’t ask for help from anybody. Perhaps it was being the middle-oldest of four children or maybe it was my parents' strong work ethic. Regardless, I rarely asked for help. That started to change when I was a pastor in Winona and had surgery on my shoulder. I had to ask my wife for help to do the basics of care. Around the same time, I was discerning whether to enter a doctoral program. With one daughter already at Winona State and another one on the way, it seemed financially impossible. So, I told God that if he wanted me to do the doctoral program then he’d have to provide the funds. God agreed, but told me that I’d have to ask for them. Which I did. And which God did.

I’m guessing that I’m not alone in this affliction of self-sufficiency and apparently people in Jesus’ time suffered from it, too. Last week we finished the Missionary Discourse as Jesus prepared his followers to be sent out to do the work he was doing. He has resumed his teaching and preaching and gets an odd question from John the Baptist, who is in prison. “Are you the one who is to come or should we wait for another.” In essence, Jesus says, “Yes.” Then Jesus turns to the crowds, extolling John the Baptist in his role as the forerunner to his ministry.

Our reading for today picks up there and Jesus turns a bit crankier. He takes a swipe not at the crowds who are following him, but at the religious leaders of the day who can’t seem to be satisfied where he and John are concerned. Using the parables of the flute, a metaphor for the celebratory nature of weddings, and the wailing, a metaphor for the mourning that happens at a funeral, Jesus says that no matter what he or John do or don’t do, whether they drink or don’t drink, the religious leaders are critical. But, he says, they can’t have it both ways. Jesus is cranky because they not only refuse to listen to a word from God,  they also make religious life harder for the people.

As if everyday life weren’t hard enough, especially lived under Roman rule, the religious leaders heaped up additional burdens. And, if we need any more dumped on us, the Apostle Paul exposes our all too human condition: we do those things we hate to do and don’t do the things that we want to do. But then Jesus’ tone softens and he turns back the crowds, inviting them into rest for their souls. It’s at that point that Jesus’ invitation reminds us that we don’t need to go it alone or do life ourselves.

To make his point, Jesus uses the image of the yoke, one which the people would have been familiar with. You all probably know more about yokes than I do, but I understand they distribute the load more evenly. In fact, I believe that two animals yoked together can do more than two individually. Yet, the yoke Jesus offers is not a new law or religious rule, but rather a yoke of love. Remember the two greatest commandments, to love God and love others. As Zechariah shows us, this king doesn’t come proudly on a warhorse but rather in humility.

This need to share burdens is one of many reasons we need to belong in community. Over the last eight months I’ve seen how you have cared for one another in so many ways. You’ve wrestled with how we can strengthen that sense of community post-pandemic. You’ve stepped up, claiming the ministry God has been doing in, with, and through you and found creative ways to deepen your relationships with each other. An African proverb says it well: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” You will be going far because you will be going together. So, whatever burden you’ve brought here today, know that you don’t have to carry it alone. The One who is gentle and humble in heart gives you rest for your soul. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

The Declaration of Dependence - Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Year A

 The Declaration of Dependence

Pentecost 5A

July 2, 2023

Christ, Preston, MN

Matthew 10.40-42

“Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”

This verse and those that follow are often used as a basis for extending churchy hospitality to outsiders. Congregations proudly declare, “All are welcome” which, of course, is a very good thing to say and do. Unfortunately, most congregations fall short of living this out, believing that they are truly welcoming, but in reality only to themselves. Christ Lutheran Church in Preston may be an exception. Congregations do better when this invitation is made to the table of Holy Communion, but again fail to realize that it doesn’t always mean it when, as one child once said to me, “I’m not welcome.” Indeed. That led to some serious conversation about who gets to commune in that congregation. That may be a growth area for Christ Lutheran Church as it discerns what “All are welcome to the Table” really means. We’ve already had some initial conversation.

Also, unfortunately, these verses aren’t really aimed at churches offering hospitality but rather receiving it. We are at the end of the so-called “Missionary Discourse” in Matthew’s Gospel, the second of five blocks of teaching by Jesus. Two weeks ago, we heard Jesus describe the great need in the world and how he selects 12 of his disciples to be apostles, sent out into the world to bring healing and good news. Then we heard how they were to rely on the hospitality of others and, in the midst of certain blowback and even persecution from some people, that God will care for them as God cares for all creation.

Jesus wraps up his instructions to the 12 with this claim, that those who receive them and welcome them don’t just receive them, and not even Jesus in his name, but God as well. Now that’s an amazing claim, and we enjoy the idea of a cup of cold water extended to us for what we do. But it’s also a warning of sorts that may result in the water being thrown in our faces rather than given to us in a cup. What we do or don’t do, say or don’t say, reflects not only on us but also on the one who sent us.

This is an important word to hear because the church no longer has its privileged place it once held in society. Almost everywhere I go, parishioners lament the encroachment upon the church’s “territory.”  Sundays are already gone and Wednesday nights are going. Sports and other activities are virtually every day during the week and not just seasonally, but year-round. Ministeriums are vanishing and church becomes one more obligation among many vying for peoples’ time. It may not be happening as much in smaller communities like Preston, but it is still happening.

That sounds dire, doesn’t it? I don’t think it needs to be, and perhaps it may even be a good thing. How so? Because now that the church is decentered and pushed to the periphery, perhaps it can remember why it exists and to whom it is to be sent: to heal the broken in God’s world. Additionally, we get to recover our prophetic voice that is often silenced in accommodation to the culture. We advocate for those on the margins who are unable to advocate for themselves.

This week, we’ll be celebrating the Declaration of Independence, an important remembrance for our country. Even so, I think that today we should celebrate the “Declaration of Dependence.” In other words, we rely on the Gospel, not the privilege of position. We are Christ’s hands, feet, and voices in the world, bringing the Good News of God’s love. Welcoming all to Jesus’ Table is a good start as it strengthens us to go out and see how we can bring hope and healing to a world that needs us to walk alongside it, not berate it. Whether you receive a cup of cold water or get one thrown in your face, know that you are a beloved child of God sent in Jesus’ name to Love God, Love People, and Follow Jesus. Thanks be to God. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

No Fear - Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Year A

No Fear

Pentecost 4A

June 25, 2023

Christ, Preston, MN

Matthew 10:24-39

“So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

In chapter nine, Jesus had been traveling along, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God and healing many people. Suddenly he stopped and sensing an opportunity for a teaching moment with his followers. One can just imagine him sitting down holding forth in what we now call the Missionary Discourse, the second of five blocks of teaching in Matthew’s Gospel.

Friends, look around you. See how many people need to hear the Good News of my Father’s love? There are so many needs and I’m only one person. Is your gut twisting like mine is? Do you have compassion on them like I do? They are like sheep without a shepherd or like ripened wheat with no one to bring the harvest.

So, here’s what I’m going to do. You twelve, who I’ve called disciples, who have been with me and heard my teaching, I have a special assignment for you. You are now called apostles because I’m sending you out to do the work I’ve been doing. Now, this is going to sound crazy to you, but we’re going to do things differently than other teachers and students. First, because God’s love is free, you are not to accept any payment for healing people, curing lepers, and even raising the dead. Nothing. Second, take nothing with you, no money, extra clothing, not even a bag. Trust that people will feed you and house you. Trust that you will be provided for.

Now, I need to prepare you for something that might happen to you because it’s happened to me. What you are doing is not always welcome. The Good News of God’s love and grace is not seen as good news to everyone. Also, because you’re my friends and followers some people will hate you because of my name and reputation. That may not be fair, but that’s the way it is. And you really shouldn’t be surprised because we all belong to each other.

I wish that was all that you had to face, but I want to be totally honest with you. You’ve probably already noticed that my mere presence causes an uproar in families. Sons argue with their fathers, mothers with daughters, everyone taking sides. Of course, I don’t want that to happen, but that’s how it works out. Someday people will agree not to talk about me at family gatherings because it causes too much commotion. Maybe it’s already happening.

Frankly, one reason why my message is so hard for people to is that it requires a different way of thinking, one that goes against everything people are taught. My message invites people into a new way of life, one that demands unwavering loyalty to my way, the way of God’s kingdom. You’ll understand more about what I’m talking about after my crucifixion. But for now, know that when you follow me and give your life to serving others you will find true life.

Right about now I sense some of you drifting away, wondering what you signed up for. That’s okay. I’m not going to soften anything I’ve said because I want to be honest about what it means to go about in my name. Instead, there’s more because with God there’s always more. Here it is: don’t be afraid. I know, that sounds easy for me to say and simplistic, but it’s important. You see, God has you covered. You see those sparrows over there, what some of you call a poor man’s meat because that’s all they can afford to eat and the cheapest sacrifice available for the temple? It may sound incredible, but nothing happens to any of those sparrows that God doesn’t know about. And in case that doesn’t wow you, God even knows how many hairs are on each of your heads. Seriously.

Two thousand years from now someone will pick up on this and say that a life lived in fear is a life half-lived. That’s right, 2,000 years and people will still be experiencing what you are experiencing right now, trying to figure out what it means to follow my way. The important thing to remember when I’m gone is it’s because of God’s love and care that you can do this, in spite of all the difficulties that come with the territory. None of us can do this on our own, not even me. So, get out there and do the work that God needs to have done, to love and bless a world that is hurting and needs to know that God loves them.

Indeed, Jesus’ words were prescient. Those early followers would be treated just like Jesus was treated. Matthew’s community would face blowback from people in the synagogues who didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah. People in positions of authority felt threatened by Jesus’ message of love and acceptance to marginalized communities. But Jesus was also right about God’s presence with Jesus’ followers down through the ages. The way of Jesus has persevered, even if it hasn’t always behaved in the way of Jesus. It may seem creepy that God knows everything, and that might not be good news to some people. Even so, to know that God is with us in, with, and through the good, bad, and the ugly sustains us every moment of every day. As the Apostle Paul notes, death no longer has a hold on us. Because we have no fear, we are able to Love God, Love People, and Follow Jesus. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

On the Fringes - Sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost Year A

On the Fringes

Pentecost 2A

June 11, 2023

Christ, Preston, MN

Matthew 9.9-13, 18-26

I listened to a podcast a few weeks ago on something called the “Imposter Syndrome.” Have you ever heard of that? According to the magazine, Psychology Today, “People who struggle with imposter syndrome believe that they are undeserving of their achievements and the high esteem in which they are, in fact, generally held. They feel that they aren’t as competent or intelligent as others might think—and that soon enough, people will discover the truth about them. Those with imposter syndrome are often well accomplished; they may hold high office or have numerous academic degrees.” The podcast I heard listed such accomplished actors as Viola Davis and Tom Hanks as dealing with Imposter Syndrome.

I think many of us struggle with Imposter Syndrome in one form or another. We have self-doubts, wondering if we belong. I know that I’ve been part of groups where people were far more accomplished than I, leaving me wondering if I belong. I suspect that some of you here today have similar feelings, that you wonder if you really belong, especially here in this church. You look around and see others who have their faith-act together and think you are a fraud compared to them. Well, if you are one of those, this sermon is for you and me. For the others who don’t have this problem, please sit quietly until we’re done.

We have an interesting cast of characters in our Gospel reading from Matthew 9 today and I wonder if they had doubts about belonging, whether they were worthy of Jesus’ attention. Matthew, the reported namesake of this Gospel, was himself a tax collector. He is joined by other tax collectors, “sinners,” a woman with hemorrhages, and a dead girl, along with her father (synagogue leader), Pharisees, disciples, and Jesus of course. Then these odd characters are found in odd situations. Jesus calls Matthew, who immediately follows, eats with the disciples, tax collectors, and sinners, all under the curious eye of the Pharisees. Jesus himself follows without hesitation the synagogue leader to attend to his daughter and, while on the way, encounters the woman with the hemorrhages.

It’s helpful to remember that many of these people were on the fringes of Jewish society. Tax collectors because they collaborated with the Romans, handled unclean money, and took advantage of people by overcharging them. “Sinners” was a catch-all phrase for those who didn’t observe Jewish laws. Women with flows of blood were ritually unclean as were dead people; observant Jewish men wouldn’t touch them because they would become unclean. Not only does Jesus consort with these people who are on the margins, but he also eats with them, unthinkable in that day and age.

In case we miss the point, Jesus declares that mercy is a core value of God’s kingdom and furthermore, he didn’t come to call those who have it all together, but rather those who are on the outs. Frankly, the worst thing that happened to Christianity is when the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in the early 4th c. and Christianity became the “official” religion of the empire, suddenly becoming mainstream. True, Christianity spread quickly because of this, but it quickly forgot who it came for and why. As an aside, the leaders of the church also became obsessed with the power this brought them, forgetting that they came to serve the people rather than the other way around.

So, if you’re one of those who  have it all together, you can leave anytime and don’t need to come back because this place isn’t for you. But, if you don’t have it all together, feel like you’re not good enough, a fraud, then this is where you belong. The good news for you today is that you don’t have to pretend anymore because Jesus came for you. The issue isn’t whether you deserve God’s love or not, what others think, or what you do or don’t do. The issue is that Jesus invites you to follow him in order to love and bless our broken world, especially you. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

E Pluribus Unum - Sermon for Pentecost Sunday Year A

E Pluribus Unum

Pentecost Sunday A

May 28, 2023

Christ, Preston, MN

1 Corinthians 12.3b-13

Susan related a story from her days as the young wife of an equally young Army officer, Lloyd. To understand this story, you need to know that it was before the Army became an equal opportunity employer with women serving alongside men. The Base Commander’s wife invited the wives of the newly arrived officers to a reception at her home. After they’d arrived, the Commander’s wife instructed them to sort themselves by rank. Susan, a bit flustered, knew her husband was a lowly Lieutenant and let the others move themselves around, figuring she’d be at the end of the line. After they sorted themselves out, the Commander’s wife sternly admonished, “Ladies, you have no rank! It’s your husbands who have rank, not you.” With that, the Commander’s wife informed them that they had no special status because of that of their husbands.

The Apostle Paul may have been expressing the same sentiment to the church at Corinth. This was a church that Paul founded and with whom had a deep relationship. This intimate relationship was maintained through letters back and forth. Most scholars agree that 1st and 2nd Corinthians contain a mashup of several letters Paul has sent, as many as five. We have none of the letters that the Corinthians wrote, but we have some of Paul’s. They would ask Paul questions and he would respond and we have to guess at the issues by how Paul responded. It’s like listening to one side of a phone conversation. Like many communities of faith, the Corinthians were trying to figure out what it meant to be followers of Jesus. Remembering that this was a scant 20 years following Jesus’ ascension, to a large extent Paul was doing the same thing.

The situation of the Corinthians made this question important. Corinth was located on a busy trade route in Greece and the city contained a diversity of peoples. The church at Corinth likewise mirrored that diversity: there were old and young, rich and poor, slave and free, Jew and Gentile etc. None of these groups was used to gathering with the other. In addition, all had previously worshiped various gods. Prior to today’s text, Paul answered questions about worship. In particular, it appears that the rich and privileged were able to gather early for the weekly meal, which has come down to us as the Lord’s Supper. Not waiting for the working people, they ate and drank to excess, leaving nothing for the others. Paul admonished those who were privileged  that they must wait for the others and eat together. (That’s the issue in 1 Corinthians 11, not how old you need to be to take Communion.)

That’s not the only divisive issue as Paul addresses the idea the Corinthians had that some spiritual gifts were better than others. In fact, as we can see in chapters 13 and 14, the gift that caused the uproar was speaking in tongues. Those who spoke in other tongues deemed their gifts superior, giving them a higher rank. However, Paul makes two points and then a metaphor to explain how wrong this is. First, Paul insists that there is only one Spirit, Lord, and God, not three (or more as the Corinthians were used to). Second, Paul tells them that all of the gifts are to be used for the common good, not their own personal aggrandizement. He then illustrates his points with the metaphor of body. They are all like many members of one body. Later, he’ll tell them they are the body of Christ, who is the head. Thus, in addressing the issue of spiritual gifts, Paul is also speaking to the larger issue of unity in the midst of diversity.

As Rabbi Ed Friedman has noted, this is the same phenomenon that is baked into the fabric of creation and being worked out since. Millions of years ago, single-celled organisms gained the ability to join with others and as time passed, cells would specialize and become the diverse multi-celled creatures we see today. Even so, this diversity is always in the service of the larger whole. The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. This process of giving up some independence in service of the larger whole, Friedman notes, was used by the original 13 colonies to form the United States, most eloquently stated by James Madison in The Federalist Papers. This led to the unofficial motto, E Pluribus Unum, “out of many, one.” Diversity serves the greater good.

As I counsel couples preparing for marriage I always tell them that, “If my wife and I were the same, one of us would be unnecessary." There is diversity of opinion here at Christ Lutheran about what the next pastor should be like and if there should be shared ministry with Union Prairie Lutheran. That’s good and healthy as long as some of the cells don’t become cancerous and insist everyone else be the same or, to shift the analogy, thumbs don’t dictate to the rest of the body, The unifying principle of America is found in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, but of course, our unifying principle is Jesus Christ, crucified, risen, and ascended. This is neatly summarized in your mission statement: Love God – Love People – Follow Jesus. To do so we are blown by the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life. Thanks be to God. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

Jesus 2.0 - Sermon for the Sixth Sunday of Easter Year A

Jesus 2.0

Easter 6A

May 14, 2023

Christ, Preston, MN

John 14.15-21

My wife and I have been married almost 43 years and of course, been together longer than that. An early lesson I learned still sticks with me all these years later. I learned that most of the time when she gets upset about something she doesn’t want it fixed. Rather, what she really wants is for me to just sit with her, commiserate with her, and maybe hold her hand. That was (and still is) hard for me because I dislike seeing her in pain and I want to fix it. But it’s not about what I need; it’s about what she needs. That’s a lesson that’s carried over as a pastor, to know when someone just wants a presence, someone to listen.

“Jesus said, ‘And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.’” These verses follow last week’s well-known text about Jesus preparing a place for his followers and us and the well-known “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” It’s the Last Supper, just before Jesus is arrested, tried, beaten, and crucified. He knows his followers will feel lost and alone without him, so he does three things in this long, final speech to them. First, he reminds them of his mission from God, which is now their mission from God, to love and bless the world.

Second, he tells them they will be together again, that he goes to prepare a place for them. And third, in the meantime, as they focus on the mission, they will not be doing it alone. In a foreshadowing of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Jesus tells them that another Advocate is coming, this one also sent by God the Father just as he has been. In other words, the Holy Spirit is going to be Jesus 2.0, only they won’t physically see him.

The Greek word that the NRSV translates as “Advocate” is paraclete. (No, this is not the bird parakeet. The Holy Spirit is depicted by a different bird, the dove.) If you were to look at 10 different Bible translations, you will probably see 10 different words, such as Counselor, Guide, Helper, etc. I’ve even seen “Coach” used. If you literally translate paraclete, it becomes something like, “One who has been called to walk alongside.” Or, as it sometimes happens, one who comes to sit with another and perhaps holds her hand. We know that living our life is up to us, but the presence of another makes that living easier. That’s why community is so important to us.

This is all well and good, but according to the text, it seems this presence depends upon whether we love Jesus or not. It’s almost a “chicken or the egg” conundrum. Which comes first, God’s love or our love? First of all, we remember that elsewhere in the Bible it says that “God is love,” and that “We love because he first loved us,” both in 1 John 4. But I think it’s also helpful to know that the Greek word for ‘if” can be also translated “since,” or “when.” In other words, “Since you love me you will keep my commandments” or “When you love me you will keep my commandments.” Jesus is trying to express in words what is almost inexpressible, the mutually abiding love relationship between God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and us.

Now, Jesus is not talking about romantic love here, though there can be feelings involved. Rather, Jesus is talking about agape, sacrificial love. Even so, it’s still true that when you love someone, when you are in a mutually abiding and intimate relationship, you want to do the right thing. So, we don’t beat someone else up because we don’t think they are following Jesus properly. That’s not our job. Instead, we become Jesus 3.0, Christ to others, walking alongside in both difficulty and delight. May you know the abiding love of the Holy Spirit and share that love with others always. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

The Way of Jesus - Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Year A

 The Way of Jesus

Easter 5A

May 7, 2023

Christ, Preston, MN

John 14.1-14

One of the spinoff TV shows from“Star Wars” pantheon is called “The Mandalorian.”, The title character is a bounty hunter, something of a loner from a group of displaced peoples. Mandalorians wear special armor called Beskar, virtually indestructible. Their armor includes a helmet that hides their face and they never take off because, as they say, “This is ‘The Way.’” The Mandalorians also cite a Creed that guides their behavior and way of life as they seek to follow “The Way.” Furthermore, whenever there’s a debate about what to do and a decision is made, after agreement they all chime in by saying, “This is ‘The Way.’”

Interestingly, the early followers of Jesus called themselves The Way long before being called Christians. The book of Acts tells us that they were given the name “Christian” by outsiders, but that they were known amongst themselves as “The Way.” This designation no doubt derives in part from Jesus’ words about himself from today’s Gospel in John 14. He  says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” words we hear quite often at funeral services, for good reason. So, here we have another “I am” saying we often encounter in John. Last week it was, “I am the Gate,” and by inference, “I am the Good Shepherd.” We remember that Jesus uses the “I am” sayings to denote a special relationship with God.  “I am” is the name God uses with Moses in the desert when Moses asks God whom shall he say sent him when the people ask.

We may feel whiplash as we find ourselves back in John where we spent four weeks in Lent. Yet, there we looked at the texts as we prepared for Jesus’ crucifixion, but here we look at the texts through the lens of the resurrection. Perhaps this is a flashback that helps us to recall what he said to his followers before his crucifixion. On the night of his betrayal at the Last Supper, Jesus is preparing them for his absence. He assures them that he is not abandoning them as well as reminding them of the mission to love and bless the world.

We often think about Jesus’ statement in exclusive tones, that no one can get to heaven if they don’t confess that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. But as important as that is, I don’t think that’s what Jesus is saying here. First, though Jesus does talk about eternal life, he wants that assurance to give us life right now. Second, when Jesus says “I am the way” I think he is saying, “Walk the way that I walk.”

So, what does it mean to walk the way of Jesus? Well, he has given us some guidance earlier in chapter 13. This whole conversation, Jesus’ last words and marching orders to his followers takes 5 chapters in John’s Gospel. It is often called the Farewell Discourse. At the very beginning of this last night together, before they do anything else, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet. And as he does so, he gives them a “new” commandment, to love one another as he has loved them. In other words, the way of Jesus is the way of service.

As we think about this, we remember more "Ways of Jesus." We remember how he eats with the outcasts of society, “tax collectors and sinners.” We remember that he stands with the poor and marginalized who are oppressed by the powerful of the world. The way of Jesus welcomes little children, the least of these, into his arms as he treats them with respect. The way of Jesus tells us that true life is found by giving ourselves away for others, that we gain our lives when we lose them.

The Mandalorian people have broken into factions that interpret “The Way” differently. Part of the storyline involves understanding those differences and finding ways to be The Way together in spite of them. That’s part of the work of walking The Way of Jesus, so important during this transition time. There’s no better start than your own mission statement: “Love God, Love People, Follow Jesus.” This is the Way. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.