Reflections on “Crossing the Line” Joshua 24: 14-25; Mathew 25: 1-13

I did not reference the Matthew passage.  In my original thoughts on the sermon, I was going to add a section on making the commitment now before it's too late, but the sermon seemed to develop without that point being added.  We had a good day of worship with the kids' choir singing, a baptism, and recognition of new members, all of which tend to make the sermon work better -- the better the overall worship, the better the sermon.

I should have worked the Colonel Travis illustration better -- I stumbled though it, and it should have flowed.  I liked this sermon's content, but was not as polished as I would have liked in the presentation.  I did have an error (at least one member caught it) - I noted that "statute and ordinance" in vs. 25 of Joshua is singular in the original "Greek," even though Joshua was written in Hebrew.  not sure how I made that mistake.  I actually referenced the information from a Bible commentary, so i wrote the info down wrong and did not catch it (the person who caught also shared with me that in the King James translation, it is singular).

I am out of town next Sunday, so no sermon preparation this week or reflection next Monday.

“Crossing the Line”  St. Andrew; November 12, 2017; Joshua 24: 14-25; Mathew 25: 1-13 

“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 

24 The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. 26 Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 Joshua said to all the people, “See, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, if you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua sent the people away to their inheritances.

Introduction: biblical scholarship can really help us understand bible passages.

for example, biblical scholars would note Joshua begins with God speaking to Joshua in Chapter 1 and finishes with God speaking to the Israelites through Joshua in the last chapter.  Gives us a context to understand Joshua’s role and the position he holds as he makes this speech to the Israelites who have gathered at Shechem.

Or biblical scholars point out how earlier in chapter, Joshua has used a prophetic phrase,  “thus says the Lord your God…”   It might remind us that even though Joshua is considered a book of history, it has a prophetic voice as well.

Biblical scholarship can be helpful.

But I always thought the best way to understand this story in Joshua was found in the 4th and 7th grade TX history classes.  

In those classes you learn about the Alamo, if you hadn’t already.

You learn the story of Colonel William Barrett Travis gathering all the soldiers who were in the Alamo on what legend has the night before the fateful attack by the Mexican army under Santa Anna.  

Travis told the soldiers that if they chose to say in the Alamo, they would die.  He then drew a line in the dirt and invited anyone who wanted to stay with him and die in battle protecting the Alamo to cross the line.

All but two walked across the line.  Jim bowie had to be carried across in a cot; Louis Rose, a French soldier of fortune did not cross the line and instead slipped out of the Alamo that night and escaped.

The powerful image of Travis inviting people to cross the line reminds me of Joshua, standing before God’s people and inviting them to step forward in faith, or go on their merry way.

A few reasons why the Israelites might choose to step forward in faith. 

Colonel William Barrett Fannin gathers the troops together tt

Move 1: Step forward in faith because they know God.

a.  As the Israelites choose to commit to serving God, they recite all the things God has done for them.

1.   god brought them out of slavery in Egypt.

2.  God did great signs for them.

3.  God protected them from their enemies.

4. God drove out those who lived in the Promised Land so they could lay claim to the Promised Land.

5. In summary, God has claimed them, loved them, and given them new life.

b.  this image of God is in contrast to the what the people might have expected from a Lord or master in their time.

1.  Masters who acted erratically and impulsively, whose only concern was how those who served could meet the master’s needs (New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol II, 716).

2.  Masters who had power and used power their own sake, not for the sake of their servants.

3.  Gods with high expectations of what people should sacrifice and give for the sake of the gods.

4.  The God of Israel is a different God, a God who acts with love to save them.

5. he kind of God they can cross the line to follow.

Move 2:  Stepping forward in faith  is a commitment.

a.  Language about God being a jealous God.

1. We do uotknow what to do with that language.

2. Seems odd.

3.   Not about God being jealous of other gods, but God demanding total commitment.

4.  A hen  a pig strolled down the avenue.  The hen looked up at a huge billboard advertising ham and eggs. “Look at those magnificent fried eggs with the orange yellow yolks,” said the hen.  “Look at the fried ham,” said the pig.  After a moment the pig spoke:  “For you, those eggs are a small gift, but for me, the ham is a total commitment.”

b.  Notice when the Israelites rush to say they will serve God, Joshua stops them.

1. “No, no, you cannot do this.”

2.  Joshua knows this is a big deal.  

3.  Giving their lives to God is a huge commitment.

Move 3. Stepping forward in faith is also stepping away

a.  The Israelites have to give up the other gods.

1.  Many scholars believe Chapter 24 written during the time of exile.  

2. In exile they see in full display the many other gods people to which people turn.

3. they also have to turn away from despair.

4.  Hopelessness. 

b.  Bring this story to our context - what do we have to turn away from in our lives?

1.  What are you going to do with the God who demands all of you?  

2.  Maybe that’s why Joshua tries to talk them out of making their commitment.

c.  In original Hebrew, the “statutes and ordinances” in vs. 25 is actually singular.  

1.  Only one statute matters.

2.  the Israelites know that statute:   “I am the Lord you God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You shall have no other gods before you” (Joshua, Judges and Ruth, Carolyn Pressler, Westminster Bible Commentary, 122).

Stepping forward to cross line to serve God moves turning away from lots of other options in our wold.

Conclusion:  Travis drew a line in the dirt and invited those in the Alamo to cross and die for their cause.  

Joshua invites the Israelites, invites you, to cross the line, not to die, but to have new life.

"Leper Talk" Mark 1: 40-45

We had a nice service today.  We are between preaching series, so I preached a sermon I had preached several years ago when I served FPC, Troy.  Actually, I started with an old sermon, but by the time I had made revision based on some new insights, there was not much left of the old sermon. 

I had a pretty cool Time with Young Disciples.  I had the kids kneel on the area in front of the communion table and ask beg Jesus like the leper did, and then I told them Jesus said, "i choose you," and invited them to come up in the chancel area, which is on the other side of the communion table.  Then, I told them that when Jesus says, "I choose you," it means he is willing to give himself for them, which is why the path from being outcasts on their knees to being with God goes through the Lord's Table.  It seemed work pretty well.

“Leper Talk” FPC, Troy; February 12, 2005; Mark 1: 40-45

⁴⁰ A leper^[a] came to him begging him [Jesus], and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity,^[c] Jesus^[d] stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy^[e] left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus^[f] could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Introduction: The Gospel of Mark is known for its style that is very direct. For example, Mark does not spend any time with stories of Jesus’ birth - Mark goes straight to Jesus’ ministry.

In the original Greek, Mark’s style reflects lots of verbs.  Action.  Action. Action.

In this opening section of Mark, the action is often Jesus healing.

Let’s reflect for a few moments about this particular healing story.

Move1:   Leper cannot help himself - he has to talk to Jesus.

a.  He thinks he has found the one who can heal him.

1. we do not know what he has heard about Jesus or seen Jesus do already.  

Maybe he was there when Jesus called the unclean spirit out of the man.

Or perhaps he had heard about Jesus healing Simon’s mother when she had a fever.

2. We do not know what has led to this moment; 

we do know the leper has to talk to Jesus.

b.  Not just talk to Jesus, but ask Jesus to heal him.

1.  Not just ask, but get down on his knees and beg Jesus to heal him.

2.  “If you choose, you can make me clean.”

3.  Less a question of Jesus’ power - the leper has no doubt Jesus can heal him;

more a question of what Jesus desires.

5. Is Jesus the kind of person who has the power to heal and wants to heal?

6.  Jesus responds to the leper’s “If you choose” with a resounding, “I do choose.”

Welcome to the son of God, the one who chooses you!

Move 2:   Jesus could not help but touch and heal.

1. We get the sense that Jesus did not want to focus on healing.

1. Maybe he knew there would be too much crowd attraction.

2.  Maybe Jesus did not understand himself to be primarily a healer.

        3.  Maybe the news of the healing would make it easier to miss the point that Jesus came to transform lives in many ways, not just healing, as Jesus ushered in the reign of God.

b. But when the leper was kneeling before him, what could he do?

1. The leper, whose diseased skin makes him an outcast in the world.

2. the leper, who by the Jewish laws is labeled untouchable, both in a physical sense and spiritual sense.

4. the leper kneeling before Jesus has been labeled as an outcast;  a person no one will touch.

1. Except Jesus.  Jesus had to touch him. Jesus had to heal - that is who Jesus was, and who Jesus is, and who Jesus will be.
2. 
   
3. The one whose compassion cannot be contained.

1. the one who choose to free us from that which binds us and holds us back.

1. the one who chooses new life for us.

1. Christ could no more walk away from the leper kneeling before him than quit breathing.  

1. Jesus was a healer.  he could not help himself.

Move 3:  The leper could not help but talk.

1. Jesus told him not to tell anyone.

1. Remember, the person asking the leper not to tell anyone is the person who healed him.

1. In fact, if the leper wanted to respond, Jesus suggested he go to the temple and engage in the rites of purification.

1. legitimize his healing; certify him as ready to be accepted in society.

1. But Jesus just doesn’t want the leper to tell anyone what Jesus had done. 

5.  Surely the leper wanted to do what Jesus asked of him.

1. But the leper could not contain himself.

1. This incredible healing had happened and he had to tell.

1. Can you imagine how the scene might play out when he returned home if he chose not tell anyone about Jesus? 

“Son, your leprous skin is healed.  What happened?”  

“I can’t tell you.”  

Or maybe he could give a deceptive answer – “Well, the priest at the temple led me through the rites of purification, just ask him.”

Or if he wants to play top the drama and push the limits:  “Something big happened.  But I’ve been sworn to secrecy. Sorry.”

1. Instead, the leper cannot contain himself.  He has to tell everyone about what jesus has done.

1. To keep him from talking would be like keeping a new father from texting everyone in his contact list when his wife gives birth to their new child; 

1. or asking a new grandmother not to show photos of her grandchild. 

1. We are not told what the leper said, but it must have been good (of course, when you can show off your healed skin it illustrates your point pretty well!) because suddenly Jesus could not go anywhere without encountering crowds.  People desperately want to me him.

We do not know exactly what the leper said, but we know he had to say it.

 Move 4:  Powerful story - make sure you notice a couple of things.

1. Note the role reversal. 

1. The realities of the leper and Jesus are switched within five verses. 

1. When the story beings, the leper is an outcast who cannot come and go freely in his community.  he is an outsider, shunned because of his physical ailment.  

By the end of the story, he is able to come and go as he wants, released from the bondage of his disease.

1. On the other hand, when the story begins we see Jesus moving freely wherever wants, healing at will.   he wants suddenly finds himself unable to enter a village and is kept from his role in life. 

4.  A reminder that  when Jesus comes to transform our lives, he is willing to give up himself.  (this point comes from having read the comments of Sarah Henrich,Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN (http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1201)

b.  also, imagine how we might responds to what jesus does for us.

1.  Some of us might like the instructions Jesus gave the leper – don’t’ tell anyone.

  2.  but isn’t part of the leper’s experience our experience as well?

1.  I suspect many of you are here today because you have been touched by Christ, you have experienced his love and his presence, you have had your lives changed by him.

2. Or you want to experience Christ. 

3. You want to be in relationship with the one who says, “I choose you?”

You want to be changed. 

4.  Jesus invites us into this life changing, transforming relationship with him.

c.  what do we say in response to having discovered the life-changing presence of Christ in our lives?

1. Are we compelled to speak?

2. To share with others what we have discovered and how God has been a part of our lives?

3. Or do we keep it to ourselves?  Keep quiet about what God has done?

Conclusion:  Jesus had to heal; the leper had to talk; what do you have to do?

“A Common Servant ” SAPC, October 29, 2017; Matthew 23: 1-15; Kirkin’ of the Tartans

I preached this sermon as part of a Kirkin' o' the Tartan service.  I had never seen one of these services, so it made for an interesting week of putting together the liturgy and trying to find a way into the sermon.  My friend and colleague Karl Travis, who serves at FPC, Ft. Worth, sent me a couple of sermons he had preached for similar services.  He gave me the idea of preaching on this passage from Matthew, which included the observations about Knox' grave and the statue of James VI. The Scottish liturgist who joined us today is a member of FPC, Ft. Worth, and he noted that my preaching reminded him of Karl's preaching! 

I had some fun exploring some of the Reformation themes in the context of this sermon.  The point suggesting the Reformation's emphasis on bringing leadership to the local level means the accusations that Jesus as for the Pharisees are not directed toward the church congregation made for some interesting conversations after the service.  

I noted Peter Marshall told his call story every year on the anniversary of his coming to the United States  What I did not tell was my own variation of Marshall's pattern.  I happened to read his Peter Marshall's biography, A Man Called Peter, my first fall in seminary.  Although I did not start the habit of preaching my call story every year, I did begin reading his biography every fall to connect to my first sense of call to ministry and be reminded of Marshall's strong sense of call.  I probably followed that pattern for 5 or 6 years.  It was good to skim through this book again as I reflected on this sermon.

“A Common Servant ” SAPC, October 29, 2017;  Matthew 23: 1-15; Kirkin’ of the Tartans

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,[a] and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. 6 They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.[b] 9 And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.[c] 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.[d] 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell[e] as yourselves.

Introduction:   Peter Marshall, the Presbyterian minister credited with organizing the first Kirkin of the Tartans service (that was actually the name of the sermon he preached at the service honoring the Scottish heritage of the Presbyterian Church) was, in fact, from Scotland, the land of the kirk.  Kirk, of course, being the name for the church.

Marshall had come to the United States with the intention, no concrete plans, but the intention of figuring out a way to go to seminary (his cousin had suggested he come to the United States because it would be a easier to work his way through seminary).

he became a popular preacher (when I say popular, I mean popular — a church i worked at in Austin during seminary had an older member who lived in Washington DC during Marshall’s tenure at NY Ave Presbyterian Church there.  She told me of going to church to hear Marshall preach and having to stand outside on the sidewalk with others to listen to his sermon piped outside because the sanctuary was too full) and chaplain to the Senate.

Every year, on the Sunday nearest the anniversary, he would tell his call story.   Not just his story, but the story of his brothers and sisters in Christ who encouraged him and helped him along his journey; and the story of the local congregations that supported him, joined with him in ministry, and heeded his preached words.

 A reminder of his roots in Scotland, his roots in the kirk.

This morning we go back to our roots.  all the pageantry and tartans remind us of our Scottish Presbyterian heritage.  

Three things to remember about our Scottish roots.

Move 1:  Scots took their faith seriously.

a.  One of the compelling theological forces behind the Reformation was the theological assertion that the grace of God that did not have to be earned, nor did it have to mediated by a religious authority such as a priest, bishop, or pope.

1.  John Knox joined Luther and other Reformers in this new understanding.

2.  Part of that theological push freed people, but it did not remove people from responsibility.

b. Our Scottish Presbyterian forebears understood their faith to be a serious matter, not to be taken lightly.

1.  The Scripture reading this morning might come across as a bit severe, but it would have a been a typical text to be expounded on in the Kirk in Scotland.

2.  One day a Scottish preaching was going on about hell.  He said that it will be awful, painful, that there will be much gnashing of teeth.

   An old man on the front pew looked up and smiled broadly, smacking his gums.  He had no teeth.

   

The preacher looked him square and replied, “Teeth will be provided.”

c. The love of God did not need to be mediated by the pope or a priest, but it made high demands on the Christian.

Move 2:  Our Scottish predecessors shaped what we know as the Presbyterian church to invite all God’s people to participate.

a.  As the Presbyterian Church of Scotland took on its shape, it was built on the kirk, the local congregation, which was run on democratic lines.

1.  The kirk was free to choose or reject its own pastor.

2.  No bishop or pope told the people who they must have as a minister.

b.  Instead of bishops like the Catholic structure, Knox introduce the idea of ten to twelve superintendents, to diffuse the leadership.

1.  Ultimately, even the presence of superintendents was rejected and shared leadership between clergy and members became the hallmark of the Presbyterian Church.

  2.  Each kirk elected its own elders, to lead the congregation.

3.  this governing body was made up of elders, the English translation of the Greek word Elder is the English translation of the Greek word “presbuteros,” which is why we are known as the Presbyterian Church — church run by elected elders.

4. Beyond the Session, was a presbytery, which was made up of equal number of clergy and elders to ensure the clergy did not dictate policy.

5. at a national level, there was a General Assembly, made up of an equal number of ministers and elders from each presbytery.

6. our structure in the United States looks very similar, although we have an added layer of synods between the presbytery and General Assembly, again made up of equal numbers of clergy and elders.

7. the practice of people electing the elders and voting to call a minister continue in our church today.  In fact, immediately following the recessional this morning, we will live out this practice and elect officers for next year.

c.  John Knox also pushed for national education, which did not pass the Parliament, but reflected the Church of Scotland’s desire and insistence to for the common people to have the ability to read the Bible and live out their faith responsibly.

d. As we remember our heritage and its emphasis on the people leading the church, we might that Jesus’ words we read from Matthew speak directly to the problem of religious authorities and give thanks for the Reformation’s push away from those types of authorities.

1.  It’s true that Jesus hated hypocrisy. 

2. He loved hypocrites, just like he loved sinners, but but he hated hypocrisy.  

3.  he hoped for, he modeled for us, he demanded of us lives of consistence, authenticity, and integrity.  

4.   And Jesus confronted anyone who was pretending to be one type of person by day but another by night, pretending to be one type of person in public and another in private.  

   

5.  Jesus even confronted the religious authorities of his day.  

     

6.   He said that the rabbis bound others up in high expectations,  then did nothing to help them.

      He told people to do as the rabbis said, but not as they did.

      

7.  Jesus called the rabbis hypocrites. They loved public attention.  They loved the prestige of position.  They loved the head table and the black tie affairs and the title and the robe and you have no idea how uncomfortable it is for me to read this passage.

  

8. The Reformation set that straight once and for all, right?

e. Except, except that Jesus shifts the conversation from those religious authorities to “you.”

1.  You, meaning all of us, fall prey to hypocrisy.

2. you, meaning all of us, are called to be servants.

3.  When the Reformation bring leadership down to the level of the common person, it also brings the challenge to our hypocrisy to the common person.

4.  If we find the church hypocritical or not not humbly serving God, we are in the bulls-eye of Jesus’ accusations.

The Reformation invites us all to participate in the leadership of the church, which also invites us to the challenge of leading as a servant.

As Jesus reminds all of us :     “the greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Move 3:  The call to reform continues as we seek to be the body of Christ in the world. 

a.   two images left from the Scottish Reformation that were shared with me by my friend and colleague Karl Travis at FPC, Ft. Worth.

1.  When Knox died in 1572 they buried him in the church graveyard.  In a symbol of something or other, the graveyard is now a parking lot.  John Knox, the father of Scottish Presbyterianism, is buried under space 23.

1.  Perhaps fitting.

2.  Certainly a sign of changing times.

b.  Interestingly enough, above the asphalt, looking down upon space 23 and therefore down upon Knox’s grave, is a statue of James VI.  

1.  That’s James VI of Scotland.  In England they remember him as James I.  He was the first king of the United Kingdom.  

2.  Scotland had been independent before that, free from England.  James VI was therefore seen as a traitor.  

   

3.  Which is why that statue of James VI has a strange feature.  On the nape of James’ neck, maybe four inches tall, barely visible unless you know to look for it, is a small face.  While the statue looks east, this face looks west.  And whose face is this?  Like the front of the statue, it is also the face of King James.  The small addition was the sculptor’s way of saying that James VI was two-faced.

4. A comment about hypocrisy among leaders.

c.  Time passes.

1. the world changes.

2.  Graveyards become parking lots.

3. The demands on God’s people change.

4.  The clans we celebrate today spawn familial connections that expand and integrate all sorts of different ethnicities.  

d. the Israelites learned this truth.

1.  Moses, the great leader, will die.

2.  In fact, he will die without completing his task of settling in the Promised Land.

3.  His mantle of leadership will pass on to Joshua.

4.  the tasks change.  the leaders come and go.

e. our Scottish heritage provides a meaningful and powerful background that has shaped us and who we are.

1.  From our past, we move into the future.

2.  Scotland of the 16th century is not Denton of the 21st Century.

Conclusion:  But we worship the same God, the God who meets us in Jesus  Christ, the God who calls us to be humble servants.