The Body

This message was first delivered at Providence United Methodist in Rustburg, Virginia and White's United Methodist in Lynchburg, Virginia on August 5, 2018. It is based on the lectionary texts of John 6:24-35 and Ephesians 4:1-16. 

John 6:24-35 NRSV

So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Ephesians 4:1-16 NRSV

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.)

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

Both Paul and Jesus are talking to their followers about a calling. A task that is to be done. In each of today's scriptures we are not only instructed about WHAT we are supposed to be doing on earth, but the way we should approach the job at hand. Both Jesus and Paul are trying hard to guide a wayward group of people – with their own ideas and tendency to get their eyes off the ball. Are we really any different from the crowds they were addressing in Capernaum and Ephesus?

At the beginning of our Gospel lesson today, we are picking up after Jesus has fed 5000 with 5 barley loaves and 2 fish. The people are amazed and excited and ready to make Jesus their king by force. So Jesus has vanished. And the crowd piles into boats to go after him. When they find him he indicates that they are more motivated by what he did for them than the real substance of WHO he is. Verse 26 in The Message is paraphrased as “You've come looking for me not because you saw God in my actions but because I filled your stomachs – for free.” And he is calling them (and us) to a higher level of understanding. He wants us to strive for things that last, and not the perishable things of the earth.

Paul, from prison, is urging – even begging – the followers to get to work! He says they need to live a life worthy of the calling they have received. Once again – what is that calling? What are we supposed to be doing here? In John, the crowd even asks “What must we do to perform the works of God?” What – specifically – are you asking us to do Jesus?

Have you ever worked on a project with volunteers who needed a lot of guidance? It takes about the same amount of patience that Jesus had...which is about one more measure than I usually have. Recently I was a part of the Kiwanis Club of Lynchburg's annual Shrimp Sale. We sold 1450 pounds of shrimp which was picked up on the morning of distribution day down in Oriental, NC by a member and chauffeured in a refrigerated van in boxes of ice to the parking lot of Holy Cross School. The club members then have the task of removing the ice and weighing the shrimp into 1 pound bags for pickup by the people who ordered. We've been doing the same fundraiser for several years and have the process worked out so that we can go from 50 pound boxes of icy shrimp to happy customers in under four hours.

The problem with this year was that there didn't seem to be anyone in charge of getting things set up to start bagging shrimp! I was in charge of orders and check-in and money so I was there, but had to get my station setup before the customers started driving through. But I kept looking over at the weighing station seeing people wandering and putting a box from here to there, and there to here...yet there wasn't any shrimp going into bags? I walked over and one of these grown people, who has worked the event for several years, looked at me and said, “what should we be doing?” Jesus would have approached it better than I did. And he would have left out one of the words from my next sentence... “how about you start putting shrimp in bags?” Jesus was patient with the question, “how should we go about doing God's work?” He didn't pick up a bat and say, “what did I JUST tell you people?” He tells them (again) what the work assignment is “this is the work of God: believe in him whom he has sent.” Believe in him who God has sent. Jesus says, it's simple stupid – put the shrimp in the darn bags!

Even easier than getting a dozen Kiwanians on task – your job is to believe in Jesus. Just believe. Because if you believe – then it is going to change you. Change the way you see the world. Change the way you see the people around you. If you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, sent from God. Listen to him. Hear what he is saying about how we are to relate to each other in God's world. How we impact the people around us. Believe. And then what?

Strangely, even though this is the same crowd that just saw him feed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish with baskets of leftovers...their next question is “what sign are you going to perform for us now?” They go on to babble about signs given to their ancestors in the form of manna – bread from heaven – while their ancestors were in the wilderness. “Hey Jesus! Sure, the trick with the bread and fish was cool – but what is next? What wonder can you do NOW to prove you are who you say you are?” Jesus should be lauded for not dropping a giant loaf of sourdough on them.

We can't believe in a Messiah that is only as good as his last miracle! That isn't belief...that's just fandom. Are we here to be followers of Jesus or just his fans? We've got to be in this for the long haul! My father has been a fan of the Washington Redskins for most of his 78 years. That is through the good years AND the bad. And if you're a fan of the Redskins, you've got to be able to tolerate years of bad... As far as the NFL goes – I've been a fan of the Denver Broncos when Elway was quarterback, I like Boomer Esiason and cheered for the Bengals for awhile, I liked the Baltimore Colts but still hold a grudge against the Indianapolis Colts. I'm a fan...and not even a very good fan...not in any way a follower. I'm ready for the next Superbowl win or gold medal. Fans are fickle. Jesus doesn't want fans, he wants followers.

Believe in him whom God sent. That is the task. And bless their hearts, the crowd still doesn't quite get it. They are still focused on earthly things. Jesus said that the manna wasn't from Moses, but from God and that God was now offering them bread that comes from heaven that gives life to the world. And the wandering Kiwanians said, “oh cool, give us some of that!” “we want to have that all the time”

And Jesus simply says, “I am that bread. Whoever comes to me won't be hungry, whoever believes in my won't be thirsty.” Eugene Peterson's The Message, which is a paraphrase, did not originally have verse markings. In later editions, including the Biblegateway.com edition that I use, the added verse numbers sometimes break up paragraphs in different spots.

Often that is the case because the paragraph and the thought continues on. This final paragraph of today's gospel lesson is one of those instances where Peterson saw how verses 36-38 completed the thought begun in verse 35. Hear 35-38: Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.” This takes “believe” into a whole new level. He understood that even though the crowd has seen him in action – they haven't taken it to the next level of actually turning to God – running to him. Diving into the sureness of truly believing that Jesus is the son of the most high God.

Because the crowd is just like we are – at least sometimes – our minds are on the earthly things. And this is where we often get tripped up in getting the job done that we were told to do – because if we believe, then we are instructed to spread the word. Not out of obligation but because you can't help it!

Like the guy on the commercial who just keeps telling people how much he saved on his car insurance – or the lady who won't stop talking about the new man in her life who takes such good care of her and is smarter/taller/faster than anyone she's ever met before. Or like me when I find a great new restaurant or see a wonderful movie or read an impactful book.

If you've heard me speak before, it is likely you have heard stories from my favorite book (besides the Bible and the Harry Potter series) Tattoos on the Heart by Father Greg Boyle. The funny thing is that even though I have now read it dozens of times (not exaggerating) and have bought and given away about 80 copies...when my sister suggested that I would enjoy it – I didn't try it right away! I'm kind of stubborn like that. But once I did read it. I could not stop talking about it and sharing it.

The story of Jesus being sent by God to reconcile the world to him should spark the same burning desire in us. We can't stop sharing it because it has changed our lives. And that doesn't always mean that you need to stand in a pulpit or on a street corner “proclaiming.” Doesn't mean you've got to quote scriptures to your waitress or leave tracts in the bathroom. You've got to find your own pathway.

That is one my key takeaways from the passage from Ephesians today. Now that we know WHAT we are supposed to do...HOW are we supposed to approach the task? Hmmm...shrimp in bags...what process is required? I will tell you what I wanted to shout that muggy Friday afternoon standing on the asphalt of a parking lot when grown people were wandering around with orange cones and duct tape. “I don't care HOW you get it done...but these people are coming and will need their shrimp...figure it out, find a process that works for you and get to work.” “These people need God's love. You need to show them that love. Figure out your process and get to work.

Because although we are all called to get the same task done – Paul clearly states that we will have different approaches. We need to find unity – despite the fact we will all be given different gifts. Oh man...Jesus, wouldn't it be easier to just tell us exactly how to do it? Give us a formula, some blueprints, some rules. Man, humans sure do seem to like rules. Not that we love following rules but it is so much easier to tell when someone else is doing it WRONG! This is where people thrive...pointing out the faults and defects.

Paul says we need to get over ourselves. We've got to stop focusing on the earthly stuff...which includes our own desires and egos and desperate clinging to “my way is the right way and the only way and if you don't do it my way which is the only right way, you are indeed WRONG.”

Paul says we are all on the same road and heading in the same direction and that we are following the same God and are therefore saturated with oneness. And yet, we don't have to all look and speak and act the same. We are actually given a variety of gifts. You may be an apostle or a teacher or prophet or leader...you need to take stock of your gifts and find ways to stir them up and use them! Because God didn't give you that gift to put in the closet and keep it for a rainy day. He wants you to put that gift to use now! Have you ever given someone a gift to see them smile and set it aside and you just KNOW you are never going to see them wear that scarf you knitted or see them serve cookies off the plate you chose so carefully. It is disappointing isn't it? You want people to use and enjoy your gift!

A couple of years ago my sister Denise was just beside herself when she came to my house to celebrate my birthday. It is also my mother's birthday, so I just assumed she had found something really cool for mom. Denise is a very thoughtful gift giver. I wasn't even paying that much attention when I unwrapped a strangely shaped heavy object. When the paper was off, I realized that she had given me a blowtorch!! Now, I understand this isn't a gift for everyone...but I was so excited. I went straight into the kitchen and torched some marshmallows and bruleed some sugar on a banana. The funny thing is – Denise was just thrilled that I was excited. I don't know who had more fun that evening...I think it was me, but she was glowing.

God wants to see us use our gifts. He is glowing whenever we do! But Paul's list of gifts in Ephesians is NOT ranked in order of importance. It isn't indicating that one gift is better than any others. And we know from the old testament that we aren't to covet...so we need to let others use their gifts while we use ours. Because this is truly the way that the followers will be able to accomplish our goal. The way that we show the love of God in the world. The way we transform the world by making disciples of Jesus Christ. We work within the body until we're all moving together rhythmically and easily, efficient and graceful.

Paul has words of caution that we would be wise to hear once again, that we be careful not to be children, tossed to and fro...blown about by every wind of doctrine, trickery and deceitfulness. We need to be more mature than that!

Verses 15-16 from the Message sum up the goal of HOW we work together: “God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.” Do it the way Jesus would...follow his lead...do his work with all humility and gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Humilty, gentleness, patience, peace and love.

Search out your gifts. Find the ways that you can use those gifts to show everyone the truth. That God loves us and sent his Son as proof. Let's rededicate ourselves to the task at hand.

As we close this time of worship together I'd like to share a prayer in the form of scripture. Sometimes when I don't know what to pray, I turn to the Psalms and pray scripture instead. Close your eyes and listen to a portion of Psalm 51...the psalm written by David after he was confronted by Nathan about his affair with Bathsheba. As David pours out his heart to God, seeking his forgiveness...pour out your own heart feel God's loving embrace.

Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry.

I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down.

You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair.

I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing.

Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.

Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!

Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home.

Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.

Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise.

Amen

Doubt and Faith - Where the Rubber Meets the Road

This message was first delivered at Providence United Methodist and White's United Methodist in Rustburg, Virginia on April 8, 2018. It is based on the lectionary text of John 20:19-31.

Doubt and Faith

“When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

There is a lot going on in this passage of scripture prescribed by the lectionary for the first Sunday after Easter! It is a continuation of the resurrection story of last week – this astounding turn of events in the lives of the disciples, Jesus is alive? Have you heard that Mary SAW him and spoke with him? Jesus is alive? The followers of Jesus were reeling. It has been an incredible week from the high of the parade in Jerusalem with Jesus riding on the back of a donkey and the people raising their voices and waving palm branches to the unbelievable betrayal of Judas and that mockery of a trial? And when Pilate gave the people an opportunity to set Jesus free as his token of respect for the Passover...the people picked Barabbas, a known murderer? It was only a few days ago that the disciples had suffered through the horror of Friday...watching their teacher, leader and friend nailed to a cross and hung between two common criminals to die. The disciples saw the sky grow dark and when Jesus breathed his last – the curtain in the temple tore in two! Incredible stories of tombs opening up and the dead being raised and walking around the holy city. Yes...this has been an incredible week for the followers of Jesus. And just when they are beginning to wrap their heads around the death of Jesus...now Mary says that she has seen Jesus and he is alive. I think we all would be feeling some doubt. That evening – answers arrive.

Jesus drops by. And he drops by with style...he appears among them in a locked room. Shazam. These are folks on edge. They are behind locked doors for a very good reason – the Jewish leaders are to be feared. There is no reason to believe that the disciples aren't going to be next – clearly the establishment is planning to eradicate this rebellion. Suddenly, Jesus is THERE. And he shows them his hands and side – they don't even have to ask! And they are exuberant. I can only imagine. This is amazing. And I'm sure they were freaked out! The first thing Jesus says is “peace be with you.”

Peace? Impossible! But Jesus isn't calling for quiet – he's calming and reassuring the followers that this is real. They aren't hallucinating, he is really there with them. And John tells us that Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on them. And he gave them an instruction - If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. And before they get to ask him “what do you mean when you say that?” - in John's gospel, he is gone.

And later, Thomas shows up and is treated to the most incredible news. The rumors are true, Jesus is alive – he was here! Thomas wants proof. This is too much...it isn't possible according to all of the human laws of physics and logic. Thomas has seen miracles performed by Jesus that defy those scientific realities. He was there at the feeding of the 5000. He's been part of Jesus' posse for a couple years – astounding is kind of what Jesus did. But Thomas and the other followers have had their world shattered.

In the space of a week things have turned upside down. And now folks are trying to tell Thomas that it really is ok...Jesus is risen from the dead. Thomas can't shift gears that fast. I totally relate. Even when there is good news at the end of a tough situation it is difficult for me to shake off the dark stuff and embrace the light. Lost my key last week and even after it turned up, the evening felt broken. I understand that it is human nature and that I'm apparently responding to years of evolution of the human experience. This tendency to focus on the negative is part of what kept our ancestors alive. Watching out for predators and dangers was once key to survival. Somebody needs to inform my reptilian brain that I'm not likely to be attacked in the wilds of Madison Heights.

I relate to Thomas more than just his inability to rapidly embrace new information. I completely relate to the doubt. And Thomas and I aren't alone. Thomas may be the most famous doubter – but he's just an example of all our humanity. We doubt. We ask for proof. Sometimes we demand it. We feel entitled to uncover “the truth” - we want the whole story. Show me.

Thomas says, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.” And a week passes by and the disciples are again together locked away behind closed doors. Jesus appears. And again he calmly reassures the group by saying, “Peace be with you.” Then he focuses on Thomas. “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”

Thomas didn't even have to ask. Jesus knew. Look carefully at how Jesus treats Thomas. John does not report that Jesus was angry. He encourages Thomas to seek the assurance that he seeks. And the dam in Thomas bursts and he declares immediately, “My Lord and my God.” The doubt is washed away. Can you feel the relief of knowing that Thomas experienced?

Then Jesus simply says, “Have you come to believe because you've seen me? It would have been even better if you had believed without proof.” Eugene Peterson's The Message phrases that part of verse 29 as “Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.” Nowhere does it say there is punishment for doubt – it says “even better” if you believe without demanding proof. Jesus understood Thomas and he understands us.

I think that I am fortunate to teach the youth Sunday School class at Centenary. They are an energetic bunch of middle and high schoolers who are in the first Sunday school class where the teacher says on a regular basis “I don't have all the answers.” (Truth be told, I don't even have all the questions!) Encouraging them to explore what their faith means to them as individuals is a tricky transition from the “reading bible stories and coloring pictures of Jesus” Christian education to “what does this mean for ME today?” One of those youth asked me one day if I ever had any doubts about whether all this is real or something somebody made up.

Ever? Oh yes honey...yes...and I'm not alone.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, now Saint Teresa, was known for dedicating her life to the poor, sick and dying in India. When people are asked about modern day saints – she is the example that more people point to than any other 20th century figure. Even though she has been dead for a little over 20 years, most of us can picture her stooped figure. Her faith is so celebrated that the Catholic church canonized her in 2016 (that is, declared her a saint). So there were some that were stunned when a book of her letters was published in 2007. Because those letters revealed a side of Mother Teresa that only her closest confidants knew...she felt doubt.

A few excerpts from those letters reveal a heart that I understand. In September 1979 she wrote to a friend, “Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.” Even soon after she began the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 she wrote “Please pray specially for me that I may not spoil His work and that Our Lord may show Himself — for there is such terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead,” “It has been like this more or less from the time I started ‘the work.’” At times she even found it hard to pray. “I utter words of community prayers — and try my utmost to get out of every word the sweetness it has to give — but my prayer of union is not there any longer — I no longer pray.”

There were some who found these dark letters disturbing and wished the publishers had not included them in the collection. I'm glad they are there.

They give ME immeasurable comfort. Finally a saint I can relate to! Because I relate to Thomas and Teresa – I have times of doubt. Because this isn't logical! I have one friend that I see when I visit the Outer Banks who is agnostic. We've spent SO many hours debating the existence of God that I have lost track. He has said many times, “you are one of the most intelligent people I know. How can you believe in something so unbelievable?” We've gone through the whole Bible as literary device supported by other writings of the early church and Eusebius and Pliny the Elder and Josephus... but it always comes back to the question of belief in absence of proof. “Why wouldn't a God make it more clear that he exists...write it in the sky?”

Well, Thomas...because that is the easy way. As Jesus said to him, “how much better it would be if you believed without seeing.” Jesus knew the early church was going to have to dig down and rely on their faith during the coming times – it was going to be tested and he needed it to be stronger than just believing what you can see, what you can prove. Because that is fleeting, depending on your level of trust in the proofs. How much better it is to be able to believe when you can't see. That takes trust. Jesus was encouraging his followers to hang tough in the face of a world that was already questioning if he was truly the Messiah or just another prophet. They were going to need faith.

But here's the thing – we've come to equate doubt with a lack of faith. And that's not accurate. Paul Tillich, German-American theologian and philosopher said, “Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith.” Doubt is an element of faith? The dictionary defines doubt as “to be uncertain about something” and it defines faith as “belief that is not based on proof.” How is doubt PART of faith? Well, ask yourself, “what do Doubting Thomas, Doubting Teresa and Doubting Chris all have in common?”

They kept showing up.

The scripture from John says that it is a week after Jesus first appeared to Mary, the followers on the road to Emmaus and the group in the locked room. Plenty of time for Thomas to get out of town before the Jewish leadership decide it is time for more of Jesus' crowd to die. After all, they are already having to deal with these rumors that he has returned from the dead – in Matthew's account the chief priests have paid off a contingent of the Roman guard. Matthew 28:11-15 from The Message, “Meanwhile, the guards had scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. They called a meeting of the religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of money and gave it to the soldiers, bribing them to say, “His disciples came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping.” They assured them, “If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we will make sure you don’t get blamed.” The soldiers took the bribe and did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council, is still going around.” But even a week after Thomas declares he doesn't believe it unless he sees it...he's there. Why?

Because Thomas was faithful. Despite the lack of tangible proof, he's there. Even though Mother Teresa couldn't always feel the presence of God...she showed up. And she continued to serve the God that she believed in – despite the doubt...because that is where faith kicks in.

It isn't hard to believe in the stuff that is right there in front of our eyes – belief in the face of doubt is where the rubber hits the road. Are we in this for the long haul or are we just going to fall away when confronted with the challenges of the world? Because the world is always going to challenge our belief – going to encourage our doubts...are we going to show up for God anyway?

There is a website that I discovered during my study and preparation for this message – roomfordoubt.com – which has a section called Stories of Doubt. I really resonated with a story from Bob about his journey. Bob grew up in an inner city neighborhood. In junior high he attended church with an uncle and soon accepted Christ. He was in a racially charged junior high and high school, with a riot closing his high school a month before graduation. During that time he relied on God and was in constant prayer. Then he went to a Bible college. And the environment changed and he said without the imminent dangers he found himself with the “luxury of doubt” and his mind was soon asking serious questions about Christianity. (1) Is God even there? (2) If there is a God, why should I believe the Bible? (3) If there is a God, why should I believe God really cares about me?

And it took time and effort but Bob continued to seek answers. He talked with professors and read a lot of books and came to these conclusions with that period of growth: “By then I had decided that God is real. I had decided that the Bible is reliable. I had discovered that great intellectuals believed, and I had decided that the evidence was strong enough that I must also believe. But I still wondered about my own place before God. Then I read Francis Schaeffer’s True Spirituality. There I decided that God cares personally about me because God says so. I remember crossing the threshold to decide to take God at God’s word. In the face of demanding evidence, I chose to believe and to reinforce the decision of surrender I had made years earlier. I believe that the Holy Spirit is always working with all of us, either from the outside or from within. I believe that even then God was leading me through times of question and encounter, always giving me opportunity to draw closer, but also leaving me the option to go the other direction. God’s grace protected me, led me, and stimulated me, allowing attacks and doubts to give me opportunity to choose to believe. To God be the glory!”

John completes Chapter 20 by revealing why he wrote the gospel - Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Have you come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah? Are you willing to follow even when you don't have all the answers? There are a lot of people, including professing Christians, who do have doubts about God and the identity of Jesus. One option is just to tell them to stop doubting, because it’s totally incompatible with having “true faith” and therefore wrong.

Another option is to give them an opportunity to talk about their questions and doubts and help them work through it. I've decided to practice what Jude commands in Jude 1:22 “And have mercy on some, who are doubting.” Because this isn't a sprint – it is a marathon. We've got to keep showing up, making an impact on a hurting world and through the journey we find these kindred souls all struggling with something...also continuing to show up.

And in those periods of time when we feel like we have all the answers – let us be humbled to recognize that Jesus meets us where we are. On the journey, not just at the destination.

I'll close with a poem I discovered by Norman Shirk of the Dallas Theological Society - 

DOUBT

Let me meet you on the mountain, Lord,
Just once.
You wouldn't have to burn a whole bush.
Just a few smoking branches
And I would surely be ...your Moses.

Let me meet you on the water, Lord,

Just once.
It wouldn't have to be on White Rock Lake.
Just on a puddle after the annual Dallas rain
And I would surely be...your Peter.

Let me meet you on the road, Lord,
Just once.
You wouldn't have to blind me on North Central Expressway.
Just a few bright lights on the way to chapel
And I would surely be...your Paul.

Let me meet you, Lord,
Just once.
Anywhere. Anytime.
Just meeting you in the Word is so hard sometimes
Must I always be...your Thomas?

Yes, we all go through times of doubt and questioning just like Thomas. If we didn't have any doubts, we would have nothing but an empty hollow faith. Embrace these chances to grow in faith. It's when we overcome those doubts and see God's grace that we truly learn to believe.

Cost Basis and Return on Investment

This message was first delivered at Providence United Methodist Church and White's United Methodist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia on September 4, 2016. It is based on the lectionary text of Luke 15:25-33.

Luke 15:25-33 Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them,“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

For more than a dozen years I have worked off and on as a bookkeeper. Sometimes it has been my core responsibility wherever I worked, sometimes just part of my job. But I've come to understand a lot of accounting principles. Two of those core principles are Cost Basis and Return on Investment. If you don't know what your product or service costs to produce, you can't possibly know how much to charge. My favorite illustration of that comes from the classic TV show, I Love Lucy. Lucy needs money – for something – maybe it was a hat or a present for Ricky... She decides to go into business for herself making jars of mayonnaise with her long-suffering sidekick Ethel. She makes like 50 jars and sells it around the neighborhood but doesn't make a lot of money. So she decides to ramp up production and makes like 200 jars! She and Ethel work day and night producing and selling. They sell all the product and are excited to show Ricky the pile of cash. But then they start looking at the bills that come in from the grocer for eggs and oil, the hardware store for the jars...when Ricky does the math, they have been losing a nickel on every jar. Lucy wants to sell even more...the more they sell, the better, right? It is Ricky that has to explain the cost basis principle...but it doesn't translate well from Spanish. Mostly he waves his hands around and holds his head in his hands muttering words like “loco.” It seems simple enough – if you are losing a nickel on every jar of mayo...the best business plan is to stop making mayo.

It is important for us to know what the cost of things are before we start. In today's gospel lesson Luke uses the example of building a tower. Wouldn't it be silly to just get the foundation done before running out of resources? People will make fun of you! You'll look foolish. And short-sighted.

I found an excellent comparison when I looked at today's lesson on Sermons4Kids.com. I often find good stuff there. Thought provoking and not just for kids. It instructed me to ask “How many of you would like to play the piano?” Remember, you're eager young kids! “Wait! Not so fast! Before you raise your hand and say "yes" to that question, let's see what it would cost to be able to play the piano and see if you are willing to pay the price: First of all, you would have to buy a piano. It would be rather silly to say that you wanted to play the piano if you weren't willing to go out and buy a piano, wouldn't it? So the first thing you would need to do is look for a piano. I found a used piano on Craigslist for $500. The ad said it needed some repairs, so it probably isn't a very good one, but it's a start. Hmm....$500, do you still want to play the piano?

Next you need to find a teacher. After all, you can't teach yourself. Not if you really want to play well. I searched Craigslist to find a piano teacher. I found one for $25 a week. Let's see, that's $100 a month, do you still want to play the piano?

What else do we need? Oh yes, we will need some music! I went to the music store and found out that most of the music books cost $10-$15 each. If you want to buy a single copy of sheet music, they usually cost around $5.00 each. Do you still want to play the piano?

Now that you have a piano, a teacher, and some music you must be willing to practice. Most piano teachers require their students to practice at least one hour every day. That means that there will be times when other kids will be out playing while you must stay in and practice. Do you still want to play the piano? If you want to play the piano, you have to count the cost and make sure you are willing to pay the price!

Jesus said that same thing to people who said they wanted to be his disciples. Jesus told them that if they wanted to follow him, they had to count the cost. He said they had to be willing to take up their cross daily and follow him. To follow him, they might have to be willing to give up their family and friends. Jesus also said that people might make fun of them and call them names and that some people might even want to hurt them. They had to count the cost and make sure they were willing to pay the price.

A lot of people today say that they want to follow Jesus. They join the church and for a while you will see them every week, but when they find out how much it is going to cost, they fall away. Being a true follower of Jesus is not always easy, but it is always worth it, if you are willing to pay the price.

Making the sacrifice. Being a true follower. Jesus' non-negotiables are a hard list. Jesus said to those who were following him, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.”

This week’s reading from Luke takes toughness through the roof. On the face of it, the teaching here seems utterly offensive. Hate your family? Take up a crucifix and follow Jesus? Give up all your possessions? And if you don't do these things you cannot be a disciple of Jesus? What kind of cult leader is this Jesus guy?

What’s going on in this text? We’re seeing large crowds of people, groupies if you will, who are now joining a growing entourage around Jesus. Some of them may think joining the crowd constitutes being one of his disciples. He turns to them to clarify what he expects of those who are his disciples. It’s far more than admiring him, or even traveling with him. He’s going to be building a new movement and fighting against spiritual strongholds at the same time, and he needs people he can count on, absolutely. Their allegiance must be to him, and him alone. Not to family. Not to self-preservation. Not to comfort. And not to possessions. Only to Jesus.

In so doing, he wasn’t telling his admirers to go away. He was telling them not to confuse themselves for disciples, because he didn’t. On the other hand, if some of them were willing to be that committed to him, Jesus was also offering a call to discipleship. It would appear, based on Luke’s testimony in Acts 1 and 2 (there were 120 disciples praying together for ten days in Jerusalem and preaching at Pentecost), that perhaps some of them did.

If you are looking around or thinking about someone who isn't here today or other Christians you know...and asking how well they fit the standards set by Jesus, you may be tempted to use this passage to browbeat those who aren't living this way. Do not fall for that temptation!

Nowhere in this text does Jesus browbeat anyone. He simply puts forth what his standards for disciples are, and explains why those standards are as high as they are. It’s because the stakes of his mission and ministry are that high. They still are. Not all will respond to a call to discipleship.

Jesus points out the difference between fans and followers. And he makes it clear that he knows the difference. It isn't the only time the Jesus indicates that his followers are going to have to let go of things and people. The disciples who Jesus entrusts to continue spreading the word – that he was subtly training to be the grassroots effort to develop what we know as the church, the body of Christ, today...those disciples had to learn to travel light. They learned the value of less possessions.

Wait, what? What is the value of LESS possessions? Didn't I read somewhere that the person who dies with the most toys wins? Ah, embracing the value of less. That's hard for a lot of us. Not too many years ago I heard the late great George Carlin's take on “Stuff.”

I won't go into the whole rant – it is out there on YouTube and he is a lot funnier than I am. But in part of that stand-up routine he talks about how when you go on vacation, you have to take a smaller version of “Your Stuff” - he travels to Hawaii and has hauled two big suitcases (clothes and the practical stuff, obviously...but also little things that bring a sense of home, like a pillow or his slippers). Well, after getting all his STUFF settled in at the hotel – some friends invite him to visit them on Maui for a few days, so he has to create another even smaller version of his STUFF to take!

I can relate. I have been known to drive to visit friends in New York City instead of the relaxing comfort of Amtrak – just because I wanted to have some of my STUFF with me! I have a lot to learn about letting go of possessions. What does Jesus advise? We need to let them go. We cannot let them define us. We cannot be in any degree of allegiance to our possessions.

In his Sermon, “On Dress,” John Wesley tells a poignant story of a time he discovered, to his shame, he was more in allegiance to his possessions than to his call to be in ministry with the poor. He was faced with a girl likely to freeze to death because she didn’t have adequate clothing, and it was winter. He realized two things in that moment. First, he didn’t have the money on him at that moment to change her situation. Second, he did have assets in his home, such as draperies and paintings on his walls, that, had he not purchased them, would have enabled him to have the money to give her that day. Out of this he calls Methodists everywhere. “See your expensive clothing in the same light—your gown, hat, headdress! Everything about you which cost more than Christian duty required you to lay out is the blood of the poor!”

Jesus says, “None of you can be my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” Give them up. Let go any notion they belong to you alone. All of them. This is why monasteries typically require a vow of poverty. It is not to show off. It is not to “live simply” as if living simply in itself were a salutary virtue. It is to ensure that the community as a whole can give as much of what it earns to enrich the lives of those around them. This is why John Wesley and Francis Asbury died virtually penniless. Everything they received beyond what they needed to live off of, they gave to those who had need of them. In his sermon “The Use of Money” John Wesley urged the Methodists to earn all they could and save all they could (and by save, he meant avoid needless spending, not hoard!)—so they could give all they could. All they could.

How can we live out this teaching in a time where possessions seem so important? Are we called to monastic living? When we weigh out this cost of giving up self. Giving up security. Letting go of things...or people...which may be keeping us from fully realizing our potential. The potential to be in communion with the heart of God. To be reconciled to the one who loves us beyond reason? When we tally that cost – what is the other side of the equation? We ask ourselves the deep questions that the passage from Luke burns into our hearts:

How can I hate the family that has loved me,
A family you love?
How can I forsake the safety you have given me
Or choose my cross to bear?
How can I forsake what I've received, Unless I die?

I can't do it alone. And I realize that isn't the point. It's in letting go that I free myself to receive what God wants for me. If I stop hanging so tightly on to what I think is best for me...or what is comfortable for me... then I open myself to the possibility that maybe, just maybe...God might have another plan. Another path. I turn away from what satisfies me and toward what will bring me into a closer relationship with the one who knows me better than I even know myself.

The Psalm for today talks about how much God knows us. From Eugene Peterson's The Message, Psalm 139:1-6. Close your eyes and listen to a short portion of this love letter from David to God:

God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful— I can’t take it all in!

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body;

What is the other side of the equation? What balances out letting go of the stuff? And then what is the analysis? Is there good return on the investment? What comes from turning away from the earthly ties toward the heavenly relationship? And is the sacrifice worth it?

What would you give for the opportunity to be in full relationship with our Heavenly Father, the Creator, Master of the Universe? Would you be willing to shift from fan to follower? To embrace to chance to share that love with the world? Jesus had a pretty straightforward job description – “Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.”

I like it when the lines are clear. I don't like leaders who aren't honest about what they expect or whitewash the project's obstacles. That sort of communication gap frustrates me. I want the facts. Tell me what your expectations are so I can make an informed decision.

My paternal grandfather passed when I was about 10 years old. After a while my grandmother dated a few gentlemen. One was a fellow that she had known back in high school. They seemed to get along great, our family was fond of him...As a teenager, I didn't know why she didn't commit to him. Until I overheard her telling my mother her reason – my grandmother thought that her gentleman friend was something of a slob. And as I recall, he was kind of “rustic” - but I heard her tell my mom that she had set a deadline in her mind that if he had not cleaned off his desk at his house by the end of the year, she would never marry him. Mom asked what he had said when she told him. She hadn't told him and had no intention of telling him. So...the longevity of their romance was pinned to the cleanliness of his desk, at HIS house and he had no idea? On what planet is that fair?

But how many of us have fallen into that pattern ourselves? Setting up expectations but not communicating them? We should follow Jesus' example.

Jesus got crystal clear – if you are going to call yourself my disciple...that comes with a distinct identity. If you are going to call yourself my disciple, it is about following me. And if you've got any personal agenda, leave it at the door. If you are going to move forward with me – be fully with me.

God knows us completely, inside and out. Thus God can both judge us and show mercy toward us. You know how I will fail. You ask me to reach up anyway. And you meet me where I am. And I am grateful.

You teach me that there is so much more than the earthly things – you show me that the God who created the universe desires more for me than I can even begin to imagine. The possibilities are endless, once I learn to let go of self and trust in the wild and unfathomable love of God.

Luke's story doesn't end with Jesus' urging his followers to consider the cost of being his disciple. Jesus spoke those words mid-way through the gospel of Luke. Can you imagine a new pastor coming into a pulpit and saying “unless you are willing to give up everything, you can't be a part of this congregation?” No. But what happens after this in Luke's telling? You would expect the result of this hard truth to be the end of people following Jesus. The 12 disciples whittled down to 2 or 3? That's not what happened.

They kept following. No false advertising with Jesus. No empty promises. The disciples continue to follow toward Jerusalem and almost certain death. He tells them up front about the cost of following him – he promises them not a cushion, but a cross. He urges them to count the cost before deciding to follow. But note, that despite the demanding words and the difficult journey, still – they followed.

Doesn't mean that they don't stumble along the way. It doesn't mean that they don't disappoint Jesus along the way. It doesn't mean that they fully understood everything that Jesus had to say, it doesn't mean that they were always steadfast in their commitment. Still, they followed. And it doesn't mean that they didn't have their doubts along the way. Still – they followed.

And so have you. You may not know everything there is to know about scripture, you may have questions, you may have doubts and you may have fears...but still, you follow. There you are – you follow! You've stuck with Jesus, even when his words have stuck you...you are here, in this place of worship, banding together with others. Following. You'll go home after today and spend time meditating on today's message and counting the cost – but I believe that next week you'll be here, continuing to follow. Thanks be to God.