All Saints Lutheran Church
September 28, 2003
Pastor Tim Johnson
Mark 9:38-50

Everyone has those weeks where you get knocked off kilter. Well, this was one of those for me. It just seemed busy with things, in general, and then you add to that the events of this past Wednesday, with the school shootings up north, and the tragedy of the event in Duluth, and it just has you stop in your tracks with sadness for some of what life brings.

I was already thinking and praying about this morning's message, and had continued to feel moved to preach about how important it is that this be at least one place in life where people can be real, when Wednesday's events revealed the desperation of someone at the end of their rope, someone who became overwhelmed with their life's agony and decided to retaliate, unjustifiably against others, and I was struck that much more deeply about the ongoing importance of the Christian community being a place that receives people just as they are—and invites deeply real, genuine relationships to be developed.

A couple of weeks ago, as I preached on the passage from the Bible where Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” I suggested that all of us should reflect on the extent to which we have willingness to get real with one another in our lives. And, whether we ever really let other people speak their mind and heart to us. Or, whether we simply hide behind our masks that everything is OK. The consequences are not only shallow relationships, but also deep wounds that never heal, and love that is never shared.

But, I've got to ask you, isn't that all rather exhausting when we hide? Doesn't it wear you out when you're not really you? When you feel like you have to keep the real you under wraps, fit into what others expect of you, play the role that others have put out there for you to fulfill. Don't we all start to go numb in life when we lose the vibrancy of being and speaking the truth of who we are and where we are in life and our deep needs for love and purpose?

Oliver Wendell Holmes once say, “Most people go to their graves with their songs still unsung.”

On some deep level, I believe that we all want the same thing. And that is that we all want to be real, to sing our songs. Not that it's always easy to be real, but in the end isn't it better than living behind all the facades we put up in our lives?

One of I think the most profound things about a relationship with God is to know that God sees the real you and me. Not only do we not need to, but we cannot hide from God. Psalm 139 declares,

“Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there.

Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. Even then your powerful arm would guide and protect me. Or suppose I said, “I'll hide in the dark until night comes to cover me over.” But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you.

You are the one who put me together inside my mother's womb, and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt. Nothing about me is hidden from you!

But too often times we try to hide, and consequently our lives are diminished and we find ourselves just living out life without ever being real or without ever finding or singing our songs.

Norman Cousins once said, “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside of us while we live.”

It's that place within us that Jesus comes to restore and to give back. It gets back to this business of being real. I think that we only have hope of being real with each other when we allow ourselves to get real with God. And in that there is a constant emptying of oneself of where we fall short, where we've sinned, where we've experienced great loss, and see over and over that Christ is there to take all of that--our sinfulness, our loss, our hopelessness—and give us then what we most need—forgiveness, the gift of God's riches, and the promise of eternal life. Then we feel the refreshment of the Spirit that gives us our lives back, THEN we turn to one another with a renewed ability to love. In fact, the Bible beautifully describes what the Spirit has to give: love, peace, patience, kindness, joy, gentleness and so on.

Like when you make it your ministry, at church or work or school, to take time not only to connect with your friends or those whom you know, but also to reach out to the loner, the visitor, the stranger, the one who always get picked on. You never know what positive impact that might have on someone else's life.

Or, when you determine to step out in faith in a whole new way, taking a risk and devoting your time or resources to something that blesses other people's lives—the Chicago or Mexico Mission trip, serving as a mentor at church or school, or inviting someone into your home who has some special needs.

When God's Spirit gives direction to our lives, we not only grow in our experience of being loved by God, but in extending that love to others without conditions. Ruth Smeltzer said it beautifully: “You have not lived a perfect day, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”

And, I've got to ask you, isn't that what we all need from others? An environment in which we can simply be ourselves—to not be judged, to come as we are, to discover genuine care and compassion, and love that is willing to take the messiness of our lives and step into it in order to help us out, and to move through our grief or struggle and to help us to discover a more joyful and meaningful experience of our lives. Isn't that what Jesus meant, after all, when he said that he came to give us life—not just any old life—but abundant life.

I contend that there is no genuine abundance of life when we're not real with God and with each other. And this is at the heart of what it means to be Christians and to be the church. I ask you, what might you be willing to risk to discover this life that God intends for you and for us?

Like the person who asked, “I like the church, I really do. But what I want to know is whether I can really be myself here. Or, do I have to pretend here just like I do everywhere else in my life? Because if I can't be real here, I already know how to hide out there, and I don't need any more practice at that.”

The way I see it, the church has erred too frequently over the years on the side of official doctrine and order. Stated creeds and dogmas. Liturgies that don't invite freedom of expression. Confessions that have to follow an exact process and include the right words and steps. And, we get upset when others don't look to be Christians like we think they ought to be look or sound. Like John, one of disciples in this morning's lesson. Can you hear him: “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” “Whoever is not against us is for us,” Jesus replied.

Now, I know that theology matters. I know that order matters. I know that we have deep caring and love that is given here in this place. But, I am increasingly convinced that we are being called to a deeper spirituality, a deeper walk with God, and a deeper investment into one another's lives. I think we need to care more about loving people than we do about having all the right words. We need to risk the messiness of not knowing how to love perfectly and err on the side of loving imperfectly. We need to worry less about being embarrassed or not having a very religious sounding testimony and give voice to the hope that we do have within us. We need to go ahead and assume that part of being real with God and others is sometimes messy and unpredictable.

The Spirit of God is like the wind, says Jesus, it blows where it will. We must open the doors to our hearts and our church wide and let the Spirit blow where it will in our lives and in our church. Perhaps there is a new wind, a refreshing breeze that might stir us to take more risks.

God calls the church to be a place of sanctuary from the evil of the world. And that means that we take seriously the call as adults, first and foremost, to care passionately for children and youth. Every adult in this church should find their way to support our children and youth. For some of you, it is to pray for our youth and families. Some of you have been blessed with wealth that can be used for the well-being of children here in this church or around the world. Some of you have a story of hope to share, and you should be doing that here on Sunday mornings or at a Wednesday night confirmation. Some of you have been sitting on the sidelines with a wealth of life experience and faith, and God is calling you to pour it out for the sake of Christ and some young person in this church or community. Be a mentor or an assistant for one of our ministries. Some of you can do phone calling. Parents, especially, you should be continually equipping yourselves to grow faith in your homes.

The writer, Arthur Gordon, wrote:

One of the most insidious maladies of our time [is]: the tendency in most of us to observe rather than act, avoid rather than participate, not do rather than do; the tendency to give in to the sly, negative, cautionary voices that constantly counsel us to be careful, to be controlled, to be wary and prudent and hesitant and guarded in our approach of this complicated thing called living.

It's about being real and involved.

What I know is that our young people are growing up in a culture that is increasingly violent, and where there are greater and greater divisions between those with hope and those without it. We must cross those barriers. And, we must be confident that with God we can experience deeper and more meaningful community and friendships with one another, and that together we will reach out to this hurting world with the love and gospel of Jesus Christ.

But let us make no mistake that in order to do any of this we must always be a praying church. And we do so believing deeply that one life matters, that even one conversation of encouragement can make a difference. All of those little acts of grace that touch other's lives.

So, the question is, who do you need to get real with today? God? Someone else in your life? And, whose life are you being called to step into in a new way? Not because you have perfectly got your act together or have all the answers, but because you are confident that with God's help, a life can be touched and encouraged.

With prayer, and with God, those deep places of your heart and your life can be healed and can be a blessing to others.

Amen.