Sunday
07/15/18 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Be careful what you ask for!”
(“Living the Mission” Series
– Part 3 of 5)
Old Testament
Scripture: Psalm 24
New Testament
Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14
Gospel Lesson:
Mark 6:14-29
My dear friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome
once again on this the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost. Eight Sundays after the
Holy Spirit moved in a powerful and a mighty way, and the Christian Church was
born nearly two-thousand years ago. As we are in worship here this morning, may
we pray that the Holy Spirit moves once again in a new and a powerful way, here
in this place, in all of Sidney, and in all of the world.
So with this said, many years ago when I was very young, I
remember a movie coming on television right around Christmas time. This movie, as
it turns out, seems to have been on television every Advent and Christmas
Season ever since!
In this movie, “A Christmas Story,” the young character “Ralphie”
wanted something for Christmas very very badly. That thing that he wanted, as
many of us know, was a “Red Rider BB Gun”. He was obsessed with it, yet
everyone told him when he asked for it, “You’ll shoot your eye out kid”!
Well for those of us that have seen “A Christmas Story,” we
know that little “Ralphie” got his “Red Rider BB Gun”, and that he in fact did
almost shoot his eye out!
What is it like friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, to
really want something? I mean to really really want something? What does that
feel like?
There is an old phrase, “Beware of what you wish for”. Or
as my sermon title this morning is called, “Be careful what you ask for!”
I remember when I interviewed here this past winter to
become the pastor of this church, the people that I talked to here at Sidney
UMC wanted the new pastor of this church to preach out of the Bible, to visit
people, and to hopefully help to grow this church and its ministries to grow.
How many of us here still want all of these things?
I remember seeing a funny church newspaper cartoon a while
back that portrayed a church Administrative Board meeting. This specific church
board was discussing hiring a new pastor in this cartoon. The caption in the cartoon
read though, “We just want a young energetic pastor that preaches well, will
grow the church, and change absolutely nothing”.
Friends, like you I want this church and its ministries to
grow and thrive, but do we all really want that? This is why my sermon title is
called “Be careful what you ask for!” This of course is similar to the old
quote, as I said, “Beware what you wish for”.
Now this sermon that I am giving this morning, as many of
you know, is part of my five week sermon series called “living the mission”. As
many of us know, the mission of the United Methodist Church is “To make
disciples of Jesus Christ, for the transformation of the world”. We are called
to bring people through the power of the Holy Spirit to a saving relationship
with Jesus Christ, and then lead and guide them to serve others in Sidney and
in the world.
So what are some ways that we can
better live this mission out? One way, is to have pastors, leaders, and church
members that boldly love others in the name of Jesus Christ. Pastors, leaders,
and church members that care about you, love you, and shepherd you closer to
Jesus Christ. It’s important to know that your pastor, your church leaders, and
the members of the church love you and are there for you.
Another way to better live the mission
of the church, as I discussed last week, is to renew our faith and our hope in
Jesus Christ and his gospel, both individually and as a church. We need to
believe anew again in the power of Jesus Christ and his gospel. We need to
believe in what God can do in us, in this church, in Sidney, and in the world.
We need to believe that this church and its ministries can grow, and we need to
trust that God can renew us.
What happens though, when we actually get
what we want? What happens when get the “Red Rider BB Gun”? What happens when
the church actually grows?
Well, in our gospel reading from the
Gospel of Mark for this morning, we have a request. We have someone asking for
something. Let’s look once again at this morning’s gospel reading. It says,
speaking of Jesus and John the Baptist:
“King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had
become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised
from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” But others
said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the
prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded,
has been raised” (Mk. 6:14-16, NRSV).
So
we first hear King Herod debating over who Jesus Christ was and is. Was he John
the Baptist raised up from the dead?
The
gospel then continues once again speaking of John the Baptist. It says:
For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him,
and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, “It is not
lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against
him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing
that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him,
he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity
came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers
and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and
danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask
me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” And he solemnly swore to her,
“Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” She went out
and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John
the baptizer.” Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want
you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter” (Mk. 6:17-25, NRSV).
Have
you ever told your kids, your spouse, and or your grandkids that could having
anything they wanted from you? I mean anything? Herod told his wife Herodias
this morning, you can have anything you want. As my sermon title once again
says, “Be careful what you ask for!” This is also where we get the term of
“bring his head on a silver platter”.
So
what is King Herod to do, this is what his wife Herodias wants, and he told her
that she could have anything that she wanted.
The
gospel then concludes once again with:
“The king
was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did
not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with
orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,
brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it
to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body,
and laid it in a tomb”. (Mk.
6:26-29, NRSV).
So what happens my brothers and sister
when we get exactly what we want?
When I came here in the winter, once
again, I heard that you all wanted a pastor that would preach from the Bible, that
did visits, that led in new ways, and with God’s help would grow this church
and its ministries.
These things that you have asked for,
are also the things that I wish for with this church and this community with
all my heart. The question to consider though is, are we really ready for this
church and its ministries to grow?
Or do, “We just want a young energetic pastor that preaches
well, will grow the church, and change absolutely nothing”.
When a church and its ministries grow,
is there some change that occurs? Yes, of course. What doesn’t change however?
The Bible, Jesus Christ that he is the Risen Savior of the world, and this
gospel is the best hope for humanity.
New people coming into the church though, means
maybe some new ideas, new perspectives, new energy, and who knows maybe even
eventually another worship service at a different day and time. This means like
Mary and Joseph wanting a room at the Inn to give birth to Jesus, we have to
make space for people who maybe come and be a part of this church. It means
things will change some. I have no intention of radically changing this worship
service, our churches traditions, what we hold sacred, but I am asking that
when new people come into the life of this church that we should welcome and
love them in word, action, and deed. We are called to bring people to the
saving grace of Christ and equip those people to change the world. Yet younger
people might have different interests, and some new people might like a
different kind of coffee than you. Some might even be Mets fan! Yes that’s
right, I said Mets fans!
Yet God created all of us in His imagine, and we
all, every single one of us need the life saving grace of God found only in
Jesus Christ. The church therefore, becomes in gathering of all of God’s
children, as we grow closer to Christ, and as the world is transformed.
How passionate about the church’s mission am I? As
the director of our church growth and vitalization expert Rev. Dr. Aaron
Bouwens has said, “I will do anything short of sin, to make disciples of Jesus
Christ for the transformation of the world”.
I believe my brothers and sisters that Jesus Christ
and his gospel are the hope the world, and I believe all people need to hear
this Good News, repent of their sins, and be filled with the grace and power of
the Holy Spirit. I don’t preach this gospel because it works, or just because
people like it, I preach it because it is the truth, and because it cost my
Lord and Savior his life.
So as a church, we want renewal, we
want growth, we want to great people with the love of Christ, we want to renew
our faith, and we want to reap a new harvest. But, do we really want all of
those things? Friends, let’s stay deeply rooted in our unchanging two-thousand
year faith, but let us make room for those who may be new. This might cause us
to have to make some changes, but it will result in a renewed church, a renewed
Sidney, people coming to Christ, and this church continuing to transform the
world. I know this, because I have seen it happen now in four churches. Let us believe
again, and in what God can do! Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment