Sunday 03/13/22 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Stay Strong!” (“New Life is Coming” Series: Part 2 of 7)
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 27
New Testament Scripture: Philippians 3:17-4:1
Gospel Lesson: Luke 13:31-35
Sometimes God calls us to
a mission or to do something. Sometimes when we say, “Here I am God, send me,”
God might send us somewhere that we really do not want to go to. Following God’s
call on our lives is great, but sometimes it is not without its challenges.
Consider your own life for
a moment. What has God called you to? What is God still calling you to? Further,
has anyone ever discouraged you in what God has called you to do? Sometimes in
our lives we make choices, or we pursue different paths. Sometimes people
support us and trust us, but other times they try to change our minds and or
discourage us. I think that sometimes we are off track and need to be rained
in, but sometimes the calling of God on our lives is not something that others
understand. When God call us, not everyone gets that same call.
Sometimes parents do not
like the boyfriend or girlfriend that their child brought home. Sometimes
parents do not agree with your career path, the car you bought, or something
else. Virtually every time we make a decision, there are always various
opinions and judgements on that decision. What about a call from God though? If
we are called as Christians to live and love like Jesus Christ, and if our call
from God is reflective of this, do we get different opinions on what we are
supposed to be doing?
I have had people for
example tell me things like, “You know Pastor Paul it is so nice that you have
become a pastor and are helping people, but have you ever thought about getting
a real job?” Or I have heard “It is so nice what you are doing, but at some point,
you need to get a job that pays some real money.” You see everyone has a
perspective, and sometimes our calling does not fit in there understanding of
what they think success is, what calling is, what is important, etc.
The central mission of
Jesus Christ on this earth, as God in the flesh was to die on the cross for the
sins of humanity. This was his first and more important mission. In addition to
this, Jesus has taught us how to love, give, care, heal, forgive, and how to be
in the world. The idea of Jesus being arrested, tortured, and brutally killed
on Good Friday is not something that most people enjoy thinking about or
talking about. If Jesus were to indicate to his followers and others what would
happen to him, I can imagine that there would be those who did not want Jesus
to get crucified.
In fact, the gospel of
Mark 8:31-33 says:
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things” (Mk. 8:31-33, NRSV).
Jesus’
mission, sent to earth as God’s Son, was to suffer and die for humanity. Yet
the Apostle Peter loved Jesus. As a result, Peter said, I do not want that to
happen to you. Jesus rebukes Peter, and this was Jesus’ calling.
In recent days,
some of us have probably heard that people from throughout the world are
heading to the country of Ukraine to fight with and for the Ukrainian people.
These people are largely going to protect freedom, democracy, and to defend
innocent life. My guess is that some of these folks feel called by God to do
so. I can imagine though that many people tried to talk them out of this, but
if God has called them to do it, they must follow God.
All of us,
whether we realize it or not are being called by God. This does not mean that
we are all being called to the office of pastor or priest, but God is calling
all of us. We all have gifts and graces, and God wants us all to follow him,
and to bring people closer to Christ in various ways.
In this the second
week of our seven-week sermon series called the “New Life is Coming” series,
Jesus reminds us to “Stay Strong.” In this season of Lent, we are called to
give up, give away, sacrifice, repents, and to draw closer to Christ. In this preparatory
season for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are called to new
life spiritually in Christ. Jesus was called to new life from his empty tomb on
that first Easter Sunday morning, and hopefully we are all called to new life
in finally getting past this pandemic. I do not know if you all realize this,
but two years ago on this Sunday is when we shutdown the church and many
things, due to the pandemic. I remember this date, because as Barb Bowker told
us last Sunday, she joined the church last Sunday two years ago. Not exactly
the new church member gift that Barb was hoping for!
As I wrote
this sermon, the war in Ukraine also remains heavy on my heart, as I am sure it
does for many of us. People are fleeing and fighting over the right to exist
and over the right to have a free country. How do we “Stay Strong” when our
calling from God, when our mission is challenged and or discouraged?
Last Sunday we
heard about Jesus’ “Trial and Temptation” for 40-days and 40-nights in the wilderness.
We were reminded that Jesus overcame every and all “Trial and Temptation,”
truly making him our standard, our savior, and our Lord. This same Jesus will
overcome death itself on Easter morning.
All through Jesus’
earthly ministry many tried to discourage and deride him, but when we are called
by God, we are called to “Stay Strong.”
In fact, we
are told in our reading from this morning from Psalm 27:14 once again:
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Ps. 27:14, NRSV).
Wait for God, be
strong, have courage, and wait for God. I can only imagine what is like for Ukrainian
soldiers and volunteers. Some of these soldiers have said by to their families,
and then their families flee to other countries. Some of these soldiers and
these families do not know if they will ever see each other again. In can be
hard to “Stay Strong,” to follow God, to live like Christ, as there will always
be people that will try to discourage or deride you.
Ultimately, in
this season of Lent, and always we are called to imitate or to be like Jesus
Christ. God will call us, some may never understand this calling, but if it is
a calling from God, we must “Stay Strong.” In looking at our reading for this
morning from Philippians 3:17-4:1 we hear starting in 3:17, once again:
17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. 4 1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved (Phil. 3:17-4:1, NRSV).
In this reading the Apostle Paul is striving to be
like or to imitate Christ, and as such, he is inviting us all to imitate him.
In imitating him, we are really more deeply trying to imitate Christ. The
Apostle Paul tells us that our citizenship is in heaven, and that we should
strive and live to be conformed to Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us to “stand
firm” or “Stay Strong” in God through Jesus Christ.
In looking at our gospel of Luke
reading for this morning once again, Jesus’ primary mission in coming to earth,
to die for us, is being challenged. Yet, Jesus stays strong. Let us look at our
gospel of Luke reading for this morning once again. Starting in 13:31 it says
once again:
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Lk. 13:31-35, NRSV).
In this gospel
lesson, once again, some Pharisees or Jewish religious leaders are telling
Jesus to flee from Jerusalem. Why? Well because King Herod wants to kill him.
Jesus then tells the Pharisees, “Go and tell that fox” that he is casting out
demons, curing people, loving, healing, forgiving, and sharing his gospel. As a
result, Jesus tells the Pharisees to tell Herod that he is living out his
mission on earth. This mission will end on the third day, on Easter Sunday,
with his resurrection. This resurrection will happen after his Last Supper, and
his crucifixion on Good Friday.
Jesus then
tells the Pharisees and anyone else that is listening that a prophet must be
killed Jerusalem, which means that Jesus cannot leave Jerusalem when it is his
time to die. Jesus then states how all the prophets and all the people called by
God, and how he himself are or will be killed and stoned for what God has
called them to do. God has called them to bring his people back to holiness and
righteousness, but so often people like that are not rewarded, but instead are
killed or stoned. Jesus then says that he would like to gather all the people
of Jerusalem, and this world, under his wing like a mother hen would. Jesus
then implies his death and resurrection, but also his second coming.
Jesus this
morning is undeterred. He already knows what Good Friday will bring. He already
knows that he will suffer and die for us all. He also already knows that he
will be risen on third day, and he already know that one day he will return in
glory. Sometimes my friends, whether it is a soldier or a volunteer fighting in
Ukraine, it is important for to “Stay Strong.”
So, what has
God called you to, and has anyone ever tried to discourage or deride you from
your calling from God. We are all called, and sometimes the way we are called
is challenging and hard but are all called according to God’s purposes.
As we continue
through season of Lent, may we seek “New Life” in Christ, as we prepare for the
“New Life” of Christ in his resurrection. May we also have “New Life” in ending
this pandemic.
Friends, be
encouraged, for Christ has overcome this world, and he has come to offer us “New
Life.” Keep saying yes to Jesus, keep answering his call on your life, even if
people try to discourage or deride you. May we “Stay Strong,” and we “Stay
Strong,” in Christ. Amen.
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