[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 17A: “Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me” or “It’s Not About You- Part 2”

[Joe Parrish]

Part 1 - Forwarded: 

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-------- Original message --------From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> Date: 9/2/17  4:15 PM  (GMT-06:00) To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 17A: “Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me” or “It’s Not About You- Part 2” 


Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Take Up Your Cross
and Follow Me” or “It’s Not About You- Part 2” and deals with the Old Testament
lesson (Exodus 15).  Here it is:  

 

We just heard the end of an extremely painful
interaction between Peter and Jesus.  Do
you remember last week’s gospel?  Jesus
asked his disciples what people were saying about him- who people were saying
he was.  The disciples answered that
people were saying Jesus was John the Baptist or maybe Elijah or Jeremiah or
else one of the other prophets.  So you
remember what happened next?  Jesus looked
right at them and said, “Who do YOU say that I am?”  I’m sure there was this huge, uncomfortable
silence; then Peter loudly and clearly, spoke up: “You are the Messiah, the Son
of the Living God.”  Now we pick up on
this week’s gospel.  Jesus must have felt
extremely encouraged- at least one of them was getting it; so he went on to
explain what was going to happen to him- how he would suffer terribly and be
killed and after three days be brought back to life.  Peter took Jesus aside and tried to talk
sense into him.  “No, Lord- you’ve got it
wrong.  You’re just having a bad
day.  These things really aren’t going to
happen to you- God wouldn’t allow it. 
Get yourself together.”  Did you
notice how Jesus responded?  “Get thee
behind me, Satan!  Don’t try to turn me
away from God’s calling.  Don’t try to
tempt me to take the easy way.”  Then
Jesus turned to all the disciples and said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”

 

My brothers and sisters, I hate to tell you- Jesus
wasn’t just talking to the twelve. 
Across the centuries, he is speaking to us.  So I have a question for you- that cross- the
one Jesus is telling you to carry.  How
are you doing?

 

Now before we go much further into thinking through
the implications of this Bible passage, we’d better get something perfectly
clear.  How many times have you heard
good Christian people talk about their arthritis or their children or their job
or even their husband (or wife) being their cross.  Not so. 
There’s a big difference between a cross and an affliction, and we
mustn’t get them confused.  An affliction
is a negative that life throws at you. 
You don’t have any choice about an affliction- it’s just the luck of the
draw or the consequence of an earlier sin or foolish choice.  You didn’t choose your arthritis or your
children.  You found out about the
negatives after you got the job or the husband or wife or children.  All those things are afflictions.  We suffer through them, give them to God, and
do our best to get something for the Kingdom out of them.  If nothing else, we can usually get some
spiritual growth from most afflictions. 
But a cross is different.  You choose
a cross; and you choose it knowing the difficulties that carrying it will cause
for you.  Your children may be an
affliction, but your decision to be a loving parent in spite of their behavior
is a cross- a choice.  Your job may be an
affliction, but your decision to forgive those who wrong you is a choice,
therefore a cross.  So, how are you
doing?

 

When Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me,”
how does it apply today in our society? 
Before we go any further, it’s important to note that there are probably
as many crosses as there are people. 
It’s almost as if your particular cross is especially designed for you-
your contribution to God’s Kingdom. 
However, I’d like us to look at three very important categories of
crosses; because many of your own personal crosses will fit in these
categories.

 

CATEGORY 1:
USE YOUR GIFTS FOR GOD, NOT JUST YOURSELF.  Did you notice Moses in today’s
Old Testament reading?  God had given
Moses the gift of leadership, and in today’s lesson we heard him struggling- would
he use it for God and for freedom for his people, or would he use it for
himself?  Since Moses was an Egyptian
prince, he could have gotten rich and famous using his leadership talents in
Egyptian politics.  Instead, he chose
to  put his life on the line for
God.  He chose to face down the Egyptian
king in the name of God.  He chose to let
God use his hands and feet and lips.  The
result- freedom for God’s people and a mighty prototype for future freedom and
justice seekers.  What about you?  What talents do you have?  How did God gift you?  Don’t even try to say you’re not gifted- we
all are.  Each of us was born amazingly
gifted.  Some of us can explain anything
while others of us can fix anything. 
Some of us can play a musical instrument or sing while others can paint
a picture or room or plant a garden or cook a meal.  True- this giftedness must be developed into
talents, but that’s exactly one of the crosses God calls us to bear.  And those skills- the cross we are called to
carry is to use those skills to build the church and reach out to God’s other children.  You know the excuses- “I’m too busy; I’m too
shy; I don’t want to get involved; someone may criticize my work; etc.”  True- that’s why using your giftedness for
the Lord is a cross.  How are you doing
with this cross?

 

CATEGORY 2: LOVE.  St. Paul
reminds us in today’s epistle that love is the essence of gospel.  Jesus told us to love one another as much as
he loved us.  How much is that.  The story is told of a man who asked Jesus
how much he loved him.  Jesus said, “This
much,” and he stretched out his arms and died...on a cross.  Most of us do fine with this until it becomes
a cross... until the person we are expected to love is unlovable; has crossed
us; talked about us; stolen from us; or in some other way misused or abused
us.  What then?  Remember, we’re not talking about love as a
feeling.  We’re talking about agape’,
Christian love, an action, choosing what’s best for the other person.  We’re talking about forgiving our enemies,
watching what we say, keeping hold of our temper.  We’re talking about reaching out to those who
need our help, friendship, love.  What if
we don’t especially like that person (or that kind of person)?  Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan answers
that.  What if the job God is calling us
to do isn’t something we like doing? 
Jesus washing his disciples’ feet answers that.  How are you doing with this cross?

 

CATEGORY 3:
LIFESTYLE.   Did you notice the thought for the
week?  The poet Carl Sandburg said, “There
is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that
wants to wallow in the mud.” God expects us to soar like eagles, not wallow in
the mud like a hippopotamus.  God expects
us to live a lifestyle worthy of his children. 
If you stop and think about it, we’re all children of the King, so that
makes us princes and princesses.  Paul
reminds us how God expects us to live so we don’t embarrass the family.  “10 No one who loves others will harm them.
So love is all that the Law demands… 13b Don't go to wild parties or get drunk
or be vulgar or indecent. Don't quarrel or be jealous.   14 Let the LORD Jesus Christ be as near to
you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires.”  Do you love God enough to live as he
wants?  How are you doing with this
cross?

 

Do you remember the story of the little girl and the pearls?  The little girl was about six years old- just
started first grade that year and she had just lost her first tooth.  (Continued in Part 2.)

For anyone who is
interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are
posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .

 

Blessed preaching,

Judy Boli

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Saginaw, Michigan





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