SECOND LENT March 08, 2009

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Genesis 17:1-7 & 15-16; Psalm 22:22-30; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38)

COURAGE TO CHANGE

St. Christopher’s, High Point, NC

MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ... AND THE MEDITATIONS OF ALL OUR HEARTS ... BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU --- OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER AMEN

Jesus would make a lousy politician. .... I suspect that’s a compliment in some ways. He would be a lousy politician because He is not careful how He says something. He doesn’t water it down and pull punches. He doesn’t promise easy. He promises GREAT .. He promises WONDERFUL ... but He never promises easy.

And yet what He says is what we hear in other venues.

Picture this ... you are sitting with a friend who is talking about how serious they are about losing weight. How absolutely committed they are to losing 20 pounds. They keep stressing their commitment and determination sitting at Dunkin Donuts and talking between bites of a double chocolate donut! ..... Possibly the best donut ever produced but that’s not the point. ... They keep talking about how committed they are to losing weight as they eat a donut.

Or picture this. .... You are in the store with a friend who is talking about how they have decided to end their credit card debt. How they will pay off all their debt, cut up the cards, and live debt free. And they keep talking about being debt free as they max out another card at the jewelry counter.

If you want to save your life of donuts and credit, you will lose what really matters. .... If you lose your life of donuts and credit you will gain what really matters.

I don’t know if donuts and credit is anyone’s specific problems but I think you can see the point. Jesus tells us there are things in our life .... things we cling to which prevent us from achieving the more important things.

And I suspect ... I have discussed this with a couple therapists and they say I am at least on the right track .... I suspect the primary thing we cling to which prevents us from achieving the more important things is .... control. Being in control of us.

That sounds a bit counterintuitive and even anti-therapy. And there are some important semantic issues here. I am not saying we need to be “out of control” as an addict is, or as are the donut person or credit person I described. No, that is “out of control” in a very negative manner.

We need to control those parts of our lives. In fact scripture, and particularly Paul and the parts of the Old Testament stress that need for control. By whatever name we wish to use, evil exists in this world and evil will try to influence us. Even control us. There are influences all around us, and within us that need to be examined, evaluated, and fought when they are negative. If we ignore that we will end up in the exact opposite place Jesus describes.

BUT — go to page 304 in the Prayer Book. This is our Baptismal Covenant. If you like, this is our partnership agreement with God. .... Don’t take that image too far because it quickly drifts into heresy! But our Baptismal Covenant is the closest thing we have to a written agreement between us and God. ... Actually God has written a lot more, the scriptures, but this is the place we respond.

Notice the questions after the Apostles Creed. Notice particularly the answers: “I will, with God’s help”

We need to control those parts of our lives — with God’s help. THAT’S where we need to be out of control. Much as the first step in any 12 step program begins by acknowledging the need for help. We need to acknowledge that need for help. And specifically, help in choosing the best path for our life.

I said I thought for most people the part we had to “lose” was being in control. Another way to phrase that is “knowing what is best for us”. Or to phrase it in a positive way, we need to learn to depend on God.

In baseball the players are taught that if they are running the bases, when the approach second base they look to the third base coach. They don’t look for the ball, they look for the coach. They are taught to depend on the coach, not their own judgement.

The musician in the orchestra is taught to follow the conductor. Not only the notes on the page, and certainly not their own judgement, but to follow the conductor.

In both cases it is difficult for us to let go of our own control needs ... to let go of our own determination and depend on God. To follow God’s lead. To lose that part of our lives so we can gain the more important part. If we seek to save that part of our lives we will lose our connection with God – the most important part.

So what does this mean? What does it mean to “depend on God”? Most of us would certainly depend on God if we got a certified letter, or fax, or email, or Twitter clearly stating God’s intentions! .... We might grumble and look for a loop hole, but we would follow those instructions.

But beyond the scriptures, we are not likely to get a written set of instructions! And although we discover the scriptures are more precise and specific than we thought — it is sometimes difficult to apply them to our specific situations.

I find that the key issue is asking for and certainly wanting God’s help. Before I walk into a meeting or a hospital room I ask for guidance. Sometimes later I realize I ignored that guidance – but asking for it places me in a receptive mood.

I also have discovered that a quick “help me God” is good enough for emergency, crisis situations. But when the situation is not an unexpected crisis, then it is important to do more than the quicky “arrow” prayer. If I am on the way to the hospital, even in an emergency situation, I have time to ask for help and discuss the situation with God.

Instead of an “opps, I forgot to ask for help” as O go in the door, I can focus a bit more.

And in longer term situations, I can prepare with prayer. If I know there is a potential conflictual situation, I can take the time before to pray.

Even longer term ... situations with less immediate responses ... we need to join with God ... stop depending only on ourselves.

I have no idea what the economic future holds for St. Christopher’s — or me. That scares me and saddens me. I certainly will not give up. I will give every ounce of everything I have but I don’t know in the sense of being secure and definitive what will happen. So I pray — a lot!

I try to let go of the certainty and depend on God. And that is difficult and scary. I am not the type to just let things happen!

I don’t know what any of your individual greatest challenges are. I don’t know what is the thing most separating you from depending on God. I do suspect that for most of us it is something around the “control” question. I also suspect that for most of us our complacency — “oh, things aren’t too bad and I’m not all that bad” makes it more difficult for us to even consider depending on God.

The other thing that makes it difficult is that we are not sure about ... not convinced about God’s promises. Oh, most of us will proclaim a belief in eternal life. And most of us, with a chuckle will announce that we expect to “sneak in”.

And that’s important. Our confidence in God and God’s mercy is important. I know I depend greatly on God’s mercy!

But here I believe Jesus is speaking about this life – today as much as the next life. Jesus speaks about God’s promises for this life. Notice what Jesus gave up. When Jesus speaks about losing life – He gave up family, He gave wealth, He gave up a home, He gave up having influence. If we read scripture we discover Jesus had very few friends and lots of enemies so He gave up having a comfortable style of life.

Fortunately for us, I don’t believe we are called to that extreme. We are not all called to be homeless and friendless. That’s why the teaching of the tithe – giving 10% is so comforting. “Only” 10% rather than everything. Even so, we can and should place our entire being in God’s service.

Long before I decide to seek ordination ... when beginning my career as an engineer, I was told that “God needs good engineers as well as clergy.” God needs good nurses, and teachers, and accountants, and business people, and retired people. God’s kingdom will not grow without good people being willing to step forward and give up what we thought was important to achieve what is really important.

We need to discover what it is we cling to which prevents us from achieving the more important things. The “1 + 1" program encourages us to let go of something so we can focus one hour a week on ourselves – on our spiritual lives. And then focus one hour a week on serving God by serving other people.

Let us pray: “Dear God, we ask that you make us aware of what we cling to, discontented with what we have, and grant us to the courage to change.

AMEN

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CLICK HERE TO RESPOND: I would enjoy reading your comments about this sermon. Please feel free to discuss content or presentation. (If you wish to use another email system send your comments to: ken@st-christopher.com)