Christ the King (Cristo El Rey)

I preached this sermon in the Spanish service; the English translation is below.

Juan 18:33-37

Oremos…

Que las palabras de mi boca y las meditaciones de nuestros corazónes sean aceptables delante de ti, Señor, fortaleza nuestra y redentor nuestro. Amén.

El evangelio de hoy es parte del relato de Juan sobre el juicio de Jesús ante el gobernador romano de Judea, Poncio Pilato. Jesús ha sido arrestado y ahora se encuentra ante Pilato, quien lo está interrogando. Insatisfecho con las respuestas que recibió cuando preguntó a los líderes judíos por qué lo llevaban ante él, Pilato le pregunta a Jesús:

“¿Qué has hecho?”

Al observar la conmoción de su arresto, muchos espectadores probablemente tuvieron la misma pregunta.

¿Qué había hecho Jesús para que Judas lo traicionara y trajera un destacamento de soldados para arrestarlo en el jardín?

¿Qué había hecho para que Simón Pedro lo negara mientras estaba con otros alrededor de una fogata, calentándose en la  noche fria?

¿Qué había hecho para que los sumos sacerdotes, la aristocracia de Judea, lo entregaran al gobernador romano?

Pilato era un político sofisticado, pero no podía entender qué había hecho Jesús para ser tan despreciado

Por supuesto, sabemos lo que Pilato no sabía.

El evangelio de Juan nos dice que la ira de los sumos sacerdotes y fariseos había estado latentes durante mucho tiempo. Su resentimiento hacia Jesús creció a medida que viajaba por Judea, enseñando y sanando, y luego resucitó a Lázaro (Juan 11) y como un cerillo que se enciende para secarse, su ira se encendió y comenzaron a planear su caída.

Cuando le preguntó a Jesús: "¿Qué has hecho?", el gobernador esperaba una respuesta clara.

Pero Jesús no responde a su pregunta. En lugar de decir lo que había hecho, Jesús le dice a Pilato quién es. Describe el reino de Dios y cómo él es el rey de ese reino, contrastando el poder terrenal y humano con el poder encarnado en Jesús.

En este Domingo de Cristo Rey, se nos pide que recordemos que un reino se define por su rey y que su pueblo debe llevar la imagen del rey.

Hace casi cien años, el Papa Pío onceavo estableció en Roma el Domingo de Cristo Rey. Celebrado el último domingo del año eclesiástico, el Papa lo estableció en un momento en que surgían dictaduras no cristianas en Europa, como las del fascismo y el comunismo. Imitando a los antiguos emperadores romanos que habían tomado el título de Mesías y actuaban como dioses divinos sobre sus reinos, esos dictadores intentaron afirmar su autoridad sobre la Iglesia y su pueblo.

El Papa Pío vinculó la creciente negación de Cristo como rey con el ascendimiento del secularismo. Al escribir que a Cristo nuestro Señor se le ha dado todo el poder en el cielo y en la tierra y, por lo tanto, nada está exento de su imperio, el Papa recordó a los cristianos que Cristo, no los gobernantes terrenales, debe reinar en nuestras mentes, en nuestras voluntades, en nuestros corazones y en nuestros cuerpos (párrafo 33, Quas Primas).

Cada año, cuando proclamamos a Cristo como Rey, debemos hacernos la misma pregunta que Pilato le hizo a Jesús:

“¿Qué has hecho?

¿Cómo has tu – como hemos nosotros  llevado la imagen de nuestro Rey, la plenitud de Dios conocida en Jesús?

En Juan 12, Jesús les dice a sus discípulos:

²⁵ El que ama su vida la perdera, y el que aborrece su vida en este mundo la conservará para la vida eterna. ²⁶ El que me sirve, me debe de seguir, ….

¿Qué has hecho para servir a los que conoces?

En Juan 13, Jesús nos da a todos un mandamiento nuevo, diciéndonos:

³⁴Un mandamiento nuevo os doy: que os améis unos a otros. Como yo os he amado, que también os améis unos a otros. ³⁵En esto conocerán todos que sois mis discípulos, si os amáis unos a otros.

¿Qué has hecho para demostrar el amor abnegado que Jesús mostró a las personas que conoció?

Y en Juan 14, Jesús les dice a sus discípulos:

²¹El que tiene mis mandamientos y los guarda, ése es el que me ama; y el que me ama será amado por mi Padre, y yo lo amaré y me revelaré a él.

¿Qué has hecho para guardar los mandamientos de Dios, para estar en relación con Dios y con los demás de maneras que den vida, sean verdaderas y compasivas?

En este Domingo de Cristo Rey, se nos pide que recordemos que nuestro primer llamado es vivir como ciudadanos del reino de Dios y llevar el amor de Dios al mundo.

Oremos.

Dios Santo,

Gracias por tu Hijo Jesús, quien nos muestra la plenitud de tu amor y misericordia y nos otorga la ciudadanía en tu reino.

Muéstranos cómo seguirlo y servir a los demás a medida que nos acercamos a ti. Guíanos por tu Espíritu Santo.

Oramos en el nombre de tu Hijo, nuestro Salvador y Señor, Jesucristo. 

Amén.

John 18:33-37

The gospel for today is part of John’s account of Jesus’ trial before the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. Jesus has been arrested and now stands before Pilate, who is questioning him. Unsatisfied with the answers that were given to him when he asked the Jewish leaders why they were bringing Jesus to him, Pilate asks Jesus,

“What have you done?”

Watching the commotion of his arrest, many onlookers probably had the same question.

What had Jesus done so that Judas betrayed him and brought a detachment of soldiers to arrest him in the garden?

What had he done so that Simon Peter denied him as he stood with others around a fire, warming himself in the cold night?

What had he done so that the high priests, the aristocracy of Judea, turned him over to the Roman governor?

Pilate was a sophisticated politician, but he couldn’t understand what Jesus had done to be so despised.

Of course, we know what Pilate didn’t.

John’s gospel tells us that the anger of the chief priests and Pharisees had been smoldering for a long time. Their resentment of Jesus built as he traveled throughout Judea, teaching and healing, and then he raised Lazarus (John 11) and like a match touched to dry kindling, their rage flared, and they began to plan his downfall.

When he asked Jesus, “What have you done?” the governor was hoping for a clear answer.

But Jesus doesn’t answer his question. Instead of saying what he had done, Jesus tells Pilate who he is. He describes God’s kingdom and how he is the king of that kingdom, contrasting earthly, human power with the power embodied in Jesus.

On this Christ the King Sunday, we are asked to remember that a kingdom is defined by its king and its people are meant to bear the image of the king.

Almost one hundred years ago, Pope Pius the 11th in Rome established Christ the King Sunday. Celebrated on the last Sunday of the church year, the Pope established it at a time when non-Christian dictatorships in Europe, like those of fascism and communism, were rising. Mimicking the ancient Roman emperors who had taken the title Messiah and acted as divine gods over their kingdoms, those dictators attempted to assert their authority over the Church and its people. Pope Pius connected the increasing denial of Christ as king to the rise of secularism. Writing that Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth and therefore, nothing is exempt from his empire, the pope reminded Christians that Christ, not earthly rulers, must reign in our minds, in our wills, in our hearts and in our bodies (paragraph 33, Quas Primas).

Every year, when we proclaim Christ is King, we must ask ourselves the same question Pilate asked Jesus:

“What have you done?

How have you- how have we - born the image of our King, the fullness of God known in Jesus?

In John 12, Jesus tells his disciples,

²⁵ Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me, ….

What have you done to be of service to those who you know?

In John 13, Jesus gives us all a new commandment, telling us,

³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

What have you done to show the self-giving love that Jesus showed to the people he met?

And in John 14, Jesus tells his disciples,

²¹ They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

What have you done to keep God’s commandments – to be in relationship with God and with each other in ways that are life-giving and true and compassionate?

On this Christ the King Sunday, we are asked to remember our first calling is to live as citizens of God’s kingdom and to bear God’s love in the world.

Let us pray.

Holy God,

Thank you for your Son Jesus who shows us the fullness of your love and mercy and gives us citizenship in Your kingdom.

Show us how to follow him and serve others as we draw near to You. Guide us by your Holy Spirit.

We pray in the name of Your Son, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

Lectionary 33B

Mark 13:1-8

Today, we are nearing the end of our lectionary year centered in Mark’s gospel, and it’s the last Sunday we’ll hear from Mark, before we celebrate the Reign of Christ next Sunday and begin Advent after Thanksgiving.

When Mark wrote his gospel, his audience would have been accustomed to hearing stories told about Jesus and his ministry. But Mark’s Gospel is the first written account we have. We believe it was written in response to changes he witnessed.

We don’t know for certain what changed – it appears from things Mark says in this chapter that there were false teachers claiming to come in Jesus’ name but leading believers down wrong paths, and there were believers being persecuted and arrested, silencing their witness and testimony. Whatever was happening, now it was important to have a reliable written record of the “good news of Jesus Christ” (1:1).

Today we get to eavesdrop on Jesus. He has moved away from the crowd and is in what Mark describes as a private conversation. You know what this looks like. Four of his disciples pulled him aside to ask him what he meant when he told the others that the great buildings surrounding them would be destroyed.

But, when Peter, James, John and Andrew ask Jesus to tell them, “…when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” (v. 4) Jesus tells them, there isn’t a clear sign. There will be betrayal. There will be alarming rumors. There will be disasters.

But the obvious, unambiguous sign they are looking for doesn’t exist.

The only assurance Jesus gives them is that the turmoil will not last forever.

We don’t know what turmoil Jesus is referring to. He may have been recalling earthquakes and famines in the same timeframe as we think of the Dust Bowl or the Great Depression. Or wars from decades earlier – in our context, it would be like talking about the Korean conflict today - or any number of more immediate, local disputes put down by Roman authorities. In any case, he was referring to historical events that shape our narrative. It’s all the stories that we carry around with us that have shaped how we look at the world.

And then Jesus says,

“This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.” (v. 8)

And there is The Good News. Birth pangs hurt, but they are necessary for new life to enter the world. And “God is always about the business of making new futures possible.”[i]

Last Saturday, our younger child, Emerson, took the GRE. Emerson is applying to graduate school and the test is one of the requirements. The scores for two of the three parts were available immediately, but we’re all waiting for the third part to be graded.

Waiting is hard.

You can guess what choices you may have, but everything is one giant question mark. There are so many unknowns. And it can be excruciating if you fall into the trap of wondering, “What if…”

Like Peter, James, John and Andrew, we want to know what the future holds. We want certainty, assurance and clear direction. It makes us anxious to realize how little we know and how little we control.

What Jesus reminds the disciples, and us, is that faith calls us to trust God. We can have confidence that the future will be what God ordains for us. As Jesus teaches in his Sermon on the Mount, none of us can add even a single hour to our lives by worrying. (Mt. 6:27)

What we can be certain of is God’s love for each one of us.

We may not have signs of what will come next, but the signs of God’s love for us are all around us. They are in the prayers that are said when we are sick, grieving or scared. They are in the time given to mentor a student or spend time with one as a study buddy. They are in the gifts of skills and knowledge shared in ministries every day in our congregation – people who know how to read financial statements and help us be good stewards of financial gifts; people whose gifts of hospitality welcome others and foster a place of belonging; people who enliven our music and worship; and people who help us stay connected with our community partners and know how we can best help our neighbors.

All of these signs point to a God-given future, one we can anticipate with unwavering faith and hope.

Let us pray…

Good and gracious God,

Help us always to follow Jesus

and not be led astray by imposters or false promises.

Draw us near to You and

open our eyes to the signs of Your love that surround us.

Show us how to share the Good News of Your Love through our words and actions.

We pray in the name of Your Son Jesus, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

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[i] Amanda Brobst-Renaud. “Commentary on Mark 13:1-8”. Working Preacher. Luther Seminary.

Lectionary 32B

I preached this sermon in the Spanish service; the English translation is below.

Marcos 12:38-44

Oremos…Que las palabras de mi boca y la meditación de nuestro corazón sean gratas delante de ti, Señor, fortaleza nuestra y redentor nuestro. Amén.

“No tengas temor”. (1 Reyes 17:13)

Estas palabras se repiten a lo largo de las Escrituras. Las escuchamos por primera vez cuando el Señor le habla a Abram (Génesis 15:1) y son repetidas, una y otra vez, por Dios y los enviados de Dios. La última vez es cuando Juan de Patmos relata haberlas oído dichas por “uno como el Hijo del Hombre” en Apocalipsis. (Apocalipsis 1:17)

Y una y otra vez, son seguidas por la promesa de que Dios actuará, que el reino de Dios vendrá, que Dios no ha olvidado las promesas de Dios a su pueblo.

Hoy escuchamos al profeta Elías decir estas palabras.

Elías había estado viviendo de la comida que le traían los cuervos y del agua de un wadi, o arroyo, pero el agua se había secado. Una sequía hizo que el agua y la comida escasearan.

Pero Dios envía al profeta a una viuda en Sarepta, un pueblo fuera de Israel, prometiéndole que lo alimentará. Cuando Elías se encuentra con la mujer, ella le dice que ella y su hijo solo tienen un poco de harina y aceite, y se están preparando para comer lo que tienen y luego esperar a morir.

En el mundo antiguo, la gente creía que el rey podía controlar la lluvia, por lo que una sequía era una señal del fracaso del rey. El rey también era responsable del bienestar de las viudas y los huérfanos, por lo que cuando la viuda le dice a Elías que ella y su hijo se están muriendo de hambre, es otra señal del fracaso del rey.

Pero Elías sabe que su confianza no está en los líderes del mundo, sino en Dios, y Dios lo ha enviado a la viuda. Confía en la provisión de Dios para él. Su confianza surge de su obediencia a seguir la dirección de Dios. Su obediencia surge de su confianza en la fidelidad de Dios a lo largo de las generaciones hacia el pueblo de Dios. Surge de saber que pertenece a Dios.

Entonces le dice: “No tengas temor”.

Y la jarra de comida no se agota, ni falta el aceite , y la viuda, su hijo y Elías comen muchos días más.

En el evangelio nos encontramos con otra viuda. No está en casa, sino en público, donando al tesoro. El tesoro era un lugar en un patio fuera del templo donde la gente podía hacer ofrendas voluntarias para apoyar el templo, como el plato de ofrendas que tenemos sobre la mesa aquí.

Jesús está en los atrios del templo, enseñando a una gran multitud y observando a la gente depositar sus ofrendas en el tesoro.

Y mientras observa, advierte a su audiencia contra los líderes religiosos que son como actores que desempeñan un papel. Saben qué decir y cómo vestirse, pero sus palabras y acciones son vacías. Dan desde un lugar de comodidad y tranquilidad, sin sacrificar nada ni arriesgar nada.

Cuando Jesús ve a una viuda depositar dos pequeñas monedas de cobre, les dice a sus discípulos que “[ella] ha depositado más que todos [los demás]”.

Jesús dice que el regalo de la viuda era un regalo sacrificial, no, como los regalos que muchos de nosotros hacemos, dando de lo que sabemos que podemos prescindir, sino dando de lo que Dios nos ha dado primero, confiando en la providencia de Dios para ella.

Estos personajes no nos dan un modelo fácil de seguir.

Elías y las dos viudas confían en la providencia de Dios. Su confianza surge de su obediencia a seguir la dirección de Dios. Su obediencia surge de la confianza en la fidelidad de Dios a través de las generaciones hacia el pueblo de Dios. Proviene de saber que pertenecemos a Dios.

Por supuesto, el mundo moderno tiene un mensaje diferente. Nos dice que somos responsables de asegurar nuestro futuro a través de nuestros propios esfuerzos. Almacenar, ahorrar y protegernos de nuestros enemigos. Mirar hacia dentro y poner nuestra confianza en los líderes que vemos en la plaza pública. El mundo nos pide que le demos a los humanos autoridad sobre nuestras vidas y nos enseña a ver el mundo a través del lente de la escasez y el miedo.

Pero Dios nos enseña que en Cristo no recibimos “un espíritu de esclavitud para volver al temor, sino… un espíritu de adopción”. El Espíritu da testimonio de que somos hijos de Dios. (Romanos 8:15-16)

Somos a quienes Jesús se dirige cuando dice: “³² No tengan miedo, manada pequeña, porque a su Padre le ha placido darles el reino”.

La Palabra de Dios nos invita a tener una visión diferente del mundo, donde nos sometamos a Dios y veamos el mundo como Dios lo ve, a través del lente de la abundancia y la obediencia.

La escasez no es una realidad del Reino; es una construcción humana que Elías rechaza y que la viuda en el tesoro del templo niega. En cambio, Dios nos promete la plenitud de la vida (Juan 10:10). Sus historias nos recuerdan que el “poder vivificante de Dios puede transformar situaciones de derrota, desesperación y muerte”.ⁱ

“El Reino -o Reinado- de Dios es una realidad que está más allá de nuestra percepción…”ⁱⁱ Y en lugar de tratar de controlarlo, diseñarlo o dominarlo, Dios nos llama a caminar en sumisión, humildad y obediencia, mientras esperamos su realización, en el tiempo de Dios, no en el nuestro.

Oremos…

Dios bueno y misericordioso,

Te damos gracias por nuestro pan de cada día,

por lo que necesitamos para vivir en la plenitud de la vida.

Ayúdanos a rechazar las cosas que no dan vida,

las cosas que nos separan de ti.

Enséñanos a confiar en tu provisión y en la vida que nos das.

Que tu Espíritu Santo nos guíe a dar generosamente de todo lo que tenemos.

Envíanos a compartir tu amor con todas las personas que conozcamos.

Oramos en el nombre de Jesús.

Amén.

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[i] Walter Brueggemann. Smith & Helwys Bible Commentary on First and Second Kings. 217.

[ii] Mike Breen. Covenant and Kingdom: The DNA of the Bible. 3DM. Kindle Edition.

 

Mark 12:38-44

Let us pray…

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, Lord, our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

“Do not be afraid.”

These words are repeated throughout Scripture. We first hear them when the Lord speaks to Abram (Genesis 15:1) and they are repeated, again and again, by God and those sent by God. The last occurrence is when John of Patmos recounts hearing them spoken by “one like the Son of Man” in Revelation. (Revelation 1:17)

And time after time, they are followed by the promise that God will act, that God’s kingdom will come, that God has not forgotten God’s promises to God’s people.

Today we hear the prophet Elijah speak these words.

Elijah had been living on the food that ravens brought him and the water of a wadi, or stream, but the water had dried up. A drought made water and food scarce.

But God sends the prophet to a widow in Zarephath, a town outside Israel, promising that she will feed him. When Elijah meets the woman, she tells him that she and her son only have a little meal and oil, and they are preparing to eat what they have and then wait to die.

In the ancient world, people believed that the king could control the rain, so a drought was a sign of the king’s failure. The king also had responsibility for the welfare of widows and orphans, so when the widow tells Elijah that she and her son are starving, it is another sign of the king’s failure.

But Elijah knows that his trust is not in the leaders of the world, but in God, and God has sent him to the widow. He trusts in God’s provision for him. His trust comes out of his obedience to follow God’s direction. His obedience comes from his confidence in God’s faithfulness throughout generations to God’s people. It comes from knowing that he belongs to God.

So, he tells her, “Do not be afraid.”

And the jar of meal does not get emptied, and the oil does not fail, and the widow, her son and Elijah eat for many more days.

In the gospel we meet another widow. She isn’t at home, but in public, donating to the treasury. The treasury was a place in a courtyard outside the temple where people could make freewill offerings to support the temple, like the offering plate we have on the table here.

Jesus is in the temple courts, teaching a large crowd, and watching people put their offerings in the treasury.

And as he watches, he warns his audience against the religious leaders who are like performers playing a role. They know what to say and how to dress, but their words and actions are empty. They give from a place of comfort and ease, not sacrificing anything, or risking anything.

When Jesus sees a widow put in two small copper coins, he tells his disciples that “[she] has put in more than all those [others].”

Jesus says that because the widow’s gift was a sacrificial gift, not, as many of us do, giving from what we know we can spare, but giving from what God has first given us, trusting in God’s providence for her.

These characters don’t give us an easy model to follow.

Elijah and both widows trust in God’s providence. Their trust comes out of their obedience to follow God’s direction. Their obedience comes out of confidence in God’s faithfulness throughout generations to God’s people. It comes from knowing that we belong to God.

Of course, the modern world has a different message. It tells us that we are responsible for securing our future through our own efforts. Stockpile, save and protect ourselves against our enemies. Turn inward and put our trust in the leaders whom we see in the public square. The world asks us to give humans authority over our lives and teaches us to see the world through the lens of scarcity and fear.

But God teaches us that in Christ, we do not receive “a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but … a spirit of adoption.” The Spirit bears witness that we are children of God. (Romans 8:15-16)

We are the ones that Jesus addresses when he says, “³² ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

The Word of God invites us to have a different vision of the world, where we submit to God and see the world as God sees it, through the lens of abundance and obedience.

Scarcity is not a Kingdom reality; it is human construction that Elijah rejects and that the widow at the temple treasury denies. Instead, God promises us the fullness of life (John 10:10). Their stories remind us that God’s “life-giving power can transform situations of defeat, despair, and death.”[i]

“The Kingdom - or Kingship - of God is a reality just beyond our perception….”[ii] And instead of trying to control it, engineer it or dominate it, God calls us to walk in submission, humility and obedience, while we wait for its realization, in God’s own timing, not our own.

Let us pray…

Good and Gracious God,

We give you thanks for our daily bread,

for what we need to live in the fullness of life.

Help us reject the things that are not life-giving,

the things that separate us from you.

Teach us to trust in Your provision and the life you give us.

May your Holy Spirit lead us to give generously of all we have.

Send us out to share Your love with everyone we meet.
We pray in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

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[i] Walter Brueggemann. Smith & Helwys Bible Commentary on First and Second Kings. 217.

[ii] Mike Breen. Covenant and Kingdom: The DNA of the Bible. 3DM. Kindle Edition.

All Saints Sunday

John 11:32-44

Last Sunday we celebrated the affirmation of baptism for three of our youth. As part of that milestone, we ask them to choose a verse that’s meaningful to them, and we only exclude one verse. It’s the one that shows up in our gospel today: “Jesus began to weep.” In at least two other Bible translations it’s even more succinct, saying simply, “Jesus wept”.

It almost becomes a joke with the students because we hope they’ll remember the verse they chose, and choosing a verse that’s only a couple of words long isn’t much of a challenge.

But I’m rethinking those instructions this morning.

Today, as we celebrate All Saints Day, and we remember people who have died, in our congregation, among our family and friends, and in the wider world, I would guess that more than a few of us are weeping. And I think it is reassuring for us to know that Jesus also wept.

Jesus is fully human and because of that, he experienced the full range of emotions that we have – love for his friends, joy and thanksgiving for the gifts God shares with us, exhaustion from a weary world, anger at injustice, and as we hear in today’s gospel, deep sorrow and grief at the death of a dear friend.

And he is fully divine. Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us - throughout our lives, and bears witness to our tears. God accompanies us in the dark valleys of pain, loss and grief.

But that’s not all. Just as we do, Jesus experienced the helplessness and the heartache of not being able to stop death.

Lazarus died, and the man’s sisters and friends buried him in a tomb. It certainly felt like the worst thing had happened.

Reflecting on the gospel text, I wonder whether each of us can name grave moments we have experienced.

When have we felt like life was over?

When have we felt buried by life’s circumstances?

The wonder of the sign Jesus performs here in John’s Gospel is that, in Frederick Buechner’s words,

The worst isn't the last thing about the world. It's the next to the last thing. The last thing is the best.[i]

The last thing is the resurrection promise that we have new life in Christ.

In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul writes, “The sting of death is sin [and the things that separate us from God]” (15:56) and in the story of the restoration of Lazarus, God triumphs over death. It is a miracle or sign that points to God’s power over the death that threatens us all.

As Lutheran pastor Delmer Chilton says, “Jesus had to go into the tomb so we could come out…. we emerge from the decay and the rot”, new creations, restored to life by God’s love for us.[ii]

That doesn’t mean that the bad stuff doesn’t stink.

It doesn’t mean that death doesn’t sting.

It doesn’t mean that we don’t shed tears.

But it does promise us as our Scriptures say, that God will wipe away our tears (Rev. 21:4) and soothe our spirits. God will be the Comforter we are promised later in John’s gospel. (John 14:16,26)

The author of Revelation assures the community that not only does God live among us, but God is making all things new. (Revelation 21:3-5)

Of course, there’s no promise about God’s timing for all of this. We know from Scripture, and from experience, that it won’t be our timing, but the promise stands.

So, in the meantime, what do we do?

We could blame others, like Mary did when she told Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:32)

We could be resigned to our circumstances, like Martha, when she said, “already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.” (John 11:39)

A better way is to follow Jesus who saw what had happened and talks to God about it. He believes in God’s power to disrupt death, and he calls out, remembering God’s faithfulness and asking God to do what only God can do.

And Lazarus is revived and restored to his family and community.

May we always follow Jesus and have confidence in God’s promises for us and the world God created, believing that death is not the last thing.

Amen.

[i] Frederick Buechner, The Beast.

[ii] “All Saints Sunday, Year B”. The Rev. Delmer Chilton. Lectionary Lab Live Podcast.

Lectionary 25B

I preached this sermon in the Spanish service; the English translation is below.

Marcos 9:30-37

Oremos…

Que las palabras de mi boca y las meditaciones de nuestro corazón sean aceptables ante ti, Señor, fortaleza nuestra y redentor nuestro. Amén.

Hace poco estaba hablando con unos amigos y alguien dijo que estar en relación con los demás significa que debemos estar abiertos a que cambien nuestras mentes. No aferrarnos demasiado a nuestras propias ideas. Estar dispuestos a aprender algo nuevo sobre los demás, y tal vez sobre nosotros mismos. Yo añadiría que es importante saber cuándo decir: “No sé”.

En el evangelio de hoy, Jesús ha estado hablando a sus discípulos sobre la muerte que sufrirá y sobre la resurrección que presenciarán. Ellos no entienden y tienen miedo de preguntarle qué quiso decir. Luego, mientras viajan, Jesús los escucha discutiendo. Pero cuando les pregunta sobre qué están discutiendo, no responden. Nuevamente, tienen miedo.

No han aprendido la lección de decir: “No sé”. En cambio, simulan que entienden, y luego se distraen con objetos brillantes y relucientes y discuten sobre asuntos triviales.

Jesús no los regaña ni los sermonea, pero sí los desafía. Les dice: “El que quiera ser el primero, que sea el último de todos y el servidor de todos” (v. 35). Y luego levanta a un niño y lo toma en sus brazos.

En el mundo del primer siglo, si bien sus padres y familias los amaban, los niños no tenían estatus, poder ni derechos. Eran “los últimos” en la sociedad. La declaración de Jesús sobre ser “el servidor de todos” está encarnada en un niño.

Ciertamente, los niños pequeños, como los discípulos, pueden ser egoístas y egocéntricos. Pueden ser imprudentes como Pedro a menudo lo es. Pero esos no son los rasgos que elogiamos en los niños.

En cambio, celebramos su inocencia y confianza, su facil alegría y curiosidad , y su disposición a responder con amistad y compasión.

Mi hermano cuenta la historia de cuando le hizo una pregunta a nuestra madre cuando tenía casi cinco años después de escuchar a una maestra de la escuela dominical hablar sobre cómo todos vieron a Jesús morir en la cruz. Cuando salían de la iglesia ese día, le preguntó a nuestra madre: "¿Cómo fue para ti? ¿Cómo te sentiste, mientras estabas de pie entre la multitud, viendo morir a Jesús?" (Implicando, por supuesto, que ella era mucho mayor que sus veinticuatro años).

Recuerdo cuando mi hija iba al jardín de niños o “kínder” y la maestra me preguntó qué quería que pasara. Recuerdo haberle dicho a la maestra que le encantaba aprender y que no quería que su experiencia en el salon de clases  arruinara eso.

Una madre cuyo hijo menor tiene autismo contó la historia de cómo, el primer día de clases, un nuevo compañero lo había ayudado con la mochila al final del día, en lugar de ignorarlo.

En la Iglesia, enseñamos sobre las señales del discipulado y los frutos del Espíritu Santo, pero a veces, la respuesta a la pregunta: “¿Cómo es una vida fiel?” es aún más simple. Curiosidad, alegría y compasión, todo basado en el amor de Dios por cada uno de nosotros.

Martín Lutero retoma las palabras de Cristo en su escrito“Sobre la libertad del cristiano”, donde escribe:

“Un cristiano es un señor perfectamente libre de todos, no sujeto a nadie. Un cristiano es un siervo perfectamente obediente de todos, sujeto a todos, sujeto para todos”. [i]

Debemos servir a los demás, entrando en cada día con medidas de gratitud y humildad que nos den la libertad de acompañar o caminar junto a los demás, viéndolos como amados de Dios, para escuchar con curiosidad y responder con compasión.

En el evangelio de hoy, los discípulos nos brindan una imagen de lo que no es seguir fielmente a Jesús: tener miedo,

permanecer en silencio en lugar de hacer preguntas,

discutir y ser egoísta y egocéntrico.

En su epístola, Santiago nos insta a vivir con “la mansedumbre que nace de la sabiduría” (3:13) en lugar de caer presos de la envidia, la ambición egoísta, la jactancia y la mentira. (3:14) Se necesita disciplina para resistir las conductas y actitudes del mundo que nos rodea, para renunciar al mal, al diablo y a los poderes de este mundo que desafían a Dios, que se rebelan contra Dios y nos alejan de Él. Más que eso, se necesita que Cristo obre en nosotros, a través de la fe.

Cuando seguimos a Jesús con fe, con la curiosidad, alegría y compasión de los niños, ya no nos centramos en lo que el mundo nos dice que es importante: prestigio, poder, influencia y dinero; en cambio, nos centramos en aquellos a quienes Cristo ama, compartiendo el amor infinito de Dios con los demás e invitándolos a que vivamos juntos.

Oremos.

Dios bueno y misericordioso,

Gracias por tu Hijo Jesús y por atraernos hacia Ti.

Danos poder para resistir aquellas cosas que nos separarían de Ti y ayúdanos a tener una fe como la de los niños.

Llénanos de Tu Espíritu para que amemos y sirvamos a los demás.

Oramos en el nombre de Jesús.

Amén.

Mark 9:30-37

Recently I was talking with friends and someone said that being in relationship with others means we must be open to having our minds changed. To not hold too tightly to our own ideas. To be willing to learn something new about others, and maybe about ourselves. I would add that it’s important to know when to say, “I don’t know.”

In the gospel for today, Jesus has been telling his disciples about the death he will suffer and about the resurrection they will witness. They don’t understand and they’re afraid to ask him what he meant. Then, while they are traveling, Jesus overhears them arguing. But when he asks them what they are arguing about, they don’t answer. Again, they are afraid.

They haven’t learned the lesson to say, “I don’t know”. Instead, they pretend they understand, and then they get distracted by bright, shiny objects and argue about trivial matters.

Jesus doesn’t scold them or lecture them, but he does challenge them. He says, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” (v. 35) And then he lifts up a child, taking the child into his arms.

In the first century world, while they were loved by their parents and families, children had no status, power or rights. They were “the least” in society. Jesus’s statement about being “the servant of all” is embodied in a child.

Certainly, small children, like the disciples, can be selfish and self-centered. They can be reckless like Peter often is. But those aren’t the traits we praise in children. Instead, we celebrate their innocence and trust, their easy joy and curiosity, and their readiness to respond with friendship and compassion.

My brother tells the story of asking our mother a question when he was almost five years old after hearing a Sunday School teacher speak about everyone watching Jesus die on the cross. When they were leaving church that day, he asked our mom, “What was it like for you? How did you feel, as you stood in the crowd, watching Jesus die? (Implying, of course, that she was much older than her twenty-four years.)

I remember when my daughter was going to kindergarten and the teacher asked what I wanted to see happen next. I remember telling the teacher that she loved learning, and I didn’t want her classroom experience to spoil that.

A mom whose youngest son has autism told the story of how, on the first day of school, a new classmate had helped him with backpack at the end of the day, instead of ignoring him.

In the Church, we teach about marks of discipleship and fruits of the Holy Spirit, but sometimes, the answer to the question, “What does a faithful life look like?” is even simpler. Wonder, joy and compassion, all grounded in God’s love for each one of us.

Martin Luther picks up Christ’s words in his essay “On the Freedom of a Christian” writing,

“A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject of all, subject to all.”[i]

We are to serve others, entering into each day with measures of gratitude and humility that give us the freedom to accompany or walk beside others, seeing them as God’s beloved, to listen with curiosity and to respond with compassion.

In today’s gospel, the disciples provide us with a picture of what faithfully following Jesus isn’t:

being fearful,

remaining silent instead of asking questions, and

bickering and being selfish and self-centered.

In his epistle, James urges us to live with “gentleness born of wisdom” (3:13) instead of falling prey to envy, selfish ambition, boasting and lying. (3:14) It takes discipline to resist the behaviors and attitudes in the world around us, to renounce evil, the devil, and the powers of this world that defy God, rebel against God and draw us away from God. More than that, it takes Christ working in us, through faith.

When we follow Jesus in faith, with childlike wonder, joy and compassion, we no longer focus on what the world tells us is important – prestige, power, influence and money; instead, we focus on those whom Christ loves, sharing God’s boundless love with others and inviting them into life together.

Let us pray.

Good and gracious God,

Thank you for your Son Jesus and for drawing us to You.

Empower us to resist those things that would separate us from you, and help us have childlike faith.

Fill us with Your Spirit that we would love and serve others.

We pray in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

---

[i] Martin Luther, “On the Freedom of a Christian”.

Lectionary 23B

I preached this sermon in the Spanish service; the English translation is below.

Marcos 7:24-37

Oremos…

Que las palabras de mi boca y las meditaciones de nuestro corazón sean aceptables ante tu vista, Señor, fortaleza y redentor nuestro. Amén.

En el seminario, una profesora dijo una vez: “Lo que ves depende de dónde te sientes”. Y sus palabras permanecen conmigo hoy.

En el evangelio de hoy, nos encontramos con una mujer sin nombre, madre de un niño enfermo, griega, no judía. Y ella ha oído hablar de Jesús.

Podemos imaginarnos que ella ha escuchado historias de cómo sanó a un hombre con un espíritu inmundo en la sinagoga y al hombre con lepra (Marcos 1) o cómo los amigos de otro hombre habían hecho un agujero en el techo de una casa para traer a un hombre paralítico a Jesús. (Marcos 2) Quizás había escuchado cómo sanaba en sábado, desafiando las prohibiciones religiosas. (Marcos 3) O cómo había sanado a un hombre poseído por un demonio en Gerasene. (Marcos 5) Incluso había sanado a una mujer y a una hija pequeña como la suya. (Marcos 5)

Desde donde estaba sentada, desesperada por ver a su hija restaurada, vio la esperanza encarnada en Jesús, cuyo poder parecía traspasar todos los límites o categorías.

Pero en esta historia, lo que vemos, cuando Jesús se encuentra con la mujer, no es el Jesús compasivo o amoroso que conocemos, Aquel cuyas historias ella había escuchado.

Vemos a un hombre que está exhausto por las largas horas de viaje, las exigencias de ser un maestro y líder público, y soportar las críticas de los líderes religiosos.

Buscando un lugar donde esconderse, Jesús no puede escapar de la atención y las necesidades del mundo herido que lo rodea. Y responde con enojo, arremetiendo contra la mujer y llamándola con un nombre despreciativo.

Tal vez te puedas identificar con los momentos en que la ira se desata y la paciencia se agota. Y hablas sin pensar o alejas a alguien con tus palabras.Pero la mujer no retrocede. En cambio, desafía a Jesús a hacer algo mejor: a ser el Mesías, el Ungido que, según ella, tiene el poder de salvar, sanar y restaurar.

Ella me recuerda a los salmistas que claman a Dios en un lamento. Presentan su queja y luego le piden ayuda a Dios, nombrando las formas en que Dios ha liberado a su pueblo en el pasado, pidiéndole que sea el Dios que conocen de sus antepasados ​​y que haga las mismas cosas que ellos saben que Dios puede hacer.

Y al escuchar a esta madre, Jesús vuelve en sí. Escucha su lamento y su súplica de misericordia para su hija. Y responde que ella ha sido sanada.

La segunda historia del evangelio nos muestra que lo que Jesús aprendió de la mujer y su hija lo cambió. No solo en el momento, sino de manera permanente.

Esta vez, cuando un hombre sordo es llevado ante Jesús en la Decápolis, una ciudad bajo influencia griega que está habitada principalmente por gentiles, Jesús no lo despide.

En cambio, lo lleva aparte y lo sana.

La palabra que le dice al hombre significa: “Ábrete”. Y aunque sus palabras abren los oídos del hombre, los efectos de sus palabras llegan más allá de ese hombre.

Así como Jesús tuvo que abrir su corazón para responder a la mujer y a su hija, todos los que seguimos a Jesús tenemos el desafío de “abrirnos”.

A considerar

que vemos las cosas de manera diferente de los demás debido a donde estamos sentados, y que debemos abrirnos a nuevos entendimientos o perspectivas;

que tenemos algo que aprender de las personas que encontramos;

y que podemos tener partes de nosotros mismos que están cerradas, y necesitamos que Jesús nos sane.

No es un lugar cómodo.

Es humilde.

Cuando nos vemos reflejados en las historias de la Biblia, ya sean las parábolas que enseña Jesús o historias como las del evangelio de hoy, nos gusta imaginar que somos los héroes o al menos las personas que están del lado “correcto” del conflicto. Es una de las razones por las que resulta tan difícil leer la historia del arresto y la crucifixión de Jesús durante la Semana Santa; somos culpables de querer silenciarlo y somos cómplices de condenarlo a muerte.

Es difícil reconocer que podríamos reaccionar con el mismo desprecio que Jesús exhibe en la primera historia que escuchamos hoy. O que podríamos estar de acuerdo con los expertos religiosos que quieren mantener a todos en sus categorías y casillas restrictivas.

Y es aún más difícil vernos a nosotros mismos como los que todavía estamos aprendiendo y cambiando en respuesta a lo que Dios está haciendo en nuestras vidas.

La Buena Noticia de hoy es que Jesús es un modelo de lo que significa aprender y responder a los demás con amor y humildad.

Tenemos un Salvador, que es a la vez completamente humano y completamente divino, que conoce la tentación de alejarse de los demás y prestar atención solo a nuestras necesidades individuales, y que aprende de sus errores y sirve a los demás incluso cuando hay un camino más fácil que nos llama como el canto de una sirena. Este es el Jesús que encontramos en los evangelios, y que nos da la bienvenida al reino de Dios con perdón y misericordia, y el que encarna la esperanza cuando sentimos que no tenemos a nadie más a quien recurrir.

Gracias a Dios.

Amén.

Mark 7:24-37

In seminary, a professor once said, “What you see depends on where you sit.” And her words remain with me today.

In today’s gospel, we meet a nameless woman, the mother of a sick child, a Greek, not a Jew. And she has heard about Jesus.

We can imagine that she has heard stories of how he healed a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue and the man with leprosy (Mark 1) or how another man’s friends had cut a hole in the roof of a house to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. (Mark 2) Perhaps she had heard how he healed on the Sabbath, defying the religious prohibitions. (Mark 3) Or how he had healed a demon-possessed man in Gerasene. (Mark 5) He had even healed a woman and a young daughter like her own. (Mark 5)

From where she sat, desperate to see her daughter restored, she saw hope embodied in Jesus, whose power seemed to cross all boundaries or categories.

But in this story, what we see, when Jesus meets the woman, isn’t the compassionate or loving Jesus we know, the One whose stories she had heard.

We see a man who is exhausted by the long hours of travel, the demands of being a public teacher and leader, and weathering the criticism of the religious leaders.

Searching for a place to hide, Jesus cannot escape the attention and needs of the hurting world around him. And he responds angrily, lashing out against the woman and calling her a disparaging name.

Maybe you can relate to times when anger runs hot, and patience runs thin. And you speak thoughtlessly or push somebody away with your words.

But the woman doesn’t flinch. Instead, she challenges Jesus to do better: to be the Messiah, the anointed One who she has heard has the power to save, to heal and to restore.

She reminds me of the psalmists who cry out to God in lament. They make their complaint and then they ask God for help, naming the ways God has delivered God’s people in the past, asking God to be the God whom they know from their ancestors, and do the very things they know God can do.

And listening to this mother, Jesus returns to himself. He hears her lament and her plea for mercy for her daughter. And he responds that she has been healed.

The second story in the gospel shows us that what Jesus learned from the woman and her daughter changed him. Not just in the moment, but permanently.

This time, when a deaf man is brought to Jesus in the Decapolis – a city under Greek influence that is mostly inhabited by Gentiles – Jesus doesn’t send him away. Instead, he takes him aside and heals him.

The word he speaks to the man means, “Be opened”. And while his words open the man’s ears, his words’ effects reach beyond that one man.

Just as Jesus had to open his heart to respond to the woman and her daughter, all of us who follow Jesus are challenged to “be opened.”

To consider

that we see things differently that others because of where we sit, and we must open ourselves to new understandings or perspectives;

that we have something to learn from the people we encounter;

and that we may have parts of ourselves that are closed, and we need Jesus to heal us.

It’s not a comfortable place.

It’s humbling.

When we see ourselves in the stories in the Bible, whether it’s the parables that Jesus teaches or stories like the ones in today’s gospel, we like to imagine we would be the heroes or at least the people who are on the “right” side of conflict. It’s one of the reasons it’s so difficult to read the story of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion during Holy Week; we are guilty of wanting to silence him and we are complicit in putting him to death.

It's challenging to recognize that we might react with the same disdain that Jesus exhibits in the first story we heard today. Or that we might agree with the religious experts who want to keep everyone in their constricting categories and boxes.

And it’s even more difficult to see ourselves as the ones who are still learning and still changing in response to what God is doing in our lives.

The Good News today is that Jesus models what it looks like to learn and to respond to others with love and humility.

We have a Savior, who is both fully human and fully divine, who knows the temptation to turn away from others and only pay attention to our individual needs, and who learns from his errors and serves others even when there is an easier way beckoning like a Siren’s song. This is the Jesus we meet in the gospels, and who welcomes us into God’s kingdom with forgiveness and mercy, and the one who does embody hope when we feel like we have nowhere else to turn.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Lectionary 21B

I preached this sermon in the Spanish service; the English translation is below.

Juan 6:56-69 

Oremos...

Que las palabras de mi boca y las meditaciones de nuestro corazónes sean aceptables delante de ti, Señor, fortaleza nuestra y redentor nuestro. Amén.

Los Juegos Olímpicos de París terminaron a principios de este mes y, si bien hay muchas historias inspiradoras sobre los atletas que compitieron allí, quiero contarles sobre uno de los gimnastas masculinos estadounidenses. Brody Malone era un gimnasta de la Universidad de Stanford que se lesionó gravemente al caerse durante su rutina de barra alta en marzo de 2023 durante un evento de la Copa del Mundo. Luego, Malone se sometió a tres cirugías para reparar el daño en su rodilla y no regresó a la competencia hasta finales de mayo, hace solo tres meses. Allí ganó su tercer título nacional completo y en junio compitió nuevamente y ganó su lugar en el equipo olímpico masculino de 2024 que ganó la medalla de bronce en París. ¹ El camino de regreso de Malone a los Juegos Olímpicos estuvo marcado por desafíos e interrupciones, pero estaba decidido.

Nuestro evangelio de hoy cuenta una historia sobre Jesús y sus discípulos, y escuchamos acerca de los retos que enfrentan y las trastornos que encuentran mientras siguen a Jesús.

Jesús está enseñando en la sinagoga, explicando lo que significa tener vida eterna. Y sus discípulos son desafiados por sus palabras. El evangelista Juan dice que Jesús los escucha quejarse por la dificultad que están teniendo, y Jesús les pregunta: "¿Esto los ofende?"

Nos queda especular sobre por qué están perturbados u ofendidos.

En el discurso de las últimas cinco semanas en el evangelio, Jesús les ha dicho muchas cosas.

El discurso comenzó con la alimentación de los 5.000.

¿Se ofenden porque dice que nunca rechazará a los que vienen a Él? (6:37)

¿Se ofenden, como los líderes religiosos, porque enseña con autoridad y les dice que vino del cielo cuando recuerdan a sus padres en Galilea? (6:38-42)

¿Se ofenden porque les dice que coman su carne y beban su sangre? (6:54)

¿O se ofenden porque dice que quienes crean permanecerán en Él y Él en nosotros? (6:56)

Después de todo, esperaban que viniera un Mesías que restaurara a Israel y derrotara a quienes los oprimen. ¿Cómo lograrán eso en el comer y en el beber? ¿Dónde están los ejércitos de los justos y la ruina y destrucción de nuestros enemigos? La gente debe estar perpleja ante Jesús.

Lo que aprendemos, por supuesto, es que Jesús no es un general militar y que ser discípulo no significa ser un soldado.

Jesús, el único Hijo de Dios, fue enviado por Dios para vivir entre nosotros, para comer, beber y tener hambre con nosotros, para experimentar toda la vida humana con sus propias desilusiones y sus alegrías, su desamor y sus milagros.

La vida eterna es un regalo que recibimos de Dios porque Dios quiere vivir en relación con su pueblo. Recibir el sacramento es la manera en que somos alimentados y perdonados por Dios, una y otra vez, no porque Dios nos quite nuestro perdón, sino porque nosotros, como los discípulos, a menudo nos alejamos de Dios en tiempos difíciles, quejándonos e insatisfechos.

Lutero escribió en su explicación del sacramento en el Catecismo Menor

Las palabras “dado por ustedes” y “derramado por ustedes para el perdón de los pecados” nos muestran que el perdón de los pecados, la vida y la salvación se nos dan en el sacramento a través de estas palabras, porque donde hay perdón de los pecados, también hay vida y salvación.

[Y estas] palabras, cuando van acompañadas del comer y beber físicamente, son lo esencial del sacramento, y quien cree en estas mismas palabras tiene lo que declaran y afirman, es decir, “el perdón de los pecados”.

Porque “creer”, especialmente en el evangelio de Juan, tiene que ver con estar en relación con Dios, creer que somos perdonados y tenemos nueva vida en Cristo también significa permanecer o morar con Dios, y confiar en que Dios está morando con nosotros.

Después de que algunos de los discípulos se alejaron y dejaron a Jesús, él se volvió hacia los doce que habían estado con él desde el principio de su ministerio y les preguntó: “¿También ustedes quieren irse?” Y es entonces cuando escuchamos la memorable confesión de Pedro. Le responde a Jesús: “Señor, ¿a quién iremos? Tú tienes palabras de vida eterna” (6:68).

Conocemos a Pedro. Sabemos que, si bien tiene este momento brillante, no siempre es tan confiable o comprometido. Sabemos que es excitable e impulsivo y, a veces, tiene miedo y pone sus propios intereses por delante de seguir a Jesús. Pero aquí lo hace bien. Aquí acierta.

Él y los demás apóstoles han observado a Jesús y lo han escuchado. Pedro sabe que Jesús es el propio Hijo de Dios y el único que puede ofrecer perdón, vida y salvación y se compromete a seguir a Jesús y proclamar que Él es el Mesías y el Señor.

Estar en relación con Dios, permanecer en Dios y aceptar la presencia y la voluntad de Dios para nuestras vidas es una tarea continua y diaria. Si bien somos salvados por Dios y perdonados por Dios, y nada nos separa del amor de Dios, siempre seremos desafiados a alejarnos de Dios porque el mal, los poderes y los principados aún existen en el mundo, tratando de convencernos de que nos alejemos de Dios, mintiéndonos sobre quiénes somos y a quién pertenecemos.

El desafío del discipulado de seguir a Jesús de todas maneras.

En el Encuentro de Jóvenes de la ELCA, la Dra. Jacquelyn Bussie habló desde el escenario principal y contó su historia de cómo quedó viuda de repente y descubrió el amor y la alegría de todos modos a pesar de la trágica experiencia y la tremenda pérdida.

En la vida habrá obstáculos, desafíos y decepciones. Una invitación al discipulado no es una invitación a la tranquilidad y a la liberación de las preocupaciones. Es una invitación a vivir en espacios sagrados y a caminar con el Dios que te conoce, te ama y te perdona. Es una invitación a encontrar una nueva vida cuando todo esta boca abajo y nada va como lo habías planeado, y a vivir en  fe de todos modos. Porque, como preguntó Pedro, ¿a dónde más podemos ir?

Oremos.

Dios bueno y misericordioso,

Gracias por tu Hijo Jesús y por el don de la vida eterna que nos has dado como tus hijos. Ayúdanos a resistir aquellas cosas en nuestras vidas que nos alejan de Ti o tratan de separarnos de Ti. Llénanos con Tu Espíritu Santo y capacítanos para seguirte incluso cuando sea desafiante o difícil. Oramos en el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

 

John 6:56-69

The Paris Olympics finished earlier this month and while there are lots of inspiring stories about the athletes who were there competing, I want to tell you about one of the American men’s gymnasts. Brody Malone was a Stanford University gymnast who was seriously injured in a fall during his high bar routine in March 2023 during a World Cup event. Malone then had three surgeries to repair damage in his knee and didn’t return to competition until the end of May, just three months ago. There he earned his third all around national title and in June he competed again and won his spot on the 2024 Men’s Olympic team that won the bronze medal in Paris.[i] Malone’s road back to the Olympics was marked by challenges and disruptions, but he was committed.

Our gospel today tells a story about Jesus and his disciples, and we hear about challenges they face and disruptions they encounter as they follow Jesus.

Jesus is teaching in the synagogue, explaining what it means to have eternal life. And his disciples are challenged by his words. The evangelist John says that Jesus hears them grumbling about the difficulty they are having, and Jesus asks them, “Does this offend you?”

We are left to speculate about why they are disturbed or offended.

In the discourse over the last five weeks in the gospel, Jesus has told them many things.

The discourse began with the feeding of the 5,000.

Are they offended because he says he will never drive away those who come to Him? (6:37)

Are they, like the religious leaders, offended because he teaches with authority and tells them that he came from heaven when they remember his parents in Galilee? (6:38-42)

Are they offended because he tells them to eat his flesh and drink his blood? (6:54)

Or are they offended because he says that those who believe will abide in Him and He in us? (6:56)

After all they have expected a Messiah to come and restore Israel and defeat those who oppress them. How will eating and drinking do that? Where are the armies of the righteous and the ruin and destruction of our enemies? The people must be perplexed by Jesus.

What we learn, of course, is that Jesus isn’t a military general, and that being a disciple is not about being a soldier.

Jesus, God’s only Son, was sent by God to live among us, to eat and drink and hunger with us, to experience all of human life with its own disappointments and its joys, its heartbreak and its miracles.

Eternal life is a gift we receive from God because God wants to live in relationship with God’s people. Receiving the sacrament is how we are fed and forgiven by God, again and again — not because God takes away our forgiveness, but because we, like the disciples, often turn away from God in hard times, grumbling and dissatisfied.

Luther wrote in his explanation of the sacrament in the Small Catechism

The words “given for you” and “shed for you for the forgiveness of sin” show us that forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation are given to us in the sacrament through these words, because where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation.

[And these] words, when accompanied by the physical eating and drinking, are the essential thing in the sacrament, and whoever believes these very words has what they declare and state, namely, “forgiveness of sin.”

Because “believing”, especially in John’s gospel, is about being in relationship with God, believing we are forgiven and have new life in Christ also means abiding or dwelling with God, and trusting that God is abiding with us.

After some of the disciples turned away and left Jesus, he turned to the twelve who had been with him from the beginning of his ministry, and asked them, “Do you also wish to go away?” And that’s when we hear Peter’s memorable confession. He answers Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (6:68)

We know Peter. We know that while he has this shining moment, he is not always so dependable or committed. We know he is excitable and impulsive and sometimes he is afraid and puts his own interests ahead of following Jesus. But here he does well. Here he gets it right.

He and the other apostles have watched Jesus and listened to Him. Peter knows that Jesus is God’s own Son and the only One who can offer forgiveness, life and salvation and he commits himself to following Jesus and proclaiming He is Messiah and Lord.

Being in relationship with God, abiding in God and accepting God’s presence and will for our lives, is an ongoing and daily task. While we are saved by God and forgiven by God, and nothing separates us from God’s love, we are always going to be challenged to turn away from God because evil and powers and principalities still exist in the world, trying to convince us to walk away from God, lying to us about who we are and to whom we belong.

The challenge of discipleship to follow Jesus anyway.

At the ELCA Youth Gathering, Dr. Jacquelyn Bussie spoke from the main stage and told her story of being widowed suddenly and discovering love and joy anyway despite the tragic experience and tremendous loss.

In life, there will be obstacles. There will be challenges. There will be disappointments. An invitation to discipleship is not an invitation to ease and freedom from worries. It is an invitation to dwell in holy spaces and journey with the God who knows you, loves you and forgives you. It is an invitation to find new life when everything has turned upside down and nothing is going as you planned and live in faith anyway. For, as Peter asked, where else can we go?

Let us pray.

Good and gracious God,
Thank you for your Son Jesus and for the gift of eternal life given to us, as your children. Help us resist those things in our lives that draw us away from You or try to separate us from You. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and empower us to follow you even when it is challenging or difficult. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brody_Malone, accessed August 24, 2024.