60 days ago, Cindy and I sat down to close on our house. In
the last 60 days, we moved from the house we rented in Twin Oaks to the house
we purchased in Tara. We unpacked and gave away boxes, bought and moved
furniture, washed windows and burned brush. In addition to moving, we started
working for new employers. I went from World Neighbors to Holy Trinity, and
Cindy to DHS. We even found time to host a wedding and a houseful of visitors.
And for those of you who wonder where I’ve been, I’ve been leading worship in
Wellston for 3 Sundays. So, the last two months have been moving days for me.
Hence, the title of today’s sermon – moving daze. That’s daze with a z.
So, let’s examine our readings. First, to see how Jesus moved
his disciples’ hearts; second, 3 men who are moved and dazed by heavenly
visions; and lastly, ask ourselves if we are moved and dazed by God’s love, and
if we have moved or dazed others.
First, Jesus moved his disciples’ hearts. Throughout his life
Jesus moved people’s hearts through his deeds and words. In today’s gospel the
Lord speaks after he washed his disciples’ feet.
Think how those 12 men must have felt seeing their Lord and
master assume the role of servant. Who of us would not react like Peter and
protest? Imagine someone you love and admire washing your feet, and yet Jesus
does this.
When finished, he stated, “Now is the Son of Man
glorified.” Jesus … glorified … after completing an act of humility. When
I think of glory, I think of Cooperstown and Canton, Lombardi Trophies and
Stanley Cups, Oscars, Emmys and Grammys, paparazzi and presidents. I don’t
think of 13 men in a room and one of them washing the feet of the other 12. But
the term “glory” means weighty or important. In other words, love is a serious
matter.
He then instructed his disciples to “love one another.” Jesus
didn’t plea for them to get along, but instructed them to love one another,
meaning “do what I do.” Well, they hadn’t yet witnessed his crucifixion, but
they had experienced his humble act of footwashing. … “As I have loved you, so you must
love one another.”
What follows next is Jesus’ farewell monologue interspersed
by some unconventional responses. Here is what the dazed disciples said.
When Jesus tells them that he is going to prepare a place for
them, Thomas says, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Following his explanation, Philip demonstrates dullness saying, “Lord,
show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Finally, after
telling the boys that He will show Himself to those who love Him, Judas asks, “Why
show yourself to us and not the whole world?” The entire episode of
washing their feet, instructing them to love one another and bidding adieu
leaves the disciples moved and dazed.
From John to Acts and Revelation where three others are moved
and dazed by heavenly visions. … Paul Harvey was famous for a series entitled The Rest of the Story which consisted of
stories presented as little-known or forgotten facts on a variety of subjects
with some key element of the story (usually the name of some well-known person)
held back until the end. The broadcasts always concluded with a variation on
the tag line "And now you know the
rest of the story."
If we confine ourselves to 18 verses of Acts 11, we don’t
know the rest of the story. So, let’s start with an introduction. In chapter
10, we are introduced to Cornelius. Cornelius was a Roman centurion who has a
vision. In spite of how we imagine Russell Crowe in Gladiator, this professional soldier was a devout and God-fearing
family man who prayed daily. One day while praying an angel appeared to him and
instructed him to seek out Peter. So, he sends a detail down the coast to Joppa
with instructions to bring Peter back to Caesarea. … Imagine telling a group of
soldiers that you just got a message from an angel. …
The next day, Peter goes up on his roof to pray. He too has a
vision. His vision occurs 3 times. In it God tells him to kill and eat the
animals in his vision. Objecting that he will never eat anything impure, God
reminds him that He has not made anything impure. And while praying about this
vision the Spirit instructed him to go with the men who sought him … By the
way, they’re waiting for you downstairs.
The story unfolds at Cornelius’ house. … Until that time, the
only people believing in Jesus as the Christ were Jews. A gentile wants to join
them, and for Peter to enter the house of a gentile meant that he rendered
himself religiously unclean.
As Cornelius explained his vision and how he was moved by God
to send for Peter, and as Peter explained his and how he was moved by God to
take the Gospel to all people, the Holy Spirit came down upon them and they
began to speak in tongues and praise God. They were so moved and dazed by this
experience that Peter baptized Cornelius’ entire household.
Later, Peter explained his actions to the apostles, and once
they realized that God granted the gift of faith and repentance to gentiles,
they praised God, and then sent Barnabas to look for Paul who begins witnessing
before gentiles in Antioch, which is where the word Christian is first used. … and now you know the rest of the story.
Like Cornelius and Peter, John too had a vision. How better
to keep hope afloat for persecuted Christians than to tell them what God
revealed. John’s Book of Revelation is apocalyptic literature. Filled with
vivid imagery for a persecuted people, its main purpose is to offer hope. John
interpreted the signs of the times as the end, and even though God triumphed
over Satan, sin and death, he did not want Christians to lose focus on the
church’s struggle against evil, false prophets and civil oppression.
In this passage, John envisioned a new heaven and a new
earth, and he envisioned the old heaven and earth passing away. Perhaps that
means nothing to us, but if you were living under the constant threat of
persecution, the passing of the present age and the vision of a new one would
be eagerly welcomed.
So, consider this: If you stood to lose your job and your friends,
your property and even your family because of your religion what would you do?
If you faced prison, isolation and death, would you remain a Christian? Would
you renounce your faith or would you choose martyrdom?
Did you know that more than a million Christians chose
martyrdom … in the 20th century? More than a million Christians in
Mexico through South America, from Nazi Germany and across the Iron Curtain,
throughout China, Vietnam and much of Africa were put to death because they did
not renounce their faith.
Well, that’s not going to happen to us because we are
citizens who enjoy God-given rights. We don’t live in 1st century
Rome or some 20th century communist bloc country or Nazi Germany.
Our Constitution, Amendments and Bill of Rights guarantee us rights, liberties
and freedoms. We can worship together, live our faith and fear nothing. But
before you jump to that conclusion, let me tell you how persecution happens
here.
When I was living and working in Berkeley, California,
Proposition 8 was on the state ballot. The state legislature affirmed same-sex
marriage, but ultimately the voters rejected it. During that time I sent a $50
check to a political action committee upholding traditional marriage. Within
weeks I received a letter from an anonymous person who stated that I should be
ashamed of what I did and that I should be fired from my job. So, while we may
not be in the same danger as some Christians in the 1st or 20th
centuries, when you proclaim your faith in word and deed, there are those who
will hate and persecute you.
Finally, are we moved and dazed by God’s love? Have moved or
dazed others?
Are we moved and dazed when we ponder what occurred in the
Upper Room when Jesus assumed the role of servant and washed his disciples’
feet? Do we pray like Cornelius and Peter and meditate on the meaning of God’s
revelation? Can we envision with John a new heaven and a new earth where God
wipes away every tear from our eyes? Are we moved to loving one another – like
Jesus? Do we risk loving others or do we prefer to keep love comfortable?
Keeping love comfortable is what we prefer. I’m sure Peter
would have chosen fishing over shepherding, living on the coast rather than
dying in Rome. I’m certain Christian martyrs of the 1st or 20th
centuries would have gladly lived their lives in peace rather than persecution,
but what about us?
I mean who wants to wash their uncle’s feet? Who wants to
change their grandparents’ diapers? Do teenagers and young adult believe what
friends profess or what their faith community professes? When I was my mother’s
caregiver, there were humble acts of loving kindness that I would have preferred
to be done by someone else, but you rely upon God’s grace to strengthen you to
love beyond your comfort zone.
Humble acts of loving kindness are not confined to the
nursing home or schoolyard, but they all involve personal interaction. You
know, one of the more pleasant experiences I had after I joined the Lutheran
Church was when the men who belonged to Our Savior’s in Livermore, California
reached out to me, and invited me to join their men’s fellowship. That moved
me, and so, I have to ask myself: Does my love move others? Does our love move
others into believing in Christ or joining us for worship? Or, have the people with
whom I interact fallen into a spiritual daze?
This week, let’s think about how Jesus moved the hearts of
his disciples and ask ourselves, “When was the last time my humble acts of
loving kindness moved someone else to love?” … Think about what humble act of
loving kindness you wanted to do last week but didn’t. Think about what you’d
like to do this week. And next week reflect upon what you did to bring one more
person to Christ.
Let’s thank and praise God for how He’s loved us and moved
our hearts to love more deeply.
