Saturday, April 27, 2013

Moving Daze



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.

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