Sunday, September 9, 2007   15^th Sunday after Pentecost

Texts:  Philemon 1-21; Luke 14:25-33

Pastor Gary E. Benson

Zumbro Lutheran Church, Rochester, MN

 

“Beyond Believing”

Did you go to ValleyFair! this summer? When I think of ValleyFair! I think roller coaster, and, personally, I will no longer go on a roller coaster regardless of the coaxing. Even when I went on such I would close my eyes and think, “How many more seconds of endurance will it take until this ride is over?” The repeated action of up, down, and twist around was simply not enjoyable.

 

Most seriously, as you reflect on this past summer, wasn’t it a roller coaster, a roller coaster of spirit and emotion facing and dealing with realities around us?  From the Boundary Water Canoe Area fires where our ELCA camp, Wilderness Canoe Base, lost 60% of its buildings; then the 35W bridge collapse on August 1, to be followed by floods in southeastern Minnesota; to the ongoing war on terrorism; and numerous tragic accidents and deaths in our own faith community.  You know these stories and your own.  Furthermore, today we are mindful that this week is the anniversary of 9/11, and we continue to live with the consequences of that attack on America in 2001.

 

In the midst of these “heart, soul, and spirit gripping” realities, we cannot (as on a roller coaster) simply close our eyes and think “if we just hang on” in a few seconds my reality will change, all will improve, calm down and we can walk away back to our normal.  No, for most, the abnormal is normal!

 

Isn’t it for precisely that reason we are here today?  Because into our reality of our (be it) mountaintops of glorious ecstasy or valley of human suffering we have both the promises of God to meet us at the point of our need, but also the privilege and obligation – as Jesus invites today – to be disciples, witnesses, extensions of God’s grace and mercy for others into their realities of hurt or hope.

 

Therefore, on this Rally Sunday, with the Bluegrass Band, we are pumped, uplifted to move forward as a people/church. Furthermore, let’s be mindful that Jesus didn’t tell his disciples in the great commission, “Go into all the world and make believers out of all people.” He went a step beyond saying, “make disciples,” those not only committed to being God’s people in fellowship and worship, but also being in mission, being not only spectators, but participants.  In that regard, this past Monday night one of my ZLC neighbors was out walking her dog, and, as we met at the sidewalk, she mentioned she had just read this yellow insert regarding the mission trips. Her comment was, “I think I want to go on a mission trip!” Such comment is a specific call to move beyond, from being/gathering to doing from believing to discipleship.

 

Is such call/action to discipleship easy? Absolutely not – and we best not think that the landscape of discipleship has or will change. As Jesus said, “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”  He doesn’t end there; his language is even more concise and direct, as he mentions relationships/priorities with family: our mother and father, wife, sister, brother. Jesus says we must carry the cross, count the cost. In other words, discipleship is no thrill ride.  Bottom line, discipleship – it is going to cost you.  As Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, writes, “If we are going to follow Jesus, you must take certain definite steps of engagement.”  (This little light of mine, hide it under a bushel, no!)

 

As our mission is before us, “God has given us the ministry of reconciliation,” we have chosen to live life in grateful response to God’s love for us. Such life of discipleship puts our life/ministry into the arena of taking on risks, sacrifices and opportunities not for our sake, or that of our parents or friends or family, but for others in Jesus’ name.

 

On this Rally Sunday, on the one hand we are invited to affirm our faith: “I believe;” but even more so challenged to go, teach, and serve – to be disciples.

 

The natural question is, “Is this life of discipleship worth it?”  Ask…consider

• Intern, now Pastor, Eric and Christy Anspach-Hanson – leaving family and friends for mission work in Japan; little clue what headed for, but anxious; spirit is soaring to pay the cost…to bring the gospel forward.
• Today Intern Doug, Rachel, Laurie, teachers, mentors, staff – not forced, not out of dread, but desire to be vessels and channels of God’s grace...for others in Jesus’ name.
• Yourself – you are the faithful, the volunteers in mission in congregation and community, you are the baptized, claimed, and sent by God…you are those seeking (to gather not only in worship but to meet) people at the point of their need in Jesus’ name day in and day out, year after year, such is a life of discipleship (flood response, Channel One…)
• Can’t do what they do? Called to different engagements? “If you cannot sing like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus and say he died for all,” through the expressions of our life in family, congregation, community”

• You see (at the end of the day) discipleship is not simply what we do, it is who we are as a people and a church!

 

In that regard it has been said that the non disciples, the unredeemed, the non-believers can build towers to Babel, the pyramids of Egypt, the skyscrapers around the world, but only the Holy Spirit can build the Christian Church.  Yes, two or three gathered in Jesus’ name, knit together by the bond of forgiving love, are an architectural wonder before which even the angels in heaven stand in awe.

 

Again, ZLC’s architecture affirms such mission. I remind you of the Cross of Reconciliation which greets and sends you as you walk to and from the parking lot. By design, on Sunday all the concentric circles come together symbolizing a “gathered people,” (where the spirit calls, gathers, enlightens), yet, after worship the concentric circles are released symbolizing that each of us not only as believers, but beyond believers, as disciples are sent “in mission” into the world where the roller coaster of life’s spirit, emotion, and faithfulness continues to bless and challenge, but also where Jesus, as Lord and Savior, meets and empowers us to be expressions of God’s goodness, mercy, compassion, kindness, forgiveness.

 

On this Rally Day 2007 let’s be mindful, “we have not arrived.”  Rather, as the hymn writer penned, “In our joys and in our sorrows,” the roller coaster of life continues.  And into this “ride” called the journey of life, we are invited to move beyond believers to disciples.  Such life is. In the words of Saint Mother Teresa, is one that is indeed, “something beautiful for God.”  Such life is our Calling, may it be our mission, our passion!