Cut It Out

A sermon from Mark 9:33-50 by Lyndon Perry

            I’d like to share three stories that have to do with divorce, but not just the marriage kind. The real issue is separating ourselves from others, ending relationships, cutting off contact friends and strangers alike.

It’s a pressing topic for us today for we live in a very fragmented society. We may not agree on much, but we can almost all agree we are a divided nation. Maybe the most divided society in recent memory. You don’t need to look very far for examples. Social media has made it the norm to “de-friend” someone over the slightest provocation.

And this has disastrous effects; all of our most important relationships seem to suffer. Think about it. Are people having marital difficulties? The temptation to divorce one’s spouse seems to be a “go-to” possibility for so many people. It’s almost the default option nowadays.

But not only that, we are often tempted to divorce or separate ourselves from family members, friends, even God, at the drop of a hat. Just cut them out of our lives.

            It used to be, if “the going got tough, the tough got going” and they worked harder to build stronger relationships. Now, if the going gets tough, people often bail out.

            The insidious nature of wanting to separate is inherent in all of us. Maybe these three stories will shed some light on the dilemma and offer a way back to wholeness.

On The Road to Easter

Can You Hear Him Call?
A Sermon from Mark 10:46-52

Although it is truly the path to abundant living, the way of Christ is difficult.

Traveling heavenward requires a different mind than the way of the world. It is a life marked by service and humility, not greatness and control. This is a hard message to hear for modern day followers of Christ. Jesus would indeed have us experience a vibrant, wonderful life, but first he beckons us to follow him to the cross and die to ourselves so that we can take hold of the new life he offers.

The Season of Lent is coming to a close, we are on the Road to Easter. As we examine one of Jesus' final encounters and miracles before his death, let us ask the timely question, "Can you hear Jesus calling you?"

The Story

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. He had told his disciples repeatedly that his purpose for this trip was to die. The religious leaders would beat him, mock him, and hand him over to the gentile leaders of Rome to be crucified. Then three days later he would rise from the dead.

The disciples, however, did not understand. They couldn't see why Jesus had to die. Within a few weeks they would for they were almost at the end of road to Easter. When they came to Jericho they were within 15 miles of the City of Jerusalem, within 15 miles of the climax of history.

Jericho was the welcome center of Judea, especially during the Passover celebration. Religious pilgrims on their way from across the Jordan to the City of David stopped at Jericho before completing their trip.

Now a large crowd had gathered to wish these travelers well. Many of them joined Jesus on his way. It was the custom back then to follow along with a teacher, or rabbi, who then used the occasion to teach. So in all likelihood Jesus was teaching the multitude as he walked up the road.

"Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging." (Mark 10:46)

Words from the Cross - Need

Note: As we are in the Lenten Season of the Church calendar over the next few weeks I'd like to reflect on some of Jesus' Words from the Cross. This reflection is a sermon titled Need and is based on the phrase, "I thirst" - the fifth Word from the Cross found in John 19.28.

Need
We need a new coffee maker. We've had it almost 9 years and it's starting to leak. We need to replace it because we use it practically every day, can't live without it. Needless to say, we are avid coffee drinkers. Not just Starbucks, either. We buy the flavored gourmet style beans: Mocha Almond Java, Chocolate Irish Cream, Vanilla Cookie Wafer. Coffee flavors are getting about as ridiculous as ice cream varieties. Double Peanut Butter Brickle Fudge Brownie. At any rate, we need a new coffee maker if we're going to continue this admittedly extreme habit.

What do you need? A new washer, dryer, refrigerator, furniture, carpets, curtains, car, trailer, apartment, house? Or are your needs less tangible, more qualitative? Like friendship, family, companionship, care, understanding, acceptance, love and forgiveness. These are basic needs, to be sure. Emotional and spiritual needs.

Yet for many in the world, there are physical needs which are even more basic. Items, events that we take for granted. A night free from bombing, a day released from terror, shelter, clothing, food and water. Millions of people live without these most basic needs. But not for long. Some survive, many do not.

How to Pastor Your Pastor

A Message from 1 Thessalonians 5.12-15

Thank you for having me here this morning. I’m in a great position right now. I get to preach from a text that encourages the congregation to respect and care for their preacher. Now I can get away with that since I am only a pulpit supply; a hired gun, if you will. And no, your pastor did not pay me to preach this message. I picked the passage myself. You can read along in your bibles, 1 Thessalonians 5.12-15.

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”

So the Apostle Paul writes to the church.

• The challenge is that one can always find fault with a pastor.
• If the pastor is young, he lacks experience; if his hair is gray, he’s too old to relate to the young people.
• If she has five or six children, she must be too busy to pastor; if she has none, you wonder if she’s a feminist.
• If he preaches from a manuscript, he has canned sermons and is dry; if his messages are extemporaneous, he isn’t deep enough.
• If she uses too many illustrations, she’s neglecting the bible; if she doesn’t include stories, she’s too erudite.
• If he preaches the truth and condemns wrong, he’s cranky; if he doesn’t preach against sin, he’s a compromiser.
• If she preaches all the time, the congregation gets tired of hearing her voice; if she invites guest ministers, she’s shirking responsibility.
• If he can’t please the majority, he’s hurting the church and should leave; if he tries to make everyone happy, he has no convictions.
• If she drives an old car, she shames her congregation; if she buys a new one, she’s setting her affection on earthly things.
• If he receives a large salary, he’s mercenary; if he gets a small one, they say it proves he isn’t worth much anyway.

Quite a dilemma, don’t you think? It’s tough being in ministry today given the many and varied expectations prevalent in a typical congregation. One especially has to be a bold preacher to tackle texts like these. Or a guest preacher. Even then it’s a bit risky – you might never invite me back. Yet despite the dilemma, I want to do just that. And I’m going to apply the umpire’s axiom. I’m simply going to call it as I see it.

Pentecost

There's a rumor afloat.

A strange new group in town is attracting members left and right. Every day people are joining this group and forming what can only be described as a spiritual movement. When I first heard about it all I knew was that it had something to do with a prophecy being fulfilled…

The rumor is that the "Last Day" is upon us. This group is convinced that a prophecy written hundreds of years ago has finally come true. It's a prophecy about everyone being filled up with God. And like I said, this movement is growing.

Why are so many people flocking to this strange new group? Well, just a few weeks ago a crowd of over hundred people took to the streets speaking all sorts of different languages. These men and women were shouting out in tongues not their own. A friend of mine saw it happen and heard the words. He told me he thought they were drunk.

But then this man named Peter took center stage and quoted the prophecy which they claimed had come true. And the people – over 3,000 people! – who heard him speak believed what he had to say. A new spiritual movement was under way and more are joining every day.

I'm the kind of person who gets excited about things like this, but I'm also a bit skeptical when so many people get interested in something so quickly. So I decided to do a little investigation of my own. Here's what I found out.

Here Comes the Son ... of Man

Here Comes the Son ... of Man
A Sermon from Mark 10:42-45, Phil 2:5-11 & Daniel 7:13-14

My nickname growing up was Bug. Probably because I pestered my older brothers and sisters. I was the last of seven kids - an afterthought nine years after the last afterthought. So I grew up spoiled, or at least that's what my siblings tell me.

They said I bugged them about everything. I could ask more questions! Where are you going? What are you going to do? When are you coming back? Can I go with you? Why not? If you've got a baby brother or sister, I bet you can relate. They sure can be a pest at times, a bug.

Well, by the time I reached junior high I realized that Bug wasn't that flattering a nickname. I must have been a slow learner. So one year at camp I came up with what I thought was just the coolest name. Brooklyn. Call me Brooklyn. It's no use asking why, I don't know. But everyone else had a handle and I wanted one too. So I gave myself a new name. It didn't catch on.

What was your nickname growing up?