sermonizing { 01 }

I think I'm going to start posting sermons as I write them, or ones that I have written in the past... or ones which I write for fun. Just because i can...

Hopefully you get something out of them....

So, the following is a sermon I'm giving this tuesday night at our ecumenical worship service on campus. I think this should be the final copy. If it isn't, don't worry, not too much was changed from it...



They say seeing is believing. But. What if. WHAT if we believed without having to see?
Of course, we don’t see miracles exactly how Jesus did them back in the 1st century. I believe miracles can still happen but not simply with words or a combination of spit and mud.

The gospel lectionary for today is one which we have heard over and over again. Someone is dying or on their death bed, a family member informs or comes running for Jesus, tell him, Jesus goes and cures the person, and all is well.

This story is different though. What sets it apart from all the others? The dialogue. It is the conversation between Jesus and Martha, the disciples and spectators which draws us in to explain the meaning of the passage.

[in a bitchy tone with attitude] I imagine Martha to have sounded something similar to:
“If you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”

[in a male sarcastic tone] And the Jews who were watching sounded something like:
“Well, if he loved him so much why didn’t he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man.”

How many times have we heard this said by someone else? Or probably even yourself? Maybe it sounded like “Well geez God. Thanks. Grandma was so devoted to you. If only you could have spared her from cancer.” Or maybe you heard someone else say, “If your God loves you SO much, then why does he let people starve, disasters happen, and wars continue?” I know I’ve said or at least thought this before…

However, Martha said to Jesus, “I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection of the end of time.” She knew this about him. She knew that he was a man of faith and there was no doubt about it. She knew he would rise up eventually. She didn’t realize, of course, that Jesus was going to do it then and there.

So then, Jesus cries a little, goes through the motions and raises Lazarus from the dead. As we move on towards the end of the passage, the message version of the Bible says, “That was a TURNAROUND for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did and believed in Him.”

Don’t get me wrong now. I think belief is important and integral in our lives. What about faith? We hear these words thrown around so often these days. What does faith even mean anymore? To me, this term can be exchanged with the world “knowing.” After all, how often do we say we believe, but in fact, we do not? I can believe and have faith that a specific situation will be okay in the end. But there is something different between believing and knowing. We oft hear the verse from Hebrews, “Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. “ In this, the words “sure” and “certain” seem as though they portray “Knowing.” Right? I mean, if you’re sure of something you know that something is happening, or whatever the case may be.
You may believe in the power of the love of God. But do you believe so hard that you know that no matter what, God will always be there? Know that God will get you through a death? Know that spring really is going to come?

What will it take for you to know that God’s love for us conquers all?

The scripture setting for today described the lectionary passages as “promises of life from a seemingly hopeless situation.” Think of that. A seemingly hopeless situation that is… Maybe it’s something from your life, something you heard…. Got it? Now, do you think that maybe if we KNEW that something good could come from that situation it could turn from hopeLESS to hopeFUL?

Now if we knew something good could come of it, would you do something about it? There’s the catch. You see, you can’t just KNOW. I’ve built it up to seem that way, but there’s more. Being a Christian requires doing the work of Christ in the world.

The Coca Cola Company is taking clean water from African villages. Janitors who work for Target Corporation are being overworked and underpaid.

We can’t just know these things. We have to take action. We have to petition, protest, pray. They’re brought to our attention for a reason, you know. We have to do the work of Christ in order for things to be resolved.

So we can’t see Jesus work a miracle in society today. And I’ve found that most times, when something miraculous happens people find it a coincidence rather than a miracle. What cloth binds us and prevents us from believing in the power of God and of the Holy Spirit when such miracles happen?

So, what will it require for you to take action and solve the injustices which plague our earth?

What is it going to take for you to know that the love of God conquers all?

Believe, have faith. But more importantly know that God is always on your side.

And know that the spring season is on its way.

Amen.




(I'm starting to see a pattern... haha are you?)