“Putting It All on the Table” - Sermon from 8/26/2012

“Putting It All on the Table”

Texts: John 6:56-69 (main focus); Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18; Ephesians 6:10-20

   Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from the one who is and who was and who is to come, our living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

   Who’s full? Or, better yet, who’s hungry? I apologize in advance, because I’m going to talk about food…Or, maybe I should say, “Eat your heart out.” As I referenced in the children’s message, I went to the Minnesota State Fair on Thursday. It’s a Harthun family tradition to go the first day. Coworkers from my previous job would try to predict each year how many times I would end up going to the Fair, as I tend to go multiple times. I can try to eat it all in one day, but it’s hard. Let’s see…Thursday, I had a foot long hot dog, fresh French fries, deep fried Oreos, cheese curds, a bite of funnel cake, bacon ice cream, mini donuts, chocolate mint Dippin’ Dots, Sweet Martha’s chocolate chip cookies, a chocolate-dipped salted cashew roll…I also bought some saltwater taffy, but didn’t eat it yet, as I didn’t want to overdo it. Does someone have some Tums or Rolaids that I can get after the service? I’m running in a half marathon on Saturday, so I’m going to have to run that 13.1 miles just to get everything back in balance!

   So, just in that little, or not-so-little, sampling of food, one has MANY choices at the Minnesota State Fair. In today’s readings, we also see choices. In our first reading from Joshua, in verse 15, he tells the Israelites, “ Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve,” whether it was different gods, and then Joshua gives his resolute statement: “but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

   So, I guess the first question to ask you is, “Are you in or are you out?”

   Your being here in worship this morning is a good step towards the “in” side. The Israelites claim in verse 18 that they will also serve the LORD. The verses after the reading make it sound like Joshua is asking the Israelites, “Are you sure? Are you REALLY sure?” They claim that they are. So, after that declaration, one can’t help but wonder, “Now what?”

   Now what…Jesus in today’s Gospel reading from John makes some pretty bold statements. Many of his disciples find the teaching “difficult,” and they turn their backs on Jesus. In fact, in the passage after this week’s lesson, in John chapter 7, we see that even his brothers did not believe in him (verse 5). After many disciples leave, Jesus asks the twelve remaining disciples in verse 67, “Do you also wish to go away?” Are you in or are you out? Peter answers for all of them. We often use Peter’s profession of faith in our Gospel Acclamation, singing the words, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” They were in…Now what?

   As I was sitting with John’s text, a new commercial for Perkins Restaurants came on TV. Okay, besides me, who else wants pancakes? After the service, let’s go! Who’s buying? Anyway, their new slogan is, “Putting it all on the table.” So, the Good News for us to remember today is that Jesus is putting it all on the table, not hiding who he is, offering life and to abide in us. So, in response, the question to ask ourselves today is, “Are we putting it all on the table? Letting go of the things that weigh us down? Being as Christ to others, inviting others to this life-giving bread?” Think about it…

   First, a little background to our passage in John…So, this is the fifth and final week of bread texts in John. Now, lucky for me, as a runner, I like carbs, especially the night before a big race. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve heard about how you are what you eat and about hunger. Today’s passage from John actually overlaps last week’s lesson. In verse 56, Jesus says, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.” Whoa, Jesus! Eating flesh? Drinking blood? What in the world…? The children of God wouldn’t even eat flesh with blood still in it, so this image would be disturbing…What would you do if someone said that?

   One of my coworkers at my former job was raised Catholic but considered himself to be a “non-practicing atheist.” Years later, I’m still trying to figure that out exactly. It was always interesting to converse with him. I think he was trying to bring me around to his side, like he was trying to convert me. He focused on the “blood-drinking” element, saying Christians partook in vampire-like customs. He approached Scripture from a human-reason perspective, but that alone doesn’t comprehend Jesus’ teaching.

   Martin Luther states in the Large Catechism, “Neither you nor I could ever know anything about Christ, or believe in him and receive him as Lord, unless these were offered to us and bestowed on our hearts through the preaching of the gospel by the Holy Spirit” (p. 436). So I, like Peter, once hearing truth through the Spirit, couldn’t turn from it.

   Is the teaching difficult? YES. But, through the Spirit, we, like Peter, come to believe, despite our doubts, fears, weaknesses. With the Spirit’s help, Peter realized these difficult words unveiled the promise of eternal life. Sometimes the most difficult words are the ones we need to hear. After all, what are some of the hardest words to say? “I love you”...”Good-bye”…”I was wrong”…”I need you”…”You’re forgiven”…”I’m sorry”…”There’s no coffee”…J

   The disciples who leave get distracted by the flesh-eating and blood-drinking that they miss the most important words, “abide in me, and I in them.” In John’s Gospel, the Greek word for “abide” (meno) appears 40 times and almost in every chapter. This abiding appears to be one of the main goals in John. Abiding in Jesus and having God abide in and among us refers to quality of life and not quantity. We don’t need the best-this or the fastest-that. It’s true living, really living, eternal life. A true fullness. Jesus is the only one who can feed them…Jesus put it all on the table. But, they bite the hand that feeds them, so to speak.

   But, the moment people hear something they don’t like or understand, they complain about it. How often do we do that? (whiny voice) “But, I don’t get it!” I liked and was good at math, was even on the math team my senior year in high school. But, just ask my mom, story or word problems ALWAYS got the best of me. I let them. On Facebook, someone posted the following, and this is how I read word problems: “Every time I see a math word problem it looks like this: If I have 10 ice cubes and you have 11 apples. How many pancakes will fit on the roof? Answer: Purple because aliens don’t wear hats.” We need to relax, and how many of you watched the TV show, “Reba?” In the words of her goofy son-in-law Van, we need to—one word—“let-it-go!”

   Giving up control is hard, isn’t it? But, when we give it up, it’s so freeing. In our Ephesians reading, it says to “Be strong IN THE LORD”…It’s not our strength but God’s. How many of you are familiar with the “Footprints” poem? On Facebook, someone posted a cartoon, and some of you may have seen this on my page. The Lord says, “My child, I never left you. Those places with one set of footprints? It was then that I carried you.” Then, in the next frame, the Lord points and says, “That long groove over there is when I dragged you for a while.” Are we allowing God to carry us, or are we causing God to have to drag us?

   We live in the midst of struggle. There are numerous joys in life, “warm fuzzies” as I like to call them, but there are also challenges and difficulties, the “cold pricklies.” There’s life, there’s death…We love people, we hurt them…People love us, they hurt us. We tend to hurt the ones who are closest to us, don’t we? What other things may be weighing you down today? What do you need to put on the table? Is it the want of material goods? Finding validation for yourself in what others think? The want to be first all the time? Doubts? Fears? Loneliness? Loss? Grief? Anxiety? Worry? Feeling disenchanted? Discombobulated? That’s one of my favorite words…Whatever it is or they are, be free, put it all on the table.

   Upon hearing the words of God’s love and grace, we have a choice as to what to do with it. During the month of August, I have been receiving daily devotions from the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran pastor who was executed for his role in standing against Adolf Hitler, involved in plans to assassinate him. He writes about cheap grace and costly grace. In a nutshell, “cheap grace is grace without discipleship,” staying “as you are and” enjoying “the consolations of forgiveness.” Costly grace “is costly, because it calls to discipleship; it is grace, because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.” Are you singing, “Give Me Jesus” first thing in the morning, or are you wanting something else? So, are you in or are you out?

   When we accept God’s love, it flows from us, and we love others. By being here, you are in, like Peter and the rest of the twelve…We are walking forward together with Christ. Just as Jesus is God in the flesh, we in the here and now are Christ’s body in and to the world. So, now what? 

   So, after putting all of our burdens down, are we putting it all on the table, being as Christ to others, inviting others to this life-giving bread? How are we at inviting people? To the table here in worship, at church? To the table in our homes? To the table in a restaurant or coffee shop? We have so many chances to be as Christ to others, to invite them.

   Last week was the Buffalo Roast, and I enjoyed my first one! It was great to see the church full of people. It’s great to see that today, too. Wouldn’t it be great to see that every week? Sunday, September 9^th is Rally Sunday, the beginning of Sunday School and the Faith Matters education hour. Invite people to come. Or, if you are interested in teaching, there will be a Sunday School teacher prep meeting after this service. Whatever it is, consider your gifts and what it is you like to do, how you could use them to reach out.

   All of this talk of inviting reminds me of the song “Be Our Guest” from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” I’ve had that song in my head this week. Okay, who else has it in their heads now? I almost want to take the words and change them…”Be our guest! Be our guest! Give your soul a little rest! Try the bread! Try the wine! Let the light of Christ shine! / Today you'll be Christ’s feet / But for now, let's eat! Be our guest! / Be our guest! / Be our guest! / (Invite congregation to sing along) Please, be our guest!” Ah, seminary has ruined me…Or my favorite Disney movie.

   Another line from “Be Our Guest” goes, “Life is so unnerving / For a servant who's not serving.” We are to serve God and others. Are we serving? If not, why? Maybe we don’t think we are adequate enough. What do I have to offer? Everyone has something to offer. Or, maybe you are afraid to be bold and let that light shine. Maybe you don’t realize the gifts that God has given you? I have struggled with being bold, and I continue to do so. Someone shared with me the following from Marianne Williamson’s A Return to Love: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Do we seek the easy way or the hard way? After all, Christ gave of his whole self…Who are we not to do the same?

   Life in Christ is not easy. We seek Christ…We come to worship…We hear the words of Christ…We take in the bread and wine, his body and blood…With each encounter, we become more like Christ. Martin Luther said that the Lord’s Supper is given as daily food, sustenance to refresh and strengthen our faith. As you come forward today for Holy Communion, where Jesus put it all on the table, not hiding who he is, offering life and to abide in us, I invite you to reflect on the table--“What do I need to put on the table, to let go of?” Receive Jesus’ graces. As you go back to your seat, take with you the joys and burdens of your neighbors, with whom you’re sharing this meal, and ask yourself, “How can I put it all on the table, being as Christ to others, inviting others to this life-giving bread?” So, are you in or are you out?

   And now may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Caroline Harthun

House of Prayer Lutheran Church

9:30am

Sunday, August 26, 2012

 

 

 

 

Children’s Message - Junk Food Christians (Revised from Sermons4Kids)

Objects: A variety of junk foods
Theme: Feed on the Word of God to become strong.
Scripture: Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10
   Can you believe that school is starting soon? How many of you are ready? I’m not. What are some things you like to do before summer ends? I like to go to the Minnesota State Fair. For me, it’s a good way to say good-bye to summer.

   What I have here is my school bag that I carry my books in. Do you have yours ready to go? Inside my bag, I have a lunch packed. I try to bring something to eat with me. Do you bring a lunch? Or buy a lunch? Do you carry yours in a bag like this? With your name on it?
   Let's see what I have for lunch in my brown bag today. Here are some mini donuts. Oh, and here are some cookies…Sweet Martha’s from the Fair, to be exact. Let's see what else…Here is some saltwater taffy. Hey, do you think my mom would pack me a lunch like this? Would yours? No way! This is all junk food! This is all stuff that I had from the Fair the other day. Do you know what would happen to me if I ate a steady diet of junk food like this, ALL the time? I would become weak and sickly because this junk food does not have the vitamins and nourishment needed to grow a strong, healthy body. Our bodies need the nourishment we get from proteins, bread, fruits, and vegetables. No one can survive for very long on a junk food diet.
   No one would think of feeding their body a steady diet of junk food. And yet, many people feed their minds with a steady diet of junk food every day. They feed it with TV, movies, comic books, magazines and other junk, on things other than God. They never give their minds the real nourishment that it needs to be strong and healthy. In our Ephesians reading, we are told to be strong in the Lord. And, in our Gospel reading from John, Jesus tells us to eat the bread from heaven. What does that mean?

   We can take Holy Communion, the body and blood of Christ…Christ abides in us, and we in him…Reading the Word of God, we can feed our souls with that. The Bible says that our strength comes from the Lord, and that comes to us through God’s Word.
   Let us pray: Lord, help us to remember that just as our bodies can't survive on junk food, neither can our minds. Help us to remember that our strength comes from you, and that to learn about you, we need to feed on your Word. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

   And, since I have PLENTY of Sweet Martha’s cookies left over, make sure to get one from me after the service as a treat…Thanks for coming up! J