The Rev. Virginia W. Nagel
Ephphatha Parish of the Deaf
Episcopal Diocese of Central NY
It is not easy to be a follower of Christ, a Christian.
Today's readings give us some insights on this truth. But before we begin digging into Scripture, I would like to share with you a little verse from a rather silly play. It is Gilbert and Sullivan's comedy opera, named
Thespis. I am NOT going to talk about that opera today, although it's very funny and I enjoy reading the script every once in awhile.
However, one line of one of the songs is a good match for today's Bible readings:
Well, well, it's the way of the world ...
And that, you know, is exactly the way that today's readings say we should NOT follow!
We begin as always with the Old Testament lesson. This is about the prophet Elijah. It takes place after Elijah had run to hide in a cave because the king wanted to kill him. He waited and waited for God to tell him what to do next. First a big thunderstorm came by, and Elijah thought maybe he would hear God coming in the storm, in all his power and might. But the storm passed, and no message came from God. Then an earthquake shook the mountain where his cave was, and he thought maybe God would show his power by speaking in the earthquake. But no. And finally when everything was very quiet and still, he heard God speaking in a very soft whisper, and what we read just now is what God said to Elijah.
And, surprise! What God told Elijah to do is exactly the opposite of what most people would tell him to do. First, Elijah was being hunted by the king's army. It was dangerous, almost
suicidal, for him to leave the cave and travel around the country as God said he should do. Then, God said to go to the city of Damascus in Syria, and anoint one of the generals of the Syrian army as the new king of Syria. This is the same general who had been trying to destroy Jerusalem only a few months ago. More danger. Most people would say it was a very foolish, risky thing to do. But that wasn't all. Next, he was supposed to go to Israel, to the part of Israel that was called Samaria, and anoint as king one of the people who had been trying to kill Elijah. And finally, God said, he should find the farmer Elisha and anoint him to become the next prophet...without any special training or anything! No, God's orders to Elijah were definitely not
the way of the world. God works differently, you see. Everything God told Elijah to do would have been called foolish or dangerous by almost anybody who heard about those orders!
Now, let's look at Paul's letter to the church in Galatia. Paul is telling the new Christians in that church how they are supposed to live. He tells them that they are not to live the same way most people live:
- Do not let your body be your boss. Instead, serve other people. Not what YOU want, but what GOD wants.
- Do not hurt or harm each other or get even, like wild animals do.
- Let the Holy Spirit tell you what to do....don't do what most other people are doing, because our human nature and instincts are self-centered, but what Christians are supposed to do is become God-centered.
- Keep away from wrong, dirty or selfish behavior. Do not do things just because they feel good or you like to do them. Don't "spoil" yourself.
- Keep far away from witchcraft, fortune telling and worship of anything other than God.
- Do not let yourself fight, become jealous, or make enemies. Don't get drunk, use sex in wrong ways, or use other people to give yourself pleasure.
- Instead, allow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control to rule your life.
That is certainly not the world's way. You know this if you watch news on TV or read the newspapers. Paul is telling Christians NOT to live
the way of the world.
And now, we come to the Gospel. Jesus was going to Jerusalem, and he knew he would die there. He and his disciples went through the area called Samaria, where people lived who hated the Jews. They refused to let him stay there that night, even though it was a very long journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Two of the disciples suggested that they call down fire from heaven to destroy the town that would not let them stay. You know Jesus' answer was one that Paul would approve of! He was patient and forgiving and would not allow the disciples to get revenge or get even. No, Jesus did not follow
the way of the world! Often, although not in today's reading, Jesus tells his followers to deny themselves....that means to deny all the nasty things that people usually do and call human nature...and take up their cross, which means to be willing to suffer, and follow him. Today's reading is an example of that advice, which is the same as God's advice to Elijah and Paul's advice to the church in Galatia.
But that's not all. The last part of today's Gospel talks about people who want to follow Jesus, but first they want to do something else....go to their father's funeral, say goodbye to their family, plow a field. And Jesus says, no, that won't do. The most important thing is to put God first, and make following God the first and most important thing in our lives...not family, not the farm, not social events. God alone. God first, before anything else.
No, the Christian life is not easy, because it means going against the way the world does things. You can't be a follower of Christ and still keep on following
the ways of the world. They just don't go together! Amen.
