September 9, 2007 Sermon by Pastor Katherine Douglass

Gospel Lesson - Luke 14:25-33

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

We love hearing Jesus when he says things like, blessed are those who mourn, or I am with you always, or do not worry what you will eat or drink or wear. We love hearing Jesus when he speaks gently, lovingly and softly. We love Jesus to be warm and friendly and compassionate - especially when he's being compassionate towards people like us - But we are not so crazy about it when Jesus begins to challenge us, And call us to account -  Oh, it's ok when he calls those other people to account, and challenges them, But when we hear the challenge pointed directly at us, Calling our lives into question, our priorities, our sacred cows - Well, we start to get nervous, start to squirm a little, And maybe try to think of something else when Jesus speaks, Maybe want to try to think of what's on our grocery list or what needs to be cleaned out of the garage.

Because Jesus does challenge us, He does call us out of our comfort zone. He isn't always warm and fuzzy and friendly - He can be downright confrontational - he can get up in our faces and call into question the things that make us comfortable.

And today is such a day - a day when we are reminded that following Jesus is not always about being comforted, or being content - it's about having your priorities and your lifestyle and your whole way of thinking and living - called into question. It's about having your foundations shaken and your world rocked. It's on days like today that we are reminded that Jesus did come to rock our world, to shake things up and to move us out of our comfort zone and into following him. And he will lead us into places we can't even imagine - Into places that definitely aren't comfortable. But that are where he has called us to be.

Take the place where Paul finds himself writing a letter to his friend Philemon. Is Paul writing from someone's comfortable home in Corinth?  No. Is he writing from the safety of a synagogue in Galatia?  No. Is he writing from home in Jerusalem?  No. He's writing to Philemon from a jail cell. A jail cell, where he was a prisoner. It was most likely in Ephesus - where he founded the church of the Ephesians - And where he was thrown into jail for preaching that Jesus Christ is Lord. He was in prison because that was where following Jesus had led him. And amazingly enough, each time he was imprisoned for preaching Jesus Christ, Paul found away to turn hardship into ministry - He found a way to bring the light of Christ into the darkness of a prison.

Even though following Jesus led him into uncomfortable and certainly dangerous places, Paul kept the faith, and continued to do what he was called to do, and the gospel was spread. We have Paul's letters from prison to prove it - And we know that while he was imprisoned, he touched many lives, including the life of Onesimus, the slave about whom he writes in this letter.

Jesus called Paul out of a life of comfort and privilege and into a life of challenge and difficulty and, yes, even to death. And we get reminded today in Jesus own words that we, too, are called into that life of challenge - That life where we have to meet the difficulties and the roadblocks that we come across with faith - That life where we have to trust that Jesus is indeed leading us, Even in the most difficult of times. When Jesus calls us, we can't stop to count the costs, or weigh the risks and benefits, as he tells us in Luke's gospel - We don’t sit down and figure out "is it worth it" when we are called in our baptism - Jesus simply claims us and calls us. And now we respond to his call by following - no matter where that might be.

We have challenges before us now, as a congregation - Challenges that come through our following Christ in DuBois, in this country and in these times. We face the challenges of a new pastorate and the necessary re-adjustments and re-thinking of where we are and what we are doing. We face the challenges of knowing and trusting each other as Pastor and people, and somehow seeing a way ahead together. Each and every one of us is challenged to be even more faithful in sharing our gifts - both our abilities, our time and our money. New ministry opportunities means some who have not been involved in the life of this community will be challenged to be more involved. New ministry opportunities means some who have always been involved will be challenged to use their gifts in new ways.

This is a time when we are called to be faithful in taking responsibility in our ministries. And taking responsibility means facing and meeting challenges. Some of those might call on you to use all the resources of your faith – Some might test and stretch what you think is possible. Some might bring you new and deeper insight into what it means to love God and your neighbor.

But that is what we are all called by Jesus to do - Not to get comfortable with what we're used to, But to follow - to realize that following him means leaving comfort and security behind and stepping out. It means stepping up to responsibility, it means taking on ministries that maybe you aren't sure of. It means going on faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he has called you and me together here to see that the gospel is preached.

This month, your council and your pastor will be prayerfully imagining our future together, working on a long range plan for our ministry here. We will be praying for insight into our future…where we as a congregation are called to be now and in the years ahead. And we will be asking for guidance to make those prayers become incarnate – that they take shape and form. Some might have to do with property issues, yes, some with financial issues, yes, But they will also have to do with discipleship, with outreach, with passing on the faith to the next generation. With those tasks that are our very reason for being with where Jesus is calling us to follow him.

And this long-range planning can be a little scary, it can cause us anxiety and worry and tension and even anger. It will ask us to make choices, sometimes difficult ones, about our priorities. It will cause us to question things we’ve taken for granted or even things we’ve never questioned before. It will call us out of our comfort zone. But, we don’t have to be afraid of the future, We don’t have to fear the future of our ministry, Because Jesus is there, and, as we know, he doesn't always make things easy – Although sometimes we are called to be uncomfortable, We have faith that, even when we are uncomfortable, he has not left us.

It is simply another challenge in our life as disciples - followers - of Jesus. After all, we are followers of his - we are not out in front - he is. And he will not call us to go anyplace where he hasn't already been. He will not call us to do anything without him. He will not leave us alone and without his grace.

That is the promise that he has given us, and the promise that our faith holds onto with all its might. The promise that we see in the cross and the resurrection - That no matter how difficult it might seem to be where we are - Nothing is too hard for the Lord - Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord - That's a done deal - Done for us on the cross - And done for us in our baptism.

That's what Paul held onto in prison - the promise that Christ is Lord and that nothing can separate us from his love. And it's the promise that we hold onto, too - the promise that Jesus will be with us, that we can step out in faith, that we can take on new challenges, that we can be his disciples - Freed from the things that hold us back, Ready to follow Jesus, no matter where.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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