PENTECOST III: June 24, 2001

“Now it happened that as Jesus was praying alone, the Disciples were with Him; and He asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?” “And they answered, John the Baptist; but others say, Elijah; and others, that one of the prophets has risen.”
And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am.”
And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
And He said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and
take up his cross daily and follow me.”
St. Luke 9:18-24
* * * * *
Spinster & The Widower: $10,000.00 - $22.86 - “That’s close enough.”

“Lowered expectations” - though that may always be the easiest way out - however - Lowered Expectations,” can be demise of most any Church.

For - Our Lord has the highest expectations of us - expectations of a radical and of far reaching dimensions - that cannot be watered down -

Our Lord has laid out for us a radical and a sacrificial expectation - to which the Christian Church has had a hard time trying to measure up -
and is always in danger of lowering the bar.

Some years ago - a book was published entitled:
“Lord, can You make it a little easier?”

In our Gospel today Jesus says:
“If any would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me.”

Jesus is quite clear and there should be no misgivings or misunderstanding - as to what is expected of us in terms of the “Cost of Discipleship,” - and in terms of the commitment that is necessary to follow Him.

* * * * *
Story: The Bishop of Coventry:
“There’s more to life - than just trying to escape from or trying
to evade those crucial responsibilities that our Faith demands of us like -
“Living under the shadow of the Cross,” -
and facing the sacrifices we are sometimes called upon to make -
if in obedience we are Faithful -
and if we intend to follow our Lord. “

The Paradox of the Christian Gospel is that - it is in sacrifice and in giving that our lives are enriched - that our lives are saved from pettiness and insignificance. In other words - as Jesus said - It is in the giving of our lives that we are saved.
* * * * *
Story: The Buddhist Monk & The Christian Priest:
The Monastery in the Himalayans Mountains

Isn’t it strange - that caring for another - can save one’s life?

Life is so full of symbolism - symbolism by which we can look and have a special insight into those things that really matter - and that we really need to know.

For instance - for instance - Since June 21, the longest day of the year - we now come to that time - when the days will be getting shorter - a reminder if you will - that life also - that life also is getting shorter.

This can be for us - a helpful reminder - to reflect upon our life - to reflect upon our life - for when that times comes - as it surely will come to each and every one of us - and then - when we begin to look back on our lives -
the real truth is that the regrets we have -

The regrets we will have - won’t just be the mistakes and the blunders and the bad choices we have made -
but-
“What did I do - what did I do - with that precious life that God gave to me?”

I love the Story of the late Bishop Quin - as he was leaving Trinity Church, Houston, as Rector - because he was now elected Bishop - he received a phone call from the newly appointed Rector - who would be following Bishop Qiun as Rector.

The new Rector called and asked: “Clinton - do you have a Sexton there at
Trinity Church - or should I bring my own Sexton?’

Bishop Quin replied:
“You’d better bring your own Sexton - for they have just elected the Sexton here - the Bishop of Texas.”

Bishop Quin’s job description was - “Whatever is needed” - whatever the job to be done - was his job description. I pray for that willingness for each of us - including me - especially me - that we jump in and do whatever it is - that needs to be done - as the Church strives to do God’s will.



The message of the Gospel today - is to take our Lord’s call to follow Him seriously - dead seriously if needs be. For too long - mankind has tried to build a world without God - and the truth is - that the World has worshipped idols of its own -
and it has failed miserably.

It is only when the take the Message of the Gospel seriously and the call of Jesus seriously - can the world ever begin to get serious about God.

*****
Soren Kierkegaard - said that the danger the World faces -
is not to take the Christian Message seriously.
He says that devastation will fall upon the earth in this way:

He tells the story of a play - a comedy - a play - where a fire breaks out backstage. A Clown comes out to tell the people of the imminent danger -
but the audience roars with laughter and applauds -

The Clown comes out the second time to warn the people -
however - the audience roars and laughs and applauds even louder.

So Kierkegaard says:
“So I think that devastation will come upon the World - amid the general applause from those who discount and scoff at the Christian Message
and think that it is a joke.”

We are here - we are here to proclaim to the World that - God Commandments and God’s will is not a joke - we are here to witness to the truth of God’s will for all people - to live at peace with one another -
and to respect the dignity of every human being -
and that by no means is a joke!!!

We are here to proclaim - that when we ignore God’s will -
then we do so to our own peril -
for Jesus came not only to save us from our sins -
but He also came to save us from the hatreds,
the barbarity, the inhumanity, the greed
and the selfishness of one another.

The Human Race doesn’t just need renewing - it needs saving - saving big time - and that is what our Lord offers to those should who follow Him
and walk in His “Way/”




The Story of The Alcoholic Priest: “O God - I hope it’s blood.”
Now brethren - this man needed more than just renewing - but he needed saving - and he needed to be reborn and recreated -
he needed to be a:
“New Creation in Christ.”

To be used by God for His will and for His purposes - to make one’s life count for something that gives great meaning and fulfillment - to be a part of something bigger than ourselves - to reach out and to lend a hand to -

the least of Christ’s Brethren - the Last, the Least and the Lost
and at least for awhile - put aside our own preoccupations -
is the kind of self denial that Christ asks of His Disciples.

For sometimes our desires - or as Bishop Sheen used to say - our “wanters” get us in trouble - and it is the Light of Christ and His Gospel - that helps us to see those things that really matter the most - and that - in the end -
give the most meaning in our lives.

We can spend our lives climbing the ladder of success - only to realize in our later years - only to finally discover - that our ladder was leaning on the wrong building -
and that we spent so much of our lives in pursuit of those things
that ultimately matter the least -

What a disappointment to finally realize that we majored in the minors -
rather than - majoring in the majors.

Some one has said: “What good is the open eye - if the heart is blind.?”
What good are all of our desires and ambitions that attract us -

If we are unable - if we are unable to see that which is of
so much more importance and value -
that gives meaning to life as in no other way?

You know - I have a hunch - I have a pretty good hunch - that people respond more to the call for deep commitment - than they do to -
“Well it doesn’t matter so much what you do - we’re not asking you for much -
just show up and be present.

There was an advertisement in the newspaper for a Church: We might call it
“The Cappuccino Church.”




The ad read:
“Come to Church - in your jeans -
things here are pretty laid back -
No commitment necessary - no stress - no demands -
just show up and join us and afterwards -
have Cappuccino with us.”

What a pity - appealing to people’s lowest and least common denominator.
The truth is that God is not finished with us yet - we still have a long way to go -
we still have so much more growing to do - in our Faith.
* * * * *
The Story of Bertha
Dr. Ralph Berkley
Bertha: “ I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”-
Why - Bertha ? - You a re-born Christian - you’ve got the joy of the Lord in your heart - and you have begun to read the Bible.

Bertha: “Yes - but I haven’t read that far yet!”

If we think that we don’t have much more growing to do in the Faith -
then that’s proof positive that - we still have a looooong way to go.

The Gospel today presents to us a picture of a man carrying a Cross -
and there is a long line of people carrying their own Cross -
following behind Him -

Jesus - the lead Cross - is on the Way - His Way -
He is on the Way to Mount Calvary - and we know what awaits Him there.

What do you think of this man?
Are you in that line of Crosses following behind Jesus?

For those who follow - somehow have put aside their own comfort
and their own safety -
They somehow are all caught up in a Way of Life -
A Way of Life and a Grand Adventure -

That has given them great excitement a new lease on life -
A New Life that has saved them from futility - despair & emptiness.







T e x t:
“And He said to all - (and yes to us too) -
“If any would come after me - let him deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it;
and whoever loses his life for may sake - will save it.”

A M E N !!!





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