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| Visiting the sick and dying is an uncomfortable, yet blessed part of ministering to God's people. |
I had hope but ultimately I was disappointed the Central Michigan University Chippewas lost their home stadium match up with the Spartans. Oh well, at least all those people at family camp wearing their green and white shirts should be satisfied today.
We are in the midst of family camp weekend. A few of the regulars at worship are not here because they are at the Lake Michigan United Methodist camp in Pentwater. I spent the last two rainy nights out there sitting around the camp fire watching the kids play on that huge tire swing they have down there. Being at family camp I couldn't help but feel the tradition that was behind this event. It was as if we were being swept along by events of the past. Old memories seemed to saturate every inch of that beautiful place. It reminded me that I...that we stand in a long line of faithful disciples of Christ that have come through these doors and have made a difference in countless lives.
Have I told you lately that I am proud to be your pastor?
Months before I knew I was being sent to St. Paul I had a meeting with a few other pastors at the Scottville UMC. It was about pastoral education, blah, blah, blah.
Barb Fay Pastor from Frankfort was there. It was the first time I had ever met her. As soon as she said Frankfort I got a little knot in my stomach. Let me tell you why...
I grew up in Beal City Michigan. When you are from Beal City Michigan you are steeped in a tradition of playing football. The tradition is so strong that there is a bit of culture shock when one goes elsewhere and finds that not everyone's calendar revolves around the high school football schedule. Last I knew Beal City holds the record for most appearances in the playoffs since records started being kept in 1950 with 26. Going to the playoffs is what Beal City Football does. And when a team goes to the playoffs either they will win the State championship or they will be eliminated somewhere along the way. I was in high school in the late 80s. We met Frankfort in the play offs and were eliminated by them in 85, 88, 90, 91, 92, and 93. Beal City got a victory against Frankfort in 95, but the very next year Frankfort was victorious. You can probably guess that when ever Frankfort came up as our next opponent we started to get a little anxious. Frankfort started to take on a “larger than life” presence in my mind. But then things change. Beal City has won 7 of their last 8 meetings with them.
because of past experience we may not see people for the children of God that they are.
What if I were called to be a pastor at Frankfort instead of St. Paul? I am sure that I would have quickly got past all those playoff losses and would have been able to minister to that congregation. I mean, are they any less deserving of God's love?
I'm kidding of course.
Sometimes we need to force ourselves to go into the very area that makes uncomfortable to defeat the demon that is holding us back from showing God's radical love.
I was on Twitter and I read a something that made me pause. It said “if you want to win the world to Christ, you need to sit in the smoking section.” Meaning, you have to go to where people are. You have to go to some uncomfortable places. You have to experience real life, real pain, real suffering if you really want to make a difference in this world.
I called up to the Frankfort United Methodist Church this week to ask Pastor Barb permission to use her in this sermon. She wasn't there. The person that answered the phone said that he was on her way to Abu Dhabi to see her new grand baby. Abu Dahbi? In the United Arab Emirates? Is that safe?
There I go again. I got that same knot in my stomach. The UAE is, apparently, on my subconscious list of places one should not go. Why? Is there any place on earth where God is not? Is there any place that would not benefit from an expression of unconditional love? I want to repent of my reluctance to go to places that are uncomfortable for me, when I know that others will benefit.
Youcef Nadarkhani...Do you know this name? Youcef Nadarkhani is a Christian pastor and a native-born Iranian. He was arrested 3 years ago for renouncing Islam. He was sentenced to death. For three years he sat in jail, in Iran, waiting for his own execution. He had several opportunities to be released. All he had to do was to recant. He just had to sign a statement what he was no longer a Christian and the process would begin that would lead to his freedom. He did not deny his faith. He stayed in that uncomfortable place. He stayed in Jail. He stayed on death row. He has a wife and children. He has plenty to live for. But he stayed in that uncomfortable place, he stayed in the smoking section.
Its amazing I have heard of people giving up of their faith for much less than that. Some bad experience in some church 20 years ago. Or some preacher said something that I didn't like. Or “I couldn't believe in a God who would______________.” Fill in the blank.
In the Gospel Lesson today Jesus went on a trip to Syria. He left his homeland. Left behind the familiar. Some suggest he went on a vacation. The text doesn't support this conclusion. He left the sea of Galilee and walked to Tyre. That's like walking from Scottville to Manistee. There he met a woman who wanted healing for her daughter. He tested her faith. Was she just looking for a hand out from this miracle worker or did she truly trust in him. She proved her faith, her daughter was healed. Do you think she might have had some good things to say about this Jesus who came by and healed her daughter with ever seeing her? Do you think she held back in mentioning to everyone she knew about Jesus? When Paul would later bring the good news to this area do you think they were ready to hear the message in part because of what happened with this woman?
After this Jesus went to the decapolis. Which is like saying he left Manistee and walked to White Cloud. But he went by way of Sidon. So to put his journey into local perspective. Going from Tyre to Sidon to the Decapolis is like going from Manistee to Frankfort to White Cloud. He made a difficult journey north, and went even further into uncomfortable territory before retiring to the familiar. It was there that he healed the man with the hearing and speaking difficulties. This was no weekend journey. This was no vacation. This was an intentional act of Jesus to bring about the Father's will.
Pastor Nadarkhani stayed where is was most difficult to stay. He stayed where is was uncomfortable because it was the right thing to do. Pastor Nadarkhani was acquitted yesterday of his apostate charges, was released and was reunited with his family. Pastor Nadarkhani stayed in the smoking section and has become a hero of the faith.
So how is it with you today? Were is the smoking section for you? Is it the homeless guys that hang out in the Ludington library during the winter months to keep warm? Is it the people who go to the bar? Where is the smoking section?
What do you avoid so that you don't have to interact with, “those people”?
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