The Downtown Presbyterian Church

Sermons

Don’t Worry About Them

Luke 9:51-62

Rev. Kenneth M. Locke

June 27, 2004

A few days ago I was out driving and realized I needed a cup of tea in the worst way so I pulled into a McDonald’s and parked right next to a handicapped parking space. Before I could get of the car a big SUV pulled into the handicapped parking space and stopped. It was clearly a handicapped space – big sign on the curb and a symbol on the pavement. A young man jumped out of the car and opened the back door. Two children climbed out of the back seat and they all three started laughing and talking and walking up to McDonald’s.

I was absolutely aghast. How dare that man park there? None of them were handicapped! And yet they all three walked into the restaurant, laughing and smiling and having a great time.

I was really torqued. Parking in a handicapped space is something you just don’t do and I’m pleased to say I have never done it - no matter how badly I needed a space. Of course, I’m not as pure as the new driven snow. If any mind readers had been standing there at McDonald’s they could have asked me about how fast I had been going, how often I use my turn signals, how often I run a red light or opt for a rolling stop rather than a full stop at a stop sign.

But nevertheless I was full of righteous indignation at this man and if I could have called for a little fire from heaven I certainly would have done it.

Now being the smart and insightful congregation you are you probably know where I’m going with this. Our Gospel writer has written this very nice scene that, among other things, reminds us to be aware of the logs in our own faith before pointing out the logs in others’.

The disciples come to a village and react angrily when the village does not show commitment to Jesus. Of course, one can hardly blame the villagers. They are Samaritans who roundly hate and are hated by good Jews.

But then the writer goes on to point out the cost of commitment and how easy it is to be a hypocrite. A disciple declares he wants to follow Jesus, but Jesus reminds him the way of the Messiah is notoriously unpredictable and if he wants certainty in his life he had better stay at home and put his head on the same pillow every night.

Another disciple wants to follow Jesus but also wants to fulfill his family obligations first. “First let me go and bury my father” does not mean Dad just passed away. It was customary for sons to wait until their father had died before starting out on personal ventures in life. That’s what makes the Prodigal Son’s leaving before his father dies so abhorrent to everyone. Jesus is telling this disciple that following Jesus may mean breaking with your family and doing things that go against what is considered proper and correct.

A third disciple wants to follow Jesus but first wants to make one last appearance back in the old neighborhood. Jesus tells him once you’re committed to the way of the Cross there’s no turning back. You can’t go back and dabble in those sins you used to enjoy.

In this short scene, our writer has done a very fine job of subtly telling us not to worry about other people’s commitment to Jesus. Our writer tells us very clearly not to worry about friends and families and neighbors or even enemies. We need to worry about us.

Now obviously this is a great idea but in reality it’s too simplistic. There are times the other person needs to be corrected. Maybe fire from heaven is too much, but thank goodness the police stop people who are driving drunk. The employee helping herself to the petty cash has to be stopped. The neighbor who enjoys seducing all the women at the Christmas party has to be confronted.

But the point is still a good one. Are we more concerned about other people’s morality, or our own? Are we more concerned about other people’s commitment to God or our own? Are we more concerned about other people’s walk with Jesus, or our own?

And what if we were? What if we really didn’t worry about them, and spent our time and energy on ourselves? What would happen?

Let me tell you a true story. I once knew a man who had been a pillar of his church for many years. Everyone in the community knew him. Everyone thought highly of him as a businessman, church leader, husband, father and grandfather.

And then one day he went on a spiritual retreat and really came face to face with Jesus Christ. He really came face to face with what it meant to follow Jesus. And from then on following Jesus was what he did. And he did it well. And by God his life changed.

A few weeks after attending that retreat one of his clients he had known for decades was sitting in his office talking to him and suddenly the client got up and closed the office door, came back and sat down, and said, “Listen, I don’t what’s happened to you. But whatever it is I want it. I don’t know what you’ve done to suddenly become the man you are, but whatever it is I want it because I want to be that way too.”

Is that what would happen if we were more concerned about our own commitment than someone else’s?

Let me tell you another story. It’s a story about Jesus and his disciples as they were traveling together towards Jerusalem. One of the disciples said, “Lord, I know following you is about as uncertain as anyone can get in life. Following you means giving up control of my life and doing whatever you want me to do. But I’m committed to your Kingdom and I’m going to do it.” And the disciple did it.

Another disciple said, “Lord, I know following you is something my family and friends don’t understand. They think my commitment to you is excessive. They think I’ve gone off the deep end. But in you I’ve found a love like nothing in the world and I’m going to follow you no matter what they say.” And the disciple did it.

And a third disciple said, “Lord, I know following you means making a clean break from my old way of living. The gossiping and lusting and petty theft and looking down on others has to go. Following you means not even going back to say goodbye to it all. But following you has brought more meaning and value to my life than I’ve ever known and I’m going to follow you no matter what.” And the disciple did it.

One day these disciples came to a village. It was a Samaritan village and they knew the Samaritans would not want anything to do with anyone going to Jerusalem. But when the disciples came to make arrangements for Jesus to spend the night the Samaritans were so taken by the disciple’s commitment to Jesus that they said to them, “Listen, we don’t know what’s happened to you. But whatever it is we want it. We don’t know what you’ve done to become the people you are, but whatever it is we want it because we want to be that way too.”

And because the disciples were so committed to Jesus the Samaritans welcomed Jesus into their city and into their hearts. They too wanted to follow Jesus. And they did it.

May it be so, now and forever more. AMEN.