Discipleship

What a collection of readings to get to choose from. We could have a sermon this morning on marriage politics in the Old Testament, or on St. Paul’s sense of our intrinsic, sinful nature. But since this is my second to last sermon, I want to talk about Jesus and discipleship in the season of Pentecost, which occupies most of the summer and fall, and we hear fewer stories about Jesus, less stories about Jesus, and more of Jesus’s own stories and sayings.

In the season after Pentecost, which occupies most of Summer and Fall, we hear fewer stories about Jesus and more of Jesus’ own stories and sayings. Today, we have a couple teachings about discipleship, about what it means to be a follower. Today’s Gospel includes what used to be called the “comfortable words.” In the old prayer book, the priest, just after the confession and just before communion would say to the congregation:

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turn to him.

COME unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.

1928 Book of Common Prayer

I’ll say more about Jesus’ famous comfortable words in a few moments. We could use hearing them more regularly, I think. But first, in my penultimate sermon as your rector, I want talk more broadly about Jesus’ idea of discipleship. Now, when I say “disciples,” know that the world simply means “followers.” So, yes, sometimes we talk about “the disciples” as the original followers of Jesus, but all who seek to follow Jesus, even today, count as disciples too.

In Matthew, as in Mark and Luke, Jesus doesn’t seem particularly interested in what his disciples believe. Not really. Intellectual assent isn’t the game. Jesus isn’t interested in making believers. Jesus wants followers. Jesus wants followers who will live by his example.

These passages in Matthew come just after Jesus has sent his disciples out, to do as he has done: to heal the sick, to preach justice to the poor, to bring hope. In the first verses of this 11th chapter, John the Baptist sent some of his followers to ask Jesus, “are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus responds:

“Go, report to John what you hear and see. Those who were blind are able to see…People with skin diseases are cleansed. Those who were dead are raised up. The poor have good news proclaimed to them.”

Matt 11:4b-5

Then Jesus talks about John the Baptist. He praises him as “the messenger who prepares the way.” Notice, Jesus takes what could have been a competition and instead finds solidarity. We would expect Jesus to criticize John for his strictness of fasting, instead he notes that they both faced criticism. The authorities criticized John, said he had a demon. Jesus was also mocked, called a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. There is solidarity, and there is distinction: John’s way was narrow. Jesus’ way is broad. There is room for all the unworthy, all those who have been left aside, all those who don’t have access. Jesus’ way is a broad way, but you have to be willing to follow.

Our Mission: Seek to Follow Jesus

Several years ago now, not long after I started as your rector, the vestry was sitting together crafting a mission statement. We had undertaken a months-long process to listen to the parish. We convened in folks homes. We met with leaders one to one over coffee. We held fora at the church between services. We discerned together three values. Again and again we heard folks say that they chose to belong to Holy Communion because we were Welcoming, because we were Diverse, and because we sought to build Community both with those inside our walls and beyond them.

We took those values Welcome, Diversity, and Community and we started to craft a statement. As we wrote, Shirley Mensah spoke up. She said something like, “these values are great, Mike, but we’re a church, shouldn’t we say something about Jesus?” Now I was a brand new rector, and I probably blushed a bit before I said, “Yeah, we should probably say something about Jesus.” The vestry then pretty quickly we came up with the phrase: “The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion is a diverse and welcoming community seeking to walk in the way of Jesus and to reveal Christ’s reconciling love in our city, nation, and world.” Seeking to follow Jesus went to the heart of our mission. Shirley Mensah, not long after that, became senior warden, and we were all the better for her service.

I share the story because I know, in the week ahead, there is going to be a lot of celebration. We’re going to spend a lot of time giving hugs, remembering big work we did together. I am grateful for all the attention, for the chance to say goodbye. But it’s important that we not forget what kept us walking together these eight years, who kept us walking together. We have been seekers. We have, when we’ve been at our best, remembered that together we are trying to follow Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Two Reminders for Disciples

And Jesus brings two important reminders to that work of following in today’s reading. First describes how God hides wisdom from the so-called “wise and intelligent” and instead reveals wisdom “to babies.” It’s a funny line, but it is also just true, isn’t it?

The Buddhists have a way of describing this truth, they call it “beginner’s mind.” The greatest Zen teachers will tell you, they are always striving to hold the “beginner’s mind.” Humans should never claim to master anything. Never believe you have the spiritual life all figured out. Thinking you have all the answers is a recipe for spiritual disaster. Stay a beginner. Stay inquisitive. Stay open to surprise. That is one of the great teachings of many spiritual traditions. I think this word about God revealing Godself to babies is Jesus’ version of that wisdom.

The second teaching from Jesus brings us back to the final verses of this lesson, the comfortable words. There’s an old joke from church musicians to preachers. We preachers can sometimes get full of ourselves. Especially when folks are kind, and tell us that they enjoy coming to church because of the preaching. It can be easy to start to think that the sermon is the central point of worship. In response, the musicians like to say, “sure, preaching is great, but when is the last time you heard someone leaving church humming the sermon?” Touché.

Well that’s true until it isn’t, and I would say many of us find moments in Jesus’ preaching that hum, something resonates deep within us. At its best Jesus’ preaching connects the timefull to the timeless. The words and teachings of the One we follow have the capacity still to shape us today.

I once heard our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, one of our best preachers, talk about these comfortable words. He stretched them out:

Come unto me, all ye who weary and are heavy laden. sometimes beaten down by the realities of life, sometimes just struggling to get by, sometimes struggling to see a vision thats greater than what you normally see in life. Come unto me, all ye, all y’all. Come.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

That is Christ’s invitation. Christ’s way is broad. There is room for all. “I will give you rest” Jesus says, “for I am humble, and gentle.”

Could we imagine a world where followers of Jesus are known for their humility, for their gentleness? Could we imagine a world where Christians are known for being people who are working for justice AND who know how to rest, how to find joy. I’m afraid too much of the world sees Christians as mean-spirited, tightfisted, judgmental and haughty. Jesus needs some followers who are willing to practice gentleness, to practice humility, and to slow down.

One thing you’ll notice in the Gospels: Jesus’ followers never tell him he needs to walk slower. In fact, you get the sense, he liked to linger. The disciples leave Jesus behind time and again in the stories. Truth be told, I think some of us Christians are prone to leave Jesus behind today too.

There’s a Japanese theologian named Kosuke Koyama, who wrote about a “Three Mile an Hour God.” Koyama points out that the average speed at which a human being walks is three miles an hour. God became incarnate at a time when people walked. Jesus walked everywhere and Jesus walked slowly. There’s a reason Jesus says, “come unto me. I will give you rest.” God has a speed, and it’s often slower than our own.

Now also notice, Jesus’ followers are not entirely off the hook. Jesus says, “take my yoke upon you.” A yoke in the ancient world was often a metaphor for teaching. Jesus isn’t saying there won’t be burdens. Following Jesus continues to be a dangerous proposition: Speaking out for justice. Making room for those the world excludes, continues to cost the followers of Jesus.

But Jesus says we can carry this burden lightly. Jesus wants his followers to be known for their love, for their gentleness, for their humility and for their joy. Now, I’ve got one more sermon to preach here Holy Communion. So this isn’t my last charge to you yet. But if I am able to ask something of you as I prepare to leave it is simply: keep seeking to follow Jesus. Don’t let the anxieties of the world or the church weigh you down. Keep inviting all the wrong people to the table. Keep gathering in a spirit of gentleness, of humility, keep sharing joy and love.

If you keep that spirit up, friends, and if you keep that beginner’s mind, you might just spot Jesus out there ahead of you. And I hope, someday, that we run into each other again on the road.

Amen.