June 30, 2019 - Third Sunday After Pentecost - Jesus Sets His Face to go to Jerusalem

Three years ago, when this Gospel reading was last in the lectionary, Creator was discussing hopes and dreams for the congregation. Pastor Michelle was Creator's interim pastor and Creator's Transition Team was gathering information for our Ministry Site Profile which would be used to match our pastoral needs with pastors who were seeking a call.

Back then, part of the Gospel for today, Luke 9:51-62, to my ears was an invitation to a deep exploration of what Jesus may be asking us as his followers.

The harsh tone Jesus seems to strike serves as a reminder of how to view our priorities and the urgency of acting as disciples. There will always be sound "life excuses" to postpone or delay our Christian discipleship or response to life.  Other important demands in life divert our attention or thwart us. The mission to bring forth God's reign on earth should not wait until we get around to it.

We need to set our faces to what God asks of us.

Another tendency we, as followers have, is the tempation to judge others.  We see a righteous responsibility to ask "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"  In this passage Jesus is facing Jerusalem and all he will engage in there. Meanwhile the disciples concern themselves with the lack of hospitality of the Samaritans that could nullify salvation.  And Jesus, understanding God's will since the time of Noah and the flood, rebukes them.  So much for stories in Revelation in favor of Matthew 7:5.  Another reminder it is time to take the speck out of our own eye.  Time to set our own faces.

I was invited Sunday afternoon to attend a house warming of a fellow worker. To provide a way to break a potential awkwardness that might come up with humor she said that some people now come in a similar situation with a sympathy card that read "“I am so sorry to hear about your loss."  It seemed appropriate that she should tell me about this while I was thinking about this particular Gospel reading.

As Christians we are hopeful.  We gladly think about resurrection almost without prompting. Yet Jesus calls for something more. How do we set our faces to the death that must happen before resurrection?  Pastor Ray preached about the reader boards many churches have on the street and how, instead of the inspirational sayings many display, a board could read "Are you looking to suffer? Have we got a savior for you!". Yes this too is a message that is contained in the Bible.

When Jesus sets his face to go to Jerusalem I doubt many of us would have received him either. We would not understand or, if we were personally loyal to the man, like the disciples, we might ask if we should command fire to come down from heaven and consume those who did not receive Jesus.

There is a poignancy to Jesus at this moment. After being rejected by Jewish authorities because he associated with outcasts, he is now being rejected by those who would be considered outcasts at the beginning of his journey to Jerusalem as well.  He falls short in everyone's "salvation bookkeeping" and his disciples engage in the same behavior as they ask God to allow divine retribution. I doubt today's Christians as individuals would fare much better.

Pastor Ray talked about the duty and obligations that Jesus asks us to take on as Christians. This is more than a requirement to go to church whenever it is convenient, or calling for social justice for the most vulnerable, or doing the volunteer work of the church.

I pray to understand what God is asking Creator, as a congregation, to set our face to do?