Sunday, March 13, 2022

Second Sunday in Lent
Jeremiah 26:8-15
Psalm 4
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Luke 13:31-35

Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example.

Lent may seem to be a depressing time to some folk because it is a time of self-examination, self-control, and self-sacrifice. It is a time for looking at our sin, for understanding our sinfulness and for being transformed into something different. This is a strange perspective in our world which focuses on the self in much different ways. We tend to be more self-centered and selfish. We spent at least a generation raising our children to be narcissistic by focusing on creating a strong self-esteem. We taught our children to see themselves as special, good, as gifted and yet we did not give them the tools necessary to see their faults and their failures. We need to know when we are wrong so we can grow and transform. Blame was placed on others.

Don’t get me wrong: it is important that we uplift our children to help them to be the best they can be by encouraging them in their gifts and talents. It is ok to tell a child that they are special, good, and gifted. However, we have gone overboard by training the children that they deserve whatever they want. This leads to the hedonism we see so often in reality television. Bridezillas think they deserve what they want because it is their day. Cooking show contestants think that the judges are wrong because they believe that no one could beat their food. Competitors on other shows are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get the win that they are certain they deserve.

You’ve seen it on American Idol and other performance shows. There are always some auditioners that do not belong on the stage. They are awful. The audience knows that they are there for the laugh, but in the end they whine about how it isn’t fair. The cameras show their family comforting them in the loss by agreeing with their delusion. Other reality television shows give average people the chance to be extraordinary. While this is a wonderful opportunity for some folk, unfortunately that is not the way the shows usually work. Instead of using ordinary people, they purposefully select people with extreme personalities, often professionals who are given free rein to act as they please. This often means cruelty to their competitors for their own self-interest.

We point fingers at those who are on television, but do we ever consider how we are living in self-centered and selfish ways? What do we think we deserve? What are we willing to do to our neighbors to ensure our own self-interest? These are some of the questions we are meant to be asking during this season of Lent. This is the kind of self-examination that leads to repentance, confession, and forgiveness. It isn’t very uplifting to realize our own sinfulness, especially if we don’t understand that this self-examination leads to a realized of God’s mercy and grace.

Lent is also a time to test our self-control. Many people have committed to a fast of sweets, but the grocery store shelves are being filled with special candies only available at the time of year, sometimes our favorites! We are dealing with so much stress these days, and some folks have given up the things that help them deal with stress like coffee or video games. Do we have the self-control to continue our fast even when the world tempts us to do the very things we have given up? As we self-examine our lives during Lent, we need to consider our motivation for our fasting and the reasons why we do not have the necessary self-control. God can help us if we let Him.

I can imagine that for many people, the idea of self-sacrifice has become impossible. How can I give more to my neighbor when I can’t even afford to fill up the tank of my car? It may seem selfish when people around the world (not just Ukraine) are dealing with violence and hardship, but if I can’t fill my car, I can’t get to work and I can’t feed my kids. Those who struggle with the concept of Lent are not just those who are selfish and self-centered; we all struggle because we are facing tough times. How do we give up everything when it seems like we have nothing? Our self-examination should lead us to the reality that we are greatly blessed even when we struggle, and that God will help us through the bad times if we trust in Him.

Jeremiah is known as “the weeping prophet” and it is no wonder when you think about the life he lived. At the beginning of the book of Jeremiah, in his call story, God says, “‘They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you’, says Yahweh, ‘to rescue you.’” And fight him, they did, but they never prevailed. He was attacked by his own brothers, beaten by a false prophet, imprisoned by a king, threatened with death, thrown into a cistern, opposed by another false prophet. He was in prison when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, and he was freed. He eventually escaped to Egypt.

Despite the threats and the horrific acts against Jeremiah, the biblical record does not tell us when, where or how he died. Jewish tradition holds that he was stoned to death in Egypt. Other traditions suggest that he died naturally in Babylon. Yet other sources insist that Jeremiah spent time in Ireland, though this is not likely. Whatever happened to Jeremiah in history, in the biblical record we see that God’s promise held true: though they fought him, they never prevailed.

Jeremiah was a prophet, one who remained obedient despite his frustration, self-doubt and depression, constantly speaking the word of God to the people. It was not good news. He lived and preached during the decline of the Judean kingdom. His message screamed repentance, but the people didn’t want to hear what he had to say especially since the others were preaching peace. In today’s scripture, the officials told the people he deserved to die. Jeremiah was unmoved by their threat. He said, “I am in your hand: do with me as is good and right in your eyes.”

So, even though we are truly special, each of us uniquely created and ordained for some special purpose in this world, God also calls us to humility. That’s what Lent is all about, remembering that even though we are saints, we are also sinners. Even though we are wonderfully and powerfully gifted, all we have is thanks to God’s incredible grace. There is a pattern by which God calls us to live, a pattern that has been laid out before us in the lives of the saints in the past. It is a life of humble and willing obedience to what God intends for our life even during the tough times like we see in the life of Jeremiah.

We have all heard the story about the scorched bird that forest rangers discovered in an area of a major forest fire. According to the story, the ranger knocked over the bird with a stick and discovered three tiny chicks beneath their dead mother’s wings.

This story has long been an inspiration to many, offering a parabolic image of Jesus the mother hen protecting His chicks. We are awed by the overwhelming love of a mother bird who gave her life for her babies. Unfortunately, the story is not true. National Geographic hates to debunk such an inspirational story, but though it was credited to the magazine, they have never published it. The rangers of the park have no record of such an event; none of the rangers that were present at the time of that fire had heard of this incident. Ornithologists say that it is impossible; the bird’s body could never offer the chicks the protection they would need to live through such intense heat.

Here’s another story. Indian evangelist Sundar Singh shared an experience during a fire in the Himalayas. Sundar was traveling through the area when they were trying to put out the fire. Along with a group of men he noticed a bird circling above a nest in a tree. She was frantic, knowing it was impossible to save her babies from the fire and yet unwilling to leave them alone. When the nest began to burn, the mother swooped in on top of the chicks and covered them with her wings. Everything was gone in seconds.

We certainly like the first story better because it has a happy ending. The babies were alive and we have a hero, the mother bird who willingly giving of herself for her chicks. In the second story there is no winner. The chicks are dead, the mother is dead, and the nest is gone. We are amazed at her sacrifice, but find it foolish because we know that if she had stayed away she would have lived another day. She could have built another next and hatched more chicks. To us the story has an ending with no new beginning.

Yet, the second story is so much more an example of the work of Christ in our lives. Yes, Jesus covers us with His wings and He dies in our stead. Yet, in Christian faith we are called to die also, to share in His death and we will also share in His glory. Our death is not like His; we do not go to the cross of the Romans to suffer a horrific end. We aren’t burned to ashes like the birds. However, in Baptism we enter into His death through the water and the Word.

In today’s Gospel lesson, some Pharisees visited Jesus to try to convince Him to run. Who were they? Were they men truly concerned about Jesus’ life? Were they threatening Jesus? Were they anxious about Jesus’ ministry and just wanted Him to leave before something happened that would upset the people? Perhaps they just wanted Him to go somewhere else to do it. By sending Jesus away from Jerusalem, they would not have to deal with the questions and accusations. Jesus could quietly disappear into the wilderness to teach and preach to the animals. Outside Jerusalem, He would not rock so many boats. But Jesus could not be deterred. His purpose was not just to preach the kingdom of God: He came to die so that we might live. And His death was meant to happen in Jerusalem. He answered, “Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.”

Jesus mourned the unbelief of Jerusalem. Jesus wanted for them the best of God’s Kingdom: the hope, the peace, the joy. He wanted to gather them under His wings, to give them fully and freely the gift He had to give. Perhaps He even wanted all this without having to face the cross. How much more wonderful would it have been if Jerusalem repented like Nineveh! Yet, Jesus knew that was not the way it had to be. He knew that He was destined for death on the cross. Salvation happens according to God’s time, in God’s way. Jesus will not be moved from the path on which He was set, for it is the path of true life for all those who believe.

Jesus stands as an example to us of one who stays on the right path. He does not take His own life into consideration or try to control that which He knows is not His to control. When the Pharisees warn Him that Herod wants to kill Him, Jesus tells them that He has to do what He has to do according to God’s will and purpose for His life. This is not a self-centered grasp for control, but humble and willing obedience to what God always intended for His incarnation.

I imagine Jeremiah may have spoken words like those in today’s psalm. Under the surface of his frustration, self-doubt and depression, he had an unwavering faith. He trusted in God’s promise that his enemies would never prevail. He had a peace that is beyond understanding. Just like the psalmist, Jeremiah called the people to a life of faithfulness so that they might, too, live in peace. He spoke God’s word because He wanted the best for his people, just as God always wants the best for His people.

They didn’t kill Jeremiah. In verse 16, which we do not hear in our lectionary, the officials say, “This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.” His words hit their mark and they changed their mind. They saw the truth of his warning; if they killed him, they would have innocent blood on their hands. They believed that Jeremiah was speaking God’s word and so they did not turn him over to the people to be stoned. God remained faithful to His promise; they fought Jeremiah but they did not prevail. Ultimately it didn’t change the course of events. They still fell under the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, but those who accepted it survived according to God’s word.

Jeremiah’s story shows us that God is faithful. He probably said, “Oh, that we might see better times!” but he also knew that God put gladness in his heart. He could lie down in peace and sleep easy because God is his help and refuge. We don’t know what happened at the end of his life. Jeremiah certainly died but we do not know when, where or how, but he probably died naturally in Babylon. God keeps His promises, even outside the witness of the scriptures, so we can trust God to be faithful to us.

Jesus might have even said the same words as Jeremiah to those Pharisees. “Do with me as seems good and right to you.” He knew that He would die at the hands of those who threatened Him, but He also knew that it would come at the right time. He answered them, “I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Jesus dwelt in God’s presence and willingly submitted Himself to His Father’s plan; He knew that they could do nothing to stop Him until God allowed it to happen.

Though it was what must happen, it was not what He wanted. It pained Him to see that they did not understand. He cried out to them to that He was the shelter where they could live in peace. Living under the Law did ensure God’s faithfulness. God is faithful without our works. He is faithful to His promises and calls us to believe and trust in Him.

Unlike Jeremiah, we know exactly when, where, and how Jesus died. The promise for Jesus was not that He would prevail against the world. The promise for us was that He would prevail against death and the grave. He died and was raised so that we might live. We join in His death and in His resurrection. We join in His glory. His life, death and resurrection has made an impact on our lives forever, and this is the purpose for which He came.

This does not mean that His teachings were unimportant or to be ignored. The parables may seem like homespun stories, but the lessons teach us how to live a right life. In the liturgy after Holy Communion, so churches pray, “Almighty God, you gave your Son both as a sacrifice for sin and a model of the godly life.” Jesus did both for us, and by doing so He changed the world.

We should beware who we make our role models. A woman once told me that she was glad my son was in her son’s life. Her son looked up to my son and she was glad that he had such a good role model. She was hoping that my son’s example would make him more committed to his activities. That mother was not the first to tell me they enjoyed having Zack around their children. They appreciated his kindness to them. He had an effect on them; they tended to act with more maturity and manners when he was around. They also emulated the things he did and were anxious to follow in his footsteps. Several of the boys at church wanted to be acolytes well before their time because of him.

Unfortunately, our children don’t always look up to role models that lead them on a right path. Even people who are sweet and well-behaved like my son could be led on the wrong path when a dominant negative personally is part of a group. It does not take very much to turn a crowd into a raging mob. While a positive attitude can make things pleasant, a negative attitude can have as much power. The group does not have to be something small like a congregation; it can be something as large as a nation or the culture.

As we look around us, we can see the impact of ideas and people on the world around them. In the right circumstances, one person can change the course of an entire nation. One designer can establish the clothing that millions of people will wear. One reporter can introduce an idea that will become a standard of policy and practice for many. One politician can set the agenda for the entire government. Good or bad, right or wrong, we can easily be led down a path of achievement or destruction by someone whom we look to as a role model.

It is not that we are all followers, blind, or ignorant. It is simply that the human flesh looks for someone to emulate, to people who will be an example for us to help us to grow and mature. Intelligent, powerful people will grasp on to a policy or practice that seems right, to help it to spread and change the world. Sometimes, unfortunately, we grasp on to the ideas that are not right. With all good intention, we sometimes follow examples that are not centered in Christ.

Paul encourages us to look to emulate those who hold firm to the Gospel of grace. There were those in the community of Philippi who were enemies to the cross. Though they were not necessarily people who meant to destroy Christians or Christianity, they sought after the things of this world. They chose to live a life of fulfillment and self-indulgence. This was not only in terms of satisfying lusts; some well-meaning people were satisfying the Law, keeping their eyes on earthly things.

We are not created or saved to live in either extreme; they do not reflect the life which Christ lived as an example for us. Paul reminds us that not only should we not get stuck in the pattern of self-righteousness of the path of self-indulgence. The best examples of role models we have are of people who are being transformed daily into the image of Christ, overcoming the world which tempts us to follow without question. The example we are meant to follow is the life of Jesus Christ, the life willing to step forth in faith, to do that which God has called us to do no matter the circumstances. As we live faithfully in God’s grace, we can stand as an example to the next generation.

Paul writes, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.” The cross and its benefits are ours today, but they will not be fully realized until the Day of the Lord.

As we journey through Lent, we are reminded that we are meant to be examining ourselves, controlling our bodies, and sacrificing for the sake of others. We are meant to consider our own sinfulness and trust that God can transform us into what He has created and redeemed us to be. Though we have been transformed by the Gospel of grace, there is still work to be done. We continue to be transformed daily through our prayer, study, worship, and devotions. Though we share in His glory, there will come a day when that promise will be fully realized. For now, we have to wait and remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Though this might be a depressing point of view to the people of this world, but for those of us who have our citizenship in heaven, it is the very foundation of our hope and our faith.

We will never be expected to give our lives the way Jesus gave His for us, but we are called to live our faith in this world while we wait for that day God promised. We live that life of faith by building relationships with people, living not for ourselves but for others. We begin in the heart of God, following Jesus, and then sharing His grace with the world.