Where's My Focus?

Here is where I am in sermon preparation right now:

Mark 1:29-39
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

The working title of my sermon right now is "When the bandwagon is going the wrong direction." The old phrase "Jumping on the Bandwagon" seems apropos these days. A new church pops up in the middle of town and everyone runs to it, only to run to the next one when it opens, and the next one when it opens. We like to be a part of something fresh and new. We like to feel that we are a part of the best thing going on. But sometimes, as people are hopping on the bandwagon, they have no idea what they are hopping on for. They have no idea where the bandwagon is going or why it is going. They know only that they want to be a part of it. And that is where things start to go wrong.

Jesus set out to do God's will. Last week we learned that he spoke with a new kind of authority -- an authority that people could easily hear, and authority that even the demons listened to and obeyed. So in today's story, his authority is catching on. Simon's mother-in-law was sick so Jesus was called on to heal her. And he did. he walked right in, took her hand, and the fever went away.

Imagine, if you will, that you heard that someone might be able to heal someone YOU know -- just by touching them. No meds or surgery, just a touch and suddenly that person would be well. Wouldn't you follow? Well, that's what happened. Simon told his friends who told their friends who told their friends and suddenly, everyone had jumped on the bandwagon, bringing the sick to Jesus and asking him to heal them. And by the power of God, Jesus did heal them one by one. But Jesus realized something -- they were no longer coming to hear him because he spoke with authority. They weren't coming because of the message he had to give them. They were coming because they wanted healing. And this disturbed Jesus.

He slept a restless sleep that night, a sleep full of questions without answers. And so early, before anyone else was up, so early that it was still dark outside, Jesus disappeared to a place where no one would look for him. The place was quiet and the cool of the early morning was exaggerated by the darkness that preceeds dawn. Jesus wandered off to this place where he could think and pray without the agendas of the people being thrust upon him. And there he sat. And he prayed. He asked God -- what is it YOU want me to be about? Is it this healing that everyone seems to want? Is that it? Because if that's what you want I'll make it my focus. Or is it the casting out of demons like I did the other day in the synagogue? Is that it? Because if that's what you want I'll make it my focus. Or maybe you want something else, something entirely different. Just tell me. I'm here as an empty glass waiting for you to fill me with your focus, your purpose. Just tell me. And as Jesus sat, he listened. (stop everything and listen for some sort of revelation).

We don't know the specific words that were spoken to Jesus. We just know that he heard something, that he finally got the answers to his questions. Simon searched everywhere for Jesus once the people started lining up to be healed outside of his door. He had no idea why the great healer would hide from people. It was his responsibility to heal him, to use his gift to make these people well. Simon found Jesus praying and told Jesus the urgency with which he was needed. But by then, Jesus had his answer. And he looked at Simon and pronounced -- tell the people I'm not going to heal them today. It's time for me to go to the next town and do God's will there. It's time for me to share the message with people who need to hear. What was that message? If we look back at the beginning of Mark 1, we remember that John the Baptizer pronounced that the one who is coming will baptize people with the Holy Spirit -- with understanding and clarity. It's no wonder that those in the synagogue said he spoke with authority. Jesus was speaking in such a way that people could understand what the Kingdom of God was all about -- Jesus was speaking about more than a catchy phrase that signals that it's time to jump on the bandwagon.

And so he went to many other towns. He continued casting out demons and healing the sick. But his focus? Well, his focus was on bringing understanding in the synagogues; his focus was on speaking a message that can be heard.

What is our focus, Spring Lake Presbyterian Church? At one point, 5 years ago, this church decided that our mission would be to demonstrate God's love to each other and the world. But is that still our focus? Are we willing to demonstrate God's love to people who have never been loved? to saints and sinners alike? Are we willing to ask our neighbors: What is it you need in order to see God? to know God? to find God? Are we willing to take our focus away from what is comfortable for us so that we can help others be comfortable? I learned this week that there are 500 school-aged kids in Spring Lake alone -- that's not including preschoolers or young adults. Are we willing to demonstrate God's love to them? As we talked about last week, there are so many people in our community who really don't care about what might happen in a church because what they are truly looking for is authenticity rather than organized religion. Are we willing to demonstrate God's love to them? I'm here to challenge you, Spring Lake Presbyterian Church, because you are incredible about demonstrating God's love to each other. I've never known a more generous community who will bend over backward for each other. I've never seen a more caring community in which cards are sent, calls are made, food is shared, and friendships are established. But God's love has got to get out of this building, has got to go into the world. And so perhaps, what we need to do, is step away from what we know, from what feels good and familiar, and instead ask God: What do you want of me? Will we make ourselves like an empty glass and allow God to fill us with God's purpose, God's focus? Are we willing to set aside our own agendas and ask, instead, what God has for us?

Even Jesus had to step aside. Taking time to re-evaluate is not something that weaklings do. Rather it's something that anyone who wants to be open to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit should do. This church is God's church. Let's take time to ask God how we can serve, what we've been called to do, and may we offer ourselves without hesitation.

Yesterday at the youth gathering, I met four youth who are preparing to enlist in the military. These young people -- aged 16-21 -- knew the sacrifice that was involved and decided to offer themselves to serve this country without hesitation. One even said -- even if I have to go to a place like Iraq, I will. And I had no doubt that she was serious. She really feels called to leave her own comfort zone so that others can be made comfortable.

The call of Christ sounds to us just as deeply -- come, open yourselves to the possibilities, even if that means sacrificing your own agenda for yourself. Get off the bandwagon, the notion that Christianity is simply a "popularity" contest, and join instead the One who calls us to give beyond ourselves, to "be all that we can be" and even more. Amen.