New Year's Resolutions

Pentecost 18, Proper 20B

Mark 9:30-37

St. Matthias

September 23, 2018

           I was trying to remember this week if I have ever kept a New Year’s Resolution.  That may seem like a rather random thing to think about in mid-September, but it SEEMED to TIE right in with our Gospel lesson from Mark.  Jesus and the disciples are walking through Galilee on the way to the city of Capernaum.  Now from what we READ - it sounds to me like Jesus was walking by himself - maybe 20 or so steps in front of the disciples - who are all clumped together and arguing with one another about WHO is the greatest.  

Clearly, the disciples did not want Jesus to hear what they were saying – but he does – and he asks them about it when they reach where they are going. 

It is another of those times when the disciples are caught saying and thinking the wrong thing and Jesus tells us once again in the Gospels that the FIRST shall be last and the LAST shall be first and WE as Christians are to serve everyone. 

           And as I reflected on the Gospel this week I kept thinking about the disciples arguing.  HOW do you argue about which of you is the greatest? 

But the disciples seem to think about this kind of thing a lot in the scriptures.  In the next chapter of the Gospel of Mark – James and John come to Jesus and ask to sit at his right hand and at his left in glory.  That was PRETTY BOLD!  In the Gospel of John, Judas argues with Jesus - AND in all the Gospels - Peter clearly thinks he is Jesus’s favorite.  SO - how do you claim to be the greatest when you are following the Messiah. 

I am always amused by our political candidates who try to “out-Christian” their opponents.  When I am King of the World – any candidate using the words Christian and Family Values in their campaign ads will be required to teach Sunday School to 5, 6, and 7-year old children throughout the election.  If that doesn’t keep you humble – nothing will, and you shouldn’t be elected. 

I believe God favors the USA just as much as God favors any other country – but NO more.  Actually, it is the people living in those countries who God loves – not the country which all goes back to politics. 

Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven and #1 in a College Football poll are not the same thing despite what some seem to believe.  From everything I have read about

Nick Saban, I am quite certain he knows the difference between a good quarterback and his Savior. 

Today, the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is probably cleaning up debris from Hurricane Florence in North Carolina or feeding hungry children in the ghettos of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The Greatest in the Kingdom of heaven this morning may well be a young woman from Syria, Japan, or Malaysia working for the World Health Organization treating the sick in a refugee camp.  One of the first things you learn as a priest is the fact that standing in a pulpit does not make me the Greatest any more than any of those disciples were Greatest that day on the road to Capernaum.  Jesus picks up a child and says to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child welcomes me.” 

           The problem the disciples had was recognizing that faith and belief and being a servant are not about being better than someone else.  Faith is not a competitive sport.  I used to run marathons in my younger days.  Running 26.2 miles is not a normal thing to do.  People would often ask afterward, “Did you win?”  I can tell you that I never came in 1^st place or 2^nd or even 3^rd.  But I won every marathon I ran in because you see the goal was to beat my previous best time.  Whether I was running with a hundred or a thousand other runners, every one of us was running to run better than we did the last time.  Together we helped one another, motivated each other, and celebrated together at the finish line.  This is the way it is in the Christian faith.  Each of us is loved by God and together we work to further the Kingdom of Heaven here and now.  It’s not a competition, it’s a fellowship of believers and the challenge of the Christian faith is to grow in my love for God and in service to my neighbor.

           The disciples didn’t seem to understand that today is what matters.  Too often we focus only on eternity someday and miss God working in our lives at this moment.  Tony Sturgis and I often talk about running and whether you run 1 mile or 26 or 100, you get there the same way – one foot in front of another.  The same is true of faith.  If you focus only on being perfect or a saint, you never will.  But start believing in God just for today.  Pray one prayer today, read one verse of scripture, share the love of Christ with one person.  It can even be someone you know.  Tomorrow – believe again.  It will not feel normal or ordinary.  But it will feel holy and eternal.  Long distance runners will tell you that running is really more mental than physical.  The key is to run the next step and then the next.  Keep doing that and you will run a mile, then more.  Believe, then do it again.  Love, then do it again.  Serve, then do it again. 

           Now if you were wondering what all this has to do with New Year’s Resolutions – the Good News of the Gospel is that you can begin anytime.  Resolve to believe today.  Do the same tomorrow.  You will be doing holy work – God’s work.  And you will be Great in the Kingdom of Heaven.  AMEN.