Sermon for 4th Sunday after Pentecost
Excess Baggage
By The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer -
If you have traveled by air in recent years, you know that most airlines have really cracked down on the baggage you can bring with you, especially the baggage you check. It used to be that there was no charge for a first or even a second checked bag, but now nearly all airlines charge you for a first bag and even more for a second. With additional charges if your bag is heavy.
And, of course, the extra charges do not end there – want a little more legroom or an aisle seat – that will also cost you extra.
I have read that the airlines now make additional millions of dollars over the cost of airfares on baggage and other related fees.
All this makes air travel not much fun anymore.
I thought of such travel baggage when I read this weekend’s Gospel text from Luke. Jesus sends his disciples out and tells them to travel light, not to take along any excess baggage.
Actually, Jesus tells his disciples, now numbering 70, Jesus tells his disciples not to take any baggage at all – no purse, or backpack or even shoes! And, rather than stay in a hotel, Jesus tells his followers to stay with friends and to be a good guest, staying put and eating what is provided.
When I worked for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for nearly 15 years, I used to travel a lot and, let me tell you, Jesus’ marching orders for his disciples do not sound like much travel fun to me! When I travel, the last thing I want to do is bunk with a friend, let alone stay without any luggage or shoes. And, believe me, if you or I showed up at an airport barefoot we might attract the wrong kind of attention from those TSA workers!
Well, what does Jesus mean by this seemingly silly talk about traveling without any shoes? Our second lesson gives us some clues, I believe.
In the verses from Paul’s Galatians letter we have just heard read, Paul is talking about the essentials of Christianity. Apparently, in the Galatian community there was a strong disagreement about whether or not one had to first become a Jew before one could become a Christian. Paul tells the Galatians that this fight is a foolish one and unimportant for Christians. All that is important, Paul writes, all that is really important, is the cross of Christ and the promise that Christ’s resurrection brings to the world.
And that, I believe, is also what is behind Jesus’ “marching orders” to his disciples in our Gospel text today, that what you carry on your back and body and in your hand is unimportant. What is important is what you carry in your heart and what you say and do in the world. What is important is to say to the world, “peace be with you” and “the kingdom of God has come near to you.” Or, to put it in plainer language, what is important is to say to all, “God loves you and so do I.”
In today’s Gospel text we read how Jesus sent out his first 70 missionaries, how they went out “armed” only with Christ’s love for humankind and how wonderfully successful they were.
Both Paul and Christ talk in today’s lessons about what is important and what is unimportant. What IS important is to reach all with God’s love. It is as simple and difficult as that. What is unimportant is everything else.
This task is all over the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. Our call is to do justice, love mercy, walk humbly, pray, listen, learn and love. Break bread, drink wine, bear burdens, share peace. And love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Reach all with God’s love.
I like a story told often by former ELCA presiding bishop Mark Hanson. Some years ago, Hanson went to his local public library with his granddaughter. While waiting to use one of the library’s computers, Bishop Hanson looked around and saw some of the others using the library’s public computers that day. One was a young Jewish boy. How did Hanson know he was Jewish? Well, the boy was wearing a yamak a, the small skull cap worn by many Jewish males. Another person Hanson saw at a library computer was a young Muslim woman. Again, how did Hanson know she was Muslim? This young woman was wearing a hijab, the head scarf favored by many Muslim women.
Bishop Hanson shared that as he looked around, he thought to himself, “We Christians, we need some headgear!” Then, Hanson said, he realized that we Christians already have the most important headgear we need for Christ’s mission in the world, and that is our baptism.
As we are baptized with water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the pastor takes oil or water and makes the sign of the cross on our foreheads. He or she then says these words while making that cross sign, “child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.”
“You have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.” That is all we need for any journey. It is not about what we carry with us in our purse, luggage or backpack. It is not even about our shoes or headgear or other clothing, what we wear for our journey of life.
What it IS about is how we carry the love of Christ, the unconditional love of Christ, to the world. That is our call, to be bearers of Christ’s love in and for the world in all that we say and do in the world. It is how we share Christ’s love with others, not only here at Mt. Olive, but also at work, at school, in the grocery store, bank or hardware store and even at our neighborhood bar and grill. It is how we treat strangers and friends and even enemies.
We have been “sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.” Now our task is to show Christ’s love for all people in all that we do, to say to the world, “God loves you and so do I,” to reach out with God’s love to everyone.
That is our mission as Christians.
I want to close with this story from a book called Yonder Mountain by Rev. Robert Bushyhead. This story is based on the legend of how the Cherokee people chose a new leader.
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The Cherokee chief had grown old and tired. They would choose a new leader as they had chosen their leaders as long as they could remember. Their leader would be chosen by means of a quest to a tall mountain far away, a mountain they called “yonder mountain.” The first person who climbed to the top of that yonder mountain which stood at the edge of their land, the first person who climbed to the top of that yonder mountain and brought back real proof they had been there, that person would be their new leader.
The bravest and strongest of the people set off toward the mountain. As weeks past, many staggered back to the village. They were all tired, hungry and returned empty-handed.
Finally, one young brave returned declaring “I have been to yonder mountain.” The old leader asked him, “What did you bring?” The young man answered, “these sparkling stones”. The leader replied, “You have done well my son. We can use these to trade for other things our people need.”
After several more days another young man returned saying “I have been to yonder mountain.” The leader asked, “What did you bring?” He replied, “these strange plants” The leader said, “You have done well my son. We can use these to heal the sick among our people.”
It was more than a week later when one small girl returned. She had been given up for dead. She arrived weary and worn out. The leader asked her, “Have you been to yonder mountain?” “I have” she answered.
“What did you bring back?” the old leader asked. “Nothing”, she replied. “You told us to climb to the top of yonder mountain, so I climbed up beyond the place of sparkling stones, where the strange plants grow, up to the top of yonder mountain. But I found nothing to bring back. Except the chill in my feet, the ache in my back and the vision in my eyes of the land beyond the mountain, where I saw smoke from fires of other people who may need us or who may help us.
The old man immediately took off his chief’s robe and put it over the shoulders of this young woman, their new leader.
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Jesus sends us out into the world to tell everyone, “God loves you and so do I.” This is the good news that Jesus gives us and sends us out to share as his apostles again today. Like the young Cherokee woman, we go with the ache in our backs and feet from our journey. And, we go with the vision in our eyes of God’s kingdom that has come near to us. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.
Now go, tell everyone that God loves us all.
Amen.
The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer
Senior Pastor - Mt. Olive Lutheran Church
Santa Monica, California
Sunday, July 6-7, 2019
