How Do We Have Faith?
May 20, 2007
Luke 9:1-25
Today’s entire service is about Power Sources. Who are your power sources. We as human beings, we’re really only battery powered. We’ll run for awhile on our own. And, depending on how we’re wired, our capacity for running between charges fluctuates. But, eventually, we all plug into something. The writers of the gospel of Luke realized this. That we all get our juice from somewhere. And, their experience of getting juiced so radicalized how they ran, they needed to tell their story. In fact, their was nothing else that they could do but tell the story.
We began looking at the gospel of Luke the first week of December and today we finish that journey. Today marks the end of our Easter discernment, the end of our study of the gospel of Luke. And today, today in our final look at Luke we must not just look at the individual parts that make up the gospel, but we must hold it somehow in its entirety and discern the overall message. What is it that drove this community to write their version of things. And for Luke, it all comes down to the power source. Who is it that you are plugging yourself into. What does that energy do to you? How is it that you move after you are refueled?
How many different stories did you hear in the reading today? How many did you come up with? I came up with 5. There were 5 parts to our reading, most of them we’ve heard before today. We heard: 1. Jesus’ called the disciples. 2 Herod is disturbed. 3. Feeding of the 5,000. 4. Jesus is going to be killed. 5. The movement will carry on through the discipleship of God’s new movement. Five. Five stories that could each stand on its own but each tell a different part, a different angle of how it is Luke’s community is powered, what it allows them to do, how it is they recharge, and where that charge can take them. Let’s break it down a bit more.
Jesus had power. But, Jesus being a human being only had power because of his connection with God. Everything that Jesus does in the gospel of Luke is connected to the power source, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Still Speaking God. Jesus is constantly praying with God, wrapping his being and his work in the Presence of God, invoking the Spirit of healing from God. Jesus in Luke, time and time again, begins the story with a connection, a reference, a nod of the head to God. This work is nothing, even if done by Jesus if it is not supported by the ultimate power source, God. After praying Jesus goes out and calls the disciples. The disciples after hearing the call of God go out juiced to share what they felt, heard, saw and demonstrate what this power allows them to now do. Their juice changed their experience of living, it was more healing, it was more sane, it was more possible, they had to share this source of power with all. They came back and went on retreat to pray with Jesus. But, the retreat is interrupted by a crowd. However, instead of this stopping ministry, this gathering of the crowd inspires a genuine concern for their safety and hospitality by the disciples. They know if these people don’t eat and sleep they will all be in trouble out here in the wilderness. Their physical power sources depleted. But, Jesus reminds, even when it comes to the physicality of food as source of power, we can tap into our Sustainer’s power source. God even gives us directions of how to solve this problem. And, the miracle of the two fish and five loaves begin. When we as a community plug into this source, when we share what we have, 2 fish and 5 loaves become 12 baskets of bread beyond what was needed. When we tap into this power source, the rejuvenating power is unbelieveable. It is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. It is powerful. Jesus breaks it down for the disciples after the miraculous sharing of food.
God’s power will unite us. God’s power will fill us. God’s power will inspire us. And, it’s going to scare the empire to death. The fear of our power, the fear of our collective gathering it’s going to cause a powerful response, and it’s going to hurt, it’s going to wound, it’s going to deplete your resources. However, if you choose to live, everyday this life, by plugging into this God Source, you will be able to not only survive the backlash of the empire but you will thrive in your Created Being. You need nothing more than this source of God to empower a whole new way of being in the world, with the world, beyond the world. And, unlike what the empire source will do, it will sustain you.
My favorite line in today’s reading is Herod was disturbed. Isn’t that so nicely put? Herod was disturbed. It’s true, on so many levels, Herod was disturbed. But, it’s a story we know so well isn’t it. We have someone who has plugged into the Light. We have some who is so energized and charged by the light they become a beacon, a pathway, a hope. They shine bright. Now the empire, and those who lead the empire, they are not fond of the Light. And, the more they shine, the more people they attract. The Empire however, does not like leadership that is not ordained by the empire’s belief system, supported by their tax laws, upheld by their patriotism all in the name of stronger, wiser, more successful which means more powerful empire. The lead power in empire is the government leader. In Jesus’ time and place, this was Herod. And, Herod, the central power of the empire, he is disturbed. He is disturbed by the word he’s hearing about this Jesus. He had already killed John. He had already exterminated this movement, this prophet. For empire power does not like to see the large gatherings of power. Empire does not like to see power being enmassed in any form unless it supports the empire. Herod was disturbed, the very core of power had been disturbed by an alternative fuel source. And, Herod just like John the Baptist, puts Jesus to death. Exterminates the large gatherings, the beacon, the pathway. Except, embedded in the lives of those who had come, those who had plugged in, was a new Source of Life beyond the empire. And the empire can kill anyone they like, this new Source was available and would not be hidden again.
For Luke this story is actually quite simple. We choose to plug in all the time. We plug into sports, caffeine, entertainment, transportation, vacation, driving through, being an American. But, none of it gets us lit up and energized. It may allow us to continue on but Jesus was repeatedly calling us to find an alternative fuel. It is as close as our breath, and if we can just take moments each day to pray for the Presence to guide us, call us, walk with us, we can live a bright life even in the midst of the wilderness. And, and, the passage ends with daily. This can happen on a daily basis. Just because the empire is going to think it’s exterminating the light, doesn’t mean that’s actually possible. We don’t have to martyr ourselves, but can instead put down our dependence on oil, diet coke, massage, fast food, vitamins, propel, shame, addiction, abuse, we can change our power source to be something that will bring us into the most unexpected places and allow us to be more filled, more radiant, more loving, more complete, more whole than we’ve ever thought possible. And, it is possible no matter who you are, or where you’ve been on life’s journey. It is possible if we can just choose to plug in to a different power source and use an alternative energy.
One of our brothers died this week. The Rev. Jerry Falwell. He really irritated me in his living. He disgusted me in his leading. He surprised me in his corruption of the source. Jerry Falwell had power, and plugged into a power source. But, the source led him to create division and hatred amongst the children of God. The source Jerry plugged into began gorilla warfare on the marginalized. The leadership of the Reverend built a university, enmassed a large amount of wealth, a private jet or two, and large crowds followed him wherever he went through television, gathering for worship, or coming to his university. But when Jesus plugged into the source people were fed. Hunger was stamped out, strangers became family, hospitality was extended to all, a common love was built people left more open to one another, more alive from knowing one another, more fed because of the miracle of sharing. When Jesus plugged into the source people were compelled to leave what their families thought they should be doing: like fishing, working for the empire, cleaning house, having babies and do what they heard God calling them to do. And, it seemed no matter where they came from their gifts were enough to allow the light to shine through them if they were open to that possibility. I have been tickled all week thinking about Jerry finally being surrounded by the Unconditional love of God. I have been tickled all week thinking about how stunned and saddened the good Rev. was to discover it really is just about love. Not building a kingdom. Not building a war machine. Not creating blinders to what God has created. Just loving God so much that we can love ourselves allowing our own unique lights to shine.
Let’s check our power sources…where when how? And what is it allowing, compelling, inspiring us to do or not do. We can always knock the dust off and choose another power source. Let us pray.