Lent II B 2009
Theme: It’s not about us
Let us pray.
Most holy, Lord God, we give ourselves to you; when we are baptized, we surrender our agendas to conform to yours, help us remember and to follow through on our baptismal promises, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A week ago yesterday, you would think that the end of the world was taking place. The Fort Pierce, Florida McDonald’s was out of McNuggets. It was a crisis. Latreasa L. Goodman couldn’t believe her ears. She ordered and paid for McNuggets and after a few minutes, she was told that they were out! Latreasa was incensed. She was outraged. She paid for those McNuggets. She was looking forward to those McNuggets. And they were out? It was surely a sign of the end of the world.
She did what anyone else would do. Or did she? Latreasa called 911. As most 911 operators answer, she said, “911, what’s your emergency?” She told the operator that she paid for McNuggets and they were out. They offered a menu replacement but not her money back and she wants her McNuggets! The operator told Latreasa that an officer was on his way.
The officer apparently did not respond fast enough. Latreasa whips her phone out again and dials 911. “911, what’s your emergency?” “I want a firefighter out here right now.” “Why do you want a firefighter?” “I ordered McNuggets and they won’t give me the McNuggets and they won’t give me my money back.” “They won’t give you McNuggets?” “Yes” “Are you at a McDonald’s?” “Yes, I called before and someone was supposed be out but they aren’t here.” “The officer is still on the way.”
The officer still wasn’t fast enough. Latreasa gets out her phone and once more calls 911. Again the operator tells her that an officer is on the way. After the operator told Latreasa that 911 was for emergencies only, she replied, “this is an emergency, my McNuggets are an emergency.”
Thankfully for the 911 operators, the police showed up before Latreasa could make her fourth 911 call. According to the police report, Latreasa said, “This is an emergency. If I would have known they didn't have McNuggets, I wouldn't have given my money, and now she wants to give me a McDouble, but I don't want one. I called 911 because I couldn't get a refund, and I wanted my McNuggets.”
Latreasa was cited for misuse of the 911 system. A McDonald’s spokesman says Goodman should have been given a refund, and she’s being sent a gift card for a free meal. It probably is less in cost than her citation.
Latreasa was unaware that everything is not about her. The world does not exist at her beck and call. Other people are not there to meet her every need. On this second Sunday of Lent, we are reminded of these things. Jesus again tries to tell his friends what God’s agenda is. They still don’t get it.
Some of the most interesting things about today’s gospel reading is what we did not hear – what comes before today’s reading. Jesus heals a blind man. Then Jesus and his disciples make their way to Caesarea Philippi, gentile territory. On the way, Jesus asks about what others are saying about him. They offer several titles that people are putting on Jesus.
Then Jesus asks them who they think Jesus is. Peter answers that Jesus is the Christ, the messiah. It must have been the right answer, because Jesus tells them to keep that information confidential. The next thing Jesus says is what is described in the verses we heard today.
Jesus tells them that the Son of Man will suffer, the religious leaders will arrest him. He will be tried, will be found guilty, will be executed, and will rise to life on the third day. Jesus made it all as plain as he could. It is as if they stopped listening after they hear Jesus talking about death. They didn’t hear the part about the rising on the third day thing. If they did hear it, it must have sounded like nonsense.
Peter grabbed Jesus and told him not to talk like that. Jesus looked at the disciples. They were watching Jesus and Peter. A power struggle was happening and Jesus knew it needed to be resolved quickly. Jesus rebukes Peter. Jesus calls Peter Satan. After all, Peter is tempting Jesus to not follow through with the path that awaits him. Jesus knows Peter’s thinking is the same as his culture. The messiah can’t simply be tried and executed. There is a revolution to fight. The messiah can’t just lie down without a fight!
Yet, this messiah will die. Peter has no clue the way God thinks. Peter signed up to be in David’s heir’s court. Peter signed up for a fight. Peter signed up for power. Peter signed up for prestige. Peter signed up for dominion. Peter signed up to help rule the nations with power and might.
Apparently, a crowd had, by now, surrounded Jesus and the disciples. Jesus called everybody, everybody, to come closer. Jesus talks to the crowd. Jesus talks to us. Jesus said, “If any of you want to be my followers, you must deny yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.”
This is scandalous language. How can we deny ourselves, especially in this country where everyone seems to want to pursue self-fulfillment and self-esteem? Jesus is saying that we are to forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of ourselves and our own interests. We are to give up our selves. We are to lose our selves.
But that is not necessarily the scandalous part. The scandalous part, in language that we can understand the way Jesus’ words were heard 2,000 years ago is this: We are to take up our electric chairs and follow Jesus. Only an electric chair is much more humane than a cross, and by the way, try to stay away from electric outlets.
The disciples know what a cross is and what it’s for. It is for insurgents to die a slow, agonizing death. The Romans put crosses up like we put up billboards. The message: don’t ever challenge the empire. The Romans had refined brutality to an art form. When Jesus was about ten years old, 2,000 Galileans were crucified. That probably left an impression on the young Jesus.
Jesus next tells them that Jesus’ world is upside down. In order to save our life, we need to lose it. How can we save our life by losing it? If we lose our life for Jesus and for the gospel, then we will save it. If we follow Jesus, if we follow the gospel, the good news, we will have life and have it abundantly. Jesus knew something that that crowd did not know. That life here on earth is nothing compared to life eternal. All we have to do is follow Jesus AND all we have to do is follow the gospel.
Jesus then tries to put what he said into perspective, probably because he knew that people would be either angry or baffled by what he said. Jesus said that it make no sense to be wealthy if by being wealthy you sacrifice eternal life. Jesus said that it make no sense to be powerful if by being powerful you sacrifice eternal life. Jesus said that it makes no sense to get what you want if you loose your own true self through accumulating “stuff” and/or acquiring wealth. When that happens, what would you give to get your soul back?
Jesus continues by saying we should not be embarrassed by following Jesus. We should not be ashamed to talk about Jesus – especially to this sinful, unfaithful world that we live in. If you are, Jesus will be ashamed of you.
Are we not like Peter and Latreasa? Don’t our own agendas, prejudices, and preconceptions cloud what we need to do to follow Jesus? We assume what should be done. Even Jesus can’t change our minds. We wouldn’t even be dissuaded even if someone were to be raised from the dead. Of course we would never rebuke Jesus. Our rebukes are kinder, gentler. We respond with benign neglect and insipid indifference.
As long as self reigns, we will always look for shortcuts to God’s kingdom. We will do whatever we can to avoid carrying a cross, the instrument of our deaths. When we do this we deny Jesus. When we surrender our egos, we will then be ready to be a disciple of Jesus.
We now pray: Gracious God and giver of all good gifts, give the gift of humility; help us, through your Spirit, to work for the benefit of others, not seeking recognition for ourselves, but only for your glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Text: Mark 8:31-38 (NRSV)
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel,i will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my wordsj in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
[1]
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i Other ancient authorities read lose their life for the sake of the gospel
j Other ancient authorities read and of mine
[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. 1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.