June 26, 2022

Sermon title:  "Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead!"

Scripture:  Luke 9:51-62

(Other lectionary choices include II Kings 2:1-2 and 6-14, Psalm 77:1-2 and 11-20, and Galatians 5:1 and 13-25.)

Luke 9:51-62

A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receive Jesus

51When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" 55But he turned and rebuked them. 56Then they went on to another village.

Would-Be Followers of Jesus

57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 59To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

          The sermon title is certainly a shocker, especially coming from the lips of Jesus! "Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead!" But let's look at the situation:  Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem for what he thinks is the last time - he was right, by the way! And we are told that "he set his face to go to Jerusalem." What does that mean?

          If you follow sports, sometimes an announcer will say, "So-and-so has his game face on." A pitcher who is throwing a no-hitter will sit by himself in the dugout when his team is up to bat. Why? He wants to maintain the concentration that has gotten him this far. I read something about the late Kobe Bryant that said that during the play-offs, he had a whole different look on his face. He apparently had HIS game face on. He was concentrating. Maybe he was even preoccupied. The same for Jesus:  he was about to do a very difficult thing:  give himself to the authorities to be crucified. So maybe we can say that Jesus has HIS game face on.....except it wasn't a game. He knew he was going to Jerusalem to die, and he was not in a gentle mood when people offered him excuses for not following the Way that he was laying out.

          First of all, two of his disciples, James and John, who should have known better, wanted to call down fire from heaven on some town that didn't give them what they thought was the proper reception. Here's Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the Messiah of God, who had been with these guys for the better part of three years, preaching love, love, love, NOT fire from heaven on your enemies! And we are told he REBUKED them! So that incident probably didn't put him in such a good mood! Next, he meets someone who says he'll follow Jesus wherever he goes. And Jesus puts a tough question to him, or at least a tough fact:  "Foxes have holes, and birds have nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Jesus didn't say it, but perhaps he wanted that guy to think about whether he really did want to follow Jesus, because there wasn't a luxury hotel waiting for them at the end of each day! And then this:  Jesus says to somebody else, "Follow me". But the guy says, "Let me go bury my father first", to which Jesus has a shocking retort, "Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead!"

          You may remember that I have said before that often in Middle Eastern speech, people said things that were over the top in order to make a point. And you and I do that, too. "Oh, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" Or how about.... "I ate so much I thought I'd never eat again!" No, you knew you'd eat again. How about...."I laughed so hard I thought I'd die!" Come on:  you knew you wouldn't die! Well, maybe Jesus was making a point. Also, was this guy's father dead yet? Maybe he was going to wait another 20 years for Pop to kick off! The point is, NOW is the hour of decision, which was the name of Billy Graham's radio and TV programs. And psychologists will say that there is no time like the present. I have heard Harlane say on the phone to a patient, "Be like the Nike ad: JUST DO IT!" I mentioned my father last week. In a recent conversation with one of my brothers, I was reminded that when my parents moved to the small Indiana town in which I lived from 6th grade through high school, my Dad's boss said several times that he would introduce my parents to some of his friends. He said this more than once, until finally my Dad said, "WHEN?" So, Jesus knew the human condition, and he knew that when we put stuff off, sometimes it simply doesn't get done. So maybe THAT is why he said such a shocking thing:  LET the DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD! I think we all know that as a good Jewish boy, Jesus would certainly have followed Jewish protocol and done the right thing, as far as family duties are concerned. But his outburst - if it was an outburst - is a reminder that we DON'T have all the time in the world. If not today - if not right now - WHEN?

          There is a Lutheran minister in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Nathan Aaseng, and he has this to say about today's Scripture reading: "According to some biblical scholars, the expression 'First I have to bury my father' was the old Hebrew equivalent of 'the check's in the mail'. It was a way of putting someone off. And the bit about not saying good-bye to those at home? Just what did this guy mean by saying good-bye? A quick hug and a wave? A good-bye dinner? A year or two while I try to convince the old man that this is a good idea?"

          Another point about what Jesus says in today's Scripture is the person plowing a field. Jesus says, "No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." This is obviously a reference to what it's like to try to plow a field:  Jesus' listeners knew what it was like to try to plow a straight line and also look back:  you cannot DO BOTH! If you look back, you will not be able to plow a straight line or furrow. So, Jesus is using an agricultural example that every farmer would understand.

          Again, the Rev, Nathan Aaseng:  "The events of Jesus' life are coming to a head. Time is short. God's creation is in dire need of renewal. People are lost and are in desperate need of purpose, hope, and new life. Jesus needs to do what he came to do and he needs to do it now. He is looking for disciples to join in spreading good news throughout the earth. He needs them now. The priority is urgent. By the time these would-be disciples commit to joining, Jesus will be gone."

          And, says Rev. Nathan, it's the same for us. "The basics haven't changed for us. Love for others is the heart and soul of the Christian message. If we don't focus on that, we won't get any of it right." Some people say that maybe later, when they are more financially secure or when the kids have moved out or....or....or.... THEN I'd like to make a difference in the world.

          Quoting Rev. Nathan one more time:  "The Gospel for today has a simple message:  Get your game face on, Christians. You're called to make a difference. Now." Amen.

Pastor Skip