August 31, 2008 Sermon
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Proper 17 - A
August 31, 2008 Allan Conkling Emmanuel, San Angelo
Simon Peter never played football but he certainly could have identified with one of the most famous blunders in football history. This is how to go from a hero to a goat in under a minute. Jim Marshall played with the Minnesota Vikings from 1961 to 1979. In 1964 in a game against the San Francisco 49ers, Marshall recovered a fumble, and the crowd went wild. Marshall was a hero! But he didn’t stop there. Marshall tucked the ball under his arm and began running down the field intent on scoring a touchdown. But he ran the wrong way. Now the crowd in the stands changed from cheering for joy to yelling in alarm. His teammates chased him in desperation but not even the fastest of his teammates could catch him. Marshall ran 66 yards the wrong way into his own end zone. Thinking that he had scored a touchdown for the Vikings, Marshall then threw the ball away in celebration. The ball landed out of bounds, resulting in a safety for the 49ers. He still holds the NFL Record for the Shortest Play at negative 66 Yards.
Simon Peter was also hero. He was the favorite of all the followers of Jesus. In a moment of inspiration, he boldly said to Jesus, "You are the Messiah, the son of the living God." Jesus was so impressed that he told Peter that he was the rock upon which the church would be built. The keys to the kingdom would be his. But in the Gospel reading today Peter goes from hero to goat just as quickly as Jim Marshall could run down the field the wrong way. In less than a minute Peter goes from God’s divine messenger to Satan himself, from foundation stone to stumbling block as he tells the Lord what he thinks is best: "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you."
To study Jesus is to study a paradox. From the very beginning Jesus' life ran contrary to convention. From the beginning he was on a collision course with people in power. His message carried the seeds of its own destruction:
"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
Say NO to yourself and YES to me.
Say NO to being a SOMEBODY, and YES to being a NOBODY.
Heaven will be filled with the NOBODIES of the earth;
For it is in being a NOBODY that you truly become a SOMEBODY in Christ.
What a Paradox!
Sometimes I wonder, what would have happened if just this time, Jesus had taken Peter’s advice and not undergone suffering and crucifixion? What would have happened if, just this once, he had not taken the path of confrontation, but acted in his own self-interest? Surely the story would have turned out differently. I am reminded of the silly but true saying:
"My way is not thy way, says Yahweh."
In this make or break moment Jesus realized that he must follow God’s plan; and in obeying God he fulfilled a destiny greater than his alone.
People in 12-Step Recovery programs have a saying, "If nothing changes, nothing changes." That is, for recovery to begin, something must change. That is the theme for this morning, and the challenge of a lifetime.
A life shaped by the Cross stands in contrast the fundamental values and practices of our society and our culture.
Instead of domination there is service of one another.
Instead of division there is unity.
Instead of the man-made barriers of wealth, gender, status or ethnicity there is acceptance.
Instead of violence there is peace.
Instead of submission there is only opposition, to everything which to diminish God’s people and destroy God’s Creation.
At times, we may be called upon to make choices or take stands which are unpopular, counter-intuitive, or even outright opposed to the way we think things should be done. We may even find ourselves at odds with other Christians. Moses (OT) agonized with his call as a spokesman for God. Peter wrestled with his call to follow. But in the end anything else is running the wrong way.
St. Paul gives a detailed picture of what running in the right direction, toward the right end zone, looks like. These are words to live by. Cut them out, or circle it, stick them on your refrigerator or mirror and refer to them all week long.
God's life is the good life, even though comfort and safety are not always part of the bargain. We live because he died. We are alive because we live in Christ, and Christ lives in us.
Copyright © 2003 Emmanuel Episcopal Church. All rights reserved.
Revised: 09/09/08