March 5, 2006

Seven Questions

Who Are My Brothers?

Matthew 12:46-50

Opening Words: Lent is the liturgical season that begins on Ash Wednesday and end at dawn on Easter. Not counting Sundays, which are mini Easters, Lent lasts forty days. The number forty is reserved in the Bible for sacred time periods. In the story of Noah it rained for forty days and nights. The Jews wondered for forty years in the wilderness. Jesus fasted for forty days before being tempted by Satan. Jesus walked the face of this world for forty days in his resurrected state after Easter. For forty days we will join the Christian world and strive to live lives that are more pleasing to God.

This year’s Lenten sermon series is called Seven Questions. They are seven questions that Jesus asked the disciples. They are seven questions that Jesus is asking us. The master did not ask these questions to expose our ignorance. The master asked these questions to help us grow in the faith. This morning’s question is who are my brothers? It is a question of brotherhood. This is sermon number two in this seven part sermon series. Let us hear this Gospel reading together.

Introduction

In 1978, Thomas Hansen of Boulder Colorado sued his parents for $350,000 on grounds of "malpractice of parenting." Mom and Dad had botched his upbringing so badly, he charged in his suit, that he would need years of costly psychiatric treatment. Have you ever noticed that families are complex?

How is your relationship with your extended family, not the people you will see this afternoon but the people you won’t see until Easter? Do you have a good relationship with your extended family or does it need a little help? Have you ever wondered how you could have come from your family? Have you ever wondered if you were really adopted or your mom got the wrong baby on her way out of the hospital? You are nothing like the rest of your family! There are times that I have pondered that question. I believe there are times that Jesus asked the same thing. Who are my brothers?

Body

One of the great pains of Jesus’ life must have been that he was not understood by his family. It was not until after his resurrection that his brothers believed. At this point in Jesus’ life his brothers don’t have clue. (His brothers are really his step brothers. They shared a common mother, Mary. Jesus’ father was God. Their father was Joseph.) In this scene they have come to talk to Jesus. Perhaps, a better why of saying that is that they have come to rescue Jesus? Mark’s version of the story says they came because Jesus had lost his mind. When Mary encounters Jesus he is surrounded by people who believe in him. Look at the picture one more time. It is not Jesus blood relatives who appreciate him. It is other people who connect with him. Can anyone here relate to that story? Are the people closest to you family or friends? Jesus understands this fact and underscores the point by asking the question. Who are my brothers?

Today, let us look at the conditions of true kinship. Three things you may or may not share with your family. However, they are three things you will need if you are going to make a connection with other people. In an ideal church we experience all three of these things with one another. What are these three? The first is a common experience. The second is a common obedience. The third is a common goal. So if you are ready for these three points say, “Amen!”

A Common Experience

There is a story about an elderly woman, who went to the funeral home to say, “Good-bye” to her deceased friend. The woman was greeted by the deceased’s nephew. He said, “This must be hard for you. I saw you laughing with her just last week.” She responded by saying, “We were friendly but the best friends you have are the ones that you cry with.” Those are wise words. Common history will only take friendship so far. The true test of friendship comes with tears. When was the last time you cried at church? People cry at church all the time.

The common experience we have as disciples of Jesus Christ is that we are forgiven of our sins. We are sinners and deserve to go to hell but guess what? On the day you accepted Jesus into your heart you received a one way ticket to heaven. You don’t deserve it but it is yours. We are saved by grace and by grace alone! It was only through Jesus’ death that we experience life in this world and cling to the hope of eternity in the future. When that fact about Jesus enters your heart than a tear may come to your eye. On those moments that you rediscover that fact look around and see the tears in the other person’s eyes. Real friends have the license to cry together. Those are tears of joy! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” Who are my brothers? True kinship in the life of the church starts with a common experience. True kinship also shares a common obedience.

A Common Obedience

It has been true from the very beginning. Just look how diverse the original disciples were? They came from different backgrounds and had a wide variety of gifts and skills. There were fisherman, tax collector and a political zealot. The Bible doesn’t really tell us but I don’t believe they always saw eye to eye. The only thing that unified this group was a common obedience to Jesus! The same thing holds true today!

There are six billion people in the world. Research tells us there are two billion Christians in the world. God does not discriminate. Everyone is welcomed! It is for this reason that the church is made up of so many kinds of people from many different cultures and customs. We are all different but we need to be united in a common obedience to Jesus. We need to be living lives that are pleasing to Jesus! For when we let the standards slip we weaken the power of the church. How many examples do you need? Jesus said, “Who are my brothers?”

In several weeks every pastor in the East Ohio Annual Conference is required to attend a sexual ethics workshop over in the Akron area. (I have been to them before but they don’t work. I haven’t been sexually harassed yet.) I am assuming they are having a workshop because this is a growing problem in the conference. Doesn’t that make you proud? The sex scandal between Roman Catholic priests and boys has affected that rich tradition at her very core. We all know stories of lost money in ministries when the wrong person was trusted. We all know of someone who doesn’t attend worship anywhere because of some ugly church politics. No wonder the church’s influence in our society is shrinking. If you think the church, herself, needs to repent say, “Amen!” Jesus said, “Who are my brothers?” It is a person who is obedient to his will. True kinship in the life of the church shares a common experience. True friendship also shares a common obedience. True kinship also shares a common goal.

A Common Goal

One of the best things about participating in a volunteer in mission trip is getting to know other Christians from around the world. I never would have met Leif and Larry without our trip to Moscow. They were two United Methodist seminary students. They invited Kathy and me to come to dinner in Larry’s tiny Russian apartment. Their wives cooked a wonderful Russian meal and we talked about Jesus and the work of the church. We talked about the church in the United States and the future of the church in Russia. We connected with Leif and Larry. We had made new friends but the friendship would be short lived. They lived in Moscow and we lived in Ohio. As we were walking out the door into that dark hall, Larry said something I will never forget. He said, “If we don’t see you again in this world we will look for you in heaven.” Does anyone here not want to go to heaven? We shared a common goal of going to heaven!

A. M. Chirgwin once said, “The church will never unite if we continue to argue about ordination, church administration, sacramental theology and all the rest. However, the one thing in which we can all agree is heaven.” I have never met a person who did not want to go to heaven. If you want to go to heaven say, “Amen!” Jesus said, “Who are my brothers?” True kinship is found in a common experience. True kinship is found in a common experience. True kinship is found in a common goal. Let me end with a little story.

Conclusion

Dennis Cleary is a politician who in 2002 was seeking a sixth term in the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, USA, but he got no support from his family. It seems that Dennis had a falling out with his siblings over the handling of their father's estate, and they responded with newspaper ads and signs on their lawns supporting Dennis' political opponent. ''We are tired of Dennis,'' says the ad. ''Are you?'' Is there anyone in your family that you are tired of? Aren’t you glad you have friends? Jesus asked the question. Who are my brothers?

Aren’t you glad you have church friends? In church we share a common experience. Jesus washed away all of our sins! In church we all share a common obedience. We want to do what Jesus calls us to do! In church we share a common goal. We want to see as many people in heaven as possible! And all of God’s friendly people said, “Amen!”