faith — Page 21

October 11, 2105 – Sitting with Jesus from John Knox Kirk on Vimeo.

A sermon preached at The Kirk of Kansas City, Missouri, on October 11, 2015.

The greatest. Who is the greatest?
It’s a fascinating question.

Which sporting event had the greatest viewing audience ever?
The 2006 FIFA World Cup,
which collectively had 30 billion viewers
between June 9^th and July 9^th of that year.

Who won the greatest number of Olympic medals? 22 medals.

That record is held by swimmer Michael Phelps
who edged out the 1950s Russian Gymnast Larisa Latynina
with his 18 golds, 2 silvers, and two bronze medals,
finishing his carrier back in 2012.

Who do Americans say was the greatest boxer of all time?
Mohammed Ali. Better known as “The Greatest,” I might add

Who do Americans say was the greatest scientist of the 20th century?
Albert Einstein?

Which singer sold the greatest number of platinum albums?
Elvis Pressley, 52.

Who do Americans say was the greatest American president?
Abraham Lincoln in today’s polls.

What was the greatest baseball game ever played.
The 2014 Royals vs A’s
American League Wild-Card game, no doubt about it.

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The list of “greats” and “greatests” goes on and on.

Now: It is one thing to BE the greatest Olympian,
to BE the greatest boxer,
to BE the greatest scientist,
to BE the greatest president.

It is quite another thing to have a need to be great,
to have a need to be number one,
have a need to be a big shot, a need to be better than others.

Ambition is one thing: the desire to do the best you can at your work
to achieve a goal, perhaps THE goal.
But that’s different.

There’s yearning, striving, pushing toward a goal,
and then there is NEEDING to be the greatest.

We all kind of stop at the incredulity of the one who needs
to be THE greatest.

A sermon preached at The Kirk of Kansas City, Missouri, on October 4, 2015.

Hebrews 4:12-16
and Mark 10:17-31

In an episode of The Simpsons,
Homer Simpson is visited by his guardian angel.

Understanding that Homer needs to begin a NEW learning process
guided by someone known or familiar,
the angel assumes the identity of Oscar Wilde.
When Homer doesn’t recognize him,
he tries again…and this time appears as Vincent Van Gogh. Still no luck.

Finally, the guardian angel appears to Homer as the image of Colonel Klink
from the TV sitcom “Hogan’s Heroes”.

Homer instantly recognizes him, and follows his directions.

We’re NOT going to follow anyone we don’t recognize.
The PROBLEM is…sometimes, those we RECOGNIZE
in our culture…have NOTHING worth following.

///
“Follow me.”
Jesus uttered these words, NOT once, but many many times.
–To Peter and Andrew by the Sea of Galilee;
–To Levi, at the seat of customs;
–To the balking inquirer, Jesus’ words were:
“Leave the dead to bury the dead, and come, follow me.”

–To the rich young ruler:
“Sell what you have, give to the poor, and come, follow me.”

…And to every person, in this time, and succeeding times:
“If anyone would come after me,
let them deny themselves,
and take up their cross..and FOLLOW me.”

These words of COMMAND are plain…and disconcertingly personal.

They cut through any maze of theology.
They don’t care about denomination or culture or language or creed.
They do not bow to rank or privilege.

They are tall enough,
and deep enough,
and sturdy enough…
…to guide ALL of us through the hardest times.

This is what we get, basically, in the Gospel of Mark.
Jesus says follow me…and people follow.
–And teaching happens,
–and healing happens,
–and hope is offered,
–and expectations are overturned,
–and the REIGN of GOD is made manifest in Jesus’ presence.

You see it all through out this gospel, as the pace picks up
Jesus…he moves from place to place
he calls on people to follow
and not only do people recognize Jesus as he passes by
but people RUSH to him.

///
What is it about Jesus that compels people to RUSH to him?

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Sermon: Sitting with Jesus

Sermon: Things Get in the Way