Homily for Proper 18 C - September 5, 2010

My brothers and sisters, the most difficult piece of our being Disciples of Christ is often the simplest; allowing Jesus to change us!

In our reading from Jeremiah we hear that God forgives those who repent! This comes through the imagery of God’s people being like vessels shaped on a potter’s wheel. Some of us may be more cooperative than others but we are all being shaped. The idea being that we should strive to cooperate with God’s shaping of our lives.

A potter’s wheel is a round flat stone (like a table) that spins as the potter works. The potter controls the speed of the wheel and places a lump of clay on the top. Then the potter begins forming the vessel with his hands as the wheel is turned. If the vessel distorted during turning, the potter collapsed the clay back into a lump and simply began again. Jeremiah explains the symbolism as God being the potter and humanity the clay.

Our second reading is from a personal letter from Paul to Philemon, a slave owner, but it is also addressed to “the church in your house.” In the first century, the Christian community gathered at a member’s house. It is likely that the letter was read during worship.

“Onesimus,” is a slave who has run away from Philemon’s house. While visiting Paul, he has been converted to Christianity, making him Paul’s spiritual child. A common penalty for salve leaving a master was death, so Paul is in a delicate position, pleading for the man’s life. Paul urges Philemon take him “back forever” as a slave and as a “beloved brother” in Christ. He is asking Philemon to treat Onesimus as he would treat Paul himself.

In our selection from Luke’s Gospel we see Jesus talking about the cost or demands of being a disciple. In the early days, being a Christian could very well cost you all you had (confiscated by civil authorities) and even your life (you could be executed for being a Christian).

This story follows immediately after Jesus telling the dinner guests that even sick and the poor are welcome in God’s Kingdom. Now he describes what is required of his followers. The word “hate” is used as an exaggeration; a method of speaking and writing that we still use today. It was a common linguistic trait in Hebrew. Jesus uses it here to make the dramatic point that one must be less attached to their possessions, even their life, than to Jesus himself. The disciple must find his prime security and meaning in Jesus. Not in family, property or in one’s own life. One must be prepared to suffer, as Jesus did on the “cross.”

Today, we don’t run the risk of capital criminal charges for being a Christian as did our predecessors. Nor do we experience the prejudice here in the US that other must live within far flung parts of the globe. We could lose friends, business opportunities and the like but generally we don’t have to pay much of a price for being Disciples of Jesus. However, there is one “cost of discipleship” that we do have in common with all Christians. And it can be intimidating.

It is the demand of Jesus that each of his followers allow themselves to genuinely be changed by his Gospel and grace. Sadly, being willing to personally be changed is one of the hardest things we can confront as human beings. Yet, that is the call. To be transformed or remolded by the Gospel into the people God calls us to be. Although giving up some of our self determination and be transformed into a better person by God’s grace is intimidating. It is actually one of Jesus’ most precious, beautiful and joyful gifts.

In his book simply titled “Prayer” Richard Foster gives us a wonderful and simple prayer that is the perfect thing for us to take home with us today. I’ll put this on my blog for anyone who wants to look it up form home and there are a few paper copies in the back of church for those who don’t care for using the Internet.

Dear Lord Jesus, in my better moments I want nothing more than to be like you. But there are other moments. . . Help me to see how good conformity to your way really is. In my seeking for you may I be found by you. Amen.