St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Reidsville, NC: Sermon: "Why they left, why they stayed"; The Rev. Dr. Vicki L. Smith

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost - "Why they left, why they stayed"

August 23, 2009

Today we hear from our intrepid reporter for CNN- Capernaum News Network.

In recent months, a teacher and prophet named Jesus has been touring around our area. Over time, he has gathered lots of followers, but it appears that things have changed. Recently, a number of his followers peeled off to other teachers, leaving a scant twelve or so remainging. We have asked people on both sides of this issue why they’ve left, or why they’ve stayed. Here’s what we heard.

I stopped following Jesus because he simply didn’t live up to expectations. We all know that the Messiah is supposed to be a strong leader, maybe even a king, and Jesus just doesn’t seem that powerful, and he’s got no authority in the government at all. He’s more of a teacher and preacher—not a warrior at all. I know what I expect from a Messiah and Jesus just isn’t it.

I stopped following Jesus because it just got too complicated. He said something about having the faith of a little child, and then he started telling stories that you really had to think about. I think faith should have simple rules—do this, don’t do that. Basically, Jesus just doesn’t have enough clear rules—there are too many shades of gray in what he preaches.

I’ve gone away from Jesus because he questions my religion and he breaks the religious law. He lets his disciples harvest grain on the Sabbath! God gave us those laws and he shouldn’t be raising questions about what we already know. I’m not going to follow anyone who challenges what I already believe.

I left because I’m a loyal Roman citizen. Jesus criticizes the government and I just won’t stand for that. Maybe everything the government does isn’t great, but you have to go along to get along. I’m patriotic and I’m not going to stand for that kind of disloyalty.

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And from the other side of the issue, we heard:

I’m staying with Jesus because he healed my mother in law. She was really sick—we thought she might die, and we felt so powerless. But Jesus wasn’t powerless, even in the face of that illness—his touch made her well. I’m staying with him.

And I’m following him because he came to our boat in the middle of a storm. I was so, so afraid, and he came to me and eased my fear. It wasn’t so much that the wind and waves calmed—it was that he saw my fear and came to me. Just his presence made it ok. Even if the boat and swamped, it would have been ok, because he was there. That’s why I’m staying.

I follow Jesus because he cares about everybody’s basic needs. One day we were in a huge crowd listening to him talk and he worried that we didn’t get any lunch. I was amazed that he cared—he’s the teacher, his job is to speak to us, and yet he cared about something that small.

I’m on Jesus’ side because he forgave that woman who was accused of adultery. The authorities wanted to stone her for what she’d done, and Jesus stopped them. But he didn’t just say, “don’t do that.” He said, “the one who is without sin, cast the first stone.” Wow. Not only did he forgive her, he reminded all of us that we’re sinners too. I need that kind of forgiveness, and I need that reminder not to be judgmental. I’m sticking with Jesus.

A few months ago, I was at this wedding in Cana. When the wine ran out, Jesus turned water into wine—good wine, really good wine. The idea that he loves life that much, and celebrates marriages and relationships like that, I was impressed. He didn’t even know the couple getting married, but he wanted to celebrate their wedding and our lives together as family and friends. Those are family values I can buy into.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop following Jesus. When he speaks, I hear God. His words touch my heart and my soul in ways that no one else’s ever have. It’s like he knows me, through and through, and loves me anyway. Even when he’s critical, he does it in a loving way. He really wants me to be my best self. I think I’ll follow him forever.

And finally we talked with Peter, who seems to be the head disciple. Here’s what he said:

Jesus asked us if we were going away too—lots of folks did. But I can’t imagine leaving him. He offers us eternal life—eternal life with God forever. How could I possibly walk away from that? I know, deep in my heart, from listening to him, learning from him and walking with him that he really is the Holy one of God.

When he asked us if we wanted to leave, I said to him: Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Why would we go to anyone else?

I think that sums it up. From Capernaum, this is Vicki Smith, signing off.

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