Welcome

Preached at Hanover Street Presbyterian Church

November 6, 2005

By the Rev. Robert M. Undercuffler

Scripture Texts:

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God.  And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, `Your fathers lived of old beyond the Euphra'tes, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.  Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many.  "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  And if you be unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."  Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land; therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."  But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.  If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good."  And the people said to Joshua, "Nay; but we will serve the LORD."  Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him."  And they said, "We are witnesses."  He said, "Then put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel."  And the people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey."  So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

Mark 9:30-37

They went on from there and passed through Galilee.  And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."  But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him.  And they came to Caper'na-um; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"  But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest.  And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."  And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."

Sermon Text

That was a memorable confrontation in Capernaum described in the Gospel lesson.

Jesus and his band of followers had arrived in town and gone to the home of friends.

Now after greeting and shaking hands, Jesus and his friends are preparing for dinner -- Washing their hands and soaking sore feet.  Abruptly Jesus asks an awkward question - "What were you arguing about back there on the road?"

In your imagination, watch those disciples scurry for cover -- Pretending they don't hear.  Several try to cover their embarrassment by more vigorously brushing the dust from their clothing.  Some talk louder to mask their anxiety.  One begins to edge out of the room.

You see, Jesus' friends are disturbed when confronted with that question because back on the road they had been arguing - WHICH ONE IS GREATEST?  WHO IS MOST IMPORTANT?  WHO WILL HAVE THE POWER IN THE REALM JESUS KEEPS TALKING ABOUT?  They are upset now - embarrassed and ashamed because they remember what Jesus had said just the day before --"If you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross and follow me."

And now, within 24 hours, here they are arguing which one is the greatest!

So again Jesus gathers his band of followers and tries to explain to them yet one more time - And in one sentence Jesus answers the question - WHO IS GREATEST!

Jesus says, "If you want to be first, place yourself last of all - and be a servant of all."  At that moment, a child scurries into the room -- a disciple reaches to put the child outside.  But Jesus motions the child to his side - and puts his arms around the child.

"?Whoever welcomes one of these children welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, also welcomes God who sent me."  Can you feel that slice through the disciples?

They have been arguing - "I'M MOST IMPORTANT.'

Jesus says, "If you want to be first, place yourself last of all."

The disciples are saying, "I'M NUMBER ONE!  DO IT MY WAY!

Jesus replies, if you want to come with me, forget yourself - carry your cross - and follow.

The disciples are asking,  "WHICH OF US IS GREATEST?"

And Jesus brings a child into the center with him and says, "If you welcome this child, you welcome me."

BUT JUST ONE MOMENT, JESUS -

"We're on important business here in Capernaum, and in a few days we will be on to Jerusalem.  It takes strong leaders to meet the challenges.

We will be on the doorstep of power!"  (If you want to be first, you will have to be last of all)

There will be a showdown with the people in power.  (If you want to come with me, forget yourself.  Carry your cross - and follow.)

But in Jerusalem we'll be face to face with Herod and Pilate - Jesus, now is the time to SEIZE POWER.

 (Look, welcome this child and you welcome me - Welcome me and you have everything!

"Lord, we don't have time for children - The hour is late?Seize power now!

Oh sure, children are fine, but the revolution is upon us.

JESUS, SON OF GOD, MARCH ON - WE ARE WITH YOU!

"Women - men - WELCOME CHILDREN!"

Jesus, children just get in the way!  On the journey they up-chuck -They're loud - always playing - And they don't pay taxes!  How can we support an army.  And improve the roads and have a church ?when we're catering to children all the time?!

Friends - "Welcome children.  When you welcome a child you welcome me - and when you welcome me - you have everything!!!

Let's pause here for a moment and ponder -- "WELCOME -- WELCOME CHILDREN."

FIRST, WELCOME.  Notice, Jesus doesn't say ? "Tolerate Children."

"Make the best of a bad age'

He does not say, "Do your duty."

Put up with them because, after all, they're your children.

Rather, Jesus says, Welcome Children.

Bring children to the inside of your plans and your decisions?

Let children share life with you.

Not preparation for life when they are grown-up, but LIFE - NOW.  (Through the years I have heard church people say that it's important to bring children to church - to have them in Sunday School and youth groups because they are the church of the future!  No - actually, they, by their baptism, are a part of the church NOW.

So listen to the children - Hear - Respond - Act with children!

Pick-out what is right with the children (not their flaws)

Affirm their assets - Not their deficits. 

Jesus says, "WELCOME CHILDREN."

We've considered WELCOME.

Now, let's focus on CHILDREN.

There are MY Children and Our Children.

It's fairly easy to welcome my own children - my own grandchildren. 

They are my flesh and blood.  I see them play on the football field.  Their art in the school hallways.  We eat together -- we laugh and cry together.  I stick by them and care and support and encourage them - I LOVE THEM.

They are my children.

Further, there are OUR children.  Children within our church -- and our neighborhood children - We watch them play and we enjoy their plays.  We gave them Halloween treats and exclaimed over their costumes.  We buy their cookies and wrapping paper.  We know their names.  In many cases we know their moms and dads. 

They are our children.

But now Jesus wants us to expand our world of CHILDREN -

Jesus invites us to enlarge our vision.  -To explore ways to welcome those children.

Children who have no one to speak for them.

No one to consistently care for them.

Children who suffer abuse and neglect -

WELCOME CHILDREN -

The children we know - And those we don't know.

The children we call by name

And the children assigned labels?

Children classified as -- slow - attention deficit disordered- delinquent - crazy - behaviorally and emotionally disturbed - Oh here's one - ILLEGITIMATE  (Mercy, what has any child done to deserve that label?)

And Jesus says - "These children - yes, especially these difficult, suffering, lost children - WELCOME - LOVE - CARE FOR ALL THESE CHILDREN.

AND then further and deeper - the child standing there before Jesus represents most all people - EVEN ADULTS.

·        This child represents those with no power - utterly dependent on others.

·        This child we are urged to welcome - represents women and men who are without voice - who are acted against and spoken against - or simply ignored by the articulate and powerful.

·        This child represents even you and me in those terrifying moments when we lack power and feel life slipping from us.

FOR EXAMPLE:

·                       THIS CHILD (there in Jesus' arms) represents you and me as we sit with the doctor and she says, "We can slow the tumor but we cannot stop it."  Six months?a year.  I'm sorry"   (We know what it is to be a child!)

·                       THIS CHILD represents you and me at school --- and the teacher of our most difficult subject cuts us no slack.  And we don't understand -- and we need this course for graduation.  (We know what it is to be a child)         

·                       THIS CHILD represents you and me bound by the shackles of an addiction we can't seem to shake.  (We know what it is to be a child)

·                       THIS CHILD represents you and me at our work.  And the company has downsized and you wonder - "Will I be next?"  And then you learn there is an impending merger.  And the pressure and frustration intensify so now you're ready to explode?  (We know what it is to be a child)

Other people making decisions for us.  We're speechless.  Little power to fulfill our hopes.

Little strength left for us to work out our dreams.

But now we are shaken awake - or touched - WE RECOGNIZE TO WHOM WE BELONG -- We know we are held safe in the arms of Jesus.  Welcomed into his embrace.

JESUS SAYS, "WELCOME CHILDREN."

Open our arms - our lives to one another - for in the deepest sense most all of us are children.

Folks in need of care and compassion.

Women and men unable to make it through life on their own.

Yearning desperately for sisters and brothers and friends who will stop - and care - listen and hear.  And share life with us.

Here are the choices:  (A Shrug)  (Palms outstretched - pushing away)  (Open Arms)

This is what drew me -- drew Pat and me back to Wilmington.  Drew us back to Hanover.  ?  Brought us HOME.  Flesh and blood family, yes.  Daughters and grandchildren, certainly.  But spiritual family, too.  You of Hanover, who keep finding ways to say, in the spirit of Christ, "Welcome."

And Jesus says, "When you welcome others - YOU WELCOME ME!

AND WHEN YOU WELCOME ME - YOU HAVE EVERYTHING.