Let's Go Far: Luke 9:51-62

Introduction: Cross-country Spikes and an African Proverb

On the inside of these cross-country spikes at the start of my senior season of college, I wrote several motivational lines. One of them was the first half of an African proverb, which goes “If you want to go fast, go alone.” AND let me tell you, I went soooo fast during my final handful of races. During that season I lowered my personal best by a minute and a half for the 8 kilometer race, and while I ended the season as my team’s top performer, I did so by forgetting my teammates, and the second half of that wise African phrase. When I found these shoes during my recent move to Decatur, I didn’t get stuck on the first half of the proverb that I written, but rather the second part that was left unwritten, ”If you want to go far, go together.” If you want to go far, go together.

As we start this shared ministry together, we begin a new journey, and we can choose to go fast one by one in 200 different directions, or we go together and go far. However; we are not the only ones traveling on a new journey today. In this morning’s gospel, Luke makes clear that Jesus himself is setting off on a new journey, setting his face to Jerusalem, to the Cross, and to the Resurrection. Now this time of year we might all be going on different trips, like to the beach, to camp, to the mountains, on business, for family reunions, or just to get away. Whenever I travel I tend to make a packing list of some sort to prepare my way for the excursion. This morning I am wondering: What do we need for our new journey together? What is on our packing list? What is going to be in our proverbial suitcase? Perhaps the start of Jesus’ journey will provide us with some insight. Of course, at the top of the list will be each other.   

Jesus Starting the Journey

Next week we will hear more about items that Jesus would not put on a packing list when he sends out seventy disciples who take nothing on their journey: not a purse, not a bag, not even sandals. This morning though, we hear about Jesus sending messengers ahead and meeting would be followers as he goes. In both cases we can learn something about what Jesus expected from those who would journey with him.

Messengers

          Jesus sends some messengers to a village of Samaritans. Now, as a result of the parable of the Good Samaritan we might think that all Samaritans treated their neighbors kindly, picked up the injured, and cared for strangers they met, but really Jesus told that story, which we will hear next month in the lectionary, so that his disciples might actually see Samaritans as people too. Typically, Samaritans were the type of individual that would not welcome you under their roof, that would kick you when you were down, that were to be avoided at all costs. So in today’s gospel when the Samaritans are inhospitable to Jesus and his messengers, it seems a somewhat natural reaction that the disciples James and John express their anger. However, they want to express that anger by calling down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans. Jesus rebukes them, according to some ancient texts saying, “You do not know what spirit you are of, for the Son of Man has not come to destroy the lives of human beings but to save them.” If we are traveling with Jesus then, we need not pack the ways that we burn and put down others along the way, but rather a different spirit.

          The first thing that we bring with us on the journey, after bringing each other, is knowledge of the Truth that Jesus comes to save the Lost. We might believe that we are not prone to get lost, and that we don’t need help with directions. Since moving to Decatur I have been circling my supposed destination a few times unable to exactly pinpoint where I am going. In those times I am typically too stubborn to ask for directions, but it can be amazing when I do.

When I feel lost I turn to the spirit through prayer and meditation. Often it is as simple as sitting with God quietly listening for directions in the morning, or maybe it’s by journaling that God lays out the map for us, or through conversation with a good friend that we hear God’s whispering which way to move next. When I feel most lost the way for me to find my way is to come together with others. Whether in conversation, in prayer, or in leisure we can find our way more easily if we travel together. If you want to go far, go together, right? Now, what else do we pack on this new journey?

Would Be Followers

When Jesus moves on towards another village from the Samaritans he encounters three different would be followers. In these interactions we discover more for our journey’s packing list. Someone comes up to Jesus and says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replies telling this person that foxes have holes, birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. I don’t think Jesus is telling us to become homeless, but rather that when we walk with Christ sometimes that journey is a lonely one, and even our homes do not feel so comfortable. We will live our lives differently than others and often that means rejection from those who do not understand. Loving our neighbors, forgiving those who sin against us, and finding the lost often runs against the cultural grain. So as we start this journey we will need to pack a resolve to stay with Christ even when rejected, neglected, or lonely.

The next two encounters are very similar with Jesus’ invitation of “Follow me” being delayed for one person to bury the dead and another to say goodbye to one’s family. We might find it hard to understand Jesus’ responses in both cases:“Let the dead bury the dead,” and “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” One friend refers to Jesus in this part of Luke’s gospel as “mean Jesus,” but truthfully as we start out on this journey with Jesus he is not asking us to ignore the concerns of this world (our families, our work, and our friends). Rather, Jesus asks us to live in this world primarily as followers of Christ. We are to pack a heightened sense of discipleship for our journey, so that everything we do is done for Christ, in Christ, with Christ. Every step we take we take for Christ, towards Christ, with Christ. Our journey is to come together with one another to become the Body of Christ, to live and to breathe, to walk and to talk, to serve and to be as that Body of Jesus Christ. What Jesus would have us pack for the journey is a sense of discipleship, that we are truly his followers and that we are invited to walk with him on our journey together.

Conclusion: Let's Go Far   

Today we start something new, we take our first steps together in this new ministry and I am really excited. From today’s gospel we find a packing list that asks us to take a spirit to find the lost, a resolve to endure living our lives against the grain, and strong discipleship following Christ. There will be times when we will feel lost, when we take the wrong turn, when we lose the spiritual map, when we are running short on food, or when we just want to go off on our own. And if I had to guess, we can make it a few steps as individuals, but even if we each have all the supplies on our packing list we cannot trek on our own. Rather, it is when we walk together that we walk as the Body of Christ. This is what excites me about our journey, when we come together we are the Body of Christ and we can make any voyage.

If we want to go fast, go alone, but if we want to go far let’s go together! Amen.