http://s3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/3182162/VN810143.MP3
The notes for the sermon are found below:
Pep
Talk
-I
thought that I wanted to be a coach
-They
had an ability to cut through whatever was going on and inspire me to do
something more -Sometimes this was not always done in a pleasant manner
In
Today's Gospel Jesus does the same, Jesus is giving a fiery inspirational
speech -he is not talking with Pharisees, Scribes, or even disciples... these
are the apostles
-We
only hear about them a handful of times in Luke's gospel, and each instance is
important
-Earlier
in Luke Jesus has sent them out to perform miracles in his name
-EVERYWHERE
-We
might hear Jesus' words this morning as harsh, but he is talking with his
closest followers (Jesus expects more of them)
Here
they are asking to have their faith increased
-One
would believe that if you are able to go out preaching and healing you have
plenty of Faith, but...
-I
can relate to how the apostles feel.
-Even
when something miraculous happens in my life sometimes I yearn for my faith to
increase.
-So
how does Coach Jesus respond to this deficiency in faith?
He
doesn't respond that they have enough faith already
-Jesus
hints that IF they faith mustard seed they could tell a mulberry tree to throw
itself into the sea
-Lectio
Class: if one planted a mulberry tree in the sea, would it survive?
-While
it is an interesting question...
-Jesus
is in this bit about the mustard seed and mulberry tree, saying that faith is
choosing to be open to something beyond our understanding.
The
master-slave parable that follows helps to understand how we might choose this.
First,
this parable possesses the word slave in it.
-as
persons living in the US we have a host of images that pop up with this word
-this is not what Jesus is taking about here
-this
is not a condoning the practice of slavery, Jesus is using a controversial to
help make his point about what Faith is.
Let
me try to modernize Jesus' parable.
-If
you were to call the cable company to come install a new service at your house
-And
the cable installer came out to your house
-And
after doing the work on the outside of the house, but before you had channels
on your television, this person sat down at your kitchen table and asked,
"why haven't you brought me a steak dinner yet?" Wouldn't you say to
that person, get back to work?
So
it is with our Faith.
-Our
Faith is a choice that we continuously make.
-We
do not get a ribbon every time we secure our responsibility of Faith.
(This
is especially hard for me who grew up getting a trophy every time I
participated in a sport).
-The
Good News is we do not faith alone. (Yes I just used Faith as a verb)
In
today's epistle Paul sincere begins his second letter to Timothy with a tender
greeting
-Paul
says that Timothy's faith was first kindled in his grandmother Lois, then in
his mother Eunice and continues in him
-The
fire of our Faith began in others too, and we have that Faith passed on to us!
Faith
of family
-Camp
Winnataska
-Babaw,
Nangy, Mom, Elin and me, Emmeline -This shows me within my own life that Faith
is contagious, it is a learned behavior, it is passed on from generation to
generation.
-And
yet...
We
can ask Jesus to increase our Faith, I believe that to be an honest prayer.
-Yet
Paul and Jesus are giving us pep talks
-They
are encouraging us to choose to open up to God. We do this together!
-Look
around to the persons next to you... they are your faith.
-Look
around at your life... that is where faith happens.
-I
believe we are called to choose God, to make the choice over and over again to
follow Jesus. And while we might want rewards for doing what God calls us to
do, that is not what it is about. Faith is about the size of a mustard seed, but
it blooms into all sorts of miracles.
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