WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE TO THE DANCE

“WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE TO THE DANCE?”

MATTHEW 10:24-39

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Who do you love more than anyone else in the world?

If you’re married you might say it’s your husband or your wife.

If you’re a widow or a widower you might say it’s your children.

If you’re single you might say it’s your parents or a sister or brother or a really good friend.

Of course some people might have a hard time deciding who they love more than anyone else in the world or who loves them more than anyone else in the world. That was painfully obvious to a wife when she came home early one evening after a trip to the mall. When she got out of the car she noticed that it was really dirty. So, she got a hose and cleaned it up a bit. Then when she walked into the house she hollered to her husband, “I just thought I’d let you know that the woman who loves you more than anyone else in the world just cleaned your car.” The husband looked up from his newspaper and with a little excitement in his voice replied, “Really? Mom’s here?”

Who do you love more thank anyone else in the world? As far as Jesus is concerned there’s only one right answer to that question. Who do you love more than anyone else in the world? Jesus’ told his disciples that the answer to the question had better be him.

You need to love him more than you love your father and mother.

You need to love him more than you love your sister or brother.

You need to love him more than you love your husband or your wife; more than you love your children.

Now I have to admit that what Jesus said to the disciples that day makes him look a little narcissistic, petty and insecure. It doesn’t seem like it’s all that different from the little girl back in the second grade who made it perfectly clear on the playground. “If you’re going to be my friend you can’t be friends with anyone else.”

Jesus said several things that day to the disciples that could make you cringe. I, for one, find the words in verse 35 a little offensive. Why did Jesus have to say, that “35. God has numbered the hairs on your head?” I think that’s getting a little personal don’t you? By the way, if you’re listening to this on the internet just go the Pastor’s Page on the church’s website and take a look at my picture!

There are other parts of this passage that might make you cringe a little too. How about the part where Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Is this the same Jesus who said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled neither let them be afraid?”

Or how about the part where Jesus said, “I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law?”

Okay maybe some people might not find that one about the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law hard to swallow, but what about the next sentence? What about the sentence where Jesus said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Great, this is the lectionary reading for this morning? And I have to preach a sermon on it with my mother and father sitting right in front of me?

Actually, what Jesus is saying to the disciples that day really isn’t all that hard to embrace. If you want to make sense of what Jesus is saying here you have to start with the understanding that these words aren’t meant to benefit Jesus. They’re meant to benefit us. What we have here isn’t a jealous Jesus with a fragile ego who is going to throw a temper tantrum if he isn’t first in your life. What we have here is a Jesus who knows that if you love him and put him first in your life then everything else in your life is going to be a whole lot better.

When you put Jesus first you’re going to love your family and your friends better.

You’re going to love people you don’t know very well better.

You’re even going to love your enemies better.

When you put Jesus first your love for others is going to be greater and better and in some cases a lot healthier. Let me give you a few examples.

When a father puts Jesus first he may decide that instead of spending all that time climbing the ladder of success love means you spend a little more time with your kids.

When a mother puts Jesus first she may decide that instead of bailing her son out of a jam love means making him stand on his own two feet.

When a sister puts Jesus first she may decide that instead of holding a grudge against her brother love means forgiving and forgetting.

When you put Jesus first you may decide that love means you let a friend win an argument. You let a friend have the last word. You do what someone else wants to do instead of what you want to do.

Yesterday, I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to go to the wedding reception after Sheila and Jim exchanged their vows in the covenant of marriage. One of the things that I would have seen there is people dancing. Sometimes that’s what you do when your heart is full of love and joy. That is why I thought of a story that some of you have heard before. I apologize for using it again, but I can’t think of a better story that captures the essence of what Jesus was trying to tell the disciples that day.

One day a woman had a dream. In the dream she and the Lord were walking along a beach. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints went along in a steady and straight line. The woman's footprints, on the other hand, were all over the place. There were zigs and zags, starts, stops, and turnaround circles. After a while though the woman’s footprints fell into line next to the Lord’s footprints. It went along that way for many miles. It seemed perfect, but then something amazing happened. The footprints that once etched the sand next to the Lord were now inside his larger footprints. Once again it went along that way for many miles. Then the footprints inside the Lord’s larger footprints began to grow. After a while there was only one set of footprints. Once again it went along that way for many miles. Then something terrible happened. The second set of footprints reappeared and this time they were even more chaotic than they were at the beginning. There were zigs and zags, stops, starts and deep gashes in the sand. The woman was surprised and deeply saddened. So, she asked the Lord about it. “Lord,” she said, “I understand the first scene. I was just learning how to be a person of faith while you walked beside me patiently.” The Lord smiled and nodded his head. “Yes,” the woman said, “and when my footprints were inside yours I was trying very hard to follow.” Once again the Lord smiled and nodded his head. “And,” the woman said, “When my footprints grew and became one with yours I guess I was becoming more and more like you.” Once again the Lord smiled and nodded his head. “But,” the woman said, “what happened at the end when there were two sets of footprints again? Did I fail you? Did I do something wrong?” The Lord smiled and said, “Oh my precious child. Didn’t you know? That was when we danced.”

Jesus wants you to save the first dance for him; not the second dance or the third dance or the last dance. He wants you to save the first dance for him because he knows that when you save the first dance for him you’re going to stay on the dance floor the rest of the night and danced with everyone else! Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

June 22, 2008