The Shepherd’s Voice

Sultry Versus Salty

Readings for Sunday, September 27^th
Num 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
Ps 19:7-14
Jam 5:13-20
Mk 9:38-50

The Shepherd’s Voice – Sermon Audio

This week I have agonized over this sermon. This has been a tough week from many perspectives. My heart is heavy with concern for people and for this church. Some people have been ill this past week. Louise and Ester have been sick among others. Some have had family and friends go through difficult operations.

As a church body we have been wrestling with the consequence of the approval of the social statement back in August at the Churchwide Assembly. There are people on both sides of the issue who are passionate, which means conflict results. Then we have our own internal conflicts where people feel strongly about issues or concerns, nothing wrong with that, but harsh language is so destructive when we desire to build up the body of Christ.

Our Gospel text this morning is perhaps good for this kind of moment in the life of our church. It’s about ministry and mission, two essential ingredients of any church. It covers a lot of ground. It covers issues of doing good and not belonging to the local body.

The disciples were concerned about some folks doing good in Jesus name, but they weren’t part of the fellowship. Jesus said, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” The good that someone does, the drink of water being shared is a good thing and the goodness is not lost because they are a Methodist or Catholic (if we put it in today’s terms). God will reward them, God is just, God is fair, God is a God of love.

Next the text turns ominous, foreboding, even threatening! “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.”

This is a ministry issue. This is a hospitality issue. This is an issue of the tongue. But more importantly this is an issue of the heart. As people of God we can not have the best hospitality pack for visitors, we can put our foot in our mouth from time to time, that happens and if our heart is right, if our heart desires true fellowship with God and one another those things are overlooked.

If our heart is wrong, life can be tough. Jesus makes it pretty clear here that what we do in life matters. Are we a positive force for change that builds up the kingdom or are we a negative force.

When Paul was writing to the Colossian church he said, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Col 3:12-13)

Let’s put it in today’s terms. How do you treat your fellow workers? Do you talk about them behind their back or do you go out of your way to show them love?

I have worked for some very good people over the years, but I’ve also worked for some people who always seemed to have something negative to say. I enjoyed people who were open, honest, caring, and dealt with me in a spirit of love and encouragement.

I had one boss at Procter and Gamble who always give me sandwiches. These were not made of bread they were made of kind words on each side of a helpful suggestion. There was usually a thank you for something on the outside, a helpful suggestion on the inside, and then a word of encouragement again on the outside. I loved working for this guy because he always dealt with me respectfully, honestly, and with honor.

I had another boss at the same company who did not have those skills and usually after talking with him I felt like I had just eaten some dirt. The first boss was an encourager and the second a stumbling block. The first boss believed in me, raised my spirits, while the second always left me concerned about my job. I never changed, I was the same guy.

Don’t be a stumbling block to another Christian, those are Jesus’ words. If you are a stumbling block it would be better for you to have a millstone hung around your neck and you be dropped into the sea. That’s a scary thought.

As a church let’s not be a stumbling block for other folks. It means let our actions not get in the way of our invitation. Let’s not let our welcome get in the way of worship. Jesus uses some strong hyperbole to get the message across because it’s that important.

Jesus uses the word stumble or stumbling four times in this paragraph. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out. I wonder what kind of medical plan they had back then…

How do we as a church cause one another to stumble? Harsh words, saying negative things about other people. Gossip, talking behind someone’s back. Let’s not do these things….

Ministry – how do we minister to people then, good works, kind words, by giving someone a glass of water, by not being a stumbling block to someone coming into the kingdom?

Mission – Having a Mission means having a purpose for the organization. What is the present purpose for our existence? Why are we here? That’s a question we need to keep asking ourselves. Why are we here?

Not being a stumbling block, that’s pretty clear, but Jesus answers the question.

The last verse of our Gospel today Jesus says, “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” What does it mean to be salt? In scripture (Matt 5:13) Jesus calls his disciples the “salt of the earth.” This is a compliment to be considered salt. Salt comes with a purpose, a reason for existing. Salt combines two chemicals sodium and chloride, both poisons, but when combined there not a poison.

In the ancient world, salt was a valuable and scarce commodity. In today’s world we often take it for granted because it’s so common. However, it was even used as currency in some countries even into modern times. A year ago this past June my family and I traveled to Italy on what was a wonderful time of exploration and connecting with history. We had fun discovering many things like Italian soldiers who during an invasion of Ethiopia, in the late 19th century, found blocks of salt stored in bank vaults along with other familiar forms of currency.

Our mission, our purpose for ministry is to be salty, not sultry. What’s the difference in Jesus’ mind?

Salt imparts a desirable flavor and being sultry gets you into trouble. Salt can act as a preservative, being sultry, not so much.

Years ago, when I was fairly young, on the farm, we used to put big 25 pound blocks of salt out for our cows. The cows would lick the salt and quench their thirst by drinking water, lots of water. Drinking lots of water was good for the cows. It prevented heat stroke on hot summer days, it increased the amount of milk they produced, it was healthy for them to drink lots of water.

The mission/purpose of the salt was to keep the cows healthy, productive and alive. That’s yours and my mission/job as well. As salt we need to keep this church, the community of faith healthy, productive and alive.

Ministry and mission, when you’ve had a tough week it’s good to get back and put things into focus, into perspective.

Don’t be a stumbling block!
Keep this church healthy, productive and alive! How do we do that?

We know God gives us the tools for the journey. In our second reading it says….
“¹³Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.”

So pray! There have been times in my life when I was so anguished, so distraught, so frustrated that all I could do was pray, and all that prayer was groaning in travail. Thank God for prayer. Pray for this congregation, for God’s people, for civility going forward.

At other times I have been so happy, so filled with joy, so elated about God’s grace and Christ’s love for me, a miserable sinner that all I could do is cry out for joy.

Know that God loves you, that Christ came, suffered and died for you, and then rose from the dead by the glory of the Father to release you from sin, from death, and the power of evil. Sing our hymn of the day with gusto, with joy, with celebration.

Don’t be a stumbling block! Claim God’s promise of forgiveness, of new-life today.

Amen

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