Hoover Church of Christ Sermons

It almost sounds like Jesus is trying to discourage people from following him, doesn’t it? And yet, of course, we know that he came to invite everyone to follow him, so we know he doesn’t want to turn anyone away.

So what’s going on?

There’s a theme in Luke’s gospel that comes into play here, I think. The paragraph we’re studying tomorrow is at the beginning of a part of Luke that is often called The Travel Narrative or The Travelogue (Luke 9:51-19:27). This extended look at Jesus’ ministry begins with this note: “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (9:51, emp. added).

Luke wants it to be clear that Jesus’ mission was always to go to Jerusalem to fulfill his purpose that had been foretold by the prophets: to die on the cross in our place. And throughout this journey to Jerusalem, Jesus periodically stops and speaks quite frankly to the crowd, many of whom were perhaps just following him out of curiosity or out of the hope that they might be the beneficiaries of another of his miracles.

But Jesus wants them to know that following him involves more than admiring him as a miracle-worker or just being one of many interested people lingering near the fringe. He’s going to Jerusalem to die, and identifying with him means being willing to go with him wherever it leads . . . even to persecution or death.

Discipleship is serious business. “I’ll follow you wherever you go,” one says. Will you really? Do you even know what you’re saying?, Jesus seems to ask.

“I’d like to follow you, but I’ve got some stuff I need to take care of first,” others say. Then you don’t understand the nature of the kingdom.

We’ll reflect on this tomorrow morning, Lord willing. What does it really mean to follow Jesus? In an age where people seem to pursue being comfortable more and more, perhaps Jesus’ words will challenge us to think more reflectively about what it means to follow Christ.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11, ESV)

Brief thoughts about the text/sermon:

I suspect most people who will be present in worship tomorrow believe in the Devil, but CS Lewis was probably right when he wrote that many of us are either “superstitious” or “substitious” when it comes to what we believe about him. We either over-believe in him, which leads to an unhealthy fear because we see him everywhere in everything. Or we believe he exists, but we don’t really think he’s doing much of anything (e.g., he’s a cartoonish, harmless, semi-fictitious character).

The Bible generally–and Peter in this text specifically–paints a more nuanced picture. The Devil is real; the image of a “roaring lion” is vivid and frightening. But he’s not omnipotent, preying only on those weaknesses that we present to him. In this text Peter mentions two: pride and anxiety.

In our sermon time tomorrow, we’ll focus on the Devil’s work in our lives, and we’ll also speak to how the gospel addresses these attacks and helps defend us.

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:1-5).

Brief thoughts about the text/sermon:

When persecution starts, it usually begins with a church’s leadership, which is probably why Peter began with elders in our text for tomorrow. Some scholars think Peter had the following OT passage in his mind when he addressed the eldership: “And to the others he said in my hearing, ‘Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.’ So they began with the elders who were before the house” (Ezekiel 9:5-6).

But not only that. When times are hard–whether from persecution or something else–a church needs strong leadership. So tomorrow we’ll spend some time studying what Peter wrote to elders and to the church. He uses the “shepherd” metaphor, reflecting an image that Jesus often used. Notice the balance Peter emphasizes: there’s “oversight,” but it’s not “domineering.” They willingly and eagerly exercise guidance primarily through the examples that they set for the flock that follows them.

And Peter encourages the rest of us to submit to our shepherds with humility. They’ve been placed into their position by the chief Shepherd himself, and he’s particularly interested in how sheep and shepherds interact.

On each first Sunday this year, I’ve been reflecting on different passages in Scripture where the theme of Renewal is emphasized. I’ll continue that tomorrow.

Everyone–regardless of his or her faith orientation–wonders about the afterlife. What happens after death? Is there a heaven? A hell? Will I simply cease to exist? What will the afterlife be like?

Perhaps these questions become more vivid when life is hard, especially when we feel like our days on earth are numbered. Is this all there is? Will things ever get better?

Job had suffered incredible loss, so it doesn’t surprise us to hear his reflections about death and life-after-death. If you read the verses just prior to the ones pasted above, you’d hear a sense of despair, of desperation. Job lived in a time when he had very little clear revelation from God about life after death. It seems that in his misery he despaired of any kind of improvement in his situation.

But near the end of his crying out–in the verses we’ll focus on tomorrow–there’s a kernel of hope. “If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come. You would call, and I would answer you; . . .”

Till my renewal should come. He had only an inkling of what he was pointing toward. He had no way of knowing that one day God would come to earth as a man and stand near the tomb of a good friend and call–just as Job had hoped–and Lazarus would answer.

Not too long after that Jesus went to his own tomb, of course. God called, and he answered, and because of that, we know the answer to Job’s desperate cry.

When we die, will we live again? Will God call us from our graves?

Yes, we will. And yes, he will.

We will live again.