THE POTTER
Rev. Barry W. Szymanski, J.D.
Minister of Pastoral Care
First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa
September 5, 2010
Luke 14:25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?

Otherwise, then he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

SERMON

In this morning's gospel teaching we learned that large crowds were traveling with Jesus. I am sure that Jesus made every one feel welcome – there is no way that he would have attracted such crowds, even as a healer.

As you know there are people who advise churches on how to create programs to attract thousands of people. So, if Jesus were a good advisor to churches, he would have sent his disciples out to obtain everyone’s name, email address, twitter information, phone number, and home address. Jesus' sermon would have been easy to listen to, and he would have had peppy Psalm tunes for those attending to sing. That would bring a great audience.

But while today's Gospel begins with us learning that Jesus had a large audience, it ends with us finding out that Jesus' message is not an easy one. Jesus was calling disciples. It is pretty clear throughout the Gospels that Jesus was not concerned with popularity. Jesus was concerned with helping people transform their lives. While Jesus was concerned with the size of his audience, for the Gospels show that he was, he knew that the numbers of those attending was no indication of who were his true followers. And that was also true of his 12 apostles!

One followed him for 3 years and still did not understand him. Others were frightened by his arrest and death and deserted him. So, while he had many followers during his life, it was after his resurrection that his followers, if you will permit me, also came alive. That is when they began to actually realize that Jesus' Kingdom is indeed not of this world – that the Kingdom of God is an eternal kingdom – and that Jesus' unambiguous message is that the eternal Kingdom of God can be attained “. . . on earth as it is in heaven."

They began to realize that when Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is here – now, that he meant it! Jesus performed miracles – but not to be a sensation. Instead, Jesus wanted to make each potential disciple conscious of the cost of becoming a follower – and that God holds all the power. What Jesus wants from his followers, and you, each of you, are his followers, is transformation.

Look at Jesus' message of repentance. In one instance recorded in Matthew's Gospel at 4:17, it is reported that: “. . . Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'" Repentance is the turning around of one's life. In other words, we are facing one direction toward goals that we establish for ourselves. To repent means to turn to another direction, the direction of the goal of God – and God's will.

The transformation that Jesus is addressing in this Gospel passage is that people must work to detach themselves completely from those goals that they hold onto emotionally and physically, which are not God directed, that is, not incorporated in the will of God. We are to turn around and then look to goals which are God-directed, and in accord with God's will.

Jesus is telling us that we may have to even let go of a relationship if that relationship leads us away from God. Jesus said that if our father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, or sisters prevent us from being goal directed to God, then we have to let go. Jesus also goes further for he tells us that we may even have to let go of our own self to be a disciple. How does that work?

This means that we are to choose to love God more than we love ourselves. And what is sin but the choice between our own will and our own pleasure, at the cost of someone else's rights. As examples, just go through the 10 Commandments. You will see that a breaking of a commandment infringes on the rights of another: the right of parents to be taken care of; the right of property ownership; the right of a marriage promise; the right to one's own life; the right of God to declare that Sabbath time is sacred, and so on.

Jesus' words are clear: 'stand up and shoulder your own cross and then follow behind me as my disciple.' Jesus was very practical with his audience. What he told them was not to verbally promise that they would follow him, but then, when the going gets tough, to simply walk away.

His first example was this: He asked them if there was anyone in the audience who, if they were planning to build a new house, doesn't first sit down and figure the cost. They would do so to know if they could complete it? You can almost see the grin on Jesus face when he said to them: 'If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you're going to look pretty foolish. Everyone who knows what happened will poke fun at you, and they will snicker and say: 'He started something he couldn't finish.'

Jesus also gave another example when he asked them if they could imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can't, won't he send an emissary and work out a truce?

The practical people knew what Jesus was talking about. They were under Roman rule. They could not fight Rome. In other words, be practical. The message of Jesus is to put God first. That is the cost of discipleship. But look at the reward. For the builder example, the practical advice is to build a smaller home, live within one's means, and enjoy life, support God's church and charities, and don't be overly concerned over possessions.

For the war example, the practical advice is to pay the taxes that Rome levied, not to fight Rome, because all that would happen is for the people of Israel to become frustrated, and to lose the war. And guess what, 40 years after Jesus' death and resurrection; Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in the insurrection.

Jesus wants spiritual followers – people who understand that God's Kingdom is eternal – that we are here, on this earth, to work for it now, / here, " . . . as it is in heaven." That is our prayer every Sunday in the Lord's Prayer. Jesus taught us that prayer. Jesus was also well aware of the entire Hebrew Testament. Jesus knew about God sending Jeremiah to the potter’s house.

Jesus knew the simple point: God is the potter, and we are the clay. We are in the hands of the potter -- God’s hands. Rev. Paul DeLain Allick who has experienced a wide variety of ministries in Native American, African American, and suburban parishes, as well as campus ministry, wrote that: "We are not called to manipulate and manufacture the outcome; we are called to be faithful as baptized ministers of the gospel. We are to be the kind of ministers that Paul is asking Philemon to be: putting aside our past grudges and our need to be in control.

It’s our spiritual and religious task to become good, pliable, usable clay. God makes the pottery. We become good usable clay when we put scripture and tradition the core of our community. We gather to study life-matters found in the gospel . . . When a community places [the Gospel] . . . at the center of its common life, it can’t help but grow and be fashioned into a beautiful and sustainable piece of pottery made by the Creator. We also become workable clay for the potter when we apply reason to our study. We study in community so that we can hear and experience other points of view. This will make us grow inside; as we grow inside our discipleship blossoms. . . ."

As long as we understand that people do turn away, then we will not be saddened. We have to look to Jesus – and his message – and what he asks of us. Everyone here today is responding to God's loving grace. Everyone here today knows that somehow, sometime, in their life, God has touched them, or, perhaps, even directed them. I know I have been touched by God. And, while not directly told what to do by God, I have felt shoved, yanked, pulled, and tugged. And I am sore because of it!

Rev. Paul DeLain Allick also wrote this: "Eternity is a long time. Eternity puts all of our anxieties . . . into perspective. Jesus is calling us on a great adventure. It’s an adventure that is full of tension, healing, bold thinking, and new life. It goes beyond our Sunday worship out into our everyday lives."

As we approach the time of Holy Communion let us reflect that we are indeed clay. Let us offer ourselves to God, our Creator, as pliable clay. Then let us follow Jesus, and put all into perspective, live within our means, and do not become frustrated by getting into battles that are not worthwhile getting into. Keep our eyes on the eternal, and everything will come into perspective.

As Jesus did during his life, let us also let God be THE POTTER.

PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE

Lord, we pray that on this Communion Sunday we celebrate sharing with you the joy you have in living your life with your Father and the Holy Spirit. We pray that we enter the joy that you had in knowing that you served your Father from your birth until your resurrection in glory. Lord, you have told us that when we celebrate Holy Communion in remembrance of your Son that Jesus is with us – and your Holy Spirit is alive within our hearts. Lord, we pray that those members of this Congregation who cannot be present with us today share in our joy. In fact, Lord, we pray that all peoples who want to share in your Father’s Will share in our joy. Lord, we are happy to share in your life. We pray for those who are troubled by doubt. We pray for those who feel defeated in life. We pray for those who are so frustrated that they have little or no hope. We pray for those who feel distant to you, our God; and who feel distant even to themselves – to their inmost being – their soul. We pray for those who live in darkness, especially for those who desperately want to see a light but cannot grasp it. Lord, we pray for your grace to help us see that change can take place, - to accept your friendship – and the friendship of others - to know that we can be a friend by giving of who we are to you and to others in need. - to understand that we all have faults and questions, but that trust in you will calm our hearts so we may trust in your divine love. Lord, for all those we cannot meet, the victims of violence in this and other countries, we offer our prayers that your Spirit of Peace enter their hearts, for so many innocent people are suffering and dying. And Lord, we now thank you for the blessings, which we and our families have been granted in your mercy. Amen.