Walking with Jesus - Mark 11

Walking with Jesus

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 11:1-11, Psalm 118

The lectionary gives us the option of celebrating the Psalms or the Passion on this Sunday.  For me, I have always regarded Psalm Sunday as a nice gasp of air in the long season or reflection with Jesus being celebrated upon entry in Jerusalem. 

For us today as we conclude our Lenten journey through Holy Week, let us consider how we walk with Jesus. Do we celebrate our witness or let people alter our impressions? Do we let our potential be all the God means for us, and do we walk with the hope of Jesus in our hearts?

We know this same crowd that celebrates and shouts “hosanna” today; these same people will turn and shout “crucify him.”  

This says something about our human nature that even when we get good and amazing things, we want to analyze it (pun intended) to death. We love the majesty and strength of our faith, but somehow we easily allow society, material - people to twist it into something unrecognizable. 

We can witness Jesus walking  and preaching with a crowd in amazement of the scene. We witness the truth of Jesus, and then same crowd will tell him he is not worthy of our mercy – all because we allowed someone to distort our witness. How do we go from amazing to death?

So today let that be a lesson to us to instead of easily moving to cold-hearts and unmerciful, that we might see in each of us (especially ourselves) this God-given capacity to love and to nurture – to have compassion and to seek justice and truth rather than allow ourselves to be manipulated away from truth – to have courage and to speak up. When we see violence and racism, we call them out, and we advocate for peace, community and love in our world with whole hearts. 

You see, when we let people change the story for us, we allow seeds of apathy and discontent. Then, we give up our voice; we give up our witness and violence persists. 

We cannot let them do this anymore because God calls us to Christian service, to justice for all and for love of God and neighbor.  We cannot stay silent against the violence and hate burning our community. We must hold leaders accountable. 

That is why people marched with Jesus then, why neighbors march today and why we ought to support them and lift up their voice with ours. 

A child asked why we study things like the Civil War.  Maybe because we study history (and these scriptures) to prevent the mistakes of old rather than trying to find ways around the truth.  

How we can start that is to look at the curious colt in the story.  Jesus instructs the disciples to go find the colt, and they find this one tied to a door. The response is not just a simple question of “why are you untying this colt?”  They are taking away someone (some family’s) livelihood and future.  The words “the Lord has need of it” tells us that not only did the disciples understand, but the family giving up the colt understands.  Why and why is that important to us?  (I am so glad you asked. )

Jesus asks this person/family, like any disciple, to hand over all we have to God.  Just like we talked about last week with us as the grain of wheat (the seed) becoming all that God makes of us. So what are we waiting for and why do we hesitate?  

They didn’t know the ending and the colt doesn’t know the ending. Yet if we untie the colt, untie ourselves from what holds us and walk with Jesus, perhaps we can let God do the rest.  Then really the questions is “what is possible?”

Actually, the question really is what holds us.  Is it the crowd pleasing (that really doesn’t take care of us), is it the manipulation of our witness of truth - to be something we are not, is it fear of social isolation for standing up for justice and God’s love, or is it ourselves not living into the treasures we have (not recognizing the gifts God has given to us?  

Untie what is holding you and walk with Jesus. 

There are people that will stop and question, “but but but  the details? I don’t know all of the detail.” I submit to you that God will answer what you need – in fact, you have all you need to get started. 

As a software engineer that is crucial to getting projects off the ground.  While it is good to examine and consider the aspects, some minor details can keep us (and our ego, our expectation ) from doing what is truly possible. When we try to analyze everything, we can get into analysis paralysis. Or, We can use what we know and let the possible happen, then things can happen. If we hold up progress, justice or God’s work, what are we ultimately left with - nothing more than we started. 

So untie yourself from your fear. Untie yourself from Facebook and truth manipulators and live into what is possible.  Find your voice and speak! Untie yourselves, walk with Jesus, and carry that cross for Jesus because Jesus has your back!

Open up your “moral imagination” to the possible, and let God work magical mysteries within you.  Learn from Jesus, trust Jesus and live with Jesus in your heart.  When you understand untie your colt because God needs it, untie your colt because God needs you and your potential. Untie the colt so that you unleash your potential and God’s potential in our community.  Let your witness be heard when you see injustice. Then, reveal your witness of Christ in your heart and see the arc of justice bend towards God. 

Then you walk with Jesus.

Thanks be to God.

Grain of Wheat - John 12

Grain of Wheat

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon John 12:20-33, Psalm119, and Jeremiah 31:31-34

As a gardener, when I read the scriptures that talk about seeds or grains of wheat, I immediately relate.  I also think that is one of the reasons that the Bible makes sense to people in farming communities because the Bible originates from similar experiences and methods in that ancient agriculture society.  

My how some things change and some things stay the same. I still have to prep the garden beds, prep seeds for sowing, and do spring cleaning - Discipleship.

When Jesus talks about grains of wheat, Jesus is really talking about us as people, even for gluten-free folks.  Look at the rich metaphor from John “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵ Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ”

Jesus is describing how we can grow and flourish with God or be trampled by whims of society. 

This passage falls in the context of the farewell discourse in John.  Jesus gives us this grain of wheat metaphor as one more lesson before the ultimate sacrifice – full of pain, agony and death. Remember, Jesus gives all of himself and does this for our salvation. 

Thus, Jesus wants us to be the stewards of God’s garden to take care of the community and creation.  So this image of a seed of wheat is even more powerful when we consider that a seed (a grain of wheat) gives all of itself into being what God makes of it. (Just like Jesus did.) The seed could exist among other seeds in a pile. That is alluring to people to just sit with the pile like many others, but God calls to us to be so much more than just a seed.  

God, the gardener, has plans (if you choose to accept the mission) – We could queue the Mission Impossible music.  

Ironically with God, our mission is possible because we focus and turn to the One who gives us so much light and purpose.  When we do this, we don’t have to worry about withering on the roadside of social materials and distractions being trampled and forgotten.  God cares for us and gives us gifts of life and freedom to grow.  Like all gardeners, God talks to us the growing plants so that fears can be rested and joys lifted.  Are you listening?

God is speaking (calling) to us to do good works. Thus, hear your call to discipleship (to follow Jesus) - another great reason why we celebrate this Lenten season.  Sometimes we forget to open our ears, eyes or hearts - I know. So open them up!

We know that following Jesus is tough but well worth the effort.  We know that following Jesus means speaking up for social justice while calling out hateful and bigoted rhetoric. We must live out and bring forth God’s truths. We are called to do God’s work of caring for others even when it is not convenient.

That is discipleship, and additionally, we cannot forget ourselves. That means living and caring for our own selves so that we can share God’s grace through our refreshed, re-focused souls.  

As I said, these past few weeks have seen a measure of spring cleaning.

Discipleship means it’s spring cleaning time - not only our gardens and homes, but our lives and our souls.  We have to make room for some Jesus and God to bring forth life into us and with us.  If we walk around with closed hearts and minds, we leave no room for God to work in us. If we let society weigh us down with baggage and distractions, we may lose sight of truth and our real relationship with God. So empty the clutter of your soul.  Clear it!

Yes We will fail, and we fall victim to the easy, accessible and convenient rather than the more challenging tasks of walking and following Jesus. That happens and the good thing is that God is willing to show us the way.  So empty the ugly clutter.

That is perhaps why people come to Jesus from all over, the east, the west, the north and the south – and regardless of beliefs or their affiliations. People came to see Jesus because hope is important versus the mundane and distractions of society. 

They cleared distractions /clutter. They, those ancient grains of wheat wanted to grow, just like you. They found time to see Jesus – so can you! 

Clear the distractions by periodically (like Lent) do some cleaning of our lives, our homes and our souls. So too, we must tend to this personally, as a church and for all God’s creation. What can you do in your life to clear clutter, to clear distractions and to find the holy in your life so that you and your love can grow.  What can you do to help your love blossom like spring tulips,  or summer Iris?

That is why Lent can be such a celebration because we can learn to celebrate removing clutter and finding refreshed spaces to flourish and grow – just like a well-kept gardens with blossoms and produce!  

Every year, I take old papers and spend a moment burning the ones I don’t need to keep. We don’t have to hold a bonfire nor require beverage, but we can have personal celebrations that take in a moment of success with God.  We can take in that moment and look for how we create space for the sacred to happen in our lives.  

Then, as we read last week, we remember that God so loves the world, that we were gifted with so much! We can revel and be thankful to God for opening our eyes, our ears, our hearts as well as space in our homes to make way for the Holy in our lives.  

When we do this, we will experience gardens of possible because we become true caretaker’s of God’s kingdom right here among us.  When we offer the hand and walk with our struggling neighbors, we do God’s work and remember what Jesus taught us.  

So take care of yourselves, of your Church, of your community, and of God’s creation because we have the possible from God. In the garden of God, we have the freedom to grow and to become more than we ever were! In this garden of God, let us bear fruit of love and fully blossom before God and all the world to witness.

If nothing else, let this guide you. You are a grain of wheat means you are the possible because you are a child of God.

Thanks Be to God!

Gifts - John 3

For God So Love the World

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107, Ephesians 2:1-10 and John 3:14-21

“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent…” invokes the passage from Numbers 21 where people have become “impatient on the way” to the Promised Lands.  People complain and ask “why have you brought us here?” “Why did we come here?  Things are so miserable here? Can we go back?”  (like the sounds from the backseat on car trips or a Simpsons episode. )

We say things like this because we are want to complain.  Why do we complain and so easily even? 

Serpents came into the desert, bit people, and people died. Moses then prays and fashions a serpent pole of bronze from which people would become healed. 

(We should spend a moment and thank all that have put themselves on the line for our sakes in the face of serpents we call viruses.  Thank you, medical community, for your work this past year and going forward yet.)

The question for us is to consider why do we have this tendency to want what has been and perhaps gone? We get to the other side of the Red Sea just making our escape from the violence and wreckage of the past washed upon the shores only to turn around with nostalgia. 

Maybe you walked in here needing something today, got something on the mind or have something to do- and just not quite sure what to do yet.  Oh the questions and how we want easy answers and we want familiar. You could walk out of here back into familiar and nothing changes.  But what if.. what if… (hold on to that for a moment.)

We like being around things that feel normal because we become complacent in them. Yet, we cannot go back in time; (we probably don’t really want to do that anyway.) If you only look at the past, you limit your future and your present. We look at now to what we have and look towards our future. 

What people experienced those many years ago in the desert on the way to the Promised Lands feels somewhat relatable to us here today going through the pandemic.  We want things to go back to “normal” - whatever that is.  I want to be in stadiums to watch baseball - enjoying expensive beverages and overpriced hotdogs. I want, I want… In our wants, maybe we are easily forgetting the lessons and our gifts too quickly. Think of how many wont see another ballgame.

To be honest, there was some good this past year. Some corrected finances (less overpriced hotdogs can help) or fixed things around the house. 

We dwell in darkness, and we love it. Just look at the what the news reports and how that captivates our attention. John’s Gospel calls us to task asking why we love the darkness when there is so much in the light for us today. 

Are we longing in our nostalgia for what has been that we lose sight of what is here and before us? I submit we do. When our focus is just upon past and misery, we not only limit our present; we might be losing sight of God.  

Instead of complaining about what we don’t have, perhaps, we (and as a church) return our focus upon God in our hearts and through us now.  What does our church want to be and where does it go from here? Do we wallow about misery and snakes (I would) or do we remember that God so loves the world that amazing things come to us? 

What if ..perhaps what if -- Let God do amazing in your heart now because then, things can change. We can embrace the light of Jesus, but you cant do it with your hands full.  You have to drop the baggage.  Oh that can be frightening but very amazing! We learn from our past, and we can let go of all the baggage we carried in here with us when we trust God.

Do we trust and have faith in God or just echo some words we read or heard in song? We are tasked to turn, not to nostalgia or misery but to the gifts that have always been there and to the promise our God gives. 

Drop the baggage, Turn to the love of Jesus and share that love. Turn to the light, the powerful light, & turn to love. Then, use your gifts in the way that God asks us.  The Gospel reminds us, “but those who do what is true come to the light so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” (John 3:21)

We know there are things wrong in this world, but despair does not need to rule nor nostalgia because Jesus redefines - Jesus redefines our love and our world. Jesus needed to come in to this world to show us the way to the light. Jesus redefines and let Jesus show you! 

We all were created in this relationship with God – a great relationship, but we – we - choose to walk away. We pick many excuses (whether pandemic, or otherwise) to walk away and then wonder why things are the way they are. We find ways to complain and grumble perhaps thinking we deserve something else. 

I ask, what do you deserve that God hasn’t already given? Lean into God; find your heart & treasure there and through your deeds.  Consider what if? What if we acknowledge that God so loves the world (and so loves us), that wonderful is possible. Let Jesus show you!

We don’t need to go back to old, tired ways because we have the gift of today and new chances in this moment and a future. We won’t be miserable or afraid when we walk with faith in our Creator.  

Restore your faith and trust! Acknowledge, realize your true gifts! Don’t leave them and your faith in the desert. Give them real life and purpose by helping those around you and making it evident through you that God is with you. 

St John, find purpose, leadership and your Church in God, then you will see how God gathers all people with intention “from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” When we cry to the Lord in our trouble and darkness, God answers and saves us from distress.  

So then drop the baggage, turn to the light, Be saved and be healed! Let God shine upon you here for “God is rich in mercy.” With great love, we are made alive together with Christ. “For God so loved the world,” we have life - these wonderful gifts.

“For by grace you have been saved… That is a gift from God… which God prepared to be our way of life.” (Ephesians 2) Embrace the light, your gifts, your life and find what you need is right here.  

Thanks be to God!

Cancel Culture

“Cancel culture” is a curious trend that’s grown attention lately. For some reason, people are suddenly concerned about some rather obscure things: handful of books no one reads (that are still available), something about a toy having multiple parts that has always had multiple parts or some advisory for a puppet show featuring a pig with hots for a frog. I personally love Dr Seuss books. I have had a plate of scrambled eggs with green food coloring and ham and wondered oh the places I will go. I always love the Muppets. The curious thing about these examples is that each of them are still quite available.

So, I wonder why the concern about being cancelled is raised with these when our society has plenty of other examples of “cancel culture.”  For centuries, entire groups of people were denied and cancelled from voting, fair pay, any sort of rights, or even basic humanity through the chains of slavery and segregation. Why? This cancelling was done all in order to preserve traditions over sharing liberties or done to reinforce a sanitized notion of the “American way of life” that freely enjoyed cancelling entire groups of people. Yes this happened and still happens.

How convenient it must be to forget the images and words (and not to mention lynching, maiming and other cruel weapons) have been used with full and intentional callousness to rob and degrade entire groups of God’s children of respect and dignity for skin color, gender, heritage, queerness or religious beliefs. When jobs are cancelled because people didn’t “play ball” and submit to inappropriate advances, I suppose they should just keep their mouths shut. When sports players make a public display against centuries of social injustice, it feels easy to cancel their concerns because they challenged the system that enables poor behavior. When indigenous tribes remind us how much our government lied and stole from them while belittling their heritage with ease, I suppose they too ought to just cancel their concerns and keep their mouths shut. When a person won’t get hired because who they love or they express religious beliefs with their attire, they should cancel religious expressions while keeping their mouths shut too. 

This reveals an underlying motivation to suppress legitimate historical grievances as unworthy. Perhaps instead of cancelling people, listen to their stories, and march with people today to call for long-overdue justice against centuries of violence and intimidation that preserves the cancelling of basic dignity.

When we are truly concerned about cancelling of culture, we no longer cancel peoples’ legit cry for equitable justice, legit indigenous heritage or their claim to promised lands, or even legit celebration of one’s basic humanity. Then, we no longer cancel authentic concerns due to some irritated convenience or tradition - like “that is the way it always has been” when that way has always perpetuated the wrong.  Instead, find time to listen to peoples’ concerns with honesty and humility, learn about your neighbors and acknowledge their rights (as well as yours) to be heard. Further, get out of echo chambers and work toward the justice the One gifts to all of us. Perhaps, this ought to remind us Christians of what Christ would do because that is what Christ did.

When you do that, you might understand and feel the frustration of generations, and then, the concern for cancelled culture might feel more genuine. 

Faithfulness to the Covenant - Exodus 20

Faithfulness in the Covenant

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

 

Sermon based upon Exodus 20: 1-17, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, and John 2: 13-22

 

Growing up, people would always ask what do you want to be when you grow up, and I would tell them something exciting like firefighter. (My how things evolve.) Today, I build software and I get the honor of preaching the Word.  Oh but what they don’t tell you as that in each of these pursuits, we have a commonality: people.

 

From early in life to school, work and outside of work, people are everywhere!  What do we do? How do we do we deal with all these people?? 

That is a great question because that is exactly what today’s scripture offers – a set of rules. God gave us a set of rules because God knows humanity, and God certainly knows how we foul things up.  

These commandments are more than just a few suggestions, principles for success or good context for an hour on Sunday, but the commandments are a way of life.  God gives us not just text in tablets, books or a reason for a sermon, but our Creator gave us a 24/7 way of life.

You, who have walked in pain, torment, and oppression as slaves; You, who have been persecuted and tired; and you, who have sinned and fallen - these are for you! These are not just for an hour every Sunday, but throughout our living and breathing days. 

These are simple points that God deems for us (e.g. don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t commit adultery, don’t covet, don’t lie, and honor your parents.) Yet, we (people) want to put conditions on these. 

When God says, “you shall no other gods before me” how many times do we find more time for money than God? How many times do we say it is just a little “white lie” and then realize how much damage one white lie can cause.  How many times do we covet when we put our hunger and desires ahead of what is right and just? 

Should be noted that Of these, there is no punishment listed because judgment and punishment is reserved for God. I know people like to twist that because our laws are so fallible, so political, and so human. 

These rules, commandments are not just for me (and you) to find convenient in my day but for all to enjoy.  God’s rules don’t distinguish because all God’s creation get the same rights to freedom, heritage, belief, property, and love as everyone else. Why? Because God deems it. 

In fact, God says don’t make idols of me. God doesn’t want us to pray to images, but to God!  God doesn’t need (or want) to be on a billboard selling the latest insurance policy because God is the insurance policy and the caretaker. God is for you and me, Beloved – just the way God wants!

In these commands, God gives us freedoms - freedom to love our God-given heritage.  You are free to see God in the way that God comes to us. God says that you are free to bear my image inside you and as part of you.  That is why God created you - so that God might be revealed through you, Beloved Child! You reveal the freedom of God through you and in your faith in God. Rest in the faith; rest in the covenant.

God gave us freedom to enjoy a day off because God knows the need for rest.  You are not only free to rest but deserve to rest. We ought to recognize those that work when wages don’t support days off. We ought to acknowledge people at the restaurant or store working (when we enjoy our sabbath). They also deserve a day off with wages that allow it. 

These freedoms are part of God’s covenant - not for us to hoard.  How do we live and share this great covenant from God? Do we abide or are these moving sets of goal posts in our lives? 

Psalm 19 applies here, 

“Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 

There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;

Yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”

Sheer poetic magic !  God watches from many different angles, watching us, listening to us, and speaking with wisdom throughout all the earth.  Do we listen - even when God writes it down?

God is here! Our faithfulness reveals the wisdom of God in us and through us because there are no words to truly express that wisdom.  We follow the commandments because they are God’s reason not necessarily our convenience. So why “excuse ourselves” from these commandments when these are part of the gift of God’s covenant. When you do, you miss out. You might miss God’s gifts just waiting for you: grace, forgiveness, justice, peace and eternal life. 

Again, these are not just for ourselves personally but for us as a community to build our community in the image of God because we have life and freedom through God. Let us reveal together this covenant. We don’t have to take more than what we have. We can live in peace with each other because we share these bountiful gifts from God.

For these reasons, (again Psalm 19) “the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.. rejoicing the heart, enlightening the eyes... enduring forever.” 

John2 reminds us that Jesus is the temple - not our money, not our markets and not our wants. When we abide in Jesus and God’s covenant, we witness wisdom in our hearts and share that in our community. 

So, Revive your soul, rejoice in your heart and enlighten your eyes! When we put our faith in the covenant, then we see others through God’s eyes, and “their beauty will take our breath away.”

Thanks be to God!

Witness to the Cross - Mark 8

Witness to the Cross

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 8: 31-38, Psalm 22, Romans 4: 13-25

Good morning and Happy Winter! We might as well enjoy it while we have it because before long, we will look back and wonder where the time went!

I do pray and hope that you have been using this season of Lent to the fullest. Lent is truly an opportunity to reflect and bring yourself closer to God in our lifelong journeys. If you have taken a task for Lent, I pray for success in your effort and that effort brings you get closer to God.

This is the second Sunday of Lent (only a few more left), and today, our Gospel turns our attention to Mark 8 with Jesus explaining this grueling task ahead.  Many want to call this a prediction but really what Jesus is doing in this is teaching. As you might suspect, that is among my favorite types of sermon because I like to teach and to dive into the text.  In this teaching, Jesus challenges us because the task is not just for the Promised One but reminder to all of us that follow the Way of Jesus and how we witness God’s wonders.

Look at this again with me. Jesus tells potential followers to “deny themselves and take up the cross… For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and sake of the gospel, will save it.”

Think about this, deny yourself and “take up the cross.” “Deny yourself” means to let go of your ego and your expectation. Drop the pretense and draw open the curtains so that you see. See what is real and true. Allow yourself to really witness God’s beautiful wonders whether a beautiful starry sky in northern Minnesota, seeing gardens begin to bloom, learning something new, or homeless people around us. See all people that you agree and disagree, and the tricky part, see God in all of them.  

Then Jesus says “take up the cross.” I have to ask, when we see a cross, what comes to mind?  Why are these perpendicular angled pieces meaningful to us?   Are they just cute ornaments on a wall, or something else?  

When we look at the cross, we might consider everything that happened, what it cost and what that cost means for us.  A colleague professed that she weeps at the sight of the cross, and then those tears change to joyous smiles when she thinks of what Jesus did.  I confess that I have come to understand this and just how emotional this cross really is - from intense grief to liberating joy. 

I submit when you think about these aspects, the cross is full of emotion. I submit to you to witness that cross press upon your heart. I submit when you think of that with prayer and loving heart, you will witness God in your heart. 

Through Christ, we are justified by our faith, and here, Jesus is telling us to match language with deeds.  It is more than just saying I have “God in my heart” but considering what we do to express God’s love and compassion in our world.  We, as a Church should ask as well, what do we do to express that love so that anyone peering into this church - or virtual service - see the full expression of God working in us and through us. Do they see God so evident here, they are drawn into our community?

In order to make that connection, we must realize that discipleship is costly and be willing to “walk the walk.”

People might twist these a bit to think that suffering of all sorts is permissible, however injustice, abuse or taking things on the chin, so to say, these are not acceptable. Seriously, no one ever invites pain and misery, and we don’t go around saying “hey will you hit me”, “will you make fun of me” and “make me feel like crap for being me.” 

The cross does not give credence to violence but is instead bare reminder that violence is not an end or a proper means. In fact, Jesus calls us to task. Especially if you witness (or you are suffering) abuse today, that is not the what the cross represents.  Have courage and speak up. Speak up when things are wrong, and profess God’s justice and love for all.  Speak truth of this love and justice to manipulators, and then, see God’s presence overcome obstacles. That may not happen by a snap of fingers, overnight or for years, but faith in the cross, what it means and what Jesus did will help us get there. 

Further, through our faithful actions, we pick up our cross. The confirmation group read James 2:17 “faith, by itself if it has no works, is dead” meaning that our faith is powerful, but faith wants help from what we do. Thus, we must reveal God’s presence in what we do as well as what we profess.  

You reveal that by helping your sick neighbors get food and medicine. You reveal that when helping homeless people get food and blankets, or listen to veterans tell their story of trauma. You reveal that by sharing the parent’s cry for her child’s justice and remembering those that walk the tension of protecting us on the front lines. You reveal that presence in your prayerful calls to friends, family, and beloved to let them know you care. Then, you might feel God’s presence transform your heart and giving you immeasurable joy. 

I submit to you that when you reveal God’s justice through you, then your faith really flourishes and grows (not just for yourselves but in others around you - including our Church).

That is why the cross is powerful because Jesus did all of that suffering for us to have salvation - for you and for me. Thus, How humble is your witness? How thankful? How joyful? 

Lent is a time to remember the sacrifice and the victory while recognize we have drifted away from God’s promise and gifts.  Turn back, see the cross, fill your heart with witness of the wonders- witness of our God. Let your mind be blown with possibilities. Let your life be saved in the warmth and comfort of God’s Truth and be lifted!

My role as a preacher is to invite you into the stories, the passion and wisdom of Christ.  I want to let that that message of hope and empowerment manifest in you here, this Sunday morning, but also to take that into our world. 

Witness it in daily life, not just Sunday morning in a sanctuary. Witness beyond the four walls of the church or our homes and beyond social media. As Barbara Brown Taylor says, “there is an altar in the world,” which means many places are great for expressing the emotions of the cross and witnessing God among us.  

Thus, I ask, “How do we witness the cross outside these walls? How do we witness God’s love and justice? Even more importantly, Why?” 

We don’t do pick up the cross because it is fun, easy or to get accolades from peers or anyone? Remember our Ash Wednesday lesson that those who do have already received their rewards.  If you are doing this for praises from those around you, we might want to reconsider why because many time praises don’t come - rather taunts and jeers because you have to take sometimes unpopular stances. We do this because they are right things to do. We do this in remembrance, because Jesus called us to this mission, and because we love Jesus. 

When I think about this and the cross, there is powerful motivation to get up and speak up, not just when it’s convenient and easy because life happens at remarkable times and discipleship isn’t meant to be easy.  

Thus, I join friends at Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, march for equal justice or simply listen to those who are hurting.  Then, you too might experience an aura of joy overcome you with God’s presence surrounding us. 

The cross is even more emotional to me as I think more and more about it and maybe for you too. When you think about the cross, when you let the cross (and what Jesus did) press upon your heart, you may be moved to tears. You may, like me, be moved to sorrowful tears when you think of what Jesus endured and how countless followers have met this fate as well. Yet people died, willing to be martyred, with the promise and strength of Jesus in their hearts. You may be moved to confess your unworthiness of that sacrifice, but dear and sir, that sacrifice was meant especially for you!

Let sorrowful tears change to tears of joy because we can acknowledge the anguish and sacrifice that happened to give way to salvation for you and me – in all of our brokenness and yes you are worthy! The cross brought us salvation as liberation from earthly chains through witness of the kingdom among all of us. Witness these wonderful gifts, turn your heart towards God, and pick up the “alluring cross” full of hope. Then, you cannot help but be moved to courage and joy. Let that carry you and free you.

Let our lives, our journey through Lent, be filled with prayer, love and God’s justice as remembrance of this sacrifice so that we truly witness the power of the cross, the victory in our lives and the awesome freeing gifts given to us. 

Thanks be to God.

Wilderness in Our Lives - Mark 1

Wilderness in Our Lives

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 1:12-13, Psalm 25, 1 Peter 3:18-22

Today, we are reminded that even Jesus experienced wilderness – with wild beasts and temptations/tests. Mark’s short description of this experience, this wilderness, seems to indicate a hostile environment full of threats. 

For us here in this day, I think we can relate with our experience in this pandemic as something of a wilderness as well.  Since early last year, we have had to change the way we do things, how we do things, and even how we meet each other with threat of virus.  That has been even more challenging because some did not make it through this.  

Our wilderness continues, and I sense fatigue rising. I hear it in the stories.  For years, we will be telling them.  

For one particular story, Bret and I, with another couple (that we knew were following good health practices), decided to get away where we could be socially distant (and hopefully do something fun).  So, we went north into Minnesota to yet another wilderness to observe the northern lights. 

I really had no idea what to expect. So when we got to about the Twin Cities, we started seeing weather reports about incoming snow – oh great. Let’s keep going! We kept going to our ultimate destination of a rural, remote cabin near Lutsen, MN. As we drove and got closer, we came upon the giant Lake Superior, low mountains and tall birch trees. I thought in my head, “I have seen movies that started like this.”  These wood spires were guarding each side of the two lane road with the occasional cabin and path dotting the area.  I was sure we should see a sasquatch, bears, mountain lions, or even something creepy soon!

We finally arrive at the cabin and were getting settled. I had to go around and just look at all of the area around us. There was Lake Superior in front of us and mountain and forest all around us with this bubbling creek rolling along the backside of the property. (You have seen some pictures from that space in the slides.)  We got settled and eventually evening arrived.  

We decided that despite the cool weather we would try to sit out by the firepit out back.  So we sat, talked and fussed about how to build a camp fire   At some point, some light snow started, and we looked up to see the sky splitting with shrinking clouds revealing a beautiful and dazzling array of stars set against a beautiful black sky. The kind of stars you could almost reach out and grab – more beautiful and sparkling than precious diamonds. 

For myself, I resisted the desire to take pictures but instead to just be in the moment – and prayed a moment of thanks for this beautiful display. We all just sat in utter awe for few more hours and relished the moment in front of us – regardless of snow and cold. 

Whether we experience wilderness at a cabin, a tent, a desert, a pandemic, an exam, a test or wrestle with the many challenges that we face in our lives, we simply cannot avoid them as much as we might like. 

Sometimes, things happen for which we have no control, and they may come to us, like pandemics. 

In fact, when we think of wilderness and the point of the story, we should not immediately jump to conclusion this is always a hostile place or even a physical place. These are moments when we are tested, when we struggle, and when we discover.  The question is what do we do in these moments - do we shy away or meet the struggle? Do we accept that God made us perfectly the way we are? 

Just like Jesus being tested in the wilderness, for us, they can be tests to help us focus or opportunities to learn about ourselves and how beautiful the world can be. Wilderness gives us a place to focus and discover who we are and our relationships – find our roots in our Creator. 

First, remember we are not alone. Angels waited for Jesus, and they wait for us. 

In the midst of pandemic and cold wilderness, I remembered meditation and prayer and maybe an angel pulled the clouds aside so we could see the gorgeous sky. I think that together, our little group discovered new beauty, peace and possibilities in that moment. What about you and your wilderness?

One might say, our whole life is a wilderness because our world has all kinds of threats and destruction around us. From the moment we are waken to the moment we are taken, we are tested and we struggle. 

Where are the possibilities and how do we get closer to God? Remember the rainbow covenant that God gave to Noah - that God’s love is bigger and more than anything.  We read in 1 Peter 3:18, “Christ also suffered for sins for all, the righteous and the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. Jesus was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”  

Jesus did this for us. Do we have faith in Jesus in this offering? Do we invite God into our wilderness with us or do we think we can do this alone?  Consider, Jesus went into the wilderness where there were hostile threats – “wild beasts” and evils. I love one observation noted here as the Lamb being with the Lion and angels came. 

Despite threats and destruction, Jesus is still there – remaking creation for you and I individually, but also for us communally and as a Church. We are reminded that the Scriptures (especially the Psalms) offers us mutual experiences (whether praise, joy, sadness, regret to grief in loss). Jesus gives a path in the midst of hostile, cold wildernesses or daily struggle. Jesus shows us beautiful stars at night, helps one find composure on the golf course, gives us calm when fishing on the lake, strength to finish a school exam, and gives us peace to persevere

In these moments, we discover who we are and who we are meant to be – we discover where our heart is - where our treasure is. In these moments, we learn how much God is helping us when we listen to the still speaking Spirit.  In these moments, we acknowledge where we have been and build our potential by leaning into the One. 

For our traveling cadre, we never got to see the aurora borealis, but we did get the experience of seeing quiet majesty and feeling warmth of peace in that moment. Consider also that we have been tested and struggled together – together (as I not alone) - in this pandemic wilderness and we will rise from its wake, hopefully taking with us the lessons we have learned working God's justice in this world. For each of us here at St John this Lent, let us experience the majesty of Jesus in your wilderness as we get closer to God. In your wilderness wherever you are on life’s journey, be not afraid, pray from your heart, look up and find Jesus, the Lamb, sitting with you - quieting the “beasts.”

Thanks be to God.