May 5, 2024
John 12:1-8
Introduction
Every week, every day, I am thinking about everything that needs to get done. Sermon—text and title, and all the other pieces and parts of worship for Sunday. The regular office work, what meetings I have coming up—both in the church and outside the church say for the region or camp or the Commission on Ministry. Then there is home life—what do the kids have going on this week? Band, choir, soccer, lacrosse, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts. Then of course there is always the need to tend to the home—a lawn to mow, a house to clean, laundry, and so forth. Someone needs to get to the grocery store because of the dreaded question… “What’s for dinner?”
And once in a while I would like to maybe take a walk, ride my bike, play with my kids and chainsaw—not all at the same time of course. Once in a while, especially now that the weather has turned, I’d like to sit on our back porch with my wife.
You all know what I am talking about—your days and weeks have different moving pieces and parts, but it’s still just as full. Except we all have to answer the dreaded question… “What’s for dinner?” And this is how it goes… every week… every day. It’s life. And life is full. And like you, I get up every day, and tend to as much of what needs tending that I can. But recently, before I dove into the day, I paused for a few seconds, looked out the window, and I wondered, “What really matters?” It was one of those thoughts that comes unannounced and interrupts. It was one of those thoughts that comes out of nowhere, and catches you off guard, and kind of sort of… messes with your mind… perplexes you… startles you… maybe even haunts you, and you don’t know what to do with it. And so after a few moments of this question rattling around in my head, “What really matters?” I knew just what I was going to do with it… I’ll preach about it! So here we go… In every week… in everyday… in life… What really matters…to you?
Move 1
It’s a simple yet loaded question, isn’t it? What really matters… to you? I think this question is at the heart of our text for today—the same text we heard from last Sunday. I think that’s the question behind Jesus’ statement, “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” Often that statement is thought to be about the poor, as a comment on our powerlessness to overcome poverty, and, sadly, sometimes as a reason to give up on the poor. But I don’t think Jesus is talking about the poor or making an evaluation of our outreach, or being pessimistic. I think he is just responding to Judas. After all, Judas, not Jesus, is the one who brought up the poor.
Jesus could just as easily have said, “You always have the rich with you. You always have work to do. You always have errands to run. You always have chores to do. You always have bills to pay. You always have somewhere to go. You always have a to-do list. You always have things to tend to. But you do not always have me.”
Maybe when Jesus says, “You always have the poor with you,” he is saying our lives are always lived within a set of circumstances and conditions. And the challenge is to not let those circumstances and conditions overtake what really matters—and I hope what really matters to followers of Jesus is Jesus, and following Jesus. And if that is true, then among what matters is that we not lose Jesus—who we might call the unconditional—in the circumstances and conditions of our life, and to not make the circumstances and conditions of our life our ultimate focus—because our ultimate focus should be Jesus… right?
If we still give Judas the benefit of the doubt, we see he’s caught up in the circumstances and conditions. But Mary is focusing on what really matters—Jesus. What Judas is thinking is ok. And what Mary is doing is ok too.
Move 2
Ask yourself… What are the conditions and circumstances of my life today? Then ask… What really matters? These questions are not about choosing one or the other. It is a matter of accepting that both exist, and understanding we in the tension of the two. What really matters to us, matters to us not in spite of, or because of, our life’s circumstances and conditions. Rather what really matters to us, matters to us within life’s circumstances and conditions. Meaning, amongst all that we have going on, amongst all that we have to do, there is still something else that matters to us. And there is tension between the circumstances and conditions, and what really matters, because what really matters to us is always calling to us… from within the circumstances and conditions of our life and it is demanding a response from us.
Our hearts, our souls, our very being longs for what matters—there is a urning within us for what matters, and it will never go away because it is demanding a response from us. But still, circumstances and conditions demand a response as well—after all, we do have to figure out what’s for dinner.
So yes, we live in the tension of the two. And consequently, sometimes we respond to what matters and other times we respond to circumstances and conditions. But what happens when we don’t respond to what matters and only respond to circumstances and conditions? Do we feel good about it? Are we happier? Do we find joy? Meaning? Purpose? Is there any kind of meaningful impact? But what happens when we do respond to what matters to us? Do we feel good? Are we happier? Do we find joy? Meaning? Purpose? Is there a meaningful impact?
When we respond to what really matters, are we like Judas, or are we like Mary? When we respond to what really matters, are we met with disdain, or is the whole house fragranced?
*******
Jesus understands there will always be circumstances and conditions in life we will have to tend to. But Jesus wants us to understand the circumstances and conditions of life can’t be all we focus on. Jesus wants us to tend the circumstances and conditions. But Jesus also wants us to fragrance the whole house through what really matters to us.
Move 3
Today we are holding “Cakes, Connections, and Covenant”—an event where you are invited to peruse the Gathering Area with cupcake and beverage, of all the different ministries and ministry teams of the church. Each ministry… each team… has roles needing to be filled so we can be the best version of the church God is calling us to be.
There are needs for Elders, those who serve as spiritual leaders of the congregation through prayer, discernment, advisement, and decision making. Elders also help lead worship, and they help with visitation. It’s a big role—and recently myself and others have realized perhaps it has become too big a role to ask of a person. And so, we are discerning how to revamp the role of the Elder so that those who are called and gifted for some aspects, but not all aspects of Eldership, can serve as Elder. For instance, maybe you are called to visit homebound members, but could never imagine yourself leading worship. Well, your chance to fragrance the room through visitation is coming. Please go to the Elders station after worship.
There is a need for Trustees, those who are responsible for the care and maintenance of our building and grounds. It too is a big role, and without people filling the role, then bigger issues arise. But contrary to what some think, not all Trustees need to know which end of a hammer to hold to be a Trustee. What is needed is remembering that this building and its grounds matters to you and others, and if God is calling you to be a Trustee, God will equip you to be a Trustee and fragrance the whole room. For instance, a Trustee does not need to know how to fix our broken elevator. But we do need folks to help figure out how to get our broken elevator fixed.
The Christian Education team doesn’t need anyone to create a Vacation Bible School curriculum. But folks are needed to be in conversation about ways we can engage, and meet, and make accessible opportunities for children and families to further their relationship with God and Jesus… and fragrance the whole room.
*******
All of this matters to each of us. And it matters to Jesus. And because it does, then limited time, ability, and know-how are circumstances and conditions God can overcome to use you.
Don’t think you have time to do outreach—give God the chance to fragrance the room with you and see if there’s no time. Not sure how to plan a worship service—give God the chance to fragrance the room with you and see if God can’t use you.
“Many hands make like work” makes for a nice sound bite, but I really do believe it. For when we have many hands working together for what matters to us all—the life, ministries, and impact of First Christian Church of Stow—well… we can only imagine the fragrance God will fill the room with.
Conclusion
I make the joke that everything in the church has to have alliteration—“Church Chats.” “Congregational Conclave.” “Trunk or Treat.” “Ice Cream X-treme.” And now today, “Cakes and Connection and Covenant.” But note it’s not called, “Cakes and Connection and Commitment.”
You are not being asked to make a commitment today because you’ve already made one— you are committed to this church— committed to serving God—committed to the Good News of Jesus Christ. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. Today is not about commitment. Today is about a covenant. And what is a covenant? A promise, between you and God. A promise from you to remember what really matters; and a promise from God to always help, empower, and equip you to make a faithful response to what really matters—even in the midst and tension of all the circumstances and conditions of life.
*******
So may we, today, and in the days to come, live out our part of the covenant we make with God, knowing when we do God will live out God’s part of that covenant and fragrance the room, our church, our lives, and the lives of so many more who are impacted by the ministries of First Christian Church. May it be so. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, May 5, 2024
Gracious God, we gather in this room today to bring you our praise and worship and to feel you close and know we are in your divine presence. But additionally, Lord God, we seek your help to take in the fragrance in the room—the fragrance of blessings you have filled it with through covenant promises made, and covenant promises kept.
Bless our church Lord, by blessing those who serve by preparing for our assembling, the greeters who meet us at the doors, the deacons who have prepared the space with bulletins, communion, and space holy for worship—their faithful service brings the fragrance of your spirit forth.
Bless those who care for our children while we participate in this worship service. Bless those who look after the littlest ones, while giving assurances to parents their precious child is being cared for by your servants. Bless our Jr. Church leaders who have said yes to your call to teach your holy word to our children.
Bless our Trustees O God, for they serve you by making ready your house of prayer so that any and all are able to comfortably focus on the opportunity to draw into your divine presence. Bless their service in making our building and grounds functional, safe, accessible, and useful for all who depend on this building for ministry and community service.
Bless all your servants for the covenants they live out in service to you and this church, for without your faithful followers, we could never fulfill the ministries you call us to do.
Gracious God, you have given us many reasons for rejoicing and many reasons for giving thanks—especially through those who exemplify the words Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” May all of us hear your call, and respond with confidence, faithfulness, willingness, and assurance, that you can and will fragrance many lives through our ministry.
Hear now the prayers of our hearts as we share them now in this time of Holy Silence.
All this we pray in the name of the one who came to serve us with forgiveness and unconditional love, Jesus our Savior, who taught us to pray saying, “Our…”