2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

JANUARY 15, 2012

The Second Sunday after Epiphany

Martin Luther King, Jr. --- Martyr for the Faith

JOHN 1: 43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Welcome to church this morning. I sincerely hope that you do not find Jesus today.

Sermons don’t usually lead with that as an opening line. Hopefully it got your attention.

In fact, we believe that Jesus will find you. Have you ever noticed how people use the phrase “Have you found Jesus?” or the tracts that ask you if you know where you are going to spend eternity?

It seems that the way of thinking which has us finding God is an old idea. That is exactly what happens in today’s Gospel. It clearly states that Jesus finds Philip in Verse 45, and says “Follow me.” But then Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

As one commentator wrote, we speak as if we find God as if He is hiding from us. If God wanted to hide somewhere, then chances are God would win the game of hide and seek. God knows all the good hiding places.

Jesus finds Philip. Yet Philip announces that he has found Jesus.

So why is this important?

Because our imagination tends to be small, our thoughts too shallow. We don’t even know the difference between what we need and what we want. Our minds cannot fathom all the things and places and jobs God has in store for us. Our minds just cannot wrap themselves around these things.

For instance, Here is Nat sitting under a fig tree; the fig tree is highly symbolic because it is the place where Rabbis would gather to study Torah. Under the fig tree was the place to read and study the Scriptures. So Nat is studying and being a good Jew, when he encounters Jesus. He comes to believe that this man from Nazareth is indeed the Messiah. In the encounter with Jesus, the great miracle that Nat was moved by was that Jesus saw him.

Jesus answers “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.”

In other words:

“Nathanael, you ain’t seen nothing yet!”

Nathanael’s imagination and his understanding was based on this one experience with Jesus under a fig tree. Jesus was to show him much greater things. (One can even say that Jesus took him and all the disciples to greater things.)

In Jerusalem, lying by the sheep pool Bethzatha was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. The disciples see Jesus commanding “Stand up and walk!”

For there are greater things, greater than diseases that bind and cripple and kill.

When Jesus gives the sermon on the mount, everyone said that it was a good sermon, but Jesus showed them Greater Things. The people were hungry and Jesus takes five loaves and two fish, and feeds the multitude.

For there are greater things, greater than the evil forces of greed that subjugate and relegate so many into poverty and hunger.

When the storm was raging on the sea, and the disciples’ boat was being rocked and battered, and they were frightened, Jesus walked to them across the water, saying, “Do not be afraid!” and stilling the waters, and calming the storm.

For there are greater things, greater than the storms and tempests in our own lives.

When Lazarus was dead in the tomb for three days, and his heartbroken family and friends had resigned to his fate, Jesus said “Lazarus! Come Out!” and “Unbind him!” and Lazarus rose and they were all amazed.

For there are greater things, greater even than the finality of death.

When this country was sin-sick with the malady of racism and Jim Crow, many people were content to live with it, to accept it as the way things are. But there was something greater to see than bigotry and bias.

When Bull Connor turned dogs and hoses on peaceful demonstrators, some scoffed and said that it would be the end of the civil rights movement. But there were greater things than Bull Connor’s violence.

We as a church are called to Greater Things.

Yesterday, I attended the installation of the Rev. Valerie Bailey Fischer as the new rector at St. Mark’s. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, the Canon (or Assistant) to the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, commented that he is afraid that we have become a “non-prophet” church.

It is a requirement of today’s church that it acts prophetically. Prophets point to signs, and point to greater things. They show society the way things are, and the need for change. So it must be with us. As disciples, we must be prophetic, to speak out against bigotry, violence, racism, poverty and hunger.

We are required to bring Jesus’ message, and to show our communities the need for change, to show them that there are greater things.

We are meant for greater things.

Jesus finds us.

Jesus will show us greater things.

Amen.

------The Rev. Dr. Gary C. LeCroy




		JANUARY 15, 2012 The Second Sunday after Epiphany Martin Luther King, Jr. --- Martyr for the Faith JOHN 1: 43-51 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” Welcome to church this morning. I sincerely hope that you do not find Jesus today. Sermons don’t usually lead with that as an opening line. Hopefully it got your attention. In fact, we believe that Jesus will find you. Have you ever noticed how people use the phrase “Have you found Jesus?” or the tracts that ask you if you know where you are going to spend eternity? It seems that the way of thinking which has us finding God is an old idea. That is exactly what happens in today’s Gospel. It clearly states that Jesus finds Philip in Verse 45, and says “Follow me.” But then Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” As one commentator wrote, we speak as if we find God as if He is hiding from us. If God wanted to hide somewhere, then chances are God would win the game of hide and seek. God knows all the good hiding places. Jesus finds Philip. Yet Philip announces that he has found Jesus. So why is this important? Because our imagination tends to be small, our thoughts too shallow. We don’t even know the difference between what we need and what we want. Our minds cannot fathom all the things and places and jobs God has in store for us. Our minds just cannot wrap themselves around these things. For instance, Here is Nat sitting under a fig tree; the fig tree is highly symbolic because it is the place where Rabbis would gather to study Torah. Under the fig tree was the place to read and study the Scriptures. So Nat is studying and being a good Jew, when he encounters Jesus. He comes to believe that this man from Nazareth is indeed the Messiah. In the encounter with Jesus, the great miracle that Nat was moved by was that Jesus saw him. Jesus answers “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” In other words: “Nathanael, you ain’t seen nothing yet!” Nathanael’s imagination and his understanding was based on this one experience with Jesus under a fig tree. Jesus was to show him much greater things. (One can even say that Jesus took him and all the disciples to greater things.) In Jerusalem, lying by the sheep pool Bethzatha was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. The disciples see Jesus commanding “Stand up and walk!” For there are greater things, greater than diseases that bind and cripple and kill. When Jesus gives the sermon on the mount, everyone said that it was a good sermon, but Jesus showed them Greater Things. The people were hungry and Jesus takes five loaves and two fish, and feeds the multitude. For there are greater things, greater than the evil forces of greed that subjugate and relegate so many into poverty and hunger. When the storm was raging on the sea, and the disciples’ boat was being rocked and battered, and they were frightened, Jesus walked to them across the water, saying, “Do not be afraid!” and stilling the waters, and calming the storm. For there are greater things, greater than the storms and tempests in our own lives. When Lazarus was dead in the tomb for three days, and his heartbroken family and friends had resigned to his fate, Jesus said “Lazarus! Come Out!” and “Unbind him!” and Lazarus rose and they were all amazed. For there are greater things, greater even than the finality of death. When this country was sin-sick with the malady of racism and Jim Crow, many people were content to live with it, to accept it as the way things are. But there was something greater to see than bigotry and bias. When Bull Connor turned dogs and hoses on peaceful demonstrators, some scoffed and said that it would be the end of the civil rights movement. But there were greater things than Bull Connor’s violence. We as a church are called to Greater Things. Yesterday, I attended the installation of the Rev. Valerie Bailey Fischer as the new rector at St. Mark’s. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, the Canon (or Assistant) to the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, commented that he is afraid that we have become a “non-prophet” church. It is a requirement of today’s church that it acts prophetically. Prophets point to signs, and point to greater things. They show society the way things are, and the need for change. So it must be with us. As disciples, we must be prophetic, to speak out against bigotry, violence, racism, poverty and hunger. We are required to bring Jesus’ message, and to show our communities the need for change, to show them that there are greater things. We are meant for greater things. Jesus finds us. Jesus will show us greater things. Amen. ------The Rev. Dr. Gary C. LeCroy