January 16, 2011

Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Martyr for the Faith

JOHN 1:29-42

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel. And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

“Jesus finds you.”

Gary LeCroy

1/16/2011

Audience participation time…

Would everyone please take your hands and place them over your eyes…

Can you see anything? (No peeking).

How many of you can see me? (No one).

Well, I can see you. Isn’t that interesting? Or maybe you already knew that my seeing you was not dependent on you seeing me.

Try telling that to my two-year old nephew LeCroy. He is in that part of life when he believes that everyone sees the world just as he does. When he wants me to talk to him on the phone, he answers all my questions by shaking his head yes or no, assuming that because he knows that he is shaking his head, I know that he is shaking his head. I believe the Jungian developmentalist calls this “Magical Thinking.”

The disciples in the Gospel thought much the same way. “We have found the Messiah!” exclaims Andrew to Simon Peter. If you look closer at the story, they did not find Jesus at all.

Jesus found them.

Just because they did not see Jesus, it did not mean that Jesus had not seen them. In fact Jesus points out that they don’t even know what they are looking for.

“What are you looking for?” Some translations say “what are you seeking? (or searching for?)” The disciples don’t answer Jesus’ question. Instead they answer the question with a question. When you answer a question with a question, it’s probably because you don’t know the answer. Your teachers would have not appreciated if you answered the exam question “Why did the patriots fight the Revolutionary War?” with “Well, why did they not fight the Revolutionary War?” Or answering your parents’ question “What time did you get in last night?’ with “well, what time did you want me to get in last night?”

They have questions; they are seeking answers and Jesus says to them, “come and see!”

On the last night of his life, Dr. King admits that for the duration of his life, he had not been able to see what God had in store for him. He could not see that. Listen to these words:

“I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us. The pilot said over the public address system, ‘We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong on the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we’ve had the plane protected and guarded all night.’ And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me, because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything! I’m not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!” *

That part of Dr. King’s speech was unscripted. He was speaking from the heart. If you watch the speech on Tv or youtube, you can hear a terrible thunderstorm in the background.

If this, the last night of his life, there is an acknowledged transition from trying to answer the questions of life to realizing that the answer is there already. He moved beyond the seeking of life to the realization that God had been leading him, guiding him along the way the whole time. Just because he could not see God’s plan, God could see him in the plan.

Dr. King acknowledges that he does not know what is going to happen in his life, only that it probably will not end pain-free, dying as an old man in his rocking chair.

The questions remain with him. But the recognition that he is not alone in his questions, that is the turn! That is the change, the pointing of John the Baptist, the seeking of the disciples.

I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me, because I’ve been to the mountaintop.

Our Buddhist brothers and sisters would call this “acceptance that there is pain in this world.” And in Islam they would call this “submission.”

Christians call it “Emmanuel --- God with us.” God lives with us in the questions of life.

What are you looking for? What is it that you seek, a religion of easy answers and quick fixes or the God that stands and mixes with us?

God has found you!

Are you seeking an end to doubt and change? Or the God who speaks through the doubt and in the change?

What are you seeking? It is a God question, a human question. But as we ask the questions we are assured that in all that we seek, and in all that we search, God has found us.

And so with Dr. King, we can joyfully say, “Free at last.”

*Estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Intellectual Properties Management One Freedom plaza 449 Auburn Avenue NE Atlanta GA 30312

Tidbit:

We tend to think that prophets only pointed to Jesus in the past. This weekend we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday. For 400 years many people in this country where blind to a great national sin. It took Martin to point this out to folks.

Did you know that Dr. King never led a march in Atlanta? That was a surprising piece of information for me. The reason was that he did not want to distract or draw people away from their home congregations to his. If he became a Civil Rights leader in Atlanta, he felt that the focus would turn on him. He wanted to focus on others and not on Martin. Sounds a lot like John to me.




		January 16, 2011 Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Martyr for the Faith JOHN 1:29-42 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel. And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). “Jesus finds you.” Gary LeCroy 1/16/2011 Audience participation time… Would everyone please take your hands and place them over your eyes… Can you see anything? (No peeking). How many of you can see me? (No one). Well, I can see you. Isn’t that interesting? Or maybe you already knew that my seeing you was not dependent on you seeing me. Try telling that to my two-year old nephew LeCroy. He is in that part of life when he believes that everyone sees the world just as he does. When he wants me to talk to him on the phone, he answers all my questions by shaking his head yes or no, assuming that because he knows that he is shaking his head, I know that he is shaking his head. I believe the Jungian developmentalist calls this “Magical Thinking.” The disciples in the Gospel thought much the same way. “We have found the Messiah!” exclaims Andrew to Simon Peter. If you look closer at the story, they did not find Jesus at all. Jesus found them. Just because they did not see Jesus, it did not mean that Jesus had not seen them. In fact Jesus points out that they don’t even know what they are looking for. “What are you looking for?” Some translations say “what are you seeking? (or searching for?)” The disciples don’t answer Jesus’ question. Instead they answer the question with a question. When you answer a question with a question, it’s probably because you don’t know the answer. Your teachers would have not appreciated if you answered the exam question “Why did the patriots fight the Revolutionary War?” with “Well, why did they not fight the Revolutionary War?” Or answering your parents’ question “What time did you get in last night?’ with “well, what time did you want me to get in last night?” They have questions; they are seeking answers and Jesus says to them, “come and see!” On the last night of his life, Dr. King admits that for the duration of his life, he had not been able to see what God had in store for him. He could not see that. Listen to these words: “I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us. The pilot said over the public address system, ‘We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong on the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we’ve had the plane protected and guarded all night.’ And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me, because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything! I’m not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!” * That part of Dr. King’s speech was unscripted. He was speaking from the heart. If you watch the speech on Tv or youtube, you can hear a terrible thunderstorm in the background. If this, the last night of his life, there is an acknowledged transition from trying to answer the questions of life to realizing that the answer is there already. He moved beyond the seeking of life to the realization that God had been leading him, guiding him along the way the whole time. Just because he could not see God’s plan, God could see him in the plan. Dr. King acknowledges that he does not know what is going to happen in his life, only that it probably will not end pain-free, dying as an old man in his rocking chair. The questions remain with him. But the recognition that he is not alone in his questions, that is the turn! That is the change, the pointing of John the Baptist, the seeking of the disciples. I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me, because I’ve been to the mountaintop. Our Buddhist brothers and sisters would call this “acceptance that there is pain in this world.” And in Islam they would call this “submission.” Christians call it “Emmanuel --- God with us.” God lives with us in the questions of life. What are you looking for? What is it that you seek, a religion of easy answers and quick fixes or the God that stands and mixes with us? God has found you! Are you seeking an end to doubt and change? Or the God who speaks through the doubt and in the change? What are you seeking? It is a God question, a human question. But as we ask the questions we are assured that in all that we seek, and in all that we search, God has found us. And so with Dr. King, we can joyfully say, “Free at last.” *Estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Intellectual Properties Management One Freedom plaza 449 Auburn Avenue NE Atlanta GA 30312 Tidbit: We tend to think that prophets only pointed to Jesus in the past. This weekend we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday. For 400 years many people in this country where blind to a great national sin. It took Martin to point this out to folks. Did you know that Dr. King never led a march in Atlanta? That was a surprising piece of information for me. The reason was that he did not want to distract or draw people away from their home congregations to his. If he became a Civil Rights leader in Atlanta, he felt that the focus would turn on him. He wanted to focus on others and not on Martin. Sounds a lot like John to me.