The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

I Want to Show You Something
Proper 8
Luke 9:51-62

In the large arc of the Gospel story according to Luke, the events in today’s reading come right after Jesus’ transfiguration.  The transfiguration is when Jesus takes Peter, James and John up the mountain and his appearance is transfigured before them.  They come down from the mountain and the story picks up with today’s reading.

The reading seems to include two completely separate stories.  It’s usually printed in two paragraphs.

First, there’s the incident in Samaria.  You may remember that the Jews and Samaritans weren’t the best of friends in Jesus' day.  They were always ready to suspect one another of ill will.  Jesus sends word that he is coming to a village in Samaria.  When the village refuses to receive Jesus, James and John want to punish them by calling down fire from heaven.  Some have questioned whether they actually had the power to do that.  Regardless, Jesus rebuked James and John, and they moved on.

Then in the second part of the reading Jesus is teaching along the road.  He says that for the Son of Man, and presumably his disciples, there is no place to rest.  There is no time to bury the dead.  No time to linger with family.

These stories seem unconnected.  But they share an urgency.  The key is in the first line.  He set his face to go to Jerusalem.  Jesus is focused on the completion of his journey, the fulfillment of his purpose.

An image came to mind of a young child, maybe 4 or 5 years old.  Who wants to show you something.  You’re a parent or an aunt or an older sibling or a good friend.  You’ve all experienced or witnessed this happening.  The child is persistent.  Tugging at your sleeve, grabbing your hand, demanding your attention.  Come on, come ON…  Come with me NOW.  I want to show you something.  I need to show you something.

You might be in the midst of a conversation.  It doesn’t matter.  You might be tired.  Tough.  You might be involved in other things YOU think are important.  Whatever it is, it is not more important than whatever it is the child wants you to see.

It may be the wonder of an earthworm in the garden.  Or a picture the child has drawn or a new lego creation.  Or maybe the child wants you to witness a new accomplishment, like tying shoelaces.

For the child, whatever it is it is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THEIR WORLD.  And the child feels it SHOULD be the most important thing in your world, too.

So Jesus has that same eagerness, that singleness of focus.  There is something he wants the disciples and us to see.  You have to see this.  Come ON.  Now.  Nothing else is as important.  Don’t worry about torching the Samaritans.  There is no time for other conversations.  Jesus keeps tugging.  Come ON.  Come with me.  To Jerusalem.

And, look.  Look at the cross.

Nothing is more important to Jesus.  Nothing should be more important to us.  Look.  Jesus says:  Look at the cross.

It changes the world.  It transforms everything.

In the collect for the Tuesday in Holy Week we pray: O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life…

The cross transforms everything that is messy, nasty, shameful, and sinful in the world into life.  Life in the kingdom of God.  Life shared with God.  The cross transforms all that is shameful and sinful into fullness of life.

The message for us today is:  Don’t get sidetracked on our journey with Jesus.  Don’t let distractions, things that may SEEM important to us, draw our attention away from the cross.  This doesn’t mean we all have to abandon our families.  It does challenge us to examine our priorities.  To name our distractions.  To name the things that distract us from the importance of the cross.

Look, Jesus says.  Look at the cross.  It is the most important thing in the world.

At the cross human being is transformed into glory.

There at the cross is where love wins!  You’ve heard that phrase.  Rob Bell wrote a book with that title.  We’ve seen it a lot post-Orlando, where at least part of its meaning seems to be a proclamation of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of human caring to overcome hate.   

But for us, the cross is about God’s love.  And the power of God’s love for us.  The cross is where God’s love for us wins.  God’s love wins.  Over everything else.