Sermons for the Month
The Distractions of Spiritual Journeying
DATE: October 30th, 2005
SERVICE: Reformation Sunday
TEXT: John 8:31-36To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN
On this Reformation Sunday it would be sacrilegious if I did not begin by mentioning our friend from the 16th century, Martin Luther. Among the things that has always amazed me about him is the fact that his personal spiritual journey ended up transforming the world. You see in the beginning, Martin Luther was not someone who was looking for a cause, for something to reform. He was not a person who was so energized by protesting that he sought out controversy. Instead, Martin Luther was a man - a priest - who struggled with his relationship with God.
He was overwhelmed by guilt, fear and anger, sure that because he could never be good enough inside and out to deserve the love of God he was destined for eternal punishment. This stirred up anger within him at God who had created this "no win" situation, which then led to increased feelings of guilt and fear.
Luther longed for freedom from this spiritual pain and found his release in the Bible where he read that people - who all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - are made right (righteous) with God through their faith in Jesus Christ.
What Jesus had proclaimed, and was recorded in the Gospel of John, proved to be absolutely true for Martin Luther. As he focused his attention on God's word, he found the truth and the truth set him free from the guilt, fear and anger that dominated his life. Just think of it, all of humanity are slaves to sin, and because of that are excluded from God's family. But there is hope; those who are granted freedom by Jesus are a part of God's family forever.
Martin Luther was a transformed man. Only then did he look around him and realize that others were suffering too, shackled by sin and by the church's teachings that forgiveness had to be earned or purchased. His protest, his determination to bring about reform grew out of his desire to set others free with the proclamation of God's grace.
Of course it gets complicated then, as is often the case. A combination of political and economic factors, as well as "modern" inventions like the printing press, contributed to the creation of a world-changing event that we now call the Reformation and the birth of the Lutheran church and Protestantism. But, it was one man's spiritual journey that sparked this transformation.
It's a reminder that we all are on a life-long spiritual journey, although our levels of awareness concerning that fact differ. Logan, Courtney, Alex and Zach are marking a mile-stone in their spiritual journey today; we hope that it will be one of many defining spiritual moments for them.
As all of us take this journey, I suppose we wish we could be as single-minded as Martin Luther seemed to be. But, we are easily distracted. I recently experienced what I believe is a metaphor for our spiritual journey as I participated in a night hike.
It was a week or so ago, on a cold, rainy Friday night. I had two purposes in mind for this hike, one was to be "unofficially" helpful as a Metro parks volunteer and the other was to experience the woods at night, something that I would not do alone. I was surprised that about 40 people showed up for the event, and that half of them were children. This was a two-mile hike, in the woods, with frequent ups and downs. It was very dark since the clouds blocked any light from the night sky, and a chilling rain was falling.
As we began the Naturalist asked that hikers be quiet, in order to experience the night sounds, and that they refrain from turning on flash lights as long as possible, in order to experience how eyes adjust to the darkness. I was looking forward to the journey, but I soon found that there were obstacles.
The Girl Scouts would not shut up. They were boisterous - probably a bit nervous - and ignored frequent requests that they stop talking. So, to avoid being charged with Girl Scout abuse, I dropped back and was relieved to be walking beside a woman who was quietly concentrating on her steps. She soon turned on her flashlight, which I decided was OK since I did no have one and it was, I hated to admit it, a relief not focus so hard on my surroundings (which, you'll recall, was part of the point). But, two chatty girls - whose family was who knows where - quickly "adopted" her too and kept up a running commentary on whatever 10-year-olds talk about.
So, I dropped back again and encountered a Grandmother with four children who she brought because they were being too rowdy at her house. Well do you want to guess how they were in the woods? I paused to let them pass only to find myself beside a woman who had an unusual flashlight; it took me a minute to realize she was talking on the phone. I was SO tempted to say, "May I borrow that for a moment?" and then accidentally toss it into the wet leaves. (CRUNCH)
About this time we stopped so everyone could catch up and the Naturalist once again attempted to instill quiet, although the flashlights being shinned in her eyes probably made her lose her train of thought. I saw a lone man step off the trail, go around the Naturalist, and disappear into the darkness. Oh, how I wanted to follow him! But . So, I waited until everyone else had passed me and followed the last people, who kept pausing to get resituated; it was about then the baby started crying and one of the rowdy grandchildren made a proclamation that echoed off the trees, "Who would bring a baby out here?" Indeed.
Well, it's an interesting story, you say, but what's the point? On that night hike I had two goals. Does anyone remember what they were? But, on the path I was easily distracted and lost track of my purpose. I focused on the wrong "stuff". I became crabby. I wanted to retaliate. There were moments when I wanted to leave the path or to give up and join the crowd.
That's what happens on our spiritual journey. We have a purpose, which is to be disciples of Jesus Christ who have been transformed by his love and then share that transforming love with the world. But, we get distracted, we focus on the wrong "stuff", we become crabby, we want to act in un-Christ-like ways, we throw up our hands and give up or we cave in to the culture.
And, yet, I have to tell you that although I definitely lost track of my purpose there were moments when I regained my focus and became acutely aware of trusting my feet on the slippery trail and of the fact that I could make out trees in the black of night. I could hear the rain on the canopy of leaves that were hanging on for dear life above me. And, I was able to offer assurance to a worried child that snakes do to lounge on the path on a cold night. So, although I was distracted, all was not lost.
It's like that on our spiritual journey too. We may become distracted, but the Holy Spirit is always close at hand to keep us journeying and to create moments when our purpose is fulfilled.
Let me remind you again what Jesus said in that passage we read from John. As God's children - set free from sin by Jesus - we have a permanent place in God's family. I'm reminded of the words I speak in baptism as I trace a cross on the forehead, "Child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and are marked with the cross of Christ forever." So, while we have the potential to get off track on this spiritual journey, the final destination is assured.
That means we have the potential, like Martin Luther, to transform the world. Who know what any of us might do as the empowered people of God? And, for us too, it all begins with our spiritual journey. AMEN