Sermon \u2013 January 18, 2015<\/p>\n
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW<\/p>\n
St. John\u2019s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY<\/p>\n
The Second Sunday After Epiphany, Year B<\/a><\/p>\n The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, \u2018Follow me.\u2019\u00a0John 1:43<\/em><\/p>\n Please be seated<\/p>\n Every week, you sit in this space and worship in the midst of this beautiful stained glass window of John, the Gospel writer. \u00a0This year we\u2019ll hear quite a bit from John\u2019s Gospel. \u00a0On Friday, we had a clergy day in Lexington.\u00a0 The presenter was Gail O\u2019Day, Dean of Wake Forest Divinity School. \u00a0She was in town for the ordination of one of her students, Andrew Hege, the new Associate Rector at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church.<\/p>\n Dr. O\u2019Day is also a New Testament scholar and has written much commentary on the Gospel of John. \u00a0Also a Professor of Preaching, she was helping us look at the Gospel in new ways. \u00a0She said that the Gospelwriter wanted to emphasize the extravagant love of God for us. \u00a0She also said that during Jesus\u2019 time, the religious authorities wanted to silence Jesus, because his teachings and upheaval they were creating amongst the Jewish people, were causing the Roman occupiers to take more notice. \u00a0The authorities didn\u2019t want any scrutiny from Rome.\u00a0 They wanted to be left alone.\u00a0 John is writing to say that there is a cost to remaining silent\u2026that there is a cost to rejecting the teaching of Jesus, God incarnate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And this weekend we remember The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who certainly embodied the point John was making. \u00a0Just like Samuel, God called Dr. King\u2019s name and set a mission for him. \u00a0Just like Philip and Nathanael, Jesus called Dr. King to follow him.<\/p>\n In 1956, after the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Dr. King left Montgomery. \u00a0He said, \u201cHistory has thrust something on me which I cannot turn away.\u201d \u00a0Dr. King was well educated, graduated from high school early. \u00a0He was to be a great preacher like his father, most likely at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where his father was pastor. \u00a0That was the life laid out for him and the life he expected.<\/p>\n While I\u2019m sure he thought he\u2019d be part of a movement for justice, he never expected to be a major leader in that movement to the point where he was away from his family and congregation for long periods of time and in so many cities in the United States. \u00a0A role that meant his home was bombed and death threats surrounded him. \u00a0It seems like the prudent thing to do would have been to remain silent, but Dr. King could not turn away from his calling.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not the life he planned, but it was the life God called him to and just like Samuel, Dr. King said, \u201cSpeak, for your servant is listening.\u201d \u00a0And just like Philip and Nathanael, he responded to Jesus\u2019 call by following Jesus.<\/p>\n And he knew that following that call could mean he would die relatively young. \u00a0He knew that following that call could mean being murdered.<\/p>\n I still remember when Dr. King was assassinated, even though I was only 10 years old, how he had seemingly foretold his death. \u00a0Over and over again, the news played excerpts from his speech the night before. \u00a0He said,<\/p>\n Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. \u00a0Longevity has its place.\u00a0 But I\u2019m not concerned about that now.\u00a0 I just want to do God\u2019s will. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n I just want to do God\u2019s Will. \u00a0I just want to follow Jesus. \u00a0I just want to serve God. \u00a0That\u2019s what we all need to be saying and figuring out.<\/p>\n Because not doing God\u2019s Will\u2026not following Jesus\u2026not serving God, has consequences. \u00a0We heard that in our reading from Samuel.\u00a0 Eli had not stopped his sons from disrespecting and speaking against God, so God told Samuel, Eli\u2019s family would be destroyed.<\/p>\n So, there are consequences for ignoring God\u2019s Will. We may try to ignore God\u2019s calling to us out of fear of what will be required of us. \u00a0It\u2019s probably not in our life plan.\u00a0 And look what happened to Dr. King and who wants a short life and a death like his?\u00a0 What could be worse than the consequence of death?<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the paradox:\u00a0 when you are doing God\u2019s Will and when you are following Jesus and when you are serving God, death doesn\u2019t frighten you anymore. \u00a0Death has no power over you.\u00a0 The night before he died, Dr. King ended his speech by saying,<\/p>\n [God\u2019s] allowed me to go up to the mountain. \u00a0And I\u2019ve looked over.\u00a0 And I\u2019ve seen the promised land.\u00a0 I may not get there with you. \u00a0But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. \u00a0And I\u2019m happy, tonight.\u00a0 I\u2019m not worried about anything.\u00a0 I\u2019m not fearing any man.\u00a0 Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019m happy\u2026I\u2019m not worried\u2026I\u2019m not fearing anyone!<\/p>\n Follow me<\/em>, Jesus says and St. John writes.\u00a0 The following may not be easy. \u00a0We may even lose our life, but we will know the abundant love of God. \u00a0We\u2019ll be happy.\u00a0 We won\u2019t worry and we won\u2019t be afraid.<\/p>\n Amen<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sermon \u2013 January 18, 2015 The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW St. John\u2019s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY The Second Sunday After Epiphany, Year B The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, … Continue reading