The Willing

Sermon writers write sermons differently. Some write manuscripts. Some write outlines. Some draw thinking maps. Some handwrite their notes. Some type them. Some do neither. Some keep their notes in theirs heads.

I haven’t yet perfected my system. I don’t prepare many sermons. So I may do any of the above. Yesterday I typed out a strange combination of manuscript, outline, and incomplete sentences. I used my notes as a springboard for the message and filled in gaps as I felt led.

This may not make a bit of sense to anyone but me, but here are my notes from yesterday’s sermon. Jesus was willing. So, too, may we be.

(Imaginative Prayer: Lazarus’s Death)

(Imaginative Prayer: Lazarus’s Resurrection)

Read John 11:45-57.

Have you ever had to make a really difficult decision that you knew would change your life forever?

2007. Tough decision. Keep teaching. Go to divinity school. Sat in principal’s office. Struggled. Prayed. Could continue in my ministry at school. Been there for 8 years and had built the program. Could quit my job and finish my MDiv. Either way, life would change. Chose MDiv. But before I did, I shed many tears.

In this passage, Jesus was faced with a tough decision. Continue with ministry on earth—continue doing lots of good on earth—and try not to ruffle too many feathers. Or raise Lazarus from the dead and mark himself as target for death. Chose to raise Lazarus. But before he did, Jesus wept.

Yes, He wept for seeing the grief of those around him. His friends. His safe place. His home in a time when he didn’t have home.

But maybe, too, he wept from the weight of it all—from exhaustion—from what he knew would result from following his heart—his call—from the pain of letting go and diving into what would be—which was pain far greater than any one person should have to endure.

And yet. Tears and all. Jesus was willing to do what he needed to do. Raise a friend from the dead. Bring happiness back into his friends’ lives. Show his total and complete power to save. All good things. And yet. They (the Pharisees and Sadducees) set his murder plot into motion. And he knew they would—all because they didn’t want to lose political power and control.

Jesus was willing. Come what may. So, too, should we be…

After finishing my degree, I went to work in a full-time ministry position. The job was both wonderful and terrible—being away from home was hard—learning a new system was hard. Yet God called me away much more quickly than I had projected and I ended up back in the schools where I began—only things are so different now—so much more difficult with testing and policies and the world’s brokenness.

No one ever said being a light in darkness would be easy.

Being willing to follow Christ to the cross often results in difficulty and pain.

Yet Jesus was willing to bring difficulty and pain—and even death—to himself for the sake of the greater good.

So, too, should we be.

(Blow out Lenten candle)