"Danger"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, March 4, 2007 at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "Danger."

July, 1983. Early in the morning I had begun, with Joe, my girlfriend (who would later become my wife, Cassie)s father and her two brothers Michael and Kevin, the climb up the mountain to the 14000 plus food summit of Long’s Peak in Colorado.

Starting at 2 am, we climbed together up the trail to a place above tree line called the "boulder field," past that to a resting point called "the keyhole" and then further to a place called "the trough." The trough was filled with snow and was a very steep climb. Joe and Kevin decided not to attempt it. Michael and I went ahead. I didn't think Michael would last much longer. As we climbed, he began to call out to me, "Wait up, Kirk!" But as he said it, I was all ready too far ahead of him for him to catch up. I pretended I did not hear him and I continued up the mountain. Dejected, Michael went back to meet his brother and father.

I was determined to reach the summit. I climbed on -- gasping for breath in the thin air and squinting ahead to find the next trail marker painted on the rocks. I missed one. But instead of turning back, I climbed on – pulling my walking stick, my backpack and myself up the steep rocky sides of the mountain. At one point, I didn’t know how to go higher and my last good foothold was too far away to reach. "Oh God -- I don't want to die!" I remember crying out -- at least in my mind. I was never so scared. It was one of those 'I'll do whatever you want, God! Just don't let me fall!" times. I was in danger.

I did make it to the top, though I almost fell 2000 feet to my death in the process. Had I turned back or waited for Michael I likely would have not faced such danger (nor would I have developed a very rational fear of heights!)

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Sometimes we are in danger because we’ve made careless, unwise or risky decisions.

It is real danger – but it’s not the kind of danger Jesus was in or the kind of danger this morning’s Bible reading speaks about.

Often we in the Church are really good at pointing the finger at alleged external dangers to our faith. —

Christianity is under attack! According to the Discovery Channel's documentary "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" airing Sunday, March 4, the bones of Jesus-- buried with His family -- have been found. In addition, the documentary says that Mary Magdalene and Jesus might have had a son named Judah.

It is time for Christians to send a message to The Discovery Channel and Hollywood that enough is enough! Don't stay silent while The Discovery Channel and Hollywood continually attack our faith and our values.

Those words arrived in my email box this week. If we don’t protest, our faith will wither up and die.

Sometimes perceived danger is based on scare tactics and fear. It’s not really any kind of danger that it assumes that it is – but there is danger present -- hidden in the words and the agenda. Our attitudes and traditions can and do become what is dangerous. They can threaten both the well-being of the Church as well as others’ ability to see the Church as a genuinely welcoming community of Jesus’ Love.

Hold onto that thought for a little bit.

This week’s Bible reading from Luke 13:31-35 is about danger – and it is one that raises questions for me.

• Why would the Pharisees come and warn Jesus? Didn’t they think he was a threat or an impostor?
• Why would Jesus call Herod a fox? Had they ever met?
• Would the Pharisees have access to Herod to deliver the message?
• What’s with the days and the "third day" talk? Does it mean anything?
• Why would it be impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem?
• Why does the flavor of the passage switch so suddenly from "sparky" to "nurturing?"
• Was Jesus predicting his Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem in verse 35?

Here’s what I think:

• The Pharisees weren’t really warning Jesus. They wanted to make Jesus afraid of Herod so he’d leave town.
• Jesus wasn’t really addressing Herod – he was addressing those who were really threatening him – the Pharisees. They had no intention or (likely) ability to even have an audience with Herod. The Pharisees were the ones Jesus was calling crafty.
• The "third day" talk isn’t symbolic or foreshadowing at all. The sentence really means something like "a few more days."
• I have no ideas about the Jerusalem and killing of prophets thing.
• Jesus was speaking in somewhat caustic language to the Pharisees, but he had love for all – Pharisees included. When he spoke of himself in terms of a hen and Jerusalem as the brood, he was showing that genuine love – and genuine sadness that he was being rejected.
• Jesus was quoting Psalm 118 with the "Blessed is the one . . ." stuff. It turns out it is what the people said on Palm Sunday. I don’t know if it was a prediction or not, tho.

Are you still holding onto the thought from before? Our attitudes and traditions can and do become what is dangerous. They can threaten both the well-being of the Church as well as others’ ability to see the Church as a genuinely welcoming community of Jesus’ Love.

The danger in this passage really isn’t the personal danger we think of -- like almost falling off a mountain. The danger is to Jerusalem –Jerusalem’s history included lots of sin. And Jesus was lamenting Jerusalem’s sins as something that all were a part of. But even though the danger was present, God continued to love Jerusalem – forgiving her and starting over again. God is really good at that

If we take a step and look at that pattern with today’s eyes, the danger is to the Church. We fight with believers from other denominations about who does it right. We argue with one another about doctrine and we forget to welcome people from north and south and east and west? We forget that the little chicks, the ones Jesus talks about here, and who represent the marginalized and vulnerable members of society like the widow, the orphan, and the stranger – the excluded must be welcome in our church communities. But even when we fail -- And God continues to love us and forgive us and start over again.

Where to we go from here? Since we know God lets us start over when we fail should we just move ahead and get it right or get it wrong boldly? Should we laugh at danger and say "God will take care of us?"

I guess my answer would be yes and no. Yes – if we are moving ahead with the two great commandments as or guide. DO you remember them? (Love God and love one another). And yes – if we genuinely seek to follow Jesus in our relationships with each other, with other churches and with everyone in our communities and beyond.

We can start with a couple of easy things.

Start a conversation with a person from a different denomination or even a different religion altogether. Really seek to understand what is important to them about their faith. Listen and learn. Hopefully you’ll also be able to share with them what is important to you about your faith. Don’t try to convert them to your way of thinking – just listen and learn.

Invite a friend you know doesn’t attend any church or who has said things to you like "I hate church" to come and visit here. And when they are here – let us all be welcoming. Not smothering, but welcoming. Let’s seek to listen and learn as we hope all who join with us in worship also will experience God’s love and extravagant welcome.

That’s it. Start a conversation and invite someone.

Oh yeah – I did say yes and no. Here’s the no. On second hand -- let’s not make this a "no" list. Let’s pay attention to the yes’s -- focusing on love, welcome and God’s safety – instead on danger.

Close with prayer

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