On the Journey

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

James 3-4, Mark 9:30-37

• This past week I hosted my friend Ang for a few days on her journey moving from MA to AK… She had many helpers pack her up, other helpers along the way, and more at her destination. Her cargo is herself, her cats, her belongings, and she has a distinct goal.

• (take out scripture, both – do you bring a Bible?) Jesus and disciples on a journey, heading toward Jerusalem for Passover. Earlier in chapter Jesus told the disciples to pick up their cross…

• We are heading into a season, planning, preparation, time to get ready to commit & renew. (season of commitment, and annual review)

• Jesus is reiterating It’s not about you (what were you arguing about along the way?).

  It’s about rightsizing of yourself. I want to say downsizing of ego and personal ambition but I know that can be abused and twisted, you can’t commit to the church to the neglect of family, so I say rightsizing. Integration of self with mission.

  It’s about the helpless, Jesus says. Take for example these children. They require energy expenditure, they are not selfsustaining or particularly useful. When you welcome them, when you take on responsibility for more than your own skin, when you make a priority of the helpless, you’re doing the work of the kingdom, the work of my Father, you’re welcoming me.

  And you’re not alone… you’re following me, doing what I’m doing, what I’ve been doing as I give of myself, as I align my actions with the will of my Father and for the good of the community.

• We are a voluntary community, with common goal (reach out with love, make disciples)      and with needs to make community run… needs include caregivers and sound techs, trustees and committee servant and chairs alike… needs include financial commitment to cover our needs and mission and ministry

  Voluntary community with goal and needs and wants as well (i.e. air-conditioning) which comes after needs.

  Voluntary community with commitment to JC, to UMC, to world, to town.

• Ang’s car… room in the car for servants, already have a driver JC.

• Take home commitments, bring back next week.

• Closing song If We Are the Body