A Sprinkling Soupçon of Hellfire?

Luke 9: 51-62

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

This Gospel shows us five different ways people get out in front of Jesus instead of following in his footsteps.  The Samaritans, who were basically a Jewish denomination not recognized by the Jerusalem Jews, wanted Jesus to follow them and worship only on their mountain.  The disciples, being some of those Jerusalem Jews, wanted to keep excluding the Samaritans, with a soupçon of hellfire sprinkled on for good measure!  Both were trying to lead Jesus all those years ago.  So you’d think, since this isn’t at all new, people wouldn’t do it anymore, right?  Yeah right!

Here’s an extreme, “today’s headlines” example of getting out in front of Jesus:  One of the two sons of Rev. Sun Young Moon created a new church since his brother got dad’s church.  This one preaches with a crown of bullets on his head and a golden AR-15 on his desk which he says is the “Rod of Iron” mentioned in the book of Revelation.  The AR-15 is literally a religious symbol for this church.  But wait, there’s more!  If you’re thinking that’s just a whack-a-do fringe guy, think again.  One of the candidates for governor in Pennsylvania is associated with that church.  It might be clear to you and me that excluding people to death by way of AR-15 or hellfire is not following Jesus, but people keep at it all these years later none the less.  

But just because I don’t have a bullet crown or a golden AR-15 doesn’t mean that I… or we… are perfect followers of Jesus.  All of us have people we at least imagine sprinkling with a Soupçon of Hellfire from time to time.  Mostly we don't want to exclude them “to death” (which is a super positive thing for sure!) but, either way, as Anne Lamont says, “You can safely assume you've created God in your own image (or you’re asking Jesus to follow you) when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”  Whether it makes the news or just festers in our hearts… asking Jesus to join us in excluding others is just not following Jesus.  

  

Leaving Samaria, Jesus then ran into those three folks along the road.  Each one demonstrating a different way to NOT follow Jesus.  The first man wanted to be the one who found Jesus.  He wanted to be in control of his faith.  But no-one FINDS Jesus.  It’s Jesus who finds us!  The second guy along the road, Jesus called, but he wasn’t ready to commit fully to what following really meant.  Following Jesus really means to come and die… die to our own fears, preferences, solutions, priorities and timelines.  This guy wanted to follow, except when he didn't.  But you just can’t follow Jesus one day and then live a life on a different path the next.  Big different paths, sure, like white supremacy, or trusting in the power of the gun, or the pursuit of wealth on the backs of others, or Christian nationalism.  But also smaller things like telling lies, taking advantage of people, or looking down on others.  When Jesus calls, Jesus calls for us to live the Jesus-Way… the way of peace, self sacrifice, love, kindness, and compassion… and calls us to do that FULL TIME… in every setting of our lives!  The third man Jesus encountered said he would follow… BUT… with one condition.  Conditional discipleship just isn’t discipleship either.  Jesus is not anyone’s co-pilot.  Jesus is the pilot.  Period.  Our place is behind him in our seat with our seatbelts securely fastened, and our tray tables and seat backs in their full, upright, and locked positions!  

All of those ways NOT to follow Jesus are very, very clear… and also very, very hard for us humans to avoid.  But here’s the Good News.  In Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, all of creation's failed attempts (including our own) to “lead” Jesus or to “help” Jesus, or to “protect” the Kingdom of God…  all of that is wiped away and what is revealed behind all of the mess that we’ve made… is the gift of the Kingdom of God which we've all been given unconditionally, IN SPITE of all our shenanigans. 

   

So may we gently help one another walk in Jesus’ footsteps.  May we use love, compassion, and kindness to pull one another back when one of us tries to get out in front of Jesus.  Let us support one another as we follow Jesus, constantly reminding one another that the reason we follow is not to GET the Kingdom of God, but in thanksgiving for the GIFT of that Kingdom which we’ve already been given!  And may we be clear, but never cruel, when others, in both headline ways, and back of the heart ways, end up out in front of Jesus, because we’ve all been there and inevitably we’re sure to find ourselves out in front of Jesus again and again and again instead of following in his footsteps.  Amen.