"So... You Want to Follow Jesus

Confirmation Sunday

May 20, 2012 Sermon

Acts 1:3-10, John 17:6-19

A young man had just gotten his driving permit. He asked his father, who was a minister, if they could discuss his use of the car. I will make a deal with you, said his father. You bring your grades up, study your Bible a little, get your hair cut, and then we’ll talk.

A month later the boy came back and again asked his father if they could discuss his use of the car.

Son, I’m real proud of you. You’ve brought your grades up and you’ve studied your Bible ... but you didn’t get your hair cut!

You know, Dad, I’ve been thinking about that. Samson had long hair, Moses had long hair, Noah had long hair, and even Jesus had long hair.

Yes, son, and they all walked everywhere they went!

Prayer:

(Turn to Confirmand’s & Say…) “So… you want to follow Jesus?”

(Turn to Congregation & Say…) “So You Want to Follow Jesus?”

They all had long hair and they walked everywhere they went!!!

What is so compelling for us to want to follow Jesus? In Marks gospel, chp. 1:17… Jesus calls some fishermen, Peter & Brother Andy, and James & John and says, “Come with Me”… and immediately they went with Jesus… immediately!!!! What would cause you to do such a thing?

o    12 guys did this!!!

o    They left whatever they were doing and followed this Jesus guy.

Presbyterian pastor Craig Barnes says, “The journey of those who follow Jesus Christ begins not with our decision, but with his decision to call us. These fishermen have not weighed the pros and cons of following and decided that Jesus will help them meet their goals in life. No, Jesus has decided to call them to himself. And the call is so overwhelming, they have to follow.
Sermon at National Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C. Contents reprinted with permission of Craig Barnes, Senior Pastor. February 25, 2001, quoted in The Presbyterian Layman, May-June 2001, 4.

Have you ever felt so strongly about something you just had to do it?

And you did it no matter what others said or the consequences it had.

In our bibles story today Jesus is doing something like this. He is within the last couple of days of his life. It is likely Thursday evening in John’s account… the evening before Jesus goes to the cross. Jesus is praying with his friends for the last time.

He’s praying for their safety and that they remain in the world, but not of the world.

He’s praying they remain connected to the Father and that the Father keeps them protected.

That the evil one stays far from them.

He prays they stay connected to the truth of God’s word and that that word stays with them

That word according to John is Jesus!

And Jesus prays that they go into the world and share the good news like he, Jesus was sent to do.

In which lies the problem for Jesus’ friends and for us as well. We and Jesus’ friends like the parts of Jesus’ prayer of protection and safety. Prayers of connection and being in the world, and for keeping the evil one at bay, and the prayer of being in the word of truth to some extent as long as it doesn’t crimp our style too much. But the biggest problem for Jesus’ friends and for us is going into the world and sharing the good news. Wait a minute… do you realize a rendering of this passage is found in our baptismal witness and in the affirmation rite we’’ do shortly. It says, “You have called them/us to yourself, enlighten them/us with your gift of the Holy Spirit and nourish them/us in the community of faith.” The nourishment of the Holy Spirit is one of being prepared to be sent out into the world… to follow Jesus. With the Holy Spirit we can confidently go because as Jonathon says in his faith statement, “I believe Jesus is always by my side.” Rachel says, As a child of God, God is always watching out for me and caring for me.”

These two statements tell me that we should not be afraid to follow Jesus into the world because is with us. That following Jesus should not be a problem… in fact; our response should be “Immediate” like Jesus’ friends did. Yet… the world beckons us… hence Jesus’ prayers.

Another concern for us in this story is that Jesus’ prayer doesn’t alleviate the problems we will face. I was visiting a older person not long ago where they made the statement, “I’ve been faithful for all these years why do I have to suffer so much?” Following Jesus doesn’t mean life becomes easy or easier. The truth is, it’s likely you’ll experience more than your share of struggle. Despite that struggle, Jesus still shared the good news…. Jesus still cares and loves.

Rebekah says, “Faith is about love between people and between God and us.”

Taylor says, “God’s love will never fade…it will only grow stronger”… she also says, “God’s love is always watching out for us and we should trust in it, even through the bad parts of life.”

In a book titled “Jesus Freaks,” “ Each of us must follow Jesus for ourselves. You may never have to face the decision of whether or not to die for your faith, but every day you face the decision of whether or not you will live for it.
A quotation from the book Jesus Freaks: Stories of Those Who Stood For Jesus, presented on the Web site Soul Food: A Taste of the Wisdom of the Saints, Xtremespirit.org/soul.html. Retrieved December 12, 2003.

So… if we live for Jesus and if we follow Jesus… it means we must have faith! Jesus’ good friend had the good fortune to actually know Jesus is the flesh… to have known Jesus personally… we don’t have that luxury. We need faith to believe, and where does faith begin? It begins with Baptism and with the Holy Spirit.

In Baptism claims Corey, “Is God’s way of claiming us into His family.” This is a forever claim because in Baptism, God grabs hold of us and never let’s go. (Go and grab someone’s hand) We may want to go wherever we want to go, but God is still holding on. We may wander for a period of time, but God is still holding on… remember the prodigal son story in Luke.

Faith also is a Holy Spirit thing too. The Holy Spirit empowers our faith. Nick says, “The Holy Spirit will travel with me wherever I go.” The Holy Spirit not only travels with us, but empowers us to be sent out in faith to share faith as well.

“So… You Want to Follow Jesus?” Today my young friends… you will affirm your faith in the faith of your parents that they promised at your baptism. It is but one faith step in the long journey of faith that you will take. The gift of faith is secured when you received the Holy Spirit at your baptism, but you journey of faith is just really getting started. Just because you’ve made it through this confirmation program doesn’t mean you’ve made it. This journey of faith is a life-long learning experience… it will not end until the day you die. I really like what David says about the affirmation process,

        “YES… I agree with this and I want God in my life.” I believe he gets it… he understands what this journey is all about.

This past Friday at the synod assembly, while they are usually quite boring, I usually learn something worth-while. Our ELCA presiding Bishop in a video message to the synod said, “Our lives as Lutheran Christians and as the ELCA should be a Living, Daring, Confidence in God’s Grace. This should empower us to be followers of Jesus… So… You Want to Follow Jesus?

My prayer is for you young people today and all of you sitting here, that you will continue in the life-long experience of Loving God, Loving Others, and Following Jesus in a Living, Daring, Confidence in God’s Grace.