Series: “Loving Jesus”.... “Spiritual Authenticity”

Sunday July2012                               
John 11:17-44

We continue with our series “Loving Jesus”… Last week we learned that loving Jesus is an important component to our spiritual growth and ministry of the church.

We learned that if we want greater spiritual understanding we need a close relationship with Jesus. And, we also learned that spiritual understanding comes when we have faith in Jesus and that as our faith and relationship with Jesus deepens we gain greater understanding.

Today our reflection will focus on "Spiritual Authenticity."

PRAYER:

How many of you are faking it today? … You’re trying to live your life trying to impress others? You’re putting on the happy face… but are feeling like a failure… or depressed… or well… just out of it? I’ll bet that at least one of you here came here and getting out of your car angry with your spouse, kids, job, or life and as soon as you opened the church door put on the happy face as if you were on top of the world. And… when you leave… will revert back to the way you came.

If we’re honest… we all admit that we’ve been there done that. Also if were honest… most of us desire to be ourselves… to be real, but often fall prey to the thought that we have to meet certain expectations. To be someone better than we are. To see ourselves as more valuable than others. In Luke’s gospel Jesus says, “Aren’t you worth more than birds, and look at how God takes care of them.” Why do we have such a difficult time being who God created us to be?

Today’s gospel has an over-arching theme of resurrection of life in the future. However… I want to look at this story in John as a way for us to understand that we can be authentic and our real-selves because in this story we see the raw emotion displayed in Jesus and Martha. I believe this is something we often miss or just fail to recognize in Jesus and those around him.

Our first glimpse of Martha is found in Luke’s gospel where Jesus goes to the home of Mary & Martha and Martha’s complaining to Jesus about her sister Mary not helping make dinner.
You know the story… Mary is at Jesus’ feet and Martha is slaving away in the kitchen and she’ mad because Mary is not helping. Martha is living out a set of expectations that she has to provide because it’s her duty. Mary on the other hand doesn’t care. To say that Martha is mad is an understatement… the Greek language is “infantic” meaning she’s really mad!

Now to today’s story... Martha’s brother Lazarus gets sick and dies. She sends word to Jesus to come and heal him… she’s seen the healings Jesus has done and given their friendship she expects Jesus to drop everything and come. Jesus intentionally stays away for 4 days and you can imagine Martha is not happy. The same language is used here in John as in Luke. Martha is an emotional wreck and she is, if I may say, “Dam Mad”. Jesus comes… and she is being quite authentic… real with Jesus…
       - If you’d been here Jesus!!! Lazarus wouldn’t have died!!!
       - Jesus tells her that your brother will rise again…
       - Martha replies, Yea… but that ain’t good enough!!!

We also see the raw emotion of Jesus in this story. People all around Jesus that day were grieving and crying. The displays of grieve were from the heart… they were real and authentic…. The people loved Lazarus. When Jesus saw this he was moved…. Then we Jesus’ emotion.

I think the picture we often have of Jesus is one of stoic compassion. We often have the picture of Jesus as not depicting any emotion. If you do a Google search of Jesus and click on images... you find that most of them have Jesus depictied very stoic. I remember showing a laughing Jesus picture and almost got stoned. Jesus doesn't laugh I was told. But, the image we see in our story is one where Jesus cry’s…. he is overcome with emotion
Vs 38 says Jesus was terribly upset. Jesus is being as real and authentic as it gets.
He then tells the people to have faith… then brings back Lazarus.

In this story we see Martha and Jesus as real authentic people.

What are some ways we can live more authentic and real lives?

Jesus is for Losers

I saw a young man wearing a t-shirt that said “Jesus is for Losers." At first glance I thought he was just being cynical and this was his way for putting down Christianity. But a closer look at the shirt I saw that he was witnessing his faith as it had a biblical reference on it… Matt 19:30, in which Jesus says, “The first will be last and the last shall be first.”

As I reflected… of course Jesus is for losers. Not against them… Jesus sought out the losers of society.Those who didn’t meet expectations. Those who fell through the cracks.
For Jesus it wasn’t about the rules and the rituals.
For Jesus it was about meeting people where they’re at.
For Jesus it was about you being your real-self.

Author Carol Kent in her book “Essentials of Spiritual Authenticity” writes about being at her grandmother’s home when she noticed that her grandmother exuded Peace & Joy. She asked, “Granny, how do you keep your joy & peace?” She responded, “Carol, your making too much work out of it. You just need to let Jesus love you and you love Him right back. Just enjoy His Presence.”

We often put too much effort in… think there must be more to it… when it’s all about just being ourselves with Jesus. Being authentic and real.
We often think we have to be perfect people all the time… when all that Jesus desires is that we be who God created… nothing more and nothing less.

Cultivate Honesty
We need to be honest about our sin & limitations. Have a heart for integrity. If we are going to do something… do it… if not say so. we need to demonstrate grace. We as Lutheran Christians have this wonderful understanding about forgivness and grace. It is part of our DNA as Lutherans… and really all of the church, we talk about this a lot, but rarely demonstrate it. Being honest about ourselves as creations of God puts us on a path to being able to experience the blessings of peace and joy.

The Practice of Spiritual Habits

Our mission to become disciples incorporates spiritual habits. To be about the practice of Prayer…. Worship… Learning… Serving… Relationships… Generosity. To not only pray as individuals, but as a group of followers of Jesus. To worship in authentic ways that draw us closer to God. To learn not only about Jesus to learn to have a relationship with Jesus, and to grow in understanding. To serve others and especially by going out of this box to engage where people are. to build relationships not only with those we know, but to discover our common bond with others by sharing our stories of faith. and to be generous with what God has provided us with. Practicing the spiritual habits helps us lead greater authentic lives.

In Closing:

Spiritual Authenticity means being connect to God through Jesus. Not connected to someone or something that makes us feel good. Actually living out what we believe on Sunday morning the other 6 days of the week. To be the same persons in public as we are in private. Our hope of being connected to, and drawing close, and being real with God begins by Loving Jesus.

See You Out on the Road.