That would be have been enough - Redeemer Episcopal

John 13:1-35

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ²The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, ⁴got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” ¹²After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

³¹When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³²If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.³³Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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If you would like to listen to this sermon (with the Spirit's infusions), you can click on this link. 

I have witnessed the practice of foot washing in many congregations, and there is always a bit of uneasiness surrounding the practice. It feels intimate and strange to us today. 

But foot washing was a common practice in Jesus’ time. If you have ever walked along the beach or a dirt road, you know how the small grains of sand and dirt seem to stick to everything, even if you are wearing shoes. It was common that as friends and family sat down to supper, the host of the meal or, if the host was wealthy enough, a servant would come around with a basin of water and a towel to wash the guests’ feet. 

End & Beginning | Radical service 

Foot washing marked the end of a long day in the dirt. It marked the beginning of fellowship time, the beginning of supper with friends and family. 

It was a servant’s job. It was a humble act of service that was honestly kind of gross. And the Son of God got on his knees and took on this task for his friends before supper. Jesus, God incarnate, the Word, the man who repeatedly does things that only God can do, boldly claiming “I and the Father are one” kneels down before his friends, humbling himself, and does servant work. 

And if that was the only thing he did, if he simply performed this practical and radical act of servanthood for his friends, then that alone would be incredible. It would be enough. 

End & Beginning | Radical hospitality 

But Jesus’ actions are never simple. Foot washing is never just foot washing. Jesus washing the feet of his disciples marked the end of an old command, and the beginning of a new ministry, a new commandment to love. 

Jesus washing the disciples’ feet is an act of radical hospitality for his friends, including even the one who will betray him in this act of love. This love in action says, “I and the Father are one, and you, too, are in unity with God through love. You are in unity with God through my love for you and your love for one another.” Love one another Jesus commands us. 

If that had been all he did, then that alone would have been incredible. It would have been enough. 

End & Beginning | Radical hope 

The act of foot washing is also a radical act of hope. The disciples know that their feet are going to get dirty again as soon as we go back out on the path, but they wash them anyway. We know that sin will cover us once again, yet we confess our sins and hear about God’s forgiveness anyway. 

We come back every week, sometimes several times a week, to hear the story that we already know— a story of radical hope in the face of unquestionable and seemingly unconquerable fear and death. We know that we will be overcome with the reality of sin and evil in this world as soon as we leave this place, maybe even within the walls of this place, but we come anyway— to be washed in the waters of baptism. We come back because Jesus gave us a new way to be nourished and filled with hope by Jesus’ very body and blood in the Eucharist.

If that had been all he did, then that alone would have been incredible. It would have been enough. 

End & Beginning | Radical love 

And we do this because we know that Jesus washing his disciples’ feet marks the end of his earthly ministry and the beginning of his journey to the cross. We know how worship ends tonight. We know we depart in silence, anticipating the next three days, repenting our part in this journey. And we also know that Jesus’ journey to the cross is a journey of radical love. Love that we are commanded to extend to all people. And radical love is just that— love incarnate. Love in action. Love to the point of death. Even the most humbling death— death on a cross. 

If that had been all he did, then that alone would have been incredible. It would have been enough. But we know that what seems to be the end of the story is only the beginning… 

This sermon was originally preached on Maundy Thursday, April 18, 2019 at Redeemer Episcopal Church. It was inspired by a song by a dear friend called Simply Enough by Justin Rimbo. You can listen to that here.  

Getting it Right - Redeemer Episcopal Church

Luke 19:28-40

²⁸After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.²⁹When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” ³²So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. ³³As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”³⁴They said, “The Lord needs it.” ³⁵Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. ³⁷As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, ³⁸saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” ³⁹Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” ⁴⁰He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

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To listen to this sermon (with the Spirit's infusions), click on this link.

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” Amen. 

Thus begins Holy Week. 

Interestingly enough, this year, Holy Week is also the last week of school for many college students. 

As I was chatting with our campus ministry students this past week, I was struck by how much pressure they are under as they begin exam week. I’m sure parents feel it, too, as their children begin testing in school. But there is something to be said about the pressure to perform, feeling like your own self-worth depends on it.  Young people are constantly inundated with the narrative that they are not good enough.

We fall right into step with it, too. It seems that it is so much easier for us to focus on the negative aspects of ourselves and our work. In my first interview for seminary, I was asked about my weaknesses and was able to rattle off a half a dozen of my character flaws in rapid succession. Then they asked about my strengths and we sat in silence for what felt like minutes while I tried to think of anything to say. And I don’t believe that it is totally about humility, either. I think we are conditioned to focus more on the things we get wrong so that we can constantly be improving ourselves, working harder, getting better. 

That’s why I want to focus on the processional reading instead of the passion narrative this morning. We have spent much of the Lenten season being reflective, penitent, and focusing on things that need to be pruned in our lives and ministry. Most preachers around town this morning will probably be preaching about how fickle we are as God’s followers. How we are just like the disciples who shout “blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord” today and “crucify him” in less than a week. And that is true. There is no denying that. But what I don’t want to ignore is that the DO shout “blessed is the king!” The disciples, for this brief moment, seem to get things right. And we do too. 

The reading opens up with Jesus telling two disciples to go into the village, steal a colt, and bring it to him. And they do. They do exactly as Jesus tells them to without asking any questions or coming up with any excuses. Then they threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. And as Jesus rode the colt into Jerusalem, it says that the whole multitude of disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power they had seen. They praise Jesus as king. The king who comes in the name of the Lord. The king who was prophesied about in scripture. 

The crowds were finally praising God for all the miracles they had seen instead of accusing Jesus of being possessed by a demon. The disciples cried out loudly for all to hear— yelling what was considered heretical to the Pharisees— and even when the Pharisees told Jesus to silence them, they continued to shout. 

The people who had been following Jesus for years, who had seen these wonderful miracles firsthand— they were finally getting it right and praising Jesus as king and Lord as he so rightly deserved. 

There are many other times when the disciples really get things wrong. If you’ve ever read even on of the gospel accounts, you can point to several occasions in which the disciples— those closest to Jesus— just had no idea what was going on. We’ll have several opportunities to hear about those times during the next week— on Wednesday, Thursday, and twice on Friday. Including, like I said, less than a week from now when the cries of “blessed is the king” turn into the crowds screaming “crucify him!” 

But this morning, just for this brief time, I hope we can celebrate the times when they get it right and when we get it right. Even if we don’t get it right very often— maybe one day every few years for a few minutes each day. As people 2000 years removed from this passage, as people who maybe never experience Jesus’ healing touch or had our eyes physically opened by the Son of God— don’t you think we should celebrate when we get it right? When our faithfulness is pure and holy? When we look to God and to one another instead of ourselves? 

I see that here. I see glimpses of the Kingdom of God here in this community. 

Food pantry - feeds hundreds of people every month 

Our commitment to campus ministry 

Willingness to reach beyond the walls of this sanctuary 

Stephen Ministry - being a presence for those in need, truly being the body of Christ 

Even in the short time I have been here, I have had the privilege of witnessing the Spirit stir in this community. And it seems by some miracle, every once in a while, we get it right. And it beautiful. 

In this world, in a society, that focuses so much on our flaws and all the things we do wrong— it’s almost provocative, even divisive, to lift up one another’s gifts and our own gifts. It’s sort of revolutionary to say, “yes, today, with this ministry, with our hearts in this moment, we got it right.” 

And God celebrates with us. It pleases God when we get it right, even if it’s not very often. 

But even on the days that we get things so horribly wrong, when we refuse to listening to the calling of the Spirit, when we turn away from God and our neighbor, God is with us in that too. Unlike us, God does not have a fickle heart. God never wavers and is always faithful. God is always calling after us, chasing after us with arms wide open. As a shepherd looking for one lost sheep, as a father waiting for his son to return home, as a woman searching for a lost coin. God is calling out to us as God’s beloved children.

So let us not forget, that as our fickle and sinful hearts move so rapidly from screaming, “blessed is the king” to “crucify him,” God is loving and faithful— even to the point of death. Amen.

This sermon was preached by me Sarah Locke at Redeemer Episcopal Church on April 14, 2019. 

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How will we live the life we get to live? - Redeemer Episcopal

Luke 13:1-9 (NRSV) 

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ²He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? ³No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. ⁴Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

⁶Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. ⁷So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ ⁸He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. ⁹If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

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You can listen to my sermon here.

Click on Mar 24, 2019 - Lent 3, "What we do matters"

(It is fairly similar to what is written below.)

There have been far too many tragedies lately. Between the cyclones throughout Mozambique, and the massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand— just naming those two are enough. But in the United States, we have seen unprecedented winter storms, terrible fires, bomb cyclones and floods throughout the midwest, and it seems every other week there is news of more violence. As I scanned the news, I realized that I could spend twenty minutes recounting the horrific things that have happened just in this past week. But I don’t need to do that for all of us to know that there have been far too many tragedies lately. 

This lament echoes the crowd’s from the gospel text as they their own story to Jesus this morning. Pilate had massacred Galileans recently. Jesus replies with another story: one of 18 people who were killed in an accident when a tower fell on them.

These tragedies, like the ones we experience today, begin to turn the wheels of our minds and hearts. They made people feel anxious. The question on the crowd’s mind was, “why did these people die?” That’s often the question we ask when bad things happen, right? Why? 

And the rest of the question doesn’t matter so much: we can fill in the blank… 

Why did God allow this to happen? 

Why did these people die?

Why do bad things happen to innocent and good people?

We are often asking “why?” 

Jesus replies that it is not a question of “why” they died, but that we will all die: the question is how will we live in the meantime? 

Father Wiley has been telling us for a few weeks now, that Lent is not a time to put aside our vices for a few weeks, just to pick them back up again after Easter. So, I’ll repeat what the rector has said before: vices, ideas, perspectives, and ideologies that we set at the foot of Christ, even as a Lenten discipline, should never be picked back up again. Jesus is explicit in the story this morning— life is fragile and short. What we do in the meantime matters. 

Lent is a time of preparation, a time of examining our lives, and ultimately, a time of repentance. That is what Jesus says in the text twice: “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. No, I tell you; unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” 

Now, I thought about bringing a milk crate to stand on this morning and just yelling “repent or perish!” for 8 to 10 minutes, like the campus preachers do on the green at UNF. But first of all, it doesn’t really seem to be working for the campus preachers, and secondly, I think we have the wrong idea about repentance. And perishing, for that matter. 

Usually when I hear the word “repent,” I think about feeling really sorry for something, expressing regret for my faults and my sins, or even becoming more morally righteous. I should BE a better person if I’m truly repentant. And ultimately, I think those preachers on the green are concerned about how good we are on earth so that we don’t go to hell when we die.  

But repentance is less about where we go when we die, and more about how we live our lives today. If sin is turning away from God’s grace and neighbor, repentance is actively turning TOWARD God’s grace and our neighbor. Repentance is about accepting and living into the fact that God has already saved us from the power of sin through Jesus life, death, and resurrection. 

When Jesus talks of “perishing,” he isn’t talking about some divine punishment in the afterlife. He means that when we deny God and God’s grace, we are not able to fully live into who we were created to be. Our souls are not whole. We perish in comparison to the life we could be living in Christ. And this life is fragile and this life is short. What we do in the meantime matters. 

God has given us an incredible opportunity to seize God’s graciousness in this life. God does not leave us to our own devices to repent and be made new. As Jesus’ parable suggests, God gives us everything we need to flourish and produce good fruit: we are formed and reformed in baptism, nourished and fed in the holy meal, reminded of God’s goodness and love in God’s Word, enriched and cultivated with the liturgy. God has extended grace upon grace to God’s people through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Now we are asked to do what we were made by God to do: produce good fruit, actively turn back to God and to our neighbors, to see the world with the lens of grace instead of the lens of sin.  

Therefore, in this season of Lent, I invite you to examine those things that cause you to perish and cast aside your lens of sin for the lens of eternal and everlasting grace that God in Christ Jesus has gifted us on the cross. Because this life is fragile and this life is short. What we do in the meantime matters. Amen. 

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This sermon (or a Spirited version of it) was originally preached by me, Rev. Sarah Locke, on March 24, 2019 at Redeemer Episcopal in Jacksonville, Florida where I serve as the Assisting Priest and College Chaplain.