March 12, 2000
Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco.
Getting Ready for a Trip
For most of us, we have gone on a trip. The worst part of the trip is packing to go. There are so many things to throw in just in case we might need it. How about a raincoat, an umbrella, extra socks, extra underwear, maybe something dressier to go out at night. That means we would need black shoes or a jacket and tie. Then we would need casual clothes too for sightseeing, hiking, swimming, or playing golf. Just in case we have an afternoon to play. We pack in a first-aid kit, flashlight in case the hotel loses power. Now we also travel with all kinds of technological innovations these days: video camera, alarm clock, laptop in case we need to read our e-mail, hair dryer, cell phone, pager, Disc-man, and a Gameboy. Then we “can’t leave home without” our credit cards and ATM cards in case we might want to buy an antique table. For perhaps a short weekend trip, we pack to make sure we are not unprepared.
We want to be ready for anything. Might packing for “anything” to happen include famine, hurricane, power outage, meeting the President, being stranded from striking workers, or even being robbed by a thief? We are prepared for anything and everything we might encounter on the road or at the hotel itself.
Packing this way reflects our popular culture to anticipate anything that might happen or go wrong. Economists scold us for not having enough in our savings. Investment brokers warn us not to rely on Social Security alone for retirement. Several times a month, I receive junk mail selling me either term or life insurance. These people are playing on our fears and our desire for security. We are promised that “We are in good hands with Allstate.” And although we may be the ones who don’t have the good fortune to invest wisely and to protect ourselves against hardship and calamity, we admire those who can.
But popular culture would not know what to say about today’s reading of the gospel. The gospel utterly contradicts actuarial tables and recommendations of financial planners. Although the gospel talks about preparation, it doesn’t resemble the way most of the world functions.
Jesus’ Preparation
Today’s Scripture is a preparation story of Jesus getting ready for public ministry. It starts earlier before this passage when John the Baptizer crying out in the wilderness said, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” John was getting people ready for the promised kingdom by preaching a baptism of repentance.
He was telling people what is to come, “I have baptized you with water; but he (the Messiah) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” John was calling his listeners to get ready for the promised one by turning away from their sins, being baptized into new life by him, and by waiting for the kingdom to come. John was urging everyone to start packing for this great adventurous trip that is about to happen.
The Scriptures say that, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” We know that Jesus didn’t have any sins to be forgiven, but he was getting ready for this upcoming trip to Jerusalem. He wanted to show his followers that if he as the leader were to be baptized, then they could be too. This is a sure sign of a “good tour leader.”
Through his baptism, Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures and out of the heavens, a voice said, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” But Jesus’ preparation wasn’t complete with his baptism, he needed to go away from home.
I think this is very relevant to us today—we need to leave home in order to discover God’s plan for our lives. Many young people leave home for higher education and return home with a deeper understanding of their life’s calling. Others may go out into the business world and test their abilities against some of the best minds to discover God’s gifts in them. And like the Prodigal Son story, there are some of us who go away from home in troubling ways and still God miraculously guides us to return with a renewed identity of being his children. We need to leave home in order to come home.
For Jesus’ preparation for his trip, he went away from home. And he didn’t go on a cruise on the Sea of Galilee or stayed at the Capernaum Sheraton, he went into a wilderness. Rather than a suitcase full of safari clothing, survival gadgets, Army food, and other “in case I need it” stuff, Jesus had nothing but the clothes on his back. And there were no golden arches in the desert.
This was a long trip even in today’s standards—forty days and forty nights! Luke and Matthew said that afterward Jesus was hungry. I would think that the only things on Jesus’ mind and stomach were oxtails at Uncle’s and a warm bath and soft bed in the local Holiday Inn. But Jesus’ preparation was of a different sort.
Jesus’ preparation included temptation by Satan, tormented by hunger, alone except for wild beasts. Being tempted by Satan will prepare Jesus for other temptations of doubt that he might have about his mission. Being tormented by hunger will help him teach that in God’s kingdom, we do not live by bread alone, but the Bread of Life. Being alone and threatened by wild beasts will help him to endure the authorities and danger that he is about to encounter. This was our Lord’s preparation. He was given a preview of the many struggles that would challenge him during his ministry.
Jesus’ time in the wilderness may be more like being in boot camp than on a vacation. Just as Noah’s obedience and faithfulness were tested in building the ark, so Jesus’ commitment to his messianic purpose was tested and strengthened by the wilderness before his public ministry began.
Our Preparation for the Trip
When we go on a trip, we try to make sure we are ready for anything to happen. We have our immodium ID, our Swiss Army knife, even a good paperback for those long periods waiting in line. We are prepared for any adversity that could come our way.
But when we read the gospel, it suggests a different kind of preparation for those who follow the Son of Man. In verses 14 and 15, we see the immediate outcome of Jesus’ preparation. John the Baptist was arrested and Jesus took up his message of “the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”
When we follow Jesus on this discipleship trip, we do so without all the safe guards against potential calamity and adversity. In fact, we see the disciples leaving behind jobs and families—not worrying about investing in IRAs for retirement. They were financially vulnerable.
Jesus took up a ministry that left him nowhere to lay his head. He was misunderstood, constantly challenged by the Scribes and the Pharisees, misquoted, betrayed and finally crucified by those he came to save. Those who follow the cross on this discipleship trip found they had gotten ready for a career of “afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, and hunger” as recorded by Paul in 2 Corinthians 6. Obedience and commitment to God’s purpose clearly do not guarantee protection from trouble.
In this season of Lent, Christians are tempted to play “Let’s Make a Deal” with God. We might want to believe that if we participated in a little bit of self-discipline, we might buy some divine blessings and approval. This is not getting ready for our trip with Jesus.
3 Rs to Get Ready
The way we get ready can be described as the 3 Rs. This is not reading, writing, and arithmetic. It is Repenting, Receiving, and Relying.
1. Repenting
Getting ready means repenting: being sorry for our sins, turning away from it and with God’s help, amending our way. This is very difficult for people like us today when we don’t see absolutes as relevant. Everything is relative. We protest when someone is trying to correct us and we yell back, “You can do it your way and leave my way alone.”
So often we come to God like spoiled children, protesting that “she hit me first!” as though that cancels our hitting back. Repentance involves a letting go of ego-serving excuses, or protesting that we’re only human, or that the “devil made me do it.”
When we repent for our sins, we stand with the multitudes who asked John the Baptist, “What must we do?” realizing that we are not right with our souls. Becoming honest with the Lord, we begin to see ourselves as God sees us: needy, broken, unable to do as we know we ought. This is getting ready through repentance.
2. Receiving
Getting ready also means receiving the one announced by John. Simon and Andrew, James and John received the Messiah, leaving their fishing nets and packing their entire lives to go on a trip with Jesus.
For us, receiving Christ is committing ourselves and our love to him: acknowledging him as king of heaven and the promised Messiah. The one with whom the Father “was well pleased” becomes our joy as well. Christ’s presence is our chief desire. And when we are baptized in the waters of baptism, we become heirs to the kingdom inaugurated by Christ.
3. Relying
And finally getting ready means relying on Jesus alone to lead us through the wilderness. As our tour guide for life, he’s been there already so he knows the rough terrain and the dangerous places. Whether it may be 40 days of hungering for meaning or devilish temptation to give up our faith or the wild threats and dangerous beasts that persecute us, we can rely on Jesus.
Surely even in our very safe and comfortable lifestyle living in San Francisco, we are not 100% protected against calamity and unexpected adversity. We may pack everything we can think of before going on a trip, but there will always be something that will catch us off guard. These life circumstances may be the grief of losing something or someone we cherish. It may be silent loneliness even when we live in a densely populated city. It might be uncertainty of which way to go when nothing seems to be clear at the moment. It may be outright persecution when there is hostility, abuse, and neglect that threaten your health and safety. Whatever this desert wasteland may be, Jesus said that we can rely on him to show us the way. He promised that he will never get us lost nor forsake us.
Scripture reminds us that “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13).
The 3 Rs Castle
Are you ready to go on this discipleship trip with Jesus? Here’s a little story for your journey.
Once upon a time a weary traveler was wandering down a dark and scary road. Suddenly there appeared before him a bright and marvelous castle with a welcome sign over the entrance. Knowing he had reached rest and safety at last, the traveler felt glad.
Approaching the open gate he saw a strange sight. Other lost travelers were walking right past the castle as if it wasn’t there. He asked a castle resident about this strange behavior and heard this reply: “This is the 3 Rs castle. It can be seen only by those who realize and admit they have lost their way. The castle can’t appear to persons who pretend to know where they are going, who demand their own way.
Your own honesty with the Lord and to see yourself as God sees you: needy, broken, and unable to do as you know you ought, made the castle appear to you. Enter, for all its promises are now yours.
Are you ready for anything on this discipleship trip with Jesus? Pack in repenting, receiving, and relying. When Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand,” this challenging and dangerous trip into the wilderness of our lives is about to happen. And we know that when we are through, we are promised that there’s a wonderful ending to this trip with Jesus Christ! He is risen!
Let us pray.
Dear God, prepare our lives to be ready to go on this trip with you as your disciples in this world for life. Lead us to repent, receive, and rely on you on this journey of faith. Amen.