June 30, 2022

 It’s summer time finally, a great time for a road trip.  School isn’t holding us back anymore.  We’ve got to decide where we’re headed.  We’ll have to pack and we’ll have to get the car tuned up.  And we’ll have to decide who is driving.

          In today’s readings, we’re going somewhere.  In the Galatians reading, school’s out and we’re free, only we’re being reminded that our freedom isn’t going to be hours playing video games or going to drunken parties, but that this freedom means that we can get some things done that really need doing. We can use this freedom for serving others in need, and that we can cultivate these fruits of the Spirit—grow a garden where we tend peace, patience, love, joy, self-control, kindness, generosity, and faithfulness.

          This road trip has a clear destination, Jerusalem.  This isn’t a trip for pleasure.  Jesus has chosen Jeruselem because it represents the powers of this world that defy God.  The name “Jerusalem” literally refers to a place of peace and peace is something Jesus is very much interested in.  God has had a plan for the people to be at peace, except the city of Jerusalem has offered little peace throughout the ages.  It is a place where powerful people in politics and religion use their power and grow their power to advance their own self-interest, not to serve God or people in need.  So this conflict has been brewing between Jesus and Jerusalem.  Jesus has come to fulfill the promise of peace  that Jerusalem has been unable and unwilling to fulfill and he’s singularly focused on heading there to bring peace, justice, and hope. 

          For now, Jesus is driving.  He packs light.  He doesn’t have any motel reservations for the way there.  He’s going to be relying on people’s kindness to feed him and his disciples along the way.  Jesus is driving, first because he is the most motivated to get there.  Second, he knows the way.  And he won’t be making too many stops.  Jesus is not easily distracted from his focus—he has set his face toward Jerusalem.  He is moving forward and no amount of complaining among the disciples or any of their requests to stop for various treats and side trips is going to work.  Jesus is on a schedule, to arrive in Jerusalem before the Passover and to have time to prepare for all that will be taking place.

          Jesus drives like the driving instructor all told us in driver’s ed.  Look out ahead of the car by many car lengths.  Be aware of those in front of you, of the bigger picture.  Look in your rearview mirror and back out the windshield.  Check your side mirrors, and look out the windshield.  And every time Jesus stops for gas or to let the disciples stretch their legs, he’s like my grandpa and he’s got his own squeegee and he’s cleaning the windshield so he can see where he’s going without distractions. 

          As he’s driving, Jesus is instructing his disciples and preparing them.  They won’t have him with them much longer and they will have to get by on their own.  He’s letting some of them drive different parts of the trip so that they will be ready to drive on their own.  The disciples, being inexperienced drivers, are easily distracted.  They get cut off on the freeway and they get rather road-ragey.  They want to call down fire upon their enemies.  Jesus urges them not to get distracted from their goal—to keep focused on the road and the safety of everyone on the road. 

          Jesus is making sure they understand the cost of taking such a trip, that there are disappointments and accidents and not everyone you meet is friendly to your cause or wants to help.  Sometimes you get lost on the way there.  The cost in Jerusalem will be enormous and Jesus is trying to help them understand that every decision they make will have consequences for good or ill.  And it isn’t always clear what is bad and what is good because sometimes you discover something about yourself when you encounter a barrier and become more resilient and compassionate in overcoming it.  Sometimes it seems like you’re completely stuck and that you’ve wasted your time, but when you stay focused on your goal of growing and learning to love one another, there is always something more you can learn and your trip will not be wasted.

As they stop in various towns, Jesus invites even more people to go along on the trip.  Some are interested, but others have excuses.  They aren’t invested in the goal.  Jesus is trying to get everyone on the bus, but not everyone is ready to be on the bus and Jesus doesn’t have much time to wait around for people to get their business in order.  He invites, but he is also not going to be held back if people aren’t as ready as he is.

This Gospel ends with an ominous saying that anyone who drives while looking over their shoulder is not fit for the Kingdom of God.  We’d probably better keep our eyes on the road.  That makes sense, but it begins us questioning our fitness.  Who is worthy then?  Not I.  I am distracted.  I am not singularly focused.  I have family.  I have friends.  I have commitments.  I cannot come to the banquet, don’t bother me now.  I have married a wife I have bought me a cow.  I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum.  Pray hold me excused I cannot come!  We have other priorities.  We are not fit.  Not any of us. 

Jesus is really the only one who can maintain that focus and not be pulled aside by temptation.  This is how we know that although he has responsibilities and focus, he is the one who is free.  We are slaves to sin and temptation.  Our distractions and excuses rule our lives and hold us captive.  We are not worthy.  We are not Jesus.

Only Jesus is Jesus.  He is the one who is truly focused on bringing God’s love and peace.  And we aren’t, but we’re on this trip, so that makes us Disciples.  Learners.  Students.  We could give up because of our unworthiness.  But Jesus invites us to follow.  He might get tired of our excuses and distractions.  We probably get tired of our own excuses and distractions.  We might think we should just give up.  But how will we learn if we never try?  Just because we will never be an award-winning singer or chef or artist, should we never try?  Just because we will never be perfect should we just give up?  So we are invited on this road trip and Jesus is even going to let us drive part of the way.  Will we get irritated with each other in the car?  Yes!  Will we grow from this experience?  Yes!

We’re on a road trip together.  Jesus is maintaining the focus and we’re following him toward Jerusalem, toward justice, toward risk and danger, toward growth and new life.  We’re learning along the way.  We’re making mistakes.  We’re irritating each other.  We’re getting over it.  We’re learning a lot.  We’re growing in faithfulness, gentleness, patience, and self-control.

I know sometimes it feels like we’re going the wrong way, like the arc of the moral universe  is not bending toward justice, like we’re going the wrong way.  In times like these it is important not to get distracted trying to smite our enemies or lose focus or to give up.  People are depending on us to go the distance.  So we push on believing in what is good and right, believing in the liberation and freedom of each person and the new life God has in mind for all creation.  Our hope is strong and we will not be moved from the path that Jesus is leading us on.

I know it’s early, but I am enjoying this road trip with you, Trinity.  I find it very exciting to see who signs up for what ministries and committees and how you all see your gifts fitting in.  This is kind of like a caravan.  I love to see the combinations of people.  Who is getting into what car with whom?  What exciting combinations of people are coming together to get this or that done?  What life experience does each person bring and what perspectives shape each one.  What ways of communicating are the same or different than other people in the group or committee?  And then I get to be part of the mix, so no matter how well you know your topic, I’m going to throw you off a little and hopefully help you focus and maybe you’ll want to take driving instruction from me and maybe not and maybe you’ll have a lot of instructions for me.  I love to see the new people you are including and inviting in the ministries here and how they too change the mix and make it more interesting.  We’re revitalizing our committees and it means risk, frustration, but also joy and new life.  I was clear when I came that I don’t particularly like meetings, but I like road trips and I’m glad to be on this road trip with you.  I hope you will take some risks and try somethings you may not feel fit for, so that you can learn and grow and also to help give those established committees new energy and life and a new perspective. 

And may we not just road trip with our congregation, but caravan with neighboring congregations and organizations in relationship.  Let us ask around in our community, where is justice needed and set our face toward that place with Jesus leading us.