Powerless Fear - Matthew 10 - Proper 7A

Powerless Fear

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Genesis 21: 8-21; Psalm 86 and Matthew 10: 24-39

Opening prayer 

Happy Fathers Day 

People have often tried to use the Scriptures to defend ways of thinking that come off a bit distorted. I have heard a number of content creators that try to assert that being attacked for their religious thought ought to be regarded as holy. When they do, they often land on texts like these as the basis. 

“Whoever doesn’t take up the cross and follow me is not worthy…”

For there is cost to be a believer and follower of Jesus, but what is it that drives that cost. What drives worth ? Fear and pain or something else entirely?

Fear surrounds the story in Genesis with the story of Hagar and Ishmael being cast out.  Sarah fears what could be of Ishmael, and then that fear follows Hagar and Ishmael on their journey into the unknown. 

Beloved, we come to faith in many ways. Just because I say I have faith, doesn’t really work, especially when I am holding onto fear. 

Although fear is sometimes a necessary survival instinct. Much negativity arise when we choose to fear, and then lean into that fear to divide, to harm, or to exclude. Hate and anger are surely to follow - by those inflicting and by those being targeted. Sarah and Abraham had reasons for what they did, but the result is cruel. 

There has to be many emotions going through Hagar and Ishmael as the water ran out. Can you blame them? She was made to bear Abraham’s child and then when Sarah gets anxious, they get tossed out. No “thank you” - just out!

Hagar prays, probably much like the psalm “Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my cry of supplication.” Have you ever made prayers like this?

Yet, God is there, assures Hagar and blesses her and Ishmael. 

I submit that God has a story for you too - even when you think you can’t go any further -  when it feels there is no place to turn  - and you have just had it. God has an amazing way of showing up and assuring.

Where do you need God today?

The vision of the cross is essential here. “Whoever does not take up the cross … is not worthy…” 

This isn’t a badge of courage or even just a symbol from which we hide behind. Interestingly, the cross doesn’t care about your religion or your contribution to society. It is an instrument of execution, of power over people; and torture for many who don’t get along with the social and political elite. It is used to project judgment, subjugation and exclusion because crucifixion happens outside of town as a demonstration.

At the same time, Jesus repeatedly says, “do not be afraid” because fear (the chosen kind) doesn’t welcome and doesn’t love. It compels negativity.  Jesus doesn’t want you, however, to be shackled to despair and misery. 

We pray, “In my day of trouble I call upon you…”

The cross is a metaphor of discipleship that reminds us that we have work to do. It reminds us where we lay our faith while assuring us that we have worth  - precisely because a broken world has tried to remove that worth and silence us.

Then, we pivot the display of the cross away from fear and subjugation. 

The cross is power of the powerless because this represents us, the oppressed, the coerced and the marginalized. This cross is our struggle and our pain.  It is where we lay our concerns and find respite. We take back power and find liberation. We take an instrument of destruction and mold into hope and the holy possible.

Beyond the metaphor, we are then to embody that holy possible in our faith, not to divide or give up, but instead - welcome and love. There will always be adversity and suffering, but our being does not need to stay there. There is possible, and God is showing you a way. 

We will find character and fortitude in love and our embodied welcome. 

We are on a journey and we may feel helpless and alone at times - but we are never alone. We may feel that we have been cast out and perhaps spit upon, but there is a horizon for us, waiting to be explored and God inspired.

We were created by love to love and witness love in others. That is not always easy, especially when the world knocks us down or casts us out. Yet holy love is what’s in you and precisely for you to find true strength.  

The cross is there for all, not just those who are powerless. The cross is for us who toil and who have sorrow to remember there is hope.  That means you too!

Lean into your faith, lean on the cross and find strength.

When we do find that strength, the Spirit around the cross, then, is there when we celebrate and find victory. 

That is truly transformational and phenomenal. From an instrument of death and dystopia into possible and Spirit.

Lift up your prayers! Cry to the Lord, and be answered, be healed.

Thanks be To God, Amen