sermon excerpts: Home Court Advantage?

In professional sports, hosting the other team in your arena, stadium, ballpark, is an advantage. You’re familiar with the dynamics of the space, quirks of lighting and sightlines, the fans are on your side, cheering for you and booing the opposition. The home team expects to have an edge in the competition.

So whether it is hockey, baseball, basketball, football or soccer, it’s good to be playing in front of the home crowd. It wasn’t that way in Nazareth. Jesus returns home to some hostility. Maybe some envy or snobbery is at play.

So we see the result. Jesus was unable to do much of anything there. He healed a few people and had to leave, amazed that the unbelief of his hometown. We come away with an understanding that miracles are a two-party endeavour. There needs to be someone to give and someone willing to receive. Both sides need to have the faith and trust, or openness and willingness to believe something great will happen. The people of Nazareth were not ready for miracles, at least not from Jesus.

Rebuffed and rejected, Jesus regrouped and re-strategized and sent the disciples out to all the neighbouring towns to continue the work of the God’s love present and powerful in the world. He tells them to not bother packing, no change of clothes, no provisions or supplies of food; only what they need for the journey – a walking stick and sandals. They were not to bring anything for the destination; theirs was to be a ministry on the move.

I look at churches now and see that we’ve drifted away from that idea. We’ve constructed grand buildings and expect people to come to them. That happened for a long time and we’ve taken that model for granted as the pathway to success.

But more and more people are wondering these days if churches limit the effectiveness of the gospel. Have we boxed God into a building and limit God’s presence to one small space one morning each week? We see that from the disciples’ missions, they were to be active and close to the people. They were sent out with authority.

When Jesus came along, he established a new way; power from within being unlocked, accessed and used. Jesus enabled people to trust in themselves. He did not let the amazing unbelief of his hometown defeat him or let that negativity define the rest of his ministry. He did not become bitter or cynical. He had to alter his plans, yes; but he did not let that failure define his ministry.

He did not let other people’s disapproval sway him from what he knew to be true. He did not let rejection change his self-image. Jesus knew that he was the Christ, the saviour, capable of miracles and healing, and treated himself that way. His authority and power came from within.

He encouraged the same from his disciples. They went out with power and authority to cast out unclean spirits. Jesus advises them to travel light, trust in the goodness and hospitality of others and move on. If you are rejected, don’t dwell on it. Your time and energy is far too valuable to spend on regret and negativity. There is an entire world that needs saving and if the people don’t want to hear it, respect their decision.

Does that mean that God only gives a one-time offer? If people don’t accept the gospel message then and there, they’re doomed? No, there is a certain arrogance in play if we think we’re the only ones who can make a difference. In theological books and conferences, it’s called “functional atheism”. Because we act like we don’t trust that God exists if we think we’re the only ones who can do God’s work. There is an entire world out there of people with talents, gifts and personalities that may be a better fit for the task at hand. Just because we’re not the people to do the job, doesn’t mean that it won’t get done.

For us it means that as a community, we support those who call this place home. Regardless of how successful, or unsuccessful, their lives turn out to be. And as we happen venture forth into the towns and cities around us, meeting others on the way, let us know and trust ourselves using the authority and power that God gave us.

It is so easy to let others tell us how to think of ourselves, or compare ourselves to others who appear to be more successful like churches who have more money, more attendance, more kids, less conflicts; let us instead concentrate on and build up all that is good here around us. We are prepared for the journey, let us travel lightly and together, knowing that Christ goes with us and we are never alone.