there currents pull us past the boarder

steady your boats / arms to shoulder

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke!

Get lost. Take a hike. Beat it. Go to He/ 

Well, you get the idea..

Not a proper way to say, ‘well, I guess we disagree on this issue.’ 

Only crass folks would talk like that. I’m sure none of you saints have ever said such a thing… 

You can learn a lot about the character of someone by the way they speak. Which is why today, I have to tell you, you have a savior who would say something like that.

And not only that! Your savior doesn’t just have a dirty mouth. You have the kind of savior who would tell you to go to Helena, Montana. If you catch my drift… 

There isn’t any love lost between the Pharisees and Jesus. 

They never seem to agree on anything; they’re like republicans and democrats that way. Throughout the Gospel they’re always butting heads.

Today, in the Gospel, it finally comes to a head. 

Admittedly, the Pharisees couldn’t have imagined their run-in with Jesus was going to end the way it did. In fact, they probably thought they were doing him a favor. Despite all their past arguments, they couldn’t just sit back and watch Jesus just fall into Herod’s clutches. 

So one day, as Jesus is preaching in some town or another on his way to Jerusalem, the Pharisees come up to him. “You ought to be more careful,” they warn. “You’re in Herod’s jurisdiction now. You remember Herod, right? He’s the one who locked your cousin, John, up. Then one day beheaded him just to save face,” they say. 

The Pharisees see Jesus, and can’t help but take pity on him. They figure the poor guy has no idea about the danger he’s in. The better part of valor compels them to, at least, give Jesus a heads up. He’s in danger. He shouldn’t be there. He needs to be more careful…

Rather than heed their prudent advice, though, Jesus tells them to go… Well, you get the idea… 

Jesus stiffens his neck and looks the Pharisees in the eye. “You think I’m in danger,” he scoffs. 

“Listen, instead of telling me to run; why don’t you go. Go back to Herod, that fox, and tell him for me, that I’m on my way. Today and tomorrow I’m setting people free from threats like his. Then, on the third day, he’d really better look out! He’d better look out, because on the third day, his power is gone,” declares Jesus.

The Pharisees thought Jesus was in danger, that he’d better run. Jesus, though, insists he isn’t the one in trouble, Herod is. Furthermore, Jesus sends the Pharisees off with a message for Herod the tyrant king; with fighting words no less! Herod is the one who’s in real trouble!

The Pharisees thought they were just clueing Jesus in. Instead of thanking them, though, Jesus tell them to go to hellll-P him with something. Jesus sends them back to that despot everyone feared, with a message…

Finally the problem was the Pharisees had it all wrong; and we do too.

How often do we do the same thing? 

How many times has Jesus shown up, and we try and tell him it’s too dangerous, that he shouldn’t be showing up in this or that place?

I can speak for myself; Jesus has a way of showing up where I’m not so sure he should. Those places in my life I’d rather just ignore. The folks a few blocks to the West I’m careful not to walk too late at night.  

Well today, for all our good intentions; Jesus just points us right back to where you came from - us and the horse we rode in on! 

Like the Pharisees, Jesus tells you to go to hell. Literally!

That’s the kind of savior you have!

Isn’t that what The Church tells you to confess week after week in the Apostle’s Creed???

Those places where Sin and Death threaten us, Jesus just shows up. Then, when we try and tell him he’s in danger, he only stiffens his neck!

“You think I’m in danger,” he dares. “No, its Death that’s in trouble. You think I’m treading too close to Hell on Earth, no I’m bringing the Kingdom of God wherever I go. I’m on my way, and nothing is going to stop me until I’m finished,” he growls

Then, Jesus sends us back— and not to compromise, either. No, he send us with a warning to that old foe. 

“You tell the Devil, that liar, and all his minions too, that their days numbered. Tell him I’m out and about. I’m at work. I’m coming for him. He’d better look out. In fact, give him the day I’ll attack. The third day,” Jesus tells you. 

Jesus sends you to give the Devil, not fair warning, but a declaration of war. 

Jesus sends you to proclaim that like Herod, the forces of Sin and Death are the ones who are really in danger. Those forces that defy God; had better look out. 

You don’t need to fear them, and your savior certainly doesn’t!

So go; go to hell. Go to those places where Sin and Death wreak their havoc. Go, and give warning. Go and pick a fight on behalf of your savior! Tell them their days are numbered because of the kind of savior you have!

Go!

I notice you’re not going…

Perhaps you will shirk from your task. Maybe instead of going back to those places in your life and the world that are at odds with God; you will keep running from them. I know I am often tempted to.

We could chicken out.

No worries, though. 

For one thing, the kind of savior you have just loves little chickens like us. That’s Jesus’ will, after all. The kind of savior who would send his people to Death’s doorstep with a taunt, is the kind of savior who would rather do nothing other than gather up little chickadees like us, just the way a mother hen does. 

That’s why Herod with his threats, Sin and it’s destruction, Death and it’s chaos —has just got to go.

Nothing will keep Jesus from his brood. He’s on his way to gather his people up, and nothing will stop him until he’s done. 

And that’s finally they real reason not to lose sleep if any of us go AWOL on our mission. 

Just as Jesus wouldn’t let the cowardice of the Pharisees keep him from being about his business, he certainly won’t let our’s either. 

Jesus on his way. Today and tomorrow, he’s freeing his people from the power of Sin and Death. 

On the third day, though…

Well on the third day, he finishes his work. On the third day he empties the power behind the threats like Herod’s. On the third day, Jesus kills Death itself! Death loses its sting! Sin loses its power!

That’s the kind of savior you have! 

The kind who would finally destroy death. The kind who won’t be kept from his mission. The kind who would send you to hell with a message. 

Jesus sends those who would try and warn him of danger, right back to those places where Sin and Death separate the brood from their mother hen. Those places where the fox terrorizes the henhouse. 

Jesus sends you there, with fighting words. To tell Death himself, that old cheat, that his days are numbered. His power is gone!

So go!

Go to hell! 

You don’t need to fear. Sin should. Death had better! But not you. Not you.

You don’t need to run. Jesus of Nazareth is on his way! It’s all those forces that oppose God that had better run.

Jesus could have run from Herod. That’s what the Pharisees tried to convince him to do. But he didn’t. Jesus could have escaped Herod or Death for that matter; instead he went after them.

 Now nothing is beyond his grasp!

Not Sin or Death; and not you either.

Jesus is on his way. Gathering his brood. 

So you, you who Jesus has gathered; go. Go to hell and taunt the enemy. Go to those who have been scattered by that fox and announce their rescue! 

Go and see that Jesus was right, when he he shows up to his people; we’ll all cry, “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Yes! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!