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As this month-long sermon series ends today, I want to say thanks again to our First Church Drama Team; Amy Walker, Lee Ann Smoot, & keyboardist, John Churchwell for starting us off with their own rendition of the 1968 Broadway Play, “Promises, Promises!” Your talents seem endless!
When the gospel of Mark begins, Jesus isn’t talking at all—he’s watching, looking, searching, pondering, discerning, and finding. The one doing all the talking is not Jesus, but his fiery bug-eating older cousin, John. But John’s preaching and meddling in the affairs of kings, priests, and scribes eventually land him in prison and THAT is when, Mark says, it is Jesus’ turn-and his own proclaiming begins. The theme of his preaching can be summed up in one short expression: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news!” And, you might be surprised at who clamored to hear more and become caught up in repenting and believing!
Common fisherman around the Galilee. Simon, Andrew, James & John, Zebedee’s boys—they seem hand-picked by this distant relative of John the Baptist and when he says, “Follow me!” away they go, not even checking in with Zebedee, their wives or families, leaving everything behind.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes further up the lake to Capernaum and finds himself as comfortable in the synagogue as he seemed out there on the lake shore with the fishermen. There too, he finds words to say, teaching even the scholars and experts things they hadn’t even considered before. It was a sight to see and hear, that’s for sure. Even mysterious voices from the spirit-world of the deep cried out in protest to such an exposure of the most profound truths of life, still he would not cease—on Jesus went, unafraid. His fame spread everywhere.
With a reputation like that, Jesus soon has lots and lots of words… yes, the bible’s full of them, which today we casually call the “red-letter stuff.” Some of Jesus’ “red” words are commands, instructions, teachings, parables, warnings. Can you imagine what it might have been like to have been one of those earliest disciples like Andrew or Simon hearing Jesus say things like, “Take up your cross and follow me!” “Unless you become like a little child, you can’t enter the kingdom!” Or “When a Roman soldier slaps your face, turn your other cheek to him!” What on earth would you/could you say to him to assure him that you’d promise to be a good disciple? Indeed what could you say to assure him you’d do your best—is there any promise you could possibly muster from deep within yourself that would be enough?
Well, as you might guess, there aren’t words anywhere that can guarantee such a promise. None whatsoever. Instead, quite the opposite happens most of the time. Disciples though they and we may be, we hear some embarrassing but honest protests come out of the lips of Peter, Thomas, or Mary and wonder if they’re formed there on our own lips too. “No Lord! I can’t do it!” “Which one of us is really the greatest, Jesus?” “You’ve got to watch your back, Jesus—and if you won’t then I can’t go with you at all!” When it comes to making discipleship promises we’re not very good promise-keepers at all. But the good news today, the very best news of all is that it’s not OUR promises that ultimately matter anyway—it’s Jesus’ promises that really matter. So that’s what I want to remind you about–what I focus on today are his promises. I believe Jesus’ promises will help you up when you’ve stumbled and fallen down. His promises will lift you out of your despair and discouragement where you’ve been beating yourself up. Jesus’ promises can remind you that you can start over again… a second time, a third time, for the umpteenth time as if it were just your very first time.
In your tension-filled homes and fractured relationships, fraught with hatred, meanness, ugliness, and mental & emotional pain, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) That’s a promise Jesus keeps!
Feeling pulled apart by all the forces and powers Hell can muster– so strong it seems we’re sinking to our spiritual death, Jesus says, My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28) The strong nail-scared shepherd’s hands of Jesus are stronger than any force Hell can hurl against us—and when Jesus says, “No one will snatch them out of my hand,” I believe Jesus will keep his promise!
When bickering, complaining, lying, and gossip threaten to tear a church apart and leaders are at the ends of their ropes in confusion and exhaustion, Jesus says, “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. If two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father I heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them!” (John 18:15-20) That’s all it takes… as hard as it might seem to believe, if there are just two or three who will gather, even in the midst of all the meanness and ugliness-if just two or three will, instead, gather in the name of Jesus and stand firm in the mayhem like sentinels, Jesus’ presence will be there. Jesus promises. Believe it—call on him!
When you’re facing the worst alienation and loneliness you’ve ever known and think you’re beyond help, beyond restoration, not even worth saving and feel completely lost and unloved, remember Jesus’ promise that “Nothing will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord—nothing, neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35; 38-39) There’s no sin too great that you’ve committed that has so strong a curse on you that Jesus can’t break it with his love. There’s no hardship you can endure; no distress or persecution you can face; no peril, nakedness, or harm you can face that can keep you from the love of Jesus. Jesus promises a love that is stronger than anything you’ll ever experience that would drive you away from God. Count on it-stake your life on it.
Are you beginning to get the picture? When you’re convinced that you’re the only one left. When you’re certain that no one but you really cares anymore. When you don’t feel you have a friend left in the world and are ready to just chuck it all and give up completely, remember Jesus’ promise, “Remember… I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Or, put a different way … “I will never leave you or forsake you!” (Hebrews 13:5). In the middle of sleepless nights, believe these promises. In the middle of the night when terror strikes your soul, recite them out loud! When fear and panic threatens to undo you, blanket your weary assaulted soul with every single promise Jesus made.
Our promises will, no doubt, fail us. Like these Galilean disciples before us who boasted of this or that capability, who stuck their chests out with such bravado and made arrogant claims like, “Lord which of us gets to sit on your right or your left side in glory?” may we cling to these promises that really matter the most—Jesus’ Promises. He meant every single one of them. We can count on them when all our promises fail. 1471