This week’s sermon focuses on Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 and Mark 9:38-50. I first heard the joke at the beginning in a video from Alpha. I also found René L. Mehlberg’s God Pause devotional for September 27 helpful.
I heard of a new church musician who thought the piano would work better on the other side of the sanctuary, but he knew the congregation would never go for moving it. So he moved it over one inch each week, and after just a couple years, the piano was on the other side.
Let me be very clear: I have no intention of moving the piano. I like that joke, though, because it’s a good reminder of how hard change is. It’s not just about church.
Human nature does not like change. We like stability. Change is scary. Change is unknown. It’s a lot easier to stay with the status quo, to stay with what we know. That’s true for everyone, of all ages.
The problem, of course, is that our world is constantly changing. I don’t know if there’s a good way to measure how fast the world is changing, but it sure feels like it’s changing faster than ever before, doesn’t it?
Raise your hand if you have a cell phone. I do; it’s right here in my pocket. Think about how much the world has changed in the last 12 years just from smartphones. Or go back about a century and think about cars and tractors. Now we’re getting cars that can drive themselves. That’s going to be another dramatic cultural change.
We humans like consistency. Just look at the fact that oldies radio exists. No matter what generation you grew up in, you probably still listen to the music you grew up with.
Our Old Testament reading from Numbers begins with the Israelites grumbling.
It’s easy for us to criticize them for their grumbling. We see everything God has done for them. God has rescued them from slavery, led them through the Red Sea, and even provided them with food and water in the desert.
But I have some sympathy for them. Everything in their world has changed. They used to know their place in the world, and now they’re a wandering people. Change is hard. We can understand that.
Part of the reason God gives us the church as an institution is to be an anchor in our lives, a point of stability. It’s comforting to know that in the midst of a changing world and changing culture, the mission of the church does not change.
As Christians, we worship an eternal God, a God who is outside of time. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” That’s good news. That’s something we can anchor our lives to. No matter what happens, no matter what changes in the world or in your life, God is there for you and God is still faithful.
And yet, because church is an embassy of God’s kingdom in this world, even the church changes. Our mission is to share the good news of Jesus Christ in our changing world, to share the hope with have with our neighbors. We’re here to remind each other that Christ is our solid rock to stand on, and to invite others into God’s family. The message never changes, but the way we communicate the message, the way we do ministry — that changes.
In the back of the fellowship hall, there are several tables of stuff that has served its purpose for the church. I’m grateful for all the time the building and grounds committee has put into clean out stuff, because it’s been hard to go through and choose what is no longer needed! Getting rid of stuff means recognizing change.
Personally, I’m not good at throwing stuff out. I like the comfort of knowing that the books I read as a child are safely stored in boxes in my parents’ basement.
I’m pretty sure I won’t need the rough drafts of a paper I wrote in junior high school, or the emails about band rehearsal in college, but I like the security of having them.
It’s hard to get rid of stuff. It’s hard for the Israelites to move on in the wilderness. Part of how we as humans survive trauma is that our memories are selective. We remember the good things better than the bad. Nostalgia is a human coping mechanism.
The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt, and they know that, but they also know they had food in Egypt.
When they grumble, they remember the fish and melons and garlic, but somehow forget about the part where they were beaten and had their baby boys killed.
Their nostalgia changes their memories of the reality of being slaves. They think they want to go back to Egypt, but God knows better.
A lot of what’s on the table back there is VHS tapes, video cassettes. Maybe you still have a VHS player, and if you’d like the tapes, please take them. It’s hard to see them go. But the reality is that we have DVD’s of some of them, and others are just too dated to be helpful for youth and kids today. The Gospel is always relevant. Jesus is always relevant. But the way we communicate changes.
It’s like when you watch reruns of sitcoms on TV. There are some hilarious plots that just couldn’t happen today because people have cell phones and the same situations just don’t occur.
Part of why change is so difficult is because of nostalgia, because we’re wired to remember the past as better than it really was. The other big reason change is hard is because it feels like losing control. You can see that as well in our readings.
In the second half of the Old Testament reading from Numbers, there are 70 elders appointed to help Moses. God’s spirit comes upon them and they prophecy. Then this young man runs up to Moses to let him know, “Hey, these other two elders, Eldad and Medad, they’re prophesying too!”
And Joshua, Moses’ right-hand man, says, “Stop them!” They don’t have permission. They’re not the ones chosen for that! It’s not the way things are supposed to be done!
To Joshua, it feels like they’re losing control. Don’t those people appreciate everything Moses has done for them? Joshua is trying to protect Moses, to keep things the way they’ve been, where God talks to Moses and those Moses authorizes. Moses is wiser, though, and he tells Joshua, “Don’t be jealous for my sake. God’s spirit coming on people is always a good thing!”
Moses is willing to give up a little control to avoid getting in the way of what God’s doing. That’s a hard thing to do. It’s hard for pastors, it’s hard for leaders, it’s hard for those of us who have been in the church for a long time. It’s tough to trust God to work through us, let alone around us.
There’s a very similar story recorded in Mark 9. John the disciple says, “Jesus, there’s a guy we don’t know casting out demons in your name, so we tried to stop him.” Someone else doing miracles is a threat to the disciples’ authority. Again, they’re worried about losing control. Who knows what will happen if everybody just starts casting out demons?
Jesus, however, cares much more that demons are getting cast out. He cares that good ministry is happening. It might not be quite the way they’ve been doing it, but any ministry being done is a good thing. Even if it’s something small, like giving a little child a cup of water.
The disciples are not called to be gatekeepers to decide who does the Lord’s work; there is plenty of work for all.
I saw a comic this week with a picture of Jesus knocking at the door of a church and all the people lined up inside holding the door shut, saying “Don’t let him in! He will change EVERYTHING.”
Too often, that’s our reaction to Jesus at work among us. The church can be slow to change, but the church is made up of us, God’s people.
And change starts with us. That comic works on two levels, because change starts with our hearts.
How often do we resist what Jesus is doing in our lives?
After all, if Jesus were to really be in control of my life, then that would mean I’m not in control. Jesus might want me to change, and change is scary.
So I ask you, what is God calling you to change? This week, what change can you make in your life to live closer to the way Jesus calls you to live?
It’s hard to cling to Jesus when we’re clinging to our own stuff. So where can you let go of control to let Jesus help you grow?
Let’s pray…
Lord Jesus, we know you call us to live as your people and to trust in you. It’s so hard to stay grounded in this changing world. Help us to trust in you. Change our hearts, take over our hearts. We give you control. Help us to accept you working in us, through us, and around us and through others. We love you, Jesus.
Amen