Psalm 1; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37

    Dale was in his 60s and legally blind because of a stroke. One day he asked for someone to come and mow his yard. So I volunteered. While there he also wanted his yard trimmed, but the line on his trimmer had run out. No problem. Dale had extra line and a set of printed instructions and diagrams to wind it on the spool.

    I started with the instructions, but the print was small and the diagrams not self-evident. As it got darker it was harder to see. I wasn't having much success. Dale sensed my frustration and started coaching me. I don't remember his exact words but they went something as follows: 'Now you take the head off by loosening the screw on the side. Now wind the line on each side, but in different directions. See the arrows there to show you? Now you have to make sure you put things back together in the right order and don't forget anything, especially the spring. It won't work without it. And be sure to retighten the screw.'

    As Dale coached me along it dawned on me that even though he was blind he could see how to take this trimmer apart and put it back together much better than I could. I could see but was blind because it was all new to me and confusing.

    Thinking about this this morning we might say that many are runing out of line in their lives today. Relationships run out of love and mercy. The strength of the body that runs out against disease and treatments. Disappointments and sorrows that zap the spirit. Nations low on trust that threaten violence. In politics goodwill and cooperation are often low. There are so many problems and so much turmoil and a lot of discouragement. Where can you start to fix things? Where is God in all this?

    We see God not with our physical eyes, but with the eyes of faith. In other words what we believe inwardly is what we tend to see outwardly. If we like someone, we look for the good in them. If we don't like them, we look for the bad. The faith of Jesus was based on the unconditional love of God. He saw the goodness in which we are created which is marred by sin to be sure. But he came to save this goodness rather than see us destroyed.

    The religious leaders of that time had a different faith. In their faith God was more about judgment than love. And so they tended to see the sufferings of others as God's punishment.

    And so when Jesus comes along and begins to heal and forgive sinners, outcasts, and Gentiles and says things like "love your enemies," "turn the other cheek" and "forgive one another" the leaders don't see God in all this. In fact they were offended by what he was doing and teaching. They judged him to be a traitor to their nation and an imposter. They saw him doing the work of the devil because they saw him through the lens of a faith in which God was more judge than love. They prayed for victory over their enemies rather than to love their enemies. For this reason Jesus ends up dead on a cross. They couldn't see God at work in Jesus because they were looking through the lens of a faith with different understandings and expectations.

    The disciples are more open to Jesus, but are still slow to see that the Jesus Way is God's Way. In Mark's gospel Jesus makes three predictions that he will be rejected in Jerusalem and killed, but three days later rise again. Each time the disciples either object to Jesus suffering or they simply keep quiet as in Mark's gospel today because they don't understand it and are afraid to ask more about it.

    The disciples also don't see because they are caught up in their own ambitions. One day on the way to Capernaum Jesus catches them arguing about which one of them was the greatest. It sounds almost like a political deal that following Jesus can get you a high position in his kingdom.

    The desire for greatness is typical in our world too. We treasure our reputations in order to get ahead and succeed. We want our loved ones to stay away from temptations and difficult situations so that they will not fail. Thus we end up shunning those whom we fear might contaminate us. We fear their problems will become our problems. And when threatened we may pray too for victory over our enemies rather than to love them.

    Jesus didn't isolate himself from the unrighteousness of the world around him. Instead he reached out and mixed company with everyone, good and bad alike. He calls us to do the same. He ate with the sinner and the outcast. He befriended the tax collector and the Gentile. He healed the sick and the lame. Many could not see God in this and so they became hostile towards him. If we are serious in following Jesus, we may receive hostility too.

    The way of Jesus is not about fulfilling our ambitions for worldly success and safety. It is about being a servant, not being first, but making ourselves last and to do God's will in God's Way. And so the deadly clash in Jerusalem was inevitable.

    Those who persecuted Jesus saw him through the lens of one faith. They saw the devil at work. But those who followed him slowly learned to see him through another faith. They saw the love of God on a cross, a Savior who gave up power and wealth and the easy life in order to save us. One faith shunned the needs of the little people, the weak, the outcast, the sick while the faith of Jesus welcomed them to sit on his lap.

    Like my friend Dale we have a sheet of instructions as followers of Jesus to help give us direction and guidance on how to rewind the life line of faith, hope and love. I think of the words from Colossians. "In Christ the fullness of God was pleased to dwell." "In him all things hold together." When things fall apart it is God in Jesus Christ who helps us to put things back together and hold us together.

    And these words from Ephesians 4: "Speak the truth in love, and grow up into him who is the head, into Christ, building one another up in love." "Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger … Let no evil talk come out of your mouths. (Eph 4) Hang in there and don't give up on working out the problems. Persevere and keep patience. If we are growing up into Christ we can rewind the life line of God's love no matter what happens and make a new start not only for ourselves, but we can help others too.

    And the Word from James: "Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom… For the wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy."(Jms 3) Rewinding the line of love in life takes patience, gentleness and mercy along with generosity.

    It took me awhile, but with the help of Dale I got the trimmer back together and was able to finish the job. If I had had to figure it all out on my own though, I would have been there well after dark.

    This told me that while the words from God's instruction sheet can help us repair the brokenness of life, coaches are needed too. The words need to become incarnate in servants just as they were incarnate in him. When they do, we become coaches of the holy words for others. Often there will be struggle, sweat, tears and even controversy as we help those who are not so lovable to rewind their life line. The Jesus Way is not the EASY Way. But it is God's Way and the ONLY Way that will get us to the finish line and the victory celebration.

    The challenge is not just to read the words or hand them to someone else to read. The challenge is this: 'Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all… Whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.'(Mk 9:35-37