February 19, 1995	A Message to Those That Listen	Genesis 45:3-11, 15

I Corinthians 15:51-58

Luke 6:27-38

I am often amazed about how I can read a familiar passage out of the Bible and still find more in that scripture that is new and enlightening. No matter how many times you read the Bible, or even your favorite scriptures, there is always something more to glean from it.

Take this morning's scripture from the Gospel, for instance. This scripture passage is known by many to be "The Difficult Sayings of Jesus." The scripture is difficult, because it puts demands upon the listener. The teachings of Christ, here, are difficult and have always been difficult to accept. But the thing that struck me the most as I was reading them the other day was the way these teachings start out. I never noticed before that Jesus began these difficult teachings with the words: "But I say to you that listen . . ." Again, it is interesting that Jesus began these difficult teachings this way: "But I say to you that listen . . . Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you . . ." and so on.

It is curious that Jesus would have said this. One has to wonder who else Jesus would have been talking to, but those who were listening to him. But I think Jesus was talking about something pretty deep here. For certainly there must have been many people who heard his words, but perhaps there were really only a few who really listened to him. It is one thing to hear the words of the Master. But, it is another thing to listen.

And, so, as we come to these difficult teachings of Jesus in our gospel lesson for today, the question we need to ask ourselves is this: We have heard the word of God speaking in our hearts, but have we really listened? Have we been taught? Have we let it sink in? Have we let God's word touch our heart and change us for the better?

Jesus' difficult teachings are difficult because they challenge our thinking and even our logic. Here Jesus says, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you."

Of course, these teachings go against everything we ever learned from cowboy movies and TV programs. And I would venture a guess that most of us growing up learned more from cowboy movies and TV programs that we might like to admit. But, everyone knows that John Wayne never punched anyone out unless they hit him first or said something nasty about his girlfriend, or his country, or his mother. Everybody knows that in Gunsmoke Marshall Dillon never shot anyone who didn't have it coming. They had to be dirty, low down, irredeemable scoundrels before Matt would blow them away. But, never would you see either Matt Dillon or John Wayne loving their enemies, doing good to anyone who hated them, blessing those who cursed them, or praying for anyone, especially those who abused them.

So, after watching all those TV programs it may be even harder for us to listen to Jesus' difficult teachings. Yet, that is exactly what Jesus would have us do.

I am reminded of a story told by a person who had a dream. He says: I saw in a dream that I was standing at the pearly gates — though when and how I got there I couldn't tell. I was one of a great multitude which no one could number, from all countries and peoples and times and ages. And as I looked around I realized that the person standing next to me was a saint who had been in Heaven almost 1900 years.

"Who are you?" I asked the saint.

He replied, "I was a Roman Christian; I lived in the days of the Apostle Paul and I died in Nero's persecutions. I was covered with pitch and fastened to a stake and set on fire to light up Nero's gardens.

"How awful," I exclaimed.

"No," he said, "I was glad to do something for Jesus. After all, he died on the cross for me."

Then the person on the other side of me spoke: "I have been in Heaven only a few hundred years. I came from an island in the South Seas. A missionary came and told me about Jesus, and I too learned to love him. But, my fellow countrymen killed the missionary and caught me and tied me up. I was beaten until I fainted and they thought I was dead, but I revived. Then the next day they hit me on the head, and then cooked and ate me."

"How terrible!" I said.

"No," he answered, "I was glad to die as a Christian. You see the missionaries had told me that Jesus was whipped and crowned with thorns for me."

Then they both turned to me and said, "What did you suffer for Him? Or did you sell what you had for the money which sent those missionaries to tell people about Jesus?

And I was speechless. And while they were both looking at me with sorrowful eyes, I awoke, and it was a dream! But I lay on my soft bed awake for hours, thinking of the money I had wasted on my own pleasures; or my extra clothing, and costly cars, and many luxuries; and I realized that I did not know what the words of Jesus meant: "If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

So many times we Christians forget that there is a price to pay for being a Christian. Maybe we don't like to think about it. Maybe we don't like to hear such things. But, if we are going to be disciples of Christ, we must listen even to teachings such as these.

All of us have heard of the town of Adrian, Michigan. But, what we may not have known is where that town got its name. A young Roman by the name of Adrian, a Praetorian Guard, during a time of great persecutions, had been a fanatic persecutor of the Christians. But the calmness and courage of those he put to the torture impressed him. Adrian, brave himself, admired bravery. In these Christians he was persecuting he saw heroism greater than any he had seen in battle.

It was the year 280 and Adrian was twenty-eight years old. His skill and daring had led to one promotion after another. Yet, he could not get over his admiration for these followers of Christ. One day he asked one of the Christians being tortured: "What gives you such strength and joy in the midst of your sufferings?"

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we believe," the martyr replied.

In a flash Adrian made an important decision. He stepped to the heathen judge and declared: "Put down my name among those to be tortured. I also shall become a Christian."

For twenty-three years after his conversion Adrian suffered much, but he never flinched from his loyalty to Christ. In the year 303 he was killed at the city of Nicomedia, and since then Adrian has been the patron saint of soldiers.

The difficult teachings of Jesus aren't only for us to hear, but to listen to with reverence. Jesus said, "Give to everyone who begs from you." How difficult such sayings are! And, yet, Christ calls us to listen!

Let us pray: O God, help us to see the truth in even the most difficult of your teachings. Help us to struggle with the meaning of your wisdom so that we may not become overly confident or overly prideful in our own common sense. For we know that the truth is in your word and that only the truth can set us free. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.