12th Sunday after Pentecost / Year B

Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 / John 6:56-69

Pastor Gayle M. Pope

Sometimes You Have to Decide

Grace and peace to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

There’s a well-known poem by Robert Frost called, “The Road Not Taken.” I think it’s probably so well known and loved because it depicts such a common experience in a way that so many people can relate to. Listen … [read poem]

The crux of this poem is simply this: “Sometimes you have to decide.” We’ve all been there – to that fork in the road where you have to make a decision that you know will forever change your options – where there is no turning back.

An internet search on the phrase “Sometimes you have to decide” yielded a list of results that reflect a wide variety “no turning back” decisions, ranging from the practical to the profound.

For example: Sometimes you have to decide…

… which orders to ship, and which to hold

… which is better, skipping your veggies or getting dessert

… whether to do what your coaches tell you to do, or not

… whether the interruption of the moment is more important than what you said you were going to do today.

It goes deeper. Sometimes you have to decide …

… without knowing what the patient would or would not have wanted.

… whether to stay together or to split

… if a confidence should be kept

… whether it would be beneficial to the other person if you confronted them

… when enough is enough.

… which battles you want to win and which you can afford to lose.

… what’s worth more, constantly trying to win the argument or “agreeing to disagree” and dropping the subject.

… whether everyone else is worth more than your own happiness.

Sometimes you have to decide …

… in opposition to your friends.

… which group to be part of and when to keep your mouth shut.

… what is more important...your job or your loved ones!

Sometimes you just have to decide.

Both our Old Testament reading and our Gospel for this morning present situations where a decision must be made.

In the first reading, we have Joshua, who succeeded Moses and led the Israelites into the Promised Land, bringing together leaders of all the tribes of Israel and asking them to renew their covenant with Yahweh.

After reviewing the long history of the many ways God had kept his promises to his people, Joshua urges them to continue to revere and serve Yahweh and to put away allegiance to any other gods their ancestors may have served.

“Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve,” he challenges them. “But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

“Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other Gods,” they answered. “Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

Fast forward to the Gospel. The is the last portion of the Sixth Chapter of John’s gospel, which we have been reading the last five Sundays. Jesus has been describing himself as the “bread of life” in increasingly challenging terms.

We pick up today where we left off last week, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.”

Many of his disciples said, “This teaching is difficult. Who can accept it?” Taken literally, it IS a difficult teaching. Not only was the part about eating flesh and drinking blood difficult, but also the way that Jesus identified himself as one with God the Father – not just as a prophet who spoke the Word of the LORD, but as somehow on a PAR with God himself: “Just as I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.”

Many of Jesus’ followers just could not accept that and so they turned back and no longer followed him. His teachings seemed to contradict everything they understood about God from intellectual, cultural, social and religious perspectives.

That is understandable. Because the only way ANYONE could accept such a teaching would be by faith. And that is what is revealed in Peter’s response when Jesus said to the 12 disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?”

“Lord, to whom can we go?” he answered. “You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” We have come to believe – that’s a response of faith.

The people of Israel and the 12 disciples faced similar decisions. “Who are you going to serve?” “Who are you going to follow?” They all chose for God – at least on that day and in that time and place. History shows, they didn’t always remain faithful to their commitments.

And yet, when they strayed, God remained faithful to THEM, continually offering the opportunity to repent, return and be renewed.

So … what does all this mean for us?

God has chosen us. God has called us. God makes us his children though Baptism. God is continuously present for us, offering forgiveness and life in his Spirit.

Some of us could tell stories of a time when we made a major, life-changing decision to give our heart and life over to Jesus. Some of us would say we have ALWAYS believed in Jesus as our Savior for as long as we can remember.

Whether or not you can name the time and place you came to faith in Christ, the important thing is that you know you HAVE that saving faith in Jesus that promises eternal life. If you’re not sure about that, talk to me later.

But even though we believe in Jesus and what he has done for us, we STILL face decisions every day about whether to walk with Jesus – whether to follow the path where he leads us day by day, even if the way is difficult.

The question for us as believers, when we come to those roads that diverge in the yellow wood, is always, “Which way would YOU have me go, Lord?”

There are probably some forks where we pretty much KNOW the Lord would say, “That is not the road for you. That road leads away from me.” And if you take it, he will watch your back with sadness and wait for you to come back when the darkness gets too great.

Or there may be times Jesus would say, “Either way is fine with me – I have things for you to do on both roads.” OR “From my perspective, it doesn’t matter – this is not a kingdom making or breaking decision.”

There may be short by-ways where Jesus would say, “Here – take this path – there’s someone down the way who really needs me right now and I really need you to be my hands and feet and voice there.”

Or there may be major crossroad where Jesus would say, “There – take that turn – there is work to be done for my kingdom and I have given you just the right gifts for the job if you’ll let me work through you.”

You won’t necessarily HEAR Jesus’ voice in just that way, but God promises to answer our prayers. So, if you truly WANT to go the way that God wants you to go, and if you ASK God in prayer to lead you in the decision, and you truly open your heart to hear God’s answer through Scripture, and the guidance of other trusted Christians and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, you can trust that the road you follow IS where God is leading.

Last Sunday at the planning meeting, as we talked about the past, present and future of our congregation and the many challenges to “being church” in this day and age, we began to think about the contrast between an attitude of “How can we get people in here” and “How can we bring Jesus out there.”

We noted that it’s easier to SEE the church in the form of an edifice full of people on a Sunday morning, and more difficult to SEE the church in words and deeds of people out in the community doing their jobs day by day. It’s harder to describe and measure the success of a church “out there.”

And yet, isn’t that REALLY where God calls us to “BE” the church? To be the church “out there” depends upon each of us choosing to follow Jesus in the countless decisions and actions of our lives.

I talked to someone Friday who isn’t a member of our congregation, but who knows most all of us. It was encouraging to hear him say that, “Your people ARE ministering out there in the community.” And he gave examples of how he has personally been served and felt the presence of Christ in his interactions with various members of this congregation.

That is awesome! Keep it up!

Sometimes – lots of times – you just have to decide. God gives us the opportunity to choose for him. Like Joshua, I would encourage you to revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.”

Our faith, like Peter’s, opens our hearts to know that Jesus IS the Word of eternal life. Let us take every opportunity to bring that Word of grace and salvation with us into the world. Amen.