“I Want to be a Christian”
February 6th, 2008
Mark 9:14-29 - Jesus was confronted with a chaotic situation. A young man in need of healing, a father pleading for help, the disciples all clamoring for his attention, and a growing crowd that was feeling something strange going on. In such a situation, it would be difficult for anyone to focus. So Jesus asks the father a simple question, “What do you want?” Ultimately, the father confesses his own weakness, “I believe, help my unbelief.” And Jesus heals his son. We, too have a lot of “noise” that clutters our lives. And a moment of clarity like the one the father had with Jesus would be very meaningful in our lives, especially at the beginning of the season of Lent. Perhaps our plea might sound something like, “I want to be a Christian in my heart.”
“I Want to be a Christian
1. In 1972, my family took a trip to Japan to visit my dad who was serving as a Chaplain in the U.S. Navy.
A. Left LAX late at night – nice and calm.
B. We arrived in Tokyo – pandemonium. I had never seen this many people in one place at one time, moving so fast.
C. I am sure that it was order to the people there, but to myself and my siblings, it was absolute chaos, and it was frightening.
D. It takes on moment of losing your focus in such an environment for disaster to happen.
E. I got distracted for just that long – a moment. And I turned and my family was gone. They just weren’t there anymore.
F. How do you think it took for panic to strike? It took me all of about 10-15 seconds to spot them at the baggage claim – my absence had not yet registered.
G. I proceeded to bully my way through the crowd (12 years old, all 4’3” of me) to my family and then lecture them about not noticing me.
H. My mom just looked at me with the face that said, “shut up.”
I. It was chaos. And in a situation like that, it is difficult to keep one’s focus – even one’s equilibrium.
2. Chaos. I think that that is probably the best word to describe the situation in which Jesus found himself in the gospel lesson this evening.
A. Everything is going on at once.
B. Jesus is confronted by the father of a boy that has been possessed by a spirit and the disciples have been unable to heal him.
C. Then the disciples come up – pointing fingers. Like kids that caught there siblings stealing from t he cookie jar. “It wasn’t me, Jesus. It was Andrew! He didn’t have any faith!”
D. The crowd is gathered and they are mystified by Jesus appearance (this occurs after the transfiguration).
E. And if that is not enough – the spirit starts to throw the boy into convulsions.
F. This is pandemonium.
G. Jesus, trying to ascertain what is going on, begins to question the father. As the son’s convulsions worsen, the father’s tension heightens.
H. Finally he confesses, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”…
I. A moment of clarity in the midst of chaos.
3. Chaos, noise, confusion…it all serves to distract from the truth that is right in front of us. And it is so much a part of our everyday lives that we often times don’t even recognize it.
A. We live by deadlines that force us to govern our lives by someone else’s clock.
B. Many of us experience demands on our lives that force us to live by someone else’s priorities.
C. On top of that are the immediate and pressing needs of simply tending to the needs of our own households.
D. And then add to all of that the noise that culture adds to our lives – from wars and rumors of wars, to worries about the economy, to election commercials, etc.
E. Throw all those together and you have got a great heaping bowl of chaos.
F. We are like the person that actually tries to read the news scrolling across the bottom of the TV screen, while listening to the news that is being reported, while attempting to get your stock on the ticker on the top of the screen. There is just too much going on to take it all in.
G. We are busy, busy people, with crazy chaotic lives. We desperately yearn for the peace that only Jesus can give, but there seem to be so few places in our lives where we can connect with it. There just seems to be so much noise.
H. We are like the father in Mark’s gospel. Except our plea would sound more like, “I want to be a Christian…in my heart.”
4. In the midst of the chaos of the moment, Jesus reached out and he healed the boy. That is the good news.
A. The father struggled with his faith. He struggled with the distractions around him. The violence and the chaos caused him to loose clarity.
B. But, Jesus got down to the issue. “What do you want?” And he heard the father’s plea.
C. And the boy was healed.
5. Tonight marks the beginning of the holy season of Lent. This is a time of reflection and preparation for Easter. We begin the season of Lent with a very odd tradition – one that I did not truly understand until this year.
A. Ash cross – “Remember, you are but ashes, and to ashes you will return.”
B. Well, that’s a nice depressing sentiment to get Lent started off with.
C. But, this year, as my family has prepared for my dad’s death, I finally realized what this odd little ritual is about.
D. It is a none too subtle reminder of our mortality. It is a clarion call in the midst of the chaos of our lives that says, “Pay attention. Focus. Understand what is important in your life. Live well”
E. It is a call to remember what this holy season is about. It is about our journey of discipleship.
F. Because, my friends, in the midst of the chaos and clatter of life, Jesus still remains – and he is ready to heal, to love, to save, to transform.
G. It is to us to ask the question. It is to us to make our plea. “Help my unbelief”
H. “Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart.” Amen.
Sermon delivered 2/6/08 at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church, Anaheim Hills – Ash Wednesday service.
