We're all on a journey

Sermon-C Proper 14-8-12-07
"That's what defines teachers, perseverance and patience,"
The Cloud of Unknowing, “O God, our great companion, lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of your life and ours, that we may be faithful interpreters of Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
I really don’t expect you to remember me, but once upon a time, I used to preach here a lot. And when I was, I told you that in the gospel of Luke there was a very important verse. Just a few weeks ago, 9:51: 9:51 When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.. Does that ring a bell? I keep referring to it this summer, because if you remember that verse it explains so much of what else happens afterwards in this gospel. he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Jesus is on a journey, a pilgrimage of sorts- to complete his mission, to fulfill his purpose. He has a trip to make that will define his life and change ours. He heads south through Galilee, then on through the hated land of the Samaritans. While on the road he heals, he casts out demons, he encounters spiritual challenges, and like today-he teaches. Always remember, every thing Jesus is doing, every thing he’s saying, is supposed to teach us, to show us, to lead us. It is his time.
But before he can finish his goal, he has to help us to understand why he is doing this, and who he is. 2 weeks ago one of his disciples, says, "Lord, teach us to pray” last week someone wanted him to arbitrate a family dispute over property, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.". This is all part of his journey he has a destination, but the trip is also very important. He is trying to show us how to live our lives as he travels. These several weeks this summer are all about advice that the disciples collected from him as they walk along. Much of the teaching is about our priorities. This week continues his instruction about figuring out what we value-and then going after it. It’s all education. Remember a few weeks ago when I said that Stephen Covey uses the phrase, “keep the main thing__________?”
A pastor writes: Look at what Jesus says- do not be afraid... live generous lives... prepare for the party..be ready to serve when called. All the time Jesus is on his journey, he’s teaching. And all the time he’s teaching, he’s trying to explain why his face is set towards Jerusalem-and what our journey has to be, too.
After the service today, our youth are going to talk about their pilgrimage to Jamaica. For two years our Journey to Adulthood teens raised money, prepared, worked, planned-all for a one week trip to an orphanage. They’re going to explain what they learned, what fun they had, what relationships they made. Remember this as you listen to them,-as I thought about today’s gospel, I realized that it was like their face was set towards Jerusalem, because this is what a pilgrimage is-you go one a journey, because that is the best way to learn who we are, and what is important: do not be afraid... live generous lives... prepare for the party..be ready to serve when called. Sometimes I think this is how we are supposed to spend our lives-to see our lives as a journey. To realize that all of life is a pilgrimage to find out who we are and what is important. We always think we know it, but then a year later something happens and suddenly we’re discovering all over-again.
This is from an article on the internet on space news: in the 1980s, in an effort to better connect the American public with its space program, NASA began to investigate several options for sending an American civilian into space onboard the Space shuttle. NASA considered sending a journalist, an explorer, or an entertainer, but ultimately decided on sending a teacher as the first civilian in space. 11,000 teachers applied. There were 119 semi finalists. The teacher they chose was Christa McAuliffe. Her back up, in case Christa couldn’t fly, was Barbara Morgan. 73 seconds after take off in January 1986, Challenger exploded, killing all 6 astronauts and teacher Christa McAuliffe aboard. Although Christa was in no way responsible for the disaster, her death was seen as especially painful, and the teacher in space program was shelved indefinitely. Barbara Morgan, Christa’s back up, returned to teaching 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders in McCall, Idaho as she had done for several years. In the late 1990s NASA decided to reinstitute the teacher in space program, and they called Barbara back. She was supposed to fly in 2002, but the loss of Columbia put that on hold. 22 years after she was scheduled to go up into space, last week, Barbara Morgan the 2nd teacher, went up this week on Endeavour.
"That's what defines teachers, perseverance and patience," she told reporters in a preflight briefing. "So I am just doing the job of a teacher."
Since her selection, NASA has trained three new teachers to fly in space, …"I do look forward to going back in the future," she said. "I taught for 24 years before taking this lateral move to do this job. And I loved every minute of it."
Barbara plans on returning to teacher after her return. 22 years, and two terrible accidents later, this teacher wanted to complete her mission.
Jesus has his face set towards Jerusalem. He has a mission, and we are it. And on this mission he’s trying to teach us, to show us, to lead us into who we are and what is important. He wants us to journey, to pilgrimage with him. He wants us to be patient and to persevere: His goal is for us to live our lives in such a way that we realize if we learn what he teaches, our trip, our journey, our pilgrimage, our life is worth it: do not be afraid... live generous lives... prepare for the party.. be ready to serve when called.