Robert T. Young - "You Have to Be Careful about This Jesus" (January 16, 1977)
MP3
Loading the media player...
Transcript
- Download transcript as:
-
Text
-
PDF
-
WebVTT (includes timecodes)
Transcripts may contain inaccuracies.
| - | Duke University Chapel, Service of Worship. | 0:04 |
| Second Sunday after Epiphany Day, January 16th, 1977. | 0:07 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 0:19 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 2:52 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 5:21 | |
| (liturgical music) | 11:31 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 13:00 | |
| (liturgical music) | 13:23 | |
| - | When we gather to praise God, | 17:20 |
| we remember that we are the people of God | 17:23 | |
| who have preferred our wills to the Divine will. | 17:27 | |
| Accepting the power God offers to us | 17:33 | |
| to become new persons in Christ, | 17:36 | |
| let us confess our sin before God and one another, | 17:39 | |
| let us pray. | 17:45 | |
| Most merciful God, | 17:48 | |
| we confess that we have sinned against you, | 17:50 | |
| in thought, word, and deed. | 17:53 | |
| We have not loved you with all our heart. | 17:56 | |
| We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. | 18:00 | |
| We pray you of your mercy. | 18:04 | |
| Forgive what we have been. | 18:07 | |
| Amend what we are. | 18:10 | |
| Direct what we shall be. | 18:13 | |
| That we may delight in your will, | 18:16 | |
| and walk in your ways, | 18:19 | |
| through Jesus Christ, our Lord, | 18:22 | |
| amen. | 18:25 | |
| Hear the good news. | 18:27 | |
| Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. | 18:28 | |
| That is God's own proof of his love toward us | 18:32 | |
| in the name of Jesus Christ, | 18:37 | |
| you are forgiven. | 18:40 | |
| (congregation responds) | 18:43 | |
| - | Amen. | 18:49 |
| - | Let us pray. | 18:58 |
| Lord, open our hearts and minds | 19:01 | |
| by the power of your Holy Spirit, | 19:04 | |
| that as the scriptures are read | 19:07 | |
| and the word proclaimed, | 19:09 | |
| we might hear with joy | 19:11 | |
| what you say to us today, | 19:14 | |
| amen. | 19:16 | |
| The scripture lessons this morning | 19:19 | |
| are taken from the New Testament, | 19:21 | |
| from three chapters of the book of Matthew. | 19:23 | |
| Please rise for the reading of the gospel. | 19:26 | |
| From the 13th chapter of Matthew verses 53 through 58. | 19:34 | |
| "When he had finished these parables, | 19:41 | |
| Jesus left that place and came to his hometown | 19:44 | |
| where he taught the people in their synagogue. | 19:48 | |
| In amazement they ask, | 19:51 | |
| "Where does he get this wisdom from? | 19:53 | |
| And these miraculous powers? | 19:56 | |
| Is he not the carpenter's son? | 19:58 | |
| Is not his mother called Mary? | 20:00 | |
| His brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? | 20:03 | |
| And are not all his sisters here with us? | 20:07 | |
| Where then has he got all the from?" | 20:10 | |
| So they fell foul of him. | 20:14 | |
| And this led him to say, | 20:16 | |
| "A prophet will always be held in honor, | 20:18 | |
| except in his or her hometown | 20:21 | |
| and in his or her own family." | 20:24 | |
| And he did not work many miracles there, | 20:27 | |
| such was their want of faith." | 20:30 | |
| From the 21st chapter of Matthew verses 1 through 11. | 20:34 | |
| "They were now nearing Jerusalem. | 20:39 | |
| And when they reached Bethphage, | 20:42 | |
| at the Mount of Olives, | 20:45 | |
| Jesus sent two disciples with these instructions, | 20:47 | |
| "Go to the village opposite, | 20:51 | |
| where you will at once find a donkey | 20:53 | |
| tethered with her foal beside her. | 20:56 | |
| Untie them and bring them to me. | 20:58 | |
| If anyone speaks to you say, "Our master needs them." | 21:02 | |
| And he or she will let you take them at once." | 21:06 | |
| This was to fulfill the prophecy, which says, | 21:10 | |
| "Tell the daughter of Zion, | 21:13 | |
| here is your king, who comes to you in gentleness, | 21:15 | |
| riding on an ass, | 21:19 | |
| riding on the foal of a beast of burden." | 21:21 | |
| The disciples went and did as Jesus has directed | 21:25 | |
| and brought the donkey and her foal. | 21:28 | |
| They laid their cloaks on them and Jesus mounted. | 21:31 | |
| Crowds of people carpeted the road with their cloaks | 21:35 | |
| and some cut branches from the trees, | 21:38 | |
| and spread in his path. | 21:40 | |
| Then the crowd that went ahead | 21:43 | |
| and the others that came behind, raised the shout, | 21:44 | |
| "Hosanna to the son of David, | 21:48 | |
| blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord, | 21:51 | |
| Hosanna in the heavens." | 21:54 | |
| When he entered Jerusalem, | 21:56 | |
| the whole city went wild with excitement, | 21:58 | |
| "Who is this?" People asked. | 22:01 | |
| And the crowd replied, | 22:03 | |
| "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." | 22:04 | |
| And from the 26th Chapter of Matthew, verses 26 through 29. | 22:10 | |
| "During supper, Jesus took bread, | 22:17 | |
| and having said the blessing he broke it | 22:20 | |
| and gave it to the disciples with the words, | 22:23 | |
| "Take this and eat. | 22:26 | |
| This is my body." | 22:29 | |
| Then he took a cup | 22:32 | |
| and having offered thanks to God, | 22:33 | |
| He gave it to them with the words, | 22:35 | |
| "Drink from it all of you, | 22:38 | |
| for this is my blood, | 22:40 | |
| the blood of the new covenant, | 22:42 | |
| shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. | 22:44 | |
| I tell you, never again shall I drink | 22:47 | |
| from the fruit of the vine | 22:50 | |
| until the day when I drink it new with you | 22:52 | |
| in the kingdom of my father." | 22:55 | |
| May God grant that these words might become alive | 22:58 | |
| in each one of us. | 23:01 | |
| Amen. | 23:02 | |
| (liturgical music) | 23:06 | |
| - | "Who is this Jesus?" They ask in Nazareth. | 23:57 |
| "Who is this Jesus?" They ask, | 24:03 | |
| as he rode into Jerusalem. | 24:07 | |
| "Who is this Jesus?" They ask in the lifetime of our Lord, | 24:10 | |
| "Who is this Jesus? We ask even today. | 24:15 | |
| Who is this Jesus | 24:20 | |
| who has even the winds and the seas to obey, | 24:21 | |
| who forgives sins when only go can forgive sin, | 24:25 | |
| who confounds the intellectuals, | 24:30 | |
| who teaches as one with authority, | 24:33 | |
| who eats with sinners and converses with whores, | 24:36 | |
| who heals paralytics, | 24:41 | |
| stops hemophiliacs from bleeding, | 24:44 | |
| makes the dumb to talk and the blind to see, | 24:47 | |
| the paralyzed whole, and the fevered well, | 24:49 | |
| who causes the dead to rise? | 24:53 | |
| Who is this Jesus who breaks the laws of the Sabbath | 24:58 | |
| by eating and healing on the Sabbath? | 25:01 | |
| Who is this Jesus who walks on water? | 25:04 | |
| Who is this Jesus who is transfigured | 25:09 | |
| with the spirits of Moses and Elijah, | 25:12 | |
| who sends for someone else's donkey to ride upon, | 25:15 | |
| who drove out those who bought and sold in the temple, | 25:18 | |
| who talked of the kingdom of God | 25:22 | |
| as if he had some control over it, | 25:24 | |
| who called the scribes and the Pharisees, | 25:27 | |
| the religion just spoke of his day, hypocrites, | 25:29 | |
| who would not even answer Pilate's charges, | 25:34 | |
| who forgave those who looked on, | 25:40 | |
| who was crucified, died, and was raised? | 25:43 | |
| Who is this Jesus who says, "Come, follow me?" | 25:53 | |
| And makes it sound very simple and very easy. | 25:59 | |
| Who is this Jesus who says greater things than I do | 26:03 | |
| even you will be able to do? | 26:06 | |
| Who makes it sound so very simple and easy. | 26:09 | |
| Who is this Jesus who says, | 26:13 | |
| "If anyone would come after me | 26:15 | |
| let him or her deny himself or herself | 26:16 | |
| and take up his cross and follow me," | 26:19 | |
| who makes it sound very difficult and very demanding? | 26:21 | |
| Who is this Jesus who says, | 26:26 | |
| "Greater love has no one than this | 26:27 | |
| that one should lay down one's life or one's friend," | 26:29 | |
| who makes it all sound very difficult and very demanding? | 26:33 | |
| Who is this Jesus who asks his disciples, | 26:37 | |
| particularly those who wanted to be one on the right | 26:41 | |
| and one on the left, | 26:43 | |
| "Are you ready to drink | 26:44 | |
| of the same cup of which I must drink?" | 26:45 | |
| Who is this Jesus who says, | 26:48 | |
| "Whoever is ashamed of me in this adulterous | 26:50 | |
| and sinful generation, | 26:54 | |
| of that person the son of man will be ashamed | 26:55 | |
| when he comes in his glory." | 26:58 | |
| Yes. | 27:00 | |
| You have to be careful about this Jesus. | 27:02 | |
| Because he is not who we think he is, | 27:06 | |
| for he is who he is. | 27:10 | |
| He is not who we want him to be, | 27:14 | |
| he is who we need him to be. | 27:16 | |
| He is not who we expect him to be, | 27:20 | |
| he is one eternal serendipity, one eternal surprise. | 27:22 | |
| He comes on straight and simple, | 27:29 | |
| clear and commanding, | 27:31 | |
| deliberate and demanding, | 27:33 | |
| awesome and assuring. | 27:35 | |
| Yes, you have to be careful about this Jesus, | 27:39 | |
| for he demands our all, "Come follow me." | 27:42 | |
| He gives his all for he says, | 27:47 | |
| "No one takes my life from me. | 27:50 | |
| I lay it down of my own accord." | 27:53 | |
| And then he gives. | 27:55 | |
| He returns all to us. | 27:59 | |
| "For those who believe in me shall never die." | 28:04 | |
| One day, Jesus was explaining some of the parables | 28:13 | |
| about the kingdom of heaven to his disciples. | 28:17 | |
| Finally, old Peter, | 28:21 | |
| who always said those things which he felt, | 28:22 | |
| and often spoke before he thought, | 28:26 | |
| but he spoke honestly, | 28:28 | |
| finally Peter burst out with the question | 28:30 | |
| that was on the minds of all of the disciples | 28:32 | |
| and often is on our own minds. | 28:34 | |
| He said to him, "Jesus, Lord, Master. | 28:36 | |
| We believe in you. | 28:40 | |
| We have come after you. | 28:41 | |
| We have followed you. | 28:43 | |
| We have left everything and followed you. | 28:45 | |
| We have left our nets, our businesses, our wives, | 28:47 | |
| our families, our children, our brothers and sisters. | 28:50 | |
| We have left everyone and followed you. | 28:53 | |
| And here we are. | 28:55 | |
| What is there in it for us? | 28:59 | |
| What has it all brought us? | 29:03 | |
| What do you Jesus have for us?" | 29:06 | |
| Jesus replied, | 29:12 | |
| "Peter, let me tell you something. | 29:13 | |
| No one. | 29:17 | |
| None of you. | 29:19 | |
| And no one else now or later, | 29:21 | |
| who has left home, or mother, | 29:25 | |
| or father, or brother, or sister, | 29:27 | |
| or children, or lands, | 29:30 | |
| or jobs of any kind for my sake | 29:32 | |
| and for the sake of the gospel, | 29:34 | |
| there is no one who has done any of this | 29:36 | |
| who will not receive 100 fold in return | 29:38 | |
| now in this age, | 29:41 | |
| and in the age to come, | 29:46 | |
| life eternal." | 29:50 | |
| You have to be careful about this Jesus. | 29:55 | |
| He invites you and me to follow him. | 30:00 | |
| And you better believe that he will take every bit | 30:03 | |
| that we give him | 30:05 | |
| because he wants all that he can get. | 30:06 | |
| But whatever it is that we are willing and able | 30:10 | |
| to give to him, | 30:12 | |
| whether it is of ourselves | 30:13 | |
| or whether it is of our possessions, he says, | 30:15 | |
| "I will return it to you 100 fold in this life | 30:19 | |
| and even more gloriously in the age to come, | 30:25 | |
| you will have life eternal." | 30:30 | |
| This Jesus who said, | 30:36 | |
| "This is my body broken for you. | 30:39 | |
| This is my blood shed for you." | 30:46 | |
| You have to be careful about this Jesus | 30:52 | |
| because he wants all, but he gives all. | 30:54 | |
| Amen. | 31:01 | |
| - | Let us pray. | 31:12 |
| Let us pray that the world may live in peace, | 31:16 | |
| and that the church may achieve unity | 31:19 | |
| fulfilling its service here and everywhere. | 31:22 | |
| (congregation responds) | 31:26 | |
| That those who suffer disease, or poverty, | 31:30 | |
| or loneliness, or grief, | 31:34 | |
| may be healed and comforted. | 31:37 | |
| That those who are oppressed or persecuted | 31:40 | |
| may be strengthened and delivered. | 31:44 | |
| (congregation responds) | 31:47 | |
| That those whom we have known and loved, | 31:51 | |
| who have died in the faith may be a glorious memory to us | 31:55 | |
| and a source of renewed fellowship with all the saints. | 32:00 | |
| (congregation responds) | 32:05 | |
| Please stand. | 32:13 | |
| Christ, our Lord, invites to this table all who love him | 32:22 | |
| and who desire to live in peace with one another. | 32:26 | |
| May the peace of the Lord be with you always. | 32:30 | |
| - | And also with you. | 32:34 |
| - | Please be seated. | 32:41 |
| As forgiven and reconciled people, | 32:52 | |
| let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God. | 32:55 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 33:03 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 35:17 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 35:21 | |
| ♪ His words (indistinct) ♪ | 35:25 | |
| ♪ By His grace (indistinct) ♪ | 35:33 | |
| ♪ He has exalted us ♪ | 35:41 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 35:49 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 35:57 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 36:06 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 36:10 | |
| ♪ His words (indistinct) ♪ | 36:15 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 36:23 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 36:27 | |
| ♪ His words (indistinct) ♪ | 36:31 | |
| ♪ By His grace (indistinct) ♪ | 36:40 | |
| ♪ He has exalted us ♪ | 36:48 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 36:56 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 37:01 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 37:04 | |
| ♪ By His grace (indistinct) ♪ | 37:12 | |
| ♪ He has exalted us ♪ | 37:20 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 37:27 | |
| ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ | 37:32 | |
| ♪ His words (indistinct) ♪ | 37:36 | |
| ♪ By His grace (indistinct) ♪ | 37:44 | |
| ♪ He has exalted us ♪ | 37:52 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 37:59 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 38:03 | |
| ♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 38:07 | |
| ♪ By His grace (indistinct) ♪ | 38:15 | |
| ♪ He has exalted us ♪ | 38:23 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 38:42 | |
| - | The Lord is with you. | 40:12 |
| - | With you also. | 40:14 |
| - | Lift up your hearts. | 40:15 |
| - | We lift them up to the Lord. | 40:18 |
| - | Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. | 40:19 |
| - | It is right to give God thanks and praise. | 40:23 |
| - | Oh God, it is right | 40:27 |
| that we should always and everywhere, | 40:29 | |
| give you thanks and praise. | 40:31 | |
| We thank you Holy God | 40:35 | |
| that you love the world so much, | 40:37 | |
| you sent your only son to be our savior. | 40:40 | |
| We remember that on the night | 40:44 | |
| in which he gave himself up for us, | 40:46 | |
| the Lord Jesus took bread. | 40:49 | |
| After giving you thanks He broke the bread, | 40:52 | |
| gave it to his disciples and said, "Take, eat. | 40:56 | |
| This is my body which is given for you." | 41:01 | |
| When the supper was over, he broke the bread. | 41:06 | |
| And again, he returned thanks to you, | 41:09 | |
| gave the cup to his disciples and said, | 41:12 | |
| "Drink from this all of you. | 41:15 | |
| This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood | 41:18 | |
| poured out for you and many | 41:22 | |
| for the forgiveness of sins." | 41:25 | |
| When we eat this bread and drink this cup, | 41:29 | |
| we experience a new, | 41:33 | |
| the presence of the Lord, Jesus Christ, | 41:36 | |
| and look forward to his coming and final victory. | 41:40 | |
| Help us to know, | 41:45 | |
| and the breaking of this bread, | 41:47 | |
| the presence of Christ, | 41:50 | |
| who gave his body and blood for all people. | 41:52 | |
| Make us one with Christ, | 41:58 | |
| one with each other, | 42:01 | |
| and one and the service to all people. | 42:03 | |
| - | Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. | 42:08 |
| - | Because there is one loaf, | 42:14 |
| we many as we are, are one body, | 42:17 | |
| for it is one loaf of which we all partake. | 42:21 | |
| When we break the bread, | 42:25 | |
| is it not a means of sharing in the body of Christ? | 42:27 | |
| When we give thanks over the cup | 42:34 | |
| is it not a means of sharing in the blood of Christ? | 42:37 | |
| - | Body of Christ broken for you. | 42:47 |
| The blood of Christ (indistinct). | 42:56 | |
| - | The body of Christ broken for you. | 43:08 |
| And the blood Christ shed for you. | 43:18 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 43:37 | |
| - | We ask the choir to come first and while they come, | 45:02 |
| I shall remind you that the ushers will direct you | 45:08 | |
| to the table to two large circles. | 45:11 | |
| I would ask you to be alert to forming the inner circle | 45:15 | |
| after the outer circle is complete. | 45:18 | |
| You may commune by drinking from the cup, | 45:22 | |
| or by dipping the bread into the cup. | 45:25 | |
| After all at each table have communed, | 45:31 | |
| there will be a prayer of dismissal. | 45:33 | |
| After all have communed at the table, | 45:37 | |
| two of the celebrants, | 45:41 | |
| will come into the congregation, | 45:42 | |
| to bring the elements to those | 45:46 | |
| who are unable to come to the table. | 45:47 | |
| We ask at that time | 45:51 | |
| that those who wish to commune in the pew, | 45:52 | |
| simply raise their hands | 45:55 | |
| that they may be identified by the celebrants. | 45:57 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 46:08 | |
| Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. | 50:47 | |
| He who comes to me shall not hunger. | 50:49 | |
| And the person who believes in me shall never thirst." | 50:53 | |
| Go from this place having eaten of our Lord, Jesus Christ, | 50:59 | |
| partaken of his heavenly food, | 51:05 | |
| that we may bear the good news to the brother and sister, | 51:08 | |
| and share that abundant life which he has given to us. | 51:12 | |
| Amen. | 51:17 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 51:35 | |
| (liturgical music) | 54:49 | |
| - | Beloved in Christ, | 58:49 |
| go now with the assurance | 58:52 | |
| that God's love will be with you | 58:54 | |
| and will encompass you wherever you go. | 58:58 | |
| Amen and amen. | 59:01 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 59:03 | |
| (liturgical music) | 1:03:22 | |
| - | Jesus said, "I am the door. | 1:06:34 |
| If anyone enters by me, he will be saved | 1:06:35 | |
| and will go in and out and find pasture." | 1:06:39 | |
| Go in the comfort, | 1:06:45 | |
| that we have not only been shown the way, | 1:06:47 | |
| but that there is one who travels with us, | 1:06:50 | |
| and never leaves us. | 1:06:53 | |
| Amen | 1:06:56 | |
| (liturgical music) | 1:07:04 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 1:09:17 | |
| - | Beloved in Christ, | 1:13:27 |
| go with the confident assurance | 1:13:30 | |
| that you can become a part of God's new creation, | 1:13:33 | |
| amen, and amen. | 1:13:39 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 1:13:42 | |
| (liturgical music) | 1:16:30 | |
| - | Our Lord said, | 1:20:28 |
| "I am the light of the world. | 1:20:30 | |
| The person who follows me will not walk in darkness, | 1:20:32 | |
| but will have the light of life." | 1:20:36 | |
| Go in peace | 1:20:39 | |
| and may the light of the world shine on your pathway, | 1:20:40 | |
| and in your heart and life, forever. | 1:20:44 | |
| Amen. | 1:20:49 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 1:20:53 | |
| The celebrants are now bringing the elements | 1:20:59 | |
| to those in the congregation | 1:21:03 | |
| who have not been able to come to the table. | 1:21:04 | |
| If you would please raise your hand | 1:21:07 | |
| that they may identify you. | 1:21:08 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 1:21:13 | |
| Let us bow for the prayer of commitment. | 1:22:55 | |
| You have given yourself to us, oh Lord. | 1:22:57 | |
| - | You have given yourself to us. | 1:23:00 |
| - | Your love has made us a new people. | 1:23:03 |
| - | As a people of God, we'll serve you fully. | 1:23:06 |
| - | Your glory has filled our hearts. | 1:23:09 |
| - | Calls to glorify you in all things, amen. | 1:23:12 |
| - | We have come from many places | 1:23:18 |
| and with many different personal histories | 1:23:19 | |
| that we come under the power of one name | 1:23:22 | |
| and in the presence of one who shares his table with us. | 1:23:25 | |
| Therefore, let us arise and greet each other | 1:23:29 | |
| in the name of our Lord | 1:23:31 | |
| and extend to the neighbor, the blessing of peace. | 1:23:32 | |
| (congregation murmurs) | 1:23:38 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 1:24:00 | |
| (liturgical music) | 1:24:31 | |
| Please be seated. | 1:27:08 | |
| Go out in peace to serve God and your neighbor | 1:27:24 | |
| in all that you do. | 1:27:26 | |
| (congregation responds) | 1:27:29 | |
| The blessings of Almighty God, | 1:27:31 | |
| Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, | 1:27:33 | |
| is with you always. | 1:27:37 | |
| ♪ Amen ♪ | 1:27:43 | |
| ♪ Amen ♪ | 1:27:47 | |
| ♪ Amen ♪ | 1:27:51 | |
| ♪ Amen ♪ | 1:28:04 | |
| ♪ Amen ♪ | 1:28:13 | |
| ♪ Amen ♪ | 1:28:24 | |
| (instrumental liturgical music) | 1:28:43 |
