Sermon (June 29) “All In” by Rev. Robert McDowell

June 29, 2025

Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

    People who have served in the military know this phrase all too well, “Hurry up and wait!” That phrase is often used because when it’s time to report to duty, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be leaving right away. You probably end up waiting for an extended period of time to complete final details before the actual deployment.

     Here in our Gospel reading, there is no “Hurry up and Wait” with Jesus. It’s more like, “Hurry up, We’re Leaving Right Now.”

     In Luke 9:51, we are told that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” That’s an ancient semitic phrase that implies not only the direction someone is headed but also the sheer determination of the person who is about to leave on a trip.

     Direction and determination is what we have here in Luke, chapter 9. And it will be ten chapters later in chapter 19 when Jesus will finally arrive in Jerusalem. And from there, it will lead him to the cross where he will offer his life for the sake of the world and then rise again.

     Jesus made it to Jerusalem only because of this critical moment here in Luke chapter 9 where we are told that he “set his face” to begin that long journey. Another phrase that we might use is that Jesus was “all in” in his commitment to fulfill the purpose for which God had sent him in bringing salvation to the world.

     All in. We don’t often use language like that because we like to keep our options open. “All In” doesn’t sound like there’s a plan B. It’s just plan A. We’re either going to do this or we’re not.

     And this is why as soon as Luke tells us that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem, we have these three examples of why there will be many who will say they want to follow Jesus but are not really “all in” like they think they are.

     Jesus tells the first person who says to him that they will follow him wherever he goes to not expect to stop at any fancy hotels along the way because the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.

     The next person says, “I’ll follow you Jesus, but I need to first bury my father.” And Jesus, not offering a lot of TLC here, responds with, “Let the dead bury their dead. If you’re going to proclaim the Kingdom of God with me, you need to leave now.”

     And then the third person agreed to go with Jesus, but first wanted to say goodbye to his family. And once again, Jesus is not willing to budge on this. You’re either going now, or not at all.

     All three of these examples show us Jesus’ “all In” determination to leave immediately.

     Delores Hart was an actress in the 50s and 60s. She grew up with her grandfather who was a movie theater projectionist in Chicago. Delores would sit in the dark alcove of her grandfather’s movie house watching watching film after film and had a dream to one day become an actress. 

     After high school and college, Delores Hart landed a role as Elvis Presley’s love interest in the 1957 film, “Loving You.” She would later be in another movie with Elvis, and she followed that up with an award winning performance on Broadway.

     Delores became a household name in Hollywood and people compared her to Grace Kelly. She had fulfilled her childhood dream of being an actress.

     But then in 1963, she was in New York promoting her new movie, “Come Fly with Me” when something compelled her – called her – to take a one-way cab ride to Connecticut and attend a spiritual retreat at a Benedictine Abby.

     After that retreat, she returned to her red-carpet Hollywood life, but she could tell that God was calling her to do something greater in her life. In the HBO documentary about her life which is called, “God is the Bigger Elvis,” she says, “I had it all, everything really, but my life wasn’t full.” She ended up abruptly quitting her acting schedule and became a member of that same Benedectine Abby back in Connecticut.

    Delores Hart had heard Jesus calling her to follow him which for her meant leaving her very successful acting career in order to live in full-time Christian community at that Abby where she continues to this day.

    Delores went all in.

     As I’ve been reflecting on this scripture reading, I keep thinking about something a very wise church consultant said to me years ago and I still find it to be extremely helpful today. When you’re looking for new ministries to start in the church, go with who’s ready and what’s ready.

     Find out people’s passions and see how those passions might lead to vital and impactful ministries. Every church is unique. What might work in one church may not work in another church.  Go with who’s ready and what’s ready.

     That’s why Jesus’ face was set to go to Jerusalem. That’s why Jesus was “all In” and was ready to go to Jerusalem. He was passionate about fulfilling the purpose for which God sent him, to bring salvation to the world.

     Who’s ready and what’s ready?

     Someone once told me that she loves making prayer shawls for her church to give to people who are going through a difficult time just to remind them of their love and prayers for them.  It was easy for me to see that she loves using her gifts in this way. She is “all In” when it comes to making these prayer shawls.

     Some of you love to make meals for people who have lost a loved one or who just got home from the hospital. There are others who absolutely love to just check on the church building from time to time to check on needed repairs. Others love to send cards to those on our prayer list or who have been in the hospital.

     You are “all In” with these ministries that bless others. Why? Because deep down, all of us want to do something we love in order to bless others.

     When Jesus invited those three people to follow him to Jerusalem, I wonder if they just didn’t realize the magnitude of what Jesus was about to do. I mean, in all fairness to them, I’m not really sure that they realized what that moment meant for Jesus to “set his face” to go to Jerusalem.

     The unanswered question in this story is what happened to these three people? Did they ever go “all In?” We’ll never know. This scripture reading invites us to wonder about such things.

     Early in my ministry, I served a church where I met an elderly member who was in his late 80s but had the youthful spirit of someone in their teens. He was at the church trimming an overgrown tree one day. I had only been there for a couple of weeks, and I was still getting to meet the people of that church.

     The name of the elderly man was Glen and he only had one arm from a childhood farming accident. I noticed that he was up on the top step of a step ladder trying to saw off a large branch in the front yard of the church. When I saw him doing this, I said, “Glen, you shouldn’t be up there. Someone else can do this. I don’t want you to fall down and die!”

     And with sweat just dripping down from his forehead because it was a very hot summer day, I’ll never forget what he said to me, his new pastor. He looked down at me from the top of that ladder and with a mischievous grin said, “Oh, don’t worry about me, Pastor. Let the dead bury the dead.”

     I laughed at his comment, but I still made him get down from that ladder. And throughout my time at that church, I came to discover that nothing, nothing, nothing was going to stop Glen from following Jesus and being “All In” for the kingdom.

     An old commercial once used the tagline, “Be a traveler, not a tourist.”

     In other words, don’t be a mere observer of life from a safe distance; no, live it, dive into it, and go “All In.”

     I like that! Jesus is inviting us to be travelers, not tourists in this journey of discipleship. He invites us to follow him. Find your passion and use that passion to be a blessing to others in the name of Jesus.

Sunday (June 29) Pastoral Prayer

June 29, 2025

Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

Lord Jesus, our prayer hymn doesn’t seem to offer us any middle ground. We either go all in or we don’t in being your disciples. And even the title of this hymn reminds us that the destination is not up for discussion. Where you lead us, we will follow and not the other way around.

 

Lead each of us today to walk with you and discover what it means to be the people you have called us to be. Lead us today to walk with you in building your kingdom here on earth. Lead us today to walk with you in shining your light to the people around us. Lead us today to walk with you in spreading joy and peace wherever we go. Lead us today to go all in and grow in what it means to be your faithful disciples.

 

And in this moment, you are leading us to pray for the many people who are on our church’s prayer list as well as others who are on our hearts and minds this day. Just as you are leading us, we pray that you would lead them to receive your healing, your guidance, your wisdom, your peace, your mercy, and your many blessings.

 

As we set our face to go with you to Jerusalem, remind us that even though it will lead us to your cross, it will also lead us to your empty tomb and to the good news of resurrection and new life.

 

Lord Jesus, unlike the three people in our Gospel reading this morning, may there be no ambiguity of what our decision will be today, and may it be, “Where you lead me, I will follow. Where you lead me, I will follow. Where you lead me, I will follow. And I’ll go with you, with you all the way.”

 

And it all starts with this prayer that you taught us to say together…

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Sermon (June 22) “A Quiet Presence” by Rev. Robert McDowell

June 22, 2025

Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

     As I’ve been reflecting on the story of the prophet, Elijah from our Old Testament reading for today, I can’t help but wonder how he would have fared as a candidate for pastoral ministry. One of the committees that I have served for most of my pastoral ministry is the District Committee on Ministry.

     The committee consists of both clergy and laity and the main purpose of this committee is to interview candidates for ordained or local pastor ministry.

     These committees meet in the fall to interview those candidates who are seeking to be ordained. If we approve them at the district level, we send them to the conference committee on ministry to continue their process toward ordination.

     The district committee on ministry also meets every year during a week in February and we would break into several interview teams so that we would be able to interview about 40 people who are local licensed pastors serving churches in the district. Every year, these 40 or so local pastors need their pastoral licenses renewed.

     Each of these interviews last for about an hour and we end up asking each pastor all kinds of questions about pastoral ministry.

     Some of these questions include, “How is ministry going in the church you’re serving?” “Share your understanding of God’s grace?” “What does Holy Communion mean to you?” “How would you handle a certain situation in your church?”  

     I always considered these interviews a very sacred duty because we wanted to make sure that each local pastor who serves a church in the district was sufficiently qualified for that vital role they were providing as part of being a pastoral leader in the United Methodist Church.

     I’m just trying to picture Elijah serving as pastor in one of our churches and meeting with one of the district interview teams. I’m going to use a lot of creative license here in telling a little of the story of Elijah but with some of my own pastoral experiences in learning to spend more time in the quiet presence of God.

     “Elijah, it says here in our notes from last year’s interview that you were dealing with a lot of conflict with a married couple in your community named Ahab and  Jezebel. Says here how you got back at them by taking matters into your own hands and causing there to be a severe drought upon their land. We asked you if you had first checked with God about doing this or at least consulted with your Church Council and you indicated that you didn’t see any reason to do so. If you remember, and by your own admission, you can be a little impulsive and hot-headed. Have you been working on these issues since we last met?”

     “Oh, yes. I have changed a lot in this area. I really learned from that experience. Not too long after my interview with you last year, I was thinking about what you said. And so I went into the wilderness, sat down under this broom tree wondering if I should really even continue in ministry. I actually fell asleep under that tree when an angel from God said to me, ‘Get up and eat and go to where I send you.’ So I got up, ate the food that was prepared for me and set off to a mountain where I found a cave.”

     It was there that God said to me, ‘I know that you’re very zealous in serving me, but the problem is you’re trying to do everything on your own power and strength. Walk outside of this cave, and I’ll show you what I mean.’

     So, no sooner had I walked outside of that cave, there was this strong wind that appeared out of nowhere and I wondered if that was a sign of God’s presence, but to my surprise, it wasn’t.

     And after that massive wind, there was an earthquake, and I thought for sure this was a sign from God, but God wasn’t in the earthquake either.

     Well, then there was a fire, and still no sign of God. I thought to myself, how can God not be present in these powerful forces of nature; the wind, the earthquake and the fire?

     Just as soon as that fire went out, there was nothing left but sheer silence. At first I thought that was really strange because God is usually revealed through these loud and dramatic signs in nature. And that’s when I finally realized what you all were trying to tell me last year.  Sometimes we just need to find God in those quiet moments, instead of always trying to rely on our own strength.”

     “And how is that working for you after you made that discovery?”

     I’m still learning. You know, slowing down and listening for God in the silence is not easy for me to do. I’m just not wired that way. I like to be active and to be able to see results right away. But I’ve found that when I trust in my own strength and do things impulsively without spending time in prayer and reflection, that’s when I start feeling burned out and I lose my sense of joy in ministry and life in general.”

      “Can you share any specific ways that you’re listening more to God’s still, small voice?

     “Well yeah, like there was a church meeting a few months ago that I knew was going to be really stressful. We were dealing with a very contentious issue and that whole day I had knots in my stomach because I didn’t know how it was going to turn out.

 

     I was worrying so much about it that I couldn’t even focus on other things I needed to get done that day. As I drove into the church parking lot that night for the meeting, all of the sudden, it dawned on me that I never took time to slow down and pray about it. And so, when I parked my car, I just sat there for a few minutes in silence to find that quiet presence of God.

     And as soon as I walked through the front door of the church, I felt this amazing sense of peace that everything was going to be OK.”

     “Well, don’t leave us in suspense! How did your meeting go that night?”

     “I couldn’t believe it. It ended up being one of our best meetings we ever had. We didn’t all agree on what we should do, but we could all tell that God was leading us and we ended up making a decision that was better than what I had been thinking we should do. Note to self, when you’re starting to feel stressed out and anxious about something, first go and spend some quiet time with God.”

     “That’s a great example, Elijah. What else are you doing differently to listen for God’s voice?”

     “Well, one morning, I just wasn’t quite myself for some reason. I noticed that I was feeling a little sad, but I didn’t know why. It was a sunny day with blue skies, and I didn’t know why I was feeling so down that morning. Something was bothering me, but I just couldn’t name it.

     As I was driving down the road to go to the church, I remember thinking that maybe listening to some music would help. After a minute or two of listening to one of my favorite songs, I noticed that I wasn’t really listening to the music anymore. It just sounded like noise to me.

 

     It was at that point that I decided to do something that was out of character for me. I pulled into the next available parking lot to spend some time to find some quiet and just think. And that’s when it dawned on me. It was my father’s death anniversary that day. That was why I was feeling so down, and I didn’t know it until I spent that time in silence.

     God met me in that quiet moment. And that’s all I needed. Got back on the road and I was able to feel God’s peace for that rest of that day.

     I have one more example to share with you if we have time.”

     “Sure. Go ahead.”

     “Well, one day after that whole encounter with God on the mountain experience where God was in the silence instead of the wind, the earthquake and the fire, I decided that I needed a place like that. And I thought that if I was able to encounter God by a cave on that mountain, I might as well have my own man cave.

     My man cave is a room in my house where I can have some quiet and spend time with God. It’s a great way to begin my day. I think about my day ahead and invite God to give me guidance and strength.

     A lot of times, that time of prayer is a way for me to listen for God’s voice and remind me to depend on God for that new day. I don’t know, it just makes a difference when I have that routine in that man cave of my house. Plus, it reminds me of that cave on the mountain where God met me in the silence.

     “I like that! A spiritual reason to have a man cave!”

     “Well, our time is up, Elijah. Sounds to us like you’ve learned a lot over this past year about listening for God’s voice instead of trying to do ministry on your own strength.”

     So, this is how I would imagine a district committee on ministry meeting going with the Prophet Elijah. These are the type of conversations we that we would have with pastors throughout that week of interviews. Those meetings have a way of reminding me of my own need to depend on God as I live out my faith.

     Often times, we read how Jesus would go off alone to pray. He did this on several occasions. I’m sure that Jesus could have healed more people, spoken to more crowds, and spent more time with the disciples, but he also knew when he needed to withdraw and find that quiet presence with God.

     Now, if Jesus knew to do this often, why would we ever think that we can live out our faith without that quiet presence? Maybe this is why today’s Psalmist begins his psalm by praying to God, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”

     May we all thirst for those flowing streams where we can find a quiet presence, because as Elijah reminds us, it’s often in the silence when God speaks the loudest.