PROTESTANT HOUR
SERMON #2 - SUMMARY

OH, THE PLACES YOU WILL Go!

JOHN M. BUCHANAN, PASTOR
FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CHICAGO

Scripture

Mark 1:16-20

Oh, The Places You Will Go is based on two Biblical stories,
the journey of the children of Israel over the Jordan and into
the promised land and Jesus’ call to the disciples to leave their
fishing nets and follow him. The title is from a Dr. Seuss book.

The sermon suggests that the life of faith is a journey,
full of risks and uncertainties, but that God is with us and

calls us to live faithfully.

PROTESTANT HOUR, #2

OH, THE PLACES YOU WILL GO!

JouN M. BUCHANAN, PASTOR

we SCRIPTURE On we yas

Mark 1:16-20

FourRTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CHICAGO . Ad
Let apne sek uw
An OO sp MOSES IS DEAD. AFTER FORTY YEARS
OF WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS THE
PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE ARRIVED AT A
RIVER. ON THE OTHER SIDE THEY CAN SEE
THEIR DESTINATION, THE PROMISED LAND.

C Josnua 1:1-2, 57> ay

“AFTER THE DEATH OF MOSES THE

SERVANT OF THE LorD, THE LORD SPOKE TO
JosHUA SON OF NuN, MoSES' ASSISTANT,

SAYING, "MY SERVANT MOSES IS DEAD. Now

PROCEED TO CROSS THE JORDAN, YOU AND ALL
THIS PEOPLE, INTO THE LAND THAT I AM

GIVING TO THEM, TO THE ISRAELITES. ...

No ONE SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST YOU
ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. AS I was
wITH Moses, so I WILL BE WITH You; I

WILL NOT FAIL YOU OR FORSAKE You.”

You MAY NOT IDENTIFY WITH MUCH IN
THE Bree. | You MAY NOT EVER HAVE SEEN A
BURNING BUSH, AND THE VOICE OF GOD MAY
NEVER HAVE SPOKEN DIRECTLY TO YOU, AND
YOU MAY NEVER HAVE SEEN ANYONE WALK ON
water. | AND YOU MAY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT
WHATEVER IT IS THAT THE BIBLE IS ABOUT,

IT IS ABOUT THENGS THAT HAPPEN TO OTHER

PEOPLE.
HOWEVER. . . THERE IS NOT A ONE OF

US WHO CANNOT IDENTIFY WITH THOSE PEOPLE

GATHERED ON THE BANKS OF THE JORDAN

RIVER,!| ALL THEIR BELONGINGS, ALL THEIR
iain
TRADITIONS, ALL THEIR HISTORY BEHIND
THEM, PEERING THROUGH MORNING MIST INTO
Pr miiiiioned

THE FUTURE, THE PROMISED Lano.| How ARE

THEY FEELING THAT MORNING, FORTY YEARS
cc

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OF NOMADIC WANDERING ABOUT TO COME TO AN
END. . . FOUR DECADES OF A ROUTINE THEY
HAD LONG AGO ACCOMMODATED ABOUT TO
CONFRONT A RADICALLY NEW FUTURE? \ My
GUESS IS THAT THEY ARE ANXIOUS, SCARED.
—_i~iduu|06==—
THEY FEEL LIKE GOING SACK, AND IF THAT
ey
IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEY ARE SERIOUSLY
CONSIDERING GOING NO FURTHER THEY ARE

ee

TALKING ABOUT STOPPING RIGHT THERE - "ON

THE VERGE OF JORDAN” - AS THE OLD HYMN
PUTS r.\ WHICH I$.IQ SAY, THEY ARE
FEELING A LOT LIKE YOU AND I FEEL MUCH
ae
OF THE JIME.
WHO CAN'T IDENTIFY WITH THEM?

Fee re

PERSONAL CHANGE, MOVEMENT, IS A LIFE
— —

REALITY.\ ONE OF FIVE OF US MAKES AN

ACTUAL MOVE EVERY YEAR AND IF WE'RE NOT

MOVING LOCATIONS, WE'RE MOVING FROM ONE
JOB TO THE NEXT, OR TRYING TO, OR PLAN-
NING TO, OR HOPING AND WISHING THAT WE

COULD.

PERHAPS YOU FIND YOURSELF THINKING THE
UNTHINKABLE, NAMELY THAT THERE IS A DAY
AHEAD WHEN YOU NEED TO FIND SOMETHING To
DO OTHER THAN THE JOB WHICH HAS BEEN
YOUR LIFE FOR ALL THESE YEARS. | THAT
CHANGE COMES AFTER ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER
OF YEARS ISRAEL WANDERED IN THE WILDER-
NESS BEFORE ENDING UP ON THE BANKS OF
THE JORDAN, PEERING THROUGH THE MORNING
MIST INTO THE PROMISED LAND AND SHIVER-
ING, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS CHILLY THAT
DAY. | wo DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT EXPE-
RIENCE?

MY PROPOSAL THIS MORNING IS THAT

aie

THE LIFE OF FAITHFULNESS IS A JOURNEY, A

MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE. | THE STORY

OF FAITH IN THE BIBLE IS NOT AN ACCOUNT

ie

OF PEOPLE SITTING DOWN AND FIGURING OUT

a

WHAT THEY BELZEVE.\ It IS A STORY OF

——e

PEOPLE MOVING ON A JOURNEY, A PILGRIM-

AGE. IT BEGINS WHEN AN ELDERLY COUPLE,

ABRAHAM AND SARAH, HEAR GOD'S PROMISE AND
GoD'S CALL AND IN THEIR OLD AGE DO
SOMETHING VERY UNLIKELY - PICK UP AND
wove. \ AND THE STORY CONTINUES WHEN THE
DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH, URGED,
CAJOLED, PUSHED AND PRODDED BY MosEs,
FINALLY PACK UP AND MOVE OUT OF EGYPT
AND TRAVEL THROUGH THE DESERT FOR FORTY
YEARS.

AND, OF COURSE, THERE IS THE CHAP-
TER OF THE STORY TO WHICH WE HAVE OUR
CLOSEST AFFINITY WHICH BEGINS WHEN A MAN
WALKS BY A GROUP OF FISHERMEN MENDING
THEIR NETS AND SAYS:

“ComME, FOLLOW ME.”

IT OFTEN SEEMS THAT MOVING, TRAVEL-~
ING, GETTING UP AND GOING SOMEWHERE NEW
IS WHAT FAITHFULNESS MEANS IN THE BIBLE.
AND IT IS ALWAYS AN EXPERIENCE OF EXHIL-

ARATION AND ENERGY ULTIMATELY, BUT FIRST

IT IS AN EXPERIENCE OF ANXIETY AND FEAR
AND RELUCTANCE.
IN FACT SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THAT THE
OPPOSITE OF FAITH IN THE BIBLE 1S NOT
SIN OR UNBELIEF, BUT THE REFUSAL TO at
MOVE. on Te Pes
THE TITLE OF THIS SERMON COMES FROM
A DISTINGUISHED MAN OF LETTERS; A com-
MENTATOR ON MODERN LIFE, THE LATE Dr.
Seuss. ( Dr. SEUSS WROTE WONDERFUL CHIL-
DREN'S BOOKS WHICH SOMEHOW ALSO MANAGED
TO BE WONDERFULLY ADULT BOOKS. OH, THE

Places You’L_ GO IS A BOOK FOR GRADUATES

OR FOR ANYONE ABOUT TO MOVE INTO A NEW
Future. | I FOUND IN IT, A WORD FOR THOSE
PEOPLE PEERING THROUGH THE MIST OF THE
RIVER INTO THE PROMISED LAND, AND GOD'S
PERSONAL WORD FOR EACH OF US.
“CONGRATULATIONS!
TODAY IS YOUR DAY.

You'RE OFF TO GREAT PLaces!

You'RE OFF AND Away!

YOU HAVE BRAINS IN YOUR HEAD

You HAVE FEET IN YOUR SHOES

You CAN STEER YOURSELF

ANY DIRECTION YOU CHOOSE.

You'RE ON YOUR OWN.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW.

AND YOU ARE THE GUY WHO'LL
DECIDE WHERE TO GO."

THERE ARE SOME RISKS. Dr. Seuss
WARNS THAT THE GOING WILL NOT ALWAYS BE
SMOOTH OR EASY.

"I'M SORRY TO SAY SO

BUT SADLY, IT’S TRUE

THAT BANG-UPS

AND HANG-UPS

CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.

You WILL COME TO A PLACE WHERE
THE STREETS ARE NOT MARKED.
SOME WINDOWS ARE LIGHTED.

BUT MOSTLY THEY'RE DARK.

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A PLACE YOU COULD SPRAIN
BOTH YOUR ELBOW AND CHIN.
Do YOU DARE STAY OUT?
Do YOU DARE GO IN?”
SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THAT THE OPPO-
SITE OF FAITH IN THE BIBLE IS NOT SIN OR
HERESY BUT THE REFUSAL TO GET UP AND
MOVE,
ALVIN TOFFLER'S IMPORTANT BOOK,

FUTURE SHOCK, TAUGHT US THAT IN A TIME

OF RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE, WHEN EVERYTHING
IS MOVING AND NOTHING IS PINNED DOWN YOU
AND I ARE INCLINED TO CREATE FOR OUR-
SELVES WHAT TOFFLER CALLED "PERSONAL
SECURITY ZONES," AREAS OF LIFE THAT ARE
STABLE, UNCHANGING, OFTEN NOSTALGICALLY,
BASED ON THE PAST.

REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT FAITH

IN THE BIBLE IS DESCRIBED AS A JOURNEY,

A MOVING FROM HERE TO THERE, WE WANT

STABILITY. | "GIVE ME THAT OLD TIME

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RELTGION. IF tT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR
MOSES, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME." WE
DON’T WANT TO FOLLOW JESUS INTO A NEW
Pere
FUTURE.
MARTIN MARTY, IN A NOW FAMOUS QUIP,

ONCE SAID THAT THE LAST SEVEN WORDS OF

THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH WILL BE,

“WE NEVER DID IT THAT WAY
Berore.” |
THE STORY IS TOLD OF A LITTLE GIRL
WATCHING HER MOTHER PREPARE TO BAKE A
yam. \ AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, JUST
BEFORE PLACING THE HAM IN THE BAKING
PAN, SHE CUT A SMALL SECTION OFF EACH
END.
"WHY DO YOU DO THAT, Mommy?" THE LITTLE
GIRL ASKED. "WHY DID YOU CUT THE ENDS
OFF THE HAM?"
HER MOTHER ANSWERED:
“THAT'S HOW MY MOTHER DID IT.

Let's ASK HER."

10

W

$oO THEY CALLED ON THE GRANDMOTHER
AND ASKED HER WHY SHE CUT THE ENDS OFF
THE HAM AND SHE RESPONDED,

"Woy, I'm NoT sure I KNOW.
THAT’S HOW MY MOTHER DID IT."

So, OFF THEY WENT TO SEE GREAT-
GRANDMOTHER, AND THEY ASKED HER WHY SHE
CUT THE ENDS OFF THE HAM BEFORE BAKING
tT. AND THE OLD WOMAN, IN HER NINETIES,
THOUGHT FOR A LONG TIME AND FINALLY
SAID,

"I REMEMBER NOW. I CUT THE
ENDS OFF THE HAN

BECAUSE MY BAKING PAN WAS TOO
SMALL."

ONE DAY, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
STORY, HE WAS WALKING BESIDE THE SEA OF
GALILEE. HE SAW TWO MEN CASTING THEIR
NET. THEIR NAMES WERE SIMON AND ANDREW.
HE SAID TO THEM, "FOLLOW ME." AND THAT

IS WHAT THEY DID. . . LAID DOWN THEIR

1i

NET AND FOLLOWED. HE SAW TWO MORE,
JAMES AND JOHN, MENDING THEIR GEAR, WITH
THEIR FATHER SITTING IN THEIR FISHING
BOAT. HE SAID, "FOLLOW ME.” AND THAT
IS WHAT THEY DID.

WE WISH THERE WERE MORE TO IT THAN
THAT. WE WISH WE KNEW ABOUT THEM AND
THEIR LIVES AND WHAT MADE THEM SO READY
TO MOVE, SO WILLING TO ACCEPT THE RISKS
AND UNCERTAINTIES AND INSECURITIES
IMPLIED IN WALKING AWAY FROM JOB AND
FAMILY AND TRADITION, INTO AN UNKNOWN
FuTure. | WE WISH WE KNEW THAT THEY KNEW
HIM AND HAD REASON FOR CONFIDENCE IN
HIM, KNEW WHERE HE WAS LEADING THEM.
But WE pon’. | THE ACCOUNT STARTLES ME
EVERY TIME I READ IT WITH ITS LEANNESS:

patria
INVITATION - COMMAND - RESPONSE. | AND I
HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THIS IS WHAT THE

BIBLE WANTS TO SAY AND THAT THIS IS A

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WORD FROM THE LORD TO ME - TO ALL OF US
AND EACH OF US.

Doucias JOHN HALL, A CANADIAN
THEOLOGIAN WHO HAS THOUGHT AND WRITTEN
ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE YOUR LIFE
FAITHFULLY TEACHES THAT IT BEGINS WITH A
SUMMONS TO FOLLOW, AND CONTINUES IN A
LIFE WHICH IS MOVING ALWAYS MORE DEEPLY
INTO THE LIFE OF THE WORLD| A JOURNEY

a nie ern en!

THAT CAN END UP AT THE cross, A PILGRIM~

AGE CHARACTERIZED BY LIVING FOR OTHERS,
BY LOVING THE WORLD FOR CHRIST’S SAKE,
BY GIVING ONE’S RESOURCES, SKILLS,
PASSION, LOVE AND LIFE ITSELF - TO THE
CAUSE OF CHRIST.

It’s not easy.| IT's NOT EASY TO DO
THAT, PARTICULARLY IN THIS TIME AND

PLACE. IN THE CULTURE OF DISBELIEF, THE

BOOK EVERYBODY IS READING, THE AUTHOR,
YALE PROFESSOR, STEPHEN CARTER, CONTENDS

THAT WE ARE NOT AN ATHEISTIC CULTURE SO

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MUCH AS AN INDIFFERENT ONE WHEN IT COMES
To RELIGION | WE CAN TOLERATE A BIT OF
RELIGION. IN FACT A LITTLE RELIGION IS

GOOD - A NECESSARY POLITICAL ASSET, PART

OF THE PERSONAL APPEAL PACKAGE ~ HMeBRY

Vanna tetatith shomaeaall

NOT TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY. WILLIAM BUCK-
LEY SAID IF YOU MENTION GOD ONCE AT A
New YORK DINNER PARTY YOU ARE MET WITH
STONY SILENCE. MENTION GOD TWICE AND
YOU DON’T GET INVITED TO ANY MORE DINNER
PARTIES.

STEPHEN CARTER SAYS AMERICAN CUL-
TURE REGARDS ACCEPTABLE RELIGION AS A
KIND OF PERSONAL HOBBY LIKE STAMP COL-
LECTING OR MODEL TRAINS.

AND SO FOR YOU AND ME THE CALL CAN
BE A RADICAL SUMMONS TO BE DIFFERENT, TO
ACT DIFFERENTLY, TO MARCH TO A DIFFERENT

DRUMMER, TO TRAVEL IN A NEW AND DIFFER-

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ENT DIRECTION, TO LIVE FOR OTHERS, TO
GIVE LIFE AWAY. . . TO PUT ON THE LINE
MY ENERGY, MY TIME, MY RESOURCES. . . IN
LOVE FOR MY NEIGHBORS, THE CHILDREN, THE
FUTURE. . . MY LORD.

JESUS CALLED HIS DISCIPLES TO GET
UP FROM WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND TO
FOLLOW HIM. HE PROMISED THEM NEW LIFE.
HE SAID THEY WOULD ACTUALLY FIND THEIR
LIVES WHEN THEY GOT UP FROM WHAT THEY
WERE DOING AND MOVED INTO A NEW FUTURE,
CHARACTERIZED BY GIVING LIFE AWAY.

THAT IS OUR SECRET. THE PROMISE IS
ADVENTURE, SURPRISE, CHALLENGE, AND
THROUGH IT ALL - LIFE.

Or Saw 35
“OUT THERE THINGS CAN HAPPEN
AND FREQUENTLY DO
TO PEOPLE AS BRAINY
AND FOOTSY AS You." Dr.

SEUSS ADVISES.

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“AND WHEN THINGS START TO
HAPPEN,
DON’T wWoRRY. DON'T STEW,
JUST GO RIGHT ALONG.
You'LL START HAPPENING TOO."
OH, THE PLACES YOU WIitL GO! LIKE
Dr. Seuss, W. H. AUDEN THOUGHT ABOUT
THE JOURNEY AND WROTE WHAT I THINK ARE
AMONG THE MOST HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL
LINES. ..
"HE IS THE WAY
FOLLOW HIM THROUGH THE LAND OF
UNLIKENESS
YOU WILL SEE RARE BEASTS,

AND HAVE UNIQUE ADVENTURES.

“HE IS THE TRUTH.
SEEK HIM IN THE KINGDOM OF
ANXIETY,

You WILL COME TO A GREAT CITY

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THAT HAS EXPECTED YOUR RETURN
FOR YEARS.

"HE IS THE LIFE.

Love HIM IN THE WORLD OF THE
FLESH,

AND AT YOUR MARRIAGE ALL ITS
OCCASIONS

SHALL DANCE WITH JOY.”

JESUS SAID,

"Come. . . Fo.ttow me...”

AMEN.

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