Continue in My Word - Reformation Sunday
Author: Pastor Carolyn Hetrick
October 26, 2025
Recently we took our cat Alex to the vet for his annual
checkup. Things seem to be going really well. Then vet says, “You know now that
Alex is getting into middle age, it might be a good time think about how you’re
feeding him because he’s a little full figured.” His full name isn’t Alexander the Great for
nothing. Alex became a bit of a chonk.
I gotta tell you that kind of stung. I didn’t want to
hear it. My first inclination to soothe my embarrassment afterward was to Google
it even though the vet is the expert. I “might” have given extra treats here
and there. Maybe that ¼ cup of food might have been more rounded than level.
Michael sometimes lets him have a little milk. It’s Michael! I was deep into
excuses in my head. Then I remembered how small Alex is and how small cat
stomachs are. Even a few extra things do matter. If we didn’t adjust his food,
he could get arthritis and be in pain. I’m not a bad Cat Mom.
In truth, although we started out following exactly what
we were supposed to, over time, a little bit here, a little sidestep because I
came home later and tried to make up with an extra treat to feel better about
my own guilt there… Little by little we’d moved away from the words we’ d been
given.
But it’s not too late. That’s grace. Alex has been
screaming at 3 am because he’s hungrier sooner, but he has more energy and
activity. We needed that loving word from the vet to get back on track. When
you turn back, turn away or turn around in some way because you got off the
path and you want to follow a better way, the big church word for that is
repentance.
Grace and repentance are about love and relationships.
Jesus was talking to people who had been believing in him.
Believing is head, heart and action. “They HAD been believing” means they have
gotten off the path of his instruction. He’s now saying, “continue in my word,
you will know the truth.” They too got spicy and said basically, “Who do you
think you are telling us this?” They swore they were nailing it.
Jesus talking about sin is a way of saying, “you’ve
gotten off track.” It’s driving with GPS and it’s trying to re-route you. Lots
of times we think we are exercising freedom and we’re in control, but we’re
gradually weighed down or feel trapped by things that actually have control
over us, and get in the way of us seeing the way it really is. The way it
really is, even if we wish it was different is the truth.
People say we live in a “post-truth” world. We can be so
quick to disbelieve and disagree. We stop seeing the difference between fact
and opinion? We let influencers, media
personalities, Chat GPT and Google do our thinking. It starts as entertaining
but can become something else. And if THAT is true, what do we even do with
Jesus talking about truth? Is it meaningless?
What if we ask why we let so many total strangers and non-humans
tell us what is beauty or success or love or relationship? I think we as
followers of Jesus should hit pause and say, “Wait a minute why are we not
re-claiming the truth as God sees it?” It’s about love and relationships.
That is what Jesus embodies in his ministry and words. So
how do we do this? We ask God to help and guide us just like in our Affirmation
of Baptism.
We look at what Jesus says love looks like and sounds
like and lives like in the Bible. We get out of our headspaces just like the
people in the gospel had to. And frankly that’s a good thing.
People can buy into the idea that no one controlled them
and never had. Even though their actual history was the opposite. Today we can
choose so many voices to listen to, but it sure is hard to turn off the noise.
And it is hard to be free-thinkers. Being a slave was being trapped, unable to
act for yourself. When we are not free-thinkers today we too can be trapped.
Jesus wants to help us know real freedom. It starts with
remembering who we are and whose we are.
Now this is the part of the sermon that might sound like
it is directed at our confirmands, but the truth is we all are affirming our
baptism whenever we are here. So here goes:
Beloved children of God, in our baptism we live in grace.
There is always another day and another chance. There is forgiveness and there
is love. And yes, the other part of grace is repentance. Allowing others to
tell us this in love. Then telling God we will try again and asking God for
help. Remember that unlike a lot of voices that never let mistakes go as they
cancel us, God never will because nothing anywhere ever will separate us from
the God who loves us in Jesus. That’s in the Bible.
We can choose to continue following Jesus’ word. Walk
away from the noise and turn to God’s words. We can choose to remember what God has done in
our baptism and is doing in us and remember God wants to continue these
relationships. This is what God chooses.
Remember you are a beloved child of God. God never gives
up on you. You have a place in God’s heart and kingdom forever.
Remember God sends the Holy Spirit to give you
power and gifts and strength you need. That Spirit helps us pray and prays for
us when we can’t; comforts us when we need to feel loved and helps us find the
way when we feel lost. That Spirit shows up in all of us for each other. That’s
in the Bible.
Yes, sometimes the church and people will make mistakes. We
can ask God to help us have grace for others. To say we are sorry and try
again. Even when it stings a bit at first to admit it. We can remember that
things like praying the Lord’s Prayer, remembering the 10 Commandments and reading
what the Bible actually says and asking questions is good. God wants us to know
real love and not to feel alone. That’s in the Bible.
People try to sell us and tell us that a life like this
is not real and that we need to chase a whole lot of things to feel better
about ourselves in this world. Do we really want to believe someone who needed
a filter just to show up on a screen? People will say we are not smart enough
to think for ourselves and the world is full of lots to be scared about and we
have to save ourselves. Others try to convince us to stay angry, to see others
as less than human, or to be violent. These things can even seem entertaining at
first, but they can keep us trapped, and get us sidetracked, one doomscroll or
channel click at a time.
While a good cat video often helps break that cycle, more
importantly:
Walk away from the noise to listen to Jesus’ words. He
won’t be as loud about it but always wants to help us walk in the middle of it
all and remind us he is here in love and we are made for love. Here’s where
everyone has a really big part. We promise to pray for and work with and love
those who are taking big steps and those who are struggling. We promise to be
invested and involved and to be loving.
Because all Jesus’ words are about loving and relationship,
not isolation. And since that is really what we all are searching for, may God
help and guide us to continue in Jesus’ words together.
AMEN
Copyright Rev. Carolyn K. Hetrick, 2025 All rights
reserved. May not be reproduced in whole or in part without written
permission.
Sermon
Text: Gospel: John 8:31-36
31 Jesus
said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are
truly my disciples, 32 and
you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They
answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to
anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Very
truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The
slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place
there forever. 36 So
if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
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