Abingdon Press is publishing The Best of Will Willimon this year, a collection of some of my writing from Abingdon,
edited by my friend Dr. Robert Ratcliff. As we move through Lent, season of the
cross, I thought I would share some of these selections related to the theme of
the cross.
I was having a difficult time in
my previous congregation. A stormy board meeting was followed by a poorly
received sermon, which was then succeeded by a none-too-pleasant public
confrontation with the chair of the church trustees. What had I done to so
badly manage the congregation? I sat in my office, going over the events of the
past week, attempting to take appropriate responsibility for the administrative
mess I was in. Could I have been more discreet? Why had I felt the need to
bring things to a head now? Had I abused the pulpit in last Sunday’s sermon?
Then I returned to my preparation
for next Sunday’s sermon. Year B of the Common Lectionary, Mark. Another story
of Jesus’ teaching and healing. Another story of rejection. Then it hit me. Why
was I so surprised that our congregation was full of conflict? Was the conflict
a sign of my failure to skillfully manage congregational differences, or my
skillful pastoral telling of the truth? I heard Mark ask, “What’s the problem?
You think that you are a better preacher than Jesus?”
“If any want to become my
followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For
those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life
for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35)
At that moment I recalled that
just about 99 percent of Mark’s Gospel encompasses the preparation to crucify
Jesus, Jesus’ crucifixion, or the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion. The cross,
it appears, is not optional equipment for a faithful ministry. The cross, the
self-giving, emptying of God in the crucified Jesus—God’s great victory over
sin and death through divine suffering—is the primary ethical trajectory of the
New Testament.
Will Willimon
2 comments:
I always enjoy Bishop Willimon's blogs and don't compliment him on his insight and teachings nearly enough. So I hate to complain without having a solid record of praise. But there is something wrong with Bishop Willimon's podcasts the past few week. The speaking part is the usual 25 to 30 minutes, but there is also over four hours of silence after the talking is over. I know silence is golden, but it really takes a long time and a big chunk of my data plan to download nearly five hours of podcast, just to get 25 minutes of talking. Anything that could be done to remedy that would be most welcome.
Thank you. Our conference communication team is working on the problem.
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