Take Me Away!

The Rev. Joseph Winston

February 14, 2010

Grace and peace are gifts for you from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.1
If you are past a certain age, then you might remember this famous commer-
cial. The camera focuses in on a woman who appears to be right in the middle of
a very difficult day. When you look around, you have some sort of idea why she
looks so frazzled. The house is a terrible mess, the children are fighting with each
other, and her husband is completely oblivious to all the problems she is facing.
She cannot take it any more. She shouts out, “Calgon, take me away.” The scene
suddenly changes. She is now all alone in a beautiful bathtub. She is enjoying the
peace and quiet brought be a luxurious Calgon bubble bath.
The people who purchase bath products are not the only ones who want their
present situation to change. We have been able to play the lottery here in Texas
for the past eleven years. While no one knows all the different reasons why people
1
Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians
1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:3.

1
gamble, it is a safe bet to list some of the common reasons why individuals play
these games. With a huge jackpot, I can pay off all my debts and retire from work.
A small portion of the Mega Millions is enough for me. Then I will be able to tear
up all my credit cards. When I hit the Powerball, I will move into my own house.
Obviously, feelings such as these are large motivators. We have purchased over
seventeen billion dollars of lottery tickets since they first went on sale in 1999.
That is a lot of money. It is like every citizen of this state purchasing sixty-three
dollars of lotto tickets since sales first began. The actual number is quite higher
since only adults can buy a chance to win.
Besides Calgon bath products and lottery tickets, we can list other ways people
try to change their lives for the better. Education is often key to moving ahead.
Long hours of hard work might mean you can retire early. Even marrying the
right person can make all the difference in the world.
This desire to move into a higher quality of life is not limited to citizens of
this country who want a part of the “American Dream.” For the most part, we are
a country of immigrants. Your parents and grandparent came to this land because
they wanted something they could not find in the old world. They came here for a
chance to start over. They arrived on these shores to earn a living.
We expect this type of story. Through hard work and a little luck, we improve
our station in life.
What we do not want to hear is the reverse. No one likes to have all their earn-
ings taken away by some combination of inflation and taxes. It is heartbreaking to
learn how farmers cannot make a living because of bad weather. Downsizing your

2
lifestyle to fit the new economic reality is not any fun.
When you hear the account of Jesus coming into our world, you quickly realize
one harsh fact. Being here among us is not the life He was used to living. It was a
huge step down. No longer do hosts of angels praise Him. He left His throne con-
structed of the most precious materials imaginable and the golden streets behind.
He put all that glory and honor aside so that He could save you.
That is only the start of the tremendous adjustments. Now, Jesus has to deal
with this thing called humanity that begins with birth and ends with death. There
is no two ways about it. Life as we know it is not pretty. We get sick and throw
up all over the place. Work exhausts us and we smell awful after a long day. We
must eat and go to the bathroom. Death is a constant companion that takes away
the people who we love. Finally, we are no more.
At any time, Jesus could have called it quits. A single though would be all that
it takes and He would be back in Heaven away from all this stuff we call “life”
here on earth. Away from it all, He is safe. No one can hurt Him. No one can break
His heart. No one can kill Him.
That is not what happened. Jesus stayed here. That is the true miracle of the
“Transfiguration.” He kept every aspect of our humanity rather than leaving it all
behind.
It is easy for us to forget what it means to be human. Of course, there are all the
shortcomings that come as a part of being a creature. We do not have superhuman
powers. We cannot be everywhere at the same time. We are limited in what we can
and cannot do. There are also the plain ordinary facts about existence. We must

3
eat and drink.
But Being human is much more than that. A human is a special act of creation
that lives with others. This is one of the primary purposes of our lives. We have
three different relationships that we must attend to. The first connection is with
God. We are to fear, love, and trust God. Other people living around us are our
responsibility also. This is our second relationship. We must take care of them.
The final item in the list of relationships is ourselves. We need to attend to our
desires. This is part of our lives is summarized in the great commandment. Love
God with your entire existence and your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-38;
Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37).
We have done fairly well with the first and last items on the list. We have
a house of worship and attendance though small is steady. From the cars in the
parking lot, it seems that everyone is taking care of themselves. The real issue is
how we love our neighbor. We do not expend the same amount of resources on
them.
In stark contrast to how we live our lives, Jesus came and took every part of
humanity as His own. This includes many of the things we try to run away from.
Think of all the problems of this life. They happened to Jesus too. He felt hurt
when friends died. People in power threatened Him. Others misunderstood Him.
His family did not understand Him. A close student betrayed Him. None of this is
very different from the lives we lead.
Then there is the part of life we would rather just skip right over. The technical
world for what is required of every human is the Law. It is all the rules and regula-

4
tions that we must follow. The traffic stop sign at the corner is but one example of
the law. The taxes we must pay yet another. The Ten Commandments are a third
illustration. When Jesus became human, He voluntarily agreed to keep every part
of the Law.
This means He completely kept the great commandment. He loved God and
His neighbor.
Now, exactly who is your neighbor (Luke 10:29)? Jesus answered that specific
question with His teachings and His life. It is not just the people who live in your
little village. Your neighbor encompasses more people than your enemies. The
person who you must help is not limited to this specific time either. Your neighbor
is literally every person that has ever or will ever live. That is whom you must care
for: the entirety of humanity.
Many people would like to believe that tossing a bit of money in the offering
plate is an example of loving your neighbor. It is a good start but far from what
the law requires. Others might hope that service in the community fulfills the
obligation of taking care of someone else. Once again, this commendable action
only completes a small portion of the law. When you love your neighbor as God
demands, you give them the ability to live as God intended. That is what you must
do. You need to give them authentic human existence with all of its ramifications.
Nothing must keep you from this task.
Jesus did not run away from the Law. He fulfilled every requirement and in
doing so, He gave you true life.
While we might want to leave our current situation by having Calgon or the

5
lottery take us away to a new place, Jesus does the exact opposite. He comes here
to be with us. He willing accepts our place in creation. He completely carries out
the entire Law so that you can be free.
“The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.”2

2
Philippians 4:7.