Forgive me for this one. It goes way back in time before any of you were even born…or thought of…
I am going all the way back to the year 1979…yeah – I know…practically the “ice age”…humankind as we know it, had just started learning how to use tools…and ventured out of deep, dark, dank caves – ok, well kind of…
Let’s just say – it was “back in the day…”
Anyway, this guy named Bob Dylan wrote a song called, “Gotta Serve Somebody” – while it wasn’t huge, it did win a Grammy Award for the best male rock vocal for the year – 1979.
The song was later picked up and redone many, many times over by the Soul, Gospel, R&B, and Blues communities.
All kinds of folks sang it…and made it their own.
The song was meant to leave you questioning – who do you serve? Where does your allegiance lie? Which is why – I venture to bring it up today!
As it was originally written – the lyrics said:
You may be the ambassador to England or France…
You may like to gamble, you may like to dance…
You may be the heavy weight champion of the world…
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls…
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed-you’re gonna have to serve somebody…
It may be the devil OR IT MAY BE THE LORD,
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody…you’re gonna have to serve somebody…
And it’s so true…
Pick, choose, decide…who are you going to serve…
I hate to say it, because it is a little judgmental…but you know as well as I do, that “some people” are “all about” being self-serving…individuals.
It is all about “them.” It is about no one else. It is about that “ALMIGHTY ME.” I need to get ahead. I need to succeed. I need to do well. I deserve to be comfortable…and yes, you and the world do owe it to me…
It’s all about ME…
Who are you going to serve?
Is it all about serving yourself? Serving others? Serving God?
You have to pick…you have to choose…you have to decide…
The song had this wide and universal appeal to it, because in it: it mentioned – doctors, rich and poor, state troopers, business men, thieves, the blind and the lame, preachers, councilmen and even heirs “they” were all called out…as well were others…because they “all” have to decide – who you gonna serve…???
Some individuals were even named?
In our Gospel text for today, Jesus makes it absolutely clear who he is serving.
That’s what his life and his ministry was all about…it was about serving his God and his Father…
And for the record, I want you to know, you do not have to go to college, you do not have to go to seminary, you do not have to go to a theological school – to serve God…you do not have to be ordained or wear a collar around your neck…
You can serve him – here and now, wherever you happen to be…in whatever capacity you happen to be in…
It is always a choice…
Whom will you serve?
I cannot help but think of the successor of Moses in the Hebrew Bible, Joshua ben Nun, who made the stunning statement almost 3200 years ago, “But as for me and my house, “we will serve the Lord!” he said.
Who do you serve?
The real question from our Gospel text this weekend – may not be about – who’s image in on some old coin from 2,000 years ago…but rather – who’s image is on us?
Who’s image is on our hearts?
Jesus was inviting folks then and I believe NOW – to declare our allegiance to God.
Do you realize that is what we are doing when we stand and say the creed together…
We are making a pretty bold statement about where we stand…and who we believe in…
Where does your loyalty lie?
As we stand and do the ancient creed of the church together, as we have done so many times before, try listening to yourself…who do you serve? Amen.