Time with the Children
Mr Gray and his family lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 1850’s. Mr Gray worked as a night watchman for the Edinburgh Police Force. It was quite lonely job through the long nights, so, Mr Gray bought a small dog to keep him company, who he named Bobby. You can see Bobby in the family photo on the screen. Mr Gray and Bobby became the closest of friends and could not be parted. Bobby would go with Mr Gray on all his night watchman duties.
Sadly, Mr Gray died some years later on 15 February 1858, and was buried in Greyfriar’s churchyard. Bobby, who had never been apart from Mr Gray, refused to leave the cemetery and stayed by his owner’s grave. The people working in the church yard tried to move Bobby on, but the dog always returned.
They eventually gave up and made some shelter for Bobby next to Mr Gray’s Grave. At one o’clock each day a gun was fired at Edinburgh Castle. That’s when Bobby would trot down the street to the coffee shop that Mr Gray always visited with Bobby, and the owner would always give Bobby something to eat. Then Bobby would go back to the churchyard and rest by his owner’s grave. Word of Bobby’s loyalty quickly spread, and crowds of people would come to the church yard to see him.
In 1867 a law was passed by the Edinburgh Council requiring all dogs to be licensed and have a collar. The Lord of Edinburgh, Sir William Chalmers, paid for Bobby’s licence, and a special collar was made for Bobby with the inscription “Greyfriar’s Bobby from the Lord Provost 1867 Licensed”.
Bobby stayed by John’s grave for 14 years until his own death in 1872. He was buried just a few feet away from his beloved owner, and this is a picture of his grave.
Bobby the dog became an incredible example of loyalty for the people of Edinburgh—perhaps because everybody needs somebody to stand by them, no matter what. A statue of Bobby is found in the town, and the special collar which was made for him, and his water bowl, are in the Edinburgh Museum.
Well you know, you have someone like that! Jesus promises to be loyal to you no matter what! In today’s Gospel reading we heard that one of Jesus’ own friends—Judas—betrayed him—Judas turned his back on Jesus and left him, handing Jesus over to the rulers for a bag of money.
But Jesus let himself be arrested, and even though he had done nothing wrong, he went on trial, and went to the Cross. Jesus did this because he had to die to pay the price for our sin; so that we can be forgiven and God’s own children in his family. We’re only a few weeks away from when that happened, so we snuff out another candle on our candle cross
When we look at this Cross it can remind us how much God loves you and the lengths he went to make you his own. For all who trust in Jesus, he will always be with you. Let’s read what God promises: “God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b). Jesus says: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b).
SERMON – Loyalty at the Crossroads
The story of Bobby the Terrier is an incredible story of loyalty. This enduring legend has given Edinburgh’s townsfolk and tourists alike hope that true loyalty can be found.
Everybody needs someone to stand beside them. But the loyalty we look for is so hard to find. Many people change partners like their wardrobe, and many marriages are stained with the cheating of one spouse against the other. One of the biggest problems facing employers today is recruiting people who are reliable and loyal. People make handshake agreements, only to work for something else in their heart. Friends, business colleagues and politicians who promise loyalty are ‘stabbed in the back’ by others for self-gain.
That’s because by nature, we human beings are loyal to the self. Jesus talks about this when he says: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24).
The things we treasure are where our hearts will be. The people or things we treasure are the people or things we will be devoted to. And they become our master, consuming our time, our energy, and our health. We like to think that we are master over the things we treasure—but they actually master us. That’s why people end up in addiction—whether it’s to alcohol, sports success, substances, gambling, retail therapy, parties, possessions, fitness and appearance, travelling, wealth, pleasing others, or striving to be in control—we become slaves to these things, for they become our masters.
Bobby was loyal to his master, but he couldn’t have been loyal to two—he couldn’t be at John Gray’s side on night watch, and by the side of a second master elsewhere, completely devoted to both at the same time. When Jesus talks about two masters, he is challenging us to see that having divided loyalties is unsustainable. It’s not possible. We are either devoted to the self and the things we strive for and cherish—or we are devoted to God above all else.
In today’s Gospel reading we see that this was true for Judas. He could not serve both God and money. So he handed Jesus over, in exchange for thirty pieces of silver.
The Devil’s tempting of Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane was in a sense the same as his temptation to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The Devil’s temptation of Adam and Eve was a test of where their loyalty lay; who their master was. Would they be loyal to God and his word, or their desires to be gods themselves, judging between good and evil?
They chose the latter.
All through Israel’s history, God’s people were faced with this too. Even though God had rescued his people to be his very own on the night he freed them from slavery in Egypt, they continually struggled with divided loyalties. The desires of the heart are a powerful force! Before Moses even came down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments they made for themselves a golden calf (Exodus 32). Moses smashed the two stone tablets in his anger, symbolic of how the commandments had already been broken. But God gave them a new set, and he was still loyal to his people. In their wilderness journey they grumbled against God and their leader Moses. God sent fiery serpents to bite them and many died. But God was also merciful—he commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent, lifted up on a pole, and whoever looked at it would live. God was still loyal to his people. (Numbers 21:6-9).
Joshua challenged the people whom the Lord had led into the Promised Land: “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15).
They couldn’t serve two masters. They could only choose one.
And, although they renewed the covenant with their words, so often throughout their history their hearts were not for God to be their Master. They worshipped the idols of their neighbours. They sought deliverance form mighty nations and leaders, rather than God. They persecuted the prophets who spoke out and called them to repentance—to turn away from that which was enslaving them, and to again have God as their Master. But they didn’t have God as their Master. They had divided loyalties, and divided loyalties can only mean one thing—loyalty to the self.
That is why God sent his own Son into the world, who was loyal to God for us—loyal to his Father’s plan to save us from the prison of the kingdom of darkness to which we had enslaved ourselves. He came to free us from the devil’s tricks for us to be our own master; the captain of our soul, and the lie that such could ever really be good for us.
Jesus came to defeat Satan for us. When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, he tempted Jesus to swear allegiance to him: “The devil led Jesus up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Luke 4:5-8).
Jesus stood strong against the Devil, showing undivided loyalty to God. But in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas did not. Jesus had earlier predicted this would happen as he celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples, instituting his meal of the new covenant; the Lord’s Supper. He said: “…the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.” (Luke 22:21-23).
Now Jesus’ words are coming true! While Jesus was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? (Luke 22:47-48).
A kiss is a sign of respect, obedience, communion, love…loyalty. To betray with a kiss is the deepest irony. There is no love, no loyalty, only betrayal. As Judas and the crowd confront Jesus and his disciples, the cosmic battle between God and Satan clashes there in the Garden—Satan in the person of Judas, God in the Person of Christ. This is the devil’s hour, when the power of darkness reigns. Though Jesus defeated him in the wilderness, the devil will triumph in the Garden.
Who will remain loyal to Jesus there? At first, it seems as though the other disciples will. But while they think they are supporting him, they also by their actions and comments show that they are falling into temptation to follow the way of human logic, human strength: “Lord, shall we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
Jesus’ disciples have not listened to what he has said. They follow their human reasoning, their human sight and try to defend Jesus, saving him from what the Father has willed for him. At that moment, loyalty is at the Crossroads. What will Jesus say? What will he do? Will he still go through with the Father’s plan?
As we focus on the theme of loyalty in the narrative today, the example of Judas shows us just how true it is that one cannot serve two masters. Whether it is wealth, fame, recognition, promotion, success, love…where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. We cannot serve these things (which is really self-service) as well as serving God. The things of this life do master us—we want bigger, better, more, we work harder, we struggle for approval, we put on our best exterior self…that constant effort is hard work.
Today’s text leads us to ponder: which master are we serving? Where do our loyalties lie? Are they with God…or elsewhere?
The life of Bobby the Terrier is a remarkable story of loyalty. But there is an even more remarkable account of loyalty than that of a pet dog to its master, even far greater even than any other human being. It is the loyalty to his Father that Jesus shows at the Crossroads. Jesus did not sell out to Judas, or try to escape the religious leaders, or lie about his identity to protect himself. He accepts this act of betrayal without a struggle, accepting what was unfolding was his Father’s will.
God’s kingdom will prevail by surrender, suffering and death, not by the normal human way of attack, might and violence. Jesus will not serve two masters, but only one—only his Father in heaven. He will give up his very life, dying to himself that we might live. So Jesus heals the High Priest’s servant’s ear, a glimpse of this new life and new beginnings that he will win for the world by his crucifixion. And so in the midst of betrayal is loyalty. In the midst of suffering is joy. In the midst of dying and death there is life—for you.
The living Lord who triumphed even over death for us is here for you—to bring you divine grace, favour, help and blessing again today. Come to him today with empty hands. Come and empty out the purses of your heart with all their goods and chattels. Jesus is here for you, to take away your hurt, anger, lust, desire for mammon, secret attitudes and desires, the things we cling to for relief from fear and pain. Our pride, and refusal to forgive. The times, like the disciples in the garden, we have failed to see with the vision of God and look for his will, and instead have ours done, living by the priorities, morals and goals of the human flesh. He is here to take that from you and fill you with his life.
At the Cross you see God’s loyalty to you. That is where God gave up his own Son for you. You are those whom Jesus has redeemed by his precious blood, and baptised into Christ you are God’s precious possession who he has called by name. Jesus had you in mind when he said: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29).
Like Bobby the Terrier, Jesus will stay by your side. And although Bobby himself died, Jesus lives. And Jesus will be with you always, even to the end of the age. That is a promise signed in his blood. Amen.
