Pastor Silvia led this congregation in worship two weeks ago; Pastor Roger did the same last Sunday. The internet chatter from here to Jerusalem was very favorable - both delivered really fine sermons. Somebody stopped by the church on Friday and said, "For a guest preacher, you sure got here early." I just shrugged and told her I had heard about the good coffee. I didn't mind the teasing; in fact, I like the concept of being the guest preacher - guest preachers have it made.

Guest preachers step into our pulpit and preach fire-and-brimstone sermons, calling a spade a spade for the sake of the Gospel, not knowing or caring whom they might offend. And to be clear, the Gospel message can often be very offensive. Just think of those times Jesus talks about loving enemies, and turning cheeks, and sharing goods. And when Sunday morning is over, guest preachers can pack up their robes, pick up their honorarium, get into their Chevys and head out of Dodge.

Guest preachers don't know the congregation context, and if they rail out against obscene Wall Street bonuses and there are three Wall Street tycoons somewhere in the pews, well, that's okay, let the chips fall where they may. When the regular preacher comes back, the one who knows not to offend the tycoons, that person will be left with the task of picking up those chips.

I shared this some time ago, about a clergy colleague from a nearby town who was on vacation. The guest preacher did not know the congregation and so he preached a generic - but powerful - sermon on economic justice. It was all about reaching out to the hungry, helping out with the poor, blah, blah, blah ... your standard sort of sermon that Jesus himself would have delivered. But then preacher got careless ... because the preacher got specific. In his sermon he criticized the obscenity of compensation packages enjoyed by many CEOs. "Sure, these are talented people," the preacher said. "But come on! Pay checks and bonuses totaling millions of dollars a year?"

That was a bit too specific, I guess, for one man in the congregation, who got up and walked out, right in the middle of the sermon. Turns out this man's pay package and bonus had recently been restructured, and that year he had uh, "earned" 167 million dollars. Evidently he felt offended, or angry, or embarrassed, or something - he felt something - and he walked out on the preacher.

Preaching can be a tough business. Preaching with integrity can be tougher still. Guest preachers have it made. They can call a spade a spade, whereas the regular preacher often feels the need to play her hand close to the vest ... unwilling to ruffle feathers, especially the feathers of those whose offerings help pay the preachers salary. Preachers who dance around issues for fear of offending, are doing so for prudent reasons. Nevertheless, shame on those preachers. Shame on the preacher when he soft-soaps an issue close to the heart of Jesus.

If the preacher speaks against the absurdity of war, "Preacher, aren't you patriotic? Keep politics out of the pulpit." If the preacher speaks about social and economic injustice, "Preacher, don't attack our American way of life." If the preacher urges a compassionate response to those crossing our borders looking for a better life - well let's just say that often that point of view is not very popular. Forty years ago, William Sloane Coffin reminded his congregation, "Never forget: God and Country is not one word." Some people found that offensive. Go figure.

Guest preachers have it made. They can talk about such issues with boldness because they'll never have to face again those in the pews. Shame on me, and any other preacher, who backs away from such boldness!

To be sure, there are times a sermon should be a gentle pat on your back. But there are also times when, for the sake of the Gospel, a sermon needs to get in your face. And blessed be the preacher who recognizes that fact; and blessed be the congregation with that same understanding.

Do you see why preaching can be a tough racket? The very people who pay the preacher's salary are the very people, if that preacher has integrity, the very people the preacher often provokes with the Word of God! A Word that often, if not always, goes against the grain of our human condition. If the preacher merely reinforces the value system held by the majority of the congregation ... well, the preacher might be entertaining, but tons of time is being wasted - your time, and the time of the one standing in the pulpit. Each of you has no doubt has suffered through far too many sermons by preachers, including me, who are too often noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. Shame on the preacher!

Jesus was not into the business of wasting time. In our Gospel text, Jesus is a guest preacher. Not only a guest preacher, but the pulpit is in his own hometown. Initially, the people are proud; almost fawning. After all, they helped shape the man that he is. Most of us remember youth Sunday sermons delivered, by Richard, and Matt, and Allie - going all the way back to Carol Bauerlein and Rob Mercatante - and how proud we all are when the youth of our church preach the Gospel of our Lord. After all, we had a part in raising these youngsters: parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, Confirmation teachers. In the same way, St. Luke shares the same pride of the people of Nazareth, "All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth."

But then Jesus lays cards on the table; he calls a spade a spade, with great integrity. He teaches that the heart of God is greater than any national boundary. That's not going to get him invited back. But then, oh oh - Jesus gets specific as he names names of outsiders who have experienced the grace of God at the hands of two Jewish prophets: the widow at Zarephath in Sidon; and General Naaman the Syrian. Two Gentiles, two outsiders: recipients of two miracles. God is gracious to the outsider, without regard to nationality, gender or creed.

The result of his guest preaching? The good, religious folk that day in the synagogue, "were filled with rage." His Bible School teachers and his former next door neighbors, and his playmates from years past - sought to throw him headlong over a cliff. Jesus was the guest preacher who got just a little too close and personal with God's Word and judgment - and the congregation was not amused.

Those who thought they were closest to Jesus, who thought they had the most claim on him because they were his neighbors - it was these very people who were the most distant. Why? Precisely because they could not and would not acknowledge other of God's children ... for whom God sent a Son to save!

For you and me, in terms of today's biblical images: who is the widow of Zarephath? Who is the foreign leper, Naaman? Who are the ones outside our usual comfort zone, that we are called to love?

Jesus was not destined to die that day, tossed like trash over the precipice. He died three years later, hung up on a cross like meat in the market. But Jesus died with forgiveness on his lips for those who put him on that cross. Jesus died with words of forgiveness for preachers who are often too frightened to call a spade a spade for fear of offending the flock. Is not our God gracious? Even preachers are objects of God's forgiveness, alongside folks from Nazareth, who mistakenly turn into a single word, "God and Country."