Things do not always go as planned. Sometimes you fail.

Prior to Word War Il, the Russians invented the “dog mine.” The plan was to train the dogs to associate food with the underside of tanks, in the hope they would run hungrily beneath advancing Panzer divisions. Bombs were then strapped to the dogs’ backs, which endangered the dogs to the point where no insurance company would look at them. Unfortunately, for the Russians, the dogs associated food solely with Russians tanks. The great dog mine plan was begun on the first day of the Russian involvement in World War Il and was abandoned on day two. The dogs with bombs on their backs forced an entire Soviet division to retreat as the dogs ran toward the people with whom they associated food.

George A. Buttrick, one of the great preachers of the twentieth century, tells how he felt one day after a sermon did not go as he had hoped. There were no “Nice sermon, pastor/’ comments as he stood at the door and shook hands. Finally, one person, the last woman out the door said, “Thank you, pastor, for your sermon.” Buttrick responded, “I appreciate that, but it was too long.” The smiling woman replied, “No, pastor, it just seemed long.”

Things do not always go as planned. Sometimes you fail.

Just ask Jesus. As Jesus began his ministry, he moved forward with great success. Everywhere he went people were being healed. Lives were being made whole. Great sermons were being preached. Disciples were being called to follow. Parables about God’s kingdom were heard eagerly. Storms were being calmed New life was being given, Success was blazing the pathway for the Messiah.
Now the time had come to go back to his own country and proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom. As was his custom, Jesus began his ministry in his home town by teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Many of the persons who heard him was amazed as they said, “Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands!” Then, immediately after making such wonderful observations, the mood of the hometown crowd began to shift. Some of the people began to voice different opinions about Jesus: “Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?”

It is hard to be an expert when people think they know who you are. Following these hometown observations about Jesus, the Gospel of Mark reads: “And they took offense at him. ” Another way of translating this verse is “And they stumbled at him.” The hometown people tripped up when they heard Jesus.
Standing before them was Jesus — the Messiah, the Savior of the world, the Son of the
living God, the Christ — and the*hometown folks stumbled over him. They thought they knew who Jesus was, and, in their preconceived notions, they could not recognize Jesus for who he was.

For the only time in his gospel, Mark writes these words about Jesus’ ministry
“And he could do no deed of power there.”
“And he was amazed at their unbelief.”

What a disappointment Jesus’ return to his hometown must have been. Jesus was being rejected by the people he grew up with. Needless to say, things did not go as Jesus had hoped or planned in his return home.

Things do not always go as planned. Sometimes you fail.

Sometimes your dreams and hopes come crashing down about you, and all you can do is stand and be baffled by the direction life takes.

It happens to everyone: even the Savior of the world.

The question that must be answered when things do not go as planned and you are standing in the rubble of shattered expectations is: “What do you choose to do next?” There are really two options available when you face the reality of failed plans:
you can allow yourself to sit in the debris
you can allow God to empower you to use your failures to strengthen you for the next step of life

The first option of sitting in the debris of failure is a faithless response to the God of life. The second option of allowing God to empower you to use the disappointments of life as a point of strength is a faithful response to the God of life. This is the option Jesus chose as he stood and marveled at the unbelief and nonacceptance of his hometown. Jesus could have stumbled over the debris of unbelief that greeted him, but he chose to move forward with his ministry as he called his disciples and sent them out to share the good news of God’s kingdom. Instead of sitting in amazement at the disappointment of his ministry in his home village, Jesus expanded the outreach of his ministry. Jesus allowed his heavenly Father to empower him to use his failure as a point of strength for the next step of his ministry. Jesus chose to move forward. Sometimes your dreams and plans for life are successful beyond your wildest dreams.
Sometimes you fail.

This morning, if you find yourself sitting among the debris of broken plans and dreams, consider Jesus as you choose to move forward with faith in the Savior of the world. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sometimes You Fail

by Pastor Marc Brown
July 7, 2024

Accompanying Scriptures: Mark 6:1-13

Fort Hill United Methodist Church
Order of Worship for July 7, 2024


Scripture Lesson    Mark 6:1-13


The Good News      “Sometimes You Fail”


Music                          “The Gift of Love” Hymn #408


Prayer


Blessing


Closing Music      “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” arr. Mark Hayes


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