www.jamesmctyre.com
About Me
- James McTyre
- Knoxville, TN, United States
- Interim Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church (USA), Pensacola, FL.
Sunday, September 07, 2025
I Hate That But I Love Jesus
www.jamesmctyre.com
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Excuse Me, That's My Seat
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Jesus: Breaker of Rules and Healer of Back Pain
Lk 13:10-17
2025-08-17 Jesus: Breaker of Rules and Healer of Back Pain
Trinity Presbyterian Church
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." 13 When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured and not on the Sabbath day." 15 But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it to water? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?" 17 When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame, and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things being done by him.
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Exodus 20 says:
"Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.
"Remember the Sabbath." That's the Fourth Commandment. Right after not taking the Lord's name in vain and just before "Honor thy father and thy mother."
So, keeping the Sabbath is pretty near the top in God's Top Ten. In Exodus 35:2, it's actually Number One. The Bible's tricky like that.
And yes, I work Sundays so you don't have to. You're welcome. And it IS true that at age five I announced I wanted to become a minister because they only work one day a week. (Ryan, that's definitely true.) That's me. A life of broken commandments and the sin of sloth.
Why is it that the ONE day you always want Chick Fil-A, they're closed? After a long hour's labor of preaching a sermon AND doing a Benediction, nothing would go down better than waffle fries and a frozen lemonade. "Would," I say. They could have picked another commandment. Don't murder. Just as good if not better. Instead of, "Closed Sunday." Their signs could say, "Our food won't kill you. That's McDonald's."
You would think. That of all people. Jesus – the Son of God – would remember – would remember and keep – every single one of the Ten Commandments. All the time. Because he's Jesus. He's perfect. You'd think he'd keep all the other essential church rules, too. Like, "No running." And, "Silence your phone." (BEFORE the funeral.)
Turns out, Jesus might have lobbied for Sunday Chick Fil-A, too. I mean, to feed someone really deserving. Like -- a preacher. Because today's scripture proves Jesus didn't mind breaking the Fourth Commandment, or the other rules, if greater things were at stake. He'd definitely work on the Sabbath. If -- for example -- your ox or your donkey needed a water break. Or a woman with spondylosis needed healing. Or some other back-bending demon had her down. And not only would Jesus break the commandment, he'd do it right under the noses of the authorities.
Maybe he was counting on a pardon. Or maybe, he thought being kind is more important than being right.
Which one IS more important? To you? Being right? Or being kind? That's the Jesus issue in this scripture. And that's the Jesus issue in our lives, too.
--
For many years I was the Stated Clerk for a Presbytery. Which meant I was the Parliamentarian, the chief scribe and Pharisee at all the meetings. I would sit up front, with the Presbyterian Book of Order under one hand, and the latest edition of Robert's Rules under the other. Their energy flowing through me. My face shone with light.
Now, you might think I really enjoyed keeping commandments. Sure. It's a thrill. But what I really enjoyed was telling other people they were wrong. Especially other pastors. "Thou shalt not amend the main motion when an unperfected substitute is on the floor. Where did you go to seminary?"
It's fun to be a Pharisee. Imagine how super-cool would it would have been, for the OG Pharisees. They got to rightfully wag a finger at Jesus himself!
"Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest!" Barney Fife never had it so good.
So, in today's scripture, I know which side of the aisle I would have been on. The right side. The Fourth Commandment side. God's side.
I might say something like, "That lady's been bent over for 18 years! She can wait one more day for the paperwork to be processed." Even with O-JesusCare, there are rules. And rules are rules. Otherwise, God would not have carved them in stone and posted them in classrooms. It's just law and order, Jesus. Come back tomorrow, lady.
Maybe Jesus anticipated the authorities would say something like that. Maybe he knew they had itchy tablet fingers. And were just looking for a reason to use those fingers to poke Jesus in the eye.
Maybe. But scripture says Jesus didn't wait for the objections. He didn't ask permission. Didn't lawyer up. Didn't say, "Wait. Is today the Sabbath? I never have a calendar." He sees the woman. Calls her over. Heals her. And that's that.
For Jesus there was no hesitation. Keep it legal? Or keep it kind? Keep his Father's rules? Or share his Father's healing love? This is Jesus. So we know where he stands. Before anyone could voice any objection, he rendered his opinion. He "erred on the side of grace." And this woman, after 18 years of being ignored, being put off, being told it's all in her head. After all that time, Jesus -- because of Jesus, because he always – always, always, always chose mercy, because Jesus was always gonna be who Jesus was, this woman – for the first time in decades -- could stand up tall and stand up proud.
And then it says: "all his opponents were put to shame, and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things being done by him." Amen and amen.
--
By healing on the Sabbath, Jesus did the right thing. It's just that he did it on the wrong day. What day would have been better? If you needed healing – if you need healing – today? What day would be better than today?
If you've got some kind of demons on your back, if you've got pressures weighing you down – What day would be better than today – to get them off your shoulders?
If you know someone who needs a phone call. If you know someone whose day would be truly improved by the gift of a casserole, properly wrapped and left on a porch? Smiles cost nothing. A friendly hug costs nothing. A "thank you," a "good job," a "tell me about it," an "I was just thinking about you" – every single one of these all cost nothing. People's doors are surprisingly open – open to them every day of the week. Shouldn't these be a few of the top ten commandments written on your heart?
If our opinions of ourselves – if our image of how tall we stand – if it depends on pointing out how much lower someone else seems to be because you've caught them – finally – doing something wrong – if that's what it takes to make us feel straightened out, to feel good, to feel big and tall – exactly which commandment is it we're keeping? Whose commandments are we following?
Love God. And love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We can all remember these without having to lug around stone tablets to bang people over the head. The Bible is not a weapon.
But it's also true that being merciful isn't always popular. Being a peacemaker, being a caregiver to whoever needs care, seeing society's invisible people – it can get you in trouble. It got Jesus into trouble, big time. They thought they could shut him up and put him down, down in the ground. That would stop him.
But it didn't.
Jesus rose in three days to prove that love is greater than even death. To prove that mercy and forgiveness and justice and humility endure. Even after the grave.
--
After this. After Jesus heals the woman. After the crowds rejoice. After his critics hush their mouths and put away their pointy fingers. After all this, the very next thing Jesus talks about – is heaven.
I'll bet the woman who'd been staring at the ground for 18 years, I'll bet when she stood up and lifted her eyes to see the sky for the first time in a lifetime – I'll bet she felt like she must have been in heaven.
Jesus's critics must have thought they could earn their way into up heaven by keeping commandments, by climbing to the top of the leaderboard.
But instead, Jesus brought heaven down to earth. One broken person at a time. One perfectly good day at a time.
And now, it's our turn. It's our turn to heal whatever hurts we stumble into headfirst and not looking. Oh wow, is it Sunday already? You know, they also call it The Lord's Day. We can decide that every day is the Lord's Day. We can decide that every day is the day we bring mercy, and kindness, and love. Not just because it's a commandment. But because it's the Jesus thing to do.
Be right when you can. But you can always be kind. Any day. Every day. Open 24/7, 365, for that good business.
Friday, August 22, 2025
Who's Watching YOUR House?
Monday, August 04, 2025
What's In YOUR Wallet? Really?
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Our Sister, The Resister
Our Sister The Resister
Brief Summary
This sermon reflects on the story of Mary and Martha, where Martha is busy serving while Mary sits and listens to Jesus. The pastor explores how society often praises people like Martha who stay busy and productive, while Mary's quiet act of sitting and learning was radical in her time. Mary broke cultural norms to be close to Jesus, showing that sometimes the "better part" is simply to be still, listen, and resist distractions, expectations, and busyness to focus on what really matters.
Family Discussion Questions
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Who do you feel more like today – Martha, who was busy and distracted, or Mary, who sat still and listened to Jesus? Why?
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What are some things in your life that keep you "busy in the other room" and away from being close to Jesus?
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What would it look like for you, or our family, to "choose the better part" this week?
It's not the heat; it's the humidity.
Actually, it IS the heat.
AND it's the humidity.
I take the dog for walks around 9pm.
He needs to walk.
I need to walk.
But even when the sun is sinking low, Bandit resists.
Too hot to get in steps, says he.
He sits down in the street, or lays down on the grass and refuses to move.
He looks at me like this.
That Gen Z stare.
I pull the leash.
I encourage him with sweet talk.
He stares.
I preach to him about the sin of sloth.
He yawns.
I inform him that as a preacher I am unaffected by yawning (and occasional snoring).
Yall start bringing your cpaps to church, that's when I know I'm in trouble.
I explain to Bandit, distant cousin of Krypto, the Superdog, we must be up and on our way, for we have about half a mile to go before we sleep.
We have steps to count.
A schedule to keep.
We must resist the temptation to sloth.
Now, I'm sure Pensacola isn't the hottest place this side of Satan's lair.
I imagine Jerusalem can get pretty toasty, too.
But, in the Bible, when Our Savior healed the lame, not one of them said, "But, Master, it's too hot to rise up and walk."
"Have you seen the heat index?"
Sitting still and sniffing the evening breeze (what breeze there is) serves no productive purpose.
But.
If you're a follower of Jesus, do you always have to be productive?
Is your product, your content, your output what Jesus really wants?
In the scripture today, Martha says, "Yes."
Meanwhile, Mary just sits there, sniffing the breeze, listening to Jesus teach with big, puppy dog eyes.
Mindful and demure.
Which sister are you?
Which sister is right?
--
Do you feel guilty when you are serving no productive purpose?
Of course you do.
This is a church full of Marthas.
Type A movers and shakers.
We might shake a little, but by God, we're still moving.
Some people say you should be still in church.
It's what we tell children.
"Be still, Hezekiah"
But church Marthas (like moi) say,
"Get busy."
Join a committee.
Get a workout opening your wallet.
Stand up, sit down, repeat these words.
Get your heart rate up.
It's good for ya.
Do any of you have a sister, Martha?
I think at least one of you IS a sister Martha.
Or perhaps you have a brother, Marty?
Maybe she or he goes by another name, an alias, to hide the biblical truth of their git-it-all-dun right now nature.
Martha-Marty.
Maybe yours isn't a sister or brother, but a friend, a parent, a child who's ruthlessly concerned about correcting your shortcomings.
Pointing out where you missed a spot.
How you could have done better.
No matter how hard you work, no matter how well-off you become, Martha-Marty is always going to call and ask what you're DOING (in that tone) and if you've been taking your medicine and if you've lost those pounds yet.
A skilled Martha-Marty helps you by finding opportunities for improvement.
It's their spiritual gift.
Why, you could even be sitting at the feet of Jesus and they'd still find fault.
Well, actually, Mary was.
Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus himself.
And not even that was good enough for her Martha.
Sisters. Sisters.
--
And then, there's Mary.
Sweet little Mary.
I'll bet Mary didn't even hear the clanging pots and pans in the kitchen. Focused.
Imagine, leaving her poor Martha to do the work of serving 13 men in the baking heat of the day, toiling over a burning oven, while she, little Mary, just sits.
On the cool ground.
Not even walking.
Slacker.
Mary didn't only lack initiative; she lacked compassion.
She cared not.
She neglected her job, her duty to her own sister.
Not even Jesus would deny that.
Jesus, who presumably did not go home hungry that night.
Jesus and his stomach benefitted far more from multitasking Martha than from meditative Mary.
And yet.
Let's not pretend we don't know how the story ends.
Jesus pronounces benediction over Mary, and scolds Martha.
Read it again. He does it every time.
'Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.'
--
I have heard so many superficial, modern-day interpretations of these words.
"Don't be so busy."
"Slow down and smell the roses."
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
Yes, but it keeps people off Jack's back.
The beauty of obeying your inner Martha is that you earn your resentment fair and square.
It's your part, which will not be taken away from you.
And so at your funeral they can say, "Yes, he worked so hard, and he was always very resentful."
Nobody wants that.
To go beyond the superficial, modern-day nagging not to multitask, you have to think about what productive purpose Mary might have served, if any, and the two sisters' purpose beyond fixing supper.
--
Our ideas about Mary and her sister are colored by our own society.
Maybe Mary truly was allergic to work.
A real medical condition.
Made her tired and sweaty.
Took time away from scrolling scrolls.
After all, the little deadbeat was still living in her sister's home.
But we don't see Mary through the eyes of people who would have read and heard this story back in Jesus's time.
Back then, for a woman NOT to be in the kitchen – was sinful.
Mary was a bad girl.
A woman's place was in the kitchen, or the birthing suite, producing baby boys.
Furthermore, for a woman to be educated, openly schooled by a rabbi, was unheard of.
You start letting females read, and drive cars, and vote – they'll start to think they can... become president, or some other silly idea.
Back then, for a woman to be taught by a religious teacher, to be regarded as a disciple, in this case an apostle, who saw and heard (and helped fund the ministry of) the living Christ, was scandalous.
Practically impossible.
Mary was a rebel.
Mary was the resistance.
Mary was the one committing acts of equality and inclusion.
Sorry, it's in the Bible.
Mary is a dangerous, uppity, example.
She did not know her place.
For her to dare sit at the feet of Jesus, equal with his hand-picked twelve men disciples, well.
Martha's fussing was not mere sibling rivalry.
Martha spoke for all those who wanted Mary to get back where she belonged and to stop this non-violent sit-in against tradition.
Mary, meanwhile, is a poke in the eye of any Martha who sees her as less than what she is, a disciple of Jesus Christ.
If we are Martha-ish, Martha-fied,
Then Mary is our sister, the resister.
--
If you have been outside this summer, you know that every seat is a hot seat.
Physically, politically, socially, this heated season of life is the summer of our discontent, disagreement, maybe discouragement.
People want you to move, in one way or another – to the left, to the right, to the extremes.
They push and they pull to motivate you to support this cause or that, this side or that, this person or that.
I mean, really.
You turn on the news and you can almost hear Jesus saying,
"Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things."
Oh, and here's another thing to worry about.
Here's another.
We'd all like things to be just great.
Again.
Or maybe for the first time.
Work harder.
Work smarter.
Here's an AI to do the thinking for you.
Oh wait.
It's a Nazi.
Don't ask why.
You wouldn't understand it.
Why is unimportant these days.
Just be this. Or be that.
Be one of the "many things."
We don't see the courage it took for Mary to sit at the feet of Jesus.
It took so much courage for her to ignore the voice of Martha – to step outside her family, outside her tradition, outside the rules.
It took guts to turn a deaf ear to the faceless voices from the other room, the ones calling on Jesus to make that hippie nerd Mary feel guilty for choosing "the better part."
And maybe there's the catch.
Mary didn't want to be great – again or for the first time.
She wanted to be better.
--
Jesus tells Martha:
"Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."
Mary's better part was sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning.
What would Martha's better part have been?
What is that "better part" for you?
It takes time for us to discern what is "the better part" for ourselves.
It takes prayer to discern what is "the better part" for our church.
It takes a lot of time to take Holy Cow surveys and go to meetings, and have votes, and be so stinkin' slow Presbyterians.
Sometimes it can feel like we're just sitting still watching the grass grow.
When everything in society is trying to open departments of efficiency,
it takes courage to sit still and listen at the feet of Jesus,
when so many hands are yanking your leash.
Psalm 46 says, "Be still and know that I am God."
We forget how much courage that verse takes.
We've got more than enough heated argument, more than enough verbal violence.
We've got more than enough, "I told you so's" and "Tell her to" do this or "Tell him to" do that.
We don't need more guilt on our shoulders.
We don't need more snark and gossip.
We don't need more resentment.
We need the strength to sit at the feet of Jesus, to be still and know that we are NOT God.
And neither is anyone on the news.
To take the heat at his feet.
Who's to say this isn't our true, productive purpose?
To be resisters for Jesus's sake.
Resisters of what?
I don't know.
What do you have cooking that keeps you in the other room?
What keeps you away from Jesus?
Which sister are you?
Which sister do you wish you were?
--
For further reading
[1]https://hinnewagenaar.frl/articles/it-will-not-be-taken-away-from-her/
https://eewc.com/Articles/a-new-view-of-mary-and-martha/