Clown Sermon

Chukels the Magician

(Calliope music for entrance - Chukels comes down center aisle, stopping to ask children why the pastor called him a clown)

Chukels: Why did he call me that? It says right here on my name tag: Chukels the Magician! Clown indeed!

(With a little luck, the children will tell him why - fade to soft when Chukels reaches podium.)

But never mind that - did you hear those words from Jesus? Heavy stuff! Let me draw you a picture of that.

(Calliope music up while he draws picture of cross-eyed teddy bear, then out when he speaks again.)

There! It's my teddy bear! His name is Gladly! You know, Gladly, the cross-eyed bear? But serious, folks, what about that cross we're to bear? I'd like to do a quick survey here: how many people have actually carried a big wooden cross, and then been nailed to that cross and then died on it? A quick show of hands please. No one? Well then, how many people have died for Jesus in any way?

Oops, caught you on that one - it was a trick question. Haven't you died to sin in your baptism in the Name of Jesus? If not, there are some folks here that would like to speak with you. But how many people have literally carried a cross and followed Jesus? We'd have to go to Jerusalem to do that. Oh, I know, some of us wear tiny crosses on a small chain around our necks, and that's nice, but is that what He meant? I think not. And we all know someone who is fond of saying, "Oh, these headaches of mine; I guess they're just my cross to bear!" Is that it, is that what Jesus meant? I doubt it. And yet "these headaches" point to the truth. Jeremiah complained to God in much that way. He said, "Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?" And God responded to Jeremiah with "You shall serve as my mouth... And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze."

In August of '93, I had an experience a little like Jeremiah's. I climbed Long's Peak, northwest of Boulder, Colorado, where I live. (Hold change bag pulled inside out so that it looks like a little mountain - shows bag empty without making a fuss about it.) It's over 14,000 feet high. It was a cold, cloudy, windy day, but I donned my little blue hiking shorts and was on the trail by 5 AM, I made it to the top, but I was cold and wet and my knees hurt. As I started back down, favoring my aching knees, it began to rain.
And Sleet.
And Hail.
And Blow.
And I was miserable. I walked along thinking "Why, God, Why?" (Display and drop silks into bag one at a time while saying "raining", "windy", etc.) "My knees hurt something awful, and it's raining on my head. It's windy and cold. Why can't You make the sun to shine on my head instead?"

Then all at once, the clouds parted a little and a shaft of sunlight shined - not on me but - through the rain ahead of me.

(Produce rainbow silk and wave it about.)

And the most beautiful rainbow I'd ever seen appeared before my eyes: it stretched from one horizon to the other below me, and my heart began to sing. The song spilled out as I walked along the trail singing the Doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

It was as though God was reminding me of His promises, and telling me that I was one His.

(Play tape of God's voice:)

So it's cold and windy and the rain is falling on your head and your knees hurt? Hear me now: your knees hurt because YOU let them get cold! When I made you I added pain to signal when you are abusing your body! Put on some long pants; why do you insist on showing the world those knobby knees of yours? As for the cold and the wind and the rain and the sun: these are part of my creation too. I made the heat and the cold, which produces the wind to blow the clouds around and let the sun shine through the rain to give you a rainbow - the symbol of my promises to you. Do you like the rainbow? I can do away with the wind and the rain and the cold but then there would be no rainbow - is that what you want? No? Then quitcher belly-achin'!

Wow! Just like Jeremiah! Part of bearing the cross is that we must not focus on our own minor discomforts, but rather on what God has in store for us. Jeremiah was told to be God's voice and he would become a fortified bronze wall for the people. Our attention must be on the work God has given us to do, and God will take care of the rest.

And then the sun broke through the clouds again and shined on me and made me all toasty and warm.

So - we bear our cross and follow Jesus when we do the work He has given us to do, right? Well, that's fine if it's something easy like singing in the choir - I love to sing! And maybe it's OK if it's something a bit harder like being a pastor. But what if Jesus wants me to go to some far-away exotic place like downtown Denver? A clown could get shot there! I faced that question a few years ago, and it went something like this:

(Phone rings - Pastor answers.)

Pastor: Hello? (pause) You don't say! (pause) You don't say! (pause) You don't say! (pause) It's for you! (hands phone to Chukels)

Chukels: Who is it?

Pastor: He didn't say!

Chukels: Hello? (to audience) It's God! (back to phone) Yes sir? You want me to do what? Kurdistan? Where in the world is Kurdistan? Northern where? Iraq! Are You out of your mind? What? Oh, no Sir - I didn't mean that, Sir. But Northern Iraq - that's Saddam Hussein's country; where he tried to annihilate the Kurds - oh, I see, Kurdistan. You want me to do what? Bring cheer to the children? Well, yes, I suppose there isn't much to cheer them after what Saddam did, but what can I do - I'm just a clown. What? Oh, of course, that's why You want me to go. But why me, Lord? I mean, there lots of clowns who are MUCH better than me! What? Oh, You heard me praying to know what the work is that You want me to do. But, Lord, I was thinking of children's chapels in local churches. Really, Lord, Iraq? Oh. OK, if You say so. Tell You what, I'll pray about it. (Hangs up phone.)

Whew! Oh, me, oh, my, now what do I do? I don't want to lose my life. This is scary. But how can I tell God no? Oh, me, oh, my, now what do I do? He said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me." But, Lord, this is a mountain! This is not just some dinky little fourteener like Long's Peak, this is a BBBIIIIGGGGGGG mountain! I'm gonna need some help with this thing.

He also said, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."

(Turning to paper sacks and two gold silks.)

These two sacks represent the two choices that I have. This one (showing empty sack) is me wanting to save my life, and here's (showing pre-loaded sack as empty) me willing to lose my life for Jesus' sake. Which one should I choose? (Pick up one of the 9" gold silks) We'll let this golden scarf represent my hopes and aspirations, all my fortunes and dreams, all my life's work. I don't want to lose it, so in it goes. (Put silk into compartment of empty sack) It's safely tucked inside. (Pick up the other 9" gold silk) Another golden scarf also represents my hopes and aspirations, all my fortunes and dreams, all my life's work. But here (starting to put second silk into pre-loaded sack), I'm willing to give up my life and all that goes with it for Jesus' sake, so - out it goes! (Take silk away)

This is me (point to first sack) saving my life; this is me (point to second sack) voluntarily giving it up.

But Jesus said, "Those who want to save their life will lose it," (turning to first sack and tearing it open to show it empty)

"...and those who lose their life for my sake will find it..." (turning to the second sack, produce gold silk tied to flowery large scarf and Jesus silk) "... and find it more abundantly when it is lived for Christ." OK, Lord, I'll do it.

That was early 1993. I went to Northern Iraq, to the land of the Kurds, and I clowned for the Kurdish children, from 3 to 83. I clowned in their schools, I clowned in their market place, I clowned on their TV stations, and I visited and cheered the poorest of the poor, especially the orphans that Saddam Hussein had made there. And I was in danger the whole time: there was a price on my head, a reward for anyone who would shoot the clown. I had to be careful not to step on landmines, and then there was the occasional terrorist bomb to worry about.

But the wonderful thing was - and is - I had no worry. I was - and am - totally at peace. I might have been - still might be - killed at any time, but that was - and is - OK: to die is to gain, and to live is to live in Christ!

I oughta get an "amen" on that!

Paul spoke of the "...peace that passes all understanding..." and that's the peace I had - have - when I pick up the cross and follow Jesus. When we are faithful to answer God's call, he is faithful to give us that peace which passes all understanding, and it is a peace which passes all fear. When we surrender our lives for Jesus' sake, we find that we have life, and life more abundantly. My life has become a great adventure, and I don't know what comes next. I don't know when - or even if - I'll go back to Kudistan. The first time wasn't my idea; it was His. But when He calls me again, I know my answer:

(Holding high the drawing of the teddy bear)

Gladly the Cross I'd Bear! Halleluah!

(Exit with calliope music)

© 1996 Charles W. Hart
303-530-4875