Extremophiles Bishop Ough’s 2018 Ash Wednesday message

Iampleasedtogreetyouasweenterour40-dayLentenjourneytothecrossandJesus’ultimatevictoryoversinanddeathonEastermorning.ThepatternofourLentenjourneywassetbyJesusduringhis40daysofsolitude,fasting,prayer,andtestingintheJudeandesert.ThiswasanessentialperiodofpreparationforJesus’publicministry.ButthegoalofourLentenjourneywasrevealedbyJesuswhenhefirstforetoldhisdisciplesofhisdeathandresurrection.Mark’sGospelhasJesussaying:“Ifanywanttobecomemyfollowers,letthemdenythemselvesandtakeuptheircrossandfollowme.Forthosewhowanttosavetheirlifewillloseit,andthosewholosetheirlifeformysake,andforthesakeofthegospel,willsaveit.”(Mark8:34-35)Whatdoesitmeantoloseone’slifeforthesakeofthegospel?ItmeanstolivethesamepurposefullifeJesuslived.ItmeanstodenyourpreferencesforthesakeofJesus’kingdompurposes.Itmeanstosetasideourself-interestsothatothersmayhaveamoreabundantlife.Itmeanswearesavedinordertoparticipateinthesalvationofothers.ItmeansourheartswillbreakfortheverysituationsthatbreaktheheartofGod.Itmeanswearetobecomeanextremophile.Thewordextremophileliterallymeans“extreme-lovers.”Extremophilesaremicro-organismsthatthriveinextremeconditionssuchashotsprings,polaricecaps,saltylakes,andacidicfields.Iwassurprised,onatriptoAlaskayearsago,tolearnthat

theglaciersIsaw—toweringsheetsofsolidice—werehometoseveraloftheseextremophiles,theseorganismsthatlovetheextremes.

Idon’tknowifthereisanythingmoreextremethantodenyoneself,takeupone’scross,followJesustoCalvary,andlaydownone’slifeforothers.Yousee,thejourneyweareonwithJesusduringthese40daysisoneoflearninghowtobecomeanextremedisciple:

• extremelycompassionate • extremelyjust• extremelyhumble • extremelycourageous• extremelyforgiving • extremelygenerous• extremelypatient • extremelyfruitful• extremelyfaithful • extremelypurposeful• extremelyloving • extremelyjoyful

Extremedisciplesdonotmaketheirwitnessthroughextremeultimatumsaboutextremepositons.TheyjoinwithJesusinhisextrememissionofredeemingallofcreation.MichaelFrost,inhisdelightfulandinsightfulbook,SurprisetheWorld:TheFiveHabitsofHighlyMissionalPeople,outlinesfivehabitsordisciplinesthatleadtomissionallivingwithinfollowersofJesus.Theoutcomeofdevelopingthesefivehabits—bless,eat,listen,learn,sent—isthatJesus’followerssurprisetheworld.Jesus’followerslivelivesthatevokecuriosityinothersaboutthegospel.IthinkthisisessentiallythesamedynamicJesuscreatedwhenheaskedhisdisciplesandthecrowdsfollowinghim,“Whatgoodwoulditdotogeteverythingyouwantandloseyou,loseyoursoul,losetherealyou?”(Mark8:36)Toloseone’slifeforthesakeofthegospelistodiscoverandembraceandliveandwitnesstotherealyou.TheyoucreatedinGod’simageandcalledoutofdarknesstobecomeanextremedisciple,anextremelover—aholyandlivingsacrificethatothersmayhaveabundantlife.Whatcouldbemoresurprising,moreextreme,toaworldyearningforredemptionandwholeness?IprayforyouarichandblessedLentenjourney—ajourneyinwhichtheHolySpiritawakenswithinyouaprofoundlongingtoofferyouronewildandpreciouslifeforthesakeofthegospel.Mayitbeso!BishopBruceR.OughDakotas-MinnesotaAreaofTheUnitedMethodistChurchAshWednesday2018