This week's sermon included music - the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony - played on the organ by RHCC Music Director Will Kanute. Whenever appears, these well recognized notes were played. Donna

Friends, how many of you recognize these notes? No, we're not going to play "Name that Tune" today, but these four notes are among the most famous in the history of Western music. Up until a few months ago, If I heard these notes, I would have said, "they sound familiar," But I could not have named the piece of music. However, earlier this year, I attended a performance of the Hartford Symphony on a Sunday afternoon. The selection for the concert was the symphony that begins with these four notes - Yes, some of you know what it is - Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Prior to the concert, The Symphony's Conductor, Edward Cummings, gave a presentation. As he began to talk about the music, I was enthralled. Cummings explained that the entire fifth symphony is built on four notes - These four notes form the skeleton of the symphony. Throughout variations in dynamics, tempo, keys and melodies, these four notes provide the base. Even when it seems that the piece is hanging by a thread, Those four notes are still there. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Cummings said, Is one of the most miraculous achievements in the history of music. Friends, As I read today's gospel lesson, I heard a symphony, Built on series of four notes. Listen again, and see if you can hear it too. What must I do? He looked and loved. Sell what you own. Give to the poor. Come, follow me. He went away sad. Who shall be saved? For God all things/are possible. Let's "listen" to each of these notes and see what we can discover about the joy and cost of discipleship. We begin with the young man's question to Jesus- A young man who is faithful in his prayer and in his religious practice. Yet, he still longs for something, Some way to make sure that he's on the right path that will bring him fullness of life. n the here and now and in the future. What must I do? What must I do to inherit eternal life? This is a big question, A discipleship question, A question about living out the call to share God's love. It's a hands on question that recognizes that a living faith requires action - Not just saying the right things, Or believing the right things, But also DOING the right things. A young man in the text, A older woman in the pastor's office, A middle aged person in the sanctuary this morning - Each of us, All of us, Asks this question at some point in our lives. Jesus gives the first part of his answer to that young man - follow the commandments, given by God to help you live a good and holy life. Over the centuries, Christians have added some additional notes, a few more answers, to Jesus' response. Live a life of prayer. Go to church and Contribute your time and talent and treasure. Be good to your neighbor. What must I do? Jesus honors the question - Jesus honors the place where the young man is in his life of faith, the place where WE are in our journeys of discipleship. Jesus pauses before he share the rest of the good news, before he begins the next movement in the gospel symphony. In that pause, Jesus shares the presence of God. He looks and loves. He looks and loves - such tender words to describe a tender moment. Jesus recognizes that, In order for the young man to hear the deeper answer to his question, the answer that will be truly life giving, yet not without cost - he is going to need Jesus' look of love and compassion. Jesus shares the words that have remained with us across time and generations: Sell all you own. Give to the poor. Come, follow me. Sell all you own. Give to the poor. Come, follow me. I wonder if the young man's shoulder droops, if his heart sinks when he hears these words. Does discipleship really require so much? Does it mean that we can no longer enjoy or live life as we know it, as we like it? At the same time, we know about the poor, and we desire to help. We know the deep need of so many in our community and throughout the world, And have been moved to compassion. We are aware of the need in Rocky Hill and we bring our cans and our contributions for the food bank. We are aware of the hunger in Hartford and we've signed up to bring a turkey and a twenty. I know many of you contribute to causes that close to your heart, and as a church, we've done so as well. Two weekends ago, Jim Day and I went to Biloxi, MS to celebrate the campus recovery of Back Bay Mission. We learned about the continuing - and actually, the growing need of the community. In the month of September, the Mission served 800 families. We came back, Ready to go again, to sacrifice our time and our money and give it to the poor of Harrison County. We know the poor, and we know are desire to help - and perhaps that was true for the young man we hear about in the Scripture this morning. When the young man hears Jesus' words, He does not protest or argue with Jesus. He does not counter with another Scripture from the tradition. His response is stark and silent. He departs in shock and grief, Or as one translation states, He went away sad. He went away sad. Why sad? What prompted this feeling in his heart? Is it because - as I have heard and read (and even preached!) many times before - the young man realizes that he cannot do the one thing that Jesus asks of him because he has so many possessions? Perhaps this young man is downcast because he is unwilling or unable to sell all that he owns and give it to those most in need around him. Biblical scholar and teacher David Howell presents another possibility, a possibility that makes this movement of the gospel symphony good news. Howell suggests that the young man departs wrapped in sorrow precisely because he HAD decided to sell all that he had and follow Jesus. That bold action - that thing he MUST do - Would not have come without some sadness and grief, without some struggle and letting go. The young man took the first step in a new journey, a life of following the one who loved him and called him to new life. He returns to his home, ready to begin the long - and sometimes difficult process - of releasing the bind that possessions hold on him. Friends, is it possible for you and me to take a first step today, a first step in releasing some of our possessions? Is it possible in the coming days that we might sell something we own and give the proceeds to those who are the lost and the least in our midst? Or perhaps the next time we think about purchasing something we want or need, we might pause and remember our gospel symphony and choose to do something else with our money? Part of the miracle of the symphonic structure of Beethoven's Fifth is actually contained in its limitations. Because it has a skeleton of only four notes, it becomes accessible to multiple instruments and multiple musicians. This piece of music can be played by a high school ensemble in an auditorium, or a church orchestra in a sanctuary. It can be played by a community band under a gazebo, or by the New York Philharmonic in Carniege Hall. The same, friends, is true for the gospel symphony. It can be played in our lives whether we are just beginning the journey of faith or whether we are long time disciples seeking to live a Christian life. The gospel symphony can be played whether we have multiple bank accounts and check the stocks daily, Or we are waiting for the next paycheck to pay our bills. But we do not have to do it all at once - Perhaps it's better NOT to sell everything all at once. But Jesus reminds us - once again - that life lived in the kingdom of God is about change, about doing things differently, about transforming action. Friends, it isn't and it won't be easy for you and me to follow these words of Jesus. We have many possessions and we live in a society that encourages us to accumulate them, Instead of letting them go. And we might be moved to sadness and sorrow as we let go of the things we own, and our attachment to them. Our discipleship might cause us to grieve over the loss, And yet the gospel symphony does not end in sadness. Sorrow is not the last word, Because, as Jesus tells all his disciples: For God all things/are possible. For God, all things Are possible! With God's grace, A note, a situation, a life can be changed. With God's grace, we can take a first step in response to Jesus' words, we can begin anew in our relationship to our possessions, we can receive the strength to "sell all we own and give to the poor." God's grace companions us, transforms our resistance into renewal of life, and our sorrow into joy as we give generously to others. Friends, the Scripture doesn't tell us what happens with the young man who approaches Jesus. We don't know how he followed Jesus' words after that first step. We don't know whether he came and met Jesus again, or whether he shared Jesus' words with others. And the same is true for us, isn't it? At this moment, We don't know the rest of our stories. We don't know how God's amazing grace will shape us, how we will respond to the invitation of Jesus today, tomorrow, and each day to come. As we seek to compose our lives in tune with Jesus' call to follow him, We add new notes, new melodies, and new tempos to the gospel symphony written thousands of years ago. What new masterpiece will we create so all the world will know the love of Christ? Amen.