SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 & Luke 4:14-21
ON FEBRUARY 25TH A NEW MEL GIBSON MOVIE WILL BE PLAYING IN THEATERS NEAR YOU! THE NAME OF THE MOVIE IS THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.
NOW IT SEEMS TO ME THERE HAS BEEN A RATHER SUBDUED CRY OF INDIGNATION ABOUT GIBSON'S INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE IN THIS MOVIE. I HAVE HEARD A COMMENT HERE AND THERE, BUT NOTHING LIKE THE UPROAR THAT SURROUNDED THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST SOME YEARS AGO. THERE HAS BEEN AN EMAIL GOING AROUND FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO SEE THIS MOVIE WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF ITS RELEASE. OF COURSE THE EMAIL SOUNDS A BIT PHONY TO ME. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A PUBLICITY STUNT.
ANYWAY, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN, ON FRIDAY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT TWO JEWISH LEADERS WHO SNEAKED INTO A PRIVATE SCREENING OF THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST AND ARE NOW CLAIMING THE FILM TO BE INCENDIARY. I GUESS IT STANDS TO REASON THAT A MODERN MOVIE ABOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST IS GOING TO MAKE SOME KIND OF NEWS-JESUS IS STILL CONTROVERSIAL, EVEN AFTER 2000 YEARS.
BUT ACTUALLY I WASN'T VERY INTERESTED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THERE WAS SO MUCH HYPE AROUND THE MOVIE THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, WHEN IN ALL REALITY THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE HYPED ABOUT. THAT MOVIE WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A LONG AND RATHER BORING FILM THAT REPRESENTED ONE PERSON'S IDEAS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE UNREVEALED PART OF THE LIFE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH.
I THOROUGHLY EXPECT GIBSON'S MOVIE TO BE SOMETHING DRAMATIC, BUT RATHER BENIGN.
ANYWAY, WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE WAS WHAT RABBI MARVIN HIER AND ABRAHAM FOXMAN FOUND TO BE THE INCENDIARY SCENE IN THE MOVIE. EVIDENTLY MR. GIBSON HAS WRITTEN INTO THE SCRIPT A LINE MEANT TO BE SUPPORTED BY MATTHEW 27:25 WHERE, IN THE WORDS OF THE NEW YORK TIMES, "CAIAPHAS CALLS DOWN A KIND OF CURSE ON THE JEWISH PEOPLE BY DECLARING, OF THE CRUCIFIXION, "HIS BLOOD BE ON US, AND ON OUR CHILDREN." (NYT 1/28/04 PG. A12)THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT IS IN THE BIBLE, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. THE JEWS ARE GUILTY OF KILLING THE CHRIST.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT RABBI HIER AND MR. FOXMAN ARE UPSET ABOUT, BUT AS I HAVE LEARNED TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE OVER THE YEARS I NO LONGER READ THAT VERSE AS A CURSE UPON THE JEWISH PEOPLE. WHAT I HEAR IN MATTHEW'S ACCOUNT OF THE PASSION STORY IS AN INDICTMENT OF MODERN DAY CHRISTIANS WHO STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH AND THE TRUTH OF THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST.
BACK THEN, THE JEWS WERE JESUS' OWN PEOPLE AND THEY COULDN'T HEAR HIM, THEREFORE THEY WERE CURSED. BUT 2000 YEARS LATER WE HAVE TO SAY THAT CHRISTIANS ARE JESUS' OWN PEOPLE, AND WE CRUCIFY HIM OVER AND OVER AGAIN, EVERY TIME WE DON'T HAVE EARS TO HEAR, EVERY TIME WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HIS MESSAGE, EVERY TIME WE TURN THE OTHER WAY RATHER THAN FOLLOW THE CHRIST.
I HEAR THAT STATEMENT AS AN INDICTMENT UPON ME AND MY OWN KIND. I SHOULD BE THE ONE TAKING OFFENSE, BUT I ALSO KNOW THERE IS TOO MUCH TRUTH IN THE IDEA THAT WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND, NOR TOTALLY ACCEPT THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST EVEN TODAY, SO I TIP MY HAT TO MR. GIBSON FOR REMINDING ME.
HOW WE INTERPRET THE WORD OF GOD, WHETHER IT IS EZRA SPEAKING TO THE EARLY ISRAELITES, WOOING THEM BACK TO THEIR LOVING GOD, OR JESUS STANDING IN THE TEMPLE AT NAZARETH, CLAIMING TO HAVE FULFILLED THE SCRIPTURES, OR MEL GIBSON CREATING A NEW MOVIE ABOUT HIS LORD AND SAVIOR, OR A DEVOUT JEWISH RABBI WANTING TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF HIS FAITH; HOW WE INTERPRET THE WORD OF GOD IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
SO TODAY'S BIBLE PASSAGES BOTH HAVE MESSAGES ABOUT THE INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD OF GOD. THEY ARE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF HOW THE WORD OF GOD IS INTERPRETED TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD, AND HOW THE PEOPLE RESPOND.
IN THE PASSAGE FROM NEHEMIAH, THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE RETURNED TO JERUSALEM AFTER NEARLY 70 YEARS IN BABYLONIAN EXILE.
THEY HAVE COME HOME TO BEGIN THE REBUILDING, BOTH OF THEIR IDENTITY AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE THAT WAS DESTROYED IN 587 BC. DURING THE PERIOD OF JEWISH EXILE, THE LAWS OF MOSES, WHICH HAD FOR CENTURIES BEEN MAINTAINED THROUGH ORAL TRADITION, WERE WRITTEN OUT IN HEBREW SCRIPT BY SCRIBES LIKE THE PRIEST, EZRA. AND AS WE COME TO THE STORY TODAY, THE PEOPLE ARE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE, AT THE WATER GATE, A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE, EVEN THE DEFILED, CAN OPENLY GATHER TOGETHER. EZRA STANDS TO READ AND THE PEOPLE STAND TO LISTEN. BUT THERE IS ONE PROBLEM.
THROUGHOUT THE GENERATIONS OF THE EXILE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR CAPTORS, THEY HAVE LEARNED TO SPEAK ARAMAIC AND THE HEBREW TEXT NO LONGER MAKES SENSE TO THEM. THE PEOPLE GATHERED INTO THE SQUARE AT THE WATER GATE, STANDING AND FACING EZRA IN THAT AUSPICIOUS MOMENT, CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND THE WORD OF GOD, AND SO THERE ARE INTERPRETERS, PEOPLE WHO KNOW BOTH HEBREW AND ARAMAIC. THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE TO HELP EVERYONE GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY NEEDED SO BADLY TO HEAR. AND AS THE HEBREW IS TRANSLATED AND INTERPRETED FOR THEM, THE PEOPLE BECOME OVERWHELMED WITH THE JOY AND THE SORROW OF HEARING THE WORD OF GOD ONE MORE TIME. I ASK YOU, MY FRIENDS, WHAT GOOD IS THE WORD OF GOD IF WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT?
PETER GOMES, PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIAN MORALS AT HARVARD COLLEGE, HAS WRITTEN THAT "INTERPRETATION IS THE FUEL THAT DRIVES UNDERSTANDING." (PG. 33 OF THE GOOD BOOK)AND IT WAS THE DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING THAT CAME TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE THAT DAY SO LONG AGO, WHICH BROUGHT THEM SUCH EMOTION. THE PEOPLE WEPT WHEN THEY HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD THE LAW OF MOSES. THEY MAY HAVE CRIED FOR JOY OF RECOGNITION, OR THEY MAY HAVE CRIED FOR SORROW BECAUSE OF WHAT HAD BEEN LOST, BUT EZRA AND NEHEMIAH AND THE LEVITES CLAIMED THAT DAY AS A CELEBRATION. THEY TOLD THE PEOPLE, "GO YOUR WAY, EAT THE FAT AND DRINK SWEET WINE…FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH." (NEHEMIAH 8:10) FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH. AND THIS, MY FRIENDS, WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE CELEBRATION OF ROSH HASHANAH - THE JEWISH NEW YEAR.
NOW IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE WE HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF INTERPRETATION, BUT WITH A MUCH DIFFERENT OUTCOME. JESUS COMES TO THE SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH AND READS FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH. "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME," HE SAID, "BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ANOINTED TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR." JESUS FINISHES READING FROM THE TORAH, AND CONTINUES TO TEACH UPON THE TEXT, LIKE ANY GOOD RABBI. "TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING," HE SAYS. HE IS INTERPRETING THE WORD OF GOD, BUT THE PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND HIM. AGAIN, I ASK YOU, WHAT GOOD IS THE WORD OF GOD IF WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT?
PETER GOMES USES THIS PASSAGE AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE YOUR INTERPRETATION. HE SAYS, "…AS IN THE CASE OF JESUS' [FIRST HOMETOWN SERMON], THE PEOPLE WERE NOT AT ALL PLEASED WITH THE INTERPRETATION. JESUS' CONGREGATION SOUGHT TO KILL HIM, AN EXTREME REACTION. TODAY THE CONGREGATION WOULD SIMPLY FIRE THE PREACHER." (PG. 32 THE GOOD BOOK)
OUR KERYGMA CLASS HAD A VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT INTERPRETATION THIS WEEK. WE WERE READING THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES AND TALKING ABOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN WE CAME TO THE STORY OF PENTECOST. THE DISCIPLES ARE GATHERED IN THE UPPER ROOM WHEN SUDDENLY THE WIND BLOWS AND FLAMES APPEAR OVER EACH OF THEIR HEADS. THEY SPEAK IN LANGUAGES THEY HAD NEVER LEARNED. AND SINCE ALL OF THE APOSTLES SPOKE IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ON THE DAY THEY RECEIVED THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE GOT TO TALKING ABOUT SPEAKING IN TONGUES AND THE INTERPRETATION, THERE OF.
NOW SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS AN ANCIENT TRADITION THAT BEGAN WITHIN THE EARLIEST CHURCH. IT IS A FORM OF ECSTATIC VERBAL EXPRESSION UNLIKE ANY KNOWN LANGUAGE. IT IS ALSO UNLIKE PENTECOST BECAUSE, ON THAT DAY, THE LANGUAGES OF THE DISCIPLES WERE UNDERSTOOD BY THE PEOPLE GATHERED IN JERUSALEM, FROM ALL DIFFERENT REGIONS, TO CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF WEEKS.
I HAVE JUST RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT SOME CHRISTIANS WOULD CALL SPEAKING IN TONGUES THE LANGUAGE OF GOD AND CLAIM THERE IS NO WAY TO TRULY INTERPRET THE MEANING. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING, WHICH COMES FROM THE DISCIPLE PAUL, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE INTERPRETATION OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. IN PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH, WHERE THE ISSUE OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES WAS CAUSING A MAJOR RUCKUS, HE CLEARLY SAYS, "IF ANYONE SPEAKS IN A TONGUE, LET THERE BE ONLY TWO OR AT MOST THREE, AND EACH IN TURN; AND LET ONE INTERPRET." YOU SEE, PAUL'S CONCERN WAS THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCLUDED RATHER THAN GATHERED IN WHEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID. INTERPRETATION FOLLOWED BY UNDERSTANDING IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART OF ENGAGING THE WORD OF GOD.
FRIENDS, I BELIEVE IN MY HEART OF HEARTS THAT THE VERY MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE BEFORE OUR CONTEMPORARY WORLD IS THE ISSUE OF INTERPRETATION. WHEN WE WRESTLE TO INTERPRET THE LAWS, AND SCRIPTURE, AND CULTURES, AND MUSIC, AND HISTORY, AND POLITICS, WE WRESTLE FOR UNDERSTANDING, AND UNDERSTANDING IS A VERY GOOD THING. WHERE THERE IS UNDERSTANDING THERE IS BRIGHTNESS AND LIGHT AND LOVE. LIKE THE JEWS GATHERED AT THE WATER GATE OF JERUSALEM, WE CAN FIND OURSELVES DEEPLY AND EMOTIONALLY MOVED BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF UNDERSTANDING.
AND LIKEWISE, WHERE WE DON'T STRUGGLE TO INTERPRET EVERYTHING AROUND US IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR CONTEMPORARY SITUATION, WE HAVE LITTLE OR NO UNDERSTANDING, AND THE WORLD BECOMES A DANGEROUS AND DARK PLACE, LEAVING US ANGRY AND TORMENTED. WE BECOME CAPABLE OF WANTING TO KILL THE LIKES OF JESUS, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID.
AS I THINK BACK THROUGH MY RAMBLINGS HERE, I DISCOVER I NEED TO DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT THE POINT OF MY MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE. WELL, I THINK THE POINT IS THAT WE ALWAYS NEED TO GRAPPLE WITH INTERPRETATION. WE CAN TAKE ADVICE FROM THE PEOPLE WE TRUST.
WE CAN READ THE AUTHORS WHO PLEASE US, OR CHALLENGE US, THE MOST. OF COURSE WE ALWAYS LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO OUR PREACHERS.
BUT FRIENDS, DON'T EVER LEAVE THE INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD OF GOD COMPLETELY UP TO SOMEONE ELSE.
OWN IT.
CLAIM IT.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN.
BECAUSE ONLY THEN CAN YOU, AND I, INTERPRET AND TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS GOD IS SAYING TO US.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: I Corinthians 12:1-11 & John 2:1-11
[THIS SERMON WAS LAST PREACHED ON JANUARY 14, 2001 UNDER THE TITLE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL]MOTHER'S CAN BE SO BOSSY! I GET A BIG KICK OUT OF THIS EXCHANGE BETWEEN JESUS AND MARY. IT'S ALMOST AS IF MARY WERE THE PROTOTYPE FOR TODAY'S "TYPICAL" JEWISH MOTHER! CANTOR GERI ZELLER SAYS, "MY SON THE LAWYER." AND MARY OF NAZARETH SAYS, "MY SON THE MIRACLE WORKER, MY SON THE SAVIOR!"
JESUS SCOLDS MARY FOR MENTIONING ANYTHING ABOUT HIS SPECIAL GIFTS. AND MARY PUSHES HIM IN SUCH A WAY THAT JESUS IS FORCED TO RESPOND. THIS MOTHER/SON EXCHANGE HAS ALL THE POIGNANCY OF A TRULY HUMAN EXCHANGE. I CAN RELATE TOTALLY! BUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN MARY'S!
MY SON WOULD HAVE STORMED OFF TO COMPLAIN TO HIS FRIENDS ABOUT WHAT A BUTT-IN-SKI HIS MOTHER IS. BUT JESUS REVEALS HIS GIFT FOR MIRACLES AS A RESPONSE TO MARY'S MANIPULATIONS, SHOWING US, RIGHT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, ABOUT HIS EXTRAORDINARY NATURE.
NOW MOTHERS HAVE ALWAYS HAD A KEEN EYE TOWARDS OUR CHILDREN'S FINEST GIFTS. MOTHERS CAN OFTEN SPOT SOMETHING IN OUR OWN OFFSPRING THAT WOULD TAKE THE REST OF THE WORLD MUCH LONGER TO SEE. AND SO IT WAS WITH MARY. BUT RATHER THAN SEE HER AS A PUSHY MOTHER, WE BELIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS USING HER TO VALIDATE THE BEGINNING OF JESUS' MINISTRY. WE BELIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS USING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A MOTHER AND HER SON TO CALL FORTH THE GIFTS OF THE SON.
AND SO AN IMPORTANT TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY OF MOTHER CHURCH HAS BEEN ASSIGNED, RIGHT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. IT IS UP TO THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK THROUGH THE BODY OF CHRIST TO CALL FORTH THE GIFTS WE HAVE TO SHARE TOGETHER. IT IS UP TO US TO SEEK OUT KNOWLEDGE OF OUR OWN GIFTS. WE NEED TO KNOW OURSELVES WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT QUALITIES GOD HAS GIVEN US AS A BLESSING. AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE GIFTS OF OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. LIKE A MOTHER WHO SEES THE BEST IN HER CHILDREN, WE NEED TO LOOK UPON ONE ANOTHER AND SEE THE BEST OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO EACH MEMBER IN THE BODY. THE SPEAKING AND THE RECEIVING AND THE USING OF OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS IS WHAT MAKE US INTO THE VERY SPECIAL COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE.
NOW PAUL'S UNDERSTANDING OF "CHURCH" IS GENEROUSLY LACED WITH REFERENCES TO SPIRITUAL GIFTS. HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT GIFTS ARE, HOW GIFTS CAN BE RECOGNIZED AND HOW GIFTS NEED TO BE USED.
IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, PAUL TALKS A LOT ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL GIFTS NEED EACH OTHER IN ORDER FOR THE BODY TO BE HEALTHY AND STRONG. THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH AT CORINTH WERE A DIVERSE GATHERING OF PERSONALITIES, WHO HAD LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OR SKILL ABOUT HOW TO BE A UNITED BODY. THEY HAD BEEN ARGUING ABOUT THEIR DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS AND EXPERIENCES INSTEAD OF SEEING THEM AS A REASON TO BE TOGETHER. AND IN THE 12TH CHAPTER OF THIS LETTER, PAUL GETS TO THE HEART OF HIS TEACHINGS ABOUT DIFFERENCES.
PAUL SAYS THAT OUR DIFFERENT GIFTS ARE ALL GIVEN BY THE SAME GOD. AND THE RECOGNITION OF OUR TRUE GIFTS HAPPENS BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE SAYS WE CAN BELIEVE THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHENEVER JESUS IS PROCLAIMED AS LORD.
AND SO HE REFLECTS THE TRINITARIAN FORMULA - FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. HE REFLECTS THE MYSTERY OF FAITH - CHRIST HAS DIED, CHRIST HAS RISEN, CHRIST SHALL COME AGAIN. BUT EVEN WHEN I TRY TO PUT THIS SCRIPTURE INTO CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE IT SOUNDS LIKE A CIRCLE CHASING ITSELF!
MY FRIENDS, HOW WE COME ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS IS, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE, A MYSTERY! AMEN - SO BE IT! BUT THE IMPORTANT THING TO LEARN FROM THIS SCRIPTURE IS THAT ALL OF OUR GIFTS COME TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD. ALL OF OUR DIFFERENCES MAKE A WONDROUS UNITY WHEN THEY ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN LOVE. AND THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CHURCH IS.
YES, CHURCH IS STEWARDSHIP, CHURCH IS MISSION AND CHURCH IS EVANGELISM AND CHURCH IS WORSHIP, BUT NONE OF THAT CAN HAPPEN UNTIL PEOPLE BECOME CHURCH. AND PEOPLE ONLY BECOME CHURCH WHEN WE BRING OUR DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL GIFTS TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
NOW, CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS, HOW MANY OF US BELIEVE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFT IS THAT WHICH WE DO WELL? PAULINE HAS A GIFT FOR TEACHING. BOB HAS A GIFT FOR GARDENING. SARAH HAS A GIFT FOR COMPUTERS. CAROL HAS A GIFT FOR PLAYING THE ORGAN. JOHN HAS A GIFT FOR SINGING. IF WE BELIEVE THIS, WE ARE RIGHT…BUT ONLY PARTIALLY!
WHEN WE CAN DO SOMETHING WELL, THIS IS CLEARLY A GIFT FROM GOD. BUT IT IS ALSO SOMETHING FOR US TO REHEARSE AND DEVELOP AND PERFECT. BUT A SPIRITUAL GIFT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK AT. A SPIRITUAL GIFT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COME BY NATURALLY; THINGS LIKE KINDNESS, HUMOR, JOY, ENERGY, PATIENCE, OPENNESS, INSIGHT, TRUTH AND STRENGTH, TO NAME JUST A FEW.
SOME SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE SMALL AND SEEMINGLY UNIMPORTANT. SOME SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE SPLASHY AND WONDERFUL AND LARGE.
BUT THE ECONOMY OF GOD'S WAY OF LIVING SAYS THAT EVERY GIFT, NO MATTER HOW GREAT OR SMALL, IS NEEDED. AND EVERY GIFT IS MEANT TO BE USED FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
A FEW YEARS AGO I RECEIVED A STORY AND A POEM AT THE SAME TIME. THESE TWO LITERARY PIECES ARE THE POLAR OPPOSITES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE EXPERIENCE OUR GIFTS AS A PART OF GOD'S ABUNDANT LOVE AND EITHER WITHHOLD THEM, OR SHARE THEM IN ALL HUMILITY. THE POEM IS ENTITLED "THE COLD WITHIN," COMPLIMENTS OF DICK CLARK. IT TELLS US WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DON'T SHARE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS FOR THE COMMON GOOD.IT GOES LIKE THIS:
SIX HUMANS TRAPPED BY HAPPENSTANCE
IN DARK AND BITTER COLD
EACH ONE POSSESSED A STICK OF WOOD
OR SO THE STORY'S TOLD.
THEIR DYING FIRE IN NEED OF LOGS
ONE WOMAN HELD HERS BACK
FOR ON THE FACES AROUND THE FIRE
SHE NOTICED ONE WAS BLACK.
THE NEXT ONE LOOKING ACROSS THE WAY
SAW ONE NOT OF HIS CHURCH
AND COULDN'T BRING HIMSELF TO GIVE
THE FIRE HIS STICK OF BIRCH.
THE THIRD ONE SAT IN TATTERED CLOTHES
AND GAVE HIS COAT A HITCH -
"WHY SHOULD MY LOG BE USED
TO AID THE IDLE RICH?"
THE RICH MAN JUST SAT BACK AND THOUGHT
OF THE WEALTH HE HAD IN STORE
AND HOW TO KEEP WHAT HE HAS EARNED
FROM THE LAZY, SHIFTLESS POOR.
THE BLACK MAN'S FACE BESPOKE REVENGE
AS THE FIRE PASSED FROM HIS SIGHT
FOR ALL HE SAW IN HIS STICK OF WOOD
WAS A CHANCE TO SPITE THE WHITE.
THE LAST MAN IN THIS FORLORN GROUP
DID NOT EXCEPT FOR GAIN
GIVING ONLY TO THOSE WHO GAVE
WAS HOW HE PLAYED THE GAME.
SIX LOGS HELD TIGHT IN DEATH'S STILL HANDS
WAS PROOF OF HUMAN SIN
THEY DIDN'T DIE FROM THE COLD WITHOUT
THEY DIED FROM THE COLD WITHIN.
MY FRIENDS, WITHHOLDING OUR GIFTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY OF FAITH LEAVES US VULNERABLE TO DEATH FROM THE COLD WITHIN. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER WAY.
THE STORY IS CALLED "ASPIRE TO BE A CRACK POT!"(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)AND THIS STORY IS THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE USE OUR GIFTS, WITH A SENSE OF HUMILITY, FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
A WATER BEARER IN INDIA HAD TWO LARGE POTS, EACH HUNG ON EACH END OF A POLE WHICH HE CARRIED ACROSS HIS NECK. ONE OF THE POTS HAD A CRACK IN IT, AND WHILE THE OTHER POT WAS PERFECT AND ALWAYS DELIVERED A FULL PORTION OF WATER AT THE END OF THE LONG WALK FROM THE STREAM TO THE MASTER'S HOUSE, THE CRACKED POT ARRIVED ONLY HALF FULL.OF COURSE, THE PERFECT POT WAS PROUD OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PERFECT TO THE END FOR WHICH IT WAS MADE. BUT THE POOR CRACKED POT WAS ASHAMED OF ITS OWN IMPERFECTION, AND MISERABLE THAT IT WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ONLY HALF OF WHAT IT HAD BEEN MADE TO DO. AFTER TWO YEARS OF WHAT IT PERCEIVED TO BE A BITTER FAILURE, IT SPOKE TO THE WATER BEARER ONE DAY BY THE STREAM. "I AM ASHAMED OF MYSELF, AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU." "WHY?" ASKED THE BEARER, "WHAT ARE YOU ASHAMED OF?"
"I HAVE BEEN ABLE, FOR THESE PAST TWO YEARS, TO DELIVER ONLY HALF MY LOAD BECAUSE THIS CRACK IN MY SIDE CAUSES WATER TO LEAK OUT ALL THE WAY BACK TO YOUR MASTER'S HOUSE. BECAUSE OF MY FLAWS, YOU HAVE TO DO ALL OF THIS WORK, AND YOU DON'T GET FULL VALUE FROM YOUR EFFORTS." THE POT SAID.
THE WATER BEARER FELT SORRY FOR THE OLD CRACKED POT, AND IN HIS COMPASSION HE SAID, "AS WE RETURN TO THE MASTER'S HOUSE, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS ALONG THE PATH."
INDEED, AS THEY WENT UP THE HILL, THE OLD CRACKED POT TOOK NOTICE OF THE SUN WARMING THE BEAUTIFUL WILD FLOWERS ON THE SIDE OF THE PATH, AND THIS CHEERED IT SOME. BUT AT THE END OF THE TRAIL, IT STILL FELT BAD BECAUSE IT HAD LEAKED OUT HALF ITS LOAD, AND SO AGAIN THE POT APOLOGIZED TO THE BEARER FOR ITS FAILURE.
THE BEARER SAID TO THE POT, "DID YOU NOTICE THAT THERE WERE FLOWERS ONLY ON YOUR SIDE OF YOUR PATH, BUT NOT ON THE OTHER POTS SIDE? THAT'S BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN ABOUT YOUR FLAW, AND I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT. I PLANTED FLOWER SEEDS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE PATH, AND EVERY DAY WHILE WE WALK BACK FROM THE STREAM, YOU'VE WATERED THEM. FOR TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PICK THESE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS TO DECORATE MY MASTER'S TABLE. WITHOUT YOU BEING JUST THE WAY YOU ARE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS BEAUTY TO GRACE HIS HOUSE."
OUR GIFTS ARE, INDEED, A MYSTERY. WHAT WE DISLIKE ABOUT OURSELVES OR ANOTHER PERSON MAY WELL BE GOD'S GIFT. BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD'S ABUNDANCE IS SHARED THROUGH OUR GIFTS, AND GOD'S ABUNDANCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE. IT IS WITHIN GOD'S ABUNDANCE THAT THE FIRES OF LOVE BURN AND THE BEAUTY OF CREATION BLOOMS FOREVER.
GIFTS CAN BE BLATANT AND BOLD. THEY CAN BE HIDDEN AND TINY. BUT WHEN THEY ARE ALL BROUGHT TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD, THE BODY OF CHRIST IS HEALTHY AND WHOLE. AND GOD SAW THAT MOTHER CHURCH WAS GOOD. AND GOD BLESSED THE ABUNDANCE OF IT ALL.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 147:12-20, Ephesians 1:3-14 & John 1:14-18
I NEED TO MAKE A CONFESSION TODAY. I NEED TO CONFESS THAT I AM CARRYING WITHIN ME A FEAR THAT IS GETTING TOO LARGE FOR ME TO HIDE IT. IT IS TOO GREAT FOR ME TO HOLD IT IN ANY LONGER. THE TIME HAS COME FOR ME TO LET IT GO AND SPEAK ABOUT IT FROM THIS PULPIT.
MY FRIENDS, I'M AFRAID THAT THE LIBERAL EXPRESSION OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH HAS BECOME FAR TO WILLING TO GIVE UP ON JESUS IN THE INTEREST OF INCLUSIVITY AND UNIVERSALITY.
I HAVE A DEAR FRIEND - A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER WHOM I LOVE AND RESPECT - WHO WILL NOT USE THE NAME OF CHRIST IN HIS PRAYERS AND HIS LITURGIES. HE SAYS JESUS IS SO MISUNDERSTOOD IN THIS DAY AND AGE THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO USE HIS NAME, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE TRANSLATION THAT HAPPENS IN PEOPLE'S MINDS WHEN THEY HEAR IT. HE SAYS WE SPEAK THE NAME OF JESUS AND PEOPLE ONLY HEAR GUILT AND JUDGMENT. AND HE HAS A POINT - BUT I'M AFRAID. AND THE DEPTH OF MY FEAR IS EMBEDDED IN OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGES FOR TODAY.
AS I READ THE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS I KEEP HEARING THE WORD "GRACE" IN RELATION TO JESUS, NOT "JUDGMENT" OR "GUILT." AND MY DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED HEARING THE SAME THING I HEAR. WHEN I SPEAK THE NAME OF JESUS, I HOPE THAT I AM SPEAKING A WORD OF GRACE. I PRAY THAT MY LOVE OF CHRIST IS NOT BEING MISINTERPRETED INTO SOMETHING I DON'T WANT IT TO BE. MY LOVE OF CHRIST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GUILT OR SHAME OR JUDGMENT. AND MY DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT OUR WORLD IS LOSING THE GRACE WE SO DESPERATELY NEED AS WE BECOME TOO SOPHISTICATED TO SPEAK THE NAME OF JESUS.
IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN WE HEAR THAT THE INCARNATION OF GOD IN THE FULLNESS OF JESUS CHRIST HAS BROUGHT US "GRACE UPON GRACE." WHAT A WONDERFUL STATEMENT! HAVE YOU EVER REALLY MEDITATED ON THE IDEA OF BEING GIVEN GRACE UPON GRACE?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RECEIVE GRACE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WANT GRACE FOR ANOTHER PERSON OR OTHER PEOPLE? WHAT WOULD IT FEEL LIKE TO EXPERIENCE GRACE UPON GRACE AS AN INDIVIDUAL; AS A COMMUNITY; AS A WORLD; AS A UNIVERSE?
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE, IN MY HEART OF HEARTS THAT JESUS IS MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISINTERPRETED BECAUSE GRACE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF GOD'S LOVE TO ACCEPT. AND JESUS IS ALL ABOUT GRACE.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE LESS WE KNOW JESUS THE EASIER IT IS TO REFUSE THE GIFT OF GRACE! GRACE WAS BORN INTO THE WORLD THROUGH HIM. THE GRACE OF GOD IS NO LONGER OUT THERE, FLOATING AROUND IN SOME UNKNOWN LAYER OF HEAVEN. THE GRACE OF GOD HAS BEEN BORN INTO OUR MIDST AND LIVES AMONG US. GRACE IS THE ONE UNWRAPPED GIFT LEFT UNDER THE TREE.
I'VE BEEN READING A BOOK THIS PAST WEEK CALLED WHAT'S SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE, WRITTEN BY AN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, PHILLIP YANCEY. IT IS A POWERFUL BOOK AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHO CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE CHRISTIANS. AND MOST ESPECIALLY IF WE THINK IT IS NOT "ACCEPTABLE" OR "SOPHISTICATED" TO USE THE NAME OF JESUS.
IN HIS BOOK, YANCEY TELLS OF A BRITISH CONFERENCE ON COMPARATIVE RELIGIONS WHERE EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD HAD GATHERED FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS. AT ONE POINT A FEW OF THE INTELLECTUALS BEGAN TO DEBATE THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION TO SEE IF, INDEED, THERE TRULY WAS SUCH A THING. THEY WERE BOISTEROUSLY COMING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY DO NOT SET US APART FROM OTHER RELIGIONS. TOGETHER THEY HAD AFFIRMED THAT EXPERIENCES OF DIVINE INCARNATION AND MIRACULOUS RESURRECTION CAN BE FOUND IN MANY OTHER RELIGIONS. AND SO THE DEBATE CONTINUED UNTIL C. S. LEWIS ENTERED THE ROOM.
"'WHAT'S THE RUMPUS ABOUT?' HE ASKED, AND HEARD IN REPLY THAT HIS COLLEAGUES WERE DISCUSSING CHRISTIANITY'S UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION AMONG WORLD RELIGIONS. LEWIS RESPONDED, 'OH, THAT'S EASY. IT'S GRACE.'"
AS YANCEY TELLS THE STORY, "AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, THE CONFEREES HAD TO AGREE. THE NOTION OF GOD'S LOVE COMING TO US FREE OF CHARGE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED, SEEMS TO GO AGAINST EVERY INSTINCT OF HUMANITY. THE BUDDHIST EIGHT-FOLD PATH, THE HINDU DOCTRINE OF KARMA, THE JEWISH COVENANT, AND MUSLIM CODE OF LAW-EACH OF THESE OFFERS A WAY TO EARN APPROVAL. ONLY CHRISTIANITY DARES TO MAKE GOD'S LOVE UNCONDITIONAL." (PG. 45)
I THINK IF WE ARE ALL REALLY HONEST WITH OURSELVES WE SOON COME TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT BASICALLY WE WOULD MUCH RATHER EARN GOD'S LOVE THAN RECEIVE IT. THE FREEDOM OF SIMPLY RECEIVING LOVE IS NOT SOMETHING WE HUMAN BEINGS DO VERY WELL.
WHEN WE HAVE TO EARN GOD'S LOVE, WE ARE IN CONTROL, WE HAVE TO WORK HARD, AND WE CAN SUFFER. BUT WHEN WE SIMPLY RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE AND LIVE OUT OUR LIVES FROM THAT GIFTED PLACE, THEN GOD IS IN CONTROL AND LIFE CAN UNFOLD IN WHATEVER WAY.
WHEN WE LIVE A LIFE OF FREE GRACE, WE ARE TETHERED TO LOVE RATHER THAN SUFFERING. AND, FRIENDS, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THAT GOODNESS!
AT 1 AM ON CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING A YOUNG MAN NAMED MICHAEL BERTOLINO WAS KILLED IN A TRAGIC CAR ACCIDENT SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO RIVER EDGE, NEW JERSEY. I KNOW ABOUT MICHAEL'S DEATH BECAUSE HIS AUNT JAN IS MARRIED TO MY COUSIN, ELMER. JAN AND ELMER CAME FROM ILLINOIS FOR THE FUNERAL, AND ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT SURROUND SUCH A TIME IN THE LIFE OF A FAMILY. BECAUSE OF THEIR PRESENCE, STEWART AND I HEADED OVER TO RIVER EDGE LAST WEDNESDAY EVENING AND THURSDAY MORNING IN ORDER TO BE THERE WITH THEM AND GIVE OUR SUPPORT. AS JAN TOLD ME THE FULL STORY OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS EVEN WORSE THAN I FIRST IMAGINED.
THE PASSENGER IN MICHAEL'S CAR WAS HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, VICTOR, WHO HAD JUST MARRIED MICHAEL'S ONLY SISTER, CLAUDIA, ON THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER. VICTOR HAD SUFFERED SEVERE BURNS OVER 50 % OF HIS BODY AND WAS BARELY CLINGING TO LIFE AT ST. BARNABAS HOSPITAL IN LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY AS HIS YOUNG WIFE WAS ATTENDING HER BROTHER'S FUNERAL. IT SEEMED AS IF TRAGEDY UPON TRAGEDY HAD BEEN VISITED ON ONE FAMILY AND THE BURDEN OF THIS FAMILY'S SORROW SHOULD HAVE FELT UNBEARABLE, EVEN FOR OUTSIDERS LIKE STEWART AND ME. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I FELT GRACE INSTEAD OF BURDEN. AND I BELIEVE I FELT GRACE BECAUSE THE GIFT HAD BEEN RECEIVED.
THIS FAMILY WAS LEANING ON THE FREE GIFT OF GRACE AS THEY WALKED THROUGH WHAT HAD TO BE THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCE OF ANY OF THEIR LIVES. GOD WAS CLOSE TO THEM BECAUSE GOD WAS FAMILIAR. AND THE GRACE OF JESUS WAS PRESENT, IN PART, BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTY OF A LOVELY CRUCIFIX HANGING IN THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH.
NOW I DON'T OFTEN CALL A CRUCIFIX A LOVELY THING, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING WONDERFUL ABOUT THE GRACE THAT EXUDED FROM THIS PARTICULAR STATUE. THE JESUS OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE CHURCH IN RIVER EDGE, NEW JERSEY LOOKS DOWN FROM HIS CROSS WITH PURE LOVE ON HIS FACE. THERE WAS NO TWISTED AGONY, ONLY A SERENE SENSE OF PRESENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. JESUS KNOWS OUR SORROWS AND LIFTS US UP. JESUS BRINGS US GRACE, AND HE BRINGS IT TO US WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
ACTUALLY, JESUS BRINGS GRACE TO THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. AND THIS IS WHY I MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIAN. YOU SEE, MY OTHER FEAR ABOUT DOWNPLAYING THE IMPORTANCE OF JESUS IS THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR WORLD LOSING THE UNDERSTANDING THAT GRACE IS A FREE GIFT FOR EVERYONE. THE THEOLOGY OF EPHESIANS TELLS US THAT GOD DRAWS ALL THINGS TOGETHER IN JESUS THE CHRIST. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD DRAWS ALL THINGS TOGETHER IN GRACE. AND IF GRACE IS A FREE GIFT, THEN PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO ASPIRE TO ANY PARTICULAR BELIEF IN ORDER TO BE GIFTED WITH IT. I'M AFRAID THAT CAPITALISM AND CHRISTIANITY ARE BEGINNING TO BE SEEN AS ONE AND THE SAME, AND THIS JUST ISN'T TRUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW THE JESUS OF THE GOSPELS. IN A CAPITALISTIC STATE THERE IS A CHANCE FOR LIFE TO BE FAIR. IF WE WORK HARD AND WE ARE BRIGHT ENOUGH WE CAN MAKE IT BIG AS A CAPITALIST. IN A CAPITALISTIC STATE (WHICH SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH DEMOCRACY) WE CAN PULL OURSELVES UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS, OR SO WE THINK!
BUT IN CHRISTIANITY LIFE IS NOT FAIR. IN CHRISTIANITY WE CANNOT WORK HARD TO GET MORE. IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK THAT WILL ONLY FRUSTRATE. BECAUSE OF CHRISTIAN GRACE, THE UNWORTHY BECOME WORTHY WITHOUT EVER WORKING FOR IT; THE FIRST ARE LAST AND THE LAST ARE FIRST; THE HIGH PLACES ARE BROUGHT LOW AND THE LOWLY ARE LIFTED UP. YOU SEE, I AM AFRAID THAT OUR AMERICAN PRESENCE IN THE WORLD IS NOT AT ALL A CHRISTIAN PRESENCE, EVEN THOUGH OUR PRESENT ADMINISTRATION WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE IT IS. IN OUR AMERICAN PRESENCE TO THE WORLD THERE IS NO GRACE, THERE IS ONLY TIT FOR TAT, RETRIBUTION AND GOOD OLD-FASHIONED GREED. SO WE LIBERALS ARE ALL CONFUSED ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOLD OUT TO CAPITALISM AND WE HAVE LOST JESUS AS A PART OF OUR REPERTOIRE. I THINK WE FORGET THAT JESUS, HIMSELF, WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LIBERAL CHRISTIAN BY TODAY'S STANDARDS. AND WE MUST NOT LOSE HIM TO PEOPLE WHO THINK OTHERWISE.
FRIENDS, TODAY WE GATHER AROUND THIS COMMUNION TABLE IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. WE GATHER HERE TO REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE HE MADE FOR US. WE GATHER HERE TO RECEIVE THE FREE GIFT OF GRACE. AND WE GATHER HERE TO BE FORGIVEN FOR OUR VERY BASIC HUMAN NATURE THAT WOULD HAVE US NOT RECEIVE THE GIFT. FRIENDS, WE GATHER HERE BECAUSE OF JESUS AND I LOVE THE SOUND OF HIS NAME, DO YOU?
EUGENE O'NEILL ONCE WROTE, "MAN IS BORN BROKEN. HE LIVES BY MENDING. THE GRACE OF GOD IS GLUE." ALLELUIA! AMEN!
LET US AFFIRM OUR FAITH BY STANDING TOGETHER AND SINGING #280, AMAZING GRACE.