Amen.
But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves
Exercise is something that most of us never seem to get enough of. Chris has set out on a walking regimen that she has held to now for 4 weeks. With amazing devotion and regularity she has been walking. My guilt almost got the better of me. I had planned to go to the racket club where the boys have been working out all summer. I think I was waiting until they went back to school so I wouldn't have to work out around them--didn't want to risk showing them up or being shown up--but some how I just haven't found the time and was feeling really guilty--then about two weeks ago it hit me.
I remembered the musical the Music Man and
how the music man came to town with his think method of music
practicing.
He taught that if you spent a half hour or more each day thinking
about playing your instrument you would learn to play.
The method sounded a little far fetched but I still remember how
the musical ends with the amazing sounds of the instruments playing
albeit the best sound coming from the orchestra pit and not the
stage. If the think method worked in a musical why not try the
think method of exercise and dedicate time to thinking about exercising
each day. After two weeks of my think method of exercising I can
report that I have gained one pound. Either I need to think more
about exercising or try doing something else.
But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves
Sometimes the doing is not so easy or pleasant. Yet clearly good intentions or the mere offering of words are not enough. The challenge of our lessons today seems to be on words that become ends in themselves versus the challenge of doing-acting-being more than just the words.
With the arrival of Labor Day weekend the presidential
and congressional campaigns are about to enter their final two
month rush.
The promises and accusations in campaign ads will build from now
until November 7 to a deafening crescendo, and the vote will be
determined in great part by who we believe is most likely to do
those things that are best for our country and the world.
Whoever said "talk is cheap" never tried to run a presidential
campaign, and yet we know that all the talk means nothing if it
lacks concrete specific action.
Our second lesson for today is the first of
five weeks of readings from the letter we credit to the author
James. Some scholars think James may have been a brother to Jesus.
We really can't be too sure about the author but the letter content
is intriguing as it advances an understanding of the Christina
life centered in a morality not unlike that which we find in some
parts of the Jewish Law.
Martin Luther disliked the book of James. He felt it focused too
much on good works to the neglect of God's grace, but times have
changed and grace has become cheap, while religious works are
often neglected or over simplified.
But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves
It was the Jewish law that gave Jesus and his disciples problems in our Gospel lesson for today. The Jewish law as asserted and interpreted by the Pharisees. The Pharisees were leaders of the faith in Jesus' day who strove to bring good order and direction to the faith by establishing more than 300 rules to guide the faithful in living properly. These were rules intended to keep and protect the traditions of the faith that had been established in light of the words of scripture.
In our lesson for today the Pharisees notice
that Jesus' disciples (most of whom had only limited interest
in or commitment to the Pharisaic way of living) that Jesus' disciples
were not following proper traditions of hand washing before they
ate. It is important that we understand that this does not mean
that the disciples were necessarily eating with dirty hands. This
is not a text to be used by children to justify themselves the
next time they come to the table and are challenged with the question--"Did
you wash your hands?"
This is not a text that argues for unsanitary behavior.
The question at stake was the relationship between religion and the world. The question at stake was one of right words and doing the right deeds. In a curious way the Pharisees were in their day the keepers of the traditions and rituals that made someone acceptable to the community and society, admittedly their focus was perhaps a little skewed but they had good intentions. Things aren't so different today.
Susie and Billy have had nothing but the finest care and attention since birth. They are baby boomer's babies They have worn designer diapers coordinated with their sleepers. Their rooms have been vaporized with cleansing mountain herbal mist. They have had regular well baby check ups, read to every night when possible by both parents, regular and routine visits to museums, zoos, and libraries. Given every opportunity to play soccer, little league, gymnastics with full parental car pool and time priority support. Susie and Billy had Atari, Nintendo, Game station, baby Apple, and now have their own power lap top computers complete with internet support. Every social, medical, physical, and intellectual aspect of their lives have been meticulously groomed and cultivated.
They have received outstanding parenting with
one small, minor exception. Not once have they stepped inside
a church or synagogue.
Their intellectual, psychological, and physical development are
off the charts, but the feeding and nurturing of the dimension
of the spirit and the heart--things holy and mysterious--the wonder
and awe of life--the mystery and hope of why we are here and where
we are going--have never been mentioned.
No one has wondered with them the question
asked by the poet William Blake
--"Little Lamb, who made thee?"
I have been told by parents that they did not want to prejudice their children at an early age. Let them make up their own mind about religion when they are grown. These are parents who would never dream of letting a child make up their own mind about eating or learning to speak or read--yet these are parents who pretty well settle on the idea that they will let their children choose a faith when they are older. Let them go down to the mall and pick one out-maybe do a little comparison shopping.
Susie and Billy are not alone. Less than 40 % of the American population now says it has gone to worship in the last month. We know that statistically at best only 58% of our community has a religious affiliation. Sociologists tell us that for the first time in America there is a generation of young people of whom the majority have never been part of a religious community.
James writes to challenge the Christian community to action--
There was a time when our society assumed a
Judeo-Christian tradition--that everyone had at least some understanding
of faith. There was a time when the schools--the stores--the movies--all
cooperated and not only recognized but at times celebrated the
Christian calendar--schools had Christmas pageants--stores sold
to the beat of Christmas and Easter. Faith was assumed to be a
natural part of our lives. No one had to decide or do anything
more then join the community. Things were very comfortable--too
comfortable. The Pharisees of Jesus day were striving to help
people be comfortable with their faith--they did so by prescribing
every detail of choice
--our modern day pharisaism is not much different only it's not
faith based.
Susie and Billy have never heard the stories
of a love that surrounds them--a love that cares enough to come
and look for them--a love that is stern enough and demanding enough
to die for them. We may react with some surprise and maybe a little
horror at the obsessions of the Pharisees--surely we think they
must have realized that there was more to life than the washing
of hands. Yet obsession is part of our human psyche. The Pharisees
of old have found their modern equivalent--we all want to fit
in by fulfilling the expectations of community--look at the church
parking lot--our SUVs and minivans were not forced upon us--they
seemed the right choice to fill our needs in this community. The
choices we make reflect a desire to fit into the order and expectations
of our community. Look at the clothing WE provide for or
allow our children to wear--Abecrombie-J. Crew-Gap-Banana Republic-Nike
--few may be excluded but we act to fit in-to follow the expectations--the
rituals have changed but the criteria for acceptance and place
our obsessions with behavior judged most fitting still informs
our priorities. Even as we critique our culture and society we
are shaped by School-sports-work-family and then maybe the faith.
It is easy to condemn the extreme forms of modern day pharisaism.
At one extreme is the obsession that separates self from life
because of the faith. Amish-Orthodox-Conservative evangelical--no
dancing-no socializing with members of the opposite sex unsupervised--no
activity on Sabbath or Sunday, and the list grows into an oppressive
burden of law. Yet the other extreme is equally if not more dangerous--a
religion of convenience-with no demands-no expectations--faith
that is the equivalent of the think method
only this think method gains no weight-acquires no substance.
Faith that is separated not just from state but from the very
world in which we live.
To speak the story--the Christian story of grace and God's love--to somehow be set free by God's grace to see the world differently --this is no easy task. Jesus did not say his disciples were free from the expectations of their community--What he did was place his disciples and the whole community into a greater context--God's community-a question of higher priorities--God's priorities.
Next Sunday our rally theme is FAITH FITNESS.
It is not enough to just think about the faith-but it is where
we start. We need to center ourselves in God's word-through study-worship-fellowship.
In the coming weeks we will be looking more at the marks of discipleship--the
congregation will be invited to deepen its understanding of the
faith through study opportunities and worship.
We will be called upon to be doers of the word and not just hearers
to pray-study-encourage-serve-even give of our selves and our
resources.
Our lessons for today teach us that it is not enough to just think holy thoughts. It is not enough to come up with a pithy bumper sticker slogan for your faith "Jesus loves you and so do I"--is just so many words. Faith is more than just words-it's something we live and do. We have found ways to give particular shape to the language of love and presence. My e-mail last night contained a letter from Gil Fuerst, director of our national church's disaster response team, a ministry funded through our hunger and regular offerings. He told of our presence this past week to families who's homes were destroyed by tornados in Minnesota--of our presence to a Kurdish refugee family--of our presence to people caught in the midst of forest fires out west.
But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves
As we prepare to began our Sunday school year
there will be many words. But let us remember that such words
are but opportunities for God's Spirit to move us--to open us
to proclaiming the good news of Christ to those who have not yet
heard
--to open ourselves to new priorities and new ways of doing and
living bound not by the law of ritual or tradition or even community
expectation--but opened to the power of grace that truly makes
us
doers of the word and not hearers only.
Amen.