Are We More Devoted to Order Than To Justice?
I’ve been reading a book lately that I shared with the session and the leadership of the church yesterday. It’s called The Pentecost Paradigm: Ten Strategies for Becoming a Multiracial Congregation. In it, Jacqueline J. Lewis and John Janka wrote a sentence that caught my attention: “Any congregation—white, black or otherwise—that is ‘more devoted to order than to justice’ and disengaged from breaking down the dividing walls of hostility has lost its way.”
The phrase “more devoted to order than to justice” drew me in… because as a Presbyterian, I have heard the slogan “decently and in order” plenty of times. So I wanted to explore the invitation to look at the concepts of order and justice a little bit further.
That particular phrase was not written by the authors of the book, but by someone who has become more and more of a spiritual mentor of mine: Martin Luther King. His words seem to appear more and more lately in my own reflections as a Christian Presbyterian, especially when I see more and more people emphasizing our differences as markers of inferiority and unworthiness, or saying that we are a nation of "law and order" in order (redundancy implied) to oppress others that are different from the supposedly dominant culture.
In the Letter from a Birmingham Jail Dr. King writes: “I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council of the Ku Klux Klan, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to 'order' than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.”
Jesus does things intentionally
As I look at Matthew 12: 1-14, I question what Jesus would have thought about moderate followers.
Here we have one of two Sabbath controversy stories, where Jesus is questioning what is lawful to do on a Sabbath and the relationship of humanity to the Sabbath.
What is the Sabbath? Remember that Sabbath is a weekly day of rest or time of worship given in the Bible as the seventh day. The Ten Commandments prohibit doing any work on the Sabbath, and Jewish law prohibits doing any form of work on Shabbat. There are 39 categories of activity that the Talmud prohibits; things like… sowing, plowing, reaping, building, writing two or more letters, erasing two or more letters, demolishing, extinguishing a fire, or kindling a fire (no barbeques on the Sabbath).
So we find Jesus and the disciples, during a Sabbath day doing something they are not supposed to be doing: the disciples pluck some of the heads of grain, a practice that apparently is permitted to hungry travelers by the law. Then we read about some Pharisees confronting Jesus about the disciples' behavior, arguing that they were reaping on the Sabbath, in violation of the prohibition against work.
Jesus then decides to turn the tables on the Pharisees by mentioning one of the great men of Israel: King David. David had eaten the sacred bread of the temple when he was in need. If David could do that, his disciples could pluck the heads of grain. Done. Case closed. Jesus wins the argument.
Wendy Farley, a professor at San Francisco Theological Seminary, has a very interesting take on this passage. She starts by defending the Pharisees by saying that Jesus is intentionally provoking a confrontation. She says this story “is not about how urgent need permits us to break the rules.”
Then... what is it about? I believe that she has a point. This passage does not state that the disciples were hungry so the comparison to David does not ring true. And the other part of the passage where Jesus cures a man with a withered hand? She says Jesus could have waited until sundown.
She also states it would have been easy for Jesus and his disciples to honor the Sabbath… so that leaves the question... why does Jesus decide to violate a law that is part of the Ten Commandments and that has been ordained by God? Her answer is that “by refusing to observe conventions for honoring the Sabbath, Jesus invites us into a form of faith in which time-honored practices are relativized by healing power, compassion, and joy.” This conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees, she says “contrasts religion that hardens hearts with the gospel that opens hearts to the ubiquitous presence of God and gives birth to compassion and joy.”
A contrasting story
This passage is a story about contrasts. Jesus is questioning the very fabric of his religion and proposing a new way to do things. He proposes functioning out of grace, compassion and joy, and not out of rules and regulations… not out of order, but out of justice.
After all, Jesus’ conclusion to this argument is “The Sabbath was created for humans; humans weren’t created for the Sabbath. This is why the Human One is Lord even over the Sabbath.” If the Sabbath serves to oppress and to punish, then it loses its purpose and way.
Back to order and justice
As I look at the Christian family today… I wonder how this passage challenges us as Christians and as the body of Christ. As I said before, one of the things that I grew up within the church is that Presbyterians do things “decently and in order”. But if we look at Jesus, and what he does in this passage… I’m not sure that he was an “order” kind of guy. He was decent… and his decency leads him to challenge his followers to make sure that the laws that ruled their lives were more about compassion, grace, justice and human wellbeing than about keeping order in the land.
I believe that Jesus was calling the Pharisees and those who followed him, to challenge values, laws, and lifestyles that enslaved, oppressed, punished and diminished their society. And that Jesus is calling us as church to do that today. Going back to Martin Luther King… He said ““The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.”
I'm not alone in this belief. There are a group of leaders that have felt the need to reclaim the Jesus that fought against systems that want to pass order as justice. Based on Jesus and his actions in passages like this… and on Martin Luther King’s words, a group of leaders from different churches decided to write a confession. They said “Our urgent need, in a time of moral and political crisis, is to recover the power of confessing our faith. Lament, repent, and then repair. If Jesus is Lord, there is always space for grace. We believe it is time to speak and to act in faith and conscience, not because of politics, but because we are disciples of Jesus Christ—to whom be all authority, honor, and glory.”
They may not include everyone that could be included... but their invitation rings true. We need to be a church that does things decently and with justice, discerning carefully if the current law of the land is serving political and social agendas that are intended for oppression and destruction of "the other". Any law that incites fear, that does not show mercy, that is not measured by the grace shown by Jesus Christ, must be questioned and changed if need be. We have done this before. Jim Crow laws have been challenged and erased. Laws that sought to punish the Japanese people that lived for generations in the United States were challenged and changed. We are the conscience of the state. We are disciples of Jesus Christ... the same one that challenged the law and that opened the way to a new relationship with God and with one another.
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Resolute
Sermon based on Luke 2: 22-40, preached on the First Sunday of Christmas (December 31, 2017)
Resolutions
Well we are down to the last day of 2017… and so our mind goes to a review of how the year has gone… and to the famous lists of resolutions for the new year that usually fall to the wayside after about one month… or maybe one week.
On Facebook, Ellen shared an article called “50 Healthy Resolutions That Aren’t Losing Weight” and of course my curiosity was peaked… because that is the one resolution that I make each and every year. I read through them, and some are very good... but that lead to a question. What are resolutions anyway? What does that word even mean? So, I went to the dictionary and found several definitions that caught my attention.
Resolutions
Well we are down to the last day of 2017… and so our mind goes to a review of how the year has gone… and to the famous lists of resolutions for the new year that usually fall to the wayside after about one month… or maybe one week.
On Facebook, Ellen shared an article called “50 Healthy Resolutions That Aren’t Losing Weight” and of course my curiosity was peaked… because that is the one resolution that I make each and every year. I read through them, and some are very good... but that lead to a question. What are resolutions anyway? What does that word even mean? So, I went to the dictionary and found several definitions that caught my attention.
The act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method, procedure, etc.
A resolve; a decision or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
The mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.
Then that took me to another definition that I wanted to be sure about. What does it mean to be resolute (resuelto)? It is an adjective that describes a person who is: firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion; characterized by firmness and determination, as the temper, spirit, actions, etc.
A story about resolute people
That lead me then, to our reading for today. This story about Mary and Joseph taking Jesus to be presented at the temple is, to me, a story about resolute people. These are people that are definitely resolved or determined to do certain things. They are set on a specific purpose to do something they feel God has called them to do.
First, there are Joseph and Mary. We see them as examples of people who are obedient to the law from Moses. They follow the Torah and take Jesus to the temple to be presented to the Lord. This should not surprise us. We have seen them obeying God’s purposes from the beginning of the Gospel. They name their son Jesus. Luke takes care in presenting the couple as obedient to God’s revelation and as people who are faithful to God’s purposes. So we could say that they are presented as resolute. They have understood their places in God’s plans and they follow God’s will for their lives and for their baby.
Then there is Simeon. We is described as righteous and devout. He eagerly anticipates the restoration of Israel. The Holy Spirit is with him, and it is revealed that he won't die before he sees the Christ. He could also be construed as resolute. I can imagine him going to the temple, praying, waiting… waiting patiently for the time where his eyes will see the Messiah. Waiting requires resolution and intentionality. People don't usually like waiting. But he waits! And when he sees the Christ, his first words are telling: “Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation.” This request can have two meanings according to the biblical erudition. It can mean “let me die” or “release me from this vigil”. This vigil speaks about a resolute man that has his eyes open to God’s revelation. The Holy Spirit has guided him to this moment, and now the moment has arrived. His vigil has been fulfilled… and his message has been given.
And last but not least, there is Anna. Anna is described as a prophet, as very old, and as a widow. It is also stated that she NEVER left the temple but worshipped God with fasting and prayer night and day. Prophets are messengers that are also in a vigil… listening for God’s words so that they can share them with God’s people. And Anna is presented here as a prophet, and is not in an stereotypical woman's role. Note that Simeon is the one that takes the baby in his arms… Anna does not. Simeon is the one that has the conversation with the parents… Anna does not. Anna is a prophet… therefore she approaches the couple and begins to praise God and to speak about Jesus to everyone who was waiting, like Simeon, for the redemption of Jerusalem. She is resolute. She is determined to share the news of God’s salvation through this child to anyone that wants to hear, and so she does, fulfilling her role as God's messenger.
We see a desire to be faithful to God in all of these people. We see them as people who want to follow God’s purposes and to be obedient, in different ways to God’s revelation. They are resolute to be the people that God wants them to be and to live in a way that gives honor and glory to God.
A surprise
You would think that after all this raucous, Jesus would be known across the land. But William R. Herzog notes that the passage ends on a surprising note. The family returns home. God seems to put a pause on the revelation. He says “for the moment, people will return to the ordinary circumstances of their lives”. But that is not true, is it? There is a gift with this ending. God does not put a pause. Herzog states that people will be able to live a new expectancy and confidence in the fulfillment of God’s purposes. God has given people the confidence to continue being firmly resolved or determined. They can be firm and determined, because they have seen God’s purpose.
The surprise for us today is that once again, we have witness the fullfilment of God’s purpose. A child has been born. We are in the midst of the twelve days of Christmas, twelve days that should go beyond the two turtle doves and serve as a time to reinforce our resolution for the rest of the year.
This Christmas time should be a time to be resolute… to be resolute in listening for God’s daily revelations in our lives, to be resolute to obey God’s revelations and to be faithful to God’s purposes. It is also a time to strengthen our voices and to be resolute in our sharing the good news with others, like Anna did… like Simeon did.
Number 44
In that article that I mentioned before, resolution number 44 is “Pick a theme for the year”. The explanation? “If you’re starting to feel like this whole 'resolution' thing isn’t for you, try sticking to a theme instead. Instead of picking a goal, pick a word you want to abide by for 2018. It could be “brave” or “confident” or “compassionate.” Whatever you want to start doing ― or being ― more of.
A resolve; a decision or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
The mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.
Then that took me to another definition that I wanted to be sure about. What does it mean to be resolute (resuelto)? It is an adjective that describes a person who is: firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion; characterized by firmness and determination, as the temper, spirit, actions, etc.
A story about resolute people
That lead me then, to our reading for today. This story about Mary and Joseph taking Jesus to be presented at the temple is, to me, a story about resolute people. These are people that are definitely resolved or determined to do certain things. They are set on a specific purpose to do something they feel God has called them to do.
First, there are Joseph and Mary. We see them as examples of people who are obedient to the law from Moses. They follow the Torah and take Jesus to the temple to be presented to the Lord. This should not surprise us. We have seen them obeying God’s purposes from the beginning of the Gospel. They name their son Jesus. Luke takes care in presenting the couple as obedient to God’s revelation and as people who are faithful to God’s purposes. So we could say that they are presented as resolute. They have understood their places in God’s plans and they follow God’s will for their lives and for their baby.
Then there is Simeon. We is described as righteous and devout. He eagerly anticipates the restoration of Israel. The Holy Spirit is with him, and it is revealed that he won't die before he sees the Christ. He could also be construed as resolute. I can imagine him going to the temple, praying, waiting… waiting patiently for the time where his eyes will see the Messiah. Waiting requires resolution and intentionality. People don't usually like waiting. But he waits! And when he sees the Christ, his first words are telling: “Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation.” This request can have two meanings according to the biblical erudition. It can mean “let me die” or “release me from this vigil”. This vigil speaks about a resolute man that has his eyes open to God’s revelation. The Holy Spirit has guided him to this moment, and now the moment has arrived. His vigil has been fulfilled… and his message has been given.
And last but not least, there is Anna. Anna is described as a prophet, as very old, and as a widow. It is also stated that she NEVER left the temple but worshipped God with fasting and prayer night and day. Prophets are messengers that are also in a vigil… listening for God’s words so that they can share them with God’s people. And Anna is presented here as a prophet, and is not in an stereotypical woman's role. Note that Simeon is the one that takes the baby in his arms… Anna does not. Simeon is the one that has the conversation with the parents… Anna does not. Anna is a prophet… therefore she approaches the couple and begins to praise God and to speak about Jesus to everyone who was waiting, like Simeon, for the redemption of Jerusalem. She is resolute. She is determined to share the news of God’s salvation through this child to anyone that wants to hear, and so she does, fulfilling her role as God's messenger.
We see a desire to be faithful to God in all of these people. We see them as people who want to follow God’s purposes and to be obedient, in different ways to God’s revelation. They are resolute to be the people that God wants them to be and to live in a way that gives honor and glory to God.
A surprise
You would think that after all this raucous, Jesus would be known across the land. But William R. Herzog notes that the passage ends on a surprising note. The family returns home. God seems to put a pause on the revelation. He says “for the moment, people will return to the ordinary circumstances of their lives”. But that is not true, is it? There is a gift with this ending. God does not put a pause. Herzog states that people will be able to live a new expectancy and confidence in the fulfillment of God’s purposes. God has given people the confidence to continue being firmly resolved or determined. They can be firm and determined, because they have seen God’s purpose.
The surprise for us today is that once again, we have witness the fullfilment of God’s purpose. A child has been born. We are in the midst of the twelve days of Christmas, twelve days that should go beyond the two turtle doves and serve as a time to reinforce our resolution for the rest of the year.
This Christmas time should be a time to be resolute… to be resolute in listening for God’s daily revelations in our lives, to be resolute to obey God’s revelations and to be faithful to God’s purposes. It is also a time to strengthen our voices and to be resolute in our sharing the good news with others, like Anna did… like Simeon did.
Number 44
In that article that I mentioned before, resolution number 44 is “Pick a theme for the year”. The explanation? “If you’re starting to feel like this whole 'resolution' thing isn’t for you, try sticking to a theme instead. Instead of picking a goal, pick a word you want to abide by for 2018. It could be “brave” or “confident” or “compassionate.” Whatever you want to start doing ― or being ― more of.
So… I have a proposition for you… Pick “resolute” as your word for 2018. I feel like this last year there have been too much antonyms for this word… contrary adjectives like “afraid”, “complacent” “irresolute” “submissive” “surrender” or “cautious”. Let us abide to this word “resolute”… trying to follow the examples of Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna. After all, none of them got to be resolute depending on their own strengths and abilities, but were able to be resolute because they were able to live a new expectancy and confidence in the fulfillment of God’s purposes. We have heard the stories of fulfillment once again… let us be resolute in our faithfulness to God’s will for our lives. And be resolute in raising your voice of proclamation: our eyes have seen salvation.
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