This is an exciting opportunity for me (because I love to talk), but I am extremely intimidated to speak in that position. As a Christian, I consider my job to follow, not to lead. I am not comfortable speaking as if I have something of value to offer. I am a sinner (as are we all) and it terrifies me to try and communicate what I hold most dear, which is my faith in God. With no theological training, other than a lifetime of attending church, singing in the choir and serving on the Board of Elders, taking passages out of context or misinterpreting something is of constant concern. In light of the short notice, I decided to just try and make sense out of my most recent experience, reading the Advent/Christmas lectionary during the month of December. What follows is roughly what I shared.
During the month of December, I committed myself to read daily the Advent/Christmas Lectionary made available through my church, the Presbyterian Church (USA). Lectionary 2011 That is usually the way I read the Bible; guided by a lectionary, in response to a sermon, or to understand some theologically-oriented article. On occasion, I open it in hopes of finding a passage of comfort (and I usually find something NOT comforting) or in hopes of something meaningful (and I find something CONFUSING). In short, reading the Bible is a little intimidating to me.
The passages for the early days of the season seemed to focus on God's wrath and mighty vengeance or praise and worship. I was more than a little confused as to why the focus was on all the "hell fire and brimstone" and not more on the waiting, the anticipation...you know...the sweet things of the season. I continued to read.
On December 22, the tide began to change. The reading was from Galatians Chapter 3. As happened often during the course of my reading, I failed to stop at the end but continued to read beyond, intrigued by the story. Galatians 3, verses 23-26 are now among my favorite verses and they make clear why I was so confused earlier in the month.
23Now before faith came,
we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.
24Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.
25But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,
26for in Jesus Christ you are all children of God through faith.
As a Protestant Christian, it is that freedom through faith that we celebrate. Before I read the Lectionary, I have to admit that I had overlooked the scenario from which we were freed through Christ; traditional norms and cultural prohibitions, a world ruled by a God of perceived wrath and vengeance. That is, indeed, the Good News. Right? Ah ha!
So. We are free. Free of the law. Freed from cultural norms and traditions preceding the arrival of Christ, vengeance and wrath, but certainly not really free. Aren't we supposed to do something to honor that sweet gift of Grace?
James 2:26
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
We are supposed to do something...but what? The answer begins in Matthew, chapter 19, verses16-30:
16Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18“Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]” 20“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Usually when this is read, I've tended to focus on the "rich entering the kingdom of heaven" part, but this reading showed me something a little different.
- only One who is good
- "IF you want to be PERFECT..."
- "Who can be saved?"
- "With man this is IMPOSSIBLE (note: IMPOSSIBLE) but with God all things are possible
- "Many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first"
I read this understanding that it is our very nature as humans, not rich humans particularly, but humans in general, to be imperfect. We CANNOT be perfect. There will always be something that we can't give up or do - maybe some of us can give away all of our possessions, but we might possibly give false testimony... maybe we've done everything right...except maybe we failed to honor our father and mother at one point or another in our lives...the list can go on.
The message for me is this: we cannot be perfect. It is arrogant, frankly, to assume that we can be because there is "only One who is good". What can we do, then? What are we called to do? What can we, imperfect and impossible, do to serve God?
The answer, to me, is here in my very favorite verses. In chapter 22, Matthew, verses 36-40:
36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c]
38This is the first and greatest commandment.
39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]
40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Amen. That is the blueprint for my life. That is my goal and it seems as if (hopefully) that's exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. But now. How to love? Thank goodness for having it spelled out for us, because it's not easy...but it's mandatory. And we have to show love to EVERYBODY. (Even to those who we think to be undeserving.)
Corinthians 13:1-7
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Yes. This is a challenge. But it is the way. And we have to try.
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