Reigning in the Lost World
I
would like to begin with a Scripture reading. Here’s my creative, fused reading
of imagining hearing St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians & 1 Timothy cross
paths in the 21st century!
Ephesians
6:10-20 & 1 Timothy 1:5-17
“10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of
his power. 5But (remember) the aim of such (my) instruction is love that
comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. 11(You need to) Put
on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil. (Because)
6Some people have deviated
from these (instructions from God) and turned to meaningless talk, (syncretism
and globalization) 7desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either
what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.12For our struggle is not
against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 8Now we know that the
law is good, if one uses it legitimately. (But do we truthfully do that?) 9This means
understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the
lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and
profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, 10fornicators,
sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to
the sound teaching 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which
he entrusted to me.13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, (gird up for spiritual
warfare) so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done
everything, to stand firm. (You need to stand up for your faith!) 12I am grateful to
Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and
appointed me to his service, 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man
of violence. (Christ alone is our only judge) 14Stand therefore, and
fasten the belt of truth (being honest and humble) around your waist, and put
on the breastplate of righteousness.13b But (remember) I
received (as a unworthy gift,) mercy because I had acted ignorantly in
unbelief, 14and the GRACE of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and
love that are in Christ Jesus. 15As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to
proclaim the gospel of peace. (You are being called, LISTEN!) 15The saying is sure and
worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16With all of these, take the shield of
faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil
one. (Satan’s efforts work in even the smallest things…) 17Take
the helmet of salvation (for by GRACE you were saved), and the sword of the
Spirit (the Holy Spirit works through even you when you hear God), which is the
word of God. 18Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer
and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication
for all the saints. 16But for that very reason I received mercy (I didn’t deserve!),
so that in me, as the
foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example
to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. (We are witnesses;
we are disciples—never forget this!) 19Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may
be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20for
which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I
must speak. 17To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Taking
the license to combine these proves a point of the reality of something we don’t
think about daily… This reality is
spiritual warfare and this particular excerpt from St. Paul’s letter to the
Ephesians is nearly a creedal metaphoric definition of said reality. 1st Timothy’s letter excerpts
illumine our calling for acknowledgment of how the Law guides us and leads us
to turning to Christ Jesus’ Gospel to reconcile our hearts to the divine GRACE
he has given us and thus respond by living in the light of GRACE.
The
major themes for this week’s lectionary are righteousness and reconciling relationship
with God. In my pastoral leadership
class this past week; Pastor Crain made the most interesting comment that
seemed to echo through not only this week’s texts but to the task/ battle that
church leaders face. Pastor Crain said
that as shepherds to our flock of disciples (aka the church); we are primarily
operating from a “transformative” perspective of conversion, discipleship and
intentionality through instruction and guidance. The flock however, may be overly influenced
by the ways of the world and be more or less transactional—Transactional in
intentionality and disconnecting somewhat with what being a part of true
community means. This transactional age
of disciples going even beyond community, may not even understand what living
in the light of God’s GRACE truly or truthfully entails. Chaplaincy to culture does not help the cause
at all more than create a new form of works’ righteousness operating from cheap
grace and intellectual idolatry.
In
elaborating upon what I mean by chaplaincy to culture, this is more or less a
route of re-working both the Law and Gospel of our faith to conform to “our
standards” of judgment, righteousness and intentionality. The cross of Christ Jesus and its profound,
unfathomable gift of GRACE—defeating sin, death and the devil, are circumvented
by our arrogant, self-concerned needs and indifference. The Pharisees in today’s Gospel text are
epitomizing arrogant self-righteous indignation to the point that they are the
lost Jesus alludes to in his parables of the lost sheep and the woman’s lost
coin.
Contextually
speaking, the Pharisees were purveyors of Old Testament lawfulness. The Law was both exclusively for the
righteous as well as it was punishment and condemnation to the sinner. How has the ways of the world today in some
sense become purveyors of a “new” law?
As often I’ve said before, I’m one of “those people” who likes Face Book
and probably plays on it too much. There
are a lot of other ministry people who are on there as well. I have a wide chasm of friends from both
camps in ministry and my former art world days.
One of my friends on there I have often been at odds with but restrain
myself from commenting because just like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel they
refuse to hear anything outside of their judgment and interests.
This
leads me to share a story about Jon. Jon
is someone I came to know through some new friends I have made in
ministry. Jon is a very active
congregant at a new age non-denominational church as well as he is very active
politically. Every day like clockwork,
you find post after post from more or less an angry man seeking “fascist”
obedience to political condemnation of anyone who is not “politically correct,”
“new age,” and “epicurean” to some extent.
Sometimes I have caved in and try to debate him as he claims to be an
ultra modern Christian. There was one post in particular that was troubling
enough that both myself and one of his other friends needed to comment upon… He posted a cartoon depicting God saying “F…
You, Tebow… You’re not going to be saved, etc…”
Jon commented underneath the post that Tebow’s display of piety was “coerced
Republican evil, Bigotry…” and basically that he was offensive and should be
condemned. Both his friend and I asked:
Why would someone’s need for prayer before a game be offensive as you yourself
claim to be Christian? Where do your
labels upon this man come from Jon?
After several long angry responses or retorts from Jon, he took the
cowardly way out and deleted the post.
He talked quite successfully over and above us with sanctimonious declarations
of how Christians should behave and BE.
For Jon, Good law abiding Christians are to use his labels: “left-wing
democrats” who support without reservation everything and anything revolving
around the world of the self… to the point of exclusion, condemnation, and intolerant
hatred towards his "differing" neighbor.
Jon
claims to be a part of a large flock of “post-modern Christians” that see
little merit in being saved by GRACE through faith since they have declared the
right of already being saved period, exclamation point with no accountability
required (cheap grace)! It would be
condemnatory of me to say that Satan has won a great victory with Jon,
spiritual warfare-wise, more than wonder.
How does Jon really “know.” How
can anyone of us truthfully claim to know above and beyond God? This is idolatry and a hardened heart, cold
and un-transformed—greatly distant from God.
Humility and obedience to the Law helps to open our hearts to the
profound depth, awesome beauty of God’s GRACE.
It is by growing to live under the light of God’s GRACE, we recognize
our sinfulness. As both Saint and
Sinner, we grow to deny and put to death the Old Adam or Old Eve, keep them in
check, in order to grow into reconciling GRACE—sanctification.
I
have grown to pray for Jon and many other friends who are wrapped up into this world’s
temptations of self-involved, self-righteousness. We must hope through prayer that we all know
who we are. We are all lost when we
allow Satan to prey upon us, burgeoning arrogance, selfishness and
self-righteous convictions. We are all
found when we hear God deeply in our hearts, allow our hearts to be converted
and transformed and obey his will for our lives. The love and Grace of God should inspire us
to as St. Paul says in his creedal metaphor of Ephesians, gird up to fight the
good fight of faith. And as St. Paul says through 1st Timothy—It is
as sinners that we are eligible for God’s saving Love.
AMEN
September 15th, 2013;
17th Sunday after Pentecost; Year C; Proper 19; SOLA Lectionary
Psalm 119:169-176; Ezekiel
34:11-24; 1 Timothy 1:5-17 & Luke 15:1-10 Nicole
Collins
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