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 21^st 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.  1^st 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 1^st Timothy—It is as sinners that we are eligible for God’s saving Love.

AMEN

September 15^th, 2013; 17^th 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