I remember when I was a teenager. Just about every weekend, we went dancing. A group of friends and I followed a band named “Country Breeze,” and we would travel back and forth between Fiesta Marina on the shores of lake Corpus Christi and the Orange Grove Rifle Club. It was always nice to have those friends along because I knew I’d have dance partners throughout the night. I never went to dances alone. I wanted to make sure I knew someone who would be there. Why? Well, you may not believe this, but deep down inside, I am quite insecure. I have a deep seated fear of rejection, and when you go to a dance alone, you are forced to ask complete strangers if they’d like to dance. And you never know how they will respond.
Every once in a while, I would screw my courage up just enough to go ask a girl who I did not know to dance. Most of the time, the answer was in the affirmative, but there were those other times. There were those times when the answer was a firm and definite no, and even though the no was not emotionally devastating, it caused a series of questions to rumble through my heart. “Why didn’t she want to dance with me? Is it because of the way I look? Do I have a booger hanging out of my nose? Does she think I am a poor dancer? Is it because of the way I dress? What am I doing wrong or what did I do wrong?” I don’t like it when these questions rumble through my heart and my head. I don’t like it at all.
I’m going to break from this train of thought for just a moment and recall another memory from those dances I went to. I can remember a few times when I would sit out a dance or so and just watch the other couples dance around the floor. There were a few couples who I would stand in awe of. If you have been dancing, you know the types of couples I am talking about. These are the couples who seem to be inside each others’ heads. They move with an incredible amount of grace and precision. They know exactly what moves they are going to make. They anticipate one another’s footsteps. They spin and twirl effortlessly because they know each other so well. Watching them brought several things to the surface. There was awe and wonder at the beauty of the dance. You couldn’t help but appreciate such an effort. Yet, there was a jealousy and a sense of inadequacy which rose to the surface as well. I wanted to be able to dance like that, and I was all too aware of my inability to move in such a fashion.
Why all this talk about dancing?
I would like you to imagine today looking at the fullness of God. I want you to imagine the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I want you to imagine the Godhead as a divine dance. The three in one; one in three dancing in an endless circle of joy. As you watch, you know, beyond a doubt you have never seen anything like this before. The three move so well as one that they could never be separated, and you cannot simply focus on one without compromising the beauty of the three. You cannot grasp the beauty of the scene. You cannot grasp the stunning way the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work and move with each other. Everything they do is seamless. Perfect. There are no flaws. There are no missed steps. Their timing is beautiful and wonderful. And it should be. They invented the dance. From eternity, they have been dancing.
Yes, you are awed by the beauty of the dance, but there is something else that wells up within you. For as you watch, you would like to dance like that as well. You would like to experience the same kind of joy you see before you. You would like to experience the same kind of perfection. You would like to become a part of that dance because it seems like nothing could ever be the same once you experienced it.
But you are all too aware of your flaws. You look down at your feet and know they will stumble. You look down at your feet and know they could never keep up. You know that it would be an impossibility to even come close to matching what you see happening before you. It would ruin the beauty. It would ruin the perfection. Your own flaws and imperfections come rising to the surface. In some ways, you even feel like you shouldn’t be watching the divine dance. It’s simply too marvelous for imperfect eyes.
And yet, today, Jesus prays a prayer. Jesus in conversation with His heavenly Father, one of the partners of the divine dance, says, “20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Jesus prays that we might be a part of the divine dance. Ponder that for just a moment. Jesus invites you and me to come into the divine dance of God. Jesus wants us to know that kind of joy; that kind of completeness; that kind of perfection. Jesus wants us to experience what it is like to have wholeness and contentedness and well-being. Jesus wants us to know what it is like to be in the midst of the divine love and glory that the Father, Son, and Spirit share with one another.
And we know we don’t belong there. We know we shouldn’t even get the chance to dance like that. We know our steps are feeble. We know they are off. We know that when the divine music starts playing, we are more than a few beats off. We know we misstep time and time again. Our hearts are not tuned to the music. Deep down inside each and every one of us is the sense that we don’t measure up. Deep down within each and every one of us is the sense that we are inadequate. Deep down within each and every one of us is the sense that even though we have been told time and again that we are okay just the way we are–we are not. We’re not.
Oh, I know there are those voices in society which tell us we are fine just the way we are. They tell us repeatedly that we don’t need to change anything about ourselves and we are worthy of love and affection just the way we are. But, remember, the same voices that are telling you that you are okay just the way you are, are telling that person over there who has hurt you by his or her actions; who has gossiped about you; who has cheated you; who has lied to you–those voices are telling him or her she is okay just the way he or she is too. Those voices are liars. They are telling each and every one of us what we want to hear. They are telling us lies so that we will feel good about ourselves and become content with who we are. It is always everyone else who has the problem. It is always everyone else who can’t dance right. And when this starts weaseling into your heart, it turns you into a self-righteous, indignant sort. You look with contempt upon everyone else, and you do not love. You do not have complete joy. We must understand we are imperfect. We must understand our brokenness. It’s a requirement to know them before we can begin the dance. For if we try to get into the dance ourselves, our imperfections will prevent us. Our hearts aren’t in the right place. Our own work to get into the dance will be rejected, but it is the Son who gives us the invitation through His work.
For the invitation to the dance comes through the cross. The invitation to join the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit comes through the blood of the Son as He lives the life we should live; dies the death we deserve; and is raised to eternal life. The invitation is the Gospel:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world may be saved through Him.
I usually try to explain such things in my sermons. I usually try to show how this all comes together, but today, I would like to do things a little differently. I would like to take a moment to simply ask you to believe the Savior has given you an invitation to the dance. I would like to ask you to believe and trust in His work. And then I would like to ask you to enter into the dance by praying John chapter 17 as you have it before you in the bulletin insert:
‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that we may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4Jesus glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave Him to do. 5So now, Father, glorify Him in your own presence with the glory that Jesus had in your presence before the world existed.
6 ‘Jesus has made your name known to those whom you gave him from the world. We were yours, and you gave us to Him, and we have kept your word. 7Now we know that everything you have given Him is from you; 8for the words that you gave to Him, Jesus has given to us, and we have received You and Jesus and know in truth that Jesus came from you; and we have believed that you sent Him. 9Jesus is asking on our behalf; Jesus is not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave Him, because we are yours. 10All that are His are yours, and yours are His; and Jesus has been glorified in us. 11And now Jesus is no longer in the world, but we are in the world, and Jesus is coming to you. Holy Father, protect us in your name that you have given Jesus, so that we may be one, as You and He are one. 12While Jesus was with us, He protected us in your name that you have given Him. Jesus guarded us, and not one of us was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13But now Jesus is coming to you, and He speaks these things in the world so that we may have His joy made complete in us. 14Jesus has given us your word, and the world has hated us because we do not belong to the world, just as Jesus does not belong to the world. 15Jesus is not asking you to take us out of the world, but Jesus asks you to protect us from the evil one. 16We do not belong to the world, just as Jesus does not belong to the world. 17Sanctify us in the truth; your word is truth. 18As you have sent Jesus into the world, so Jesus has sent us into the world. 19And for our sakes Jesus sanctified Himself, so that we also may be sanctified in truth.
20 ‘Jesus asks not only on behalf of us, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Him through our word, 21that we may all be one. As you, Father, are in Jesus and Jesus is in you, may we also be in You and Jesus, so that the world may believe that you have sent Him. 22The glory that you have given Jesus He has given us, so that we may be one, as the Father and the Son are one, 23Jesus in us and the Father in Jesus, that we may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent Jesus and have loved us even as you have loved Jesus. 24Father, Jesus desires that we also, whom you have given Him, may be with Him where He is, to see His glory, which you have given Him because you loved Him before the foundation of the world. 25 ‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but Jesus knows you; and we know that you have sent Him. 26He made your name known to us, and He will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved Him may be in us, and Jesus in us.’ Thank you Father, for the invitation to dance. Amen.
Showing posts with label Jesus' High Priestly Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus' High Priestly Prayer. Show all posts
Monday, May 18, 2015
Monday, July 28, 2014
Your Prayers are too Small
Martin Luther, the namesake of the Lutheran church wrote the following words in his Large Catechism as he explained one of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. He writes,
Now, what is Luther saying here? Basically, he is saying our prayers are too small. He’s saying that when we come before the creator of the universe–the one who made the heavens and the earth and who continues to sustain it each and every day–we ask for trifling things. We are not audacious enough in our prayers to God. Why so?
Let’s delve into this by looking at our first lesson from the book of 1 Kings. In this text, the great king of Israel, David has died and left the kingdom to his son Solomon. Solomon is very young and unsure of himself. God speaks to Solomon and basically says, “Ask whatever you want of me.” Imagine God asking that of you. Imagine God speaking to you and saying, “Ask what I should give you.” What would you respond? What would you say?
Solomon, being young and unsure of himself in his new position of king gives a rather intriguing response. He doesn’t ask for wealth or health or that he may defeat Israel’s enemies. Solomon looks at the daunting task of ruling this kingdom, and he says, “9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” It’s an interesting request if you ask me. Really interesting. Why do I find the request so fascinating?
If you remember back in the garden of Eden when God placed Adam and Eve in it, do you remember which tree they were forbidden to eat from? Do you remember what the name of that tree was called? I do. I remember it vividly. It was named the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. “For on the day you eat of its fruit, you shall surely die.” But wanting to be like God, the man and woman ate of the fruit after some prodding by a nasty little serpent, and all hell broke loose. I find it interesting that thousands of years later, Solomon wants the knowledge of good and evil so that he may discern between them as he governs the people. Anyone else find this fascinating?
God is actually rather pleased with this request. We are told
All seems well and good, and if we just read this snippet, we might think our prayers should include this petition for wisdom and the discernment of good and evil. But, as Paul Harvey used to say, now it’s time for the rest of the story. Solomon started out in fantastic fashion. He made some very good decisions. He wrote a couple of the books of the Hebrew Bible–Proverbs and the Song of Solomon. The Kingdom of Israel grew in power and prestige and wealth. The discernment thing seemed pretty good. But then something started to happen. Solomon began doing some very wise things to help the Kingdom of Israel. He began marrying quite a few foreign women. Now, remember, marriages in those days were not for love. Marriages were arranged for political and power purposes. I mean, it was very hard to attack another nation when a king’s daughter was married to that other nation’s leader. Solomon was making very wise decisions for Israel’s future, but it came at a great cost. Solomon’s wives did not worship the Lord, and Solomon did not require them to. He build altars to false gods and even worshiped them himself. What happened to the discernment for good and evil?
Just this, Solomon’s request was too small. It was too limited. One cannot know and discern good and evil when one’s back is turned from the One who established the difference between good and evil. Because Solomon turned his back on God, he is seen as a failure as a king despite Israel’s prosperity–and when Solomon died, the kingdom of Israel split apart. It wasn’t pretty.
Solomon’s prayer was too small. He didn’t make a large enough request. So, what might be a large enough request? What might be a request befitting the Creator of the universe that doesn’t lead down the same path that Solomon walked?
Interestingly enough, in the Gospel of John chapter 17, Jesus prays what is called the High Priestly Prayer. In it, He says the following,
Now, I want you to think about this for just a moment. I know for decades pastors like myself have talked about church unity in regards to this prayer. Church unity is important, but I think there is something much deeper taking place. “Let them be one as you and I are one.” What does this mean?
Remember, Christians profess God to be the Trinity. From eternity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have glorified, loved, and honored each other. From eternity, these three have been in an inseparable divine dance filling each other with love and adoration. They pour themselves into each other; never becoming empty; always remaining full of love and adoration. As such, in their relationship, they are complete. They are full. They are completely and utterly satisfied, and Jesus prays that His followers may experience the same thing.
How could such a thing be possible? Let’s come back to asking God for something in prayer. What is the most audacious thing we could ever ask for in prayer? If, as Luther suggests, our prayers are too small, what could we ask for that would give God great honor and be so audacious as to seem over the top? As I thought about this, it hit me: what if I prayed, God, give me You. Yes, God, give me You. I want You. Nothing else is large enough. Nothing else could satisfy. Nothing else could bring comfort and peace and joy and security. God, give me You! What do you think God would say to such a request?
I’ll tell you what He’d say. He’d say, “I already have.”
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him. While we were still sinners, God took on flesh and lived among us. God became incarnate in Jesus and poured out His life for each and every one of us.
St. Paul puts it this way in the second chapter of the book of Philippians:
God emptied Himself for you, and He still empties Himself for you. Each time we receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, we hear the words, “This IS the body of Christ given for you. This IS the blood of Christ given for you.” God gives Himself to you!!! And we are told the Advocate, the Holy Spirit is our constant companion who lives in us and guides us in our daily activities. God gives Himself to you!!!
And yet, most of the time, we don’t even realize it. We don’t realize that God has given Himself to us and delights in giving Himself to us–filling us so that we can pour ourselves out to Him and to each other. We are constantly asking for health, wealth, healing, protection, peace, happiness, joy, and such things–which are not bad things, but they are too small. They are bread crumbs compared to the one thing which can bring all of those things and much, much more. The next time you ask God for something, be audacious. Ask Him to give Himself to you, and don’t be surprised when you find: He already has, and He always will. Amen.
For just as when the richest and most mighty emperor would bid a poor beggar ask whatever he might desire, and were ready to give great imperial presents, and the fool would beg only for a dish of gruel, he would be rightly considered a rogue and a scoundrel who treated the command of his imperial majesty as a jest and sport, and was not worthy of coming into his presence: so also it is a great reproach and dishonor to God if we, to whom He offers and pledges so many unspeakable treasures, despise the same, or have not the confidence to receive them, but scarcely venture to pray for a piece of bread.
Now, what is Luther saying here? Basically, he is saying our prayers are too small. He’s saying that when we come before the creator of the universe–the one who made the heavens and the earth and who continues to sustain it each and every day–we ask for trifling things. We are not audacious enough in our prayers to God. Why so?
Let’s delve into this by looking at our first lesson from the book of 1 Kings. In this text, the great king of Israel, David has died and left the kingdom to his son Solomon. Solomon is very young and unsure of himself. God speaks to Solomon and basically says, “Ask whatever you want of me.” Imagine God asking that of you. Imagine God speaking to you and saying, “Ask what I should give you.” What would you respond? What would you say?
Solomon, being young and unsure of himself in his new position of king gives a rather intriguing response. He doesn’t ask for wealth or health or that he may defeat Israel’s enemies. Solomon looks at the daunting task of ruling this kingdom, and he says, “9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” It’s an interesting request if you ask me. Really interesting. Why do I find the request so fascinating?
If you remember back in the garden of Eden when God placed Adam and Eve in it, do you remember which tree they were forbidden to eat from? Do you remember what the name of that tree was called? I do. I remember it vividly. It was named the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. “For on the day you eat of its fruit, you shall surely die.” But wanting to be like God, the man and woman ate of the fruit after some prodding by a nasty little serpent, and all hell broke loose. I find it interesting that thousands of years later, Solomon wants the knowledge of good and evil so that he may discern between them as he governs the people. Anyone else find this fascinating?
God is actually rather pleased with this request. We are told
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”
All seems well and good, and if we just read this snippet, we might think our prayers should include this petition for wisdom and the discernment of good and evil. But, as Paul Harvey used to say, now it’s time for the rest of the story. Solomon started out in fantastic fashion. He made some very good decisions. He wrote a couple of the books of the Hebrew Bible–Proverbs and the Song of Solomon. The Kingdom of Israel grew in power and prestige and wealth. The discernment thing seemed pretty good. But then something started to happen. Solomon began doing some very wise things to help the Kingdom of Israel. He began marrying quite a few foreign women. Now, remember, marriages in those days were not for love. Marriages were arranged for political and power purposes. I mean, it was very hard to attack another nation when a king’s daughter was married to that other nation’s leader. Solomon was making very wise decisions for Israel’s future, but it came at a great cost. Solomon’s wives did not worship the Lord, and Solomon did not require them to. He build altars to false gods and even worshiped them himself. What happened to the discernment for good and evil?
Just this, Solomon’s request was too small. It was too limited. One cannot know and discern good and evil when one’s back is turned from the One who established the difference between good and evil. Because Solomon turned his back on God, he is seen as a failure as a king despite Israel’s prosperity–and when Solomon died, the kingdom of Israel split apart. It wasn’t pretty.
Solomon’s prayer was too small. He didn’t make a large enough request. So, what might be a large enough request? What might be a request befitting the Creator of the universe that doesn’t lead down the same path that Solomon walked?
Interestingly enough, in the Gospel of John chapter 17, Jesus prays what is called the High Priestly Prayer. In it, He says the following,
“20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Now, I want you to think about this for just a moment. I know for decades pastors like myself have talked about church unity in regards to this prayer. Church unity is important, but I think there is something much deeper taking place. “Let them be one as you and I are one.” What does this mean?
Remember, Christians profess God to be the Trinity. From eternity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have glorified, loved, and honored each other. From eternity, these three have been in an inseparable divine dance filling each other with love and adoration. They pour themselves into each other; never becoming empty; always remaining full of love and adoration. As such, in their relationship, they are complete. They are full. They are completely and utterly satisfied, and Jesus prays that His followers may experience the same thing.
How could such a thing be possible? Let’s come back to asking God for something in prayer. What is the most audacious thing we could ever ask for in prayer? If, as Luther suggests, our prayers are too small, what could we ask for that would give God great honor and be so audacious as to seem over the top? As I thought about this, it hit me: what if I prayed, God, give me You. Yes, God, give me You. I want You. Nothing else is large enough. Nothing else could satisfy. Nothing else could bring comfort and peace and joy and security. God, give me You! What do you think God would say to such a request?
I’ll tell you what He’d say. He’d say, “I already have.”
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him. While we were still sinners, God took on flesh and lived among us. God became incarnate in Jesus and poured out His life for each and every one of us.
St. Paul puts it this way in the second chapter of the book of Philippians:
5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
God emptied Himself for you, and He still empties Himself for you. Each time we receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, we hear the words, “This IS the body of Christ given for you. This IS the blood of Christ given for you.” God gives Himself to you!!! And we are told the Advocate, the Holy Spirit is our constant companion who lives in us and guides us in our daily activities. God gives Himself to you!!!
And yet, most of the time, we don’t even realize it. We don’t realize that God has given Himself to us and delights in giving Himself to us–filling us so that we can pour ourselves out to Him and to each other. We are constantly asking for health, wealth, healing, protection, peace, happiness, joy, and such things–which are not bad things, but they are too small. They are bread crumbs compared to the one thing which can bring all of those things and much, much more. The next time you ask God for something, be audacious. Ask Him to give Himself to you, and don’t be surprised when you find: He already has, and He always will. Amen.
Monday, June 2, 2014
What We Do Divides Us; What God Does Unites Us: Sermon on John 17
Jesus prayed that His followers may be one. “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” So, how have we done as the Church, as Jesus’ followers, at being one?
Not. So. Good. Not so good at all.
There have always been divisions in the Church. All you need do is read through the book of Acts. Read through Paul’s letters. Take a look at history, and you will see that after Jesus’ ascension, those who followed Jesus often argued about how to follow Jesus correctly.
Let’s take this snippet from the book of 1 Corinthians. St. Paul is writing to the congregation chastising them for becoming divided:
10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 12What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ 13Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
Mind you, Paul was working and writing only a decade or so after Jesus’ death and resurrection. These divisions surfaced in the church early on. Very early on. Why? Why such divisions? Where do they come from.
Let’s fast forward a couple of thousand years to get a handle on this question. I firmly believe there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to human behavior and interaction. The things the ancients were dealing with are the same things we modern or post-modern folks deal with. We just have technology. That’s the only difference.
There was an interesting Yahoo! article that came out about a week and a half ago titled “Don’t blame college kids for intolerance. Blame us.” written by Matt Bai. I would like to read a few snippets from this article and see if it resonates with you as it did with me:
We'd grown up with TV news that tried to get at complicated issues (Ted Koppel's "Nightline" was the single most influential news program of the era) and op-ed pages that crackled with competing arguments. I remember meeting William Colby, the former CIA director, at a symposium. A lot of us were disgusted by the role he had played in Vietnam, but it never occurred to us that he shouldn't speak or that his beliefs weren't at least defensible.
It was reasonable to hope, with the sudden explosion of what we called cyberspace a decade or so later, that this kind of exchange would become more commonplace and more enlightening, rather than less so. Only that's not what happened. Almost from the moment the first iteration of political blogs appeared, not long after the 2000 presidential election that exposed a deep cultural rift in America, like-minded activists began to wall themselves off from any version of reality they didn't like. They set about building ideological silos in the space where virtual town squares might have thrived.
Our political leaders and our media might have recognized the danger here and done their traditional duty, which was to ignore all the noise, and focus instead on explaining the complex realities of a country in social and technological transition. With some notable exceptions, that didn't happen, either. Instead, politics in the past 10 years has become a perennial contest of the already converted, a constant pursuit on either side of "base strategies" and data sets that tell you exactly which voters you need to turn out in order to get and hold power...
What's happened is that we've effectively left behind the Age of Persuasion and ushered in the Age of Confirmation. It sometimes seems the whole world exists to re-affirm our conceptions of it; you can get through days, even weeks, without being at all discomfited, if you know which sites to visit and which channels to watch.
http://news.yahoo.com/don-t-blame-college-kids-for-intolerance--blame-us-085916423.html
Let me repeat one of those last sentences, “What’s happened is that we’ve effectively left behind the Age of Persuasion and ushered in the Age of Confirmation.”
If Matt Bai is correct, and I think to a great extent he is, what does it mean that we are in an age of confirmation? What does it mean that we can go days even weeks at a time without encountering a differing point of view? What does it mean that we can go on and on and on without our beliefs getting challenged and having to argue with merit our particular stance?
I think it means we are curved in on ourselves. I think it means we become self-satisfied with our positions. Our egos never get bruised because we never find out that we could be wrong. And if we never feel like we could be wrong, we become self-righteous in our particular stance and belief. We believe everyone else is the one with the problem and that we are safe and secure and absolutely correct in what we believe. And if everyone else is the one with the problem, then they are the ones who have to change. I don’t. I don’t change. I don’t give. I don’t budge. I am right. You are wrong. And if you don’t agree with me, then I will just go find someone else who does.
And this happens over and over and over again in society. Democrats and Republicans are sharply divided pulled to the extremes in their respective parties. Liberals and Conservatives have their own radio shows, television channels, and websites to frequent; and they rarely mingle other than to take shots at each other. Our churches are not immune to this. In fact, they often mirror society.
I mean, think about how things often take place in churches. Things might go along swimmingly for a time. Most congregations have periods of harmony when everyone gets along with everyone else, but then something controversial comes up. Sometimes, it’s a matter of doctrine. Sometimes it’s a matter of what color floor should be placed in the bathroom. Sometimes its whether or not the church should hire or fire a particular person. Lines get drawn. People become assured of their own beliefs and thoughts. People begin to believe they are being persecuted for righteousness sake. And before you know it, a new congregation is being formed. A new denomination starts. People stop coming to worship because those people over there fight, and we are better than that. People attend other churches where they find others who share their particular beliefs. In fact, if you don’t like what I say this morning in church, you can easily go turn on the television and find someone who tells you exactly opposite of what I say. That may make you comfortable and happy, and it should. It should because it’s all about you.
And if it’s all about you. If it is all about each and every one of us as individuals. If Christianity is all about each and everyone of us as individuals–if we believe Christianity is all about us and what we believe and what we do, then we will continue to see congregations split. We will continue to see new denominations form. We will continue to argue about which one of us is living the correct form of Christianity.
Remember Paul’s words to the Church in Corinth? “12What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’” If we continue to focus on what we do–if we are doing Christianity the right way, we will continue to be divided. For it is what we do that divides us. Let me say that again–it is what we do that divides us.
But it is what God has done that unites us. Let me say that again. It is what God has done that unites us. And what has God done?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him may not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him.
Listen to Jesus prayer once more. I know it can be a bit heady to work through, but listen to verses 1-8 once more, “‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. 6 ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.”
You see, Jesus has completed the work the Father sent Him to complete. Jesus has completed the work of reconciling the world unto God. Jesus has completed the work of salvation for each and every one of us. It was not something you and I accomplished. It was not something you and I were able to do. None of us here sitting in these pews this morning could ever live the perfect life–the life required by God. Jesus did. None of us here this morning sitting in these pews could pay enough through our actions or our death to rectify the debt incurred by all the violence, sickness, suffering, and death caused throughout history by the human race. None of us could, but Jesus did. Jesus lived the life we should have lived, and He died the death we deserved. And He did this for each and every one of us here this morning. He did this for each and everyone who calls upon His name.
You and I could argue all day about what we are supposed to do and how we should follow Jesus. We could spend all day pointing out each other’s faults and how we don’t measure up. We could spend all day calling one another to account and pointing out the flaws in each other’s logic. And we would be right in doing so. We would be absolutely correct in telling each other that we don’t measure up. And at the end of the day, we would probably walk away angry at each other. No one likes his or her faults pointed out like that.
Unless it is done by someone who is willing to point to his or her own faults first. Unless it is done by someone who says, “I am broken. I am a messed up sort of person, and I will tell you exactly how. I will show you how broken I am because I know you are broken too. I know deep down you know you are not perfect–that you don’t measure up to even your own standard of how to live. We are broken people, but there is one who was not broken. There was one who walked this earth and lived and died so that our brokenness could find healing. Our brokenness could be redeemed. There was one who loved us when we were still sinners and who still loves us in such a fashion. There is one who has given us eternal life, not because of who we are, but because of who He is. We could spend a lot of time pointing out each other’s faults or we can give thanks to the One who works to heal our faults.” One of these things will divide. The other will unite. In a world as broken as ours, I vote for unity. Let us proclaim what God has done. Amen.
Not. So. Good. Not so good at all.
There have always been divisions in the Church. All you need do is read through the book of Acts. Read through Paul’s letters. Take a look at history, and you will see that after Jesus’ ascension, those who followed Jesus often argued about how to follow Jesus correctly.
Let’s take this snippet from the book of 1 Corinthians. St. Paul is writing to the congregation chastising them for becoming divided:
10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 12What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ 13Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
Mind you, Paul was working and writing only a decade or so after Jesus’ death and resurrection. These divisions surfaced in the church early on. Very early on. Why? Why such divisions? Where do they come from.
Let’s fast forward a couple of thousand years to get a handle on this question. I firmly believe there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to human behavior and interaction. The things the ancients were dealing with are the same things we modern or post-modern folks deal with. We just have technology. That’s the only difference.
There was an interesting Yahoo! article that came out about a week and a half ago titled “Don’t blame college kids for intolerance. Blame us.” written by Matt Bai. I would like to read a few snippets from this article and see if it resonates with you as it did with me:
We'd grown up with TV news that tried to get at complicated issues (Ted Koppel's "Nightline" was the single most influential news program of the era) and op-ed pages that crackled with competing arguments. I remember meeting William Colby, the former CIA director, at a symposium. A lot of us were disgusted by the role he had played in Vietnam, but it never occurred to us that he shouldn't speak or that his beliefs weren't at least defensible.
It was reasonable to hope, with the sudden explosion of what we called cyberspace a decade or so later, that this kind of exchange would become more commonplace and more enlightening, rather than less so. Only that's not what happened. Almost from the moment the first iteration of political blogs appeared, not long after the 2000 presidential election that exposed a deep cultural rift in America, like-minded activists began to wall themselves off from any version of reality they didn't like. They set about building ideological silos in the space where virtual town squares might have thrived.
Our political leaders and our media might have recognized the danger here and done their traditional duty, which was to ignore all the noise, and focus instead on explaining the complex realities of a country in social and technological transition. With some notable exceptions, that didn't happen, either. Instead, politics in the past 10 years has become a perennial contest of the already converted, a constant pursuit on either side of "base strategies" and data sets that tell you exactly which voters you need to turn out in order to get and hold power...
What's happened is that we've effectively left behind the Age of Persuasion and ushered in the Age of Confirmation. It sometimes seems the whole world exists to re-affirm our conceptions of it; you can get through days, even weeks, without being at all discomfited, if you know which sites to visit and which channels to watch.
http://news.yahoo.com/don-t-blame-college-kids-for-intolerance--blame-us-085916423.html
Let me repeat one of those last sentences, “What’s happened is that we’ve effectively left behind the Age of Persuasion and ushered in the Age of Confirmation.”
If Matt Bai is correct, and I think to a great extent he is, what does it mean that we are in an age of confirmation? What does it mean that we can go days even weeks at a time without encountering a differing point of view? What does it mean that we can go on and on and on without our beliefs getting challenged and having to argue with merit our particular stance?
I think it means we are curved in on ourselves. I think it means we become self-satisfied with our positions. Our egos never get bruised because we never find out that we could be wrong. And if we never feel like we could be wrong, we become self-righteous in our particular stance and belief. We believe everyone else is the one with the problem and that we are safe and secure and absolutely correct in what we believe. And if everyone else is the one with the problem, then they are the ones who have to change. I don’t. I don’t change. I don’t give. I don’t budge. I am right. You are wrong. And if you don’t agree with me, then I will just go find someone else who does.
And this happens over and over and over again in society. Democrats and Republicans are sharply divided pulled to the extremes in their respective parties. Liberals and Conservatives have their own radio shows, television channels, and websites to frequent; and they rarely mingle other than to take shots at each other. Our churches are not immune to this. In fact, they often mirror society.
I mean, think about how things often take place in churches. Things might go along swimmingly for a time. Most congregations have periods of harmony when everyone gets along with everyone else, but then something controversial comes up. Sometimes, it’s a matter of doctrine. Sometimes it’s a matter of what color floor should be placed in the bathroom. Sometimes its whether or not the church should hire or fire a particular person. Lines get drawn. People become assured of their own beliefs and thoughts. People begin to believe they are being persecuted for righteousness sake. And before you know it, a new congregation is being formed. A new denomination starts. People stop coming to worship because those people over there fight, and we are better than that. People attend other churches where they find others who share their particular beliefs. In fact, if you don’t like what I say this morning in church, you can easily go turn on the television and find someone who tells you exactly opposite of what I say. That may make you comfortable and happy, and it should. It should because it’s all about you.
And if it’s all about you. If it is all about each and every one of us as individuals. If Christianity is all about each and everyone of us as individuals–if we believe Christianity is all about us and what we believe and what we do, then we will continue to see congregations split. We will continue to see new denominations form. We will continue to argue about which one of us is living the correct form of Christianity.
Remember Paul’s words to the Church in Corinth? “12What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’” If we continue to focus on what we do–if we are doing Christianity the right way, we will continue to be divided. For it is what we do that divides us. Let me say that again–it is what we do that divides us.
But it is what God has done that unites us. Let me say that again. It is what God has done that unites us. And what has God done?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him may not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him.
Listen to Jesus prayer once more. I know it can be a bit heady to work through, but listen to verses 1-8 once more, “‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. 6 ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.”
You see, Jesus has completed the work the Father sent Him to complete. Jesus has completed the work of reconciling the world unto God. Jesus has completed the work of salvation for each and every one of us. It was not something you and I accomplished. It was not something you and I were able to do. None of us here sitting in these pews this morning could ever live the perfect life–the life required by God. Jesus did. None of us here this morning sitting in these pews could pay enough through our actions or our death to rectify the debt incurred by all the violence, sickness, suffering, and death caused throughout history by the human race. None of us could, but Jesus did. Jesus lived the life we should have lived, and He died the death we deserved. And He did this for each and every one of us here this morning. He did this for each and everyone who calls upon His name.
You and I could argue all day about what we are supposed to do and how we should follow Jesus. We could spend all day pointing out each other’s faults and how we don’t measure up. We could spend all day calling one another to account and pointing out the flaws in each other’s logic. And we would be right in doing so. We would be absolutely correct in telling each other that we don’t measure up. And at the end of the day, we would probably walk away angry at each other. No one likes his or her faults pointed out like that.
Unless it is done by someone who is willing to point to his or her own faults first. Unless it is done by someone who says, “I am broken. I am a messed up sort of person, and I will tell you exactly how. I will show you how broken I am because I know you are broken too. I know deep down you know you are not perfect–that you don’t measure up to even your own standard of how to live. We are broken people, but there is one who was not broken. There was one who walked this earth and lived and died so that our brokenness could find healing. Our brokenness could be redeemed. There was one who loved us when we were still sinners and who still loves us in such a fashion. There is one who has given us eternal life, not because of who we are, but because of who He is. We could spend a lot of time pointing out each other’s faults or we can give thanks to the One who works to heal our faults.” One of these things will divide. The other will unite. In a world as broken as ours, I vote for unity. Let us proclaim what God has done. Amen.
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