EPIPHANY 4

                        January 31, 2010

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Jeremiah 1:4-10; Ps. 71:1-6; I Corinthians 12:1-13; Luke 4:21-30)

THE MOST PERFECT WAY

St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, High Point, NC


 

MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ... AND THE MEDITATIONS OF ALL OUR HEARTS ... BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU --- OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER AMEN

 

    Every time I hear that passage from 1st Corinthians – the famous “love chapter” – I look around to see whose wedding this is! This probably is the most commonly used passage at weddings — and that was not Paul’s purpose! In fact this was probably written during Paul’s “don’t get married phase”

 

    Right after Paul began his Christian ministry he believed Jesus would be returning immediately — this week or next week at the latest. Therefore he taught that people should not do anything that would take their focus of Jesus – including getting married. His attitude later changed but he certainly was not writing this for weddings! (Although it does apply to couples.)

 

    In fact to understand Paul’s point we have to remember that the chapter and verse divisions were made hundreds of years after the writings and make sure we are getting the complete context.

 

    If we back up into chapter 12 we discover that Paul is speaking about how different people have different gifts — different abilities – but they are all important. Since he plainly is writing to the community in Corinth about specific issues it is reasonable to assume there was dissension in the Christian community. Some felt they were more important because they had certain abilities, or certain tasks. Paul uses the image of a human body to say all parts are equally important.

 

    But I think Paul felt they were missing the point. So chapter 12 ends with the phrase, using the New English translation, “And now I will show you the best way of all”

 

    He has been talking about various abilities or gifts and various actions or ministries but wants to focus on what really matters – the best way of all.

 

    Once we get some understanding of the context, it is important to make sure we understand the words. English, unfortunately is not a very precise language. Many words have multiple meanings. The word “bow” for example has at least 4 very different meanings. It is a ‘bow and arrow’ — the front of a ship .... a type of knot .... and the action of bending forward.

 

    If we do not know which is meant, we cannot understand the meaning of the passage.

 

    In a similar way the word “love” has multiple meanings. In this passage we are hearing about ‘agape’ love – the love which gives without expecting anything in return. Certainly that applies to a married couple! But this is not about warm fuzzy feelings. This is about what we do – how we treat the other person – not how we feel.

 

    It helps me at times to remember Jesus told us to love everyone but never told us we had to “like” them! .... Jesus told us to treat everyone well no matter how we felt toward them. And that is what Paul is speaking about here.

 

    Too often we read this and what we hear is: “If I feel good toward that person the result will be that I am patient, kind, etc.” Maybe true but not Paul’s point. Paul is saying that our actions come first, and then maybe our feelings. Paul is talking about how we should treat each other whether we like each other or not.

 

     When Paul began: “I will show you the best way of all” — he was shoving aside all the spiritual gifts and missions he spent Chapter 12 discussing and telling us, that above and beyond all that is this one — how we act. And Paul apparently did not believe the Corinthians, or we, would understand so he gets surprisingly specific.

 

    The Corinthians apparently were having lots of disputes about speaking in tongues because this is at least the third time Paul mentions it. And Paul says, again, that it a person who does that without caring for the people around them are, at best, a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal – meaningless noise.

 

    The next one is probably one we can identify with a bit easier. If I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge. .... Remember here “prophecy” is not about predicting the winning lottery numbers! It is closer to being aware that “if you do this, the result will be that” .... “If you stick your hand in the fire it will hurt” would be that kind of prophecy.

 

    So Paul essential says the same thing, or very similar things three times. “If I really do know it all – but have not love, I am nothing.” .... “If I really do know it all but do not use that knowledge to benefit other people ... if I use it as a weapon ... then I am worthless.” .... That’s pretty powerful stuff.

 

    Going on we find one of the most interesting statements. I did some research on it and would love to really dig into the scholars’ understanding but did not have time to do that. So what I understand from “If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast – but do not have love – I gain nothing.” .... what I understand from that focuses on the last three words: “I gain nothing.” It seems to me Paul is saying if I give away everything, even my body but do not care for other people – then God will not be impressed. .... If the only reason I give is so I can boast — I will not be impressed.

 

    OK — but Paul has left us a huge problem — What does he mean by “love”? What does he mean about “caring for other people?”

 

    Paul goes on to give a reciepe for loving – treating another person well. It means being patient and kind, not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It means not insisting on our own way, not being irritable or resentful.

 

    All of that is powerful and difficult — no, impossible to achieve completely. But it is a standard to which we can strive. Remember our baptismal covenant? The question is Whenever you sin will you repent and return to the Lord? .... Not “if” but “when” and not singular “when” but multiple “whenever”.

 

    And in a towering insult Paul says those who cannot live up to that standard are still thinking and living as little children! Ouch!

 

    What do you think happened to Paul’s reputation when this letter reached Corinth? ... I suspect his number of followers dropped a bunch!

 

    That said, he did not have as bad a reception as Jesus did when He taught in Nazareth. Jesus was doing about the same thing Paul was doing — telling the crowd they had it all wrong. Telling the congregation they were not following God. In Jesus’ case He was telling those who had been told they were God’s chosen people that they were no better than anyone else! No wonder they were upset! No wonder they said He was wrong – he was a blessemer.

 

    Although the reactions were probably similar the teachings were different. Paul was basically telling the people they were taking pride in the wrong things. Jesus on the other had attacked their very belief system — the core. Which is why He said that “prophets are not accepted in their hometown”. The prophet’s role, as I said earlier, was to call attention to what the people were doing wrong and challenge them to repent – turn around and start obeying God.

 

    The question is: Why isn’t there more opposition to Jesus’ teachings today? .... Are we so in line with God’s message – God’s instructions that we no longer need a prophet? Or are we just not paying attention? ... to paraphrase Jesus “a prophet is acceptable when no one hears what he has to say”

 

    I was fascinated — insulted – and challenged by a statement that Christians are not opposed in today’s society because we are able to compartmentalize .... as long as Christian people fit with the culture in terms of its consumption of goods and its involvement in leisure activities, the non-religious culture designs to accept faith assertions as quaint, archaic, and/or irrelevant. ...... ouch.

 

    In other words, as long as Christians do not live differently — as Paul tells us to and as Jesus instructs — no one will particularly notice or care.

 

    On the other hand the author says, once Christians begin to get prophetic in their words and actions ... saying what God intends and what happens when we do not obey God. There I do not mean their will be extra hurricanes or earthquakes, but that we will not achieve our happiness and satisfaction.

 

    For example, I do not know how to fix the health care system. But I do firmly believe that providing health care for all people, and especially the poor and weak is a Christian duty. How to accomplish that is open to discussion. I do not believe the need can be questioned. When I stand behind an elderly woman at the pharmacy who is crying because the pharmacist will not tell her to stop the blood pressure or the cholesterol medications — and she can only afford part of one prescription anyway — I believe God is disappointed. I believe the prophet would announce that we are not living up to God’s instructions. I don’t believe we should be satisfied with our lives when others cannot live.

 

    And Paul would say that prophet must be prophetic in the spirit of love ... of caring for those who disagree.

 

 

               AMEN

 

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