13th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 17

August 30, 2009

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Deuteronomy 4:1-2 & 6-9, Psalm 15, James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)

WELCOME WITH MEEKNESS THE IMPLANTED WORD

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

This is another week when we have lessons that fit together perfectly with a pattern I have begun to notice more and more: Jesus gives us the broad view, the somewhat idealistic picture and then the other readings fill in the details.

Its as if Jesus said: “We will build a house for Habitat” and then the other writers document it will be 3 bedrooms, at a certain location, and these people will do these tasks and so on. Jesus gives us the vision while the other scriptures give us the practical details.

Obviously that is not always true — at times Jesus gets VERY direct and practical! But today is a good example. The Pharisees ask a very reasonable and appropriate question. They believe the disciples are breaking church law and want to know why. Aside – the issue is the ritual washing in a certain way. They are not saying the disciples hands were actually dirty.

The Pharisees even phrase it as a church tradition issue. It is possible they asked they question with a sneer and sarcasm but as it is written they have asked a reasonable question.

Jesus responds with the broad, visionary teaching. He speaks about honoring God with our actions and not just our words. In fact, Jesus goes on to teach that it is the words we speak and the actions we take which defile us ... turn us away from God.

If we turn to the Deuteronomy reading, part of the legal books for the Jews, and read it carefully we can find support for either Jesus’ position OR the Pharisees’. At first it sounds as if this is supporting the Pharisees ---- “keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you”. “You must observe them diligently”. Based on that it is reasonable to challenge the disciples as disobeying the laws.

BUT, if we read it a second time remembering Jesus’ words we find support for Jesus’ position. It says not to add anything to the commandments and clearly the way hands were washed did not begin as a major commandment from God!!

Remember that the hand washing, the restrictions against eating pigs or shell fish, against touching blood and other rules were public health issues. Two thousand years before western civilization started paying attention to sanitation, food preparation and such .... the Lord our God gave good, reasonable, sensible rules. In fact, those very rules are still appropriate and helpful in parts of the world today — even parts of the USA. When we consider them from that perspective we discover a loving, caring God and not some funny, arbitrary rules.

But the Jewish leaders had taken the rules too far and made the rules the point and not their intention. It would be as if someone just mouthed the words in our Prayer Book but never even attempted to use them to connect with God. They would be going through the motions without the motions meaning anything.

Instead Jesus speaks about something like what we heard in the Psalm. Psalm 15 is actually a mix of the visionary and the practical. I don’t think the author actually thought only people who lead blameless life may abide with God! If so, God’s house does not need many rooms!!

Rather the Psalmist is taking the vision of being in tune with God and telling us how that would look. The truth would be told ... no evil done to a friend ... contempt not heaped on anyone (good one!) ... Imagine – if both sides lived up to this we could actually discuss health care reform! .... contempt not heaped on anyone ... the wicked rejected ... neither give nor take a bribe. ..... Look over that list and you have a pretty good beginning of a Christian life with God.

James gives us a slightly different perspective. This section begins with the statement that “every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father.”

The point is that without God we will drift into evil thoughts and actions. The point is when we drift into evil thoughts and actions only God can pull us back.

That may be one of the most difficult, most mis-understood, and least accepted Christian teachings. How often people say they don’t need God – they are fine without God. But this says something very different.

James says that “in fulfillment of his own purpose, he gave us birth by the word of truth” — in other words for whatever reason God created in us good. I would argue that God created in us “good” whether we recognize it our not. That even people who say they are rejecting God have the essence of “good” within them and that will show.

James goes on to get more and more specific. He tells us to rid ourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness. ... Isn’t that a fascinating phrase: Rank growth of wickedness. James says we actually SMELL bad when we ignore God!

And welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. If you want a phrase to reflect on this week, try that one. In fact, it might take a lot longer than one week! Three key concepts ... first “meekness” – that we should accept God’s leadership with meekness.

Is there anything harder for most of us? Have you not ignored God because: “I have a better idea”. Most of us do that! Don’t mis-understand, arguing with God and trying to understand is good. That’s not the problem. The problem is when we take the attitude that God is not really all that interested in our lives, that God does not have much impact, that we know better – that’s the problem! That’s not humbleness!

“The implanted word” ---- fascinating. I understand that to mean what I said before ... God has created each of us with “good” as a primary constituent. Not that we can’t turn against God. We can, and do. But “good” is within us and we need to learn about it and allow it to control us.

“Power to save our souls” — looping back to “meekness” — the idea that only God ultimately can protect and save us. I am not focusing on heaven or judgment right now but on this life. Only God has the power to save our souls from smelling with evil.

Don’t you know someone who just stinks of evil? A person who is always mean and nasty. A person who is always trying to cheat others in some way or another. .. always trying to get power over other people? Don’t you know someone like that? ... I hope it is ONLY one person!

Their soul needs saving in this life as well as the next. And James tells us that ultimately only God has the power to save our souls, in this life and the next.

But even that is a tad on the visionary side so James immediately turns back to being direct and practical: “be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves”. Wow. Isn’t that basically what Jesus said to the Pharisees? And the most important part is “who deceive themselves” ... We deceive ourselves into believing we are fine and good and, if not perfect than certainly better than most other people!

To that attitude James tells us to look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere. ........ opps .... James slipped a word in that frequently is mis-understood: “liberty”.

We tend to think of “liberty” as meaning: “I can do whatever I want”. But in this context “liberty” means “liberty or freedom from evil” To be released from the evil that makes us think we are good enough and then persevere ... continue trying to improve.

Improving is the link that pulls the whole day together. Jesus presents the vision of being close to God and the other’s give us the details. In summary what we hear is ------ God has expectations for us. God has a vision for us and expectations that we will work toward that vision. NOT that we will ever achieve perfection but that we will make progress.

So the question is whether we are following the detailed instructions to be better. On the first of September – next Tuesday – can we look back and say we are better than we were on the first of August? Are we living CLOSER to God’s vision for us than we were a month ago? God expects we will be. Are what are our plans? What will we be able to say October 1st?

Our movement could be in how we spend our time, how we treat people around us, how we pray, how we study God, how we spend our money — any — and all those areas of our lives are important. Can we read Psalm 15 or James and see ourselves closer to those goals than we were? If not, we are not living up to God’s expectations.

In many ways the worse thing about St. Christopher’s is that anyone who attends here is deprived of excuses. I have attended churches where you could go for a month and never be challenged to do better. Never be offered the opportunity to do better. Here there are plenty of opportunities in front of us!!

Quiet prayer time? There is the prayer walk or just time in the church. ... Working with children — can you believe we have 50 kids registered?? Hearing James and working with the poor and needy – Open Door, West End Ministries, IHN, Angel trees, community garden, etc. .... Financial support of it all .... helping prepare the buildings for these ministries ... Bible studies to learn about God ... small groups to discuss God. We can go on!

If we are not closer to God on September 1 than we were on August 1, with plans for October 1st, than it is not from lack of opportunities! It may be small steps or large ones. The point is to make progress — to do more in September than we did in August. Not to plateau – stay level but keep working to improve using Jesus’ words and the detailed instructions. To honor God in our actions and not just our words.

May we always: welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

AMEN

We have previous sermons on our website. To read an earlier recent sermon just enter: www.st-christopher.org/sermon.html.

CLICK HERE TO RESPOND: I would enjoy reading your comments about this sermon. Please feel free to discuss content or presentation. (If you wish to use another email system send your comments to: ken@st-christopher.com)