14th Sunday after Pentecost 2007 Proper 17

September 02, 2007

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Ecclesiasticus 10:7-18, Ps. 112; Hebrews 13:1-8; Luke 14:1 & 7-14)

TRUE RELIGION

St. Christopher’s, 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

Our opening prayer each week is known as a “Collect” – spelled like “collect” but pronounced different. It is designed to collect together the themes from the scripture passages of the day. Sometimes that works better than others! This week it works well for all four passages.

All collects begin with some statement of praise for God – today it is “Lord of power and might .. The author of all good things” So we acknowledge first God’s power, and then that God uses that power to author or create all good things. .... KEY POINT ... one of those “oh I have heard that before” statements we so easily ignore. God is the author or creator of all good things — end of story — we are not.

How often have we heard ... not that WE ever think such a thing! But we have heard people take credit for the good things in their lives — and blame God for bad things — we can talk about bad things another time.

We tend to take credit for what happens good in our lives. After all, we did the work – we pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps! .... But as a friend once said, “yes, but who gave you the bootstraps?”.

God is the author or creator in the sense that God makes the good things possible. God gives us the talents, the skills, the abilities that we then use ... or don’t. God gave our families their talents, and skills and abilities that they used to create the life we were born into. God is the ultimate or primal source.

Back to that later .... the collect moves on to ask God ... “Graft in our hearts” — not into our brains but into our hearts. Ultimately we will follow the path that makes us most comfortable, most satisfied. Sometimes we mis-understand what is best for us so we go in the wrong direction but it is still out of the desire to do what is best for ourselves — selfishly.

So we ask God to place into our hearts the “love of your Name.” .... I wish we could come up with a better phrase – one that’s less easy to mis-understand. Too many people hear this and think it means to fall in love with the sound of “God” or “Jesus”. That the issue is loving that particular sound. WRONG – or at least extremely incomplete.

The word “Name” is meant to include all that God is ... all that Jesus is. To fall in love with all that God is and in that way “increase in us true religion”.

Today, in our society we can easily get in a fist fight over what is, and is not, true religion. The Pope says only Roman Catholism meets that definition. Many Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox, would “disagree” with the Pope. A polite term – “disagree” for they would argue just as strenuously that “true religion” is about how we are baptized, or where we worship, or what worship style we use, or our opinions on some theological argument.

OK – but notice what the prayer says and I believe it accurately reflects to the scriptures. The prayer, and scripture say nothing about denominational arguments or even worship style. The prayer summarizes “true religion” as meaning: “nourish us with all goodness and bring forth in us the fruit of good works”

“nourish us” – feed us, sustain us with goodness and thereby bring forth in us the fruit of good works. BECAUSE we love all the Jesus is, and thereby are nourished by goodness - we produce the fruits of good works

Let’s look at the scriptures to see how they expand on that point. Although we will just look at this week’s selection I promise you that you can find MANY similar passages.

Ecclesiasticus – arrogance is hateful before the Lord, and other people. Power is gained on account of injustice, and insolence and wealth. .... wow – wow. An extremely powerful statement. This is how the author leads into the question of what right do we have to be proud since we will all die – pass away – be no more. The author is also touching on the teaching that God is the author and creator of all good things – not us. The beginning of pride is to forsake God ... to forget who is the author and creator.

How very true. The beginning of excessive – unreasonable pride is to ignore God’s role in our lives. The beginning of pride is to take credit for God has done.

Make no mistake about it — it is important, even essential for us to take credit for what we do. We need that reinforcement ... we need to be reminded of our role.

If the sports coach develops a great game plan we can take credit for doing our part — but not for creating the game plan.

If the composer writes a great piece of music we can take credit for playing the music — but not for the music. The beginning of arrogance is taking credit for what we did not do.

Turn now to the psalm --- a song of praise and instruction. This is one of the places that the word “fear” probably is better understood as “awe” — happy are they who are in awe of the Lord. Happy are they whow know God well enough to respect God to the extent of knowing God is awesome.

Notice how we are back to the importance of praise in our worship.

Remember that “righteous” is short for “people in right relationship with God” ... we can discuss the reward passages another time but for today I want you to notice how the author defines or describes those in right relationship with God. They will be generous ... just ... never shaken ... not afraid of gossip .. trust God ... give freely to the poor ... While the wicked, those not in right relationship with God will gnash their teeth in anger and pine away.

The psalmist describes “true religion” and the “fruit of good works” — to be generous – to trust in God.

Let’s pause and look at those concepts. To be generous is about our hearts, and not our checkbooks. What we do with our checkbooks is a reflection of our hearts.

Generosity is not about buying off God, or even following a commandment. Generosity is about knowing that is one way we show love — and knowing that showing love is the reason we were created by God — and knowing that because God created us to show love through generosity – that is what satisfies us.

Generosity is EASY compared with trusting God ! Trusting God is the reason for a whole series of sermons but let me just say it is not easy. First we have to be willing to let go and let God ... not ignore our part ... but trust that God knows what is happening.

When the coach or the conductor tells us to do it differently we have to trust they know what is best. Can we trust God in that way?

Another major thought I will not complete today ! Instead, we turn to Paul. Paul provides a similar list: let brotherly love continue .... show hospitality to strangers ... remember those in prison ... let marriage be honored ... keep free from the love of money ... be content ... be confident in God

Paul has given us another good list of what it means to have true religion that results in the fruits of good works.

The gospel has the same lesson but presented more as a morality tale. Jesus uses an event to teach. He notices that people go seeking certain seats of honor. It is like when people in a church run for the last pew! The Pharisees wanted the seats of honor and Jesus tells them that is not a good idea.

This is a difficult passage. It sounds as if Jesus is telling them TO BE prideful and arrogant. It sounds as if Jesus is telling them how to avoid being embarrassed — which I guess He is!

But I believe what is happening here is that Jesus is attempting to reach the Pharisees with a basic teaching ... but reach them by using things they would understand and accept. Remember that Jesus said, and showed us, that the ultimate role is to be servant of others. In this passage He is telling them to act as servants to others ... to give the other person the favored seat. He says that those who do so, who humble themselves will be exalted. Maybe not in the eyes of our culture but in God’s eyes – which is what matter.

And Jesus says that when you give ... for example give a dinner ... give to those who are in need. Don’t give to those who can repay but to those who are truly in need.

OK .. Good lessons but how do they all come together?

I believe that taken together we have one of the simplest teachings to understand, yet one of the most important. It is one of the simplest teachings but the most difficult to do. If scripture said “become a Roman Catholic” or “become a Baptist” or “become an Episcopalian” that would be easy. If it was all about following a certain denomination or worship style or signing certain petitions – that would be easy.

Instead God tells us that we are to practice “true religion” which results in “producing good fruit”. And God tells us those good fruits are about how we treat other people.

You will know the tree by its fruits. You will know the quality of the plant by its produce. You will know if we are Christians by our love.

Words are important. Sometimes I think we Episcopalians miss how important words can be. Sometimes words are the most loving gift we can give. But words are worse than useless if our lives do not match them.

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

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