To All the King's Men,Here's something every preacher hates to admit...
There's never just one sermon on Sunday. It's more like 3 or 4 and maybe even 5. At the end of any given Sunday, there's the sermon that got written... the sermon that got preached... the sermon that should have been preached (this one shows up about 4:30-5:00 Sunday afternoon)... the one that got heard... and are you ready?... the one parishoners wished they'd heard. Maybe you have even another one ...
But, which ever one won out this past week, this is my reflection on the message I thought I preached on Sunday, SEP 9... as I flipped back and forth from the 2nd lesson and the appointed Gospel text for the day....
A rendering from last Sunday's texts in St. Mark and the Letter of James...
First from St. Mark...chapter 7... Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders about ignoring rather than tending to and respecting Hebrew ritual and especially the part about eating with 'defiled' hands... which Jesus' disciples apparently became experts at... and ...in response this is what happened...
"When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18He said to them, “Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Did I catch that? It is that which is IN me and comes OUT of me that is defiling to the world... I had some surgery this past Summer... The doc said I had a bad case of diverticulitis. So they cut me open and did a bit of selective tissue reduction and he said, "it'll be OK now," but I forgot to ask him if he saw any of the stuff Jesus mentioned... that stuff inside me which defiles....I should have asked...because you really don't want to know what I said about the barber who cut my hair last weekend shorter than it's been since the opening of HS basketball practice in October of 1971. Really. My regular hair cutter was ill. So, I took chair # 2 and was clear about how I wanted my hair cut. But, I guess I should have not closed my eyes while sitting in the chair and by the time I got home after multiple glances in the car's rear view mirror and a more detailed look in the mirror on the bathroom wall...well a sailor would have had a tough time keeping up with the things I said about barber # 2 and her parents and dog... So, Jesus was right... and it was only a bad haircut that got my heart to unload...for any of us...it doesn't take much...
First from St. Mark...chapter 7... Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders about ignoring rather than tending to and respecting Hebrew ritual and especially the part about eating with 'defiled' hands... which Jesus' disciples apparently became experts at... and ...in response this is what happened...
"When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18He said to them, “Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Did I catch that? It is that which is IN me and comes OUT of me that is defiling to the world... I had some surgery this past Summer... The doc said I had a bad case of diverticulitis. So they cut me open and did a bit of selective tissue reduction and he said, "it'll be OK now," but I forgot to ask him if he saw any of the stuff Jesus mentioned... that stuff inside me which defiles....I should have asked...because you really don't want to know what I said about the barber who cut my hair last weekend shorter than it's been since the opening of HS basketball practice in October of 1971. Really. My regular hair cutter was ill. So, I took chair # 2 and was clear about how I wanted my hair cut. But, I guess I should have not closed my eyes while sitting in the chair and by the time I got home after multiple glances in the car's rear view mirror and a more detailed look in the mirror on the bathroom wall...well a sailor would have had a tough time keeping up with the things I said about barber # 2 and her parents and dog... So, Jesus was right... and it was only a bad haircut that got my heart to unload...for any of us...it doesn't take much...
And from the Letter of James, the brother of Jesus...
"But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. 26If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the polluted world." -James 1:22-27
Is this a truth we can handle? Is this a truth we dare not ignore? Here's the short lesson and cause for why "church" is such a critical and urgent concern in our 21st century culture...or in this case...why I'm convinced that the efforts we make in our ministry with men carry far more weight than just a suggestion...
- James sets the tone ...asking: what is 'pure' and 'undefiled' religion before God? Exchange the word, "religion" here for the word, "worship." It fits better and reflects the original intent;
- Two things, James writes, point to our 'worship' life... a) our personal and collective care for widows and orphans; AND b) keeping ourselves unstained by the polluted world. This is difficult, essential and eternal work!
- Note that James said, "be doers of the WORD"... not doer of words... Jesus his brother is the WORD of God, to be worshipped and followed and emulated in the world;
- If Jesus is on target...and I think he is... then I need to be more concerned about my own sin and less concerned about the sin of others as mission priority;
- But, if I am just 1 of almost 7 billion people who are full of 'defilement' then I don't stand a chance to be pure and holy... as everyday I'm bombarded with the 'defilement' of others. That's the truth and I still have to handle it...but man, oh man... it seems to be a daunting task;
- Thus, our good works, can never save us and only God's grace is deep enough and high enough and wide enough to cover all the defilement of the world. Simply put, the "cross of Jesus" does it and it is enough. It is and will always be enough! His resurrection from the dead announces that we have power to walk away from sin, evil and death to pursue and live a new life.
- The Mark passage, then catches the world off guard. We sense we have the whole of life in the balance... but honestly.... we seem to have a difficult time handling this truth!
But, what powerful texts for our lives.... the Word of God comes right at us... and we think there's so much more to tend to... School's back in session.... Another hurricane.... or two on the way... The national election rolling down the tracks like a train out of control ... it's a long list.... AND to top this off ... I just returned from attending our monthly SeniorS luncheon where the guest speakers were from the Brazoria Child Advocacy office. They assist CPS in the cases of child abuse, both physical and sexual. Their work is hard as well as heart-wrenching! Defilement comes from inside of us... and the world suffers... woman, men and children... and over 650 cases were reported in Brazoria County alone last year. Tens of thousands in Texas. Reported. The ones we know. There are others; trust that. We all know someone who knows someone...
In over 30 years of parish ministry I have known of only an hand full of child abuse cases. In one case...in another state... in another church...the dad was "under investigation". No one knew but me. But, as churches go... someone suggested this guy be the chaperone and go to camp with the children. I said no. Some asked why. I wouldn't answer. Some were mad at me. I didn't care. Jesus' brother, James, was right...I wanted to be the pastor of a church that watched over widows and orphans and help myself and others remain unstained in a polluted world. For me to agree with this suggestion would put children at risk and basically invite a potential perpetrator a venue to wreak havoc with young hearts and lives.
Nine out of 10 sex offenders are male. But, it's not just about child abuse. The list Jesus provides leaves none of us innocent. Male or female... young or old... high or low on the socio-economic or education specturm. It's what the author Scott Peck says in his book, The People of the Lie...
"I understand I have the capacity for great evil."
He starts with himself. Jesus suggests we should, too. Do we go looking for ways to defile? Not normally, but when the opportunity arises...it's just so easy to fall prey to our own sinfulness... or as we say from time to time... "If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us..." and even when God knows...I'm hoping barber # 2 never finds out!
So, what's the answer...? Well, that's the life-long journey of faith. It's what we call "practicing" our faith so that when the moment confronts us... we will have a faith to put to use. My goodness won't save me and your goodness wont save you because all the men and women who do despicable things are talked about by their family, friends and neighbors like this..."They were such a good person. We're so surprised!" And we deceive ourselves again... But, in 30 years of ministry... only a handful of child abuse cases... and what does that say about the people in our churches...? Well, maybe what James and Jesus suggested... for if we recognize that we have great potential to defile (ourselves and others!) then spending my time tending to widows and orphans (literally, people who are broken and at risk) and keeping ourselves unstained by the polluted world, the less likely we are to find ourselves in situations where the worst in us comes rushing out into the world... because it must be said also... we all have the great capacity for goodness..., patience, diligence, kindness, gentleness, peace-making, etc... and as much as we are simul justus et peccator... saint and sinner...always... our celebrating and nurturing the saint in us speaks to the lasting value and purpose and place "church" is for the world.
So, be "doers of the WORD"... pray...worship... study... invite... encourage... give & serve... these things are not against the law and do only one thing and that is to "build up God's kingdom..." and to God in Christ be the glory... always. Amen.
"Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers ..." the words of Jesus and James is a truth we can handle... and when Jesus call us out... he does not do so to bring shame upon us...he calls us out to make a difference.
One man at a time; no man left behind,
Brian
Men's Ministry Coordinator
TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod
