JESUS IS ABOUT DOING, NOT BELIEVING
Matthew 7:21; Matthew 25:34-40; James 2:14-17
Rev. Paul Wrightman 1/29/23
AS GANDI STEPPED ABOARD A TRAIN ONE DAY,
ONE OF HIS SHOES SLIPPED OFF AND LANDED ON THE TRACK.
HE WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE IT AS THE TRAIN WAS MOVING.
TO THE AMAZEMENT OF HIS COMPANIONS,
GANDI CALMLY TOOK OFF HIS OTHER SHOE
AND THREW IT BACK ALONG THE TRACK
TO LAND CLOSE TO THE FIRST.
ASKED BY A FELLOW PASSENGER WHY HE DID SO, GANDHI SMILED.
"THE POOR MAN WHO FINDS THE SHOE LYING ON THE TRACK,"
HE REPLIED, "WILL NOW HAVE A PAIR HE CAN USE."
(The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes)
(PAUSE)
SEVERAL YEARS AGO ROB BELL AUTHORED A BOOK
CALLED LOVE WINS.
WRITING AS AN EVANGELICAL, BELL MAKES A STRONG, BIBLICAL CASE
THAT GOD'S LOVE IS MUCH MORE INCLUSIVE
THAN MANY CHRISTIANS ALLOW.
A MAJOR INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK WAS AN ART EXHIBIT
ON PEACEMAKING HELD AT HIS MEGACHURCH
IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.
ONE OF THE ARTWORKS FEATURED A PICTURE OF GANDI
AND A COMPELLING QUOTATION FROM HIM.
TO THIS WORK OF ART SOMEONE HAD ATTACHED A NOTE STATING
"REALITY CHECK: HE'S IN HELL."
THOSE OF YOU FAMILIAR WITH FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIANITY
WILL RECOGNIZE THIS HARSH ASSESSMENT OF GANDHI AS SPRINGING
FROM A SINCERE BELIEF THAT IF ONE HAS NOT PERSONALLY
ACCEPTED JESUS AS ONE'S SAVIOR ONE IS EXCLUDED FROM HEAVEN.
BELL'S BOOK LOVE WINS IS A POWERFUL REFUTATION
OF THIS NARROW, EXCLUSIVE VISION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, BELL MAKES THE POINT
THAT MANY NON-CHRISTIANS ARE MUCH BETTER
AT ACTUALLY LIVING OUT THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS
THAN MANY CHRISTIANS.
ARE THESE PERSONS, LIKE GANDHI, GOING TO BE CONSIGNED
TO HELL SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T SAID THE RIGHT WORDS
ABOUT JESUS?
BELL THINKS NOT.
INFINITELY MORE IMPORTANT, IT'S CLEAR FROM SCRIPTURE
THAT JESUS DOESN'T THINK SO EITHER.
WHEN ASKED THE DIRECT QUESTION
"WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" --
JESUS DOES NOT RESPOND WITH A LIST OF DOCTRINES
THAT ONE MUST BELIEVE ABOUT HIMSELF.
NO, HE SIMPLY STATES THAT THE KEY TO HEAVEN
IS LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR.
TODAY'S READING FROM MATTHEW 25,
WHERE JESUS REVEALS THE CRITERIA OF GOD'S JUDGMENT
AS TANGIBLE ACTS OF COMPASSION
TO THOSE WHO ARE HURTING,
OPENS THE DOORS OF HEAVEN TO ALL THOSE --
OFFICIALLY "CHRISTIAN" OR NOT --
WHO PRACTICE LOVE OF NEIGHBOR.
THUS, ACCORDING TO JESUS HIMSELF,
GANDHI IS DEFINITELY “IN.”
TODAY’S SHORT TEXT FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
SIMPLY READS: "NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, 'LORD, LORD',
WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY THOSE
WHO DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.”
(Matthew 7:21)
JESUS' EMPHASIS ON DOING, ON ACTION,
IS QUITE CHALLENGING TO CHRISTIANS WHO SEE THEIR FAITH
MORE IN TERMS OF RIGHT BELIEF THAN IN TERMS OF RIGHT ACTION.
IN TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING FROM MATTHEW,
JESUS USES THE ORATORY DEVICE OF PROPHETIC THREAT
TO UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT HE'S SAYING.
WHAT IS PROPHETIC THREAT?
THE PROPHETS IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES --
JUST LIKE MANY OF US DID AS PARENTS --
THREATENED JUDGMENT OR PUNISHMENT
IF PEOPLE FAILED TO HEED THEIR MESSAGE.
THE WHOLE POINT OF THE THREAT
WAS TO SPARE PEOPLE FROM PUNISHMENT,
WHICH WAS UNDERSTOOD NOT AS GOD'S STEPPING IN
AND "GETTING EVEN," SO TO SPEAK,
BUT IN TERMS OF THEIR OWN SELF-DESTRUCTION.
THIS IS WHAT JESUS IS DOING HERE.
HE WANTS TO SPARE US, TO RESCUE US
FROM OUR OWN SELF-CREATED HELLS
AND REMIND US OF THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE.
"NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, ‘LORD, LORD,’
WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN,
BUT ONLY THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL
OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN,”
IS JESUS' WAY OF TELLING US
THAT NOT EVEN A VERY PERSONAL, VERY EMOTIONAL
FAITH OR BELIEF IN HIM IS ENOUGH
TO MAKE A REAL CONNECTION WITH HIM,
IS ENOUGH TO WARRANT THE CLAIM
OF BEING IN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO REALLY CONNECT WITH JESUS?
WHAT IS THE WILL OF JESUS' FATHER IN HEAVEN?"
"I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME FOOD,
I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING TO DRINK,
I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU WELCOMED ME,
I WAS NAKED AND YOU GAVE ME CLOTHING,
I WAS SICK AND YOU TOOK CARE OF ME,
I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU VISITED ME."
# # #
WHAT MIGHT THESE WORDS LOOK LIKE IN ACTION TODAY?
LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER STORY ABOUT SHOES.
SHANE CLAIBORNE, WHO SPENT A SUMMER
IN THE SLUMS OF CALCUTTA WITH MOTHER TERESA,
WROTE THE FOLLOWING:
"PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME WHAT MOTHER TERESA WAS LIKE.
DID SHE GLOW IN THE DARK OR HAVE A HALO?
SHE WAS SHORT, WRINKLED, AND PRECIOUS,
MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE ORNERY --
LIKE A BEAUTIFUL, WISE OLD GRANNY.
BUT THERE IS ONE THING I WILL NEVER FORGET --
HER FEET WERE DEFORMED.
EACH MORNING DURING MASS I WOULD STARE AT THOSE FEET.
I WONDERED IF MOTHER TERESA HAD LEPROSY.
BUT I WASN'T GOING TO ASK, OF COURSE.
ONE DAY A SISTER ASKED US, "HAVE YOU NOTICED MOTHER'S FEET?"
WE NODDED, CURIOUS.
SHE SAID, "HER FEET ARE DEFORMED
BECAUSE WE GET JUST ENOUGH DONATED SHOES FOR EVERYONE,
AND MOTHER DOES NOT WANT ANYONE
TO GET STUCK WITH THE WORST PAIR,
SO SHE DIGS THROUGH AND FINDS THOSE.
YEARS OF WEARING BAD SHOES HAVE DEFORMED HER FEET."
(Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution)
# # #
WE KNOW THAT IT TOOK A WHILE FOR JAMES,
THE BROTHER OF JESUS, TO BECOME A FOLLOWER OF JESUS.
APPARENTLY IT WAS THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION
THAT FINALLY CONVINCED HIM
THAT THE WAY OF JESUS WAS THE WAY OF LIFE.
ALREADY IN JAMES' DAY --
JUST A FEW YEARS AFTER JESUS' LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION --
THERE WERE THOSE CLAIMING TO BE TRUE BELIEVERS
WHO EMPHASIZED HAVING FAITH IN JESUS
OVER LIVING ONE'S LIFE WITH JESUS.
JAMES SEEKS TO CORRECT THIS VERY EARLY TEMPTATION
TO BASE ONE'S FAITH ON DOCTRINE WHEN HE WRITES:
"WHAT GOOD IS IT, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
IF YOU SAY YOU HAVE FAITH BUT DO NOT HAVE WORKS?
CAN SUCH A FAITH SAVE YOU?
IF A BROTHER OR SISTER IS NAKED AND LACKS DAILY FOOD,
AND IF ONE OF YOU SAYS TO THEM,
'GO IN PEACE; KEEP WARM AND EAT YOUR FILL,'
AND YET YOU DO NOT SUPPLY THEIR BODILY NEEDS,
WHAT IS THE GOOD OF THAT?
SO FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT HAS NO WORKS, IS DEAD."
(James 2:14-17)
VERY EARLY IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
WE SEE A PARTING OF THE WAYS IN TERMS OF WHAT IT TAKES
TO BE A TRUE FOLLOWER OF JESUS.
JESUS AND HIS BROTHER, JAMES, TELL US
THAT LIVING LIFE, DOING LIFE, ACCORDING TO JESUS' WAY
IS THE WAY TO A REAL CONNECTION WITH JESUS AND GOD.
THE WRITER OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND ST. PAUL TELL US
THAT THE WAY TO A REAL CONNECTION WITH JESUS AND GOD
IS BY BELIEVING THE RIGHT STUFF ABOUT JESUS.
IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR FROM THE WORDING OF TODAY'S TEXT
FRO MATTHEW WHICH SIDE OF THIS THEOLOGICAL DIVIDE
JESUS HIMSELF WOULD FALL ON.
IF I'M GOING TO TAKE THE RISK OF FOLLOWING SOMEONE,
NAMELY JESUS, I'M GOING TO WANT TO FOLLOW
THE AUTHENTIC WORDS OF THAT PERSON,
MANY OF WHICH ARE RECORDED IN THE GOSPELS
OF MARK, MATTHEW, AND LUKE,
AND NOT THE PARAPHRASES OF JESUS' WORDS AND ACTIONS
THAT WE FIND IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN OR THE LETTERS OF PAUL.
IT COMES DOWN TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
BELIEVING IN JESUS, AND ALLOWING THAT BELIEF
TO TAKE THE PLACE, AS IT WERE,
FOR OUR ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM,
OR BEING SO CAUGHT UP IN THE BEAUTY AND GOODNESS OF JESUS
THAT ONE WANTS TO LIVE, TO ACT, IN TANDEM WITH HIM.
# # #
DENNIS, FROM KATY, TEXAS, NEEDED SOME SAME-DAY
DRY CLEANING BEFORE HE LEFT ON A TRIP.
HE REMEMBERED A STORE WITH A HUGE SIGN,
"ONE-HOUR DRY CLEANERS," ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN,
SO HE DROVE THERE TO DROP OFF A SUIT.
AFTER FILLING OUT THE TAG, HE TOLD THE CLERK,
"I NEED THIS IN AN HOUR."
THE CLERK SAID
"I CAN'T GET THIS BACK TO YOU UNTIL THURSDAY."
"I THOUGHT YOU DID DRY CLEANING IN AN HOUR."
"NO," THE CLERK REPLIED,
"THAT'S JUST THE NAME OF THE STORE."
THOSE WHO CLAIM THE NAME "CHRISTIAN,"
OR "FOLLOWER OF CHRIST," NEED TO BE EXCEEDINGLY CAREFUL
THAT WE DON'T TURN THAT NAME INTO A LIE.
JUST LIKE THE NAME "ONE-HOUR DRY CLEANERS"
TURNED OUT TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN A FRONT
TO GET PEOPLE TO COME INTO THAT BUSINESS,
CHRISTIANS NEED TO BE WATCHFUL
LEST THEY TURN THE NAME "CHRISTIAN" INTO FALSE ADVERTISING.
IT'S EASY TO CLAIM, TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS "LORD,"
BUT SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT TO ACTUALLY LIVE ONE'S LIFE
WITH JESUS AS LORD.
SOME WILL SAY THAT THIS EMPHASIS ON DOING
IS A WAY OF TRYING TO EARN HEAVEN THROUGH GOOD WORKS.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHERE WE PLACE THE EMPHASIS
ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
ON THE ONE HAND, IF WE'RE CAUGHT UP IN DOING GOOD
IN ORDER TO GET GOD TO "LIKE" US AND GIVE US HEAVEN,
THIS IS INDEED A FORM OF TRYING TO EARN OUR SALVATION.
THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP BASED ON FEAR AND WILL ACCOMPLISH
NOTHING MORE THAN TO FURTHER DISTANCE OURSELVES
FROM GOD.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE'RE CAUGHT UP IN DOING GOOD
BECAUSE WE'RE CAUGHT UP IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD
AND WANT TO BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE GOD,
THEN WE'RE ALREADY CAUGHT UP
IN A LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD,
AND THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF TRYING
TO WORK ONE'S WAY INTO GOD'S GOOD GRACES
BECOMES HUMOROUS AND IRRELEVANT.
THIS IS THE APPROACH TO GOD THAT JESUS WOULD HAVE US TAKE:
TO BE AND TO DO AND TO BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE GOD
NOT OUT OF FEAR OR DUTY, BUT OUT OF ATTRACTION AND LOVE.
I'D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH TWO ILLUSTRATIONS,
ONE THEOLOGICAL AND ONE PRACTICAL.
THE THEOLOGICAL:
BRUCE THIELEMANN, PASTOR OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
IN PITTSBURGH, TOLD OF A CONVERSATION WITH A MEMBER
OF THE CONGREGATION WHO SAID,
"YOU PREACHERS TALK A LOT ABOUT 'DO UNTO OTHERS,'
BUT WHEN YOU GET RIGHT DOWN TO IT,
IT COMES DOWN TO BASIN THEOLOGY."
THIELEMANN ASKED, "BASIN THEOLOGY? WHAT'S THAT?"
HIS CONGREGANT ANSWERED,
"REMEMBER WHAT PILATE DID
WHEN HE HAD THE CHANCE TO ACQUIT JESUS?
HE CALLED FOR A BASIN
AND WASHED HIS HANDS OF THE WHOLE THING.
BUT JESUS, THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS DEATH,
CALLED FOR A BASIN AND PROCEEDED TO WASH THE FEET
OF THE DISCIPLES.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO BASIN THEOLOGY:
WHICH ONE WILL YOU USE?”
# # #
OUR PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATION COMES FROM THE LIFE EXPERIENCE
OF PATRICIA MILLER, WHO WRITES:
"EACH DAY I WORKED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM,
I BECAME MORE INSENSITIVE TO PEOPLE AND THEIR REAL NEEDS.
FIVE YEARS OF EMERGENCY ROOM EXPOSURE TOOK ITS TOLL.
THEN GOD INTERVENED.
I WAS REGISTERING A YOUNG WOMAN
WHO HAD OVERDOSED ON DRUGS AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
HER MOTHER SAT BEFORE ME, UNKEMPT AND BLEARY EYED.
SHE HAD BEEN AWAKENED IN THE NIGHT BY THE POLICE
TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL.
SHE COULD ONLY SPEAK TO ME IN A WHISPER.
'HURRY UP!' I SAID TO MYSELF
AS SHE SLOWLY GAVE ME INFORMATION.
MY IMPATIENCE WAS RAW AS I FINISHED THE REPORT
AND JUMPED TO THE MACHINE TO COPY THE MEDICAL CARDS.
THEN GOD STOPPED ME, SPEAKING TO MY HEART,
'YOU DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT HER.'
I FELT GOD'S GRIEF FOR THE WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER THEN,
AND I BOWED MY HEAD, SAYING,
'I'M SORRY, LORD, I'M SO SORRY.'
I SAT BY THE DISTRAUGHT WOMAN
AND COVERED HER HANDS WITH MINE.
I LOOKED INTO HER EYES
WITH ALL THE LOVE THAT GOD COULD FLOOD THROUGH ME
AND SAID, 'I CARE. DON'T GIVE UP.'
SHE WEPT AS SHE POURED OUT HER STORY.
FOR YEARS SHE HAD DEALT WITH A REBELLIOUS DAUGHTER
WHO WAS A SINGLE MOM.
FINALLY, AFTER THE WEEPING STOPPED,
SHE THANKED ME FOR LISTENING.
ME -- THE COLDHEARTED ONE WITH NO FEELINGS."
(Patricia Miller, "The Emergency Room,"
Pentecostal Evangel, October 15, 2000)
THIS STORY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE
OF SOMEONE WHO CALLS JESUS LORD
AND, HOWEVER RELUCTANTLY AT FIRST,
ACTUALLY DOES WHAT GOD ASKS HER TO DO,
WHICH IN THIS CASE MEANT TURNING OFF HER JUDGMENTALISM
AND BEING PRESENT TO ANOTHER PERSON IN NEED
BY SIMPLY LISTENING.
SHE WASN'T TRYING TO EARN HER WAY INTO HEAVEN.
SHE WAS MERELY ALLOWING HER ALREADY-PRESENT
LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TO FLOW THROUGH HER
AND TOUCH SOMEONE ELSE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF DOING, THIS IS THE KIND OF ACTION
THAT JESUS HOPES TO INSPIRE IN ALL OF US
WHO CLAIM THE NAME "CHRISTIAN."
AMEN.