JESUS CAME TO GIVE US LIFE IN ABUNDANCE,
NOT TO TAKE AWAY LIFE’S JOYS
Matthew 7:13-20
Rev. Paul Wrightman 1/22/23
WE CONTINUE OUR EXPLORATION
OF JESUS’ SERMON ON THE MOUNT,
WHICH IS FOUND IN CHAPTERS 5, 6, AND 7
OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW.
JESUS, AWARE THAT HE IS APPROACHING
THE END OF HIS SERMON, OFFERS A SERIES
OF ADMONITIONS, OR REMINDERS, MUCH LIKE A GOOD COACH.
IN JESUS’ CASE, HOWEVER, HE’S NOT TALKING ABOUT
WINNING A GAME OF BASEBALL OR FOOTBALL,
BUT ABOUT HOW TO “WIN” IN THE “GAME” OF LIFE.
THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION – THE TRANSLATION WE USE
MOST OFTEN IN OUR BULLETIN SINCE IT IS THE VERSION PREFERRED
BY THE MAJORITY OF MAINSTREAM BIBLICAL SCHOLARS – DOES
A GREAT DISSERVICE WHEN IT USES THE WORDS “EASY” AND “HARD.”
NEITHER WORD IS FOUND IN THE ORIGINAL OF TODAY’S READING.
OUR TEXT SHOULD READ, SIMPLY,
ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE; FOR WIDE IS THE GATE
AND BROAD IS THE WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION,
AND THERE ARE MANY WHO TAKE IT.
FOR THE GATE IS NARRROW AND THE ROAD IS DEFINITE
THAT LEADS TO LIFE, AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT.
WHEN WE WERE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL, I’M SURE WE ALL HEARD
FROM SEVERAL OF OUR TEACHERS THAT WHILE THERE WERE MANY
WRONG ANSWERS, THERE WAS ONLY ONE RIGHT ANSWER.
UNFORTUNATELY MANY EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS HAVE TAKEN
THIS TEXT OUT OF CONTEXT AND CO-OPTED IT TO BE ABOUT
ETERNAL LIFE, AND HOW JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SALVATION.
IT IS OFTEN USED AS A TEXT TO SCARE PEOPLE
AND TO TRY TO PUSH THEM INTO ACCEPTING JESUS CHRIST
AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
NOW THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND EVERYTHING RIGHT
ABOUT KNOWING JESUS AS SAVIOR AND LORD,
BUT MANIPULATING BIBLICAL TEXTS IN THIS WAY
IS NOTHING BUT WRONG.
WHAT JESUS IS REALLY GETTING AT IN TODAY’S TEXT
IS ABOUT HOW TO LIVE ONE’S LIFE IN THE HERE-AND-NOW,
NOT ABOUT HOW TO GAIN ETERNAL LIFE IN THE FUTURE.
JESUS IS MAKING A DEFINITE CLAIM, BUT THIS CLAIM IS NOT MADE
IN TERMS OF WHICH RELIGION IS RIGHT, BUT IN TERMS OF
WHICH WAY OF LIVING IS RIGHT.
MUCH OF THE CONTENT OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
HAS CONSISTED IN JESUS’ EXAMINATION OF NUMEROUS
FALSE WAYS OF LIVING (WHAT HE CALLS IN TODAY’S TEXT
THE WIDE GATE AND THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION).
AND HIS CHALLENGING THESE NUMEROUS FALSE WAYS
WITH HIS WAY, OR PATTERN, OF LIVING (WHAT HE CALLS
IN TODAY’S TEXT THE NARROW GATE AND THE DEFINITE WAY
LEADING TO LIFE).
THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION IS THE WAY
OF SELFISHNESS, GREED, LUST-FOR-POWER, AND VIOLENCE.
THE NARROW WAY LEADING TO LIFE IS THE WAY OF GENEROSITY,
COMPASSION, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AND SACRIFICIAL LOVE.
IRONICALLY, THE BROAD WAY, THE WAY WHICH SEEMS TO BE EASY,
IS ACTUALLY THE “HARD” OR BITTER WAY, AS WE ALL KNOW
FROM OUR OWN SELF-DESTRUCTIVE EXPERIENCES OF SELFISHNESS.
EQUALLY IRONIC, THE NARROW WAY, THE WAY WHICH SEEMS
TO BE “HARD,” IS ACTUALLY THE “EASY” WAY OR JOY-FILLED WAY,
AS WE ALL KNOW FROM OUR OWN LIFE-AFFIRMING EXPERIENCES
OF GENEROSITY AND COMPASSION.
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS NOTHING LESS THAT JESUS’
BLUEPRINT, OR PATTERN, FOR BLESSED, JOY-FILLED LIVING.
REMEMBER THE BEATITUDES, THE PROCLAMATIONS OF BLESSING
WHICH BEGIN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
TO MENTION JUST A FEW. . .
JOYFUL ARE THOSE WHO ARE POOR AND HUMBLE BEFORE GOD,
FOR THEIRS IS THE REIGN OF GOD.
JOYFUL ARE THOSE WHO ARE SADDENED TO THE POINT OF ACTION,
FOR THEY WILL BE COMFORTED.
JOYFUL ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST
FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED.
JOYFUL ARE THOSE WHO PRACTICE COMPASSION-IN-ACTION,
FOR THEY WILL RECEIVE GOD’S COMPASSION.
JOYFUL ARE THE PEACEMAKERS,
FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD.
THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A RADICAL THING TO SAY –
ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO SEE JESUS AS THE ULTIMATE KILLJOY,
BUT JESUS WANTS US TO BE HAPPY AND FULFILLED!
IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT HE HAS GIVEN US THE BLUEPRINT,
OR PATTERN, OF HOW TO LIVE OUR LIVES
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT.
IN MATTHEW 11:29-30, JESUS SAYS,
COME TO ME, ALL YOU THAT ARE WEARY AND ARE CARRYING
HEAVY BURDENS, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN FROM ME,
FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART,
AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
FOR MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.
RETURNING TO TODAY’S TEXT, I DON’T THINK JESUS’ POINT
IS THAT HIS WAY IS HARD.
RATHER, HIS WAY IS NARROW IN THE SENSE OF BEING DEFINITE.
HE IS SAYING THAT IF WE LIVE SPECIFICALLY BY HIS WORDS
WE WILL FIND LIFE, AND LIFE IN ABUNDANCE.
IN FACT, MANY OF US HAVE FOUND THAT LIVING A LIFE
OF HOSTILITY, BITTERNESS, AND RESENTMENT TOWARD OTHERS,
OR A LIFE OF DECEIT AND NOT TELLING THE TRUTH,
OR A LIFE OF WORRYING ALL THE TIME ABOUT PRESTIGE
AND WHAT OTHERS THINK OF US,
OR A LIFE OF ALWAYS WANTING MORE MONEY FOR OURSELVES,
OR CONDEMNING OTHERS AND TRYING TO PLEASE
THE POWERS THAT RULE,
IS MUCH HARDER THAN JUST LIVING THE WAY
THAT JESUS ENCOURAGES US TO LIVE.
SOMEONE HAS SAID IT WELL:
EACH WAY OF LIVING IS LIKE ENTERING A FUNNEL.
YOU CAN ENTER AT THE WIDE END, BUT THEN THE FARTHER YOU GO
THE MORE LIFE CLOSES DOWN.
OR YOU CAN ENTER A FUNNEL AT THE NARROW END
AND THE FARTHER YOU GO, THE MORE IT OPENS UP
INTO THE JOY OF LIVING LIFE GOD’S WAY.
# # #
IN THE NEXT SECTION OF TODAY’S READING –
WHICH DEALS WITH HOW TO TELL A TRUE PROPHET
FROM A FALSE ONE – JESUS IS IMPLICITLY MAKING
A VERY STRONG CLAIM.
HE IS IMPLICITLY CLAIMING THAT HE KNOWS,
THAT HE EMBODIES IN HIS OWN LIFE,
THE ONE TRUE WAY OF LIVING.
JESUS’ ENTIRE SERMON ON THE MOUNT HAS FOCUSED
ON HOW TO LIVE, NOT WHAT TO BELIEVE.
BUT IN MAKING THE IMPLICIT CLAIM THAT HE KNOWS
AND EMBODIES THE ONE WAY OF LIVING
THAT LEADS TO TRUE LIFE,
JESUS INTRODUCES THE SUBJECT OF WHO TO BELIEVE.
WHO ARE WE TO BELIEVE OUT OF THE CACAPHONY OF VOICES
THAT CLAIM TO KNOW THE WAY?
AS MANY OF US HERE, I MYSELF HAVE USED
THE “TRIAL AND CORRECTION” METHOD,
FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE “TRIAL AND ERROR” METHOD.
IN OTHER WORDS, I’VE TRIED ON VARIOUS PATHS
TO SEE WHERE THEY GET ME.
AND WITH THE SINGLE EXCEPTION OF JESUS,
THE PATHS AND THE PEOPLE I’VE CHOSEN TO FOLLOW
HAVE ALL LED TO DEAD-ENDS.
SO. . .BASED ON THE SCHOOL OF HARD-KNOCKS,
BASED ON THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE,
I WOULD HAVE TO CONCUR WITH JESUS
THAT HE KNOWS THE WAY TO LIVE
THAT LEADS TO AN ABUNDANCE OF LIFE, AND THAT HE HAS SHARED
THAT WAY WITH US IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
THUS, JESUS’ TEACHINGS IN THIS SERMON HAVE BECOME
AUTHORITATIVE FOR ME, NOT BECAUSE SOME CHURCH
OR DENOMINATION HAS TOLD ME THAT I MUST BELIEVE HIM,
BUT BECAUSE JESUS HAS EARNED MY TRUST.
I HAVE FOUND THROUGH MY OWN EXPERIENCE
IN THE SCHOOL OF LIFE THAT NO ONE IS MORE TRUSTWORTHY.
NO ONE ELSE’S TEACHINGS OR PERSONAL EXAMPLE
COMES CLOSE TO PUTTING ME IN CONTACT
WITH WHAT ST. PAUL CALLS THE FRUIT OF GOD’S SPIRIT:
LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS,
FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL.
ST. PAUL DERIVES THIS LIST OF GOOD FRUIT
FROM THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS.
CONNECTING WITH TODAY’S TEXT, I WOULD SAY THAT
ANY PROPHET WHO PROCLAIMS A DIFFERENT
SET OF VALUES IS A FALSE PROPHET,
AND THAT ANY TEACHINGS – ESPECIALLY CHURCH TEACHINGS –
WHICH DO NOT EMBODY THESE VALUES ARE FALSE TEACHINGS.
THESE TEACHINGS REFLECT A VERY DEFINITE WAY OF LIVING,
BUT A WAY OF LIVING NOT LIMITED TO JESUS.
THE BUDDHA, ST. FRANCIS, MOHANDAS GANDHI,
SUFI POETS RUMI AND HAFIZ, MARTIN BUBER,
ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL, AND OTHERS
ALSO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS WAY OF LIVING.
I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT JESUS LIVED OUT THE VALUES OF GOD
IN SUCH A UNIQUE WAY THAT HE IS PART OF GOD’S VERY BEING.
I HAVE WHAT IS KNOWN IN THEOLOGICAL CIRCLES
AS A “HIGH” CHRISTOLOGY, MEANING THAT I SEE JESUS
AS THE VERY EMBODIMENT, OR INCARNATION, OF GOD.
BUT ACCORDING TO WHAT IS RECORDED IN THE GOSPELS
THEMSELVES, I DON’T THINK THAT JESUS HIMSELF
CARES ALL THAT MUCH ABOUT THEOLOGICAL ORTHODOXY,
OR THE LACK THEREOF.
WHAT HE REALLY CARES ABOUT, ACCORDING TO HIS TEACHINGS
IN SUCH SOURCES AS THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT,
IS HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES.
BUT WHATEVER OUR PERSONAL THEOLOGY,
THE REAL QUESTION IS HOW DO WE GET THE POWER
TO LIVE LIKE JESUS?
I LIKE WHAT WILLIAM TEMPLE,
A FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, HAS TO SAY:
“THE STANDARD OF MORALS IS THE MIND OF CHRIST. . .
IT WILL NOT HELP YOU AT ONCE TO SOLVE EACH
PARTICULAR PROBLEM; IT WILL GIVE YOU A TOUCHSTONE.
AS YOU SEEK TO LIVE IN THE CONSTANT COMPANIONSHIP
OF CHRIST, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF KNOWING EVER MORE FULLY
WHAT YOUR DUTY IS ACCORDING TO HIS MIND.
YOUR MORAL AUTHORITY IS NOT A PRINCIPLE, BUT A PERSON.
IT IS THE MIND OF CHRIST.”
ARCHBISHOP RAMSEY SPEAKS HERE OF A WAY
OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION,
A WAY OF SLOWLY BUT SURELY PRACTICING ONE’S FAITH
OVER THE YEARS SO THAT GRADUALLY ONE BECOMES
MORE AND MORE LIKE JESUS HIMSELF.
WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER AN EXAMPLE FROM THE BOOK
IMPROVISATION BY SAMUEL WELLS. WELLS WRITES:
“BACK IN THE 1930s AT THE HUGE ROMAN CATHOLIC SEMINARY
AT UNSAW NEAR DURHAM [ENGLAND] THERE WAS A MAN
STUDYING FOR THE PRIESTHOOD NAMED GERALD CULKIN.
ONE DAY HE READ A PLAY BY ANTON CHEKHOV AND WAS
SO THRILLED WITH IT THAT HE WENT OUT AND BOUGHT
TEACH YOURSELF RUSSIAN.
EACH NIGHT WHEN HIS STUDIES WERE FINISHED HE LEFT
THE OTHER STUDENTS PLAYING BILLIARDS AND WENT
TO HIS ROOM ON HIS OWN TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE.
BY THE TIME HE WAS ORDAINED
HE COULD READ IT FAIRLY WELL.
SOON AFTERWARD THE SECOND WORLD WAR STARTED
AND GERALD WENT TO BEIRUT AS AN ARMY CHAPLAIN.
HE MET LOTS OF RUSSIANS THERE, BUT COULDN’T MAKE HIMSELF
UNDERSTOOD WITH HIS “TEACH YOURSELF” WAY OF SPEAKING.
EVENTUALLY HE LEARNED TO SPEAK REAL RUSSIAN WITH THEM.
GERALD WAS MOVED TO EGYPT AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME
COMFORTING THE WOUNDED AND DYING.
AFTER A PARTICULARLY HEAVY BATTLE, WITH MANY INJURED,
HE CAME BACK TO HIS TENT EXHAUSTED, [ONLY] TO BE TOLD
THAT THERE WAS ONE MORE MAN TO SEE.
THE MAN WAS IN A DESPERATE STATE, AND GERALD COULD SEE
THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE LONG.
GERALD SPOKE TO HIM IN ENGLISH, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE.
SO HE TRIED WITH HIS FEW WORDS OF FRENCH, AND HIS FEWER
WORDS OF ITALIAN, GERMAN, SPANSIH, EVEN ARABIC.
GERALD WAS ON THE POINT OF GIVING UP WHEN THE DYING MAN,
ON HIS STRETCHER, SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY MADE
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS IN THE ORTHODOX MANNER.
GERALD SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THE MAN WAS A RUSSIAN.
IN THE LAST HOUR OF THE MAN’S LIFE HE WAS ABLE TO HEAR
A FEW WORDS OF CONFESSION, GIVE ABSOLUTION,
AND HELP THE MAN THROUGH THE LORD’S PRAYER.
HE HELD THE MAN’S HAND AND SPOKE COMFORTING WORDS
TO HIM UNTIL HE DIED.”
THE KEY PART OF THIS QUOTE IN TERMS OF
CHRISTIAN FORMATION COMES NOW:
“ONE CAN PICTURE GERALD COMING OUT OF THE TENT
AND RECALLING ALL THOSE NIGHTS AT THE SEMINARY IN UNSAW,
ALL THOSE NIGHTS HE WAS TEMPTED TO GIVE UP LEARNING RUSSIAN
AND INSTEAD HAVE A GAME OF BILLIARDS
OR A CHAT WITH THE OTHERS.
AND IN RETROSPECT IT IS CLEAR THAT ALL THAT EFFORT
HAD BEEN A TIME OF PREPARATION:
AND IT HAD ALL BEEN WORTH IT
JUST FOR THIS LAST HOUR WITH THE DYING MAN.”
SAMUEL WELLS CONCLUDES:
“MORAL EFFORT, FOR GERALD, LAY IN CHOOSING RUSSIAN
OVER BILLIARDS: WHEN THE CRISIS CAME, HE ACTED FROM HABIT.”
ANOTHER WORD FOR HABIT IS FORMATION,
OR TO PARAPHRASE ARCHBISHOP RAMSEY,
“TO LIVE IN SUCH CONSTANT COMPANIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
THAT WE BEGIN TO THINK HIS THOUGHTS
AND DO HIS DEEDS WITH HIM.”
THE GREAT MAJORITY OF LIFE IS SPENT IN PREPARATION:
THIS IS WHERE THE EMPHASIS IN CHRISTIAN ETHICS NEEDS TO BE.
FOR GERALD (AND “GERALD” HERE CAN STAND FOR EACH OF US)
THE EXPERIENCE OF GRACE IN THE MOMENT OF CRISIS,
THE MOMENT OF DECISION, CAME NOT THROUGH BEING CLEVER
OR INSPIRED IN THE MOMENT,
BUT THROUGH FALLING BACK ON SOMETHING HE HAD ONCE
WORKED HARD AT AND NOW TOOK FOR GRANTED.
I VERY MUCH LIKE THE TITLE OF WELLS’ BOOK: IMPROVISATION.
IMPROVISATION IN MUSIC MEANS, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
THAT WE KNOW THE MIND OF THE COMPOSER SO WELL
THAT WE CAN GO OFF ON OUR OWN AND STILL BE FAITHFUL
TO THE COMPOSER’S WAY OF DOING THINGS.
OUR OWN MUSIC DIRECTOR, JON CLOSE, IS A MASTER AT THIS,
AS WELL AS IMPROVISING HIS OWN ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS.
HE CAN BRING OUT HIDDEN NUANCES OF WELL-KNOWN
AND WELL-LOVED TUNES LIKE “WAYFARING STRANGER”
THAT I’M SURE WOULD DELIGHT THE ORIGINAL COMPOSER.
IMPROVISATION IN ETHICS AND IN LIFE
MEANS THAT WE KNOW THE MIND OF JESUS SO WELL
THAT WE CAN GO OFF ON OUR OWN
AND STILL BE FAITHFUL TO JESUS’ WAY OF DOING THINGS.
AMEN.