JESUS CHALLENGES US TO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF JUSTICE
Matthew 5:10; Isaiah 58:6-12
Rev. Paul Wrightman 8/14/22
TONY CAMPOLO, AN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN COMMITTED TO
SOCIAL JUSTICE AS JESUS UNDERSTOOD SOCIAL JUSTICE,
RELATES THE FOLLOWING:
“WHILE TEACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA,
I BECAME GOOD FRIENDS WITH A YOUNG JEWISH STUDENT
WHO EVENTUALLY MADE A COMMITMENT TO CHRIST.
AS I TRIED TO MENTOR HIM AND GIVE HIM DIRECTION
AS TO HOW TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, I ADVISED HIM
TO GO TO A PARTICULAR CHURCH THAT WAS WELL-KNOWN
FOR ITS BIBLICALLY BASED PREACHING, TO HELP HIM GET
A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT THE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT.
WHEN I MET MY FRIEND SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, HE SAID TO ME,
‘YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE AND ASKED THEM
TO TAKE THE BEATITUDES AND CREATE A RELIGION THAT
CONTRADICTED EVERY ONE OF THEM, YOU WOULD COME PRETTY
CLOSE TO WHAT I’M HEARING DOWN THERE AT THAT CHURCH.
WHEREAS JESUS SAID, ‘BLESSED ARE THE POOR,’ DOWN THERE
THEY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT IS THE RICH WHO ARE BLESSED.
JESUS SAID, ‘BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN,’ BUT THE PEOPLE
AT THAT CHURCH HAVE A RELIGION THAT PROMISES HAPPINESS
WITH NO SUFFERING.
WHEREAS JESUS TALKED ABOUT THE MEEK BEING BLESSED,
THEY TALK AS IF THEY TOOK ASSERTIVENESS-TRAINING COURSES.
JESUS MAY HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE MERCIFUL AND PEACEMAKERS,
BUT THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTERS
OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT I EVER MET.
JESUS MAY HAVE LIFTED UP THOSE WHO ENDURED PERSECUTION
BECAUSE THEY DARED TO EMBRACE A RADICAL GOSPEL,
BUT THAT CHURCH DECLARES A GOSPEL THAT ESPOUSES
MIDDLE-CLASS SUCCESS AND AFFIRMS A LIFESTYLE
MARKED BY SOCIAL PRESTIGE.”
COMPOLO CONTINUES: “AS I LISTENED TO MY FRIEND’S
ACCUSING WORDS ABOUT THE CHURCH, I REALIZED
THAT IT COULD JUST AS WELL BE AIMED AT ME.
SINCE THAT CONVERSATION, I’VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME REFLECTING
ON WHETHER OR NOT MY LIFESTYLE IS REALLY CHRISTIAN.”
(End Quote)
THERE IS A TROUBLING STATISTIC OUT THERE
THAT CURRENTLY EIGHTY PER CENT OF TWENTYSOMETHINGS
DO NOT ATTEND CHURCH.
BEHIND THAT TROUBLING STATISTIC IS THE EVEN MORE
TROUBLING STATISTIC THAT SIXTY PER CENT OF THESE
NON-CHURCH-GOING TWENTYSOMETHINGS
CONSIDERED THEMSELVES SEEKERS AT SOME POINT.
IN OTHER WORDS, SIXTY PER CENT OF THESE NON-CHURCH-GOING
TWENTYSOMETHINGS SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME
LOOKING FOR A CHURCH, AND AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS
OF FRUSTRATION, GAVE UP IN DISGUST.
THEY GAVE UP IN DISGUST BECAUSE THEIR OWN READING
OF THE GOSPELS – MOST NOTABLY, THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT –
ACTUALLY CONTRADICTED WHAT THEY FOUND BEING PREACHED
IN THE CHURCHES.
THEY FOUND EVANGELICAL, OR CONSERVATIVE, CHURCHES
IGNORING THE SOCIAL ACTION EMPHASIS OF JESUS, AND LIBERAL,
OR PROGRESSIVE, CHURCHES PREACHING, BUT NOT LIVING,
SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND OFTEN IGNORING OR DISCOUNTING
THE AUTHOR OF THE MESSAGE, JESUS HIMSELF.
MANY COMMENTATORS REPORT MORE INTEREST IN JESUS TODAY
THAN THEY HAVE SEEN IN DECADES.
BUT THEY ALSO REPORT A TRAGIC DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE JESUS
OF THE GOSPELS, AND THE JESUS BEING PREACHED,
OR NOT PREACHED, AS THE CASE MAY BE, IN THE CHURCHES.
AT LEAST IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, THIS CRITICISM
APPLIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE RELIGIOUS SPECTRUM,
PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC, LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE,
MAINLINE AND EVANGELICAL.
NOTHING COULD SPEAK MORE LOUDLY CONCERNING
THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHURCH TODAY THAN THE FACT
THAT MILLIONS OF PERSONS IN THEIR TWENTIES HAVE TRIED,
AND TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY, TO FIND THE JESUS OF THE GOSPELS
IN MULTIPLE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS CLAIMING THE NAME
“CHRISTIAN.”
DEFINITELY NOT HELPING MATTERS ARE A SPATE OF RECENT
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS WHICH SEEM TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY
TO DAMPEN, OR DOWNPLAY, WHENEVER POSSIBLE,
THE RADICAL SOCIAL JUSTICE MESSAGE OF JESUS BY CHOOSING
A “SPIRITUAL” WORD IN PREFERENCE TO A WORD
WITH POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC CONNOTATIONS.
A GOOD CASE IN POINT IS TODAY’S BEATITUDE, WHICH READS IN
BOTH THE SO-CALLED “LIBERAL” NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION
AND THE SO-CALLED “CONSERVATIVE” NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION AS
“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED
FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE.”
APPARENTLY THE REAL JESUS IS SIMPLY TOO RADICAL
FOR BOTH THE CONSERVATIVE AND THE LIBERAL
RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS.
OUR BEATITUDE SHOULD READ “JOYFUL ARE THOSE
WHO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.”
THIS TRANSLATION MAKES ALL OF US,
BOTH LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE, MUCH MORE UNEASY.
THIS TRANSLATION MAKES SOME OF MY CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN FRIENDS UNEASY BECAUSE THEY CAN NO LONGER CLAIM THE HONOR
OF BEING “PERSECUTED” BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKED TO LEAVE,
HAVING THREATENED SOMEONE WITH HELL BECAUSE THEY REJECTED
THEIR ADMONITION TO ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
JESUS IS TALKING IN THIS BEATITUDE ABOUT SUFFERING
FOR JUSTICE, NOT DOCTRINE.
THIS TRANSLATION MAKES ME AND SOME OF MY MAINLINE
TO PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN FRIENDS UNEASY BECAUSE WE DO
A MUCH BETTER JOB OF TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE
THAN ACTUALLY LIVING OUT SOCIAL JUSTICE.
I FIND IT TELLING THAT DIETRICH BONHOEFFER,
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHRISTIAN THINKERS AND DO-ERS
OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, CREDITS THIS PARTICULAR BEATITUDE,
WHICH HE TRANSLATES AS “BLESSED ARE THOSE
WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF JUSTICE,”
WITH GIVING HIM ALL THE GUIDANCE HE NEEDED TO OPPOSE HITLER
AND TO SUFFER IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
IT’S NOT SURPRISING THAT BONHOEFFER RAILED AGAINST
THE NATIONAL – AND NATIONALISTIC – RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT
OF HIS DAY AS HAVING SOLD OUT TO WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS
“CHEAP GRACE.”
SADLY, BONHEOFFER’S WORDS ARE JUST AS APPLICABLE
TO THE UNITED STATES TODAY AS THEY WERE TO GERMANY
IN THE 1930’S.
“CHEAP GRACE,” ACCORDING TO BONHEOFFER, IS GRACE THAT STOPS
IN THE HEAD OR IN THE HEART OF ONE CLAIMING THE NAME
“CHRISTIAN,” WITHOUT BEING EXPRESSED IN THE RISKS
AND SACRIFICES OF BEING A REAL FOLLOWER OF THE REAL JESUS,
WHO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WAS A REAL PROPHET WHO TOOK ON
THE RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENTS OF HIS DAY.
BONHEOFFER’S BEST-KNOWN BOOK, “THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP,”
CENTERS ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND ON THE CRUCIAL
DISTINCTION BETWEEN “CHEAP” AND “COSTLY” GRACE.
IRONICALLY, “COSTLY” GRACE – THE DIFFICULT CHALLENGE
OF REAL DISCIPLESHIP – WAS EXACTLY WHAT THOSE SIXTY PERCENT
OF TWENTYSOMETHINGS WHO GAVE UP ON CHRISTIANITY
WERE LOOKING FOR IN A CHURCH, BUT COULDN’T FIND.
THE PRICE OF CHOOSING “COSTLY” OVER “CHEAP” GRACE
IS POWERFULLY ILLUSTRATED IN THE FOLLOWING TRUE STORY
FROM FRED CRADDOCK, WHICH DATES FROM THE DAYS
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
I’VE USED THIS, AND THE FOLLOWING CRADDOCK ILLUSTRATION,
BEFORE, BUT THERE ARE NONE BETTER IN TERMS
OF PROVIDING A PICTURE OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE
TO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF JUSTICE.
CRADDOCK WRITES:
“I USED TO GO HOME TO WEST TENNESSEE, WHERE AN OLD
HIGH SCHOOL CHUM OF MINE HAD A RESTAURANT.
I CALLED HIM BUCK.
I’D GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, GO TO HIS RESTAURANT,
AND GET A PIECE OF CHESS PIE AND A CUP OF COFFEE FREE.
‘MERRY CHRISTMAS, BUCK,’ I’D SAY.
EVERY YEAR IT WAS THE SAME.
I WENT IN, ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS, BUCK.’
HE SAID, ‘LET’S GO FOR COFFEE.’
I SAID, ‘WHAT’S THE MATTER? ISN’T THIS THE RESTAURANT?’
HE SAID, ‘I DON’T KNOW. SOMETIMES I WONDER.’
WE WENT FOR COFFEE.
WE SAT THERE AND PRETTY SOON HE SAID,
‘DID YOU SEE THE CURTAIN?’
I SAID, ‘BUCK, I SAW THE CURTAIN. I ALWAYS SEE THE CURTAIN.’
WHAT HE MEANT BY “CURTAIN” IS THIS:
THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS IN THAT LITTLE TOWN;
THEY’RE CALLED SHOTGUN BUILDINGS.
THEY’RE LONG BUILDINGS AND HAVE TWO ENTRANCES,
FRONT AND BACK.
ONE’S OFF THE STREET, AND ONE’S OFF THE ALLEY,
WITH A CURTAIN AND THE KITCHEN IN THE MIDDLE.
HIS RESTAURANT IS IN ONE OF THOSE.
IF YOU’RE WHITE, YOU COME OFF THE STREET;
IF YOU’RE BLACK, YOU COME OFF THE ALLEY.
HE SAID, ‘DID YOU SEE THE CURTAIN?’
I SAID, ‘I SAW THE CURTAIN.’
HE SAID, ‘THE CURTAIN HAS TO COME DOWN.’
I SAID, ‘GOOD. BRING IT DOWN.’
HE SAID, ‘THAT’S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY. COME IN HERE
FROM OUT OF STATE AND TELL ME HOW TO RUN MY BUSINESS.’
I SAID, ‘OKAY, LEAVE IT UP.’
HE SAID, ‘I CAN’T LEAVE IT UP.’
I SAID, ‘WELL, THEN TAKE IT DOWN.’
‘I CAN’T TAKE IT DOWN,’ HE SAID.
HE’S IN TERRIBLE SHAPE.
AFTER A WHILE HE SAID, ‘IF I TAKE THAT CURTAIN DOWN,
I LOSE A LOT OF MY CUSTOMERS.
IT I LEAVE THAT CURTAIN UP, I LOSE MY SOUL.’”
CRADDOCK’S FRIEND EVENTUALLY CHOSE SOUL
OVER CUSTOMERS AND THE CURTAIN CAME DOWN.
BUT THE CHOICE WASN’T EASY.
ALMOST EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING ARGUED AGAINST
THE CURTAIN’S COMING DOWN: THE CULTURE IN THE SOUTH
AT THAT TIME, THE VAST MAJORITY OF BUCK’S FRIENDS,
AND EVEN BUCK’S CHURCH ARGUED FOR THE CURTAIN
STAYING UP.
BUT BUCK FOLLOWED HIS OWN VERSION OF
“WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?”, AND IN ASKING THIS QUESTION
IT BECAME CLEAR TO HIM THAT THE JESUS OF THE GOSPELS –
OFTEN IN CONTRAST TO THE JESUS OF THE CHURCH –
WOULD TEAR DOWN ANY BARRIER OF SEPARATION, OR SEGREGATION, BETWEEN PEOPLE.
“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF JUSTICE.”
TRAGICALLY, CHRISTIANS OFTEN EXCEL IN PUTTING DOWN –
EVEN REJECTING – OTHER CHRISTIANS.
AGAIN, FRED CRADDOCK OFFERS A POWERFUL REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE,
THIS ONE NOT FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
OF THE 50’S, 60’S, AND 70’S, BUT QUITE CONTEMPORARY.
TO QUOTE CRADDOCK:
“WHEN I TAUGHT IN OKLAHOMA, THERE WAS A MAN
THAT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IMPROVING THE QUALITY
OF PREACHING IN THE CHURCHES.
WELL, AREN’T WE ALL?
BUT HE HAD A LOT OF MONEY, AND THE PRESIDENT OF OUR
LITTLE SCHOOL – WE WERE HANGING BY OUR FINANCIAL
FINGERNAILS – SAID ‘I BELIEVE HE’S GOING TO GIVE SOME MONEY
FOR THE PREACHING PROGRAM.’
WELL, I TAUGHT PREACHING.
HE SAID, ‘I’D LIKE FOR YOU TO GO WITH ME TO TALK TO HIM.’
WE MADE SEVERAL VISITS; THEY CALL IT CULTIVATION.
THE GUY HAD A LOT OF MONEY.
FINALLY, THE PRESIDENT CALLED ME AND SAID, ‘HE’S GOING
TO MAKE A GIFT, A SIZABLE GIFT. YOU WANT TO GO ALONG?’
‘OH YEAH, I’D LOVE TO BE THERE.’
WELL, I WENT WITH THE PRESDIENT; WE WENT BY CAR.
DROVE OVER THERE TO THE MAN’S OFFICE.
HE WAS READY FOR US.
HAD STUFF OUT ON HIS DESK.
HE SAID, BEFORE WE FINISH THIS, I THINK WE OUGHT TO PRAY.’
OH YEAH, I HAD A PRAYER, BUT I DIDN’T PRAY.
AND THE PRESIDENT DIDN’T PRAY.
THE MAN PRAYED HIMSELF.
HE HAD THE MONEY, HE HAD THE PRAYER,
HE HAD THE WHOLE THING.
HE HAD THE PRAYER. ‘AMEN.’
‘AMEN.’
HE TOOK HIS PEN AND STARTED TO SIGN HIS NAME.
THE LAWYER APPARENTLY HAD FIXED EVERYTHING OUT,
WE’RE TALKING BIG GIFT HERE.
HE TOOK HIS PEN, AND JUST BEFORE HE PUT HIS NAME DOWN
HE LOOKED UP AND SAID,
‘NOW, THIS ALL GOES FOR THE PREACHING PROGRAM?’
‘YES, SIR, THAT’S WHAT IT GOES FOR.’
HE STARTED TO WRITE.
HE SAID, ‘NOW YOU DO UNDERSTAND, NONE OF THIS GOES
FOR WOMEN OR BLACKS?’
THE PRESDIENT STOOD UP, I STOOD UP, AND THE PRESIDENT SAID,
‘I’M SORRY, WE CANNOT ACCEPT YOUR MONEY
UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.’ WE STARTED TO LEAVE.
THE MAN SAID, ‘WELL, THERE ARE PLENTY OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
THAT WILL.’
I WANTED TO STAY AND TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT,
BUT IT WAS ALL OVER.
WE WERE SILENT ALL THE WAY HOME.
THAT MAN HAD GIVEN TO SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES
OVER SIXTY MILLION DOLLARS, BUT NOT A PENNY OF IT TO GO
TO THE WOMEN OR THE BLACKS, YOU UNDERSTAND?”
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF COSTLY GRACE IN ACTION.
(PAUSE)
AS I SAT AT MY DESK TYPING OUT THIS SERMON ILLUSTRATION,
I FOUND MYSELF FEELING VERY SMUG, VERY SUPERIOR
TO THIS WEALTHY CHRISTIAN HYPOCRITE.
I COULD HEAR JESUS SAYING TO HIM, AS HE SAID
TO THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, “WOE TO YOU!”
BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THE TABLES BEING TURNED –
TURNED ON ME!
I FELT GOD ASKING ME THE QUESTION,
“SO. . .WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN TERMS
OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?
IT’S EASY – EVEN SOMEWHAT FASHIONABLE IN “ENLIGHTENED”
CHURCHES LIKE OURS TO PREACH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
FOR WOMEN AND AFRICAN AMERICANS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS?
WHAT ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR NATIVE AMERICANS?
WHAT ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY?
AND WHAT ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR THE WELL-BEING
OF THE PLANET?”
I FELT GOD CHALLENGING ME AND SAYING:
“YOU HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE FROM WHAT JESUS DID
IN THE GOSPELS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT JESUS WOULD WANT
YOU TO DO ABOUT THESE SITUATIONS TODAY.
WHAT PART OF FEEDING THE HUNGRY, WELCOMING THE STRANGER,
AND SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?”
AS I HAVE OFTEN FOUND TO BE THE CASE,
PREACHING IS A DANGEROUS ACTIVITY,
DANGEROUS FOR YOU, AND DANGEROUS FOR ME.
WE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE CALLED TO LIVE OUT THE BEATITUDES,
AND NOT JUST THE SEEMINGLY “EASY” ONES LIKE
“BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT,” AND
“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN.”
WE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE CALLED TO LIVE OUT
THE IMPOSSIBLY DIFFICULT BEATITUDES,
LIKE LAST WEEK’S ABOUT PEACEMAKING, OR THIS WEEK’S
ABOUT BEING WILLING TO ACTUALLY SUFFER
FOR THE SAKE OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE,
WHICH TRANSLATED INTO EVEN MORE CONCRETE TERMS
MEANS MAKING REAL SACRIFICES FOR THE WELL-BEING
OF OTHERS AND OF OUR PLANETARY HOME.
AMEN.