BREAKING THE CHAINS OF INJUSTICE – THE ACTIVIST GODVIEW
Luke 4:16-20 1/2/22
THE SCRIPTURE TEXT YOU JUST HEARD
WAS JESUS’ VERY FIRST PUBLIC PROCLAMATION
OF HIS VISION FOR HIS MINISTRY.
I CHOSE THIS READING BECAUSE IT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES
THAT JESUS WAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AN ACTIVIST.
SOME CHRISTIANS ARE EMBARRASSED BY THE FACT THAT
IF JESUS HAD LIVED TODAY HE WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED
TO BE A “RADICAL.”
HE NEVER WAVERED IN HIS COMMITMENT
TO A NONVIOLENT APPROACH TO SOCIAL CHANGE,
BUT JESUS WAS EQUALLY UNWAVERING IN HIS INSISTENCE
THAT SOCIAL CHANGE IN TERMS OF THE RIGHTING OF INJUSTICE
WAS ONE OF GOD’S TOP PRIORITIES.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE OF WORDS
FROM JESUS’ INAUGURAL ADDRESS
AT THE SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH.
THEY WILL GIVE US A GOOD IDEA
OF HOW JESUS UNDERSTOOD THE ACTIVIST DIMENSION
OF HIS MINISTRY AND TO WHOM IN PARTICULAR
HE SAW IT DIRECTED.
FIRST, THE WORD POOR.
THE BIBLICAL WORD “POOR” MEANS FOUNDATIONALLY,
AND ALWAYS PREDOMINATELY, THE ECONOMICALLY POOR.
JESUS’ GOOD NEWS FOR THE ECONOMICALLY POOR
INVOLVES A RADICAL REVISIONING
OF THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRUCTURES OF HIS DAY – AND OURS.
IT CHALLENGES THE POWERS-THAT-BE IN HIS DAY,
AND THE POWERS-THAT-BE IN OUR DAY
TO RETURN TO GOD’S VISION OF JUSTICE
AS EXPRESSED IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES,
WHERE NO ONE HAD TOO MUCH AND NO ONE HAD TOO LITTLE.
SECOND THE WORD “PRISONERS.”
WE COME TO REALIZE DURING THE COURSE OF JESUS’ MINISTRY
THAT “FREEDOM FOR THE PRISONERS,”
WHILE CERTAINLY INCLUDING THE MANY
WHO WERE UNJUSTLY IMPRISONED
FOR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REASONS,
REFERS AS WELL TO THOSE IMPRISONED
IN THEIR NARROW AND RIGID INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE –
THE SCRIBES, PHARISEES, AND PRIESTS IN PARTICULAR.
JESUS’ EMPHASIS ON THE POOR AND ON PRISONERS
AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY
WAS A CLEAR AND CHALLENGING ANNOUNCEMENT
THAT HE UNDERSTOOD GOD AS HAVING A SPECIAL PLACE
IN GOD’S HEART FOR THOSE WHO WERE SYSTEMICALLY EXCLUDED
BY THE SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS
OF HIS DAY – AND OURS.
THIS MORNING CONCLUDES OUR SHORT SERMON SERIES
ON “GODVIEWS,” A NEW PARADIGM OF LOOKING AT HOW
DIFFERENT PEOPLE APPROACH GOD AND CHURCH
IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE FIVE BASIC GODVIEWS,
EACH OF THEM ENDORSED BY SCRIPTURE AND BY JESUS,
AND ALL OF THEM EQUAL IN IMPORTANCE.
TRADITIONALISTS, AS THEIR NAME IMPLIES,
ARE CHRISTIANS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO HONORING
THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF THEIR LOCAL CHURCH,
AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CHURCH
CARRIES ITS HISTORY AND TRADITIONS FORWARD,
ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF NECESSARY CHANGE.
DEVOTIONALISTS APPROACH GOD
THROUGH THE WARMTH AND CLOSENESS
OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.
WORSHIP AND PRAYER ARE THE DEFINING REALITIES
OF THEIR CONNECTION WITH GOD AND CHURCH.
CONFESSIONALISTS ARE CHRISTIANS DEEPLY COMMITTED
TO CONFESSING, OR AFFIRMING, THE TRUTH ABOUT
GOD, JESUS, AND THE BIBLE.
THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH,
AND WHEN THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE FOUND IT,
PASSIONATE ABOUT COMMUNICATING THIS TRUTH TO OTHERS.
ALTRUISTS, WHOSE NAME DERIVES FROM ALTRUISM,
WHICH THE DICTIONARY DEFINES AS
“THE PRACTICE OF SELFLESS CONCERN FOR THE WELL-BEING
OF OTHERS,”
ARE CHRISTIANS WHO WANT TO EMBODY IN THEIR LIVES
THE COMPASSION, CARE, AND CONCERN FOR THOSE IN NEED
THAT JESUS EMBODIED IN HIS LIFE.
ACTIVIST CHRISTIANS, THE GODVIEW WE WILL LOOKING AT TODAY,
SHARE THE DEEP CONCERN FOR THOSE IN NEED
OF THEIR ALTRUIST BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
HOWEVER, THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN DO MORE
TO HELP IN THE LONG RUN
BY CHALLENGING AND CHANGING THE BROKEN SOCIAL SYSTEMS
THAT CAUSE PEOPLE TO BE POOR, HOMELESS,
AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN THE FIRST PLACE.
LAST WEEK, WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING THE ALTRUIST GODVIEW,
WE SAW HOW THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ALTRUIST TEXTS IN SCRIPTURE.
TONY CAMPOLO, A WELL-KNOWN EVANGELICAL ACTIVIST,
USES THIS VERY PARABLE AS THE BASIS
FOR DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN ALTRUISTS AND ACTIVISTS:
“CHRISTIANS DO AN EXCELLENT JOB OF BEING GOOD SAMARITANS.
WHENEVER THE SOCIAL SYSTEM GRINDS OUT CASUALITIES,
THE CHURCH IS MORE THAN READY
TO PICK UP THOSE CASUALITIES,
PATCH UP THEIR WOUNDS,
AND SEND THEM BACK
TO TAKE THEIR PLACE IN THE SYSTEM ONCE AGAIN.
BUT IT DOES VERY LITTLE TO TRY TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM ITSELF.
THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN DESCRIBES A GOOD MAN
WHO RESCUES SOMEONE WHO,
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE ROAD
BETWEEN JERICHO AND JERUSALEM,
FALLS AMONG THIEVES.
WE ALL KNOW THE STORY OF HOW THE MAN
IS BATTERED AND BEATEN AND LEFT FOR DEAD,
AND HOW THE GOOD SAMARITAN COMES
AND PICKS HIM UP AND CLEANSES HIS WOUNDS
AND TAKES HIM TO A PLACE WHERE HE CAN BE CARED FOR
AND NURTURED BACK TO HEALTH.
IT’S A MOVING STORY AND INSPIRES US ALL TO DO GOOD WORKS.
THE THING WE MUST BEAR IN MIND
IS THAT THE GOOD SAMARITAN DID THE RIGHT THING
WHEN HE PICKED UP THE BANDITS’ VICTIM,
BUT IF EVERY DAY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE GET MUGGED
ON THE ROAD BETWEEN JERUSALEM AND JERICHO,
THERE COMES A POINT AT WHICH WE MUST REALIZE
THAT BEING GOOD SAMARITANS IS NOT ENOUGH.
AT SOME POINT, IF SUCH CRIMES ABOUND,
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT UP
A BETTER LIGHTING SYSTEM ON THE ROAD
AND PERHAPS HAVE IT PATROLLED BY POLICE,
AND PUT AN END TO PEOPLE BEING MUGGED
ON THAT DANGEROUS HIGHWAY.
IN SHORT, IT’S ONE THING TO CARE FOR THE CASUALTIES
FROM THE SYSTEM,
BUT SOONER OR LATER WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM
SO AS TO NOT HAVE SO MANY CASUALTIES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE CHURCH
IS GOD’S AMBULANCE SQUAD.
WE’RE GOOD AT THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT SOONER OR LATER WE HAVE TO DO MORE
THAN JUST HELP THOSE WHO FALL VICTIM
TO THE ABUSES OF AN UNJUST AND OPPRESSIVE SOCIETY.
SOONER OR LATER, THERE COMES A PONT AT WHICH
THE CALL OF GOD IS TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM ITSELF.”
(Tony Campolo, Let Me Tell You a Story, pp. 115-116.)
THIS ILLUSTRATION FROM CHRISTIAN ACTIVIST TONY CAMPOLO
NICELY MAKES THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN
ALTRUISTS AND ACTIVISTS.
IT ALSO NICELY REVEALS THE NOT-SO-SUBTLE SUPERIORITY
THAT IS EASY FOR CHRISTIAN ACTIVISTS TO DISPLAY
TOWARD CHRISTIAN ALTRUISTS.
AT THE END OF HIS ILLUSTRATION CAMPOLO REVEALS
THAT, TO HIS WAY OF THINKING AT LEAST,
ACTIVISM IS A STRONGER AND MORE CHRIST-LIKE WAY TO GO
THAN ITS WEAKER SIBLING, ALTRUISM.
ALTRUISTS WOULD RESPOND BY POINTING OUT
THAT IN ACTUALLY FEEDING THE HUNGRY TODAY,
THEY ARE KEEPING THEM FROM STARVING TODAY.
THEY WOULD ASK THE ACTIVISTS
HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE THEY ARE WILLING TO ALLOW TO DIE
WHILE THEY ARE DEVOTING ALL THEIR ENERGY
TO THE LABORIOUS, USUALLY PAINSTAKINGLY SLOW,
PROCESS OF CHANGING THE SYSTEM THAT PRODUCED THE HUNGER.
THIS IS WHERE THE GODVIEW PARADIGM CAN BE OF GREAT HELP.
IN RECOGNIZING THAT GOD CALLS DIFFERENT PEOPLE
TO DIFFERENT TASKS, ALL OF THEM IMPORTANT,
THE GODVIEW PARADIGM CAN HELP PREVENT
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHRISTIANS FROM CONSIDERING THEMSELVES
SUPERIOR TO OTHER TYPES OF CHRISTIANS.
IN HIS FAMOUS ANALOGY OF THE BODY
IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS, ST. PAUL WRITES:
“THERE ARE DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL GIFTS BUT THE SAME SPIRIT;
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT MINISTRIES, BUT THE SAME LORD,
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES BUT THE SAME GOD
WHO PRODUCES ALL OF THEM IN EVERYONE.
A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT
IS GIVEN TO EACH PERSON FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
…IF THE WHOLE BODY WERE AN EYE,
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE HEARING?
AND IF THE WHOLE BODY WERE AN EAR,
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE SENSE OF SMELL?
(1 Corinthians 12:6-7,17)
ECHOING ST. PAUL IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GODVIEW PARADIGM,
WE COULD SAY:
IF THE WHOLE CHURCH WERE COMPRISED
OF NOTHING BUT TRADITIONALISTS,
WHERE WOULD CREATIVE CHANGE COME FROM?
IF THE WHOLE CHURCH WERE COMPRISED
OF NOTHING BUT DEVOTIONALISTS,
WHO WOULD KEEP US ANCHORED TO HISTORY AND TRADITION?
IF THE WHOLE CHURCH WERE COMPRISED
OF NOTHING BUT CONFESSIONALISTS,
WHAT WOULD TRANSCEND ENDLESS THEOLOGICAL DEBATE?
IF THE WHOLE CHURCH WERE COMPRISED
OF NOTHING BUT ALTRUISTS,
WHERE WOULD THE IMPETUS COME FROM, FOR EXAMPLE,
TO TACKLE THE SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE OF SLAVERY?
IF THE WHOLE CHURCH WERE COMPRISED
OF NOTHING BUT ACTIVISTS,
WHO WOULD DO THE DAY-TO-DAY
REACHING OUT TO THOSE IN NEED?
IT’S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT A LOCAL CHURCH
NEEDS PERSONS REPRESENTING EACH GODVIEW
TO BE FULLY ALIVE.
OUR SCRIPTURE READING THIS MORNING,
JESUS’ INAUGURAL ADDRESS AT HIS HOMETOWN SYNAGOGUE
AT NAZARETH,
IS NOTHING LESS THAT AN ACTIVIST MANIFESTO
CONCERNING BASIC SYSTEMIC CHANGES
THAT JESUS WOULD NOT ONLY LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN,
BUT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HAPPEN.
AS WE HAVE SEEN,
WHEN JESUS TALKS ABOUT BRINGING GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR,
HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMICALLY POOR.
WHEN HE REFERS TO THE “YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR,”
HE IS CITING THE OLD TESTAMENT TRADITION OF JUBILEE,
WHERE EVERY FIFTIETH YEAR ALL LAND
WAS TO BE RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINAL OWNER.
THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO ARGUE FOR A QUIETIST,
NON-POLITICAL JESUS ARE SIMPLY AFRAID OF JESUS’ ACTIVISM.
THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE.
JESUS IS NOT ASKING ALL OF US TO BE ACTIVISTS.
AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS,
JESUS HIMSELF EMBODIES EACH GODVIEW.
FORTUNATELY, HE DOES NOT EXPECT US TO BE EXACTLY LIKE HIM
IN THIS RESPECT.
WHEN HE ADMONISHES US TO LOVE EACH OTHER,
HE IS ASKING US TO AFFIRM AND TO ENCOURAGE
THE PARTICULAR VIEW OF GOD
THAT OTHERS HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH.
THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO FOR EACH OTHER
IN TERMS OF THE ON-GOING LIFE OF OUR CHURCH,
IS TO APPRECIATE EACH OTHER’S DIFFERENCES,
AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS THESE VERY DIFFERENCES
THAT, TAKEN TOGETHER, ARE NEEDED TO MAKE
A VITAL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY.
ONE NOTE OF HISTORICAL INTEREST
BEFORE MOVING ON TO A CONCLUDING ILLUSTRATION:
HISTORIANS POINT OUT THAT IN LIVING OUT
THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS – LOVE OF GOD, SELF, AND OTHERS –
OUR CONGREGATIONALIST ANCESTORS IN NEW ENGLAND
WERE THE FIRST TO CATALOG
THOSE THINGS WHICH THEY CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL
TO THEIR OWN WELL-BEING.
THEN THEY ENSURED THAT EACH OF THEIR NEIGHBORS
HAD ACCESS TO THOSE SAME NECESSITIES.
THEN THEY DARED TO TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL:
IF I AM OBLIGATED AS A CHRISTIAN
TO ENSURE MY NEIGHBOR’S ACCESS TO BASIC NECESSITIES,
THEN MY NEIGHBOR HAS A RIGHT
TO EXPECT THOSE NEEDS TO BE MET.
THUS THE NOTION OF “HUMAN RIGHTS” WAS BORN IN THE CHURCH,
INTERESTINGLY, IN THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE BACKBONE
OF WHAT EVENTUALLY BECAME THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST.
IN GETTING TO KNOW THE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
OF COMMUNITY CHURCH,
YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN OF THE ACTIVIST TENDENCIES
OF QUITE A NUMBER OF OUR PEOPLE.
THESE ACTIVIST TENDENCIES INVOLVED
DEMONSTRATING AGAINST NUCLEAR WAR IN GENERAL
AND THE VIETNAM WAR IN PARTICULAR,
WORKING FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS,
WORKING FOR WOMEN’S EQUALITY,
AND DEMONSTRATING FOR THE RIGHTS OF GAY AMERICANS.
WHILE FOR MANY OF US OUR DAYS OF DEMONSTRATING ARE OVER,
IT IS STILL AN OPTION TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST
VARIOUS FORMS OF PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION
AS THEY OCCUR IN THE CONTEXT OF DAILY LIFE.
HERE IN CALIFORNIA, AND IN OUR OWN BACKYARD, SO TO SPEAK,
IT IS CRUCIAL FOR CHRISTIANS TO ADVOCATE FOR A LIVING WAGE
FOR THE MANY HISPANIC-AMERICANS
IN OUR AGRICULTURAL AND SERVICE INDUSTRIES.
I’D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH AN ILLUSTRATION
FROM THE LIFE OF FRED CRADDOCK,
A WELL-KNOWN DISCIPLES OF CHRIST MINISTER
AND PROFESSOR OF PREACHING:
“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.
‘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 PRESIDENT STOOD UP, I STOOD UP, AND THE PRESDIENT SAID,
‘I’M SORRY, WE CANNOT ACCEPT YOUR MONEY
UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.’
WE STARTED TO LEAVE.
THE MAN SAID, ‘WELL, THERE ARE PLENTY OF SCHOOLS THAT WILL.”
I WANTED TO STAY AND TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE,
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 IS TO GO TO WOMEN OR BLACKS,
YOU UNDERSTAND?” (End Quote)
THANK GOD FOR THE ACTIVISTS IN OUR MIDST,
WHO WILL GIVE US NO PEACE AS A CHURCH
UNTIL PEACE WITH JUSTICE BECOMES A REALITY
IN OUR COUNTRY AND IN OUR WORLD.
AMEN.