THE CHOICE OF LIFE
Mark 3:1-6; Colossians 2:6-10
Rev. Paul Wrightman 7/28/24
JIM SMITH WENT TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING.
HE HEARD THE ORGANIST MISS A NOTE DURING THE PRELUDE,
AND HE WINCED.
HE SAW SOMEONE TALKING WHEN EVERYONE
WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HEADS BOWED IN SILENT PRAYER.
HE FELT LIKE THE USHER WAS WATCHING TO SEE
WHAT HE PUT IN THE OFFERING PLATE, AND IT MADE HIM BOIL.
HE CAUGHT THE PREACHER MAKING A SLIP OF THE TONGUE
FIVE TIMES IN THE SERMON BY ACTUAL COUNT.
AS HE SLIPPED OUT THE SIDE DOOR DURING THE CLOSING HYMN,
HE MUTTERED TO HIMSELF,
"NEVER AGAIN; WHAT A BUNCH OF CLODS AND HYPOCRITES!
RON JONES WENT TO CHURCH ONE SUNDAY MORNING.
HE HEARD THE ORGANIST PLAY AN ARRANGEMENT
OF "A MIGHTY FORTRESS" AND HE THRILLED AT THE MAJESTY OF IT.
HE HEARD A YOUNG WOMAN TAKE A MOMENT IN THE SERVICE
TO SPEAK HER SIMPLE MOVING MESSAGE
OF THE DIFFERENCE HER FAITH MAKES IN HER LIFE.
HE WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT THE CHURCH
WAS SHARING IN A SPECIAL OFFERING
FOR THE HUNGRY CHILDREN OF NIGERIA.
HE ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED THE SERMON THAT SUNDAY --
IT ANSWERED A QUESTION THAT HAD BOTHERED HIM
FOR A LONG TIME.
HE THOUGHT AS HE WALKED OUT THE DOORS OF THE CHURCH,
"HOW CAN SOMEONE COME HERE AND NOT FEEL
THE PRESENCE OF GOD?"
BOTH PERSONS WENT TO THE SAME CHURCH
ON THE SAME SUNDAY MORNING.
EACH FOUND WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR.
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE TEXT CLOSELY PARALLELS
THE SITUATION JUST DESCRIBED.
A DELEGATION OF PHARISAIC SPIES
FROM THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT IN JERUSALEM
WAS THERE IN THE SYNAGOGUE.
AS WAS THE CUSTOM FOR PROMINENT VISITORS,
THEY WERE SEATED IN PLACES OF HONOR IN THE VERY FRONT.
THEY HAD ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS
THAT JESUS WAS A DANGER TO THEIR RIGID INTERPRETATION
OF THE LAW, AND WERE THERE TO FIND FAULT WITH HIM.
JESUS IS IN THE SYNAGOGUE FOR SABBATH SERVICE.
HIS OPPONENTS ARE THERE AS WELL, HOPING TO CATCH HIM OUT.
ALSO PRESENT IS A MAN WITH A PARALYZED HAND.
THE STAGE IS SET FOR A VOLCANIC CONFRONTATION.
ACCORDING TO THE NARROW INTERPRETATION
OF THE SABBATH LAW ENDORSED BY MANY OF THE PHARISEES,
IT WAS UNLAWFUL TO HEAL ON THE SABBATH.
IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE AN INSULT TO GOD,
AND WAS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH.
IMAGINE THE SOLEMN DELEGATION OF PHARISEES
ALREADY SITTING IN THE FRONT SEATS
WAITING TO CONDEMN JESUS.
ALSO THERE WAS THE MAN WITH THE PARALYZED HAND.
JESUS ENTERS.
HE QUICKLY SEES THE MAN IN NEED OF HEALING.
HE SEES AS WELL THE REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT
WHO FORBID HIM TO HEAL ON THE SABBATH.
JESUS CALLS THE MAN NEEDING TO BE HEALED
TO JOIN HIM UP FRONT.
THEN HE ASKS THE DELEGATION OF PHARISEES
THE POINTED QUESTION:
"IS IT LAWFUL TO DO GOOD OR TO DO HARM ON THE SABBATH,
TO SAVE LIFE OR TO KILL?" (Mark 3:4)
IN PUTTING THE QUESTION TO THEM IN THIS WAY,
JESUS IS MAKING THE POINT
THAT HUMAN NEED TAKES PRECEDENCE
OVER RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE.
AS HE HAS SAID EARLIER IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK --
A STATEMENT ECHOED IN MATTHEW AND LUKE:
"THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR PEOPLE,
NOT PEOPLE FOR THE SABBATH." (Mark 2:27)
SO JESUS ASKS THE SELF-PROCLAIMED GUARDIANS OF THE LAW
ASSEMBLED IN FRONT OF HIM HIS POINTED QUESTION:
"IS IT LAWFUL TO DO GOOD OR TO DO HARM ON THE SABBATH,
TO SAVE LIFE OR TO KILL?"
THEIR RESPONSE? STONY, STUBBORN SILENCE,
A SILENCE INSISTING THAT THEIR NARROW INTERPRETATION
OF THE LAW WAS CORRECT,
A SILENCE INVITING JESUS TO DEFY THEM IF HE DARED.
AND JESUS DID DARE.
I FIND IT SIGNIFICANT THAT THE TEXT AT THIS POINT
MENTIONS A POWERFUL FEELING RESPONSE ON THE PART OF JESUS:
"HE LOOKED AROUND AT THEM WITH ANGER;
HE WAS GRIEVED AT THEIR HARDNESS OF HEART." (Mark 3:5)
THEN, IN ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC CONFRONTATIONS
BETWEEN HIM AND THE PHARISEES IN THE GOSPELS,
JESUS SAYS TO THE MAN WITH THE PARALYZED HAND
STANDING IN THE FRONT OF THE SYNAGOGUE WITH HIM,
"STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND."
HE STRETCHED IT OUT, AND HIS HAND WAS RESTORED.
OUR TEXT CONCLUDES WITH THE OBSERVATION THAT
"THE PHARISEES WENT OUT AND IMMEDIATELY CONSPIRED
WITH THE HERODIANS AGAINST HIM, HOW TO DESTR0Y HIM."
(Mark 3:6)
THE PHARISEES JOINING FORCES WITH THE HERODIANS
WAS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL.
THE PHARISEES WERE PIOUS DEFENDERS
OF A VERY NARROW INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW.
THE HERODIANS WERE SUPPORTERS
OF THE LAWLESSNESS OF THE FOUR DECADENT SONS OF HEROD.
THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BRING THESE TWO
INCOMPATIBLE GROUPS TOGETHER
WAS A SHARED HATRED OF SOMEONE STRONGER THAN
THEIR HUGE DIFFERENCES.
JESUS WAS A DIRECT AND IMMANENT THREAT
TO THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT IN JERUSALEM.
BOTH THE PHARISEES AND THE HERODIANS
WERE DEPENDENT ON THAT RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT
FOR THEIR IDENTITY.
THE PHARISEES NEEDED THE ESTABLISHMENT TO BACK UP
THEIR NARROW INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW;
THE HERODIANS KEPT THEIR POLITICAL POWER INTACT
BY SUPPORTING THE JERUSALEM PRIESTHOOD
AND COLLABORATING WITH THE ROMANS.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, WHAT WE LEARN
FROM TODAY'S SCRIPTURE TEXT IS THAT
VERY EARLY IN JESUS' MINISTRY THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT
WAS ALREADY BOUND AND DETERMINED TO DO AWAY WITH HIM.
THE HOSTILITY TOWARD JESUS ON THE PART
OF THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS TIME
HAS BEEN WRONGLY USED BY SOME CHRISTIANS
TO BLAME THE JEWISH TRADITION AS A WHOLE
FOR THE DEATH OF JESUS.
INDEED, OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT FOR TODAY
HAS BEEN USED BY CERTAIN CHRISTIANS
PRECISELY TO MAKE THIS POINT.
WHAT THESE ANTI-SEMITIC CHRISTIANS JUST DON'T GET
IS THAT JESUS IS JUST AS CRITICAL, JUST AS CONFRONTATIONAL,
WITH THE VARIOUS RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS
WITHIN CHRISTIANITY ITSELF.
JESUS' HEART WAS BROKEN AT THE ABUSES OF THE JUDAISM
OF HIS DAY.
JESUS' HEART IS BROKEN JUST AS MUCH BY THE ABUSES
OF THE RELIGIOUS TRADITION WHICH NAMES ITSELF AFTER HIM:
CHRISTIANITY.
THE ABUSES OF THE SCRIBES, PHARISEES, AND PRIESTS OF JESUS' DAY
HAVE ALL FOUND A WELCOME HOME WITHIN CHRISTIANITY:
A RIGID, NARROW INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE;
A WHOLESALE REJECTION OF THE EQUAL STATUS
OF WOMEN WITH MEN IN TERMS OF DISCIPLESHIP;
A WHOLESALE REJECTION OF JESUS' INSISTENCE ON NONVIOLENCE;
A TURNING OF JESUS' EMPHASIS
ON SIMPLE LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR
INTO A RELIGION STIFF WITH DOCTRINE AND DOGMA.
ALL THESE ABERRATIONS, AND MANY MORE,
HAVE FOUND A WARM WELCOME WITHIN CHRISTIANITY ITSELF.
JESUS WAS HARD ON JUDAISM BECAUSE HE WAS JEWISH.
JESUS IS HARD ON CHRISTIANITY BECAUSE IT CLAIMS HIM
AS ITS FOUNDER AND LEADING LIGHT.
THIS BRINGS ME TO A PERSONAL THEORY OF MINE.
I SUSPECT THAT GOD'S INTENT IN SENDING JESUS
WAS NEITHER TO FOUND A NEW RELIGION, NAMELY CHRISTIANITY,
NOR TO REJECT AN OLD RELIGION, NAMELY JUDAISM.
NO, I SUSPECT THAT GOD SENT JESUS TO CRITIQUE ALL RELIGIONS
BY CALLING THEM BACK TO THEIR DEEPEST ROOTS.
GOD SENT JESUS TO SHOW AND TELL US ONCE-AND-FOR-ALL
THAT GOD IS A GOD OF COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS,
JUSTICE, PEACE, AND LOVE.
SIGNIFICANTLY, ALL SEVEN OF THE WORLD'S
MAJOR RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS TODAY -- HINDUISM, BUDDHISM,
CONFUCIANISM, TAOISM, JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND ISLAM --
ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT GOD IS A GOD OF
COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, JUSTICE, PEACE, AND LOVE.
THIS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT
THE CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
TOWARD FAITH TRADITIONS OTHER THAN OUR OWN.
TOO MANY CHRISTIANS ARE OF THE OPINION
THAT ALL OTHER RELIGIONS ARE INFERIOR TO CHRISTIANITY.
INDEED, MANY WHO CALL THEMSELVES FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
STAUNCHLY MAINTAIN THAT CHRISTIANS ARE THE ONLY ONES
WHO WILL MAKE IT INTO HEAVEN.
THIS IS NOT WHAT JESUS HIMSELF TAUGHT.
WHEN ASKED THE QUESTION
“WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?”
JESUS DID NOT RESPOND WITH A LIST OF DOCTRINES
THAT ONE HAD TO BELIEVE ABOUT HIMSELF
IN ORDER TO MERIT HEAVEN.
HE SIMPLY SAID “LOVE GOD AND NEIGHBOR.”
THE DIRECT IMPLICATION OF THIS IS THAT
ANYONE OF ANY FAITH TRADITION
WHO DOES THEIR BEST TO LOVE GOD AND NEIGHBOR IS “IN.”
THIS IS CORROBORATED BY THE JUDGMENT SCENE IN MATTHEW 25
WHERE JESUS TELLS US THAT ANYONE WHO FEEDS THE HUNGRY
AND WELCOMES THE STRANGER IS KNOWN AND LOVED BY GOD.
THE DIRECT IMPLICATION OF THIS IS THAT
ANYONE OF ANY FAITH TRADITION
WHO FEEDS THE HUNGRY AND WELCOMES THE STRANGER
IS KNOWN AND LOVED BY GOD.
SO OFTEN CHRISTIANS LOOK DOWN
ON EVERY OTHER FAITH TRADITION.
THEIR ATTITUDE IS LIKE THAT OF JIM SMITH
AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SERMON,
WHO COMES TO WORSHIP WITH A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE
AND FINDS ONE MISTAKE AFTER ANOTHER IN THE SERVICE.
SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER A SERMON SERIES
THAT I DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO CALLED “GODVIEWS.”
THOSE SERMONS DESCRIBED FIVE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO GOD –
TRADITIONALIST, DEVOTIONALIST, CONFESSIONALIST,
ALTRUIST, AND ACTIVIST –
HOW NO ONE PERSON CAN EMBRACE ALL FIVE,
BUT HOW ALL FIVE ARE NEEDED FOR A CHURCH
TO FAITHFULLY REFLECT THE MANY DIMENSIONS
OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
IN MUCH THE SAME WAY, I WOULD SUGGEST
THAT ALL THE WORLD’S GREAT FAITH TRADITIONS ARE NEEDED
TO FAITHFULLY REFLECT THE MANY DIMENSIONS
OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
THE VISION WE GET IS NOT A VISION OF ONLY ONE RELIGION
BEING TRUE, AND ALL THE REST FALSE,
BUT OF ALL THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS NEEDING EACH OTHER
TO EVEN BEGIN TO COMMUNICATE THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S BEING.
AS CHRISTIANS WE CAN RIGHTFULLY CLAIM
THAT JESUS DID GIVE US THE FINAL WORD
ON GOD’S COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, NONVIOLENCE, AND LOVE.
BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE WORLD’S
OTHER FAITH TRADITIONS DID NOT ALSO GIVE US
A FINAL WORD CONCERNING GOD –
HINDUISM’S HONORING OF ALL LIFE, FOR EXAMPLE,
OR THE BUDDHA’S TEACHING ON NON-ATTACHMENT.
JUST AS THE CHURCH NEEDS ALL FIVE GODVIEWS
PRESENT WITHIN ITSELF TO REALLY BE THE CHURCH,
THERE IS A VERY REAL SENSE IN WHICH EACH
OF THE WORLD’S GREAT RELIGIONS NEEDS THE OTHERS
TO COMPLEMENT AND ENLARGE
ITS OWN UNDERSTANDING OF GOD.
I'D LIKE TO END THIS SERMON BY RETURNING
TO THE CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE THAT ONE'S POINT-OF-VIEW,
OR ATTITUDE, CAN MAKE IN TERMS OF RELATING TO GOD.
THE TWO GUYS MENTIONED AT THE VERY BEGINNING
OF THIS SERMON, JIM SMITH AND RON JONES,
WOUND UP HAVING VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES
AT SAME WORSHIP SERVICE BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES
THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM.
THE PHARISEES IN TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING,
BY ALREADY MAKING UP THEIR MINDS THAT JESUS WAS BAD NEWS
WERE UNABLE TO SEE HIM AS GOOD NEWS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, BUT SOMETIMES NEED TO BE REMINDED OF,
OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE DIFFICULTIES WE EXPERIENCE IN LIFE
CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
TAKE THE FOLLOWING TRUE STORY FROM BOB RECCORD'S BOOK
FORGED BY FIRE:
"I HAD A SEVERE CERVICAL SPINE INJURY.
THE PAIN WAS SO EXCRUCIATING THAT THE HOSPITAL STAFF
COULDN'T DO AN MRI UNTIL I WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SEDATED.
THE MRI SHOWED MAJOR DAMAGE AT THREE MAIN POINTS
IN THE CERVICAL AREA.
BECAUSE OF THE SWELLING OF INJURED NERVE BUNDLES,
THE ONLY WAY I COULD RELIEVE THE PAIN
WAS TO USE A STRONG, PRESCRIBED NARCOTIC
AND TO LIE ON BAGS OF ICE.
SLEEP, WHAT LITTLE THERE WAS,
CAME ONLY BY SITTING IN A RECLINING CHAIR.
APPROXIMATELY FORTY-EIGHT HOURS
FROM THE ONSET OF THE INJURY,
DOCTORS ESTIMATED THAT I HAD LOST ABOUT 80 PERCENT
OF THE STRENGTH IN MY LEFT ARM.
THREE FINGERS ON MY LEFT HAND TOTALLY LOST FEELING.
THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENTS WOULD SEND PAIN WAVES
HURTLING DOWN MY LEFT SIDE AND SHOULDER.
I HAD TO STEP AWAY COMPLETELY FROM MY WORK (WHICH I LOVE)
AND WEAR A NECK BRACE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY
FOR FIVE WEEKS.
ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE,
I WAS SITTING ON THE SCREENED-IN PORCH
AT THE BACK OF OUR HOME.
THE DAY WAS COLD AND BLUSTERY,
BUT I NEEDED A CHANGE OF SCENERY.
SUDDENLY A BIRD LANDED ON THE RAILING AND BEGAN TO SING.
ON THAT COLD, RAINY DAY, I COULDN'T BELIEVE
ANY CREATURE HAD A REASON TO SING.
I WANTED TO SHOOT THAT BIRD!
BUT HE CONTINUED TO WARBLE,
AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LISTEN.
THE NEXT DAY I WAS ON THE PORCH AGAIN,
BUT THIS TIME IT WAS BRIGHT, SUNNY, AND WARM.
I WAS TEMPTED TO FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF
WHEN SUDDENLY THE BIRD
(AT LEAST IT LOOKED LIKE THE SAME ONE) RETURNED.
AND HE WAS SINGING AGAIN!
WHERE WAS THAT SHOTGUN?
THEN IT HIT ME:
THE BIRD SANG IN THE COLD RAIN AS WELL AS THE SUNNY WARMTH.
HIS SONG WAS NOT ALTERED BY OUTWARD CIRCUMSTANCES,
BUT HELD CONSTANT.
IT WAS AS THOUGH GOD QUIETLY SAID TO ME,
"YOU'VE GOT THE SAME CHOICE, BOB.
YOU WILL EITHER LET EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES
MOLD YOUR ATTITUDE,
OR YOUR ATTITUDE WILL RISE ABOVE
THE EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
YOU CHOOSE."
ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING ASPECTS OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
IS THAT THROUGH VARIOUS SPOKESPERSONS,
GOD ADMONISHES US OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO "CHOOSE LIFE!"
THE NEW TESTAMENT IS ALSO FILLED WITH THIS SENTIMENT,
AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER MAJOR WRITINGS
OF THE WORLD'S GREAT RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS.
A WAY OF LOOKING AT JESUS THAT I'VE FOUND TO BE HELPFUL
IS TO SEE HIM AS GOD'S PERSONAL ENVOY
URGING ALL GOD'S PEOPLE,
OF WHATEVER RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION,
TO CHOOSE LIFE.
ONE OF THE VERY BEST WAYS OF BEING A FOLLOWER OF JESUS, THEN, IS SIMPLY TO CHOOSE LIFE!
AMEN.