BACK TO THE ORIGINAL JESUS
Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 3:12-14
Rev. Paul Wrightman 3/3/24
OUR SECOND SCRIPTURE TEXT THIS MORNING,
FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS,
IS A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF WHAT JESUS MEANS
WHEN HE USES THE PHRASE “KINGDOM OF GOD.”
OUR PASSAGE EMPHASIZES COMPASSION, KINDNESS,
HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, PATIENCE, FORGIVENESS, AND LOVE –
PRECISELY THOSE CHARACTER TRAITS
THAT JESUS EMBODIED IN HIS OWN MINISTRY.
I’D LIKE TO CONTRAST THIS TEXT WITH AN EXPERIENCE
THAT THE AUTHOR DIANA BUTLER BASS DESCRIBES IN HER BOOK
CHRISTIANITY AFTER RELIGION:
SHE WRITES:
“THE GYM WAS PACKED FOR THE BACCALAUREATE SERVICE,
NOT ONLY WITH PEOPLE, BUT ALSO WITH ANTICIPATION,
BECAUSE A RESPECTED CHRISTIAN SCHOLAR WOULD BE PREACHING
ON THIS HAPPY ACADEMIC OCCASION.
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, I LOOKED FORWARD TO HEARING
HIS WORDS OF WISDOM.
GLANCING THROUGH THE PROGRAM,
I READ THE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE CHOSEN FOR THE OCCASION:
(PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11, OUR FIRST TEXT FROM THE BIBLE)
LET THE SAME MIND BE IN YOU THAT WAS IN CHRIST JESUS,
WHO, THOUGH HE WAS IN THE FORM OF GOD,
DID NOT REGARD EQUALITY WITH GOD
AS SOMETHING TO BE EXPLOITED,
BUT EMPTIED HIMSELF,
TAKING THE FORM OF A SLAVE,
BEING BORN IN HUMAN LIKENESS.
AND BEING FOUND IN HUMAN FORM,
HE HUMBLED HIMSELF
AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO THE POINT OF DEATH –
EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS.
THEREFORE GOD ALSO HIGHLY EXALTED HIM
AND GAVE HIM THE NAME
THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME,
SO THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS
EVERY KNEEE SHOULD BEND…
AND EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS
THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD,
TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.
I’D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS TEXT
BEFORE RETURNING TO DIANA BUTLER BASS.
THE FIRST PART OF OUR READING
IS A BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTION OF THE INCARNATION,
THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF
THAT GOD BECAME A PERSON IN THE PERSON OF JESUS.
IT EMPHASIZES THE HUMILITY OF JESUS EMPTYING HIMSELF,
STRIPPING OFF, SO-TO-SPEAK, HIS GODLY ATTRIBUTES OF
OMNISCIENCE, OMNIPOTENCE, AND OMNIPRESENCE,
IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A REAL HUMAN BEING.
THE SECOND PART OF THE TEXT
CELEBRATES GOD’S EXALTATION OF JESUS.
THE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL POINT IS THAT JESUS IS EXALTED PRECISELY
BECAUSE OF HIS HUMILITY AND NONVIOLENCE,
NONVIOLENCE TO THE POINT OF ACCEPTING A VIOLENT DEATH.
IMPLICITLY, THIS TEXT CHALLENGES THE VIOLENT
AND UNJUST KINGDOM OF THE ROMAN CAESAR –
WHO WAS CALLED “LORD” BY HIS SUBJECTS –
WITH THE COMPASSIONATE, JUST, NONVIOLENT,
AND LOVING KINGDOM OF JESUS –
WHO WAS ALSO CALLED “LORD” BY HIS FOLLOWERS.
THIS PASSAGE BEAUTIFULLY CAPTURES THE STARK CHOICE
WHICH THE EARLY CHURCH FACED BETWEEN
CAESAR AS LORD AND JESUS AS LORD.
IF ONE CHOSE CAESAR, ONE ALSO CHOSE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO
CAESAR’S VIOLENCE AND INJUSTICE.
IF ONE CHOSE JESUS, ONE ALSO CHOSE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO
JESUS’ COMPASSION, JUSTICE, AND NONVIOLENCE.
I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED TO SEE
THE SAME STARK CHOICE FACING AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TODAY.
THE UNITED STATES HAS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
WHO IS A SELF-STYLED CAESAR
WHO WOULD LIKE TO CLAIM ABSOLUTE POWER
AND WHO ENCOURAGES HIS FOLLOWERS
TO SEE HIM AS THEIR SAVIOR.
ALL TOO MANY EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS IN THIS COUNTRY
ARE HAPPY TO DO THIS.
INDEED, MANY OF THEM GO BEYOND THE GENERIC IMAGE
OF SAVIOR, AND PROCLAIM THIS PERSON TO BE
“THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.”
THEY ARE PROCLAIMING THIS PERSON AS “LORD,”
BUT THE KIND OF “LORD” THEY SEE IN HIM
IS INFINITELY CLOSER TO CAESAR AS LORD
RATHER THAN JESUS AS LORD.
LET’S NOW RETURN TO THE BACCALAUREATE SERVICE
DESCRIBED BY DIANA BUTLER BASS.
SHE CONTINUES:
“THE PREACHER MOUNTED THE PULPIT
DRESSED IN THE SCARLET REGALIA CONFERRED UPON HIM
BY A PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY,
THUS REMINDING THE AUDIENCE OF HIS AUTHORITY
TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE’S DEEPER MEANINGS.
AS EXPECTED, HE SPOKE OF
[JESUS’ SELF-EMPTYING] AND HUMILITY.
BUT THEN HIS TONE CHANGED.
HE TOLD US THAT THE WORD ‘LORD’
USED IN THE PASSAGE FROM PHILIPPIANS
WAS THE SAME WORD USED FOR CAESAR IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
(THIS WAS ALL PERFECTLY CORRECT.)
[BUT THEN HE WENT ON TO SAY]
HENCE, ‘JESUS CHRIST IS LORD’
WAS TO SAY ‘JESUS CHRIST IS CAESAR…’
HE CONTINUED LIKENING JESUS TO AN IMPERIALIST WARLORD
WHOSE TRIUMPH OVER RECALCITRANT SINNERS,
DOUBTERS, DISCONTENTS, AND REBELS WAS ASSURED.
EMPHASIZING JESUS’ REGAL GLORIFICATION,
HE TURNED GOD INTO A VENGEFUL KING
OUT TO GET THOSE WHO HAD KILLED HIS SON.
ODDLY ENOUGH, HIS TONE WAS NOT THAT
OF A HELLFIRE-AND BRIMSTONE EVANGELIST.
INSTEAD, THE ENTIRE LECTURE WAS DELIVERED
WITH STERN INTELLECTUAL CERTAINTY
AND DETACHED PROFESSORIAL AUTHORITY.
‘YOU WILL CONFESS JESUS IS LORD SOMEDAY,’
HE STATED COOLLY.
‘BELIEVE AND CONFESS THIS NOW.’”
(VERY MUCH A THREAT.)
BASS CONTINUES:
‘I WANTED TO RUN OUT OF THE GYM.
INSTEAD, I QUIETLY SLIPPED FROM MY SEAT
AND STOOD SHAKING OUTSIDE ON THE BALCONY.
A FRIEND, WHO WAS EQUALLY DISTRAUGHT, JOINED ME.
‘HOW COULD HE DO THAT? I EXCLAIMED.
HE TURNED JESUS INTO CAESAR,
A HIERARCHICAL AND TYRANNICAL MONSTER!’
MY FRIEND DRAPED HER ARM AROUND MY SHOULDER AND SAID,
“I THINK THAT’S WHAT HE HONESTLY BELIEVES.
THAT’S WHAT MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE.’
I LOOKED AT HER AND REPLIED HOPELESSLY,
‘HOW COULD I BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS LIKE CAESAR?
THAT’S NOT MY GOD,
AND IF THAT’S WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS,
I DON’T WANT ANY PART OF IT.’”
(Christianity After Religion, pp. 103-105)
AN OFT-REMARKED OBSERVATION
IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA
HAS BEEN THE STARTLING RISE IN PERCENTAGE POINTS
OF THE CATEGORY “UNAFFILIATED”
IN TERMS OF MEASURING RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
IN POLLS OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS.
THOSE CHECKING THE BOX “UNAFFILIATED”
COMPRISED 5% OF THE POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1972.
THAT PERCENTAGE HAS JUMPED TO 40% TODAY.
WHY THIS SHOCKING INCREASE?
--PRECISELY BECAUSE SO MANY AMERICANS
ARE NO LONGER WILLING TO PUT UP WITH THE DISSONANCE
BETWEEN WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY TAUGHT,
AND WHAT THE HUGE MAJORITY OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
SAY THAT JESUS TAUGHT.
THE PREACHER WHOM BASS DESCRIBES
AT THAT BACCALAUREATE SERVICE FELL INTO THE SAME TRAP
THAT THE BIBLICAL AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION FELL INTO:
PUTTING UP WITH JESUS’ INFINITE HUMILITY,
RELENTLESS COMPASSION, EXTRAVAGANT HOSPITALITY,
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, CREATIVE NONVIOLENCE
AND SACRIFICIAL LOVE DURING HIS ORIGINAL MINISTRY –
BUT WHEN JESUS COMES BACK – WATCH OUT!
THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION
HAS GOD – AND JESUS AS GOD’S INSTRUMENT –
REVERT TO THE SAME KIND OF VIOLENCE
THAT JESUS IN HIS ORIGINAL MINISTRY REJECTED.
THE BACCALAUREATE PREACHER’S INTERPRETATION
OF THE PASSAGE FROM PHILIPPIANS ACKNOWLEDGES
THE HUMILITY OF JESUS DURING HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY,
BUT GOES ON TO CELEBRATE THE VIOLENCE OF JESUS
WHEN HE RETURNS.
BY NOW IT’S A CHRISTIAN COMMONPLACE TO STATE
THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AT THE TIME OF JESUS
EXPECTED A WARRIOR-KING MESSIAH,
BUT THAT THE MESSIAH WHO ACTUALLY CAME IN JESUS
WAS THE OPPOSITE OF A WARRIOR-KING,
A PRINCE OF PEACE RATHER THAN A PRINCE OF WAR.
THIS INSIGHT IS OFTEN OFFERED IN THE CONTEXT
OF A CHRISTIAN ONE-UPS-MANSHIP ATTITUDE TOWARD JUDAISM:
“YOU GUYS GOT IT WRONG; US GUYS GOT IT RIGHT.”
--BUT THEN THE VAST MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS PROCEED TO
BRING BACK THEIR LONGING FOR A WARRIOR-KING MESSIAH
IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS’ RETURN, OR SECOND COMING,
WHEN HE COMES BACK MAD AS HELL
AND PROCEEDS TO WIPE OUT ALL HIS ENEMIES.
I THINK IT’S SELF-EVIDENT THAT THE NONVIOLENT,
SUFFERING SERVANT MESSIAH THAT JESUS HISTORICALLY WAS
HAS NOT BEEN ANY MORE POPULAR WITH MOST CHRISTIANS
THAN IT WAS WITH MOST OF THE PEOPLE
WHO IDENTIFIED WITH JUDAISAM IN THE FIRST CENTURY.
WE LIVE IN AN AGE WHEN A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE –
AFTER HAVING READ THE GOSPELS FOR THEMSELVES –
ARE NO LONGER WILLING TO PUT UP WITH
THE CONTRADICTION OF THE GOSPELS
PREACHED IN SO MANY CHURCHES.
TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION
OF A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DROPPING CHURCH AFFILIATION
PRECISELY IN ORDER TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE JESUS OF THE GOSPELS.
THE MEANING OF THE INCARNATION
IN TERMS OF GOD BECOMING MORE AND MORE FRUSTRATED
WITH THE VIOLENT PORTRAYALS OF GODSELF
AND DECIDING TO “SET-THE-RECORD-STRAIGHT,” SO TO SPEAK,
BY REVEALING GOD’S TRUE NATURE IN THE FORM OF A PERSON,
THAT PERSON BEING JESUS OF NAZARETH.
THIS IS WHAT THEOLOGIANS MEAN BY THE TERM “INCARNATION”:
THE CELEBRATION OF THE FACT THAT BY LOOKING AT JESUS
WE CAN SEE WHAT GOD IS ALL ABOUT.
IN JESUS WE SEE THAT GOD AND GOD’S KINGDOM
ARE NOT ABOUT CONDEMNATION, PUNISHMENT,
AND VIOLENT CONQUEST,
BUT ABOUT HUMILITY, COMPASSION, HOSPITALITY,
JUSTICE, NONVIOLENCE, AND LOVE.
IF THE INCARNATION IS REAL,
IF GOD REALLY BECAME A PERSON IN THE PERSON OF JESUS,
THEN ONE OF THE MAIN IMPLICATIONS OF INCARNATION
IS THAT AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
WE ARE CALLED TO BRING INTO BEING
THE VERY SAME KINGDOM OF GOD
THAT JESUS BROUGHT INTO BEING:
YOU GUESSED IT, A KINGDOM OF INFINITE HUMILITY,
RELENTLESS COMPASSION, EXTRAVAGANT HOSPITALITY,
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, CREATIVE NONVIOLENCE,
AND SACRIFICIAL LOVE.
THIS SHOULD BE OBVIOUS, BUT IT WAS ONLY OBVIOUS
TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH DURING ITS FIRST THREE CENTURIES.
AFTER THAT, WHEN THE ROMAN EMPEROR,
THE ROMAN CAESAR CONSTANTINE,
MADE CHRISTIANITY A STATE RELIGION,
THE CHURCH BECAME AN ALMOST MIRROR IMAGE
OF THE EMPIRE IT ONCE STOOD AGAINST.
(PAUSE)
WE LIVE IN AN OVERWHELMINGLY VIOLENT CULTURE.
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PERSONS IN THE U.S. OF A.
WATCH VIOLENT MOVIES AND TV,
PLAY VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES,
SUPPORT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, OWN GUNS,
AND IDLY STAND BY WHILE A FOURTH OF THE PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY SLIP INTO POVERTY.
THIS CULTURE OF VIOLENCE IS, I BELIEVE, AIDED AND ABETTED
BY THE GOD OF VIOLENCE
PREACHED BY THOUSANDS OF MINISTERS AND PRIESTS
AND BELIEVED IN BY MILLIONS OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANS.
IT’S TIME TO “FIRE” THIS VIOLENT GOD
AND MOVE INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD OF JESUS.
AND TO MOVE INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD OF JESUS
IS NOT SO MUCH A MATTER OF BELIEF
AS IT IS A MATTER OF PRACTICE.
PEOPLE SEEKING GOD READ THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
AND LOOK AT THE LIFE OF JESUS…
AND WONDER WHY SO MANY FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
ARE SO VIOLENT.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON BECOMING
BETTER IMITATORS OF JESUS.
IN SPITE OF THE BAD PRESS IT PROVOKED IN CERTAIN CIRCLES,
TO ASK THE QUESTION “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?”
IS A GREAT MEMONIC FOR REMINDING US TO BE LIKE HIM.
I’D LIKE TO CLOSE THIS SERMON WITH ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION
TAKEN FROM THE BOOK CHRISTIANITY AFTER RELIGION.
DIANA BUTLER BASS, WHO GREW UP IN THE DEEP SOUTH, WRITES:
“IMITATION IS A POWERFUL WAY TO LEARN SPIRITUAL PRACTICES.
AS IS THE CASE WITH MANY PEOPLE, MY MOTHER
WAS A FORMATIVE INFLUENCE ON MY FAITH.
WHEN I WAS YOUNG, SHE USED TO TELL ME,
‘DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.’
LATER, SHE SHARED WITH ME THE STORY OF THE DAY
HER HIGH SCHOOL WAS DESEGREGATED IN 1956.
APPALLED BY THE COURT RULING OPENING WHITE SCHOOLS
TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS,
HER FRIENDS ARRANGED A STUDENT STRIKE,
REFUSING TO ATTEND SCHOOL ON THE FIRST DAY OF INTEGRATION.
THEY INVITED HER TO JOIN IN.
MY MOTHER, HOWEVER, FELT TORN BETWEEN HER FRIENDS
AND WHAT SHE KNEW TO BE RIGHT.
SHE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT RACIAL PREJUDICE WAS WRONG.
DEFYING HER FRIENDS, SHE WENT TO SCHOOL.
AND SHE DECIDED TO MEET THE BUS
AND GREET HER NEW CLASSMATES.
I ASKED, (CONTINUES BASS) ‘MOM, WHY DID YOU DO THAT?’
SHE REPLIED, ‘WELL, I REALIZED THAT IF
I WERE A STANGER AT A NEW SCHOOL,
I’D WANT SOMEONE TO BE AT THE BUS STOP TO WELCOME ME.’”
BASS ENDS WITH THE TELLING INSIGHT:
“FROM THAT DAY ON, ‘DO UNTO OTHERS’
WAS MORE THAN MOTHER’S MORALISM.
IT WAS A HEROIC ACT OF HOSPITALITY,
ONE THAT ECHOED JESUS’ OWN WORDS,
‘I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU WELCOMED ME’
(Matthew 25:35),
AND AN ACTION THAT I SEEK TO IMITATE IN MY OWN LIFE.”
(End Quote)
ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT THINGS ABOUT COMMUNITY CHURCH
IS THE WAY IN WHICH WE WELCOME MANY “STRANGERS”
IN MANY DIVERSE PLACES AND IN MANY DIVERSE WAYS
THROUGH THE MANY DIMENSIONS
OF OUR OUTREACH TO THE HOMELESS.
I NEVER CEASE TO BE AMAZED THAT 80% OF THIS CONGREAGTION
IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN MINISTRY OF SOME KIND.
THE NATIONAL NORM IS 20%.
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO CALL US OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES
AND INTO EVER NEW ADVENTURES WITH A GREAT VARIETY
OF JESUS’ BROTHERS AND SISTERS
WHO ARE IN NEED OF FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING,
AND SIMPLE, YET PROFOUND, ACCEPTANCE.
AMEN.