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A look at the appointed gospel from the Revised Common Lectionary for June 21, 2020.
“[Jesus said to the twelve:] “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.””
My Two Cents….
Lectionary preachers are those who use the assigned texts from the three-year Revised Common Lectionary throughout the Church Year. I proudly identify myself as such. It is my experience that following a lectionary forces me to preach upon a broader selection of texts and connects me with ecumencial colleagues who are using the same texts at the same time. From time to time, it is a challenge.
Take for instance - the text for this coming week. At a time of great political division in our nation and unrest around the globe, it speaks about Jesus bringing a sword not peace. Jesus speaks about bringing division among families. Those who follow Jesus pick up their crosses and forge ahead without any thought about the turmoil it causes. Onward Christian soldiers, marching off to war with the cross of Jesus!
I can already see where many of my politically-charged colleagues will go with their sermons. The text almost begs for folks to take sides. And folks will be happy to take sides. There will be cheering and applause from one side of the aisle and hissing from the other. Angry calls and emails will come in and enrage the preachers. In a week’s time, the Facebook clergy groups will contain the battle stories of those who are just “preaching the gospel” and “carrying the cross of Jesus.”
Of course, the preacher could ignore the controversial stuff at the end of the text and go with the sparrows in the first half. God values us more than the sparrows. That is a positive message that is not likely to bristle any hairs on anybody’s back. Without a doubt - that is the safe choice.
What is a preacher to do?
Option two could work especially if the community is dealing with a lot of hurt. If the events of the recent weeks have worn heavy upon the church and folks are weary, then a word about being valued by God would certainly be in order. The gospel of Jesus comes as a healing balm to those who are suffering and in need of care. The experience of pandemic has created great isolation and fear among certain portions of our society. Those who are in nursing homes and senior living facilities have had little to no physical contact with their families. I imagine that some feel like they don’t matter. Jesus’s concern for them ought to be proclaimed.
Option one is filled with many pitfalls. The greatest trap lies in the temptation to take a side and assume that it is the same one Jesus takes. Having committed this preaching mistake more times than I would like to admit, I will say that it is all too easy. Preachers, by the way, aren’t the only ones who make the uncritical jump to light-speed. It is the kind of thing that gives fuel to social media, politically charged websites, and opinion pages. Every Christian imagines Jesus on their side - why wouldn’t Jesus agree with our wisdom?
Might I suggest a step back? Stop. Breathe. Put these verses in the context of the larger Gospel of Matthew. Guiding the larger narrative are the themes of Jesus’ presence and God’s restoration of broken people. Isaiah’s vision of the heavenly banquet where God’s shalom (wholeness) reigns is in the background of Jesus’s overall ministry. The table fellowship of Jesus demonstrates core values of forgiveness, love, inclusion, joy, grace and friendship with God. Throughout Jesus’s ministry, mercy speaks louder than judgement.
Sure, there are political implications to Jesus’s teaching that must be worked out as we put these values into practice. But Jesus’s message does not live in any political system, party, or perspective. Those who claim exclusive access have more in common with the Pharisees than the preacher of Nazareth.
Jesus’s words about his message causing division is an observation not a battle cry. Putting into practice the values of Jesus’s fellowship and teaching requires a humility and openness that places us in the cross-hairs of conflict. In a world hell-bent on ‘being right,’ ‘winning,’ and self-interest, there is little room for conversation, collaboration, and cooperation. Taking up one’s cross is a journey into conflict as Jesus did to set a table where love brings enemies together.
Blessed are the peacemakers… Instead of fanning the flames of division, the challenge of disciples is to navigate the tension with righteousness. (Warning: righteousness is one of those ‘churchy’ words that means to be in right relationship.) Being in a right-relationship with others requires the difficult work of justice and reconciliation. The experience of the saints and martyrs (Christian and non-Christian) over the ages have demonstrated that this work often ends in crucifixion as it is violently opposed.
Of course, the preacher can always use the escape hatch of Lectionary preaching - go to the Psalm for the day! Preachers and people alike - please be kind with one another no matter which path the sermon takes.
I pray that you are safe and healthy.
In Christ’s Light,
Walt
Permission granted to share today's content with family and friends. Copyrighted 2020. Walt Lichtenberger
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