“It
Is Tough to Walk the Talk” Sermon Delivered By Rev. Dick Stetler – August
20, 2017 Centenary United Methodist Church
Psalm 133; Matthew 15:10-20 Most of us are aware that there is a disconnect between the
beliefs that people have and their actual attitudes and behavior. This
disconnect has existed since the beginning of recorded history.
We
can do the talk with a great
sense of commitment but often a different reality shows up when we try
to do the walk. One of my earliest impressions of seminary life came during my
first week of classes. I
was struck by the salty language
being used by some of the seminarians at my lunch table. It reminded me
of the days when I was living in my college fraternity house.
What made this experience so humorous to me was that I was
completely caught off guard. I
had a belief that seminarians were studying to be spiritual leaders.
As someone once said, "You never get a second chance to make a
first impression." There are many mixed
signals that come from people as well as institutions that draw
attention to a disconnect between our beliefs and what often surfaces
even to casual observers.
This week I received the electronic newsletter from our A mischievous thought entered my mind of what would happen if I
decided to attend that meeting. I
might raise some eyebrows from people that were silently thinking, "Sir,
sir, excuse me sir, did you read the sign on the door?" Next, I pondered what the
United Methodist hierarchy might think if the announcement continued
with these words, "White
Methodists for Church Renewal will meet in Room 109, The
Latino Caucus for Christian Unity
will meet in Room 110 and the
Asian pastors for Congregational Diversity will meet across the hall
in room 113." As many of you know, I have an allergy to labels and to titles
that people attach to their identities.
As these thoughts were darting through my mind, they were joined
by the words of a song that was composed by Jason Upton: We are one in the
spirit, we are one in the Lord. We are one in the spirit, we are one in
the Lord. And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love and
they'll know we are Christians by our love. The divisive cross-currents among ethnic groups may remain with
us until enough time passes when a number of life and death cycles have
occurred among the entire population of the world.
Perhaps the young people of a
newer generation will lead the way for the future inhabitants of
spaceship earth. The belief that we are one often stands in sharp contrast to the
attitudes that many men and women practice.
This is where people are at this stage of our evolution.
In most respects, we have to be at peace with this reality just
as we find it. We only have control over how we respond to life.
Remaining unhappy about the
conditions of our world will only affect the attitudes we are
developing. In our lesson today, some Pharisees took issue with Jesus and his
disciples for not washing their hands before they ate their meal.
By Law, this act made Jesus and the disciples
unclean.
This was not just a descriptive
adjective; unclean people
were banned from services coming from the synagogue for a period of
time. Jesus' response was classic. He said, "It is not what goes into
people's mouths that makes them
unclean. What makes
them unclean is what comes
out of their mouths." (Matthew 15:11) Jesus
made his words even clearer, "The words that come out of people's mouths
reveal what is in their hearts, minds and spirits.
Their words tell the world who they are."
(Matthew 15:18) Jesus' teaching is timeless for any generation, particularly in
our time when free speech is under attack all over the world.
It is amazing that, in the 21st century, what comes out of
people's mouths creates anarchy in countless countries.
Something has happened in recent years where there is no middle ground to discuss anything that has an emotional flashpoint for some people. Attitudes have surfaced that are eating away at the fabric that once allowed disagreeing parties to work together to find solutions. What is interesting is that intelligent people have allowed this
behavior to become what commentators are now calling,
the new normal. The floods
ravaging When some disciples
told Jesus that his words had upset the Pharisees, he said "Do not worry
about them! They are blind
leaders who are trying to lead the blind.
When a blind leader leads another, both of them will fall into
the ditch." (Matthew 15:14) Many times, we have heard that God has no need to judge any of us
because we do a thorough job of doing that all by ourselves.
Jesus was using different words but he was teaching this same
insight.
We simply cannot escape defining
ourselves by what comes out of our mouths.
This is why Jesus taught that each of us is the only individual in the universe who can change our attitudes and responses. Jesus knew what to teach his listeners, but their responses to life-experiences clearly had to come from their choices. The Apostle Paul wrote the same thing, "You must allow the impact of God's love to inspire you to change completely how you think, feel and behave." (Romans 12:2) Jesus was teaching that his listeners should not worry about
anyone who judges their motives, attitudes and behavior.
Unkind words said to or about
anyone is only revealing what is going on inside of the one talking. Some of the worst condemnations I have received as a pastor have
come from those who referred to themselves as
Born Again Christians.
Jesus would have said to me, "Dick, take their words with a grain
of salt. They should first remove the logs from their own eyes before
they try to correct your vision." (Matthew 7:5)
The
invisible rudder
that will help people navigate through life is
the parent
of forgiveness.
Being able to forgive is a very useful tool for
successful living, but there is a skill even greater than
forgiveness.
How would you react if I told
you that there is no such thing as forgiveness in
Heaven?
With all that we have been taught, how could this possibly be
true? Think about it.
Forgiveness would be a very primitive response.
To forgive, a person has to be hurt or offended. What could
possibly offend anyone living in an environment where offensive behavior
does not exist? All of us
have the ability to remain undisturbed
when people around us are doing exactly as they wish and are expressing
their values through any attitude they choose.
In other words, we
do not need to be offended by anything others do or say.
We do not need to allow others
to pull us into their world. Not being offended is a much greater skill than our need to
forgive some act or words that we have personalized.
How do we know this?
God has the same quality. (Matthew 5:45) Jesus had reached this level of spiritual maturity when a wreath
of thorns was jammed on his head, when he experienced a savage lashing
at the hands of a Roman soldier who knew how to inflict the maximum
amount of pain, and when nails were driven into his wrists and feet.
Jesus could still use his words to reveal what was happening in
his mind, emotions and spirit. "You can destroy my body if you wish, but
you can never affect my ability to love you including the way you
are behaving right now."
(Luke 23:34) In another context, this would sound like nonsense.
This sounds like a description of the cowardice displayed by
people who are choosing to sit on the sidelines instead of rolling up
their sleeves and getting involved by confronting those who are
oppressing others. When others can evoke our displeasure and anger,
their behavior and attitudes have already penetrated our emotions and
thoughts. When Jesus said, "The things that come out of your mouth come
from your heart, mind and spirit.
Your words tell the world who lives inside of your body.
This teaching also applies when we give our opinions that reflect
our compassion, kindness and sympathy. (Matthew 7:15-20)
When we
greet our life-experiences by using loving energy as
our only tool, we do not have to choose
sides. We
are living in Heaven right
now, an environment where we never have to choose sides.
The passionate human emotions
caused by issues happening in our world become neutralized by extending
loving energy to all people.
We show up in every
human civil war and offer
first aid to those that are
being badly damaged by what others are saying and doing.
All of us have
the ability to become
a neutral angel as we discussed weeks ago
in another sermon.
When we use loving energy as our only resource, we stand
like a sentinel in the midst
of the teeming masses yearning to
breathe free as we light the path that leads to eternity. (Matthew
7:14) This is what Jesus was communicating loud and clear to every
generation from the cross where he was dying. Loving energy will keep our paths clear of
the clutter caused from
issues that only exist in our physical world.
When we remain open to expressing the power of the loving energy
that created the universe, our human passions for being
right or
wrong will be neutralized.
When we find this path and stay on it, we will be able
to walk the talk with ease,
compassion, joy and peace. CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER Loving and ever-present God, all of us need to stand before
the mirror Jesus holds in
front of us to review the quality of our lives. We thank you that his revelations stand in our midst like
a
sentinel
that guides our thinking, emotions and spirit. We thank you that his truth does not change because of what
others believe. When we set aside our loving responses because we feel
hurt or betrayed, our
light
is not as bright.
Unhappiness, pain and disappointment in our world are
voices that
are calling us back to becoming
the angels that you created us to be.
Inspire us to remember that we are always a work in progress.
Amen
PASTORAL PRAYER Thank you, God, for the fragile moments in life that repeatedly teach us
that we may never know why our lives take all the twists and turns that
they do. All we know is that our trust in you guides us to step out in
faith toward our next adventure. Thank you for the challenges that make
us stretch beyond our known capabilities. Thank you for the times
when all our symbols of security dissolve around us, and, once again,
our thoughts must find peace with you as the unexpected unfolds.
Why is it, O
God, that so often we quickly respond with frustration when your will
may be fashioning a destiny other than the one we are seeking? Why
is it that we find detours so unattractive? Why is it that so
often we conclude that a particular experience is a waste of our time?
As we reflect on
our lives, who could have known ahead of time the tasks that came our
way, the friends with whom we have relationships, and the experiences
that have taught us that we have more blessings than defeats?
As we anticipate our tomorrows, help each of us to stand forth
with faith and trust, knowing that our future will be as fascinating as
our past. Inspire us to greet each new day with unwavering
confidence by accepting every moment as our opportunity to mirror your
likeness.
We pray these
thoughts through the spirit of Jesus, the Christ, who taught us to say
when we pray . . . . |