“Beliefs and Our Mental Health”

Sermon Delivered By Rev. Dick Stetler – February 28, 2021

Centenary United Methodist Church

Psalm 22:23-31; Mark 8:31-38

     

    This morning, we are going to consider what has always been a challenge to understand. What did Jesus do to create such hatred from the most religious and righteous people who ever lived?

    During the very brief period when Jesus was a roaming teacher, he taught his listeners that they should respond to others in the same manner as they would like to be treated. He taught his listeners responses that would reflect the nature of God's love toward everyone. (Matthew 5:45)

    In our Gospel lesson today, Mark quotes Jesus as saying, "The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the Chief Priests, and the Teachers of the Law."  This morning we are going to discuss why Jesus had such thoughts. How could anyone reject Jesus' loving presence?  Responding to others with bitter attitudes is easier to do than we believe. 

    Many years ago, I was asked to become part of a forum that discussed the origins of humanity.  The group was brought together to help high school educators to consider what should be included in the Science curriculum of our county.    

    The panel included several Creationists.  These were people who believed that the world was created in seven days just as it says in the Book of Genesis.  They were absolutely convinced that this portrayal of human history was true because the Bible said so.

    The panel also had a number of Evolutionists that were people whose conclusions were supported by scientific evidence from fossils, carbon dating, and the remains of humanoid creatures that dated back to millions of years ago.  Their understanding was that the Biblical traditions in Genesis were similar to other creation-mythologies that can be found among nomadic tribes all over the world.

    The discussion between the panel members began with a warm and cordial discussion.  However, it did not take long before the communication became emotionally charged. The committee of mature adults began to engage in personal attacks on those whose opinions differed. 

    The discussion clearly illustrated how passionate people can become about their beliefs and the authority that supported their positions.  What was considered sacred territory by each group was being threatened by the other. 

    The Evolutionists pointed out that there were three different traditions in Genesis.  One tradition indicated that on the sixth day God created male and female human beings in God's own image. God instructed them to have many children and to live all over the world. (Genesis 1:27f) 

    The second tradition had a different sequence of events.   God had created the first man from dirt and placed him in a magnificent garden.  God then created the animals and birds and eventually made a woman from one of the man's ribs.  There is no mention of seven days. (Genesis 2:5f).

    Finally, the Evolutionists mentioned a third tradition that is never featured in any pastor's sermons. If the Bible is the word of God why is this account not considered of equal value as the other two creation stories? The author of Genesis wrote:

When people had spread all over the world and daughters were being born, some of the sons of God saw that these young women were beautiful and so they took the ones they liked.  In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and these heavenly beings.  These descendants became the great heroes.  (Genesis 6:1-2f)

    The Evolutionists concluded their presentation with the comment that it would be ridiculous to teach such things to students when the evidence is overwhelming that humankind evolved over millions of years.  The Creationists, however, were adamant and unmovable from their position because their authority rested on their understanding that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

    It was eventually decided that both positions of the Creationists and Evolutionists should be taught and discussed in the Science classes of the county's school system, positions that would give students the opportunity to decide for themselves.

    Before the forum was dismissed, someone asked the group whether or not having accurate information concerning the origin of humankind made any significant difference to their ability to love each other. The question was met with dead silence. It had become obvious that both sides were so adamant about their positions that they had created the same attitudes that turned Jesus' loving presence into an enemy that must be destroyed.

    In our lesson today, Jesus knew that he had become an enormous threat to the elders, Chief Priests, and Teachers of the Law.  These religious authorities had dedicated their lives to following the Laws given to Moses by God.   Jesus, however, was claiming that the requirements of the Law could be met by loving God and by loving one another.  (Matthew 22:40)  

    Jesus began to disregard certain Laws that were believed to have been given to Moses by God. He taught "You have heard it said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,' but I say, do not take revenge on someone who has wronged you."  "You have heard it said, 'Love your friends and hate your enemies,' but I say that you must love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:38f) 

    The beliefs held by religious leaders were so strong that they concluded that Jesus had to be stopped, even if that meant ending his life. (John 11:50) Such an extreme position is visible in our present day. 

    Some time ago, in Ontario, Canada, an Afghani Muslim, Mohammad Shafia, murdered his three teenage daughters and his wife to protect the honor of his family. He confessed that he would do it again if he had the opportunity.  We can hardly imagine such a ruthless, brutal response evoked by this man's beliefs concerning the life-style changes of his wife and daughters. The four women were wearing western clothing and were not covering their heads. 

    Some of us may remember when the Taliban attempted to erase Buddhism from their culture.   They destroyed large statues of Buddha that had been carved in a mountain in Afghanistan 1700 years ago.  One of them stood 165 feet tall.  The Taliban blew them up with dynamite.

    Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how our beliefs, values, and attitudes are working in our lives. Jesus was loving and taught others how to train their spirits to love without regard to what others are doing with their lives.  His enemies resisted any attempt to change what God had given to Moses.  

    After the meeting between the Creationists and the Evolutionists, mature men and women could hardly look at each other or talk to each other as they were leaving the building.  Obviously, the quality of their spirits was showing up in their attitudes and behavior. Instead of enhancing their mental health by displaying forgiveness, patience, tolerance, and peace, their tight grip on their beliefs caused them to radiate just the opposite. 

    Today, we can witness the hatred and bitterness that has shown up in the politics of a number of countries.  We cannot hide who we are becoming even when we make claims that we are not like other people.  Even Jesus recognized that a loving presence was not enough in his society.  He had to conform to what others found sacred.  He refused and that was his death sentence.

    We Christians have had our moments historically when there was no difference between today's terrorists and those who claimed Christ as their Lord and Savior.

    In the year 311, Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire became a Christian.  He stopped the persecution of Christians and granted enormous favors to the Church. Yet, he ruthlessly suppressed non-Christians.  He even murdered some members of his own family.  So that there would be no less than a thorough cleansing, he postponed their baptism to the moments prior to their execution.

    In the year 800, on Christmas morning no less, the Pope crowned Charlemagne "King of the Romans" and declared that the creation of the Holy Roman Empire had been ordained by God. While trying to convert the "heathen" of northern Europe, Charlemagne beheaded 4,000 Saxons who would not submit to the yoke Christianity would have imposed.

    Martin Luther was the unintentional instigator of the Reformation. He praised God for God's loving grace, but when the Peasants' Rebellion broke out in 1525, Luther wrote a savage tract that was entitled, Against the Murderous and Thieving Hordes of Peasants. In this religious tract, Luther advised "Everyone who can, should smite, slay, and stab the rebels as they would a mad dog."

    On August 24, 1573, the Pope entered the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and sang an exultant "Te Deum," the Latin title for a piece that proclaims the magnificence of God’s love. The occasion for the Pope's celebration was the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day when fanatical Roman Catholics slaughtered 10,000 Protestants in the streets of Paris.

    In these modern times, we would do well to remind ourselves of something I mentioned last Sunday.  Jesus said:  "First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of the eye of others." (Matthew 7:5)

    It is easy for people to be one thing within the four walls of their churches and someone else when they leave. Lent gives us the time to sense who we are.  The truth we need to know this morning is that God still loves us in spite of where we are on the ladder of spiritual maturity. A song that summarizes such guidance for ourselves goes like this.

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord, and we pray that all unity will 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.

    God knows that all of us are a work-in-progress. All of us have our individual homework to do.  Be at peace with this understanding and allow yourselves to create attitudes that enhance your spiritual, emotional, and mental health. 

    Love keeps our spirits singing and its power cleanses us of thoughts and feelings that chase smiles from our faces. Like it or not, every day we are celebrating what we believe.

      

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER

We are conscious, O God, that we come from an over stimulated world.  Our senses are bathed in words from radios, televisions, computers, cell phones, and publications.  Elements of the material world are so persuasive in molding our values and opinions.  Often, we find ourselves marching to the drumbeat that most people follow. We can easily neglect the better road map that Jesus brought.  As we continue to desire many rewards found in our world, inspire us to remember the values of Jesus which are timeless.  Lead us, O God, so that our destiny will be shaped more by our relationship with you than by our neediness for more creature comforts and security.  Amen.

 

PASTORAL PRAYER

During these Lenten days, O God, we ask you to allow our life experiences to penetrate the protective shell that we frequently build around ourselves.  Lead us into moments that cause us to reflect on the qualities of our spirit, personality, and character.  Give us confrontations with enough rude people to keep our spirit of forgiveness highly energized and easily accessible.  Direct us through a number of unexpected life-events, so that our spirit can be tested again and again and be found to be a witness that helps others to better manage their changes.  Bless us with enough frustrating circumstances so that we may understand the staying power of our inner peace. 

Loving God, life often reminds us that our experiences are like going to the gym.  Rather than building stronger bodies, we are strengthening our spirits by constantly drawing on and using our values, faith, and trust in your presence. Regardless of the attitudes other people present to us, keep us mindful of the compassionate presence we can present to them.  We can never walk in another person's shoes and we certainly have no reason to judge where they are in life.  Keep us mindful that true friendship enables us to be by their side during all the seasons of their life. 

We thank you, God, for moments like these that enable us to realize that our spiritual growth never ends.  The more pressure and heat that we experience, the stronger our inner diamond becomes.  We pray these thoughts through the spirit of Jesus, the Christ, who taught us to say when we pray . . .