Do-ing the Word
A sermon preached September 2, 2018 Proper XVII
Song of Songs 2:8–13
Psalm 45:1–2, 6–9 (795)
James 1:17–27
Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23
The seasonal changes come quickly upon us, do they not? Suddenly summer is over, school is beginning and there have already been a few days where there is a crisp feeling in the air. On such days one can almost feel and taste the crunch of biting into an apple fresh from the tree. Summer is quickly rolling into autumn, and we seemingly have no way to stop this progression of time.
Yet in the Christian calendar we are only just at the half way point of the Season after Pentecost, ordinary time. This longest season of the church year takes up 28 Sundays this year. For those counting that just over half of the calendar year of 52 weeks.
This season of the church year is long indeed. It sometimes seems though that we get lost during this long season. Like the Hebrew people wandering the desert of Sinai, we seem to be wandering aimlessly, not quite sure of what we are supposed to be doing. Perhaps we are not quite sure of what our religious devotion should point toward. Perhaps, like the Hebrews, we also find ourselves complaining about how boring this whole thing is and how long the journey is taking.
So what are we supposed to be doing during this long season? Where should our religious devotion point us? In the beginning of the church year- Advent we wait for the coming Christ Child. At Christmas and Epiphany we celebrate that God is dwelling with us here on the earth. In Lent we prepare ourselves for the Lord’s passion, his death upon the cross. During Easter we celebrate the victory of Jesus over all sin. The Easter season that begins with the unexpected resurrection of the Christ comes to an end with the unexpected arrival of the Holy Spirit. Then we enter into a season of ordinary time that stretches from Trinity Sunday to Christ the King Sunday, over half of the year. During this season, our devotion is to be caught up in the life of being a follower of the Jesus Way. That is to say, being Doers of the Word.
Often during these other seasons of the church year, we act out our faith. We give presents at Christmas. We deny ourselves something during Lent. We go about celebrating the resurrected Christ during Easter. But what are we to do now, during this ordinary time? This is a time to tell each other stories of what those who walk in the way of God have done. These stories go back far in our history. These are not just the stories we read in the Gospels, of those disciples who walked with Jesus through the Holy Land. These are the stories of the creation of the world. These are the stories Abraham and Sarah and their children. These are the stories of David and Solomon and the Kings of Israel in Judah. These are the stories of the prophets, Elijah, Samuel, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah and others. These are the stories of the disciples of Jesus and what their life looked like following him, being with him day by day. These are the stories of the early followers of the Jesus Way. These are the stories of the congregations that Paul worked with and whom he wrote letters to. These are the stories of those who founded the Methodist and Brethren Movements. These are the stories the founders of this congregation. These are the stories of you gathered here. These are the stories of people living life and figuring out what life looks like in relationship with the Triune God.
When we tell each other these stories, we do a unique thing. We are telling stories of real people. We tell stories of people who are trying their best to follow in the way of life God has called them to. We tell stories of people who like David are all too human, who like Abraham are a bit rough around the edges, who like Jacob have made mistakes, who we still respect in the lives they have lived. In short, we tell stories of people who like Hagar are vulnerable, who like Solomon are not perfect, who like Ezekiel are just trying to live their lives day by day, making the best of each day, so that tomorrow can be a better day.
This is what it is to be a follower of the Jesus Way. This is what it is to be a Doer of the Word. We as followers of Christ are open about the mistakes we have made, we don’t hide them behind a mask, we are able to share what we have learned from life with others. We are able to share with others how we have made mistakes and acknowledge that it can be really hard to keep it all together.
Many of you may know that when we attempt to keep up appearances that we will inevitably fail. We try and try and try to have a “good life” a life where we don’t experience pain. Or if we do experience pain, it is because we sought it out searching for an adventure, then the pain is a pain of making ourselves better. “No Pain, No Gain” as the expression goes. Yet we often have pain and suffering in our lives that we didn’t ask for. Pain that comes unexpectedly at the loss of a loved one, or an accident, or any number of things that hurt.
We often have pain that we do not publicly share, because we feel that it is improper. It is not okay to talk about where we experience brokenness. It is not okay to speak publicly about addiction. It is not okay to speak publicly the loss of an unborn child. It is not okay to speak publicly about the brokenness of a relationship. It is not okay to speak publicly about a thing one has done that has harmed others. After all, we see public figures who we know have done things that are not right, yet they will refuse to apologize for these transgressions. They are trying to project an image of themselves where they have not made mistakes. They are trying to keep up appearances, as we often are.
However, when we are honest about our mistakes, we are changed. We are willing to live into the new life granted us by the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are able to live into the new creation that has been birthed within us by our allegiance to the Triune God. When we are honest about our mistakes, we are able to learn from them and grow from them, instead of pushing them to the side, hoping that none will see them and call us out on them.
Perhaps the main thing we do during this season of the church year is realize that we don’t have it all figured out. Perhaps we are able now to participate in the activity of God in the world, and let God’s work shape us. Perhaps, we are to take seriously the call to repentance and to remember our baptisms and that we have been reconciled with God, and changed by God to be a part of the world God is creating through dwelling with us.
Perhaps this season of the church year is so very long because we need it to be. Perhaps we need to be reminded that this story we are called to live into is not an easy story, one that will resolve itself neatly like a television sitcom, where no problem is longer than 30 minutes. This story we have gotten ourselves caught up in is a story of God’s righteousness working itself out in the world and how we get to participate in God’s activity in the world.
As the world’s calendar changes, let us remember that we are still in the midst of a season of growth in our own lives. Let us remember that we are learning more and more each day what it is to follow the Jesus Way. Let us be open to the changes that come along with being a disciple of Jesus.
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