| September 27, 2009
You are welcome to reflect on this message From The First Baptist Church in America pulpit – Providence, Rhode Island
Our day is characterized by ugly name-calling. If we don’t like what our opponent is saying, calling ‘em “racist,” is a handy way to cut-off debate. Like our text in Matthew 23. Jesus and the Pharisees are slugging-it-out, which shows holy people can insult each other as good as politicians. Jesus’ concern wasn’t about race, but class. His most vociferous opposition came from the privileged, religious caste called Pharisees. They’re the ones above all others who drew his strongest denunciation: “They love the front-row seats in the synagogues; and salutations in the marketplace and most of all being called “Rabbi”
What galled him most was their uppity attitude about their position of privilege that made them look down on everybody else. John put it like this: “These commoners who don’t know the law are accursed.” That’s where Jesus broke with them: “Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled & vice versa. But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” Even Jesus comes off as unfairly class-conscious himself: “Woe to the rich!” And blessed are the poor! It’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than a rich man to get into heaven!” Let there be no doubt about God being prejudiced: clearly taking the side of common people.
In our money-minded culture, we also typically identify privilege with wealth. But Jesus’ issue with the entitled ones wasn’t just their means, but their attitude about it. God knows our most ethically challenged problems arise over our pride and self-righteousness in our status. Couldn’t he also be talking about us? Look around College Hill. We are the privileged, educated, comfortable ones. Perhaps. But one thing’s for sure about being too comfortable: it doesn’t lead to humility. Pride of position is what makes us evaluate ourselves in terms of what we’ve achieved, rather than what we are on the inside. We earned it; we deserve it; it’s proof of our superiority.
Jesus called it “Whitewashed tombstones!” Hollow; deceptive; appearing to be something we’re not. Faking-it seems to bother God more than anything. Because being privileged makes it hard to feel what’s wrong with the world. Fortunate folks who aren’t here every day, can’t see where the shoe pinches like some of the street people who frequent our place during the week. Ah we can analyze it -- but with our wits, not our pulses. And the irony is most of our privileges are gifts. It’s not a matter of pride but grace. It’s hard to read the Bible and miss that. From Amos yelling “Woe to them who are at ease in Zion!” to the Gospel of Matthew, “If you did it to the least of these...you did it unto me.” The evils of pride and self-righteousness rank right up there as the ugliest impulses in human beings. No wonder Jesus hit it so hard! It lies at the root of more misery and injustice than the elite can imagine.
It stands as an indictment against our individualistic culture, that sanctions our right to seek our own pathway to perfection. Self-righteousness seems little more than an irritating character flaw. It’s only natural to want others to like what we like and share our world view. But it’s also unrealistic. It’s why we have the Yankees and Red Socks. One person thinks green’s the way to go and frowns on Clunkers. Somebody else loses weight and badgers the sedentary couch potatoes. We all do it on some level, whether it’s our style of music or choice of sports.
Anybody with a cause likes having lots of company. It’s the comfort of crowds. We experience something that lights us up, we want others to have it too, whether they want it or not. Whether its church or politics, a new way to quit smoking or a more profound way of approaching God. And sometimes that’s a good thing. But most of the time, it’s not. Especially with kids. It’s not good when I turn my good thing into your duty. That way I can judge you for failing to perform it according to my standards. Then my wish for your well-being becomes something sinister, fraught with control. Altruism becomes self-righteousness. And it’s no longer just an annoying habit, but a pernicious pride that works evil in the human soul.
The evils of pride, privilege and self-righteousness is continually castigated throughout the gospels. Especially in the Gospel of Luke. Right off, in Chapter 3, John the Baptist socks it to the proud: “Don’t even think of saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our ancestor.” Nah John reminds them that there’s “one greater than Abraham.” No earthly lineage can save us, not even Father Abraham.
Jesus encountered it in Chapter 4, the first time he preached in his hometown synagogue. He started well, but ended up bad. It went downhill fast once he quoted a text where God favored foreigners over the chosen. They were infuriated at Jesus and hustled him to the edge of the town cliff, intent on wasting him for widening their righteousness and obliterating their sense of community. It’s no coincidence that Jesus’ initial act of preaching foreshadowed his last. He got in trouble at both ends.
Chapter 6 is Luke’s version of “the Sermon on the Plain,” where Jesus lights into the self-righteous. “Judge not judge, and you won’t be judged; condemn not and you won’t be condemned.” He allowed as how as how the blind try to lead the blind, suggesting they focus on themselves before presuming to fix anybody else.
In Chapter 9 he turns on his disciples. Like all the rest, they hear it, but they don’t get it. On their way to Jerusalem one day, a Samaritan village refused to show them hospitality. They go off, “Let us handle it Lord. We can command fire to come down from heaven and torch ‘em alive!” Christian terrorism. The followers of Jesus can be as murderous as the Nazarenes, who led Jesus to the precipice of the cliff.
In Chapter 11, they’re so full of their religious approach and so embattled against those who don’t share it, that even the dynamite of the gospel can’t penetrate the facade. It’s not ‘Woe to the sinners, but Woe to the Pharisees.” Because they “tithe mint and eschew all kinds of herbs, but put justice and the love of God on the back burner.” Jesus noted that it’s easier to tithe than to love.
The 15th Chapter of Luke includes the classic story of all-time about pride and privilege, embodied in the offended elder brother. The younger son’s prodigality turns out to be less damning than big brother’s rectitude. At the end of the story – he’s the one standing outside in the dark -- perfectly right, and perfectly alone. That’s usually how folks like that end up. Nobody wants to be around ‘em. Because the righteous are like vaults.
By the time we get to Chapter 18, I get the definite impression that God just doesn’t like religious people! Which sounds strange in a church full of religious people. It’s not just religious people, but always how we go about being religious, making something bad out of something good. Jesus tells a story of an upright Pharisee and the humble publican, with a twist: the one we’d expect to “go down to his house justified,” is not the one who does. It’s the sinner who’s vindicated, not the religious man.
In Luke, Jesus can’t seem to make his point often enough. He levels volley-after-volley on the virtuous, because self-Righteousness kills; not only those who are bludgeoned by it, but also by those who wield it. Sometimes it kills softly, with mean-spirited humor. Sometimes it works systemically, consigning some people to harsh conditions, while others live high-on-the-hog. It can become violent, when people get tired of not getting their way, they revert to drastic measures. On the other hand, Jesus had an easy time with sinners. Maybe it’s because their hearts are already broken. So it’s not hard for him to get inside.
The best cure is to recognize each other as kin, united around the only One who was ever “right.” And even he protested against it: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God.” I must apologize for sounding so accusatory and negative. But like anything complex -- there’s another side to it. In the place of the evils of privilege, pride, and self-righteousness stands the church, offering us a privilege marked by humility, unselfishness; an opportunity for empathy and sacrifice. Instead of competition, the church offers service.
Nothing inspires us more than a dedicated person, regardless of perquisites. The “founding father” of this country, George Washington was highly privileged; one of the most well-off men in the colonies. But we see what a privileged man -- with a humble spirit can do.
Abraham Lincoln, came at it the other way. Born in a lowly cabin on the American frontier, but he showed us what an underprivileged man can do. I know those guys, like Jesus or even Roger Williams are rare. But they’re all dedicated to making the world a better place. To handle something that potent with such a noble spirit is the most difficult task anybody can undertake. But it’s unapologetically the theme of the entire Bible and the ethical core of good religion.
Jesus said it best: “Those who are greatest among you, shall be your servant. And those who exalt themselves shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” So be the best, but do it and relax!
One of the beautiful things that happened last week, made all the ugly name-calling pale by comparison. As you know autumn brings football season. In a high school game near Kansas City, “The Maryville Spoofhounds” (love that mascot!) had earned a 46-0 blowout over St. Joseph Benton. It could’ve been a shutout, except the Spoofhounds let the Cardinals score a TD unopposed! 15 year old freshman RB was allowed to run 60 yards to put his team on the scoreboard. The Spoofhounds cooperated, because the kid had Down syndrome & rarely got to play. His coach saw it as an opportunity to put him in. Graciously, the other coach concurred. Such big-spiritedness is rare in our day!
Hats off to both teams for showing sportsmanship in a competitive contest! Yeah the Cardinals still lost the game. But they won a lot more because of the compassionate way they treated a handicapped youth. You know it made God smile! And that’s why Jesus thought life’s most passionate conflicts are not about race. But about class. And the world would be a lot better off if we all showed a little more of it!
Providence Prayers: (9/27/09)
For all Thy backdoor blessings we give Thee thanks: for hills to climb, burdens to bear, temptation to resist, fear to overcome, challenges to our power that deflate the ego and leave us with a humbler estimate of ourselves. And for those blessings that come through the front door we give Thee thanks as well: the wisdom of the scriptures, the means of grace, the bonds of faith, and hope that springs from life eternal.
Bless this historic congregation, set on “a hill that cannot be hid,” that we may continue to stand in the best of our Baptist tradition, for those freedoms and truths that set men free. Minister to us corporately and individually, according to our several needs: grant to us the ability to master our moodiness; the poise to smile on our worst days; the stamina to keep on when the going gets rough; the grace to admit our guilt and the humility to accept Thy forgiveness. “Fearfully and wonderfully made,” and graciously kept, we acknowledge now Thy goodness to us, through Christ our Lord...SELAH! |
