“Christians Gone Wild”
April 13th, 2008
The church was placed upon the earth to do the work of God, by spending its time “loving God and loving neighbor.” In the United Methodist Church we exist to “make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” A lofty goal, to be sure. The problem is that, all too often, the church has failed to live into the grace that gave it birth. Instead, we have become arrogant and judgmental. What can the church do about that?
“Christians Gone Wild”
Matthew 5:13-16, Micah 6:8
1. Some time ago, I was driving my truck along the road. I came up next to another car at the light. Two cars drove together down the street.
A. A third car tried to pass. When he went by, he gave us both the one-finger salute.
B. The last thing I saw as he sped away was the bumper sticker on the back of his car, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.”
C. The experience reminded me, about one aspect of being a pastor that I could – quite frankly – do without. Whenever I meet someone and they find out what I do, they usually respond in one of two ways.
1) Tell me why there church is better than mine.
2) Tell me about why the church, in general, is corrupt and evil.
D. The second group usually has a pretty long list. Inquisitions, forced conversions, imperial aggression, racism, child molestation, division (so many different “brands”), and on and on the list goes. Even to getting flipped off while driving down the road.
E. They usually look to me for some defense of these things, which is impossible because, as we all know, the church has done some pretty indefensible things throughout its history.
F. We have fought wars with one another, killed and tortured one another over arguments involving the rituals of our faith.
G. Too often, in its existence, the church has settled for the outward appearance of faith, rather than for a real expression of it.
2. Jesus was all too familiar with this dynamic when he walked up the Mount of Olives to preach to the crowd.
A. Religion, in Jesus’ day, had become about the outward appearance and not the real expression. It was all outward show of faith, with little or no real manifestation.
B. In many ways the church had become so irrelevant that there were really only three ways to respond. As Joe Jerusalemite walked down the dusty road…
(1) Support the power structure – tax and obedience (benefit to those in power).
(2) Leave it all together (John the Baptist, Essenes, etc.)
(3) Rebellion – zealots (try and get the church’s support).
C. But Jesus had another way. Matthew 5:13-16.
D. You are salt of the earth – seasoning people’s lives with God’s love and grace
E. You are a city on a hill – a beacon of hope to all who feel abandoned by God.
F. You are the light of the world – shine your light in such a way that people might know that God is love.
G. IMPORTANT!!! – To Jesus, religion is not personal or private. It is something that is lived out in the world every day of our lives.
H. God’s love and grace, God’s justice, are not things that we should hide under a bushel. They are not our possession to hold fast, they are our responsibility to share with others.
3. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way, does it? In big ways and small, it seems that the church is always finding new and exciting ways to alienate other people.
A. And, in so doing, we put up a barrier between others and the good news of Jesus Christ and his kingdom.
B. Reason #2 not to be a Christian – “Christians gone wild.”
C. Wild with power, wild with fear, wild with being judgmental, wild with persecution, Christians have been going wild against other people almost from the very beginning.
D. We have all heard about the historic atrocities that the church has committed “in the name of God.”
E. Closer to home. At the retreat two years ago, Jim Powell told the story – woman that kicked people out of her pew.
F. Pastor and author Gary B. Shockley talks about how many congregations truly do believe they are open to everyone until someone different comes along making them feel uncomfortable.
G. “I recently visited a church where…two posters on the wall near the entrance to the sanctuary with pictures of certain clothing styles that were unacceptable on one poster and on the other acceptable to wear. As I walked inside, I was met by another sign that said, “No food or drink beyond this point. This means YOU!” Just beyond that sign was another one that read, “Those who truly honor Christ kneel when they receive Communion.” The real kicker was the words printed in their bulletin: “Everyone welcome!”
H. “I meet people all the time,” Shockley writes, – “faithful people, smart people, good and decent people – who have walked away from the church because of petty things like this and, unfortunately, not so petty things.”
I. All churches say they are welcoming, but I want you to think about whom you would not welcome into our church. Is there anyone?
4. As true as these things are, that is not Jesus’ way. As he was a light to all the world of God’s grace and forgiveness, he calls us to do the same.
A. The difficulty is really in living this out, isn’t it? How might we move from a religion based on outward appearances to a religion of outward witness?
B. The prophet Micah offers us some wisdom. Micah 6:8. If this is not a rule that we can say that we can honestly say that we live by, than we are not being true to God.
C. Traffic school – a chart that was meant to deal with our attitudes about driving.
D. (show slide #1) Event = perspective — attitude —- behavior.
E. (show slide 2) Event = Salt of the earth, shining light, a city on a hill —– do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God.
F. What happens, however, when a different perspective drives the church? (Show slide #3) Event = (supposed to be) Salt of the earth, shining light, a city on a hill. But, if the perspective is fear and arrogance, what will the attitude and behavior look like.
G. Salem witch trials, inquisitions, the church remaining silent while civil rights leaders are unjustly jailed and persecuted…, or, maybe just people kicking guests out of their pew. It will look like Christians gone wild.
5. You know, when I received the one-fingered salute while driving along Chapman Avenue that day, I couldn’t help but take a little journey in my mind.
A. Come with me, won’t you…down the theological primrose path?
B. The bumper sticker read, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” And does anyone know by whom we are forgiven?
C. And in almost every Christian church in the world, they will preach “the gospel” that our forgiveness was won by what means? (Christ took upon himself the sins of the world).
D. So, in that whole scenario, where are we involved? We are the recipients of God’s grace, because God so loved the world that he gave his only son…
E. In the Methodist tradition, we go one step further – prevenient grace. God relentless pursues us until we come to know him personally.
F. We are minor players, my friends, in the drama of our own salvation. So, it would behoove us to approach other people with a little more grace and humility.
6. You know, my friends, one of the unique things about LOTC – a lot of people here with spiritual wounds of their own. Perhaps, that is why we are a place of warm acceptance of diverse people. That is one of the things about this church that makes me most proud to be your pastor.
A. Mr. Bentley – “nothing is harder on one’s laurels than resting on them.
B. The truth – the church has done much good in the world. But, it has also done much harm.
C. And every one of those things that people do “in the name of God” is something that drives someone else away from knowing God.
D. (sidebar – if you are a Christian, your life is lived “in the name of God.” If you put that bumper sticker on your car, you have marked yourself.)
E. It is time for the church to be about loving God and loving people, not playing God and judging people.
F. It is time for the church to once again reach out to others in grace and compassion rather than in arrogance and pride.
G. We, as Christians, have ridden our high horses long enough. It is time to come down and minister to people. That is the answer to the questions, “what would Jesus do?” In fact, that is precisely what Jesus did.
H. Amen.
Sermon delivered 4/13/08 at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church, Anaheim Hills.
