Faithful Conversations #28

Introduction to Readers: The problem of SIN runs in and through this week’s readings, and I’m reminded of one of my favorite episodes from “The Andy Griffith Show” called The Sermon For Today (I’m dating myself here!). A visiting preacher from New York City (Dr. Breen) comes to Mayberry and warns the parishioners that modern life has simply become too stressful and that they must take a step back from the hustle and bustle and reconnect with a simpler time (hard to imagine that Mayberry was all that stressed out!). As the folks are leaving church and complimenting the visiting pastor, Barney steps forward and compliments him on his sermon on SIN, though Dr. Breen had not mentioned SIN anywhere in the sermon! Barney, apparently, had slept through the sermon, or heard what he expected hear that day! You can watch the clip here, if you want a good laugh! Anyway, as you work your way through the readings, think about the various messages regarding sin and how we deal with it as Christians. My reflections this week will draw, in part, from Ezekiel, Romans, and Matthew.  

Readings for Pentecost 15
Ezekiel 33:7-11
Psalm 119:33-40
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20

First Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-11
⁷ So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. ⁸ If I say to the wicked, “O wicked ones, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. ⁹ But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life. ¹⁰ Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel: Thus you have said: “Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?” ¹¹ Say to them: As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

Second Reading: Romans 13:8-14
⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹ The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. ¹¹ Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; ¹² the night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; ¹³ let us walk decently as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in illicit sex and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

The Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:15-20 
¹⁵ “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one. ¹⁶ But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If that person refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector. ¹⁸ Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹ Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

This Week’s Reflection:
“There’s never any shortage of sin in the world!” My father, Unk Rykken, voiced that sentiment to me on more than one occasion, usually followed by subtle laughter. The reality of sin in our lives and the lives of others is ever-present, although we often see it more easily in other people than ourselves. This week’s readings offer several insights into our relationship to sin. 

Ezekiel (c. 622-570 BCE) was called to prophesy to the Israelites during the period of the Babylonian Captivity (597-538 BCE), including sternly calling out his countrymen for their transgressions against God (verse 1). What a difficult task Ezekiel had! (Let’s all picture someone standing on the steps of ELC on a Sunday morning, screaming at us as we enter the church, pointing out our failings in God’s sight, calling on us to REPENT! We would think them mentally unbalanced and most likely would sprint the other way!) Clearly, sin is a serious business and not to be lightly dismissed — we cannot hide from its consequences in our world (spend a few moments with any of the Old Testament prophets if you need a reminder).  Yet, take note of verse 11, and God’s desire for us to turn from our sinful nature and LIVE. It is said that this verse was Luther’s favorite from the book of Ezekiel because it pointed out the power of God’s grace (note the picture — he’s making eye contact with you!). Though we have free will, God did not create us to be living miserable lives in the darkness of sin! 

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, sin is once again being addressed. It’s important to read this passage through the eyes of those who were steeped in the laws of Judaism. As Dan Clendenin points out in a recent posting (Journey With Jesus, 3 September 2023), there are 613 commandments in the Torah (the first five books of the OT). Can you imagine attempting to follow that many commandments? An impossible task, for sure. The radical message of Jesus, as voiced by Paul in Romans 13, is simply this: by loving our neighbor as ourselves, all the commandments are fulfilled! The simplicity is both overwhelming and entirely liberating. This idea — loving our neighbor as ourselves — was not new within the Jewish community. In fact, it can be traced back 3,000 years (note Leviticus 19:18). What was NEW, as noted by Clendenin, was Jesus’ emphatic demonstration of God’s love, extending it to every person he met, including those wayward souls that so often accompanied him.     

Finally, Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel reading address the issue of sin-driven conflict within the body of believers. This is one of those hard subjects that most of us would rather avoid. As I read (and reread) this passage, two things struck hard. First, verse 18 is truly thought provoking:  Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. In other words, the relationships we have with other believers have an eternal quality to them — they matter and matter deeply! Second, Christ’s advice regarding handling conflict is deeply practical and matter of fact. Step One: If someone has sinned against me, point out the fault to them in private (verse 15). Step Two: If the person does not listen, take two or three people along as witnesses and have the discussion again (verse 16). Step Three: If the person still refuses to listen, point out the wrongdoing to the entire body of believers (verse 17). At that point, if they will not listen and accept fault, “let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector” (verse 17). (Sidebar: this last statement by Jesus seems especially ironic due to the fact that he clearly spent time with gentiles and tax collectors!). 

There is much to unpack in this Gospel reading. Jesus offers a template for dealing with conflict that seems infused with love, respect, and the preservation of dignity. He prompts us to engage with those who may have harmed us with kindness and discretion, but also with firm honesty. He reminds us that relationships within the body of Christ matter and that something affecting a part of the body impacts the whole. We are one in Christ. He suggests that there may be conflicts that are beyond resolution, and that we may need to accept that. These are hard things, but powerful in application.

Finally, as an educator for all of my adult life, I have had to deal with my share of conflict. A significant mentor from my early years of teaching, helped me understand the difference between REACTING and RESPONDING in situations involving conflict with others. It is tempting to REACT quickly and emotionally to perceived harm, but it is much healthier, and perhaps more challenging, to take a breath, take a step back, and RESPOND with firm compassion (think “tough love”). My sense is that is what Jesus is telling us here. Would you agree with me that in our conflict-filled world of 2023 we could use more of that approach?        

Soli Deo Gloria

Prayer (inspired by Psalm 119:33-40):
Heavenly Father, we pray for a deeper understanding of your ways. Help us to get beyond our selfish approach to life, and to turn to you for direction. Lead us, Lord, on the path that is guided by your commandments. We ask this in your strong and loving name, Amen.   

A REMINDER about our next round Adult Education/Bible Study at ELC: 

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Join us for an exploration of that question in September and October. We will read and discuss Michael Foss’s book, Real Faith for Real Life: Living the Six Marks of Discipleship. In his book’s introduction, Foss writes: “This book was written to help you grow deep. It was written to help you on your journey of spiritual discovery and renewal. So it’s more than a book; it is workbook or notebook for the soul. Its pages will invite you to be open to hear the greatest call on earth, the call to Jesus the risen Messiah.”     

 

Meeting Dates: Wednesdays at 6:30 (September 20, 27 and October 11, and 18)

I will be leading the study and all are welcome!  We will order several books, but you may want your own copy – available at a reasonable cost through Amazon. Feel free to contact me with any questions!