Catch Grace

josephholubsermons
June 1, 2008 Pentecost 2
Matthew 7:21-29

Catch Grace!

"Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father..." - Matthew 7:21

These difficult and stern sounding words of Jesus may cause us to squirm in our seats a little. We might wonder if Jesus is talking about us.

For me, this passage brings up a larger issue relevant to contemporary times. As I gaze upon the contemporary Christian landscape I see a couple of general expressions of Christianity that are often in conflict with one another. One we could call a belief-centered expression of Christianity that puts the highest emphasis and top priority on holding certain specific beliefs and doctrines about Jesus, God, the Bible and a host of other issues. And of course, those of this expression sometimes insist that their beliefs are the right beliefs, and some would even go as far as to say the "only correct beliefs." They might submit that those who deviate from their beliefs are at best second class citizens in the kingdom of God and perhaps are those to whom Jesus was referring when he said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven."

The other expression of Christianity I see on the contemporary landscape is what I would call a way-centered expression of Christianity. This expression holds that Christianity is less about holding a set of right and correct beliefs and much more about following Jesus on a path; a path that is ultimately a path of transformation. A few weeks ago we heard Jesus say in John 14, “I am the way (road, path).” In Acts, chapter 9 we are told that one of the earliest designations given to the young Christian movement was “The Way (road, path).”

So in light of these contemporary expressions, how are we to understand these words of Jesus? It is my conviction that to understand this passage, or any passage for that matter, it must be read in its context. This passage is the conclusion of a most familiar section of scripture commonly known as The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6 & 7. If you read The Sermon on the Mount you will see it places little emphasis on right beliefs and specific doctrines, but rather places great emphasis on a way of life and a path to follow.

These challenging words we hear from our Lord this morning are not about right doctrines or correct beliefs. These are words about what the lives of the followers of Jesus might look like. Jesus is challenging us to be a people, not just of words, doctrines and beliefs, but to be a people who put God's promises into action; incarnate in our lives the life of Jesus -- even in the midst of great difficulty, immense complexity and the ambiguity of daily life.

To refresh our memories, let’s briefly look back and touch on just a few of the points of Jesus’ sermon:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (5:9)
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (5:7)
“You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth...' but I say to you, turn the other cheek." (5:38-39)
"You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy... but I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you." (5:44)
"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye and not see the log in your own eye?" (7:1-2)
"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (5:20)

What had been happening was that their religion had reduced to a practice of strict rules, correct beliefs and right doctrines. Many of them had become so obsessed with following the literal letter of things they had actually distanced themselves from the tangled issues of daily living, and in so doing were losing touch with the heart, spirit, and the soul of God.

When our son David was in 4th grade he did one of those special things that a parent never forgets. In fact, the only way we found out about it was from his teacher. David had learned there was a boy in his class whose father had lost his job, and the boy’s mother was sick and couldn't work. They were private people, keeping their troubles to themselves and nobody, at first, knew of their situation except David. What David very quietly did was take it upon himself, out of his allowance money, to buy lunch everyday for the boy for a couple of weeks. A teacher noticed that David was buying this boy's lunch everyday, so she asked David about it. David told her what he knew about this family’s situation! His teacher asked him about buying the boy’s lunch and who told him to do it, and he said, "Nobody! I did it because that's what my parents would do!"

Upon hearing that, I was humbled and filled with joy! Why did David do what he did? Was it because we as his parents had made a strict rule, an unforgiving law, or create a doctrine about what to do in those kinds of situations? No! Of course not! We had no such rule.

I don’t tell that story to toot my own horn, for God knows I have failed miserably as a mentor many times, but I tell it to make a point. The Youth and Family Institute of Minneapolis has Five Principles of faith development. The fourth one is “faith is caught more than taught.” (caught more than taught) David “caught” something from us that he chose to put into action in his own life. Through our relationship with David certain things had been set into motion in our family life that he “caught” and he allowed the inertia of those things to carry on through him.

Jesus seemingly lays down some very hard challenges in this Sermon on the Mount. How do we express these things in our lives without seeing them as some kind of strict law that we only do out of fear of reprisal from God if we don't do them?

How do I not let anger consume me, when I have been offended in some way? How do I turn the other cheek when I have been slapped on this one, figuratively or literally? How do I love my enemy when he has already made his disdain for me well known?

How do I do these things? It just seems too hard! It is too much to ask of me and too much out of my reach.

But you see that's just the point! It is out of our reach. We cannot do it by our own power and by our own strength. But Jesus did it, and Jesus Christ can still do it through you and through me!

Just as a nine year old little boy “caught” something from his mentors, so you and I can be empowered by the Spirit of the living Jesus within us! Jesus reveals and puts into concrete action the heart, mind and the soul of God! And the one little word that most completely describes, reflects, captures, and characterizes the heart, mind and soul of God - is GRACE!

We, as Christians (and especially Lutherans), sadly miss the point when we talk about grace as merely a doctrine. The “doctrine of grace” we say. Speaking of grace as a doctrine guts it of its vitality and transforming energy! In my mind grace is not a doctrine but is a way, a road, a path, a foundation upon which to build one’s life. In a world of strife, conflict and polarization seemingly on every front: racial, ethnic, religious, economic, political, environmental – we need the inertia of something that can this p[lanet together rather than continue to rip us apart and fragment us into even smaller pieces. The way I see it, grace is the thing, maybe the only thing. And where does grace come from? Is it merely a doctrine we adopt? Grace takes human shape in the life of Jesus. When you and I name him as our mentor, miracle of miracles, we too can “catch” grace and be swept up in it, and grace can take the shape of your life and my life too!

Today is confirmation Sunday and at the third service four of our young people will affirm their faith. The crescendo of the service is a question they will be asked. The question is this, and it is found on page 236 of the ELW worship book: “Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism: to live among God’s faithful people, to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s Supper, to proclaim the good news of God in word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?”

Now that is a mouthful for sure, but it is an expression of Christianity not as creeds and doctrines of belief, but as a way to live; a path to walk; a road to travel. I think we should consider, at least half of the time, substituting this confirmation question for the creed.

Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” The rock foundation is grace… embodied in the life of Jesus… grace that we “catch” from our mentor Jesus… grace that can take shape and find expression in our lives. Amen.