josephholubsermons


 

June 13, 2010
Pentecost 3
Luke 7:36-50

       

The Spirituality of Jesus and Christian Religion, Part 2
Scandalous Love!

Last week my sermon was entitled “The Spirituality of Jesus and Christian Religion, Part 1.”  I advanced the thesis that the Jesus of the gospels and the life he lived is often in contrast to  Christian Religion as it is frequently expressed in contemporary culture.  If you’re interested that sermon is available in the narthex.  Today is Part 2, entitled “Scandalous Love.” 

We are all familiar with tabloid newspapers that sensationalize crime stories, gossip columns and innuendos about the personal lives of celebrities, sports stars and politicians;  “junk food news.”  Had there been junk food newspapers at the time of Jesus, I think this gospel story from Luke 7 would have easily been headline material.   

A woman who was a “sinner” (euphemism for prostitute) crashed Simon the Pharisee’s party.  And not only did she crash the party, she made a fuss over Jesus in a most pretentious manner: washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, anointed his feet with costly perfume, and kissed his feet; rather sensuous gestures! 

The story is positively scandalous, but not merely because of this woman’s activity but because of Jesus’  response.  Jesus did not push her away or pull back from her initiatives.  It’s not hard to imagine the onlookers being offended or feeling uncomfortable by such a public display.  I remember sitting in the chacuzzi at a health club some years ago and there was a young couple in the opposite corner of the chacuzzi and they were kissing!  Can you imagine such a thing – kissing in a public hot tub?   It made me a little uncomfortable!    I truly am such a bore! 

A Pharisee had invited Jesus to his house for dinner, perhaps out of curiosity.  However, what is interesting about this story is that Simon the Pharisee evidently had not extended to Jesus any of the customary gestures of hospitality that a host was expected to perform.  When you invite someone into your home, what do you usually do?  You greet them at the door with a handshake or hug, take their coat, invite them to come in and sit down and perhaps offer a beverage.   Foot-washing and anointing were a part of the customary household hospitality practices in biblical times.  Simon didn’t bother to extend them to Jesus. 

Instead, Simon became totally preoccupied with this woman, her sinful reputation and her lavish actions.  His opinion of Jesus was dropping with each passing moment:  “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.”    What a bore! 

Jesus then goes on to declare that the woman’s actions supplanted Simon’s lack of action and  indifference to Jesus.  In effect Jesus was saying that she had become, not the party-crasher but the party-host in Simon’s place!   Holy cow!  Are you catching the drift of this story?  Are you getting it?  This is scandalous stuff!

Simon was a Pharisee.  For this story to take on greater meaning, we need to understand at least a little about the Pharisees.  The Pharisees had their origins in the 2nd century BCE as a group in response to the fact that the Jewish high-priesthood had accommodated and infused many Hellenistic practices into Judaism.  The Pharisees called for a renewal, a back to the basics program based upon a return to the Torah (the religious law).  To their credit the Pharisees had a zeal for keeping alive the tradition and study of the Torah and were responsible for introducing new institutions into Judaism such as synagogues and schools. 

The word in Hebrew for Pharisee means “to separate.”  As time went on, the Pharisees defined and practiced the “holy life” (religious life) as a separation from what was considered unholy, unclean and sinful based on strict adherence to their interpretation of the Torah. Extensive religious law codes were developed over time called the Mishnah and the Talmud that regulated almost every aspect of life.   

How does this story speak to us in 2010?  For me, Simon the Pharisee symbolizes what established religion can become and morph into.  We could be talking about any religion, and we could be describing “Christian Religion” and how it has come to be perceived and experienced by many especially those on the outside.  To make my point, from now until the end of this sermon I am going to use the designation “CR” (Christian Religion) in place of the name “Simon” or “Pharisee.” 

To cut to the chase, Jesus’ acceptance of this woman and affirmation of her actions was a scandal to CR.  CR’s black and white, simplistic world-view did not allow or permit him to do anything but label her as a “sinner.”  CR could not get past his label.  CR couldn’t see a person, he could only see a label. 

CR was offended by Jesus because Jesus did not live up to CR’s expectations:  “If this man were a prophet he would have known what kind of a women this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner,” he said.   As far as CR was concerned the woman was a “sinner” and therefore ritually unclean, and by allowing the “unclean” woman to touch him, the law stipulated that Jesus was now ritually unclean. CR was scandalized that Jesus did not stay within the expectations of the law and religion.    

CR was not a bad person, that’s not what this story is about.  CR is very religious and even devout person.  What this story is about is contrasting what CR can so easily become in contrast to the life Jesus lived; what I call the spirituality of Jesus. 

One of the big differences between Jesus and CR is just this.  CR was controlled by the static mechanism of religious law.  And the law obligated CR to love others to a certain extent – within specific limits – within certain expectations. 

But Jesus, filled with God’s dynamic grace, challenged CR, challenged his own disciples and challenges us to love beyond our expectations, to love beyond the expectations of law  – and that is what made CR so uncomfortable and angry.  

The young couple in the other corner of the chacuzzi expressed their love for one another in a way that went beyond my expectations, hence I was uncomfortable - and a total bore!  That’s a trivial example, but you get the idea.   

The movie “Invictus”, starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, just came out on DVD.  Since I first saw it in December it has captivated and inspired me.  It’s the story about Nelson Mandela when he was elected as president of South Africa at the beginning of the post apartheid era in 1994. 

When Mandela took office he faced the seemingly insurmountable task of balancing black aspirations with white fears.  The nation was deeply polarized and fragmented and everybody had expectations of what was going to happen.  The whites expected that the blacks would use their new found power to exact revenge for years of apartheid.  Many expected the new government not to last and to fall into civil war and chaos.  Expectations of fear and revenge were running rampant.  The country was wallowing in huge problems: rising crime, currency troubles, economic woes, rampant unemployment.

After making changes in his own life and attitudes over the years and finding forgiving for his oppressors, then as president, leading by his own personal example, Mandela challenged everyone in the nation to surpass and do better than their own expectations.  He challenged his staff, his cabinet, members of the government, even the rugby team to strive and live and love to a level beyond their expectations. 

It took enormous courage on Mandela’s part to model forgiveness and reconciliation in that environment, and many thought he was wrong, or had sold out or couldn’t be trusted.  But over time the country began to embrace Mandela’s vision of reconciliation and a multi-racial-democracy.

As followers of Jesus we are called to strive and live and love at a level beyond our expectations.  We are called to live and love at a level that surprises others, even scandalizes others, going past lines and boundaries that CR says is too far. 

Some friends of ours visited us here in Dillon a few weeks ago.   They browsed the outreach display in the narthex.  Impressed by the extent of outreach displayed there, they concluded that we must be a larger congregation.  I said, “No, we are not.”  I added that  “In fact, we are a smaller congregation, but we have numerous prophetic voices in our midst who echo Jesus’ challenge to exceed even our own expectations.”

A woman, that CR had written off, came and attended to Jesus with a rather lavish expression of hospitality.  Jesus lifted her with affirming and forgiving love.  CR was scandalized by both the woman and Jesus.        

If there is a prototype Christian in this gospel story; if there is someone we are called to resemble; if there is an example of what a follower of Jesus is to be and do; if there is someone to emulate, it is the woman!  Scandalous!  But the message of this story is to surpass CR’s expectations and be lavish and scandalous with God’s love! 

Be scandalous with the love of Jesus:  Reach through a forbidden boundary with it and touch a human life upon which the self-righteous have branded with a stigma.

Be scandalous with the love of Jesus:  Reach through a prejudice to better understand the person behind the label that has been stuck upon them by CR and his friends.

Be scandalous with the love of Jesus:  Become an advocate for those who are victims of injustice or the powerless who need others to take up their cause and become their voice. 

The world has enough boring Christians.  Let us not add to the numbers!   Let’s be disciples who are willing to be scandalous with God’s love and exceed all expectations.