Sermon for the 7 th Sunday after Trinity, July 26, 2009
“ But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ”
Once you wanted to be somebody when you grew up, right? Who was it? And I don't mean the occupation, the profession you dreamt of—fireman, police officer, pilot, space explorer—but the kind of man or woman that filled that role, who lived a tall and strong heroic life. Who was your dreamt of you ?
Batman, Superman, Captain America , and Spiderman were once our superheroes, fantasies of Marvel Comic books wonderfully imagined and drawn for the delight of every kid's heart. Surely a man who can bend a steel beam in his hands, or fly, or stop a racing locomotive, and sock the bad guys so hard they crumple is a handy person to have around because of his abilities. But there were other powerful characters portrayed, equally mighty, who did only evil with what they had. The difference between the two types was that Superman only did good. He was pure. He could not be corrupted, and it was from his goodness that his power sprang.
Does power reside in us that goodness might unlock? Have you ever thought of yourself in superhero terms? Other than in wild dreams, have you longed to be able to save somebody from the clutches of evil or imminent danger? Is your longing satisfied, or do you feel like a mere weakling, a shrinking violet, a wilted flower, just a wimp in the face of the all-powerful evil in our day?
If strength were given to you, or found hiding in you, power to do tremendous good and change the world for those around you, would you do it? Would you use your might, your superhuman abilities to overcome wicked abusive people and hold high the virtues of honesty, mercy, love, compassion, self-sacrifice, and freedom? If such power exists in you, do you want to know it?
Great suffering abounds—oh, not Wall Street: those guys make their own misery. But the little guys, whose retirement funds were tied to GM or WaMu or Enron or some other financial disaster, those who had all their livelihoods tied up in a home that is now worth less than their mortgage, the millions out of work, those who are sick and can't afford treatment, people in bondage, people in fear, people locked into oppressive relationships, people with deep sadness: great suffering abounds and we can be overcome by it. The news is all bad. Washington's answers lack comfort, cost far too much, offer frightening scenarios, and pretend things that they can't perform. Where such great suffering, fear and oppression abounds, what can we do? It's pandemic. It's like the swine flu, the West Nile virus and small pox rolled into one great plague. Who can stand against it?
Good old St. Paul saw such times and wrote to Rome, the heart of his republic: “I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Romans 8:18-19 Who are these sons of God? St. John told you: “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13 Sons of God sound like superheroes. And they are.
Could you be a son or daughter of God? Well, if you're not, you're doomed along with this world. And it's not just terminology, calling ourselves children of God —as though children of God are mere kindergarteners, small and weak and needy. An adult who is a child of God is His adult child , the son or daughter of the Creator of everything. We are mere children by contrast to Him, of course, but in contrast to the world—well, we might be sages, generals in His army, queens of renown, masters of every situation. Why not? “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ… we are ambassadors for Christ.” 2 Cor 5:17-20
Does a young bird stay in the nest and keep opening its beak for more free food forever? No bird's parent would allow it. That kid gets pushed from the nest, and the reason for such cruelty is so he will discover that he's a bird. Falling headlong toward the valley floor, the eaglet flaps and flails frantically, opening those grand new wings… and then the miracle happens. He flies . He soars. He overcomes gravity. He figures it out: I'm an eagle, just like my mom . He lets out a piercing cry of victory. “I'm an eagle! I can fly!”
Last Sunday I spoke at length about how our old man has to die. We must crucify the flesh, our old nature, the stuff we were bound to do before we were in Christ. Bound for it then , but we carried a bunch of it into our Christian lives and still felt obliged to remain stuck in patterns of sinful habits and weaknesses that tied us to our formers lives. The scriptures clearly say we must crucify the old guy and keep the cross handy for whenever we're tempted to return to old ways. When you are fully crucified, and you don't know who you are, what do you do? Who are you? The old answers no good anymore, what are the new answers?
I once fought the idea that Christ is my model for living. I fought it because He's perfect, and I'm not; He's God and I surely am not; He's unmarried and I am; He did miracles at will and I never did, etc . Nice dodge and a common enough excuse, but there really is no such excuse. Here is God the Son who died in my place, gives His life for me, gives His everlasting life to me and here I am making excuses. So He pushes me out of the nest. He's done that a few times for my sake. The sufferings of the moment turn to glory as a bird spreads wings it didn't know it had and flying becomes the new normal.
St. Paul instructed that we “be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness… And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” Eph 4:23-32 Isn't that a lot like the awakening of a superhero, Spiderman finding out he can fling webbing to high buildings and swing through the metropolis, Superman putting his arms out and jumping in the air, only to find himself faster than a speeding bullet? A renewed mind and a new nature created by God, that is completely holy and good, is a powerful human being. We don't even know who we are. We aren't just better people, in the likeness of our old man merely halted from our old self-destructive former course. We have “put on the new man , which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him … Christ is all, and in all.” Col 3:9-11 If that is our faith, what do we do, and who are we?
We never knew who we were meant to be when we were servants of sin. It was impossible to exhibit God's power, or if we did, it was to beckon us out of that life and into His own. If we are now truly servants of God, what is possible for us? How much can we expect for our lives to change? Courage now, little ones. This may surprise you. Don't be frightened, but you are sitting in a room full of warriors.
Forgiveness that God has for you and your sins is only a beginning. You now have power to forgive others . Think that's a small gift? Imagine having a key that unlocks prison doors and changes inmates hearts and minds, gives freedom where slavery was once the rule. You have that power.
Jesus taught us not to fear lack of clothing or food, basic necessities, if we first seek God's kingdom and righteousness, because everything we need is there— amply given to us. But now, like the apostles, this abundance can multiply in our hands, the divine blessing upon the daily bread adds and adds to it, as we become the source of life to others around us, giving and giving more of that abundance. That isn't just a Bible story. You have that power.
What else can you do? Fly? Maybe not, but don't rule it out. Nothing is impossible for God. Peace is now your own, and you can bring peace to others' troubled lives, settling disputes, dispensing divine reason, saying the right word at the essential time. Salvation , now the light of your life and a helmet protecting your mind from dark fears and evil thoughts, is yours to give away to others in the knowledge that Christ is all and answers every human need. Healing to your broken heart and even body has flowed out from the Savior's hand, and is now in your hand to mend the bleeding lives of those who are just as you were, bringing God's anointing to sick lives in need of His care. Justice has been satisfied by the Lamb upon the cross for your sins against His Father, and now you carry God's justice with you , to identify and decry the inequities that cause human bondage and undue suffering in the lives you encounter. Truth has set you free from the lies you were convinced of and now you speak the truth in love that will dispel those lies that trap and misguide those who are wandering in darkness.
When we take the wafer on our tongue, sip the wine, its sweet and tangy fluid washing down our throats, Jesus Christ is in us. His Holy Spirit already resides in our spirits. This is God . Whatever God can accomplish, that power resides in you. His potential for supernatural strength, superhuman energy, superior knowledge, wisdom, guidance, holiness, and the awe inspiring apprehension of God's greatness and powerful presence is totally and fully realized inside of you, if you get out of the nest and fall, flail, and then fly.
Now, don't jump off any roofs, darlings. No cape will save you, nor tights nor masks nor fancy equipment belts. We're talking about sons of God , not comic fantasy heroes. They inspired us to do great things. Now we are able to do great things in street clothes and everyday appearance, but within this camouflage of common garments ripple such muscular Christian soldiers, warriors in the greatest battle, magnificent men and women, stronger than steel, truer than the arrow's flight, faster than thought, and ruled by love, we stand in the sun's last rays, spiritually our capes flowing in the breeze. New man, new woman, arise. Fly now upward from your spiritual childhood and soar.
PFH+