A Sermon on Two Theologies

September 2 , 2005

Sermon - August 21, 2005
Rev. Steven E. King
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Maple Lake MN
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 16 - Year A)
Romans 12:1-8 Isaiah 51:1-6

Alternate Gospel Reading: Mark 2:1-12

When [Jesus] returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" - he said to the paralytic - "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Before I address this Gospel text, I want to focus our attention today on our Second Lesson (the first paragraph) as a theme verse for this morning. Let me read it for you again; from Romans 12:1-2:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Having just come back from a week in Orlando at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, I found it interesting that this should be in the lessons this morning. This verse has been going through my head all week.

I have to say, there was a lot of work done at the Assembly in a sincere effort to "discern the will of God" on a number of important issues. There were many who spoke about what they believe to be "good, and acceptable, and perfect" -- not just on the issue of sexuality, but in church structure, Lutheran worship, as well as in relations we have with other Christians throughout the world.

I have no doubt that all the speakers were all sincere (at least, for the most part), and that their words were coming out of their own faith perspective. So it's not so much the words themselves that I would criticize - many were words I myself would use: grace, faith, compassion, hospitality, unity.

It was what was behind these words that was troubling. As the week went on, I began to feel the underlying faith perspective behind these words was something quite foreign to my ears, and rather strange. To put it in terms of Paul's lesson today, the faith perspective I heard at the assembly had very little to do with "being transformed", and seemed to have everything to do with being "conformed" -- conformed to the world, conformed to a particular politics, conformed to an certain ideology.

Throughout the assembly, there was a clear underlying theme. It was a message of unconditional "acceptance" and "affirmation" -- a strange version of the gospel that suggests God's greatest work of compassion and grace is to pat us on the back, and reassure us of how good we already. The prevailing definition of "the gospel" was one that has nothing to do with being transformed by God, or the kind of renewal that Paul talks about: in mind, body, and spirit. It was simply the message that: "God is so nice, he accepts us as we are, affirms us as we are, and leaves us as we are" -- to the effect that nothing in us really changes at all.

Let me give you an example of one of the sermons that was preached at the Assembly worship. Actually, I should say, all of the sermons at the assembly had pretty much the same theme -- but this particular one was on the text I read earlier, from Mark, Chapter 2: the story of paralytic man who was brought to Jesus by his friends, and lowered through the roof to be forgiven and healed by Jesus.

In this sermon, the preacher's theme had to do with the need for acceptance, and the tragedy of those who do not experience acceptance. He talked about how, in the story, the house of Jesus was filled with well-meaning but selfish disciples who were unconcerned with those on the outside. He spoke of the injustice experienced by the innocent victims of circumstance, who were trying to get in to Jesus' house, but were neglected by those inside.

But fortunately, he said, there were at least four heroic advocates who stood up for those on the outside. Four courageous activists were willing to fight for the recognition and acceptance of this poor victimized man. By the efforts of these brave four, who were willing even to do damage to the house itself, the outcast was given his rightful place at the center of the assembly. The End.

Now, surrounded as we were by activists at assembly, and the advocates in rainbow stoles heroically fighting to affirm a particular sexual lifestyle, it was not hard to understand the preacher's intended point. And perhaps there is a point to be made: as Christians we do need to be aware of the ways we exclude others from reaching Jesus.

But what I found interesting, was the place the preacher chose to end the story. The story concluded simply at the point of inclusion -- as if the ultimate goal in the Gospel was simply getting the poor man into the building for the affirmation and acceptance he deserved. But where was Jesus?

Ironically, the preacher ended the story before Jesus even took the stage. The story was brought to its satisfying end before Jesus had the chance to say or do a thing. In its presentation, the person that I would have assumed to be main character in this Scriptural drama didn't even get to say a line, as if he were completely unnecessary to the "gospel" of the story.

Sadly, that was precisely what I found missing at the assembly as a whole. In a week where the word "unity" was spoken at least a thousand times, I wonder if I heard the word "salvation" mentioned more than a dozen times. Though I heard many references to "the gospel" throughout the assembly, I was left to wonder: which gospel? Where was Jesus preached?

The truth is, in the false gospel of "acceptance" and "affirmation", Jesus is unnecessary. Like in the sermon I described, he doesn't really need to even enter the picture. After all, why would you need a Savior if there is nothing to be saved from? Why do you need forgiveness and healing, if you are okay just as you are?

What I heard preached was a very different understanding of the Gospel itself. It was a different definition of the Gospel -- the fundamental message of Jesus, and what he has come to do for us.

I'll be honest with you. When it comes to my own underlying faith perspective, and how I define the Gospel -- the mission of God in Christ -- I do not believe in a message of simple affirmation. I believe that the Gospel is a message oftransformation.

The mission of Jesus was not simply to come into the world and tell us everything is okay. He did not come to simply pat us on the back, to accept and affirm, and leave us as we are. Jesus did not say to the paralytic, "I affirm you in your paralysis, now step aside and let me be on my way."

Jesus came to confront and address our weakness and sin. He came that we could admit that we are not what we ought to be -- not what he wants us to be. And yet, by his power he came to change us, transform us, heal us -- just as he did for the poor crippled man in that story. Through his word of forgiveness and mercy, Jesusaddresses us as we are, but he does not leave us as we are. He makes things new.

How often have we been told, "Jesus accepts everyone just as they are." No. That is not true. Jesus never accepted people as they were. He addressed people as they were. He welcomed people as they were. He sought out people as they were. But he never left them as they were. He changed them.

In fact, the only ones in the scripture who were the same after their encounter with Jesus, were the ones who turned away. Like that rich man who came to Jesus and asked to be his follower. Jesus said "Sure, and have I got a transformation for you! Sell what you have and give it to the poor." But this rich young man was looking only for affirmation and acceptance, just as he was. He walked away unchanged.

The true grace and compassion of God is more than just telling us what we want to hear, or affirming what we want to be. It is God taking hold of our hearts -- through the Spirit, in his Word -- by which he shapes us into the people He would have us be. The center of the Gospel, whether it be in this particular lesson or in the whole of Scripture itself, is the promise that Jesus makes a difference in our lives, for you and for me.

Just as it happened for that paralyzed man in the house of God -- a man like us, who could not deny his real need, his real weakness and sin -- you and I are brought to Jesus to be changed by him, and to have our lives made new. Why else would we come to a place like this on a Sunday morning, week after week, to hear those few simple words: "I declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit." It is because, in those words, we are no longer the same. It is God's Word, by which he brings us to and end, and opens up for us a new future in Christ. Far from being "conformed" to the patterns of this world, in the Word of God, we are "transformed by the renewing of our minds." We are changed.

It is only in this transformation that we can even hope to "discern the will of God -- what is good, and acceptable, and perfect." It is only because God himself is at work in us, that his will is done in us. For he alone is good, acceptable, and perfect -- certainly not you and me.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world…" Do not seek that pale and feeble message of affirmation. Do not seek that pitiful message that excludes Christ and has no power to change a thing. Instead, let your lives be transformed and shaped by the One who created you.

I pray that God would make us always brave enough to confess our weakness and our sin, so that it may be stripped away by the power of his Word. I pray that God would give us all the power and confidence to boldly speak the Gospel of a Savior, who did not come to accept us and leave us as we are.

For that is the message he speaks to you today. However paralyzed that you and I may be in sin, Christ himself makes the promise that he has the power to free us from that bondage. Despite a world that would like tell us something different, his story has not ended. He is here right now, to speak and to act -- for you. And just as surely as time and time again, Christ has proven his power to forgive and to heal -- even now, by his Word and through his Spirit, you are being "transformed by the renewing of your minds." This is the Gospel of the Lord.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen