Titus 3:10-11 (CEB)

After a first and second warning, have nothing to do with a person who causes conflict, because you know that someone like this is twisted and sinful--so they condemn themselves.

2 Timothy 1:1 (CEB)

"From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, to promote the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus."

"...to promote the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus." Do I do that? How do I do that? How can I be more intentional about doing that?

1 Timothy 6:6-8 (CEB)

Actually, godliness is a great source of profit when it is combined with being happy with what you already have. We didn't bring anything into the world and so we can't take anything out of it; we'll be happy with food and clothing.

What If Jesus Really Meant What He Said?

What If Jesus Really Meant What He Said?  That question is the subtitle of a book... the book^[1] is a dialogue by two authors, Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo, who try to live by the commands of Jesus in literal, practical, and real-life ways. I have not read the book - but I have tried to live into that question.

Yesterday, just how hard it is to live what I believe about Jesus became even more real to me and to my congregation.

Leonard Lynn, who was murdered last week, and the person who has confessed to killing him, Erick Niemi, are known to me. Leonard has attended worship at our church for over a year. Both Leonard and Erick have come to Soul Cafe, our church and community dinner on Wednesday evenings.

I knew Leonard better than Erick. Leonard was in church last Sunday and at dinner on Wednesday. Leonard was a lot like a street corner preacher - he was passionate about his love for Jesus; he had a deep, booming voice; but his theology made me cringe sometimes. When he shared in worship I could see a few people roll their eyes and you knew they were thinking, “Oh no, here we go again... another sermon....”   Even so, he endeared himself to us. He was a good friend to a group of people that met for bible study in each others’ homes; he shared money, time and resources whenever he could. In his own way, he too, tried to live as if Jesus meant what he said. We missed Leonard in worship on Sunday.

I know Erick only through our church and community dinner. He comes sporadically. I got to know him by name only a few months ago. He delighted in the fact that I remembered his name--his eyes brightened when I greeted him. The evening I asked his name I went and sat with him during dinner - neither one of us had much to say - we just enjoyed the food and the company. I will miss Erick on Wednesday.

You hear often enough, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” We reference the struggles of others - see those who are homeless, those who rely on day labor pools for work, those arrested for prostitution and shoplifting, those who struggle to feed their families and make their mortgage payments... “There but for the grace of God, go I” we tritely say.

I was preaching on grace this morning as I was also reeling from the news I’d received ten minutes before the start of worship: that Leonard had been murdered and that Erick confessed to doing it!

            Grace...

           

            Unconditional love....

 ...words fumbled out of my mouth while my brain screamed at me: Leonard! Erick!

I preached:

“One’s status and condition do not need to be altered in order to be invited into divine love... into this relationship with God. The nature of [God] is to be love, and the great conversion of faith is to let this love live in us.”^[2]

We set up obstacles between God’s grace and other people finding that grace.

It is this beautiful offer of unconditional love.

Let’s not mess that up.

Then we sang a hymn: A Charge to Keep I Have^[3]

  

verse 2 says:

            To serve the present age,

            my calling to fulfill;

            O may it all my powers engage

            to do my Master's will!

My calling to fulfill... this is taking all my strength and my power....

We prayed. And then I shared the awful news: Leonard! Erick! My voiced trembled; there was that horrible, collective, gasp! There were tears, and questions, and there was remembering.

What if Jesus really meant what he said? 

Oh God, help me not to mess this up!

This is hard! People are already grumbling about our church and about our ministry. What will they say if they know Leonard and Erick were here? That Leonard and Erick were one of us? I can hear them now...

There it is again: What if Jesus really meant what he said?

My brain is still screaming at me - and my heart aches: What if Jesus really meant what he said?

            Jesus said:  “...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”^[4]

            Jesus said:  “‘...Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’”^[5]

Sinners. Really? That’s me. That’s them. That’s all of us. Okay then... We will begin again from here:

“The Word became flesh and blood,

    and moved into the neighborhood.”^[6]

The Word... Of course he meant what he said!

And us? We will continue to let God’s love live in and through us, and move into the neighborhood.

---

^[1] Campolo, Tony and The Simple Way. Red Letter Revolution: What If Jesus Really Meant What He Said? Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012.

^[2] Farley, Wendy. “Galatians 1:1-12 Theological Perspective.” Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Vol. 3. Eds. David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor. Louisville: Westminster John Know Press, 2010.

^[3]  Wesley, Charles. “A Charge to Keep I Have.” The United Methodist Hymnal. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989. No. 413.

^[4] Matthew 5:44 The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

^[5] Mark 2:17 The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

^[6] John 1:14 The Message Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson