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.
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
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