February 5, 2012

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?

Scripture – Matthew 5:21-48

What youngster has not been confronted by a parent (or even sometimes by some other elder, particularly one in a position of authority) with the question: What do you have to say for yourself? (occasionally ending with young man or young lady). Now, such a question is not asked because the questioner wants to know what deep thoughts the individual being addressed has been having. No…the individual being questioned has done something the questioner does not approve of and so the questioner is looking for an excuse or an explanation before “lowering the boom” with correction and/or punishment.

I kind of want to ask the same question at the beginning of this sermon, but for an entirely different purpose. So… What do you have to say for yourself? And… What do you do for a living…or…what did you do for a living? What part of the country do you come from…or…what country did you come from? In what kind of a home were you raised and to what kind of school did you go? To what extent does or did the use of words impact your career and to what extent is or was their use essential in your profession?

All of us use language in varying ways and to varying degrees. And the kinds of words we use are determined, to a great extent, by the answers to the questions I asked just a moment ago. My father, who was born in Germany and came to this country at the age of eighteen, spoke with a bit of an accent (not much), but throughout his life got a few English pronunciations and American colloquialisms wrong. For example, he would sometimes mix up the sound of a “w” and a “v”…saying “wery” when he meant “very”. And two of my family’s favorites: six of one and a dozen and a half of the other or, when watching “Wheel Of Fortune” and getting the answer before the contestants did – What’s the matter with you…it stares you right in the face. In keeping with this line of thought, sometimes when I receive a letter from German relatives I will use a translation program on the computer to see how the translation gets mixed up. The program translates word for word and gives little, if any, consideration to word placement in a sentence. In a German sentence, the verb comes at the end…which, subsequently, when I let the computer do the translating of the letter, for us many laughs this makes as it we read.

Before Florida, I lived most of my life in New York and New Jersey; Lorraine comes from Ohio. Consequently, I drank soda and she drank pop; I ate o(are)ranges and she ate o(or)ranges; when describing staying in bed later in the morning than usual, I sleep out and she sleeps in; she pronounces all the letters in a word while I save a great deal of time by dropping, or at least softening, the “rs” at the end.

Words will often serve as “tools of the trade”…and every trade has its own words which may be really confusing to those in other trades. How many of you know what doctors or nurses are talking about when they get going with an “osis” here and an “itis” there…or when they turn to “hospital speak” in describing tests and procedures by initials? If you are not a lawyer or have never worked in an attorney’s office…what do you care about a “habeas” with or without a “corpus”? I am sure that all I have indicated applies as well to carpenters and electricians and plumbers and teachers and everyone in every field of employment or endeavor. It certainly applies to clergy. I try very hard in sermons to not use words which would be strictly or exclusively familiar to colleagues but not to the people trying to figure out what I am talking about. That’s why if and when I utilize such terms as “apocalyptic” or “eschatological” I’d better say what they mean or the point I am trying to make will be lost. A few weeks ago I used a lot of long words (I am, after all, a professional talker) and some folks commented on it. I was, however, defended by a friend and parishioner who said that I sometimes do that because I get paid by the syllable. I wish.

Jesus was a supreme “word meister”. He did a lot of talking as he used words to create images and visions; to present lessons through stories which we call parables; to give directives in terms of how people should live if they want to be considered disciples of God. How often did Jesus start such a lesson with (as we saw in today’s scripture reading): It has been said… and then followed that with: But I say to you… One of the most well-known parts of the New Testament is the Sermon on the Mount; before and after the feeding of the 5000 Jesus talked to the crowds; and over and over the gospels tell us that Jesus sat around with groups of folks, large and small, and spoke with them about what was on his and their minds. Take a quick run-through of Matthew or Mark, Luke or John, and what I am saying will be obvious: And he said to them…; While he was saying this…; He began to say…; While he was speaking…; And I tell you…; He began to speak… It goes on and on.

Jesus was a wise man. But there were other wise men who lived at that time, and other times, but have long been forgotten. So what was it that made his words so meaningful (beyond the obvious)? Simply and succinctly stated (and moving beyond concepts which developed concerning his divinity)…Jesus “put his money where his mouth was”. By that I mean…his words were backed up by his actions. The bible talks about far more than just what Jesus said. It gives us instance after instance of his deeds. He told parables…but he also healed the sick. He gave directions…but he also cured the crippled. He gave counseling…but he also lived a life that others could emulate. He opposed injustice…but he also put his own life on the line and died for what he believed in. He preached love…but he also demonstrated strength and sometimes showed anger when people hurt people.

Jesus never told others to do anything that he was himself unwilling to do. His advice regarding living lives in keeping with what he believed God wanted and expected from his human creation reflected the way he lived his own life – he loved, he forgave, he cared, he helped, he dared, he risked. Jesus himself exhibited all those qualities and actions which he claimed were necessary aspects of godly living. So his authority came from and was supported by his authenticity.

The church is full of folks who talk a good line but their actions so often do not reflect their words. My mother, who for some years worked as a church secretary, said that churched people acted the same as unchurched people…but it was not supposed to be that way. The principles of faith to which we proclaim our commitment are supposed to make us different, better, more. And sometimes they do…but not always. So in the church there is gossiping…just like on the outside. And in the church there is backbiting…just like on the outside. And in the church there is jealousy…just like on the outside. And in the church there is pettiness…just like on the outside. In the church there are individuals who are oh so holy on Sunday…and on Monday forget everything that whatever happened on Sunday stood for. In the church there are individuals with whom it’s Jesus this and Jesus that…but Jesus and what he taught and represented are left behind when they return to their homes. In the church there are individuals who pontificate on ethics and morality…and do business in such a way that others are hurt (regardless of whether such deals are legal or illegal). In the church there are those in whose mouths butter wouldn’t melt…and who abuse, verbally and/or physically, even the ones for whom they should care the most. In the church there are individuals who nit-pick on points of theology…and, like the Pharisees, forget or ignore the Golden Rule and thus adversely affect the lives of others. That’s why pastors have job security - the work is never done. And that’s why pastors preach not only to the congregation, but to themselves as well…because we are just as human and fallible as those hearing our words, and so we must be just as honest in evaluating our thoughts and actions while working just as diligently to practice what we preach.

Now, lest you think I am painting a very bleak picture of the church, any church, let me assure you that the majority of church members and friends certainly have human faults, but try really hard to live Christian lives. But they are honest enough to realize their foibles and failings, and are remorseful and sorry when they act inappropriately. None of us is perfect, but we can work to improve. And that is what the dictates of our faith demand.

So…what do you have to say for yourself? And, more important…what do the things you do say about what you say? If we are sincere in our commitment to Christ, we must think about these matters…and act accordingly. We have a pretty good idea how we’re supposed to live. Now we have to do it!

Rev. Herb Freitag