Sunday, March 26, 2017

Friends of the World


March 26th, 2017        “Friends of the World”      Rev. Heather Jepsen
Lenten Sermon Series: Lessons from James
James 4:1-17
          This morning we continue our Lenten sermon series with lessons from the book of James.  Those who have been attending regularly will remember that a major theme of the book of James is the relationship between faith and works.  James challenges us to demonstrate the depth of our faith through our actions.  He is looking for righteous and morally upright behavior from the people of God, and so his letter is a good lesson for all of us during this season of Lent.  As we are called to consider our own sinfulness and to strive for better behavior, James is a worthy companion on the journey.
          We continue today reading the text together in worship.  I have encouraged you to bring a Bible from home, but if you haven’t then look around and grab one of those red pew Bibles.  We are in chapter four this week which begins on page 982.
          (Read 4:1-10)
          Last week, when reading chapter three, we touched on a discussion of the sinfulness that resides within the human heart.  I declared that the core sin that I believe we are all born into is the sin of selfishness, and I think that James would agree.  He continues that discussion here by declaring that the violence we experience in our world is a direct reflection of the envy or selfishness that lives within all of our hearts.
          It is our cravings that lead us to violence.  “When we covet something and cannot have it then we start fights.  When we want something and we cannot have it then we commit murder.”  On the surface this seems harsh to us but if we zoom out a bit I think we can agree that we see an awful lot of this in our world. 
          A lot of James’ argument here hinges on the Greco-Roman idea of wisdom from above and wisdom from below.  In the culture James lived in, it was commonly thought that there was a wisdom from above that derived from knowledge of and relationship to God.  In contrast, there was a wisdom from below that was an earthbound or demonic wisdom.  While talk of devilish wisdom may no longer resonate with us, I think we can agree that the “ways of God” are quite different than the “ways of the world.”
          We talked last week about how selfishness is often seen as a virtue in our culture.  James would define that as “wisdom from below” and if we submit to that he would consider us a “friend of the world.”  So this is not a positive reference to friendship with the world, like taking care of the earth or being friendly towards those we share the planet with.  Instead, James means that if we are friends with the world then we are OK with the way that the world works.
          The way the world works of course, is to feed into the cycle of selfishness, envy, and ultimately violence.  Our world teaches that to have something is to be something.  In his commentary on the book of James, Luke Timothy Johnson puts it this way:
A person’s identity and worth derive from what can be acquired and possessed.  In such a view, to have less is to be less real, less worthy, less important.  Therefore, one feels a sense of loss and grief or sorrow.  Conversely, to have more is to be more real, more worthy, and more important.  According to the wisdom from below, humans live in a closed system of limited resources and are, therefore, fundamentally in competition with each other.  In the realm of material things, for one to have more means that another must have less.  The logic of envy demands competition for scarce resources.”
          This wisdom from below, the constant quest for more and more possessions or the belief in the scarcity of resources and the necessity for competition, expresses itself not only in our individual lives but also in the way we interact as communities and nations.  Killing the competition is the ultimate expression of envy and we frequently see this on a global scale.  Again, Luke Timothy Johnson writes:
This passage is a reminder that the evil we experience in the world through social upheaval, violence, war, and murder is not simply the result of inadequate social structures, but is above all the result of a diseased human freedom that has committed itself to a wisdom from below, which distorts reality – and which find expression in social structures that make such distortions systematic. . . Why asks James, are there wars and battles among you?  It is because of envy, because of the craving – not only in individuals but also in corporations and states – that demands the seizing of what belongs to another in order that one might become greater.”
          The warning that James is offering to the early church speaks volumes to us today.  Though centuries have passed, it is clear that we still bow down to the ways of the world instead of the ways of God.  We are friends of the world and James would instead, have us convert our hearts to be followers of the Lord.
          Rather than being written for outsiders, the book of James is specifically addressed to the Christian community.  It is the people who go to church on Sunday, who offer prayers to God one day, and then spend the other 6 days a week worshiping the ways of the world that James is addressing.  That is why James is telling us that the reason we don’t get what we want and the reasons our prayers aren’t answered is that we are asking for the wrong things.  When we seek after God with selfishness in our hearts, then we will be left unsatisfied.  We cannot go on following the selfish ways of the world while we also call ourselves followers of the divine.  That is why James employs all of that harsh language encouraging us to repent in mourning.  In true Lenten fashion, we are called to cleanse ourselves and purify our hearts.  We must humble ourselves in our approach of God, and only then will we be lifted up in grace. 
          (Read 4:11-12)
          Following his idea of the selfish heart and the ways of the world, James goes on here to give us examples of sin that derive from arrogance.  In these verses, James warns us against slander or making negative and false comments about our neighbor.  We are reminded of our reading from last Sunday when James warned us about the power of the tongue and the words we say.
          The connection between slander and arrogance can be tricky to tease out but it is there.  I think we can all agree that slander, by its nature, involves a secret judging.  When we take the time to make negative comments about someone, then we are also taking the time to judge them in our hearts.  To assume the right to judge someone, is to place ourselves in a position of authority over them.  The worldly ways of envy come into play here as through slander we lower the status of our neighbor, and elevate our own status above them.
          James reminds us that slander is arrogance and that the only one who is in any position to judge is our Lord God.  I think we should all keep this in mind during these contentious days in our world.  No matter how “right” we believe our side or our view to be, James warns us against placing ourselves in the role of judge when it comes to anybody else’s behavior.  “Who then, are you, to judge your neighbor?”
          (Read 4:13-17)
          In our final section for this morning James continues to address sins of arrogance.  He warns us that we should not spend a lot of time planning out what we will do next because we don’t even know if there will be a tomorrow.  The expression of plans for the future is arrogant because it assumes that there will be a future for us and that our future is secure.  James would remind us that life is fleeting, like a mist in the air, and that before we know it everything is gone.  It is only by the will of God that we are allowed to live each day.
          The talk about buying and selling that James employs here is significant because it continues to connect with his argument about selfishness, envy, and being a friend of the world.  To say our future is secure in that there will be a tomorrow is one thing.  But to make financial plans for tomorrow, “to go to such and such a town and to spend a year there doing business and making money” is also about engaging in the economic system of the world for our own security. 
          James again is warning against seeing the world as a closed system of limited resources.  When we talk this way we show that we are part of the system of the world and that we think through our control and manipulation of the economic system, that we will then be able to grasp more of those limited resources.  So this is about both the arrogance of buying into the world system, as well as the arrogance of assuming that we have any control of our future apart from God.
          OK, that is enough for today.  I hope that you have found once more, that the book of James has a lot to say to us in our modern culture.  We are still a people who are driven by selfishness, envy, and greed.  From our personal desire to gather more resources to secure ourselves and our families, to our national hunger for a bigger piece of the pie, James would warn us against falling prey to the world economy of envy.  He reminds us to watch what we say, and to remember that only the Lord is fit to serve as judge of another.  James also reminds us that there is no security apart from God.
          As we continue our Lenten journey we are called to continue to ponder these lessons from James.  Now is the season to acknowledge that we have been a friend of the world and that we have bought in to unjust world systems, even as we have tried to live a life of faith.  James would call us to repent.  “Cleanse your hands, purify your hearts, and humble yourself before the Lord.”  May we continue to do so this week.  Amen.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Blessings and Curses

March 19th, 2017     “Blessings and Curses”   Rev. Heather Jepsen
Lenten Sermon Series: Lessons from James
James 3:1-18
          This week we continue our Lenten sermon series taking a deep look at the book of James.  Those who have been here in worship over the past few Sundays will know by now that James is more of a sermon then a letter, and it is a sermon that is calling us to moral upright behavior.  From striving to be “doers of the word” instead of simply “hearers of the word”, to navigating the balance between faith and works, the book of James is challenging and inspiring.
          Once again, we turn to the scriptures together as this is much easier if you follow along.  I have encouraged you to bring a Bible from home, but if you haven’t then grab one of those red pew Bibles and turn to page 981.  We will begin this week with a look at chapter 3.
          (Read 3:1-5a)
          James begins this morning with a warning to folks like me.  Those of us who feel called to be teachers within the Christian tradition must be wary of their role and must recognize that we will be judged accordingly.  James acknowledges that we all make mistakes; and that one thing that often leads us into those mistakes is our tongue, or the things that we say.  James suggests that if we are able to control our tongues, then we can control our whole bodies.  Like the bridle that leads a horse, or a rudder that steers a ship, the tongue is small but has great power.  As James suggests, “the tongue boasts of great exploits”, it is like an independent agent acting outside of one’s control.
          (Read 3:5b-13)
          James goes on here to lay out our struggles with the tongue.  The tongue is like a fire that can burn the whole house down.  I think we can all call to mind examples of times when one person has said one thing and it has caused a giant uproar in the community.  Or, of how a slanderous comment, even if it is later proven to be untrue, has the power to destroy a person’s character.  James points out that one small word, one small statement, can be a very dangerous thing.  Thus his claim that the tongue is itself “set on fire by hell”.  I don’t think any one of us can deny that from our mouths come great evils.
          James points out that many animals have been tamed, and yet we are unable as people to tame our own tongues.  He marvels that from the same mouth come forth both blessings and cursings.  James declares that logically this should not be the case.  The fig tree cannot bring forth olives, and yet our tongues produce two kinds of fruit. 
          James is addressing a cosmic dualism at this point claiming that the tongue is both of God and of the devil.  The power at work in the tongue is not simply a human device but an actual affront to the powers of God.  James challenges us declaring that as those who are made in the very image of God, we should not bring forth cursings from hell.  James wonders how we know without a doubt that salt water cannot yield fresh, and yet we accept without question the unnaturalness of a mouth that both blesses and curses God.
          Personally, I can say that I am guilty of this particular sin.  While I try to watch my language carefully here at church, it is not uncommon for a foul word or two to slip from my mouth on the weekdays.  James would be aghast to find that this same mouth which calls down blessings upon all of us on a Sunday morning at church, can also rain down curses on the person rudely parked in the car drop off line on a Monday morning at the elementary school.  This Lenten season it is clear to me which area of my life need some improvement, especially as one who dares to stand up here and be a teacher of the faith.
          When we look at the broader picture of society the danger of the tongue is certainly on display.  As one commentator I was reading said “We dwell in a virtual Babel of linguistic confusion and misdirection.”  From the endless onslaught of advertising that seeks to lure us in one direction or the other, to the outright slandering of public figures, one can only imagine what James might say of our modern use of the tongue.  From “fake news” to “alternative facts” there seems to be no shortage of tongues that both bless and curse.  And if James had ever witnessed the horror of “internet trolls” and the comments on social media, he would have no doubt of the tongues’ deep connection to the fires of hell.  This centuries old text is as relevant today as ever!
          (Read 3:13-18)
          James continues here with a lesson on how what is inside our hearts, our faith, will manifest itself in our lives.  Those who claim to be wise in the faith should demonstrate that faith by the way that they live.  Again, we are returning to that faith and works conversation that James is so famous for.  James is declaring that if we have the love of God in our hearts then our lives should be marked by gentleness and mercy.   By contrast, if our hearts are full of selfishness, we will harvest a different fruit.  Selfish ambition will only lead to sinful behavior including envy, boasting, disorder, and wickedness.  James claims that it is those who sow peace in this world which will then harvest righteousness and peace.
          I really like what James is saying here because I really agree with it.  I remember when I was new to the faith I really struggled with the idea that everyone was born a sinner.  It seemed so offensive to me to write us all off as bad people.  But the more I studied, and the more I lived my life, the more I could clearly see that sin is what is at the root of all of our hearts.  Personally, I believe that the specific sin that plagues all of us is selfishness.  It is a sin we are born into and it is a sin we must spend a lifetime overcoming.
          Our society teaches us that selfishness is OK, a virtue even.  We are taught that one has to put themselves first, if one is going to have the best of anything in life.  Doing something a “little” wrong to get ahead, is simply passed off as the way we play the game.  James would disagree.  He warns that from our selfish heart comes envy towards others who have more than us.  In next week’s chapter we will read that from that envy will grow wrath and violence.
          James is encouraging us to think another way.  We should be wary of the selfishness that resides within our hearts.  James would ask us to continually turn away from that selfishness and turn instead to the ways of God.  It is a continual process of conversion.  Daily we can work to form hearts that are motivated by gentleness, by mercy, by care, and by compassion for others.  Our natural state is to be selfish.  James calls us to a converted state of kindness and peace.
          That’s plenty for today.  I hope that you are getting an idea now of why I thought the book of James would make such a good Lenten study for us as a congregation.  The lessons that James offers could hardly be more timely.  I think James would be shocked to see how easily so much of society blesses and curses God with the same tongue.  And the sinful selfish heart is as alive and well in our modern age as it was in the Greco Roman world that James was addressing.
          As you go out into the world this week I encourage you to consider these lessons from James.  Pay attention to the things that you say.  How easily do both kindness and foulness pour forth from your own mouth?  (Personally, I know I need to work on this one.)  And take some time in prayer to consider what resides in the depth of your heart.  We all bear a seed of selfish ambition.  Are you able to overcome that and act instead in God’s ways of compassion and peace?  It is certainly a good goal for the week.
          This Lenten season, as we continue our pilgrimage together, may we become ever more aware of our own sinfulness, and ever more motivated to continue our conversion as followers of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Faith and Works


March 12th, 2017      “Faith and Works”   Rev. Heather Jepsen
Lenten Sermon Series: Lessons from James
James 2:1-26
          Those who were here last week know that for the next few Sundays we are going to spend our sermon time reading through the book of James together.  This will be a Lenten discipline for us as a congregation.  Last week, we introduced the book of James and touched a bit on some of the topics that James addresses.  Those who were here, will remember that James is really clear on calling us to a high moral standard of living.  In the sermon last Sunday, James told us to be “doers of the word” and not simply “hearers of the word.”  That theme continues today as we examine the relationship between faith and works.
          Just as with last week, I encourage you to follow along if you brought a Bible from home, or locate one of those red pew Bibles and turn to page 980.  We will begin at the start of chapter 2.
          (Read 2:1-7)
          James begins this morning with a lesson on favoritism and showing partiality.  James challenges us with the claim that if we show partiality in our relationships with other people, then we can hardly call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ.  He gives us an example of a rich person and a poor person coming into the church.  If we treat the rich person with respect and the poor person disrespectfully; then we become judges with evil thoughts.  James points out that God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and so we should show our respect to them.  He also claims that the rich are the ones who oppress us in the end anyway, so why should we spend so much time kissing up to them?
          The question remains to be asked then, how do we respond to the various individuals and groups who enter our congregation throughout the week?  It is my experience that we are quite welcoming here on Sunday morning.  We seem to show equal warmness to the variety of folks who choose to join us for worship.  On the whole, we enjoy having visitors on Sundays.
          But, it is also true that there is an undercurrent that runs through the life of this church.  We sometimes find ourselves wondering “what’s in it for us?”  This becomes especially clear when we look at our resources.  Sometimes when we consider the mission work of this congregation, from Parents Day Out, to our relationship with the Culton Street property, to our work in Malawi, we often get to a point of asking “what’s in it for us?”  If these endeavors of hospitality don’t bring in money or new members, then some folks wonder why we engage in them at all. 
          I think the comments James makes here about showing preference to those who brings resources or money into our midst, over those who don’t, should be kept in mind.  Is it the business of the church to grow and collect funds?  Or, is it the business of the church to distribute as much resources as possible?  These are good questions for us to consider.
          (Read 2:8-13)
          James continues his discussion of showing favor and partiality in this next section.  He refers to “royal law” but this is not a reference to the law of the land.  Rather, this is a reference to the law of the kingdom of God.  The law by which we must measure ourselves is how we love our neighbor.  James warns that if we fail to love our neighbors equally, if we fail to love our neighbors as ourselves, then we fail as a whole to follow the law of the Lord. 
          James warns that the law of love, “to love our neighbors as ourselves” is what should be the guide for all of our actions.  This is the law by which we shall be judged.  In a harsh view of divine justice, James warns that our willingness to show mercy to others, will determine whether or not we receive mercy.  Much like, “forgive us, as we forgive our debtors” the measure we give will be the measure that we get. 
          (Read 2:14-17)
          Now we are getting into the faith vs. works conversation that James is so famous for.  James argues that a faith lived without works is a false faith.  It is not good enough to wish our neighbor well; rather we must take action towards our neighbor’s wellness.  If we see someone in need on the street, we can’t simply say a prayer for them and pat ourselves on the back.  Rather, we are called to do what we can for them.  We are called to help and share as we are able.  We can do this through working with systems already in place like the Food Center, or we can do it by handing out resources ourselves like the Manna Bags the youth made for us.
          One could easily get tied up here in an argument about faith and works, and folks often do.  I do not think that James is challenging our favorite Reformed theological conviction of justification by grace through faith.  We know that one cannot earn one’s salvation through works; salvation comes only as a gift from a gracious God.  What does James offer to the conversation is the idea that the works that we do are a sign of our faith itself.  The actions don’t substitute for the attitude of faith; rather the actions we take reveal the state of our faith.
          (Read 2:18-26)
          It’s a little bit confusing here as James engages an imaginary partner now for dialogue.  This conversation partner asserts that there can be a faith without works, just as there can be works without faith.  The faith offered for an example is the simple belief in God.  But James argues that even the demons, know and believe in God, but that cannot be counted as faith since they have no works. 
          James then offers up the example of Abraham and the near sacrifice of Isaac.  The work that Abraham did was the offer of the sacrifice and that work was a demonstration of the depth of his faith.  No matter how much we might be offended by the story of Isaac and Abraham we can concede James’ point here.  Abraham’s work was a clear indication of his faith.  James is arguing that Abraham is declared righteous on the basis of his deeds and not merely upon the faith that he held in his heart.
          Rahab is also offered up as an example of faith combined with works.  Featured in the book of Joshua, Rahab is a prostitute who harbored the Israelite spies as they went out to view the city of Jericho.  Her hospitality to the invading Israelites is lifted up by James as another example of one whose actions were a demonstration of a deeper faith.
          Our reading ends here today but it offers us plenty to think about this Lenten season.  James challenges us to truly consider the state of our relationship with God.  It is one thing for us to pay lip service to our faith, but it is another thing entirely to consider whether or not our actions display that faith.  James asks us to examine our daily interactions with other people, and there find a true measure of what is within our hearts.
          This is also a question to ask ourselves as a church.  We gather here to worship each Sunday and in doing so we declare the depth of our faith.  But an examination of our mission, our budget, and our presence in the community may be a more telling look at what we really believe.  Is our faith in Jesus Christ a matter of doctrine and ritual, or does it call us to a particular sustained moral presence in the community?
          These are good and worthy questions to think upon throughout this season of Lent.  We will continue next week with a close examination of the next chapter in the book of James.  In the meantime I invite you to consider the impact of James’ message in your own life.  James warns us that faith without works is dead.  We are called to do more than simply believe in the gospel.  We are called to live lives of faith that reflect and share that gospel in our daily actions.  This week, may we live lives of faith in action.  Amen.  

Monday, March 6, 2017

Being Doers of the Word


March 5th, 2017        “Being Doers of the Word”   Rev. Heather Jepsen
Lenten Sermon Series: Lessons from James
James 1:1-27
          For many years now, I have had the idea of doing a Lenten sermon series on the Book of James.  James is what I like to think of as a bum-kicking book of the Bible.  James can be a hard read and it pulls no punches.  This is a book which will make clear to us all the things that we are doing wrong, while inspiring us to be better Christians.  It is a perfect match for the season of Lent when we are all called to consider the reality of our own sinfulness, confess our wrong doings, and aim for better behavior in the future.
          Because we are going to read the whole book of James over the next five weeks, I propose that we approach this a bit more like a Bible study then like a sermon time.  Most of the pews here should have a Bible within reach, and since we aren’t so crowded, there should be enough for almost everyone to have their own Bible to follow along in.  So, take a moment, and grab one of those red pew Bibles and turn to page 980.
          (Read 1:1)
          We call this the Letter of James, but this first verse is the only thing that resembles a letter.  We have a greeting here but it is very generic. Unlike the letters of Paul, this letter is not addressed to any unique community or individual.  Rather, this letter is intended for a generic audience.  And, if you peek ahead to the ending you will notice that the letter lacks any closing formalities or greetings like a Pauline letter would have.
          The letter says it comes from James but as with most Biblical literature we don’t really know who James is.  It could be the original James, “the brother of Jesus” or it could be someone writing in the name of James at a later date.  In fact, we don’t even know when this letter was written.  Some argue that it was first century, but others argue that its references to Pauline theology must place it in the second century. 
          So, we have a generic letter, from a generic author, written at a generic time.  I am of the opinion that this is not really a letter at all.  I think that this is more of a sermon, or a collection of moral teachings, that was addressed to the wide audience of the early Christian community. 
          (Read 1:2-4)
          The writer, whom I will refer to as James for mere convenience, launches right into the teaching.  James comes out swinging, telling folks that a faith in Christ does not promise an end to suffering.   Rather, whenever we do suffer we should see it as a joy.  It is the hard times in our lives that produce the endurance of faith.  This is all well and good in hindsight but try telling this to someone in the midst of a crises and it can be a hard sell.  What James writes here is perhaps true, but it’s not really good pastoral care.
          (Read 1:5-8)
          James goes on to encourage us to ask for wisdom and to believe that we will receive it.  The one who doubts will receive nothing from God, which makes good common sense.  One is reminded of Jesus teaching us to “seek and we shall find”.
          (Read 1:9-11)
          We are starting to get a sense for how this sermon reads now.  James continues to jump from topic to topic, handing out all his favorite bits of wisdom.  We are told now not to trust in our riches.  Like all of life upon this earth, riches will fade away and leave us alone.
          (Read 1:12-16)
          Now we are getting into some meat, this is good stuff here about being tempted.  James has some great insight in his idea that it is our own minds and hearts which tempt us and not the person or nature of God.  I love this language of temptation giving birth to sin.  We all know what it is like to get that idea in our head, that tempting thought.  When we harbor that thought it grows into something more, it is a desire conceived within our hearts.  When this growth of temptation and desire becomes something we act upon, then it gives birth to sin within our lives.  And of course our theology teaches us that this sin is what leads to all kinds of suffering and death.  James warns his readers not to be deceived by our own ideas and our own hearts.  This is a profound thought for Lent; the temptations we face come from within us and not from outside of ourselves.
          (Read 1:17-18)
          This section is pretty clear.  Our generosity, when practiced, is a model of the generosity of God.  God gives us our very life and we respond by sharing our blessings with others.  A pastor could preach a stewardship sermon here, but I will spare you that for today.
          (James 1:19-21)
          Oh boy, this one hits home doesn’t it.  One could quote this in the face of every political argument we face these days.  As followers of Christ we are called to be “quick to listen”.  I love that.  Our first reaction to all conversation should be listening.  Not thinking about what we are going to say, not planning our next comment, and definitely not responding in anger.  While we might find just reasons for our anger, James warns us that our anger is not equal to the righteousness of God.  “Step back” he warns us, “you aren’t on the high moral ground you think you are.” 
          (Read 1:22-25)
          James reminds us here that for our faith to be real it has to be translated into deeds.  We can’t just listen to the word of God, we have to follow through and “do” the word of God in the world around us.  James employs this wonderful image of a mirror to remind us that we so easily forget who we are and imagine ourselves as who we want to be.  Those who look for themselves in the law of the Lord, he teaches, are those who will act according to that law and that will be their blessing.  Again, it is our actions that will show our faith.
          (Read 1:26-27)
          In our final section for this morning James strikes at the heart of religious hypocrisy that is as common in our day as it was in his.  It doesn’t matter how much you say you love God, it matters what you do.  True religion is shown in care for those in need, the orphans and the widows.  The job of one who follows Jesus Christ is to stand with those that the world ignores.
             I think that’s more than enough to chew on for one week.  In this first portion of his letter, James reminds us to look to God for faith and wisdom, and to not trust in our money to save us.  He tells us that temptation comes from within ourselves, and if we are to avoid sin, then we must guard our hearts and minds from their own sinful longings.  We are told that our first priority should be to listen to others, and that how we act will be the true measure of our faith.
          Together, as a Lenten discipline, we are going to plod through this book for the next four Sundays.  I invite you to bring your own Bibles next week if you would like, you will get more out of this if you can follow along in the text.  I think that this is a great opportunity for us to do some good Bible study together.  James is full of rich moral teachings that apply just as easily to believers in our own time as they did for those of the early church. 
          So, go out into the world this week and think on these lessons from James.  Now that we have all been hearers of the word, may we go out to be doers of the word as well.  Amen.