Sermon, 06-20-04

 


 

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Not Far from the Kingdom

Mark 12:28-34

copyright © 2006 Karen S. Pollan, Associate Pastor


First Presbyterian Church, Salem, Oregon


November 5, 2006

A scribe approaches Jesus and asks which of the laws is first in importance. Jesus responds turning two commandments into one, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe agrees and adds that this loving of God and neighbor is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And Jesus responds that he is not far from the kingdom of God.

Not far from the Kingdom”?

And I thought ‘close’ only counted in horseshoes and hand grenades.

That’s part of the rub though, isn’t it – is close good enough? Was Jesus welcoming the scribe home or telling the scribe he still had some homework left to do?

This interaction between Jesus and the scribe was a very common one. Reflecting on the law and the relationships between the various laws occupied a large and important part of their time. And it was not a frivolous pastime – the Rabbis had identified 631 in the written laws, which does not include the hundreds or thousands of more attributed to the oral tradition. Reducing this burden by composing a summary of all those laws - which when kept would keep all the others, too – would be a blessing to everyone.

You won’t be surprised to discover that no one summary ever satisfied every Rabbi concerning every commandment. So the discussion had gone on for centuries and still does. We are participating in that discussion this morning – in our own way by reflecting on Jesus words about commandments.

The commandments are still creating conversations even outside the church or synagogue: some politicians would like to see the commandments displayed in courtrooms and other public places. However, their interest seems a bit suspect: one politician was recently interviewed about his support for the displaying of the commandments and the interviewer asked him to list them: “What?!” he replied, “Right now?” He gave it the old college try, but came up with a few - and not all of them were correct. Before we laugh too quickly at the politician, reporters went out on the street and surveyed the population. Very, very few folks did well on the pop quiz. How do you think we would do if we tried this morning?

I’m glad we don’t have to pass such a quiz for the kingdom. That’s the good news. The bad news is that while our papers won’t be judged, our lives will. And the commandments are the measuring stick. Paul calls them our schoolteacher in that the commandments reveal our flaws and our need of a savior because we are unable to keep the commandments. “Hear the good news,” we hear every week, “in Jesus Christ we are forgiven!” And that is really good news – it is great news. Forgiven! Never forget it. But as forgiven people we have a new life set out in front of us and what will this new life look like, what are the guidelines for a life worthy of our salvation?

Calvin called this the third use of the law – the use of the law as a guide to right living. And so they are. All this is to say, we have a vested interest in the conversation between Jesus and the scribe. His question becomes ours, “Teacher give it to us in a nutshell – what is the most important commandment so we can live the way you want us too.”

And it is this - love. Love God, love neighbor. Easy, right?

Don’t we wish it were so! Author and priest, Andrew Greeley tells this story: Once upon a time not so very long ago, a new pastor was assigned to a parish that was quite divided over the issue of what it means to be a good Christian. One faction was very upset with the previous pastor who did not, in their opinion, give enough vocal support to every pronouncement that came from Rome and who spent way too much time encouraging parishioners to consider issues of social justice. In addition this group wanted at least one Mass a Sunday in Latin and wanted the pastor to preach about the evils of birth control and divorce, forbidding the sacraments, including Christian burial, to those known to be sinning in those matters. The other faction was also upset with the previous pastor because they thought he didn’t go far enough on issues of social justice and spent far too much time encouraging people to pray and meditate and to follow the example of Mary. Representatives of both factions were constantly coming to the rectory to register their complaints. After one knock down drag out session with representatives of both factions, the new pastor wearily wandered into the reception area of the rectory. The teenage girl who answered the phone looked at him sympathetically (because, of course, she had heard much of the shouting match he had just endured) and said, "You know Father, my grandpa always say, "Love God and love your neighbor. That’s what it’s all about." The pastor smiled, thinking wouldn’t it be great to have her give the homily one Sunday!

I’m thinking the heck with the homily: send Grandpa to rectory to meet with the factions!

The disciples lived with Jesus and heard his teaching first hand - yet they quarreled among themselves.

The early Christians took to heart the commandment to love their neighbor - even to the point to selling their possessions to help one another - chapter 2 in the book of Acts. However by chapters 5 and 6 they are lying about how much they are giving and fighting with each other over how the resources are shared in the community.

It is not easy to love.
My brother used to say that I have an amazing grasp of the obvious! It is not easy to love.

It was not easy for the disciples or the early Christians. It is not easy for the Roman Catholics or the Baptists or the Church of Christ or the United Methodist and it is not easy for us.

Learning the ten commandments is child’s play in comparison to love your neighbor, but you cannot live the ten commandments unless you do.

Jesus does not say love only those you agree with. Jesus does not say love only those whose lives are right in your eyes. Jesus does not say love only those who love you, too. In fact, what Jesus does say is love those hate and persecute you. We are told to love our enemies.

John, writing to the church puts it bluntly, “If you say you love God but do not love your sister or your brother then you lie.”

The stakes are high, folks. We may have differences in opinion. In fact, I am sure many, many opinions on any topic are present in our congregation, but we are to love each other. We may disappoint one another - in fact, we probably will, but we are to love each other.

When we get the love right - everything else falls into place. One of the Rabbis of old is quoted as saying, “love your neighbor - all else is commentary.”

Alcoholics Anonymous is founded on the principle of love your neighbor. Every successful recovering alcoholic learns that their precious sobriety and serenity is dependent on finding another alcoholic to help. We cannot live a Christ like life without loving our neighbor and if we do not live a Christ like life we are not living. The promise Jesus offers is life abundant - joy unspeakable - full of glory. The promise Jesus speaks offers a life of meaning. And to live it we must love.

And here is grace and mystery - the scribe came to Jesus asking which commandment to obey, but Jesus offers the kingdom. When we love God and each other the pay off is not keeping the law, the pay off is finding the kingdom!


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