Sunday, September 27, 2020

Risk & Transformation

Philemon 1-25
Roger Lynn
September 27, 2020
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Why is this book even in the Bible? Who decided to include this one chapter, 25 verse long letter? It is very different from anything else we find in the New Testament – a personal letter from Paul to an individual, about a personal matter, with hardly any “theology” at all. There were almost certainly other similar letters from Paul which have not survived. Why is this one still with us? We will probably never know the answer for certain, but there is an intriguing possibility if we view it as one piece out of the middle of a story.

Once upon a time there lived a man named Paul. Over the years the stories about this man have been told and re-told, until he has grown much larger than life. People love him and people hate him. But once, before the storytellers and the scholars and the faithful believers and the skeptical critics all had their way with him, Paul was just a man, trying to live his life the best way he could.

It should be noted that one of the reasons why Paul’s life has become so expanded and expounded is because there was much about his life which really was extraordinary. He was a man of passion and faith, who lived life on the edge and challenged others to do the same. Such living often placed him in less than ideal circumstances. Over the course of his life he was beaten, arrested, thrown in jail, run out of town, shipwrecked, and on and on the list could go. And it is in one of these moments that this story begins.

House arrest was a strange sort of experience. It wasn’t jail, because you were still surrounded by many of the comforts of home. But it wasn’t freedom either. You couldn’t decide to visit friends or live somewhere else. You were confined. Except that Paul didn’t really feel confined – not since his life had been transformed by the freeing grace of Jesus Christ. How could mere circumstances ever hope to imprison him after such an experience? Nonetheless, he was under house arrest and thus found himself limited in his ability to attend to the business of being God’s apostle. He could write letters – which, of course, he did. But that as not the same as personal contact, which was what he missed the most.

And then an amazing thing happened. Amazing things always seemed to find their way into Paul’s life. In the midst of this house arrest he becomes re-acquainted with Onesimus, the slave of Philemon from Colossae. Paul had last seen him in the house of Philemon, but he had not been a Christian then. Much had happened since that time. Over the course of the next several days the story began to emerge. Onesimus had run away, finally being unable to live as a slave any longer. He longed to be free and free he would be. He made his way to Rome, where he eventually became associated with one of the groups of Christians who were living in the city. His life was forever changed when he opened himself to the presence of God through Jesus Christ. And it was that change which led him finally to Paul’s door. He remembered Paul from the days he spent visiting Philemon, and now he needed Paul’s advice.

It was many days before Onesimus could bring himself to tell Paul the real reason why he had come, but in the mean time they talked and shared and opened themselves to each other until a deep and lasting bond had grown between them. He proved useful on a practical level, because he could come and go from Paul’s house, running errands which Paul could not do himself. He proved useful on a personal level because they so obviously connected in such a deep and significant way.

All of which made it even more difficult when he finally decided to confide in Paul the real reason why he had first come to see him. But he might have saved himself the worry, because Paul had been thinking almost the same thoughts. When Onesimus had run away, he was just a slave in search of freedom. Now he was a Christian, and life was different. Philemon, his old master, was also a Christian. Onesimus had to bring some resolution to this situation – but he was afraid. When Paul spoke almost the same thoughts, however, he knew what he must do. He must return to Philemon and face him. But he would not go alone. He would go surrounded by the presence of Christ. And he would go with Paul’s friendship and his support, which was symbolized in the letter he would carry from Paul to Philemon.

And so the day came when the letter was drafted, the good-byes were said, and Onesimus was on his way. It is worth reflecting on the risk which would have been involved in delivering such a letter. Paul was risking the loss of a friend and colleague in ministry. What if the letter didn’t help? There was much at stake for Paul, both in terms of personal loss and the responsibility he would have felt for this one who had come into his life with such trust. The risk for Philemon was also great. To reject Paul’s appeal would have been very acceptable within the cultural context of his day, but would have been at odds with the faith which he was learning to live and to share. To accept Paul’s appeal, however, would have carried its own complications. To receive his wayward slave as a slave no longer, but rather as a brother in Christ, would certainly be in keeping with his faith, but would have left him at odds with his culture and the other slave owners who would disapprove of such precedence being set. But neither the risk for Paul or for Philemon was anything compared with the risk for Onesimus. If Philemon risked losing respect within his community, Onesimus risked losing his freedom. If Paul risked losing a friend, Onesimus risked losing his life. And still he chose to take the risk. They all chose to take the risk. And the results were far greater than they could have imagined.

It is at this point when speculation must take over, because we simply do not know for certain what happened next. There is evidence, however, that what happened was nothing short of miraculous. To begin with, Philemon almost certainly did as Paul had asked. Had anything else taken place, then this letter would not have been preserved. Reminders of failure are not often saved. And just that much would have been the beginning of a remarkable transformation. For Philemon it would have meant a whole new way of relating with the people in his life. For Onesimus it would have meant literally experiencing the freedom of Christ in new and powerful ways.

But the story may not end there. Early in the second century, a man named Ignatius was bishop of Antioch in Syria. In a letter he wrote, we find a reference to the bishop of Ephesus – whose name was Onesimus. Among the reasons why it seems at least plausible that this could be the same Onesimus has to do with the Church in Ephesus. It is here, late in the first century, when Onesimus could easily have been bishop, that a collection of Paul’s letters was assembled and published. It is to the publication of this collection of letters that we trace the beginning of the formation of what eventually became the New Testament which we use today.

In the letter to Philemon, Paul says that Onesimus had been useful to him. If the rest of this story is true, then Paul could not have dreamed just how useful this runaway slave would eventually prove to be. This is a story of risk and transformation which can take place, both personally and in the world, when such risk is taken in the name and by the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

What risks are you being challenged to face in your life and in the world? Will you step out in faith and take the risk? Who can say what transformation will result? May we be so faithful!

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Bearing Witness To The Resurrection

John 17: 6-11
Roger Lynn
September 13, 2020
(CLICK HERE for the audio of this sermon)
(CLICK HERE for the video of this sermon)
(CLICK HERE for the video of the entire service)
We are Easter people. Celebrating the resurrection is at the very heart of Christian faith and practice. And figuring out what that means is an ongoing challenge. Too often we make the mistake of treating Christ’s resurrection as a one-time event which occurred on a certain day at a certain time in a certain place. To do so is to miss much of the power which is inherent in our faith. It is interesting to note that in all four of the Gospels which we find in our Bible, there is not one single mention of anyone being present at the actual moment of resurrection. There is no description of what happened or when it took place. Instead we find stories of Jesus dead and buried, and we find stories of people who encountered the risen and living Christ. For the writers of the Gospels, resurrection is an experience rather than an event. It is an experiential reality rather than a provable fact. It transcends time rather than being limited by time. It is about transformation rather than resuscitation.

What we find revealed in Christ’s resurrection is life as God intends it to be lived – an extraordinary, transcendent life given by God as a free and gracious gift. It is life which takes us beyond our ordinary experience in ways which make it qualitatively different from human existence as we experience it apart from God. Thus understood, such resurrection living need not be thought of only (or even primarily) in terms of what happens after we die. When we open ourselves to the active and ongoing presence of God in our lives, we find ourselves thrust into resurrection living beginning right here and right now. And such living is most certainly worth celebrating and sharing. Indeed, how can we keep from doing so?

Christian faith is not about sitting on the sidelines. It is not about participating when it is convenient. It is a full-time, all-the-time, 110% way of life that transforms both us and the world completely. It cannot be left to a chosen few. Bearing witness to the resurrection is the responsibility of everyone who is touched by the resurrection. And that means all of us. Please note that we are not called to convince anyone of anything. We are not called to force anyone to accept our beliefs or our way of life. We are only called to bear witness to what we ourselves have experienced – the living presence of the resurrected Christ bringing meaning and purpose and direction to our lives. And we do this not so much with our words as with our living. One of the very practical ways in which other people come to experience Christ’s presence in the world is in and through us. When our lives reflect our faith, people notice.

In the prayer which appears in the 17th chapter of John’s Gospel, we find Jesus asking God to bring certain qualities into the lives of the disciples. 2,000 years later such qualities of living are still worth praying for and striving for. In many ways these qualitites are the evidence of God’s active presence in our lives – the way in which we “bear witness” to the resurrection. The over-arching theme which defines this section of Jesus’ prayer is one of relationship – Christ’s relationship to God, God’s relationship to Christ, God’s relationship to us, our relationship to God, our relationship to each other. Literally everything else about the life of faith emerges out of this all-encompassing, inter-connected web of relationship. We sing a song sometimes – “They will know we are Christians by our love.” The core of Christianity is not the particular things we believe – it is the ways in which we love. Within the context of this theme of relationship, Jesus prays, “that they may be one, as we are one.” (John 17:11) Such unity does not mean complete agreement on everything, or lack of any conflict, or the absence of all tension. It does mean the presence of care and respect and a sense of connection which transcends our differences. The world in which we now find ourselves living often seems to be defined by radical self-interest, divisive polarization, and a profound sense of isolation and separation. Within that context, I can think of no more powerful sign of God’s presence than unity which is born not of conformity, but of love. And then, at the end of Jesus’ prayer, he asks that the disciples might experience joy. This is not naive, ignorant, close your eyes to what’s happening around you kind of euphoria. This joy rises out of the deep and abiding presence of God rather than the transient, external circumstances of life. It is a by-product of resurrection living.

We are Easter people. Celebrating the resurrection is at the very heart of Christian faith and practice. And figuring out what that means is an ongoing challenge. It is a task which can occupy us for a lifetime. But we can begin by remembering that resurrection is not a “once upon a time” story, but a “right here, right now, in the midst of us” experience. When we start living in that reality, the rest will follow. May we continue to be Christ’s disciples who bear witness to the resurrection we experience.

Sunday, September 6, 2020

Staying Connected


1 John 4: 7-21 & John 15: 1-12
Roger Lynn
September 6, 2020
(CLICK HERE for the audio for this sermon)
(CLICK HERE for the video for this sermon)
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I confess that I was tempted to stand up, read a few select verses from the First John text, and sit down. It just seems like there’s not a lot of commentary required. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. . . Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. . . God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. . . Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars. . . The commandment we have from Christ is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” Maybe throw in a few verses from the Gospel of John, just for good measure. “As God has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept God’s commandments and abide in God’s love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

It is an approach to life and faith which is deeply rooted in the understanding that God is all about love. Everything else flows from that truth. We find meaning and purpose and direction for our living when we stay connected to the source of Love. In both John’s Gospel and the letter of First John, the word “abide” represents an important theme. It has to do with how God relates to us and how we relate to God. The concept shows up in the very first chapter of John’s Gospel when we hear, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” There is a translation that puts it this way, “...and pitched a tent among us.” John wants to make it abundantly clear that the God who we see revealed in the life of Jesus desires to be in close, intimate relationship with us. Abide is a relational word. It is a community word. It describes a central characteristic of God.

But this business of abiding is a two-way street. It may be God’s desire to abide with us, but unless we cooperate and seek to abide with God the outcome is greatly diminished. And it is this concept which give both of today’s texts their power. When we stay plugged in to God’s love it shows in how we relate with the rest of the world. It serves as both a promise and a warning. Because we have God in our lives, it is possible to be loving human beings for each other. And when we notice that our responses to each other are less than loving, it is a clear indication that we are out of touch with God. The writer of 1 John puts is so clearly – “Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars.”

It is, in fact, how we recognize God’s love among us. It is how we respond to God’s love within us. God’s love remains ethereal and intangible unless and until it finds expression in our love for each other. If our lives do not show evidence of love, then we have largely missed the point.

It is important to remember that the love we are talking about here is not some mushy, sappy feeling. It isn’t all hearts and candy and Hallmark cards. The love of God which we are called to demonstrate in our lives is a concrete, active verb. It is about working for the well-being of others. It is about not being afraid to get our hands dirty. It is a fairly simple concept. “Love one another.” It is immensely difficult to accomplish in a consistent and ongoing sort of way. Which is why we cannot begin with the loving. We must begin instead with the abiding. It is only when we allow ourselves to fully embrace the God of love who fully embraces us that we will find ourselves inspired and empowered to love each other in response.

And now, having talked longer than was probably necessary to say, “Love one another,” I’m going to be quiet. But the sermon isn’t over yet. I invite you to spend the next few moments filling in the details. Picture in your mind someone whom you have difficulty loving. Reflect on what it would look like for you to love that person. Be as specific as possible. Then reflect on how staying connected to the God of love might begin to transform that love into reality.

May the God of love continue to abide with us, and may we learn to abide with God, so that we might begin to truly love one another. Amen.