“Paul’s Potent Prescription”

Scripture – Romans 12:9-18

Sermon preached by the Rev. Dr. Gregory Knox Jones

Sunday, September 8, 2024

To prepare for Diana Butler Bass coming next week, we have been focusing on the seismic tremors shaking the foundation of the Christian Church in North America. Many who grew up in the church have found themselves at odds with traditional Christian teachings and headed for the exit. Others found no compelling reason to remain with the church and simply drifted away.

Last week we explored how the word faith has come to mean believing certain religious doctrines, and with the rise of science, what we are supposed to believe has become increasingly unbelievable for many of us.

In 325, the Nicene Creed became the official oath of Christendom. The Apostles’ Creed emerged not long after it. Both state what Christians are supposed to believe. What is astonishing about these creeds is that neither of them contain a single word on how we are to live.

The gospels describe how Jesus recruited his first followers. He walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and spotted simple, hardworking men who were fishing. He did not capture their curiosity by saying, “Believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” He did not bellow: “Have faith!” He said, “Follow me and I will show you how to fish for people.” When they accepted his invitation, he showed them a fresh way of seeing and a new way of being.

With today’s heavy emphasis on faith as believing certain ideas, you would expect to read in the gospels that Jesus sat the disciples down and said, “In today’s lecture, I will cover the immaculate conception, the virgin birth, and being of one substance with the Father. Future sessions will include judging the quick and the dead and ascending into heaven.”

Christianity did not commence with a creed. It took root when Jesus invited people to join him in a life-changing adventure. He taught them, not with abstruse theology, but by telling stories about a sower who went out to sow seeds, about a Samaritan who saw a half-dead man in a ditch and cared for him, about a woman searching her house for a lost coin, about a wealthy man who feasted sumptuously but ignored the poor at his gate.

Further, Jesus taught not only with words, he gave them a model of a rich life. He demonstrated how to live by embracing outsiders, by healing untouchables, by forgiving sinners, by stepping out of the day’s routine to spend time alone with God, by confronting evil, and by blessing children. And he commissioned those who followed him to perform similar deeds.

The story is told of a “man who died and found himself in a beautiful place, surrounded by every conceivable comfort. A white-jacketed man approached him and said, ‘You may have anything you choose – any food, any pleasure, and any kind of entertainment you desire.’”

“The man was delighted and for days he sampled all the delicacies and experiences of which he had dreamed on earth. But after a while, he grew bored. He beckoned the attendant and said, ‘I’ve grown tired of this. I realize I need something worthwhile to do. What kind of work can you give me?’”

“The attendant shook his head and replied, ‘I’m sorry, sir. That’s one thing we can’t do. There is no work for you.’”

“The man answered, ‘Well, that’s a fine thing. I might as well be in hell.’”

“To which the attendant said, ‘Where do you think you are?’”¹

Life remains shallow if the spotlight is always focused on ourselves. A life consumed with shopping, intellectual pursuits, exercise, or tracking investments will not generate meaning. We need to do something that will enhance the life of another which creates in us a sense of purpose.

When we are in harmony with Jesus and pattern our lives after his, life is abundant. Life is not simply one experience after another, it has direction; it has meaning. When we are in harmony with Jesus, we forge deeper connections with others. We feel our souls cleansed and our lives transformed. We are better able to glimpse beauty in simple things. We are buoyed by courage when times are tough, and we discover that God has a role for us in shaping a better world.

However, when we are out of sync with Jesus, life is out of kilter. We feel anxious, rudderless, and unfulfilled.

Many feel that if they just had enough money, life would be satisfying. They would feel less anxious and more secure. They would be happier and more at peace. Or, life would be easier if they could fix the person who is making their life miserable. Or, life would be wonderful if they had a better job; more pay and fewer hassles. Or, life would be better if they found the right mate or lived somewhere more interesting or if their children were more successful.

But what happens when the troubles never get resolved? Or when one gets resolved – like Whac-A-Mole – another one rears its screaming head? How do we find the harmony that makes life the joyful adventure God wants us to experience regardless of our circumstances?

In today’s reading from Romans, Paul dispenses a potent prescription. In fact, you may not find a more complete list of spiritual practices designed to help you live the abundant life God desires for you. And in the process, discover your role in nudging the world in the right direction.

Paul begins where Jesus begins, with love. Paul says, “Let love be genuine” knowing that if you do not strive to love God, yourself, and others, then there’s no reason to proceed one step further. Love must be the bedrock on which you build your life and on which we heal the world.

But lest we imagine Paul is about to melt into some soft-headed, utopian vision where all is bright and beautiful, he resorts to fiery language. He says, “Hate what is evil.”

I don’t know about your mother, but mine told me to strike that word hate from my lexicon. It was good counsel, because displaying such a fiery negative emotion can ignite darkness within us. But in this context, Paul is on target. We should hate what is evil – injustice, cruelty, deception, greed, spite, violence. We should be repulsed by evil so that we will resist it. God not only urges us to do what is right, but also to oppose what damages and destroys.

And in order that we not succumb to these dark powers ourselves, Paul immediately instructs us to “cling to what is good.” He says to love one another with mutual affection, and to outdo each other in showing honor. Rather than trying to put ourselves above others, we are to lift others.

Do you make it a point each day to praise others? You know someone who could use a word of praise and encouragement. What might you do to lift that person’s spirits?

Paul goes on to highlight the importance of service, patience, and rejoicing in hope. He says to contribute to the needs of others, to extend hospitality, and to persevere in prayer. Do you say a prayer of thanks at least once each day?

Diana Butler Bass points out that in the first century, “Members of the (Christian) community were not held accountable for their opinions about God or Jesus; rather, the community measured faithfulness by how well its members practiced loving God and neighbor. Not offering hospitality was a much greater failure than not believing that Jesus was ‘truly God and truly human.’”²

Paul also calls on us to do something that is nearly impossible for most of us. He says to bless those who persecute you. He’s echoing the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Next is what I consider one of Paul’s most beautiful lines: “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”

If you have ever suffered a crushing loss and someone has shed tears with you, you know the healing power of presence. If you are grieving a loss, you know that a plate of brownies is more than a sweet treat. It is a gesture of sympathy. It is a plate of condolence. It says that you are not alone and that someone cares that you are hurting.

Paul isn’t finished. He provides more practical guidance and spiritual wisdom: “Live in harmony with one another, avoid arrogance, give yourself to humble tasks.” When someone hurts you and you feel like retaliating, step on the brakes! Paul says, “Focus on what is noble and do what is in your power to live peaceably with others.”

Paul’s spiritual wisdom serves as a blueprint for following Jesus. His list of spiritual practices awakens us to God and shape our character. But that’s not all. They help us to bring healing to our world.

In his new book, The Great Search, John Philip Newell begins like this: “We are living through a time of immense transition as old systems of authority and belief are questioned. A new vision of reality is trying to be born. Earth and humanity need healing. The way we have lived on this planet is unsustainable. And the way our societies are plagued by racism, injustice, and violence is wrong. We need change…(Newell goes on to say that) These challenges are not just ecological, and political, and economic. They are also spiritual.”³

We cannot continue on our present course, and we cannot simply leave the problems to the politicians or the next generation. It is vital for people of faith to play a key role in creating a better world.

In one of her short stories, Flannery O’Conner begins: “The doctor had told Julian’s mother that she had high blood pressure, and that she should join an exercise class. So she signed up for an exercise class at the downtown Y. The class began at 7:30 p.m. and ended at 9:00 p.m., but the buses stopped running at 8:30 p.m. So that meant Julian had to drive his mother to the Y every Tuesday night. So he steeled himself and took her.”⁴

Can’t you picture him with an iron grip on the steering wheel, a furrowed brow, and clinched teeth? She made it to the Y for her class, but her son poisoned the atmosphere in the car. He felt forced into doing something he did not want to do, and so he made her pay for it.

All of us know inconsiderate types who resent the obligations that come with families and friendships. They see the need of others as intrusions and turn minor inconveniences into major ordeals.

We also know other people whose basic approach to life is one of kindness and generosity. These are giving people whose basic orientation is to focus outward. When someone needs help, rather than ducking out, they step in. They see the needs of others as opportunities, not obligations. These people make you feel welcomed and respected and loved.

When we follow Jesus, we engage in certain spiritual practices. These practices are not designed to convince us to believe certain things about God that we find difficult to believe. They help us experience God, they help us to live a life of purpose and joy and integrity, and they challenge us to embrace our God-given role of mending our troubled world.

NOTES

1. Jack Kornfield and Christina Feldman, Soul Food: Stories to Nourish the Spirit and the Heart, (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1996, p. 134-135.
2. Diana Butler Bass, Christianity After Religion, (New York: HarperOne, 2012), p. 149.
3. John Philip Newell, The Great Search, (New York: HarperCollins Publishers 2024), p.1.
4. John Shea, “The Fasting of the Heart,” ACTA, 1996.

Prayers of the People

Greg Jones

Loving God, we pray that you will clear the sleep from our eyes and stir us from our drowsiness. Too often we sleepwalk through our days and fail to see your hand in the events of our lives. Help us to wake up to the grandeur of your creation – the glorious sunrises and mesmerizing sunsets, the majestic mountains and glimmering seas, the beauty of flowers, plants, and trees, and the songs of your tiny winged acrobats that grace the sky.

Eternal God, help us to wake up to your constant and abiding presence. On most days we see only the surface and the obvious. May we have eyes to see your movement in our midst: the apparent coincidences that are more than simply luck, the whisper in our soul to do the right thing, the need that arises to draw us out of our preoccupation with ourselves.

Generous God, arouse us! Help us to wake up to the small acts of love and kindness extended to us by others. It’s easy for us to be unaware of courtesies and tokens of affection. Tap our shoulders so that we may be alert for the caring words and the thoughtful gestures that affirm we are worthy and loved.

Merciful God, shake us! Help us to wake up to the opportunities we will have this week to serve you by extending ourselves to others who are hurting. We are bound to come across some who are feeling down or neglected. Nudge us to reach out to them in ways that will lift their spirits.

Ever-present God, rally us! Help us to wake up to the mystery that is present even in the seemingly mundane. Too often we are blind to the extraordinary that is woven throughout the commonplace. Prompt us to discover the joy and wonder that are hidden in plain sight in our everyday routines.

Gracious God, startle us! May we wake up to the fact that your very name is love. You constantly exude your love for us. You forgive us when we fail to live as you desire. You present us with fresh opportunities to live in harmony with your will. You comfort us when we are in pain. You call us back to your path when we lose our way. You teach us what will lead us to a rich and abundant life. You infuse us with hope by promising to be with us always.

Instigator of the seasons, as summer vanishes, may we set aside time for prayer and reflection so that we may perceive the path you are urging us to take and find the will to get moving.

Now, hear us as we join our hearts with one another and pray the prayer he taught us to pray, saying, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.”