Sermon Snippet . . .
Yesterday, I was honored to represent my brand of Christian witness, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma, at the installation of one of the Church’s ministers at a new place of ministry. My peer and friend, Rev. Shannon, has been the Minister for Faith Formation at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Norman, OK for a few months now. Yesterday, was the formal recognition of this ministry through a bit of liturgy and prayer. I was privileged with the trust of the pulpit as well by the Sr. Minister, Rev. David, to say a few words. We call it preaching. Here is a snippet from my words about Romans 12:1-8.
Biblical scholars agree that we are reading the last genuine letter that Paul ever wrote or dictated. We receive it and read it through a 21st century lens that recognizes old stereotypes, and we hear the call to ethical living based in our beliefs about God and Jesus the Christ. The New Testament scholar Marcus Borg calls this portion of Romans the “so what” section as Paul moves from theology about God and Christ to what that theology means when put into practice in our living. It is counsel about relationships and community and discipleship and being Christian that begins with reasonable service and “don’t be conformed by this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”
Paul know something about transformation and renewal. “The good that I would do, I do not. That which I do not want to do, I often do.” (Romans 7:19) Honest self reflection. That is honest self reflection. You know, reading through the authentic letters of Paul it is easy to determine that he had a big ego, but I imagine that Paul would be embarrassed and corrective if he knew that many followers of Jesus set him, Paul, as equal to or above the one he proclaimed as Christ. For to long, Christianity has placed more emphasis on Paul’s words, Paul’s understanding of faith, and Paul’s understanding of being a follower of Jesus for deciding: who is or is not worthy of leadership in the congregational life; for deciding who is or is not worthy of being ordained into Christian ministry; and for the ordering of the Church rather than listening to the teachings of Jesus. I get why. You know why. About some things and about some issues Jesus said nothing, specific.
You know Jesus, that pesky peasant teacher from Nazareth who taught in parable and offered radical hospitality to the outcast of his time. Jesus, who when asked about the greatest commandment answered, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus, who comforted the afflicted and afflicted the comfortable in his time and today. I think that is what Paul is trying to emulate or replicate or be for those who where first “followers of the way” and then labeled “Christian” in his historical context and ours. The universal Church has thought of Paul’s words, and the writings of the ancient organizers or theologians of Christianity, as “gospel truth” rather than commentary. The scholars Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan provide a different glimpse into the Apostle in their book, The First Paul: Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church’s Conservative Icon. That would be a good book for a Sunday school class or a conversation over coffee once a week. It will give you another perspective about our letter writing friend Paul.