October 8, 2009 Sermon
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Proper 22 - B (8:00am service)
October 8, 2009 Allan Conkling
I would be telling a story if I told you that this Gospel was my favorite passage in the Bible. It presents us with a side of Jesus which frankly makes many people uncomfortable, myself included. Doubtless it will be used today by preacher somewhere as a lecture on the declining morality of our country and the need for us all to take a tougher stand on "traditional marriage". Certainly the preacher would be right in saying that Jesus was not lukewarm on the topic of divorce but, I would rather see this story as a teachable moment on the sanctity of God's creation and our part as stewards of that creation.
One look at the paper will reveal that while everyone favors traditional family values, the reality is that there has always been a "disconnect" between what people believe and what they do in real life. And that holds true for Christians. Here in America's Bible Belt, where politically we are the most conservative and where there is the highest disapproval of "non-traditional" family behaviors, out of wedlock births and divorce rates are higher than anywhere else in the country. Politicians have tried to deal with the issue through legislation. The Puritans employed the dunking chair or the stocks as a deterrent, but I am not sure that another finger-wagging sermon is going to have much effect in changing the situation.
So what can we do? It might help to be reminded that Jesus was addressing religious leaders who were actually trying to trap him in a debate and discredit his ministry. Taken in this context Jesus seized the moment as an occasion to teach of the overwhelming and ever-gracious will of God. Quoting from Genesis, our Lord affirmed that God's plan from the dawn of time was that male and female were intended as be as equals. In God, the basic goodness and dignity of all humankind has been from the foundation of the world. So then marriage is not contract, it is a covenant. It is relation not institution.
Put this way marriage is the outward and visible image of God and the world, and Christ and the Church. But of course we fall short of God's ideals. We are human. We know that people will let us down. The point is that God never will fail us or forsake us. And what Good News that is!
Many folks at this service remember with great affection the old Morning Prayer Service of our church. My favorite thing at Morning Prayer was the General Thanksgiving. Oh yes, for a kid it meant that church was almost over, but it also had some great phrases that I remember even to this day. One was the wonderful petition wherein we thanked God
"...for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace and for the hope of glory."
We also prayed to God,
"...that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives..."
As Christians in everything we do are challenged to examine ourselves and our conduct. And we believe that without God, true satisfaction and happiness will never be found. A loving relationship, be it a marriage, a partnership of commitment, or just a living in community can provide if we will let it a glimpse of that sacred mystery for which we are to show forth our praise not only with our lips but in our lives.
At the same time following Christ means that we also draw upon his grace in good times and in bad, recognizing our brokenness, repenting when necessary, and trusting in the Spirit to guide us in right pathways. Christ calls us to bear witness to the wholeness and holiness of God, and to respect the dignity of every human being. The demands are much, but the rewards are great.
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Revised: 10/08/09