"We proclaim Christ crucified"
1Cor 1:10-18 (19-31)
Epiphany 3A, January 27, 2008
A Sermon by Fr. James Haney V
We live in an era of polarization. One side pitted against the other. We live in a divided country. Red states and blue states are almost evenly divided. The past two presidential elections have turned on a relative handful of votes. We live in the midst of the so-called culture wars between the left and the right. We are encouraged to choose up sides and to draw lines in the sand. This spirit of division extends to our churches. As you're well aware, the Episcopal Church has been strained by the events of the past several years. Other denominations are also struggling.
All of this strife makes me long for a simpler time. A time without division. A time of peace and concord. It's easy to get nostalgic. It's easy to think, "If only I lived in the early days of the church. The time right after Jesus' ministry. A time when the Holy Spirit was incredibly active. A time when there was common purpose and a lack of strife. A pure, uncorrupted time."
Of course, such wishful thinking doesn't match up with reality. We have to look no further than today's epistle lesson, the first chapter of First Corinthians, p1038.
Paul is writing within the first generation of the church, about 25 years after Jesus. And yet, even within living memory of Jesus' ministry, Paul is having to deal with dangerous divisions within the church. v10:
"Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you."
That word "divisions" is not a word that means mild disagreements. It's not a word that means differences of opinion. Instead, it's a word that means rips or tears in fabric. It means forces that are threatening to tear everything apart. Total meltdown. Total disintegration.
v12 shows that the Corinthian church has split into at least 4 different factions: so-called followers of Paul, of Apollos, of Peter/Cephas, and of Christ. These competing factions are threatening to tear the church apart.
In response to such divisions, Paul is urging unity. End of v10: "be united in the same mind and the same purpose. Be united. Literally, be "knit together." The word was often used medically to talk about setting bones so they grow back together. The word is also used in the gospels, when the disciples are said to be "mending their nets." After all, fishermen aren't going to catch much in nets which are ripped apart. In the same way, the Corinthian church is not going to be effective in it's mission if it's being torn apart by factionalism.
So Paul is telling them, be knit together in the same mind and purpose. Now, this isn't a matter of being in agreement over every issue. This is not a matter of everyone needing to think identically. Because Paul is not talking about "your mind" or "your purpose."
Instead, he's talking about the mind of Christ. He's talking about God's purpose. Focus on God's way of doing things, not your human way of doing things. Be united by focusing on Christ, and trying to think like Christ.
It's a strong message Paul is giving. It's not about human divisions. It's about being united in following Jesus Christ.
Paul is telling us, don't get caught up in this polarization, this factionalization. The world may do it. But, and this is such an important but. The world may do it, BUT our values as Christians are supposed to be different from the world's values.
And in v18, Paul holds up that value system in terms of "The message of the cross." The cross is foolish in the world's eyes. But it is the power of God for those who are being saved.
Paul is telling us that God has a different way of operating. If the season of Epiphany were a week longer, we'd hear about it in the Epistle reading for next week. But since we've got the shortest Epiphany of our lifetimes, we won't hear it for another three years.Thus I want to take a quick peek ahead at the next section of 1Corinthians. It's a very tight argument in vv19 through 31. We won't go through it line for line. But the thrust is so important.
The overall thesis is this: God has chosen to emphasize values that are opposite of the way the world does things. And in doing so, God makes worldly wisdom appear foolish. Think about it. How do you get things done in the world? Power. Influence. Strength. How does God accomplish his purpose? By flexing his muscles? By using his power? By sending down lightning bolts from heaven. By sending an army of angels to enforce his will? No. He does it through the cross. God's greatest victory is won by one lone man who allows himself to die in the face of the world's power. One lone, innocent man who is crucified, taking upon himself the sin of the world.
v23 "We proclaim Christ crucified." Paul says that it's a stumbling block to those, who like the Jews, want God to flex his muscles.It's foolishness to those, who like the Greeks, want to hear earthly wisdom.
But, v24 the cross of Jesus Christ is a display of God's power and God's wisdom. God chose the cross to show us that a value system different from the world's value system brings true freedom. v27 "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong."
Many of you have seen the movies or read the books of The Lord of the Rings. The plot line is no accident. The author, J.R.R. Tolkein was a devout Christian, and was trying to make a strong point. And he does it through his choice in main characters: the hobbits. The hobbits are short in stature, and unassuming. They like to live quiet lives away from the action. And yet, in The Lord of the Rings, the victory does not come through the clash of mighty armies, though they do clash. Nor does the victory come through the battles of mighty wizards, though they hy, unless they begin to rip and tear in the fabric of our church
Thus, we have to remember our larger purpose. We have to claim the cross of Christ together, to seek the mind of Christ together.
Paul's words still apply: "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose."
I pray that we seek the mind of Christ. I pray that we seek to advance his kingdom. I pray that we focus together,do battle. Instead, it is the actions of small, humble hobbits who make all the difference. It is the hobbits who destroy the ring and defeat the forces of evil.
It's a theme right out of 1Corinthians: "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." That's a very different set of standards. Yet God calls us to operate by that very different set of values.
These are challenging times. Our culture would tell us, circle the wagons. Choose sides. Draw lines in the sand. Fight for your faction. In First Corinthians, Paul reminds us that God works very differently. God's power is in the cross. God's power is manifested very differently from earthly power.
So we need to live in a different way than the rest of the world. We need to live in the power of the cross. After all, if we can't begin to do that in the church, then what hope is there for the rest of the world?
At Good Shepherd, we strive to be a big tent church, a church with lots of room for lots of differing opinions. That means we will undoubtedly have disagreements and differing views at times.
Our diversity is a tremendous strength, as long as we're careful not to let it tear us apart. Differences are healt and strive together towards the purpose God has placed before us:
Vibrant worship
centered in Christ
nurturing one another
carrying God's love from the altar to those we meet.
May God help us stay focused, together, on his purpose for us.
The Rev. James P. Haney V
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church
Wichita, Kansas
