Librarian-Web Editor

June 6, 2010

St Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sioux City, Iowa

David E. Cox, PhD

Sisters and brothers in Christ, Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who came to set us free and give us life abundant and eternal. Amen.

There was once a lady who was a regular attendee of church, who resided just off Morningside Avenue… Her name was Sandra Susan Stieglitz. She always came in her Sunday best, and had a special seat in the church.  From her pew she could keep her eyes on the altar, see the pulpit well, and know what the musician was doing during those times when they were not required to sit at the instrument bench. She liked getting to church about 5 minutes before the service started, so people could see her hat and clothes for that Sunday, and of course to see the way she took care of herself.  Besides, her purse cost money (let alone what was in it) with the monogrammed SSS in beautiful script.

Now, Ms. Triple S never sang the service with vigor or loud sound, but with appropriate and polite Lutheran involvement. She read her bulletin with a red marker in hand—always sending the bulletin to the office whenever there was a mistake, or things were simply not perfect. While the lessons were read, she watched with deep piety, and listened with “trap like” attention. Every time a person seemed to slur a word, or mispronounce a word, or simply did not read well, her mind made a mark against their name.

Sandra Susan Stieglitz liked being noticed and liked paying attention. She, you see, considered herself to be the witness of a perfect Christian. She considered herself the one all others should use to imitate. It was her duty, her purpose. She rarely uttered a sound, but she had a vivid and active mind and heart.  She never seemed to stop talking to herself. And this talking to herself was often in her mind the same as talking to God.

“Look at old Annalee up there. My, she does seem to need help—she never seems to get it when choosing clothes that you don’t mix those two types of red together… Ah, there is that “man” over there.  I wish he wouldn’t sit there, because I always have to look at the back of his head, though perhaps that is better than looking at the front of him… Marlene and Liz:  those two should sit farther apart. Don’t they realize that we all know about them renting a house together? … I wonder: will that young man over there ever get his children in line?  Children should be seen and not heard—I am certain that Jesus said so! Otherwise, how could we listen to the preacher… and we all know that he sure needs ever bit of help he can get, my oh my…  Hey, there is Donna… I wonder how she feels after getting her unpaid parking ticket printed up in the Sioux City Journal?”

On and on it went inside the mind of Sandra Susan Stieglitz. It was her Sunday morning ritual. She was very thankful that she was not like one of those people, people who seemed to huddle in church seeking salvation though they didn’t deserve it, or by crying for mercy and forgiveness. Sandra Susan Stieglitz’ God knew her heart, and knew she was righteous… “God, thank you very much that I am who I am—saved and showing it in every action I do.”

Yet, today there was something different. Something started to really upset her. That minister – one of those Intentional Interims, whatever that was, must have been moving the furniture around again… and he had moved the baptismal font, and the Christ Candle, and the Processional Cross—all three!—right into the center of the steps. And if that wasn’t terrible, he cut off the perfect view Sandra Susan Stieglitz had of the altar, and the Musician. What bother!  Did that fool not know that we put things like that off to the side, and out of the way! Those things are in the way of my line of sight. They are in the way of the altar!  They are not where I want them to be!  Note to self—write a note to the Congregational President. That pastor is simply acting with too much freedom. And look… he has sandals on today.

Sandra Susan Stieglitz was beginning to squirm in her pew… and she was upset within in her perfect world. And that simply, simply cannot happen, neither will it do. Looking at the bulletin, there was also an Alternative Service for Communion. Ugh. And out of that new, Cranberry Colored hymn book. My goodness: if the liturgy was good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for us. Sometimes I think the pastor is acting like a Catholic, sometimes like a Methodist. I do wish he would settle into where I think he ought to be.

The service began with a confession of “sorts”… and hymns were chosen for a hymn sing, and then children came forward for a Children’s message. The scriptures were read, but by a seventh grader of all things. Quite unsatisfactory, Sandra Susan Stieglitz said, even if the child is reading “reasonably” well. Elijah and a dead child… humph, not much in that reading.  The responsorial psalm... “You shall turn my mourning into dancing,” not today, thank you very much. Galatians 1… Paul sounds angry about something, oh well. Ok, the gospel, stand up… St Luke…Glory to you, O Lord. Another widow… at Nain… Jesus sees her…dead son… touches the bier… the son is raised up, alive… the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. Everyone sits down, except the preacher… and he starts his sermon.

“You may have noticed some things have been moved around today,” the preacher began.  “I moved the baptismal font, the Christ Candle and the Processional Cross to the steps leading up to the altar. I moved them here to illustrate a point from the Second Reading we heard read today. That is the reading upon which I have based my sermon.” Sandra Susan Stieglitz leans back in the pew, and looks to the fan in the ceiling, and complains quietly… “Well why then didn’t he just forget the gospel reading?  Now I have to open the pew bible… really!”

“The placement of these items at the steps reveals the purpose of our mission as Christ’s church in the world. Don’t worry… I will move them back to their places by next week, safe and sound. But I have them in a central place today to bring to focus how we are welcomed to be God’s people, and how we are called to come to the altar for communion.”

Sandra Susan Stieglitz wrinkles her nose. After all, Ms Triple S is a charter member of this church, as were her parents and grandparents. “I come to the altar because of being a holy person, as well as my checkbook,” she mused. “I think pastor ought to have put offering plates on a table in that line-up on the steps. A copy of the 10 Commandments might not hurt either—I wonder if the pastor could even recite them if he had to in front of God. I know that I can!”

The preacher continues: “Paul is mad about what had happened at the Galatian congregation. He abandons the standard word of thanksgiving to God and immediately turns to confront them. Paul is amazed that the Galatians had turned away from the gospel he had presented to them. It wasn’t that they reverted to their pre-conversion beliefs. They had been swept off their feet by a new set of preachers who were much more like Jewish fundamentalists than Paul. These newcomers upheld scripture literalistically and so insisted that the Galatian Christians must be circumcised, as Genesis 17 requires. They saw Paul's mission—which excused Gentiles from circumcision—as a sell-out of the truth. Paul was making faith far too easy. No wonder he was successful - all those God-fearers sitting up the back of the synagogue holding out against being circumcised could all jump down and join. It was a coup for Paul's mission, but they saw it as a betrayal both of scripture and of Israel. To Paul their approach is anathema - a real curse, as it still is in Christianity today, though we are generally more polite.”

Sandra Susan Stieglitz thought, “I think that those folks Paul is talking about are right… I mean, really: if Paul is abandoning scripture, betraying Israel, then he must be committing apostasy! And all for this “gospel” business:  How do you then approach scripture if you are not going to accept all of it? Won't abandoning rules lead to lax behavior and moral disaster? What basis is there in the biblical tradition for arguing that only faith and grace matter? Better to simply “like” Jesus and try to keep the law—at least then God will know that I have the right intentions.”

The preacher continued to speak—“This gospel that Paul was preaching was not based on fulfilling the law, but on believing in Christ—and upon Christ alone for salvation. The folks who came after Paul confused the Galatians into believing that they had to “do” or “contribute” to being saved if they had any hope of eternal life.”

“We are all sinners gathered together in this room, in need of a savior,” the preacher remarked. “There is no one here today, in this room or anywhere else on this planet who has earned the right to come to the altar by their works, or by being a charter member of a church, or by being a strict keeper of the law.  In fact, those who think that they can merit God’s love and forgiveness by keeping the law have not trusted in the gospel. Nothing in your hand do you bring—simply to the cross must all cling! The gospel is rooted in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. And we have been joined into the death and resurrection of Christ by God’s grace and mercy through our Baptism into Christ.  There is one way to journey from the pew to the altar, and it is right here on these steps.  Through Baptism, through the Light of Christ, through the Cross we are given entrance to the altar. Some of you might even think that these things are in the way of the altar—I tell you they are the way to the altar of God, and they are all gift—by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Do you see these things—they represent the choice of God to give you life, believing in the amazing grace of God through Christ Jesus.”

Sandra Susan Stieglitz struggled in the pew at these words.  These words just did not “fit” for her. These words implied something different than what she had believed for her life time.  “Yes, Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so” she thought, “but that is because I am one of those who has worked at being the witness for Christ that I am! I have kept all of the commandments of God, all my life long. I am a good Christian. What does God want from me?

“Baptism is the God’s great welcome into the faith of the church, into the faith in Christ we hold. Christ in us moves our hearts to life, to hope in God’s promises, to believing in the gospel word that by grace through faith we are saved. None of us can hope to fulfill God’s Law. In fact, if we want to base our salvation on this we are dead in our trespasses, and will be dead in our sins, rather than alive in Christ. Our hope is in Christ and Christ alone. That is why Paul, in our text today rails against those who insist that the believers in Galatia must become Jewish before they become Christian. We are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And this is a gift—a pure gift given to transform us by the Holy Spirit of God sent by Christ.”

Sandra Susan Stieglitz sat amazed: could what she was hearing be true?  “There must be something that I “do” to be saved?  God simply gives salvation to us, by a little bit of water and the words ‘In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit?’ God gives us the Holy Spirit—even if we don’t know it, since we are children—so that we might come to believe, come to be transformed?  Listen buddy, I am in charge here! If it weren’t for me this church wouldn’t even be here… God expects me to do certain things here, or I will not be saved. Saved by grace through faith—and faith is God’s gift!  That leaves “me” out, doesn’t it—and leaves it in the hands of God?”

The preacher said: “God has given us this gospel to uphold over against any other—the gospel that Jesus Christ died for sinners and that Jesus Christ seeks the lost. Jesus Christ tells us that he is the way, the truth and the life. God is in charge of our salvation, and is the hope we hold on to for life eternal. God comes in Christ—for you. For you in bread and wine; for you in life and death; for you always and forever. For you as you believe on the promises of God. As you confess your faith and your life is in Christ Jesus, you know that you are saved by God’s grace, and God’s grace alone. Salvation isn’t something you can produce; it isn’t about fulfilling the law or whether you are circumcised or not; Salvation is not about pointing to your “good person” list, or that you think God loves you more than others.  The gospel is this: when you and I were still sinners, Christ still died for us… and even now, welcomes you into the Kingdom of Heaven. God in Jesus did not die and rise from the dead to make ‘bad’ people somehow ‘good’ people.  God in Jesus died and rose from the dead to take each and every one of us from death to life.  Jesus died to make the dead alive—to make you alive. God loves you whether you like it or not… and wants faith to grow in you. That is why these three things are on the steps—and that, in short, is the gospel we uphold and proclaim in our church. Amen.”

The hymn was announced, and the congregation stood to sing, Ms. Triple S remained in her pew, dressed to the nines, ready to judge the world around her.  But for one small moment, she wondered—is that word, the gospel word—is that what I am to be about? Not by judging, not by acting righteous in myself, but trusting by faith in the grace of God?  Can the Apostle Paul be right in claiming that the Gospel given to us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ? Is this most certainly true?

And as the Hymn of the Day was sung, the prayers offered, and communion was made ready for all to eat and drink, Sandra Susan Stieglitz wondered if this gospel word could truly be enough: “that Font, that Light, that Cross… is that all sufficient?  Is that what God does to save—and is it really all gift?”

Sisters and Brothers in Christ: You bet your life it is—and so do I. For you and I will stand on the last day—God will raise us up, and if we have a word to speak at the Great Judgment seat, if we are asked why God should allow us into the Kingdom of Heaven, it will be this: “By your grace, Gracious Father, for by grace through faith in Jesus Christ I believe.”  So with Luther we declare: “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian Church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins—mine and those of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.” Amen, and amen.

As I pray, think, and consider the faith of Christ—and how that faith becomes a part of my life by God's free act of grace—I often come to a point of confession.  The point of confession occurs when the totalities of my experiences are the sole or only criterion for decisions made and carried out.

In each situation I find myself in interim ministry, personal life, or interaction with others, the one constant that I can count on being present is “me, myself and I.” I am the one who is the constant.  And I am the one who brings such a perspective to interactions.  At times this is nothing more than Luther’s observation of being “incorvatu se,” or turned in on one’s self. At other times, however, there is a moment where the experiences do involve being in interaction or community with others—a community, I pray, based in Christ Jesus.

Now, I think I am bright enough to realize that the sign over Carl Jung’s Garden, “bidden or unbidden, God is present,” is a truism. The question remains, however, how God’s presence changes the situation, changes the brokenness of the world, and changes the outcome of others. I see God’s presence moving in these ways, in these actions within the world. Of course God is present in the breaking of the bread, the pouring of wine and water, and the prayers, reflection, and study of Scripture. Of course God is present in the midst of our communities of faith, and in the lives of the creation.  But the point of this discourse comes from the desire that God be in me, with me, under and around me. And this is not something that simply is for my benefit.  This is for the benefit of Christ’s body, the church. And the wholeness of this body is the desire of my heart. And I also believe that the wholeness of the Body of Christ for the sake of the world, especially as it interacts and lives within this existence, is the desire of the greatest relationship of community and grace in the universe, the Triune God.

I find that most often our conversations go off center, or off point, when we desire to hold that which we consider “holy” as the most important thing, rather than standing in the presence of God for God’s own purposes. Along with the taste of the bread and the wine, and the washing of water and the word, standing in the presence of God as life in its complete interaction whirls and moves about us is as close to heaven and its wonders as I will ever be in this creation. It is standing in the presence and the reality of the holy that gives me more than wonder, but also illumination. Such illumination is beyond my intellect, power or strength. It is a gift of God, granted to bring life and hope to the church. Such gifts are holy, trustworthy and true—beyond positions of absolutist posturing of the “only meaning” of a bible verse, or the moral piety of those who think that their insights are the sole interpretation of right and wrong.

You see, along with the grace of God that moves within and around me, I have been carefully taught. Taught to distrust the other. Taught to distrust anything that is not like me. Homogeniality, and being one with the other has been taught as being uniform in my opinions, my attitudes, and my actions with others expectations in the community. How funny it is then that homosexuality brings out such powerful angst and emotional turmoil when it exists? We want homogeniality—but why? Perhaps because we receive a sense of safety in numbers, or safety in sameness… and being, well, mostly heterosexual in the church and the creation we attempt to force others into that which is our experience.

So many questions fill my mind. Why do we cry out against those who are different in creation? Is it not possible, if some are homosexual, and some are heterosexual, that God might have been involved in the creation of these, and then sexuality, as a divine gift might need to be reexamined? Is the requirement of acting in a certain way, when it is a demand, a condemnation, a forced contrivance—is that not violence against the created order? Though for some there may be choice involved, I consider one’s sexual orientation to be a given more than a chosen awareness. How does this change the conversation? And, even after all of these thoughts, what happens when the community of God attempts to provide the entrance of others for the sake of the gospel—an action of gift, rather than entitlement or earned action—and then we set up one sin as the litmus test beyond all others?

As I began, I said I desired to find the center.  I must admit that this is something I cannot find on my own. For my actions and abilities are too limited, and the desire is too illusive for my human self.  The center is only provided by the Holy Spirit, sent to those who have been named, claimed, and called to life. The center comes when this Holy Spirit is poured into our hearts, and eaten and drunk as a moment of deep and concentrated grace. The center is received, not accepted; given, not taken; offered freely, not purchased by some coin of morality. Yet, if we as community cannot agree on these simply profound things, how can we ever come to a point of standing in God’s grace—especially if we consider this grace something we have to control, lest it let in those beyond our vision of life?

Oh, “love one another even as I have loved you,” Jesus asks. “Do not call profane anything that I have made” Peter is told by God. “Behold, I make all things new,” says the Alpha and Omega.  Do we believe such words? Do we want such words to be a part of our discussion? Or even do we want to realize that God wants newness to move us to even greater places of faith, life and the dominion of God?

Christ as center is a position we do not hold as church, save in our declarations of faith… for when Christ is center, there is no room for us to push Christ aside… And if, the faces of our sisters and brothers of the faith are the face of Christ among us, then are we pushing Christ aside when we forget to love those who come to hear this word of salvation? One Lord, one faith, one baptism… I sense this is to what we are called to proclaim. Christ dead and risen and ascended… I sense this is what we are called to proclaim.  The Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts, giving us gifts and fruit and life… I sense this is what we are called to proclaim. Is all else simply subsequent to these words? Or, have we done (which I fear we have done) something truly abominable, truly abhorrent, and truly an abomination—preach a gospel dependant on our own specific moral codes and piety…

Christ, I pray, in this and all things come and take the center of me, of us, of your church, and of your world… for I fear that beyond this we will work toward death, rather than life.