5th Sunday after Pentecost
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Luke 9: 51-62
7/1/2007
Rev. Philip A. BouknightHow do we handle harsh words in the bible? Preceding our reading to the Galatians, Paul says one of the harshest statements on record. We are somewhat used to Paul being brash. He is colorful and does not mince words. We have come to see him as a passionate disciple of Christ; an apostle through his conversion experience. This man who once persecuted the church, now stands as one of the most important proponents of the faith. He handles church crisis in a heavy handed way while still reminding us of the grace that has become ours through our baptism into Christ. With his background and his track record of strong statements against sin, we tend to gloss over his harsh words even to the point of saying…well, that’s just Paul.
Then we have three statements from the mouth of Jesus that appear to be equally harsh. When we hear these words, we do not dismiss them as quickly saying… well, that’s just Jesus. Rarely do we see Jesus’ anger. Rarely do we hear statements from him that are harsh. We know Him as the one who welcomed children when society would not. He ate with those who were sinners. He healed those who were unclean. He went to the cross for the entire world even when he knew his own would betray him. He forgave those who beat him. He prayed for those who did not love him. The Son of God is our greatest example of grace and mercy, yet here are three statements that on the surface, appear to be contrary to his character.
First, let us address what Paul is dealing with. The church in Galatia has been wooed away by false teachings. They are heading back into lives of immorality; lives that do not live up to the calling that they have received in Christ. Paul reminds them that there is a big difference between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit. He urges them to strive for the greater gifts of the Spirit and commands them to turn away from the works of the flesh. He distinguishes the two even further by calling sinful deeds works and spiritual discipline, fruit. In other words, do not be consumed by works of the flesh. Rather, consume the gifts of the Spirit. You are what you eat.
If you spend your life indulging in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, then you will become loving, joyful, and a proponent of peace. You will become patient, kind, generous, faithful, and gentle. Finally, you will be able to exercise self control over the things of this world that pull you away from Christ. Those Paul lists as works of the flesh. He is doing more than imply that the Galatians should think about returning to God’s ways. His harsh words are meant to shock them back into obedience, because their very lives are at stake. They are not experiencing the kingdom of heaven, because they are being consumed by the flesh.
He is literally provoking them to act against that part of themselves which needs to be cut off. If you are involved in inappropriate relationships, cut them off. If controlled substances rule your life, cut them off. If you find that you are worshiping money and prestige, cut them off. Anything that draws you from God, keeps you from being consumed by God. Cut them off. Do not go back to the persons you were before Christ entered your lives.
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
He is calling them to freedom, but it is a very different form of freedom than we will celebrate this week. This freedom is not temporal. It is eternal. We experience a foretaste of eternity in the temporal when we strive for the gifts of the Sprit, but we may also live our lives in such a way that we are enslaved to the ways of this world. We can live in a free country and deny ourselves true freedom.
Now I want to turn our attention to Jesus. Jesus and the disciples were traveling to a village as he journeyed to the cross.
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Galatians 5:57-58
I will follow you wherever you go. He was heading to the cross and only he could go there. Jesus puts before this gentleman a statement that implies that the journey is difficult and that he may not have what it takes. We do not hear that the man actually follows.
As he continued traveling….
To another he said, "Follow me." But [the man] said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:59-60
Jesus invites this man to follow and he is met with an earthly concern; a valid one, a heart wrenching one, but nevertheless, it is something that keeps him from following.
Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." Galatians 61-62
This man approaches Jesus like the first. He is willing to follow. Like the second, there is an excuse that keeps him from doing so immediately. Again, it seems to be a valid request.
If we see Jesus as loving, kind, patient, and gentle; if we see him as the embodiment of all of the fruits of the Spirit, then we have to look beyond our immediate reaction to the harshness of these statements and ask ourselves “What is he trying to tell us?”
The first gentleman could not get beyond earthly comfort to pursue a heavenly goal. The second could not get beyond earthly pain to pursue the one who would put an end pain and death. The third could not get beyond earthly relationships to pursue a relationship with Christ. All three had an excuse that would keep them from discipleship. Jesus makes harsh statements to address this reality. Do not let anything come between your relationship with God. Do not let any earthly concern keep you from pursuing your heavenly call. His statements shock us into reordering our priorities so that Christ and his kingdom are first. When we seek to serve God first, then all of the other things of this world fall in line. When we place things of this world before our service to God, then they become stumbling blocks to the life that we could live in Christ.
Both Paul and Jesus address us harshly so that we hear the message. Do not go back! It is such an important message that they do not want us to forget it. Do not go back! You are free, truly free. Do not enslave yourself to earthly passions. Do not look at other freedoms for salvation. All of us struggle with slavery of some form or another. We have things in our lives that keep us from living into the fullness of God’s kingdom.
I urge you to look closely at your life and ask the question, “What things are consuming me? It may be work. It may be anger. It may be alcohol, drugs or inappropriate relationships. It may be lust. It may be a love of money. Name those things for what they are; works of the flesh, because if you can name them, then you can hand them over to God. He has died to deliver you from them. Cut them off in the name of Christ. Pray that he will strengthen you as you endeavor to consume him and be consumed by him. You are what you eat. As you engage in the Spiritual disciplines of prayer, bible study, and discipleship, those earthly consumptions will give way to heavenly ones.
Also take the opportunity this week to look at your service to God. What is keeping you from serving him? Could you be like the first man and have excuses which keep you from spreading the word of God? Is it too difficult? Are you uncomfortable with it? Do it and you will quickly find how easy it becomes. Could you be like the second man? Are there earthly troubles that keep you from serving? Perhaps you are overcommitted to other areas of life. Put your priorities in order so that those other areas will be enriched by God’s presence. Perhaps you believe that your life has not been the perfect example of Christianity. Neither has mine. Neither was Paul’s. God will use you and the experiences of your life to touch those around you. You are able to speak to people who are struggling with faithfulness, because you have struggled. Could you b like the third man? Perhaps you just want to take some time to let go of those earthly things. You may say, I will give them up later, but it may keep you from following all together. Put your service to God first.
There are many freedoms put before us. Many of them are earthly, but the ones worth celebrating are eternal. Set your minds on these things and you will begin to see that the former aren’t really freedoms at all. If it doesn’t free you to live the Christian life, then cut if off. If it keeps you from serving your God, then it isn’t freedom.
These harsh words from Paul and Jesus come to us out of love. They are harsh enough to shock us out of our apathy so that we will look closely at the things that consume us. Then, when we are convicted enough to cut them off; when we are convicted enough to leave them and follow Christ, only then, will we experience the fullness of the gifts that we are meant to receive.
As you come forward today for communion, lay these things at the feet of the cross; these things that consume you. Then take into your mouths the body and blood of Christ. In it you will have forgiveness, and you will be strengthened to live your life in such a way that the kingdom becomes an every growing reality. Take in Christ. He is your freedom. You are what you eat.
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