CHRISTIANITY 101: ARE YOU PECULIAR?
God has the unique ability to provide us with exactly what we need…exactly when we need it. For example, I recently encountered a story about how God provided Adam and Eve with exactly what they needed, exactly when they needed it. The story takes place shortly after Adam and Eve had been banished from the Garden of Eden for eating from the tree of knowledge. Adam and Eve were lamenting the fact that they no longer enjoyed the intimate communion with God they had once enjoyed.
Adam said to God, “Lord, when we were in the Garden, you walked with us every day. Now we don’t see you nearly as often. We’re lonesome here, and sometimes it’s difficult for us to remember just how much you love us. Isn’t there something you can do?”
God replied, “No problem. I will create a companion for you who will be with you in good times and in bad. He will be a reflection of my love for you so that – even when you do not see me – you will know that I still love you. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are. He will love you unconditionally, in spite of yourselves.”
So God created a new animal to be a companion to Adam and Eve. It was a good animal, and God was pleased. What’s more, the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and Eve, as well…so pleased, in fact, that he wagged his tail whenever they came around.
Yet still, there was a small problem. Adam said, “Lord, I have named all the animals in the kingdom, but I cannot think of a name for this new animal.” God said, “Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, its name will be a reflection of my own name. Thus, you will call him DOG.” So the dog lived with Adam and Eve, and loved them, and was a perfect reflection of God’s unconditional love. Thus, Adam and Eve were comforted, God was pleased…and the dog was content and wagged his tail.
After a while, however, it came to pass that an angel appeared before God and said, “Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen like peacocks, and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught them that they are loved, yet perhaps he has taught them too well.”
God said, “No problem. I will create a companion for them who will see them as they truly are. This new companion will remind them of their limitations, so they will know that they are not always worthy of adoration.” So God created CAT to be a companion for Adam and Eve…and Cat would not obey them. And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat’s eyes, they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings they fancied themselves to be.
Adam and Eve learned humility, and they were greatly improved. God was pleased, the dog wagged his tail…and the cat did not care one way or the other. Like I said at the beginning of this sermon, God has the unique ability to provide us with exactly what we need…exactly when we need it. Keep that thought in mind as we move on.
Several months ago, we postulated that our spiritual lives are shaped by three basic things: our narratives, our practices, and our communities. Our narratives frame our understanding of God and of ourselves. Our practices are the things we do on a regular basis that help to form who and what we are. Our communities are the places we go where we are surrounded by – and influenced by – other people…for better or for worse.
Then we worked very hard to establish a few new narratives about God. Looking at God through the lens of Jesus Christ, we determined that God is good, God is trustworthy, God is generous, God is love, God is holy, God is self-sacrificing, and God transforms. Then we wrestled in turn with overcoming anger, lust, lying, and the law of reciprocity. We took a stab at defeating vainglory, avarice, worry, and judgmentalism.
The theory behind such an endeavor is that abiding in the kingdom of God is different than abiding in the kingdom of this world. Those who abide in this world ask, “How can I get more?” Those who abide in the kingdom ask, “How can I give more?” Those who abide in this world ask, “How can I find myself?” Those who abide in the kingdom ask, “How can I lose myself?” Those who abide in this world ask, “How can I win friends and influence people?” Those who abide in the kingdom ask, “How can I truly serve God?” Ladies and gentlemen, there is a profound difference between abiding in the kingdom of this world…and abiding in the kingdom of God. And if you still fail to comprehend exactly what that difference is, at least you’re in the right place to begin to do so now.
Today we begin the process of considering the communities that are meant to influence us from a spiritual standpoint. In the passage Henry read from the book of Isaiah, we get a sense of just what God expects that community to be. God says, “Seek the Lord where he may be found; call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways…and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Then God showed us exactly how he thinks in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus told of a father who got taken advantage of by a wayward son, yet all the while longed for him to come back home. Jesus told of a Samaritan – looked down upon by the people of his day – who perfectly revealed what it meant to be a good neighbor. Jesus allowed his own people to scorn him, mock him, and put him to death…thereby revealing the love God had for all of humanity. Jesus revealed a God who was like no other god the world had ever seen. The Greeks and the Romans had created a pantheon of gods and goddesses who acted a lot like humans act…often at their worst. Their gods lied, cheated and killed. Their gods committed adultery and punished each other out of jealousy and rage.
Jesus revealed a God who was like no other god the world had ever seen. His thoughts were not our thoughts, nor were his ways our ways. Truth be told, this God of ours seems to be a bit…peculiar. And it would appear as though that’s exactly what he wants from us, as well. He wants us to be peculiar. Perhaps the question now is: Are you…peculiar?
From what I understand, the statistics these days seem to indicate that Christians are not peculiar. By that I mean that there tends to be precious little difference between the behavior of Christians and the behavior of those who are not. Christian and non-Christian divorce rates are now quite similar. Christians are just as likely to end up in prison as non-Christians, as well…although Presbyterians typically prefer what we call “white-collar” crimes. Christians are just as likely to abuse drugs, step on others to get ahead, or suffer from hopelessness as non-Christians, as well. Shouldn’t there be at least a little bit of difference? Shouldn’t we be a bit more peculiar?
As I said at the very beginning of this sermon, God has the unique ability to provide us with exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. I recently encountered an interesting article entitled, “Being the Church Today,” that I think very much pertains to this. Listen closely.
According to the article, the numerical height of the mainline Protestant Church in the United States occurred in the year 1965. That was the year the largest percentage of American people affiliated with – and attended – church. More Americans were going to church in 1965 than at any other time in U.S. history. Nineteen sixty-five was the year The Sound of Music premiered on film, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Social Security Act, and A Charlie Brown Christmas was first shown on T.V. In other words, it wasn’t all that long ago. In the living memory of many of us are the days when the church was more popular than at any other time in U. S. history.
We tend to be a bit nostalgic when we think back on the church’s role in American society. Perhaps the change in the church’s social status from being at the center of culture, to moving toward the periphery, has clouded our vision. We think that – once upon a time – all of our churches were big, bustling centers of activity: filled with children, distinguished by selfless service to the community, and immersed in happy, loving relationships between people.
We used to be the popular kid in class, but now…not so much. One response to these changing circumstances has been the creation of an unrealistic mental picture. We think we were once a great and glorious church, but now we fear we’re doomed to the dustbin of history. Perhaps this delusion keeps us from seeing the ministry that is right in front of us. The problem is not that we’re getting smaller and more peripheral. The problem is a lack of imaginative faith…and a lackluster sense of commitment. Like I said earlier, maybe God is giving us exactly what we need exactly when we need it. Wistful complaints about declining membership rolls and budgets do not offer a prophetic word to anyone. Yet perhaps paying a bit closer attention to the people in our communities does. The question now is: How do we get there?
Before we get to that, allow me to give you a brief history lesson. According to Rodney Stark in his book, The Rise of Christianity, in the year 40 A.D. – shortly after the death of Jesus Christ – there were only about 1000 Christians in the world. That amounted to roughly .0017% of the world’s population. Yet by the year 350 A.D., there were 33,882,008 Christians. That amounted to 56.5% of the world’s population. How did such a dramatic transformation take place in such a relatively short amount of time?
The most compelling explanation is this: The lives that Christians were living were so different, so hopeful, and so appealing…that others wanted to have what they had. The early Christians were peculiar. The lives they lived were different – and many obviously thought better – than the lives the general populace was living. Thus, people were simply drawn to the Christian faith. In other words, Christianity was not so much compelled…as it was caught.
Perhaps we need to become peculiar once again. We need to become more focused on the kingdom of God than we are on the kingdom of this world. Now I know what you want at this point. You want six simple steps to living in the kingdom of God. Then you can simply follow the rules, feel as though you have mastered them, and then get on with your life. But I’m not going to give you that today. Because I think that living in the kingdom of God is more of a process than it is a procedure. Let me show you what I mean.
George Fox was the founder of the Quakers, a Christian movement in 17th century England. William Penn became one of Fox’s most dedicated and successful followers. William Penn grew up in a wealthy household and received the best education available. In those days, it was customary for upper class folk to wear a sword at their side. The sword was not intended to harm anyone; it simply distinguished one as a member of the upper class.
After Penn became a Quaker, he began to struggle with whether or not he should continue to wear the sword. After all, it was a symbol of war, as well as a symbol of class distinction: two things that Quakers stood firmly against. So William Penn went to see George Fox to seek his guidance on the matter. “May I continue to wear the sword?” he asked. George Fox’s answer was a bit surprising. We might expect him to say, “No, you may not continue to wear the sword! It represents everything we stand against!” Instead, George Fox said to William Penn, “Wear it as long as you can, William. Wear it as long as you can.”
George Fox was laying out an important principal in the Christian life. When it comes to our practices, or when it comes to our behavior...we need to avoid making hard and fast rules. What we really need to do is rely upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As you might guess, William Penn gave up wearing the sword…but not right away. It took a little while for the Spirit to lay hold of him and convince him how he really ought to live. Yet William Penn came to this conclusion on his own, with the help of the Holy Spirit. It was a life-lesson caught, not compelled.
How do we learn such lessons? How do we catch such a Christianity that is not compelled? Perhaps Mother Teresa put it best in her book, A Gift for God. She wrote:
Love to pray. Feel often during the day the need for prayer, and take the trouble to pray. Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of himself. Ask and seek…and your heart will grow big enough to receive him, and keep him as your own.
Ladies and gentlemen, the lesson here is clear. God takes a day to grow a mushroom, but God takes a lifetime to grow an oak tree. God takes a lifetime to grow a soul, as well. Our dedication to our prayer lives will shape us over the course of a lifetime. It will not happen overnight. So begin the process of drawing near to this peculiar God of ours. It may make us peculiar, and it may make the world peculiar as well. But in this case, that might not be a bad thing at all. Amen.
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