"Full Bodied, Fully Embodied Love"

I know I’ve said this before, but I feel like it bears repeating: I don’t give nearly as much time and attention to the news media as I once did.  I just can’t. And based on a number of conversations I’ve had recently, I think many of you resonate with that…. So, these days I dip into the news just enough to stay informed because it’s important to be aware of what’s happening in our community and in our world – in all the places where you and I live and work and play.

 One reason I give less attention to the media is that much of what passes for “news” these days is either a). an intentional distraction from the real news; or b). insidious propaganda that seeks to influence those who consume it. Of course, this is nothing new. I mean, throughout history, political and religious leaders have sought to control the messages their people receive as a way of spinning the truth and shoring up their own power. But in our time, this tactic has been taken to a whole new level because so many of us are effectively chained to our devices and because AI and other technologies have altered the messages and exponentially multiplied them, so that it feels like we’re constantly drinking out of a firehose! {Amen?!...]

For example, among the items deemed “newsworthy” over the past few days were images shared by the Pentagon of encounters with UFOs, as well as a story about the 22-foot-tall golden statue of a certain leader that was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by a pastor and celebrated by many other Evangelical Christians…. I’m curious: How many of you came across the story about the UFOs? [show of hands!..] Now, how many of you noticed the story about the gold-coated statue? […] So, here’s the thing, friends: While the story about the UFOs is irritating and infuriating because it seeks to distract us from more pressing matters, the story about the golden statue being blessed and celebrated by Christians is blasphemous and alarming. Yesterday I read a piece written by a young prophetic pastor from Idaho, Benjamin Crenmer, who compares this week’s statue blessing with the biblical story about the golden statue erected by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. (This story is found in the book of Daniel, by the way.) To recap: The story takes place while God’s people, Israel, are in exile in Babylon. Three young Israelite men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are commanded to bow down before the golden statue, but they refuse to do so. As punishment for disobeying the king’s order, they’re thrown into a fiery furnace, but are miraculously saved by divine intervention. Pastor Crenmer points out that the three men aren’t being asked to completely reject their Jewish faith in favor of worshiping the king; instead, they were actually being asked to syncretize their faith in God – that is, to blend it – with parallel devotion to the king…. Friends, can you see how deceptive and dangerous it is to water down one’s faith in this way? Can you see how this kind of blending of Christian faith and political devotion has been a reality throughout history – pretty much ever since the Church became the official religion of the empire under Constantine during the fourth century? And can you see how our faith is being syncretized before our very eyes today, as we witness many Christians simultaneously professing their faith in Christ, while declaring equal allegiance to human leaders and bowing before things of human origin – wealth, technology, ideology, doctrines, and symbols?... Friends, that is idolatry. And when human beings commit idolatry, we’re breaking the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods….” Idolatry is dangerous stuff because when you and I blend our devotion to God with our devotion to idols, we dilute our faith, and we lose sight of our identity as human beings created in the image and likeness of our loving Creator. As Psalm 115 declares, “Those who make [idols] are like them; so are all who trust in them.” Or, to quote our old friend Martin Luther, “Faith makes a god or an idol. Whatever you heart clings to – that is your god.”

I’m pretty sure the apostle Paul had some similar thoughts about idols!... Let’s take a look at today’s reading from Acts 17 because here we get to eavesdrop on a brilliant sermon he preached in Athens. I’m just going to read the beginning of it for you because it’s so on point and because I love saying, “Areopagus!” (It sounds like some kind of cool dinosaur!) Anyway, here’s the clever and calculated opening of Paul’s sermon:

Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely spiritual you are in every way.” [Hahaha…] “For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription ‘to an unknown god.’ What, therefore, you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you…”[1]

Okay, so I’m curious: Have any of you ever been to Athens? […] As I understand it, the Areopagus means two things: 1). It was an ancient council that acted as the court for serious crimes and for religious matters; and 2). The Areopagus is also the name of the hill just to the west of the Parthenon, where the council would meet. it. In any case, there are a LOT of statues of gods there and throughout the entire city of Athens! And the Athenians wanted to cover all the bases, in order not to offend any of the gods, so, they had a statue made for “an unknown god.” When Paul sees that particular statue, he makes a mental note and then incorporates it into his very inspired sermon!

But what doesn’t immediately jump out at us when we read Acts 17 is what an incredibly hard thing it is for Paul to preach to a bunch of pagans. New Testament scholar Dr. Willie James Jennings points out that as a devout Jew Paul would be utterly disgusted by what he sees in Athens. In fact, in Acts 17:16 the narrator tells us, “…Paul was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols….”

And yet…as one who formerly persecuted the followers of Jesus until he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus and found his life was completely transformed by the unmerited grace of God, Paul is well aware that he isn’t called to preach his own agenda. Paul understands that he’s called to preach on behalf of the God, who is infinitely more loving than we humans are -- the God who yearns to be in loving relationship with all God’s children -- including these idol-worshipers!... Because his heart has been opened to recognize this, Paul is able to set aside his own feelings and preach a powerful, invitational sermon on behalf of this gracious and merciful God whom Jesus has come to reveal…. By the way, if you and I read on just a few more verses in Acts 17, we learn that a number of Athenians are intrigued by Paul’s message and desire to know more. Some of them are even moved by the Spirit to join the Church!

 Now, I can’t speak for you, but reflecting on how Paul overcomes his own feelings in order to proclaim an invitational message to a group of idol-worshipers certainly gives me pause. It gives me pause because – as I’ve said -- there’s so much idol worship going on in our time. Given our context, I find Paul’s ability to resist the temptation to pass judgment on his audience both instructive and inspiring. In fact, it occurs to me that if you and I are serious about loving Jesus, we ought to strive to be more like the Paul we meet in this passage from Acts 17 -- that is, we ought to practice seeing the idol-worshipers of our day as God sees them: with eyes of love. If we can learn to see in this way, then perhaps we, too, will be able to set aside our own feelings and our own agendas to speak on behalf of our God, who wants nothing more than to be in a relationship of mutual love with all God’s children. Indeed, that’s what Jesus is getting at when he tells his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments…. If you love me, love one another, as I have loved you: without condition and without end.” To state the obvious: Jesus isn’t talking about love as a warm, fuzzy feeling here; he’s talking about a full-bodied, fully embodied love that goes to great lengths to accompany others, so that may have life and have it abundantly.

Here I want to circle back to where I began this sermon and add just a bit to my reflection: As I said, these days I’m making a conscious effort to devote less time to the idol of fake news. At the same time, I’m trying to be more intentional in carving out more space for the news I’m truly craving: the Good News of God’s unconditional, unending love revealed through Jesus the Christ, for this is the truth that nourishes and sustains us in body, mind, and spirit…. So, now I’m going to share with you just a couple of examples of where I’ve encountered Jesus’s disciples embodying God’s love in ways that bring healing and hope and new life to others. Then I’m going to invite you to help finish the sermon by sharing your own examples!

Yesterday afternoon, Zoar’s narthex was filled

with the tantalizing aroma of tamales

and the cheerful sounds of neighbors

gathered around the table,

first to learn how to make tamales,

and then to eat them while sharing

stories of special meals and cultural traditions --

food for body and soul!

This gathering was the second in a series of cooking classes

designed by a handful of Zoar members,

a few friends from the wider community,

and leaders from our own Oregon Synod.

The group partnered with the Oregon Food Bank

and received a generous grant

to cover the cost of this beautiful experiment,

which seeks to create cross-cultural community

by accompanying our Latiné neighbors,

so that they feel less alone

in these challenging times….

Watching this beautiful gathering,

My heart was filled to overflowing, and I thought,

“Jesus must be smiling to see this!

Loving our neighbors by sharing food and stories

around the table

is such a Jesus-like thing to do:!”

Accompanying loved ones who are in need of care and support

is also a Jesus-like thing to do,

and many of you are doing this right now.

Having accompanied family members on that path myself,

I know how hard it can be

to maintain that loving accompaniment day after day,

and I want you to know that I see you.

More importantly, I want you to know that God sees you,

and I’m convinced that Jesus is right there beside you

every step of the way.

After all, the Greek word for “Advocate” is “Paraclete” –

which isn’t a little green and yellow bird, by the way!

The word “Paraclete” literally means

“One who comes alongside.”

In fact, Jesus promises an even more intimate relationship

When he declares in verse 17 that the Advocate

will “abide with you” and “in you” and “among you.”

I also want to acknowledge that at different points in our lives

every one of us will find ourselves in need

of a loving advocate:

someone who can walk a hard road with us,

who can offer us a listening ear,

a warm embrace, a non-judgmental word

to help sustain us.

In fact, some of you may be in that place right now....

So, now, I want to ask you, friends:

Who has been an advocate in embodying God’s love for you?

And for whom are you called to embody God’s love as an advocate?

This is your chance to help put flesh on this sermon by sharing

where you’ve experienced

God’s full-bodied, fully embodied love at work!

[Pass mic around and let people share...]

I hope this sermon and these stories have given you something to think about, friends. And I hope you’ll be moved to share your thoughts and stories with others – perhaps around the table, as you share a meal. After all, that’s a very Jesus-like thing to do!

Let’s close with a word of prayer:

Gracious Creator,

Your Love is the Source and End

of our life and of all life.

Thank you for creating us

In the image of your love

and for commanding us

to live into and out of

our true, God-given identity

as your beloved children.

May each of us embody your love,

In our own unique way,

so that all people may be drawn to your light,

gathered into your wide embrace,

and held safely in your love now and forever. Amen.

1 - Acts17:22-23

Full Bodied, Fully Embodied Love