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“Identity and Integrity”
James 1:17-27; Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Rev. Sandy Nuernberg
Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, WI
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time -
Christian Vocation Sunday
Labor Day Sunday
September 3, 2006
“But be doers of the word, and not merely bearers who deceive themselves.”
James 1:22
In your own actions, have you ever
thought you knew clearly the problem, but in all actuality, you didn’t? It’s
kinda like the couple who went to the counselor after being married twenty-five
years. The counselor asks them what the problem is and the wife goes on a tirade
listing every detail of any problem they ever had in their marriage. She goes on
and on!! Finally the counselor gets up from his desk and goes around it to
embrace her passionately, and kisses her. She is quiet and sits in a daze! Then
the counselor turns to the husband and says, “That is what your wife needs at
least three times a week. Can you do it?” The husband thinks about it for a
moment and replies, “Well, I can get her here on Monday and Wednesday, but
Friday, I golf!”
I like this short, seemingly
hidden book of James in the NT because it is OT wisdom; it’s full of it!!
Today’s texts are practical wisdom and conduct in Mark/James in the NT, in
elegant fashion; walking the walk, not just talking the talk; perseverance,
listening, ‘bridling’ our tongue, and being part of a religion that ‘does.’ Yes,
some of you may remember my musings about liking comparisons and contrasts of
the OT/NT, and how we learn from their similar themes. But the real theme here,
it seems, and we’ve heard it many times is, ‘in everything do to others as you
would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets (Lev. 19:18,
Matt. 7:12, Luke 6:31, antiquity passages, Sirach 31:15, Tobit 4:15).’
“But be doers of the word, and not merely bearers who deceive themselves.’
The early Christians, perhaps
Jewish-Christians, wanted to know how to act morally and ethically after
becoming Christians. They were desirous of the identity, the integrity of being
a Christian? The scene in James is of Jesus with his followers describing to
them that they must respond in their actions from their heart–it can be done in
no other way. After all, wasn’t Jesus defined by his identity-his individuality?
Wasn’t Jesus defined by his integrity-that quality of sound moral principle, his
honesty and sincerity?
James boldly outlines a theme of
faith that is at work; ‘let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow
to anger.’ Even as we are tempted by our own desires, every generous act of
giving is from God, the text says, ‘Father of lights.’ We are given a kind of
counterpoint to Paul’s theme and emphasis of being ‘justified by faith apart
from works’ (Romans 3:28, 1:17, 5:1). He gives us a quick read on being doers of
God’s word and in doing so, we are acting from deep within our heart, not
deceiving ourselves.
We have to hear the word before
doing it, even though we’ve heard this before in the NT gospels (Matt. 7:21-27,
21:29, Luke 6:46) as well as in Romans (2:13) and I John (3:18), to name a few.
But then we can ask, if we look in the mirror and see ourselves ‘outwardly’ and
forget it, how can we act ‘inwardly’ from the heart which is the true ‘doing of
the word?’ James tells us that perseverance pays, and we can’t forget it!
“But be doers of the word, and not merely bearers who deceive themselves.”
Though we are celebrating our
vocations this week-end, one of the topics of conversation for our committees at
church lately, C.E., and Mission, is having members and friends be a part of
‘weekday faith’ meaning that they are practicing their faith in the neighborhood
and in the community other days than Sunday; Meals on Wheels, Habitat for
Humanity, the Breakfast Club, and others. It is a real challenge, sometimes, to
bring our faith into our daily lives and especially into our working lives, away
from home and family; we are translating and transforming our faith into a 24/7
kind of ‘position’ or life for the rest of the week, for the rest of our lives.
Sherron Watkins, you may remember,
came to fame with an identity of her own; she blew the whistle on Enron almost
five years ago with unethical and illegal accounting practices. Her identity was
as a Houston First Presbyterian Church member, and it brought her
cover-headlines at Time magazine. Her integrity was certainly that she
did what she ‘believed was right and honest’; she said so; she said she, ‘
believes that she is called to live the truth....’ and said it was nothing more
simple than that (Presbyterians Today, September 2006, p. 12-15). Today,
Watkins has a consulting company that assists companies on cultivating ethical
corporate cultures.
As we, you and I, gather around
the table for the bread of life and the cup of salvation, let us acknowledge the
good news of the gospel that God is at work in these ordinary elements and that
God is at work in ordinary people like us; it is God’s wisdom that is in our
identity and integrity before Christ Jesus. At the Lord’s Supper we say, “As
this is Christ’s body for us, send us out to be the body of Christ in the
world.”
“But be doers of the word, and not merely bearers who deceive themselves.”
Amen.
Remembering September 11th– fifth anniversary:
A normal day as autumn sings
Then evil flew with silver wings
And England froze in disbelief
Like statues wearing masks of grief
Broken lionhearts roar in pain
Salt water falls instead of rain
And we were bound in helpless crying
Whilst flesh of our flesh lay dying
A sea of tears with waves so pure
To break upon a New York shore
Anonymous
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