Flung Wide Open
Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
August 30, 2015
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Have you seen that swiffer advertisement about the “Tobin Stance”? In this commercial the family talks about the harsh winters that keep them inside, and how once spring arrives dad flings the windows open, puts his hands on his hips and takes a deep breath. And yes it is a commercial so it goes on to talk about using the products to keep a handle on the pollen, dog hair and dust that seems to be more visible during this time. Yet I think there is something almost theological about this stance; flinging open the shades and windows to get to the fresh air, taking a moment to breathe deeply, and then evaluating the dust that has been stirred up by this action.
Our passages today departs from the imagery of bread that we have explored for the last five weeks and shifts to exploring godly behavior, words and deeds. We see the importance of living a life of action- not maintaining tradition just for tradition's sake, to listen carefully to God’s instruction that has been placed in our hearts, to be a people of change and transformation. In both our passage from James and our passage from Mark we are reminded that we need to guard our hearts from the world so that our words and actions can be honorable to God, that our words and actions share God's generosity and love.
“If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.”[1]
The book of James is full of encouragement and help for us as people of faith. It continually reminds us to put into action the things we know God has tasked us with. It seems that today's passage answers the question “How can I put into practice what I know I should do?” In verse 26 that I just read I was struck by the blatant call out to fake religious-ness. Its not just the tv preacher who charges you $50 for a miracle or the mega-church pastor who spends more energy promoting his new book instead of the words of the bible, it is also us in our everydayness. We must watch what we say and not make excuses for our actions, especially when we purposefully aim to hurt or attack someone else. If we can cuss out someone's mama and then turn around and quote scripture to judge someone else's actions our religion is worthless. We must honestly look at our lives and actions in context with the things God has explained in detail.
And yet the author, James, also reminds us that we need to remember that we may slip or feel our actions are worthless but as people of faith we know what is right. We are God's beloved and we have been tasked with grace and strength to encourage one another to put into practice what God has tasked us to do.
A friend sent me this story from a group email and it seems to have originated from a psychological study on cultural acquisition.[2] “A group of psychologists performed an experiment years ago, in which they started with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, they hung a banana on a string with a set of stairs placed under it. Before long, a monkey went to the stairs and started to climb towards the banana. As soon as he started up the stairs, the psychologists sprayed all of the other monkeys with ice cold water. After a while, another monkey made an attempt to obtain the banana. As soon as his foot touched the stairs, all of the other monkeys were sprayed with ice cold water. It's wasn't long before all of the other monkeys would physically prevent any monkey from climbing the stairs.
Now, the psychologists shut off the cold water, removed one monkey from the cage and replaced it with a new one. The new monkey saw the banana and started to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attacked him. After another attempt and attack, he discovered that if he tried to climb the stairs, he would be assaulted. Next they removed another of the original five monkeys and replaced it with a new one. The newcomer went to the stairs and was attacked. The previous newcomer took part in the punishment with enthusiasm!
Likewise, they replaced a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey tried to climb the stairs, he was attacked. The monkeys had no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they were beating any monkey that tried. After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys had ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approached the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been around here.
Friends we need to let go of doing things just because we’ve always done it!
In our Mark passage we find Jesus responding to the Pharisees by calling them out. He reminds them that the action is not the important thing, it’s the heart behind it. They are upset that the disciples broke the law by not following the proper ritual but in verse 8 Jesus tells them “You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." These scribes and Pharisees didn't care that these disciples were doing the work of God or that their hearts were in the right place all they cared about was doing the “proper” and “right” things. Like these leaders and lawyers we too value our material things, our human tradition at times rather than Gods law. How many times do we do something at church...at home... at work... because we’ve always done it this way!
Friends this is the problem! Times change, fads disappear, faith is eternal and internal. Its uncomfortable to look at our lives and realize we do things just because, it's uncomfortable to realize we are judging others-friends and stranger alike, it's uncomfortable but God is a God of grace.
“Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me, Open my ears that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear, Open my mouth and let me bear tidings of mercy everywhere.”[3] When we tell God to open these things, to help us fling wide we ask God to move and work within so we can be people of action. John Wesley, the founder of the United Methodist Church, believed fundamentally that Jesus is God's means of grace. He told us that there are things a person that a person with a heart that had moved far away from the heart of God could use to begin to move back toward God, “means of grace”. Prayer, whether in private or with others; searching the Scriptures; (which implies reading, hearing, and meditating thereon;) and receiving the Lord's Supper, eating bread and drinking wine in remembrance of Him. These things, ordained by God although ordinary, share the grace of God to our souls.
“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;”[4]
To take the “Tobin Stance” is to be flung wide open, to evaluate the stirred up “dust” that has settled; the bad words, negative attitudes and general evil that contaminate our spirits. This is the first step to being that person God created you to be. By flinging ourselves open we are saying loud and clear that we are ready for a deep cleaning, too much is stirred up for us to ignore.
Over this summer I’ve talked about struggling with day to day busyness and not prioritizing God time. By flinging open my life I must admit that the busyness is a lie, a distraction to tell myself. And I, like each of you, must be conscientious to continually clean and upkeep my spirit on a regular basis. The Pharisees ritual wasn’t bad, it had just become more important than the why of the ritual. And the same applies for us. Why do we come to this place? Why do we give? Or why don't we? Why haven’t we volunteered for a ministry? Why is the place important to my emotional and spiritual growth? And if it isn't why not? Friends, we need to be a people of action!
By opening up ourselves we can create change that can transform the world. By opening ourselves to God we covenant to walk the way God calls us to. Yet if we only listen to the word and do not do what it says we are Christian statues.
So friends take some time this week, plant your feet firmly, fling yourself open, breathe in deeply and look behind you to start addressing the dust you may stir up.
Our passages today departs from the imagery of bread that we have explored for the last five weeks and shifts to exploring godly behavior, words and deeds. We see the importance of living a life of action- not maintaining tradition just for tradition's sake, to listen carefully to God’s instruction that has been placed in our hearts, to be a people of change and transformation. In both our passage from James and our passage from Mark we are reminded that we need to guard our hearts from the world so that our words and actions can be honorable to God, that our words and actions share God's generosity and love.
“If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.”[1]
The book of James is full of encouragement and help for us as people of faith. It continually reminds us to put into action the things we know God has tasked us with. It seems that today's passage answers the question “How can I put into practice what I know I should do?” In verse 26 that I just read I was struck by the blatant call out to fake religious-ness. Its not just the tv preacher who charges you $50 for a miracle or the mega-church pastor who spends more energy promoting his new book instead of the words of the bible, it is also us in our everydayness. We must watch what we say and not make excuses for our actions, especially when we purposefully aim to hurt or attack someone else. If we can cuss out someone's mama and then turn around and quote scripture to judge someone else's actions our religion is worthless. We must honestly look at our lives and actions in context with the things God has explained in detail.
And yet the author, James, also reminds us that we need to remember that we may slip or feel our actions are worthless but as people of faith we know what is right. We are God's beloved and we have been tasked with grace and strength to encourage one another to put into practice what God has tasked us to do.
A friend sent me this story from a group email and it seems to have originated from a psychological study on cultural acquisition.[2] “A group of psychologists performed an experiment years ago, in which they started with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, they hung a banana on a string with a set of stairs placed under it. Before long, a monkey went to the stairs and started to climb towards the banana. As soon as he started up the stairs, the psychologists sprayed all of the other monkeys with ice cold water. After a while, another monkey made an attempt to obtain the banana. As soon as his foot touched the stairs, all of the other monkeys were sprayed with ice cold water. It's wasn't long before all of the other monkeys would physically prevent any monkey from climbing the stairs.
Now, the psychologists shut off the cold water, removed one monkey from the cage and replaced it with a new one. The new monkey saw the banana and started to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attacked him. After another attempt and attack, he discovered that if he tried to climb the stairs, he would be assaulted. Next they removed another of the original five monkeys and replaced it with a new one. The newcomer went to the stairs and was attacked. The previous newcomer took part in the punishment with enthusiasm!
Likewise, they replaced a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey tried to climb the stairs, he was attacked. The monkeys had no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they were beating any monkey that tried. After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys had ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approached the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been around here.
Friends we need to let go of doing things just because we’ve always done it!
In our Mark passage we find Jesus responding to the Pharisees by calling them out. He reminds them that the action is not the important thing, it’s the heart behind it. They are upset that the disciples broke the law by not following the proper ritual but in verse 8 Jesus tells them “You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." These scribes and Pharisees didn't care that these disciples were doing the work of God or that their hearts were in the right place all they cared about was doing the “proper” and “right” things. Like these leaders and lawyers we too value our material things, our human tradition at times rather than Gods law. How many times do we do something at church...at home... at work... because we’ve always done it this way!
Friends this is the problem! Times change, fads disappear, faith is eternal and internal. Its uncomfortable to look at our lives and realize we do things just because, it's uncomfortable to realize we are judging others-friends and stranger alike, it's uncomfortable but God is a God of grace.
“Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me, Open my ears that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear, Open my mouth and let me bear tidings of mercy everywhere.”[3] When we tell God to open these things, to help us fling wide we ask God to move and work within so we can be people of action. John Wesley, the founder of the United Methodist Church, believed fundamentally that Jesus is God's means of grace. He told us that there are things a person that a person with a heart that had moved far away from the heart of God could use to begin to move back toward God, “means of grace”. Prayer, whether in private or with others; searching the Scriptures; (which implies reading, hearing, and meditating thereon;) and receiving the Lord's Supper, eating bread and drinking wine in remembrance of Him. These things, ordained by God although ordinary, share the grace of God to our souls.
“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;”[4]
To take the “Tobin Stance” is to be flung wide open, to evaluate the stirred up “dust” that has settled; the bad words, negative attitudes and general evil that contaminate our spirits. This is the first step to being that person God created you to be. By flinging ourselves open we are saying loud and clear that we are ready for a deep cleaning, too much is stirred up for us to ignore.
Over this summer I’ve talked about struggling with day to day busyness and not prioritizing God time. By flinging open my life I must admit that the busyness is a lie, a distraction to tell myself. And I, like each of you, must be conscientious to continually clean and upkeep my spirit on a regular basis. The Pharisees ritual wasn’t bad, it had just become more important than the why of the ritual. And the same applies for us. Why do we come to this place? Why do we give? Or why don't we? Why haven’t we volunteered for a ministry? Why is the place important to my emotional and spiritual growth? And if it isn't why not? Friends, we need to be a people of action!
By opening up ourselves we can create change that can transform the world. By opening ourselves to God we covenant to walk the way God calls us to. Yet if we only listen to the word and do not do what it says we are Christian statues.
So friends take some time this week, plant your feet firmly, fling yourself open, breathe in deeply and look behind you to start addressing the dust you may stir up.
