“He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.” Col 1:18
I believe I was a teen when I was asked what my vision of God is. Now, like most teens of my generation, I was not a deep thinker on all matters spiritual or theological. The question took me by surprise, as no one had ever asked me that question before. I sat there for what seemed like hours trying to wrap my mind around how I was going to answer. After a few moments of thought, I said the first thing that came to my mind, “George Burns.”
Now, you may be wondering how I came up with that answer. I was a teenager in the early 80s, and the “O God” series of movies was a big hit, with George Burns playing God. It seemed almost natural that this would be my answer.
If you are not already doing so, pause for just a moment and think about how you would answer that question.
I won’t ask you for your answer because your image of God is your own, and there is no right or wrong answer. The other point I will add is that how we see God in this moment might be different in the next, and the next, and the next.
Image is important. How the world perceives us is essential. We may not think it is, but it is crucial. How we dress and how we act will determine our credibility in others’ eyes. If we appear confident, then the perception is that we know what we are talking about.
There are some here that I have never met. You came today, picked up your copy of the bulletin, saw my smiling face, read my bio, and drew a conclusion about me. It’s okay, we all do it. When I first walked out and you saw me for the first time, you drew another conclusion about me. We do it all the time; we have perceptions of people based on the way they look, act, or the things they say. As much as we might try not to, we do.
I hope your perceptions of me this morning are positive, not negative. I’m back with you next week, and I’m looking forward to seeing all your smiling faces again.
This time I will ask for some participation. Show of hands, who knows who Marion Robert Morison is?
Marion Robert Morison is the birth name of the actor John Wayne. When John Wayne was auditioning for the tough man roles of the 1930s and 1940s, a guy named Marion was not going to come across as a tough guy, so his agent made him change his name.
Here is another one. Raise your hand if you know who Ramón Gerard Antonio Estévez is.
Ramón Gerard Antonio Estévez is the actor Martin Sheen. Sheen changed his name because he thought his name was too Hispanic and people would not come and see a Hispanic actor in serious roles. It is interesting that a generation later, some of his children, who are also actors, kept the name Estévez. So, you see, perception changes over time.
Today, we heard a bit of the letter that Paul wrote to the Church in Colossae. I believe it is essential to put things into context for a better understanding. Colossae was a small outpost in Asia Minor about 100 miles from Ephesus. Paul wrote this letter in the 60s while he was in prison. At this point, there was doubt about the divinity of Christ, and so Paul wrote to help them understand something that scholars still grapple with to this day.
Paul says that Jesus is the image of the invisible. Now we know that Jesus is a historical figure. There is written evidence outside of the biblical evidence of a man, fitting Jesus’ description, living in Palestine about the time we think he lived. I know this might come as a shock to some of you, but Jesus did not have blonde hair and blue eyes, and he was not Irish.
But what is our perception or image of Jesus? I mean, after all, we call ourselves Christians, so we need to have some idea. We must understand that there are some basic, essential claims about Jesus that we believe are necessary to call ourselves Christians. It’s not enough just to be a follower; we must be a believer. Jesus is the subject of creation. All things have been created through him. Jesus is the cosmic reconciler through whom God restores harmony between God and all of creation. All of this is a bold reminder of our purpose as Church, to be the body of Christ and to proclaim him boldly.
Now, I hope that cleared things up for you a bit.
The theologian and author Brian McLaren, in his book “Generous Orthodoxy,” writes about his confusion and growth regarding the concept of who Jesus is. He writes about his experience with the Seven Jesuses he has encountered. See if any of these sound familiar.
He begins with what he calls the “Conservative Christian Jesus.” This is the Jesus of his childhood. This is the Jesus that was “born to die.” The focal point of this Jesus is that he came to die for my sins, for your sins, for the sins of the entire world. This is the individual and legalistic Jesus with personal but no global import.
He next describes the “Pentecostal/Charismatic Jesus.” This is the Jesus that is present, personal, and dramatically involved in everyday life through the Holy Spirit. This Jesus must have been busy since he is controlling everything for everyone. But for McClaren, this Jesus was still too personal, lacking a global concern.
Next comes the “Roman Catholic Jesus.” For McClaren, this Jesus forced him to focus on the Eucharist and the connection to the ancient tradition that was beyond his present experience. It was the discovery that the Church’s roots go much further back than the 1970s. However, this Jesus was too exclusive for him, leaving people outside.
McClaren traveled for some time with the “Eastern Orthodox Jesus.” This is the Jesus with an emphasis on the Trinity, which led him to understand that mystery in worship and theology is essential and not to be shied away from. It’s the Jesus that says it is okay to have doubt and not to understand everything.
The “Liberal Protestant Jesus” came next. This is the Jesus with the focus on Social Justice that comes from a personal experience and encounter with Jesus. This is the Jesus who teaches love for all, not just for some. This is the Jesus that gets us up and moving.
The next two follow along and spring from the Liberal Jesus, the “Anabaptist Jesus,” with its focus on peace and nonviolence, and the “Liberation Theology Jesus,” who confronts injustice throughout society and stands in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed.
Like McClaren, I have experienced all of these Jesuses, maybe some of you have as well.
Growing up, I experienced Jesus in the Eucharist of the Roman Catholic Church. I experienced the contemplative Jesus in the Monastic Community at Glastonbury Abbey. I sought out and experienced the mystery of Jesus through my Eastern Orthodox theological studies and during the 12 years I served as an Orthodox priest. These experiences shaped my foundation and taught me how to explore the depths of scripture, tradition, and experience. I learned about mystery and mysticism, stopped looking for answers, and started to find experience.
Coming to the UCC and the Liberal Protestant Tradition, I found my voice and my desire to serve in a much deeper way. I discovered the Jesus of the poor and marginalized. I realized that the Eucharist, which I love so much, is not a prize for the well-off, but rather medicine for the sick. The table of communion should be long and wide, open to everyone, and not just some.
I learned, thanks to COVID, that we can be Church anywhere and we need to be Church everywhere. We need to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, and we need to be the voice for those who have no voice.
What I learned from all of this is that we need all the Jesus that McLaren has described and that I experienced.
Hang in there; I’m bringing us in for a landing. Trust me.
Luke writes about Mary and Martha. Martha is running around like a crazy person, dealing with all the day-to-day tasks that one must handle when people drop by for a visit. She is making sure there is enough food. She greets people, ensuring they have a place to sit, takes their coats, and washes their feet. Martha is doing all of this while Mary sits and listens to Jesus.
She finally has enough and snaps. But Jesus calms her down. Jesus tells her that what is needed is balance. We need workers, but we also need contemplatives. We cannot sacrifice one for the other.
The Church is the same way. We need balance. Yes, we are called to be the voice and all the other things I mentioned, but in doing all of that, we cannot sacrifice contemplation. Jesus prayed, then he worked, then he prayed. He began and ended with prayer, time alone with God.
One of the lasting lessons I learned during my time at Glastonbury was Saint Benedict’s idea of work and prayer. Ora et labora, the day was to be evenly split between work and prayer. Monks were not to spend their entire day praying or working. Balance is what is required.
Friends, our chaotic world needs our voice more than ever right now, but it also needs our prayers. The world needs us to march, but the world also needs us to be a people grounded in the Eucharist and our invitation to all to come and find rest. The world needs certainty, but the world also needs mystery and mystics. The world needs people who can see what it is supposed to be, not just what it is.
The Kingdom of God is right here, right now, and it is our job to proclaim it. The Church of Jesus Christ does not exist for us. We exist to proclaim the love of God and Jesus Christ and to make God’s Kingdom a reality right here and right now.
Amen
