Rev. Eugene N. Nelson, Jr.
The Community Church of Sebastopol
October 30, 2005
Matthew 23: 1-12
We begin with some reflections on humility from two keen observers of the human condition: Charles Schulz and Bill Watterson:
From Schulz: Charlie Brown and Linus are having a discussion about what they most want in life, or perhaps what they most want from life. Linus says: “I’d like to make a lot of money, but I’d hate to be a snob. I’ve given this a lot of thought.”
Charlie Brown asks, “So what have you decided?”
Says Linus, “So I’ve decided to be a very rich and famous person who doesn’t really care about money, and who is very humble, but who still makes a lot of money and is very famous, but is very humble and rich and famous.”
All Charlie Brown can say is, “Good Luck!”
A second observation on humility from Bill Watterson:
Calvin and his tiger friend, Hobbes, are strolling through the snow. Hobbes asks, “Did you make any resolutions for the New Year?”
To which Calvin responds, “Heck no!” He continues, “I’m fine just the way I am. Why should I change? In fact, I think it’s high time the world started changing to suit Me! I don’t see why I should do all the changing around here! If the New Year requires resolutions, I say it’s up to everyone else, not me! I do not need to improve. Everyone else does.” Then he turns to Hobbes and asks, “How about you? Did you make any resolutions?”
Hobbes replies, “Well, I had resolved to be less offended by human nature, but I think I blew it already.”
All of which reminds me of the old story about a preacher driving home with his wife following Sunday worship. He thought the worship service had gone quite well, and was especially pleased with how the congregation had responded to the morning sermon. “Tell me dear,” he inquired, “how many truly great preachers do you think there are in the world today?”
“I don’t know,” she replied, “but I am quite sure it is one less than you think there are.” “O Lord, it’s hard to be humble…”
Turning to our text, we see that Jesus clearly has a number of issues with the scribes and Pharisees. One of them is that these religious leaders, these servants of God, really enjoy the privileges of rank and prestige. They sit at the best tables, get the best service, wear clothing which indicates just how important they are. Even their clothing with religious significance becomes a fashion statement – no one has longer fringe on their prayer shawls than do the Pharisees. Meanwhile, as they sit there and eat the best food and wear the best clothes, they really do nothing to relieve the burdens of the poor and oppressed, those who cannot possibly keep all of the religious laws. When I read Jesus’ criticism of their behavior I say, “Right on, Jesus, go get ‘em! Put those hypocrites in their place once and for all.”
And then I remember. I remember when I was invited to southern California by former church members to do a wedding. There was money in the family. I was checked into a fancy resort, in a beautiful room – soft robe in the closet, a television bigger than anything we have at home – all my meals were covered, the staff couldn’t do enough for me. “So wonderful to have you with us, Reverend Nelson. Anything else we can do for you, Reverend Nelson? Please don’t hesitate to call us, Reverend Nelson.” And I loved it! “Look at me! I’m special…but, of course, still humble!” Yes, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees, but who doesn’t find it at least a bit exhilarating to be honored, appreciated, recognized? Don’t we all yearn for a little recognition now and then? To be just a little special?
But then along comes Jesus, insisting in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, “…All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. The greatest among you will be your servant.” What an incredibly counter-cultural thing to say. Does Jesus have a clue? Does he know how hopelessly out of step he is? What about self-actualization, what about self-esteem, what about looking out for number one and being all you can be? Linus and Calvin really have a far better understanding of, and are perhaps better spokespersons for, today’s culture, today’s values. Is Jesus out of touch or what?
We are so familiar with these words, but imagine we had just heard them for the first time. So we write them down, and then we give them to our church growth consultant, saying that we want these words to be the mission statement of our church. We want all the world to know that here, in this place, the exalted will be humbled, the humble will be exalted, and greatness will be only found in humble service. What would our church growth expert say? I imagine it would be something like this: “These are words spoken by a loser to a bunch of losers. Follow these words and you will lose. You won’t grow; you certainly won’t get any money, and you certainly are not going to attract any new people. Up and comers in your community are not going to want to go to a church with a statement like this. You will not succeed.”
A while back I shared with you a story George Eliot told about her friend, McCarthy. When McCarthy died, she went to his graveside service to mourn his death and say a final goodbye. But she was the only one there. McCarthy had belonged to her circle. At parties and other events in the community, there was quite a group of friends who all went around together. McCarthy was one of those friends. But he was a little different from the others. She said that McCarthy always seemed to be looking for the pearl of great price in the midst of a group of people who were content with fake jewelry, as long as it was gaudy and would shine at parties. He was, she said, a most sensitive and caring person, and sometimes, even at social events, he was moved to tears by things that happened to people. She said that McCarthy would talk to them and tell them that you don’t have to buy friendship, you don’t have to buy membership in the human race, you don’t have to buy love. Just love and be a friend…that’s all it takes. And everybody just looked at him like he was kind of strange. George Eliot said that McCarthy would have given his life for people who would not give him the time of day.
So none of his friends, except for George Eliot, showed up for his funeral. Caring for others who didn’t care for him, reaching out to and serving others, not really interested in his own status or prestige. A loser if ever there was one. And yet, what could be done, what difference could we make for the Gospel, if we had a church full of “losers” like McCarthy?
“The greatest among you will be your servant.” When you hear these words, as familiar as they are, do you feel the ground – indeed the very foundations of your lives – begin to shake just a little bit? Jesus is insisting that the way things have always been is not the way they must always be. He is suggesting we try a different path. Indeed, he is opening us to a new world, another way of life, He is inviting us to a very special understanding of what it really means to be human. He is providing an alternative vision, an alternative definition of the good life.
The last couple of weeks I preached from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. In that letter he writes a little bit about his life before his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. Paul was a Roman citizen, a Pharisee, a man of education and power. He was on his way up the ladder of success in Jerusalem. But then Jesus got a hold of him. And so Paul writes to the Philippians and says something like this: “How can I claim to be a follower of Jesus and still seek upward mobility? How can I still keep my own agenda, keep my own pride, keep my own investments, and just add in the church as it may or may not fit in? How can I tack on my Christianity around the edges of my life when it is in the name of Jesus, the same Jesus who became a servant and himself gave up everything?”
Reflecting on Paul and his faith journey, Fred Craddock says, “Do you know what Paul thought? Paul thought that if you are going to be a Christian, then you ought to try to be like Jesus. So then, what do you do with your own agenda? What do you do with your own selfishness? What do you do with your own independence? What do you do with your own calendar to which you may or may not add a little church? I’ll tell you what you do with it, you take it all to the dump…This unusual man, Paul, had the idea that the ideal Christian life would be to be like Jesus: to love, to care, to serve, to sacrifice like he did.”
Now yes, this spirit may come under some other name, as Huston Smith reminded us last Monday. It may work itself into the world in another form than just Christianity. But I believe that it is in His way, in the Christ spirit in whichever form it may take, that we find our best hope.
Consider: In a nation, preoccupation with real estate, with protection of one’s own borders, fear and distrust and even violence against others, works for a while and polls go up. But history proves that a nation thus preoccupied is neither safe nor secure and, as Abraham Lincoln once said, “will be eaten alive from within.” We could discus if some of that may not be happening to us right now. Nations must become servants to human need, must themselves be willing to go the second mile in service, or they lose the best of their life.
In the world of business, preoccupation only with the bottom line, only with maximum return for stockholders, works for a while, but only for a while. The real concern must be the product we produce and the people we serve. When a business forgets that finally it is a servant to human need, in the long run, that business will die. Even a business-oriented group like Rotary insists, not on profit above self, but “service above self.” Never forget that Jesus said it first.
And in our homes, are not these words of Jesus the counsels of human caring and concern. What else is a home about, if not a place where people serve each other, sacrifice for each other, and continue to care, even through the tough times, all along the way learning what it means to love. What else?
You no doubt recall these famous words of Albert Schweitzer: “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will really be happy, are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
The Apostle Paul, George Eliot’s friend, McCarthy, Albert Schweitzer. Who knows, you may never in your lifetime meet anyone who takes Jesus that seriously. But I mention them today, I mention Jesus’ challenging words about finding greatness in humble service, because sometimes, once in a while, somebody does take Jesus seriously, and I just had the feeling it might be you.