All Is New In Christ
Sermon
Sermons on the Second Readings
Series II, Cycle C
Object:
Running as fast as his feet would carry him, Androclus raced into the forest. He hoped he could survive there, finding roots and berries to eat and avoiding all wild animals. He had few other choices; people were always looking for runaway slaves. He wondered, however, how it would be to live in terror of being discovered. Every pine cone that fell onto the mossy surface of the forest made him jump and look around to see if soldiers were in pursuit. He needed shelter. Rain was in the air and it would soon be dark. Through a break in the trees he saw an opening in the rocks. Thinking it might be large enough for him to sleep in that evening, he headed toward it. However, he stopped short and, looking to the right of the rock formation, he spied a lion. Instinct kicked in and Androclus ran, praying all the while that the animal had eaten recently. Hearing no sound of pursuit, he slowed down and the stopped. Looking back, he saw the lion had not pursued him. Its only movement was to roll its head looking at him with a rather mournful countenance.
Slowly Androclus retraced his steps. The lion was in pain. He spoke softly to the lion, stroking his mane and back, and looking for some injury. Finally he found it -- a nasty gash on the lion's left hind leg. It was clear that the wound had been bleeding for some time and showed no sign of letting up. Androclus tore some of the cloth from his tunic and cleaned the wound. The animal shuddered and groaned before falling asleep.
Just then the clouds opened up and Androculus crawled into the cave and immediately fell asleep. Minutes later, however, he awoke when the lion came in, dragging his wounded leg and laid down beside him. The cave was large enough for man and beast to live together, and they did just that for several weeks. Each day they would go out and hunt for sufficient food and water for the day.
One day, when drawing water from a stream, Androclus felt something sharp against his neck. "Don't move," said a voice. "There is a big reward for the return of a runaway slave." Forced back to the city, Androclus often thought of his friend the lion, sad that they would never again see each other. He was taken to see the Emperor who pronounced upon him the sentence of death. Soldiers took him to a stone cell beneath the palace where he was to await the day of his execution. Finally, he was led to the arena. The crowd cheered wildly as a lion, which had not been fed for four days, was let loose on Androclus. The animal roared and ran toward its easy prey. Androclus realized he had no chance and, thus, he closed his eyes and braced for the impact and pain. Instead of searing pain, however, he felt the warm tongue of the lion who playfully licked him until he fell to the ground. Androclus opened his eyes and before him he saw his friend the lion from the forest. Instead of bouncing to kill and devour him, as would be normal, even instinctive, especially after not eating for four days, the lion, once so gently cared for, fawned over Androclus like a friendly dog.
The crowd in the arena was hushed to silence; the Emperor was stunned. He called Androclus to him. He told the Emperor the whole story. "Androclus and the lion are hereby freed," said the Emperor. "Such amazing kindness, gratitude, and the ability to throw away the past must be rewarded."
The captivating story of Androclus and the lion presents many themes to ponder, but it clearly demonstrates the need to forget the past, be converted, and begin anew. Androclus, the lion, and even the Emperor, were challenged to forget the past, their preconceived notions and move to a new, more positive understanding of others. As kindness created a new reaction, replacing fear with love, so we are called in this Lenten season to seek transformation in our lives. Today's powerful reading from Saint Paul provides both the challenge and the answer.
Transformation is certainly a concept that Saint Paul knew quite well from his personal experience. In today's lesson, he tells us that he had every reason for confidence in his earlier life. The Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline corpus verify this claim. He was a zealous Pharisee who was educated at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), one of the most learned Jews of the period. He was fervent in his role as Pharisee and took very seriously his responsibility to persecute those who practiced the new way. He was present at the death of the first Christian martyr, Stephen. Luke tells us, "Saul approved of their killing him" (Acts 8:1). Then, almost literally in the blink of an eye, Saul was transformed (Acts 9:1-19) as he traveled to Damascus seeking to continue his zealous crusade against the Christians. Jesus spoke to him and commissioned him to drop the past and take on a new role in life. Paul had previously justified his life and believed himself to be righteous based on the law. Now, after his conversion, all that mattered was faith. Thus, Paul writes to the Philippians that all of his former ways are a loss. Jesus has changed everything for Paul.
Paul had a good life, but Jesus asked him to change. He had all the power, prestige, and presumable wealth that one could seek in his day. Then he was called to become a missionary, to travel throughout the majority of the then-known western world on three dangerous and arduous journeys. He was asked to preach ideas that were not popular to most. He was caught between faithful Jews who saw him as a traitor and Gentiles who found his claim of a slain Messiah now alive to be unbelievable. Yet, Paul says that Jesus was so important to him, that he willingly cast aside all other things, leaving the past completely, so as to have Christ and Christ alone. As Jesus reached out to Paul in a personal way on the Damascus Road, making the new apostle one with him, so Paul tells us, as Christ's emissaries, to reach out to others, and preach the good news. We are to tell them of their need to leave the past behind and press forward to the reward of Jesus. Christ is the one and only prize which has any significance for Paul. It should be the same for us!
Lent is a time for the Christian community, personally and communally, to be transformed, to cast aside the past, to move out from the shadows of darkness and seek the light which only Jesus can bring. We need to put away the old and bring in the new. We need to be transformed in Christ.
First, we must seek transformation in our attitudes. Too often we think in narrow, provincial, and exclusive ways. Jesus clearly demonstrated a more inclusive and broad understanding of life. Rather than restricting people, Jesus welcomed all, but most especially those whom the world had summarily rejected: the sick, the poor, foreigners, and sinners. Jesus never labeled certain people as in and others as out, a practice in which many of us engage. No one had to pass a litmus test for Jesus. All that was necessary was a sense of openness and a contrite heart. We must cast aside our preconceived attitudes with respect to individuals or groups and find a renewed and more Christlike attitude in our daily interactions with others.
We must be transformed in word, leaving behind both words we have used and those used by others which have been hurtful. As we all know, words are very powerful and can be used for good or evil. We must seek to transform negative speech that tears down into positive language that builds up and reinforces. It is not easy to leave behind the hurt others have inflicted on us by insensitive words or possibly forget how we have willingly damaged others through lack of forethought. But as Paul dropped the past in order to find Christ, so must we do likewise.
Transformation in action is also required. As with words, it is difficult to forgive the injustice that others have perpetrated against us. Our natural inclination is for retribution or revenge. Thus, we harbor evil thoughts against others and await our chance to respond. Similarly, some cannot forgive themselves for past indiscretions. It is necessary to re-evaluate what we do and how we do it; we must transform the way we do things. In the end, however, we need to drop the past and move forward.
Transformation requires us to let go of the past, but we often find this extremely difficult. Thus, we need outside help and there is no better source than God's Word. Scripture provides much evidence of God's willingness to let us start over. We know well that God has always been active on behalf of God's people in releasing us from the bonds of this earth's existence. We remember that God broke the shackles of the Israelites in bondage in Egypt through the work of God's servant, Moses. Later, God sent the judges and the prophets, people like Deborah and Esther, Isaiah and Jeremiah, to guide the people to a better life and understanding of God's way. Ezekiel, one of the major prophets, wrote to the Hebrews when they were in bondage again, this time in Babylon. Yes, the people suffered from physical confinement and isolation from their homeland, but the psychological bonds were probably greater. The people were without hope; they were living in despair. Many of the Hebrews surely thought that God had abandoned them. Ezekiel tells the people that their exile, their captivity, their grave, their chains will be removed. We read, "I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel" (37:12b). Yes, God will return the people to their homeland. God's faithfulness to God's people will restore hope and break the bonds. A new day will dawn and a new spring will blossom.
The gospel account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45) provides the best literal and figurative example of how God alone can set us free from the past. We are not told in the scriptures why Jesus, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were such good friends, but we do know that they were close. Why then did Jesus linger for three days when he heard that Lazarus, one of his best friends, was sick, possibly to the point of death? Would any of us so linger if we could go to the aid of one of our friends who needed us? Hopefully not. Jesus answers this question. He says that Lazarus' illness was to show God's glory. We might take that one step further and say that Jesus lingered so that the Spirit could set Lazarus and all people free from death, not just physical death, but more importantly the deadness of the past that exists inside each one of us in different ways.
Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life." If anyone believes in Jesus, that one will never be without hope. If anyone believes in the Lord that one will never die without the Spirit. Jesus wants Martha, Mary, and all those present, and by extension all of us, to know that his presence is not so much to raise us from physical death, but to restore hope to all and unchain us from all that holds us back from being the fullness of who we want to be. The words of Jesus at the end of this gospel pericope are powerful indeed: "Untie him and let him go free." Jesus has removed the shackles and chains, the cloth of death from Lazarus. It can be that way for all of us as well! We must let go of the past, cut the ball and chain from our leg that impedes our forward movement, and find the newness we seek in Jesus.
Yes, God's rescue of the Hebrew people from the land of Babylon and Jesus' raising Lazarus from the dead demonstrate the faithfulness of God in unleashing us from all that binds us. All of us are bound, dead in some way or another. Maybe some of us are held bound by the cares of this world, which have such a strong and popular attraction these days. For others a burden in our family, at work, or in the community might have hold of us and will not let go. Others are chained by some situation which will not give release. Some may be prisoners of the past, and think that no one cares.
Through our chains, our bonds, there will be a certain sense of dying. Paul knew the need to cast aside his former life if he was to be able to serve Jesus as the "Apostle to the Gentiles." Somehow, Androclus and the lion cast aside their preconceived notions about each other and became friends. The Hebrews were victims of the death of despair, hopelessness, and isolation. Lazarus was caught in the trap of physical death and maybe other forms of death of which we are not aware. Through the action of Christ, the one who brings the light, we are released from all that chains us. All we need is to be open to the action of God in our lives. We know that God sent the Spirit on Pentecost to give us a guide and to renew the people in hope. The Spirit can also release us from all that binds us. The walking dead, those who are held bound are all around us; we are they. There is an answer; there is a release. Jesus says, "Untie him and let him go free." Jesus is the one who can untie us from all that chains us in this life. Let us give our lives over to the Lord so that he can break the bonds that hold us in this life, and, in the end, tie us to God forever in the eternal life that is God's promise to all who believe.
Slowly Androclus retraced his steps. The lion was in pain. He spoke softly to the lion, stroking his mane and back, and looking for some injury. Finally he found it -- a nasty gash on the lion's left hind leg. It was clear that the wound had been bleeding for some time and showed no sign of letting up. Androclus tore some of the cloth from his tunic and cleaned the wound. The animal shuddered and groaned before falling asleep.
Just then the clouds opened up and Androculus crawled into the cave and immediately fell asleep. Minutes later, however, he awoke when the lion came in, dragging his wounded leg and laid down beside him. The cave was large enough for man and beast to live together, and they did just that for several weeks. Each day they would go out and hunt for sufficient food and water for the day.
One day, when drawing water from a stream, Androclus felt something sharp against his neck. "Don't move," said a voice. "There is a big reward for the return of a runaway slave." Forced back to the city, Androclus often thought of his friend the lion, sad that they would never again see each other. He was taken to see the Emperor who pronounced upon him the sentence of death. Soldiers took him to a stone cell beneath the palace where he was to await the day of his execution. Finally, he was led to the arena. The crowd cheered wildly as a lion, which had not been fed for four days, was let loose on Androclus. The animal roared and ran toward its easy prey. Androclus realized he had no chance and, thus, he closed his eyes and braced for the impact and pain. Instead of searing pain, however, he felt the warm tongue of the lion who playfully licked him until he fell to the ground. Androclus opened his eyes and before him he saw his friend the lion from the forest. Instead of bouncing to kill and devour him, as would be normal, even instinctive, especially after not eating for four days, the lion, once so gently cared for, fawned over Androclus like a friendly dog.
The crowd in the arena was hushed to silence; the Emperor was stunned. He called Androclus to him. He told the Emperor the whole story. "Androclus and the lion are hereby freed," said the Emperor. "Such amazing kindness, gratitude, and the ability to throw away the past must be rewarded."
The captivating story of Androclus and the lion presents many themes to ponder, but it clearly demonstrates the need to forget the past, be converted, and begin anew. Androclus, the lion, and even the Emperor, were challenged to forget the past, their preconceived notions and move to a new, more positive understanding of others. As kindness created a new reaction, replacing fear with love, so we are called in this Lenten season to seek transformation in our lives. Today's powerful reading from Saint Paul provides both the challenge and the answer.
Transformation is certainly a concept that Saint Paul knew quite well from his personal experience. In today's lesson, he tells us that he had every reason for confidence in his earlier life. The Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline corpus verify this claim. He was a zealous Pharisee who was educated at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), one of the most learned Jews of the period. He was fervent in his role as Pharisee and took very seriously his responsibility to persecute those who practiced the new way. He was present at the death of the first Christian martyr, Stephen. Luke tells us, "Saul approved of their killing him" (Acts 8:1). Then, almost literally in the blink of an eye, Saul was transformed (Acts 9:1-19) as he traveled to Damascus seeking to continue his zealous crusade against the Christians. Jesus spoke to him and commissioned him to drop the past and take on a new role in life. Paul had previously justified his life and believed himself to be righteous based on the law. Now, after his conversion, all that mattered was faith. Thus, Paul writes to the Philippians that all of his former ways are a loss. Jesus has changed everything for Paul.
Paul had a good life, but Jesus asked him to change. He had all the power, prestige, and presumable wealth that one could seek in his day. Then he was called to become a missionary, to travel throughout the majority of the then-known western world on three dangerous and arduous journeys. He was asked to preach ideas that were not popular to most. He was caught between faithful Jews who saw him as a traitor and Gentiles who found his claim of a slain Messiah now alive to be unbelievable. Yet, Paul says that Jesus was so important to him, that he willingly cast aside all other things, leaving the past completely, so as to have Christ and Christ alone. As Jesus reached out to Paul in a personal way on the Damascus Road, making the new apostle one with him, so Paul tells us, as Christ's emissaries, to reach out to others, and preach the good news. We are to tell them of their need to leave the past behind and press forward to the reward of Jesus. Christ is the one and only prize which has any significance for Paul. It should be the same for us!
Lent is a time for the Christian community, personally and communally, to be transformed, to cast aside the past, to move out from the shadows of darkness and seek the light which only Jesus can bring. We need to put away the old and bring in the new. We need to be transformed in Christ.
First, we must seek transformation in our attitudes. Too often we think in narrow, provincial, and exclusive ways. Jesus clearly demonstrated a more inclusive and broad understanding of life. Rather than restricting people, Jesus welcomed all, but most especially those whom the world had summarily rejected: the sick, the poor, foreigners, and sinners. Jesus never labeled certain people as in and others as out, a practice in which many of us engage. No one had to pass a litmus test for Jesus. All that was necessary was a sense of openness and a contrite heart. We must cast aside our preconceived attitudes with respect to individuals or groups and find a renewed and more Christlike attitude in our daily interactions with others.
We must be transformed in word, leaving behind both words we have used and those used by others which have been hurtful. As we all know, words are very powerful and can be used for good or evil. We must seek to transform negative speech that tears down into positive language that builds up and reinforces. It is not easy to leave behind the hurt others have inflicted on us by insensitive words or possibly forget how we have willingly damaged others through lack of forethought. But as Paul dropped the past in order to find Christ, so must we do likewise.
Transformation in action is also required. As with words, it is difficult to forgive the injustice that others have perpetrated against us. Our natural inclination is for retribution or revenge. Thus, we harbor evil thoughts against others and await our chance to respond. Similarly, some cannot forgive themselves for past indiscretions. It is necessary to re-evaluate what we do and how we do it; we must transform the way we do things. In the end, however, we need to drop the past and move forward.
Transformation requires us to let go of the past, but we often find this extremely difficult. Thus, we need outside help and there is no better source than God's Word. Scripture provides much evidence of God's willingness to let us start over. We know well that God has always been active on behalf of God's people in releasing us from the bonds of this earth's existence. We remember that God broke the shackles of the Israelites in bondage in Egypt through the work of God's servant, Moses. Later, God sent the judges and the prophets, people like Deborah and Esther, Isaiah and Jeremiah, to guide the people to a better life and understanding of God's way. Ezekiel, one of the major prophets, wrote to the Hebrews when they were in bondage again, this time in Babylon. Yes, the people suffered from physical confinement and isolation from their homeland, but the psychological bonds were probably greater. The people were without hope; they were living in despair. Many of the Hebrews surely thought that God had abandoned them. Ezekiel tells the people that their exile, their captivity, their grave, their chains will be removed. We read, "I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel" (37:12b). Yes, God will return the people to their homeland. God's faithfulness to God's people will restore hope and break the bonds. A new day will dawn and a new spring will blossom.
The gospel account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45) provides the best literal and figurative example of how God alone can set us free from the past. We are not told in the scriptures why Jesus, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were such good friends, but we do know that they were close. Why then did Jesus linger for three days when he heard that Lazarus, one of his best friends, was sick, possibly to the point of death? Would any of us so linger if we could go to the aid of one of our friends who needed us? Hopefully not. Jesus answers this question. He says that Lazarus' illness was to show God's glory. We might take that one step further and say that Jesus lingered so that the Spirit could set Lazarus and all people free from death, not just physical death, but more importantly the deadness of the past that exists inside each one of us in different ways.
Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life." If anyone believes in Jesus, that one will never be without hope. If anyone believes in the Lord that one will never die without the Spirit. Jesus wants Martha, Mary, and all those present, and by extension all of us, to know that his presence is not so much to raise us from physical death, but to restore hope to all and unchain us from all that holds us back from being the fullness of who we want to be. The words of Jesus at the end of this gospel pericope are powerful indeed: "Untie him and let him go free." Jesus has removed the shackles and chains, the cloth of death from Lazarus. It can be that way for all of us as well! We must let go of the past, cut the ball and chain from our leg that impedes our forward movement, and find the newness we seek in Jesus.
Yes, God's rescue of the Hebrew people from the land of Babylon and Jesus' raising Lazarus from the dead demonstrate the faithfulness of God in unleashing us from all that binds us. All of us are bound, dead in some way or another. Maybe some of us are held bound by the cares of this world, which have such a strong and popular attraction these days. For others a burden in our family, at work, or in the community might have hold of us and will not let go. Others are chained by some situation which will not give release. Some may be prisoners of the past, and think that no one cares.
Through our chains, our bonds, there will be a certain sense of dying. Paul knew the need to cast aside his former life if he was to be able to serve Jesus as the "Apostle to the Gentiles." Somehow, Androclus and the lion cast aside their preconceived notions about each other and became friends. The Hebrews were victims of the death of despair, hopelessness, and isolation. Lazarus was caught in the trap of physical death and maybe other forms of death of which we are not aware. Through the action of Christ, the one who brings the light, we are released from all that chains us. All we need is to be open to the action of God in our lives. We know that God sent the Spirit on Pentecost to give us a guide and to renew the people in hope. The Spirit can also release us from all that binds us. The walking dead, those who are held bound are all around us; we are they. There is an answer; there is a release. Jesus says, "Untie him and let him go free." Jesus is the one who can untie us from all that chains us in this life. Let us give our lives over to the Lord so that he can break the bonds that hold us in this life, and, in the end, tie us to God forever in the eternal life that is God's promise to all who believe.
