Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23
Preaching
A Journey Through the Psalms: Reflections for Worried Hearts and Troubled Times
Preaching the Psalms Cycles A, B, C
Object:
Ask someone who doesn't go to church what it is that they don't like about church. Ask anyone. In fact, ask several people. Invariably they will say that they don't like all that judgment stuff. If they're talking about judgmental people, then who can blame them? No one wants to step into a community and find the wagging finger of judgment pointed in their direction. But on the other hand, if it's judgment in general that these folks are trying to avoid, that might be worth a moment's consideration.
Maybe it's a hangover from the "I'm okay, you're okay days," but people really don't want to deal with this concept, especially if it's God who's doing the judging. But there it is. Throughout our scriptural tradition we find God as judge. Thankfully, it's God who gets to do that, because frankly, we're not up to the task.
If we are allowed to do the judging, the whole enterprise is doomed. We humans judge according to silly things like race, gender, or religion. We even stoop to judging people by their clothes or other meaningless preferences. But God isn't concerned with our trivial and shallow issues. God will judge us ... God is judging us now by the way we love one another, by the way we care for the planet God gave us to look after, and by the way we care for the poor.
The bottom line here really isn't about judgment itself. It's about being accountable. Those who would wiggle into a judgment-free zone in life also wish to escape from accountability. We are, simply put, accountable for our actions. We write this fundamental principle into our human laws. In our social context we "covenant" not to kill one another, unless of course it's sanctioned by the state. Then it's okay. But in our streets and neighborhoods we try to live by this covenant of not harming or stealing from one another. Our laws provide accountability measures to help assure that the rest of us can live in safety and relative comfort.
The same is pretty much true with God. We have covenant with God, who is our God, and we are (his) people. If we violate the covenant we are held accountable, not by the local police and justice system, but by the one with whom we have made the agreement.
At the end of the day, accountability is a pretty good thing. It works in our social arrangements, and it works in our relationship with God.
So the next time someone tells you they don't like church because of this judgmental God stuff, try talking to them about accountability.
Maybe it's a hangover from the "I'm okay, you're okay days," but people really don't want to deal with this concept, especially if it's God who's doing the judging. But there it is. Throughout our scriptural tradition we find God as judge. Thankfully, it's God who gets to do that, because frankly, we're not up to the task.
If we are allowed to do the judging, the whole enterprise is doomed. We humans judge according to silly things like race, gender, or religion. We even stoop to judging people by their clothes or other meaningless preferences. But God isn't concerned with our trivial and shallow issues. God will judge us ... God is judging us now by the way we love one another, by the way we care for the planet God gave us to look after, and by the way we care for the poor.
The bottom line here really isn't about judgment itself. It's about being accountable. Those who would wiggle into a judgment-free zone in life also wish to escape from accountability. We are, simply put, accountable for our actions. We write this fundamental principle into our human laws. In our social context we "covenant" not to kill one another, unless of course it's sanctioned by the state. Then it's okay. But in our streets and neighborhoods we try to live by this covenant of not harming or stealing from one another. Our laws provide accountability measures to help assure that the rest of us can live in safety and relative comfort.
The same is pretty much true with God. We have covenant with God, who is our God, and we are (his) people. If we violate the covenant we are held accountable, not by the local police and justice system, but by the one with whom we have made the agreement.
At the end of the day, accountability is a pretty good thing. It works in our social arrangements, and it works in our relationship with God.
So the next time someone tells you they don't like church because of this judgmental God stuff, try talking to them about accountability.
