‘Authentic Christians…’

November 5, 2023

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13, Matthew 23:1-12

In a nutshell, our gospel passage today is saying simply that Jesus’ followers should not follow the actions of the priests who were teaching in the Temple, but rather listen to and follow their words, as these were in line with the Jewish Law. Jesus indicated that what they were teaching was not in line with the priest’s self-serving actions, and their obvious desire to maintain tight control over the people.  Even though what they were teaching may have been drawn directly from the Jewish Law and the words of the Prophets, the lifestyles and public witness of these teachers of the faith did not match up with what they were saying.

That said, it seems bold, or rather presumptuous for me to share a message on ‘authentic Christianity’. For while the message Jesus sought to convey that day remains critically important today…to listen for and follow the words of those who speak of the faith, while also being careful to assess their actions…the actual ability to discern what that means seems to have become increasingly more difficult.

And I say this because we live in a time of both high-speed communications, and large volumes of religious ‘speak’ being tossed about…all of which is driving a lot of social opinion and decision making on many levels. While it was daring and ultimately dangerous for Jesus to go up against the religious power and authority of his day, the contrast between his message and the public witness of those he criticized was stark and readily understood by all. However, that may not still be the case today. Those who listened to Jesus and had the courage to set aside previous understandings of their faith in order to follow along behind him were the first, but not the last ‘authentic Christians’.

When it comes to today however, and how one might sort out the ‘wheat from the chaff’ of current Christian teaching and Christ-like action, it seems we have a very difficult task indeed. And I think that this is due primarily to the fact that rather than letting the words of the gospels themselves speak into our time, allowing them to assist in guiding our actions and decisions, many contemporary preachers are doing just the opposite…preferring to tell the gospels themselves…what they are saying. It seems that far too often today, Jesus’ teachings, which are found within the four gospels are being cherry-picked to support messages and understandings of the faith that, at least to my way of thinking, are quite far out of line with the true intent of Jesus’ message.

This sense has been with me for a while. For as I have listened over the past few years, I have felt that certain ‘theories’ of what the gospels actually said and mean, are becoming further and further away from the actual words of the text. In Matthew 25, the familiar words Jesus shares, ‘when I was hungry, when I was thirsty, when I was naked or a stranger, you comforted me’, seem to ring hollow and meaningless when we hear of current ‘mainstream’ religious thought on immigration, or on many of the systemic injustices afflicting so, so many of our brothers and sisters. Rather than leading the way out of this darkness and confusing assortment of critical social issues, it seems that too many ‘preachers of the word’ are instead constructing their own ‘comfortable religious understandings’…avoiding the real problems, avoiding the solutions which Jesus offered, which were admittedly not always easy, and instead simply offering prescriptions on ‘proper behavior’…primarily meant to insure ‘entrance into Heaven some day in the not too distant future’. Rather than shining light on difficult issues confronting us all, these ‘theories’ dilute the message and power of Jesus’ message, making it harder for that message to have the impact it needs to offer.

As I said, for some time this has been just a feeling of mine, but recently I discovered that I was not alone in my concern as to what really is ‘authentic Christianity’, when I came across an article in Newsweek magazine’s August 9th issue based on research done by the Editor in Chief of Christianity Today, a man by the name of Russell Moore. In that article Morre suggests that, “(Recent trends in politics) have transformed the political landscape in the U.S. to the point where some Christian conservatives are openly denouncing a central doctrine of their religion as being too “weak” and “liberal” for their liking”.

(Moore continues) “Multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting the Sermon on the Mount, (where it says) ‘turn the other cheek’, (only) to have someone come up after to say, ‘Where did you get those liberal talking points?'” 

(Or…) “When the pastor would say, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ’ … The response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak,” he added. “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.” (edits mine)

So yes, it seems there is a crisis underfoot in the way the actual witness of our faith, and the teachings of Jesus are being portrayed…a crisis that may in fact be doing exactly the opposite of what Jesus sought to teach…and this is also what is directly addressed in our gospel reading today.

So…if our call still means living out and into the actual words which Jesus taught…how do we know who is truly putting them forth? Now let me be clear…understanding the scriptures is not always easy, nor is bringing their message forward into today’s context, and I would never claim that my own understanding is without fault or blemish. But the essentials of the faith, the underlying strengths of Jesus’ teachings, the work of learning to truly ‘love one another’…must still be the foundation upon which any who claim to share the gospel must stand.

Now, for purposes of clarity and perhaps better understanding, I think that it is possible to read this passage with the words slightly reversed. Instead of merely saying ‘ignore the teacher’s actions and try to focus only on their words’ (because as we have heard, the actual ‘loving message’ of Jesus does not always work for preachers who are more interested in being sure their flock lines up ideologically with their own views), we need to say, consider what they are saying and hold it up against the actual words of Jesus to see it it holds true.

Recasting Jesus’ instruction from our gospel lesson might then be better understood as, ‘it is critical that your actions are in line with the words you say, so that what you say, and what you do in your service of the Lord are one and the same’. Therefore, Jesus’ words, ‘Do not do as they do, but as they say’, are therefore recast as, ‘Do as they say, if it is in line with the words of the gospels, and ‘only’ as it is evidenced by the things they do’. Jesus is calling his followers both then as now, to be an authentic witness of grace, and to live out one’s faith openly and actively in pursuit of blessed community, and in learning to better love one another. 

Now when it comes to Jesus’ call to not only be authentic in our faith expression but humble as well, there is more to consider regarding how this may also inform our own witness.  In the example Jesus offered regarding the priests, he was asking his followers not to ask others to do something they would be unwilling to do themselves.  The ‘teachers of the faith’ to whom Jesus was referring were making the faith extremely burdensome for the common person to follow. They were not seeking by their teachings to make God more open and available to the faithful, but rather being sure to keep themselves in between God and the people…laying on the faithful great and burdensome faith requirements, making it nearly impossible to believe that anyone could really please God.

The reasons why they did this are probably many, but I would suggest that chief among them was that in doing so they were able to exert and maintain a greater level of control over their flock.  If they were able to portray the rules and doctrines of the faith as being difficult to follow, then those trying to be faithful would always be at the mercy of those in charge. Unfortunately, this also seems to have been included in the playbook of modern-day preachers who are less interested in what Jesus actually said, than ‘feel-good-lock step’ faith anchored only in hot-button social issues.

In order to counter this we need simply to look again at the words and actions of Jesus as he sought to make God easily understandable and easily approachable by coming as ‘one of us’…living amongst us and showing us the true nature of love and compassion…teaching us by example how to live for one another…how to love one another….how to offer our lives in service to others just as he did himself.

So, what does it mean to live ‘authentically’ for the Lord? What does that actually look like?  When we begin to live lives reflective of the teachings of Jesus, and which demonstrate the lived out witness of the gospel, what are we actually doing? 

At that point, and this is important, when we are doing our level best to follow the words and instructions of Jesus as found in the gospels…and doing so to our best ability…then all that we are doing, is in truth good and holy work.  Any ‘work’ we do in actively serving another, becomes both the substance and demonstration of our faith, and also fulfills the words of our Lord when he said, ‘This is how they will know you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.’

In other words, an authentic and humble faith must consist not only of the words we use when sharing with others, but also all that we do that furthers the presence of Christ within our community. Each and every time we reach out to assist another, or to lift up one who needs help, either as individuals, or as the church gathered together in faith, we are living into the words of James the Apostle.  As I referenced last week, his strongly worded affirmation of the place of action within our faith sought to demonstrate that true Christ-like faith cannot merely be a matter of words, but rather must be grounded as well in actions of mercy and grace intended to enhance the lives of all we encounter on the pathway of faith.

In closing then, let us continue to be kind to one another as we acknowledge the gifts we celebrate together here each week. Let us work diligently to be witnesses of compassion and kindness worthy of our Lord, to our community as a whole.

And, let us be authentic in our faith, closely matching our words to our actions, for it is we as followers of Jesus who truly have the most to offer to a world and a time so much in darkness and need. Let us work together to bring forth a day of peace, understanding, and hope through our example of humility and kindness…

…the Word of our Lord is a living word…pray that it may ever continue to guide and direct our lives…

…amen