"ESTEEM" - 1 Corinthians 3:1 - 9; Matthew 5:21 - 26, 33 - 37
A Sermon by Alex Evans, Pastor
Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Texts: I Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5: 21-26, 33-37
“ESTEEM”
Have you heard about the Coronavirus?
Of course, you have. It continues to be the lead news-story – even with many other pressing and frightening issues. The Coronavirus has killed 1500 people worldwide, and many thousands of cases have been recorded., which generates such fear and concern. And there is the quarantined cruise ship in Japan with now more than 200 infected people onboard.
Coronavirus is a respiratory illness with pneumonia like symptoms that originated in a central province in China and has been spreading across the world, so it is called a pandemic. Both the World Health Organization and the US have declared public health emergencies.
Standard recommendations to prevent infection are familiar - regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. We are also asked to avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing. Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, coughing on public transportation has become as threatening as pulling out a gun.
What would Jesus say about the Coronavirus? Probably – “wash your hands, be considerate, cover your mouth.”
While the Coronavirus may raise our fears and generate panic around the world, many experts mostly remind us that the basic “flu” is likely more dangerous to our lives – so we should get a “flu” shot!
We live in a dangerous world; we are susceptible to disease and virus; we do our best to stay healthy. And we seek to be Jesus’ disciples.
There is something else threatening us in these days, especially in our culture. It also starts with a “C” – how about “contempt!?!”
Here is what the dictionary says: “Contempt” – “noun – the feeling that a person or thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.” . . . “Contempt is a pattern of attitudes and behavior, often toward an individual or group, but sometimes towards an ideology, which has the characteristics of disgust and anger. The word originated in 1393, from the Latin word contemptus, meaning ‘scorn.’"
We keep talking about the crisis of the coronavirus, but we ought to be talking about the “crisis of contempt,” which has become so pervasive in our culture.
Listen to this: The world’s leading expert on marital reconciliation is Dr. John Gottman, a psychologist at the University of Washington. Over the course of his work, Dr. Gottman has studied thousands of married couples. After watching a couple interact for just one hour, he can predict with 94 percent accuracy whether the couple will divorce within three years.
How can he tell? It’s not from the anger that the couples express. . . . . anger doesn’t predict separation or divorce. The biggest warning signs, he explains, are indicators of contempt. These include sarcasm, sneering, hostile humor and — worst of all — eye-rolling. These little acts effectively say, “You are worthless” to the one person a spouse should love more than any other. Want to see if a couple will end up in divorce court? Watch them discuss a contentious topic and see if either partner rolls his or her eyes.
Why do they do that? The answer is that it’s a habit, and that habit is tearing their marriage apart. And like a couple on the rocks, (in our society today,) in politics today, we have a contempt habit. Don’t believe it? Turn on prime-time cable TV and watch how they talk. Look at Twitter — if you dare. Listen to yourself talking about a politician you don’t like. We are guilty of contempt. . . . It’s a habit, and it’s tearing our society apart. That comes from Harvard Professor Albert Brooks. (Washington Post, Feb 7, 2020)
Do you think Jesus has anything to say about “contempt”?
Oh yes! Jesus picks up on much of what God demands in the Hebrew Scriptures – it matters how we live with one another. It matters how we treat each other. Jesus says that those who seek to follow him are called to live by a higher standard than the high moral mark of the law of Moses.
Listen to these words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount:
21 ‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.” 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire.23So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
33 ‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” 34But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
These are good days to ponder God's high calling to obey the commandment of walking in God's distinctive ways. And Jesus’ words go along with our first lesson, and Paul's admonishment to the church at Corinth, to remember our place as servants of God – we are to work together, not against each other. We are to build on what we have in common for God’s good and important purposes, instead of creating and maintaining terse divisions. Jesus’ urges "but I say." His words are a stark contrast to the pervasive sarcasm, sneers, hostile humor, vicious mocking, and eye-rolling that have become all too commonplace in our life together.
I think we know, on our better days, what gives us life, what makes our world better, what promotes hope. It is connections, and compassion, and cooperation.
Then why is it so hard, so seemingly far – further and further -from us? Why are we so seemingly inclined toward driving wedges between people, maximizing differences instead of building alliances? Why do we have such a propensity to condemn others? Why are we so good at eye-rolling, . . . at contempt?
Our word for today, friends, is not contempt. It is ESTEEM.
The word ESTEEM is my best effort to summarize what Jesus, and also Paul, are urging from us in these passages for today, and for our desperate times. ESTEEM is an antonym for contempt. ESTEEM intends always to be at the heart of Christian life – ESTEEM for self, ESTEEM for God, ESTEEM for others as we make our way in the world.
Jesus says, “you have heard that, . . . ‘you shall not murder’ . . . but I say if you are angry, you are liable to judgment.”
Jesus is calling for us, expecting us, to be distinctive in how we live, and break the cycle of viciousness that leads to death. And as Jesus speaks here, he addresses our deep tendency to bear grudges – to demean people and look down on them – live with contempt. He speaks about our tendency to call people names – which has become so common in our life in these days.
The source of all these problems – according to Jesus - is conveyed in a Greek word in this text – orgizomenos.
Orgizomenos means “grudging.” Jesus points out that we are all too good at “living grudgingly.” If we are not attentive, if we are not focused and growing, if we are not clear about who we are and to Whom we belong to, we fall into . . . contempt. We assume this is the way we are meant to live – call people names, belittle them in the eyes of others, see people only in a certain way – as deserving of scorn.
Jesus says “no.” That is the way to despair and death. Harsh words, demeaning ways, the tendency to demonize others, treat them with scorn, kill us. When we act that way, we deserve the same punishment as murder. Living grudgingly is not the way of God. Living grudgingly is the way to death. The Lord is always teaching a different way, a distinctive way, . . . . which reaches out, goes to the other, seeks to mend and cooperate, makes amends and makes it right.
Here is how commentator Dale Bruner puts it: “the Lord does not want to talk to a disciple who does not want to talk to his brother or sister.” God’s people live differently – not with contempt – but with ESTEEM, compassion, commitment, grace, and care. God’s people intend to live reaching out, connecting, forgiving, supporting, encouraging, with mercy. (See D. Bruner, Matthew, p. 174)
We see contempt in the highest offices in the land. We see contempt around the city. We see contempt in our personal encounters, in our work-places. Jesus asks and expects us to break the habit of contempt – the easy and seemingly popular way to pick sides, demean the other, and live with scorn. Yet - it is the way of death.
What Jesus teaches - God’s way, to life and wholeness – is all rooted, it seems, in ESTEEM. We are to be people of grace and open-ness; that does not mean agreeing or even not being angry. ESTEEM is a way of living – not with contempt – but with kindness, reaching out, building, connecting, working together for God’s good world. ESTEEM has to do with respect and admiration, especially toward self and others. Imagine that! We treat others actually how we want to be treated (that is Biblical too!). We do not demean people, but reach out in respect and care, even toward those with whom we are angry, or disagree.
We cannot change the behavior or others, but we can certainly work on our own lives; we can watch out for contempt. Strive for ESTEEM. This is what we must do.
We can remember that our own baptisms call us to live differently in the world – loving God and loving what God loves. And we can affirm that we are always growing into our calling – resisting the deathful ways of the world, and striving for life, with connections, with encouragement, with care and compassion, with ESTEEM.
Here is the deal – we are called always to live by faith – and faith means trusting God, . . and faith means growing toward compassion and justice – this is what Jesus teaches over and over. That means that we – as people seeking to be God’s people – have to stay engaged, focused, active. In a crisis of contempt, we have to live with sincere ESTEEM. When it feels like fear-mongering and white supremacy are gaining ground, we know we are called to a different path. We have to spend our lives on behalf of people, not against them. We have to do the right thing – reach out, speak out, with devotion and care. We are called to bring good tidings of joy, show a better way.
Our bulletin reminds us that “we are all ministers.” We are expected to be agents of light and hope in a jagged and jaded world.
When truth and justice are in danger – and they are – Jesus reminds us – “let your word be ‘yes’ and ‘no.’” Jesus knows the community’s welfare is based on truthfulness and integrity. Jesus wants our speech to be straight-forward. He urges us to do what we say we will do.
These things are in jeopardy in our times. We are called to be the distinctive people of God – who carry out the vows we have made – to love God and love God’s people. We want to be the practiced, prayerful people who reflect on the mess of life, the malignancies of our culture, the injustices that seem to be growing, and live, by God’s Spirit, in the ways of Jesus – with ESTEEM, with faithfulness.
This is how the great spiritual leader Oscar Romero put it: We all must decide in our own consciences what side we will take. God our Lord is offering us marvelous fruits if we let him sow in us that sprout which will produce prolific branches, . . . . This is God’s plan, and that’s why the church is the vineyard where God’s kingdom will always be in crisis. Blessed are those who feel the crisis deeply and resolve it by committing themselves to our Lord. I am very glad that precisely in this hour of crisis many who were asleep have woken up and are at least asking where the truth is to be found. Look for it! . . . Wherever there is something noble, something good, something just, there we find God. (Daily Dig, Plough.com, Feb 15, 2020)
May God keep waking us up – filling us with ESTEEM - showing us the way, empowering us, and enthusing us for faithful lives that redeem God’s world. Amen
Prayer of Commitment: Holy God, to turn from you is to fall; to turn to you is to rise; to commit life to trusting, to serving, that is to abide forever. We seek that way. AMEN
Alex W. Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on February 16, 2020. This is a rough manuscript.