Nothing Up My Sleeve...

 

Nothing Up My Sleeve…

 

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
2:1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain,

2:2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.

2:3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery,

2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.

2:5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed;

2:6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others,

2:7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.

2:8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

 

In writing lectionary commentary for other pastors this week, I lifted up the Apostle Paul as a unique example of a servant/minister of Jesus Christ. Actually, I didn’t lift him up more than Paul does, himself! Believe me, I’m not saying Paul manifests narcissistic tendencies, just stating a biblically supported fact. Paul essentially says in his writings to churches, “If you want to know how to follow Christ appropriately, just imitate me.” As I wrote to those pastors, who among us would EVER be bold enough to make a statement like that? Most of us are lucky to give ourselves a passing grade on our personal discipleship, or feign humility in assessing it. Paul was NOT afraid to put himself out there as much more than a passing example of an “ideal” Christian disciple. Real magic? Or just slight-of-hand?

 

From the time I was a child, I’ve enjoyed “magic” done well. Not the Harry Potter, spell and wand stuff, but the magic acts by people such as Houdini, David Copperfield, or hilariously, Penn and Teller. One of my favorite episodes of “Columbo” includes him trying to solve a case that has to do with magicians, and in it, a young, budding magician tells him: “To figure out a trick, you first have to remind yourself it IS a trick, not real magic!” I like magic when it is done so well it suspends your unbelief, and you—for at least a few moments—really believe the elephant has actually disappeared into thin air! But remember, it IS a trick. Slight-of-hand, as they say (or “smoke and mirrors”). 

 

Paul discounts any idea that slight-of-hand is involved in his defense of his and his colleagues’ ministry to the church at Thessalonica: “For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery…”. His assertion presupposes that there were those afoot who weren’t so honest. They may have used “trickery,” and their motives weren’t so pure, as we see in verse five: “As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed…” These other people Paul is alluding to must have come precisely with “flattery and a pretext for greed.” Paul is quite upset, it appears, that these slight-of-hand evangelists were giving him and his band a bad name.

 

The “preacher” of Ecclesiastes was right: There really IS nothing new under the sun. How many of you reading this are all but ashamed to use the term, “Christian” to describe yourself, due mostly to the behavior and hijinks of others who seek to “own” the term? Such “Christians” have disparaged the work of justice-seeking, excluded large groups of people from the Body of Christ because of lifestyles or behaviors THEY have deemed “unacceptable,” setting themselves up to be the earthly judges FOR God. They have stormed the gates of political power, owned a Presidency, and in the name of Christ, have fooled many into believing THEIR interpretations of scripture and the resulting “trial and sentence” they conduct in their spiritual kangaroo court is a legitimate manifestation of “proper” Christian discipleship. Tough love? No, diabolical “love.” 

 

Thirty or forty years ago, most of the charlatans in Christendom were TV evangelists, who snarfed up money from their gullible views and slept with loose women. Even the late-night TV hosts could smell them out, making fun of them, and thereby helping identify their deceit for a wider public. Legitimate Christians were insulated from some of the fallout from TV evangelists. Then came the “Moral Majority” led by the Falwells, and the incursion into secular politics was launched, in an attempt to uphold fundamentalist beliefs and positions on social issues. Pat Robertson, head of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) lost his mind, ran for President, and even came in second in the Iowa caucuses. These antics, and on-going ones perpetrated by the “New Christian Right” that emerged, continued to besmirch the name, “Christian,” for much of the American public. Of course, it didn’t end there, and we are still having to attempt to surgically separate legitimate Christianity from the power-grabbing, deceitful attempts to “force” society to accept the fundamentalist views of “evangelicals.” As a consequence, the term “Christian” has been so tainted that many of us have adopted new monikers such as “people of faith” or “Christ-followers.” Who knows, maybe we will even get back to the original title for Christians before Antioch—“Followers of the Way.”

 

Here is verse five again, and following:

 

As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

 

In his singling out these elements as things worthy of upholding and emulating is fodder for any gospel sermon. Paul makes his case that he is not looking for approval from “mortals,” but from the Almighty. We all like to “say” we want to please God, but it never hurts to get a few pats on the back from the faithful. This begs the question, what does it mean to “please” God? Do we accomplish this by keeping God’s laws and commandments? Do we please God by being generous givers? Do we please God by answering God’s call on our lives, no matter what that may be? I’m sure the answer, to some degree, is “yes” to all of these questions. However, I believe, from what I see in the teachings of Jesus and in the letters of Paul, we please God MOST by loving our neighbors, taking care of “the least of these,” and being willing to be the servant of all. None of these things are “glitzy,” but they are the foundations of the Kingdom of God, and central to what Jesus is about.

 

Not only is living a life that is pleasing to God not rocket science, neither is it accomplished by slight-of-hand, trickery, or puffing oneself up—the very things Paul abhors in this passage. The key words occur in verse 8: “So deeply do we care for you.” This is what the Good News is all about. There are none beyond the love and grace of God, and as “bond servants” of Jesus Christ, we cannot treat ANY others like they ARE beyond this grace and love, either, even in the name of “doctrinal purity” or “biblical authority.” 

 

Loving others according to the teachings of Jesus (and the guidance of his servant, Paul) is not magic, nor is it a performance meant to please anybody. It is just down and dirty “caring deeply” for others. And while this isn’t rocket science, neither is it without its challenges and frustrations, as some who need our love and care may also be very, very needy. We must always be reminded that we are “team players” in God’s efforts toward tikkun olam (fixing the world), and it all doesn’t have to be on our shoulders. 

 

When it comes to genuine Christian servanthood, there’s nothing up our sleeves, and we’re not out to entertain, but to engage in the transformation of the world. I guess that sounds like a bigger job than putting on a good show, doesn’t it? I’ll summarize the crux of what I see in the words of Paul in today’s text by quoting a few of my favorite ones from Proverbs:

 

The ways of humans are right in our own sight, but God weighs the motives. Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

 

Amen, Dear Ones!