LeBron, Loyalty, Life Paths

There was a time -- before Curt Flood -- when players stayed with their teams, and fans spoke of loyalty.  Fans today, look back to those times and think of them as the golden age of professional sports.  Of course, there was a reason why a player stayed with a team for their career -- they didn't have any control over their destiny.  Owners could trade them, but they had no ability to determine their fate.  Then Curt Flood came, challenging the rule, and that made it possible for LeBron, Dwayne, and Chris to determine their futures, much to the chagrin of Toronto and Cleveland, but to the joy of Miami.

 I'm not a Clevelander, so I don't have a personal stake in LeBron (I sort of hoped he would stay), but I understood that he wants to be numbered among the greats and that requires a championship ring.  Michael Jordan was a great player, but would we remember him as we do without the ring?  So, along with his friends, he was able to complete a triad of greats that in theory should lead to that elusive ring.

As we contemplate this big event (which became bigger because LeBron wanted to make a spectacle of it (again, it's not surprising since he's still a very young man who has grown up being fawned upon by adoring fans and enabling friends),  there is I think a lesson to be learned from all of this.

Are we not all like this?  Pastors move along, hoping for a bigger prize, a bigger church, a larger salary, more glory.  I'm reading Jason Byassee's The Gifts of the Small Church, which speaks to some of this tendency.  Where is the loyalty, we should ask?  (Oh, and I left a smaller church for a somewhat bigger one, and I have my reasons for doing so!)  And we leave smaller churches for larger ones, maybe because they have more programs or better music.  If you talk to older members of smaller churches, you will often discover that their children go to the mega churches -- but then I did that too (in a small town sort of way in HS).  I often hear people say the reason that they moved to a megachurch is that they weren't being fed in that smaller church.  I'm not totally sure what that means, especially in a culture that tends to overeat in the physical realm, do we not "overeat" spiritually?

So, where is the loyalty?   Where is the covenant?  In marriage ceremonies we pledge ourselves "for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer," and we mean it when we say it, but often life steps in the way. (As I write this, I can say that as of this day Cheryl and I have now been married 27 years!)  The same is true of our relationships as church.  We are, after all, in this nation a people that live under the premise that religion is a voluntary thing.  We get to choose who we worship (or not worship), when we worship, and within reason (zoning laws) where to worship. 

So what is the nature of the relationship.  The Disciples, the tradition that I have chosen to embrace (I was born Episcopalian, but ended up choosing to be a Disciple), speaks of covenant relationship.  Our relationship as congregations with entities outside the congregation, whether regional or "general" (essentially national, except that we have churches in Canada that are part of the denomination), and even ecumenical.  It is a mutual commitment to live together as the body of Christ.  Theologically, we understand that this covenant begins in God's decision to covenant with us, a covenant that God invites us to share in as communities of faith.  But, there is no contract, no legal stipulations that can be upheld.  You choose to join, and its pretty hard to get kicked out.  

So, what lesson might learn as church from the LeBron James affair? 

Following the Good Shepherd -- Sermon

John 10:22-30


I would like to begin this morning by reading the Twenty-third Psalm from the King James Version, because it is the version that we know best.

 ¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
 ²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
 ³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
 ⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
 ⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
 ⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalm 23, King James Version)

It’s a commonly held belief that sheep are dumb animals. This belief has given rise to the phrase "to fleece," which is used in reference to stealing from a person who is unaware of what is taking place. With our common presuppositions about sheep, could it be that Jesus is insulting us by calling us sheep?

Before we go looking for a new metaphor, one that may seem a bit less derogatory, perhaps we should first reconsider the reputation of sheep. Are they really as dumb as we’ve been led to believe? Could it be that they’ve just gotten bad press?

This seems to be the case. Apparently sheep have had their reputations smeared by cattle ranchers. As you may know from watching westerns on TV, cattle-ranchers hate sheep and their herders with a passion. Ranchers, who are predisposed to cattle, decided that sheep are dumb because sheep don't act like cattle. For instance, when you herd cattle, you drive them from behind by whooping and hollering and cracking whips. If you try this with sheep, they’ll just circle around you. It seems you can't drive sheep; you have to lead them. Sheep won't go anywhere unless they know that there is someone out in front making sure that everything is okay. So who are the dumb ones?

1. HEARING THE VOICE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Sheep and shepherds are prominent images in Scripture. Jacob, Moses, and David were all shepherds, and according to Luke, shepherds were the first people to receive the message of Jesus' birth. In John 10 we find a series of statements from the lips of Jesus, in which he describes himself as the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11). There is a good reason why all these biblical characters were shepherds, and why sheep figure so prominently in biblical imagery: Sheep were, after all, the primary form of livestock in Palestine. It’s important to also note that the people of Israel didn't consider them to be stupid. They knew what sheep were capable of and so they didn’t take offense at being called sheep.

In this morning’s text, Jesus lifts up a specific attribute of sheep – they can recognize the voice of their shepherd. Not only that, but they will only follow the voice of that one shepherd. The reason sheep will only respond to the voice or call of their own shepherd is because they know that they can count on their shepherd to keep them safe. When danger comes, they won't run off like the hireling. Therefore, sheep get very attached to their shepherds.

Barbara Brown Taylor tells of a conversation with a friend who grew up around sheep. Her friend told her that "he could walk right through a sleeping flock without disturbing a single one of them, while a stranger could not step foot in the fold without causing pandemonium." If you meet up with a group of Bedouins today at an oasis in the Middle East you will see a scene very similar to what was common in first century Palestine. Although several flocks might gather at the same watering hole, the Bedouin shepherds don’t try to keep them apart, because when the shepherd is ready to leave, he or she gives off a distinctive call or whistle and the flock gathers to that shepherd. Taylor writes: “They know whom they belong to; they know their shepherd's voice, and it is the only one they will follow.”* It would seem that sheep aren't all that dumb after all; they know whom they can trust and whom not to trust, and they respond only to that one voice. If, then, we are part of Jesus’ flock, then we’ll recognize his voice and follow him.

In our day there are many voices calling out to us. They appeal to our emotions, our needs, our desires, our pride., and our fears They prey upon our sense of rootlessness, that nomadic spirit that has infected our age. And into this spiral of confusion, we hear Jesus saying to us: “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me” (Jn. 10:27).

2. THE CARE OF THE SHEPHERD

Despite the bad press that sheep tend to receive, the reason we’re attracted to the images of sheep and shepherd, is that they provide us with a sense of comfort and well-being. This sensibility is reinforced by the 23rd Psalm, which begins with the line: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." By describing himself as the Good Shepherd, Jesus takes over the imagery of the Psalm, imagery that is used by the Psalmist to describe Yahweh’s relationship to the people of God. Indeed, in John’s account, Jesus goes so far as to say: “the Father and I are one.” That is, when you think of the Lord being your shepherd, think also of Jesus, because they are of one purpose.

As we ponder the meaning of the claim put on the lips of Jesus, "I am the Good Shepherd," it would be appropriate for us to consider how this Psalm defines what that means. We love this Psalm because it speaks of God's comforting presence in difficult times. We love the images of green pastures and still waters, because they speak of peacefulness and serenity. But, earlier readers of the Psalm likely would have heard something different. They would have heard a word about God's provision for his people. Green pastures suggest food and still waters a safe place to drink, things that sheep living in a desert climate couldn't take for granted. They trusted the shepherd to scout out and find food and water for them. They also had confidence that when trouble came, the shepherd would protect them.

The traditional rendering of verse 4 of Psalm 23 says: "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil." It is this verse that leads so many people to choose it for funerals, but a better translation of the verse would be:

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff -- they comfort me.

The sheep have confidence that when they walk through even the darkest valley, their shepherd, armed with rod and staff, will not let anything happen to them. They will make it through the difficult times that face them. If God is our shepherd, we need not fear, for God stands with us.

3. RESPONDING TO THE MESSIAH

This discussion of the Good Shepherd comes in the midst of a discussion about the identity of the Messiah. The religious leaders of the day couldn’t accept Jesus in this role, because he didn’t act as they expected a Messiah to act. In John’s account, Jesus responds by telling them that their opposition stems from the fact that they’re simply not his sheep. If they had been his sheep, they would have known his voice, and responded to his promise of protection and security. I should point out here that there is another audience in mind as well – it’s the opponents of the Beloved Disciple. There was division in that early Christian community, and the one who wrote this account is speaking to them, calling on them to heed the voice of Jesus that came through him. Who is the Messiah, the one sent from God, the one who will speak a word of comfort, of challenge, and guidance? And will we know this voice?

Although we hear a word of comfort in the image of the Good Shepherd that doesn’t seem to be the point that John wants to make. He places this image in the midst of a discussion that Jesus has with these opponents that continue to question his authority to speak. So, when we hear Jesus talking about heeding the voice of the shepherd, he’s talking about allegiance, loyalty, and a willingness to follow.

There are many voices in the world that are calling out to us. The question is, which one will we hear and abide? I think sometimes we falter in our allegiance because we’re fearful. Maybe we’re afraid that God won’t come through in our time of need, and so we switch our allegiance to the one who promises us peace and security. And, in every age there are demagogues promising us peace and security, if only we will follow them. It’s tempting to listen and follow, but will these voices lead us through the darkest valleys?

Our hope lies in hearing and following the Messiah of God, the one who is the Good Shepherd. If we’re to do this, then it’s important to get to know this Shepherd’s voice, to learn the uniqueness of his call. This involves all of the Christian practices – prayer, study, meditation, conversation, listening, worshiping. Yes, sheep get lost only when they stop listening for the shepherd’s voice, and this happens when the sheep lose contact with the shepherd.

Remember the sheep have confidence in the shepherd because the shepherd has been there for them, and the same is true of us. Without taking exclusivist detours that build fences to keep others out of the conversation, there is in John’s message, the reminder that through an act of grace, God seeks out God’s sheep. Therefore, if we hear the Shepherd’s voice calling out to us, if we’re willing to attune ourselves to the Shepherd’s voice, then we can have confidence when we walk through the darkest of valleys of life, whether they are sickness, loss of jobs, a disaster, or death of a loved one. We have this confidence because we know that in Jesus, God has already gone before us and scouted out the path. If we stick close to him, we will make it through safely. That doesn't mean that the wolves won't nip at our heels, but the Lord is with us, to lead us safely through the danger.

*Barbara Brown Taylor quoted in Pulpit Resource, 29 (April, May, June 2001): 30.

Preached by:
Dr. Robert D. Cornwall
Pastor, Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Troy, Michigan
April 25, 2010
Fourth Sunday of Easter

Ultimate Allegiance -- A Sermon

Acts 5:27-32

When I was a child, we began every school day with the Pledge of Allegiance. In doing this we declared our love and support for our nation. I doubt if I really understood the implications of my pledge; it was just something I said every morning as school began. Only later, when I got older, did I begin to understand what it means to give my allegiance to my country. I also learned that not everyone agreed on what allegiance means. Do I, for instance, have to love it or leave it, as the old bumper sticker suggests? Do I have to agree with everything our government does in order to be a loyal citizen?

With these questions about loyalty and allegiance circling in our minds, Christians face another question – is allegiance to the nation the ultimate allegiance? Or, does our allegiance to God trump our allegiance to family, to community, to nation? As we think on these questions, consider for a moment those who risked their lives in the 1930s and 1940s to hide their Jewish neighbors or smuggle them to safety in defiance of German law. Or consider the people who participated in the Underground Railroad, shuttling escaped slaves north to Canada, and in doing so, broke the Fugitive Slave Law. These folks believed that there was a higher law than that of the nation. So, to whom do we owe ultimate allegiance?

1. THE POWER OF EASTER

As we meet this morning on the far side of Easter, we hear the story of the choices that faced the earliest Christians. From the earliest days of the church, Christians have had to choose between their allegiance to God and their allegiance to culture and nation. In every age and culture, leaders have appealed to patriotism, nationalism, and loyalty to the fatherland or to the clan. And yes, this is true even here in this country, where we hear demagogues stir up crowds with the words: “Let’s take back our country.”

The Easter story reminds us that our loyalties go beyond family, clan, or nation. Whatever our national allegiances might be, we are first of all citizens of God’s kingdom, who acclaim Jesus, the one who has risen from the dead, as “Leader and Savior.” We are here today, because of the resurrection. It is the risen Christ who breathes the Spirit upon the disciples and commissions them to share the word of forgiveness (Jn 20:22-23). It is also the risen Christ who commissions the church to carry the message of God’s grace to the ends of the earth – once the Spirit empowers them (Acts 1:8).

This morning we move directly into the post-Easter world. Acts 5 describes a jail break of epic proportions, but, the jail breakers didn’t flee very far. No, they went right back to the Temple and began to preach, knowing that they would likely face arrest again. So, now they stand before the authorities, having to answer the question: to whom do you owe your allegiance?

2. A QUESTION OF LOYALTY

From the day of Pentecost until the time of Constantine, being a Christian was dangerous if you lived in the Roman Empire. To be a Christian was considered an act of treason, and thus arrest and even martyrdom was common. And, why was being a Christian considered an act of treason? Being a Christian was deemed an act of treason, because the Romans didn't believe in the separation of church and state. If you were a loyal Roman, you proved it by offering sacrifices to the emperor, who was proclaimed the divine Lord of the empire. Now, this was a problem for Christians, because they had only one Lord, and that was Christ. So when they refused to sacrifice and give their ultimate allegiance to the emperor, the government had no choice but to suppress them.

The Romans tried to suppress the Christians by crucifying them, beheading them, burning them at the stake, or throwing them into the arena to face wild beasts and gladiators. They hoped that these violent acts would be a deterrent, but history suggests that this persecution didn’t work. History is full of stories about people such as Polycarp and Ignatius of Antioch, who gave up their lives for their faith. But it wasn't just men who faced martyrdom – there were also many women counted among the martyrs.

Consider the story of Perpetua. She was a new mother, but she refused to deny her faith, even if that denial would save her life, and allow her to be with her baby. Perpetua wasn't even a full member of the church when she was martyred. She was still preparing herself for baptism, when she gave birth to her child in prison, and watched as her pagan father took the baby away from her. The father hoped Perpetua would give up this crazy idea and come home, and care for her baby. But, she refused and the authorities sent her into the arena to face a wild bull. She was severely wounded, but she wouldn’t give in. The account of her martyrdom is simply amazing.

Perpetua was tossed first and fell on her back, She sat up, and being more concerned with her sense of modesty than with her pain, covered her thighs with her gown which had been torn down one side. Then finding her hair-clip which had fallen out, she pinned back her loose hair thinking it not proper for a martyr to suffer with disheveled hair; it might seem that she was mourning in her hour of triumph.  ["The Martyrdom of Perpetua," in Amy Oden, ed., In Her Words, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994), 35-37].

When the bull failed to kill her, a gladiator's sword finished the job. But that happened only when she guided the sword to her own throat. As the writer records: "Perhaps it was that so great a woman, feared as she was by the unclean spirit, could not have been slain had she herself not willed it."

Another woman named Crispina, was beheaded during the reign of Diocletian. At her trial, the judge tried to get her to sacrifice, but she refused, even when the judge threatened to have her beheaded. Crispina replied, "I should thank my God, if I obtained this. I should be very happy to lose my head for the sake of my God. For I refuse to sacrifice to these ridiculous deaf and dumb statues" [Oden, In Her Words, pp. 45-46]. This call to embrace death as an act of loyalty is summed up in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s famous phrase: "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." It was sixty-five years ago this past Friday that Bonhoeffer’s choice to defy the leaders of his own nation, led to his martyrdom.

The stories of Perpetua, Crispina, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, all give an answer to the question: To whom do I owe my allegiance? If we come back to Acts 5, we hear Peter give his answer to this question. When the chief priest and the members of the Sanhedrin demanded that Peter and the church submit to their authority and stop preaching about Jesus, Peter answered for the church: "We must obey God rather than human authority." When asked: To whom do you owe your allegiance? Peter replied, I owe my allegiance to the one whom God exalted to his "right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him" (5:31-32).

3. OUR ALLEGIANCE

The Jehovah's Witnesses are often ridiculed and condemned because they refuse to pledge their allegiance to the flag. Many people see them as unpatriotic, but they might be on to something. They refuse to say the pledge for the same reason early Christians refused to sacrifice to the Roman emperor. They believe that the flag is an idol and a symbol of a rival claimant to their allegiance. They have asked and answered the question: How can you pledge allegiance to a nation, when you have pledged your allegiance to God? I might not agree totally with their solution, but there is truth in their question.

Although I’m proud to be a citizen of the United States and have no desire to live anywhere else – though Canada doesn’t seem such a bad place to live -- my allegiance to nation must come second to my allegiance to God and to Christ’s church, which extends far beyond national borders.

Peter is asking us the question: To whom do you owe your allegiance? Can we say with Peter, and with all due respect to the laws of this country: "[I] must obey God rather than human authority." Am I willing to count myself among those early Christians who left the council and "rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name?"

Preached by:
Dr. Robert D. Cornwall
Pastor, Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Troy, Michigan
2nd Sunday of Easter
April 11, 2010