[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 22B

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:



-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Oct 3, 2015 9:38 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 22B



DearFriends,
 
ThisSunday’s sermon is entitled “A Heart Like Yours- CeCe Winans” or “WWJD (WhatWould Jesus Do)- NOW?” and deals with the Gospel (Mark 10:2-16).  Here it is:
 
Did you hear the storyof the little boy who was fascinated by the old family Bible that sat on theliving room coffee table?  One day as hewas fingering through it, something fell out of the Bible.  He picked it up and looked at it.  What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressedin between the pages.  “Mama, look what Ifound!” the boy called out.  “What do youhave there, dear?” his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boy’s voice, he answered: “It’s reallyold- I think it’s Adam’s underwear!” That’s who we heard about in that extremely ancient story from the OldTestament book of Genesis- Adam and the creation of Eve.  Did you notice some basic teachings aboutmarriage?  An ancient Jewish traditionpoints out this truth about Eve and her relationship to Adam: “Not from hishead to lord it over him; not from his feet to be lorded over; but from his rib(next to his heart) to walk side by side as a partner.  Did you notice that the Bible describes themas “one flesh?”  This tells us that marriageis not the ceremony (because there was none), but the coupling- mind to mind,heart to heart, body to body that constituted the marriage.  The logical extension of this is that if youare in a sexual, loving relationship with someone (especially if you have achild by that person), you are also married to that person.  These days most people who think they’resingle have actually been married a number of times in God’s eyes.
 
Another story: did youhear about the conversation between God and Adam?  God asked Adam, “What’s wrong with you?  All I see you do these days is mopearound.”  Adam said he didn’t have anyoneto talk to.  God said he would make acompanion for Adam, and the companion would be a woman.  God said, “This person will gather food foryou; and when you discover clothing, she’ll wash it for you.  She will always agree with every decision youmake.  She will bear your children andnever ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them.  She will not nag you and will always be thefirst to admit she was wrong when you’ve had a disagreement.  She will never have a headache and willfreely give you love and passion whenever you want it.”  Adam asked God, “What will a woman like thiscost?”  God replied, “An arm and aleg!”  Adam commented, “That’s way tooexpensive!  What could I get for arib?”  The rest is history!  He got Eve. He got trouble.  He got woman,actually woe-man!  That’s what I’d likeus to look at for the rest of our sermon- the potential trouble men and women canget into with their relationships, and – since Jesus specifically addressed itin today’s gospel- divorce.
 
Did you notice whatJesus said?  NO DIVORCE, and REMARRIAGEAFTER DIVORCE PRODUCES ADULTERY.  Thoseare really harsh words, and they seem to have absolutely no “wiggle-room.”  How is it then that the Episcopal Churchallows divorce plus remarriage after divorce (with the permission of thebishop)?  Is it because we’re not aBible-believing church?  Not true!  We read more Bible lessons than most denominations(usually four).  We ARE a Bible-believingchurch and try to live that way.  We arealso an honest church.  Most churcheswork hard to find loop-holes to allow for divorce.  Some don’t allow divorce but do declareannulments to marriages, including many with children.  Some look the other way when members get adivorce and then go before the justice of the peace to get married.  Many don’t manage to notice when members“play around”- and you know as well as I do that many a pastor is considered a“lady’s man.”  We Episcopalians work andstruggle to have a livable Bible faith. While others seem to ask the question: “What DID Jesus do?” we ask whatWOULD Jesus do if he lived now, here, in the 21st century?  To do that, we need to start with what it waslike living when Jesus lived, because this will give us a clue why he said whathe said about divorce.  From that- withthe Spirit’s wisdom to guide us, we can think through what he would probablysay and do today, because it’s clear that marriage and divorce in the firstcentury are not the same as marriage and divorce in the twenty-first century.
 
Here are the factsabout life, marriage, and divorce in Jesus’ time:

Marriages were not instituted by the couple falling inlove.  Marriages were arranged by theparents involved.  This means that for aman to divorce his wife was to dishonor his parents, who had chosen the wifeand contracted for her purchase (bride money- remember, we women were owned byour men).  It broke the 5thcommandment (“Honor your father and your mother.”)

Marriages were between two extended families, not twoindividuals.  When a male from one familyand a female from another family were offered in marriage, it was frequentlyfor social, political, or economic reasons; and the two families became oneunited family.  When a man divorced hiswife, it separated the family into two usually-feuding groups.  Bloodshed often followed.

While Roman law allowed a woman to divorce her husbandas well as a husband to divorce his wife, Jewish law did not allow women todivorce their husbands.  Only husbandscould divorce wives.  (Remember- Jesuswas a Jew speaking to Jewish men.)

It was easy for a man to divorce his wife.  In some periods of history, all he had to dowas say three times- “I divorce you” and that was it.  By Jesus’ time, a written statement that youare not my wife and I am not your husband was all that was required.

There was no welfare system- no safety net- in Jesus’time.  Divorce was extremely cruel towomen and children, as is pointed out in the Old Testament book of Malachi (2:13-16)God said, “You cry noisily and flood the LORD'S altar with your tears, becausehe isn't pleased with your offerings and refuses to accept them.  And why isn't God pleased?  It's because he knows that each of you menhas been unfaithful to the wife you married when you were young.  You promised that she would be your partner,but now you have broken that promise....The LORD God All-Powerful of Israelhates anyone who is cruel enough to divorce his wife. So take care never to beunfaithful!”  How was divorce cruel?  A woman had to be under the care of a man allher life or she and her children had no means of support.  When a husband divorced his wife, she had fivechoices: she could try to get her father, brother, or other male relative totake her and her children into their home; she could prostitute herself; shecould steal; she could sell herself and her children into slavery; or theycould starve to death.  No wonder Jesusprohibited divorce!  I would too!  It was a justice issue!
 
What about today?  An internet pastor-friend wrote to say that amember of his congregation came to him in tears.  She had endured an extremely abusive marriagefor years, but now her husband had started to abuse their small son aswell.  Looking for a friendly shoulder tocry on, she confided in her sister that she was planning on divorcing him.  “Oh!” said her sister in horror.  “You can’t do that- you’ll go to hell!”  My friends, my question to you is not whatdid Jesus say in those ancient circumstances when women were just aboutowned.  My question to you is what WOULDJesus say to do in today’s circumstances? I cannot believe he would expect women and children to stay in abusivesituations, because women can now care for their children- alone ifnecessary.  It’s not the best way, butbetter than being continually mistreated. Don’t get me wrong.  There is nosuch thing as a good divorce.  Divorcecauses pain, disunity, confused children, economic hardship all around.  But when hardness of heart causes the deathof a relationship with the accompanying back-biting, sharp tongues, disloyalty,and potential violence; divorce is often the best of a bunch of badchoices.  Is it what God intends for ourmarriages?  No.  Is it often the result of living is asin-sick world?  Yes.  Is there life in Jesus after divorce?  Most certainly.
 
May God bless us all aswe continue to allow his Spirit to turn our hearts of stone into the heart ofhis beloved Son; and may we live our lives asking, “What WOULD Jesus do thistime?”
 
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updatedAfrican-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under“Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org.
 
Blessedpreaching,
JudyBoli
St.Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw,Michigan


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