Test Driving Theology

Have you ever found yourself in the situation where you have to make a hard decision?  Maybe you have to decide between doing what the rules, or the expectations say…and doing what you know in your heart, is right?  

When I find myself in ethical dilemmas like this, when I have to make a difficult or challenging decision, I turn for wisdom to where I’m sure many of you do: I watch a Pixar movie.

In the movie “The Incredibles, (one of my favorites), there is a scene where ex-superhero Bob Parr, better known as Mr. Incredible, has a confrontation with his boss.  Mr. Incredible has been forcibly retired from the superhero business for years and is working at an insurance company.  He’s doing a good job helping his clients. Maybe too good a job.  He helps them to navigate the ins and outs of the rules, so they can get the most out of their policies and claims.

This did not go unnoticed by his boss, who is frustrated by the amount of money the company is losing from his “help.”  As the boss yells at Mr. Incredible, our hero notices a guy getting mugged outside of his office.  Mr. Incredible exclaims “That man is being mugged!  We have to do something!”  As he turns to run out and help, his boss says “Leave this office and you will be fired.  Turn around and come back here.”  Mr. Incredible then notices the robber grabbing the man’s wallet and running away.  In frustration, Bob turns and yells at his boss: “He got away!”  Because of this event, Bob secretly begins his superhero lifestyle again…and all sorts of shenanigans follows…

In our Gospel story, Jesus finds himself in a similar ethical dilemma.  In the synagogue, Jesus sees a man with a withered hand who needs his help.  

But it’s not just his hand.  In Jewish culture at that time, the economy was based on fishing and agriculture.  Most of the work that needed to be done was manual labor.  If this man had this physical disability, it meant that he couldn’t work.  This means he was poor, with no money to buy food, or to pay for a home.  

Jesus knows what he needs to do and what needs to be done.  However, he has a problem:  the Jewish law does not allow for him to do it.  You are not allowed to do any kind of work on the sabbath, and healing someone would be considered work.  And the Pharisees were intently watching Jesus, to see whether he would heal the man on the sabbath.  

You see, if Jesus heals the man, he breaks the law, and can be arrested and punished…put to death, even.  But if Jesus doesn’t heal the man, well, Jesus is safe…but the man must continue to live a life of brokenness, pain and poverty.

According to the Pharisee’s interpretation of the law, medical attention could only be given on the sabbath if a life was in immediate danger.  It was very specific:  

• You could not splint a fracture on the sabbath.  That would be considered work.
• You could not pour cold water on a sprained hand or foot.  That would be work.
• You could bandage a wound to stop bleeding, but you could not use ointment to promote healing.  That would be work.
• And if a woman was in labor, it was iffy that she could be helped.  That could be considered work.

If a person had a medical need, the law permitted you to make sure that the injury wouldn’t get any worse…but on the sabbath you could do nothing to heal them, or to make them better.  That would be considered work.  

So, what does Jesus do?  Well…Jesus was not particularly subtle.  He summons the man with the bad arm.  He says to him, “Rise in the midst of the group.”  Rise in the midst of the group.  He wants the man to stand up…right there, in the middle of the crowd so that the Pharisees and everyone can see what’s about to happen.  Jesus wants this to be visible.  

He then asks the man to stretch out his withered hand.  And as the man does, the arm heals.  Right there in front of them all.  100%.  Back to full function.  It was a miracle.  It was also…work. 

Why would Jesus do this?  Well, because it was the right thing to do.  Why did he do it so publicly?  He was trying to make a point.  If you look back at the first part of our Gospel reading, the disciples had plucked grains of wheat because they were hungry, also breaking the sabbath law.  Jesus declared that “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.”

Jesus was forcing the Pharisees to confront the question, “Why did God give us the law?  What is the why?” What is the point of the law?  You see, any pharisee worth their salt, should know that God gave the law to protect people.  For example: 

• One of the laws was that God’s people should not even come into contact with, much less eat, pork.  Sorry…bacon lovers.  The law existed because there was no refrigeration, and pork would go bad quickly.  The law existed to protect from food poisoning. 
• The law that said you shouldn’t come into physical contact with someone who had died was because they believed that whatever had taken their life might be contagious, even after their death.  While we know now that it doesn’t work that way, at the time, they were making decisions based on what they knew and understood.  The law existed to protect people.  That’s the “why.” 

So, the laws about not working on the sabbath protected the people in two ways:  First, because God knows that humans can only work so long before they need to rest.  Overwork, we know, can lead to all sorts of physical and emotional problems.  And second, sabbath laws existed because if time isn’t intentionally given to a person’s relationship with God, that relationship might wither…might fade.  The purpose of this law was to protect people…and our relationship with God.

Jesus was reminding the pharisees that we don’t exist to protect the laws…the laws exist to protect us.  

So, when Jesus restored the health and well-being of the man with the withered hand…publicly…in front of everybody…he was making a statement: the intent, the spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law.    Never lose sight of the ‘why.’  The law is there to protect.  You see, by healing the man with the withered hand, Jesus did not break the law…he fulfilled the law.

A number of years ago, I was on a planning team for the ELCA Youth Gathering that took place in Atlanta, Georgia.  This event brought tens of thousands of high school youth from all over the country, plus their adult leaders, to the city for an amazing event with music, concerts, speakers, workshops and service projects.  The event happens every 3 years.  Trinity will be sending a group to that event this summer, being held in New Orleans.

As the event was starting, we discovered that to create a positive image of the city, the police department had swept through downtown Atlanta, and had relocated the entire homeless population, so they wouldn’t be seen.  Some were moved outside of the city center.  Some were taken to other towns.  Some were detained and held in jail, until the end of our event.

The people in charge of the youth gathering were horrified.  This was not why we were bringing young people to Atlanta.  They asked for a meeting with city officials, who explained that they were concerned about the safety of our youth and the image of the city.  

The Gathering director at the time, my friend, Heidi Hagstrom, said “I am grateful for your concern about our young people’s safety.  However, we have already worked out a safety plan with your police department. We are confident and comfortable with it.

She went on: “One of our primary goals here is that our young people learn what it is to be witnesses to the love and grace of God.  That does not include being responsible for the homeless population being relocated because we’re here.” Then she smiled sweetly and said, “so, what are you going to do?”The city backed down and quit moving those who had no place to go. And the Gathering took a portion of its offerings from worship and gave them to ministries that serve the homeless in Atlanta. 

Heidi had no problem articulating the “why” of the youth gathering.  And once she did, the city officials understood.  

What is our why?  As a church.  What is your why…as a person who follows Jesus?  Because here’s what I know:  it is always hard to do what is right, especially when it may cost you something.  But it is always easier when you know your “why.”  

At Trinity, our why is our mission.  “Through Jesus love, we welcome, connect, learn and serve.”  Right.  The basis…the root of our “why” is always Jesus’ love.

That’s because Jesus’ “why” is always love:

• Because of love, Jesus allowed himself to be arrested and humiliated.  
• Because of love, Jesus went to the cross
• Because of love, Jesus took on human sin…for you.  

Love is his “why.”  You are his “why.”  And because of that, Jesus becomes our why.  Let me say that again:  Jesus is our why.

For you and me, the answer to hard decision, to an ethical dilemma, is to know and understanding our why.  As disciples, our why is love.  Jesus’ love.  We make our decisions…the easy ones and the hard ones…by asking ourselves: What choice best reflects Jesus’ love?

Do the right thing.  And when you’re not sure if you can…or if the decision is hard…remember Jesus’ immeasurable love for you.  Echo that.  Reflect that.  Live that.  And always remember:  Jesus’ love is your why.

Thanks be to God!

Amen.