The Rev. Charleston David Wilson
Jesus said, “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
The Oxford English Dictionary says to be ashamed is to be embarrassed. In old English the word “ashamed” also meant to be reluctant. In biblical Greek, the best modern translation of the Greek word that has been translated as “ashamed” is probably “disgraced.”
That means we might read it like this: “Jesus said, ‘Those who are embarrassed, those who are reluctant or those who are disgraced by my words in this generation, of them the Son of Man will also be embarrassed, reluctant and disgraced when he comes in the glory of His father.’”
Oxford English and Greek aside, I’ve heard the word ashamed used in context a few times! Most of the time it was like this: “Charleston, you should be ashamed of yourself.” Perfect behavior has never been my strong suit.
One time, when I was about five or six, my mom let me order a large chocolate milkshake from our local Dairy Queen to drink on the way home from school. I think it was a reward for good marks on a test or something. On the way home, my mother had to stop for fuel. While she was inside paying, I decided I was finished with my milkshake (a large back then was really large), so I lowered the window, poured it out the window, down the side of her new car, onto the sidewalk and dropped the cup on top. My mother soon returned to the car, with the owner of the gas station, who came to say hello to me. My mother opened the car door in haste, looked at me square in the eyes, and said to me, “I am so ashamed!” 30 plus years later, I’m still ashamed of that moment!
I want to preach about a real tragedy this morning. And the tragedy is this. I think that many, many people are quietly –but totally — ashamed — embarrassed, reluctant and disgraced — by Jesus and His words.
And I don’t mean what you think I mean. I don’t mean that many people are challenged by what they fancy are the demands of Jesus. That’s a given. And I don’t mean many people are often convicted of their sins when Jesus speaks. That, too, is a given.
I’m talking about a deeper thing. I’m talking about the fact that many of us are quietly fuming over the function of God’s grace. And this is a tragic, deadly mistake.
I have a theory I think I’ve shared with you before. I believe all of us have what I call an inner little grace-hater deep inside, and it comes out from time to time. It comes out when Jesus says certain things. Remember the parable of the vineyard workers? The workers who show up at the last minute get the same wages as those who’ve been toiling all day long. That just goes against the grain; the inner grace-hater in each us says “no way.” They don’t deserve that.
And don’t even get the inner grace-hater started on the parable of the prodigal Son. After all, Mr. Prodigal – Mr. wild child – broke all the rules. He made his bed; he needs to lie in it. Why is he so freely restored and forgiven? Why is a party thrown for him? It just isn’t fair!
I’m trying to say to you that lots of people find the Gospel of grace embarrassing. And they feel this way because, like you and me, they prefer to fancy themselves as basically good, fair, upright rule-followers – self-starters who always think and do good things.
At work, and at play, most of us just want to be known a “good guy” or a “good girl.” The thought of being a “miserable offender,” as the old Prayer Book put it, is disgraceful – is embarrassing.
When you get right down to it, many Christians — many of us — are ashamed, embarrassed and, paradoxically, disgraced by grace.
“Lord, please restore to us the comfort of merit and demerit,” writes Fr. Capon, “and tell us that at the end of the day there will at least be one redeeming card of our very own. Lord, if it is not too much to ask, send us to bed with a few shreds of self-respect upon which we can congratulate ourselves. But whatever you do, do not [give us] grace. Give us something to do, anything; but spare us the indignity of this indiscriminate acceptance.”
The real reason we are ashamed of Jesus and His words — the reason grace is offensive to our ears– is because He shows us once and for all that God’s love — that salvation itself — cannot be earned.
Every other system on earth — family, work, school, you name it — says that if you’re good enough, eat your vegetables, brush your teeth, try hard enough and follow the rules you’ll be accepted and achieve your goals.
But the gospel of grace pours all that down the drain, with the disposal running, and proclaims the unmerited, unconditional and unfailing favor of the Father, regardless of the worthiness of the soul it surrounds!
Earlier this week, I was with a friend of mine out in Montana, enjoying a sunset ride around a beautiful mountain-side farm he bought a few years ago. As we were solving all the world’s problems, somehow we got philosophical, and we started talking about song lyrics with deeper meaning.
He reminded me about a song entitled “It’s All Right, Ma,” The great theologian Bob Dylan writes, “He not busy being born Is busy dying.”
If the reality of God’s unfair, undomesticated, and unruly grace isn’t being born in our hearts this day, this preacher isn’t worth his salt, and you are I are dying!
St. Paul said,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone.” Romans 1:16
I’m no longer ashamed! Won’t you join me?
Sermon preached by the Rev. Charleston D. Wilson
Church of the Redeemer
Sarasota Florida
17th Sunday after Pentecost
16 September 2018