Notes from Dialogue Sermon on June 16, 2013

June 16, 2013

Scripture – Luke 7:36-8:3 

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher, Speak.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” “You have judged rightly.”
Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
Then he said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
Notes from Dialogue Sermon
So guess what ? I think this calls for a dialogue sermon. It’s a great passage for sure – it was the one I chose for my installation service, but what I’d like to talk about goes beyond this passage. This story tells us of a woman who was “a sinner.” What does that mean to you?…..
Now does anyone here have a problem with the word sin or sinner? Why?
Does anyone here really appreciate the word and what it implies? Why?
What do you suppose it meant to the Pharisee?
To Jesus?
How do you define sin?
The word used most often in the NT which is translated as sin is an archery term, which means “to miss the mark.” There are other words which give nuances of missing the mark. One means to diminish what should have been given in full measure, another connotes an unintentional slip, falling when when should have stood. Others are about willful ignorance, disobedience, crossing a line and willfully breaking the rules.
How do you feel about this definition. Does “missing the mark” seem to minimize wrongdoing? Would it apply to some things but not others?
In the 2nd century, Iraneus articulated the idea of original sin which stems from the rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The descendents, meaning all of humanity, inherit not only the guilt of this sin, but the tendency towards sin. Most theologians understand the story of Adam and Eve to be an imaginative portrayal of the goodness of creation and the universality of sin rather than a historical account of sin’s origin. It is this paradox that faithful people struggle to understand – innate goodness with obvious widespread brokenness.
What do you make of the idea of original sin? Are we born into a fallen condition? Are we all sinners? Why or why not? Can we stop all sinning so that we can say everyone used to be a sinner, but some people are no more, or are we always going to be sinners?
It strikes me as a cruel set up that God would create us as imperfect, as innately sinful or fallen, and there is nothing we can do about it, but then ask us to strive to be perfect. What do you think of that?
Would it be helpful to think of evaluating our behaviors without loaded moral language? I believe we become stuck in shame and guilt when we think and react in those ways – that something is flawed or wrong in us. I believe we are better off thinking in archery analogies – just a matter of what we are aiming for, and do we need more practice, and is there a different technique. It is more a matter of awareness of what we are actually doing in contrast to what we want to be doing, based on what we believe ourselves to be.
Self-forgiveness, or acceptance versus making excuses.
Fear is the enemy of love. If we are fearful about being judged, whether in this life or after our death, it is actually harder to be loving
Story – sinning big, woman no longer fearful of judgment and can be loving. Simon very worried about his reputation
– Burden of sin is either ignoring it or holding on to guilt
– Moral relativity? In the world I want to live in, there is a sense of things being right or wrong, creative or destructive. The best expression of myself wants to be clear about avoiding harm to others, especially the vulnerable. But I find relief and freedom in the idea that my conduct, and the conduct of others, has no bearing on God’s regard and love.
– Spong quote: What if the truth is that we are not fallen people, but emerging people. Our problem is not sin. Our problem is that we don’t YET know how to be fully human. The function of Christ is not to rescue sinners, but to empower us and call us to be more deeply and fully human. Salvation is to enhance humanity, not to rescue us from our humanity.
Let us look to Christ, let us follow Jesus to be most fully ourselves. May it be so.