Integrity
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
In our very commercialized society, where it's often assumed that everything and everyone has their price, what does it mean to have integrity? Is it as simple as posting a virtual "Not for Sale" sign? How can we maintain our values in the face of the inevitable compromises that life demands? These questions are a recurring theme in the headlines, reflected in such ongoing debates as whether President Bush ought to pardon Scooter Libby (the former White House aide convicted of obstruction of justice) and whether the home run records of baseball slugger Barry Bonds (suspected of steroid abuse) ought to be accompanied in the record books by an asterisk. The issue of integrity also lies at the heart of several of this Sunday's lectionary readings, and in this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Scott Suskovic discusses how our words and actions can have meaning in the midst of a culture of hucksterism awash with meaningless words. Team member Steve McCutchan contributes an additional perspective, noting that the story of Naboth's vineyard in this week's Old Testament text is a stark reminder of the ultimate price that personal integrity sometimes demands. Even so, God does not allow evil to escape ultimate judgment.
Integrity
by Scott Suskovic
Integrity means that your words have meaning.
That is extremely important today, because more and more we are surrounded by meaningless words. You can't turn on the radio without an announcer yelling at you that there has never been a better time to buy a car. Infomercials energetically pitch their products -- and if you act now, you'll receive an additional dicer and mincer for no extra charge. When you watch the news, you hear conflicting reports on the war, opposing sides to global warming, and endless political spin to public policy and campaign rhetoric. Stop it. Stop the noise. Stop the meaningless words. Cut through the chatter. Let words have meaning once again.
In a world filled with meaningless words, there is a word today from Luke 7 that is not meaningless chatter. It does exactly what it says. It is a word full of integrity spoken by one whose words have meaning: "Your sins are forgiven."
SETTING UP THE SERMON
I heard a story of meaningless words about a high-level executive who traveled weekly for his job. Every Monday morning he went through the same routine. He arrived at the airport early, picked up his Wall Street Journal, sipped his Starbucks coffee, boarded the plane in first class, and waited for his breakfast to be served. On one occasion, as he was glancing at the headlines he lifted the cover off his bagel and saw a huge, ugly roach upside-down on his bagel, legs still twitching.
He came unglued. Not only did the stewardess hear about it, but the entire airplane could not help but overhear his ranting about the roach. He demanded the name of the stewardess and the pilot and the caterer and their next of kin. As soon as he got to his first-class hotel, he wrote a letter of complaint on his impressive stationery to the president of the airline.
To his satisfaction, he promptly received a letter back from the president of the airline. It read: "I am terribly sorry about your unfortunate incident on our airplane. I take full responsibility. We have canceled our contract with the meal service, fired the stewardess and the staff, removed all the upholstery, and fumigated the entire plane. It will be out of service for the next nine months. I hope this is acceptable to you and that you will consider flying with us again. Signed..."
The executive felt pretty good about himself and the fear he caused the airline until he noticed a sticky note that some secretary had absent-mindedly left on the back of the letter. It was from the president's assistant and read, "Send this guy the roach letter!"
Meaningless words. Every day we need to sift through the muck and mire of empty words to find some real substance, integrity, and truth. How do we do that?
THE TEXTS
Our texts for today seek out people whose words have integrity. In 2 Samuel, an alternative reading, Nathan confronts David with his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. David has no integrity until Nathan convicts him with a story about rich people and sheep. The result was Psalm 51, a Psalm full of integrity with words full of meaning: "Against you and you only have I done that which is evil in your sight... create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me... cast me not away from your presence..."
In the Luke passage, integrity is at the heart of the lesson. It is the woman, a sinner, who anoints Jesus' feet and dries them with her hair, who is the example of integrity. Her words and actions mean something. They are true, transparent, and honest. In contrast, it is the self-righteous Pharisees who continue the faÁade of perfection. Their words and actions are empty.
But the one whose words are full of integrity and do precisely what they claim is Jesus. This is particularly true when he turns to the woman and says, "Your sins are forgiven."
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The preacher here can have a very specific and intentional flow to the sermon. What are some examples that you can think of every day on the news or in the paper that you take with a grain of salt? Can it really be that the same furniture store is having a "going out of business" sale for the third time this year? Can it really be that I am a finalist to win $10 million? Can it really be that all those promises from political candidates will be made good?
From there, we do well to move on this Father's Day to our own words. Do they have meaning? Do they have integrity? This is important on Father's Day, because our children are watching us. They are watching and learning. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray." They are watching... what lesson will they learn?
I've got a friend named Susie who told me the story of growing up as a pastor's kid. There was lots of love but not a lot of extras. So when they went to the movies, it was a real treat.
She remembered one time going to a movie with only her father. Now, Susie is a small person -- and was especially small as a young teen. When they got to the ticket booth, her father said, "Two adult, please."
The lady behind the counter said, "How old is your daughter?"
"Thirteen," he replied.
"Oh, she looks twelve. I'll just charge you for the child's price. Nobody will know."
Reaching for his wallet, her dad said, "She'll know," and he put down money for two adult tickets.
Do your words, do your actions have integrity -- or are you part of the noise and chatter of meaningless words?
What about in your business? Do your words have integrity? I remember hearing a story about a CEO who felt his company had lost its focus. So, as an illustration, during a boardroom meeting he wrote on the whiteboard "2 + 2," and then said: "Let's get down to basics once again. What is two plus two?"
There was a mathematician on the committee, and he said, "The answer is 4." The marketing pollster said, "I agree. The answer is 4, give or take a margin of error of 1 point." However, the CPA silently got up, shut the door, pulled the shade, and whispered, "What do you want it to equal?"
Can God trust you when you are alone? With the door closed and shades pulled? Integrity means that you are the same person in or out of the spotlight, with or without the cameras running, standing alone or in front of an audience. Integrity doesn't mean perfection. Do you hear me? Integrity doesn't mean perfection. It means authenticity. Consistency. An undivided life. Do your words and your actions have meaning? Are you a person of your word? Or are you like the Pharisees in the story, who can put up a great faÁade? George Burns once said: "The most important thing in acting is honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made."
We in the church are being watched. People can sniff out a fraud. Let me share with you a letter once written to a pastor. Let your mind fill in the details.
Dear Pastor,
You know me well. I sit towards the front of the church every Sunday. On the way out, I always greet you with a handshake and a smile, complimenting you on your fine sermon.
But you don't know the "real" me very well. Behind my happy face and confident handshake there is a life that is out of balance. There have been many times when I have wanted to talk to you about this, but I always tell myself that you have far too many important things to care about. The truth is, however, I'm not really sure what the problem is, and I'm embarrassed to let anyone know, even you, that while it seems that I have it all together on the outside, inside my heart is aching.
I've tried to solve this problem myself many times -- almost weekly. I really enjoy your sermons. They move my emotions and spirit, but on Monday morning at 9:00 when the phones start ringing and the customers start complaining, I just can't make it work. It doesn't make sense to me.
Frankly, I've done some things in business which I regret. People that I've offended, finances that I've fudged, deals that I've manipulated. I feel guilty about it, but since nobody knows the difference, I just go on pretending everything is okay. Besides, I tell myself, I'm not doing anything differently than anyone else in my field. But there are times when I look back that I sure do feel as if I have compromised my integrity.
So I decide that business is business and that will never change. So when I drive home, I promise myself it will be different in my house, in my castle where I can control more of the variables. I drive into my driveway and the house is beautiful, the lawn is cut, and the shrubs are trimmed. But inside, emotionally, everything is in shambles. I know that my marriage looks like the picture of success, but behind the closed doors, life is very different. Our conversations are more like business meetings where we decide who is going to do what task and when.
My children don't seem to like to spend time with me anymore. Frankly, it's tough to blame them. I've shut them out of my life for so long. I've wasted more nights in empty motel rooms than I care to remember. At first, I thought I was doing it for them -- to provide them a better standard of living. But now, I'm old enough to admit to myself that it was my ego that spurred me on and drove me to spend more time at the office than at their games.
I know lots of people and can walk through the fellowship hall at church shaking hands and kissing babies, but I am really a very lonely man. If I had a serious problem, I'm not sure who I would call to go out for a walk and talk. Who could I trust? With whom would it feel natural? I know that you would always be willing to get together with me, and I appreciate that. I really do. And as much as I need a pastor, what I really need is a friend.
I wonder if I am much different from all those other lives behind the plastic smiles on Sunday morning. What do you think?
Oh well, I never planned on actually sending you this letter. I'm not even sure if I have even made sense with this jabbering. It's just that I want my life to count. I want to make a difference. I want deep, personal relationships that last. And I want to know Jesus. I'm tired of going to church. I want to go to worship. I want to go to meet God.
I guess that's what I'm afraid of. If I meet God -- I mean truly meet God -- he might ask me to change a few things. He might ask me to come clean. He might expose the lie that I'm living, and I'm not ready for that. I don't think. Not yet. Maybe next Sunday. See you then.
Sincerely,
Frank
In a world of meaningless words, in business where two plus two equals whatever you want it to equal, in politics where the spin is endless, in the home and church where we often live behind a cheap faÁade, there is a word of integrity that comes to you today. It's the word spoken by Jesus once to the woman and today to you: "Your sins are forgiven." These words are true. These words are meaningful. These words are full of integrity because they do exactly what they claim to do -- give you a clean slate to start your own life of integrity beginning today.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Stephen McCutchan
The issue of integrity in a society that operates on the basis of power and wealth is a very complex one. Scooter Libby's conviction may well be a reflection of what can happen to a person who is caught in the midst of the multiple power games of Washington, D.C. By all accounts, he was a man who has devoted his life to public service. Anyone involved in public life knows that you are often caught in the maelstrom of conflicting loyalties and often feel forced to make compromises in order to accomplish what you believe to be a greater good. Politics, someone has said, is the art of compromise. Can a person operate successfully in this world without compromising? Yet, when have you compromised so much that it has cost you the integrity of your own soul?
The Hebrew passage in our lectionary (1 Kings 21:1-21a) offers an intriguing lesson in the cost of integrity. The story of Naboth's vineyard is a carefully crafted tale of the conflict of power in the world. A primary question of faith is what would happen if you truly tried to live a life of integrity and faithfulness in a world that only believes might makes right. The answer in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament is a rather sobering caution to people who might want to believe that the journey of faith is an easy one.
King Ahab of Samaria noticed a vineyard next to his palace that would bring him pleasure to have as a garden. As do many people of wealth and power, Ahab assumed that everyone had their price and so he made an offer to buy Naboth's vineyard. He was not trying to be unfair, but simply assumed that the critical issue was the issue of price. We don't have to attribute evil to those who seek to achieve their ends in this world. Often they may even think that they are acting fairly.
Naboth, however, operated from a different set of values. Within the traditions of ancient Israel, all land belonged to God and was entrusted to families for their use. To sell the land for money was to break that trust and violate the person's responsibility for future members of the family. So he refused to sell the land. Ahab was frustrated by his inability to accomplish what he wanted. He was standing on his integrity.
Jezebel, Ahab's wife, saw the problem from an entirely different perspective. Her values had been shaped by a different culture and set of values. She set out to secure the vineyard for her husband. Jezebel was not unaware of the values of Israel. In fact, she craftily used the traditions of Israel to achieve her purpose. She enlisted the help of the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city to proclaim a fast. Such fasts were generally proclaimed in times of community stress to appeal to God for relief. During the fast, two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth and accused him of cursing God and the king. Naboth had used God's name and offended the king, who was God's anointed. Since it seemed right that someone had to be at fault for the stressful conditions of the community and since, according to custom, two separate witnesses had accused Naboth, Naboth was judged guilty. The punishment was that he would be stoned to death, and this was carried out. Naboth paid the ultimate price for his integrity.
So, is the lesson that the innocent can be unjustly accused by the powerful and that even the religious traditions of the community can be used against them? It would seem so, but God was not oblivious to what was happening. He sent Elijah to confront Ahab and pronounce judgment upon him. The story reflects the real world that allows the powerful to take advantage of the innocent, but it also asserts that God will not allow such injustice to go unpunished. Christians would later see this same scenario played out in the life of Jesus and in the lives of his disciples. God does not shield the faithful from evil, but he does not allow evil to escape ultimate judgment.
For a preacher to be heard in his or her proclamation of the Gospel, he or she must demonstrate that they understand the real challenges of living in this world. The truth of the gospel is not a denial of the costs of faithfulness but a proclamation that there is more to life than first appears. God does not shield even the most faithful from the "cost of discipleship." However, when we are willing to trust God even when it is costly, our sacrifice is not without meaning. We are participating in a greater story that God is unfolding in the universe. To build on the old saying, our story is part of History.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Yogi Berra once said of Ted Williams, "Nobody was more loyal, generous, courageous, more respected than Ted. He sacrificed his life and career for his country. But he became what he always wanted to be: the greatest hitter ever." Ted served not only in World War II, but also in the Korean conflict. He volunteered for that duty and sacrificed at the height of his batting career. Williams was the last .400 hitter in baseball. In those days, Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey gave Ted a blank contract to fill in whatever salary figure he felt fair. Such was his loyalty to the Red Sox, such was his integrity that he would never take advantage of his position as the greatest hitter ever. We've come a long way, haven't we!
***
My son has been reading Winston Churchill's monumental six-volume memoir of World War II. He stands in awe of the mind, the intelligence, the knowledge, the literary genius, the political savvy, and the integrity of such a historic figure. There is not an individual on the political landscape capable of even a fraction of such achievement today. Can you imagine anyone walking in the footsteps of those giants of yesteryear?
***
The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower
***
Our Lord calls us to follow him, and to live lives of integrity. And we try to do this. But sometimes we can get very discouraged because, though we're really trying to do our best, things don't work out anywhere near as well as we hoped they would.
At those times it's good to remember that we'll never be able to follow our Lord perfectly. In fact, none of us will ever be able to point to even one single thing we've ever done that does not in some way cause problems.
The Swedish theologian Gustaf Aulen says: "[We] can speak with gratitude of the power of God that is active in [our lives], but [we] are also conscious of the fact that this power of God is made perfect in [our] weakness, as Paul says (2 Corinthians 12:9). Sin clings to [our lives] as a whole, and [we] cannot point to a single act for which [we] must not ask God for forgiveness." (The Faith of the Christian Church, Fortress, 1973, p. 276)
That's actually good news! Instead of becoming discouraged when we can't do the Lord's work perfectly, we can remind ourselves that he is with us and doing his work through us. And the Lord remembers that, though he has made us from the dust of the earth, he gives us his Holy Spirit, he gives us his power, so that even in the most difficult times, even when we think very little is being accomplished, he is truly doing his work through us.
***
As we seek to follow our Lord, as we seek to live lives of integrity that will honor him, we realize that first we need to be crucified with our Lord. Paul writes in this Sunday's epistle, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:19-20).
Oswald Chambers says: "These words mean the breaking of my independence with my own hand and surrendering to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me; I must do it myself. God may bring me up to the point 365 times a year, but He cannot put me through it. It means breaking the husk of my individual independence of God, and the emancipating of my personality into oneness with Himself." (My Utmost for His Highest, Barbour, 1963, p. 308)
***
Frank Laubach urges us to turn to our Lord during our spare moments during the day:
All during the day, in the chinks of time between the things we find ourselves obliged to do, there are moments when our minds ask, "What next?" In these chinks of time, ask Him: "Lord, think Thy thoughts in my mind. What is on Thy mind for me to do now?"
When we ask Christ, "What next?" we tune in and give Him a chance to pour His ideas through our enkindled imagination. If we persist, it becomes a habit.... Even if we are surrounded by throngs of people, we can continue to talk silently with our invisible Friend.
-- Frank C. Laubach, Prayer: The Mightiest Force in the World (Revell, l959), pp. 97-98
***
When Jesus says that he has come to bear witness to the truth, Pilate asks, "What is truth?" (John 18:38). Contrary to the traditional view that his question is cynical, it is possible that he asks it with a lump in his throat. Instead of Truth, Pilate has only expedience. His decision to throw Jesus to the wolves is expedient. Pilate views man as alone in the universe with nothing but his own courage and ingenuity to see him through. It is enough to choke up anybody.
Pilate asks, "What is truth?" And for years there have been politicians, scientists, theologians, philosphers, poets, and so on to tell him. The sound they make is like the sound of empty pails falling down the cellar stairs.
Jesus doesn't answer Pilate's question. He just stands there. "Stands," and stands "there."
-- Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)
***
In this questioning of truthfulness, what matters first and last is that a man's whole being should be exposed, his whole evil laid bare in the sight of God. But sinful men do not like this sort of truthfulness, and they resist it with all their might. That is why they persecute it and crucify it. It is only because we follow Jesus that we can be genuinely truthful, for then he reveals to us our sin upon the Cross. The Cross is God's truth about us, and therefore it is the only power which can make us truthful. When we know the Cross we are no longer afraid of the truth. We need no more oaths to confirm the truth of our utterances, for we live in the perfect truth of God.
There is no truth toward Jesus without truth toward man. Untruthfulness destroys fellowship, but truth cuts false fellowship to pieces and establishes genuine brotherhood. We cannot follow Christ unless we live in revealed truth before God and man.
-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
***
Around this time of year I have an annoying habit of asking people, like you seniors, "Do you have a job?" You resist answering that question, but I repeat it, "Your mother and I want to know, do you have a job?" By job we don't mean simply something that gives you a salary; I think we really mean: "Do you have a purpose? Do you have a calling? Do you have a vocation?"
I want to suggest to you that whether or not you have a job, everyone has a vocation, and that vocation is to live a life that is worth living. The best advice I can give is that which St. Paul gives us in Romans 12, where he says to the likes of you, who all look alike from here, "Do not be conformed to this world." Do not join the throng. Don't get lost in the crowd. Don't be a part of the cookie-manufactured college generation, but stake out for yourselves some extraordinary, maybe even eccentric, piece and place of the world, and make it your own.
-- Rev. Peter J. Gomes, from a 2007 commencement speech at Augustana College
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Leader: In the morning, God hears our voices as we lift our prayers and songs.
People: In the morning, God whispers to us in the gentle breezes stirring the world,
Leader: In the morning, we look for God alive and active around us.
People: In the morning, we find God playing hopscotch with the kids on the corner.
Leader: In the morning, we come together to worship our God.
People: In the morning,
God gathers us up to lead us down the streets of justice and faithfulness.
Prayer of the Day (and Our Lord's Prayer)
In the morning, Listening God,
you break open your heart to pour your love upon us;
you bathe our tired and sore souls with your healing tears;
you dry our weeping with the caress of your gentle Spirit.
In the afternoon, Hospitable Jesus,
even knowing we are sinners, you invite us to lunch,
so we can be nourished with your hope and peace.
No matter how deep in debt we are to sin,
you pay off the entire amount.
In the evening, Spirit of our sighs,
you kiss us and call us your Beloved,
as you tuck us into bed to keep watch over us while we sleep.
In every moment, God in Community, Holy in One,
you are present with us,
even as we lift the prayer Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Too often, we believe our identity is shaped by our job, our status, our good deeds.
God would give us a new identity, grounded in Jesus Christ.
Let us confess our reluctance to lose who we believe we are,
so God can shape us into who we can be.
(Unison) Prayer of Confession
We must admit, God our Parent, how much we are like children.
We become resentful over the fact that you do not do what we think you should do.
We pout when a friend decides to spend more time with someone else.
We can turn sullen when our loved ones refuse to let us have our way.
You could bring disaster upon us, Loving God,
but you choose to give us what we don't deserve -- the grace and mercy of your heart. Pour out your tenderness upon us, so Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
might live in us, and we might offer our lives in service to others.
(silent prayers may be offered)
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: God not only listens to the cries on our lips,
but also pays attention to the groanings of our hearts.
God restores us to wholeness, and invites us to a new way of living.
People: We are welcomed, we are loved,
we are given new life, we are filled with peace.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
The Rules Aren't Enough
Galatians 2:15-21
Object: a picture of the Ten Commandments
How many of you have rules that you have to follow? Rules are everywhere: at home, in church, in school -- even rules for how we ride our bicycles in the street. Tell me some of the rules that you know. (Get responses.) Rules are important for us, and we have them for lots of reasons. They make us good citizens, keep us safe, and make it easier for us to live with one another.
This is a picture of the Ten Commandments. They are rules that were given to God's people many, many thousands of years ago. These rules told the people the best way to live and how to behave the way God wanted. All they had to do to find favor with God was follow these rules and do the things that pleased him.
Many centuries later Jesus was born, and he taught people a new way to live and find favor with God. This new way was different from the old way that the people had been taught, and in some ways it was much harder. Jesus taught that rules, although important, are not the way to find and know God. Being a good citizen isn't what is most important to God. God wants something else. The only true way to God is to love him with your whole heart and to depend on him to be the most important thing in your life.
It is a wonderful thing to follow the rules and do what's right, but that's not what makes you a Christian. Being a Christian means following Christ: trusting him, depending on him, and living your life the way he did. He must mean more to you than anything else in the whole world. Living this way is really hard to do. It would be much easier if we could follow the rules, do the right things, and have that be enough to please God. Don't get me wrong: those things do please God, but he asks for more. He wants to be the most important thing in your life because you are the most important thing in his. Pay attention to the rules, but love God most of all.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for how much you love us. Help us give our lives to you and make you more important to us than anything else in the whole world. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, June 17, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
Integrity
by Scott Suskovic
Integrity means that your words have meaning.
That is extremely important today, because more and more we are surrounded by meaningless words. You can't turn on the radio without an announcer yelling at you that there has never been a better time to buy a car. Infomercials energetically pitch their products -- and if you act now, you'll receive an additional dicer and mincer for no extra charge. When you watch the news, you hear conflicting reports on the war, opposing sides to global warming, and endless political spin to public policy and campaign rhetoric. Stop it. Stop the noise. Stop the meaningless words. Cut through the chatter. Let words have meaning once again.
In a world filled with meaningless words, there is a word today from Luke 7 that is not meaningless chatter. It does exactly what it says. It is a word full of integrity spoken by one whose words have meaning: "Your sins are forgiven."
SETTING UP THE SERMON
I heard a story of meaningless words about a high-level executive who traveled weekly for his job. Every Monday morning he went through the same routine. He arrived at the airport early, picked up his Wall Street Journal, sipped his Starbucks coffee, boarded the plane in first class, and waited for his breakfast to be served. On one occasion, as he was glancing at the headlines he lifted the cover off his bagel and saw a huge, ugly roach upside-down on his bagel, legs still twitching.
He came unglued. Not only did the stewardess hear about it, but the entire airplane could not help but overhear his ranting about the roach. He demanded the name of the stewardess and the pilot and the caterer and their next of kin. As soon as he got to his first-class hotel, he wrote a letter of complaint on his impressive stationery to the president of the airline.
To his satisfaction, he promptly received a letter back from the president of the airline. It read: "I am terribly sorry about your unfortunate incident on our airplane. I take full responsibility. We have canceled our contract with the meal service, fired the stewardess and the staff, removed all the upholstery, and fumigated the entire plane. It will be out of service for the next nine months. I hope this is acceptable to you and that you will consider flying with us again. Signed..."
The executive felt pretty good about himself and the fear he caused the airline until he noticed a sticky note that some secretary had absent-mindedly left on the back of the letter. It was from the president's assistant and read, "Send this guy the roach letter!"
Meaningless words. Every day we need to sift through the muck and mire of empty words to find some real substance, integrity, and truth. How do we do that?
THE TEXTS
Our texts for today seek out people whose words have integrity. In 2 Samuel, an alternative reading, Nathan confronts David with his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. David has no integrity until Nathan convicts him with a story about rich people and sheep. The result was Psalm 51, a Psalm full of integrity with words full of meaning: "Against you and you only have I done that which is evil in your sight... create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me... cast me not away from your presence..."
In the Luke passage, integrity is at the heart of the lesson. It is the woman, a sinner, who anoints Jesus' feet and dries them with her hair, who is the example of integrity. Her words and actions mean something. They are true, transparent, and honest. In contrast, it is the self-righteous Pharisees who continue the faÁade of perfection. Their words and actions are empty.
But the one whose words are full of integrity and do precisely what they claim is Jesus. This is particularly true when he turns to the woman and says, "Your sins are forgiven."
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The preacher here can have a very specific and intentional flow to the sermon. What are some examples that you can think of every day on the news or in the paper that you take with a grain of salt? Can it really be that the same furniture store is having a "going out of business" sale for the third time this year? Can it really be that I am a finalist to win $10 million? Can it really be that all those promises from political candidates will be made good?
From there, we do well to move on this Father's Day to our own words. Do they have meaning? Do they have integrity? This is important on Father's Day, because our children are watching us. They are watching and learning. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray." They are watching... what lesson will they learn?
I've got a friend named Susie who told me the story of growing up as a pastor's kid. There was lots of love but not a lot of extras. So when they went to the movies, it was a real treat.
She remembered one time going to a movie with only her father. Now, Susie is a small person -- and was especially small as a young teen. When they got to the ticket booth, her father said, "Two adult, please."
The lady behind the counter said, "How old is your daughter?"
"Thirteen," he replied.
"Oh, she looks twelve. I'll just charge you for the child's price. Nobody will know."
Reaching for his wallet, her dad said, "She'll know," and he put down money for two adult tickets.
Do your words, do your actions have integrity -- or are you part of the noise and chatter of meaningless words?
What about in your business? Do your words have integrity? I remember hearing a story about a CEO who felt his company had lost its focus. So, as an illustration, during a boardroom meeting he wrote on the whiteboard "2 + 2," and then said: "Let's get down to basics once again. What is two plus two?"
There was a mathematician on the committee, and he said, "The answer is 4." The marketing pollster said, "I agree. The answer is 4, give or take a margin of error of 1 point." However, the CPA silently got up, shut the door, pulled the shade, and whispered, "What do you want it to equal?"
Can God trust you when you are alone? With the door closed and shades pulled? Integrity means that you are the same person in or out of the spotlight, with or without the cameras running, standing alone or in front of an audience. Integrity doesn't mean perfection. Do you hear me? Integrity doesn't mean perfection. It means authenticity. Consistency. An undivided life. Do your words and your actions have meaning? Are you a person of your word? Or are you like the Pharisees in the story, who can put up a great faÁade? George Burns once said: "The most important thing in acting is honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made."
We in the church are being watched. People can sniff out a fraud. Let me share with you a letter once written to a pastor. Let your mind fill in the details.
Dear Pastor,
You know me well. I sit towards the front of the church every Sunday. On the way out, I always greet you with a handshake and a smile, complimenting you on your fine sermon.
But you don't know the "real" me very well. Behind my happy face and confident handshake there is a life that is out of balance. There have been many times when I have wanted to talk to you about this, but I always tell myself that you have far too many important things to care about. The truth is, however, I'm not really sure what the problem is, and I'm embarrassed to let anyone know, even you, that while it seems that I have it all together on the outside, inside my heart is aching.
I've tried to solve this problem myself many times -- almost weekly. I really enjoy your sermons. They move my emotions and spirit, but on Monday morning at 9:00 when the phones start ringing and the customers start complaining, I just can't make it work. It doesn't make sense to me.
Frankly, I've done some things in business which I regret. People that I've offended, finances that I've fudged, deals that I've manipulated. I feel guilty about it, but since nobody knows the difference, I just go on pretending everything is okay. Besides, I tell myself, I'm not doing anything differently than anyone else in my field. But there are times when I look back that I sure do feel as if I have compromised my integrity.
So I decide that business is business and that will never change. So when I drive home, I promise myself it will be different in my house, in my castle where I can control more of the variables. I drive into my driveway and the house is beautiful, the lawn is cut, and the shrubs are trimmed. But inside, emotionally, everything is in shambles. I know that my marriage looks like the picture of success, but behind the closed doors, life is very different. Our conversations are more like business meetings where we decide who is going to do what task and when.
My children don't seem to like to spend time with me anymore. Frankly, it's tough to blame them. I've shut them out of my life for so long. I've wasted more nights in empty motel rooms than I care to remember. At first, I thought I was doing it for them -- to provide them a better standard of living. But now, I'm old enough to admit to myself that it was my ego that spurred me on and drove me to spend more time at the office than at their games.
I know lots of people and can walk through the fellowship hall at church shaking hands and kissing babies, but I am really a very lonely man. If I had a serious problem, I'm not sure who I would call to go out for a walk and talk. Who could I trust? With whom would it feel natural? I know that you would always be willing to get together with me, and I appreciate that. I really do. And as much as I need a pastor, what I really need is a friend.
I wonder if I am much different from all those other lives behind the plastic smiles on Sunday morning. What do you think?
Oh well, I never planned on actually sending you this letter. I'm not even sure if I have even made sense with this jabbering. It's just that I want my life to count. I want to make a difference. I want deep, personal relationships that last. And I want to know Jesus. I'm tired of going to church. I want to go to worship. I want to go to meet God.
I guess that's what I'm afraid of. If I meet God -- I mean truly meet God -- he might ask me to change a few things. He might ask me to come clean. He might expose the lie that I'm living, and I'm not ready for that. I don't think. Not yet. Maybe next Sunday. See you then.
Sincerely,
Frank
In a world of meaningless words, in business where two plus two equals whatever you want it to equal, in politics where the spin is endless, in the home and church where we often live behind a cheap faÁade, there is a word of integrity that comes to you today. It's the word spoken by Jesus once to the woman and today to you: "Your sins are forgiven." These words are true. These words are meaningful. These words are full of integrity because they do exactly what they claim to do -- give you a clean slate to start your own life of integrity beginning today.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Stephen McCutchan
The issue of integrity in a society that operates on the basis of power and wealth is a very complex one. Scooter Libby's conviction may well be a reflection of what can happen to a person who is caught in the midst of the multiple power games of Washington, D.C. By all accounts, he was a man who has devoted his life to public service. Anyone involved in public life knows that you are often caught in the maelstrom of conflicting loyalties and often feel forced to make compromises in order to accomplish what you believe to be a greater good. Politics, someone has said, is the art of compromise. Can a person operate successfully in this world without compromising? Yet, when have you compromised so much that it has cost you the integrity of your own soul?
The Hebrew passage in our lectionary (1 Kings 21:1-21a) offers an intriguing lesson in the cost of integrity. The story of Naboth's vineyard is a carefully crafted tale of the conflict of power in the world. A primary question of faith is what would happen if you truly tried to live a life of integrity and faithfulness in a world that only believes might makes right. The answer in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament is a rather sobering caution to people who might want to believe that the journey of faith is an easy one.
King Ahab of Samaria noticed a vineyard next to his palace that would bring him pleasure to have as a garden. As do many people of wealth and power, Ahab assumed that everyone had their price and so he made an offer to buy Naboth's vineyard. He was not trying to be unfair, but simply assumed that the critical issue was the issue of price. We don't have to attribute evil to those who seek to achieve their ends in this world. Often they may even think that they are acting fairly.
Naboth, however, operated from a different set of values. Within the traditions of ancient Israel, all land belonged to God and was entrusted to families for their use. To sell the land for money was to break that trust and violate the person's responsibility for future members of the family. So he refused to sell the land. Ahab was frustrated by his inability to accomplish what he wanted. He was standing on his integrity.
Jezebel, Ahab's wife, saw the problem from an entirely different perspective. Her values had been shaped by a different culture and set of values. She set out to secure the vineyard for her husband. Jezebel was not unaware of the values of Israel. In fact, she craftily used the traditions of Israel to achieve her purpose. She enlisted the help of the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city to proclaim a fast. Such fasts were generally proclaimed in times of community stress to appeal to God for relief. During the fast, two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth and accused him of cursing God and the king. Naboth had used God's name and offended the king, who was God's anointed. Since it seemed right that someone had to be at fault for the stressful conditions of the community and since, according to custom, two separate witnesses had accused Naboth, Naboth was judged guilty. The punishment was that he would be stoned to death, and this was carried out. Naboth paid the ultimate price for his integrity.
So, is the lesson that the innocent can be unjustly accused by the powerful and that even the religious traditions of the community can be used against them? It would seem so, but God was not oblivious to what was happening. He sent Elijah to confront Ahab and pronounce judgment upon him. The story reflects the real world that allows the powerful to take advantage of the innocent, but it also asserts that God will not allow such injustice to go unpunished. Christians would later see this same scenario played out in the life of Jesus and in the lives of his disciples. God does not shield the faithful from evil, but he does not allow evil to escape ultimate judgment.
For a preacher to be heard in his or her proclamation of the Gospel, he or she must demonstrate that they understand the real challenges of living in this world. The truth of the gospel is not a denial of the costs of faithfulness but a proclamation that there is more to life than first appears. God does not shield even the most faithful from the "cost of discipleship." However, when we are willing to trust God even when it is costly, our sacrifice is not without meaning. We are participating in a greater story that God is unfolding in the universe. To build on the old saying, our story is part of History.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Yogi Berra once said of Ted Williams, "Nobody was more loyal, generous, courageous, more respected than Ted. He sacrificed his life and career for his country. But he became what he always wanted to be: the greatest hitter ever." Ted served not only in World War II, but also in the Korean conflict. He volunteered for that duty and sacrificed at the height of his batting career. Williams was the last .400 hitter in baseball. In those days, Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey gave Ted a blank contract to fill in whatever salary figure he felt fair. Such was his loyalty to the Red Sox, such was his integrity that he would never take advantage of his position as the greatest hitter ever. We've come a long way, haven't we!
***
My son has been reading Winston Churchill's monumental six-volume memoir of World War II. He stands in awe of the mind, the intelligence, the knowledge, the literary genius, the political savvy, and the integrity of such a historic figure. There is not an individual on the political landscape capable of even a fraction of such achievement today. Can you imagine anyone walking in the footsteps of those giants of yesteryear?
***
The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower
***
Our Lord calls us to follow him, and to live lives of integrity. And we try to do this. But sometimes we can get very discouraged because, though we're really trying to do our best, things don't work out anywhere near as well as we hoped they would.
At those times it's good to remember that we'll never be able to follow our Lord perfectly. In fact, none of us will ever be able to point to even one single thing we've ever done that does not in some way cause problems.
The Swedish theologian Gustaf Aulen says: "[We] can speak with gratitude of the power of God that is active in [our lives], but [we] are also conscious of the fact that this power of God is made perfect in [our] weakness, as Paul says (2 Corinthians 12:9). Sin clings to [our lives] as a whole, and [we] cannot point to a single act for which [we] must not ask God for forgiveness." (The Faith of the Christian Church, Fortress, 1973, p. 276)
That's actually good news! Instead of becoming discouraged when we can't do the Lord's work perfectly, we can remind ourselves that he is with us and doing his work through us. And the Lord remembers that, though he has made us from the dust of the earth, he gives us his Holy Spirit, he gives us his power, so that even in the most difficult times, even when we think very little is being accomplished, he is truly doing his work through us.
***
As we seek to follow our Lord, as we seek to live lives of integrity that will honor him, we realize that first we need to be crucified with our Lord. Paul writes in this Sunday's epistle, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:19-20).
Oswald Chambers says: "These words mean the breaking of my independence with my own hand and surrendering to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me; I must do it myself. God may bring me up to the point 365 times a year, but He cannot put me through it. It means breaking the husk of my individual independence of God, and the emancipating of my personality into oneness with Himself." (My Utmost for His Highest, Barbour, 1963, p. 308)
***
Frank Laubach urges us to turn to our Lord during our spare moments during the day:
All during the day, in the chinks of time between the things we find ourselves obliged to do, there are moments when our minds ask, "What next?" In these chinks of time, ask Him: "Lord, think Thy thoughts in my mind. What is on Thy mind for me to do now?"
When we ask Christ, "What next?" we tune in and give Him a chance to pour His ideas through our enkindled imagination. If we persist, it becomes a habit.... Even if we are surrounded by throngs of people, we can continue to talk silently with our invisible Friend.
-- Frank C. Laubach, Prayer: The Mightiest Force in the World (Revell, l959), pp. 97-98
***
When Jesus says that he has come to bear witness to the truth, Pilate asks, "What is truth?" (John 18:38). Contrary to the traditional view that his question is cynical, it is possible that he asks it with a lump in his throat. Instead of Truth, Pilate has only expedience. His decision to throw Jesus to the wolves is expedient. Pilate views man as alone in the universe with nothing but his own courage and ingenuity to see him through. It is enough to choke up anybody.
Pilate asks, "What is truth?" And for years there have been politicians, scientists, theologians, philosphers, poets, and so on to tell him. The sound they make is like the sound of empty pails falling down the cellar stairs.
Jesus doesn't answer Pilate's question. He just stands there. "Stands," and stands "there."
-- Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)
***
In this questioning of truthfulness, what matters first and last is that a man's whole being should be exposed, his whole evil laid bare in the sight of God. But sinful men do not like this sort of truthfulness, and they resist it with all their might. That is why they persecute it and crucify it. It is only because we follow Jesus that we can be genuinely truthful, for then he reveals to us our sin upon the Cross. The Cross is God's truth about us, and therefore it is the only power which can make us truthful. When we know the Cross we are no longer afraid of the truth. We need no more oaths to confirm the truth of our utterances, for we live in the perfect truth of God.
There is no truth toward Jesus without truth toward man. Untruthfulness destroys fellowship, but truth cuts false fellowship to pieces and establishes genuine brotherhood. We cannot follow Christ unless we live in revealed truth before God and man.
-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
***
Around this time of year I have an annoying habit of asking people, like you seniors, "Do you have a job?" You resist answering that question, but I repeat it, "Your mother and I want to know, do you have a job?" By job we don't mean simply something that gives you a salary; I think we really mean: "Do you have a purpose? Do you have a calling? Do you have a vocation?"
I want to suggest to you that whether or not you have a job, everyone has a vocation, and that vocation is to live a life that is worth living. The best advice I can give is that which St. Paul gives us in Romans 12, where he says to the likes of you, who all look alike from here, "Do not be conformed to this world." Do not join the throng. Don't get lost in the crowd. Don't be a part of the cookie-manufactured college generation, but stake out for yourselves some extraordinary, maybe even eccentric, piece and place of the world, and make it your own.
-- Rev. Peter J. Gomes, from a 2007 commencement speech at Augustana College
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Leader: In the morning, God hears our voices as we lift our prayers and songs.
People: In the morning, God whispers to us in the gentle breezes stirring the world,
Leader: In the morning, we look for God alive and active around us.
People: In the morning, we find God playing hopscotch with the kids on the corner.
Leader: In the morning, we come together to worship our God.
People: In the morning,
God gathers us up to lead us down the streets of justice and faithfulness.
Prayer of the Day (and Our Lord's Prayer)
In the morning, Listening God,
you break open your heart to pour your love upon us;
you bathe our tired and sore souls with your healing tears;
you dry our weeping with the caress of your gentle Spirit.
In the afternoon, Hospitable Jesus,
even knowing we are sinners, you invite us to lunch,
so we can be nourished with your hope and peace.
No matter how deep in debt we are to sin,
you pay off the entire amount.
In the evening, Spirit of our sighs,
you kiss us and call us your Beloved,
as you tuck us into bed to keep watch over us while we sleep.
In every moment, God in Community, Holy in One,
you are present with us,
even as we lift the prayer Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Too often, we believe our identity is shaped by our job, our status, our good deeds.
God would give us a new identity, grounded in Jesus Christ.
Let us confess our reluctance to lose who we believe we are,
so God can shape us into who we can be.
(Unison) Prayer of Confession
We must admit, God our Parent, how much we are like children.
We become resentful over the fact that you do not do what we think you should do.
We pout when a friend decides to spend more time with someone else.
We can turn sullen when our loved ones refuse to let us have our way.
You could bring disaster upon us, Loving God,
but you choose to give us what we don't deserve -- the grace and mercy of your heart. Pour out your tenderness upon us, so Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
might live in us, and we might offer our lives in service to others.
(silent prayers may be offered)
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: God not only listens to the cries on our lips,
but also pays attention to the groanings of our hearts.
God restores us to wholeness, and invites us to a new way of living.
People: We are welcomed, we are loved,
we are given new life, we are filled with peace.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
The Rules Aren't Enough
Galatians 2:15-21
Object: a picture of the Ten Commandments
How many of you have rules that you have to follow? Rules are everywhere: at home, in church, in school -- even rules for how we ride our bicycles in the street. Tell me some of the rules that you know. (Get responses.) Rules are important for us, and we have them for lots of reasons. They make us good citizens, keep us safe, and make it easier for us to live with one another.
This is a picture of the Ten Commandments. They are rules that were given to God's people many, many thousands of years ago. These rules told the people the best way to live and how to behave the way God wanted. All they had to do to find favor with God was follow these rules and do the things that pleased him.
Many centuries later Jesus was born, and he taught people a new way to live and find favor with God. This new way was different from the old way that the people had been taught, and in some ways it was much harder. Jesus taught that rules, although important, are not the way to find and know God. Being a good citizen isn't what is most important to God. God wants something else. The only true way to God is to love him with your whole heart and to depend on him to be the most important thing in your life.
It is a wonderful thing to follow the rules and do what's right, but that's not what makes you a Christian. Being a Christian means following Christ: trusting him, depending on him, and living your life the way he did. He must mean more to you than anything else in the whole world. Living this way is really hard to do. It would be much easier if we could follow the rules, do the right things, and have that be enough to please God. Don't get me wrong: those things do please God, but he asks for more. He wants to be the most important thing in your life because you are the most important thing in his. Pay attention to the rules, but love God most of all.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for how much you love us. Help us give our lives to you and make you more important to us than anything else in the whole world. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, June 17, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
