Who Do You Really Serve?
“Who Do We Really Serve?”
Readings: 1 Corinthians 8.1-13; Mark 1.21-28
January 29th, 2012 – Fourth Sunday in Epiphany
Rev. J. Manny Santiago
“But take care that this liberty of yours
does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”
1 Corinthians 8.9
Introduction
If I were to ask you what the purpose of the church is, I am pretty certain that the first answer will be: “to serve others.” This, of course, is not the only answer to that question. What is the purpose of the church? Well, it is to serve others, it is to create community, it is to pray together, it is to raise leaders, it is to build the Reign of God, it is to help people find strength, it is to worship corporately the God in whom we believe… the answers can keep flowing. But let us focus today on this one: the church is in the world to serve.
To use the passage from 1 Corinthians, which speaks of foods sacrificed to idols, seems like an odd thing to do. However, if preachers were to use only those passages from the Bible which made sense, the truth is that we would have no sermons! And, although this would please many a parishioner in many churches, I and my peers would be without job options. So, here we are, looking at a passage from a letter that was sent to a group of Christians of mixed cultural heritage – Jewish, Greeks, Romans, North Africans, and perhaps even a few Persians and Arabs – many centuries ago.
Context
The first letter to the church in Corinth was written as a response from the Apostle Paul to some questions that were raised by this community. Seeking advice, the Corinthians wrote to Paul. There might have been many other letters, but two have survived: 1 & 2 Corinthians. We cannot really tell what the questions were, but we can make very good assumptions based on the responses that Paul gives. For instance, the passage that we read today has to do with how to handle the food that was being sacrificed to idols.
It was common within many religions throughout the Roman and Jewish world to sacrifice an animal to the deities. We can actually read about Jewish sacrifices in the Hebrew Bible. It was also common to offer to these gods and goddesses other types of food. If any of you have visited a Buddhist Pagoda or a Hindu Temple, it is very possible that you have seen this. There are around the images of the Buddha or of the different Hindu gods and goddesses, different fruits, vegetables and flowers. These are offerings that their followers have placed there in either gratitude for a grace received or in hopes that their prayers will be heard and answered.
The Christians of Corinth were struggling with what to do with these foods. It was customary for the temples to bring the excess food to the people. The gods and goddesses were sharing their meal with their followers.
If something was sacrificed to Zeus or to Apollo or to Athena or to any other one of the many Greek and Roman gods; was it right for the Christian to participate of such meals? The answer seemed simple… Christians had rejected those other gods as human inventions, they did not exist, and therefore, any food sacrificed to them was “fair game” when it came to feed those among the Christian community who were hungry.
It seems like a simple answer. If you are hungry, and the temple is giving free food, eat it!
Complications
Here is where things get complicated. The simple answer comes from those who understand the mysteries of the faith. The obvious answer comes from those among the Christian community who are “in the know” and who have delved into the theological world without taking into consideration those among them who are not as versed or prepared. It is a one-dimensional answer, based on the needs of the group that controls and that has power. Those among the faithful who are not part of this group have a very different interpretation of what is going on!
“There is liberty in Christ!” cry out the knowledgeable. “Why can’t they see that these are idols and not real gods?” “How is it that they prefer to starve than to eat these foods?” “Food does not bring us closer to God.”
Here is where they got it wrong. When we are in community we have to look after the wellbeing of the whole and not just the wellbeing of the individuals.
Now, the reading from 1 Corinthians does not seem that odd to me. The message is so relevant, that I wish we could have a whole month of sermons on this passage alone!
Our modern society is so accustomed to think about the “I” and the “me” that we often forget the “we” and the “us.” In fact, we often look after our own personal interests rather than looking after those who are around us. What Paul is telling the Corinthians is that, in order for them to have a more perfect communion, in order for them to really embody the Reign of God, in order for them to become the community which God had called them to be, they MUST pay attention to those in the margins. If we are to be servants of each other, then we must pay attention to those who are not in the same theological place than us. It is a matter of detaching from our own privilege and power in order to share it with those whom we say we serve.
“We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do” says Paul. “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” Yes, we are free, but how we use this freedom is important. How we use the freedom that has been granted to us is the key issue in community relations.
This, of course, is not easy. Perhaps that is why so many people have decided to forgo Christianity. I have heard many people referring to us Christians as “those who sing Kumbaya.” The picture we have painted, especially within liberal and progressive camps of Christianity, is that everything is rose and beautiful and nice. We are a pretty cool bunch which doesn’t disagree in the least. We just hold hands and smile and sing Kumbaya.
But this is not true. The reading from 1 Corinthians tells us that even in this community there will be disagreements. The important thing is to find what it is that hurts others in order to transform our ways. If we are to build the Reign of God, then we must pay attention to the needs of those who are among us, whether we agree with them or not. This, in turn, will bring conflict. Our attention then should be on “who do we serve?” If we answer this with “we serve ourselves,” then the next step is pretty simple; let us be individualistic and ask others to bend to our needs. However, if we answer this question with “we serve each other,” then things get more complicated. We ALL have something to learn and something to renounce, even it means to stop eating meat!
The Gospel Example
If the reading from 1 Corinthians seemed odd, having a gospel reading focused on Jesus casting out a demon is even odder. What does that have to do with living in community? Why not focus on authority or on being liberated or on Jesus’ healing ministry?
Here is where I see the connection…
Jesus’ authority is not from how much he knew of the Law and the Prophets, nor from his observance of religious rituals and practices. His authority comes from understanding those who are in need and serving them based on their needs. He did not seek recognition. In fact, often the author of the gospel of Mark reminds us that after Jesus performed a miracle, he asked his disciples and the person healed not to share what had happened with anyone. Why? Because his point was not to be recognized and to be center stage, but to serve and to journey with others.
“What is this?” is the question that the people in the synagogue asked. “A new teaching,” they said. But, as you can see, there is no teaching! Jesus did not say a thing to anyone but to the demons. His teaching was not based on book knowledge or on religious practices; his teaching was in looking at a person who had a need and responding to it with action. He merely served them. His actions would speak for him.
Who do we really serve? Is it our own personal interests or is it the interests of the community and those who are not me who make up this community? How far are we willing to go in order to make those around us welcomed and celebrated? What do I have to surrender in order to bring up the other? These are the questions that the Church needs to ponder… Amen.
