Sunday, February 7, 2016

Sermon: Remembering Our Lines

Luke 9:28-36
Remembering Our Lines
James Sledge                                                                                       February 7, 2016

In a recent speech at a small, Christian college in Iowa, Donald Trump lamented Christianity’s loss of prestige in America but promised that would end if he is elected. Said Trump, "Because if I'm there, you're going to have plenty of power. You don't need anybody else. You're going to have somebody representing you very, very well. Remember that."[1]
I appreciate Mr. Trump’s concern for the state of the church, but I’m not sure he understands the nature of Christian power. It is God’s power, “power made perfect in weakness,” power most evident in the cross. I don’t think Trump gets that at all, but based on my own actions, as well as those of congregations, denominations, and all manner of “Christian” entities, I’m not sure very many of us get it either.
Lately I’ve been struggling with this issue of so many Christians, myself included, doing a rather bad job of following Jesus. I think that’s why I recently heard well-known quote from 19th century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard in a way I hadn’t before. He said, “People have an idea that the preacher is an actor on a stage and they are the critics, blaming or praising him. What they don't know is that they are the actors on the stage; (the preacher) is merely the prompter standing in the wings, reminding them of their lost lines.”
I’ve used this quote many times, always to talk about worship. But when it popped up online the other day, I was struck by those final words about “lost lines.” If you’ve ever acted, even in an elementary school play, you likely know what it feels like to forget your lines. You can’t do your job as an actor if you don’t know your lines. There’s not really much reason to go on the stage if you have no idea what you are supposed to say or do. But what of these lost lines Kierkegaard mentions?
Have we forgotten our lines, forgotten what we are supposed to say or do as actors in God’s drama? Did we never learn them in the first place? Did we study the wrong parts of the script, not the parts we need to know? Are we unsure if we want to be actors at all. Or do we not like to take direction, preferring to ad lib?

I think that a great deal of the Bible, certainly much the New Testament, was written to help us remember our lines. Because people get caught up in debates about the historical or even scientific accuracy of Scripture, it’s easy to forget that the writers were often more like preachers. The gospel writers were trying to help their congregations remember lines, remember what was crucial and important. Their churches already knew who Christ was. They weren’t trying to introduce Jesus to anyone. They were worried about people getting off track, forgetting their lines.
When Luke writes his account of the Transfiguration, he’s not reporting any newly discovered facts. The story was already well known. Mark wrote about it long before Luke did. Luke does, however, use the story to prompt his congregation about their lines.
The basic outline of the Transfiguration story is the same in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but Luke rearranges the story in a way to emphasize the divine voice that says, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”
“Listen to him!” This command comes on the heels of crucial teachings from Jesus. "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.”
Luke clearly wants disciples to know that they have important lines about self-denial and taking on burdens for others that could be avoided, about following Jesus in the face of danger, even to their very lives. Luke hammers this point home when Jesus says, “Those who are ashamed of me and my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory.” Put another way, “These lines are crucial. Don’t dare forget them.” But we do.
We forget frequently enough that I sometimes grow disillusioned with faith and the Church. Christians who spew hate and crave earthly power have clearly forgotten their lines. So too have those who speak of heaven as an exclusive club reserved for those with just the right beliefs. These sort of butchered lines have played a big part in creating a general disillusionment with church  and faith in our day. But it’s not just other folks who’ve forgotten their lines. Our denomination, even our own congregation, at times seems more concerned with budgets and buildings and survival than with actually following Jesus. And that’s as much me as anyone, my own tendency to get caught up in worries about money and possessions and personal comfort and success, forgetting my lines, or perhaps just ignoring them.
But a divine voice speaks from the cloud and calls me back, calls us back. “This is my Son, my chosen; listen to him!”
“Listen to him!” As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, I want to challenge you to do just that, to listen in hopes of remembering our lines. Here’s a simple way to listen. Read a gospel. Try Luke since that is the one we’re using in worship this year. Try reading it at a single sitting. That’s how it was originally meant to be used, and it’s less than 40 pages long. Consider reading it through once each week in Lent as you listen for what Jesus is saying to you, as we let him tell us about our role and work in the divine drama.
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When people make their profession of faith as they join a Presbyterian Church, this question is asked. “Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his Word and showing his love?”
Lord, help us to listen. Help us to remember who we are and whose we are. Help us to remember our lines and live as your faithful children in the world.


[1] Colin Campbell, “TRUMP: If I'm president, 'Christianity will have power' in the US.” Business Insider, http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-christianity-merry-christmas-2016-1

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