Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 17

Anthony: Our final passage of the month is Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 17 in Ordinary Time, August 31.

Let mutual affection continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money,” verse 5 says, “and be content with what you have.” What might you say about this? A prophetic word, a social commentary. What does the church need to hear about this, Ted?

Ted: Don’t get me going.

Anthony: Well, I’m inviting you to, actually.

Ted: I don’t mean to get on my high horse because this speaks to my heart and is convicting, but I must say that the author of Hebrews …

Anthony: Yes.

Ted: … is certainly focusing in now on ethical matters. He is getting at the reality of his readers’ everyday life, and what they are thinking, what really motivates them, and therefore what they are doing. And he’s urging them to embrace, and through a Christ-like life, show forth the truth and power of the gospel.

You talk about evangelism; you talk about our Christ-like example in the world has a lot to do with how we live. And we don’t do it to impress people. We don’t do it for the favor of people. We do it because that’s the way Christ is, and we’re participating in his life.

And one specific behavior that he zeroes in on is living in contentment — free from a love of money is part of that. Money representing material goods, certainly an issue for these folks because following Jesus was often leading to them losing their way to make money. Their businesses were being closed down because of it. Their Jewish neighbors wouldn’t do business with them.

And that’s an issue for us today. Did they, do we, love money more than Jesus? It’s a challenge in a world that it becomes increasingly materialistic. Maybe we don’t have the same kinds of problems or temptations that they did in that respect, but we certainly face that challenge today.

And we are challenged to ask ourselves, are we generous with what we possess? Do we use our resources in order to offer hospitality to strangers, is the example he gives, which by the way, them being Jews familiar with the Old Testament, with Hebrew scriptures would have thought of those passages in the Hebrew scriptures that talk about the necessity of caring for people who are strangers among us — foreigners, if you will.

That’s certainly an issue in our world today, especially in the United States and other fairly wealthy nations. If you don’t mind, I’d like to read something that I ran across from Walter Brueggeman on that very issue. This is from Away, Other Than Our Own devotional for Lent. He said:

I believe the crisis in the United States Church has almost nothing to do with being liberal or conservative. It has everything to do with giving up on the faith and discipline of our Christian baptism, settling for a common generic US identity that is part patriotism, part consumerism, part violence, and part affluence.

That’s not an easy thing for people who are affluent and living in luxury — you and I, both, we live in luxury compared to most people in the world and certainly most people in history. And it’s easy to be seduced by that. And so, we have to look to Jesus, who though he experienced some physical blessings, I suppose you could say, would never grasp for those things. And he always shared what he had, even if it was very little. And we’re challenged to do the same thing, to show that kind of hospitality, to embrace strangers and to live in contentment, not to always be constantly trying to grasp for more.

And that is a challenge to us, and, I think, one that that makes me stop and think about it and we should stop and think we should be aware of that. The reason for it is in order for us to share more fully in the way of Jesus and to live a Christ-like life that can be seen by others and therefore help them to see Jesus.

And so there we are. He’s ending on a pretty strong note with these folks and it’s a word of correction for sure.

Anthony: It is, because if the church looks exactly like the world and its priorities, how can the church bear witness to Christ? How can it be an agent of change in the world?

You mentioned Walter Brueggeman. We’re recording this episode in June, and yes, Walter died within the past week and he was an Old Testament scholar, theologian, and a gift to the church. And I just want to commend his book on Prophetic Imagination to our listening audience. It’s a powerful word, and it’s a challenging word. And the church throughout its history has had to be challenged from time to time.

And I think what you just said is really an important word for all of us. Ted, we’re on the gun lap coming around to the end here, and I wanted to close with this. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you, verse 5. The Lord is my helper, verse 6. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, verse 8. So why don’t we end the episode with a proclamation of that good news of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

Ted: Yeah. Both the passage we read in Colossians, and now this in Hebrews — those were written nearly 2000 years ago, are really relevant today. And the reason for that is because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

What that means is he is steady. He can be counted on. He is faithful, always faithful, and that’s great good news for us because Jesus, who is fully God and fully human, is very much alive and is with us and can be counted on at any time in any circumstance, whether that be true in first century Judea or 21st century North America or any continent on the face of this earth.

Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith and can be trusted, trusted to never leave us or forsake us. And so, we may place fully our trust in him. By God’s grace, trusting in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, we may, we must trust and follow him with reverence, perseverance, gratitude, and courage.

Anthony: And there you have it folks. Ted, it’s great to have you back. We’ve worked together in various ministry capacities through the years and we haven’t had a chance to catch up in months. It’s great to chat with you brother about the good news revealed in Jesus and holy scripture.

Tec: Likewise.

Anthony: This has been really sweet to have you on. And as a final word to our listening audience, I want to remind you, God has torn the temple curtain.

Ted: Amen.

Anthony: And nothing you can do can mend it. It is done. It is finished. Grace has conquered. Jesus has conquered all. And so, as the writer of Hebrews pointed us to, and Colossians pointed us to, cast off that old life, there’s something better awaiting us.

The promise of what is to come, new heaven and new earth, and let us move forward in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I want to thank the team of people that helped make this podcast possible. Reuel Enerio, Elizabeth Mullins, and Michelle Hartman. It’s a joy to work with them. And again, Ted, it was a joy to have you on the podcast, and as is our traditional end, we’d like for you to close us with a word of prayer.

Ted: Sure. Let’s pray.

Father, as we bring this time and your word to a close. We thank you for the great cloud of witnesses that you have given us. We thank you for your faithfulness to us through your Son and by your Spirit, for the way you have led your people to testify by their lives, and sometimes their deaths, to your goodness and grace.

Father, in this life, we often face great difficulties. Help us when we do to not be discouraged or distracted. Help us not to compromise or give up. And Lord Jesus, our high priest, keep our eyes fixed on you. And Holy Spirit, turn our eyes and our hearts toward Jesus. Give us that grace of perseverance. Strengthen our faith. Grant us a compelling vision of the fullness of our salvation that is coming in a new heaven and a new earth, the home for which we long. And now, Father, may you who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip us, equip those who are hearing this, with everything good for doing your will.

And Father, may you work in us what is pleasing to you through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. In his name we pray. Amen.