WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
March 4th 2007
Communion Sunday Meditation
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Heavenly Citizenship”
Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35
It is not very often that I willingly choose to preach from passages like the one we read from Paul this morning. Focusing on the teaching about heavenly citizenship is a clear deviation from my usual practice. I often find reasons to skip such passages because it so often sounds like “other-worldly” theology. What I mean by that is a theology which preaches about heaven after death but forgets about the hell on earth.
For some churches, and some Christians, this sort of theology has been a mainstay. Being a citizen of heaven is something that occurs only after one has died. Heavenly citizenship has everything to do with securing our personal salvation so life after death is assured. A common mark of this theology is to shy away from involvement with ‘social concerns’ because they are, in Paul’s words, ‘earthly concerns.’
While this sort of theology is enjoying a popular resurgence, it is not a new phenomenon. One previous incarnation of this theology was known as, “the spirituality of the church.” It was a version of this ‘other-worldly’ theology that provided support and spiritual cover for the institutions of slavery and segregation. The main point of this theology was that if the bible did not explicitly forbid something then the church should not be involved or take a stance. It is for this, and other similar reasons that many people of faith have decided to simply skip over these passages from scripture.
I am reminded of a story that Howard Thurman told. When he was a child his grandmother would share stories from the bible. However, she never used anything from Paul’s letters. When Howard got a little older and more courageous he asked her why she always skipped Paul. She told him that when she was a slave the white preachers would often read from Paul these words: “Slaves, obey your masters.” Thurman’s grandmother vowed then that she would never read from the letters of Paul. This is a poignant reminder of the damage which can be done by turning the bible into a roadmap to heaven which ignores and even supports the hell on earth. However, despite the abuse of Paul’s writings, there is something of wisdom for us today.
When Paul uses the language of citizenship, he does from a cultural perspective very different from ours. One of his primary goals for using this language was that of empowerment. We know this because most of Paul’s audience would not have been citizens. In the Roman Republic, and later the Roman Empire, citizenship was a privilege of the few. So for Paul to claim that these followers of Jesus were citizens of heaven was an empowering reality. The Greek grammar in the passage makes it clear that this heavenly citizenship was a present reality, not something you had to wait for until after death. As such any interpretation which focuses only on life after death is not rooted in scripture.
As modern followers of Jesus who live in the United States, the concept of citizenship does not carry the value or understanding it once did. In fact, in our culture the concept of consumer has a greater value than that of citizen. If you think I overstate this, I invite you to review the speech given by the President following the attacks of September 11th 2001. It was a speech intended to encourage the American public and even create a defiant reaction to the attacks. The call to action from the commander in chief was to not let “them” win so we were told to do our patriotic duty and go shopping. I think it is fair to say that being good consumers has taken the place of being good citizens.
Since this shift has occurred it is possible that we in the church ought to change our language. Instead of talking about being citizens of heaven we should talk about being consumers for Christ. And, with that latest purchase we are simply helping the heavenly economy. Or, on the other hand, maybe we should cut back our consumptive lifestyles all in the name of Jesus. Since our focus, this morning, is not on consumerism, I will leave that discussion for another day. Instead, let us see if there is something to be learned about being citizens of heaven, by turning our attention to the gospel reading.
When Jesus is approached by the Pharisees he does not seem all that concerned. We know that this is not a friendly warning from them about Herod looking to kill Jesus. After all, the religious and political leadership in Jerusalem are intimately connects. In Jerusalem, the line between being part of the community of faith and being part of the unjust establishment had become severely blurred. And, history tells us that whenever those lines become blurred that truth is always the first victim, but never the last. Jerusalem is a city of violence for all those who seek to be faithful to the truth. It is a system where seeking to be a citizen of heaven first could cost you your life, it certainly did for Jesus. Despite a familiar refrain about the lines between the religious and political leadership being blurred, today we do not live in a situation like the city of Jerusalem. However, there are clues to how to live as citizens of heaven in the mist of a world which seems like anything but heaven.
The first thing Jesus does with the warning that Herod is looking to kill him is to disarm the threat. Jesus calls Herod a fox. It seems like Jesus may be giving the King a compliment but in fact the reverse is true. King Herod liked to refer to himself as a lion, proud, powerful and inspiring. However Jesus just pokes fun at the King and points to the reality that Herod is really small, conniving and inconsequential to the work of God. Not only does Jesus do this but he also reveals the close relationship between the religious leadership and the King.
It is important to note that Jesus does not simply end by indicting the established order. Instead, he goes on to remind everyone that no matter what Herod and his faith-based minions cook up, that the work of the citizens of heaven continues. There is still work to be done, today, tomorrow, and on the third day. There are those who are trapped by this system who need compassion and caring. It is in the compassion Jesus exudes for those trapped by the workings of the system which is most moving. In the midst of the violent city Jesus longs to gather them up, like a mother hen gathers her brood under her wings. It is a scene where Jesus goes from challenging the injustice of the system in one moment and then expressing compassion for those most in need the next moment.
In the writings of Paul and the actions of Jesus, we begin to get some idea about the marks of heavenly citizenship. Being a citizen of heaven does not mean we can ignore the social realities and the suffering in the world. Likewise, being a citizen of heaven is not about gaining control of political power so as to bring in the Kingdom of God by electing those who use faith based language. Instead, it is about doing the work of God in the midst of a world that can often resemble hell. It means that citizens of heaven are to be known by the distinctiveness of our work and nature.
Citizens of heaven are folks who know that no matter who gets elected to whatever office, their will still be work to be done. Injustice and exclusion will continue despite changes in party control. The works of charity and justice must continue. Citizens of heaven are folks who know that faithfulness to God trump; the laws of economics, the claims of culture, and even challenge the claims of national security. Being a citizen of heaven means that God’s welcome to us means we are invited to be full members of the community. So, in a city, and a country so deeply divided, let us not succumb to the ways of division nor allow ourselves to be seduced by the claims of lesser citizenships or consumptions. Instead let us live out our identity as citizens of heaven to the glory of God alone. Amen.
March 4th 2007
Communion Sunday Meditation
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Heavenly Citizenship”
Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35
It is not very often that I willingly choose to preach from passages like the one we read from Paul this morning. Focusing on the teaching about heavenly citizenship is a clear deviation from my usual practice. I often find reasons to skip such passages because it so often sounds like “other-worldly” theology. What I mean by that is a theology which preaches about heaven after death but forgets about the hell on earth.
For some churches, and some Christians, this sort of theology has been a mainstay. Being a citizen of heaven is something that occurs only after one has died. Heavenly citizenship has everything to do with securing our personal salvation so life after death is assured. A common mark of this theology is to shy away from involvement with ‘social concerns’ because they are, in Paul’s words, ‘earthly concerns.’
While this sort of theology is enjoying a popular resurgence, it is not a new phenomenon. One previous incarnation of this theology was known as, “the spirituality of the church.” It was a version of this ‘other-worldly’ theology that provided support and spiritual cover for the institutions of slavery and segregation. The main point of this theology was that if the bible did not explicitly forbid something then the church should not be involved or take a stance. It is for this, and other similar reasons that many people of faith have decided to simply skip over these passages from scripture.
I am reminded of a story that Howard Thurman told. When he was a child his grandmother would share stories from the bible. However, she never used anything from Paul’s letters. When Howard got a little older and more courageous he asked her why she always skipped Paul. She told him that when she was a slave the white preachers would often read from Paul these words: “Slaves, obey your masters.” Thurman’s grandmother vowed then that she would never read from the letters of Paul. This is a poignant reminder of the damage which can be done by turning the bible into a roadmap to heaven which ignores and even supports the hell on earth. However, despite the abuse of Paul’s writings, there is something of wisdom for us today.
When Paul uses the language of citizenship, he does from a cultural perspective very different from ours. One of his primary goals for using this language was that of empowerment. We know this because most of Paul’s audience would not have been citizens. In the Roman Republic, and later the Roman Empire, citizenship was a privilege of the few. So for Paul to claim that these followers of Jesus were citizens of heaven was an empowering reality. The Greek grammar in the passage makes it clear that this heavenly citizenship was a present reality, not something you had to wait for until after death. As such any interpretation which focuses only on life after death is not rooted in scripture.
As modern followers of Jesus who live in the United States, the concept of citizenship does not carry the value or understanding it once did. In fact, in our culture the concept of consumer has a greater value than that of citizen. If you think I overstate this, I invite you to review the speech given by the President following the attacks of September 11th 2001. It was a speech intended to encourage the American public and even create a defiant reaction to the attacks. The call to action from the commander in chief was to not let “them” win so we were told to do our patriotic duty and go shopping. I think it is fair to say that being good consumers has taken the place of being good citizens.
Since this shift has occurred it is possible that we in the church ought to change our language. Instead of talking about being citizens of heaven we should talk about being consumers for Christ. And, with that latest purchase we are simply helping the heavenly economy. Or, on the other hand, maybe we should cut back our consumptive lifestyles all in the name of Jesus. Since our focus, this morning, is not on consumerism, I will leave that discussion for another day. Instead, let us see if there is something to be learned about being citizens of heaven, by turning our attention to the gospel reading.
When Jesus is approached by the Pharisees he does not seem all that concerned. We know that this is not a friendly warning from them about Herod looking to kill Jesus. After all, the religious and political leadership in Jerusalem are intimately connects. In Jerusalem, the line between being part of the community of faith and being part of the unjust establishment had become severely blurred. And, history tells us that whenever those lines become blurred that truth is always the first victim, but never the last. Jerusalem is a city of violence for all those who seek to be faithful to the truth. It is a system where seeking to be a citizen of heaven first could cost you your life, it certainly did for Jesus. Despite a familiar refrain about the lines between the religious and political leadership being blurred, today we do not live in a situation like the city of Jerusalem. However, there are clues to how to live as citizens of heaven in the mist of a world which seems like anything but heaven.
The first thing Jesus does with the warning that Herod is looking to kill him is to disarm the threat. Jesus calls Herod a fox. It seems like Jesus may be giving the King a compliment but in fact the reverse is true. King Herod liked to refer to himself as a lion, proud, powerful and inspiring. However Jesus just pokes fun at the King and points to the reality that Herod is really small, conniving and inconsequential to the work of God. Not only does Jesus do this but he also reveals the close relationship between the religious leadership and the King.
It is important to note that Jesus does not simply end by indicting the established order. Instead, he goes on to remind everyone that no matter what Herod and his faith-based minions cook up, that the work of the citizens of heaven continues. There is still work to be done, today, tomorrow, and on the third day. There are those who are trapped by this system who need compassion and caring. It is in the compassion Jesus exudes for those trapped by the workings of the system which is most moving. In the midst of the violent city Jesus longs to gather them up, like a mother hen gathers her brood under her wings. It is a scene where Jesus goes from challenging the injustice of the system in one moment and then expressing compassion for those most in need the next moment.
In the writings of Paul and the actions of Jesus, we begin to get some idea about the marks of heavenly citizenship. Being a citizen of heaven does not mean we can ignore the social realities and the suffering in the world. Likewise, being a citizen of heaven is not about gaining control of political power so as to bring in the Kingdom of God by electing those who use faith based language. Instead, it is about doing the work of God in the midst of a world that can often resemble hell. It means that citizens of heaven are to be known by the distinctiveness of our work and nature.
Citizens of heaven are folks who know that no matter who gets elected to whatever office, their will still be work to be done. Injustice and exclusion will continue despite changes in party control. The works of charity and justice must continue. Citizens of heaven are folks who know that faithfulness to God trump; the laws of economics, the claims of culture, and even challenge the claims of national security. Being a citizen of heaven means that God’s welcome to us means we are invited to be full members of the community. So, in a city, and a country so deeply divided, let us not succumb to the ways of division nor allow ourselves to be seduced by the claims of lesser citizenships or consumptions. Instead let us live out our identity as citizens of heaven to the glory of God alone. Amen.
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