God's Last Words

“Selfish Christians”
ROMANS  5: 1-5 (NRSV)

I didn’t understand Memorial Day – Decoration Day – as a child. We’d go watch a parade and hear some old boring guy talk and then drive around putting “Flags (Iris)” on graves. I’ve learned better as I’ve gotten older.

As we celebrate Memorial Day and uphold the idea of sacrificial service let’s visit the concept of selfish behavior.

I have a nephew that just graduated from the Dickinson School of law and is becoming an assistant DA in York, PA. Lawyers are always good targets to poke fun at, especially for self-motivated acts.  

A lawyer parked at the side of the road, and opened the door of his BMW. Suddenly, a speeding car appeared from nowhere, hitting the door and ripping it off of his car. The lawyer was outraged.  

When the police arrived at the scene, the lawyer whined, “Officer, look what that person did to my Beemer! You have to find him and arrest him!” 

“You lawyers are so materialistic, you make me sick,” the officer snapped. “You’re so upset about your stupid BMW, that you didn’t even notice that your left arm was ripped off in the accident.” 

“Oh my God....,” gasped the lawyer, finally noticing the bloody stump where his arm had been. “My Rolex!” 

Another: As Oklahoma was settled, the growing population supported a small community of lawyers. One lawyer became quite successful, handling disputes between ranchers and farmers.  

He sent his son away for college, and was pleased when his son returned after graduation, seeking to work in his office to figure out if he wanted to be a lawyer. The lawyer welcomed his son into the firm, and gave him a job as a clerk. 

On his son’s first day, the first client to call on the lawyer was a man, deeply tanned from years of toil under the Oklahoma sun. His hands were rough and calloused, and he was dressed for the range. The man explained, “I am a ranch hand at the Smith Ranch, where I have worked since I was very young. For all of those years, I have tended to all of the animals on the ranch, including a small herd of cows. I raised the cows, fed them, and cared for them.

It has always been my understanding that I was the owner of the cows. Mr. Smith died, and his son has inherited the ranch. He believes that, as the cows were raised on his family’s land and were fed his family’s hay, that they are his cows. I need you to help me.”

 

The lawyer smiled, and put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I have heard enough, and I will take your case. Don’t worry about the cows.” After expressing extreme gratitude, the workman left the lawyer’s office. 

A short time later, the next client arrived. He was young, and well-groomed, and appeared quite wealthy. He explained to the lawyer, “My name is Smith, and I own a ranch near here. For many years, one of my ranch hands has taken care of my family’s animals, including some cows.  

The cows were raised on my land, fed my hay, and they are obviously my cows. Yet the hired hand believes that, as he raised them and cared for them, they are his. I would like to resolve the matter of the ownership of the cows. 

The lawyer smiled and said, “I have heard enough, and I will take your case. Don’t worry about the cows.” 

After the man left the office, the lawyer’s son came over to his father, looking puzzled. “I don’t understand,” he said. “I may not know much about the law, but it seems to me that there is a serious problem with the cows, and you just told both sides not to worry.” 

The lawyer replied, “I told them not to worry about the cows, son, and they shouldn’t worry about the cows.” Chuckling, the lawyer explained, “Soon those cows will be ours.”

We seldom are aware that our own self-interests often makes everything about us. It can even be reflected in our faith and beliefs and certainly with what kind of Christians we are.  

Lawyers are known for taking care of their own interests first and Christians are often accused of hypocrisy in that they really don’t care about others.

 

Henry Ward Beecher once said, “Selfishness is that detestable vice which no one will forgive in others, and no one is without in himself.”  

Andy Rooney once ranted, “My most serious character flaw is that I don’t deny myself much.” Selfishness is rooted in the ability to not deny oneself much. Memorial Day is about those who denied themselves to serve others. 

ROMANS 5: 1-5: Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 

Sometimes Christians are labeled as judgmental goody-two-shoes who think they are better than anybody else. Often it is the language of scripture itself, heard by skeptics that encourage this type of prejudice. Christians can appear selfish. 

Speaking God’s truth in love is difficult because His grace does end in judgment. Jesus has said there are those that will be for him and those who will be against him. There will be sheep and goats. Most of us can’t hear or see our own fleece.  

It requires us to be sensitive to the way we are perceived as witnesses to His Love, lest we push people away from God. Christianity is about learning to deny oneself and accept the love and sacrifice of a loving God who triumphed over self-interest. 

Because it’s not natural for humans to understand sacrifice we need to look at the language we use to describe ourselves carefully. 

In our focus verses for today the Greek word translated as “boast” (kauchaomai) (kau-ch-o-mee) is better translated as “rejoice.” 

Let me re-read this passage using that word translation:

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we REJOICE in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

 

And not only that, but we also REJOICE in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 

See the subtle but more positive turn of this passage? Rather than suggesting that we boast of our faith we are saying we rejoice in the hope of grace and the growth God gives us in our daily trials and sufferings.

We aren’t bragging but rather are joyful in God’s love and the hope we find in it. If we focus on rejoicing in the life and become centered on the hope that Christ gives we do learn the ability to overcome our natural tendency to be selfish. 

This is the same hope that has inspired millions of Americans to give of themselves. As Americans we do not boast or brag that we are Americans but rather rejoice in it.

At two in the morning, the phone rang at the governor's mansion. An aide found himself talking to a local attorney, who insisted that he must speak to the governor immediately. 

Despite pleas to postpone his call until morning, the attorney insisted that the call was over a matter of utmost urgency, and that he could not wait. Eventually, the aide reluctantly decided to wake up the governor. 

"So, what is it?" grumbled the governor. "Judge Cassidy just died," announced the attorney, "and I want to take his place." The Governor shot back, "It is okay with me if it is okay with the undertaker." 

One last one - One afternoon, a wealthy lawyer was riding in the back of his limousine when he saw two pathetic-looking men by the side of the road, eating grass. He ordered his driver to stop and got out to investigate.  

He asked the men, "Why are you eating grass?" "We don't have no money for food," the first man replied. "Then you must come with me to my house," insisted the lawyer. "But, sir, I got a wife and three kids here," said the man. "Bring them along!" replied the lawyer. The second man exclaimed, "I got a wife and six kids!"

"Bring them as well!" the lawyer proclaimed as he headed back to his limo. 

They all climbed into the car, and once underway, one of the men says, "Sir, you are too kind. Thank you for taking all of us with you." The lawyer replied, "I'm most happy to do it. You'll love my place. The grass is almost a foot tall." 

We need to be careful about the motivations of our heart as we strive to live out the love God has given us in abundance. If we are to cultivate the heart of service and sacrifice our ancestors displayed we must become truly generous and loving. 

Giving to the food bank doesn’t mean cleaning those “almost expired” canned goods out of the pantry or donating a pair of shoes so you now have a reason to go out and buy new ones. I could go on, but freedom and faith and love is never easy. 

Serving others is not about me or you but rather about using Jesus’ sacrifice as an example in treating and caring for others. Let us never boast but rather rejoice in gratitude and love for our neighbors. Amen.