Text: Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18
Notice the speaker and the intended audience in our text from Leviticus. This text is addressed to the congregation -- to all the congregation -- not to an individual. God speaks to Moses and tells him to say to the gathered congregation of Israel: "Be holy because I, God, your God, am holy." (Lev. 19:1-2) What sets God apart is God's sacrificial love for humanity. Our emphasis in the Presbyterian Church is not on our guilt but on God's forgiving love. Our focus on God's love and how we live out God's love in the world is what makes us holy.
God's love is very practical according to our text from Leviticus. For example, the Lord says,
"When you harvest your land, don't harvest right up to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings from the harvest. Don't strip your vineyard bare or go back and pick up the fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. (Lev. 19:9-10)
God's love is so practical that he expects us to take care of the poor and the foreigner. We are generous people. Americans are generous people. St. John's is full of generous people. We need to continue listening and responding to God's message to take care of the poor and the foreigner.
Today we are honoring our college graduates and I would like to say a word to them. Graduates, don't forget where you come from and don't forget the ones who got you where you are today. And while we are talking about don'ts -- let's glance back at our text from Leviticus because it is chock full of don'ts. Listen to this list of don'ts from Leviticus 19 -- they cover everything from fair business practices to how to treat your neighbor across the street:
"Don't steal. Don't lie. Don't deceive anyone.
"Don't swear falsely using my name, violating the name of your God.
"Don't exploit your friend or rob him.
"Don't hold back the wages of a hired hand overnight.
"Don't curse the deaf; don't put a stumbling block in front of the blind ...
"Don't pervert justice.
Don't show favoritism to either the poor or the great.
Judge on the basis of what is right.
"Don't spread gossip and rumors.
"Don't just stand by when your neighbor's life is in danger.
"Don't secretly hate your neighbor. If you have something against him, get it out into the open; otherwise you are an accomplice in his guilt.
"Don't seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people. (Lev. 19:-11-18)
That's thirteen don'ts for those who are keeping count. It sounds like a mother giving her graduating senior final words of advice before she leaves home for college. There are so many many things not to do and interspersed throughout these negatives is the positive statement: "I am God" (Lev. 19:2, 12, 16, 18) Four times in the midst of the thirteen negatives we have this positive: "I am God." God reminds us that these are God's rules. These are not just suggestions. These are not just religious platitudes to be put hung on the wall like a diploma. "I am God. I am serious about these things," God says. The negative list of don'ts ends with a positive commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
"Love your neighbor as yourself." Does that quote sound familiar? Jesus himself said something similar during his last supper with his disciples:
"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other."
(John 13:33-35, MSG)
This must be important because it is among Jesus last reported words to his disciples. Jesus tells them he is giving them a new commandment: "Love one another" -- but we know it is an old commandment -- and it goes all the way back to Leviticus. Why would Jesus say "Love one another" is a new commandment when we know it is an old commandment?
The Protestant theologian John Calvin tackled this question. Calvin reasons that Jesus intended the command to be fresh and novel so that the Christian life should never be allowed to descend to a routine level, something to be forgotten as the heart becomes jaded with familiarity. "Love one another": those are tender and radical words. "Love your neighbor" is not a new idea but each day it must become a renewed commitment in our lives.
One new opportunity to love one another in this congregation will be the new adult Sunday School class I will teach beginning on June 6. I will faciliate the discussion as we consider topics and issues from today's headlines in light of ancient Bible passages. The class will be both "up to the minute" in relevance and "old as the hills" due to the Bible passages against which we will judge today's issues.
Of course, such a free flowing group discussion could turn into a train wreck unless some precautions are taken. So, imagine my excitement when I found Robert M. Price's groundrules for a small group disscussion class in his book The Reason Driven Life. Let me share his 10 Commandments of classroom behavior with you as an illustration of how today's text may be applied to our lives.
First Commandment: Thou shalt get to thy point as quickly and succinctly as possible.
Second Commandment: Thou shalt try to stay on topic at least for awhile.
Third Commandment: Thou shalt avoid politics like the plague!
Fourth Commandment: Thou shalt give heed unto the person talking. Neither shalt thou merely wait til they're done so that thou mayest launch into thine own planned soliloquy.
Fifth Commandment: Thou shalt esteem individual persons above their opinions and beliefs. In this manner thou mayest abstain from personal enmity and avoid waxing wrathful.
Sixth Commandment: Thou shalt not fracture the group discussion into two or more. But thou shalt all have one conversation going on until the informal aftermath of the main event.
Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not grandstand.
Eighth Commandment: Thou shalt not aim to convert the group to thine own faith or opinion.
Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt make sure all present know that they are not expected to speak, though their participation is most welcome.
Tenth Commandment; Thou shalt not interrupt thy brother or thy sister!
We will adhere to this 10 commandments of classroom behavior in this new adult Sunday School class to which you are all invited. Let me know if you are interested in coming or learning more about it. Whether or not you come to this new class, these 10 commandments are good operating instructions for daily life. They will know we are Christians by how we listen.
In a quest for church unity, our Session recently wrote a behavioral covenant that has three parts: Our promises to God, our promises to the staff and congregation, and our promises to one another as Session members. In the section on our promises to the staff and congregation, one section of the covenant says:
WE PROMISE to be visible, transparent and accessible to all members of this congregation and
to listen actively and non-judgmentally,
to respect all individuals,
to create an environment where
joys are celebrated,
healing is facilitated,
open and constructive communication is promoted, questions and concerns are welcomed,
misinformation is quelled, and
an atmosphere of trust and respect is fostered.
This is our Session's promise to the congregation. We will listen. There is a lot of listening going on the Desserts with the Pastor. I invite you to come and share your thoughts and hopes and dreams for St. John's. I read a quote this week that says it well. "Patience with God is called faith. Patience with one another is called love."
Today is a day of endings and beginnings. The school year will soon end and summer break will soon begin. Seniors graduate and say good-bye to old friends and hello to new friends. Wherever we are in our spiritual journey and wherever we may go there is one rule that sums up all the don'ts in the vast biblical literature. There is one positive rule that guides our actions: Love your neighbor as yourself. When we follow that rule it will make our spiritual lives as rich as gold. Perhaps that is why it's called "The golden rule."
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Dr. Jon Burnham preached this sermon at St. John's Presbyterian Church on Ascension Sunday, Year C - May 16, 2010 on a day when college graduates were celebrated.
