Sermon: The inconvenient truths of faith (June 11, 2017)

Trinity Sunday

June 11, 2017

Genesis 1:1-2:4a

Matthew 28:16-20

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

            In 2006, Al Gore came out with a documentary meant to educate citizens about global climate change, and the role our lifestyle and habits have played in it. It was called, An Inconvenient Truth. The movie was good – it even won a couple Academy Awards – and it raised global awareness of climate change, and re-energized the environmentalist movement. The work that followed culminated in the Paris Climate Accord from last summer, a worldwide deal to lower carbon emissions in hopes of better caring for this beautiful planet God created for us.

            It was a powerful movie that had a huge impact. I find the title to be particularly compelling: An Inconvenient Truth. The possibility that humans have contributed to catastrophic climate change is terribly inconvenient, isn’t it? Because if that’s the case, then addressing it requires changing a lot of things that are familiar, easy, effective – things that are so central to our daily operations, that

we can’t imagine life without them. How can I function without my car? I have to drive for work, and a bike or the bus system won’t cut it for my needs. I can’t fly less – my family lives across the country! Plastic wrapped goods and packaged foods are ubiquitous and frankly, so much easier. I know the environmental effect on raising red meat is immense, but man, I like to have steak or a burger now and then! It is easier to ignore it, and hope everything turns out for the best.

            Climate change is one inconvenient truth in our daily lives… but honestly, the truth is often inconvenient. When we’ve said something we shouldn’t, we know we are in the wrong… but it is so inconvenient to have to admit that to the person we have wronged. When we know what the right thing to do is, but doing it will make our lives more complicated or less enjoyable, wouldn’t we rather just do the easy thing?

            I have to admit, that as much as I love the Word of God, and take from it much comfort and guidance and all that good stuff… I also find it to be full of inconvenient truths. There are a couple in particular that caught my eye this week. The first is from Genesis, in is this well-loved line: “So God created humankind in his image.” At first blush, this is wonderful! How marvelous, what a privilege that God would make us in His image! But here’s how this has been inconvenient to me this week. We all know that there are a number of very controversial issues out there, the sorts of things that get people really fired up: abortion, the death penalty, refugees, immigration, gun control, drugs, marriage equality… I’m sure everyone here has strong opinions about these things, and I’m equally sure that we do not all hold the same opinion.

But this has been my thought experiment this week: to each of these controversial issues, I have applied this truth, that each person involved is a child of God, lovingly made in God’s image. To the unborn fetus, and to his mother who would terminate the pregnancy: you are made in God’s image. To the criminal on death row: you are made in God’s image. To those fleeing Syria, and to those causing them to flee: you are made in God’s image. To the drug addict: you are made in God’s image. To the terrorists on London Bridge: you are made in God’s image. To the president (whoever it happens to be at any given time): you are made in God’s image.

            What I have found in doing this is that some of those were very easy for me to swallow. Others made me very uncomfortable. And on those that were uncomfortable, I immediately tried to justify why that person should not be identified as “made in the image of God” – but the inconvenient truth is, they all are. God created humankind in His image, and called it good. Now, we also were all

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given freewill, and some have used that freewill for evil acts: this is, sadly, all too true. But that does not change the fact that they were created in God’s image, and that God called that creation good. What’s especially inconvenient is… what comes next? If we truly believe that they are made in God’s image, then how are we to treat these various people?

            And that brings me to a second inconvenient truth. It is a truth that is a promise, even as it is challenging. I’m referring to this last line of the Gospel of Matthew: “And remember, I am with you to the end of the age.” It reminds me of a piece of calligraphy that my parents gave me as an ordination gift. It used to hang in my grandparents’ home, always right by the door, to be seen when you first walk in. It reads, “Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.” It’s a lovely reminder of Christ’s promise to his disciples after his resurrection, and at first it sounds like great news! God is with us – all the time, forever and ever.

But then, when you start to realize what that really means for how we act and treat others, it starts to get a little… inconvenient. God is with us when we pray and worship and serve, yay!… but God is also with us when we are about to sling some unsavory insult at someone. Oh. God is with us when we are in need, I’m so grateful… and God is also with us when we see someone else in need, but look to our own safety first. Oh, God saw that, too? God is with us when we enjoy a summer breeze or a gorgeous sunset over the water… and God is also with us when we drag a huge bin of garbage to the side of the road, to be disposed of in a landfill, or the ocean, or wherever. Not sure God envisioned that when He called creation good. God is with us when two or three are gathered… and God is also with us when we shut others out. God is with us when we are afraid… and God is also with us when our fear turns into anger and degrading of others. Yep, God saw that, too.

            That’s awfully inconvenient, to realize that God is with us and see us in all of our goodness, but also in all of our sinfulness, our short-sightedness, our self-serving, our pride. But it is, in the end, also a blessing – for even as it holds us accountable, causing us pause to think, “God is here and watching – is this really what God would have me do right now? Is this really how God would want me to treat this person?” it also promises us that, whatever decisions we make, we, too, are beloved children of God, created in God’s image, through the power and love of the Holy Trinity. It also promises that God invites us repeatedly into the life of that loving Trinity. And it assures us that, whether we are saints or we are sinners, whether we do the right thing in the face of inconvenient truth, or we succumb to the easy way – we are forgiven, and we are loved.

            Let us pray… Holy three-in-on, majestic one-in-three, the life of faith is hard and sometimes inconvenient. Help us, in the face of doubts and difficult decisions, to do what is pleasing in your sight, and to trust your promise that you are with us always, and loving us, your creation. In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.