Proper 15 (B) + Wisdom and gift + 8.19.18

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(1 Kings 2:10–12; 3:3–14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15–20; St John 6:51–58)

“Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).”

In seminary we had social hours every Thursday night after chapel and before dinner, and every other Thursday, wine and beer was on offer along with “equally attractive” juice and water options for the happy hour time. The seminary had long held a happy hour time, but had adjusted the frequency of serving alcohol with its increasing awareness that the church had to work against the tendency amongst many clergy towards excessive consumption of alcohol.

Taken at face value, the phrase I read before from the letter to the Ephesians reads just like a reminder not to get smashed. But, as one commentator pointed out, this passage would be very boring if it was just about how we act at cocktail parties.[1] In fact, this is as much a metaphor as it is designed to help you not think about excess in alcohol consumption in general – as important as that is - and I am a big supporter of moderation for some and abstention for others, as the need presents, when it comes to intoxicants. The truth is that we as the church are called to live as people who reside in the Spirit, not according to the confusion and drunkenness of the world.
When I was younger, I thought that this kind of language was quite fusty. But now I see it differently, because of how I see two things- wisdom and Jesus’ gift of his own body to us.

Wisdom is key to the passage we hear from the First book of Kings today. David has gone the way of the ancestors, and Solomon appears on the scene. The first thing we hear is that Solomon just throws sacrifices G-d’s way like some kind of jealous lover. He gives and he gives and he gives, so much so that God… GOD…asks… what can I give you back? And what does Solomon ask for? Riches? No. The death of his enemies? No. A long life? No. But wisdom first. Wisdom.

He knows the way of the psalmist- his father perhaps it was who spoke those words: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
his praise endures for ever (Ps. 111:10).”

Wisdom is that which lasts.

And Jesus, the lover of us, comes before us in this (yet another) passage about him being the Bread of Life, and makes it clear. He, who in his humanity has nothing else to give, freely offers himself to us. He loves us. And when a lover offers you a gift, you accept. You can’t do anything else. If you refuse the gift, you refuse the love.[2]
And so we come forward to the altar and we receive the bread and the wine. The spiritual flesh and the blood of our Savior. Not because we are worthy, or even wise, but because he loves us and we receive that love. And in receiving that love, we become one body, wise enough to say to the world which would make one group express its supremacy over another or its religious superiority, no. We are one body. We are one body as black, white, brown and everything in between. We are one body as gay and straight and everything in between. We are one body as liberals and conservatives. Jesus placed his body before us so that we would be one.

And so that we could share wisdom with a world that is mad with division, difference and the fascination with wealth.

How can we model a different way? I love a song by Dar Williams, that talks about how the Christians and the Pagans of a family can sit down together over a holiday meal.
Some of the words go thus:

“So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
…

The food was great, the tree plugged in, the meal had gone without a hitch,
Till Timmy turned to Amber and said, "Is it true that you're a witch?"
His mom jumped up and said, "The pies are burning, " and she hit the kitchen,
And it was Jane who spoke, she said, "It's true, your cousin's not a Christian, "
"But we love trees, we love the snow, the friends we have, the world we share,
And you find magic from your God, and we find magic everywhere, "

So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And where does magic come from? I think magic's in the learning,
'Cause now when Christians sit with Pagans only pumpkin pies are burning.”[3]

Magic’s in the learning, and so is wisdom. So is the truth that we are one in the body of Christ, even by some mystery to those who may never associate with Jesus, because we as Christians see everyone as part of God’s creation.

Coming up during our retreat at Mount Calvary in early September, we will be discussing the Civil Discourse Curriculum from the Episcopal Church. It seeks to help folks find ways to talk through deep differences in politics and policy so that we can each express our faith and stay true to what we believe while still respecting those with whom we are in contact. In this world, it strives to bring some sanity and decency to often over-heated conversations.

Whether it is via a method like this one of civil discourse, or whether it is found another way, we as Christians are called to a better life than the example we often see in the world around us.

To live into that life, may we come like a lover to God and offer our praise. May we seek wisdom and look for common threads. These common threads do not negate our differences as a part of God’s wonderfully diverse creation, but bind our various gifts together for the healing of the world, and for the unity of the Body of Christ. Amen.

---

[1] Richard F. Ward, “Ephesians 5:15-20- Homiletical Perspective,” FOTW Year B Vol. 2, p.355.

[2] With thanks to Alene Campbell-Langdell for this insight.

[3] Dar Williams, “The Christians and the Pagans,” album: Mortal City, BMG Music, 1996.