26th September

When preparing the sermon, I came to two conclusions. The first – we think that as Christians, we are righteous people. The second is the uncomfortable truth that we are more prone to self-righteousness than we might like to think.

Righteousness is about being right with God, which is a gift from God, not something we achieve by any innate goodness. It is a place of humility. In contrast to this, Self-righteousness is “a holier-than-thou attitude”, a “better than them attitude”. It is to believe that that your faith and behaviour are morally and spiritually superior to others’.

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus talks about two specific aspects of Christian self-righteousness. Two things that we might recognise in ourselves.

The first aspect of self-righteousness is the attitude “We are right, you are wrong. We do it right… you do it wrong.”

John comes to Jesus with just such a complaint. One translation puts it this way: “Teacher, we saw a man, who does not follow along with us, driving out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he was not one of our band, of Your disciples.” Jesus’ response? “Do not restrain him or hinder or forbid him… whoever is not against us is for us.”

In Northern Ireland we have an ever-present dance of suspicion between denominations. When I decided to go into ordained ministry in the Church of Ireland, I had an interesting encounter with a man from a different denomination. He took me aside to warn me that the theological teaching in Dublin is very liberal – it wasn’t sound and biblical. I asked him why he thought that. “I have heard” he said mysteriously – and it was his duty to warn me. “I have heard otherwise,” I told him. (Interestingly, his wife was delighted that a woman was going into ordained ministry… cheering me on).

Of course in the Church of Ireland, we have our in-house suspicion between various flavours of Anglican theology – liberal, charismatic, or evangelical, etc.

Paul – my husband – used to be a Methodist a very long time ago. He pointed me to a sermon by John Wesley on these verses, considering what the disciple meant by “He was not one of us”:

• He does not work with us.
• He is not part of our group.
• His theology is different.
• He worships and lives differently.
• He is of a different church that’s anti-scriptural, even anti-Christian.

Wesley concluded that we despite differences, we should welcome all those in God’s work. “Differences which begin in points of opinion” he said “spread into the affections…to friendships…with animosities so deep and irreconcilable.”

Such animosity damages the body of Christ.

Does that resonate with our attitudes? I felt distinctly uncomfortable!

The second aspect of self-righteousness is our tendency – in Jesus’ words – to “cause these little ones to stumble and fall.” One commentary describes it as “tripping up someone, especially the vulnerable and marginalised, and causing them to give up on faith and life.” It is to place intolerable burdens on others. Unfair expectations.

So who are the vulnerable? Many of us are… at different times in our lives.

Let me give you an example. A young woman struggling with trauma came into St Thomas’ church, in tears, asking for prayer. She was desperate. Christians from her church had told her she needed more faith for God to heal her trauma. She wept right through the time we prayed with her, and kept but she kept shaking her head and saying “I haven’t enough faith.”

There are many like her around us and among us. Vulnerable. The bereaved, on the edge of poverty, struggling to find employment, fighting loneliness, living with depression and mental health issues, dealing with illness or a difficult diagnosis – countless burdens. Many of us are trying to cope with pain and distress. Through the pandemic, many have struggled with the fragility of life – now laid bare before us. A few days ago, a couple we know lost their only child to suicide – such terrible darkness to live with.  

Yet, here are some statements I have heard or read over the past two years:

“Your depression will lift if you trust in God.”

(BUT Trusting God and struggling with mental health are not mutually exclusive)

“Doubt is evil – you must have faith.”

(BUT Doubt is not the opposite of faith. It’s part of our journey)

“See your illness as a gift from God – use it, don’t waste it”

(BUT The weakness and decay of our bodies is not a gift – it’s part of all mortality.
And Christ who has suffered, is with us through it)

People walk away from church, or worse, turn away from God, because of wrong and deeply judgemental things Christians say.  

A success-oriented faith is an intolerable burden. It replicates the toxic culture of the world around us. The world expects us to be always fine, always in control, always having answers, always succeeding, always going somewhere. The truth is that there are times in our human lives, even as clergy, when we go nowhere, we are not fine, we don’t have a job, don’t have answers, we are ill, and aren’t in control. Failure is part of life. Although the church sometimes doesn’t understand this, God does.

Jesus has harsh words for those who cause the vulnerable to stumble: “Whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble and sin, it would be better if a huge millstone were hung about his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

Jesus’ fierce language shows how high the stakes are here. When we are weak and vulnerable – hopeless in the eyes of the world – Christ loves us and is tender hearted with us. He is fiercely protective. I find this incredibly moving – that Christ is for us. Always. Even when others are against us. Even when we are against ourselves. Our concluding hymn captures this well:

“For the love of God is broader
 than the measure of our mind,
and the heart of the Eternal
 is most wonderfully kind.“

I think that we would do well to remember this.

But Jesus doesn’t stop here. After addressing our self-righteous ways of thinking – that we are right and others wrong – and our tendency to place heavy burdens on others, Jesus focuses on his disciples own lives: “If your hand, foot, or eye cause you to stumble and sin… get rid of them.” Instead of poking around in other peoples’ lives, examine your own. Instead of being rough on others, be tough on yourself. Instead of being self-righteous, seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness.

Our reading concludes with Jesus saying to his disciples, “have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” This not quite the same as “being the Salt of the Earth.” The Old Testament talks of “the salt of the covenant with your God…” Having salt in ourselves is to be in a covenant relationship with God, and it will lead to living in peace with one another. Even Christians we don’t agree with, or those we might otherwise judge harshly. It’s another way of saying Love the Lord your God, and Love your neighbour as yourself. On these commandments depend all the law and prophets – as we hear before our time of confession each Sunday.

Our Epistle reading is a brief snapshot of how the early church related to God and each other. In joy, suffering, illness, or straying away from God – they cared for and prayed for one another. No self-righteousness. Just the freedom to be vulnerable – to confess their sins to each other without fear of condemnation. Feels a pipe dream these days, when our feelings, struggles, or sins rarely see the light of day with each other?

So… Are we seeking righteousness in God?

Or have we settled into a habit of self-righteous living?

Self-righteousness is deeply unattractive and damaging. It people away from God. But Christ’s righteousness in us transforms us to be like him, to have his love and compassion for those around us and for our world.

Prayer:
Jesu, thou art all compassion,
  pure, unbounded love thou art;
Visit us with thy salvation,
  enter every trembling heart.