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Home Page
The Rector's Welcome
Worship
Sermons
Music & the Organ
Newsletter
Schedule & Events
History
Programs & Ministries
Tour the Building
Links
Map & Directions
Monthly Calendar
Home Page
The Rector's Welcome
Worship
Sermons
Music & the Organ
Newsletter
Schedule & Events
History
Programs & Ministries
Tour the Building
Links
Map & Directions
Monthly Calendar
Fr. J. D. Ousley
19 November 2006Mk.13“Prophets and Losses”
In the Name of God: Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Amen.
When Jesus talks of "false prophets," we know what he means. A typical warning appears in the Gospel for today.
Jesus says, "False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything."
History has proven Christ's warning to be all too accurate. As regularly as the sun rises in the sky, seductive leaders arise to take advantage of the universal willingness to believe.
Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda, has for many years waged a guerrilla campaign against the legitimate Ugandan government. The Lord's Resistance Army uses the most brutal methods; its goal is to establish a government based on the Ten Commandments!
In our own country, we recently learned of a non-violent but still disturbing example of a false prophet. Ted Haggard, one of the most prominent church leaders in America and himself the father of five children, admitted publicly to buying drugs from a gay prostitute.
Haggard had these contacts with the prostitute during the same period when he regularly condemned homosexuality from his pulpit — proclaiming very different "family values."
Those of us outside the evangelical camp may not have even heard of Rev. Haggard. But he was the pastor of a 12,000-member mega-church. He was also the President of the National Association of Evangelicals. Now his claim to see "signs and omens" of family morality is dubious, to say the least.
And we can be sure that Christ's prediction will come true again in the future. "False messiahs" are never in short supply.
So how do we sort out true prophets from false? Well, we can begin by reminding ourselves of the truth of Christ's words. Misguided interpretations of religion occur even in the nicest, most respectable circles.
Notice that Christ predicted that false prophets will lead "the elect" astray. Religious people often think that because they themselves have found faith, they will be able to recognize others who are on the same spiritual wavelength.
Unfortunately, any of us can be fooled. I'm amazed myself at my own gullibility in this regard. I'm not likely to be seduced by false prophets like Ted Haggard: I have seen countless "new interpretations" of the Gospel proclaimed by confident writers who throw out most of the Christian tradition. So, I have come to be wary of any writer who claims that God has told him that the church "must" move in an entirely new direction.
The latest discovery of ancient documents in the Middle East may be a sign of nothing more than a clever forger out to make money. The latest clever techniques for "church growth" may cheapen and water down the Gospel.
Mega-churches like the one led by Rev. Haggard tend to be focused on one pastor. Success can lead the pastor to think much too much of him or herself, turning a true prophet into a false one.
Again I know that religious people can be deceived by fake religion. I think people are sincerely committed to the church — and I find later they're only there are to get something. Maybe especially religious people are deceived since we know we are under an obligation to look for the best in the strangers we meet. That's why Jesus left warnings about teachers who could "lead astray ... the elect."
That doesn't mean we have to follow the X-Files's slogan, "Trust no one." Yet that TV program gave many examples of how signs and omens aren't always what they seem.
So while we have to try to trust others, at the same time, we need to look at what these folks stand to gain personally.
It's no coincidence that false prophets benefit from their own messages. By contrast, true prophets may sacrifice a lot when they attempt to pass on the truths they have been given.
An example of this criterion of self-sacrifice is seen in the life of Martin Luther King, whose memorial was dedicated this week in Washington. King's prophetic speeches cost him a lot. They provoked venomous hatred, protests and ultimately his assassination.
But Dr. King still took positions that made his life even harder than it might otherwise have been. Despite his global fame, he ended up dying in an effort to organize poor workers in Memphis.
At that stage in his career, he might have chosen to be a professor in a university or he might have gained a lucrative pulpit. Or at least, he might have advocated safer causes, like getting more black people into law school. Instead, he continued to take risks, and so he died, trying to get a raise for garbage collectors.
Last week it was hard not to contrast Martin Luther King with some of the speakers at the opening of his memorial. These speakers have become rich and famous by appearing to follow in King's footsteps. Yet they have only sold King's message to corporations and universities for their own gain.
Again, the context of prophecy is crucial. Does the prophet stand above all for the truth — or for him- or herself?
It's not easy to be a real prophet. I was reminded of the perils of the prophet's role last weekend when I attended the annual convention of the Diocese of New York.
The major debate of the meeting involved a complicated resolution concerning the Episcopal Church's view of gay people. You could tell it was complicated because most of the primary speakers on each side of the debate began their speeches by announcing that they were themselves gay!
The final vote was close. I think the convention probably made the right decision to support our national church leaders in their attempts to find common ground on this issue with more conservative Anglicans.
In any case, I was struck by the courageous stance of our bishop. While he remained silent during the debate, everyone knew that he had invested huge amounts of his time in trying to reach agreements with his traditionalist colleagues.
Bishop Sisk didn't have to get involved in this debate. And not only has he earned the dislike of traditionalists for his affirmative positions on gay rights, but he has also been attacked by progressives in our diocese for not going far enough in their direction!
For our bishop, the search for unity has come at great cost. Perhaps that's a sign he is a prophet of the truth.
An important benefit of such reflections on prophets is to help us evaluate what we hold to be true. Seeing what other Christians stand for, helps us to sort out our own commitments.
Many of us in the Anglican Broad Church tradition will find this approach to be perfectly natural. We wouldn't claim to know all the answers. Moreover, we believe that answers often come only when we ask questions.
Following this path with caution and with courage, we may hope to find ourselves among those Christians mentioned in the Letter to the Hebrews — we may hope to find ourselves "not among those shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved."
And now unto that same God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be ascribed as is most justly due all might, majesty, power, dominion and praise, now and forever, Amen.