A sermon about living a God-worthy life.
Thessalonians 2: 9-13
Matthew 23: 1-12
November 5, 2023
Rev. Dr. Galen E. Russell III
“… therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach… They do all their deeds to be seen by others.”
Prayer: May all that we say and do be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
Like it or not, the concept of optics is huge in our lives, in our society, and in our world. It has been since the beginning of time. There are a couple of definitions of the word, but the one I am focused on today is this: optics is the way our decisions, or events, or courses of action are viewed or perceived by others. “How does that look?” is the question we ask. Or, “How will it look to others in the outside world if this happens, or that decision is made?” It’s being concerned about the way something may reflect back on us. The optics of the situation.
And that’s what gives optics some persuasive power in varying degrees, right? I mean sometimes some people don’t care about the optics at all. It has very little persuasive power. They just make up their minds about something, and they do it. Bam! They don’t care what others think or say about it. They don’t care how it reflects back on them. They’ll deal with optics later, if at all.
Like when Hamas did a surprise attack on Israel in early October. They didn’t care about the optics of global opinion. They just let hatred drive their decision to attack. Optics had little if any persuasion. More on the Israel-Hamas war in a moment.
Other times, optics have lots of persuasive power. I mean Congress, or the President, or politicians, or governors, or corporate CEOs, or community leaders, or organizations, companies, schools, churches, etc., at times, these all can care a great deal about the way others perceive them. Will the decision to do something win favorable public opinion? If not, bad optics can stop something from happening right in its tracks. If the optics are good, that can help a decision go forward. Which might translate into good profits. Or a good reputation. And it’s done.
On October 26th, for example, the Maryland Supreme Court posthumously admitted Edward Garrison Draper, a Black man, to the Maryland Bar, 166 years later, making him the first Black lawyer in the state’s history. Draper “was qualified in all respects” except for the color of his skin, according to Court transcripts. Was that the right thing for the Supreme Court to do? Absolutely! Was it restorative justice? You bet! Did the optics have some play into the decision? There’s no way it didn’t! (Maryland Supreme Court posthumously admits Black man to bar, 166 years after rejecting him - ABC News (go.com)
But whether or not optics are given persuasive power… Jesus seems to say that may not be the important thing. The important thing is related to integrity. He says that the law is good—the Torah—that’s given to the people by God.
And, the teachers who are teaching you the law, do what they say. But, don’t follow their example because they don’t do as they teach. Because they lack integrity. They are quick to impose the law on the people, but are unwilling to help someone who is burdened by the laws. The religious leaders are mostly, “Do what I say, not what I do.”
And they love the perks and privileges that come with being religious leaders. They love to be seen this way, too. Jesus says they are more concerned about optics instead of being true down deep. That’s a huge disparity and a lack of integrity. They look good on the outside. They teach the right stuff. But they don’t practice what they teach or preach. The outside doesn’t match the inside, Jesus says.
And I realized that this story of Jesus at first sounded to me more like bad news than it did good news. Partly because I’m a pastor, and there are times when Jesus’ words feel terribly convicting to me. Because sometimes I am inconsistent with what I believe compared to how I act. I don’t want to help sometimes. I get self-centered at times.
But, it’s also convicting because as human beings, I don’t think it’s avoidable. In the last couple of Melodies and Discoveries Bible study classes we’ve talked about how Paul had this war going on within himself. He says, “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do!” (c.f. Romans 7: 15-20). Because for all of us some of the time, we are inconsistent with living out our faith, if we’re honest. We are hypocritical at times. We choose to say the right things and present ourselves as having a handle on the right things, but as soon as the shoe is on the other foot, all bets are off!
I can identify with the cute video featuring the dad who says to his kids, “No snacks before bed.” Then as soon as the kids are in bed asleep, what happens? Dad sits down in front of the TV with a plate full of nachos! With melted cheese! And a glass of beer!
There is good news, though, and it is Jesus’ main point. That even in our inconsistency, the important optic is not what other people see but what God sees in us. Remember, God looks on our heart. No matter what the world thinks, the optic that looks good to God is when our spiritual heart on the inside informs our physical conduct on the outside. When we strive to live humbly. And when we screw that up. When we don’t exalt ourselves like the way the world wants us to. Instead, when we let God exalt us for living with integrity, aligning ourselves with the faith we affirm.
The key is to let God be the one who exalts you. No one else. When we make efforts to live a God-worthy life, no matter what others see or what they think. When we put the well-being of others equal to our own. Jesus says God in secret will exalt you.
We are invited to not watch and learn from slick presenters of the faith who claim a special position in relationship with God and assume that God is on their side only. And who believe they have authority that is beyond human reach and excludes all others.
Instead, we are invited to learn from one teacher—that is Jesus. We are to have one God—that is God of our lives who emerges more and more in relationship with us as we grow more and more in faith. And we are urged to lead a life worthy of God as followers of Jesus, loving our neighbors and figuring out ways to coexist and get along with others.
Which takes me to the war between Israel and Hamas. As a follower of Jesus, I can’t support Hamas surprise attack on Israel. I can’t support Israel’s retaliation that slaughters the innocents, either. If we are followers of Jesus, I can’t see how we and leaders of our nation don’t call for a cease-fire. Calling for a humanitarian pause is just not good enough, unless it’s indefinite. I can’t see how we don’t use our immense power and resources to broker a diplomatic, two-state peace-treaty and not stop until it’s done. United States supporting only Israel is all about political optics, it seems to me. If we follow Jesus, our concern is about how God sees us, so we must help get the hostages out, and get these two religious states to come to peace and avoid another world-wide war.
If we follow Jesus, I can’t see how we do not call for the violence and hatred to cease and desist here in our own country. Acts of hatred toward students on campuses, children and families in our towns and cities must stop. But, it’s not enough to call for it to stop. I think we need to have a conversation about the history of racism and racist comments, of antisemitism, and Islamophobia. Conversations about how social media can radicalize extremist points of view.
As followers of Jesus, I can’t see how we don’t call for care and tenderness to people in our nation here at home who experience the ripple effects of the war in the Middle East.
There are people who say that makes us look weak. That love and care and tenderness and peace and justice is all “Kum-Bah-Yah” stuff and doesn’t carry enough force. That’s just optics, friends. Because we know we are not weak. But, we do have to use our resources and our power carefully, in God-worthy ways.
As followers of Jesus, the most concerning optic I think is how God sees us. God-worthy, faithful to God’s way of love, justice, and peace. Helping others to lead God-worthy, faithful lives. Helping others be good people.
The late Elie Wiesel, a Jewish Holocaust survivor once wrote, “By being a good Jew I am helping Christians be good Christians, and other people to be better adherents to whatever faith they profess” (Don't Just Sit There! | Homiletics Online, retrieved November 3, 2023). Now that’s the optic that looks best to God. People being good as God intended. Because in the world according to God, that’s how things work best. Amen.
