August 21, 2011, Jenny Shultz
“More than Meets the Eye”
N.T. Wright shares a famous Jewish story in his book After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters. He says “There once was a rabbi who had a phenomenal reputation for thinking logically and clearly in any and all circumstances. To put him to the test, his students took him out one evening and sent him to sleep by plying him with strong drink. Then they carried him to a graveyard and laid him out neatly in front of a tombstone. They kept watch to see what he would say on waking. When the great man came to, his logic didn’t falter for a moment. “Point one,” he said: “If I am alive, why am I lying in a graveyard? Point two: If I am dead, why do I want to go to the bathroom?” Even in these bizarre circumstances his head was as clear as ever.
“Character,” says Wright, “is the human equivalent of the writing that runs right through a stick of Brighton Rock candy. Famously, with that kind of seaside candy, the identifying word (“Brighton,” or whatever) isn’t simply printed on the top of the candy, so that after you’d sucked or bitten at the first half-inch you wouldn’t be able to see it anymore. No: the word goes all the way through. Wherever you cut the stick, or bite into it, the letters will always be there.” “Character” in the sense which it is often assigned in the New Testament is the pattern of thinking and acting which runs right through someone, so that wherever you cut into them (as it were), you see the same person through and through.”
Paul’s words to the Romans call for such a character as this insisting upon transformation of the mind, body and spirit. Wright goes on to say that just as the candy doesn’t automatically have writing that goes all the way through, neither do the vital signs of a healthy Christian life come about automatically. Someone has to manufacture the candy that way. “In the same way”, he writes, “Christian character has to be developed, you have to work at it, you have to think about it, to make conscious choices to allow the Holy Spirit to form your character.”
In these words to the Romans we hear a threefold message from the Apostle Paul: 1.) he reminds the church of God’s mercy & grace, calling them to “respond” by offering themselves to God 2.) he calls them to live as children of God set apart from the world, and to be transformed that they might live by God’s will 3.) he calls them to be humble servants, not thinking more highly of themselves than they ought, and to live as part of the body of Christ- the community of the church.
In verse 1, we have a “therefore,” which signifies that something important has just been said. In this case Paul includes everything he has just spoken from chapters 1-11. Mark Reasoner, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN reminds us of “the mercies of God” to which Paul is referring in vs. 1.
Freedom from death (5:12-21)
- Freedom from sin (6:1-23)
- Freedom from a dysfunctional relationship to the law that fosters sin (7:6-25)
- The gift of the Spirit (8:1-17)
- God's plan to conform believers to the Son (8:29), and
- God's faithfulness to keep promises, especially those made to Israel (11:25-29).
It's like Paul is saying at the beginning of Romans 12, "Since God has given such wonderful mercies to us, the least we can do is present our bodies to God!" Paul goes on to speak about the call to be transformed in vs. 2.
In contemporary culture we don’t hear the word “transformation” as it relates to the human process very often. At United Church we are fortunate to hear testimonies of Transformation from each other during various seasons in the church year. We might also occasionally hear an emotional testimony about a friend or family member who has been through a dramatic experience and has emerged as a transformed person- shedding their old ways and habits and living by new standards... or someone whose near death experience was transformative for them...a catalyst for change, but it’s actually rare in our everyday experiences to hear someone talk about the process of being transformed.
Perhaps you are familiar with the term transformation as it has to do with the molecular biology of cells. In the field of molecular biology “transformation is known as the genetic alteration of a cell resulting from the incorporation and expression of exogenous genetic material or DNA. Transformation occurs most commonly in bacteria, and Bacteria that are capable of being transformed, whether naturally or artificially, are called competent. Competence is the ability of a cell to take up extracellular ("naked") DNA from its environment.
We are probably most aware of the role of transformation in the formation of cancer cells. Carcin\o\genesis or onco\genesis is literally the creation of cancer. It is a process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells. It is characterized by a progression of changes on cellular and genetic levels that ultimately reprogram a cell to undergo uncontrolled cell division- creating a mass.
Now, I know this will mean exposure of my absolute and utter sophistication on the issue, but though the transformation of cellular tissue is completely fascinating to me, it’s not the first thing that popped into my mind when thinking about “Transformation”. When I first read the text for this week I immediately heard the words: “More than meets the Eye” in my head. I can’t help but recall my childhood experiences with mechanical robots that quickly turned into flashy vehicles and super heroes like optimus prime, the autobots and the evil decepticons. Hopefully, some of you know exactly what I’m talking about. I have to say that I was way more into playing with my brother’s transformers than my own barbie dolls or cappage patch kids.... i mean what did Barbie have to offer after all: perfect hair, cute outfits, a man-friend named Ken who had plastic hair, a pink house!?... Come on! Transformers were amazing- PLAY (http://youtu.be/_AIFoBRIny0)
Transformers: “More than Meets the Eye”, Hi, I’m Barbie, Skinniest woman alive?! But, no... these transformers were so appealing. I mean, they were a crime stopping hero running on two legs and all the sudden they were making an exit get-away on four wheels. I think my real fascination with them was just knowing that they were mysterious- in a good way...i mean they were able to change...into something seemingly better than who they were in their original forms. Honestly, what 6 year-old doesn’t pretend to swirl around in a telephone booth, suddenly emerging caped in their glory...jumping off the back of the couch in faith that they’ll soar above the clouds as Superman! For a child, there is a certain luster about becoming someone else...wearing 6 inch stillettos, bright purple lipstick, a candy necklace and your grandmother’s brass hand me down clip-ons? Or even cops and robbers...there’s nothing better than a naked baby with holsters on! Who doesn’t like being transformed into someone who can fly, who can rise above the earthly limitations that chain us to our humanity...and, ultimately, change the world?
Now I’m sure Paul’s letters to the Romans weren’t transcribed with molecular biological codes and certainly weren’t glittered with flying robots or under-functioning barbie dolls, but I do think his appeal to the church has something to do with both of these very primal examples.
To me, it is disturbingly ironic that one of the most intricately complex physiological transformations within the molecular world is also the most deadly for humankind...creating a disease that kills more people each year than any other. As scientists seek to fully understand the transformation process and the complexities of malignant and non-malignant mutations seeking a life-saving solution...we, the church, are seeking to be transformed... a similar type of re-programming-and not with a new genetic make-up with new DNA resulting in new physical differences, chemical compositions, or even intellectual nuances... No, Paul’s plea to the church to be transformed, was a plea of commitment, commitment of their bodies, their souls, their entire beings to God. He asked them to undergo a certain transformation, not unlike that of a single cell whose competence allows it to take on certain extracellular DNA... we are called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds...to take on the character & righteousness of Christ.
I think one of the biggest difficulties for us in hearing this call to be transformed, is based on our belief that “we must be in control” and that “our super-ego must find a way to figure this out. Keep in mind that Paul’s first request is preceded by a reminder of God’s faithfulness. The book of Romans is full of evidence of a loving, present and forgiving God who does not ask us to walk this road alone. In the latter part of the text we hear the second part of the “how to” piece that we’ve been waiting for. We know the “what” the “why” and the “initial step of the how to”.. to yield our spirits, the desire to be transformed... but this part is essential. Paul says “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” We are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.”
As you know, I recently took 13 teenagers to Germany and Italy to experience life with our sister church in Cologne Pesche. It was a remarkable two weeks, our youth are amazing individuals...that’s right they are amazing “individuals”.... i’m not sure if it was the blue shirt mob mentality or the “line-up or else” walking through Florence with a herd of 60 people that finally broke them, but - finally, they became a team! They are one body...an amazing group of youth!
It is not without reason that I think primarily of children’s examples when contemplating and working through this call to Christian character, to be transformed. Who else defines for us the the very ego implicit in each of us that seeks to be “the hero”, the change agent, the rescuer, the protector, the brave one..., the through and through Good person? I wonder Why we are so ready to play dress-up when we are five years-old, but struggle to dress-up for work each day as an adult? How do we find ourselves draped with capes, caked with fake eyelashes, atop a mountain with a victory flag one day and at home on the couch, the next? What is it about our humanity that innately drives us to be transformed into someone else...? That is until...we find out that being transformed means never going back. It means taking a step out onto the water ready to leave the boat behind. Rick preached 2 weeks about Peter and his experience of getting out of the boat, and sinking... and then about the outstretched arm of the one who has called us into this transformational living.
We’ve somehow created the illusion that we can no longer believe the bit about being transformed, that perhaps we aren’t capable of stepping out onto the water... of the life to which God has called us to, that perhaps God was calling someone else to be the hero, the good one, the brave one, that maybe life in the boat isn’t so bad after all. For some of us taking that first step onto the water means “isolation”...leaving the boat means leaving a life, whether full or destitute, that we have known and that regardless of it’s richness is “safe”. But friends.... The boat is not safe.... the boat is sinking with or without us on board.
The How-to... is clearly defined... “we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” The load isn’t getting lighter, job losses are not lessening, fanatical candidates are not weakening, poverty and hunger are no less existent in our neighborhoods as in the third world, anger and grief continue to bind our souls into ever thirsty, broken people who long for transformation...to be led down the path of mercy...to sit at the feet of the one whose arms are reaching out for us. We are not alone, we weren’t meant to follow Jesus on our own, and we won’t make it on our own.
“Present your bodies as living sacrifices...Yield your spirits to God, Be transformed by the renewing of your minds- by the diligent pursuance of a God whose love is great enough to transform your suffering into steadfast joy, your brokenness into peace-filled forgiveness, your anger into abundant grace”. Paul says, “be transfomed....and you will be able to discern what the will of God is- what is good and acceptable and perfect.” May it be so. Amen.
