Cross Talk
Rev. Jay Rowland
Please note: Most of the terminology and ethos in the first six paragraphs of this sermon is reflective of the published work of Richard B. Hays in his commentary, First Corinthians-Interpretation (John Knox Press, 1997).
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (Good News Bible)
My friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you belonged to this world, as children in the Christian faith. 2 I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it, 3 because you still live as the people of this world live. When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, doesn't this prove that you belong to this world, living by its standards? 4 When one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos”—aren't you acting like worldly people?
5 After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? We are simply God's servants, by whom you were led to believe. Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do: 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow. 7 The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow. 8 There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done. 9 For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field.
Paul is addressing a divided Christian community in Corinth. It seems that some believers were valuing their own individual Christian faith and discipleship above others in the community. Religious elitism still crops up in Christian communities today as it has in every generation from the start. It happens whenever particular aspects of Christian faith receive more validation than other equally valid aspects, such as, well, there’s the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit for starters. Otherwise, such aspects as doctrinal orthodoxy, morality, scholarly training and expertise, and who knows, these days some may even consider their own political affiliation worthy of veneration.
Paul’s letter provides our earliest example of a careful pastoral response to this basic and recurring problem and impulse of human nature (elitism). Paul’s careful response is both simple and complex: the cross. For Paul the cross adheres the Christian community to “the mind of Christ” (see Philippians 2:1-13). God’s strange wisdom revealed through the cross exposes the dark side of human nature, particularly its opposition to God’s movement.
Those who move with the foolish wisdom of God tend to provoke the ire of the state, church, society and culture. The experiences of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, MLK jr, and Oscar Romero (to name only three) reveal as much. In other words, whenever the Spirit of God grabs hold of you with the mind of Christ, chances are the powers that be will be grabbing at you too.
And so it is that the arrogance and false wisdom of this world’s authorities oppose God’s plan for the spreading of the gospel throughout the world. Paul utilizes the metaphor of the church as God’s field to illuminate the identity of the (at first, Corinthian but now every) church and its leaders in two distinct ways. First, that the church is an interdependent community of people in a particular place and time, rather than an institution with a hierarchy and a formal structure. Second, Paul refers to the church as a cohesive being, built by the apostles and tested by fire rather than a collective of individual believers doing their own thing.
Spiritual individualism is all the rage these days. There’s no shortage of practitioners and influencers hoping to hook us with their superlative insights into personal well-being and contentment. Meanwhile, our current political climate is content to move us toward an (unapologetically) elitist society. A greater percentage of wealth continues to be concentrated among fewer and fewer people. Skyrocketing costs for health care and college are dismissed as either natural selection or the free-market doing its thing. Our once responsible Congress now appears more responsive to and concerned about protecting the interests of the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and the poor. All of this coming at a time of increasing spiritual individualism and a decline of moral integrity.
Paul seeks to provoke a reversal of the dominant perspective by appealing to God’s wisdom in the folly of the cross. It’s Paul’s intent to shake the Corinthians (and us) out of any infatuation with religious elitism. The (foolish) wisdom of the cross is God’s critique of every form of elitism--political, cultural, societal, governmental, religious. In Corinth, as today, beneath the jealousy, quarreling and division lurk serious questions about the practice and understanding of faith. People in every generation want to know just what is idolatry in their particular context? And, similarly, what does resurrection mean in a world where the representative powers-that-be appear hell-bent on destruction, or at best, ignoring all warnings and opportunities. Such important basic questions --or should I say answers--still provoke division in the church. To every generation Paul offers the cross as the paradigm by which to live while seeking answers to the vital questions of our time and our faith.
If none of this makes any sense, perhaps a story can better present what’s at stake:
Once upon a time there was a field of land, enormous and fertile, but undeveloped. This field was owned by a kind, generous person. When the owner realized that many people and families in the community didn’t have enough food to eat, the owner did not hesitate.
The owner decided to turn that enormous, vacant field into farmland and quickly called two trusted community leaders to do the important work required to transform a field of land into crops and food. One was given responsibility for the planting. The other was responsible for watering and nurturing the crop. Both would harvest the field come harvest season then give the food to every family and person in need.
Good news travels fast and the news of this endeavor was quickly known in the entire community. And as it did, people erupted with joy. Everyone who needed food would finally have enough to eat thanks to the care of these three people. It became a common sight to see folks venturing out to the field to cheer the work being done: the clearing, the plowing, the planting; the watering and the growing.
Joy and anticipation built as the planted seeds sprouted and the field became dotted with small green shoots forming neat rows throughout the vast field. Then the community settled in for the lengthening days of the growing season. As the crops grew, people exchanged pleasant conversation. The future of their community was bright. Day by day people looked forward to the harvest. All was well.
Nobody remembers exactly when it happened. It started out innocently enough of course. One day, like most days before, conversations were plentiful in all the common areas of the town offering repeated praises and appreciation for this great endeavor. One of the random conversations of normative appreciation mentioned the work of the one who cleared and plowed the field and planted the seed. Heads nodded in agreement even as they were preparing to offer their usual appreciation for the other servant and for the owner too.
But on this particular day one might have noticed some unusually loud clearing-of-throats and murmuring spreading among the crowd of nodding heads. Suddenly a voice could be heard above the others, taking offense that the other servant was overlooked and unappreciated. This was quickly and politely countered by numerous voices saying, “no no no … not at all, we are just as grateful for the watering and nurturing.” But apparently it was too late … the murmuring crowd quickly drowned out their reply. Insult had been declared and it was spreading like wildfire.
This was all unnecessary and immature of course, and yet it persisted. Soon people began declaring their allegiance, choosing sides and criticizing any on the so-called “other side”. They didn’t hesitate to pressure people to choose sides, particularly those who refused and tried to de-escalate the tension and conflict.
Soon both servants were being criticized for not publicly declaring their appreciation for the work of the other servant. When the owner of the field was openly criticized and blamed for causing this mess, it was clear this spat had reached the point of no return. Many people, perhaps even a majority, were caught in the middle. More and more people suffered from anxiety and stress taking a heavy toll on their health. Many felt they had no choice but to leave this community they loved so much.
“When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, you demonstrate that you belong to this world, living by its standards, rather than people who have received the Spirit of God.” Paul appeals to every generation: the cross of Jesus Christ calls for, commands, requires unity among those who have received the Spirit of God. At this critical time in our nation’s history and also in the life and history of the church his appeal seems perhaps more relevant than ever.
“For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field.”
