November 1, 2020
“Find Out What it Means to Me”
Matthew 23:1-12
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Here is the conundrum which we face each week. I get to wear this robe and about my shoulders is this stole. Both have some significance but it sets me apart. Rev. Lisa wears a white robe. Nevertheless, here in front of this congregation we wear these robes.
I remember one time, a good friend in the congregation saw me in the narthex and I was wearing a suit and tie and she remarked that she hardly recognized me since I was not wearing a black robe. Yes, I get to wear this robe. I get to wear it around here for worship but to do so in other settings detracts from its presence and probably would cause most to question why I wore it to J Liu’s or to Starbucks.
My understanding of the origin of robes was to make the preacher NOT be the center of attention, to make him or her to NOT be a fashion magnate and that the focus of ones attention on the preacher or worship leader was to be the Word which was spoken, not the fancy suit or these days, dress which the preacher wore.
Originally there was to be no decoration to this robe though preachers with Doctorates will often wear the chevrons of a Doctorate upon their sleeves. Today we have stoles which set us apart. As Rev. Bowersock wears stoles also, because she too is ordained. But, the sky will not fall in if she wears stoles nor if, for example I wear sandals. (By the way, I was at another church recently and here it was in late October and the Youth pastor was wearing sandals and a Hoodie and I wanted to say, “Dude I was wearing hand made sandals before you were born,” but I resisted.)
We preachers have very little to “one-up” each other about….I mean, how fashion conscious can one get with a black robe?
But it signifies one thing; that the worship leader is in the house. And this is where Jesus calls the scribes and Pharisees to task. Here is the problem.
Jesus does indeed admit and urges the people to show due respect to the worship leaders whom he says, “sit on Moses’ seat.” Which means they are in a legitimate line of succession for teaching knowledge of the Torah in the synagogues. Make no mistake, Jesus says they have a right to be there and the people have an obligation to follow their rightful worship leadership. Where Jesus has a problem is that he feels the worship leaders live a life of “do as I say, not as I do.”
One of the issues which sets them apart from the populace is that they wear their robes in public to distinguish themselves. They take overly obvious pleasure in being addressed as “rabbi” in the marketplace. (and by the way…Rabbi means “my great one.”) They make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
The same is being said about the fringes of the prayer shawl, which they wear around their shoulders. They have fringes, but to make them longer and fancier is to stray from the original intent which was NOT to be too flashy, too noticeable. This counsel was given to Moses in Deuteronomy.
So, Jesus calls out the worship leaders for drawing attention to themselves through their fancy worship accouterments. He questions whether they should seek places of honor at public functions or should take too much delight at being called Rabbi. I get it every week, two or three times…what should we call you…Rev. or Father or Rev Bob, Rev. Tussing? In the public sphere, what are you to call me and do I INSIST that I get called that? I’ll let you in on a little secret…I struggle with this a bit. I have no need to be called the Reverend and in social gatherings I certainly do not address myself as that…BUT…I have come to realize that people feel very, very uncomfortable when, a few minutes later or an hour later, they find out that I AM a Reverend. It’s like people almost feel deceived by me…because when they do find out that I am a Reverend I can see their brain functioning and they are asking two things.
- Did they say anything that was unbecoming to
Them selves in front of this minister. I can see them going over their entire conversation with me for the past hour at warp speed wondering if they commented about a sexy actress or made a comment about not liking to go to church..
- Or second, they are trying to remember if they slapped me on the back and called me Bobby or Hey You and thus offended me by not using whatever title it is that I must be addressed.
- Oh,And there is a third….you can see them cringe when they find out that I am a clergyman and they are standing there holding a beer.
So, maybe I am at fault sometimes for NOT being upfront as to who I am…for NOT seeking status … and should be more forthcoming as to who I am for the sake of the newly-acquainted’s peace of mind.
Perhaps, when we are in social settings and you who know me and introduce me to non church people…maybe you should be up front and introduce me by saying the following: This is Rev. Bob…he drinks beer, doesn’t mind being called Tuss, and you can’t shock him because he used to live in Berkeley, California.
So, this whole clergy and what-we-should-call-them and what-to-wear IS an issue. It’s a personal ego thing, which we all get in the middle of.
But the larger issue which Jesus addresses is in verse #4 which reads: They tie up heavy burdens hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
It’s called caring for the poor and the marginalized and just what it is we focus on as a congregation or what the clergy cares for and what he and she does to help alleviate those burdens. Jesus said that the worship leaders would talk the talk of helping the poor but they did not walk the walk of actually helping, and in fact, they made things even worse.
Drawing undo attention to themselves. Not walking the walk. That last sentence pretty much sums up a great deal of the issues that God had with the children of Israel. And the ones that Jesus had with the worship leaders of his day. As a present day clergyman…I takes Jesus words mighty seriously…and…so should we all. Amen