November 3, 2019
Ephesians 1:11-23
In May of 2002 I was able to mark something off of my bucket list because Amy and I were lucky enough to attend the 2002 Kentucky Derby Horse Race in Louisville, Kentucky. Growing up I watched the Derby on TV. I also knew it was one of those signature sports events in the US. So, when I learned that Amy’s Papaw and Nana, also known as Glen and Carol Queen, had six tickets to The Kentucky Derby I thought I might make it known that in the event they weren’t using all six of them I would be more than willing to attend with them. Well a couple of years went by after I made my interest in attending the Derby known, when her Papaw called to let Amy know that 2002 would be the year we get to go. You see, her grandparents didn’t just have those six tickets for one year, they actually had those six seats at Churchill Downs for the rest of their life.
I believe this was my first experience with sport specific lifetime ownership rights. It became clear to me that native Kentuckians knew a lot about these lifetime rights and all of the rules implemented by Churchill Downs to prevent any type of inheritance of the rights to those seats. They talked about the way people would create corporations or limited liability companies (“LLC’s”) to transfer ownership of those rights so that the seats/tickets to this coveted sporting event would always remain with the family. As a family we even talked about attempting this shortly after Amy & I returned home, but quite frankly the entire process seemed pretty convoluted and there was no guarantee it would work. To those horse racing lovers in Kentucky, though, not attempting to circumvent the no inheritance rules would be a crazy idea. To them, it seemed, the seats at Churchill Downs were so valuable that any attempt to leave them disinherited, was actually an opportunity for them to create ways to cement their rights to their inheritance.
Inheritances, you see, can be funny things. Some choose to live their whole lives in such a way that will ensure they receive their inheritance. While others live apart, doing their own thing, until they hear about the death, and then they swoop in. They show up and do their best to help with funeral arrangements, or anything else that might be helpful, while those who never actually lived apart look on knowing in their hearts the real reason for their return to family. That’s not to say everyone is not glad to see them, its just they know that without the promise of an inheritance such a reunion would never take place.
Because I’ve seen it too many times, I can stand here and tell you that the prospect of an inheritance makes some people do questionable things. It’s as though the prospective inheritance has its own power. So much so that just as often, the one under its control doesn’t even realize it, or at least they are not willing to acknowledge their real motivations.
The thing is, all of this power talk seems to only come into play when we reduce our understanding of inheritance to money, or things that can quickly be reduced to money. What might happen though when the focus of our inheritance talks turn to something else entirely. Yes, it is true, that when we talk about inheritance today, we are almost always talking about money, but I don’t think it has to be that way. I believe there is some other element of an inheritance that oftentimes gets lost. Something else that has even more value than money. Something else that you can claim as your own for your entire life. Something that you hand down to those who come after you, even though you may know always know you are handing it down.
This other element is really a way of life. A way focused on hope. A way focused on grace. A way focused on love and compassion. It is the gift of Jesus’ way and it is the inheritance of the people of the church.
*****************************
The word inheritance is repeated multiple times in verses 11-23 of the first chapter of Ephesians. Yet this letter wasn’t written to a particular individual, which I believe is important to know because the writer is addressing a collective inheritance, not an individual inheritance. This letter with its partial emphasis on inheritance was written to early followers of The Way. That same group better known today as the Christian Church. So, as much as this letter was written to those early members of the Church, it is written to us and I believe this particular section should serve as a reminder about our inheritance. As one theologian says regarding this particular text and its original audience, “… the author wishes to remind his audience of their place in the world.”[1] Which, to me, also seems a fitting reminder to the people who make up the church today.
There can be no denying that the western Christian church has lost much of its clout. “Some of this loss is due to a less religious age, in which people’s needs (spiritual and otherwise) are met in other ways besides the local, ecclesial community. Declining attendance throughout the nation is one outcome of this situation. Equally significant is the presence and effect of scandals that plague the church community. From child abuse to support of unethical political leaders, the church has misplaced its loyalties unable to match its actions with its verbal commitment to follow the Jesus who resides on the side of the least of these.”[2]
It could easily be said that the church has misused its inheritance and manipulated others for its own economic and political gain. Believing that you have inherited the only keys to the kingdom can be intoxicating and that intoxication can lead to cruel and exclusive behavior. Such behavior is more aligned with those in power than it is with those who stand with and stand up for the least of these. Aligning oneself with those in power who speak in oppressive tongues and take steps to oppress others, all in the name of God, is a misuse of the inheritance left to followers of The Way.
We need to join the writer in his prayer to God for wisdom and revelation and enlightened eyes. Our world needs the church to claim its true inheritance. An inheritance that enlarges its capacity for grace and compassion and hope and love. Our world needs to see that the church understands exactly what it has inherited. Our world needs to see, in concrete ways, the church taking actions that are driven by grace, hope, compassion and love, for that is what the church inherited.
*****************************
Inheritances are funny things. They have the power to make people circumvent rules so that only they, and their family reap the its benefits. Inheritances are also important things with great positive promise. It is past time for the Church, the followers of The Way to claim its true inheritance of love – of compassion – of hope and of grace. Otherwise we must ask ourselves if we are really a church at all.
[PRAYER]
Amen!
[1] Powery, Emerson, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=4269
[2] Id.
Ephesians 1:11-23
In May of 2002 I was able to mark something off of my bucket list because Amy and I were lucky enough to attend the 2002 Kentucky Derby Horse Race in Louisville, Kentucky. Growing up I watched the Derby on TV. I also knew it was one of those signature sports events in the US. So, when I learned that Amy’s Papaw and Nana, also known as Glen and Carol Queen, had six tickets to The Kentucky Derby I thought I might make it known that in the event they weren’t using all six of them I would be more than willing to attend with them. Well a couple of years went by after I made my interest in attending the Derby known, when her Papaw called to let Amy know that 2002 would be the year we get to go. You see, her grandparents didn’t just have those six tickets for one year, they actually had those six seats at Churchill Downs for the rest of their life.
I believe this was my first experience with sport specific lifetime ownership rights. It became clear to me that native Kentuckians knew a lot about these lifetime rights and all of the rules implemented by Churchill Downs to prevent any type of inheritance of the rights to those seats. They talked about the way people would create corporations or limited liability companies (“LLC’s”) to transfer ownership of those rights so that the seats/tickets to this coveted sporting event would always remain with the family. As a family we even talked about attempting this shortly after Amy & I returned home, but quite frankly the entire process seemed pretty convoluted and there was no guarantee it would work. To those horse racing lovers in Kentucky, though, not attempting to circumvent the no inheritance rules would be a crazy idea. To them, it seemed, the seats at Churchill Downs were so valuable that any attempt to leave them disinherited, was actually an opportunity for them to create ways to cement their rights to their inheritance.
Inheritances, you see, can be funny things. Some choose to live their whole lives in such a way that will ensure they receive their inheritance. While others live apart, doing their own thing, until they hear about the death, and then they swoop in. They show up and do their best to help with funeral arrangements, or anything else that might be helpful, while those who never actually lived apart look on knowing in their hearts the real reason for their return to family. That’s not to say everyone is not glad to see them, its just they know that without the promise of an inheritance such a reunion would never take place.
Because I’ve seen it too many times, I can stand here and tell you that the prospect of an inheritance makes some people do questionable things. It’s as though the prospective inheritance has its own power. So much so that just as often, the one under its control doesn’t even realize it, or at least they are not willing to acknowledge their real motivations.
The thing is, all of this power talk seems to only come into play when we reduce our understanding of inheritance to money, or things that can quickly be reduced to money. What might happen though when the focus of our inheritance talks turn to something else entirely. Yes, it is true, that when we talk about inheritance today, we are almost always talking about money, but I don’t think it has to be that way. I believe there is some other element of an inheritance that oftentimes gets lost. Something else that has even more value than money. Something else that you can claim as your own for your entire life. Something that you hand down to those who come after you, even though you may know always know you are handing it down.
This other element is really a way of life. A way focused on hope. A way focused on grace. A way focused on love and compassion. It is the gift of Jesus’ way and it is the inheritance of the people of the church.
*****************************
The word inheritance is repeated multiple times in verses 11-23 of the first chapter of Ephesians. Yet this letter wasn’t written to a particular individual, which I believe is important to know because the writer is addressing a collective inheritance, not an individual inheritance. This letter with its partial emphasis on inheritance was written to early followers of The Way. That same group better known today as the Christian Church. So, as much as this letter was written to those early members of the Church, it is written to us and I believe this particular section should serve as a reminder about our inheritance. As one theologian says regarding this particular text and its original audience, “… the author wishes to remind his audience of their place in the world.”[1] Which, to me, also seems a fitting reminder to the people who make up the church today.
There can be no denying that the western Christian church has lost much of its clout. “Some of this loss is due to a less religious age, in which people’s needs (spiritual and otherwise) are met in other ways besides the local, ecclesial community. Declining attendance throughout the nation is one outcome of this situation. Equally significant is the presence and effect of scandals that plague the church community. From child abuse to support of unethical political leaders, the church has misplaced its loyalties unable to match its actions with its verbal commitment to follow the Jesus who resides on the side of the least of these.”[2]
It could easily be said that the church has misused its inheritance and manipulated others for its own economic and political gain. Believing that you have inherited the only keys to the kingdom can be intoxicating and that intoxication can lead to cruel and exclusive behavior. Such behavior is more aligned with those in power than it is with those who stand with and stand up for the least of these. Aligning oneself with those in power who speak in oppressive tongues and take steps to oppress others, all in the name of God, is a misuse of the inheritance left to followers of The Way.
We need to join the writer in his prayer to God for wisdom and revelation and enlightened eyes. Our world needs the church to claim its true inheritance. An inheritance that enlarges its capacity for grace and compassion and hope and love. Our world needs to see that the church understands exactly what it has inherited. Our world needs to see, in concrete ways, the church taking actions that are driven by grace, hope, compassion and love, for that is what the church inherited.
*****************************
Inheritances are funny things. They have the power to make people circumvent rules so that only they, and their family reap the its benefits. Inheritances are also important things with great positive promise. It is past time for the Church, the followers of The Way to claim its true inheritance of love – of compassion – of hope and of grace. Otherwise we must ask ourselves if we are really a church at all.
[PRAYER]
Amen!
[1] Powery, Emerson, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=4269
[2] Id.
