Means of Grace: Did the Pharisees wear black hats?

Series: Means of Grace - ServiceScripture: Deuteronomy 10:12-22; Matthew 12:1-14Title: Did Pharisees wear black hats?Last week I talked some about the Lone Ranger. My point was that while we admire our heroes - like the Lone Ranger, Batman and Spiderman - we also sort of pity them. We admire them for being loners, and for being strong in situations that most of us would not be so courageous. And that we pity them because we know that there is no reason to be a lone ranger. We know as Christians that we do not need to be alone. We feel God’s grace through others, and are encouraged and strengthened by being with those we love. But I’ve been thinking about the Lone Ranger a little more, and realized that there is another thing we like about the Lone Ranger.He was good. He was unambiguously good. And he fought evil - no matter what. We watched a world on TV that was full of good guys and bad guys. We knew who was who to cheer for. We knew who to admire. That is a part of why we like shows like the Lone Ranger, because we like knowing who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. When the world is like that, we can feel safer, because then all we need to do is avoid the bad guys.The writer of Matthew probably would have liked the Lone Ranger. He would have liked how cut and dry things were in that show. He would have liked that the bad guys wore black hats and the good guys wore white hats. Because if the Gospel of Matthew were a western, the Pharisees would have definitely worn black hats.There is no question in Matthew who the bad guys were. It was those Pharisees, that conniving brood of vipers. They were hypocrites, and they were always trying to get Jesus caught in traps. They could not stand Jesus, and in the story we read today they were the first to conclude that Jesus must die. But who were the Pharisees? Why did they hate Jesus so much? Were they really that evil? Would they have really worn black hats?In the story that was read today, they sure come out looking pretty bad. What does Jesus do in this story? First he and his friends eat a little something when they are hungry. That doesn’t seem like a huge grievance. Then Jesus heals somebody. This is a good thing - why would anyone in their right mind condemn Jesus for healing somebody? He helped someone - how could this possibly be seen as a bad thing. The only people that could see this as bad are clearly opposed to anything that is good. The Pharisees, for condemning Jesus for healing, are obviously no good themselves.But is it really that simple? Jesus was trying to help somebody, and the Pharisees were upset with him for it. Were they upset that he helped someone? No - they were upset because he broke the Sabbath. So before we condemn the Pharisees for their action, lets try and see things from their perspective for a moment.The Pharisees dedicated their lives to studying, understanding, and knowing Scripture. They poured over the texts which we now call the Old Testament. They read and reread the law. They analyzed it and discussed it. They interpreted every nuance of the over 700 commandments found in books like Deuteronomy and Leviticus. They probably new the law better than anyone else. Why? Because they believed that the Law was a gift from God, and they believed that the best way to encounter God - the best way to know God - the best way to pleas God - was to do what God said to do in the Law.There were some that believed that the Temple was the center of religious life. These men were called Saducees - and they show up in the gospels at times too, always wearing black hats. The Saducees and Pharisees were bitter rivals. The Saducees believed that God lived in the Temple, and that the only way to please God was through Temple sacrifice. The Pharisees on the other hand said, "no," every home can be a Temple. Every body can be a Temple. Wherever people followed the law, that place was holy. Whoever followed the law, that person was holy. There was no need for the Temple, because the law preceded the Temple, and as long as they had the law, then they had God. You see, the Pharisees believed that every person could have a relationship with God, with or without the Temple. They believed that every person could encounter God within their own hearts. This really wasn’t all that different from Jesus.The law was extremely important to them because it was through the law that people could encounter God. The problem was that the law was not always clear and precise. Even laws that seem clear like Do not Murder are not that clear. What is murder? When is killing someone murder and when is it self-defense. What about soldiers? These were the kinds of things the Pharisees argued about, even amongst themselves.One of these such laws that seemed clear was the law of the Sabbath. The law says to keep the Sabbath holy, but what does that mean? The Pharisees debated this. They debated it not because they were a heartless brood of vipers, but because they believed that it was important. To them, following the law was the best way to encounter God. The Law was their primary means of Grace. So they argued about what it meant to keep the Sabbath holy. Can you work? No, but what is work? Is walking work? IF so, how far? Do we have to stay in bed and do nothing? Is going to the Temple work? Is prayer work? Can you eat? Yes, but how do you get food if you cannot work? Is fixing bread work? Is eating something prepared the day before work? It seems obvious that harvesting in a field is work, but what about plucking a few heads off of some grain to eat? Can you heal? Well, is there any labor involved? These were the things the Pharisees debated. And the Pharisees disagreed.There were some that were more strict than others. So when Jesus healed, were they upset because he helped someone? No - they were upset because they feared that he violated the Sabbath. And worse, they feared that this man was infringing on their territory. This argument really had nothing to do with healing - it had to do with authority. Who should people listen to in matters of the law. Should people listen to the Pharisees, who had spent their whole life studying it and had gained a respected place in society, or should they listen to this peasant from the sticks?The Pharisees were not against helping someone, but they were fearful. They were fearful of the law. They had distorted the very law they had sought to protect. In defending the law above all else, they had forgotten why the law was given in first place. The law was given to help people. And in their fear of losing respect and losing power they forgot this. Their fear kept them from seeing what Jesus had truly done. All they could see was a violation of the law instead of seeing Jesus helping another human being. Were they bad guys? Well, if you judge them solely by their actions, then yes - they look pretty bad. But if you judge them by their motivation, then they aren’t so much bad as they are misguided and fearful. Their motivation was to protect the law at all costs and in so doing they lost sight of what their real motivation should have been - to help people.The Pharisees believed that the way to encounter God was to follow the law, but Jesus revealed to us the real way to encounter God. The means of Grace that we have talked about these last few weeks include worship, studying the Bible, prayer, coming to the Lord’s Supper, and meeting with other Christians. In this story Jesus reveals to us another means of Grace - another way to encounter God - by helping someone in need. Jesus saw the need of the man and he helped him. He was not fearful of the law. He simply healed the man because he needed to be healed. The Pharisees, on the other hand, allowed fear to get in the way.When we read this story it is easy to see the Pharisees and condemn them as evil, but I think if we were honest we would realize that most of the time we are more like the Pharisees then we are like Jesus. Jesus saw someone in need of help, so he helped the man. He helped him without hesitation - without fear. We all know that it is important to help others, but we don’t always do it. And why not? We, like the Pharisees, are fearful. We are fearful we will be hurt. We are fearful that we will be taken advantage of. We are fearful that our help will go unrewarded or unappreciated.When we help someone another human being, when we help someone in need, we encounter God. We experience grace by the grace that we are extending to another person. And most of us know that. Think of the times in your life that you helped someone - the times that you were truly selfless, put aside any fear and just helped somebody. I know that you have had times like that. Think about the feelings you had - the freedom that comes from helping someone when there is no benefit for yourself. Those times - that feeling - is a touch of the divine.We all know that when we help someone in need that it feels good. So the question is, do we do it enough? Are there times when we refuse help? Are there times when we, like Jesus and the Pharisees, see the man with the withered hand, but choose the path the Pharisees chose - the path of fear. Are there times when we shy away from helping someone? Of course there are. None of us do all that we can to help others.There are times when I see someone on the side of the highway. They’re pulled over and probably in need of some help. I know how to change a tire, I have a cell phone, I have some money for gas and a gas can. There are times when I see people in need of help, but not once have I ever stopped. Why not? I know that it would feel good to help. I know that Jesus would want me to help. But I don’t because of fear. I am afraid that the people will actually try to harm me. I am afraid that I will be late to whatever I’m going to. I am afraid - so I keep driving. Was it a wise decision? Probably. Was it the right decision? I don’t know.The other day someone called our home. He told me his mother died, and that he was in Florida and was trying to get back home. He said his car broke down, and that he needed money for a bus ticket. Instead of wiring the money right away I was cautious. I was afraid that he was trying to take advantage of me. I was afraid that he would waste my limited resources. So I looked into the situation a little more and realized he was lying to me. So I didn’t help him. Was it a wise decision? Probably. Was it the right decision? I don’t know. Maybe he really did need help. Maybe if I had sent him money he could have gotten out of a jam. But I’ll never know.So how do we help? How do we see the withered hand and see only someone in need, and not all the things to be afraid of? For one we have faith. We keep step out in faith knowing that sometimes things aren’t going to work out. Sometimes our help will go unrewarded. Sometimes our help will be wasted. Sometimes our fears will come true. But we help anyway knowing that it is what God would have us do. Secondly, we act as a church to make sure that our help is safeguarded.We give to the United Methodist Church’s ministries because we trust that the church will use the resources well. We trust that the church will give the help where the help is needed. And that is a well-earned trust. We can trust our help is being used wisely when we help through the church. And we work together to make our help count. We give to the Chenoa Food Pantry and the Community Clothes Closet - both of these things are great community resources that help people truly in need. But the best way to help others is to seek out relationship with people. Don’t just give someone a handout, give them your hand.But above all, we just keep trying. We just keep helping as much as we can. We help out of love. We help without judgment, knowing that those we help often did nothing to deserve their lot. We help in humility, knowing that we are one pink slip or one diagnosis or one bad storm away from needing the help ourselves. We help in mutuality, knowing that we can learn much and gain much from those who are supposedly less fortunate. And we help with persistence, knowing that no matter how much we do, we can still do more. And we help with hope, knowing that someday the final victory will be won, and we are just doing our small part.So help someone, and don’t think that you can’t do it. You can help someone. There are ways that all of us could help more. Think about it honestly. Think about it in prayer. We shouldn’t beat ourselves up for not doing enough, we should just concentrate on what we can do now. So think of something. Challenge yourself. Don’t let fear stop you, and just help. Amen.