i wanna shout at the light

it's comin' over me now

A sermon for Trinity Sunday on Galatians 5:13-26

Describing the Christian life, Paul says something pretty, well, provocative. He writes, “Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh.” 

Nothing too surprising thus far. But then Paul goes on to say, “for these are opposed to each other to PREVENT you from doing what you want.” To prevent you from doing what you want?!? Can you imagine a tougher sell??? In contrast to those well-meaning sales pitches Christians like us toss around, Paul says Christianity will actually only prevent you from doing what you want!

…This really isn’t too far-fetched, though. In fact, even everyday sinner/saints like you and me have experienced this. The truth is, our day-to-day existence is frustrated. The thing, though, is you and I have been baptized into this reality from early on. Therefore, it’s hard for us to notice. Even when we’re actively being prevented from doing what we want!

Often, to illustrate such a point, I might appeal to some bit of popular culture. But, in this case, I don’t need to! I can just have you think of your own life. Specifically, those transitional moments. Times like adolescence—that passage from childhood to teenage. Or, there’s young adult to middle-age. And then there's adult to senior-citizen, too! 

Honestly, most of life is made up of transitions. You’re probably going through one right now, in fact! The thing, though, is these passages are so uncomfortable for us that we almost always try to avoid them. And the reason these moments are so unpleasant is that it’s impossible for us to do what we want when we’re in the middle of them!

Take adolescence, for instance. What’s hard about this period of life is that you’re caught between two different stages, childhood and teenage. And these stages are so different from one another that no matter what you do, you can’t do what you want! If you keep acting like a child, you risk being left behind. But, the reason you want to hold on is that childhood is the life you’ve come to know!

What’s hard about these threshold moments of life is that you’re pulled on either side of them. And no matter which way you go, there’ll be discomfort! The discomfort of staying behind and the discomfort of letting go. 

As it turns out, it’s no different with your life in Christ, either! The radical statement Paul makes is, without Jesus, we could have adjusted ourselves to life without redemption. It might not have been much of an existence, but theoretically, it could have been done. Now that you’ve received Jesus’ Spirit in baptism, though, you can’t make peace with that! Jesus’ Spirit dwelling within you won’t let you! 

Paul was right! You cannot do what you want! On account of Christ, you are stuck between two realms, the Flesh and the Spirit! And, what’s worse, these two realms will never be reconciled to each other. Worse still, you cannot change this. But, the sooner you know that the sooner you’ll know what it means to call Jesus the Great Redeemer!

In the end, what’s really hard about those transitional moments of life isn’t being caught between two worlds. Although that is hard. What’s really hard  about these moments is letting go of the old one. 

And here’s the rub, in Christ, that old unredeemed life in the Flesh has been nailed to the cross (Col 2:14). It’s over. You can’t go back. Admittedly, that’s hard. But here’s the Good News, therein lies your only hope!
When you’re so caught in the middle that you can’t do anything, you’re finally ready for God to do everything! When you’re so stuck between the Flesh and the Spirit that you really can’t do what you want, you’re actually able to let Jesus do what he wants! When you’re trapped between that rock of the tombstone of life in the flesh and the hard place of that stone rolled away, you’re right where the Holy Spirit brings you freedom every time! 

The Holy Spirit that led Jesus to the cross. The Holy Spirit that raised him from the dead! The Holy Spirit that rolled the stone away! The Holy Spirit that brings an end to your predicament by putting an end to you. And then, right in the very middle of that, just goes ahead and hands over to you a new beginning in Christ, free and easy!

The truth is, Paul does offer moral advice. But it’s not morals like we think of them. Christian morality, as it turns out, is nothing more than life in reality. And the fact of the matter is, you’re stuck in the middle!

But, here’s the deal, that’s right where God wants you! It’s right where Christ meets you! Yes, you may be stuck in the middle. But you’re not there alone. No, you’re stuck in the middle with Christ! 

And this, finally, is the really provocative thing Paul says! Not that we can’t do what we want. That’s just describing reality. The really provocative thing Paul says is, God intends for this! God intends for this so that when you can’t do what you want you’ll finally want to pray, “Thy will be done!” And when that happens, you, at long last, will be swept along with what already happened to you in your baptism, anyway! 

Yes, I know, for the time being, it makes life a little harder. But isn’t it infinitely better than the alternative?