In my sermon yesterday I focused a lot on how faith in Jesus, which is exemplified with wading into the waters of baptism, is often taken for granted. Recent research, as I have pointed out before, is showing that only 5% of Americans worship on a regular basis (2/3 of the weeks of the year). Most people use religious institutions to get what they want – to baptize the kids or get married or for something else they need – and while this isn’t all wrong, it also isn’t the point. Faith is supposed to be life changing. Faith is supposed to be used to make the world a better place. Faith is supposed to be used for good. I have seen, especially in recent years, that quite the opposite is occurring – people are using God for too many wrong reasons. People are using God for selfish, evil purposes.
God is being used as an excuse to limit people’s rights. God is being used to condemn behaviors that some people disagree with, but where people are being their true selves. God is being used – has always been used, if we are going to be honest – to legislate against some and in favor of others. God should always be about what is good and loving; too many religious people are ignoring that command and using God as a weapon against those they fear or don’t understand. When God is weaponized, especially by those in government who have been elected to serve the public, not themselves, God becomes a source of punishment. That isn’t the God I learned about in Sunday School. That is a god of evil.
One thing I can tell you about the congregation I serve is that we always try to promote a Gospel of good. Not perfect – not always right – not always successful – but good. We are broken-hearted about what some ICE officers are doing to our brothers and sisters. We see our hard-working neighbors – even US citizens – hiding in fear. We are watching as self-righteous leaders are using our faith to create havoc, pushing people away from God rather than towards the Almighty. We need to stand with those who are being oppressed by these promoters of this false God. Our God – our amazing, creative, loving God – is about never doing harm, and always doing good. The difference between those two worldviews matters. Which God do you serve?
Prayer – Holy God, forgive us when we misuse use You – when we take Your name in vain – and help us to repent. Amen.
Today’s art is “God is Good” by Jeff White.