CORINTH

-Sermon Notes-

February 23, 2025

 

“Contagion!”

(Genesis 45:3-11,15/Luke 6:27-38)

      Have you been a victim of “contagion” this winter?  You know…coughing, sneezing and the like?  In this context, being contagious, or being a victim of contagion is often a bad deal.  However, the idea of contagion can also be quite positive.  For example, social scientists, particularly those who study body language, have found that emotions are contagious.  If I smile, my emotion becomes your emotion (you smile as well, or at least-feel happy.)   Conversely, if I frown, through contagion you experience emotional sadness.   With this idea of contagion, I suggest Jesus has some important and practical things to say to us this morning.

     From our Luke passage, Jesus tells us to live differently from what is patterned by the world.  In verse 29, Jesus tells us to “turn the other cheek” if someone slaps us on the right cheek.  For the people listening to Jesus that day, a slap on the right cheek wasn’t perceived as a violent physical act. Instead, to be slapped on the right cheek was a way to insult someone.  So Jesus isn’t just telling us to avoid physical violence, he is also instructing us not to return an insult with an insult.  This puts an end to escalation, and denotes a desire for peace and reconciliation.  When we refuse to insult, that example becomes a contagion-spreading to others.  Jesus’ words in this reading provide more instruction on how our deeds may become contagious to others, thereby promoting the Kingdom of God (love your enemies, be merciful to others, do not judge.)

     From Joseph (in the Genesis reading) we find another example of contagion.  Despite being dumped into a pit and eventually sold-off to slavery due to their jealousy, several years down the road Joseph refuses retribution on his brothers.  After landing in Egypt and ascending to a position of power, Joseph encounters his brothers as they attempt to secure grain and food during a seven year famine in Canaan.  This passage describes how Joseph redeemed his relationship with his brothers, even though he was in a position to punish them.  Joseph’s attitude was contagious, leading to reconciliation with his family instead of perpetuating a cycle of hate and retribution.

     Jesus calls us to be different.  Too often we find people returning hate with hate, insult with insult.  The cycle goes on and on, leaving people injured and relationships damaged.  We are called to forgive, to turn the other cheek-which makes us radicals.  Often, the radicals are those who bring transformation to our broken world.  After all, Jesus himself was a radical in the way he reached-out to “untouchables,” healed, taught and loved.  May we choose the way of Jesus; let us be agents of contagion as we offer peace and grace to each other.  And may this kingdom building be…..contagious!

-Sermon Notes-

February 23, 2025

 

“Contagion!”

(Genesis 45:3-11,15/Luke 6:27-38)

      Have you been a victim of “contagion” this winter?  You know…coughing, sneezing and the like?  In this context, being contagious, or being a victim of contagion is often a bad deal.  However, the idea of contagion can also be quite positive.  For example, social scientists, particularly those who study body language, have found that emotions are contagious.  If I smile, my emotion becomes your emotion (you smile as well, or at least-feel happy.)   Conversely, if I frown, through contagion you experience emotional sadness.   With this idea of contagion, I suggest Jesus has some important and practical things to say to us this morning.

     From our Luke passage, Jesus tells us to live differently from what is patterned by the world.  In verse 29, Jesus tells us to “turn the other cheek” if someone slaps us on the right cheek.  For the people listening to Jesus that day, a slap on the right cheek wasn’t perceived as a violent physical act. Instead, to be slapped on the right cheek was a way to insult someone.  So Jesus isn’t just telling us to avoid physical violence, he is also instructing us not to return an insult with an insult.  This puts an end to escalation, and denotes a desire for peace and reconciliation.  When we refuse to insult, that example becomes a contagion-spreading to others.  Jesus’ words in this reading provide more instruction on how our deeds may become contagious to others, thereby promoting the Kingdom of God (love your enemies, be merciful to others, do not judge.)

     From Joseph (in the Genesis reading) we find another example of contagion.  Despite being dumped into a pit and eventually sold-off to slavery due to their jealousy, several years down the road Joseph refuses retribution on his brothers.  After landing in Egypt and ascending to a position of power, Joseph encounters his brothers as they attempt to secure grain and food during a seven year famine in Canaan.  This passage describes how Joseph redeemed his relationship with his brothers, even though he was in a position to punish them.  Joseph’s attitude was contagious, leading to reconciliation with his family instead of perpetuating a cycle of hate and retribution.

     Jesus calls us to be different.  Too often we find people returning hate with hate, insult with insult.  The cycle goes on and on, leaving people injured and relationships damaged.  We are called to forgive, to turn the other cheek-which makes us radicals.  Often, the radicals are those who bring transformation to our broken world.  After all, Jesus himself was a radical in the way he reached-out to “untouchables,” healed, taught and loved.  May we choose the way of Jesus; let us be agents of contagion as we offer peace and grace to each other.  And may this kingdom building be…..contagious!