Name Dropping

I could have called this sermon Identity Theft, or Forged Documents, or Illegal Entry, or any one of a number of buzz-words regarding one of today’s hot political topics, illegal immigration. Because this passage is about trying to get something you don’t deserve by pretending to be someone you’re not, about sneaking in through a hole in the fence and then trying to act like a native. But these are all conscious deceptions. And while I am sure that many people who call themselves Christians know that they’re faking it, most think they’re on the right track. They think that saying the right words and even doing religious things is what following Jesus is all about. But there’s more to it than that. And that’s why just calling yourself a Christian, or saying “praise Jesus!” at the appropriate moments doesn’t prove anything. Even having experienced a rush of emotion at Christian camp or during a worship service isn’t enough.

The reason false documents work in this world is because we can’t tell if the person presenting them is really the person whose name is on them. Our Homeland Security folks are just getting around to talking about biometrics, that is, having your papers tied to something that proves you’re you - like retinal imaging or fingerprints or something like that. Of course that’s because we haven’t had the technology before now. But Jesus has always known if the label matches the contents. Jesus has X-ray vision.

These words are not intended to make you doubt your faith. They are intended to make you explore your faith. This passage is for you if you have never let your faith go any farther south than your head. It has lived in your head and on your tongue, but never touched your heart or your hands.

Now, some people set this verse up as a contrast between faith and works. They point to it as evidence that Jesus doesn’t really care about what you believe, but only about what you do. But if you’ll recall what I said last week on the preceding passage about false prophets, what you do cannot be separated from what you believe.

As Jesus’ brother James said to the church in Jerusalem,

“Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works...You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” [Jas 2:17-24]

Some people quote this passage to prove that what we do is more important than what we believe. But James doesn’t say that. He says that faith alone is not enough. In the same way, and for the same reason, actions alone are not enough.

Your actions may be perfectly splendid. Look at the list Jesus himself gives in the text: prophesying, casting out demons, doing deeds of power. Now, prophesying is speaking on God’s behalf, so preaching is included. So he’s saying that not even preaching - good preaching, preaching that lifts up the name of Christ - is enough to assure our salvation. Or what about casting our demons in Jesus’ name? According to Scripture, Jewish exorcists cast out demons, too... some probably added Jesus’ name to the ritual and thought that was enough. And miracles! Successful healing ministries draw huge crowds, as people seek a direct experience of God as well as mere physical relief. But here Jesus says that healings, and other marvels, are not enough to show oneself approved by God.

Well, we knew that, didn’t we. Doesn’t Paul say in 1 Cor 13,”If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." [1 Cor 13-2]

So maybe it’s acts of love that count, not acts of power. Maybe caring for the widow and orphan, as James says, or feeding, clothing, and visiting the hungry, naked, and ill as Jesus commanded later on in Matthew’s gospel, are the only kind of deeds that count. My view is that these are better, closer to the mark, but still not what Jesus is talking about.

Why is it that actions are not enough? You may wonder, “Don’t my actions show what I believe?” And the answer is, as James said, yes of course. To some extent our actions do show what we believe. Your good works may show that you care about other people, that you put relationships above things. This is good. But - and this is very important - they may also show instead that you care what other people think about you, like the Pharisees who do their good deeds in public in order to be praised. Your actions may also show that you think you don’t need any help, that you can earn your way into heaven by being good, and that you think you can figure out what God wants without listening to what he has to say on the subject.