Who Else Can Break the Rules?

John 5:1-18 (NRSV)

There was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids-blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat." But he answered them, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Take up your mat and walk.' " They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take it up and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father is still working, and I also am working." For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.

Let's all walk just a little bit on the wild side of Jesus. Jesus was the guy that came into the scene and for the most part broke all the rules. Centuries of traditions and laws were suddenly turned over on their bellies by the coming of God's perfect revelation. Here we see what appears to be Jesus claiming himself to be one with God, which was a major rule not to be broken in Jesus' day. And then Jesus healing on the Sabbath Day, another rule that was not suppose to be broken. Notice here that those who are so concerned about the rule concerning the sabbath are not the least bit happy about the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. He really does have something to celebrate, but those all wound up in the rules of how things are suppose to be are more concerned with the rule that had been broken.

One of our understandings of Jesus is that Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but rather he was the fulfillment of the law. Jesus makes this very clear in Matthew 5:17. The law was summarized as love of God, neighbor and self. Yet, those most concerned about loving God tend to forget neighbor and self. And this is precisely the case with those in today's Gospel story who are all wound up with how Jesus appeared to break the rules.

Clearly this appears to be the case with right wing politicians and Christians in their attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. As Bishop Gene Robinson suggested in his book that the real problem is "heterosexism." (See page 24). People have this system in place that says that heterosexuality is normal, healthy and proper, while anything that is other than is abnormal, unhealthy and improper. Just read this story about the new Catholic Archbishop of Belgium comparing homosexuality to Anorexia as a perfect example. Because homosexuals "break the rules" if you will, the Roman Church and the religious right have a planned agenda to obstruct our pursuit of basic human and civil rights. It is worth noting that not only are organizations such as the National Organization for Marriage willing to be barriers for basic rights for LGBT people, they too are willing to break the rules of love thy neighbor as thyself.

How do LGBT Christians respond to this message of Jesus today? How do we advance the process of releasing ourselves from civil and religious oppression? Where do LGBT Christians find themselves in the life and ministry of Jesus?

I would offer the idea that we must commit ourselves to daily prayer if we are going to be successful in anything. Whatever our prayer life is, let us take time every day to do it. I think we also need to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit so that we may understand where we can be rule breakers and yet keep the idea of love of God, neighbor and self a part of our mission to share the Gospel through our work of human and civil rights. We must offer ourselves to be voices for those who feel as if they have none. We should befriend those coming out into a world that is still so full of prejudice towards LGBT people. Where we can volunteer and support with our time and treasure, we should donate to organizations that help LGBT and questioning youth and individuals. We need to be encouraging others to be involved in the process of the liberation of LGBT people from religious and civil oppression. Everyone has different talents and gifts, but we can all do something, even if pray is all we can do for the moment.

Just and merciful God, in every generation you raise up prophets, teachers and witnesses to summon the world to honor and praise your holy Name: We thank you for sending Timothy, Titus and Silas, whose gifts built up your Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Grant that we too may be living stones built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect on today's Feast of Sts. Timothy, Titus and Silas)

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, BCP, Page 815)