Christ the King-Epiphany, Wilbraham

The Rev. Martha S. Sipe

February 23, 2025 / Epiphany 7C / Lectionary 7

Luke 7:27-38

A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws.  A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose.  Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.  "Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you."  The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him.  But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go.  Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the coils of a hunter's net.  Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring.  The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net.  Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.  "You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse.  "Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion."  

Perhaps that fable by Aesop was the one that a parent or a teacher used to teach you the Golden Rule.  You may not remember.  You probably don’t remember because most children are taught the Golden Rule when they are preschoolers.  The lesson – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – or maybe not those exact words, but at least the idea behind the saying – dates back at least to the 5th century BCE.  It is said that some version of it occurs in every major religion and culture around the world.  If there is any universal moral teaching, the Golden Rule is, and so it’s not really a surprise that it would crop up in Jesus’ teaching.  But my guess is that, if we could ask Jesus, he would say that the Golden Rule doesn’t go far enough.  Yes, that’s right – even though Jesus himself quotes the Golden Rule here in Luke’s gospel, it certainly doesn’t go as far as Jesus’ other teachings on how we are to treat one another.  

Actually, the Golden Rule is about the mildest thing Jesus says in the passage of scripture that we have just read.  Treating others as you would like to be treated is far easier than the other things Jesus commands.  The Golden Rule, after all, seems rational and fair . . . unlike the admonition to give to anyone who begs, or the instruction not to try to get your goods back if someone steals them.  Or how would you respond if someone stole your coat?  Would you give the thief your shirt, too?  But that’s what Jesus says.  And to be able to love your enemies and do good to those who hate you – wow.  That feels . . . impossible.  Held up beside these other commands, frankly, the Golden Rule is the only one I stand a chance at being able to follow.  And yet, if we look at all of Jesus’ life and teachings, living by the Golden Rule seems to set the bar too low. 

Theologian and historian Leonard Sweet has written about different levels of human interaction below and above the Golden Rule.  For rules of behavior below the Golden Rule standard, he starts with what he calls the Iron Rule – Do unto others before they do unto you.  In other words, you’re okay as long as you literally beat your opponent to the punch.  That is clearly not Christian ethical behavior.  Then Sweet writes about the Silver Rule – Do unto others as they do unto you.  In other words, if people are nice to you, you should be nice to them.  If they’re not nice to you, then feel free to return in kind.  But as Jesus points out, being nice to someone who is nice to you is hardly anything to crow about.  And being unkind to someone who is unkind to you just invites us into a cycle of revenge.  Next comes the Golden Rule, as the lion lived by when being kind to the mouse.  We all understand the Golden Rule.  But then, Leonard Sweet goes on to describe two even higher-value rules.  The Platinum Rule, according to Sweet, is “Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.”  (repeat) To follow the Platinum Rule – to do for someone else what they want to have done – requires you to be focused on what he or she wants or needs.  The Platinum Rule is the kind of rule that makes marriages work – being tuned in to what your spouse needs rather than the Golden Rule, which just asks that you treat the other like you want to be treated.  Even the Platinum Rule, however, says Sweet, is not what Jesus is getting at in this passage.  He describes one higher rule, what he calls the Titanium Rule:  Do unto others as Christ has done unto us.

There is, of course, no such thing as the Titanium Rule.  It is just a product of one author’s imagination.  But it does get to the heart of what Jesus is asking of his disciples, what he is asking of us.  He is asking us to do what he has done for us.  He prayed for those who abused him, saying “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”  He blessed those who cursed him, dying for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).  He did good to those who hated him.  And he loved his enemies.  He gave his life for us.  So you see, Jesus didn’t live by the Golden Rule.  He lived by the Titanium Rule.  Others’ behavior had no bearing on Jesus’ choices:  he chose love, he chose service, and he chose forgiveness, regardless of how others acted.  

How are we to follow in his footsteps?  Imperfectly, to be sure.  Falteringly, at best.  And only with the help of the spirit of the living Christ can we even come close to being merciful, as God, our Father, has been merciful to us.  But we get a step closer when we step up to the Lord’s table.  Because here, in this meal, we find the strength to choose love, service, and forgiveness.  For it is not just bread that we eat and wine that we drink at this table.  Jesus says, “This is my body.  This is my blood.”  Christ invites us to participate in his life.  He invites us to receive him to be filled with his very self, with his real and tangible love.  And then he invites us to go out, loving, even as he has loved us.

This is not the Golden Rule.  This is harder and higher than the Golden Rule, but also deeper and better.  This is the love of Jesus Christ.

(1)   https://allenbingham.me/tag/leonard-sweet/; from Leonard Sweet, Postmodern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the Twenty-first Century World.