Sermon: “Authentic Living”
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

"Practice what you preach." "Do as I say, not as I do." Those are two very familiar sayings. And today we are reminded of where they come from. Jesus, in fact, is the source. In today's Gospel, he says to his disciples and to the crowd, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice that they teach" (Matt 23:1-3).

Now, I need to point out, early on, that Jesus is not speaking against preaching - or, against preachers. Nor is he indicating that we - any of us - should not speak about what action or response we believe might be best in some situation. However, what Jesus is saying is that the practice behind the preaching is also important. And he is asserting that what one does, in addition to what one says, also is significant. Thus, Jesus calls for a life of authenticity - practice as well as preaching, doing as well as saying.

Jesus elaborates on this theme by pointing to the example of the scribes and the Pharisees. Remember that in Jesus' day those people were the educated ones … the ones who could read and understand the religious laws. And remember, too, that there were more than six hundred laws that the people were expected to keep! The scribes and the Pharisees interpreted the laws and applied them. But, Jesus says, while they lay heavy burdens on everyone else's shoulders, "they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger" (vs.4). Therefore, the scribes and the Pharisees - according to Jesus - do not practice what they preach or do as they say.

That represents a significant criticism … one that we do well to consider, in terms of our own lives. How authentic are we? As a preacher, of course, I find myself on dangerous ground here - and I am not asking for a public discussion at this moment. However, the question can be directed to any of us. Do we practice what we preach?

However, Jesus does not end his criticism of the scribes and the Pharisees at that point. Indeed, it is usual for this group and Jesus to have considerable differences of opinion, as the Bible testifies. On this particular occasion, Jesus proceeds with another concern, and this one, too, we do well to consider ourselves and in our own lives. Jesus says this about the scribes and the Pharisees: "They do all their deeds to be seen by others" (vs5).

Now, some of us are in the public eye a good deal of the time … and we may squirm a bit about such questions. Do we act the same way in private as we do when we know people are watching? What deeds do we do - as public people, as parents, as children, as neighbors - what do we do "to be seen by others?" Once again, the question becomes this: How authentic are we? Or, how authentic - how truthful - are the actions of our lives? Is the "doing" in our lives related directly to the "saying" … or is there a disconnect between the two? Do we care more about what people may think of us than about what we know to be right?

Now, I have said about all I need to say about the subject. Thus, the sermon is really not very profound, actually. Perhaps that indicates my need for a sabbatical time - which begins tomorrow, by the way! However, please do not be deceived into believing that the message of the sermon is unimportant just because it is not all that profound.

Jesus calls us to live authentic lives. He reminds us that the preacher needs to practice and the teller needs to act, as well. Words from a favorite prayer of mine seem to sum up our considerations this morning, and so, I will close with them: "Almighty and everlasting God … Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith" (BCP, p223). Isn't that wonderful? Grant that we - who are part of the fellowship of the Church - may show forth in our lives what we profess by our faith. And, in so doing, may we truly practice what we preach, and do what we say. Amen.

Copyright © 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee