Scripture: Acts 2:42-47; John 10:1-10
Growing up in small-town Oklahoma—the buckle of the Bible belt—I became accustomed to the language of “being saved.” It wasn’t the language of my own church experience, but kids on the playground used it, in high school I would occasionally get invited to attend a service in which a classmate was planning to “get saved” through Baptism, and it seemed to permeate the environment in general. When I moved back to Tulsa after eight years of being away—the most recent of those years spent in New Haven, Connecticut—it was both jarring and strangely familiar to have a complete stranger in a coffee shop approach me and ask me the question: “Are you saved?”
I should qualify here that I did grow up in the United Methodist Church and, of course, the saving grace of God through Jesus was part of what I learned. It’s just that there is a particular way that the language sometimes gets used that seems to mean something different from what I think it means. It’s like the British folks using the word chips not for Pringles but for fries. We are using the same word, but the word signifies something different. Unfortunately, in many circles—both within and outside the Church—the word “saved” has become tarnished and infused with a rather narrow or shallow meaning. It has become a code word for hypocritical, intolerant, and even hateful judgments against other people. The 2004 film “Saved” presented this perspective through a satirical, “irreverent take on phony reverence” (as one reviewer put it). Phony and judgmental may be the most prevalent words associated with the word “saved” by those who want to distance themselves from it.
But today in both our scripture passages we find that word. In Acts, we are given a vision of the earliest Church, a vision in which the community, generosity, joy, and worship of the people engendered goodwill from all who encountered them. And we are told that “day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (Acts 2.47) In John 10, Jesus uses the metaphor of a gate for the sheepfold—and explains that HE is the gate. Thieves and bandits—that is, those who would harm the sheep or carry them off to a place that was not secure—are the threat in this metaphor. But those who enter through the gate that is Christ “will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.” (Jn. 10.9)
So my question is this: what does it mean to “be saved?” What are we saved from? And what are we saved for? And what difference, if any, does it make for the life you lead each and every day?
What are we saved from? I want to begin by exploring the metaphor we find in John. As I’ve said, the threats in this metaphor are thieves and bandits. Jesus says “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” (Jn. 10.10) There are things in this world that threaten to steal, kill, and destroy life—our lives. What might these be? Well, if we understand that life comes from God and that true life is a sharing in the Divine Life—that is, living according to God’s Way as revealed through Jesus—then we can say that anything that separates us from God and God’s Way threatens our lives—steals our lives. In Luke 12:33-34, Jesus says this, “Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This teaching has to do with the ways in which obsession with things of this world—possessions, security, status, physical stature, appearance—threaten to distract us from the things of life that matter most of all; for life is more than any material thing. In our culture, consumerism and materialism, individualism, and self-obsession seem to hold sway. And even those of us who strive to live according to God’s Way are vulnerable to the effects of so strong an assault. Perhaps these are some of the things from which we might be saved…
Sometimes, in my fear of coming off as one of those church people who separates between “us” and “them,” I fail to acknowledge the fact that there are people who live all around us whose lives have really been stolen from them, stolen by the things already mentioned and much more—they are like sheep without a shepherd, wandering in the dark with no idea how to even find a gateway into real security much less how to enter the gate. But every so often I’m reminded of how sheltered I truly am. About a year and half ago, a young man, who I’d met kind of randomly, began attending worship where I was serving. Eventually, this man, who I’ll call Scott, reached out to me asking for conversation. What followed was quite an education for me: tales of gang life, mafia connection, drug and alcohol addiction, sexual exploits, twisted and abusive interpersonal relationships, a focus on physical appearance and material wealth—it was all there for real. This guy is smart and attractive. He’d done quite well in his circles. But he knew his life was a disaster—that it was empty because it was full of all the most destructive things. It was a privilege to walk with Scott as he began to realize that there was another way, that his life wasn’t lost, that he was a beloved child of God. It was a gift to see the Church enfold and encourage him. Through the life of the Church, he began to hear the voice of God calling him and to follow. Scott’s journey is still fraught with temptation, but through the support of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Church, and a strengthened marital relationship, he who was once lost is now found. He’s working on a Masters of Divinity degree and is exploring a call into ordained ministry. In a real way, Scott has been saved from all that had stolen his life. He has been saved from darkness, destruction, and meaningless living. He now has something to live for that is more than just the next high, more than just the next exploit. And, while you might say, that is all well and good but has nothing to do with me, I would say, while this may be an extreme case, I would hope that we might all learn something from the story of Scott’s life. For those of you who, like me, have always lived somewhat in the fold of the Church, perhaps you can, at the very least, be reminded not to take your experience for granted; perhaps you can remember that the community, hope, faith, and meaning that you have known are not the experience of everyone. And perhaps you can, as I was, be reminded that there are those around you who, like Scott, don’t know the love of Christ or the power of Christian community; there are those who don’t know there is another way and who don’t have anyone around to show them. In short there are people who really need Christ, who really need the Church—in order to turn from death to life.
If I were to boil it down, I think I’d say that what we’re saved from is meaninglessness, destructive ways of living, hopelessness, needless suffering. I think what we’re saved from is the temptation to waste our best gifts and energies and time on things that are not what truly matter, that are not going to satisfy or sustain our deepest need. And, for those who have been wondering “What about being saved from hell?” I’d respond: don’t meaninglessness, destruction, hopelessness, needless suffering sound like hell to you? If a thief or bandit has stolen your life and led you away from God, the very source and sustainer of all life and love, doesn’t that lead to death of all that is hopeful and good? Doesn’t that sound like hell to you?
The point is that to be saved isn’t only about something that happens to a disembodied soul at the time of death. Instead, I would argue that to be saved is to begin really living—and that can happen in this world, even this very day.
But what about the second question: what are we saved FOR? Again, the metaphor from John is instructive: if Jesus is the gate, we might infer that God the Father/Mother is the gatekeeper. Those who pass through the gate would be those who seek to live through Jesus Christ—ostensibly you and me. In verse 2, Jesus says, “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.” While in other places, we are given the image of Jesus as the shepherd, in this metaphor, you and I are the shepherds. In other words, as we respond to the voice of God who invites us to enter into the fullness of life through the Way that is made in and through Jesus, we become the shepherds, we become caretakers of others, we become those who can share love and guidance, who will sacrifice for the sake of others, who have some sense of the dangers afoot and of the path toward safety and good pasture. You see, THAT is the extraordinary thing about the Church when it is at its very best: the Church at its best is a community of love and sacrifice that doesn’t do what it does for its own sake but rather for the sake of those who are suffering, those who are lost, those who are in despair, those who are wasting their lives, those who have hit rock bottom, who are overwhelmed by the shadows and temptations and empty promises of thieves and bandits. And the Church at its best is not busy deciding who is in and who is out, who is “saved” according to some formula or who will be “left behind” (when the world ends—isn’t that supposed to happen next Saturday?) The Church at its best, like the vision we see in Acts, is busy loving and studying and caring and feeding and praising God together. At our best we don’t worry about gaining possessions and goods for ourselves, but are rather intentionally sharing what we have to make sure that all have what they need. The Church at its best is a sign and a wonder—because it is so unusual for human beings to live together in this way—and because through the life of the Church, lives ARE saved, as we see in the life of Scott and countless other lives. This kind of life together, a life of love, generosity, compassion and joy, is who we are called to be as the Church. This is the life that we are called to share. You are the shepherds—and God knows you by name. You are the ones who can invite others to share in the life that Jesus Christ came to reveal, a life of hope, meaning, joy, and purpose. If you don’t do it, who will?
So what difference does any of this make in your life? Listen for the sound of God’s voice leading you. Take your rod and your staff for the journey and set out. I believe you will find your answer on the journey. And you may just discover something more about what it means to be “saved.”
