In Cahoots with Christ; Romans 12:1-8

Rev. George Miller
Aug 27, 2017
Romans 12:1-8

As you see in today’s bulletin, I leave for a mini-vacation tomorrow. After play rehearsals and performances, the events of Charlottesville and Arizona, and worries about Texas, it’ll be nice to get away, shut off the cell phone, sign out of Facebook and just…breathe.

But where to go, where to go?

I’ve been to many places; though I’ve never been in Cahoots. But, apparently you can’t go there alone. In order to be in Cahoots you have to go with someone, so that’s off my list.

I wouldn’t mind being in Cognito. I hear that no one recognizes you there.

I have already been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there.

Maybe I’d like to go to Conclusions, but I was told you have to jump, and I’m not looking for physical activities this vacation.

I’ve already been in Doubt; that’s not a fun place to be.

Lord knows I’ve been in Flexible more times than I can count. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been in Capable quite a bit.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It pumps the heart and gets the adrenalin flowing, but for this vaca I’m looking for something a bit more Zen.

And I am in no rush to be in Continent.

Yes- for vacation it would be nice to be in Cahoots, but not this week; I’m just gonna go it alone…

In cahoots; what a fun sounding phrase. Its origin is French and it means to be in partnership.

Yes, in cahoots can be used to mean there’s some kind of conspiracy going on, but it also means to act with others in a common purpose; to share equally.

This notion of acting with others is a joyful aspect of Christianity; it’s a delightful facet of our faith.

That being a follower of Jesus Christ means that you are not following alone.

Being a Christian means that not only are you in the boat with Jesus, but that you are in the boat with many, many others, each with their own gifts, each able to play their own part, each working together to take us all to the other side.

In cahoots. To be in partnership; to act with others in a common purpose; to share equally.

That’s part of what Women’s Equality Day is about, isn’t it?

97 years ago women were granted the right to vote in America. But, don’t forget that it took 72 years of partnership and working together for that to happen.

In order for women to receive the right to vote it took the talents of many- those who could organize meetings; those who could hold and host those meetings, those who could eloquently speak and impassion the people.

Working together meant there were those who felt called to march, there were those who wrote letters, those who were willing to go to jail, and those with the means to bail them out.

Not one person could do all things but all things were done via many persons.

And as a result, our democracy, our country and the women who make up half its citizenry were taken to the other side.

That’s what Paul is talking about in today’s reading, the idea that in Christ we are One, but as One we are made up of many.

Each person has their own gifts, their own talents, and their own ability.

In other words, in Christ, we are in cahoots- equals, in partnership, all working together in the common purpose of God’s kingdom.

Paul makes this so clear and easy to understand.

If you are compassionate and truly caring for others out of empathy, care for the community around you, and do so with gladness.

If you have leadership gifts, lead, but do so with care and commitment; no half-stepping or cruelty.

If you are able to financially support, give generously and with joy.

If you are called to inspire, use your gifts of words to persuade and prod people to do what they can and what they should.

If you are naturally a teacher, teach. Help others to learn, discern, and discover.

If you are a care-giver, minister to those around you in a way that allows them true freedom and the ability to take up their mat and walk.

If you are a prophet, use your gifts to offer Christ-centered cautions and wisdom based warnings to remind us of the call to justice, kindness, and humility.

Paul makes it so, so clear- in Christ we should all be in cahoots, no one doing it alone, no one carrying a burden all by themselves, and no one thinking they and they alone have to do it all.

Paul would agree that with Jesus in the boat, we will get to the other side, together.

And what is this basis of this? What drives Paul to this notion that no one person has to do it all, and that we are free to do what we do the best?

Grace.

It is grace, God’s amazing grace that rows this theological discourse of Paul.

This celebration in Christ that because of God’s generosity we do not live in continued fear of a demonic deity bent on destruction.

Grace is the celebration that in Christ we do not have to slave away trying to please a vengeful God.

Grace is the celebration that because of Jesus we have already been promised the other side.

What makes grace so amazing is that there is nothing we have to do to earn it; there is no task we have to complete.

Grace means there is no Customer Survey check-list that grades us on a scale from 1-10.

Grace means there is no heavenly travel agent saying “Sorry, you haven’t accrued enough mileage points yet.”

Grace means we are already citizens of God’s heavenly community; we are already citizens of Christ’s colony.

Because of this good, great news, we are set free, and we are empowered to do what we can do the best way we are able to do it.

Grace says that we are in cahoots with Christ, so therefore we can act in partnership; and we act equally, not because we must, but because we may.

Grace is another way to say Jesus loves me, this we know, for the Bible tells me so- so therefore I can act with others in a common purpose and be the best me that I can be at this moment.

Romans 12 tells us that we are not only in relationship with Christ, but we are in relationship with one another.

And as with any other healthy relationship, we give of ourselves honestly and lovingly, doing what we are able to do, and knowing those things that we cannot do.

In Christ, God has generously given us Godself.

Because God is so generous, God asks that we give the best version of ourselves.

That we invite Jesus to step into our boat, knowing that we will be taken to the other side, and perhaps best of all, we will be taken together, not alone, and not apart.

For that, we can say amen and amen.