I CORINTHIANS 3:10-15 | THE THREE LITTLE PIGS REVISITED

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS REVISITED

I CORINTHIANS 3:10-15

FEBRUARY 19, 2017

IN A SERMON ON NOAH’S ARK, FREDERICK BUECHNER SAYS THIS:

“IT IS AN IRONIC FACT THAT THIS ANCIENT LEGEND ABOUT NOAH SURVIVES IN OUR AGE MAINLY AS A CHILDREN’S STORY.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I HAD A NOAH’S ARK MADE OF WOOD WITH A ROOF THAT CAME OFF SO YOU COULD TAKE THE ANIMALS OUT AND PUT THEM IN AGAIN, AND MY CHILDREN HAVE ONE TOO;

YET IF YOU STOP TO LOOK AT IT AT ALL, THIS IS AS DARK A TALE AS THERE IS IN THE BIBLE, WHICH IS FULL OF DARK TALES.

IT IS A TALE OF GOD’S TERRIBLE DESPAIR OVER THE HUMAN RACE AND HIS DECISION TO VISIT THEM WITH A GREAT FLOOD THAT WOULD DESTROY THEM ALL EXCEPT THIS ONE OLD MAN, NOAH, AND HIS FAMILY.

ONLY NOW WE GIVE IT TO CHILDREN TO READ.  ONE WONDERS WHY.

NOT, I SUSPECT, BECAUSE CHILDREN PARTICULARLY WANT TO READ IT, BUT MORE BECAUSE THEIR ELDERS PARTICULARLY DO NOT WANT TO READ IT FOR WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS, AND SO MAKE IT INSTEAD INTO A FAIRY TALE, WHICH NO ONE HAS TO TAKE SERIOUSLY…”

I WOULD GO BUECHNER ONE BETTER, AND SAY THAT WE DO THIS WITH LOTS OF BIBLICAL STORIES (AND LOTS OF OTHER STORIES AS WELL):

JONAH AND THE WHALE FOR INSTANCE; THE PROPHET JONAH IS SENT BY GOD TO THE NINEVITES WHOM HE HATES; IMAGINE SENDING AN IMPERIAL WIZARD OF THE KKK TO SPEAK AT A BLACK LIVES MATTER RALLY, AND YOU GET SOME SENSE OF THE LEVEL OF DISDAIN JONAH HAD FOR THE NINEVITES…

SO, WE TURN THIS DIFFICULT STORY INTO A TALE FOR CHILDREN ABOUT A GUY GETTING SWALLOWED BY A WHALE.

OR DAVID AND GOLIATH, AGAIN, THE ISRAELITES, THE PHILISTINES, MORTAL ENEMIES DOING BATTLE, ENGAGED IN FULL, TOTAL, AND COMPLETE WARFARE, AND WE TURN IT INTO A CHILDREN’S STORY ABOUT A KID WITH A SLINGSHOT.

THE SAME WOULD BE TRUE OF DANIEL AND THE LION’S DEN, JOSHUA “FIT” THE BATTLE OF JERICHO, AND ZACCHAEUS UP A TREE.

WE TAKE THE HARD, THE DIFFICULT, THE CHALLENGING STORIES OF SCRIPTURE, THE ONES WE REALLY DON’T WANT TO READ AS ADULTS, AND WE GIVE THEM TO CHILDREN TO READ AS LITTLE MORE THAN FAIRY TALES.

AND ONE WONDERS WHY.

WELL, NOT REALLY, BECAUSE WE’VE JUST SAID WHY, THEY ARE HARD, DIFFICULT, AND CHALLENGING, SO WE PASS THEM OFF AS FAIRY TALES, THAT NO ONE NEED TAKE SERIOUSLY.

THE FACT IS, THAT’S WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO WITH YOU THIS MORNING, BUT HAVING TOLD YOU THAT, YOU ARE NOW WISE TO ME;

AND SO, AS I RETELL OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING USING THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, YOU KNOW ALREADY, THE JIG IS UP, AND THAT I’M REALLY TELLING YOU SOMETHING MORE THAN A FAIRY TALE.

THREE PIG BROTHERS (PERHAPS THEY WERE TRIPLETS) DECIDE IT’S TIME TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR PARENT’S HOUSE, AND BUILD HOMES OF THEIR OWN.

TWO OF THE THREE ARE MUCH MORE GIVEN TO PLAYING THAN WORKING, SO THEY HAPHAZARDLY SLAP UP THEIR HOMES, ONE, OUT OF STRAW; THE OTHER OUT OF STICKS, AND GO MERRILY ON THEIR WAY SINGING AND DANCING.

BUT THE THIRD BROTHER PIG DRAWS UP PLANS, ATTENDS THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADE SHOW, RESEARCHES THE FINEST BUILDING MATERIALS, PROPERLY SUBMITS HIS APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS WITH THE CITY AND WITH HARC, CURRIES THE FAVOR OF HIS NEIGHBORS FOR HIS DESIGNS SO THEY WON’T OPPOSE HIM AT THE HARC MEETING, AND BUILDS A SOLID HOME OF BRICK CONSTRUCTION.

THE BIG BAD WOLF, OR PERHAPS IN THIS CASE, ONE OF THOSE “H” WORDS WHICH WE DON’T SAY HERE IN KEY WEST, BLOWS THROUGH, AND, OF COURSE, THE HOUSE OF STRAW, AND THE HOUSE OF STICKS, ARE BLOWN TO SMITHEREENS;

(IN THE ORIGINAL, NON-DISNEY TELLING OF THIS STORY, THE TWO LITTLE PIGS ARE EATEN BY THE WOLF, BUT IN THE LATER, DISNEYESQUE TELLING, THEY RUN TO THE SAFETY OF THEIR BROTHER’S BRICK HOME.)

AND, OF COURSE, AS YOU REMEMBER, THE WOLF, OR THE “H” IN OUR TELLING OF THE STORY, BLOWS AND BLOWS, BUT CANNOT BLOW THE HOUSE DOWN;

AND SO, THE WOLF EVENTUALLY CLIMBS TO THE ROOF, DOWN THE CHIMNEY, AND HUMOROUSLY, WINDS UP WITH A BOILED BEHIND IN A POT OF SOUP THE THREE PIGS ARE COOKING.

THE END.

(AND OH, BY THE WAY, THEY LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.)

NOW, I CANNOT SAY, FOR SURE, IF OUR PASSAGE FROM PAUL’S LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY, CERTAIN SIMILARITIES.

INTERESTINGLY, AS PAUL OFTEN DOES, HE STARTS OUT SAYING ONE THING, THEN, SEEMINGLY, INTERRUPTS HIMSELF, TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE.

AT THE OUTSET OF OUR READING FOR THIS MORNING, PAUL SEEMS TO BE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING THE CHURCH, WITH CHRIST AS THE CORNERSTONE; SORT OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK.

BUT ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE PASSAGE THOUGH, YOU GET THE IDEA THAT PAUL HAS GONE MORE PERSONAL, AND IS NOW TALKING ABOUT BUILDING OUR LIVES ON A SOLID FOUNDATION; AGAIN, OF COURSE, WITH CHRIST AS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR LIFE.

EITHER WAY, CHURCH, OR OUR OWN LIVES, PAUL IS CLEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT:

1. WE ARE TO BUILD WHICHEVER IT IS ON OUR FAITH IN GOD, WITH CHRIST AS OUR CORNERSTONE;

2. THAT WE SHOULD CHOOSE THE VERY BEST BUILDING MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO US – THE GOLD, SILVER AND PRECIOUS STONES OF LIFE, RATHER THAN WOOD, HAY, AND STRAW;

3. THAT THERE WILL COME, AS THEY ALWAYS DO, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, CHALLENGES AND ADVERSITIES, FIRES AND STORMS, WOLVES AND “H’S” THAT WILL TEST THE METTLE OF OUR CHURCH/OUR LIVES.

4. FINALLY, WHEN SAID TESTING AND TRIBULATION DOES COME, IF WE HAVE BUILT PROPER LIVES, SOLID LIVES, LIVES BUILT ON FAITH, AND GOD, AND CHRIST, WE WILL WITHSTAND THESE TRIALS; AND EVEN IF, IN PART, WE ARE DECIMATED, WE WILL NOT BE DESTROYED.

YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHY I TURNED THIS PASSAGE INTO THE THREE LITTLE PIGS STORY, CAN’T YOU?!

NOW WE COULD CHOOSE TO TALK ABOUT THIS PASSAGE IN TERMS OF SOME SORT OF FINAL JUDGEMENT; THE JUDGEMENT DAY, AS IT WERE; AS PEOPLE SOMETIMES DO.

BUT AS I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE, AS BELIEVERS, I BELIEVE WE HAVE LITTLE TO WORRY ABOUT REGARDING A FINAL JUDGMENT; BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE ONE WHO WILL DO THE JUDGING (JESUS CHRIST) IS THE ONE WHO HAS ALREADY BEEN JUDGED FOR US;

THE ONE WHO WILL MEET US IN DEATH, IS THE ONE WHO DIED FOR US;

THE ONE WHO WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, IS THE ONE WHO HAS ALREADY OFFERED US LIFE, LIFE ABUNDANTLY, AND LIFE ETERNALLY;

SO, TO MY WAY OF THINKING, WE NEED NOT GO THERE.

INSTEAD, KNOWING THAT TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, FIRES AND STORMS, WOLVES AND “H’S” OF ALL KINDS WILL INEVITABLY COME, WHAT I REALLY WANT US TO CONSIDER THIS MORNING IS:

WHICH LITTLE PIG ARE WE?  AND WHAT, EXACTLY, ARE WE BUILDING OUR LIVES UPON?

WHAT ARE THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF YOUR LIFE?

IF SOMEONE ASKED YOU TO SUM UP YOUR CORE BELIEFS, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THEM?

I’M A CHRISTIAN.  I BELIEVE IN GOD.  I’M “SAVED”.

OR PERHAPS YOU WOULD OFFER YOUR CORE BELIEFS, YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES, YOUR LIFE’S MOTTO:

GOD, FAMILY, SELF…  LIVE AND LET LIVE…

THE GOLDEN RULE…  THE TEN COMMANDMENTS…

“WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT…”

WOULD YOU RECITE YOUR FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE?

TAKE OUT YOUR WALLET, AND SHOW THEM THAT YOU ARE A CARD-CARRYING MEMBER OF WHATEVER…

WOULD YOU IDENTIFY YOUR STRONGEST HELD BELIEFS BY, SAY, WEARING YOUR FEELINGS ON YOUR SLEEVE – LITERALLY:

• WEARING YOUR TEAM JERSEY;
• A T-SHIRT WITH YOUR MOST RECENT FAVORITE SLOGAN ON IT;
• A HAT, A SHIRT, A “UNIFORM,” OF SOME KIND, IDENTIFYING YOU WITH THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER THING…
• OR WOULD YOU SIMPLY POST YOUR BELIEFS ONLINE FOR ALL TO READ?

HOW IS IT, THAT YOU WOULD SHOW WHAT YOU MOST BELIEVE IN, AND WHAT NOT ONLY GETS YOU THROUGH THE DAY, BUT GETS YOU THROUGH LIFE?

WHAT IS THE WOOD, STRAW, BRICKS; THE GOLD, SILVER, AND PRECIOUS STONES ON WHICH YOU ARE BUILDING YOUR LIFE?

CAN IT RESIST THE WOLVES OF NOT ONLY WALL STREET, BUT MAIN STREET, DUVAL STREET?  WHAT ABOUT THE DIM, DARK STREETS OF YOUR OWN SOUL?

CAN YOUR BELIEFS CARRY YOU THROUGH THE “H’S” OF LIFE; COME HELL OR HIGH WATER?

IF YOU WERE TO GET TO THE END OF YOUR LIFE, AND AS WE KNOW, NO ONE MUCH KNOWS WHEN THAT WILL BE EXACTLY, WOULD YOU BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR LIFE?

IN THE END, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SAY: “I DID EVERYTHING I WANTED TO DO; I’M HAPPY; I’M SATISFIED; I WOULDN’T HAVE CHANGED A THING.  NO REGRETS…”

OR WOULD THE QUESTIONS, THE JUDGEMENTS YOU WOULD MAKE ON YOURSELF, WHICH IS FAR MORE LIKELY THAN ANY SORT OF FINAL JUDGMENT FROM OUTSIDE OF YOU, BE LESS THAN SATISFYING?

DID I LIVE AS A CHRISTIAN?  DID I LIVE ENOUGH?  LOVE ENOUGH?  STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES ENOUGH?

DID I FORGIVE ENOUGH?  FORGET ENOUGH?  DID I PRACTICE THE GOLDEN RULE ENOUGH?

GO BACK TO YOUR CORE VALUES; YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES; YOUR FAVORITE VERSE; YOUR MANTRA; DID YOU DO THOSE ENOUGH?  ARE YOU DOING THEM ENOUGH NOW?

ARE YOU, WILL YOU, BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR ANSWERS, WHEN YOUR END COMES?

THE TIME TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, OF COURSE, IS NOW; WHILE WE CAN STILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT; RATHER THAN AT THE END, WHEN NO TIME IS LEFT, NO ENERGY, NO LIFE, TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WISH WE HAD DONE, OR PLANNED TO DO…

“THE ROAD TO PERDITION,” THEY SAY, “IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.”

I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU READ THIS PASSAGE;

PERHAPS THE THREAT OF SOME SORT OF FINAL JUDGEMENT, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY WE JUDGING OURSELVES, IF THAT’S WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO DO SOMETHING; TO LIVE OUT YOUR CORE BELIEFS; IF FEAR’S WHAT IT TAKES, THEN SO BE IT.

IF YOU’RE SCARED THAT YOU WON’T GET IT ALL DONE TO YOUR SATISFACTION, TO YOUR LIKING, TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT, THEN BY ALL MEANS, USE THAT FEAR TO GET IT DONE TODAY, TOMORROW, OR SOON.

IF YOU ARE MORE GIVEN TO CARROT THAN STICK, THAT IS, IF REWARD RATHER THAN PUNISHMENT IS A BETTER MOTIVATOR FOR YOU, THEN RE-READ PAUL’S WORDS HERE ABOUT THE BUILDER GETTING THEIR REWARD.

BUILD YOUR LIFE – NOW! – SO, IT REWARDS YOU NOW; AND FOR THE FUTURE; AND FOR YOUR ETERNAL FUTURE, AS WELL.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO LIVE YOUR LIFE?

GUILT OR GRACE;

FEAR OR LOVE;

WOLVES OR ANGELS;

PUNISHMENT OR REWARD;

STICK OR CARROT;

WHATEVER IT IS, AND PERHAPS IT’S ALL THESE THINGS, AND MORE, DO IT NOW!

WORK AS “A SKILLED MASTER BUILDER” AS PAUL SAYS, CHOOSING CAREFULLY HOW YOU BUILD.

BUILD WITH CHRIST AS THE CORNERSTONE OF YOUR LIFE.

DO IT USING THE VERY BEST MATERIALS YOU CAN FIND;

CONSTRUCT YOUR LIFE AS CAREFULLY AND SOUNDLY AS POSSIBLE;

TRUST THAT THE FOUNDATION WILL SURVIVE, COME WHAT MAY.

KNOWING, THAT EVEN WITH ALL THAT, SOME DESTRUCTION, SOME LOSS, SOME FAILURE, WILL COME YOUR WAY, BUT…

KNOWING TOO, THAT YOU, THE BUILDER, WILL BE SAVED!

WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG, BAD WOLF…

THE BIG BAD WOLF, THE BIG BAD WOLF…

WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF?

TRA LA LA LA LA…