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I Yam What I Yam                        1 Corinthians 15: 10                   February 7, 2010

By any reasonable standard, Popeye the Sailor was an upstanding citizen. He constantly struggled against the forces of evil - often by battling his much bigger archrival, Bluto, or Brutus, as he was sometimes called - and he always defended the honor of his true love, Olive Oyl.

Popeye first appeared in a syndicated comic strip called "Thimble Theatre," in 1929. He soon became the star. His buddy, the hamburger loving and perpetually short of funds Wimpy, was introduced in 1932 and the orphaned baby Swee'pea showed up in '36.

Together, this cast of characters, along with Poopdeck Pappy, the Sea Hag and Eugene the Jeep, provided not just entertainment, but a constant reassurance that virtue and good will triumph in the end - particularly when a can of spinach is introduced into the mix.

Popeye the Sailor, or "Popeye the Philosopher," as he is sometimes called, gave us some memorable quotes. "That's all I can stands, coz I can't stands no more," for example, is a sentiment that I'm guessing most of us can relate to. But the most famous - and without a doubt most theological - statement attributed to this paragon of virtue with his corncob pipe and his bulging forearms is the one I have chosen this morning for the title of my sermon: "I yam what I yam," Popeye said, "and that's all that I yam."

I couldn't help thinking of Popeye and his signature "I yam what I yam" statement when I read our Scripture lessons for this morning.

Our New Testament text is that wonderful passage from 1 Corinthians 15 that we heard just a few minutes ago. Paul, in this text, talks about the appearances of the resurrected Christ.

"Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures," he writes. And then, after mentioning several occasions when the risen Jesus appeared to others he continues, "Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain."

Paul's story is well known to most Christians. As he reminds his Corinthian readers in this letter, before his dramatic, one hundred eighty-degree conversion experience on the Damascus Road, he was public enemy number one in the eyes of the members of the early church. And then, inspired by his newfound faith, he became the First Century's greatest evangelist. He spread the news of the Resurrection and the coming kingdom of God and planted one church after another.

It is difficult to overstate Paul's influence on the growth of Christianity. It is entirely possible that the tiny group of Jews who formed the initial band of Jesus' followers would have remained a small Jewish sect had Paul not traveled, again and again, outside of Judea into Greece and Turkey, and even to Rome, loudly proclaiming, to all who would listen, that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek nor Roman; that in Christ there is one church, one faith and one Lord.

And in the passage that is our text for this morning, Paul sums up his life in words that sound a lot like Popeye: "By the grace of God," he says, "I am what I am."

Our Old Testament text for this morning reminds us that neither Popeye nor St. Paul were the first to make the theological statement, "I am what I am." No, the first record of that statement came much earlier.

When Moses heard God's voice, coming from a burning bush, telling him that he would lead God's people out Egypt, you'll remember that at first, Moses wanted no part of the job. Even after God reassured him, telling him "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you again," Moses was still not convinced.

"If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" Moses asks God. And God says to Moses, "I Am Who I Am." Tell them that "I am Who I Am" has sent you.

One of the healthy debates we Christians often have centers on just how we should understand the role God plays in the events and developments of everyday life.

On the one hand, some believe that God does practically everything, and we humans do almost nothing. On the other extreme, some believe that God was present at the beginning -creating the world and causing it to operate according to certain principles, and God will be around at the end to give us a grade on our performance, but during the time in between, we humans are pretty much on our own.

One scholar put it this way: "If the words 'Let go and let God' epitomize the folk on one side of this debate, the words of the great pioneer in social work, Jane Adams, epitomize the other: 'If not now, then when? If not you, then who?' she said."

I'm sure you won't be surprised when I tell you that I am not totally comfortable with either extreme in this debate. And I think an understanding of that powerful theological statement, "I am what I am," can help to illuminate a middle ground between the two extremes.

When I look in the mirror in the morning and see the face looking back at me, I know, beyond any doubt, that I am what I am.

Three thoughts come to mind as I reflect on that reflection. Three things for which I am thankful:

First, I am thankful that God, the ultimate 'I Am," created me in his image and that God lives in me. Thankful that the Gospel message revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ confirms that fact for me beyond any doubt.

Second, I am thankful that despite the fact that I am what I am -sometimes selfish and moody and quick-tempered and a dozen other imperfect and sinful things - despite all of that God loves me. And forgives me.

And third, I am thankful that I am what I am and that God has chosen to use me - chosen to work in me and through me to accomplish God's will.

God delivered the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, but God did that by using Moses to deliver the message to Pharaoh. "Tell them 'I am who I am' has sent you," God said.

God spread the good news of salvation to the four corners of the world, but God did that through the likes of Paul and countless others who followed Paul's example. "By the Grace of God, I am what I am," Paul wrote, "and his grace toward me has not been in vain."

And God has chosen to collaborate with individuals like you and me in the day-to-day tasks of life. By the grace of God, we can say, with Paul and yes, with Popeye the sailor, "I am what I am." Take me, Lord, and use me. Make the world a better place, but show me how I can help to make it happen.

                                                                             AMEN

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