The Truth-A Mountain- A Climb- And Sin --- Reformation Sunday --- John 8:31-36

 

The Truth-A Mountain- A Climb- And Sin

John 8:31-36

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed

Truth, a mountain, a climb and sin. It’s been a few days from Reformation Sunday for me now. I have been given an infusion of medicine to help me in my life. I am tired and feel weak. I know things will get better. They have for decades now. The medicine given to me by infusion works for me and keeps me in somewhat good order until I need to get another dose in another six weeks. So, what’s this to do with anything? It’s similar, but nowhere close to the passage above. There is truth in the help of the medicine. I climb a mountain every six weeks until my body begins to fall apart. My sinful nature has brought about disease and death. But… enough of this.

Believers are sometimes easily shaken loose from their belief in Jesus. God gives faith. We can’t conjure up faith and dig out faith from within ourselves. God gives faith. God gives the Word. The Word as we see in the Bible. The Word is Jesus. God gives Word to us. We can’t conjure up the Word. We can’t dig out the Word from within ourselves. God gives the Word.

We need to be real with God’s gifts. I or you do not deserve God’s gifts. We can’t conjure up ways to make God want to give us gifts. We can’t do stuff to make God think he owes us gifts. And certainly, we don’t deserve any gift from God due to our own efforts.

God’s gifts do not come to me or to you through any obedience or birthright of any of us. God’s gifts only come to us from God alone.

Now, what about this talk of Truth. Truth never leads to bondage. Do you need freedom? Of course! I need freedom from my sin. God shows me my sin daily. Reflect on the Commandments… I can reflect on Abraham and his life and find that even a heritage and lifeline to Adam cannot free me from my own bondage to sin.

Look at yourself honestly and truthfully. I sin daily and cannot free myself. That’s the truth of it. But I see and hear in this passage a Truth that does not come from myself. I see and hear and read of a Truth from God. This Truth is the Truth that never leads to bondage. This Truth IS Jesus.

This Truth, this Jesus that frees does not come through my study, my investigation, my efforts, or even from my own proclamation that I accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.

There is a great chasm between my bondage to sin and freedom.

Freedom only comes through Jesus, because Jesus is the only one free from sin. The Truth of it all IS Jesus and only Jesus can make me free. Only Jesus… nothing from myself will free me from sin.

 Jesus is the Truth that frees me of the certain death of my sins.

Now… up the mountain. A joy-filled hike.

I and you climb a mountain of joy and love while we are in our sin. We take a step in the Word and see God’s love revealed along the way. Step by step, day by day. Sure, we still sin along the way, but this journey is not about ourselves. This is a journey where daily, step by step, God’s love is revealed along the way.

That’s the joy of living out the gift of life with God from baptism. As we step towards eternity with God. This new journey up the mountain is a journey of Truth with the Word and is not a journey locked in the bondage of our sinful selves. Even though we sin along the way through life. We are not in bondage to our sin. No, rather we journey in the freedom from sin through the righteousness and Truth of the gift of Jesus to us from above. I cannot free myself from sin… But the gift given to me at Baptism from God frees me and kicks me off on the journey up that mountain to arrive to the glory of God, not on my own, but through Jesus, life, death, and resurrection.

The Truth is that God gave himself for me and for you to save us and make us his own, in order that we may live with him and with one another in the love of God.  So…

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Lord, make me still. All have sinned. All are justified by faith, freely given, apart from any of my works. It’s only about the work of Christ. In this eternal Gospel freely given to me and to all; daily I repent and turn to God. Daily I step out with you to love you and love all those you give to me, as we climb the joy filled mountain of life leading to eternity with you… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen

 

 

He Had a Coin After All! - Matthew 22:15-22 - Twenty first Sunday after Pentecost

 

He Had a Coin After All!

Matthew 22:15-22 ESV

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

This passage spoke to me this week. I’m just now physically recovering from all the work involved with moving my recently deceased brother-in-law, Steve’s, worldly goods, to sell in a garage sale and to vendors who would buy his goods. We need the cash to continue to pay his mortgage and utilities until his house and car can go through the probate courts. Anyway, this took about three times the handling and moving of some heavy items and I’m tired and sore!

Thursday my wife, Sue and I took some silver and metal to a coin and jewelry dealer to convert into cash to be deposited into an account to handle his bills for now. Coins with images of government officials and symbols of various natures. Coins of worldly goods. Worldly goods only of value here in this place and in this time. Goods handled over and over by not only Steve, but the rest of us as well. Goods worth not even much here in this place and in this time. Goods totally worthless in the heavenly realm.

In this passage, religious leaders and government officials are attempting to trap Jesus. They want to eliminate Jesus’ power and eliminate Jesus himself, so that they can continue in their own power. These two factions, the Pharisees and the Herodians, are not friends, so to speak. These two factions are mostly opposed to one another, but here they come together with a common cause. To get rid of Jesus before the people of the day.

So, they pose a question in order to trap Jesus.

Do, you pay the tax, Jesus?

Well, if Jesus says, yes, then his followers will declare Jesus a traitor.

If Jesus says, no, then the Roman rulers will deal harshly with Jesus.

Jesus, always teaches that God is above all. Jesus spoke of his Father constantly.

Look back on Jesus’ answer to the question…. Give to Ceasar the things that are Ceasar’s and give to God the things that are God’s. (my paraphrase).

What things are Ceasar’s?

What things are God’s?

But first let’s step back.

From what vantage point is Jesus being attacked?

From what vantage point does Jesus answer?

Apparently, Jesus didn’t carry a coin.

Whose likeness is on the coin?

Jesus’ answer implies that we are to give our coins in taxes owed to the government, but to give ourselves to God.

And this takes me back to my past week of handling the worldly goods of my brother-in-law, Steve.

If I give to God, heart, mind, and soul, I am able to love my enemies and oppressors. I am able to love even the Herodians and the Pharisees.

Why?

Because, I have fixed my heart on my heavenly treasure. I realize that worldly goods only fade away to dirt and trash. Something like what has happened to all of Steve’s worldly goods. They are being cashed in to continue payment towards worldly utilities and mortgage. Cashed in for nothing of heavenly good whatsoever.

And all of this leads me to something more meaningful for me and for you as well.

If my life were a coin…. Whose likeness would that coin’s inscription contain?

Well… God made me in his own image. The inscription begins with God’s image.

But what have I done with the coin of my life?

I have defaced it! I wear it out. I make a wreck of it to the point that maybe the image of God is gone from the face of the coin God has given me with his image on it.

But…

When I turn, and give myself to God in my mess of life and sin, I find that God has already sent Jesus to re-mint himself in me. I find that Jesus takes my worn-out coin from me to himself and returns to me his very own, perfect, shiny, new coin of everlasting life.

So…

Only through God’s gift of Jesus may other people see clearly the image of God in my life on the coin that Jesus gives to me. There was no way possible that I could do anything to make my coin shiny and new on my own. I need, I depend, on Jesus’ gift of his own shiny new coin to me.

Sort of like the message of last week. Jesus dressed me up in his own righteous robe of everlasting life that I may attend the Great Feast. This week, Jesus gives me a brand-new shiny coin of life that I may live with him forever.

Jesus had a coin after all! A new coin for me! And he has a new coin for you as well. Turn to God and give that old worn-out sinful thing that you have been lugging around in your pocket, hiding away behind the bath towels. That coin is worth nothing! But the coin Jesus has to give you is worth everything… today… tomorrow and forever.

Lord, as I hear your call, I sing a new song. May I always turn and serve you the living and true God beyond all time, and into eternity. --- Amen

 

The Banquet - Matthew 22:1-14 - Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

The Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14 ESV

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Let’s start off with the equals in this parable…

King = God

Son = Jesus

Wedding Feast = Eschatological Banquet (The Great Feast for all time)

Servants = God’s messengers

Murder of Servants = Murder of prophets and Jesus

Sending servants = Mission of the Church

Man without garment = People (many) at the last judgment who did not repent and turn to God for salvation but rather depended upon their own works

In this parable, once again, we see how the Kingdom of God will pass outward to those who produce the fruit of repentance. God repents us and gives us his grace. We are invited to the Great Feast of all time. In this invitation, we must be careful not to take God’s saving grace too lightly. We repent… we turn away from our selfish desire to only be concerned about the affairs of the day, and miss the call of Christ to his Wedding Banquet.

This Banquet is for those who want to learn the true joy in Christ. No one at this banquet can abuse the grace of God. There is a response to God’s grace. Turn away from self and turn to God.

The church on earth contains both bad and good. God, in his time, will separate this out.

The question for me here is… Am I also like the man improperly clothed?

As the sinner that I am, will I be speechless before God?

When the Truth of God comes to me… will I hide in myself? Will I rely on my own garment to save myself?

Or… will I turn to the Truth? Will I see my sinfulness? Will I give up myself and my selfish ways knowing that I cannot save myself? Will I see that I must shed my sinful clothes and give my sin to Jesus? Will I throw off myself and receive the great gift of Jesus righteousness that he gives freely to me?

Listen to God’s call to the Banquet. See what Jesus did in his death and resurrection. Look at the new creation and new life Jesus gives as he took upon himself your sin. Jesus put on my dirty sinful garment and gives to me and to you his own clean and beautiful and splendid white garment of his righteousness.

Why?

So that you may live with him and celebrate eternal life with him and feast with him at the Great Banquet prepared for all who turn to God today.

A joyous banquet on the mountain of God. A Banquet where we will lack nothing at all for all eternity in life.

 Turn to God. Give up our garment of sin and put on the garment of righteousness that only Jesus can offer each and all of us… today… tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God!

Who Do You Think You Are? - Matthew 21:33-46 - Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Matthew 21:33-46 ESV

“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

As I look on this passage; I once again look back to my studies from last week. I look back to the sermon that I heard on Sunday and I look back to the Old Testament and think of the Creation Story. I ponder about the number of times God uses the Creation Story over and over with his people and with myself. I stop to think how God set humankind up with Paradise, with a vineyard that was protected and guarded and perfect. I ponder about all the gifts God has graciously given me in my life and how God has sustained me through all sorts of occasions. Yet, I like so many other of God’s people, turn from God, I turn from God and spoil what he has given me with my own selfishness. I spoil so many things by wanting all the control for myself. I want to be my own master of my own destiny on my own terms. I fail to realize all that I have been given and turn from the sweet set up God has placed me in and think that I can control it all.

This happened over and over by individuals and peoples throughout the Old Testament and throughout time. God gives everything we need to live into eternity, yet we turn from that everything and try to control our own destiny. My destiny is not for me to control. My destiny and your destiny and the destiny of everything does not fall into that place of my control, your control or any group of people to control. We are the created… not the creator. And we all tend to forget this. We all fall into sin and try to become the creator of ourselves and others of whom we have no business controlling.

God provides a vineyard for our life. A vineyard that is limited to what God chooses to limit, yes, but we can and are permitted to refuse God’s gift of this vineyard if we so choose. And many times, I have chosen to do this. And when I choose to refuse God’s gift; I once again have to ponder… do I have reverence for the Son of God when I do this? Do, I stop to realize what God does in my place when I turn from him and turn to myself? Do I realize what God has done for me to give me a chance to turn back to him?

There is conflict between Jesus and Israel’s leaders. There is conflict between Jesus and me. There is conflict between Jesus and this world. In this parable, Jesus predicts his excommunication and his death. In this parable, Jesus also declares his authority as Son of God.

The Owner sent servants and servants and servants, yet you, yet I, yet the world, beats and kills them. Why? We want the vineyard… remember the Creation Story… we want control of Paradise… we want control of the world… we want control of our lives… we want control of the gifts God has given us, all for ourselves. We want control and choose to separate ourselves from God. So, God sends his own son. God sends his own son that this Creation, this Paradise, this Temple from above may be set aright once again. It’s God’s vineyard! It’s God’s Temple! It’s God’s Paradise!

So, Jesus mentions the Temple cornerstone. The Temple cornerstone was about 19 feet long and 7 feet thick. It was a BIG deal. Do we build our lives on Jesus? Or do we, like the vineyard tenants build our lives on something else? Do we build on something we think we can control, or earn or base our lives upon?

When disaster comes, we tend to look on the discarded cornerstone in our lives and wonder, why we didn’t build our lives on Jesus.

The real fruit of the vineyard is when the tenants turn to God in repentance. We turn to God because we see how we have put the Owners Son to death on a cross just so we could be in control of something we have no business of controlling in the first place.

Lord, forgive me. Forgive me for turning away from you and to myself. Forgive me when I turn to something other that you. I want to know Christ. May your face shine on me, on my neighbor and on all who come to believe in your will and your way that we may be saved. May I bear the fruit you choose for me and may I daily return to you and live for you, and in you, and with you… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen

 

Waggers - Matthew 21:23-32 - The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 

Matthew 21:23-32 ESV

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

So, here we are, all together, wiggling and waggling and making a whole bunch of noise. We just watched this guy go through the Temple in a fit of rage tipping the tables and screaming and wagging one of us into a fit of rage. Then this same guy wags one of us about some tree that didn’t make any fruit. There is a difference between us here. This one wagging organ means what is spoken and what is wagged comes to fruition. It happens just like it was wagged!

So then… then… a bunch of other waggers got together and wagged at the One. These waggers were attempting to trap the One wagger with a question of some sort. The One wagger didn’t need the credentials of the other waggers who gathered against the One wagger because they were afraid of the One wagger and what the One wagger stood for. You see, this One wagger was beginning to convince so many of the other waggers in the surrounding area that this One wagger was something more. This One wagger always told the truth and revealed the Word of God in and honest, forthright way. This One wagger was directly from God.

The One wagger rejected the authority of the religious waggers of the day to examine the owner of the One wagger because they didn’t want an open wagging session about the wagger in John or the One waggers teachings. The religious waggers wanted to persuade the community waggers that their way of wagging was the only way.

Well… now we have to get together with the waggers and bring in the lips in all of this too. It never seems to stop! Before you know it, all the parts will have to come together and use their own special talents and skills given by God himself to form One whole holy thing.

Anyway, the One wagger leads me to believe as a whole human, that all these waggers are leading me to understand that I need to look at my sin as a whole human and repent for my sinful ways. Especially as my own wagger leads me astray into sin and selfish, hurtful actions to all the other waggers that have been placed in my life. I repent and turn to God. I turn my whole human to God’s Word and not just to offer lip service. There are those lips getting into the action. God calls my whole human to do His will, NOT, my own, selfish, whole human will… waggers, lip, and all.

So, here is the deal, as I studied the Gospel lesson this week…

For me? I need to face the Light… Hear the Word… See the Truth. My life is not about me. My life is about Jesus and what God has given to me.

As far as for myself and for others in my life… Look at actions… not wagging tongues about actions never taken.

Lord Jesus, as I turn to you and live in your presence; lead me and teach me and call me and show me the way you would have me speak and most of all act. May I produce the fruit you have instilled in me. Plant your seed in me and cultivate and tend to me as I turn to you in humility. Tame my wagging tongue and may my tongue wag only for you… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen

 

It's Just Not Fair! - Matthew 20:1-16 - The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

 

It’s Just Not Fair!

Matthew 20:1-16 ESV

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

This is another one of those reflections after hearing the sermon. OK, I must admit… I study the material through the week and write this reflection, normally on the Saturday before the sermon that I hear on Sunday morning. But, this week, an Applefest and a nerve-racking Ohio State Football game absorbed all of my Saturday. Just the same, sometimes I enjoy putting all of my listening and reading and thoughts together after it all. So here goes…

I think I’ll begin by just throwing out my week’s notes on this and then go into my reflection. Make sure you read the Gospel lesson above, or my notes will be meaningless.

·       Don’t compare each other

·       The owner wanted all the workers or he wouldn’t have kept going back for more throughout the day --- he went back even for the last few that would go into the vineyard

·       The grace of God is not according to what we think we deserve as his disciples

·       At the last call, don’t presume your position --- the promise of grace belongs to God – God’s grace is granted to us, not because of anything we have done for God’s sake

·       In the Kingdom of God, we receive what we need --- eternal life --- given by God --- none of us have a claim on God or God’s grace more than anyone else

So, here’s my take on this Gospel. First and foremost. I’m certainly with the last workers to go into the vineyard. I really believe we all really fit this mold. I hold back on God and am lazy to the call. If I’m really honest with myself, I’m a sinful couch potato disciple. If I think of myself and compare myself, which is at the heart of this Parable; I’m a sinful nothing and nobody. I don’t deserve to be even asked by God to serve in his kingdom. But here is the thing…

There is this offensive scripture… at least offensive to all the “Churchy People”

Romans 4:4-8 ESV

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
    and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Read that through a couple of times. You will be offended, especially if you have been a church person all of your life. It’s not about your works. Even the guy who doesn’t work… his faith is counted as righteousness. What? Why? Well that no good couch potato is counted as righteous. And here I’ve been this goody two shoes church guy all of my life!

This crummy couch potato guy who doesn’t serve in the vineyard until the very last minute, receives as much as I think I deserve after being this goody two shoes church guy all of my life! It’s just not fair!

When my kids would scream out to me about some decision made that they didn’t like…

“It’s just not fair!”

I would tell them, teasing, “Life is not fair. Nothing is fair, but the meadows and the woodlands.” (Perhaps some of y’all churchy goody two shoes will get that)

But, like in the passage above, God’s grace is really free. God is not unfair. God is only generous. Our relationship to the Kingdom of God isn’t about any kind of payback. The only payback my potato couch self deserves is eternal damnation for all of my sins and selfishness as I turn away from God towards myself. I think that God owes me something. Well… no matter how many goody two shoe churchy things I do for God… they won’t amount to a drop in the ocean compared to what God freely offers to me.

So, I find out, as in the parable above. I’m one of the last. I see what God has done for me. He calls me and enlightens me and gives me all the gifts that I will ever need to get off the couch at the last minute in eternal time to work in his vineyard.

That’s a privilege! That’s a gift! That’s a wonderful opportunity to do something, not for me, or because I think I will get favor with God, but because God calls me. Yes, God loves me so much, my lazy couch potato self, that he wants me to serve in his Kingdom. It changes everything for me. My interest is not now in the payment. No, my interest is in the serving. I desire and love to do something because God’s love is way way way better than doing something, anything, for a pay back.

And what does this late call do for me? God gives me faith and I believe in God. Look at the Romans 4 passage above. It’s never been about my works. It’s all about what God has done and given to me, that makes me respond with a hearty, “I believe!”

“It’s just not fair!”

Nope! And thanks be to God it’s not fair.

Lord, as I turn to you in the midst of my sinful, selfish, lazy, couch potato, goody-two shoes, churchy self; forgive me. For I know that you are my Light and my salvation. You are the one that gives me this awesome privilege to believe and serve in your eternal Kingdom. Your Kingdom here and now… today… tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God for the call! --- Amen

 

Look and Listen! Forgive One Another!!! - Matthew 18:21-35 - Gospel for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 

Look and Listen! Forgive One Another!!!

Matthew 18:21-35 ESV

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

It’s funny. We just came off of a few verses that unfolded a way that many churches handle sinners in their midst. Many congregations seem to take the process outlined in 18:15-20 as a way to handle a person that is difficult to deal with.

Matthew 18:15-17 ESV

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

The congregation will take the brother like follows:

1.       One on one tell the sinner his fault

2.       If he listens --- good --- if not

3.       Take two or three and tell the sinner his fault

4.       If he listens --- good --- if not

5.       Take the sinner and tell his fault before the congregation

6.       If he listens --- good --- if not

7.       Cast the sinner out of the congregation

I’m not sure this is the process that Jesus wants his disciples to take.

We tend to try to make a procedure out of something about sin. I can’t help but to recall the fact that we are all sinners. Sure, sometimes, I’m aware of my sin. Sometimes when my sin is pointed out to me, I listen. But if I don’t listen? Is it a one, two, three, process and you’re out? I don’t think so. So, why would I take a process as stated above, that many congregations follow to the letter, and apply it to my own dealings with another person?

I hear a strong message in the Gospel Lesson of Matthew 18:21-35, telling me NO!, that’s not the way to deal with one another. It’s not a one, two, three, process and you’re out. The process may be one, two, three, times infinity with my sinful brother and my sinful self. I hear in this passage, loud and clear, that God wants me to forgive my brother countless times. Unlimited forgiveness…

God is teaching me some heavenly math. The heavenly math of forgiveness does not come from my head. The heavenly math of forgiveness comes from God’s heart to my heart, and teaches me how I should forgive my sinful brother.

Let’s look at Jesus as our example to begin with. Jesus’ way of forgiveness works. But, Jesus’ way of forgiveness came at the cost of his death. Jesus forgave us while he was still on the cross, bleeding, suffering and dying.

Luke 23:34a ESV

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

 Jesus forgave us even as we were still intent on his death.  So, the lesson seems to be that we, too, need to forgive our brother an infinite amount, just as Jesus forgave humanity an infinite amount.

In the Lord’s Prayer we pray and ask God, to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. From Luther’s Explanation to the Fifth Petition, I learn that we are asking God not to hold my sin against me or deny my prayers because of my sin. I know that I don’t deserve God’s forgiveness. I have not earned God’s forgiveness; nor could I ever earn God’s forgiveness by anything that I could ever do. On account of my sin, I deserve nothing but punishment. But, in this Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, I seek God’s forgiveness through his grace of love. So… I too must be willing to gladly forgive a brother who sins against me.

A parable is told here as well. A king wanted to settle accounts with his servants. One servant owed the king what would be, in today’s dollars, about $100,000,000. The king forgave the servant. Then, the forgiven servant went out to one of his brothers that owed him some money, a mere $165 in today’s dollars. And the forgiven servant would not forgive the debt of his fellow servant, having his brother thrown into prison. So, what’s this all about?

The sins we men commit against each other is trivial compared to the crimes we commit against God. God forgives you, and I, so freely… so, I need to “Cut it out!” I need to be willing to forgive my brother so freely as well. Forgive each other! Look! See! Jesus freely forgave me and you upon that cross for the sin we committed on our own.

As disciples, we are called to forgive one another from the heart. We don’t forgive for show, or forgive to think that we will look better in the eyes of God. No, we forgive freely because Jesus has shown his disciples how to forgive one another. An unforgiving man is not in a position of forgiveness before God. But the man forgiven by God will forgive his brothers as a gracious response to what God has done in forgiving their own sin.

God is always ready to forgive. But, if my heart is unforgiving, then, I have shut God out. If I am unforgiving, I have closed out God’s forgiveness and God himself. And, when I don’t forgive my brother, I put myself away in jail away from God by my own very works.

So, FORGIVE one another… however many times are needed… an infinity amount of forgiveness.

Lord, forgive me and make me part of your plan. Remove my sin, I pray. I am yours that I may live and die for you. And teach me through the grace and love and compassion of your Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior, to forgive my brother as many times as you forgive me… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen

 

 

Can Billy Come Out to Play? - Matthew 18:1-20 - The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 

Can Billy Come Out to Play?

Matthew 18:1-20 ESV

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So, it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

The disciples once again ask Jesus a question about the Kingdom of Heaven. Who is the greatest? In this passage, Jesus stresses the importance of being a citizen in the Kingdom, rather than, as the disciples are thinking, being a leader in the Kingdom. Jesus has a way of turning the disciples and the rest of us around in our thinking. I fall into this trap, myself. Humility is sometimes hard to come by. As mortals, we tend to want to impress one another with some skill, some money, some leadership, some power, some something. But the Kingdom is not about me or you in a way of authority or prestige. It’s about God and our place before God.

So, Jesus turns to his disciples and teaches, or gives a challenge to change dispositions, change habits, change thinking and turn in repentance from our own selfish ways.

The child in the day of this conversation was rather insignificant in ranking of society. What did a child have to offer in the daily life of the family? Maybe cheap child labor, but still, the child was someone to support and raise and nurture. The child wasn’t a great source of monetary or living advantage for a family attempting to feed one another. Here, Jesus welcomes the insignificant child as if the child were part of Jesus himself. Jesus encourages his disciples to welcome all like children as if they were Jesus. Jesus teaches the disciples to be willing to be insignificant themselves.

Some great attributes of children that all of us should emulate:

·       A child is dependent and trusting

·       A child is friendly and unconscious of rank

·       A child is candid

·       A child lives in constant wonder

·       A child expects great things in life and discovers those great things

·       A child is innocent

As I have aged, I’ve lost most of these traits. Good traits to have. This is where the fun really is found in life. If I would only have thought it all through, and listened to the voice of Jesus, I too, and you as well, could regain these child-like attributes. So, Jesus calls his disciples to turn to God, away from themselves, and become like children that depend fully on God. And we really do depend fully on God. Childlikeness is one of the greatest features of the Kingdom of God, in heaven and on earth. Children gain the entrance into the Kingdom of God. Children bring humility into the Kingdom of God and that’s where things get great.

As we turn to God as his children, I’m reminded of the Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer and Luther’s Explanation. I’ll paraphrase with my own wording here. “Our Father who art in heaven…”

God calls us to come to him as our Daddy. We come to our Daddy in heaven in love and truth and purity; like little children who love their Daddy. We can be bold in his presence and seek the love we need to live in his house and in his presence, because all we have and need comes from this Daddy. We love our Daddy and respect all that he has to say and give to us. He’s our Daddy and we are his children. Our Daddy wants us to come to him and welcomes our presence and listens to our hopes, needs and way of living.

After all, … He’s, our Daddy!

I could leave this reflection right here and be happy. But, let’s go on.

Jesus calls his disciples to treat the weakest with us with the most respect. Yet…

Jesus also tells us that we must be like a child ourselves. Because, we really are children, God’s children.

We are God’s children called to serve God and one another in acts of love, humility and caring. Acts not to gain God’s favor. Our Daddy already favors us, but Daddy wants us to love him and one another, not out of marching orders, but in response to the love God has already given to each of us. To help other Children of God is to help Jesus, and a disciple is called to help the leader… Jesus. We do Jesus actions in Jesus’ name.

In loving God’s children, we desire to observe and teach the commandments. One of the toughest things God sets before us it to rid ourselves to whatever leads us to sin. There are temptations in this world. I fall and fail all the time to these temptations. I wander off and need my Daddy to come after me and pull me back into his arms. I need my Daddy to call me out for what I’ve done wrong. I need his correction, so that I can see my sin and turn back to Daddy for help, guidance and salvation. That’s why here we see, in this passage, some hyperbole on what to do in the face of temptation and sin. God loves us and wants us to be forever with him in his Kingdom. Wouldn’t it not be better to lose an eye, hand or foot, rather than to lose the spirit, which is life itself? God does not want his children to lose true life to temptations. God does not want us to cause others to sin. God stands in horror to those who cause another child to sin, especially the weak, or young or new. To God, our Father, our Daddy; each person is highly valued and loved deeply.

And in this love, our God teaches us to love all people with a compassionate concern to seek the lost with love and understanding, bringing each one home to live with us in the flock of God’s Kingdom forever. For we are citizens, children, in God’s Kingdom, each guarded with God’s angels. God values the “little ones.” God calls us to imitate the shepherd and go after the lost sheep. And don’t we all wander off and some time or another?

And don’t get caught up in the what about the ninety-nine left behind. Remember they are loved and cared for and protected with the fresh dew on green grass and loved already forever by God. Each one a soul of earth’s ultimate worth. Everyone is dear to Jesus’ love.

So, what of the one sheep who does not wish to return? Tough but loving action takes place. Sometimes it’s a discipline washed in love and patience and prayer. We reach out. Not once, but over and over and over again in many and various ways. We reach out to the lost, one on one, with a few and in the congregation.

As we reach out to the one sheep who does not wish to return, we need to know that forgiveness is not indifference to sin. The offender needs time to turn to God and now is to be loved through the sure message of Law and Gospel, in hopes that he will turn to God. But if and when he doesn’t turn to God; we still love him. We evangelize those who choose not to turn to God. We don’t exclude them. We rinse and repeat in the hope and love that the lost in sin may turn to God. No! We don’t want them to turn to ourselves, for our self-glorification, as many of us fall into this trap. We want the lost to turn to God and fall into the Shepherds arms being led back to the flock. But at some point, we must let it go to the actions of the Shepherd.

This Gospel passage was an emotionally long one for me. It led me through my sin to the Gospel of the love of God in Jesus. It calls me to turn to my Daddy in prayer and it teaches me how to love those God gives to me each and every day. I know I will fail in all of this, but that’s where I must turn to God’s Word and speak to God and listen to him. I can’t hide my sin from God. I acknowledge daily that I will fail at all of this, but God assures me that he has fulfilled the Law for me out of his eternal love in Christ Jesus.

Lord, forgive this reflection of mine where I need forgiveness, speak your Word to me that I may hear your call. Speak your Gospel through me to those in the need of hearing about your love and salvation. For, I am your child, called to the action to follow Jesus in his love for all those you give to me, today, tomorrow and forever. Amen