The Kingdom of God is like...

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Our collect today starts out, “Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things…”  That’s not always easy to do – to not be anxious about the things that swirl around us – especially when those things include things like hurricanes and flooded houses or wildfires or earthquakes or diving economies – and we tend to fear for our futures and for our very lives.  

I have seen a number of people this week who have been negatively affected by Harvey.  People who lost a week of work and can’t meet their bills, people who are being housed at motels in Galveston and have to bring their kids to school here in Alvin and then spend the day working on their house; people who have had to drop out of school to try to deal with everything that goes along with losing everything.  

And I want to thank all of you who have donated so generously to my discretionary account.  I have had more than the usual number of people needing extra help.  It is very hard for those people who live from paycheck to paycheck, who have to fight for every penny they get.  When something like this happens, it is very hard for them to recover.  If they lose a week of work, that is a large chunk of their rent, or food for the table that week.

Not unlike those I have been helping this week, in our Old Testament lesson from Exodus, the people are grumbling against Moses and Aaron because they don’t have enough to eat or drink.   Seems like every time these lessons come around there has been some major event that effects people.  I remember when these lessons came up a week after Ike.  Now here we are with Harvey and I know there are people around here who could commiserate with the Israelites.  In Texas and Florida, and the Caribbean Islands, in the rubbles in Mexico following the earthquakes, (there was another one this morning), in the fire torn areas of the west coast, people are hurting, and they understand the pain of the Israelites. 

For the people of Israel, they were without jobs, without homes and without resources, but the Lord heard their cry and provided for them food enough – water from the rock, quail (meat) in the evening and manna (bread) in the morning.  I love the story about the manna – the people go out and see the residue on the ground after the dew lifted and they said, “What is it?”  Well, it’s the bread that God gave you – so they called it “manna” which means “what is it.”

You know that the tendency has been to explain away the miracles – well the quail were migrating and were blown off course into the camp and the manna is a residue from insects that was collected and used sort of like flour to make bread.

Well, those things may be, but the miracle is that they happened when the people needed them – and that the amount of residue was enough to make bread for all the people.  And everyone had enough.  It is important that people have enough to eat – it makes a difference in their attitude if their belly is full.  

Our gospel lesson talks about day laborers.  These are the people who live day to day - not knowing if they will work that day.  They hang out at a convenient spot where people can find them.  In Alvin, day laborers hang out at the convenience store on the corner of 2^nd and Sealy streets.  Those men who are waiting for work, hoping to get hired so that they can feed their families, are no different from the ones in our gospel lesson.  In fact they are not much different from the ones in our Exodus lesson – they just want to survive.

Whether it’s fire or flood or running from a tyrant, many people – especially day laborers, hourly wage people, find themselves, not only without a home, but also without a job, or food, or resources.  Before getting into the meat of the lesson for today, I just want to make sure that you understand that people in Jesus’ day and in Moses’ day are not so much different from people today.

For some people it’s a matter of having enough food to feed their families.  That’s actually the same thing that’s going on in our gospel lesson.  The day laborers just want to provide for their families – the denarius – a day’s wage to buy a day’s worth of food.  And those who get picked early in the morning are the fortunate ones because they are going to be able to go home with food – enough for their families.  And the ones who get picked later in the day, or not at all, will go home short or with nothing at all.  

So our landowner goes out and hires people to work in his vineyard.  And they agree on a reasonable wage – the daily standard (let’s say $50).  And as the day goes on he hires more and more people – each time telling them that he will pay them what is fair – until you get to the last group.

The last group, he goes out and asks, ‘why are you standing here idle – why are you not working?”  And their answer is because no one has hired them.  And he tells them to go into the vineyard and work.  He does not even say that he is going to pay them – just “go work.”

And when it’s time to pay the workers – they all get the same amount.  Now if that were to happen today….  One of the mantras that has appeared in recent years is ‘equal pay for equal work.’  That’s mostly about women’s issues - but how does that line up with this story?  This story makes no kind of economic sense – not now, not then.  The parables of Jesus – especially the kingdom parables – although they are all drawn from nature, or family, or other familiar circumstances, make no sense.  

If you are the person that worked all day, you expect to make more than the person who only worked an hour.  And if you are the owner of the company – you are going to pay for the worth of the work – you don’t pay the person who worked one hour the same as the one who worked 8 hours, and you don’t pay the ditch digger the same wage you paid the engineer who designed the system.  (Can you imagine a business owner getting people to work all day when he’s going to pay a day’s wage for only one hour’s work?)  From a worldly point of view – this story makes absolutely no sense.  

William Willimon, a Methodist Minister – dean of the Duke seminary chapel preached on this lesson one day.  One of the ushers came up after and asked, “Where do you get these stories you tell?”  Confused he replied, “Stories?  I guess from South Carolina.”  She went on to say, “well, I’m really bothered by the one you told today.  I just don’t think that’s anyway to treat people.  I mean, if you work longer, you should get paid more.”  Willimon replied that that story was not his, it was from Matthew, and she didn’t have a clue who or what Matthew was.  She was the girlfriend of one of the ushers that day, and they were short handed so he asked her to fill in.  Willimon told her that she was probably the only person there that actually got that story – the outrageousness of it.  

And the point is that the kingdom of heaven is not like earth – and Jesus’ parables are intended to make that abundantly clear.  In heaven everyone gets treated the same – Everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior gets into the heaven, regardless of who they are, or how long they were a Christian, or how intense their faith might be.  When we join that heavenly chorus – in that heavenly realm – there is no hierarchy – we all enjoy the same benefit - life eternal.  

Amen 

Transforming Love

Our collect tells us we are to trust God with all our hearts – when we are proud and confide in our own strength, we are not trusting in God – but if we boast of his mercy and trust in him – he will never forsake us.  

Our lesson from Romans tells us to love one another and in that way, we fulfill the law.  Paul sums up the commandments quoting Jesus, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And he says, “Let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”  Then he tells us to “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” 

And Matthew tells us if another sins against you…  I think we have to be very careful when we accuse someone of sinning against us.  So often there is no clear cut right or wrong.  Greed, misunderstandings, accidents, different world views have all led to disputes of various kinds.  That’s the reason we have courts and judges and juries to decide on cases.  That’s the reason that in this country a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.  Unfortunately, in recent times, people start drawing lines in the sand and refuse to even listen to a viewpoint other than theirs. 

It appears that Matthew is presupposing that the second party is guilty – and I say Matthew rather than Jesus because the words that he puts in Jesus’ mouth talk about the “church” – not the synagogue or the temple – which are the things that Jesus would have talked about.  This is written after the establishment of the Christian church in those areas around the Mediterranean Sea where the disciples had gone to spread the good news of Jesus.  

And I find it really interesting because he goes through this progression – which is really a good progression – you go first and talk one on one to try to resolve your problems.  If you don’t get satisfaction, then you take two or three witnesses with you.  In Jewish legal procedure, everything had to be established by at least two witnesses.  

Robert Heinlein wrote a book called “Stranger in a Strange Land,”  And in that book, there was a character called “a fair witness.’  Once a fair witness put on their official robe, he or she could not tell a lie, could make no assumptions, and went only on the facts that could be verified.

 Their “testimony” was legally binding – something like a notary on steroids.  At one point in the story, a fair witness was asked the color of a house on a nearby hillside.  The fair witness replied, “The side facing us appears to be white.”  They were asked, “so the house is white?”  The fair witness replied, “The other sides may be a different color.  I can only speak for the side I see.”

We hope that witnesses would always tell the truth, but that is not always the case.  There is an apocryphal story of Daniel called “Susanna.”  It is the 13^th chapter of the Greek version of the book of Daniel.  In this story, two elders bore witness accusing Susanna of impropriety.  They were lying, but thought that they could get away with it since they constituted a “legal” two witnesses and Susanna’s witness (being female) didn’t count.  But Daniel believed Susanna and caught the elders out in their lie and saved her life.

The truth of the matter is that different people see things differently.  It’s dangerous to draw lines in the sand in personal disputes, because like the witness in Heinlein’s story, you may have only seen one side of the house – and unlike the witness, you may be drawing conclusions from one view.  In other words, what I see (or hear) may seem to be one thing, but what you intended might be something entirely different.  We see our own faults most clearly when we see them in someone else. 

When we live in close proximity to other people, we are bound to rub up against them and irritate one another from time to time.  Even when we are together even for a short time, things can happen that cause discord.  Even at times, an innocent comment can hurt and cause division:

            (insert story about Rob at Camp Allen)

Bishop N. T. Wright writes:  Forgiveness doesn’t mean saying ‘it didn’t really happen’ or ‘it didn’t really matter’. In either of those cases, you don’t need forgiveness, you just need to clear up a misunderstanding. Forgiveness is when it did happen, and it did matter, and you’re going to deal with it and end up loving and accepting one another again anyway.

The new thing that seems to be very prominent in today’s society is condemning people without ‘trial’ and believe me, it is rampant today.  “Look what he did!  Did you see that?”  Sometimes its true and sometimes it’s not.  What we often don’t understand is what is behind the action.  What are the circumstances in that person’s life that has brought them to this place?  When we see people behave in certain ways, we are quick to condemn.  I offer up the story of the Samaritan woman at the well and her interaction with Jesus.  He offered salvation to her - without condemnation.  He stated the facts about her life – you have had 5 husbands and the one you have now is not your husband.

Since women were not allowed to have property, and they couldn’t inherit, they were sometimes desperate for survival.  They would do whatever it took to stay alive.  Most of us don’t know what it is to be that desperate – for shelter, for food – to believe that someone cares.  Jesus did not condemn this woman for her ‘sin.’  He didn’t even call it ‘a sin.’ Like the fair witness, he simply stated the facts – without commentary.  We need to leave off the commentary when we talk to people, because it most often is conjecture and that is where the real harm comes from in our interactions with other: the conjecture, the commentary by which we judge people.

Our lesson from Romans says to lay aside the works of darkness – those works that condemn others – and to put on the armor of light.  It tells us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and that means to do as Jesus himself would do.  The flesh in us wants to be hurt by others – the flesh in us wants to compare ourselves to them and come out on top.  It wants to condemn those who are not like us, who want to do things in a different way.

So how did Jesus treat the tax collector and the Gentile?  With dignity and with love.  He greeted them as friends, and his friendship was so powerful that their lives were transformed.  Jesus calls us to do the same – to everyone - to be a transforming agent.  He calls us to greet them as friends, and to allow the power of that friendship to transform them and to transform us, over time, into new creations of his love.  Don’t expect instant results.

Yesterday I gave a talk at Camp Allen mostly concerning angels and I said that the demonic influences seem to be winning through out the world today.  When we look at the divisions such as political situation, terrorism, genocide, wars and the rampant hatred that has plagued the world in recent history, it is hard to see how our world will survive.  It is sad to see how far down our world had come.  And then there is Harvey, the fires burning in Oregon and Montana, the earthquake in Mexico, Irma bearing down on Florida - and people wanting to comment - these are punishments from God.  No!  Those are not punishments.  I believe these are tools that God is using to allow the good in people to shine through and teach us to pull together and unite for a common cause.

Our gospel ends with Jesus saying, “For whenever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”  Whatever you bind or loose on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven.  What you reap here on earth, what you transform for the glory of God, will be credited to you in heaven.  When you gather with the tax collector or the Gentile, in the name of Jesus, without condemnation and allow that friendship to grow so that the love of Jesus shines through it, then and only then will you have put on Jesus Christ and the armor of light.

Amen

Reluctant servants

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Have you ever known someone who, when told something they didn’t want to hear, just pretended they didn’t hear it?  The plea or message falls on deaf ears.  It strikes me that in both our Old Testament lesson and our Gospel lesson, God’s plan is being revealed.  And in both cases there is a reluctant witness who doesn’t like what they are hearing and would rather not be a part of the plan.  

Moses sees this burning bush and says, “Cool!  I think I’ll go over and poke it with a stick and see what happens.”  (Sam tells me that’s a guy thing.)  This burning bush that was not being consumed - it was outside the experience of Moses - it was designed to draw him in.  And it was only after Moses turned aside to see this phenomenon that God spoke to him.  And the first thing he says is, “Take off your shoes for you are standing on holy ground.” This was a sign of respect in the Middle East; and when God reveals himself, Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look at God.

Then God lays out his plan and Moses complains, I’m too old; I’m slow of tongue; I don’t know your name; they won’t believe me; besides - I’m wanted for murder - who’s going to follow me.  He tried every way he could to get out of it, but God just wasn’t buying it.

God tells Moses: “I have observed the misery of my people. . . ; I have heard their cry. . . . Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them. . .”  God has heard the cry of his people and he cares about what they are experiencing, what has happened to them - and what they are feeling.  AND he not only cares, he wants to do something about it.  He is not going to intervene himself, but he is appointing someone to go for him and he will work through that person to redeem and free his oppressed children.  The most important thing that God says to Moses is, “I will be with you.”  Regardless of who we are, where we are, or what has happened in our life, God will be with us.

This says a lot about what is going on around us right now.  God knows what has happened here, and He cares, and He is going to work through people - people like you and me to help those who have lost so much.   God cares and he is going to make himself known through the people who have said, ‘yes’ to God’s call to reach out to those who suffer.

In our Gospel lesson today, Jesus reveals God’s plan for the first time - that he will have to suffer and die and after 3 days will rise again.  And the disciples don’t want to hear it - especially Peter.  Peter is ready to fight for Jesus, to lay down his life that Jesus might live.

Most of us probably didn’t hear the gospel lesson last week - its the one where Jesus asks the disciples ‘who do people say I am?”  And they repeat the standard answers, “Elijah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist or one of the prophets.”  Then he brings the question home, “Who do you say I am?”  That’s a harder question to answer because you have to put yourself on the line - make a decision, right or wrong.  And Peter steps right out there and says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  Good answer, Peter, and he is praised to saying that.  Matter of fact, Jesus tells him, “Blessed are you.  Flesh and blood has not told you this, but God in heaven revealed it to you.”   Peter stepped out and got it right.

So now that the disciples know Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus begins to reveal his plan and Peter, who just got praised, takes exception.  “Lord, you don’t have to die.  We won’t let this happen.”  And Jesus doesn’t just tell him he’s wrong, he says, “Get thee behind me, Satan.”  He calls Peter, Satan!  Peter is thinking only in earthly terms, only about what he wants to happen - or not happen.  Jesus is revealing the plan of heaven, and Peter can’t see it, because it doesn’t line up with Peter’s view of how the world should be.  

Too often, we do that.  We look at what we would do if we were king - god - whatever.  But I think it’s probably a good thing that I’m not god, because I’m pretty selfish when it comes to worldly things.  I wouldn’t want my best friend to die either -  and I’m pretty sure Peter considered Jesus to be his best friend.  He was proud to be Jesus’ right hand man.  It made him feel important, and he didn’t want to lose that.  If Jesus died, where would that leave Peter?

Too often we are Peter.  Floundering around trying to find meaning - trying to make the world line up with our own ideology.  This world that God created is not perfect, but it is Good.  And even though bad things sometimes happen, there is always room for God’s goodness to be revealed through the people who call him “Lord;”  Through the love that is expressed through the people who say ‘yes’ to God’s call to go out into the world and be Christ to those who are hurting.

When Harvey hit, Sam and I were at Camp Allen and we were flooded in with no way to come home.  We had food, beds to sleep in, clean water, and we didn’t have to worry about flooding.  We were somewhat  isolated from the world and so we did what we could.  We prayed and offered up intercession for those who were in the brunt of the storm.

Now we are back, and we are all being called to serve - and right now we have an excellent opportunity to serve those who have lost homes or parts of their homes to Harvey.  This evening we will be serving a meal for anyone in Alvin - We plan to provide

A place to come and eat and be filled, 

- so that those who have no place to cook, can come eat, 

- so that those who have spent the day mucking out a flooded house will have a clean place to sit and be still for a few minutes,

A place for people to come and share stories of their experiences during Harvey - 

- to cry over what is lost, 

- to rejoice over what has been found,

- to know that someone cares enough to listen,

For us, this is a place to come and be of service to other in our community by serving and listening.

God has given us an opportunity to share His love for all people.  Come join us tonight as we come together as a community of believers to do something to reach out to others in their time of need.  Amen.