Sermon 11-13-2011

Psalm 100 Matthew 25:34-46

“A Time for Abundant Possibilities”

“We are saved neither by grace nor even by accepting the gospel, but by the how we treat other persons. We are justified before God by works that are shaped not only by the pursuit of justice but by a particular understanding of justice focused on the treatment of “the least of these” (v.40-45).

(Mark Douglas, “Feasting on the Word,” Year A, vol. 4, p.332)

PRAYER

Let us look at the text for a moment, “the passage opens with a vivid description of the Son of Man coming in glory, accompanied by angels, seated on his throne.

The nations are then gathered and separated into two groups. Jesus is portrayed in his glorious return as a shepherd. (Matthew uses this image because it’s familiar to his readers). In Palestine, shepherds routinely had mixed flocks. At night, they separated the sheep from the goats. Sheep enjoyed the open air of the pasture, while goats had to be protected from the cold. Because sheep had more commercial value, they were preferred over goats. As shepherd, the glorious Son of Man now separates the sheep, who are placed at the right hand, from the goats, who are set at his left hand. Jesus is also identified here as the king, the Messiah of God who will execute the judgment, the Son of Man pronounces his veridicts. He declares the sheep “blessed” by God and invites them to inherit the fullness of the kingdom. They are blessed because they fed the king when he was hungry, gave him drink when he was thirsty, welcomed him when he was a stranger, clothed him when he was naked, cared for him when he was sick, and visited him when he was imprisoned.

The sheep, however, are perplexed, because they cannot recall ministering to the king in his need. He then reveals to them that they did so whenever they were merciful “to the least of these my brothers and sisters.” On the other hand, the goats are accursed because they did not feed, give drink to, welcome, clothe, or visit him in his need. Like the sheep, the goats are confounded: when did they fail to ‘serve’ the king? Jesus’ response, when they lacked merciful care for ‘the least of these.’ (Thomas D. Stegman, SJ, “Feasting on the Word,” Year A, vol. 4, p. 333-335)

We are God’s hands and feet here and earth, when we do for the least of these – sick, hungry, homeless, oppressed, imprisoned – we are doing it to and for Jesus. Here we can find three important statements.

“The first statement is about God… Jesus said, God is here, in the messiness and ambiguity of human life. God is here, particularly in your neighbor, the one who needs you. You want to see the face of God? Look into the face of one of the least of these, the vulnerable, the weak, the children.

The second radical statement is about the practice of religion. It is not about theology, creeds, orthodoxies, church connections or religious practices. It is about whether or not we saw Jesus Christ in the face of the needy and whether or not you or I gave ourselves away in love in Jesus’ name.

The third important thing here… is not about social, political, economical, or religious. It is personal. God wants not only a new world modeled on the values of Jesus. God wants us – each of us. God is not a social engineer but a God of love who wants to save our souls…

God wants to save our souls and redeem us and give us the gift of life – true, deep, authentic human life.

God wants to save us by touching our hearts with love. God wants to save us by persuading us to care and see other human beings who need us.

God wants to save us from obsessing about ourselves, our own needs, by persuading us to forget about ourselves and worry about others. That is God’s favorite project for us: to teach you and me that the fundamental lesson here, the secret, the truth – that to love is to live.”

( John M. Buchanan, “Feasting on the Word,” Year A, vol. 4, p. 334-336)

This text is not about money, it’s about the way we respond to God by showing the love of Christ to others.

Let us look at the text from another angle.

“Why do we go to the doctor? Usually for our yearly examination, blood tests and other basic check- up. They help us and our primary doctor, to keep track of our wellness. Insurance companies agree with this idea of wellness in that they are willing to pay the bill.”

(Lindsay P. Armstrong, “Feasting on the Word,” Year A, vol. 4, p. 333. Paraphrased by me)

In many ways Matthew’s depiction of the last judgment is like a wellness check. Its purpose is not to condemn or scare but to provide a snapshot of our overall health, development, learning, and growth that should lead to new habits and ways of life. After all, our doctor wants us to flourish, so does our Creator, Redeemer, Judge and King.

The image of the Son of Man one day separating the sheep and the goats is a diagnostic tool designed to inspire faithfulness, root out self centered living, and help each of us measure… where we are as we grow in the likeness of Christ.

Why is it important what we do with our lives? Because how we spend our time and whom we actively love and do not love provide a diagnostic image of our overall health.

God created the world out of an abundance of love. Like a bubbling fountain, God is love and overflows with love. In creation, God gives something of self, and in sending Jesus and the Holy Spirit, God repeatedly and generously pours love out upon all people, showing us God’s own self as well as who we are. Created in the image of this freely giving God, we freely share, because this is what it means to be created in God’s image. In particular, we love those considered unable to give back, and we do not do so to earn God’s love or anyone else’s love, to curry favor, or to make sure we are considered righteous at the end of time. We give as an expression of the love that is inside of us, bubbling up, spilling over, and flowing out… This is the kind of love that Jesus has come to demonstrate and share, even though this passage provides a wellness check and possibly even a warning to those living in unhealthy, self-centered ways. Another way of measuring weight and blood pressure, can be done by freely sharing with strangers, prisoners, and all who are hungry, thirsty, naked, and/or sick. See it as a key diagnostic tool to help us assess our righteousness and health. If we cannot share freely and fully or if we do not make ourselves available to do so, this indicates that our relationship with God and the world is not as healthy and whole as it could be… Loving those who are undervalued, is a primary expression of our love of God and of our experience of God’s love for us.

We may not like warnings or wellness checks; after all, they ask us to recalibrate our lives. However, they provide a critical wellness overview that we are wise to attend to,…” (particularly when the same illness runs in the family).

(Ibid, p.333-337)

In other words, abundant possibilities only become real in our lives when we are able to experience that the more we give, the more we receive.

BENEDICTION

Go from this place to sing God’s praise in your life, by living each day

in the light of God’s abundant grace. Trust in that grace, and be content in all circumstances. God has brought you here today, and now God calls you out into the world to share the good news. Be filled possibilities and joy! Amen!