Proper8A/Fourth
Sunday after Pentecost, July 2, 2017, St Martin’s Episcopal by Annette Fricke
The tone of this part of Mathew,
chapter 10, is one of comfort when it talks about when a person does something
good, a reward will follow. However, if
we are to step back just one verse, we hear quite the opposite. Verse 39 reads, “Those who find their life
will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” It is important to read scripture as a whole,
not just the little passages we listen to on Sunday mornings as though that is
all there is in the Bible. I once knew a
student at the Catholic seminary who thought that the Bible consisted of only
those Biblical passages read during Mass.
What comes before the gospel helps to illuminate the meaning of the
present text. Our gospel’s meaning is
better understood in the context of what precedes; that half a sentence which
says, “Those who find their life will lose it.”
The contrast compels us to think about our motivations in life. To pursue anything irrespective of our
relationship to God is always a mistake.
It will cost us. We may be making
new friends who we believe value the same things as we do, but at the same time
without our rootedness in God, drive us further from God. Our faith wavers when we grab onto such
things as security—that better job, that better salary—that better position. Are we doing it for selfish reasons or
because we sense that God is pushing us forward in that direction? Opportunities for change seldom come in a
package where it is an easy decision.
The decision-making process is usually filled with all sorts of pros and
cons, where when chosen one way or the other still makes us wonder if the
decision we made was the right one.
Perhaps either way was the right one.
Perhaps either way was the wrong one. A friend of Dad’s once told me
when he was over 90 years old, “I still don’t know if marrying Doris was the
right choice.” Despite that thought that
he would mull over in his mind periodically, he remained faithful to her.
Despite that our thoughts and behaviors may betray our loyalty to God, the
choice to follow or not is always there.
The choice to follow will sometimes send us in a direction we didn’t
really choose to go. The way of God is
the way of sacrifice.
In today’s
reading we hear the words, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever
welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”
For the day in which this was written, it was meant to be the same as if
in the presence of the sender. Whoever
welcomes you, welcomes Jesus, and whoever welcomes Jesus, welcomes the Father;
for all of these are one and the same.
These words bring to mind the Hebrew Scripture readings of sending
messengers among kings. They did not
have newspapers, television, radio or computers then. Everything was sent by way of a messenger and
what was sent by messenger was the same as if that person was speaking directly
to you. Even in the middle ages, the
tradition continued. If the king sends a
messenger, it is the same as if the king was speaking directly to you. This tells us something very important. If we see ourselves as disciples of Jesus
Christ, our ministry is Jesus himself. We
are not just the messenger or gopher. We
are not simply middle management. We are
not simply the poor laborer or slave of our master. Just as we are in Jesus just as Jesus is in
the Father, we are God to the person to whom we minister. People know God through us as Christian
believers. Yet even though we are in the
community of Christ, we are amongst a sea of unbelievers and atheists which are
quite numerous. This may be cause to
feel like one of the little ones, as the early Christians felt. But God is with us in the most profound way
possible.
So, with
that in mind, here is our challenge. Our
bulletin proclaims every Sunday, “St. Martin’s is a welcoming, vibrant
community that fosters spiritual growth to serve Christ in all people.” Will we walk away? Will we take responsibility? Will we see that this simple sentence and
guiding principle is accomplished over and over so that our small Christian
community will increase and the work God has given us to do will be done? Do we not also pray every time we gather,
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” In order that our prayers be effected, action
must follow. We are to seek God’s
guidance and go forward, as we proceed, discerning where God would have us be
as a congregation, using the resources we have and trying different strategies. We should be asking the questions as to how
to make our ministry to others work. A
challenge requires a response, a united response where we work together, not
each person doing their own little thing by themselves. We are called to relationship and we are to
be about the building of relationships with each other and our community, the
local as well as the global community.
We are
called to meet basic needs, to see that basic needs are distributed and
received. That is the grace of God at
work. That is the reward of
servanthood. That is the reward of
sainthood. The life packs are a great
example of meeting basic needs. Outside
our community were several places in need of drinkable water such as Airway
Heights and Flint, Michigan. Many during
this time of the year are victims of house fires in need of temporary
shelters. We are not expected to meet
everybody’s needs, but we do have the resources to meet the needs of many. We are a strong congregation, but our
strength is stronger when we unite in common goals, pitch in and work together.
Matthew is echoing
both Mark and John. The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to
give his life as a ransom for many and from his fullness we have all received
grace upon grace. Is not our reward in serving others the grace
of God which we ourselves have received?
Isn’t it God who makes us God’s righteous servants, to walk humbly
beside God in service to others in need and giving them what they need?
And how do
we decide? During my time as a Camp
Counselor one summer, we had the kids make a list of “Needs and Wants.” What do we really need to live on this
earth? We need food, clothing, and
shelter—and I might add, drinkable water.
If the water is making us sick, it is not drinkable. Basics.
Campers need to know that it is possible to live without a cell phone
and other items they would be tempted to put on the “needs” side of the list.
One counselor decided that he would wear the same pair of camp shorts for a
whole year without washing them. Many campers
snickered and said things like, “Gross!” But he did make a valid point and thought
out of the box. It is up to us as a congregation to decide. It's OK to think creatively.
We are called by God to give the
simplest of things, like water, because the simplest is the most needed; giving
water, a smile, a hand, a compliment.
Give that which will brighten someone’s day and make their load just a
bit easier. It doesn’t have to be big,
just help where help is needed. Listen where
listening is needed. Care where caring
is needed. Do the righteous thing and
distribute God’s grace to all of God’s children. We are all God’s children. We are all brothers and sisters. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and
whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. And whoever gives even a Dixie cup of cold
water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple---truly I tell you,
none of these will lose their reward.”
