EPIPHANY 8

February 27, 2011

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Isaiah 49:8-16a, Ps. 131; I Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 6:24-34)

SAYING “GOD WILL PROVIDE” WILL NOT PAY A BILL!

St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, High Point, NC

Today we are presented with some of the extremely basic — and extremely difficult to live up to — teachings in scripture. Remember we have been going through Jesus’ longest teaching – what we know as the “sermon on the mount”. In that sermon He generally taught some general point and followed that with a series of very specific examples.

A couple weeks ago we heard what I called the single most important statement or teaching in scripture. Jesus said we are to be perfect, or holy, as God is perfect or holy. I explained that this is the implication of the statement that we were created in God’s image. That did not mean physical image ... I sincerely doubt God has two arms and two legs, etc. But rather in God’s spiritual image. The spiritual image we summarize when we say that “God is love”. We were created in that image and because that is who we are, we should be constantly striving to achieve the goal of perfection or holiness. We won’t achieve that goal and God does not expect us to. God does expect us to try.

Furthermore I pointed out that the statement that we were created in God’s image and therefore should seek to be holy or perfect is the basis for ALL the commandments. We should treat other people as we would wish to be treated BECAUSE that is how a perfect, holy, loving being would act.

Today Jesus continues this pattern of a general teaching followed by specific examples. It as if throughout this sermon Jesus is describing a complex piece of pottery. He examines it from one direction, then turns and examines it from another. Each of the statements is full and complete in itself but none describe the entire piece of pottery. We have to combine all the statements to get the full picture. Each of Jesus’ lessons is complete in itself but to get the full picture of God’s kingdom and our role in it, we have to combine all the teachings.

Today Jesus basically loops back to the first commandment that we shall have no other God’s before Yahweh. That has always intrigued me because it seems to acknowledge that other God’s exist. Personally I suspect that in Moses’ time when the Egyptian and Greek and Roman gods were so well known that this commandment was phrased to avoid debating the existence of other gods. Instead of that debate Yahweh simply said not to place any before Him.

Today we hear that commandment in a more nuanced, but actually deeper way. We understand that the word “god” means whatever influences our lives in a major way. I know people who live, breath, and die over their college’s sports teams. Some of them are just having fun. A few of them have made a god of their sports team. Nothing comes between them and their sports team. Nothing.

A not very realistic test but one that illustrates my point: say something uncomplimentary about Jesus in front of them. Even something insulting. Wait a while and then say something mildly critical of their sports team! Which gets the greatest response? ..... Based on that, I submit, you can get some idea of that person’s primary “god”.

I have said many times that I believe our final judgement will be based on a review of our check book and our calendars. What we did with our money and our time. Like it our not, those are pretty good indicators of our priorities — and our priorities are set by our “gods”.

Today Jesus stresses that we cannot attempt to have two gods – two masters. A some point they will come in conflict over our money or our time and at that point one will prove to be the real master.

Don’t mis-understand me! I love to watch good college basketball. And I especially love to watch when Duke is playing well. It is not fun on those fortunately rare occasions when they stink. I love to watch the good games and I am only half kidding, or less than half, when I say one of God’s great gifts was the invention of DVR so we can record the games and not be in conflict with Yahweh’s plans as often!

The issue is to ask ourselves about those times when there really is an unresolvable conflict. When we honestly have to choose. Who wins? .... Whoever that is truly is our god. ..... small “g”

I used sports as an illustration ... it could be anything .... because I believe we tend to over simplify this teaching. We tend to think: “Well, I am not a Hindu or a wica witch, I am a Christian and so I meet this standard.” We can discuss ecumenism another time but what I want you to notice is that Jesus did not care about that issue!

Think back .... Jesus is preaching in Galilee at the edge of Israel. A major part of the Old Testament, the Bible Jesus knew, focuses on the importance of being different from the surrounding, what we would call, pagan religions.

At this point in history the Jews have the Greek, Roman, Egyptian and other religions nearby. If this was Jesus’ concern He would have said “no one can serve two masters — you cannot serve Zeus and Yahweh”

Jesus was not focused on such religious divisions. Jesus was focused on real life, moment to moment challenges. And Jesus focused on real life, moment to moment challenges we face every day.

Isn’t that amazing? A teaching from 2,000 years ago is so well structured it hits us right between the eyes today?

As I mentioned Jesus typically makes a broad and general teaching, and then provides examples. Notice what happened here .... Jesus taught the most general statement ... “you cannot serve two masters” ... and then taught a general application of that statement: “you cannot serve God and wealth”

Confession time ..... I did not notice this until I was preparing for today! But every example Jesus uses following that teaching is related to wealth.

Wow ... Jesus knew where our hearts are. In other places Jesus focuses on other issues, especially how we spend our time, but in this case He narrows it down to material possessions.

But in an even more general way, every one of the examples is about security. Yes, about wealth but also most of them talk about feeling secure. Knowing what we will eat tomorrow. Knowing how long our life will be. Knowing what clothes we will wear Having confidence in our future BASED on our material wealth.

This is one of those passages which is very easy to over literalize which is not what Jesus intended and leads to bad decisions. For example, a person could take this so literally as to say “I am placing in God’s hands what I will eat and wear in the future — so I am just going to sit back and do nothing.”

Paul was speaking about that attitude when he taught that those who will not work should not eat. And although a person could draw the idea of sitting, doing nothing from this passage it is a totally inaccurate reading. Watch a bird later today ... they may not sow or reap but they sure work hard! And plants work to grow. Not work as we know it but certainly work. So Jesus never says to sit around and God will provide our material needs.

The other way to over literalize this passage is a bit more difficult to explain, but also more dangerous. That would be to take the fact birds and lilies actually work for what they get and push it too far.

By the way .... the phrase “God helps those who help themselves”? .... is NOT in scripture. Ben Franklin wrote it.

Some people take this so far they imagine a God who watches us work and judges what we do.

The teaching is NOT about working without God ... it is about working WITH God. The point about the birds and the lilies is that they take what God provides and do very well.

When Jesus says “Do not worry saying: “What will we eat?” or “What will we wear?” ... He is not suggesting we just sit here and expect God to cater our lunch! He is using that as a much more general illustration of worrying about the future without having faith in God. .... “For the Gentiles ... the people who do not worship Yahweh .... strive for these things.” ..... People without faith worry.

BUT ... I think and I suspect you think this too .... BUT what about the loss in my retirement monies, what about the costs of everything going up? It is fine to say that “God will provide” but I cannot write “God will provide” on a check and expect my landlord to be happy!!

True .. And Jesus says God knows that ... so let’s follow the passage a few more words.

I mentioned that Jesus frequently began with a general teaching, followed by a series of specific examples. In these chapters in Matthew Jesus also tended to end many sections with some teaching that summarized or clarified the point. He does that here.

“But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” ..... Again, let’s not over literalize this into saying: If I pray just right, God will pay my rent!” ..... But focus on the “Strive first for the kingdom of God” — I believe Jesus is pulling us back to the “do not worry” teaching. In fact, His very next words are “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.”

I believe what this teaching, when brought all together is telling us that we should be holy - perfect - like God as much as we can be. That means seeking first the kingdom of God ..... by which Jesus means, to focus first and primarily on being close to God. The other things? Not unimportant .... just less important.

And although Jesus in this teaching did focus on material things which we can put before God ..... in other places He mentions other things. Those might be summarized as the use of our time. How much of our time is invested in being close to God?

Like our material possessions, there are other demands on our time which are important. ..... Importance is not the concern. Priorities are the concern.

Where do we place our priorities, our faith, and our trust?