LAST Sunday after Pentecost 2008 Proper 29
November 23, 2008
the Rev. Ken Kroohs
WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT
St. Christopher's, High Point, NC
MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ... AND THE MEDITATIONS OF ALL OUR HEARTS ... BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU --- OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER AMEN
Well we made it. .... Today, in the church year, is like December 31st. New Year's Eve. Next Sunday we begin a new church year with the beginning of Advent.
We made it through the church year! We made it through the series that reminds us of Jesus' earthly ministry: the time before He came, His arrival, His death and resurrection, and His teachings about what happens afterwards. So the readings today are very appropriate. They speak about the end of time, or at least the end of an individual's time. They speak about a final judgement. They complete the story.
As some of you know I have about half finished a book I am very excited about .... even if I have not written another word in a couple months!
My working title is: "What is on God's final exam?" .... The concept came to me a couple years ago when I was discussing with people what mattered the most to God. Notice I am not suggesting there are things God does not care about. I believe when we throw litter in the street God cares much as we would care if someone threw it on our property.
That said, God does ... I believe ... have certain priorities. Some things matter more than others. If we give a hungry person a sandwich and throw the wrapper on the street, God would appreciate the feeding more than be upset over the wrapper.
As I began thinking all this through I realized there is one place and one place only in scripture where we are given a clear understanding of the questions which will be asked at our final judgement. .... This Gospel. This Gospel could be compared to the class instructor who before the final exam, talks about what was most important for the class. A very good assumption is what the instructor believes is important is what will be on the final exam!
Ezekiel uses some wonderful imagery. Some imagery which is very appropriate for our time and our economic conditions. It begins with the very comforting thought that God will seek out the lost. God is not simply waiting for us but will seek out and rescue those who have been pushed away from society. Those who have been isolated.
In the Gospel Jesus speaks about the same people but gives to us some of the responsibility for reaching out to them. Some of the responsibility for seeking them out and caring for them - in God's name.
Then Ezekiel says God will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Jesus says the sheep and the goat. God says that because the fat sheep pushed away and scattered the weak, God will step in and appoint a shepherd to protect them. That shepherd originally was David, but suggests the messiah -- Jesus.
Does this have many implications today? ... I think so. As I watch the news about people who made hundreds of millions of dollars while leading their company into bankruptcy, while destroying the retirement accounts of much less wealthy people ... destroying the retirement accounts of more lean sheep ... as I watch the news about corporate executives making millions of dollars, flying their private jets while demanding the "lean sheep" give them money ... yup! I think there just could be some implications in today's world!!
Through it all we need to remember how Ezekiel's teaching emphasizes that God will stay with us ... that God will seek out those who are hurting.
The Gospel of Matthew takes that same image but extends it. With some minor editing you could place the Gospel story after the Ezekiel teaching and it would complete the teaching. Ezekiel says God will seek out those who have hurt others and the Gospel talks about how that corporate executive, or ... honestly ... ourselves ... are not even aware of what we have done.
Over the centuries there has been some debate about who exactly is involved. The more ancient understanding was that "the least of these who are members of my family" meant "Christians". So the judgement was about, and only about how Christians were treated.
I think that is inconsistent with Jesus' teachings which focus on all the people of the world. So I agree with the more recent ... i.e. last couple centuries ... understanding that Jesus' family is all the people of the world.
I truly connected with this passage a few years ago when one of my daughters had a problem at school. A couple teachers stepped up and helped her. At that time I understood what Jesus meant: "when you did it for this one, you did it for me". When the teachers helped my daughter it was even more important than helping me.
Jesus tells us that when we help someone who needs help, we are helping Him ... or maybe doing something even more important.
It is fascinating how the fat sheep or the goats do not understand ... never even saw the people they hurt.
An aside ... when I get done with that first book ... year 2019 maybe .. I may turn to another. In that second book I want to read through all the instructions in the New Testament. I suspect that although the Old Testament focuses primarily on what we should NOT do, the New Testament focuses on what we FAILED to do. Not that Jesus is dis-interested in what we do, but He understands that more often we avoid the worst of the "don'ts" but also avoid the majority of the "do-es".
Anyway, notice how the people never even saw the ones they did not help. I still remember walking around downtown with a friend and I, having spent lots of time in big cities, stepped over a homeless person without really noticing he was there. My friend was appalled at me. I would have said: "uhh, God, when did I see you homeless and did nothing?"
But the more interesting group are the ones who did help the poor, the sick, the friendless. They also were unaware of what they did !! And I do not believe for a moment this was faked humility.
In fact what this brought to mind is Paul's instruction to "pray unceasingly". We struggle with that because we obviously have to do other things like work! I don't believe that Paul meant to avoid all other types of human activity. I believe Paul meant that all forms of human activity should be a prayer. .... Not a bit easier to live up to!
And I suspect that the people Jesus honors ... people who probably never really existed just as people who actually pray constantly probably don't exist .. The people Jesus honors are people who live as Christians all the time without even thinking about it!
The small groups that many people are now in have the intention of helping us remember how to pray and live as Christians constantly. They are designed with the understanding we will never accomplish those goals! So their intention is to help us be accountable for the times we don't ... and learn from the times we do. I say they are a little like the Weightwatchers weigh in for a dieter. The Weigh-in does not itself accomplish anything but keep us accountable.
So as we prepare for our judgement ... rather that is an "end of time" event or very personal ... we already know what God will ask us! We already know the questions on the final exam.
God will ask us when we helped those in need around us. God will ask us what we did when the homeless person was in our path. Did we step over him and ignore him? Or did we help him?
God will ask what we did when the lonely person, locked in the prison of pain, walked past us. Did we turn slightly so they could get by and we go about our business? Or did we take time from our all so important lives and schedules to talk with them?
God will ask what we did when we are told how many people in our community cannot get good health care. Did we grumble about the very real examples of people who will not help themselves? Or did we do something to help those who cannot help themselves?
God will ask what we did when we crossed paths with people who are hurting from a lack of a spiritual life. Did we pride ourselves on allowing religion to be a private thing? Or did we speak about God's love for them and invite them into a community?
When we read about the teenager who committed suicide live on the internet, did we shape our heads in astonishment ... only shake our heads in astonishment or did we at least ask how a Christian nation could allow people to be that lonely and despondent?
Let us pray: Gracious, loving and all seeking God we thank you for your patience with us. We ask you to open our eyes to the needs around us. Open our hearts to the pain around us. Open our minds to seek ways to help ... not because you told us to but because that is who we want to be.
AMEN
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CLICK HERE TO RESPOND: I would enjoy reading your comments about this sermon. Please feel free to discuss content or presentation. (If you wish to use another email system send your comments to: ken@st-christopher.com)