|
Sept 21st, 2008 – 19th Sunday after Pentecost – Alpha Sunday
Readings: Exodus 16:2-15; Psalms 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16
Ah, politics. The campaign trail marches on…the conservatives are under attack for Ritz’s insensitive listeriosis comments, the Liberals are downplaying their controversial Green Shift plan and the NDP, well, the NDP lost another pot-smoking candidate in BC. I have to admit I don’t know a lot about politics but I do find what people feel about particular parties, leaders, and policies interesting. I had a conversation with someone I know the other week who told me that if money wasn’t an issue he’d vote NDP every time. Presumably he approves of their social policies, but he said that as soon as they start talking about increasing his income tax they’ve lost his vote.
I think my friend is like most of us who feel the need to cling on to what we have – or perhaps we just don’t trust the government to distribute the funds to those in need. Perhaps we’d prefer to be proactive like the wealthy lawyer who was riding in the back of his limousine one afternoon when he saw two men eating grass by the road side. He ordered his driver to stop and he got out to investigate.
"Why are you eating grass?" he asked one man.
"We don't have any money for food," the poor man replied.
"Oh, come along with me then."
"But sir, I have a wife with two children!"
"Bring them along! And you, come with us too!" he said to the other man.
"But sir, I have a wife with six children!" the second man answered.
"Bring them as well!" They all climbed into the car, which was no easy task, even for a car as large as the limo.
Once underway, one of the poor fellows says, "Sir, you are too kind. Thank you for taking all of us with you." The lawyer replied, "No problem, the grass at my home is about two feet tall."
In our first reading today we hear the story of God’s people finding their food on the ground – not grass like the poor men in the story – but a strange-looking kind of bread that formed overnight. If we remember from the last several weeks’ readings, the people of God are freed from their slavery in Egypt and are now journeying through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. The people soon grow weary of their journey, however, and begin to complain to Moses about their lack of luxuries, not to mention the scarcity of food and water.
Once again, God provides. His glory appears in a cloud, he promises to provide meat in the evening and bread in the morning for all the people. This food would only last the day however (with the exception of that gathered on the sixth day for the Sabbath) so hoarding of the goods was impossible. Some tried, but later in the chapter we find out that this ‘manna’ “bred worms and became foul.” (v.20)
Funny isn’t it how we tend to hoard or try to hold on to the things God has blessed us with? We budget, save, invest, cut costs, shop for bargains, all in an effort to save a few pennies. Much of the time this is necessary, but I wonder what would happen if God tested our faith in him to provide in the same way the people of Israel were tested? What if we were given money one day at a time to meet our daily needs? And what about the other things God has blessed us with? What would happen if we decided that we would hoard God’s grace, the gifts he’s blessed us with?
I think that’s the bigger issue isn’t it? Recognizing that all that we have is a blessing from God, from our material possessions, to the gift of salvation, and that God requires us to share these blessings. Whether it is greed, insecurity, or that deeply ingrained notion that we can take care of ourselves, as human beings we tend to look out for #1 more often than not. And when that happens, our souls (our personalities, attitudes, spirit) rot like the expired manna.
God’s blessings are sufficient to meet our needs, but part of their ‘blessing’ is not just in the way they satisfy a practical need, they also come with the test of trust. When God blesses us he desires us to use these gifts for his plan and purposes. Jesus came to show us God’s plan for us - He preached, healed, loved, forgave, and brought about the transformation of the entire person to those he ministered to. The ‘Bread of Heaven’ (as we call him) did not keep to himself but rather he reached out to the ostracized, the helpless, and the poor. He loved each one as a whole person, ministering to their physical and emotional needs, as well as the spiritual. And he loved every one impartially. The Pharisees liked to play the religious card, there were political zealots crying for revolution, the Sadducees wanted to remain wealthy and powerful, but Jesus didn’t cater to their agendas. He preached a message that God’s grace is open to all, male and female, rich and poor, religious and irreligious, Jew and Gentile.
Our gospel reading is a difficult parable for us to hear – partly because, like a good parable, its meaning is subject to interpretation – but also because what it implies strikes at our belief that we should get to decide who gets what. The workers hired by the landowner at the beginning of the day were treated fairly, blessed in fact (since they were unemployed that day), and their needs were provided. Yet when they saw that those hired late in the day received equal pay, they became jealous, bitter. Perhaps they felt they were entitled to more – I imagine they were at least hoping for more (which I think I would’ve been too seeing how generous the landowner was to the other guys). But most likely they were upset that others were blessed as much as they.
They were offended at the grace received by the ‘undeserving’. One person said this, “The offense of grace is not in the treatment we receive but in the observation that others are getting more than they deserve.” (Craddock, 449) I never really thought about God’s grace being offensive – but its true isn’t it? One of the most common objections to the Christian faith I hear of is the notion that God will forgive anyone – even the rapists, murders, and terrorists. And not only are we told that God would forgive anyone who ‘earnestly repents’ – we are told that we are also to forgive those who ‘sin against us.’ Huh. That’s a tough one. To forgive ‘that person’ for what they’ve done? To read about the horrible acts of violence in the newspaper and then truly believe that God’s forgiveness can reach both victim and victimizer?
It hardly seems fair. Most of us inwardly wish for ‘that person’ to ‘get what they deserve.’ We feel we have the right to judge right from wrong – to pronounce someone undeserving of God’s grace. But the Word of God tells us today that God’s grace is for all. It’s for those who we may think deserve less. It extends to complainers like the Israelites; it’s for those who seem to work less, who get off easy. And it is for you and for me. And it is for all we would welcome into this place. Are we ready to accept anyone who would come in?
“A parishioner who had attended the same church and parked in the same spot for 20 years arrived to find that a bearded man of Middle Eastern decent had taken his spot. The parishioner explained that the visitor was in “his” spot, and the visitor moved. Then after the parishioner greeted everyone and entered the nave, he discovered the visitor was sitting in “his” pew. He explained that his family had sat in the same spot for 20 years, and the visitor moved.
Then when it was time for communion the parishioner went to kneel in the spot where he had prayed for 20 years, he found the stranger in his way again. The stranger said, “Let me guess. I took your place again?” and the agitated parishioner said “yes.” The stranger then pointed to the cross hanging behind the altar and said, “A long time ago, I took your place there, too. I was just checking to see if it did any good”.”
The grace of God which we have received – the knowledge and power of God at work within us, transforming us to be like Christ – challenges us to share it. To extend the grace and love of God to all those we know. That means being welcoming, being willing to be stretched out of our comfort zone for the sake of others. Whether it’s giving up our own seat, our worship preferences, or our right to a privatized spirituality, God desires us to grow, and you only grow when you are stretched.
“Back to Church Sunday” is stretching for us – not simply because we need reminders of how to be welcoming for new folks – but also because it forces us to make a decision of whether or not we would be someone who chooses to extend the grace of God in a way that invites others to hear and receive the Good News of salvation in Christ. We will only have a successful day so long as we all get in the game and recognize that all those we know are in need of God’s grace. Alpha is starting up again in a few weeks and it’s a remarkably effective way of experiencing God’s grace through community, learning, and prayer. But we must invite people to come to Alpha. We must pray God would put someone on our heart for us to invite, not so that we can boost our numbers or feel proud of ourselves, but because the demands of God’s grace require us to “tell of all (God’s) wonderful works.” (Ps 105:2)
When we do we will find ourselves a part of an extraordinary partnership with others who have throughout the ages committed themselves to the gospel and the spread of its message. Let us give heed to St. Paul’s admonition for us:
“Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that…I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel…” (Philippians 1:27) Amen.
|
|
