Someone's got to tell them about their only hope

 

Luke 19:1-10       Pentecost XXI

 Luke is rough on the wealthy.

In Chapter 12 we have the story of the Rich Fool, who ignores the plight of those in need as he builds bigger barns to store more than he could ever need.  He was completely oblivious to the needs of anyone else as he accrued more for himself.  His life is over, and to what does it all amount?

In Chapter 16 we have the Dishonest Steward who was unscrupulous in his business dealings, with the message that a person cannot serve both God and Wealth. 

We also have the story of the unnamed rich man and Lazarus.  It is another story of wealth ignoring poverty and reversals of fortune, along with warnings about the hubris of entitlement in the Kingdom of God.

Chapter 18 offers the story of the Rich Young Man who goes away sad after calculating the cost of salvation against his wealth, with a lesson on how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom and the question, “Who can be saved?”

And now Zacchaeus.  This is different.  All the others leave those who benefit from empire’s inequities without hope in the end.  Zacchaeus shows us the path to answer the question of salvation differently.  The hope is repentance. 

The predatory practices of those who gain wealth go against the living of agaph commanded by Jesus.  Ignoring the poor who are created by those predatory empire practices and systems goes against Jesus’ Law of Love as well.  Those who benefit from the practices directly, or indirectly from the systems put in place to benefit them are in direct opposition to the Law of agaph, especially if they do not help those who are victimized by it or work to change the systems put in place that victimize them.  There is little hope for those who live this life.

But for those who repent like Zacchaeus, there is hope.  Changing their thinking to make things right and positively affect those held down, back and out by empire’s system built on greed, power and status is their hope.  Making amends as one transformed by an encounter with Jesus makes one right with God.  Faithful action that saves lives saves the life of those engaged in the faithful action.  Zacchaeus was lost.  He had no hope.  Until he changed how he looked at it and changed his actions (metanoia) regarding wealth and the practices around wealth that benefitted him at the expense of others, he had no hope.  His encounter with Jesus changed that because it changed him.  Jesus came to save the lost.

Someone needs to tell the lost who intentionally gain at the expense of others and those who indirectly benefit from the systems put in place by them and for them, that their hope is in transformation through encountering Jesus and His Good News with repentance.  They need to know that Jesus wants them to know salvation through repentance, according to Luke.

Re-formation Sunday

 

Reformation Sunday        John 15:1-17

 The Reformation was centered on re-capturing a love for and adherence to God’s Word as the authority of the body of Christ Jesus.  The corruptions experienced in that time and place under the Holy Roman Empire added to the zeal for getting back to living the Good News of Jesus as the way of being the church in the world.  Jesus’ Good News came in a similar context under empire centuries before.  For me, it is reminiscent of Josiah’s reform before that, at a time when the Torah had been walled up and disregarded for a long time by the leaders of the people.  When we get away from the Word, we get away from the Will of God and therefore faithfulness to God.

 I believe that as we have sunk evermore deeply into empire as a nation over the past forty-two years (since the desolating sacrilege of Reagan and Falwell), we have set up similar circumstances around the Gospel of Jesus for followers today.  The church has been corrupted by false teachings that undergird the agenda of empire in our nation and in the world.   As one preacher recently put it in a revival for clergy, “You are either a chaplain for empire or a prophet of the resistance.”  Jesus was all about resisting empire.  Those who follow Jesus must be all about resisting empire in order to be following Jesus.

 I chose this text because it is a call to arms for Jesus’ disciples, as witnessed in the Gospel of John.  We are connected to Jesus, our lifeline.  We are called to bear good fruit in the world, having been cleansed by the Word that Jesus gave us.  We cannot bear that good fruit if we do not abide in Jesus.  We must live, breath and move within Jesus in order to bear fruit and change the world.  If we abide in Jesus, we abide in Jesus’ Word, the Good News of agaph that is to transform the world.  Being Jesus’ disciples means that we glorify God because of the good that we DO in the world.  In order to be faithful to Jesus, we must keep HIS commandments of living agaph for God and Neighbor as self, which fulfill all the Law and Prophets.  THAT is our faithfulness.  It gives Jesus great joy when we do that, and fills us with joy – the joy of faithfulness.  We must love one another as Jesus has loved us.  That is deeply personal.  We have been chosen to follow Jesus, and appointed therefore to put good fruit out in the world around us.  Jesus’ commandment is to love one another. (agaph- committed action on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy, and especially the most vulnerable among us.)

 Is the church that bears Jesus’ name heeding this call to arms?  Are we putting this love out in the world of empire to resist its way and offer a sustainable alternative for the children of God?  Are we faithful to the Gospel of Jesus as our authority on how to live faithfully with God and Neighbor?  If so, then we are transforming the world and the fruits of that transformation are evident.  If not, then we need to be pruned, cleansed by the Word, re-formed to be the movement of followers of Jesus again, instead of institutions that represent empire in the world.  The leaders of the church are either prophets of the resistance to empire and its evil and destructive ways who are faithful to the Gospel of Jesus, or chaplains of empire who are promoting the false teachings that prop up the destruction of lives under it.

 Reformation Sunday.  Reformation Sunday.  Reformation Sunday.  It’s been 505 years since it was started.  Where has it gone?

Hubris or Humility? What is at stake?

 

Luke 18:9-14       Pentecost XX

 Humility is resistance to Empire.  Empire values more wealth than others, power over others and status above others.  Empire values appearing to be the best, the most and being right.  The Kingdom of God values what Jesus taught, commanded, and modeled - sincere humility.

 By God’s Grace we are counted as worthy of redemption and salvation.  It is not by works of Law.  This is well established in the best of Pauline theology as commentary on Jesus’ teachings.  Self-righteousness does not exist.  Believing oneself to be righteous creates division among people.  It falsely makes some believe that they are superior to others, and it creates divisions.  Status above others is not faithfulness to God or Neighbor as self.  Gratitude for God’s Grace and the redemption of Jesus comes from a realization of need – the need for God’s mercy.  Self-righteousness presumes a lack of need for God’s Grace, sets up a false superiority of spirit and creates contempt for others who do not “measure up.”  This is not faithfulness to God or Neighbor.

 The ridiculous scene of one person lifting himself up as superior to others as an argument for his own virtue with God is absurdity.  Pointing the finger at others in order to make oneself appear to be better comes from a very low view of self.  It is reminiscent of Luther’s teaching about the absurdity of one beggar at the foot of God’s throne pointing out that another one kneeling next to him is a beggar.  The need to be “better than” someone else, anyone else is a desperate attempt from a place of self-loathing to elevate the self in one’s own eyes and in the eyes of others.  This false superiority leads to division, discrimination and disdain for others, and not agaph.  This is not faithfulness to God or Neighbor.

 The genuine humility of the other person, requesting mercy because of his unworthiness, is counted as righteousness, for it is a recognition that our only righteousness is the righteousness of Christ Jesus.  We are in the need of Grace and redemption, and God gives it freely.  It is insane for one who has free access to that Grace of God to pretend to be so good as not to need it.  That is nature of hubris, of arrogant pride.  This is not faithfulness to God or Neighbor.

 “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”  This is all about the recognition that we are no better or worse than any other human being, and that we need to treat each other with the mercy we need from God.  It is about the understanding that we are all in need of God’s Grace and redemption, and that we are to give that to others around us who we may consider unworthy, just as God does with us.  It is about obedience to the one who has demonstrated agaph with us to show us how to live with one another.  Active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger or enemy, and especially the most vulnerable among us takes humility, even as Empire demands hubris.

 Paul’s theological exposition on agaph witnessed to in Philippians 2:1-11 commands followers of Jesus to have the same mind in themselves that was in Him, when He humbled Himself though He was God, even to humiliate Himself to the point of giving His life for unworthy people.  It is in this indescribable gift of Grace that the recipients are counted as worthy, elevated to worthy by God.  In our living of agaph we must pass on that humbling love to others by lifting them up – to be Christ Jesus for them.  Why?  Because they need it, just as we need it.  It is not about worthiness, but about need.  In order to us to have Shalom (completeness, wholeness and well-being that lead to peace), we must know that we are valued, loved and worthy in the eyes of God and others.

 Though Empire values strip that away systemically, intentionally, and insidiously, and destroy lives, the Kingdom of God values lift-up, build up, and bring us home.  We are worthy because Christ Jesus makes us worthy.

"When the Son of Man returns..."

 

Luke 18:1-8      Pentecost XIX

 “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

 The unjust Judge has lost all respect for God and for humanity.  He judged from that perspective on the world.  The widow demanded justice.  She was relentless at demanding justice.  Even this scoundrel gave her justice because of her persistence.

 Jesus claims that God will give justice for the same reason.  We are called to cry out to God for justice day and night.  Jesus also claims that God will not delay, but will give justice quickly to those who call upon God day and night. 

 But I have heard that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”  It takes a long time, but it will come, according to Dr. King.

 Are we THAT IMMORAL, that God would have justice come quickly but we delay its coming?

Are we that lax in prayer that our prayers for justice are not answered?

Do we fail to see that prayer is action and action is prayer?  The widow WENT TO HIM REPEATEDLY.  She demanded justice.

 Like Moses with Pharaoh, she did not relent with “No.”  She kept coming back.  Like the church reformers, she would not let go of her pursuit of justice.  Like Harriet Tubman, she kept going back for justice for all.  Like Dr. King, she kept demanding justice for all.  Like Elizabeth Warren, “nevertheless, she persisted,” when the powers that be would silence her instead of hearing her considered opinion toward equal justice for all.  Like President Zelensky.  Like Stacey Abrams in Georgia.  So, we are called to be persistent toward bringing equal justice for all, even or especially working against those who were appointed to bring justice, but who are reticent to provide it.  

 Prayer is action; action is prayer.  We must be relentless in our pursuit of what is right, loving, equitable and just for all people.  In our prayers and in our actions.

 For there are those who not only will not lift a finger to provide equal justice for all, but who are actively working to deny equal justice for all in the world.  We must actively persist in demanding it together.  We must actively work to bring it about.

 God loves justice.  God demands justice.  When the church of God demands equal justice for all, then we are on the side of God.  When we respect neither God nor the humanity that God loves in how we live, then we are not on the side of God, but on the side of those who oppose God.

 Will the arc of the moral universe bend toward justice in our future?  Will we pray for it to be done and ACT toward it being done?  It is long delayed.  Is that because we have not yet been persistent enough in our prayers and actions?

 Will Jesus, when He returns, find faith on earth?  In us?

Faithfulness beyond Tribe

 

Luke 17:11-19    Pentecost XVIII

 Lepers were not supposed to be anywhere near a Rabbi.  These ten, between Samaria and Galilea, approached Jesus, and called Him Master.  They recognized Him as being beyond just a Rabbi.  They asked for mercy, not healing, which is a spiritual request.  Jesus talked with them, again against every normative and acceptable practice for a Rabbi.  He ordered them to go and show themselves to the priests, so that they could be restored to their community and be now considered not to have sinned against God, thus bringing on their leprosy.  They went.  But one came back when he realized that he was healed, praising God and coming to submit himself to Jesus and thank Him.  Jesus recognized that no one else came back to Him to give thanks, and then recognized the faith of this foreigner.

 This leper was a Samaritan.  The Greek word for him, here translated as “foreigner”, actually means “one born of a different race.” (allo-genhs)

 Those who settled in Samaria were the ones who had returned from the Assyrian exile, who had married Babylonians, so they were considered other than Israelites.  These were also people who suffered under empire, who were exiled from their lands, and who were just trying to survive just as they were.  Upon their return, they were considered “half breeds” and were shunned by those who married within their own nationality, so they settled in another region, set up their own worship of God and Temple, and were at the very least rivals to Israel, and most accurately enemies.

 This is not the first time Jesus used a Samaritan as an example of faithfulness in this Gospel of Luke.  Here, of course the leper did not show himself to a priest.  He did not recognize the priests of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Instead, he returned to the source of his mercy and healing, truly recognizing Jesus as being something more than just a Rabbi, but indeed “master.”  Jesus here also refers to Himself as God, incidentally, something that this newly healed leper alone recognized. 

 Jesus sent him on his way to live his newly restored life, after recognizing his faith(fulness).

 Those who are on the inside of the majority often believe themselves to be entitled to all the best, even from God, and even when they find themselves in the plight of those downtrodden in society.   Lacking any strong sense of gratitude because of their entitlement, they fall short of faithfulness when they are given new life.  Those who are marginalized are used to being disenfranchised, rejected, and held in contempt.  They often genuinely pray to God for deliverance with great earnestness, and when they are delivered offer a depth of praise, thanksgiving, and gratitude that it makes all others seem to be lacking. 

 Those who were thankless were still healed.  There is Grace in that.  They were also not recognized as being faithful to God by Jesus.  This genuine covenantal relationship calls for humility and a genuine appreciation of God in our lives, especially when our lives are turned around.  Faithfulness to God requires us, not to earn our restoration or redemption, but to acknowledged with gratitude that God gives it to us.  Our lives are saved by God HERE AND NOW, in THIS PART of God’s Reign, a salvation that we dare not overlook because of some idea of our entitlement to eternal life.  The lives of others are saved by God HERE AND NOW, in THIS PART of God’s Reign, the salvation toward which we all must work in order to be faithful to God here and now.  And we must recognized that salvation of God with thankfulness.

It is only right

 

Luke 17:5-10 Pentecost XVII

 An increase in faith comes when we trust in the possibilities.  If we believe that we can, we most probably can.  If we look at the immensity of problems in the world and believe that affecting change is beyond us, then it is beyond us.  If we look at the impossible and decide to see it as possible, we may find that we have succeeded in making a difference, and if we decide to strive to move the immovable, then we are on our way to making a difference in the world around us.  One thing is for sure, if we do not believe that we can make a difference, we are right.  If we strive to make a difference, making a difference is possible.

 And obedience has its place.  We live in a world that is motivated only by getting credit for doing the right thing.  In politics, in our work, in society and in our families, we seem to be hung up on getting credit for doing the right thing.  We are called and commanded to do the right things, period.  It should be the bare minimum that we do the right thing, for doing the right thing IS the right reason for doing it.  Obedience to Jesus means that we heed Jesus’ command to actively commit to the well-being of others around us, especially the most vulnerable among us.  Under empire, Quid Pro Quo is the normative value, but in the Kingdom of God we are called to do the right thing without reward.  It is enough to live in covenant faithfully, for the reward is already given in God’s Grace and Love given to us.  We have the gift already.  The reward is in faithful relationship with the Lord.

 If we are called to be good stewards of the creation and do the impossible by preserving and protecting it from those who would waste, pollute and destroy it for their own gain in profit, then we will strive to do just that in faith, just because it is the right thing to do.  The reward will be life for all of God’s creation.  For that we need no credit.  We must do that.

no joy in Hades

 

Pentecost XVI      Luke 16:19-31

 The rich man in the parable remains nameless. Sometimes called “Dives”, which in Latin means “rich man,” he is not honored with a name.  The poor man, Lazarus, was sick and hungry, laying at the gate at the rich man.  He was under the rich man’s nose, perhaps under feet when he left his gate, but the rich man did nothing on his behalf.  The rich man, this nameless person in the story is juxtaposed with Lazarus who ends up with Abraham.

The rich man died and was buried and was in Sheol, “Hades.”  It was the state of being dead.  The rich man, however, was being tormented.  He was able to see Lazarus at the side of Abraham, the father of the faith, which meant that Lazarus now had some status he had not had in life.

 The rich man never talked to Lazarus, still.  He presumed to be able to address Abraham and instructed Abraham to send Lazarus to quench his thirst, after asking Abraham for mercy, but not Lazarus.

 Abraham let him know that he had all the wealth, power, and status in his life, but that Lazarus suffered evil things (including being ignored by the rich man).  Abraham did recognize that the rich man was in agony, but he would not send Lazarus to wait on him.  He also pointed out that there is a great chasm between heaven and Sheol, the realm of the dead, and that it cannot be crossed.

 Then the rich man presumed to ask Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his brothers of their plight should they continue to value wealth, power, and status above the lives of others, especially those in need. 

 Abraham simply reminded him that they had access to Moses and the prophets, just as the rich man had access to when he was alive.  The rich man told Abraham, “No,” pushing to send Lazarus from the dead to his brothers to dramatically convince them.  Abraham pointed out that if they did not listen to Moses and the prophets, they would not listen to a resurrected Lazarus.

 And that was it; it is a parable, but there is no explanation or direct application.  After criticizing the Pharisees and explaining the importance of God’s Law in His teachings, Jesus warned humanity about loving wealth, power, and status above other human beings, while ignoring the will of God.

 The rich man had great wealth, even more than he could ever need.  He had the power of life and death over those around him who were starving and sick.  He had status above all those “beneath him.”  None of that mattered.  In fact, it may have been that which sent him to Hades instead of heaven.  Dead is dead, and that was the end for the rich man, oh yes, and with torment.

 What may be the most astounding thing to me about the rich man character in the parable is that he held onto his absurd sense of superiority and status above Lazarus, even though Lazarus was in heaven and he was in Sheol.  Not only that, but he presumed status enough to order Abraham, the father of the faith to do his bidding in ordering Lazarus around, presuming that Abraham’s status above him would be recognized in heaven.  The word “asinine” comes to mind.  To believe that God’s reign holds status in the same way that empire on earth does is absurd.

 But that is the nature of such a strong false sense of superiority.  It leads to an insane sense of entitlement above others.  It is born of bigotry and fed by hubris.  It is not of God.  The love for wealth more than others, power over others and status above others is not a value of God or the Reign of God.  Jesus’ Good News calls for equality of value, the sharing of power and the equal distribution of sustenance so that all of God’s people have Shalom.  One can claim Abraham or David or Jesus all that they want, but if our values are not in alignment with God’s reign, even as we live in this part of it here and now, perhaps Jesus is claiming that our salvation is at stake.  That would certainly line up with Jesus’ vision of His own return and the judgment of all humanity, as we have witness in Matthew’s Gospel (25:31-46). 

 The rich man failed to welcome the stranger at the gate, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick.  He found himself among the goats because of it, in the end.

 Immigrants are suffering at our Southern gate.  We have the means by which to welcome them and care for them.  We ignore them, and when they sneak in the gate we detain them, separate families, and send them back to their deaths.  Sometimes we spend money that could be spent in helping them to transport them as a political ploy out of abject cruelty.  There is a special place in Hades for those who do so.

 We have sick people in our own nation, within our gates, who are dying because they cannot afford medicine or medical care. There are people starving to death on our streets, beneath our feet, even though there is enough food within the nation to feed them.   There are people who need clothing and shelter, some of whom are in danger of dying on the streets under our feet, outside our gated communities.  There are people unjustly incarcerated for petty crimes for decades, for having done things that are now legal.  Some are serving much longer sentences for the same drug crimes that others of different economic status (and Race) have been freed from long ago. 

 We cannot hide behind the nameless policies that we not only allow but condone and encourage by how we vote in elected officials who run on very particular, ideological platforms.

 We cannot claim that we are not responsible for the most vulnerable among us.

We cannot claim that we have not seen them.

We cannot claim that our wealth is only ours, or that we have been “self-made,” when we have gained our wealth on the backs of those who are low paid, systematically and intentionally.

We cannot claim status above anyone, particularly our ancestors of the faith. 

We cannot claim that we are entitled to power and control over others.

We cannot claim any superiority over others with God and get away with that.

 God will not be mocked.

There is a special place in Sheol for those whose values are heaped in the values of empire.

There is corporate sin, and our corporations, political parties and nation are subject to its consequences.

 Jesus told the parable and left it there.

I will leave this right here.