Not What You Think

Pentecost 25 Year A

Matt. 22:34-46

You have probably heard that being a Christian is a pretty radical thing to do. But when we look at the world, do we really see Christians doing anything REALLY radical? Most of the time, at least from my perspective, Christians are pretty un-radical people. And, you know, that is too bad. As followers of Christ, who was a major league radical, we all should be at least a bit radical.

In today’s gospel reading, we are presented with another of Jesus’ radical teachings. In many ways, this could be thought of as one of the MOST radical of Jesus’ teachings. Although this challenge may not sound like much, the challenge that Jesus presents could quite literally change the world.

The challenge, or maybe we might even call it a command, is “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This command is just a reworking of the Golden Rule: Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. This seems like pretty simple stuff, huh? We have heard this one since we were kids. But to hear it and to put it into practice are two totally different things.

Have you ever really contemplated how truly radical this rule is? Following the command of Jesus does not promise the life of peace and ease we have come to associate with being a Christian. Following Jesus’ command can do all kinds of things. Following the command that “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” can get us pushed to the edges of society; and in extreme cases, can even get us killed. And if we take this concept to its extremes, it could revolutionize the world or even tear our concept of society apart!

Good entrepreneurs don’t want us thinking about others. The people who sell things for a living want us to be protective and self-centered. They want us to have OUR stuff and want us to look upon the accumulation of this stuff as a virtue. They want us to consider ourselves better than others because we either have some special thing or were the First to have this special thing. They don’t want us to be thinking about all the others in the world who are doing without. By getting us to focus on ourselves, this is how to move product in the marketplace. And into this world of self-centeredness, Jesus drops his little commandment: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Seven little words. But the ramifications of these “seven little words” can be truly frightening.

What aspects of our lives would we have to change if we truly loved our neighbor as ourselves? I don’t even want to think about material possessions at this moment. What would we have to change about our behavior if we were to treat our spouse, our children, our brothers and sister, and yes, even our neighbors as ourselves? In our relationships with other people, what do we want? I am guessing we want patience. I am guessing we want understanding and tolerance. I am also guessing that we want to be loved, even when we fall short of the mark. So, if these are the things we want for ourselves, are these things we are willing to extend to those around us?

Just think of how our homelife, worklife, and neighborhood community would change if we just would all be nice to each other! Think of how nice the roadways would be if we all took our turn in construction zones and didn’t rush to get ahead of the crowd. (Oops! I think I just let out one of my pet peeves!) Or those we work with and live with. What would it be like if we were to show the love to these people that we would like to experience ourselves. Just think how nice it would be if we thanked people just like we would be like to be thanked. Really little things. But these little things can add up to make a large difference.

But what if we go beyond the little things. What if we were to reach out to our neighborhood? How could we love our next door neighbor as ourselves? One example of this would be my parents. My parents are getting up in years so the people who live next to them have been mowing their lawn and shoveling their sidewalk. Without being asked and without expecting anything in return, they just take care of the lawn and the sidewalks because they saw that my parents needed help.

In what ways could you tangibly show love to those in your neighborhood? I challenge you to think of a specific person and what you could do to show love to that person. Don’t just pick your best friend either! Pick someone who may need to experience a little love in their life. It is so easy to come up with a glowing, over-arching idea, but bringing it down to the nuts and bolts of behavior is much more difficult. So think about a person and think of how you can love that neighbor as yourself. Now, make a contract with God to go out and share Christ’s love with this person.

Did I say, Christ’s love? Nope, that wasn’t a slip. See, we are not alone in our effort to spread love through the world. As you probably could guess, I am going to tell you that God is there with us to help make this love a reality. And how do I know this? Well, because the first thing that Jesus tells us is that we are to love the Lord our God. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. Jesus tells us that this is the first and greatest of the commands. This love is no “dip your toe in the water” kind of love. This is an all-encompassing love for God.

And if we love the Lord with our whole heart, mind, and soul -- with our whole being – our lives cannot help but be filled with the love of God. And it is this love, the ever-abundant love of God, that just begs to be spread among others.

But there is still more to loving our neighbor as ourselves. This last step would be taking the word “neighbor” to its extreme. At its extreme, the whole world is our neighbor. It is at this point Jesus’ command to us can become quite dangerous. You may think that I am being dramatic but I only have to mention the names of Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mother Theresa, drive home the point. These are people who took the mandate of Jesus to heart. These are people who wanted for the world the same things they wanted for themselves. These are people who radically followed the example of Christ. And it is in following the radical example of Christ that placed each of these people on the fringes of society.

It would be easy to chalk up the great accomplishments of these people to something extraordinary like DNA or alien abductions, but that would be wrong. King, Mandela, Mother Theresa, they were people, people just like you and me. The only thing that makes them different is their great faith in God and their desire to see the good things of life spread to all of God’s people. They had radical trust in the radical message of Christ. And they were each willing to not only have faith in Christ, but were willing to put that faith into action. This radical faith, this radical love in action, did not make the entire world happy. In at least one of their cases, this radical love ended in assassination.

The world will push against this radical message of love that Christ commands. But we are commanded none the less. We are commanded to love as we, ourselves, wish to be loved. We are commanded to reach out to others with the same compassion we would want. We, as followers of Christ, are to reach out to the world with the love that has been given to us.

Christ gave his life that we may have life. Christ gave forgiveness to us while we were still sinners, not because of anything we said or did, but out of desire to give us life; not a life filled with regrets, but a life filled with abundance. Christ gives us life and asks us to spread this life to the world.

How we do this could be as simple as choking back a snide comment to our boss or coworker or as elaborate as dedicating our life to eradicating disease and hunger. However we reach out to the world, Christ our Lord and savior has given us the commandment, we are to love our Lord and love our neighbor as ourselves. A radical proposition and a definite challenge, but one that we can at least work toward. Christ is with us and Christ leads us. And where Christ leads, we can bravely follow.

Pentecost 23 Year A

Pentecost 23 Year A 1 Thess 1:1-10 The Rev. Benton Quest.

I have a confession to make: The last time I preached on this Sunday’s scripture, I had the best AND the worst review I have ever received from a congregation. When I meet former congregants, often the conversation will get back to this sermon. They either comment that they still remember the sermon or they comment that they still cannot believe that I would ever have done such a thing. So with that in mind, I have decided to give preaching on these scripture another go and see what happens!
Last time I preached on this, I was trying to come up with a way for the people of the congregation to directly experience the hypocrisy of one’s words and one’s actions. How I demonstrated this was to stand up at the pulpit, light up a cigarette, and proceed to tell people about the evils of smoking. Needless to say, it made quite an impression. Many people understood the point I was trying to make. But there were some who where so upset that I would even think of smoking! What kind of example was I being! Some threatened to never come back. But you know what? Even these people who got so upset about the whole thing demonstrated exactly the point I was trying to make: When our actions and our words are in conflict, people are far more likely to remember our actions rather than our words.
In our reading from First Thessalonians, Paul discusses what it means to model behavior for the people. He talks about how he and his companions went among the Thessalonians and how now the Thessalonians have begun to imitate the behavior they had seen. Paul and his companions went among the people of Thessalonica, acting in the name of Christ and showing the people what it meant to live as a Christian.
This reading represents one of the more difficult reading to preach from: How do you preach about grace when the reading seems to be lifting up the wonder of works? Paul was telling the Thessalonians, and is telling us, that works are important. Works are what the world sees and what the world uses to judge us. Works are the fruit by which we will be known. As the song says, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” Probably more accurately, “They will know we are Christians by the love they see us demonstrate.”
Now here lies the tension: We are told that we are saved by grace through faith, not works. So it is God’s good grace and pleasure to save us, not some form of repayment for the works we do. We don’t have to do anything to earn God’s love. There is nothing we COULD ever do to earn God’s love. However, how we act effects how others perceive God and how others respond to God’s good gift of grace.
Just like it would be hard to believe a lecture on the hazards of smoking given by a person puffing on a cigarette, it is also hard to believe that God is important to some people when you look at their lives. When we claim to be Christian, people begin to look at our lives to see what difference being a Christian actually makes. When we claim to be Christian, our children look to see if we are being true to our word. Are we practicing what we preach or are we doing the Christian equivalent of telling them to not smoke while waving around a cigarette. If to the world our lives appear indistinguishable from the lives of anyone else, why should anyone consider being a Christian? I personally think it does make a difference and I hope that difference is evident in my life.
How does your Christianity play out in your life? As a seminary classmate of mine used to say, “If being a Christian were illegal, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” When people look at your life, are they seeing God’s love as something that is important or are they seeing it as something to be used when necessary and forgotten when convenient?
For most of us, we learned our faith from those around us. We learned our faith by watching our parents, watching our grandparents, watching those who were close to us. It was through these people that we learned what it means to be people of faith and what it means to be Christians. It wasn’t through something that we read in a book. It wasn’t through some well thought out theological treatise; it was through the one-to-one interactions with other Christians that we came to faith and continue to grow in faith. And it is through interactions with US that others come to faith and grow in faith.
All of you who are parents and grandparents, the faith you leave to your children and grandchildren has so much more to do with what you do than what you say. Your children and grandchildren are watching where you place God in your lives. That are watching the prominence or lack of prominence you give to your faith. Just as the Thessalonians watched Paul, our children and grandchildren are watching us. They notice of and when we go to church. They notice of and when we pray before meals. They observe how we handle our finances or what we say about people when those people are out of earshot.
Even if our children are long gone, we still continue to teach by example. I remember things older people in my church did as I grew. I remember which people seemed nice, and which to avoid. There were people where just nice to be around and others who seemed to be constantly scowling. In this way, these people also taught me about faith and about what it means to live one’s faith.
Are we committed to our faith? Do we live out this commitment in our lives? Do we hold our faith out proudly or do we hide it away? Do we say one thing in Church and something totally different on Monday morning? If Paul were writing to us, to the Masononians, would we be commended on our risking persecution to live out our faith? Would we be commended for being a model for other people?
I would venture that these could be some tough questions to answer. But, I think that if we delved into why the questions are hard to answer, we might learn some things about our person faith.
I think the extent to which we are uncomfortable living our faith is the extent to which we have forgotten God’s love. We forget that our worth has already been established. We are free to model love because we have first been loved and loved totally. When we forget this love, it is then that we begin to model behaviors we would rather not have those around us copy.
We, as followers of Christ, are to pattern our lives after Christ, and that means we are to live a life of service. Although we don’t earn our salvation through our actions, our actions are a reflection of the salvation we have received. We are role models to out children, our families, our co-workers, and those around us. How we live out Christ’s love in our lives can greatly effect how those around us live out the love of Christ in their lives. As Paul explained, we look to Christ as an example, but others are looking to us.
Now this could weigh very heavily on us. We could walk away from this whole thing feeling like it is our fault if people don’t fully experience the love of God. We could feel like our ever action is under a microscope. But that kind of overly self-conscious existence is not what a loving God would want for us.
The life of example is really not that difficult. When we bring the love of Christ deeply into our lives, we can’t help but have that love show through. It is not some kind of show we have to put on, it is a way of living our lives in celebration. It is a way to celebrate the gift of life we have been given. This gift of love is freely given to us, how we live it is our gift back to God. How we live it is our gift to our family, friends, and congregation.
Our example is our legacy. How we live our lives is our gift to our children and those around us. The example we set will stay with, especially with our children, for the rest of their lives. But we are not alone. We have also have our role models. We have Christ as our mode. We have the Bible to lead us! And we have each other to support us along the way.

Pentecost 22 Year A

Pentecost 22 Year A Matt. 22:1-14 The Rev. Benton Quest

One thing you may have noticed if you have spent any time studying the Bible is that there are a series of fairly consistent metaphors used throughout. This morning, we deal with one of the most common: The Banquet.

The Banquet can almost always be thought of as representing the Reign of God, of as Jesus would say in today’s gospel; “The Kingdom of God.” I tend to use the translation, “Reign of God” because the Greek word tends to connote more a feeling of “time” or “era” than of place. So the “Reign of God” or the “Reign of Heaven” is probably a better translation.

But almost without fail, when we find Jesus and the disciples eating, or there is a mention of feasts or banquets, we can be assured that we are about to learn something about God and Heaven. In today’s reading, a wedding banquet takes center stage. (Oh, by the way, weddings are another metaphor for heaven.) Having said that, we should be on the look out for what we can learn.

Now, there are various types of guests invited to the wedding banquet. The first group consisted of the guests who were the ones who knew about the banquet in advance. But this group chose to make other plans; they could not be bothered to vary their routine in order to go to the banquet. Then there was the group that was invited after the first group backed out of the meal. For this group, the banquet was unexpected, but they made time and went.

However, there was one small problem with this group: within this group, one person did not do the host the honor of dressing up. We don’t know why this person did not take the time to dress for the party. We don’t know if he even had something he could have worn. This is not something we are told. What we are told is that he did not dress for the banquet and because of that, he incurred the wrath of the King.

The others from this group; they were the ones who received an invitation to the banquet and came, with proper respect for the host, and we can assume they had a great time eating, drinking, and being merry.

So while reading this parable, I was trying to come up with something that would help us understand what Jesus is trying to tell us about the Kingdom of Heaven. What I came up with is the three ways we approach food in our country.

The first group, the group that was too busy to come to the banquet, I like to call the “Drive-Thru’s.” These are the people who just can’t find time in their busy schedules to stop and eat. For them, food is utilitarian, just a necessary chore that gets in the way of all the other things in life. They know about eating, but just fit it in where they can. Like the guests, they are not part of the party. They are not part of the community. They just buzz through and seem to be unable to enjoy the gift of the meal. They seem so busy trying to grab all that life has to offer that they never really are able to hold onto anything. They end up going with Drive-Thru: The food is utilitarian but not really good. The company is coincidental, and the most important thing appears to be what is going to happen next.

The guy who appears at the banquet but is not properly dressed reminds me of the “Fast Food” people. They are different from the “Drive-Thru” folks because they actually do stop. There may be some time spent in slowing down from the pace of life and enjoying the company of others. But this stopping and slowing is secondary to the problems of life. The “Fast Food” people can quickly become the “Drive-Thru” people; just a little error in the daily schedule and suddenly all of life is knocked loose. The “Fast Food” people can’t dress for the meal because there are still things to do and people to see. They rush in, have food, and leave. The trials of life still hang heavy on the “Fast Food” people.

Then we have the “Banquet” people. These are the folks who take the time to slow down and enjoy what is happening. They honor their host by showing respect for occasion through their dress and behavior. They are present, not just for the food, but also for the company, the conversation, and the joy of the event. They are choosing to be present and to participate in the joy that is right there, at that time. Granted, there may be other things in life, but if we are truthful, the joy of the banquet is probably much greater than anything else that could be happening.

So if we take these various types of people and use them as examples of our Christian walk, what kind of guest would we be?

Are we the Christian who is so busy with all the things of life that we totally disregard the feast that is set before us? Do we dishonor the King by not taking the time to enjoy all the delights that have been prepared? Do we tell the King, by our actions, that the delights at another party are probably better?

Or do we come to the feast but aren’t really there? Do we make a token effort to be present, but aren’t willing to truly invest our time what surrounds us? Are we depriving ourselves of the wonder of dining with the King simply because we may be late for another event?

These two groups can be thought of as negative examples of what it means to be Christians. These are examples of people we aren’t supposed to follow. But the third group, the “Banquet” people, theirs is the example to follow. To follow their example would make us Christians who are present, prepared, and ready to enjoy the party!

One thing we need to remember: Although when we usually talk about banquets, we talk about sumptuous food, the food is really the least important element of the banquet. What is more important is the friendship, the laughter, and the stories that are shared around the table. What is more important is that feeling of timelessness that occurs when we gather with others at a meal. A banquet can occur around a plate of macaroni and cheese. But people can also turn prime-rib into a Drive-Thru experience. What makes eating a banquet is one’s attitude, not what is served.

This banquet attitude is what Christ wants for our lives and for our faith. Christ does not want us to have some kind of quick Drive-Thru, Fast Food kind of faith. Christ wants us to live our lives in the here and the now, enjoying the bounty that is set before us. The Reign of Heaven is the awareness of that a world of wonder and delight surround us. The person sitting next to us. The miracle of the car we drove in. The clothes we are wearing and the building that provides protection from the elements. All of these things are part of the delights that the banquet of God has for us.

To paraphrase Rosalind Russell from the movie, Auntie Mame, “Life is a banquet and most poor [fools] are starving to death!”

And with our economy tanking around us, it would be very easy to think that the age of banquets has past. But to believe this would be to betray something other than a Banquet faith. Remember, a banquet faith reminds us to take time to enjoy the delights that are present right here and right now. Honor the King by finding joy in all that has been created. It is not the fillet mignon that makes the feast but the joy and company of those around us.

God calls us to the wedding feast and Christ calls us to the table. Each of us is called, but it is up to us to choose how we will respond. Will we respond by stating that we are just too busy for the great gifts that have been prepared for us? Will we be too concerned with what may happen next to fully enjoy the life we have been given now? Or will we show up at the banquet, dressed in our finest? Will we take a seat at the table and dine with the King? Will we realize that God has given us the prime rib of life, even if the economy is full of bologna?

The feast is ready! Are you prepared to attend?

Pentecost 21 Year A

Pentecost 21 Year A Matt: 21:33-46 The Rev. Benton Quest

You know, I am just about to hang up my preacher hat and call it a day. Really! Sometimes the theologian and the psychologist just get into a battle about things and there seems to be no way to work it out. Our gospel reading for this morning is just such a case.

In this reading we have the story of a landowner, a vineyard, and some tenants. Now the landowner works really hard to get this vineyard ready. He plants the vineyard, builds a fence, hews out a wine press, and builds a watchtower. He works to create the most wonderful vineyard in existence. He leaves nothing to chance. Well, almost nothing. It seems that the landowner really didn’t do a very good job of choosing the tenants to work the land. The tenants the landowner chooses seem to be good at producing a harvest, but they don’t seem to be very trustworthy when it comes to paying the landowner back.

Now we would think that the tenants would be thankful to the landowner for the wondrous vineyard that was created for them and gladly pay the landowner what they owe him. That would seem to be the correct thing to do. I was thinking of saying that paying the landowner would be the righteous thing to do, but I think that is the wrong word: doing what you agree to do is the good and correct thing to do. There is not really anything righteous about fulfilling your part of the agreement. By giving the landowner his share of the harvest, the tenants were only do what they should do. The tenants had an incredible piece of land and a portion of the harvest was the correct thing to give to the landowner.

So far, nothing too controversial in the reading. And so far, nothing that would cause an ideological battle. But the story goes on, and it is here that we get into some strange territory.

In the story, the landowner sends some of his slaves to go collect the portion of the harvest that is due to the landowner. The owner is not raising the rent or anything, he is just asking for what had been agreed to. And, instead of gladly giving the portion of the harvest that is due, the ungrateful tenants kill the landowner’s servants! Instead of realizing that they would have absolutely nothing if it were not for the vineyard created by the landowner, they choose to not only back down from their deal, but to kill the slaves in the process.

So what does the landowner do? He sends more slaves. And what do the ungrateful tenants do? You guessed it! They kill those slaves too. And finally, (you would think the landowner would catch on to this, wouldn’t you?) the landowner sends his son to the tenants thinking that the tenants would at least respect the landowner’s son. But no, the tenants kill the son too.

Now this is where the ideological conflict comes up. You know the old saying; “The definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect different results.” Well, by that reasoning, the landowner is insane. The landowner keeps sending people to collect the payment that is due and those who are sent to collect keep getting killed. The landowner keeps sending people in the hopes that the tenants will reconsider and do what they had agreed to do. And every time, the tenants, at best, forget about their agreement with the landowner, or at worst, blatantly disregard their agreement and kill the slaves.

Finally, this insane landowner sends one final person to collect the payment for the land. The landowner sends his own son, foolishly thinking that the tenants will respect the son. Why the owner would think that is beyond me. The tenants have been shown to be totally without integrity to their agreement, why would he think that the presence of the son should make any difference? Well, true to form, the presence of the son makes no difference what so ever. If anything, it enflames the greed of the tenants. They don’t just kill the son so they won’t have to pay their portion to the owner; they kill the son so they can get the son’s inheritance! It would appear that the actions of the landowner have done nothing but embolden the tenants!

What a bunch of ingrate tenants, huh? They live and work a piece of land that was specifically planted by the landowner. They were able to produce a harvest because of the care the landowner put into the vineyard in the first place. But when it came time to show their appreciation to the landowner for the wondrous vineyard, instead the wretched tenants kill the owner’s slaves and finally the owner’s own son.

Here is where theology and psychology come into conflict: It would appear that God, as represented by the landowner, is totally insane. Even though the tenants keep killing the owner’s servants, he keeps sending them. Each time in the hope that the tenants will do what is good and correct. Hoping that the tenants will at least keep their end of the bargain and give what they had first agreed to.

Well, if God is represented by the landowner, then we can probably assume that we are represented by those wicked tenants. We are the ones who have been given the glorious vineyard as a place to live and grow but we also are the ones who cannot find it in our conscience to release a portion of these very same blessings back to God. Somewhere along the line, we forget that what we have is a gift that we have been given and start to think of it as something that we are owed.

Maybe the tenants didn’t want to give any of the harvest to the landowner because they forgot that they did not own the vineyard, they were just tending to it. Or maybe they thought they were owed more than the harvest because of the work they put into the tending of the vines. We don’t know. What we do know is that the owner kept sending people to collect, even going so far as to send his own son in the hopes that the son might remind the tenants of their agreement with the landowner.

You see, this is where the difference between love and insanity can be found. They are awfully similar, but not exactly the same. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Love is doing the same thing over and over in the hope that the person will learn and grow.

This parable may make us feel uncomfortable. We would like to think that we are the final tenants that give the produce at harvest time. But if we were to look at our calendars and checkbooks, are we actually giving of our harvest? And as we watch our economy crumble around us, are we still willing to be thankful of the harvest we have received and gladly release part of that harvest back to God, without whom the harvest would have never happened? That is the tough part!

God never looks at us and decides that we are not worth the time or effort. God continues to give to us in the hope that we may come to realize the wondrous gifts we have been given. God continues to send his messengers to remind us of our blessings. And God sent Jesus to pay the price for us. To some that may appear to be insanity, but to the eyes of faith, that is love in the extreme. And even when we don’t respond to the generosity that has been extended to us, God keeps calling us to the table.

I have a little thought experiment for you all: Let’s say I gave you ten pennies. Now, what would you think if I asked you to keep nine of those pennies and give one to God. Would you? How ‘bout ten dimes? Would you give one dime to God? Ten dollars? Could you give a dollar to God while being able to keep nine dollars? One hundred dollars? Would it be too much to give ten dollars to God? Remember, you get to keep the other ninety dollars.

Now, if we kept on going, there would be a point where our though would shift. There would come a point where we stop focusing on what money we have but start thinking about how much money we have given away. We stop being thankful for the nine thousand dollars we have and begin to regret the one thousand dollars we are asked to give. It is in this way that we become like the tenants; we are not grateful for the harvest we have, we are angered by the part of the harvest we are asked to give.

However, it is through asking us to freely give of our blessings that God, in God’s loving manner, helps us to truly be thankful for all we have been given. I am sure there are folks who are much more thankful for their homes and jobs today than they were just a couple of weeks ago. These people now see what they truly have and can be truly thankful. And I would hope that in seeing their blessings, they would be able to generously help those who are not so blessed.

God created this whole big world for us all. God doesn’t ask too much of us to allow us to live here. All we are asked is to produce fruit for the kingdom. We may feel that what is asked of us may crush us, but then we need to remember; it is only after the grape is crushed can it become wine.

Ok, so maybe God does not present the best psychological example, but God is the best example of what unconditional love looks like. aGod will keep sending messengers. God is not going to let us go. God wants what is best for us. And when we take a true look at the blessings we have through Christ, we will find the strength and the courage to share our blessings with the church and with others.

Pentecost 20 Year A

Pentecost 20 Year A Matt. 21:23-32 The Rev. Benton Quest

Father grant that what we say with our lips

We may believe in our heart

And what we believe in our heart

We may show forth through our lives

Through our Lord Jesus Christ

Amen, Amen, Amen

That song is one of my favorites from my days as a camp counselor. I never knew the official title to it; we only referred to it as “Father Grant.” Now I know the lyrics are not politically correct, but I think we can understand the sentiment.

This song always reminded me of the struggle that goes on in our lives between what we want to do and what we do actually do. Or perhaps between what we say we will do and what we do actually do. First, the song makes not of the struggle between what we say to the world and what we truly believe. Then the second part speaks of the struggle between what we truly believe and what we do in our lives and in our actions.

These two struggles can be likened to the two brothers Jesus speaks about in the parable in our Gospel reading. The first brother says that he will not go into the vineyard and work for his father. But after some thought, he changes his mind and goes and works.

Now the second brother appears to be better than the first. When his father asks him to go into the vineyard and work, he immediately agrees. But this son never seems to fine his way into the field. So in the end, although the son says he will do the work, no work is ever done.

Then Jesus asks them, “Which of the two did the will of the father?”

I think we would answer like the chief priests and the elders; we would say that the first did the will of the father. Most of us would agree that we would rather be surprised by expecting to have to work and finding the task finished than by expecting all the work to be done and arriving only to find nothing had been done. Jesus tells us that this, too, would be God’s response.

Jesus aims this parable at the chief priests and elders. He points out how they proclaim to have such high holiness but yet they were not able to follow through on the words of truth they heard from John. Jesus compares these priests and elders to the prostitutes and tax collectors. The prostitutes and tax collectors were the supposedly “bad” people, but these were the people heard the words of John and believed them and lived them out. It wasn’t the ones who professed to be high and holy who were pleasing to God, it was the ones who lived out God’s truth in their lives.

Frankly, I don’t think we are either one brother or the other. I think we often act like both brothers. Sometimes we put on a show of our faith for all the world to see, but when we are away and alone, it is then that we as we will not as God wills. Other times we may not want to even consider that God would have any plans for our world. We just want to do what we want when we want. We don’t want to think about what would be right and just, we just want to be comfortable. But then, after some time, we realize that what is right and just is also what is best for not just us, but for all involved. We decide to follow through with our understanding of God’s plans for the world and go out and do what we had previously said we would not do.

As I said, I don’t think we are one or the other, I think we are, at various times, both brothers. Sometimes we get the words right, but we don’t follow through. Sometimes we finally figure out what is right but might not have the will to say it. Sometimes we eventually get it right, but just as often we don’t.

But there is a third son in this parable, one the Biblical people may not have known about but the audience Matthew was writing to would have known about: That third son is the son who not only responded affirmatively when asked to work in the vineyard, but also went out and did the work. That third son was the son that was pleasing to the father in not just word, but in word and deed. I am sure you have figured out that I am talking about The Son, Jesus the Christ.

In the person of Jesus, we have the salvation we search for. In Christ’s death and resurrection, we are made right with God. Whether we say “yes” and then go about our own thing or say “no” and change our minds, Christ’s sacrifice of self is given on behalf of all of us.

Now it would be easy to just then assume that we can bypass what God asks of us and just do our own thing; you know, as long as life is good for you that is all that matters, right? Well, that is not what Paul is telling us in the epistle reading for today. Paul has something different to say.

Paul reminds us that we are to follow the example that Christ set for us. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” Yes, our salvation is assured, but we are not to keep this salvation to ourselves. Jesus tells us and Paul reminds us that we are to look after each other and not just for our own interests. We are to work in the Lord’s vineyard to help bring in the harvest. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Now this doesn’t mean that our salvation is dependent upon our works; but it does mean that we are to bring our faith to life through our works. We are to be about the work of Christ in our community, in our work, and in our world. Like our Savior, we are to strive to have the words of our mouths and the work that shows forth in our lives be the same thing.

One of my favorite lines from the Lutheran Baptismal service exemplifies this though: It said, “My your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and praise you God in heaven. That is what we, as Christians, are to strive for. And as I have said over the past few weeks, this is not easy.

That is why we have been given the gift of the table. That is why we are called from our daily lives to be here in this place and be nourished at this table. Each of us is called to be refreshed and to be strengthened. And this is not something we do ourselves, this is something that God does for us through those around us.

In the song I sang at the beginning of the sermon, there is recognition that we cannot do this alone. The song begins with a petition to God the Father and concludes with a petition to God the Son. And finally we would sing in rousing agreement: AMEN! Lord thy will be done.

Father grant that what we say with our lips

We may believe in our heart

And what we believe in our heart

We may show forth through our lives

Through our Lord Jesus Christ

Amen, Amen, Amen

Pentecost 19 Year A

Pentecost 19 Sept 21, 2008 Matt. 20:1-16 Rev. Benton Quest

I was driving down I-96 a while ago and there was a billboard along the road with an American flag blowing in the wind and the words, “God Bless America” emblazoned across the flag. You may not have seen the billboard, but I am sure you have seen something similar.

Now this might seem rather obvious, but you will note that the signs, songs, whatever, say “God Bless America”; there are no signs around saying “Jesus Bless America.” Some of you may say that when we pray for God to bless America, we are including Jesus and the Holy Spirit in on the deal. You know, that Trinity, Three-In-One, thing. But I think there is a different reason. As Americans, we would like for God to bless America, however, we probably do not want Jesus to bless America. If Jesus were to bless America, life as we know it would be thrown into chaos.

It is not an accident that we are the country that created Mr. Clean, Rosie the Riveter, and The Marlboro Man. Part of our national myth is the belief that through hard work we can reach our dreams. We profess equal work for equal pay. We speak of putting our nose to the grindstone and working to achieve our dreams. We are the country where anyone can grow up to be president but where there is no such thing as a free lunch.

This whole school of though is the way we often view the God of the Old Testament. The God of the Old Testament gives blessings to those who obey and follow directions but strategically places earthquakes to swallow up evildoers and turns into pillars of salt those who do not unquestioningly follow the rules. The God of the Old Testament is pretty much a you-get-what-you-disserve kind of God. In this way of thinking, the harder you work, the more blessings you get. Understandable. Straightforward. We like this way of thinking, it appeals to our sense of moral value.

It is this moral framework that allows us to feel good about ourselves. We can look at others and feel that we must be better than they are because look at how horrible their lives are. If they were only; good, more self disciplined, thinner, less lazy, more charitable, less self-serving, more educated, less educated, more responsible, more easy-going, whatever, then their life would be better. Because of their personal lack, they are getting what they deserve. Also, because we are better, we have the better life that we deserve.

We may not like to face this portrayal of life, but I think it is something we all believe at one level or another. It is what surrounds us as Americans and it is not a totally bad mythology. It has created a hard-working, creative people. However, it has also created strife, violence, and hatred. It has created the highest standard of living on the planet. However, it has also created problems of pollution, exploitation, and abuse. But in our worldview, here in America, we need the belief that you get what you deserve.

As I said before, you notice we don’t say, “Jesus Bless America”? If Jesus were to bless America, things would have to change big time! The whole “you get what you deserve” philosophy would be gone. This is the meaning behind the gospel for today. You see, in today’s gospel we are dealing with that mind-boggling concept of grace. The blessing of Jesus is not simple payment for being “good” or for being “hard-working,” the blessing of Jesus is so much more!

The blessing Jesus tells us of today is the blessing that comes from abundance. I think we have difficulty understanding the world as a world of abundance, we usually only focus on the scarcity and lack in the world. We are much more willing to complain about what we don’t have instead of reveling in what we do have. Focusing on lack is the way of the world, focusing on how we are blessed is the way of Christ!

What happens, when we focus on abundance, is we realize we do not need to grab so tightly to the things of the world. We do not need to hang on so tightly as if nothing else will ever come our way. Abundance assures us that we will get what we need when we need it. Abundance challenges us to be thankful for what we have and to not compare ourselves to others.

In the gospel reading, we have workers and an employer. The employer goes out at various times of the day and hires workers of the fields. At then end of the day, the employees are paid. Those who were employed last are the first to get their pay. They are paid, let’s say for the sake of argument, $200. Now the people at the end of the line, that would be the first employed and the ones who worked the longest, were thinking, “Wow! If they are getting $200, we should be getting over $1000! We are obviously much better than they are because we worked more than they did!” Still, when those who were first employed got to the front of the line, all they received was $200.

Now these, the first employees, were not amused. They felt they deserved more money. They felt they had the right to complain to their boss. I think we would probably agree with them; they worked more so they should get paid more. I know I would be grumbling if this were to happen to me! But it is the grumbling that is the hallmark of our lack of understanding. The workers grumble because they assume there is only a certain amount of work and a certain amount of wages. We would grumble because we believe the same thing. We believe that what we see is all that there is.

If we have learned anything as Christians I would hope it is that in the reality of Christ, what we see is just a hint of the true reality of things. That in Christ the blind see, the lame walk, and the dead are raised! Christ is a “never say never” kind of guy! In Christ, there is much more to life than what we see! We need not worry about getting equal pay for equal work because the pay is endless! Tomorrow there will be pay, and the day after that, and the day after that! We don’t need to grumble because others seem to get more than we do but seem to work less; in the abundance of Christ, there is more than enough. Besides, in the realm of Christ, we are given eternal peace and eternal forgiveness. When the gift is the eternal, it is hard to justify the need for getting anything “more.”

Now this brings up an interesting point: When we hear this story we get upset because we place ourselves in the role of the workers who have been toiling in the field all day while others are just loafing until the end. We get angry because we worked so hard when we could have been playing. We feel it is an outrage because we were there working while the others were getting paid for doing nothing.

Unfortunately, we do not know what the other workers were doing before they were hired. Maybe the others had to take care of their families. Maybe they had to bury a loved one. Maybe the ones who were hired later were trying to find work in some other place. We don’t know what kept those who were hired later from being present when the master came. So in this situation, if we were the ones who were first hired, we should be glad to have had the good luck to be present when the master of the field stopped by. We were there because we were not dealing with the tragedies of life nor were we wandering aimlessly. We were there because we had a purpose and a place. We were there to be called and therefore we received our reward.

The others who came later may have been dealing with the trials of life. They were late, but you know what? The reward was there for them also! They were given the gift of working in the garden and were rewarded for their work. If we are the first to have been hired, we should be glad that the other workers made it to the fields and could now provide for their families.

However, I think we are often the ones who arrive at the field later in the day. We have been searching for other ways to earn a living and finally end up in the town square lost and begging. It usually takes us a while to find the field of Christ. Often we go to the field of possessions, or maybe the land of money. We may take a path into public recognition. Eventually, we find that it is only in the field of our Lord that we find prosperity.

And when we finally get to the field, aren’t we glad that our Lord is a generous giver? Aren’t we glad we are paid not as to how much we have earned but paid out of the immense abundance of God? Aren’t we glad God is willing to look beyond our shortfalls and sees the beautiful creation God himself has created?

If we can see how much we have been blessed – how many of our faults have been passed over – how can we fail to keep that blessing to ourselves? In recognizing our weakness and God’s strength we are challenged to go out and find more workers for the field! In the recognition of God’s abundance, we need not fear that we will be forgotten. There is plenty for all with more to spare!

So you see, this is not the way most want God to bless America. But this is the way Jesus would have God bless America! The harvest is great but the workers are few! The pay is wonderful and the hours are easy! And on top of it all, the more the merrier! And you know, the first may be last and the last may be first, but because of Christ, we are all going to get to the same place!

Pun Answer

The answer is Saratoga! Get it? Sarah-Toga! HA HA HA!!

Pentecost 18 Year A

Pentecost 18 Year A Matthew 18:21-25 The Rev. Benton Quest

If you were to listen to what most “Christians” have to say (and I use the quotes because I sometimes have problems calling their message Christian) the only thing that the Bible talks about is homosexuality and abortion. It seems like these two things are lifted up as the litmus test as to whether one is a good Christian or not. And the thing that is even more intriguing is that most of the arguments and proof texts that are used as to why these subjects are important don’t even come from the mouth of Jesus or even the New Testament. Most of the “proof” comes from the writers of the Old Testament.

When we look at the words of Jesus, we encounter what I like to refer to as the “Preacher’s Nightmare.” What Jesus likes to talk about is not the things that make for nice, comforting, sermons. The things that Jesus talks about tend to make people feel a bit uncomfortable. So, unfortunately, when preachers preach about them, we preachers tend to get accused of having an agenda. Well, I have to tell you, it is not me that has the agenda, it is Jesus who has an agenda.

One of the biggies of Jesus is, thankfully, not the subject of today’s gospel lesson. That biggie is the use of money. Jesus speaks of money and how we handle our money over 400 times in the Bible. That is a lot! No wonder it is often the subject of sermons. But another of the biggies is the subject of today’s gospel. That would be forgiveness.

Forgiveness is of major importance to Jesus. We discussed last week about how we forgive and how forgiveness can help to end the chain of hate. And today, we continue to learn more about how we, as Christians, are supposed to live when it comes to forgiveness.

Now when I was in college, one thing that my professors made clear to us is that it helps a discussion if we can all agree on what we mean by the terms. So I guess I want to start with what I would consider a working definition of “forgive.” To forgive means to give up our perceived “right” to restitution and revenge. I will say that again: To forgive means that we give up our perceived “right” to restitution and revenge.

Now, this perceived right can take many forms. I remember my nephews fighting. My sister told Eric to forgive Luke. Eric says he does forgive Luck but as soon as my sister’s back is turned, Eric runs up and punches Luke. When I asked Eric why he did that after forgiving Luke, his response was, “Well, Luke punched me first!” When we forgive, we give up that right to revenge. Another example I can think of comes from the movie, Dead Man Walking. Here we find a man talking about his Christian faith but then wants to see the murderer of his daughter killed. The man says he has forgiven the murderer; he just wants the sentence of capital punishment so he can find “closure.” Whether we call it “closure” or whatever, when we seek revenge, we have not yet forgiven. We may say we forgive, but when we have to make sure the person knows we have forgiven them, and that person knows what they did wrong, well, in that situation, we really haven’t forgiven. Forgiveness is something that is given by the forgiver, regardless of the response of the one forgiven.

In today’s gospel, we learn more about forgiveness. Today we learn what it means to truly forgive. In the reading, we have Peter asking a simple question of Jesus, “How many times should I forgive?” Simple enough. And I think Peter probably though he was being pretty generous in extending forgiveness seven times. But Jesus doesn’t let Peter off the hook. Jesus doesn’t say, “Yah, I guess seven times is enough. That is pretty generous of you Pete.” No, Jesus raises the bar. The exact words Jesus says here are open for interpretation; but whether he says “77 times” or “70 times 7 times”, Jesus challenges Peter, and us, to forgive a whole bunch of times. Seventy is a lot of times! Trying to remember all those times is difficult. The point is, if we are keeping track of the number of times we have forgiven others, then we have not really forgiven at all.

But the second part of the gospel presents us with a bit of a problem. It would appear that in the parable presented, the forgiveness that is given is not freely given at all. It would appear that there are some major strings attached. If we look at the story, we may get some insight.

The servant was indebted to his king for over 10,000 talents. Now, we need to remember that one talent is equivalent to what the servant could earn in 15 years. So in reality, there would be no way this servant could every repay the king. Now the king, being kind and caring, realizes that the debt can never be repaid and forgives the debt for the servant. So we can see that the king truly forgives. He does not seek revenge or retribution. He just gives up his right repayment and interest.

Now we would think that the slave would have learned about what it means to forgive from this event, but it doesn’t appear so. We would think that the servant would be willing to forgive a much smaller amount that was owed to him because he had had such a large amount forgiven him. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The amount of money the second servant owed the first was comparatively small. A danarii is equal to the amount of money a slave would make in one day. So the second servant owed first about 100 days of pay. But instead of showing compassion to the second, the first servant had the second thrown in jail.

Well, as you can guess, when the king catches wind of this, he is not pleased! After he had shown great forgiveness to the servant, the servant would not even show a little forgiveness to his fellow servant. This is something the kind could not let happen. So the king had the first slave thrown in jail until the debt was paid, in effect, until the slave died.

Jesus tells this parable to teach his disciples not only how often we should forgive but also, why we should forgive. We, like the servant, have had our sins forgiven. We have had a debt that we could never repay forgiven. God has given up the right to seek revenge and repayment from us. Jesus took that burden from us and placed it upon himself. It is given freely. But how are we going to respond?

Well, of course, we are to forgive those around us. We are supposed to forgo the revenge and repayment we feel we deserve. And we are to continue to do this. We are to continue to gorgive. I think this is the most difficult part of these readings; we are not just supposed to forgive once, we are to forgive again and again.

As I said, I am sure Peter thought he was being pretty generous when he offered to forgive seven times. It makes sense, doesn’t it? If, after seven times, the person is still offending you, then the person must not want to change. So, give the person seven tries and then write the person off.

But Jesus wants more of us. Jesus uses the 70 times or the 70 times 7 as a way of demonstrating for us what it means to forgive constantly. We are to forgive as God forgives, and that is constantly. Even when we continue to sin, God continues to forgive. Even while we were in the midst of sin, Christ died for the forgiveness of those sins, all of them.

But this forgiveness was not just a one-time thing, it continues! Christ paid the price for us. And it is because of this forgiveness that we are to go out into the world and forgive also. As we have received the forgiveness, so we are to pass it on.

So, who do you need to forgive in your life? What revenge do you feel you deserve but now need to let go? Who do you feel has wronged you but now you need to let that feeling go? I challenge you to not just let these questions slip through the cracks of your consciousness. I challenge you to seriously think about them. Then I challenge you to forgive that person or persons. Really forgive. I challenge you to forgive those people right now. Give your right to revenge and restitution to God and then let it go. I challenge you to remember the great forgiveness you have received through Christ, and then to pass that forgiveness on to those around you.

We are called to forgive. We are called to forgive again and again. We are called to release the grudges we may hold. Remember: Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. The only person who is imprisoned by our need for revenge and retribution is us.

This may seem like and immense undertaking, but we are not alone in the process. We have the promise of forgiveness through Christ. Our debt, a debt we could never hope to repay, has been canceled in full. We have received forgiveness and it is through this forgiveness that we are able to forgive others. This is our gift, and this is our call.

Being human, we will probably have times when we will forget this truth, but that is ok. Jesus brings the topic of forgiveness up in the Bible, A LOT! If we forget, there will be another sermon on the topic to help keep us on the right path.

Pentecost 17 Year A

Pentecost 17 Year A Romans 13: 8-14 September 7. 2008 The Rev.Benton Quest

You know, this week we remember the seventh anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. There are some of us that will never forget the exact place we were when we heard the news. But there is also a new generation that has no memory of the event. But whether we remember or not, that attack of terrorism has become a part of our lives. Our lives are different now than they were seven years ago. Life is more difficult now than it was seven years ago. I almost got stuck in Canada a couple of weeks ago because I didn’t have my birth certificate with me when we were trying to cross the border. Back in 90’s I remember crossing) the border with my driver’s license and my word that I was an American. Now… No way! Even now we cannot return to that feeling of being safe that we had before the attack. We now have to take our shoes off to get on an airplane and it takes hours to get through security.
On that day, our view of the world changed. We had to look at the world with new eyes. We had to take a more accurate view of the world. And what is really sad is that the tragedy that we experienced seven years ago is just a taste of what many places in the world experience on an almost daily basis. This is not to minimize the losses that we experienced; but I wonder if the attack really did what the terrorists wanted. The terrorist were trying to get something, but all that they got for their hate was more hate in return. What we can learn from this event, seven years ago, is “Hate enacted results in more hate.”
When people lash out in hate, it never changes the situation. All hates seems to do is to just create more hate. I mean, just think about it: I hate you so I punch you. Now, do you say, “Wow, I just got punched. I must be a jerk! I better change my ways and follow a new path. Thank-you for punching me and pointing out my character flaws!”? I really doubt it. If I punch you in the eye, you are probably going to punch me back. Then I punch you and so on until one or both of us are lying on the floor. And, you know, nothing really got solved, although now we will probably never speak to each other ever again. And our children will probably never speak to each other. Or their children, or their children…
So you see, if we cat out of hatred, all we do is cause more hatred. When we act with revenge, all we do is propagate more violence, more disdain, more distance. Often we feel we are “owed” some kind of revenge. We have the law of the Old Testament, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” We have the right, THE DUTY, to strike back. When we acted upon in hatred, we feel we are feel we are totally justified in returning the pain for the pain inflicted. We feel we OWE it to them.
We may feel this, but in today’s reading from Romans, we are told differently. As Christians, we should not owe anyone anything, except to love one another. We are not to find ways of seeking revenge. We are not to repay evil with evil. We are not owed an eye for an eye. We are not owed a tooth for a tooth. We are not to take revenge upon others. We are to love one another.
At this time, it is easier to come up with what this love doesn’t look like. It doesn’t wish to heap pain upon the perpetrators of crimes or their families. It doesn’t seek out ways to humiliate the perpetrator or the family of the perpetrator. Our obligation is not to beat the other to a pulp.
But we, as Christians, are obligated to love. Now remember, love is not just that warm, squishy, furry teddy bear feeling. It is not the head-in-the-clouds, walking-on-air kind of feeling. Actually, love is not a feeling at all. Love is a choice. Love is a series of actions. Love is our energy placed into motion for the good of the other. Love is working to make the life of the other as joyful as possible.
In working to make the life of the other joyful, this doesn’t mean we are to become doormats. We are not supposed to just take everything that comes our way. That is not love either. Quite often, Christ’s teachings are difficult and painful. Jesus does not say, “If a member of the church sins, just gloss over it and don’t embarrass that person. We would not want to have the person think we are prying into his business.” That approach would not be loving either. To allow a person to wallow in sin is not loving at all. And we are not to stop at trying once; we are to try again! And this time, when we try again, we are supposed to being more people. And what are we supposed to do if the person does come around after the second try? We can quit, right? Isn’t that what Jesus meant when he said we were to treat the person as a Gentile or a Tax Collector?
Not hardly! How did Jesus treat the Gentiles and the Tax Collectors? Jesus healed the gentiles. Jesus ate with the tax collectors. Jesus did not send the gentiles and the tax collectors away, he stayed within their midst. So, too, are we to treat those that are in sin. We are to love them and invite them in. We are to continue to love them, even those we would consider our enemies.
As followers of Christ, we are to look to Christ as our role model. Christ loed us and died for us even when we were unrepentant and downright cruel. We were subjecting this man to a cruel, humiliating, and painful death, and his thoughts were for our forgiveness, for we knew not what we were doing. Christ didn’t seek revenge or retribution. Christ didn’t seek a life for a life. Even as he was dying for our sins, his love was still with us. That is the model of love that we are to follow. That is the path our leader blazed.
This is not an easy thing to do. I am not going to stand here and tell you that it is. But it is the path that leads to life and joy and freedom. It is the path to the kingdom of God. It is in loving others that we can find peace in our lives. I had heard it said that holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. Christ didn’t die so we could remain bound to our sin and our petty hates and grudges. Christ died so we could have a full life, here and now! And that full life comes when we release what we feel we are owed and move toward realizing what we can give. We can receive this full life when we reach out to our enemies, not to punch them in the eye, but to love them in whatever way we can.
For most of us, the anger of seven years ago has probably subsided. But I am sure there are other people who you can call to mind that pique your anger. Those people may be co-workers, family members, or maybe even a spouse. Even though we feel these people may have tried to hurt us, should we try to hurt them in return? Should we continue with the petty bickering that may exist between us and those whom we interact on a daily basis? Should we continue to seek revenge that in the end serves no one?
Or can we be true disciples? Can we love those who we may consider our enemies? Can we wish the best to those who would wish us the worst? I think we may be able to for a while, but I think that without help, we are destined to fail.
Having said that, I do believe that the Christ that exists in you and the Christ that exists in me can give us the strength to choose to love over choosing to hate. I do believe that the Christ that exit in you and that exists in me will give us the wisdom to work for healing instead of working for the continuation of pain. I do believe that the Christ that exists in you and that Christ that exists in me and the Christ that exists in President Bush and the Christ that exist in Senators McCain and Obama and that aggressive driver on the interstate can move us to places we have never dreamed. Revenge is death. Love, love is life! As true followers of Christ, and through His strength, lets remind the world of the powerful love that we have been given through our Savior. The love that is there for all, just waiting to be embraced.

Pentecost 16 Year A

Pentecost 16 Year A Matt. 16:21-27, Romans 12:9-21 Rev. Benton Quest

I was looking at the readings for today; trying to figure out which one I wanted to preach on. Did I want to preach about old Jeremiah complaining to God because things were not going so well? Did I want to preach about Paul calling us to that hi

gher call of loving our neighbors and enemies? Or did I want to preach about Jesus calling Peter “Satan” and telling us all kinds of things about denying ourselves?

Humm… That was a tough one! After looking at the situation of the world -- and being in the lull between party conventions -- and having a hurricane breathing once again down New Orleans neck – I decided I would rather preach on love. So I decided to delve into the Romans reading.

Actually, the first thing that went through my mind as once again I read the reading from Romans was, “This should be on a parchment scroll somewhere.” I guess I must have thought that because I have been thinking about The Desiderata lately.

Now, I don’t know if you know The Desiderata or not, but it is one of those “nice” poems that people tend to send to each other over the internet. It starts out, “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste…” And ends with, “With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.” The poem is full of all kinds of good things to remember. And usually, after reading it, most people will say, “Yes, that is good stuff to remember.” But then that is usually the end of it. The poem gets thrown into the drawer or gets deleted from the computer and we just go on with our lives.

Unfortunately, something very similar can happen to this reading from Romans. We can read it and realize that there are some really good things being said, but then we close our Bible and go on with our daily lives, not letting the profundity of the message really sink in.

Today’s reading from Romans is really very simple, it is just a series of directives as to what we should and should not be doing as individuals and as a community of faith. There are various things that sound like they should be in a self-help book. And when we finish the reading, most of us would generally think, “Yes, that sounds reasonable.” But it is this kind of flip response that can get us into trouble. We just look at the reading with an “Uh Duh” kind of attitude and don’t really think any more about it. But if we really were to take these directives to heart, it could, quite literally, change the world.

Let’s just look at the first line: “Let love be genuine” This one directive has the potential of being highly subversive. How many times do we use “love” as a means of manipulating people? How many times do we truly give out of total, unselfish love? How many times have we been afraid to accept someone’s kindness because we unsure of the person’s intentions? How often are we worried about becoming indebted to someone who seems to be acting kind? Generally, in our world, love comes with some strings attached and these strings can become quite entangling. Paul is telling us to remove all of those strings, he is putting things quite simply, “Let love be genuine.”

Paul then goes on to flesh out what he means by “be genuine.” How simple is this? “…hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.” With Paul’s definition, loving genuinely should not be difficult at all. It is right there, but we need to be reminded of it. We have to have Paul tell us. Although it sounds like it should be a no-brainer, often we do just the opposite. We hold onto the evil and cower from the good. It is just this kind of behavior that causes Jesus to ask in the gospel reading, “For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?”

Gaining the whole world and forfeiting one’s own life is actually an example of what happens when we disregard the directive that Paul has given us.

When I hear the words, “Gain the whole world but forfeit their life,” I often think of the work-a-holic. Here is someone who spends hours making money so as to have all the pleasures of life. A big house, a nice car, a boat…you know what I mean. The person works hard to get the “things” of life. But, unfortunately, life itself has passed this person by. Suddenly the children are grown. Suddenly the spouse is just a person who shares the same house. The big house is just that, a house. It is not a home because the goodness of love is no longer there. We are told that all of these various things are going to bring us a good life; but in actuality, the good of family and friends goes flying out the window.

Well, there I did it, I was trying to not preach on the gospel reading and it just popped right in! The truth of Jesus’ words is difficult to avoid! And the fact that Paul had to reiterate what Jesus was saying is proof that Jesus’ words are not the most easy things to live out. And whether we like it or not, these are the ideals that, as Christians, we are called to live. We are called to love our enemies, not seek revenge. We are called to give to the poor, not just hope someone else will do it. We are called to hate what is evil, not just rename it as something like “progress.”

Christ calls us to a higher life. When he says that those who lose their life for his sake will find it, what he means is those who are willing to lose their lower level of life for his sake, will find a higher level of life.

This reminds me of a story.

There once was a little girl who had a plastic string of pearls. The little girl would wear the pearls everywhere and every night, she would take them off and place them in the drawer of her nightstand.

Every night, the little girl’s father would tuck her in and ask her if she loved him. And every night the little girl would say, “Of course, Daddy, I love you more than anything!”

After that, the father would ask the little girl if she would give him her pearls. To which the little girl always responded, “Oh, please ask me for anything, but not my pearls!” After the little girl answered, the father would smile at her, give her a big hug and kiss, and go out of the room.

This continued for years until one night, something changed. The girl looked at her father and, with tears streaming down her eyes, responded, “Yes, I love my pearls, but I love and trust you more. So yes, I will give you my pearls.” And the girl took the pearls out of the drawer and handed them to her father.

Her father was overjoyed! He looked at her with tears streaming down his cheeks and pulled out a box and handed it to his daughter. It was a string of, not fake, but real pearls! He had wanted to give the real pearls to his daughter, but she had to be willing to give up the fake.

Christ is ready to give us true life, not something that is pretending to be life. Paul is showing us how to get the most out of the life we have here, now! But we are being asked to place our faith and our trust in Christ. All around us, we are being told to not reach out and just worry about ourselves, but Jesus is asking us to look after our enemies. Paul is asking us to work toward the greater good.

This is not a plan to just feel good. What we are being asked actually takes some work! We have to work to follow the example that Jesus set. When Jesus told Peter to “get behind,” it was not that Jesus was trying to get rid of Peter. Jesus was telling Peter his proper spot. You cannot follow the savior if you are running out in front of him! We are to follow in the path of Jesus and live as servant leaders.

We are called together as a community and we are to the table, and yes, this calling is to strengthen us, but this strength is not for us alone. We are strengthen to go out and share the love of Christ to the world. We are strengthened to love genuinely. We are strengthened to love our enemies. We are strengthened to live peaceably with all.

So I challenge you to go back and reread today’s passage from Romans. But don’t just read it as a nice poem sent to you on e-mail, read it as a guide to living a full life sent to you by the one who loves you more than you can ever understand. Read it that way, because that is exactly what it is.