Sunday 26 November 2023 – Christ the King

Readings: Matthew 25:31-46; Ephesians 1:15-23

MESSAGE                                        

The year is rushing on to an end. On Wednesday I worked out that New Year’s Day would be in 40 days. Speaking about that, it was also 40 days since our general election on that day. Finally, an announcement was made on Friday!

Forty days also crops up in Jesus’ life story.

Forty days temptations in the wilderness (probably a reminder of the peoples’ 40 years of wandering in the desert?)

Forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and his Ascension.

And then he was glorified as King of God’s Kingdom and King of the Universe – seated at God’s right hand, the seat of authority and honour.

I wonder what happened between those forty days, and the 50^th day which was the day of the Spirit’s coming? (The Day of Pentecost. By now you probably know that pente means 50.)

Those intriguing 10 days.

Jesus sitting down at the right hand of God. Was there a conversation with His Father? Perhaps some reflection on the 11 and how they were knocked into shape for their mission. Did Jesus perhaps say to his Father – “did you see his face when he began to sink into the waves? I love it when people reach out for help!”

Perhaps something like this: “Did you see Thomas with those eyes wide open in amazement? And the look on the faces of the two on the Emmaus Road?”

Speculation of course. But intriguing.

Perhaps the disciples – now 12 again with the choosing of Mathias –  and the larger group of 120  needed the ten days just to regroup and talk among themselves.

What is the promise the Father is going to send?

How long do we need to wait?

They definitely needed to pray – they were probably afraid anyway.

I wonder to what extent they reflected on Jesus as having all things in his hands?  Being God’s right-hand person? I wonder if there was a renewed discussion with James and John – maybe one of the others said to them “you know, I really think you were pushing it, wanting to sit at the right and left of Jesus is his glory! If He’s at God’s right hand, where would you expect to be?”

And what about His last words?

Isn’t it true that someone’s last words before leaving (whatever the reason) are usually quite significant? For example, Paul leaving the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 says some really significant things about eldership and ministry. You can’t be sure that it was all taken on board on the day – it was after all an emotional farewell. But it was important – it was almost like Paul’s last will and testament to the churches there. And it’s the only speech of Paul recorded by Luke in the book of Acts.

Jesus’ farewell speech in Matthew is not that different really. It would have been an emotional 40 days really. He’s dead, he’s alive, he appears (like on the Emmaus road) and disappears. And he gives instructions in the garden to the women (two Marys) to tell The disciples to meet him in Galilee. Jump to Matthew 28 and that’s what they do:

Mat 28:16  Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Mat 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Mat 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name… etc.

The implications of that may not have crossed their minds at the time. Maybe during those ten days of waiting and praying after his ascension they did think about that.

What did he mean? All authority?

Certainly in Paul’s letters you find that he speaks of this authority. Here are some important passages including our epistle reading today:

• Ephesians 1 has amazing insights into Jesus’ role and position in the universe. In Ephesians 1:20-21 we read that God has Jesus “seated at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
• In Romans 8:38-39 where various powers are listed which we are told very clearly cannot separate us from God’s love in Christ our Lord. (“Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation…”)
• In Philippians 2:10-11 Paul writes that “every knee will bow in heaven and earth and under the earth” at the name of Jesus. (“…every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”)
• Colossians 1:15 – 17 is stronger: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Col 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Col 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

AND SO WE HAVE “CHRIST THE KING” SUNDAY EVERY YEAR.  

Also known as the “Reign of Christ”. 

Whether you are a royalist or a republican you can’t avoid the titles of Jesus.

The Gospel reading today is the parable of the sheep and the goats – and it starts very directly with these words: 

Mattew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.

Sit on his throne. Then in verse 34 we read: “Then the King will say…

The judgement scene has been portrayed in all kinds of creative ways. It is quite graphic really. Verse 41 speaks volumes really: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

We may miss the point, however. We obsess about future judgement Sometimes. Jesus seemed to say elsewhere that judgement is also now.

Take this for example: John 3:18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” A fascinating verse. Being free from judgement is based on faith in Christ and not good or bad deeds. Those who are condemned are still in the Kingdom of darkness through their lack of faith. (See Col 1:13 – “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…” – 1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” And I John 12:46 – “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”)

But beyond that – the Christian life is not really about doing good and ethics. They are part of it – but not the essence of it.

People do sometimes see it like this, however. A conversation with a parishioner from a previous church is a good example (after I left there!). I asked her about her church involvement.

Her response: No I don’t go to church anymore. Just try to live a good life quietly on my own.

I wonder if her good life includes the kind of care Jesus talks about in Matthew 25:

Mat 25:35  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Mat 25:36  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Probably not, if she is living a good life quietly and on her own.

Don’t you see? Once you make it about what you do – it gets tricky. And we get picky. We tend to decide who should be helped or not, often based on our view of how they should live and balance their budgets.  

That’s why the questions about what we must “do” are a distraction.

Commentator Dirk Lang puts it like this: “Like the person who came to Jesus and asked “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16-24), so we too wonder on what side we will find ourselves — the right or the left? The question, however, is simply an excuse for doing nothing, as Bonhoeffer has pointed out. The person attempts to engage Jesus in an endless ethical discussion about works or good deeds.”

In this parable, the question resurfaces but in an importantly different way when the “goats” speak: “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” (25:44).

Those at the left hand of the Son of Man seek an excuse and almost put the blame on the Son of Man himself as if to say, ‘You didn’t reveal yourself; how could we see you?’ ” In other words – if I’d known it was you Jesus when that poor person asked for help, then I would have Jesus! You can see how daft that is.

SO: What’s it all about?

Here’s the clue – the “sheep” who get the prize – who are rewarded – actually had no idea they were doing it to Jesus (or to someone who represents Jesus).

Their response is this: Mat 25:38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? Mat 25:39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  

40 ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

The implication is – they were doing what they were doing because that’s who they were. It flowed out of them without the analysis.

In Matthew 3:10 you may remember John the Baptiser saying this: The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (He was calling them to repentance – probably in a kind of “fire and brimstone” sermon that one of my elders back in the day always wanted me to preach.)

And Jesus takes this theme further: discussing good and bad trees and their relating fruit he says in Mattew 7:20 “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (“By their fruits you will know them” – NKJV)

The implication is that this is gardening again – not philosophy or logic or ethics classes.

It’s an organic growth in character if we are connected to Jesus the Head, and the rest of the body.

• The sheep bear good fruit. (Fabulous mixed metaphor.)
• The goats are fruitless.

The sheep just do it. Nike sheep.

THE SAME THING APPLIES TO CHRISTIANS.

YOU ARE THIS – SO DO IT.

It works like this:

Statement of fact (Indicative): you are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.

Instruction to do it (Imperative): be yourselves – salt and light (note: the light “under a bushel” is no help at all. The good deeds that shine glorify the Father. See Matthew 5:16). And add all the LOVE commands of Jesus.

We know that at the end of it all it’s not about works but faith.

It is always grace, through faith. A gift – not earned by our deeds. Paul also says this in Ephesians 2: Eph 2:8  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Eph 2:9  not by works, so that no one can boast.

Paul goes on to say: Eph 2:10  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  

Other translations pick this up in Ephesians 2 as well: 

(NRSV) For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. That’s no token – no selective good works. It’s all of life.

It’s the fruit. You can’t have it half the time or selectively. We become fruitful.

We do it because we are this.

So, the three parables in Matthew we’ve looked at are linked.

TO SUMMARISE WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED:

1. Matthew 25:1-13 – The ten girls the wedding – BE READY AND WATCHFUL

• Matthew 25:14-30 – The three men with their talents – PUT GOD’S GIFTS AND RESOURCES TO GOOD USE

• Matthew 25: 31-46 – The sheep and the goats – HOW’S YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH CHECK?

Are you fruitful?

Doing what Jesus would have done – looking out for the least of them in need?   

Amen.

Sunday 19 November 2023 – The Parable of the Talents

Readings: 1 Thess. 5: 1-11; Matthew 25:14-30.

Introduction

These parables of the Kingdom of God (or in Matthew “Kingdom of Heaven”) are really fascinating.

• There’s the wedding banquet for the King’s son where invited people won’t come – (Matt 22 – where the servants are sent out to get a kind of rent a crowd from all over the place – remember it? It ends with one man being told off and thrown out for not having the appropriate wedding clothes).
• And then another wedding banquet where half the bridesmaids don’t have oil for their lamps) and they’re waiting for the bridegroom to come…
• And then there’s today’s parable involving a master and servants again, the so-called parable of the talents – where again people are given responsibilities and held to account.

What do all three of these stories have in common?

Three things:

1. Resources – for banquets, week-long wedding celebrations, or investments aka “talents”.
2. Accountability – there’s always some kind of audit – someone with status or authority comes back after some delay and people have to do what they’re supposed to do with those resources.
3. A time frame of some sort – a delay or a deadline – but no actual certainty about the day or hour.

In the middle of all of this are these verses in Matthew 24 we haven’t looked at this time:

Mat 24:42  “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 

Mat 24:44  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 

Mat 24:50  The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 

ARE WE READY FOR THE END?

The whole section in Matthew’s gospel from the time of Jesus’ coming into Jerusalem and through this teaching period is placed in a framework of the end coming – signs of the times – no one knowing the day or the hour – and are you ready? It’s that “coming ready or not” kids used when they used to play hide and seek.

SO WHAT IS A TALENT?

You’ve probably realised by now that the word “talent” as we use it is a bit different from the bible talents here.  It’s basically a sack of metal – gold, silver or copper back then – weighing about 30 kgs.

Most commonly it was silver, although some translations now use the term “bag of gold” to distinguish these talents from our abilities to sing and dance or do something entertaining at a talent show – or on a bigger stage like “Britain’s Got Talent” where the golden buzzer is the big ticket to future success on the stage.

SOME PARABLES TEACH US MORE THAN ONE THING.

So, what do we take home today from this parable?

1. THE PARABLE TEACHES US THAT GOD GIVES US GIFTS TO BE USED.

God gives us gifts to be used.

Let’s look at these servants.

The first two do the same thing and say the same thing. They’ve doubled their master’s money 5 bags of silver becomes 10, and 2 bags of silver becomes 4. They are commended and invited to share in their master’s blessings.

The third servant is different though.

He’s got issues – with master and how he sees him – and with the risks involved. He is fearful of what might happen (like many of our phobias – we get paralyzed and freeze). He seems relieved to give the master his bag of silver back. The third servant is a reminder of what not to be – fearful and mistrusting.

The parable is a reminder to use our gifts and not bury them in a hole. It’s a bit like putting your light under a bushel rather than on a lamp stand. Using our gifts It’s a valid teaching, but I don’t think that’s the main point.

2. THE PARABLE TEACHES US ABOUT HOW TO LIVE FULL LIVES  USING GOD’S PROVISION.

It’s not really about investments and profit. It’s about using the gifts, living energetically, taking risks, in Kingdom matters. It’s more than not being afraid. It involves high risk things.

This whole section of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew is about what he expected his followers to do after he left. About their courage and faithfulness to him as the King. And it wasn’t going to be easy.

The greatest risk of all today turns out to be not risking anything at all. Playing it safe. Living too cautiously and prudently like servant number 3.

Take giving for example. We probably don’t give too much when we are afraid of running out. God calls us to surrender every part of our lives boldly. As was once said, we need a conversion of the heart, the mind, and the wallet. (Luther)

We’ve been talking about this for a long time.

• Loving God with all your heart.  With reckless abandon. Breaking open our jars of beauty and value, pouring out our best for Jesus.
• Loving neighbours as recklessly and passionately as we love ourselves.
• Loving strangers and opening our hearts and homes  to them so that they won’t be strangers anymore.
• Extending our table in our community as we open our lives and our place here to others.
• Seek first the kingdom of God – and all the things you need will be added unto you – says Jesus. (Matthew 6:33)

3. THE PARABLE TEACHES US GENEROSITY AS GOD GENEROUSLY BLESSES US.

The parable of the talents is a crazy story. A talent was a weight of 30 kg of metal, usually silver. One talent was equal to roughly 6000 days’ wages at the time, worth at least 20 years’ worth of pay. It’s a lot!

This is not about human ability, (those talent shows!). It’s not just about who is gifted and who isn’t.  Yes, in verse 15 it does say that he gave them talents of gold each “according to his ability.”

But it didn’t stop the 2-talent man from getting on with things. He didn’t say – it’s not fair you’ve got 5 talents – or to the 1-talent man – why have you only got one?

I think it’s about the Father’s generosity to give us the things and resources we need to establish his Kingdom. We should get involved in his purpose with passion. After all, he gives out the resources in the parable and then leaves them to get on with his work. He takes the risk too.

And the parable also asks us questions about what we devote our lives to. What we hang our hearts and hopes on. Are we really seeking first the Kingdom of God?

4. THE PARABLE (LIKE THE OTHERS IN THIS PART OF MATTHEW) TEACHES US ALERTNESS.

The phrase “long time” here, and in the case of the delayed bridegroom and the master of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18, doesn’t allow us be complacent. Jesus’ parousia (his second coming) is always soon and yet not immediate, just as Jesus taught that the kingdom was “at hand” or “near”, or “within us” (if we read Luke 17).  It’s still nearer than we think or imagine, and within us, and yet we pray for its daily coming and future full manifestation in the Lord’s prayer.

• It’s one thing being ready for Christmas.
• It’s another thing having a Kingdom focus every moment and every day we are alive – being alert to signs of the Kingdom, and how God wants us to pray and pay it into reality in peoples’ lives. And built into this is our focus verse from 1 Peter: Our Mission: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have.”  (1 Peter 3:15). (They will ask this when they see the kingdom life in us. In our second reading today in 1 Thess 5:8 Paul talks encourages his readers to stay sober and alert, and to take faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet).

Isn’t it the will of God in heaven that people on earth live with that kind of Kingdom flourishing? Experiencing God’s amazing grace and generosity through us. We should take risks using God’s gifts and resources (the 30kg bags of silver or gold and all the other gifts we receive) as He leads us.

If this is about the Kingdom, then the treasure or gold we begin with is

• the gift of knowing Jesus the King and
• sharing the good news of the Kingdom of God which came in Jesus and his ministry, comes through us, and will come completely.

And we are always expected to be faithful.  

If we are alert then we will be ready to respond faithfully with the gifts and treasure we to share. You may remember Psalm 19 speaking about God’s laws, precepts, commands, his word basically: Psa 19:10  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; Included in our bags of gold are these treasures:  the good news of the kingdom, the hope that we can offer, and the teachings of Jesus the King.

We always quote James who says we should hear the word and then put it into practice. Being a faithful servant and witness means being totally immersed in God’s word, his truth, his kingdom, his good news, his abundant life we have to share.  

We’re unlikely to  ever hear “well done good and occasionally reliable servant”. As you have probably heard me say before- you wouldn’t call your fridge faithful if it only worked on selected days of the week. Or your car. 😊

Here’s the challenge – that we faithfully consider what risks we could take as God’s servants in our corner of the vineyard. And be encouraged. God is at work– in all we do, in and through our leadership, and every member of His body, every one of us who has an open ear to heaven and an open heart too. 

Amen.

Sunday sermon 13 July – the parable of the Sower

READINGS:

Isaiah 55: 10-13; Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23

SERMON

So another of those parables – nice stories that Jesus told – here we go again, you may say. I’ve heard it all before.

Watch this VIDEO and you will remember I think:

We know all this. We preach the good news – share the story – and so many people just don’t stay the distance!

Here’s a scarier video which our kids watched in church:

When I asked them about the lesson from this version of the parable one bright lad said: “Don’t be a seed!” I love kids!

Either way, the interpretation provides an excellent sermon outline, of several points:

1) Seed that falls on the path — when the word is heard, but not really understood.

2) Seed that falls on rocky ground — when the word is received with initial enthusiasm, but without the putting-down of roots through regular devotional practice.

3) Seed that falls among weeds — when temptations choke out faith.

4) Seed that falls on good soil and thrives.

Isn’t this the parable of the sower? We know all this!

Can’t we learn a lesson about agriculture here? Or at least apply the principles to the Christian life or the church? In fact – if we see it as a parable about the success and failure of the church – then it can be a useful way of explaining why we are not always successful. The early church would have found it useful in understanding what was happening when people turned away.

• The preacher is the sower
• His sermons are good or bad seeds? Well one has to assume they are Kingdom seeds…
• And if he fails – well is it not something to do with the people who listen. It must be their fault, surely?

You can see where that goes. It can be used to justify why people don’t believe. The modern world is very bad and “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it (the message or word of the preacher), making it unfruitful.” Of course all of that is partly true.

Parables are interesting though. Most parables are not simple stories – as if Jesus were speaking to poor illiterate Galileans or rural folk with stories because they’re easy. They’re actually quite challenging – most are not explained at all. The word “parable” literally means that which is thrown alongside other things – thus creating the possibility of a comparison. The listeners had to come to their own conclusions usually.

And that’s probably a good description about preaching generally – the individual takes something from it and hopefully takes it to heart. It’s not just the exchange of information. Its God speaking – amazingly even through me – into other lives. And like a hose pipe over a bunch of people – different people get wet from different drops of water.

SO WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE?

What’s it mean? What’s it really about? Is there something we are missing here?

• It’s a story – a parable about soils! Yet it is still called the parable of the sower!
• And of course it’s also a very funny story! It’s a classic TUI advert. A farmer would say at the end when Jesus says: “He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” – Yeah right! A good return would have been five fold. Or it could be a Specsavers ad – did he count right? – did he not mean 10, 6 or 3 times what was sown?
• The story has a strange and almost unbelievable abundance thrown in to this account – when this works it really does work! Yay farmer! Yay sower! Yay soil!
• But there is also a recklessness about the sower. If it is really about the sower – and the sower is actually God – then surely he lacks some insight into agriculture. He seems to chuck the seed in strange places – why the path for example? Why amongst thorns? Why waste precious seed?There is a strange risk-taking and almost wastage of the seed that perhaps speaks to us of the Sower’s character?

IF IT’S JUST ABOUT SOIL Then we could all simply thank God for the seed and praise ourselves for being good soil. Reminds me of another story about a self-righteous man praying at the temple. But it’s more complicated than that too. Even if you have good soil – and the seed – there are other things required – water, nurture, provision of fertilizer and resilience in a storm. It’s not just about the soil.

You can see how a parable can cause you to wrestle with the possibilities. The LISTENERS would have only heard the story – and would be scratching their heads too. The disciples privately get the explanation or interpretation which gives us the broader view:

The path – if it does not take root the evil one snatches the seed away

Now another person is included – the Devil

Rocky ground – the ground is shallow and the plant doesn’t take root, and it fails when trouble and persecution come along

This would have made sense to the early church

The thorns – well that’s about the man who hears the message but worries of this life and particularly the deceitfulness of wealth make it unfruitful

This especially makes sense to us – but the desire for wealth is not new!

• Jesus – speaking 2000 years ago – also told his listeners “you cannot love God and a wealth” (or mammon).
• Paul – to Timothy –reminds him that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)

The good soil. Well nothing is said about resisting the evil one, persevering in troubled times and when persecuted – and not worrying about life’s troubles or not being tempted by wealth. It simply says – the good soil is about this – well let me quote verse 23: But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it.

He or she hears the word and understands it! The penny drops. Why?

Well it’s all to do with who the sower is.  Where your inner life comes from. And the sower is Jesus – or God. Because it’s a parable about the Kingdom. And that means a completely different understanding of the point of life altogether!

It’s not about the church. Like the pastors’ sermon title joke which goes like this: “Be good soil, and give us your money” and she’ll be right!

It’s about listening to the parable the way you should – without the interpretation in the second part. Remember that the disciples only got the details afterwards.

Michael Green in his book “Matthew for today” suggests that listening to the parable is like looking at yourself in a mirror and asking – what is happening in my life? Is God’s Word bouncing off me like the seeds on the path? And so on… You get the point.

If it is a mirror – then what are you seeing when you hear this – is the word of God been eaten by birds in your life? Or is it growing in you? How do you cope with what people say about this Kingdom word that is changing the way you see things? Has your life become too wordly? Have you compromised for the sake of reputation too?

And what about the temptation to obsess over the things of this life – and especially wealth? Remember it’s the deceitfulness of wealth that’s the issue? It tricks you into letting it grow in your heart?

Or do you get it? Do you understand?  Is the Kingdom of God coming alive in your life?

You’ll suddenly find a new appreciation for a different kind of fruitfulness.

And as I said to a colleague yesterday while we were mopping up water after our flood here –  and the meditation group was trying a new kind of bible meditation (while working) –

What if we are really all of those soils? That they represent different times of our lives? And that we are at risk of becoming hard ground – like a path, or shallow ground – like the rocky soil. I certainly know that we veer towards the soil with weeds that choke us – temptation for accumulating worldly wealth can come along at any stage in life.

Another friend and I were talking about this on Friday morning. You know you can set out in life with the wrong priorities – wanting to accumulate worldly wealth – or you can get obsessed with it later when you are running out of working years and the pressure to have a retirement plan builds.

“… but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it (the seed), making it unfruitful.”

Are you and I really fruitful in God’s Kingdom? Great question.

Let this parable challenge you too!

Amen!

 

Prayer For The Day 

Prepare our hearts, O God, to accept your word.
Fertilize the soil with your Spirit.
Cultivate it with your presence.
Water it with your love.
But, more than that, help us accept responsibility
to be active listeners,
opening our hearts before you. Amen.