Matthew 10:40-42

July 2, 2023

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Matthew 10:40-42

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

| Centering Prayer |

A little bit of kindness and hospitality goes a long way.

Here at the end of the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew,

these final words of Jesus must have come as a welcome surprise to his disciples.

In a continuation of the past two Sundays,

Jesus was enlisting the help of his disciples

into welcome relief for his exhausting ministry

to the growing throngs of people:

of preaching, teaching, healing, casting out demons, and raising the dead.

If I had been one of his disciples

and Jesus told me that I’d be doing these things,

truth be told, I’d be incredulous.

I’d be scared to death.

“Healing lepers? You’ve got to be kidding. I’m not touching that!”

“Raising dead people? Thanks, but no thanks, I’m not in the Frankenstein business.”

“Preaching and teaching?” Couldn’t we just hire someone to do it for us?

“Leaving home, family, business, and money behind – certain to face persecution?”

I’ve got a mortgage payment to make.

There must be a better way.

Truth be told, ministry is hard work.

It’s dirty work.

And most of us would like an easier way out.

So when Jesus tells us this morning

that a cup of cold water

given to a parched throat

will do the trick

– we rise up and say “Amen to that, brother!”

Is Jesus setting the bar of expectation for discipleship

– a cup of cold water –

So low that we are distracted

From his greater message?

…

We live in a religious environment that celebrates bigness.

Big, fast growing auditorium type churches

are the envy of bishops, pastors and laypersons alike.

Big screens with professionally done presentations,

audio and video,

more volume for the bands,

more seating for the orchestra,

higher ranks for larger choirs,

atriums with welcoming kiosks, flowing fountains, and free cups of coffee,

big parking lots filled with big fleets of buses to bring attendees in,

big programs for kids and youth.

Church, like larger society, often reflects the same values:

It seems like the mantra is

more, bigger, and better.

The underlying message is

If you’re not big, you’re doing something wrong.

Today, Jesus lifts up small and seemingly insignificant acts of faithfulness;

welcoming a prophet or a righteous person,

welcoming Jesus,

or simply,

lauding the act of giving a cup of cold water to a little one.

You will receive the reward of the righteous.

None of these (acts of kindness) will lose their reward,

Jesus instructs his disciples.

Well, now, there you have it.

Even I lend my voice to

The voice of an anonymous person working the line,

Collecting spare change in a canning jar for junior’s college fund,

Suspicious of The Man.

Jesus speaks and

The little man wins.

Not the free market.

Not democracy, nor dictatorship.

Not the rich, nor the powerful.

Jesus speaks the language of

Welcome.

Hospitality.

Empathy.

Jesus wins.

Welcome.

Welcome one and all.

Welcome Jesus, and his disciples.

Welcome the prophet, and the righteous.

Welcome preschoolers and the children of faith.

Give them a cup of cold water to quench their thirst.

“preach it, Jesus!”

Can faithfulness really be this easy?

I mean what about “turn your other cheek,”

and “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

and “go the second mile”

and “sell all that you have and give to the poor and come and follow me?”

What happened with those things?

Each time I’ve visited Washington, DC,

I am reminded of

The value of big thinkers, dreamers, and leaders.

Everything is big in Washington:

Museums, the Mall, the Houses of Government, Institutions of the State.

The nation’s capital was built in a small time by people with lofty aspirations.

There is always a need and a place for bigness in our world.

So, how does a little act of hospitality and kindness compare?

Today, Jesus tells us that smallness matters.

Details matter.

Genuine hospitality and simple acts of kindness

are just as important as the big issues of faithful discipleship.

In an environment today of Kia and Hyundai car-jackings,

offering someone a ride can be

a significant act of faithfulness.

In an era of home invasions,

answering the door with a smile and a kind “hello”

becomes a radical act of faithfulness.

In a hospital filled with antibiotic resistant diseases,

SARS, Mersa, and more flavors of Covid than you can shake a stick at,

the simple effort of showing up,

holding a hand,

becomes an act of radical discipleship.

Going to visit an old friend might mean

Risking fall or frail health.

That takes faith, my friends.

In today’s world where 26% of the earth’s population

does not have access to clean, potable drinking water

and 46% lack access to basic sanitation,

accepting a cup of clean, cold drinking water becomes a true act of faith

“and intestinal fortitude.”

(UN World Water Development Report 2023)

“In this kind of world,

a world of walls and barriers,

violence and intense loneliness,

Christian hospitality becomes a prophetic act.”

(Craig T. Kocher, Pulpit Resources, June 26, 2005)

Jesus tells us that smallness matters.

There are certainly many well-meaning speeches

That were delivered during this recent baccalaureate season.

Most offer wisdom about seizing opportunity,

Being the best you can be,

And leaving the world in a better state than the way you found it.

I’d like to add this wisdom of Jesus to the chorus for our new graduates:

Do your very best in the big things,

At the same time, make certain

you bring excellence to the small things in life.

Smallness matters.

Details matter.

Consider the way you greet someone.

A smile, eye contact, and a sincere look on your face

Is just as important as the business deal you are about to negotiate.

Remembering and using a person’s preferred name

Replaces an anonymous waitress

with a person of worth,

who has a valuable story to tell.

“Yes, ma’m,” and “No, thank you” are more than simple rules of etiquette.

They are radical acts of kindness.

“Political correctness” lost to angry partisans

Should be resurrected by the faithful,

renamed “love of neighbor,”

Empathy for the circumstance of others,

honesty, integrity, transparency, and always doing the right thing.

The use of simple social values

Communicates to the world that

Respect matters.

Dignity is worth preserving.

Love is important.

Faith has taught you well.

Christian hospitality becomes a prophetic act.

…

One final point:

In all things – big and small –

Do so in the name of Jesus Christ.

By our baptism

Each of us are given a new identity.

We share a common Heavenly Father,

A common blood line,

Co-mingling of both mortal and immortal DNA.

We have been marked as one of God’s precious, beloved children;

Named as a disciple of Jesus Christ, God’s own Son.

This is who we are;

Therefore, this is where life should point.

The socks we darn: we do it for the glory of God.

The email we send: we do it in the name of Jesus.

The family we build: we do it for Christ.

The budgets we create: we do it on behalf of Christ and his kingdom.

The laws we draft: we do so as a faithful child of a just, loving, and benevolent God.

Behavior matters;

In the big things,

In small things,

When no one is watching.

Behavior that exudes radical discipleship

Is a signpost directing the world to God.

Too often we forget this capstone of faith:

When we fail to connect actions with belief with a relationship with Jesus Christ,

When we stop using our life to point to Jesus, the cross, and the empty tomb,

Then we slowly become just another well-meaning humanitarian.

We slowly erode our identity of who we are, and whose we are.

So, in all things – big and small –

Do so in the name of Jesus.

A little bit of kindness and hospitality

In the name of Christ

Goes a long way,

Is as refreshing as a cup of cold water

In a parched, dried out world.

Disciplined, loving Christian behavior becomes

a prophetic act of radical discipleship.

A cup of cold water

When drawn from the well of faith

Becomes living water that

quenches every thirst

And leads to life eternal.                

Amen.

Jeremiah 20:7-13 and Matthew 10:24-39

June 25, 2023

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Jeremiah 20:7-13

O Lord, you have enticed me, and I was enticed; you have overpowered me, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I must cry out, I must shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.

If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. For I hear many whispering: “Terror is all around! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” All my close friends are watching for me to stumble. “Perhaps he can be enticed, and we can prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.”

But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.

O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind; let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers.

Matthew 10:24-39

“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master.

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

| Centering Prayer |

The prophet Jeremiah was dealt a lousy hand.

Not flipping burgers at Burger King.

Not collecting garbage.

Not unclogging sewers or cleaning out septic tanks.

It was worse than that.

A lot worse.

God had a job that he couldn’t refuse.

Jeremiah was called by God to preach.

Preaching isn’t that bad.

It was the message

That came to defined his life.

The message God wanted to communicate to God’s chosen people

Gave Jeremiah the moniker

“The Weeping Prophet.”

The news wasn’t good.

This was God’s message to the people of Judah:

Stop worshipping idols. Worship only the Lord.

Stop following false prophets.

Temple priests are guilty of greed.

Stop altering sacred scripture to accommodate the worship of other gods.

Yeah.

Not exactly how to win friends and influence people.

That’s not all.

God had one more item to tell the people:

That Babylonian army closing from the north?

Yeah, they will destroy Jerusalem and all of Judah.

Punishment for sins.

Those not killed will be exiled,

Driven from God’s promised lands,

Banished to suffer for generations for their sins.

It’s a done deal.

No appeal.

1900 years later,

Even Rembrandt felt Jeremiah’s grief and pain.

Like Moses before him,

Jeremiah protested his life defining call.

God wasn’t hearing it.

Thanks for the input;

Now, zip it and get back in the game.

As soon as Jeremiah spoke

His cheery message of destruction and death,

His popularity plummeted.

Kings despised him.

Others plotted to kill him.

He was thrown into a cistern,

Trapped in mud,

Only to be saved by a slave.

Sound familiar?

Jeremiah complains to God,

Makes his lament,

Like any good child of Abraham.

God’s response?

Thanks for the feedback,

But, buckle down and ante up.

Nose to the grindstone, old chap.

Arrested.

Placed in stocks.

Mocked by all.

Assassination attempts.

All because

Jeremiah was being a faithful mouthpiece of God.

…

700 years later,

Matthew the tax collector,

And his larger Matthean community,

Felt Jeremiah’s pain.

Jeremiah’s story resonated with Matthew’s life experience.

Hated by the public.

Accused of collaborating with Rome,

An occupying enemy of the people,

Matthew preached that

Jesus was the fulfillment of Jewish expectation.

Jesus is the Messiah.

Follow him.

Matthew’s message was one that first century Jews did not want to hear.

Messiah? Savior of the people?

Jesus was

More like a major disappointment and a falling star from their myopic point of view.

For his efforts

Jesus was rejected in his own hometown,

By his own flesh and blood.

Jesus was rejected by organized religion;

Temple authorities,

Priests and pharisees, plotted against him,

Who had him arrested, tried, and killed.

For the Jews,

A cold, sealed tomb

Was the end of Jesus and his traveling salvation show.

Or so it seemed.

Today is Monday,

Tomorrow will be Monday.

Every day is Monday.

Everyday is Groundhog Day.

Life is misery, toil, suffering, slavery, and death.

“Life is a beach, and then you die,” my Uncle Dick would state.

Might just as well get used to it.

Matthew knew better.

The tomb wasn’t the final answer.

He had seen,

Personally witnessed,

the resurrection of Jesus and

Was personally commissioned,

Sent,

To spread the good news

Of what he had seen and experienced.

Today is

Release from captivity to sin and death.

Today is

The first day of your eternal life with Christ;

All for the low, low price

Of believing in him.

Carpe Diem.

Seize the Day.

Matthew preached first to the local Jewish community,

Then afield, tradition says.

He was led to Africa

Where he was martyred for this message.

Matthew’s band of brothers

(and sisters) carried on in Matthew’s name, call, and tradition.

They read the common text written by Mark

And used their memory of Matthew’s personal interactions with Jesus.

The Matthean community

Composed the text before us today;

The Gospel of Matthew.

It is in this context

They remembered and recorded

Jesus teaching.

“I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.” (10:34-36)

Dis me?

That’s one thing.

Dis my family,

Now you are itching for a fight.

Jesus condemns,

But doesn’t send to hell,

The actions of those who

Love others more than him.

Jesus condemns those who

Aren’t committed enough to risk their own lives

For the sake of following him and his message.

“Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (10:38)

Are you willing to die for Jesus?

We are asked today.

The mortal / immortal gordian knot

Makes me want to weep.

…

Just as Jeremiah wept,

So, too, did Jesus.

Just as Jesus lamented his rejection,

So, too, did Matthew and his community

Of Apostles.  

The Lord commanded Jeremiah

“And I will utter my judgments against them, for all their wickedness in forsaking me; they have made offerings to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them.” (1:16-17)

“Get yourself ready!”

(1:17)

God tipped him off to those who plotted against him.

God rose up and protected his life.

(11:18-2:6)

God is our protector-in-chief,

Our sword,

Our shield,

Our staff,

Our stay.

God is our anchor,

Our rock,

Our foundation

Upon which we stand.

“Do not fear …” Jesus commanded.

(10:28)

Not one sparrow falls without God’s knowledge.

Your value is greater than many sparrows.

God values you so much,

God even knows the number of hairs on your head.

“Do not fear …”

Our value comes from God,

Not from others.

Meaning comes from God.

Our call comes from God.

The message comes from God.

“Do not fear …”

Though others will mock,

Hate you,

Hurt you,

Serve you up to a martyr’s death,

God’s grace exceeds the expanse of cosmos, time, and space.

“Do not fear …”

Though others may kill,

Jesus saves.

Jesus saves.

…

You and I may not like the message of the cross.

But it is our responsibility to

Proclaim it from the housetops.

We may oppose the scandal of grace

Revealed by an empty tomb.

Yet, this is precisely the message

God intends the world to hear.

We may be persecuted, suffer, even die

For the privilege to carry God’s message

Of Jesus, and his love,

To a world of hatred, evil, and death.

Even still,

Buck up, old chap.

Dry the tears.

Nose to the grindstone.

God has you covered.

Lose your life for Christ’s sake;

Eternal life is returned to you.

Eternal life.

Yours.

All yours.

Claim it!

Proclaim it!

Amen.

Matthew 9:35 – 10:23

June 18, 2023

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Matthew 9:35 – 10:23

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

| Centering Prayer |

Our Gospel for today

Is the only occurrence in Matthew

Where the disciples of Jesus are named

And given the title of “Apostle”.

The word “Apostle” comes from the Greek “Apostolos”

Meaning “person sent.”

In today’s Gospel,

Disciples of Jesus

Are tasked with additional responsibilities.

Disciples not only follow Jesus;

– Learn his teachings and follow in his example –

Disciples are now sent,

Transformed into Apostles,

Sent,

First to Jews of the house of Israel,

(as we will explore here today) and

Later, to Samaria, and to the world.

(Acts 1:8)

Every nation.

Every race.

Every language.

Jews, Gentiles, and every other religion under the sun.

Sinners and saints alike.

The contrast is important.

Discipleship is about being filled with Jesus.

Apostleship is being sent to bring the world to Jesus.

Jesus mixes his metaphors today,

Referring to the crowd as sheep,

And to the world as abundant crops ready to be harvested.

Animal farming v. cash cropping.

It isn’t clean,

But Jesus gets the job done.

…

Sheeplike.

Reality check, with a large dose of humility:

Apostles of Jesus are like sheep.

1. Without the Good Shepherd we are prone to wander.

Take the eye off Jesus

and become easily distracted.

There is much to distract

Partisan politics, building wealth, amassing pride and power.

The fallen nature of life

Will go to the ends of the earth

To distract you and me from Jesus,

Our ultimate concern.

2. When we, like sheep,

Draw a deaf ear to the guidance and directives of Jesus,

The world becomes a tempting cacophony of competing calls;

Undisciplined pride,

Unrestrained anger,

Mindless Envy,

Objectified Lust,

Limitless Gluttony,

Poisonous Sloth.

3. Without the protection and guidance of our Good Shepherd

We are in constant, chronic mortal danger.

Without Christ, we risk body and soul.

Be not naïve,

Apostolic work

Is dangerous, life-threatening work.

Apostles are like sheep in the midst of wolves.

Vulnerable.

Being forewarned

demands apostles to be prepared.

I’d love to pepper my message

With heartwarming antidotes and stories

Of growth, success, and clean living.

Of little David slaying the mighty Goliath.

Nothing to be seen here.

Jesus is no vaccine that prevents pain, suffering, or death.

Apostles are betrayed.  

Hated;

Rejected by blood,

Well-meaning family members.

Apostles who carry Jesus to the world are

Persecuted by good Christian neighbors-about-town

Who dress up to go to church on Sundays.

Apostles, beware wolves.

Wolves hunt, and don’t give up.

Wolves kill, not like the regeneration of a video game.

Wolves kill dead.

Wolves feast with an unsatiable appetite.

Apostles can be expected to be arrested, charged, and prosecuted

As enemies of the people

As heretics of the Church.

Like a good Boy Scout, be prepared.

Put on Christ,

Shelter in his protective love.

Be filled with his power and strength of the Spirit.

Allow the Spirit of the Father speak in you and through you.

Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

…

Servant Laborers.

Apostles are disciples sent.

Sent by Jesus to do what?

1. First, take notice:

Here-to-for, Jesus has been a one-man-traveling-salvation-show.

It’s time to delegate,

To multiply.

Elementary level mathematics is a helpful metaphor.

One Jesus

commissions and sends

twelve disciples.

It would be great if the net would hold millions,

Thousands even,

Instead of just twelve.

Good laborers are hard to come by.

Yet. Twelve were enough to start with.

Twelve are enough.  

Apostles of Jesus are sent to multiply.

One becomes twelve.

Twelve becomes 144.

One forty-four becomes …

In a similar, but opposing way,

Apostles of Jesus are not in the subtraction or division business.

If you’re not building,

At best, you are maintaining the status quo,

Setting the table

For another generation to drive a stake through the heart.

At worst, if

you are not building Church,

The Body of Christ,

You’re destroying.     

Build.

Multiply.

Compound.

Light the afterburners.

Take supersonic your role

In building the Church of Jesus Christ.

2. Apostles of Jesus are sent to harvest.

Often, scripture uses harvest as a metaphor for the end times,

The return of Christ, and a final judgment.

No sign of that here.

Different sermon.

Different topic.

Another place.

Harvest:

Plentiful.

Abundant.

Full-to-overflowing is the harvest God provides.

Harvest isn’t just about

Swinging a scythe, gathering, separating, processing fruit, and burning the chaff.

Harvest demands compassionate Apostles

Who are willing to be servant laborers

Called and sent by Jesus.

Be the servant who

Proclaims the Good News.

This is the message to communicate through everything you think, say, and do:

God created you.

God loves you.

God forgives your sins.

God saves you into eternal life!

Pass it on!

…

Life happens in-between.

Illness, demons, and death.

So what?

God’s got you.

Be the servant who

Cures the sick, raises the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons.

We are in the fix-and-repair business.

Scavenge the junkyards of life.

The well have no need of a physician.

Seek out the lost, the left behind, the discarded and left for dead.

Fix the broken.

Heal.

Cleanse.

Purify the world with unblemished righteousness.

…

Be the servant laborer

Who places complete dependence upon God

And God alone.

One only needs bread daily.

Yesterday’s bread is today’s waste;

Tomorrow’s bread is wholly dependent on the grace of God.

Today’s bread is God’s intentional act to sustain and strengthen you.

God hasn’t failed once in the history of the world.

Grace won’t fail today.

Tomorrow? Nope.

As certain as tomorrow’s sunrise,

God provides, sustains, protects, loves.

Bank it.

…

Be the servant laborer

Who isn’t afraid to move on

if returns are not worthy of our heavenly Father and King.

Shake off the dust and leave.

In other words,

Leave the past behind.

Walk away from toxic circumstances and people

Who remain unmoved, unchanged,

Despite our every prayer and all our effort.

Pay attention to “return-on-investment”

More carefully than a corporate accountant.

“Shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.” (10:14)

Shake it. Leave it.

No apologies.

No regrets.

Let God judge.

Move on.

…

Servant laborers who cut losses and move on

discover a newfound serenity.

Peace becomes

the divine replacement

for anxiety, frustration, and failure.

“God; grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

To change the things I can change,

And the wisdom to know the difference.”

(Reinhold Niebuhr, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer)

Self-flagellation ceases.

No dead horses are left to beat.

Moving on opens the door.

Peace once held, returns.

Peace returns to you.

…

Disciples learn and follow.

Apostles go and serve.

Be both / and.

Service is harvest focused.

Sick? Be healed.

Let me introduce you to the one who heals.

Follow him.

Dead? Bring life.

Let me introduce you to the Lord of life and resurrection.

He knows the way.

Jesus knows the tomb, but he also knows eternal life.

Follow him.

Filled with the devil? Satan! Be gone!

The Light has come to replace the darkness.

His name is Jesus.

Come and meet him.

Beloved, modern-day Apostles of Jesus;

It’s all about the harvest.

There is no time to wait.

No time for distractions.

The kingdom draws near, oh, so near.

…

Praise God

For the Apostolic authority,

Given and passed,

From generation to generation

To this age and time and place.

Simon Peter, the first among equals, and Andrew.

Adult sons of Zebedee, James and John.

Philip and Bartholomew.

Thomas, who demanded proof, and Matthew, the tax collector,

The son of Alphaeus, James,

And Thaddaeus,

Simon the Cananaean, and

Judas.

Even Judas.

Take thou authority.

Take the Good News.

Share the Good News.

The Lord of the Harvest is drawing his kingdom near.

Amen.

A Sermon for the African Immigrant Congregation,

Aldersgate United Methodist Church

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

June 11, 2023

the Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples.

Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.”

Jesus turned, and seeing her he said,

“Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”

And instantly the woman was made well. 

When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.”

And they laughed at him.

But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.

And the report of this spread throughout that district.

| Centering Prayer |

There are many joys to being a pastor.

I’m surrounded with great people who are passionate about faith.

I’m privileged to be invited into the great celebrations of life’s passages-

birth, baptism, confirmation, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, and deaths.

Indeed, I draw strength and courage

from many examples of experience, faith, and hope.

My faith is deepened through

your commitment and resolve.

There are many joys to being a pastor.

In recent days,

I’ve come to recognize

That my life swims in an ocean of God’s grace.

At a young age

I dipped my toe into the surf.

It was a loving God who caught a hold of me,

Pulled me through a life altering undertow

Into a life of

abundant love,

extravagant forgiveness, and

eternal salvation.

There are many joys to being a pastor.

I don’t take lightly other people’s pain or suffering.

But, quietly, privately,

I do delight in self-imposed guilt.

This is what I mean-

when I was a medic on the ambulance,

taking a drunk from a bar fight to the hospital,

teeth knocked out like spilled Chicklets,

cussing and swearing to beat-the-band,

to have another member of the crew say

“by the way, I’d like you to meet Reverend Goddard…”

I secretly delight in self-imposed guilt.

At the daily conclusion of Vacation Bible School

For 300 village children in Nicaragua,

We would team up

And hand out a small, sugar-coated roll

To each excited, squealing child.

To you or me

A roll would be

Just a roll.

To these children,

it was their daily bread.

I looked to

My fellow missionary traveler

Handing out rolls

And saw his face and tears when he

Realized he had enough spare money in his wallet

To feed 300 for a year.

Guilt has it’s place.

I realize guilt convicts.

I know that I’m unable

to sit on my holier-than-though, high horse for too long.

I put my pants on just like everyone else,

one leg at a time.

I know myself well enough

to recognize that

I am a sinner, no better, and no worse, than anyone else.

I have fallen short of God’s expectations and

I beg mercy and redemption before a benevolent, gracious God.

Guilty as charged.

Convicted of my sins.

I have no excuse,

Only confession.

There is no moral high ground here.

There is no pontifical, episcopal, or ordained protection

from the wages of sin.

Ordination doesn’t grant me a “Get out of jail free” card.

Neither is there safety

simply because you might be a Christian,

or in the failed attempt to lead a righteous life.

I applaud you for your effort;

but I know better.

Not only are we united by our common baptism,

but we are also united by our common sin.

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

I know that everyone of you is a sinner, because I am one, too.

Sinners come to church,

often led by the hand

by well-meaning parents.

Many do not come willingly.

Some may have put up a fight just an hour ago.

“I don’t want to go to church. Why do I have to go to church?

No one else from school is at church.

I hate church!”

But a rule is a rule,

so here you are,

arms folded,

brows furrowed,

determined not to get anything out of it.

“I’m here, but I don’t have to like it.”

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

Sinners come to church,

motivated by guilt or family pressure.

Out with friends last night until a late hour

– or early hour –

the incongruity between the party last night

and the service this morning is striking.

The posture is impossible to miss:

slouched rolled shoulders,

downcast eyes, queasy light headedness.

Thoughts are mostly “I just want this to be over with.”

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

Sinners come to church,

motivated by good intentions and true desire,

only to experience troubling thoughts.

Sin that’s deep, dark, and carnal.

Have you ever had a dirty thought during worship?

I have.

In the midst of sacred worship,

a thought turns to something that you are not supposed to think about,

and I certainly am forbidden to say.

Hormone driven thoughts lead to shame and fear

that God might be eavesdropping.

“Oh, my goodness! What’s wrong with my filthy mind?!”

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

Sinners come to church,

filled with new ideas,

calling into question

what is taught

and what they used to believe.

Youth challenging authority- Shocking!

Perhaps they don’t believe in God after all.

Perhaps this is a sham, a lie, a farce and no one should be here.

Organized religion is nothing more than organized crime.

It’s all a bunch of hooey!

Despite a newfound freedom to question,

most remain slaves to sin,

and like everyone else,

love to roll in the muck

with the pigs.

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

Sinners come to church,

upright and proper,

heads of the household,

respected members of the community,

who put on their Sunday’s best,

hoping to reflect an unblemished exterior.

But deep inside, all are wondering.

Wondering about those marriage vows.

Break them?

Who would know?

Wondering about children.

Is it right to bring innocent children into this world?

Who better to raise a bunch of sinners than sinners?

Wondering about …

the IRS return,

the little white lie on the timecard, or

the office supplies that make their way home.

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

Sinners come to church,

Elders pushing a walker or sporting a cane.

Middle aged …

Many have put on weight,

balding or graying,

divorced, depressed, or simply disillusioned.

starting to become a little ragged around the edges.

Life isn’t turning out like

What was expected thirty or forty years ago.

Youthful indiscretions securely vaulted and locked away in the past.

Aches and pains,

behind closed doors, belching (farting) and

belly-aching about every new twinge or pull,

all-the-while failing to follow the doctor’s advice.

A little too much wine with dinner,

a credit card overextended,

growing anxieties,

grown up kids who won’t move out.

Good old,

middle of the road,

over-insured, middle-aged sinners.

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

All kinds of sinners walk through the door of the church.

Some walking slowly,

stooped with age,

others running,

giggling, and paying no attention

to what anyone else might think.

Some have lost the sin of ambition, and

in its place are yielding to the sins of

despair, disappointment, resentment, or finality.

Some sinners come to church

wearing shoes made by children in sweat shops,

wearing clothing that is made by virtual slaves in developing world countries.

Some ate breakfast this morning

Mindful of those who have no breakfast,

While others come to know the injustice of global food distribution.

My consumption comes at the expense of others.

When I eat,

I force hunger on others.

Some sinners care …

but do nothing.

Other sinners could care less.

Jesus said, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

I’m the first to admit that

the biggest sinner might be the preacher,

the one who leads,

the one who does all the talking,

the spiritual shepherd of the flock.

It is far easier to do as I say,

not as I do.

Some may lift the office to a higher plane,

but I know that reverend is nothing more than a title,

and it doesn’t cut too deep.

We all come and close the door behind us.

There is no one without sin.

Not a one.

No one bears any more guilt than anyone else.

When it comes to sin

Size doesn’t matter.

We’re all in this together.

And Jesus walks into our life and says,

“Follow me, sinner. Follow me.”

Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners!

“And suddenly

a leader of the synagogue came to Jesus.”

Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners!

“And suddenly

a woman reached out and touched his garment.”

Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners!

And suddenly,

oh, so suddenly,

you and me,

we find our voice.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost,

but now am found,

was blind but now I see.”

“I’d like to come and dine at your table today,”

the Savior says, point directly at us.

So, gather we must,

around this table of God’s grace.

There is plenty of room for every sinner.

Make sure we make room for the Savior.

Would you just take a look

at the company Jesus keeps?

Outrageous …

Scandalous …

Amazing …

… just like God’s grace

The Word of the Lord,

as it has come to me.

Thanks be to God.

Amen.