Sermon on Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43 by the Rev. Deacon Linda Stokes. July 17, 2011
God’s Reality Check
Let us pray. Come Holy Spirit Come with your burning purifying fire. Burn away any dross in us; open our ears to hear the message you have for your church today. In Jesus name. Amen
Today’s scripture is pretty scaring for some, I mean, who wants to be thrown into a fiery furnace? Not me! Eternal damnation is something most people do not want to think about, that is until they are on deaths doorstep, then the consequences of life loom out of proportion. Christians however have a supernatural confidence based on our Christ relationship, or at least we should. I have to admit though, that on judgment day, I will have shaky knees and I will be clinging to the side of Jesus with all my might! Why? because in my own strength I am prone to fear, but in Christ’s strength I have hope. This is the spiritual tension that most of us live with; it is a tension, which continually monitors our Christ-relationship. Sometimes I wish I had a spiritual thermometer, which would alert me to where my Christ-relationship really is, you know one that would measure ‘too much Linda’ and ‘not enough Christ’. So, when I am judged, I could take my spiritual temperature and make more room for Christ, which usually means, holding my tongue, cultivating patience and loving the unlovable. Truth be told, I would rather pull up, cut out, kill all the negativity in my life, but for some reason Christ says no, wait, trust in me, lean not on your own understanding. Which brings us to today’s scripture, which is all about judgment and eternal consequences. If ever there was a need for a spiritual thermometer this was the case. Why, because the disciples needed to hold their present-day hope in Christ, as a shield against the undermining opposition in their culture and so in the face of this opposition, Christ shares a parable on judgment.
He said “The kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.” Then Jesus introduces the attention grabber, he says “But, while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.” The audience would know the weeds, as tares, a poisonous root – bound invasive weed, which looks exactly, like wheat until the grain matures. They would also know that it was a crime to intentionally sow tares. The man’s servants alert him to this infestation & want to immediately uproot the bad weeds, but the man says “no, wait for the harvest, because you may inadvertently pull up the good wheat with the bad weeds.” When harvest comes, the harvesters will collect the weeds and burn them and then bring in the good wheat for storage. In this telling, it seems easy to judge between the good and the bad, and yet Jesus’ disciples ask for clarification. Perhaps they sought a deeper understanding; perhaps their ears were attuned for an eternal meaning meant just for them. In any case they are given a private second ‘telling’. Jesus says “the farmer is the son of man, the field is the world, the good seed are the people of the kingdom, the weeds are the people of the evil one, the enemy is the devil, the harvesters are the angels of God and the harvest is the end of the age. Then, Jesus ends with a picture of eternal judgment, complete with a blazing furnace and shining righteousness, similar to that mentioned in the book of Daniel (12:3), and reminiscent of the sheep and goats separation in Matthew 25. As the two ‘tellings’ slowly come together, the disciples begin to understand that eternal judgment offers both hope and fear and eternal timing prohibits present day judgment of others. I am sure as they stood in the presence of Christ, and considering his explanation, internally asked themselves, where am I in this picture & how will I every rise to this challenge…
There is nothing like a natural disaster to help people rise to the challenge. In 1980 the residents of Red Lake Ontario experienced an out of control fire. My friend Kay, shared with me how the threat of fire gave birth to new priorities and new friendships. How the fire destroyed forests, burnt down homes and created life-long medical conditions. People had to leave their pets, postpone their weddings and flee for their lives. There was a lot of silent reflection going on as people waited in line to be rescued, as they sat on the tarmac, and smelled the approaching smoke. There was also a lot of gibitzing and sharing, of medications, food, blankets and drink. In the end, Red Lake was spared but the community experience to this day is remembered as a time of hope and fear and community bonding: no one was judged not worthy of being rescued, no one was pulled up, singled out or left behind.
Today, much of our culture is under spiritual attack and it is hard to stand by and watch. If you are like me you want to send a message, with sirens bellowing “Wake up, your choices are killing you!” Why do people spend more time at their computers and phones than they do with God. Why do people self medicate their soul pain away with addictions like gambling, drugs and even work. What the world needs is a spiritual shake-up, a divine reality check! Jesus however has chastised my exuberance, I think, because it is not the Christian way, at least not at this time, not in this place and not for me. You see such a declaration is too judgmental and that is not the role I am called to fill. My, our, calling is too engage our Christ-like judgment. How? by allowing Christ to grow in us, to be our strength in times of confrontation & challenge. Let me share another story, which will clarify this point.
In the 1960’s the southern United States was riddled with a killing separating fire of prejudice. My friend Helen shared an experience, which happened on a visit to her childhood home in Texas.
It was a beautiful sunny day as I walked along the main street anticipating a meeting with the people I worked for as a teenager. They had been kind to me, treating me more like a family member than an employee. Suddenly I heard a voice call out “hi nigger!” Looking around to see whom the words were addressing, I saw no one else behind me and so I turned with mixed emotion to the source of this racial slur that cut to my heart. My eyes rested on a beautiful face, full of innocence, a face filled with joy, a toddler, hanging out the window of a car, waving his chubby hand at me, “Hi nigger”, he repeated. My response immediately mirrored his excitement, “Well, hi there! How are you?” Just then I heard the sound of rushing steps, his parents were rushing over to their car, obviously embarrassed. As they approached, the mother said, “I am so sorry, I don’t know where he got that from?” I looked at them and said “I know exactly where he got it from!” then I saw, right before my eyes, a veil of fear come over their faces, and I turned and proceeded down the sidewalk.
A lesser woman might have returned the racial slur, but not Helen. You see Helen is a Christian, but more than that she epitomizes her faith by taking it out into every aspect of her life. Spiritually, she embodies the living Christ. There is a point in her story where this embodiment overshadows the threat of human indignation, stopping it in its tracks, before it can be reciprocated in negative judgment. Did you catch it, the point where the Christ in Helen saw the vulnerability and innocence of God’s child, which somehow softened the racial slur? Her reaction was I think, a Christ-like response. In the end she did not deny the parents lie but declared the truth in a way that invited self –reflection. It’s interesting how self -reflection is often accompanied by fear, how being left with one’s thoughts, can be a powerful opportunity for transformation. Sometimes, you have to walk away and let fear root out the evil, so that the pattern of choices can begin to be re-shaped.
When we think about judgment it is usually negative. You think judgment; you think fear; you remember how you felt when you were judged. How has your experience been? Have you been the brunt of laughter, how about ‘behind the back’ snickering? Have you been deemed not good enough: to be invited, to be included, to be acknowledged. Have you suffered, I mean really suffered, when someone you love walks away from you, someone who chose to love another because you were judged: not right for them, not changeable enough, not smart in their ways. Have you felt the pain of judgment? Then you know how Christ felt when he walked this earth, when he died for us and Christ knows exactly how you feel when you are judged; he knows exactly how you feel when you judge others and here is the clincher, he wants, he yearns for you to let him reign in your heart.
How about positive judgment, how about Grace? Have you experienced Grace in your Christian walk? Have you been judged as worthy when you weren’t, as loveable when you let someone down, as forgiven when you sinned for the umpteenth time. Have you been blessed in surprising ways, in healing ways, in unbelievable ways, in unfathomable ways, then you know the depth of God’s heart! You know the gift of creation and your place in it. You know the unconditional love and honor as the beloved. The knowing and experiencing of this Grace enables righteous judgment, enables the walking away, and enables limitless forgiveness. God want and yearns for our love and He is closest to us in our spiritual weakness.
How about present day conviction, how about the experience of the Holy Spirit’s judgment? Have you experienced a guiding presence when danger is near, or how about a strength you know you don’t have, or words that somehow did not come from your mouth or rest which is beyond imagination, then you know the Holy Spirit’s protection and nurturing and you probably also know his conviction. You know the times he scolds you when you tell a white lie or exaggerate the facts or gossiped or, and this is an important one, when you choose not to follow His leading. As Christians we stand firm holding the tension of all of these relationships. This is our foundation, our hope. We know we are sinners but we also know that Christ died for our sins. No negative worldly judgment is able to match the supernatural Grace and love and presence of the Trinity. Sadly this truth falls on un-hearing ears as far as most of the world is concerned.
Many today don’t come to church because they find it a judgmental place. They say, “Church is not for me, I’m a sinner!” My response is “come, Jesus specializes in sinners”. Many today don’t want to be part of a community that does not practice what they preach. They say “You are nothing but a group of hypocrites who go to church on Sunday and then practice non-practice the rest of the week!” My response is “you may be right, I can’t speak for all, I can only speak for me, let me love you into God’s Kingdom.” The point I am trying to make is that we live in a world of confrontation full of people who have judged us unjustly and as Christ-bearers we are called to help them hear the good news. We are not called to judge them. Judgment is mine says the Lord, but we all do it. Judge not lest you be judged, but we still do it. Trust in me and lean not on your own understanding, but we still go there. Let us make no mistake, this is not an easy calling and it is impossible without Christ. We know that we will all stand before God’s judgment seat (Rom 14:10), and we hold Christ as a shield before us. Everyday is a day of preparation for this event, every action and re-action is our present day reality check, every day is an opportunity to check our spiritual thermometers, which tells us today when Christ is being crowded out of our hearts by our own agendas. One tool, which I have used in this preparation process is the Examination Prayer, which can be done twice a day, or once a day or for those busy souls, during the trip to work when you are waiting for the train to pass. In its simplest form, there are four steps, (I will leave copies of the expanded form in the Narthex). Here are the steps: 1. Bringing yourself into the presence of Christ as you mentally review your day and ask two questions: 2. Where have you been with me in the last 24 hours, Lord? 3. Where have I let my own agenda crowd you out? 4. Then give thanks for all Christ has done for you. Remember, no matter what you have done or not done Christ will never leave you, never abandon you, and never stop loving you. This way of doing an intentional spiritual check will identify (with God’s Grace) when you have used a Christ-like judgment to further his Kingdom and when you have used your own agenda driven judgment to further the world’s kingdom. One judgment is filled with hope and life and joy, one is filled with fear and death and sadness. This prayer discipline is between you and God, but I can make you one promise, daily practice will change your life. As your Christ relationship grows, so the way you live and make choices will begin to take on a deeper Christ-like quality. Christ’s holy fire will begin to burn away everything that causes sin and Christ’s love will be like a burning ember in your heart and you will begin to shine like the sun, knowing that you are in God’s Kingdom, wherever you stand. We are all called to stand in his light, to stand in the ever-penetrating darkness in the tension between hope and fear, everywhere we go, in our work places, in the market places, at the beach, every where, at all times on every occasion.
May all that we do, say and become, be to God’s glory. Amen
