[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Christ, the King Sunday: “Don’t Call Him ‘Savior’ if You Won’t Call Him ‘Lord’”

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:


-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Nov 25, 2017 6:03 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Christ, the King Sunday: “Don’t Call Him ‘Savior’ if You Won’t Call Him ‘Lord’”



Dear Friends,
 
This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Don’t Call Him‘Savior’ if You Won’t Call Him ‘Lord’” and “Helping Jesus” and deals with the gospel(Matthew 31:14-46).  Here it is: 
 
This is the last Sunday ofthe church year- next Sunday starts Advent; we’ll start getting ready forChristMass; and I’ll be wishing you a blessed New Year.  Thus you see, it is very appropriate on thislast Sunday of the church year that we celebrate Jesus as Lord, so happy “Christthe King Sunday!”  We’ve done a lot oftalking about Jesus being the Lord of our lives- how being saved means beingbaptized and accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord.  As you recall from last Sunday, we are allborn amazingly gifted.  Today we focus onhow Christ, our Lord, our King, wants us to use these gifts so they aretherefore “spiritual gifts.”  
 
I know you noticed thisGospel.  The story Jesus tells is so verycompelling- it would be hard not to notice it. Here is Christ, after we die, separating the sheep from the goats.  He sends the ones on his left for furtherpainful refinement, because in neglecting those less fortunate than themselves,they neglected Christ himself.  The oneson the right are given great rewards in heaven, because in helping the lessfortunate, without knowing it, they were helping Christ.  Every time I hear this parable read, I think-“Now- how have I done this past year? Has Jesus truly been Lord of my life? Have I consistently used my gifts as spiritual gifts- to reach out toothers?”  This morning, I’m not going tojust think through this myself; we’ll do it together.  I’d like us to prayerfully consider four implicationsof Jesus’ expectations for our own lives. Specifically, I’d like us to consider (1) whom God expects us to help;(2) to what extent God expects to go in helping; (3) how we relate stewardshipto our helping ministries; and finally- (4) what if we fail.  So- we already know that God expects us tohelp the less fortunate, because by helping them, we are helping Jesushimself.  Are there supposed to be anylimits?  If so, what are they?
 
FIRST: WHOM DOES GOD EXPECTUS TO HELP?  Jesus’ parable of the GoodSeminarian answers this very clearly.  Remember,Jesus told the story to answer the question of “Who is my neighbor?”  His answer: “Your neighbor is anyone whoneeds you.”  He even goes so far as tohave an enemy helping another enemy, because Jews hated Samaritans andSamaritans hated Jews.  In our time itwould be as if a Palestinian helped a Jew or an African-American helped amember of the Klan.  It would be as ifthe person who stole your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, or husband neededhelp.  It’s mind-blowing!  Jesus expects a lot from us, because thereare no limits to whom we are supposed to help.
 
SECOND: TO WHAT EXTENT DOESGOD EXPECT US TO GO IN HELPING SOMEONE? There is no limit- if we can do it and it needs to be done; God expectsus to do it!  What is my Biblicalbase?  The foot-washing.  When Jesus was about to be offered up for oursins on the cross and his disciples still didn’t get it, he washed theirfeet.  That would be a nasty-enough jobtoday, but in those days remember- people walked through animal waste as theytraveled the roads.  If the Lord whocreated the heavens, the earth, everything that exists (including us) would dothat disgusting a job, tell me what you are too good to do; tell me what I amtoo good to do.  Just as our neighbor isanyone who needs us, so what we are expected to do is whatever needs to bedone.
 
THIRD: HOW DOES STEWARDSHIPRELATE TO ALL THIS HELPING?  God’sresources are unlimited, but ours are not. I can’t speak for you- I can just speak for myself, but my time islimited.  (I only have 24 hours in aday.)  My energy is limited.  My wallet is limited.  Our church is limited.  We only have so much money, so much food, andso it goes.  You get the idea.  Everything we have- our money, our food, ourvery lives really are on loan from God. We’re simply taking care of them for him (like in last week’sgospel).  Let’s use our St. Paul’sfeeding ministry as an example.  Godcreated us to be thinking people.  Whensomeone comes to us for food, we make a quick decision- in our opinion, doesthis person really need a lot of help? Why is it necessary to ask such a question?  Because if we give the first person (whomaybe isn’t needy at all) most of our food simply because they ask, what do wegive the huge family with hungry children when they come?  As you know, it’s called “prioritizing.”  We have to do it at church and we have to doit in our own personal lives.  We can’tgive all our money to the person ringing the Salvation Army bell and then goinside and buy the food our families need for the week.  So, how do we prioritize?  First- pray, and pray seriously.  Then- make a decision.  If (in your opinion) the person asking forhelp really doesn’t need it, either simply help them a little or don’t helpthem at all.  The problem comes whenwe’ve thought, we’ve prayed, and we still don’t know.  That’s when we use Jesus’ parable of thewheat and the weeds as our guide. Remember how an enemy planted poisonous weed seeds in the farmer’s wheatfield?  Remember how the farmer’sservants asked if they should pull them up, but the farmer said to just letthem all grow together until harvest time. That’s what we do.  If in doubt-we feed.  If in doubt- help; then give itto God.
 
FINALLY: WHAT IF WEFAIL?  These are hard teachings- not hardto understand, but extremely hard to consistently apply in our lives.  What if we fail?  I’m going to answer that question with astory I heard many years ago; in fact one I use at least once a year.  It’s the story of the time that the Rev. TonyCampolo was catching a single-engine private plane from a small landing stripleaving Haiti returning to the United States. As he walked toward the airplane, a woman carrying a very sick infantran toward him, shouting.  The baby wasso very malnourished; it looked like all those pitiful little children we seeon television with their pot bellies and orange hair- too sick to evencry.  When she got to Rev. Campolo, shebegged him to take her baby back to the United States where he could haveadequate food, good medical care, and a chance for life.  “Take my baby!”  she pleaded.  “Please take my baby!”  Tony tried to explain to her why thiswouldn’t work, but she only kept pleading, “Take my baby; please take mybaby!”  Rev.  Campolo said he couldn’t stand it anylonger.  He rushed to the door of theplane; boarded; and told the pilot to quickly close the door so they could getout of there.  The pilot slammed thedoor; the plane taxied down the runway; and for an instant the woman ran nextto the fuselage- banging on it and shouting, “Take my baby; please mister, takemy baby.”  Finally the plane wasairborne, and both Tony and the pilot breathed a sigh of relief.  Rev. Campolo said it wasn’t until they hadflown half-way back to the states that he finally realized who that babywas.  What Tony Campolo realized was thatwhen he died and faced his Lord, Jesus would say, “I was sick, and you wouldn’thelp me.”  And Tony would answer, “When,Lord, did I ever see you sick and not help you?”  And Jesus would answer, “Oh, that’s easy- onan airplane runway in Haiti.”  Thinkabout it.
 
For anyone who isinterested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements areposted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .
 
Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan

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