Loading...Imagine a perfect world and society:
the weather is always just how you want it --
whether for golfing, or for skiing;
enough wood for carving, or fabric for sewing;
food enough for people, and shelter and clean water,
appropriate and interesting work for everyone;
education
fun and play time
leadership that is honorable, honest, compassionate –
not greedy or concerned only about power,
where kings/presidents/prime ministers serve and care and
work for the underdog.
An idealistic dream that is out of touch with reality?
Yeah, just listen to the news for a bit --
that does NOT describe our world,
not in the least!
And that doesn’t describe the society of the early Israelites (much less today’s)
The prophet Ezekiel, early in chapter 34, in talking about the leaders, says:
“You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with wool;
but you do not feed the sheep.
You have not strengthened the weak,
you have not healed the sick
bound up the injured
brought back the strayed
sought the lost,
but with force and harshness you have ruled them.”
In our world today, not much has changed:
people go hungry, and others are arrested for feeding them
there is not enough affordable housing, and much of what’s available is awful
leaders are killing people through wars
refugees wander homeless – they run from home where there is violence,
and are not welcomed in other places.
The indictment from Ezekiel is unflinching:
the way we organized and lead ourselves runs afoul of God’s way.
Our leaders – and we must include ourselves in that – turn power inward
We twist “kingship” to meet our own ends, which are often selfish.
God envisions a different world than the one we have.
That’s not to say that we should throw this one over!
Rather, here is a call to return and refocus on what God is doing
and what God has created us to do:
The Shepherd who seeks the sheep who have been scattered,
who feeds the sheep on the good and lush pasture by the water courses
who seeks out the lost and finds those who have strayed
who heals the injured, strengthens the weak,
and feeds them justice in care and compassion.
Christ is the king who serves the people, who is compassionate, who loves and cares for all, but especially the underdog.
This king is a king for whom power does not mean amassing wealth or might (as worldly leaders so often seem to do),
but who shares the power of service, grace, and hope
who, in fact, uses great power in order to humbly give of himself.
This king is a king who invites, compels, and calls us into this body,
into this vision, into this reality, into this world, into this life.
How do we join the Spirit at work?
How are we part of the Way of Christ our king?
How are we citizens of God’s world?
Being part of Christ’s kingdom, God’s vision, and the Spirit-filled world
means that you are connected with creation and people all across the earth –
into all nations.
(In other words, not just a “me ‘n Jesus” situation, as though you can stop with relief when you know and understand that salvation and grace extends to and includes you.)
Being a part of Christ’s kingdom , God’s vision, and the Spirit-filled world
means that you join in the search fro the lost,
you give food to the hungry (or work to improve distribution systems)
you offer healing for the sick and injured
you strengthen the weak and sacred
you comfort the lonely and grieving
you bring joy to those who need laughter,
and hope to those who despair;
you offer compassion to anyone and everyone.
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Frankly, I suspect –
no, I know it for sure from my own experience –
we can do all of these things when we are feeling comfortable or secure or on familiar ground, or supported.
But when there’s any sort of challenge or discomfort, we put up our defenses.
We push back.
We walk away from those who need our help.
We look for and find reasons not to serve
“don’t know what to say”, “busy that night”, “should help themselves”
Sigh.
What’s next? What’s the next step if we realize that we’ve become defensive?
Listen and learn from Jesus.
Remember the grace in your baptism – as you were washed in the waters.
Come to the Table for nourishment – take in the Real Presence of Jesus.
Follow in the Way of Christ our king again –
become the body of Christ in the world.
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Ask a question of yourself:
What kind of world do you want to be a part of?
How do we join God in bringing this about?
The vision that Jesus offers us in these verses of Matthew’s Gospel show us the way:
if you see hunger, give food;
if you see thirst, give water;
if you encounter a stranger, welcome them;
if you find someone is poorly clothed, give them the right kind of clothing;
if you know that someone is sick or in prison, visit, sit with, and care for them;
Offer hope, kindness, compassion, justice, and friendship.
And, do this over and over and over again until it becomes the norm,
not just for you as individuals towards a few people,
but so that it is the norm for the whole community
as the way of life for all God’s people,
especially for those who are forgotten, pushed aside, reviled, belittled,
and treated unjustly by the kingdoms of this world.
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Please note, we don’t do all of these things because we’re trying to do “good works” to prove to God that we are good enough to be loved and saved by God!
We do these things,
we choose this way of life
because we are part of the life of God,
because we are trees in the good soil of God’s love, bearing good fruit,
because this is what happens in God’s vision for the world,
and we are part of that vision!
We do these things because this is what God has called us to do,
as individuals and as a community.
We are called by God to be active in the world:
praying, serving, welcoming, connecting, listening, speaking testimony, learning, seeing God in others, caring for the whole community,
doing the work of God, and loving.
Listen for this invitation from God in every day life,
join Christ in serving the “least of these” as your way of life.
When it overwhelms you – either the need you encounter, or the task at hand – or you feel yourself resisting this invitation,
come to the Table for life and nourishment
come to the waters of the Font for refreshment
become the Real Presence,
the body of Christ in the world for the sake of the world,
And then go out again into the world,
part of God’s vision of and for the world,
to love and serve!
Amen
