Thirteenth
Sunday After Pentecost Sermon
Here is a draft of the sermon I delivered last Sunday. Here it is Thursday already. Wow, where did this week go???
Readings:
Romans 13: 8-14; Matthew 18: 15-20
I want
to spend some time talking about Paul's letter to the Romans. First
lets look at the ten commandments. What are they? They are listed
on p. 847-848 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Ten Commandments
- I am the Lord, your God.
- Thou shall bring no false idols before me.
- Do not take the name of the Lord in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
- Honor thy father and thy mother.
- Thou shall not kill/murder†.
- Thou shall not commit adultery.
- Thou shall not steal††.
- Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor's wife (or anything that belongs to your neighbor).
In
Paul's letter he is addressing commandments 5-10. When you look at
those last six commandments you see that it is all about how you
treat other people. Honor your parents, don't kill or commit
adultery, steal, lie about a neighbor, or covet anything belonging to
someone else. Of course Jesus takes it one step further. He says
you have to not just do those bad things, when you truly love your
neighbor, even thinking those things should not cross your mind.
So, we
are told to love not only those easy to love like all of you but we
have at least be kind to the fellow who cuts us off in traffic.
That’s the hard part.
The
Gospel reading from Matthew tells us something about the humanity of
the early Christians and how Jesus wants us to deal with them.
Apparently, it was not all peace and love among those early followers
of Christ. Jesus gives a little in-service on how to deal with
difficult people. He doesn't say to go to them in a public place and
yell and scream and denounce them. He says to have a private
conversation with the person. It reminds me of the old saying,
“criticize in private, praise in public”.
Jesus
also gives a step two and step three. And finally he says if the
person still won't change, treat him like a tax collector or a
Gentile. Is he saying don't have anything to do with these people?
I don't think so. Remember how he treated Zacchaeus. Short little
tax collector Zaccheus climbs up in a tree so that he can see Jesus
as he walks by and Jesus sees him, tells him to come down out of the
tree because he plans on staying with Zacchaeus that night. Remember
that the apostle Mathew was also a former tax collector.
And
what about gentiles. That is us you know! Jewish law discouraged
Jews from having dealings with them but this didn't stop Jesus. I
remember especially the story of Jesus healing the gentile woman's
daughter when she said “even the scraps are thrown to the dogs.
What is
Jesus saying when he tells us how to treat people who sin against us?
I think he is saying to not give up on them. This reminds me of a
conversation I had with my dad many years ago. I was talking to him
on the phone and I was expressing my frustration over something one
of my sons had done. I really don't remember what it was my son had
done but I will never forget the advise my father gave me. He said,
“Fred, don't give up on him. You never give up on your children.”
Jesus
taught by example how to treat tax collectors and Gentiles. He never
gave up on them. When Zaccheus changed his ways, Jesus honored him
by staying at his house. When Gentiles showed their faith Jesus
healed them.
Jesus
never gave up on people and we should do the same. I am convinced
Jesus has not given up on me.
Amen
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