Gospel Mt 25:14-30
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"
In various religious texts, there can be found some interesting personal development gems. One from the Bible is “The Parable of the Talents.”
The Parable of the Talents is one of the stories Jesus told to teach a moral lesson. Although the word “talents” in the story refers literally to money, you can obviously extend the meaning to other areas. It’s interesting to read it using the common definition of “talents.”
This simple story makes some interesting points that are applicable to the pursuit of personal development.
The parable of the talents is found in Matthew chapter 25. It actually deals with the subject of money, but has broader application as well. The master gave three different amounts of money to three of his servants to invest as each was able, according to his ability. The servant with the most invested his amount wisely and so did the second, each according to his ability. The second man’s return was not as much as the first, but then he did not have as much to start with. God commends the first two servants as being faithful with what had been given them. But the third servant with the smallest talent did not use it and gave the master no return on His investment. His master called him unprofitable, lazy and “wicked”. Obviously God takes this business of being faithful with what you have been entrusted with, very seriously.
I feel sorry for the unfaithful servant, because he made a tragic mistake. I do not believe he was necessarily “lazy” on purpose, he may have just failed to realize the significance of what he was given, and, as a result, failed to put it to good use. It was “only one” talent, and compared to the five talents given to the other man, what use was his one? Why even try and compete?
Many people today are making this same mistake. How often have you heard this………”Oh, I can’t sing very well, I don’t think I should audition for the church choir.” Or……“My guitar playing isn’t very good, I could take lessons, but what’s the point, there are so many much more talented than I am.” Or the budding songwriter / author whose efforts pale in comparison to those seasoned in the industry, giving up after their first big “no”.
There is a huge mistake being made by these millions of one-talent-holders in the kingdom, and it is this - the vast majority of kingdom business must be done by these people, and if they fail to do their part, the business of the kingdom is largely left undone. Not many people are given five talents and even fewer are given ten. The majority of people in the Kingdom are just one talent people, and most of the work of the kingdom is going to be done by the vast majority of these people. There are very few “gospel stars” or famous Christian authors or well-known evangelists. Most people are not saved by the eloquence of the worlds most gifted speakers. Most people are saved by the faithful workmate or relative who shares the gospel with them – imperfectly, but effectively nevertheless. Most people do not go to their local church to have some famous gospel group lead them in worship. No, it is the humble church musician who faithfully gives his one talent every Sunday, doing his best to honor the Lord with what has been entrusted to him. What would the forest be like if only the birds who sang the best were allowed to sing? It would be a very silent place. Where would the church be if only the world’s best were allowed to sing and play their instruments before the Lord? It would be a very quiet place. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”
The earth is robbed of God’s plan of bringing ministry to a hurt and dying world when the gifts He sends into the earth are despised by those who receive them. Have you despised your talent? Have you hidden it somewhere, too discouraged or too self-centered to see beyond your own poor self-image? It’s not about you. When God gave you a gift to sing dance play write or whatever, He wasn’t thinking about you, He was thinking of somebody else. We need to stop thinking about ourselves and comparing our gift with others, and just get on with the business of being faithful givers of what we’ve got. “They that compare themselves among themselves are unwise” ( 2Cor.10:12 ) “Let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” ( Gal.6:4) Acknowledge the uniqueness of your own calling, and give yourself to the world. Do not be unfaithful to those God has called you to by holding back your gift, because you are too proud to admit to the world that you are only a “one talent” vessel.
Another reason every person should be faithful with their “talent” is for the sake of authenticity and uniqueness. When God made you He made you uniquely different. He gave you a background and perspective on life that no one else has. That means you have a story to tell that no one else can tell. He gave you a voice like none other, and like a finger print it uniquely identifies you. There is a beauty to your voice that cannot be matched by any other, and when you sing it has a sound that captures the ear because of its uniqueness. Rarity is what gives something it’s value. Diamonds are more valuable than coal because there is less of them. You are unique, and therein lies your great value to the world. No one will ever sing like you. No one will ever write songs like you. No one will ever minister quite like you. So who is going to sing your song if not you? No one can compete with you. You are the best “you” there is. It may only be one talent, but someone somewhere in the overall scheme of things needs what you have. That is why God judges so harshly the unfaithful servant, because by despising the gift entrusted to you, you deny someone something that was your responsibility to supply.
Peace & love,
Rev Sue Provost
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Are You Ready for the Feast?
Gospel Mt 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
"Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."'
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.'
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'
Many are invited, but few are chosen."
This Gospel is the Parable of the Wedding Feast, which is not easy to interpret unless you have a good understanding of Jewish customs and traditions.
What is Jesus saying here in Matthew 22:14, which reads, “For many are called but few are chosen?” Some of the things that Jesus said were hard to understand. Why would some be called and not chosen to be with the Lord? It seems that if He called them He would certainly choose them. This question makes us wonder if there might be more to understand in the verse. If He was saying it was their choice then wouldn’t the text read, “Many are called but few choose to go?” There is more to be revealed here and a look at the Parable as a whole will render more understanding.
First - Context.
Context is always vital in understanding any single verse in the Scriptures. Chapter 22 begins by saying that Jesus began to speak to them [the religious leaders] again in parables, and we can infer by looking back at chapter 21, that He is trying to make a strong point to the Chief Priests and Pharisees when He begins to teach about the Kingdom of heaven.
Jesus was known as the friend of sinners and here He explains why He went to the sinners and the irreligious people. The parable he tells is about a king who invites all the important people [the so-called righteous of Israel] to come to a wedding banquet [the wedding feast of the Messiah]. Though upright and moral they had no time for Him, nor were they interested in what He was saying about the Kingdom of Heaven. God was calling them through His Son, Jesus; but they were not receptive. So he sent His servants to the highways and byways where they gathered many to come – good and bad alike. Now, all these were gathered at the feast and the King notices one who does not have the proper wedding attire [dressed in the righteousness of Jesus or according to rabbinical teachings- dressed with repentance]. In verse 12 the King addresses this person and asks him where his wedding clothes are, to which the person has no answer. And the King them commands that he be taken out and cast into outer darkness. Then we arrive at verse 14 where Jesus says, "Many are called, but few are chosen."
This Parable deals more with having a true change of heart than with being one who simply and without thought says yes to Jesus, but then goes and does as he pleases. When there is no change of heart, no desire to follow the tenants of the Lord and no repentance, then there is no righteousness. Jesus is our righteousness, and in submission to Him, which is reflected by repentance and obedience, we are “clothed in righteousness.”
This saying that refuses entrance into the kingdom based on proper attire is more about rebuking the one who says yes, I will follow, but relies not upon the Lord. Rather he places trust in his own methods and personal works to achieve salvation. It also speaks volumes to the ones [Pharisees and Chief Priests as well], who thought their position in the temple or as Abraham’s children gave them the right to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is plain here and He says they cannot partake of the Wedding Banquet if they(1) don't come and (2) are not properly dressed.
It is clear here that the Lord’s message is that though many have been invited to come, and while some think they have earned the right to be there, that only those who put on Christ will enter and feast with the King.
We must all ask ourselves "Am I prepared to put on the mind and heart of Jesus in order to be properly dressed for the wedding feast". If not, who do we need to ask for help?
Peace and love,
Reverend Sue
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
"Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."'
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.'
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'
Many are invited, but few are chosen."
This Gospel is the Parable of the Wedding Feast, which is not easy to interpret unless you have a good understanding of Jewish customs and traditions.
What is Jesus saying here in Matthew 22:14, which reads, “For many are called but few are chosen?” Some of the things that Jesus said were hard to understand. Why would some be called and not chosen to be with the Lord? It seems that if He called them He would certainly choose them. This question makes us wonder if there might be more to understand in the verse. If He was saying it was their choice then wouldn’t the text read, “Many are called but few choose to go?” There is more to be revealed here and a look at the Parable as a whole will render more understanding.
First - Context.
Context is always vital in understanding any single verse in the Scriptures. Chapter 22 begins by saying that Jesus began to speak to them [the religious leaders] again in parables, and we can infer by looking back at chapter 21, that He is trying to make a strong point to the Chief Priests and Pharisees when He begins to teach about the Kingdom of heaven.
Jesus was known as the friend of sinners and here He explains why He went to the sinners and the irreligious people. The parable he tells is about a king who invites all the important people [the so-called righteous of Israel] to come to a wedding banquet [the wedding feast of the Messiah]. Though upright and moral they had no time for Him, nor were they interested in what He was saying about the Kingdom of Heaven. God was calling them through His Son, Jesus; but they were not receptive. So he sent His servants to the highways and byways where they gathered many to come – good and bad alike. Now, all these were gathered at the feast and the King notices one who does not have the proper wedding attire [dressed in the righteousness of Jesus or according to rabbinical teachings- dressed with repentance]. In verse 12 the King addresses this person and asks him where his wedding clothes are, to which the person has no answer. And the King them commands that he be taken out and cast into outer darkness. Then we arrive at verse 14 where Jesus says, "Many are called, but few are chosen."
This Parable deals more with having a true change of heart than with being one who simply and without thought says yes to Jesus, but then goes and does as he pleases. When there is no change of heart, no desire to follow the tenants of the Lord and no repentance, then there is no righteousness. Jesus is our righteousness, and in submission to Him, which is reflected by repentance and obedience, we are “clothed in righteousness.”
This saying that refuses entrance into the kingdom based on proper attire is more about rebuking the one who says yes, I will follow, but relies not upon the Lord. Rather he places trust in his own methods and personal works to achieve salvation. It also speaks volumes to the ones [Pharisees and Chief Priests as well], who thought their position in the temple or as Abraham’s children gave them the right to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is plain here and He says they cannot partake of the Wedding Banquet if they(1) don't come and (2) are not properly dressed.
It is clear here that the Lord’s message is that though many have been invited to come, and while some think they have earned the right to be there, that only those who put on Christ will enter and feast with the King.
We must all ask ourselves "Am I prepared to put on the mind and heart of Jesus in order to be properly dressed for the wedding feast". If not, who do we need to ask for help?
Peace and love,
Reverend Sue
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
The Alphabet of Spiritual Literacy
Spiritual practices from all traditions . . . the letters to know to read the world spiritually and to spell meaning in daily life
A
ATTENTION: Pay attention. Stay awake and totally alert. See with receptive eyes and discover a world of ceaseless wonders.
B
BEAUTY: Walk the path of beauty. Relish and encourage its inward and outward expressions. Acknowledge the radiance of the creation.
BEING PRESENT: Live in the present moment. Don't obsess about the past or worry about the future. All you need is right here now.
C
COMPASSION: Open your heart, mind, and soul to the pain and suffering in the world. Reach out to others and discover the rewards and obligations of deep feeling.
CONNECTIONS: Cultivate the art of making connections. See how your life is intimately related to all life on the planet.
D
DEVOTION: Express your feelings of praise and adoration through devotional practices. Pray with words and pray through your actions.
E
ENTHUSIASM: Celebrate life with this intoxicating passion. It adds zest to everything and helps build community. Hold nothing back.
F
FAITH: Recognize and accept that there is another dimension to life than what is obvious to us. Live with obstacles, doubt, and paradox, knowing that God is always present in the world.
FORGIVENESS: In both your private and public lives, discover the sweet release that comes from forgiving others. Feel the healing balm of being forgiven and of forgiving yourself.
G
GRACE: Accept grace and your world will be larger, deeper, richer, and fuller. Look for its intimations everywhere. Let this seed of the Giver of Life bloom in your words and deeds.
GRATITUDE: Spell out your days with a grammar of gratitude. Be thankful for all the blessings in your life.
H
HOPE: Let this positive and potent emotion fuel your dreams and support your service of others. Through your attitudes and actions, encourage others never to lose hope.
HOSPITALITY: Practice hospitality in a world where too often strangers are feared, enemies are hated, and the "other" is shunned. Welcome guests and alien ideas with graciousness.
I
IMAGINATION: Give imagination free rein in your life. Explore its images and ponder its meaning-making moments, and it will always present you with something new to be seen, felt, or made known.
J
JOY: Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Find t his divine energy in your daily life and share it with others.
JUSTICE: Seek liberty and justice for all. Work for a free and fair world where oppression and inequality no longer exist.
K
KINDNESS: Let Spirit flow through you in little acts of kindness, brief words of encouragement, and manifold expressions of courtesy. These deeds will add to the planet's fund of good will.
L
LISTENING: Cultivate the art of deep listening in which you lean toward the world in love. All things in the universe want to be heard, as do the many voices inside us.
LOVE: Fall in love over and over again every day. Love your family, your neighbors, your enemies, and yourself. And don't stop with humans. Love animals, plants, stones, even the galaxies.
M
MEANING: Constantly try to discover the significance of your experiences. Seek further understandings from sacred texts and spiritual teachers.
N
NURTURING: Take good care of the best that is within you. Self-exploration and personal growth continue throughout our lifetimes and equip us to tend to the needs of others.
O
OPENNESS: Hold an open house in your heart for all people and all things. Practice empathy with others and receptiveness toward the universe.
P
PEACE: Protect the earth's future by promoting peace every day. Your small steps will link you with others who are combating violence in the world.
PLAY: Be playful. Express your creative spirit in spontaneity. Hurrah the pleasures of being, and let loose your laughter.
Q
QUESTING: Savor questions and thrill to the quest. See your life as a journey that quickens your faith and deepens your soul.
R
REVERENCE: Practice reverence for life. The sacred is in, with, and under all the things of the world. Respond with appropriate respect and awe.
S
SHADOW: Give up trying to hide, deny, or escape from your imperfections. Listen to what your demons have to say to you.
SILENCE: Slow down. Be calm. Find a place where you can regularly practice silence. There you will find the resources to revitalize your body, mind, and soul.
T
TEACHERS: Be willing to learn from the spiritual teachers all around you, however unlikely or unlike you they may be. Always be a sensitive student.
TRANSFORMATION: Welcome the positive changes that are taking place in your life. Open up the windows and let in some fresh air. Wholeness and healing are waiting in the wings.
U
UNITY: In this age of global spirituality, respect differences but affirm commonalities. Work together with those who are trying to make the world a better place.
V
VISION: Practice the art of seeing the invisible. Use the wisdom of your personal visions to renew yourself and your community.
W
WONDER: Cultivate a vibrant curiosity and welcome the reports of your senses. The world is alive and moving toward you with rare epiphanies and wonderful surprises. Remember you are standing on holy ground.
X
X - THE MYSTERY: Accept the unknown as part of life. Don't try to unravel the profound mysteries of God, human nature, and the natural world. Love the ineffable.
Y
YEARNING: Follow your heart's boundless desire. It takes you out of yourself and fosters an appreciation for the multidimensional pleasures of life.
YOU: Accept that you are a child of God. Sing your own song with gusto. Fulfill your mission as a copartner with the Holy One in the unfolding drama of the universe.
Z
ZEAL: Be passionately aroused by life. Cherish every moment, honor your commitments, and treasure your kinship with all.
Enjoy!!!
Rev. Sue Provost
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
A
ATTENTION: Pay attention. Stay awake and totally alert. See with receptive eyes and discover a world of ceaseless wonders.
B
BEAUTY: Walk the path of beauty. Relish and encourage its inward and outward expressions. Acknowledge the radiance of the creation.
BEING PRESENT: Live in the present moment. Don't obsess about the past or worry about the future. All you need is right here now.
C
COMPASSION: Open your heart, mind, and soul to the pain and suffering in the world. Reach out to others and discover the rewards and obligations of deep feeling.
CONNECTIONS: Cultivate the art of making connections. See how your life is intimately related to all life on the planet.
D
DEVOTION: Express your feelings of praise and adoration through devotional practices. Pray with words and pray through your actions.
E
ENTHUSIASM: Celebrate life with this intoxicating passion. It adds zest to everything and helps build community. Hold nothing back.
F
FAITH: Recognize and accept that there is another dimension to life than what is obvious to us. Live with obstacles, doubt, and paradox, knowing that God is always present in the world.
FORGIVENESS: In both your private and public lives, discover the sweet release that comes from forgiving others. Feel the healing balm of being forgiven and of forgiving yourself.
G
GRACE: Accept grace and your world will be larger, deeper, richer, and fuller. Look for its intimations everywhere. Let this seed of the Giver of Life bloom in your words and deeds.
GRATITUDE: Spell out your days with a grammar of gratitude. Be thankful for all the blessings in your life.
H
HOPE: Let this positive and potent emotion fuel your dreams and support your service of others. Through your attitudes and actions, encourage others never to lose hope.
HOSPITALITY: Practice hospitality in a world where too often strangers are feared, enemies are hated, and the "other" is shunned. Welcome guests and alien ideas with graciousness.
I
IMAGINATION: Give imagination free rein in your life. Explore its images and ponder its meaning-making moments, and it will always present you with something new to be seen, felt, or made known.
J
JOY: Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Find t his divine energy in your daily life and share it with others.
JUSTICE: Seek liberty and justice for all. Work for a free and fair world where oppression and inequality no longer exist.
K
KINDNESS: Let Spirit flow through you in little acts of kindness, brief words of encouragement, and manifold expressions of courtesy. These deeds will add to the planet's fund of good will.
L
LISTENING: Cultivate the art of deep listening in which you lean toward the world in love. All things in the universe want to be heard, as do the many voices inside us.
LOVE: Fall in love over and over again every day. Love your family, your neighbors, your enemies, and yourself. And don't stop with humans. Love animals, plants, stones, even the galaxies.
M
MEANING: Constantly try to discover the significance of your experiences. Seek further understandings from sacred texts and spiritual teachers.
N
NURTURING: Take good care of the best that is within you. Self-exploration and personal growth continue throughout our lifetimes and equip us to tend to the needs of others.
O
OPENNESS: Hold an open house in your heart for all people and all things. Practice empathy with others and receptiveness toward the universe.
P
PEACE: Protect the earth's future by promoting peace every day. Your small steps will link you with others who are combating violence in the world.
PLAY: Be playful. Express your creative spirit in spontaneity. Hurrah the pleasures of being, and let loose your laughter.
Q
QUESTING: Savor questions and thrill to the quest. See your life as a journey that quickens your faith and deepens your soul.
R
REVERENCE: Practice reverence for life. The sacred is in, with, and under all the things of the world. Respond with appropriate respect and awe.
S
SHADOW: Give up trying to hide, deny, or escape from your imperfections. Listen to what your demons have to say to you.
SILENCE: Slow down. Be calm. Find a place where you can regularly practice silence. There you will find the resources to revitalize your body, mind, and soul.
T
TEACHERS: Be willing to learn from the spiritual teachers all around you, however unlikely or unlike you they may be. Always be a sensitive student.
TRANSFORMATION: Welcome the positive changes that are taking place in your life. Open up the windows and let in some fresh air. Wholeness and healing are waiting in the wings.
U
UNITY: In this age of global spirituality, respect differences but affirm commonalities. Work together with those who are trying to make the world a better place.
V
VISION: Practice the art of seeing the invisible. Use the wisdom of your personal visions to renew yourself and your community.
W
WONDER: Cultivate a vibrant curiosity and welcome the reports of your senses. The world is alive and moving toward you with rare epiphanies and wonderful surprises. Remember you are standing on holy ground.
X
X - THE MYSTERY: Accept the unknown as part of life. Don't try to unravel the profound mysteries of God, human nature, and the natural world. Love the ineffable.
Y
YEARNING: Follow your heart's boundless desire. It takes you out of yourself and fosters an appreciation for the multidimensional pleasures of life.
YOU: Accept that you are a child of God. Sing your own song with gusto. Fulfill your mission as a copartner with the Holy One in the unfolding drama of the universe.
Z
ZEAL: Be passionately aroused by life. Cherish every moment, honor your commitments, and treasure your kinship with all.
Enjoy!!!
Rev. Sue Provost
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Do you say "yes" when you mean "no"?
Mt 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
"What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not, '
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, 'but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?"
They answered, "The first."
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him."
Today’s Gospel contains one of the shortest and arguably one of the most straight forward of all the parables, and it seems we don’t even have to think much about it because it is even explained or interpreted to us by Jesus. But maybe it is more complex than we think. This parable is really one about honor, and in defining ‘honor’ it would be good to keep in mind the fourth commandment “Honor your mother and father.”
Jesus addressed today’s short parable to the chief priests and elders who approached him while he taught in the Temple and asked for his credentials, saying: “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? We, who are the legitimate Temple authorities, didn’t commission or license you.” What they are doing is challenging Jesus’ honor. So I want to say a few things about honor, and in particular the concept of honor in the Middle East, which can be quite different from our own.
A Christian missionary in the Middle East used to share this parable about the two sons – the one who says “yes” and doesn’t do what the father asks, and the one who says “no” and ends up doing it – with Middle Eastern villagers that he visited and he would ask: “Which was the better son?”
He was amazed when the vast majority answered that the son who said yes to his father even though he did not go to work in the vineyard was without doubt the better son. Why? Because the son’s reply was honorable and respectful. It was what the father wanted to hear. That the son never went to work in the vineyard is beside the point, which in the Middle East is always honor. To lose one’s honor in the Middle East, especially publicly is one of the worst things that can happen to a person.
Remember that life in the Middle East was very public. Honor, which is the core value of this culture, requires such onlooking. The dialogue between the father and his sons in this parable takes place not in private, just between two at a time, but rather in public, within view and earshot of many villagers. Like their modern-day descendants, the Middle Eastern villagers in this parable favor the respectful but disobedient son over the disrespectful but obedient son.
Like the modern Middle Eastern hearers of Jesus’ parable, the ancients too would believe –against reality–that giving an honorable answer is enough. In their mind, conforming to the ideal of speaking respectfully is sufficient to fulfill the commandment to “honor one’s father and mother”
However, Jesus did not ask which son behaved honorably. He asked: “Which of the two did the will of his father?” Modern Middle Easterners would certainly echo the judgment of Jesus’ listeners: “The second son,” that is, the one who ultimately went and worked in the vineyard as he was directed by his father. But even though they recognize the importance of obedience, the honorable appearance would be more important.
This parable of the two sons allows Jesus a way to defend his honor and present a counter-challenge to his adversaries in this reading, the chief priests and elders. The point of the parable would have been quite clear to the listeners. With his explanation, Jesus rubs salt into the wound his parable has opened.
The tax collectors and prostitutes acted like the first son. Initially they said no to God, but hearing John the Baptist’s preaching they converted and are doing what pleases God.
The chief priests and elders are like the second son. They too heard John’s preaching and saw the responses of the tax collectors and prostitutes. They pretended acceptance of God, but refused to accept John as a messenger from God. Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” It is the first son, not eh second who will merit heaven. It is the tax collectors and the prostitutes and not the Pharisees who will merit heaven – because they have not done the will of the Father.
This is what it means to be a “hypocrite”. Many of us have said no to the church but here you are today and every Sunday in church doing the will of the Father. Yet there are many people say “Yes”. They believe in all the rules and in going to church, but never go.
The parable in today’s liturgy is one of three or four parables that we have been hearing and will hear for these next three weeks. Last week we heard about the hiring of the early and late grape pickers who all got the same check. Today we hear of the “Yes and No” sons.
Again Jesus is directing his teachings toward the scribes and elders of Israel. The tax collectors and prostitutes had said with their lives,” No!” to the call of the vineyard. Yet, by listening to the call of Jesus their choices are a strong “Yes!” as they repent.
The “elders and scribes” have been living a “Yes”, but do not respond to the invitations of Jesus. They do not gain entrance into the kingdom as do the former sinners.
Even more, the religiously upright elders have a problem with Jesus’ being so mercifully inclusive. They hear this parable and understand it to mean that though they have said yes, by their refusal to follow Jesus, they do not belong. Note the implication of the parable’s use of the father-son image: the chief priests and elders are brothers to the tax collectors and prostitutes! Just making them members of the same family was insulting! This is a very hard saying and a difficult little story.
What does it mean for us?
First of all, it means that God prefers actions over words. We are both yes-ers and no-ers. Our faith is an orientation toward trusting God’s care and mercy. Yet we stumble over that “yes” when the difficulties of life spin our minds and hearts around and we say “no!” by our not wanting to deal with, accept, or live through all that life might give us.
We can live a “No” as well by not allowing ourselves to go into the vineyard of life, because we can not accept the forgiveness that Jesus brought. The tax collectors and prostitutes were included, because they allowed their lives to be changed, their images of themselves to be rearranged by Jesus’ merciful touch.
Actions do speak louder than words. Our actions can move beyond our feelings. The “no” brother took his place in the vineyard with many of the early followers of Jesus. Peter protested his “no”, but got up and followed Jesus.
It is easy and honorable to say that we are going to do something to please our bosses or our pastors or our husbands and wives. But the real honor comes in doing. If we really want to honor our God, we must find ways to do the will of God. Sometimes it won’t be easy, sometimes it will put us out. Those can be the little crosses we bear that Jesus spoke of two weeks ago.
Just as the religious leaders have had their world upended by the teaching of Jesus, so too have tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. They had to change their minds about themselves: they were not beyond redemption. They, too, were beneficiaries of the blessings Jesus brings.
The call to repentance upends everyone’s world—the righteous and sinners alike! It should also upend our world, because we too are being told that there is hope and redemption is available for everyone. We pray in the Our Father – thy will be done! Even though we have often said ‘no’ to God’s call, the proof is in the pudding. There is always still time to go out into the vineyard. The pay will be the same! This is the great blessing that Jesus brings to us today, and this is the Good News that he wants you to hear!
Peace and love,
Reverend Sue
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
"What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not, '
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, 'but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?"
They answered, "The first."
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him."
Today’s Gospel contains one of the shortest and arguably one of the most straight forward of all the parables, and it seems we don’t even have to think much about it because it is even explained or interpreted to us by Jesus. But maybe it is more complex than we think. This parable is really one about honor, and in defining ‘honor’ it would be good to keep in mind the fourth commandment “Honor your mother and father.”
Jesus addressed today’s short parable to the chief priests and elders who approached him while he taught in the Temple and asked for his credentials, saying: “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? We, who are the legitimate Temple authorities, didn’t commission or license you.” What they are doing is challenging Jesus’ honor. So I want to say a few things about honor, and in particular the concept of honor in the Middle East, which can be quite different from our own.
A Christian missionary in the Middle East used to share this parable about the two sons – the one who says “yes” and doesn’t do what the father asks, and the one who says “no” and ends up doing it – with Middle Eastern villagers that he visited and he would ask: “Which was the better son?”
He was amazed when the vast majority answered that the son who said yes to his father even though he did not go to work in the vineyard was without doubt the better son. Why? Because the son’s reply was honorable and respectful. It was what the father wanted to hear. That the son never went to work in the vineyard is beside the point, which in the Middle East is always honor. To lose one’s honor in the Middle East, especially publicly is one of the worst things that can happen to a person.
Remember that life in the Middle East was very public. Honor, which is the core value of this culture, requires such onlooking. The dialogue between the father and his sons in this parable takes place not in private, just between two at a time, but rather in public, within view and earshot of many villagers. Like their modern-day descendants, the Middle Eastern villagers in this parable favor the respectful but disobedient son over the disrespectful but obedient son.
Like the modern Middle Eastern hearers of Jesus’ parable, the ancients too would believe –against reality–that giving an honorable answer is enough. In their mind, conforming to the ideal of speaking respectfully is sufficient to fulfill the commandment to “honor one’s father and mother”
However, Jesus did not ask which son behaved honorably. He asked: “Which of the two did the will of his father?” Modern Middle Easterners would certainly echo the judgment of Jesus’ listeners: “The second son,” that is, the one who ultimately went and worked in the vineyard as he was directed by his father. But even though they recognize the importance of obedience, the honorable appearance would be more important.
This parable of the two sons allows Jesus a way to defend his honor and present a counter-challenge to his adversaries in this reading, the chief priests and elders. The point of the parable would have been quite clear to the listeners. With his explanation, Jesus rubs salt into the wound his parable has opened.
The tax collectors and prostitutes acted like the first son. Initially they said no to God, but hearing John the Baptist’s preaching they converted and are doing what pleases God.
The chief priests and elders are like the second son. They too heard John’s preaching and saw the responses of the tax collectors and prostitutes. They pretended acceptance of God, but refused to accept John as a messenger from God. Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” It is the first son, not eh second who will merit heaven. It is the tax collectors and the prostitutes and not the Pharisees who will merit heaven – because they have not done the will of the Father.
This is what it means to be a “hypocrite”. Many of us have said no to the church but here you are today and every Sunday in church doing the will of the Father. Yet there are many people say “Yes”. They believe in all the rules and in going to church, but never go.
The parable in today’s liturgy is one of three or four parables that we have been hearing and will hear for these next three weeks. Last week we heard about the hiring of the early and late grape pickers who all got the same check. Today we hear of the “Yes and No” sons.
Again Jesus is directing his teachings toward the scribes and elders of Israel. The tax collectors and prostitutes had said with their lives,” No!” to the call of the vineyard. Yet, by listening to the call of Jesus their choices are a strong “Yes!” as they repent.
The “elders and scribes” have been living a “Yes”, but do not respond to the invitations of Jesus. They do not gain entrance into the kingdom as do the former sinners.
Even more, the religiously upright elders have a problem with Jesus’ being so mercifully inclusive. They hear this parable and understand it to mean that though they have said yes, by their refusal to follow Jesus, they do not belong. Note the implication of the parable’s use of the father-son image: the chief priests and elders are brothers to the tax collectors and prostitutes! Just making them members of the same family was insulting! This is a very hard saying and a difficult little story.
What does it mean for us?
First of all, it means that God prefers actions over words. We are both yes-ers and no-ers. Our faith is an orientation toward trusting God’s care and mercy. Yet we stumble over that “yes” when the difficulties of life spin our minds and hearts around and we say “no!” by our not wanting to deal with, accept, or live through all that life might give us.
We can live a “No” as well by not allowing ourselves to go into the vineyard of life, because we can not accept the forgiveness that Jesus brought. The tax collectors and prostitutes were included, because they allowed their lives to be changed, their images of themselves to be rearranged by Jesus’ merciful touch.
Actions do speak louder than words. Our actions can move beyond our feelings. The “no” brother took his place in the vineyard with many of the early followers of Jesus. Peter protested his “no”, but got up and followed Jesus.
It is easy and honorable to say that we are going to do something to please our bosses or our pastors or our husbands and wives. But the real honor comes in doing. If we really want to honor our God, we must find ways to do the will of God. Sometimes it won’t be easy, sometimes it will put us out. Those can be the little crosses we bear that Jesus spoke of two weeks ago.
Just as the religious leaders have had their world upended by the teaching of Jesus, so too have tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. They had to change their minds about themselves: they were not beyond redemption. They, too, were beneficiaries of the blessings Jesus brings.
The call to repentance upends everyone’s world—the righteous and sinners alike! It should also upend our world, because we too are being told that there is hope and redemption is available for everyone. We pray in the Our Father – thy will be done! Even though we have often said ‘no’ to God’s call, the proof is in the pudding. There is always still time to go out into the vineyard. The pay will be the same! This is the great blessing that Jesus brings to us today, and this is the Good News that he wants you to hear!
Peace and love,
Reverend Sue
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
Sunday, September 4, 2011
We are in this kingdom together!
Jesus said to his disciples:
"If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that 'every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.
If he refuses to listen even to the church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you,
if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them." (Mt 18:15-20)
The Gospel of Matthew suggests to us that the kingdom of heaven of which Jesus preaches continually, exists in the present age. It is here now. However, it hasn’t reached its fullness yet, and we are still waiting for that fullness to come – Thy kingdom come, Jesus has us pray! So there is a tension set up in Matthew’s Gospel between the present and the future, and much of what Matthew talks about is how we live out that tension in our daily lives. What obligations do we have to not only live in as much of the fullness of the kingdom as we can right now, but make sure that we and others are ready for its completion, its consummation.
In the present kingdom, right now, as Matthew describes it, the Apostles and their descendants have the power to bind and loose. He had already given that power to Peter two chapters before, but it becomes clear here that it is a communal apostolic function which has two parts – the binding – which can be seen as the attempt to help others to achieve perfection and the loosing – which can be seen as offering God’s forgiveness to those that fail. It becomes clear that the Church has attempted and needs to attempt to influence the conduct of its members but also through the sacrament of Reconciliation, to forgive them in their imperfection.
This Gospel from Matthew involves our obligation to be our brother and sister’s keeper as a member of the church, the body of Christ. “If your brother or sister sins against you” is an interesting phrase. Jesus doesn’t say, “if a brother or sister sins” but he says “if either sins against you”. What does that mean to sin against you. Generally, it has come to be interpreted not as a private thing, but a sin against the community. “You” means the Christian community. Today’s Gospel is about how we treat insiders, members of our own community, and is not advise on what to do when we have problems with others outside the Christian community.
Jesus clearly talks about what one should do if there is a breakdown in the relationship of a member to the community. In fact, Jesus outlines a three-step method for dealing with it, and reconciling that member to the community. First of all, Jesus recommends a face to face meeting with the offender in which you explain the transgression or problem. If that doesn’t work, he recommends what we would probably call today an intervention by a number of members of the community. Finally, if that doesn’t work, the whole community can come together and decide what to do with the person who will not repent. Evidence has to be given before a decision can be made, but the community can decide to make that person leave the community. Sounds a lot like democracy to me! According to Jesus, the will of the Christian community is binding. As is the forgiveness of the community. In the new kingdom on earth, such power is available. It may not seem so bad for us who are American’s to be thrown out of a community and to have to go it alone. Individualism seems to be one of our strongest traits. In the world of Jesus, however, to be without a community would be one of the worst things that could happen to a person because the community was their protection.
It is because of what Paul describes as the law of love that the kingdom of heaven exists now. Christ came in love, preached love and is love. “Love does no wrong to a neighbor”, says Paul. Again, we are talking about the relationship of one member to the rest of the community, and that sin is a breakdown in the relationship between that person and the community, or between that person and God. Our obligation as one who is chastised is, to be humble enough to listen to what others are telling us about our relationships, and to try to change.
The last few lines of our Gospel today also reveal another quality of the kingdom which is present to us right now. We have been given a link to the kingdom to come, in that if we agree on anything as a church, God will listen and agree to it as well. And lastly, of course, the promise that Christ is present to us right now, today, this very moment – where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. And where Christ is, there also is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is truly present where two or more are gathered, because he said he would be, both because being together in his name his presence is spiritual. Let us rejoice in the Good news today, recognize our obligation to love our neighbor and realize that Christ is among us in many ways in this kingdom of heaven of which we have a taste right now. Let us remind ourselves of this Good News often during the week as we strive to help each other through this kingdom of God!
Peace and love,
Rev. Sue
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " (1 John 4:9-10)
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