Sermon
26th November 2017 – Christ the King Sunday
Text
Matthew 25:31-46 –Love comes to life
Have
you ever invited someone to church and they responded that if they ever entered
a church the walls would come crashing down?
Usually
they say that because they believe that their way of life is more than God or
the church can tolerate.
In
the world people have often thought the same believing the world is going end
because of certain things happening.
I
heard more than a few times that if Same Sex Marriage comes in it will be the
end of society.
We’ve
heard many times in our own church that if the Ordination of Women comes in
that our church will end.
When
we look at issues in these ways we can begin to believe that the world and the
church depends on us rather than God.
That
doesn’t mean that things don’t harm the world and the church but we need to
remember that God is almighty – and hence, we name today, the last day of the
church year, Christ the King Sunday.
The
world and the church don’t depend on us – they depend on Christ.
In
last week’s Gospel reading we heard about the King’s Servant who thought that
it was up to him to preserve his master’s kingdom.
His
master was going on a long trip so he entrusted his Kingdom to his servants.
Two
of the servants took risks and were rewarded.
The
third servant didn’t want to lose his master’s investment so he hid the money
and on his master’s return proudly gave him back his property intact which
angered his master.
His
master could have done that himself before he left on his journey – but that
wouldn’t have grown his kingdom.
In
fact it diminishes his kingdom if we take into account inflation.
If
I put money in the bank at 1% but inflation is 3% I’m actually losing money
every day I keep it there.
Our
world is a progressive world and things are going to change.
Whether
you see that as a good thing or a bad thing we must not lose faith in God and
we must not lose focus of what our call and mission is.
To
love the Lord our God with all our heart and to love our neighbour as
ourselves.
That’s
what Jesus said is the greatest commandment and all the laws and prophets hang
on these 2.
And
following on from the greatest commandment Jesus gave us the great commission:
“All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Notice
who has the authority – Jesus.
And
the commission was not to go and clean up the world but to go and make
disciples and teach them.
So
we are not to bury our love but keep working it to grow God’s kingdom.
So
whether we agree or disagree with how things are going in the world our calling
and responsibility is to love and teach – not judge and condemn.
That,
as we hear from our Gospel reading belongs to God.
So
when the account before God comes on that final day we hear what Jesus says
about what our responsibility has been.
“Come,
you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was
thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed
me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I
was in prison and you visited me.’
What
we see here is love active in the world.
Or
as our Church’s theme has been – “Where love comes to life”.
And
that love is widespread – to the needy – to the stranger – to the outcast.
One
might not agree with same sex relationships but there is the call to love
unconditionally.
One
might not agree with asylum seekers but that does not give the right to treat
them inhumanely.
A
person may be deserving of their prison sentence but we should never take joy
in their suffering.
A
person may be irresponsible in how they live their life contributing to their
homelessness or poverty but we cannot ignore them or their needs.
When
we look at Jesus’ ministry, he went out to the marginalised and those with whom
he disagreed.
The
Samaritan woman at the well – the Samaritan leper – both doubly marginalised by
their nationality and status.
It
was his love for Zacchaeus – another outcast - that saw him turn from his ways
more than what any judgment would have achieved.
I
can understand those who have conscientious objections to certain things but withholding
love is not part of that objection as we remember that for God - God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us (Romans 5:8).
What
is interesting about the love shown to the marginalised in our bible reading is
that those who were showing love had no idea they were doing anything
different.
It
was so natural for them that they questioned the King - Lord, when was it that
we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
But
sadly those who were not extending love had no idea they were doing anything
wrong:
‘Lord,
when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or
in prison, and did not take care of you?’
And
that’s the danger we face.
We
think we are doing things to uphold God’s kingdom when in fact we are hurting
others by the words and actions we do.
It
can be a cliché but it is true in how Jesus lived out his ministry - loving the
sinner while hating the sin.
To
the woman caught in adultery Jesus separated the sin from the sinner – refusing
to condemn her like the religious leaders wanted to do but telling her to go
and sin no more.
As
VCE students are nervously awaiting the results of the exams they have just
completed it will be a daunting time for them wondering if they have passed or
not.
As
Christians we are thankful to God that our final examination is already secured
through Jesus’ death for our sins.
But
there are so many who have not heard or experienced God’s love.
There
are so many who continue to equate God, the church and Christians as condemning
and judgmental.
It’s
not about accepting sin but it is about leading people to God and allowing
God’s Holy Spirit to do his work.
Satan
is very good at distracting Christians and the Church from the true mission of
God.
We
must remember that we are not the ones in control.
As
St Paul so majestically put it in our 2nd reading:
God
put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated
him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority
and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this
age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and
has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the
fullness of him who fills all in all.
It’s
okay to be concerned about things happening in the world but let that concern
lead us to prayer and to love of our neighbour in need so that the church and
us truly become a place where Love Comes to Life.
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