Sermon
1st September = 12th Sunday after Pentecost
Text:
Luke 14:1, 7-14 - The best seat in the
house
We
probably don’t realise how much status is held by seating.
The
AFL finals begin this week and already there has been outrage over seating.
Geelong
wants a home final but their ground doesn’t seat enough to cater for the huge
crowds.
The
Gabba in Queensland holds 42,000 and there are 3 times that amount of members
between the 2 clubs.
And
finding a seat on an aeroplane to attend an interstate match has become
extremely expensive because of the high demand for seating.
And
as the Grand Final draws near we will hear the outrage of seats unavailable for
grass roots members who make up the core supporter groups as corporate seating
takes precedence.
It
seems that whenever you see sporting or other popular events, the front row
seats are usually made up of celebrities and A listers who are either invited
to attend or they have enough money that they can afford to buy the most
expensive seats while diehard fans miss out or have to sit way in the back.
It
makes people sad, even angry, when they are such diehard fans but celebrities,
corporate sponsors and the rich seem to get the best seats simply so they can
be seen at the events by the media.
Having
the best seats is often seen as a status symbol.
I’m
always intrigued when I catch a flight at the airport and there is the scramble
to be the first on the plane to get your seat even though it doesn’t get you to
your destination any quicker, and if you’re seated in the aisle you’ll have to
get out anyway to let the person in the window seat in.
Jesus
also sees today that seating arrangements were the cause of much distress.
He
noticed how the guests chose the seats of honour and warned them that they were
opening themselves up to ridicule rather than honour if someone more important
arrived and they had to give up their seat.
He
said it was better to choose a lower seat and wait to be asked to move up when
the host sees you sitting in a lower seat.
Is
Jesus really worried about seating arrangements?
Is
Jesus really worried about us being embarrassed because we might have to give
up our seats to someone more important?
I
very much doubt that seating at a banquet is what Jesus is worried about as
that is not the reason Jesus came to give his life for us.
And
what if you choose the lower seat and are not asked to move up?
What
Jesus is trying to do is have us see life in perspective.
In
a sense life here on earth is like a seat in a waiting room.
We
are here on our journey to heaven.
And
sometimes we can lose that perspective as we think that this life here on earth
is our main focus.
As
much as we strive to achieve our best – a comfortable home, a satisfying
career, success for our children – sometimes these aren’t achievable for one
reason or another and we can sometimes feel anger towards life and towards God
because we feel we deserve better and that God hasn’t rewarded us for our
faithfulness.
But
God has rewarded us – not in this lifetime but in the life to come.
But
we can be so focused on achieving our dreams in this life that we forget about
God and our neighbour whom we have been asked to love as we find ourselves
becoming the main focus of our love.
Our
2nd reading today highlights that there are hidden blessings when we focus away
from ourselves and focus our attention on others.
The
writer to the Hebrews says: Let mutual
love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing
that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
I
love that image.
Sometimes
we don’t get recognised or thanked for what we have done but those people we
have helped may have actually been angels.
How
amazing is that?
Jesus
confirms that focus when he says:
"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends
or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite
you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the
poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because
they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the
righteous.
If
we are doing things for this lifetime or to achieve recognition or rewards in
this lifetime then we are selling ourselves way too short.
What
Jesus and the writer to the Hebrews are trying to encourage us with is to keep
our eyes focused on the coming rewards and to keep living this life without
worry about rewards and outcomes.
We
can become so focused on achieving in this lifetime that we can become quite
depressed and disillusioned about what seems to be failures for all the good
work we do.
Jesus
assures us that we will be repaid at the resurrection.
And
even if life seems to be quite negative for all our faithfulness, Hebrews says:
The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?
Life
doesn’t always reward or reflect what efforts we put in for others.
So
many people miss out on receiving the accolades or awards for the sacrifices
they make for others.
But
God sees all.
And
even if we don’t receive the recognition we deserve we thank God that we also
don’t receive from him what we deserve.
We
don’t deserve all that God has prepared for us – eternal life in heaven.
But
we receive it from God because of his love for us and his desire to have us
live with him forever in heaven.
And
if we can understand that for ourselves then we can accept that at times we too
will give to others, not for the rewards or recognition but because of our love
for God and our neighbour.
It
is very easy to get caught up in seeking recognition or status among our
friends and family.
But
Jesus has arranged for us the highest honour of all.
A
seat of honour at the wedding feast in heaven.
I
love that imagery of St John in Revelation when he sees what is coming for us:
I
saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Until
that great and glorious day God invites you to the foretaste of the feast to
come as he invites you to his table to feast on his Body and Blood in Holy
Communion.
Here
is where all our concerns about status and recognition are put to one side as
we come together around the one table – to receive the one bread and the one
cup.
No
status or honour separating us as we gather as the one body of Christ.
As
we go out into our weekly world we will be tempted and challenged by the world
who will want us to place different priorities in our lives.
But
when that happens we set ourselves up for disappointment because we will never
reach a point where we are satisfied or something will come along to undo the
blessings we have received for all we’ve done.
God’s
blessings are different.
Because
they are reserved for our eternal life, as Jesus promises: you will be repaid
at the resurrection of the righteous.
Don’t
short change yourself.
God
has abundant treasures laid up for you as Jesus says in Matthew’s Gospel - “Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break
in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
So
let us seek first the kingdom of God and all his treasures will be added unto
us.