After a hectic week – this is a bit of a scruffy sermon.
Action Groups
In the past two weeks we've talked as a church about some of the things we plan to do in the year to come in specific groups that we've assigned to do what God calls us to do.
In the first week we spoke about our ministry to youth and families.
In our second week about the call to us to grow spiritually.
And now, in our third week we talk about social action… The larger Methodist Church calls us to have two groups in this department: Justice, Service and Reconciliation and Human Development and Economic Empowerment.
Because we're a small church it seems sensible to combine these two groups into one.
So we have our Social Action Group.
* * *
Social action is a means by which we hope to work practically for the Kingdom of God in our midst.
* * *
Often we reduce the gospel to a spiritual story, a story about how our hearts are changed, our sins are forgiven and we get a free ticket to heaven.
Sometimes we hear what people call a prosperity gospel, our hearts are changed, our sins are forgiven, we get a free ticket to heaven and if you send your money now – you will also get very very rich…
Less popular, but more faithful to the gospel that Christ preached is a gospel that counts the cost of discipleship – that demands practical action and reaction.
* * *
The Bible never separates body and spirit – for the Bible even heaven – the resurrection is a physical reality.
When Jesus said: "The Kingdom of God is among you…" he really meant what he said – just as our reading from Isaiah 6 last week spoke of the glory of the Lord filling the whole earth.
In a Christian understanding of the world we live in the physical and the spiritual are intertwined – wrapped together.
And so – if you try to separate the gospel of Jesus Christ from the need to transform the world, to bring justice where there is injustice you begin to neglect a whole lot of what Jesus says – you begin to ignore huge tracts of the scriptures; you begin to form a gospel different to that of the Bible.
Ezekiel 34:11-24 & Matthew 25:31-46
Sadly Matthew 25:31-46 is one of those passages that make us feel uncomfortable.
If I had a choice I guess I would choose not to preach it – not to read it – its one of the reasons I sometimes don't read the Bible.
We don't like things that make us feel uncomfortable.
And so – if I want more people to come back to church next Sunday I might be tempted not to read these words and talk about what they mean for us.
Maybe I would preach about how Jesus wants us all to be very very rich.
* * *
These words change the way we see those nuisance people who knock on our doors and ask for food. Who don't say please or thank you...
For us South Africans living in a country with a ginormous gap between the rich and the poor they are words we would rather not confront because they are too costly.
Poverty stands right in front of us – staring us in the face if we open our eyes.
What should we do? What have we done? How would we be judged by a King who judges on these terms?
* * *
Human law insists that we don't harm others – its easy to be judged by that kind of law; but the law of Christ, the true ruler of the world, the law by which we will ultimately be judged – demands that we feed the hungry, welcome strangers, clothe the naked and give the thirsty something to drink.
If we do that – we are regarded as righteous.
Ephesians 1:13-23
In the letter to the Ephesians Paul commends the church for their 'love toward all the saints'.
The Ephesians are famous for the way they love God's people. (I hope one day we could get a letter like that – Dear Paarl Methodists – we've heard about your love for all god's people! And because of your love we are so excited – we can't stop giving thanks for you – we remember you in all our prayers.
* * *
What stands out for Paul – is the Ephesian's love for the saints.
* * *
In Jesus' judgment of the nations – he judges those who love in a practical way: feeding, clothing, and caring as righteous.
Those who don't love practically – are not counted as righteous.
* * *
What I find interesting in the gospel reading is that those who are judged to be righteous are quite surprised…
"But…
when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?"
Without being aware of it – they've done amazing things – and they weren't expecting anything in return.
* * *
But if you think about it – its not that strange. Often those amazingly generous and saintly people that we meet are strangely surprised when we comment on their generosity and kindness; their heroic resolve to do amazing things.
We ask them why they do what they do and their simple response is:
"What else could we do?"
"They were hungry so we fed them."
"They were homeless so we housed them."
"They were sick and so we nursed them."
"We couldn't just close our eyes and let that happen."
* * *
Doing what Jesus desires is just what comes naturally to some people.
And its quite challenging for us Christians how many of those people who take Jesus command to love practically wouldn't even call themselves Christians, I have a feeling that those of us who think God's love is limited to people who believe the right things might be surprised at who we meet in what we sometimes call heaven.
Being Human
Being a Christian – I have a remarkably positive regard for our humanity.
I think people are actually good.
I believe they were created that way, just as Genesis tells us.
Not only are we good – but we are created in the image of God. We have the kind of love in us that Jesus shows in dying on the cross.
That's why I think some people do amazingly self sacrificial things without even noticing it.
Its nothing for them to stay up all night next to a sick child; to work doubly hard to make sure a patient survives. To risk their lives in war to protect people they don't even know. For teachers to work long hours in difficult conditions for little money and appreciation.
* * *
We see goodness in the innocent love of children for strangers. Heather told me how the grade ones at her school – on a trip to the zoo – realised that the children from another school didn't have lunch like they did and so began to share out what they had.
* * *
Later on in Paul's letter to the Ephesians – chapter 2 vs 10 he writes:
"For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."
* * *
In the part we read today Paul writes about how when we hear and believe the gospel of Christ and his kingdom reign – we receive the Holy Spirit and are transformed… we become the people that God created us to be.
He speaks of how the Spirit makes us wise, helps us to know God, opens our minds – so that we will know the hope to which we have been called.
When we believe in Jesus we begin to be (super)naturally transformed into the people he describes in 2:10 – good works become our way of life.
Conclusion:
Today is 'Christ the King' Sunday. The Sunday on which we as a church remember that God really has exalted his son Jesus Christ to the highest throne.
Part of Jesus being King means that he is also judge.
Let us learn to live in ways that would allow Jesus to Judge us favourably – to count us among the righteous – and not the unrighteous.
* * *
How we do this practically?
As a church I think we must learn to care for the poor and in need. We give a tenth of our income – what more can we do?
We need to take stock of who we are - what it is that we have to offer the needy around us.
Can we educate?
Can we share?
Can we empower?
* * *
How can we challenge those in power to do what God would want them to do?
If Christ is Lord over all things he is also Lord over government and municipalities.
As people with voices and power – how do we tell those in power to look after the poor.
How do we speak against systems and policies that keep people poor? (Underpaid teachers and police etc? Overpaid seniors?)
* * *
Within our families how will we teach our children these Kingdom values?
Can we teach them to imitate our own generosity?
Encourage them to buy Christmas presents for others?
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