The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost ---- 21 July 2019

Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

there is need of only one thing.

·       I’d like to ask you a question: Whose head is on the front of the 25 cent coin? (the Queen) And what is on the other side? (a caribou)

·       This holds for all the coins minted here in Canada; the Queen’s profile is on the front and something else – a caribou, a beaver, a ship, a loon, a polar bear – is on the other. Yet there still is one coin.

·       We could say there are two sides to every story, like there are two sides to every coin. In the Gospel passage today, the two sides are Mary and Martha.

·       Martha is doing all the things around the house that hospitality requires. You all know about that. She is also “distracted” from Jesus’ presence by the household chores. She goes and tells Jesus to have Mary help her, only to have Jesus tell her that Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.

·       Such an answer could be a sore point for so many who have worked so hard, especially in the service of their congregations. It almost sounds like those who teach, lead groups, make cabbage rolls and meat pies, run the food banks and yard sales, or do all the other things that congregations do today are taking a back seat to someone who sits and listens.

·       We can’t condemn Martha for what she is doing; she has done nothing wrong. In fact she is the image and example of what a disciple is supposed to be. Let’s face it; if not for her, Jesus would have gone hungry on that day. Martha probably could have used Mary’s help in doing all that welcoming Jesus (and probably his disciples) would require.

·       Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to what he had to say. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? It is also offensive to the surrounding culture. As a woman of the time, she would not be expected to sit at the feet of her teacher and listen. Probably, she would not have been permitted to do that. So she broke expectations and the constraints of the society

·       … just like Jesus.

·       Last week’s Gospel told us the parable of the so-called Good Samaritan. The story shattered the expectations of the listeners by making the hated outsider the hero of the story. Here, the woman who would be expected to cook, serve, and clean up sat at Jesus’ feet and listened, going against what was expected of her. There’s a reason these stories are related one after the other. In their own way, both tell of the coming of God’s Kingdom in ways that would not be expected and in ways that reset any expectations we might have… except for the expectation that we love God and love our neighbor.

·       Martha and Mary are two sides of the same coin. As disciples, we are called to serve and as disciples, we are called to listen and hear the Good News. What Mary does is said to be the one thing needed because it is what inspires and strengthens us to serve. It is what give us our mission as Christians. We listen and then act in ways that show and advance the Kingdom. We need to be both listeners and do-ers of the Word.

·       When we use a coin to pay for something, we see there are two sides to each coin. When we hear the Word of God as a disciple, we know there are two sides there as well. We are called to act and we are called to listen. As disciples of Jesus, we cannot do one without the other. This following of Jesus may cause us to do things out of the ordinary for the world around us. That’s what discipleship could cost us, but that cost will be worth it, since it is a life of grace and grace leads to salvation and eternal life.

But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost ---- 14 July 2019

(This sermon was delivered twice. First for Sunday worship at the Transylvanian Saxon Heimattag celebration at the Saxonia Hall in Aylmer, ON, then at the usual Sunday worship service at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Aylmer, ON.)

Luke 10:25-37

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" 27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, "Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.

·       The story of the so called “Good Samaritan” has so many twists and turns in it, it can be shocking.

·       The “lawyer”, who is really an expert in the Law of Moses rather than a barrister of some sort, asks a question about what he must “do” to gain eternal life. Jesus turns it around, asking him what the Torah says about just that. The lawyer gives a great answer and Jesus approves. Then the lawyer asks “Who is my neighbor?” and the parable begins with, in modern English, “some guy was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho…”

·       A priest and a Levite pass the man by for reasons we don’t know about; maybe ritual purity, maybe fear, maybe callous apathy. The next passer-by stops, binds the man’s wounds, and carries him to an inn where he pays for the man’s care, including a promise to pay more if needed once he returns. Of course, this last man is a Samaritan, a group hated by the Jewish people. Why this hatred endured would be a long story, so we’ll just leave it here, saying again that the Samaritans were hated.

·       To make the hero of this story a Samaritan would be very shocking. If the story was about tolerance and acceptance, the man in the ditch would have been a Samaritan, but in Jesus’ story, the Samaritan is the man held up as the example. Jesus even says "Go and do likewise." Some scholars believe that this was added to give the story a moral.

·       The parable is deeper than a simple morality play. Parables are Jesus’ way of telling about the Kingdom of God. When the lawyer asks what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus’ answer turns the whole question upside down.

·       The despised outsider becomes the hero. The hated one shows true mercy, and goes out of his way to do more than what might reasonably be expected. (“Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.”) Our passage has Jesus describe the Samaritan as being moved with pity. That doesn’t really convey what words were really used. The Greek uses a word that says the man was moved in his bowels with compassion. It’s a gut-wrenching compassion. Luther’s translation says the man “jammerte” over the wounded man. What could that mean? Mourned? Lamented? Even ‘belly-ached’?

·       Whatever the case, Jesus says the Samaritan was moved so deeply in his guts that he had to help. To the lawyer, he’s saying ‘Leave behind your prejudices and judgements. Become someone who comes to the Kingdom with fresh eyes. Then you’ll see your neighbor as your neighbor. Nobody is excluded… even you.”

·       I wonder what the lawyer did after this encounter with Jesus. Maybe he refused to hear what Jesus said and tried again to ‘justify himself.’ Maybe he changed and became a disciple. Maybe he thought about it all and really had to help the next time he saw someone in need. We’re just guessing here.

·       What we are not guessing at is what Jesus is saying to his disciples. It isn’t something against the keepers of the Law. It isn’t a warning about hypocrisy. It isn’t even a blue print for how to act, telling what to do to inherit eternal life. It’s Jesus telling his disciples and anyone who can hear it that this is the Kingdom. This is how the Kingdom is made real right before your eyes. It can be gut-wrenching and even painful, but it is real and right there in front of you, for ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’  (Mt 25:40)

But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost ---- 7 July 2019

Galatians 6:[1-6]7-16

[1 My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. 4 All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride. 5 For all must carry their own loads. 6 Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.]

7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. 8 If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. 10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. 11 See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! 16 As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2 He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace to this house!' 6 And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 "Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'

16 "Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" 18 He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

·       With these words, Jesus welcomed his heralds back from their mission. They appear to be amazed that in your name even the demons submit to us! I think we’d all be surprised at something like that as well. Many people and possibly some of us struggle with what might have been called “demons” in past times – addiction, depression, uncontrolled anger and violence, mental illness, epilepsy. Maybe many struggle with the results of those “demons” as that have effected them in the lives of those around them. To have those conditions or illnesses “submit” to us “in Jesus’ name” would make things simple. Yet so many people struggle with these things all their lives.

·       Power over spirits and demons – I’d think we’d all like something like that. Yet Jesus tells the people who have actually seen that happen that they should rejoice in something else. He says they should rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

·       I don’t exactly know why Jesus said that. Maybe he was trying to remind the disciples that that power was his and not theirs. Such power could go to the head and lead to a desire to place such power over discipleship. Boasting and a self-absorbed life could follow closely. As disciples, we are not to place ourselves in a position where we feel we are “better” than some others. Our leaders are to be servants and our glory is elsewhere than in ourselves and our accomplishments. Otherwise, for some, it would be a small step to an understanding that we could save ourselves… by our own efforts… without the grace of God.

·       Instead Jesus tells the returned missionaries that the power they showed is true power, and it is less to be celebrated than the relationship they have with Jesus and the entire Kingdom of God. They were sent to proclaim that Kingdom, whether or not they were welcomed by the towns they went to. The power they received to cast out spirits and demons came from that mission, that proclamation, and the one who sent them. More importantly, their names are written in heaven, and the grace of God puts them in a relationship with God and the Kingdom.

·       I have never cast out a demon and done such deed of power. Still I hope to rejoice in the relationship I have with the one who has saved me. What can I say about that relationship? For that I have to turn to Paul and his letter to the Christians in Galatia.

·       He says May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

·       It is in the cross of Christ and the mercy and grace it shows to us where our “boasting” or rather, our certainty is found. I use ‘certainty’ because there is no way to fool ourselves about the mercy and grace of God, since in the cross, we realize that we have nothing to do with it! It is all grace and God’s mercy. It is in God’s grace shown to us in Jesus Christ that our hope and our certainty lies. With that we can state that, like the disciples returning from their mission rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.