Sidney UMC - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - 06/25/23 - Sermon - "Be Humble!”

                                Sunday 06/25/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Be Humble!”                                 

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17                                      

New Testament Scripture: Romans 6:1b-11

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 10:24-39

          What does it mean to be humble? Is it good to be humble? It is bad to be humble? According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary to word “Humble” can be defined as:

1: not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive

2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission

a humble apology

3a: ranking low in a hierarchy or scale : INSIGNIFICANT, UNPRETENTIOUS

b: not costly or luxurious (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humble).

          I am sure that all of us have witnessed both great humility and great arrogance in our lives. What is it that makes someone humble? What is it that makes someone arrogant? What makes someone arrogant and entitled enough to believe that are in one or more ways superior to someone else. What makes someone superior to someone else? Is it education? Money? Looks? Possessions? Intelligence? Family name? Etc.? If someone is to act superior to someone else then they have decided within themselves for one or more reasons that they are somehow better than others.

          I have heard the term in the military and other places called “superior officer”. Maybe when a military officer is correcting a lower ranking soldier, the officer might say firmly, “You are speaking to a superior officer!” I would say in general that the person is not superior, but their rank is superior. Titles and rank and file in this world create this hierarchy. This is not all bad, but is needed on some level. Yet are we better, or is our title just higher?

          As an ordained United Methodist Church Pastor, I have a special title and special duties and responsibilities. Am I superior to others? No, of course not, but my title comes with certain rights and responsibilities, which I take very seriously. Using one’s authority in a Godly and a biblical way is much different than believing yourself to be superior to another person.

          I think if we are all honest, we have all done it. At some point, we looked at someone and said, or thought in our minds, “I am much better than that person”. Some might agree or disagree, but to “Be Humble” is to lead in a Godly and a Christlike way. The best leaders, with the highest titles, the “Superior Officers” have the love and the respect of the people that they lead. The worst leaders lead by fear, terror, and division, because they are not humble. Being humble does not mean that we are push-overs and are not strong, but seeing the value in all people, and helping all people to be better is what a leader is.

           What is a good example of a humble leader then? Well, there are many, but I was given one example that I saw when I was still in seminary school. I attended two seminaries from 2010-2014, and during my time at my second seminary the Roman Catholic Church elected a new Pope, Pope Francis. I remember him coming out on the little porch or the overlook in the Vatican where the popes have sometimes waved and or talked. This Pope however, then asked the people to pray for him. Certainly, a humbling moment for the leader of a Christian denomination of over 1-billion people.

          When Holy Week came, which starts on Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday, Pope Francis visited a juvenile detention center on Maundy or Holy Thursday. Maundy or Holy Thursday is of course the night before Jesus was crucified on Good Friday. On Maundy or Holy Thursday, Jesus had the Last Supper with disciples in the Upper Room. We still celebrate the bread and cup when partake of Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper.

          Jesus also gave us the “Maundy” or “Mandate” to love each other. In addition, we have the washing of the feet, where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Certainly, a humble thing for the savior of the world to do, to wash his disciples’ feet. On Maundy or Holy Thursday, every year since I have been a pastor, I have washed feet or hands, depending on the persons preference. It seemed right, and it was a humble act of love.

          Yet as I said, the newly elected Pope Francis visited a juvenile detention center in Rome on Maundy or Holy Thursday. This leader of the biggest Christian denomination in the world, knelt down and washed the feet of various youth. Some of the youths were Roman Catholic, some Protestant, some atheist, and some of other religions. Even so, the Bishop of Rome, the leader of the world’s largest Christian denomination washed the feet of all of these kids like a servant.

          It was moving to me to see some of these kids cry or tear up, as a very powerful religious leader humbly washed their feet. This is certainly the opposite of arrogance, pride, and superiority. It definitely changed how I approach washing feet and hands. A good leader will serve, a good leader will get in the trenches with those they are leading, and will show care and concern for those they lead. This is true leadership. Leaders also help the weak and the helpless.

          We are told in our reading from Psalm 86:1-3 once again:

¹ Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. ² Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; ³ be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long (Ps. 86:1-3, NRSV).

          God leads us with mercy, love, and also with strength.

                    The ultimate humble leader though, that we should all model our lives after is Jesus Christ. In fact, the Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:5-8 this:

⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross              (Phil. 2:5-8, NRSV).

          Jesus Christ, our humble, loving, merciful, and strong savior. Remember to that on earth Jesus took on the forces of sin and darkness. In looking at out reading for today from Romans 6:1b-11, the Apostle Paul tells us to depart for sin and move towards Christ. The Apostle Paul then tells us through our baptisms, we have died and haven risen with Christ, and through faith in Christ we are offered newness of live. While Jesus was physically crucified, we are called to be spiritual crucified, so that we might die to our old self and live a new life in Christ. All this to say we are changed, restored, and forgiven in Christ, and offered newness of life and life eternal. We die to old, put on righteousness, and pursue Christ daily (Rom. 6:1b-11, NRSV).

          In looking at our gospel of Matthew 10:24-39 reading for this morning, once again, what inspired my sermon title of “Be Humble” for this morning is Matthew 10:24-25. In this scripture Jesus reminds us once again:

²⁴ “A disciple is not above the teacher nor a slave above the master; ²⁵ it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household                         (Mt. 10:24-25, NRSV).

 

          Even though slavery is something that is wrong, Jesus was speaking to the reality he was in. Essentially, none of us are any better than anyone else, even if our title or our earthly station is higher or lower. There are generals and low-ranking soldiers. There is certainly a difference of rank and file, but no person is better than another person.

          In fact, Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:28-31 once again:

²⁸ Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ And even the hairs of your head are all counted. ³¹ So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

          People who are arrogant and prideful might try to harm us, or harm us physically, but they can’t have our soul. Our soul is God’s, as we seek to be humble in a world than sometimes knows very little humility. Jesus tells us whatever the world throws at us, to put our trust in him. For he will never forsake us or abandon us.

          Our gospel of Matthew 10:24-39 reading for today then ends with a rather controversial piece of scripture. Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-39 for this morning, once again, this:

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, ³⁶ and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. ³⁷ “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, ³⁸ and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it (Mt. 10:34-39, NRSV). 

          Matthew 10:34-39 is a tough piece of scripture, and I even had a lay preacher e-mail me this week to get clarification on the meaning of this piece of scripture. Think about it about it though, if we pursue Christ, if we pursue humility, love, mercy, grace, and hope, do you think everyone will be supportive of this? Some people do not like the gospel of Jesus Christ and would rather live differently. Therefore, some people will not like our faith in Christ, and this could, unfortunately even be members of our own family. Some we know might mock or be angry with our faith, as we are called to “Be Humble!”

          Despite many religious leaders and others trying to constantly attack Jesus he was always kind, and never acted cruelly or unloving. It can be hard sometimes to “Be Humble!” Imagine though if we gave up on doing this? Imagine how more the world would suffer. So, what is Jesus’ message to us all this morning? “Be Humble!” Be like Jesus. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Father's Day/Third Sunday after Pentecost - 06/18/23 - Sermon - "Justified By Faith!”

                                 Sunday 06/18/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Justified By Faith!”                                  

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19                                      

New Testament Scripture: Romans 5:1-8

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 9:35-10:23

          So, I vividly remember the visit that I made to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. It was about 3-years ago, if memory serves. A good friend of mine who had long been steeped in the Christian faith was dying. Despite him telling me before all of this happened that he thought faith in Christ was all he needed for salvation and eternity, this is not what I experienced when I visited him.

          He knew that he was dying, and in these final hours, I saw not peace, but fear in his eyes. He was mumbling, and so I put my ear down near his mouth to hear what he was saying. I heard him say over and over, “I’ve committed to many sins, and have made to many mistakes, and I will never see heaven”. I was unbelievably heartbroken for my dear friend and brother in Christ. I was deeply saddened at his sorrow, his fear, and his distress. I reminded him, as my sermon title for this morning is titled that we are “Justified By Faith!” Or to put it another way, our faith in Christ is enough. There is nothing we can do to achieve perfection on our own, as we are all imperfect. Through Christ, and Christ alone we are justified. I told this person that his faith was enough, and that it is all any of us really have.

          Despite me telling this man this however, this man’s fear, sorrow, and worry did not dissipate. You see this person grew up in a Christian tradition that told him that faith was not enough. He was taught more of a rank and file, and according to him he could not get to heaven if he did not do things well enough, or right, or at least this is what he told me. When I talked with him prior to him getting really sick, I remember asking him if people in the tradition of Christianity that he grew up in felt true fear and worry? He told me that some of them do. I can’t imagine the fear of not knowing your eternal fate. How harmful, how hurtful, and how damaging.

          I remember sharing with this same person long before he got really sick, scriptures like the one we have from Romans 5:1-8 for this morning. As it says in Romans 5:1-2 at the top of our worship bulletin, once again:

5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God                            (Rom 5:1-2, NRSV).

          Whether I leave this earth one day, or Christ returns before this, all I have to defend myself with is Christ. If I were asked why I should go to heaven, to eternity, there is nothing I can argue to make me worthy. All I have is Jesus. Through Christ and Christ alone, I am justified. I am now freed from guilt and shame so that I may love and serve my neighbor as myself. Praise be God!

          We do not need to fear what lies beyond on the curtain of this world, or this life. We have a promise from Christ, that we will be with him always. I am always honored to read at funerals, memorial services, and celebrations of life John 14:1-4, where Jesus tells us:

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place where I am going” (Jn. 14:1-4, NRSV).

          We can stand tall, free, and confident in Jesus Christ, for we are “Justified By Faith!” Every person here can turn to Christ, and shed guilt, shame, and fear. What an amazing thing!

          The Apostle Paul continues on in our reading from Romans 5:1-8, picking up on 5:3 talking about our faith in Christ, saying:

³ And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. ⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. ⁸ But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:3-8, NRSV).

          To follow Jesus, to be a Christian means that sometimes we will suffer. We suffer sometimes because the love that we bare and the love that we share is not always excepted by some. In our attempt to strengthen the community and bring people closer to Christ, sometimes we suffer from those opposed to the gospel. I know I have. Even so, Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Faith is enough, but with this faith, this freedom on Christ, we are called to live it out.

          The way that we live out our faith in Christ can be varied. We are not all called to be pastors or preachers. We are not called to be in the church choir, or on the church trustees. We are not all called to children’s and youth ministries, and we are not all called to senior ministries. We are not all called to specific issues plaguing the world, even though we are concerned about them. To love Christ and to love others, and to prayerfully use our gifts and graces to transform Sidney and the world is our “Justified Faith” in action.

          Beyond just our belief, we also have what we can do for each other, and the world. I don’t know about all of you, but on this Father’s Day, I can think of various men in my life that have and still have a great influence on my faith, my beliefs, and who I am in general. I am a better person, a better husband, and a better pastor because of these men. When I first excepted Christ as my Lord and Savior in the United Methodist Church at around 13-years old, I knew that Jesus loved me.

          This being said though, some naysayers that I knew told me that “religion is a crutch,” or that “Christians are wimpy and weak.” This notion was blown out of the water for me when my step-father Michael Therio, who is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant, and was a Chaplain’s Assistant, took me to the base he was stationed at Newburgh, NY. Try telling tough soldiers, both enlisted and officers that their faith is wimpy! You see, because of the various men that were and still are mentors in my life I have gotten to see various perspectives of our Christian faith. On this Father’s Day, I can say with the greatest of confidence that there are many strong, successful, and highly influential men and women who bend the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ.

          I am grateful for the faith of my step-father Mike, my mother Susan, and to the many that did and continue to develop my faith and my character. Some people in Christ are seen as strong, and some people are seen as weak. In Christ though, those who are weak are strong, because Christ uses them in their weakness. Further, in Christ, those who are strong, are strong because Christ has made them strong.

          I also know that not everyone had a great father. Some people I have met have also never met their father. Maybe your father was abusive, and this could extend to a step-father, an uncle, etc. If you can relate to this, then on this Father’s Day think of those men that were or are still in your life that were like Father’s. Think of those men that mentored you, that loved you, and that cared for you like a friend, a mentor, and or a father. Father’s Day is about honoring the men who have shaped us and cared for us, not men that have harmed and abused us.

          I am blessed with a great biological father, and a great step-father. I am also blessed with multiple great men that have and are still great mentors and role models for me. At its very core, this is what I think Father’s Day is all about. Some of the men in our lives also taught us about Jesus, and how to live and love like him.

          In fact, when looking at our gospel according Matthew 9:35-10:23 reading for this morning, we hear of Jesus healing, loving, and forgiving. Starting in Matthew 9:35 it says:

³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt. 9:35-38, NRSV).

 

          Jesus restores us, and he healed, loved, and forgave. Some of the men in my life taught me this, and about the importance of living this out every day.

          As our gospel Matthew reading continues in Matthew 10, Jesus summons his twelve disciples and give them spiritual authority. Matthew 10 lists the names of Jesus twelve disciples. Jesus tells these twelve disciples this starting in Matthew 10:8 to:

⁸ Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. ⁹ Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, ¹⁰ no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for laborers deserve their food. ¹¹ Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹² As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you           (Mt. 10:8-13, NRSV).

 

          Go forth and proclaim Christ, go forth and love, heal, and forgive like Jesus, for Jesus Christ is the hope of the world. Jesus then instructs us picking up in Matthew 10:16:

¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, ¹⁸ and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the gentiles. ¹⁹ When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time, ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹ Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, ²² and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in this town, flee to the next, for truly I tell you, you will not have finished going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes (Mt. 10:16-23, NRSV).

 

          What we believe and how we live matters. I am blessed that I have had many men in my life that taught me and shared with me their faith in Jesus Christ. There love, their influence, and their support are part of the reason that I am standing here today. Father’s Day is not just about getting a card and tie, it is more than that. It is instead thanking and appreciating the men in our lives that have and continue to sacrifice, work hard, and do all that they do to make us better.

I am better because of many of the men that have and continue to be strong forces for good in my life. My faith in Christ is deeper because I know that Christians can be anyone from a person who is bed ridden to general in the United States Air Force. Father’s Day then matters, because all of us in some way, shape, or form, we were all loved, encouraged, and shaped the various positive men that we had and or have in our lives. Luckily for me, I was told by some of these men to have no fear, for I am “Justified By Faith” in our Lord Jesus Christ. Take to remember and honor all those great men today, and always. Happy Father’s Day. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Second Sunday after Pentecost - 06/11/23 - Sermon - “Eating With Tax Collectors And Sinners!”

                                   Sunday 06/11/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Eating With Tax Collectors And Sinners!”    

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 33:1-12                                      

New Testament Scripture: Romans 4:13-25

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 

          So, as we are being seated from hearing our gospel of Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 reading for this morning, I would ask us to pause for a moment. Let us look around this sanctuary, or if you are at home, around wherever you are at. See the people around us. We might notice some similarities, and we might also notice some differences in the people we see. In fact, anytime we meet someone we often make comparisons and judgements, and sometimes we don’t even realize that we are doing this. This is not always a bad thing, but we all often do it whether we realize it or not.

          If we meet or see someone covered in tattoos, for example, do we see or judge them differently. Do we see or judge someone differently based upon the clothes they wear, the car they drive, etc. Whether we want to realize it and or admit it there are often judgements being made all the time. For example, in some of the churches that I have pastored some people were worried initially that I would get rid of traditional worship and force contemporary worship upon them. Why would I do this? Well later, some of these people told me, “Well, we figured since you were young, you would not like traditional worship”. As it turns out, I love traditional worship, and I also like contemporary worship too.

          I say all of these things to have us think about this on this Second Sunday of Pentecost. This thing to think about is who is the best, the worst, and the in-between among us here? Do we rank each other by education? By wealth? By looks? By house? By car? Etc.? To have a church where all walks of life are welcome, Jesus calls us to continue to see all of humanity the way he sees it. Don’t get me wrong Jesus was never beyond calling out hypocrisy or evil, but he always treated everyone the same. I don’t ever remember Jesus in the gospels treating King Herod Antipas or Pontius Pilate different because of their wealth and power. I don’t ever recall Jesus preferring one category of people over another. No, instead Jesus was and is for everyone. Who is the best is Jesus’ eyes? The answer is, the person you are looking at in the mirror.

          Now this does mean that we should seek to harm, to hurt, or to be sinful. Jesus has always challenged us all to turn from darkness, sin, and harm. Yet, his love for all of humanity was and is equal. I mean for example, Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot would betray him for 30-pieces of silver, and yet Jesus had him attend the Last Supper. What more, Jesus gave Judas the first ever Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, before Judas betrayed him.

          Some societies however, historically, and even today have a clear-cut rank and file. There is “totem pole” if you will, and where you land on this “totem pole” determines your worth, your value, and your significance. This flies in the face of the reality that all people are made in God’s image, and that we are all given an eternal soul by God. I would say that some people can be loved, but might also be people that can do great harm. Believing that Jesus loves us all is not a green light for us to assume all people want to do good to us. Some have and will continue to do great evil. It is certainly easy to say that we are “better” than such people, and society would likely agree with this. Yet we all fall short of the glory of God in Jesus Christ.

           I remember when I was in high school, we had clicks. He had the “jocks,” the academic nerds, and so on and so forth. There was an unspoken rank and file in my high school, and there probably always will be some form of this, as we are all flawed. Given this though, who should Jesus Christ love more than someone else? Are there certain humans that Jesus should love more, or does Jesus love us all equally?

          I ask this, because Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and Savior spent time with people in the world in which he lived that many thought were inferior. Jesus spent time with people that much of the society in which he lived would say, “don’t go near those people, they are beneath us!” In fact, just by Jesus challenging this clear-cut class system, Jesus was attacked. It was as if some were saying, “Are you with us, or are you with those people?” Jesus of course would say, I am with you all.

          The idea though that humanity will become a perfect and flawless utopian society is a fallacy however, because all of human nature is flawed, and we all have tendency to sin. We can make this world much better, but it will not be perfected to the Lord Jesus Christ returns in glory. Until we go to be Christ, or he comes to us, we should strive to love, preach, and share his gospel will all people, equally.

          We do however, whether we want to make distinctions between people or not, have laws, prisons, etc. I would say these realities place people in a different category of sorts, but they are still made in God’s image. Resisting our feelings of superiority is exactly what Jesus was showing up this morning in our gospel of Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 reading for this morning.

          We are reminded this morning in Psalm 33:4-5 that:

⁴ For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
⁵ He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord                      (Ps. 33:4-5, NRSV).

          Striving to be more like Jesus, and striving to be made more in the image of Christ is to see all people as people made in God’s image. Or to put it another way, our faith in Christ should continue to humble us and to make us more into servants of all people. This, again is not a license to be naïve and to be taken advantage of. Rather it is the idea that we are made in God’s image, and we can choose to draw closer to Christ to move further away from him.

          In looking at our reading from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, or the Romans, the Apostle Paul tells us that the righteousness of faith is what leads and guides us. The Apostle Paul tells us that the Old Testament Law of Moses, brings wrath, as no one can really be sinless. How can everyone follow God’s law perfectly, and all the time. In fact, the Apostle says picking up in Romans 4:16:

¹⁶ For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of us, ¹⁷ as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist                               (Rom. 4:16-17, NRSV). 

          Faith in God through Jesus Christ breaks the chains of sin and offers us a daily path to pick up our cross and follow Christ. Faith in Christ saves us, faith guides us, and faith is offered to all people. No one is any better or worse than any other. We all need forgiveness, we all need grace, and we all need faith. Everyday I follow Christ, pursue Christ, and seek to be more like Christ.

          In looking at our reading for this morning from the gospel of Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26, we see Jesus modeling that he is for all people. There is no better or worse. We are all offered Christ, and we are all equal at the foot of the cross. In looking at Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 for this morning, it says, once again, picking up in Matthew 9:9:

⁹ As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. ¹⁰ And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Mt. 9:9-13, NRSV).

          So very clearly in the Matthew 9:9-13 we have the holy and righteous people and the forsaken and sinful people. There truly is a wall that divides the religious leaders and others, with tax collectors and sinners. This also assumes that the religious leaders and the other people of high regard aren’t sinners to. I don’t know about you, but as a religious leader I have a hard time with arrogant and self-righteous religious leaders. For if we think we are superior or better than others, then we have lost the gospel of Jesus Christ. For Jesus came to serve and not be served. As a pastor I am not better, but I pray that Christ every day makes me better than I am right now.

          Don’t get me wrong though, some people sin much more that other people do. I, for example, maybe, possibly, might be holier than the average person walking around, but it’s not a competition. In the time that Jesus lived, some were in and some were out. It would seem that it was a sort of rank of file from the least sinful, to the most sinful, and yet we are all fallen. Jesus calls the Apostle Matthew to follow him this morning, who was seen a sinful tax collector. Jesus is eating with sinners and Matthew. What makes these “sinners” sinners, we are not told. Jesus says when challenged by the Pharisees about why he is eating with tax collectors and sinners, is that he came to save the sick, broken, and sinful. Jesus came for the lepers, the woman at the well, the least, the lost, the forsaken, along with everyone else. The kingdom of Jesus Christ is the ingathering of all of humanity. If we repent and come to him, we are all in him, and he is in us. Jesus is for everyone. He is for you, for me, and all people.

          I suppose we could determine for example, that the average Pharisee might have sinned less most, but if God demands perfection, then we all fall short. Every pastor, priest, bishop, banker, sports player, teacher, etc., all fall short. Jesus came for all of us. Imagine a church we all people pursue Christ, love each other, learn, are equipped, and doing ministry so that all the world may know him.

          The Christian band, Casting Crowns has a song “Sing until the whole world hears”. Not sing just for the jock, or just for the popular. Not sing just for the religious leaders and the famous, but for the whole world. Jesus came for everyone.

          In true Jesus fashion, right around this time in our gospel of Matthew reading for this morning, after be questioned by the Pharisees about fasting in Mathew 9:14-17, some came to Jesus for healing. In picking up on Matthew 9:18 for this morning, it says once again:

¹⁸ While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” ¹⁹ And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. ²⁰ Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, ²¹ for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” ²² Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that moment. ²³ When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, ²⁴ he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. ²⁵ But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. ²⁶ And the report of this spread through all of that district (Mt. 9:18-26, NRSV).

          Jesus heals, Jesus raises the dead. He brings hope to hopeless, and healing to the rejected. Jesus is a savior for everyone, and he loves everyone.

          The vision that God has given me for this church and for this community is a church that includes all manor of people in this community. Imagine a growing and thriving church we are all pursuing Christ together? We have differences, and yet we are united in the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is the most sinful or the least sinful?

Who knows, but the last time I checked forgiven and transformed is good news for everybody! Whether we are seeking the “perfect”, or whether we are “Eating With Tax Collectors and Sinners,” Jesus loves us, died for us, and pursues us. May we live and love more like Jesus today and always. Amen.