WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
September 2nd 2007
Communion Sunday
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“From Welcome to Invitation”
Luke 14:1, 7-14
This fall we are going to go deep into the Gospel of Luke. On Sunday mornings we will read and preach from this Gospel. On Thursday night we will begin a bible study that will read through this Gospel. The whole purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of the teachings of Jesus in order to transform our lives into more faithful disciples. It may sound like a lofty goal, and, it is. But when faced with such lofty goals we will simply trust the Spirits work with each one of us and in our community which is living through a great deal of transition.
This mornings’ passage places us right in the thick of a recurring conflict between the religious establishment, the Pharisees, and Jesus. We should be careful not to demonize the Pharisees or consider them as the enemies of God. To do so would distort what the bible actually teaches. Instead, the bible teaches, that the Pharisees are religious people who know the scripture, who know the rules, and they know how to follow them. The conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees hinges on their accommodation with the surrounding culture. It seems that their accommodation with the culture means that their religious observances and teaching have little impact on the way they live in the world. In other words, their beliefs and practices are not congruent. For Jesus, and his followers, separating faith and practice is heresy.
I think that it is particularly appropriate for us to read this passage at the beginning of another school year. At least for me, the start of the school year always brought worries about the first few lunch periods. In those first few days the pecking order was set. So, at the sound of the lunch-time bell we ran fast in order to get the ‘best seats in the house.’ Once the order was set it was next to impossible to change. In fact, it was so well defined that everyone knew his or her place. It was a place, in my experience, where the ways of Jesus were not practiced. After all, just imagine the social unrest if the football team sat with the drama club. While this analogy could get pushed too far, the attention such actions would draw would be something like that faced by Jesus when he undermined the well ordered ancient system.
The opening line of our passage presents an ominous tone: “They were watching him closely…” Even before we learn anything about what Jesus is doing, we know there is trouble. Jesus invitation to dinner at the home of a Pharisee was a time of conflict, not fellowship. They have brought Jesus to watch his actions, and examine his words. But, Jesus is no fool; he too watches the actions of these good religious folks. What he finds out is rather disturbing.
It turns out that the most ‘religious people’ in the land have incorporated the values of the society without critical engagement. The meal, in ancient society, served an important social function. Where you sat, whom you would invite, and even the content of the conversation was all well ordered. The cornerstone of this ancient world, influenced by Hellenistic or Greek culture, was patronage. You would do things for others simply so they would do them for you. So, these religious folks struggle with one another for the best seat in the house. They also wear clothing with the purpose of gaining social status, and worst of all they are greedy. However, despite all these actions, they are very good at following their religious traditions. It appears that they have forgotten that God is not pleased when faith and practice are divorced. In other words, Jesus would not smile on politicians who perfect of are of using religious language to gain votes while doing little for the politically powerless of the Gulf Coast going on two years after Hurricane Katrina. It is clear that this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees is a lesson for the religious people in every age. Whenever the faithful, in any society, become too accustomed to wealth and privilege or too comfortable with the culture; faith wedded to action becomes an endangered species.
At the heart of Jesus teaching is a direct challenge to one of the great beliefs of the Hellenistic world. Teaching people to humble themselves was anathema. After all, humility was not a virtue. In fact, it was believed to be a vice or a sign of weakness. And right in the midst of this gathering he has the audacity to say: if you exalt yourself, if you cling to your privileges, if you expect people to cater to you, God will not be pleased and will reverse your fortunes. To gain some insight on the radical nature of Jesus’ challenge, imagine him saying to us that modern capitalism is sinful. If you have an adverse reaction to that statement, you get a picture of what Jesus was doing at the dinner. It is a hard teaching but one from which Jesus does not shy away. Here he is; a guest in the home of the Pharisee and he has the audacity to challenge the very social practice of which they have built their reputations. I assume Jesus did not get a repeat invitation.
However, Jesus does not stop there; he goes on to challenge the ways in which guest lists were developed. Jesus says: When you have dinner parties, do not invite people who can reciprocate. Do not invite your close circle of friends or even your family and extended family. Instead, invite the people who are least likely or able to return the invitation. This was a direct challenge to the well established world which maintained a caste system where the poor would only socialize with the poor and the rich with the rich. Again, Jesus makes it clear that these sorts of social division are an abomination before God. Instead, Jesus says, break down these dividing walls of hostility. Open up your circle of friends; and even those you consider family. This, simply put, is the will of God.
In this encounter, Jesus invites these religious people to change their practice and their perspective. After all, they live in a privileged world which always seems to welcome them. Through their accommodation with the culture they have wealth and privilege, while their own people are suffering at the doorstep. In the midst of great feasts and wealth, people beg at the doors of God’s temple. The social world of the religious people had become an insulated place which made them unable to think about or even see those who were on the outside. In the midst of this grand illusion, Jesus reveals what they are unable or simply refuse to see.
What Jesus ultimately says is: you don’t get it. Stop trying to imitate the culture of the Romans who are oppressing your own people. Move beyond your comfortable circle of friends and invite people in. But that means some things may have to change. Jesus says: If you do as I say, if you invite others in your world view may get challenged. They may actually mess up your well ordered world with new ideas about all sorts of things, including worship or Sabbath observance. In fact, they may not even conform to your expectations. However, Jesus says: Invite them anyway; the household of God was not meant to be a social club for like minded people but a community for all people where all are valued and affirmed.
This passage is an invitation for us too. It is a call to move from being a place where people are welcome once they get in the door, to a place that invites all people to experience the welcome inside our doors. In order to do so, we must look closely at our life together and ask; are we living up to the challenge of being an inviting community? Where are we being called to open up our circle of friends and family in order to be more faithful disciples? And finally, who needs to hear the message we have to share? Let us go and invite people, invite them to be part of worship, invite them to be part of our informal meals, invite them into our homes, and yes, even invite them to participate in the decision making of this church. As we prepare to take part in this table feast, let us commit ourselves to the sort of radical welcome, and invitation offered in Jesus Christ. May it be a meal where we are so filled by the spirit of God that we are unafraid to look people in the eye, give them a real smile, extend a hand or hug in fellowship, greet them as children of God and invite them to the welcoming place we know Westminster to be. Amen? Amen.
September 2nd 2007
Communion Sunday
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“From Welcome to Invitation”
Luke 14:1, 7-14
This fall we are going to go deep into the Gospel of Luke. On Sunday mornings we will read and preach from this Gospel. On Thursday night we will begin a bible study that will read through this Gospel. The whole purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of the teachings of Jesus in order to transform our lives into more faithful disciples. It may sound like a lofty goal, and, it is. But when faced with such lofty goals we will simply trust the Spirits work with each one of us and in our community which is living through a great deal of transition.
This mornings’ passage places us right in the thick of a recurring conflict between the religious establishment, the Pharisees, and Jesus. We should be careful not to demonize the Pharisees or consider them as the enemies of God. To do so would distort what the bible actually teaches. Instead, the bible teaches, that the Pharisees are religious people who know the scripture, who know the rules, and they know how to follow them. The conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees hinges on their accommodation with the surrounding culture. It seems that their accommodation with the culture means that their religious observances and teaching have little impact on the way they live in the world. In other words, their beliefs and practices are not congruent. For Jesus, and his followers, separating faith and practice is heresy.
I think that it is particularly appropriate for us to read this passage at the beginning of another school year. At least for me, the start of the school year always brought worries about the first few lunch periods. In those first few days the pecking order was set. So, at the sound of the lunch-time bell we ran fast in order to get the ‘best seats in the house.’ Once the order was set it was next to impossible to change. In fact, it was so well defined that everyone knew his or her place. It was a place, in my experience, where the ways of Jesus were not practiced. After all, just imagine the social unrest if the football team sat with the drama club. While this analogy could get pushed too far, the attention such actions would draw would be something like that faced by Jesus when he undermined the well ordered ancient system.
The opening line of our passage presents an ominous tone: “They were watching him closely…” Even before we learn anything about what Jesus is doing, we know there is trouble. Jesus invitation to dinner at the home of a Pharisee was a time of conflict, not fellowship. They have brought Jesus to watch his actions, and examine his words. But, Jesus is no fool; he too watches the actions of these good religious folks. What he finds out is rather disturbing.
It turns out that the most ‘religious people’ in the land have incorporated the values of the society without critical engagement. The meal, in ancient society, served an important social function. Where you sat, whom you would invite, and even the content of the conversation was all well ordered. The cornerstone of this ancient world, influenced by Hellenistic or Greek culture, was patronage. You would do things for others simply so they would do them for you. So, these religious folks struggle with one another for the best seat in the house. They also wear clothing with the purpose of gaining social status, and worst of all they are greedy. However, despite all these actions, they are very good at following their religious traditions. It appears that they have forgotten that God is not pleased when faith and practice are divorced. In other words, Jesus would not smile on politicians who perfect of are of using religious language to gain votes while doing little for the politically powerless of the Gulf Coast going on two years after Hurricane Katrina. It is clear that this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees is a lesson for the religious people in every age. Whenever the faithful, in any society, become too accustomed to wealth and privilege or too comfortable with the culture; faith wedded to action becomes an endangered species.
At the heart of Jesus teaching is a direct challenge to one of the great beliefs of the Hellenistic world. Teaching people to humble themselves was anathema. After all, humility was not a virtue. In fact, it was believed to be a vice or a sign of weakness. And right in the midst of this gathering he has the audacity to say: if you exalt yourself, if you cling to your privileges, if you expect people to cater to you, God will not be pleased and will reverse your fortunes. To gain some insight on the radical nature of Jesus’ challenge, imagine him saying to us that modern capitalism is sinful. If you have an adverse reaction to that statement, you get a picture of what Jesus was doing at the dinner. It is a hard teaching but one from which Jesus does not shy away. Here he is; a guest in the home of the Pharisee and he has the audacity to challenge the very social practice of which they have built their reputations. I assume Jesus did not get a repeat invitation.
However, Jesus does not stop there; he goes on to challenge the ways in which guest lists were developed. Jesus says: When you have dinner parties, do not invite people who can reciprocate. Do not invite your close circle of friends or even your family and extended family. Instead, invite the people who are least likely or able to return the invitation. This was a direct challenge to the well established world which maintained a caste system where the poor would only socialize with the poor and the rich with the rich. Again, Jesus makes it clear that these sorts of social division are an abomination before God. Instead, Jesus says, break down these dividing walls of hostility. Open up your circle of friends; and even those you consider family. This, simply put, is the will of God.
In this encounter, Jesus invites these religious people to change their practice and their perspective. After all, they live in a privileged world which always seems to welcome them. Through their accommodation with the culture they have wealth and privilege, while their own people are suffering at the doorstep. In the midst of great feasts and wealth, people beg at the doors of God’s temple. The social world of the religious people had become an insulated place which made them unable to think about or even see those who were on the outside. In the midst of this grand illusion, Jesus reveals what they are unable or simply refuse to see.
What Jesus ultimately says is: you don’t get it. Stop trying to imitate the culture of the Romans who are oppressing your own people. Move beyond your comfortable circle of friends and invite people in. But that means some things may have to change. Jesus says: If you do as I say, if you invite others in your world view may get challenged. They may actually mess up your well ordered world with new ideas about all sorts of things, including worship or Sabbath observance. In fact, they may not even conform to your expectations. However, Jesus says: Invite them anyway; the household of God was not meant to be a social club for like minded people but a community for all people where all are valued and affirmed.
This passage is an invitation for us too. It is a call to move from being a place where people are welcome once they get in the door, to a place that invites all people to experience the welcome inside our doors. In order to do so, we must look closely at our life together and ask; are we living up to the challenge of being an inviting community? Where are we being called to open up our circle of friends and family in order to be more faithful disciples? And finally, who needs to hear the message we have to share? Let us go and invite people, invite them to be part of worship, invite them to be part of our informal meals, invite them into our homes, and yes, even invite them to participate in the decision making of this church. As we prepare to take part in this table feast, let us commit ourselves to the sort of radical welcome, and invitation offered in Jesus Christ. May it be a meal where we are so filled by the spirit of God that we are unafraid to look people in the eye, give them a real smile, extend a hand or hug in fellowship, greet them as children of God and invite them to the welcoming place we know Westminster to be. Amen? Amen.
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