In Mathew today we are hearing a call into
service. Jesus is explaining to the
disciples how the whole ministry thing works.
That whoever welcomes one they are welcoming Christ and through Christ
welcoming Abba God. Wow that’s a
lot. Jesus is saying through you one
meets Christ, through Christ one meets God…therefore through you one meets God.
That may be a bit much to wrap ones head around but
simply put through our actions and reactions and non –action others will see
God. You see this is some of what JJ was
addressing last week. It is through our
actions that the Gospel is preached and that Christ is made manifest in this
world.
Now one reaction to that may be; “Not me!, you can’t
place such a burden on me. There is no
way that I am or ever will be the face of Christ in this world! I am too flawed, broken, I am mean sometimes,
or just had not enough coffee to be the face of anything this morning.” Those are very legitimate reactions But
Christ put a caveat on this face of God thing….
It is when you simply offer hospitality, a gift of
cool water to the smallest of these little ones. This could say offer a smile
to a stranger on the street. That smile
or a “Good day” may be all it takes or it may be worth nothing. But here is an interesting thing in these
verses it also speaks of the receiver.
It says those that receive a prophet for being a
prophet shall be rewarded those that welcome holy people for just being holy
people will be rewarded. You see the
reception of the face of Christ, thus the reception of God through you is the
other parties reward.
It is through our presence as the Christian it is
through our action as Christians that we are promised rewards. If through that practice we have happened to
welcome a prophet, if through that action we have happened to welcome a Holy
person…great, all the more reward in Heaven and I should point out, we will not
know who we have welcomed until then. Also there is no talk about right living
brings rewards right now. Life is what we make of it and good and bad things
happen to everyone.
But we know when we have given a glass of water; we
know when we have been welcoming. It is
the joy of being Christian that allows us, sometimes without intention, to be
the face of Christ in this world.
A lot of this sounds like simple hospitality. The united church of Christ has a saying No
matter who you are or where you are on life’s Journey you are welcome here.
That reminded me to just look at some of things we
proclaim as the body of Christ covenanted to each other and to the church in
Christian living. Here is what the
united Church of Christ says about our beliefs; (This is taken directly from
the website. http://www.ucc.org/about-us/what-is-the-united-church-of.html)
“What we believe
We can tell you more about the United Church of
Christ with the help of seven phrases from Scripture and Tradition which
express our commitments.
That
they may all be one. [John 17:21] This motto of the United Church of Christ
reflects the spirit of unity on which it is based and points toward future
efforts to heal the divisions in the body of Christ. We are a uniting church as
well as a united church.
In essentials unity, in
non-essentials diversity, in all things charity.
The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point
of view, nor rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual
understanding and agreement as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life
are essential. The
unity of the church is not of its own making. It is a gift of God. But
expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are individuals. The common
thread that runs through all is love. Testimonies
of faith rather than tests of faith. Because faith can be expressed in many
different ways, the United Church of Christ has no formula that is a test of
faith. Down through the centuries, however, Christians have shared their faith
with one another through creeds, confessions, catechisms and other statements
of faith. Historic statements such as the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed,
the Heidelberg Catechism, the Evangelical Catechism, the Augsburg Confession,
the Cambridge Platform and the Kansas City Statement of Faith are valued in our
church as authentic testimonies of faith. [See Beliefs for
the complete texts of some of these testimonies.] In 1959, the General Synod of
the United Church of Christ adopted a Statement
of Faith prepared especially for congregations of the
United Church. Many of us use this statement as a common affirmation of faith
in worship and as a basis for study. There
is yet more light and truth to break forth from God's holy word. This
affirmation by one of the founders of the Congregational tradition assumes the
primacy of the Bible as a source for understanding the Good News and as a
foundation for all statements of faith. It recognizes that the Bible, though
written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our
present condition. It declares that the study of the scriptures is not limited
by past interpretations, but it is pursued with the expectation of new insights
and God's help for living today. The Priesthood
of All Believers. All members of the United Church of Christ are called to
minister to others and to participate as equals in the common worship of God,
each with direct access to the mercies of God through personal prayer and
devotion.
Recognition is given to those among us who have
received special training in pastoral, priestly, educational and administrative
functions, but these persons are regarded as servants—rather than
as persons in authority. Their task is to guide, to instruct, to enable the
ministry of all Christians rather than to do the work of ministry for us.”[1]
A priesthood of all believers, that is a huge each
and every one of us is called to be a priest of Christ, a follower and an enactor
of Christ on this earth. We are not just
reminded of the possibilities of the rewards for being welcoming, offering
simple hospitality we are called to even more than that.
The “what we believe” section goes on to explain;
“But we recognize our calling both as individuals and as the church to live in
the world:
To
proclaim in word and action the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To
work for reconciliation and the unity of the broken Body of Christ. To
seek justice and liberation for all.
This is the challenge of the United Church of
Christ.”[2]
This is the challenge put to us today on this gospel
reading what are we to do to be hospitable in an inhospitable world? What does that mean for us as individuals,
what does that mean for us as a community?
Let me say this now before we go any further…we are
doing it. We are you are each and every
one of you are Christ’s face in this world.
Each and every one of you is a minister, a priest in this world. How you ask?
Through your gift of time and offerings we are
surrounded by beautiful gardens. Through
your gifts of concern and love many have made it through difficult times. Some, of whom, were in this church and some
outside of it. If you offered and ear, a
shoulder a kind word you performed ministry.
Some are called to go to a job everyday and you do the best you can and
it sometimes it seems as if it is never enough.
Yet, as long as you are living to your fullest and doing the best you
can that is your ministry.I also have some really good news for you when you
try and failed. When you reached out and
were turned away. When you rethink
things and wonder if you could have done it differently. You then too are a member of the
priesthood. For you see there is discernment
and learning always to be done. God did
not make us perfect and Christ did not make this Christian thing easy. If it was easy everyone would be trying it
and the world would be...Well … literally heaven.
You know this struggle of being human, seeking God,
and trying to be that face of Christ isn’t always easy. Yet it is what we have been called to, drawn
to, want to know more about, and understand better each and every day. I truly believe that and I think you do as
well otherwise, why are you here?
St. Irenaeus back in the early 150’s or so wrote;
CAPABLE
FLESH
The
tender flesh itself
Will
be found one day
-quite
surprisingly-
To
be capable of receiving,
And
yes, full
Capable
of embracing
The
searing energies of God.
Go
figure, Fear not.
For
even at its beginning
The
humble clay received
God’s
Art, whereby
One
part became the eye,
Another
the ear, and yet
Another
this impetuous hand.
Therefore
the flesh
Is
not to be excluded
From
the wisdom and the power
That
now and ever animates
All
things. His life-Giving
Agency
is made perfect,
We
are told, in weakness—
Made
perfect in flesh.[3]
We gather as a community in the love of Christ as
people have done since the first meal he shared with followers and family more
than 2000 years ago. But why, why do we come together Just to hear a preacher
ramble on and on? Well we know that
isn’t true for some days the preacher is on fire and inspired and other days he
misses the mark and that’s okay cause what may not have fed you in the sermon
may have fed someone else and another person may be fed today because you sat
with them and shared presence, prayer, and community. Another is fed by the
music while still another is fed in the sacred time of Eucharist and every
Sunday that all changes about.
But we are here to be affirmed in who we are. We are
here as the body of Christ those who come weekly or monthly the Guest and the
one who has been dragged here by friends. We are here to be refreshed, renewed
and to be loved so that as we leave this place we will have the energy, the
where withal to be the one who offers a cool glass of water.
Not everyone can get the analogy of a cool glass of
water. We know where Jesus lived was hot
and dry and water though needed to survive was rarely cool less it was freshly
drawn from the well. You have heard the
stories and seen images of that time one often went out early in the morn and
took water from the well to fill clay jars.
By the time the water got back to the dwelling place it was already
raising in temperature. A cool glass of water is not just refreshing but it is
a treat.
So we each one of us is called to be a priest of
Christ. Each one of us is called to be
the face of Christ. We know if we are
welcoming we will be rewarded and yet that is not of concern for the reward is
in the afterlife so we know we need not be concerned with our reward but our
action.
As we have prayed many times so I will repeat the
prayer of
Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
Christ Has No Body
Christ
has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion
on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.[4]
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.[4]
You are the refreshing cool glass of water. Your are the face of Christ, you are a treat
to encounter every day, you are a royal priesthood so as St. Francis said and
as this verse we reflected upon today really says Preach the Gospel often, use
words if you have too! Amen!
[1] United Church
of Christ, What we believe, .
http://www.ucc.org/about-us/what-is-the-united-church-of.html) (accessed June
23, 2014).
[2] United Church
of Christ, What we believe, . http://www.ucc.org/about-us/what-is-the-united-church-of.html)
(accessed June 23, 2014).
[3] Scott Cairns, Love's
Immensity: Mystics on the Endless Life (Brewster, Mass: Paraclete Press,
2007).
[4] Daniel B.
Clendenin, The Journey with Jesus poems and prayers, www.journey with jesus.net/poemsandprayers/Teresa_Of_Avila_Christ_Has_No_Body.shtml
(accessed June 23, 2014).
