Fitting in

Matthew 22:1-14

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

​Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Most of us like to fit in. We'll go to great lengths, sometimes, to conform. Blending in, not standing out is a goal for which we strive most of the time in social circumstances.

Occasionally, there are those who seem incapable of being part of the crowd. Those who are too miserable, too intent on sabotaging their chance to be included and accepted. No amount of persuasion will convince them to behave differently. And, reluctantly, we must abandon our attempts to accommodate those bent on a destructive path. There comes a time when all the excuses and all the interventions and all the bending of the rules won't cut it any more. And we must let go.

Seems as though the wedding guest who refused to take the opportunity presented to him had finally exhausted all the options, rejected all the lifelines offered and made his choice. And there was no going back. How prepared are we to admit defeat, knowing we have done all that we can and have nothing left to offer?

T-Fig

Matthew 16:24 - 17:8

The Cross and Self-Denial

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Transfiguration

Chapter 17

​Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

(Written for Spill the Beans)

The Feast of the Transfiguration provides a transitional point in the Christian Liturgical seasons. It marks the point between Epiphany and Lent. The point between a season of revelation and a-ha moments and a season of reflection and repentance,

Here is a big moment in terms of revelation, a significant landmark in the disciples' discovery of who Jesus is.

As told in Matthew's gospel, the Transfiguration also marks a transition point in the journey of faith of the disciples. Although not all the disciples are present at the event, they are all changed by the encounter and by the change in direction that follows.

Jesus has been pointing them towards his passion and death and outlining their call to be cross bearers. It is after the mountain top incident that he more obviously turns his face to Jerusalem and his teaching becomes  more persistent and focussed.

After the Transfiguration incident, there is a marked change in the pace of the journey on which Jesus and the disciples are engaged.

So let's pause for a moment on this mountain of Transfiguration to take in the sights and the sounds and to discern the import of this life changing moment.

The mountain top setting is evocative of so many other biblical encounters- the receiving of the Commandments, the sacrifice of Isaac, The temptation in the wilderness, the Ascension of Jesus - all significant points on faith journeys in which the will of God was revealed and the glory of God unveiled.

On this mountain top, Moses and Elijah, leaders who journeyed in faith with God, appear with Jesus. There is a rooting of Jesus in the prophetic tradition but also a setting apart of Jesus as the one whose appearance is dazzling and as the one of whom the voice of God speaks: "This is my beloved Son with whom I am pleased. Listen to him."

It would seem that as Jesus embarks on the final phase of his journey, there are echoes of the beginning of his ministry when he was baptised by John in the Jordan.

There is a moment when, it seems, Peter's tendency to be impetuous threatens to derail the impact of the event and prevent its significance being captured and appreciated. Peter's wish to deal with practical things, to get caught up in the minutiae could have cost him the ability to see the big picture and take on board the wonder of this revelation on the mountain top. But even practical, hands on Peter is overcome with awe. 

As Moses and Elijah fade from sight and the voice of God recedes to a whisper, one might ask the question: Who, in fact, was transfigured on that mountain top? For Peter, James and John who shared that moment with Jesus, there surely could be no turning back. Their journey of faith was emboldened and renewed. As we prepare to leave Epiphany behind, we carry with us all the new and enlightening discoveries of God revealed in Jesus And, changed by those encounters, we embark on the season of Lent, reflecting on all that has been revealed, eager to discover more and emboldened to journey on in faith.

Context and contours

Matthew 5:1-20

You're Blessed

​ When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'carefull,' you find yourselves cared for.

"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Salt and Light

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Completing God's Law

"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures—either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working.

"Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom.

Remembering our baptism

Matthew 3

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

​In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.’ ”

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

This Sunday, as we read about Jesus being baptised by John, we will recall our baptism. In our tradition, we practice infant baptism, so few can actually remember the event. However, the point in reflecting on our baptism is to remind us of the embrace of the love of God (or the God of love) around our lives. God who proclaimed "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.", speaks similar words into our lives today. Words that proclaim that, whoever we are, God affirms us and enfolds us in love.

Recalling God's love and affirmation for us, beloved children, would be enough.

But it would be good, too, to go a step further - to recall that in baptism, as well as being affirmed we are also commissioned - beloved children of God called out to serve God in the world.

Our response to God's love is service.

We may hear that commission affirmed in different ways in different places throughout our life in God but it begins in that moment of baptism, when promises are made, assurances given and when the love and grace of God are claimed for us.

We will leave worship on Sunday with tangible reminders of our baptism - a dove with the words "beloved child of God"  and a word for the journey, both of which, it is hoped, will encourage us, through this next year, to reflect on our baptism, to recall its significance and our commission to respond in service to God who loves us, claiming daily that love and affirmation of God who calls us "beloved children."