” Inheriting the Kingdom” – Nov 20, 2011 Sermon
Nov 20, 2011
Scripture:
Jesus said: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’And the king will answer them, ‘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.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
Sermon Notes: Inheriting the Kingdom by Rev. Doreen Oughton
− Here’s the big judgment prediction in Matthew, Jesus on the throne, separating sheep from goats, those who inherit the kingdom from those who will depart into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels
− Is this what it will really be like, either when we die or when Christ comes again?
− Gospels tell us Jesus uses lots of images to describe the Kingdom of Heaven – mustard seed, like a man going on a journey, entrusting servants with wealth, like a field with hidden treasure, …
− Lots of images of what will happen in the judgment – rejoicing, welcome, eternal life, eternal darkness, banishment, weeping and gnashing of teeth. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.
− Lots of images of God and Christ – the shepherd, the angry king, the mother hen, the ignored flute player, Messiah for the Israelites, Savior of all nations,
− Jesus also says that the kindom has come, that his reign has already begun, that heaven is here, within, among and between us.
− How do we reconcile these diverse and varied teachings?
− Images, metaphors, not factual information.
− What is judgment? Accountability, a way to make the connection between our actions and their impact. A chance to change course, to fix things. Not for reward of heaven, but to get in harmony with God’s song, with holy vibration.
− It doesn’t just happen when we die, or when Christ comes again. What we do matters now. It impacts the kindom right here and now.
− Gates to heaven are opened when we feed, clothe… Not because we earned it, but because that is what it means to live in the kingdom. The sheep didn’t recognize Christ, they were just living out of a place of love. That is the kingdom.
− Gates are closed when we don’t live that way. Not because God is punishing us, but because that is just not the way of the kindom. It is not kindom living to look out for reward for yourself, to try to grab power, prestige and possessions. You keep yourself out of the kindom when you do these things.
− As varied as these images and metaphors may be, there is consistency in the message of how to enter kindom.
− Care for the least of these – not those who are easy to care for, but the least of these. Not about theologies, rituals, Christmas expressions, etc.
− Don’t try to sort out who is who by looking at actions of others. Don’t look for sins of those goats. This story doesn’t say the goats stole, lied, cheated, etc. They just didn’t respond to the needs of the least of these.
The stores have had Christmas displays since even before Halloween, this Friday is the big Christmas sale kick-off, and next Sunday is the start of Advent. At this time of year I receive mass e-mailings, read postings on facebook, and hear complaints about how Christians are losing Christmas. When the focus of these complaints is the ridiculous commercialization of this holy day – the resounding call to materialism and competition, I am in complete agreement. But too often, the focus is on whether we can have a creche on the town common, whether we say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, whether we sing Christmas Carols or holiday songs. To these complaints, I want to say “So What!” Not that I don’t think it matters to see a creche, to sing carols, to say Merry Christmas. I do. I am reminded of the true message of Christmas more by Silent Night, Holy Night than by Santa is coming to Town and Jingle Bells. So I come to church, and I hope all of you will too. But I also think that a preoccupation with taking back Christmas by getting more people to sing Carols, and not just in church, is the preoccupation of the goats, not the sheep. I do not believe we advance the kindom by having more creches on the common. These images mean nothing if Christians don’t live out Christ’s call to them. We advance the kindom by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, tending the sick, visiting the prisoner. If we do that, then we Christians can never lose Christmas. We will indeed inherit the kindom. How God longs to welcome us in. So let’s go rejoicing. May it be so.
