But Jesus still calls. Jesus still heals. Jesus still teaches. Jesus still restores people to wholeness and community. Our human limitations do not limit God and the impact of the Gospel.
Pentecost 17a–Matthew 20:1-6 (The Church of St. Stephen & St. Bede, Winnipeg, on the last worship service in their location)
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is again teaching about the kingdom of God. And as he does, Jesus uses imagery that would be familiar to his audience. Land owners, day laborers, field work and daily wages were all relevant to those who were listening. So even though we still get a lot of “what is he talking about” from Jesus’ disciples, I can appreciate that Jesus was trying to use contextual references to point to the broad action and presence of God in the world.
And that’s all fine and good until we come along a couple hundred years later and try to make sense of Jesus’ imagery through our reality and context of economic and social inequality and through our obsession with “you get what you work for.” Through the lens of our time and culture, I think it’s harder to draw a direct connection between the elements of Jesus’ story and his main point. Is Jesus saying something about the prayer someone who has squandered their whole life says to sneak into heaven at the last minute? Is he equating salvation with wages that we earn or deserve? Is he reinforcing a system that acknowledges the complicated layers of employment and income as unavoidable?
Maybe.
But my sense is that we miss something if we stop there. We miss something because those applications of the parable prioritize US and the work we do or don’t do. We miss something about what Jesus might be trying to say about God’s abundant grace and invitation.
If we pull back from this passage a bit and consider this parable in light of the whole scope of Jesus’ life and ministry, we might land on the question the landowner asks those who are challenging his hiring practices: are you envious because I am generous? What if Jesus is pointing to the generosity of God who invites ALL people into meaningful and fulfilling life, regardless of their length of service? What if fewer hours clocked serving God does not lessen our status as called by God and joining God—either in this life or in eternity?
Reframing on God’s abundance and welcome seems to me to line up with not only Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of God, but also with Jesus’ own life and example. The invitation to be part of what God is doing is a gift, not a benefit that we get compensated for based on our length of service. That is good news for us because it allows us to release ourselves and others from the pressure to earn or deserve God’s grace. Being part of what God is up to is a gift we lift up for and with one another.
So maybe the specifics of Jesus’ time and context have changed, but what hasn’t changed is that God is still inviting us to be part of what God is up to in the world. This congregation is a witness to that. You have been responding faithfully to the invitation to worship, to serve your community, to offer your resources of time and talents to the ministry of love, and to care for one another through the realities of life. You have been a visible witness to the church of unity and community even as you maintain distinct identities as Lutheran AND Anglican. And now, as your time of using this building ends, you are a witness to what we want everyone to know—that “the church” is the people of God centred in word and sacrament, growing in discipleship and discerning service to those around you. Even if your address is changing, THAT identity of who you are is not changing. God is still inviting you to be part of what God is up to, even if how that looks is different than it has been in the past. And while this parish has been committed to being present in this community in intentional ways, you are now also affirming and trusting that God’s presence and action in this place can continue as the Holy Spirit calls and activates different people, gifts and resources.
One thing I appreciate about how Jesus teaches about the life and journey of faith is that it’s complicated. Some people get it. Others are confused. There’s bickering and division. There’s prejudice and the reality of personal agendas. But Jesus still calls. Jesus still heals. Jesus still teaches. Jesus still restores people to wholeness and community. Our human limitations do not limit God and the impact of the Gospel. In spite of the doubt of the disciples, Jesus still calls them. In spite of the narrow understanding of the early church, the good news of Jesus still crosses boundaries and spreads. Throughout history and around the world, people of faith have navigated loss, tragedy, disruption and internal dysfunction. None of that has stopped the Holy Spirit from calling, gathering, nourishing and sending God’s people with a. promise of love and an invitation to service and discipleship.
This community is on the verge of significant transition and re-orientation. That’s complicated. There may be hope for the future mixed with lament for the past. As you seek to be community with and for each other in new ways, make space for both lament and expectation. Keep showing up and reminding each other of those truths that are still true: God’s gift of grace and love is still for you. God has given you exactly what you need to faithfully respond to God’s call today. You are still invited to grow in faith through your individual and communal discipleship. And the One who began a good work in you promises to be faithful to complete it.
The stories we tell about how God shows up in the world change with time and context. The stories that St. Stephen & St. Bede have been part of and will be part of will change with time and context. But thanks be to God that we are invited to be part of what God is up to today. Thanks be to God for the gift of life and the promise of love that does not depend on our qualifications or our length of service. Thanks be to God that—today—we can remind one another of the promise and presence of God as we say yes to God’s invitation to faith.
And now, may the peace of Christ guard your hearts and minds, and may the promises of God keep you firm in your faith—today and every day. Amen.