Fairness or Justice

My wife and I were in the grocery store when we noticed a little boy running to his mom with some candy. “No Bobby put that back.” Then later he ran to his mom with some pop. “Bobby I said no, now quit.” At the register Bobby placed a chocolate bar on the checkout and the mom put the chocolate back. Bobby began to whine, “It's not fair! I want my share of stuff! I never get what I want!”

 

I am sure we have all heard this before and I am sure heard it recently. At some point we were Bobby and others we were his mom. You do not even have to be a child. Perhaps waiting in line to buy a movie ticket, or pay for some shopping. Or waiting for a car parking space. And someone pushes in front of you. And you want to get even. To stand up for your rights. To make things fair. After all, you DESERVE it. It’s ONLY RIGHT! These rude people just push others around because they think they are special. Who do they think they are – there are no CUTS!

 

Or perhaps you’re working on a group project at school or work. And there’s always that one person who’s A SLACKER. You know what I mean. They roll their eyes at meetings, fiddle with their pins, tap on their phones during work, and hide in the restroom half the day. They never pull their weight, and always complain about how nobody listens to their ideas. Yet, expects everyone else to do the work. And yet, it always seems to be THAT PERSON who gets the best compliments from the boss. They get the raise and promotion. We get skipped over so some boot licking slacker gets the cream while we get the milking chore. It’s not FAIR! He didn’t EARN it! I want my share!

 

Or like the older brother, Robert, on Everyone Loves Raymond. Always disappointed that it’s Raymond who gets all the attention, the promotions, the lucky breaks. Mom always dotes over Raymond and poor Robert is pushed aside so mom can get to her favorite. And his classic quote, whenever Raymond gets ANOTHER lucky break? “Of COURSE he did. It’s always about Raymond!”

 

What about me? It ISN’T fair! I want my share!

It’s the way the world works. It’s the natural human reaction. We ALL react when things don’t seem equal and fair. Especially when it happens to US. Those who DESERVE it should get the reward. And those who DON’T should either get less or nothing at all.

 

It’s the way THE WORLD works. But it’s not the way God works. The reality is that, in God’s kingdom, we DON’T get what we deserve. We DON’T get what’s FAIR. Which is just as well. Because that would be TERRIBLE. We deserve nothing from God. All we have is a gift from God to begin with. The fact we have life is what is equal and fair. The GOOD NEWS is we get something better and much more. We get our sins paid for by Christ's sacrifice – which we did nothing to earn. We get eternal life in God's kingdom when we die. We did nothing to build this kingdom and did nothing to earn it. It is a gift. On top of that we are heirs of God's kingdom – not just adopted children. Heirs get security. Adopted children get support. We are given more than equal and fair.

 

In today’s Gospel, the point is that the kingdom is not about what is. It's about generosity to people who do not deserve it. The kingdom isn't about equality or fairness to those who deserve it. It’s about generosity to those who have done little to receive what they are given. It is about the generosity of God to people who demand fairness when they have no idea what fairness is because they have no idea what generosity or humility is.

 

But let’s set the scene first. Little children are coming to Jesus. The disciples want to shoo them away. Perhaps they decide they don’t deserve of Jesus’ attention. Kids haven’t earned their place, and they are messy and loud. They need to get to the back of the line with their mommies and daddies. Perhaps the disciples think the kids are skipping in line. Maybe the disciples are jealous of the affection Jesus shows the children.

 

But rather than send them to the back of the line, Jesus says the kingdom belongs to children. The kingdom belongs to adults like the children. Those who suffer, those who are ignored, those who are treated like garbage. Jesus says he cares for the unimportant and undeserving people.

 

And then there’s the rich young man who wants to EARN his way into the kingdom But Jesus says that’s IMPOSSIBLE. And only GOD can bring someone into the kingdom. People can’t do it on their own. Many rich people are too greedy, arrogant, complacent, and power hungry for God's kingdom.

 

At which point Peter pipes up and wonders what reward God has got in store for the disciples. They’ve given up everything to follow Jesus. Peter wants to know what sort of return they’ve got coming on their investment.

 

And there Jesus’ answer is that God’s no man’s debtor. He’ll repay one hundred fold whatever we’ve given up for his sake. That’s how GENEROUS God will be! He WON’T give what’s fair. He’ll give lavishly ABOVE than what we deserve. Way beyond what we’ve EARNED.

 

And the chapter finishes with the summary for how things are ordered in God’s kingdom. Many who are FIRST will be LAST, and many who are LAST will be FIRST.

 

Undeserving, un-noticed children will end up being FIRST. And rich, upright pillars of society will end up being LAST. Those who showed gratitude for what little they had will rise above those who sought more and more, and demanded even more. Those who recognise they’re EMPTY will receive until they are full. But those who think they are full and deserve EVERYTHING will receive NOTHING.

 

And then Jesus tells a story to illustrate His point. Which is where we pick up now. We get a clue that the two bits tie together because ch 20 begins with “for”. Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. FOR (or BECAUSE)… the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner.

 

THE PARABLE IS JESUS’ ANSWER TO PETER.

Matthew 20:1-16

 

So let’s look at the story to see what it has to say to Peter. And to us. It’s a story about hiring, receiving, complaining and correcting. First up, HIRING.

 

Hiring (1-7)

A landowner owns a vineyard. And he needs workers. So he heads out to the local labour contractor first thing in the morning. He hires a bunch, and they both agree on payment of one denarius for the day’s work. The going rate. Fair and reasonable. And so they head off to work in the vineyard.

 

But then 3 hours later, the owner heads back to the marketplace for MORE workers. This time there’s no explicit agreement on wages (there in v4). Only his promise to pay them whatever’s right. They TRUST the owner, and so THEY TOO head off to the vineyard.

 

Three hours later – same thing happens. And again, three hours after that.

 

Finally, v6, 11 hours into the day, nearly quittin’ time. And the owner heads back to the market place ONE LAST TIME. There’s STILL people waiting to be hired for the day. Probably the dregs of the labour force. Maybe the old or the weak. V7. Still there because no one wants to hire them.

 

But even THESE GUYS the owner sends off to work in the vineyard. And notice they head off immediately – no mention of wages. They TRUST the master. By THIS stage, they’ll take whatever they can get.

 

Receiving

That’s the HIRING. Next we come to RECEIVING. The day’s over, and it’s time to settle accounts. The owner starts with the LAST ONES hired, and the foreman gives them a denarius each. That’s TWELVE TIMES the going rate! They worked an hour, and get a full day’s pay!

 

We’re not told THEIR reaction, but we ARE told how the FIRST ONES HIRED felt (v10). They quickly do their sums, and they’re rubbing their hands together in expectation. They reckon, to be FAIR, they should receive TWELVE TIMES AS MUCH. After all, they’ve worked TWELVE TIMES AS LONG.

 

But they’ve forgotten what they agreed to at the start of the day. What’s FAIR is they get paid the going rate for a day’s work. One denarius. Which is what they GET.

 

Complaining (11-12),

But it doesn’t SEEM fair. And so they move from RECEIVING to COMPLAINING (v11).

11 When they RECEIVED it, they began to GRUMBLE against the landowner. 12′These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

 

What about ME? It isn’t FAIR! I’ve had enough, and I want my share!

 

Correcting (13-16)

The WHOLE GROUP grumbles, but the owner turns to ONLY ONE of them, and CORRECTS him. V13.

‘Friend, I’m not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired LAST the same as I gave YOU. 15 Don’t I have the RIGHT to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

 

He makes two points. First, You’re so busy looking at OTHERS, you’ve forgotten how YOU’VE been treated – which is PERFECTLY fairly. Exactly what you deserve. A day’s pay for a day’s work. Nothing fairer than that! Your REAL problem is that someone else has got something they DIDN’T deserve. Something BETTER.

 

Second: That’s MY problem. I can pay OTHER people whatever I want. What business is it of YOURS to tell me who I can be generous to?

 

And Jesus finishes the story almost the same way he finished talking to the disciples at the end of ch 19. The same way he’d STARTED this story. “The last will be first, and the first will be last.”

 

Which ties the parable into the question PETER had asked at the end of Ch 19.

 

And perhaps that’s why there’s ONE COMPLAINER in Jesus’ story. One person singled out for the owner to answer. Because it’s PETER who’s spoken up for the disciples about what reward they’re all going to get.

 

And Jesus’ point is that his emphasis is all wrong. He’s too focused on HIMSELF. Too concerned with what’s fair FOR HIM. And not enough on THE REST of the people in God’s kingdom. Peter was too focused on him and not the people suffering around him. Not seeing how hard the other disciples worked as well. Not seeing what Jesus offered was not what the world does but what the Father in heaven offers – life in its fullest.

Peter’s the early vineyard worker in God’s vineyard. He thinks he’s EARNED a huge payday from God. But the reality is thinking like THAT is “LAST PLACE” thinking. Thinking about how you deserve to be in first place. How you deserve to be paid more. Only leads to coming LAST. Which means missing out on God’s kingdom all together.

 

“FIRST PLACE” thinking means seeing yourself as the eleventh hour workers. The undeserving ones. They work for an hour expecting 1/12 of what the first workers get. They expect less than the others. They are amazed they get the same as the first workers, the second, and third workers. They get generosity on top of what is fair.

 

Some people have a hard time accepting the doctrine of election. That God chooses people. They say it’s not fair that God chooses some to be saved, and doesn’t choose everyone. They think that simply cannot be the way a loving God works, because that wouldn’t be FAIR. MUST be that WE choose GOD. Surely, that would be more fair so that must be the way it is. WRONG – God chooses who he pleases just as the vineyard owner chose the workers. God gives as He wishes to whom He wishes.

 

But I’m glad God’s not FAIR. The reality is  if God was fair with EVERYONE, NO ONE would receive eternal life. We’d ALL receive JUDGMENT. That’s what we DESERVE. That’s a FAIR days pay for a day’s work – that is what we have earned for our sinning and rebelling. Yet God gives generously His kingdom and forgiveness. Those we did not earn. In a sense isn't it all unfair to Jesus. Afterall Jesus was innocent and was put to death for our salvation. Yet Jesus says it was the the will of the Father for this to happen. Why? God is generous and Jesus knew His life was only beginning on the cross – not ending. With crucifixion came the Resurrection.

 

The reality is we don’t really WANT God to be fair. We’re all rebels who deserve DEATH. Be assured it is much better that God is LOVING and GRACIOUS.

 

Which is the message of the gospel. That while SOME people GET what they deserve. Fair and just JUDGMENT. OTHERS get what they DON’T deserve - GRACE. Eternal life. Forgiveness. Reward. A hundred times what they’ve given up. That’s GOOD NEWS!

 

Grace ISN’T fair. It’s MORE than fair.

 

And while lots of people COMPLAIN about God’s unfairness. For those of us who understand it, we should CELEBRATE God’s great generosity. How INCREDIBLE that he chose us, opened our eyes to his riches, and gave us the faith to respond!

 

Rather than putting ourselves in the shoes of the first workers who’ve earned their pay. Who’ve done God (Ahem!) a favor. Much better to put ourselves in the shoes of the last workers. Who come in at the last minute. Hardly work at all. And, undeserving, receive the full payment!

 

That’s God's kingdom thinking. That’s thinking that works itself out in lives of thanksgiving.

 

The reality is JESUS is the one who’s earned the pay. He’s the one who’s worked all day in our place. Who’s born the heat of the day. Who’s endured his Father’s anger – his justice. So that we didn’t HAVE to. So that we might come in at the last minute, and receive the rewards that Jesus has worked for.

 

At the end of this story Matthew describes how Jesus continues on his way to Jerusalem. V18. And Jesus tells them how he’s going to bear the burden of the work and the heat of the day. How he’s going to be betrayed, condemned to death. How he’ll be flogged and crucified. And that he’ll be raised to life. How he’ll receive what WE deserve, so that we might receive MUCH MORE than we deserve.

 

We’ve got to learn to walk in the shoes of the LAST HOUR workers, and not FIRST hour workers. Jesus has already DONE that. Worked all day. Earned a just wage. And we can’t do it again.

 

When you put yourself in the right shoes, it affects how you think about YOURSELF. It affects your MOTIVATION for WHY you do things. Doing them out of GRATITUDE, rather than because you have to - your trying to earn a wage. You do right because it is right and pleasing God is what pleases you.

It affects how we see and treat other people. We laugh to make others laugh. We will go without so others do not have to. We seek to be a gift to people and not a burden. We will comfort those hurting with a smile and cry with them if necessary. There are no people too dirty, too smelly, too drunk, too high, or too anything to hear about what God has generously done for us.

 

And it affects how you think about the things that happen to you in life. Plenty of people give up on God when something BAD happens in their life. A business goes bust, or a child goes wild, or a marriage breaks down. And they blame God. “How could you let this happen to me? After all I’ve done for you! I don’t DESERVE to be treated like this. I deserve BETTER!”

 

I DESERVE a better job, or a new lounge, or good health, or great air-conditioning, or an expensive holiday.

 

But DO we?

 

What we DESERVE from God is JUDGMENT. But he shows us GRACE. And then, like EVERY loving Father, he DISCIPLINES us for our GOOD. Bringing TRIALS our way. Suffering. To make us more like Jesus (That’s Hebrews 12). Working all things for good for those who LOVE him and have been called according to his purpose (That’s Romans 8). And so we can REJOICE in suffering (that’s Romans 5)

 

That’s Kingdom thinking. Eleventh hour thinking. It affects the way you think about YOURSELF and your circumstances.

 

And it affects the way you think about EVANGELISM. If you think you’ve EARNED your place in the kingdom, then you’re CONTENT. God’s pretty lucky to have you. You can sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy your place in the sun.

 

But if you’ve worked an hour, and received 12 times the wages you’ve deserved, wouldn’t you back up for more the next day? And wouldn’t you bring all of your friends to a job like THAT?

 

It’s too good NOT to share!

 

And Kingdom thinking – eleventh hour thinking. It affects how you think about OTHER PEOPLE – how you treat them, and respond to them. It affects how you FORGIVE them. How you refuse to JUDGE them. Because you recognize YOU’RE nothing special, so how can you put someone else BENEATH you, or BEHIND you.

 

Some of you know T D Jakes. He’s a mega-minister who’s also a prison chaplain at Texas prisons. And part of his job is to find churches for ex-prisoners who’ve become Christians. But it’s not an easy thing to do. He struggles to find churches who’ll genuinely accept these people.

 

Sometimes there are real, practical difficulties to deal with. But often it’s just the judgmentalism and lack of grace on the part of people in these churches.

 

And it shouldn’t BE like that. If we UNDERSTAND where we deserve to be before God, it should affect how we treat OTHERS.

 

But more than that. It should show itself in our whole attitude to LIFE. If we really worked that attitude out in all of life. It would make us a lot more CONTENTED, and less judgmental. A lot more THANKFUL, and less NEEDY and GRASPING.

 

It would make us less inclined to stand up for our rights. For what we DESERVE. To get worked up about the person who pushes in, or grabs our parking spot.

 

What do we really deserve? Do we deserve top marks, or recognition, or a speedy parking space, or to be served first? No, we deserve God’s judgment. But he showed us GRACE!

 

If we’ve really UNDERSTOOD that. We should LIVE it.

How well are YOU living it?

 

We were at Northpark Mall a couple of weeks ago, and we saw a local radio station van giving away free stuff in the car park. So the wife and I went up to van as the radio staff were handing out mugs and thermos mugs. We were standing a short distance away, waiting while they organized themselves. And a teenaged girl walked up next to me, and then inched across in front of me, leaning in closer and pushing me back to get her free stuff FIRST.

 

And my FIRST reaction was to tell her to get to back of the line. To wait her turn. I DIDN’T. More because I DIDN’T WANT TO CREATE A SCENE than because I was being particularly PATIENT. She asked for a shirt and walked off. We got our stuff a few seconds AFTER her. We got a full bag of stuff not just a gimme shirt. We got some really nice stuff.

 

But why did I react like that? Because I felt I’d DESERVED justice. I’d EARNED it…

 

But hang on! It was FREE stuff. And I’d done NOTHING for it. We didn’t pay for it, and we’re still enjoying it. That’s the right attitude to have. Whether it’s to free stuff, or to the free grace God’s shown us in Jesus.

 

If we’ve really understood it, we should be LIVING it. How well are YOU living it? We can be like the first workers who complain about the masters generosity to others or we can respond as Peter did when Jesus finished speaking. We can look inside our self and see what we need to change to come closer to God and to be better servants of God's Kingdom. That is Peter thinking – that is Kingdom thinking. That shows we allow God to be in charge. We allow God to lead and we humbly submit to follow.

Two Kingdoms

Reading the gospels it is easy to notice that two kingdoms dominated the world Jesus lived in.  One was the Roman Empire, which controlled much of the world at the time of Christ including Israel.  the second is the Kingdom of God.  Each kingdom had a role to play in human affairs, and both still do today.

The Gospel writers describe several events in Jesus’ ministry that brought him face to face with politics. For instance, shortly after Jesus’ baptismat about the age of 30, the Devil offered him the position of world ruler.  Later in his ministry, a crowd wanted to make him their king. Still later, people tried to turn him into a political activist. How did Jesus react? Let us consider these events. The Gospels state that the Devil offered Jesus rulership over “all the kingdoms of the world.” Think of how much good Jesus could have done for suffering mankind if he had wielded the power of a world ruler.  What politically oriented individual sincerely concerned with mankind’s advancement could resist such an offer? But Jesus refused it.—Matthew4:8-11.

Many of Jesus’ contemporaries were desperate for a ruler who could solve their economic and political problems. Impressed by Jesus’ abilities, the people wanted Jesus to join the political process. What was his reaction? Gospel writer John states: “Jesus, knowing they were about to come and seize him to make him king, withdrew again into themountain all alone.” (John 6:10-15) Clearly, Jesus refused to become involved in politics.

Note what happened days before Jesus was put to death. Disciples of the Pharisees, who favored independence from the Roman Empire, joined by Herodians, members of a political party favoring Rome, approached Jesus. They wanted to force him to take a political position. They asked if the Jews should pay taxes to Rome.  Mark recorded Jesus’ response:

Why do you put me to the test? Bring me a denarius to look at.’ They brought one. And he said to them: ‘Whose image and inscription is this?’  They said to him: ‘Caesar’s.’ Jesus then said: Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but give to God what belongs to God.’ ” (Mark 12:13-17)

Jesus refused to act the part of a political messiah and carefully established both the boundary of Caesar and that of God.  The same holds for today.  The church has a clear boundary as do the governments.  

Problems such as poverty, corruption, and injustice did not leave Christ unmoved. In fact, the Bible shows that he was deeply touched by the pitiful state of the people around him. (Mark 6:33, 34) 

Still, Jesus did not start a campaign to rid the world of injustices, although some tried hard to get him embroiled in the controversial issues of the day. Clearly, as these examples show, Jesus refused to get involved in political affairs. But what about Christians today? What should they do?

Christians today should not participate in politics. Why not? Because they follow Jesus’ example. He said about himself: “I am not of the world.” Regarding his followers, he stated: “You are not of this world.” (John 15:19; 17:14) Consider some reasons why Christians should not become involved in politics.

1. Human ability is limited

The Bible states that humans have neither the ability nor the right to govern themselves. “It does not belong to man who is walking,” wrote the prophet Jeremiah, “even to direct his step.”—Jeremiah 10:23. 

Just as humans were not created to fly successfully on their own strength, so they were not created to rule successfully by themselves.  Speaking about the limits of government, historian David Fromkin noted: “Governments are composed of human beings; therefore they are fallible and their prospects are uncertain. They exercise a certain power, but only a limited one.” (The Question of Government) No wonder the Bible warns us not to put our trust in man.  Psalm 146:3.

2. The influence of  Satan

When Satan offered Jesus world rulership, Jesus did not deny that the Devil had the power to offer him all the kingdoms of theworld. In fact, on a later occasion, Jesus called Satan “the ruler of the world.” Some years later the apostle Paul described Satan as “the god of this system of things.” (John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4) Paul wrote to fellow Christians: “We have a wrestling . . . against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) Behind the scenes, wicked spirit forces are the real rulers of this world.   How should that fact influence our view of politics?

Think of this comparison: Just as small boats are swept along by powerful sea currents, human political systems are pulled along by powerful, wicked spirit forces. And just as the sailors in those boats can do little to change those powerful currents, politicians can do little to change the influence of those powerful spirit forces. Those forces are bent on corrupting humans beyond reform and on causing “woe for the earth.” (Revelation 12:12) 

Therefore, real change can be brought about only by a person who is more powerful than Satan and his demons. That person is Jesus Christ himself.—Psalm 83:18; Jeremiah 10:7, 10, Revelation chapters 19 and 20.

3. Christians should give allegiance only to God’s Kingdom. 

Jesus and his disciples knew that at a set time, God himself would establish a government in heaven to rule over the entire earth. The Bible calls this government God’s Kingdom and reveals that Jesus Christ has been appointed as its King.(Revelation 11:15) 

Since that Kingdom affects all humans, Jesus made “the good news of the kingdom of God” the main subject of his teachings. (Luke 4:43) He also taught his disciples to pray: “Let your kingdom come.”

Why? Because under that Kingdom, God’s will is sure to be done in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 6:9, 10.)

What, then, will happen to man-made governments? The Bible answers that the governments “of the entire inhabited earth” will be destroyed. (Revelation 16:14; 19:19-21) If an individual truly believes that God’s Kingdom is about to remove all man-made political systems, he logically would refrain from supporting those political systems. After all, if he tried to prop up doomed, man-made governments, they would, in effect, be taking a stand against God.

Intolerance of Sin

Whatever religion or doctrine condones or makes allowances for sin is not of Christ. The Doctrine of Christ everywhere teaches self-denial and mortification of worldliness and sin. The whole stream of the gospel runs against those things. Scripture emphasizes the "holy" and the "heavenly" not the sinful and the worldly. The true gospel has not even the slightest tendency to extol corrupt nature, or feed its pride by magnifying its freedom and power. And it rejects everything that undermines and obscures the merit of Christ, or tries to give any credit to man, in any way. And it certainly never makes the death of Christ a cloak to cover sin, but rather it always speaks of it as an instrument that destroys it! 

The goal of Christianity has always been to please God and to be rewarded by God with heaven. It has never been to compromise faith and scriptures in order to find favor with people. Christians are not called to tolerate sin and to become enablers for sin, on the contrary; we are called to bring sinners to repentance and to save them from their disobedience to God. Those who profess a doctrine that excuses sin, that tolerates sin, or that teaches there is no punishment for sin is not a doctrine but a deception of Satan.

Why Bad Things Happen

Luke 13:1-9

We read in the newspaper that people have been murdered and maimed in Boston or that an accident has taken the lives of several in West, Texas.  As people we are inclined to search for causes, explanations, and assign blame. People did the same thing back in Jesus’ day. Of course, they had no nightly news or daily newspapers, but news, being news, has a way of spreading and spreading fast. It seems to have been true then as it is true now that when the number of people killed, killed either by intent or accident, is large the shock of the injustice increases proportionately. The more people involved, the greater is the shock.

The first thing that usually happened after the first shockwave is that people turn rather philosophical and ask rather profound questions regarding the event. We ask why or why God permits or causes such evil. We wonder what is happening to the world and say things like, “When I was younger these things were unheard of,” or “What is the world coming to?” We discuss these happenings with whomever will listen- while waiting for transportation, at work, on breaks, with friends and even strangers “Did you hear about…?” “What do you think about…?” “Isn’t it a shame about…?”We play temporary philosopher and offer our observations about the state of the world, human nature, the evil in people and the uncertainty of the time or manner of death.

The next thing that usually happens is that something else happens to take our mind off the latest news, the latest plane crash, the latest terrorist strike, the latest whatever. We forget about it and move on to something else. Deep down we know such tragedies, be they intentional or accidental, will occur again and again. We deal with these very “un-routine” events rather routinely and they indeed become routine, despite the element of surprise they contain and evoke.

Jesus teaches us to handle such events differently. He knows that all experiences of wonder, including religious experiences that evoke conversion, begin with surprise. However, the surprise need not be pleasant. It can even be ugly and horrible, like a great massacre or accident. Jesus teaches us that even the horrible experiences that happen to others can be opportunities for us to think twice, to think in the light of eternity, and to change our ways and our lives. No matter the circumstances of our deaths, our deaths are inevitable. Then, the question, the only question, is, “What happens next?” 

The more philosophical questions of why or even how we died become irrelevant. No matter the answer, we are still dead. The answers to those and similar questions do not change our status. The Lord is saying that the pertinent question is not how we died or why we died, but how we lived and why we lived. The deaths of others have meaning in and of themselves, meaning for the person who died and for his or her loved ones. But, the deaths of others have meaning for all of us, for they are prophecies of our own deaths and therefore messages from God. The deaths of others, daily occurrences, let us know that we also will die and that the circumstances of our deaths, be they by disease, by the aging process, by some accident, by the evil intent of others, by whatever means, pale in importance when compared to our lives. It is how we lived, not how we died, that will be the deciding factor in where and how we live for all eternity.

Jesus tells us to view the deaths of others and the tragedies that befall us all as prophecies, as messages from God, regarding our own deaths. If we interpret these experiences in the light of eternity they will motivate us to reform our lives rather than fear our deaths or the manner of our deaths. To simply turn philosophical and wax eloquent on the brevity of life and the uncertainty of the future is to attempt to escape the real message and meaning that God constantly is teaching us through the signs he gives us. Every event is potentially a sign from God, containing both his presence and his message that we can and should change. There is always something within our lives that needs changing. Even the deaths of those not close to us should be interpreted by us not only as proofs of the evil in the world but also as signs of the necessity to reform and reform now.

Everything that happens is not God’s will. God tolerates evil, for a greater long-term good, but he does not will evil or send evil upon humans.

Sin happens all the time and sin, by definition, is not God’s will.

Murders, massacres, and accidents are not God’s will.

Even bad things can be interpreted in the light of eternity and good results can follow.

No one is exempt, no matter what his or her disabilities, from living a life of fruitful love.

God and Evil: We do not have to live for very long to realize that many bad things happen to, what we would consider, good people. We become rather philosophical and ask why. We wonder why God would allow such injustice. We can even wonder if injustice in the world proves that God does not really exist, but has been made up by clever human beings to explain the unknown and to justify injustice. Why did God let those fellows who were worshipping him in the Temple be massacred unjustly? Why did God let those beams fall on those men who were working on construction, men with families to support? The answer to these and similar questions can be found in the very word we use to ask them, that is, “let.” God does let these things happen, but that does not mean that he wills them to happen. “Let” means “allows” or “tolerates,” much as a parent “lets” a teenager do things, the parent does not fully approve of, like staying out late or spending a weekend away from home. The parent hopes the child is mature enough to apply all he or she has learned at home in situations where the parent is not there to support the child’s personal decision. God tolerates evil because he wills that his children freely will or choose to live with him and according to his ways. He will not force anyone to “stay at home,” so to speak, if that person chooses to go off on his or her own. Those who do so cause a lot of trouble in the world, even long after they have died. However, God is willing to pay that price, even to let his good children suffer innocently, rather than have an eternal household of captured children, too scared to disobey him. So, yes, there is evil in this world, a lot of it, not because God wills it, but because he lets it be so for a greater and eternal good. 

Procrastination: One day it will be too late to reform our lives and freely decide to live according to God’s ways. That’s the message of the murdered worshipers and the killed construction workers, as well as the message of the parable of the fig tree. If we look at our lives by the light of eternity we do not have much time and so we are motivated to use well every moment and to live every day as fully as we can. If we lose sight of eternity we can be lulled into thinking that we have plenty of time, that we can reform later, and that for now we can do as we please. We certainly are prone to procrastinate and to justify it by saying to ourselves that we can do later what we could just as well do now.

Parasites: The fig tree that year after year produces nothing good, but only takes up space, time, and natural resources is a symbol for unproductive human beings. These are the takers, the consumers, the parasites. They take out of the environment, but put nothing back in. The world and people exist simply to meet their needs. The Galileans and the Siloam construction workers may have died by malice or chance, but the fig tree will die expressly because of inactivity and counterproductive  This is the “greater sin.” We will be judged according to the opportunities we have had and taken. The parable teaches that nothing will survive that merely takes out and gives nothing in return. That is the definition of a parasite. 

True, we all draw strength and sustenance from a soil not our own God’s grace, but we are to bear fruit so that others may draw from us. The parable teaches that we may get a second chance, or a third, or more, but eventually comes the final chance. And we will not know which chance is the final one, so we had better shape up before then, long before then, now. The time to get serious about the future is not in the future, not tomorrow, but today. Amen.

Passion Week

Just after Jesus raises Lazrus the mood and scene in the Gospel of John shifts dramatically.  The joy of Lazrus becomes Jesus losing his patience with Judas over ointment, riding a donkey into Jerusalem, berating Greeks, and advising people to walk while they have light.  The image of Jesus smiling and rejoicing with the family of Lazrus becomes a Jesus being very intolerant to others.  Intolerant I think is the perfect word that fits the gospel reading today.

Jesus was a tolerant person there is no doubt.  Jesus chose for his Apostles the worst society could offer.   Jesus chose a fisherman, they were seen as drunken, surly, disrespectful, and cheating the weights of their catches.  Jesus chose a tax collector, they were in conspiracy with the Romans to cheat Jews out of their hard earned wages, they consorted with the Pharisee to extract the Temple Taxes, and they sided with the Herodians to keep Israel's king on good standing with Rome, Pharisee, and Jews.  Tax collectors were seen as those who would sell their mothers if the price was right.  The other apostles were simple shepherds, farmers, laborers, and tradesmen.

Jesus suddenly shows an intolerant side.  Jesus admonishes Greeks for their wanting Jesus to speak to them. "What do wish me to say?  Father take this form me.  This is why I was born, to fulfill my Father's will and glorify His name."  Jesus begins to berate the Pharisee for being hypocrites.  He accuses the scribes of being dishonest and translating to show favor to Rome and Herod at the expense of Jews.  He tells the Sadducee that they are liars, thieves, and conspirators to keep Israel under Roman control.  Jesus even lashes out at the people of Jerusalem for tolerating all the cheating, lying, and corruption.  Jesus becomes very intolerant, and it is sin that He is intolerant at.

For too long Israel had tolerated sin to take hold.  For too long people had become tolerant of sin but intolerant of the Word of God.  For too long sin was seen as business as usual and living in covenant with God as being wrong.  Sound familiar?  Does this not sound like today.  Continually we are admonished to be tolerant of sin.  We are to be tolerant of sexual immorality, the murder of babies, poverty, laziness, and a whole host of other sins.  We are to be tolerant of sin because we are not to judge.  This is plain wrong.

Let me make this clear: Be intolerant of sin.  Tell sinners that sin is sin.  That is not being intolerant that is being honest.  That is advancing the Gospel.  Moses was not tolerant of slavery.  Joshua was not tolerant of those choosing against God's laws.  Nathan was not tolerant of David's sins.  Elijah was not tolerant of breaking the Sabbath.  Isaiah was not tolerant of Israel's infidelity.  Daniel was not tolerant of being told not to pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The Maccabees were not tolerant of being told not to observe the Passover.  In all these cases the people of God were intolerant.

Jesus was intolerant of Israel allowing the Temple to be defiled.  Jesus was intolerant of Herod's double dealing against Israel.  Jesus was intolerant of Judah selling itself off for profit from foreign invaders from Rome.  Jesus was intolerant of Jews being unfaithful to God, His Father.  It had to end and Jesus was the final answer from God.  Jesus was to be final perfect Passover lamb sacrificed.  A new covenant and final was to be given by God.  This time the Gentile would be saved with the Jew.  All humanity was to be brought into God's salvation - by the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

It for this reason that the Apostles became intolerant to those who rejected Jesus.  The intolerance of early Christians made them choose death before disavowing their faith.  Intolerance made St. Francis found an order of friars that cared for the poor, sick, and disenfranchised.  Intolerance made St. Ignatius found an order that would educate the poor.  Intolerance made Martin Luther demand reforms that would return Christianity to worship and away from corruption.  Intolerance made Martin Luther King Jr lay down his life for justice.  Believe me, Christians are called to be intolerant.

We are called to be the light of the world.  To fulfill this call from Christ we must become intolerant to sin and become tolerant to what Passion Week stands for - the call of Jesus to fulfill His Father's will.  We fulfill this by turning away from sin and turning to Christ.  We do this by sacrificing our way and turning to Christ's way.  We do this by humbly walking with Christ and doing justice.  That is our call of Passion Week.

Welcome Bishop Piers

Bishop Lyle Piers
Bishop of the Midwest, Congregational Episcopal Church

Today at Highland Meadows Church we welcomed Bishop Lyle Piers of the Diocese of the Midwest.  We thank Bishop Piers for a very moving homily covering a difficult topic.  We also thank Bishop Piers for staying after the service to share time with our congregation.  May the Lord bless Bishop as he travels through Texas and Arkansas with Bishop Duff the next week.

The Blame Falls On Me

By Bishop Lyle Piers

Bishop of Province 5 (Diocese of the Midwest)

David, David, David what did you do? You killed Uriah to hide the fact you and Bathsheba committed adultery. You and she had a child who ended up paying the price for your sin. David you were a murdering, adultering son of a so an so, but what does it say about God to take the life of a child who had nothing to do with the sins of you and Bathsheba? What kind of a monster do we worship? Is it justice that the innocent pay for the sins of others?

Well, let us take a moment to calm down and read what 2 Samuel 12 tells us. Yes, David hears Nathan relate a story of a lamb that was stolen from a poor man by a rich man who had many flocks. Yes, David shows anger when he hears of this. David demands not only the death of the thief but also that the poor man be recompensated. Nathan points to the fact David is the rich man in the story. David had choice of all single women in Israel and instead chose the wife of one of his men. Then has Uriah killed to hide his sin. Then as punishment God says the child of David and Bathsheba shall be taken by illness after it is born.

Again, God is punishing the innocent for the sin of another. Why not put David and/or Bathsheba to death? Why the innocent child? Well look at Deuteronomy 17:6, there must be witnesses to the adultery to put one or both to death. There were no witnesses, only David and Bathsheba knew. God would not break His own stipulations. With that resolved, why the child? It seems there was a gross injustice on the part of God.

Perhaps, but consider this: Without the intervention of God in the first place the adultery of David King of Israel who was supposed be without reproach would never have been known to Nathan the Prophet or the Rabbinical Council of Israel. David would have hidden it and it would have festered against David and Israel to judgment before God. Remember, Israel as a whole agreed to be responsible for the sins of the King of Israel. Saul sinned and Israel paid for it by a civil war that pitted followers of Saul against the followers of David. Saul's own son Jonathan turned against him to follow David. Consider also, millions of infants died during the flood in Genesis 7. Today innocent people die and innocent people suffer. The fact of this shows not that God is indifferent or malevolent, but that God may not be fair but is just. Fairness is not God's goal but justice is.

The child of David and Bathsheba was born. David performed extraordinary fasting and prayer to have God relent His verdict. It did not work. When God decides we can fast and pray all we wish, but the will of God is going to be done. That is justice, not fairness. Consider the logic we use as humans: Death is always wrong. Not so fast with this. Hear me out.

Death is not always wrong nor is it always bad. My own mother suffered so badly with cancer it was a relief when the Lord in His mercy took her home. She wailed in pain her last days. It tore our hearts to see and hear her suffer. Her death and many other deaths like hers are not wrong or bad, but may be seen as an act of mercy by a loving God. The children taken in the flood were victims of grave sins committed against them by sinful adults. It says rape ran wild through the land. The same for the children killed by Joshua in the conquest of Canaan. Children were known to be sacrifices for Baal and other gods. Incest was a right of fathers as was the rape of unmarried girls to rich men. Humans were doing far worse to children, so much so one could say their death ordained by God was an act of mercy. See this through the lens of justice and not fairness. God was taking His vengeance on the sinners but showing His mercy to the innocent. The children got Heaven and the sinning adults got Hell. That is God's justice.

Now look at the child of David and Bathsheba and consider this: This child is the product of adultery of the King of Israel. What right will this child have both then and as an adult? The child would have zero rights and would most likely would have been put to death after David's death. This child could have no claim, ever, to David's or Bathsheba's names. This person would have been an outcast in all levels of Israeli society. While the child was taken by God, David and Bathsheba had their hearts tore out. They paid for their sins. David was under the curse of the sword the rest of his life as well. The child was spared a life of misery while David was punished as fully as God could. So much so that many times we read David begging God afterward to take his life. God left David to live a long, long life. Bathsheba we are told mourned this child the rest of her life. While we think an innocent child suffered, actually David suffered greatly. The child died of fever and went immediately to God's arms. David spent the rest of his life suffering to keep Bathsheba, to keep his sons alive, to keep Israel united, and to keep his own life.

David came to realize that the blame for all his suffering fell on him. David for the rest of his life called to God for deliverance from his guilt and to forgive his sin. God did, when David died. God made David live the rest of his life in repentance. And David we are told was a man after God's heart. As are we all. God also allowed His Son to be beaten, humiliated, and crucified for our sins. Crucifixion was the most shameful death a Jew could suffer. The proper sentence for a Jew was to be stoned by fellow Jews. To be crucified by Gentiles was the most shameful death a Jew could suffer. A sign that God's Son was achieving something far beyond Jew and Gentile understanding. Jesus may have died, but the story did not end there. Jesus rose to the Father's glory and took His place on the throne of Heaven. The story did not end there for the child of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel either. That child was taken into the very Kingdom of God. His little eyes opened to see the King of all the Universe looking back at him. That child got the glory and David got the struggle. That child got freedom and David got slavery to his own sins.

Just when we think our logic makes sense we come to realize God's is far beyond our own. Death is not always bad nor wrong. Sometimes death is all God has to be merciful. “O Blessed Day when we arise to our Savior's glory. When our eyes behold the salvation story.” Remember that hymn? It tells of when we see Jesus greet us in Heaven with His outstretched arms, we see the nail marks and know our Savior lives. We shall know also that we live, so O Blessed Day. We also sing, “Death where is thy sting? Hell where is thy grip? The Savior has ransomed and set free all who sing.” God does not give death, God frees from death. To be in God's Kingdom is to be more alive than any who live on this planet. To live in God's presence is to be alive with a life of eternity. That is a life worth living. A life worth living here is to look to that blessed day we shall behold our Savior and know our Savior lives.

Death for a Christian is freedom and the first step to resurrection. What we shall not have on this Earth we gain far more in Heaven. What life shall be taken here is given in eternity in Heaven. Which would you choose: Heaven for eternity or an hour here? Give me Heaven and you can stay here. Right? See now what I am saying. Let me sing at the King's throne and you can sing in church. Let me behold my Savior and you can behold church furnishings. O blessed day of our dear Lord's rising. Just think, men we shall have our hair back. Ladies, you all will have those figures back. We wills shine brighter than the brightest star and we will look at one another and say, “Look at you! You never looked so good!You go on with your blessed self child.” And we will respond, “O I'm going on alright, going right to the Throne of Jesus to behold my blessings.” O blessed day! Here endeth the lesson. Amen.

The Battle of the Two Me

Romans 7:14-25

This passage of scripture seems to be pretty straight forward.  Paul is battling two people.  The inner Paul who seeks to do good, and the Paul of the human who seems to do wrong no matter how hard he wishes to please God.  It seems the classic struggle of flesh vs spirit that dominates scripture especially in the Old Testament.

Further reading though seems to bring a different view.  Each time one rereads this passage a new insight seems to come to mind.  The first time I read this passage I admit that the classic flesh vs spirit struggle was plain to see.  Then on second reading it seems what Paul was writing is that one side we have the saved Christian struggling to do good in a world dominated by temptations.  It is only the grace of Christ that saves us.

A third reading brought something new and fresh to me.  I asked this, "Who is the I Paul is speaking of?"  It does not seem to be the saved Paul who is apostle and witness of Jesus.  It seems Paul is addressing someone other than himself.  With this I broke down verse by verse and this is the result.  I think it a very solid meditation for Lent.

Paul is not describing his Christian experience or his pre-Christian experience, then he must be describing a non-Christian experience.  However, it cannot be simply any non-Christian whom he is describing; the "I" of 7:14-25 is too specifically defined for that to be so.  Also, the non-Christian whom Paul describes seems to have a rather Christian understanding of the inability of the law to bring about obedience to that law.  I believe that at this point Gerd Theissen's comments about Paul's use of the fictive "I," are helpful here.  The non-Christian whom Paul describes is not any one person or grouping of people; rather, he is a figment of Paul's imagination.  The "I" of whom Paul speaks is a non-Christian as seen through Paul's eyes, which explains why such a person would have such a Christian view of his non-Christian condition.

But still he is not just any non-Christian.  At this point I must disagree with the suggestion put forward by many that Paul is envisioning humanity as a corporate Adam.  While I do agree that Paul would quite firmly depict all humanity apart from Christ as being "fleshly, sold under sin," the imaginary non-Christian whom Paul is viewing through Christian eyes is much too aware of the importance, if not the true function, of the law to be simply any Gentile who lives "apart from the law" (Romans 2:12).  I believe rather that Paul is musing about the condition of his fellow Jews, who lay claim to the law without understanding what its real purpose is, who try to do the good while all the time missing the point of justification by faith in Christ, not by works of the law.  

Of course, the Jews themselves are not thinking this way any more than did Paul think this way before he trusted Christ.  His description in 7:14-25 is not a psychological depiction of the agony the Jew feels while trying to obey the law; if it were, the entire Jewish nation would have been rushing to faith in Christ for relief from their struggle!  Paul's description is more pointedly the Christian awareness of the inability of humanity apart from God to do what is good, which, in the final analysis, would be to come to Christ on our own and by our own efforts.  The purpose of the law is to lead people to Christ for justification (cf. Galatians 3:23- 24), and the ultimate irony and tragedy of the power of sin is its leading people to look to their own "lawfulness" for justification instead.  It is much like confusing a highway exit sign on I35 that reads "DALLAS NEXT 13 EXITS" with the city itself; the sign points to the destination, but it is by no means itself the destination, and to pull to a stop and chain oneself to the sign is in fact to miss the destination.  And, Paul would say, the ultimate tragedy is that the people who have chained themselves to the sign (and who are thereby blocking the road for others) aren't even aware that they have missed the whole point of the journey, which is the main reason why he grieves so earnestly for his fellow Jews in 9:1 and wishes that somehow he could take their place so that they might know the justification which God had always intended for them. 

       Verse 14: "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin."  When Paul says, "I am fleshly," he is describing the non-Christian as he or she is seen by the Christian.  The contrast between the spiritual and the fleshly is here just as certain as it is in Romans 8:5-11, where Paul insists that to be in the Spirit makes it impossible for one to be in the flesh also, and vice versa.  The condition of being sold under sin refers not to observable misdeeds but rather to the most central truth about a person outside of Christ.

        Verse 15: "For that which I am doing I do not know; for I am not practicing this 

thing which I wish, but I am doing this thing which I hate."  Rather than being a confession of bewilderment over why one goes on committing "the same old sins" even as a Christian or a non-Christian's lament over his inability to keep the law, this statement reflects a truth which is hopelessly invisible to the person outside of Christ.  It is not that "I" do not understand what "I" am doing; "I" don't even know what "I" am doing.  In "my" striving to fulfill the law "I" am completely oblivious to the fact that "I" am failing to do what "I" in fact want to do, which is to fulfill the law by coming to faith in Christ.  "I" end up doing what "I" hate without even realizing it.  "I" am not misinformed; "I" am blind.

        Verse 16: "But if I am doing this thing which I do not wish, I agree with the law that it is good."  Since the person in Paul's mind wants to fulfill the law, even if in his own distorted way, his failure to do so is his unwitting testimony that the law is indeed good, since his failure is the performing of the very evil that he seeks to avoid.

        Verse 17: "But now no longer am I doing it, but sin which dwells in me."  Only a Christian could make a statement like this; no one of his or her own flesh could conclude that they are under the total mastery of sin, for the deception of sin is that it is possible to overcome sin by trying to keep the law.

        Verse 18: "For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for to will is at hand in me, but to work the good is not."  Paul is not here stating that there is a duality within the non-Christian about whom he is musing, for "flesh" is not merely one part of a person apart from Christ but rather is all that the person is.  The will to please God is short-circuited by the presence of sin to such an extent that the person is completely unable to do what he wishes -- and he or she doesn't even know it.

        Verses 19-20: "For I am not doing the good which I wish, but I am practicing this evil which I do not wish.  But if I am doing this thing which I do not wish, I am no longer doing it but sin which dwells in me."  Here Paul restates what he has already pointed out in verses 15 and 17, thereby forming an inclusio around verse eighteen, which is the heart of the human condition apart from Christ.

        Verse 21: "I find then the law, in me who wishes to do good, that evil is at hand with me."  "Wishes to do good" are no match for the law of evil and indeed only fuel that law, since the "wishing" is going on "in the flesh," in the whole person enslaved to sin.

        Verses 22-23: "For I rejoice with the law of God according to the inner humanity, but I see another law in my members at war with the law of my mind and imprisoning me to the law of sin which is in my members."  This statement must not be taken to indicate that there is a "spark of good" even within sinful humanity, for the rejoicing with God's law that is mentioned is a rejoicing that, as Paul says in 10:2, "is not according to knowledge."  Rather, it is according to the law of sin which imprisons the would-be God-pleaser.

        Verses 24-25a: "I am a wretched man; who will deliver me from the body of this death?  But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"  Again, no non-Christian in his zeal for the law would say this.  More likely, he would say with Paul the Pharisee that, according to the righteousness of the law, he was found blameless.  The wretchedness of humanity apart from God is not apparent to that humanity; only the Spirit can enlighten one that Jesus Christ alone can liberate a person from the unsuspected prison of sin.

        Verse 25b: "Consequently, then, I myself with the mind am serving the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."  The pathetic state of religious and non-religious humanity apart from Christ becomes obvious.  The non-Christian truly believes that he or she is serving God, while in reality it is sin that is the master, wreaking its destruction through the person's flesh, which, for humanity apart from Christ, is all there is.

As people who are "spiritual," not "fleshly," we need not fall helplessly before the onslaught of sin (which was our life before Christ) but may with full confidence place our trust in Christ, through whom we have been freed from sin.  Whereas before we had no choice but to go on doing the evil that we hated and not the good that we wished, now there is a choice.  If we should go on living as if we did not know Christ, as if we had not been freed from sin, then this does not mean that we are expressing our deepest nature, because our deepest nature is now that of Christ, not sin.  Rather, we would be living as people who were "nearsighted and blind, forgetful of the cleansing of past sins" (2 Peter 3:9).  

This observation brings us back to where we started, for the second epistle of Peter warned us at the beginning that some things in Paul's letters are difficult to understand!  Nevertheless, one thing is certain: because of Christ, we may, as people freed from sin, "not let sin exercise dominion in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its passions" (Romans 6:12); instead, we may "present ourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and our members to God as instruments of righteousness" (6:13).  This is both the hope of joyful service to God and the guarantee thereof.