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Sermon Luke 14:15-24
We have named this the Parable of the Great Banquet, but it easily
could be called the Parable of the Rotten Guests. Look at what
they do. The first two insult the host by saying they are too
busy with business transactions that easily could be set aside
to do another time. Look at some land; look at some animals. And
the third guest uses a social excuse; I just got married. It's
kinda like the excuse parents sometimes use, 'Sorry I can't come,
Johnny isn't feeling well." In Jesus day, newlyweds could
get out of all sorts of "obligations" by using the "first
year of marriage" excuse. And in this case it is an insult;
he's saying the party is a burden.
Bethan and I have been focusing on the Kingdom of God for the
last number of weeks. And again, here we have another parable
which speaks to the nature of the Kingdom of God. It speaks to
the nature of God's activity in the world; it tells who the Christian
God is.
In today's text, The Kingdom of God is like a party where all
the expected people refused to attend, so the host tells his servants
to invite the unexpected people; the poor, the disabled, the ill;
There is more room, so the host sends the servants outside the
city to welcome the outcasts; adding that the servants should
even do some arm twisting lest the outcast are afraid they will
be in trouble for coming into the city. They all come and have
a wonderful party with the Host.
This parable is interesting since it is not one that has been
very memorable in the recent life of the Church. At least during
the period during the time when the Church was among the respectable
institutions of society; that would be from the year 388 to the
last century. It's the period called the Constantinian Period
of the Church. The time when we in the Church had special relationship
with the government. In 388, Emperor Constantine declared that
Christianity was no longer an illegal religion, but was to become
the official religion of the Empire. A parable which says that
God welcomes the disrespectable, just does not sit well with people
who want Christianty to be a "respectable religion".
This is such an important thing for us as the church in this
age to understand. We are at the beginning of another Epoch of
the church. It is what historians are calling the post-Constantinian
Church or the post-Christendom. "Boil it down" to the
congregational level and many of you know what the result is.
Empty pews! In the first years when Kerry St. United, which was
on land now used by the hospital, moved up to Shiloh, the pews
were filled. I suspect that some of the leaders even thought that
they had made a mistake by not making the building bigger! But
then sometime in the early 70's we noticed that shift had taken
place, sometimes earlier in other places, and sometimes later
in others; but make no mistake, it was not business as usual.
People slowly stopped coming. Or they just came at Easter or Christmas.
And then many just came for funerals, baptisms, or weddings.
This is very important for you long time folks to understand
lest you feel a sense of failure in this mission. At the end of
the month we'll stop regularly worshipping at this site and will
be banding together with 6th Ave. United. What is happening here
is not an isolated situation but happening across the United Church,
and not just the United Church but across all denominations, and
not just denominations, but across all faiths in the West. To
their own peril, the things of God is just not a high priority
for most people in this culture anymore.
Pastor Gordon Scoville calls it "The Vacuum"; the spiritual
vacuum. Not the machine, but a place without air. Empty of air.
We live in society were things of God hold little respect for
most in our society. Even for most in the pews, "The church
exists on a flat date-book surface right next to the appointment
demands of the sewing circle, the Lions Club, the basketball team,
and the like. These associations and the church are experienced
as equal drains on time."
Did you know that there are 5000 people in New Westminster who
named themselves as United Church in the last census. When I read
this last year I decided to try an experiment and stand on the
street corner with a sign which said, "Are you United Church,
please come to worship on Sunday." I know it is a kooky thing,
by United Church standards, but I like to do kooky things from
time to time. I sent out some press releases, so the press showed
up. I told them that of the 5000 Uniteds in New West, that only
about 100 of them worshipped regularly.
Only 1/500 are willing to participate as the mission of the church.
It sounds like today's parable! And since it sounds like today's
parable, I'm not dismayed or discouraged by the statistics. That
might sound strange, except for the last part of the parable.
When the servants stopped looking to the normal places to welcome
people, to the marginalized people; to the disabled; to the stranger;
to the foreigner; to the outcast; they found that they could welcome
many to this heavenly banquet
Now, we must get something straight. The church is not the kingdom
of God. Some think so, but we don't. The church witnesses to the
Kingdom of God. The church, if faithful, prepares disciples so
they become citizens of the Kingdom of God. The church proclaims
the kingdom of God in all that it does. And of course the church
awaits its full realization and coming. The church is the body
of Christ in the world. The clay pot which holds the treasure,
as the apostle Paul put it. We are invited to share in the Kingdom
of God as disciples of Jesus Christ. We are a mission brought
about by the power of the Holy Spirit; something temporary until
the kingdom is fully here.
The church is of central importance to God's Mission; we are
servant of God's mission. And yet, I fear that this is something
that our denomination, which was formed during the last gasps
of the Constantinian Church Period missed. We formed from the
Presbyterians, the Methodist and the Congregationalists at a time
of great excitement of the churches power in society. I fear that
we in the United Church, who chose to be at the centre of Canadian
life, now find ourselves deeply confused about our role in the
current age. Just look at our name, "The United Church OF
Canada". Not "IN" Canada. And why just in Canada?
Some of you younger people may not know that we were at one time
considered "THE" national church of Canada. The head
of the United Church had the Prime Minister of Canada's direct
line, and the Moderator would phone converse regularly with the
leader of Canada. And now, in the post-Constantinian period, we
have government officials telling the church should not provide
sanctuary for refugees.
Isn't it a deep irony that were these 6 refugees are not welcome
in our country, they find a welcome in our churches. It's today's
parable being retold in today's reality. Here amongst the followers
of the Crucified One; the stone that the builders rejected, these
outcasts find a banquet of support.
This sanctuary issue is such a sign of hope for the life of the
Church in Canada; thank God there are churches which are willing
to do what today's parable calls us to do. Be a people of radical
welcome, regardless of Canada's barbaric refugee laws. Thank God
there are disciples willing to welcome the oppressed into their
communities; it is no easy thing.
But let's be clear about something about today's parable; the
host was not providing charity. Did you notice that he didn't
send the banquet to the foodbank or send Christmas packages to
be left on people's doors. He doesn't thow a special lunch for
them, but rather they are coming to his party. He doesn't welcome
the refugees then feed them the scraps in the kitchen..
There is nothing wrong with charity, but the parable is not able
do-gooders giving charity to those on the margins. It is about
hospitality, about welcoming those on the margins into community!
It is about God being in relationship with them and us. Something
deeper, more profound, more dangerous to the status quo.
I have a lot of hope for Shiloh/6th Ave, I have hope because
I already see God's strange & heavenly hospitality at work.
Here Caucasians and Taiwanese are becoming friends. Here working
class, professional class ... and young and old ... are calling
each other brother and sister. Here various people from all walks
of life and being a community of welcome.
The great challenge for us independent people is for us to recognize
there is a Host. I like the word hospitality over the word "inclusivity".
It's a better word because, we know from today's text, not everyone
is comes to the banquet of God. There are some for whom God considers
outsiders, ones unfit for the Kingdom. And those would be the
one's who hold distain for the Host, for the way of Jesus Christ,
for a cross shaped life; those who reject the invitation; are
too busy with themselves and more important matters. Some reject
the invitation God offers because their hope lies elsewhere.
And yet, our hope lies in the graciousness of the Host of the
Universe whom we know through Jesus Christ. And so we gather together
to feast in this new reality. We gather under the cross, the sign
of God's triumph over the forces of death through the power of
self-giving love. We gather near the font, sign of a people drowned
to the ways of violence and self-justification. And, like today's
parable, we gather at the table, sign of the heavenly banquet,
God's generosity as host willing to welcome any who follow the
way of Jesus Christ to the heavenly banquet.
One last challenge remains however for a church still grieving
our loss of status as the church at the centre. I would suggest
that we have forgotten how to party; how to have fun as Christian
communities. We're just too damn serious about church! Yes, we've
got some financial bumps to work out, yes, closing church buildings
is indeed painful, and yes, being God's mission in the world is
universally important. But the parable today says something about
the Host; he likes a good party! He doesn't wish what he has laid
before us to be wasted. I'm not talking about debauchery or anything
like that, but being the kind of church where we find ways to
very much enjoy being together as God's mission.
And so, over the next year as you are drawn toward the new vision
that God has given you, one thing is for certain, you need a new
name! May it express a sense of joy and expectancy regarding the
life of discipleship in Christ. That life together can be fun.
So let's get a new name, since Shiloh/6th Ave is kinda of dull.
After today's parable, how about "Party Time United Church"!
Or "All You Can Eat United Church." Did you know that
African Americans, because of this parable, call the Kingdom of
God, "The Welcome Table."? Because of racism, they were
unwelcome in many places, tragically even in Caucasian Churches,
but they knew through Jesus Christ that they were welcome to feast
with God. Perhaps instead of "In Rememberance of Me",
we might put on our table, "Here You Are Welcome". We
might do that So that the world might know that HERE we are discovering
a life of simple gratitude as agents of God's hospitality, HERE
we are invited to the table through the graciousness of Jesus
Christ. HERE we are sons and daughters of the most high God.
Call to Worship
Christ has named us as beloved; give glory to God.
The Crucified One has welcomed us into the household of God; give
glory to God.
Through the Son of God, we have been welcomed to the heavenly
feast.
Give glory and worship the One who has given us such great blessings.
Approach & Confession
You are a self-giving God, who's acts of loving kindness call
us to gather as your people. Your steadfast love calls us to respond
to life in thanksgiving and praise. You have welcomed us into
your Divine life and made us welcome through Jesus Christ.
Guard our hearts where we are tempted by the lesser things of
the world. Hold tight onto us when we are tempted by the busyness
and cares of the world. Forgive us where we have turned from your
ways and taken you for granted. We turn away from all that would
keep us from the life of blessing you would have for us as disciples
of Jesus Christ.
Assurance
The Good News is that if you turn away from a self-absorbed life
towards our Crucified God, you will not be rejected. If you have
found that the world has rejected you, your family has rejected
you, even if you have given up on yourself. If you change directions
in your life, you will find God willing to forgive and welcome
you as a beloved child.
Offering
Eternal Christ, you are the head of our church. Along with Christians
in New Westminster, and around the world, we offer our gifts in
gratitude for what you are doing in the world. Grant that our
hearts may grow in hospitality, set aside our fear of the stranger
and outcast, make us a people of radical welcome that we might
serve your holy mission in sharing the Good News of your holy
Kingdom. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.
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