Price of Wickedness - Matthew 21 - Proper 22A

The Price of Wickedness

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 21: 33-46; Psalm 80; Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 3:4-14

Opening prayer

Jesus delivers this damning parable, loosely based upon Isaiah, about some truly awful people and a landowner that gives up his own son. 

This parable describes violence against people in many ways and may even offer a foretelling of the crucifixion of Jesus.  Yet, in telling this to the people whom Jesus is criticizing, do they even see that warning? Do they care?  Should we care?

Well they want to arrest Jesus for this. So they see it but they don’t like the description. People don’t like to be criticized, even when it is a harsh truth.

Yet it is a harsh truth, and someone is, some people are, paying the price for it.  

Who pays the price for the violence that is shown because a price is paid ? Who pays the price, especially when the wickedness goes unchecked?

Nobody provokes these people. They just do terrible things. (Furtchbar)

There is, after all said and horrible done, The vineyard is given to those who will produce at harvest time. 

God has laid a cornerstone and some people have rejected. But God isn’t done.

The Lord’s work is mysterious to us, but well thought out, planned and ready for us , like the landowner. Some want to contort that plan into a masterful way of enriching one self or excluding. 

Then, Someone comes along and points out the trouble that leadership has made. We see it, we know it. We live it today. 

When leadership has little regard for the flock or the fruit, people pay a price. This isn’t a sticker on the box that a clerk punches into a cash register.  There is no cash amount, but there is a cost for people that abuse systems, take advantage of people, contort laws only for wealthy fortunes, exclude wide swaths of people, or actual violence to ensure these “rewards”remain.  

Dictatorships and criminal regimes wear this mark as a badge.  Yet we see it in our own political system, and only a few raising a fuss.  Who pays for the neglect? Who pays for corrupt or violent systems?

People do…  you and me and so do the people inflicting the damage.

They may not realize they are the cause of their own pain and misery.  

Power and wealth corrupts because it is path of broken dreams, hoarding and greed. That path is full of holes, deceptions, misbehaving, and plots that do not lend well for trust, peace, forgiveness or love.

When those broken lies rule you, us, then the social structure bends towards preserving that corruption because corrupt leadership wants to preserve their sins and make excuses for them. 

They even build walls to keep the corruption in. 

Yet, there is hope. The Lord made this vineyard for us to yield grapes, not violence. The Lord will break down the wall so that the people can be restored. That restoration needs us to break through the lies and brokenness that you see all over YouTube, Facebook or wherever you get your news… to see that instead, God means for us to have something real, tangible and loving.

This parable is not just a complaint against religious elders of Jesus's day, but of all those who desire to lead people anywhere, whether in church walls, courtrooms, legislatures, neighborhood associations or even a simple household. This parable serves as a warning about broken deceptions having a cost and the people will bear that cost.  

The garden has been set, the produce is there and the expectation from God is that we tend and steward this God-given garden for all people.  Like we saw last week, we can course correct because Gods forgiveness is always there and ready for us.

The fruit of the garden is to be shared, not hoarded. A miserable death is not needed because there is time to change, but a miserable death will be all that is left for those who continue this evil path.

The price of that evil (bröse) is your souls because when they lead us and then we follow that path, then we are just as guilty as them.

The fruit of heaven, fruit of God, is for you and me. 

Don’t let them take that away. Don’t let the lies and mischief rule you and rob you of what God has for you. 

Justice, equity, fairness, forgiveness, and love is all part of God’s abundance poured out for us, all of us.  No suit and tie can take that away from us. No person in a fancy Sunday robe can deny that.

We can pray the lament of the psalm and ask for restoration when we have went down wrong paths. 

God cleared ground and planted a vine.  Let us be the ones who help that vine grow. Let us help nurture the vine and its fruit, not just for ourselves but for all. 

Let us be diligent about staying true to that good path. 

Yes, Let us invite others in the gift of that vine, the love and wisdom of God.

Thanks be to God, Amen

By What Authority - Matthew 21 - Proper 21A

By What Authority

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 21:23-32; Philippians 2: 1-13; Psalm 25

Opening prayer

By what authority?

Jesus talks to these leaders about how they rejected John and his message where Jesus’s message is similar.  What change would happen to those heard John did not believe and hear Jesus and do not believe?

This is a debate between Jesus and the religious elite about where authority comes.  When I write and preach, I do so from the guidance of the Spirit. I have my faults and readily acknowledge that I am flawed like any person. 

Yet, when some do, they are motivated by money, power, or status that takes away from the truth that is God. Such is selfish desire instead of divine wisdom of the Spirit.

These people in authority ask Jesus what authority drives him. Jesus question back to the leaders leaves them without answers - a little speechless even.

Then, this parable, as well as the next couple in the weeks to come, are illustrations of this. 

Essentially, two kids were told to do work. One doesn’t and then changes mind and other says yeah and then doesn’t. Simple image but not just a simple message.

Then Jesus explains plainly that those who changed their minds are the ones who are on the path with God. Whereas, those who don’t or outright lie about it, they are not. Even more, these leaders, who are supposed to represent God in the lives of the people, these are being criticized for ignoring the plight of the people they are supposed to serve. 

Where have we heard this before?  This isn’t just a religious dogma or leadership thing because we see this in politics and business.

There are couple things, at least, in that assertion. There is a warning but also a path.

1. The people: whom these leaders consider to be lower class or just not worthy - “tax collectors and prostitutes” or throwaways and the excuses - those are the ones who actually get it. That is not the well-to-do who claim greatness or only talk about doing God’s work without manifesting that into action. 
2. They have established a pattern of empty words, lying, ego, exclusion and worse but that isn’t set in stone. It is not too late to turn from that attitude and way of being. 

Its more than just two ideas here.  For today, let’s look at these different perspectives.

Again this isn’t just about clergy or longstanding church institutions alone. 

There are people all around us, not just in leadership, but regular folks who think they don’t have time for unworthy people, homeless, ostracized or hurt. Even worse, they perpetuate in these exclusions through what they do and what is said.  Neglect is passive aggressive because we choose to ignore that which or whom needs our attention.

They have excuses lined up for why. Color of skin, gender, orientation, disability, clothes they wear, where they were born, or the religion they profess. Followed by, “I don’t have time” or “I don’t see them” or “their plight is not mine.” 

That is careless and mindless living. 

Really, it is just excuses for not doing the right thing or following the right path. They just might have to get a little dirty.  Shame.

They may have many blessings in their lives. (Great for them!) However, when we realistically only hoard them and don’t share the gifts given to us, we are not doing God’s work nor God’s will. 

I may say I am Christian and following the way of God, but does it stop at those words? I hope not.

People do need and want leadership that is good and responsible in our society; one that takes care of people, helps people and embraces our divine uniquenesses.  

Leadership and regular people have opportunities to do this in our everyday living, not just on Sunday in the pews. We have the capacity to listen to stories, to extend hands, to show compassion, and to be the face of God to someone who needs that now. 

That is the next part of this. 

If we find ourselves on a path like that, we don’t have to stay there. There is time, today and now, to change our path into something that aligns with divine work and will. 

For it is ego and our broken worldly expectations that keep us from living in the work and being with people that are our neighbors, whether a door down, across the city or even the other part of the world. 

When we remember these people as our neighbors, there is no need for judgment, prejudice, hate, fear and violence because we let God handle the judging. We let the blessings bestowed upon us show through in our interactions (words and actions).

We pray the psalm O Lord teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach and …steadfast love.” There it is again, steadfast love.

We learn these teachings why? By what authority?

That, Beloved, is what is meant for us and that, my friends, is the path of righteousness. Don’t just confess Jesus is Lord and stop there; we are to “work on [our] own salvation…”

“…look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.”

Roll up sleeves, help folks, extend smiles, extend grace or visit them in nursing homes, in jails, or wherever they are on life’s journey. For you know as well as I, that someone somewhere needs to know that God is here, and there are plenty of opportunities for us. 

We can be the face of that love and forgiveness when we let God’s love and forgiveness be us and our actions. Then you too can say by what authority you share that love and those blessings.

That Beloved is worth way more than empty words and mindless living because that is worth everything. 

Thanks be to God, Amen

Fairness - Matthew 20 - Proper 20A

Fairness

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 20: 1-16; Philippians 1:21:30; Psalm145; Exodus 16:2-15

Opening prayer

Guten Morgen! Ich studiere Deutsch und habe ich Vokabeln tauchen.

Heute, Today, we read how fair God is. 

The parable of the laborers that arrive at different times of the day for work and all get paid the same. What is odd about this? Are we reading some socialist dogma?

The answer is why is it odd to you? It could be something entirely different from socialist.

We don’t know what these people were doing all day or the half day while the morning crew was presumably working.  Were they participating in shenanigans? Were they sleeping in for a day? Were they out shopping?

Yet when called in the evening to get paid, they all receive the same pay.

Then the grumbling. You know it, you have seen it and heard it. Why did they get the same as us who worked all day and been here all day - in scorching heat?  What have they been doing that we could have been as well? 

What justice is this? What is fair about this?

The response is “The last will be first and the first will be last.” (Die Ersten werden Die Letzten sein.)

That is similar to how people think about church and religion.  Those who have been here for all their lives compared to people walking in the doors for the first time today. 

What privilege does being here all that time give us or should be bestowed upon us? Aren’t you special?

I work out plenty, but I still have a weight issue. How is that fair?

Thank you for being here and keeping the lights on and doing the necessary, but yours and my welcome is better when we receive more and more  - When we celebrate those who have been found regardless of when they came and from where they came. 

The radical nature of grace is something we haven’t quite realized when we think in terms of some notion reciprocity or as a transaction for our efforts.  

The landowner gives “whatever is right.” Everyone gets what is “right.”

Face it life isn’t easy but God’s love isn’t dispersed based upon how long a tenure or years of service. God is abounding steadfast love. 

That love is for each and everyone of us. 

There is something that irritates and gets under folks’ skins here.

Those people aren’t taking advantage of us or God because God’s grace is just that radically given. We remember that judgment should be left to God but this feels like God not holding people account.

Yet there is a lot of power on display here. If we look at the landowner, first he goes out at different times to get more people. Could have just let the first work and have no help at all. If you are a farmer, we know that harvest is when you need the most help. This landowner is getting more and more help.

Second, the landowner tells them all they will get whatever is right. Then chooses to give - to distribute the same to the last - same as the first. 

Is God not allowed to give what God wants or be as generous to us?  That person on the corner holding a sign for begging or the person in jail who finds God or just the one who has done all the right things . The payout, the reward, is the same. 

Yet there is envy. There is this consideration in many that “how is that right or fair?”

That Beloved is divine grace.  It doesn’t have definitions for who can and cannot receive . It requires not our judgment or effort, but our belief and our celebration that others receive along side us - not resentment - not condemnation - not judgment.

This is also representative of an economy where people need work but have none. Doesn’t that sound familiar? 

Why do we blame those for standing around all day needing work but having none? How is it their fault ? How is that fair? 

What about people who have none? Who continue to hold the signs in scorching heat and humidity?

We pray the words of the psalm all the time in our services, but do we actually turn them into our faith?

God is great and to be praised for ALL that is done and for ALL the people that God blesses, not just the people next to us in the pews or inside four walls of a church. 

That ALL means something different when we chip away at it with our judgment and envy and prejudices. Instead, that ALL is precisely the grace that is meant to be and for us to truly realize the immense nature of the grace and mercy that are “abounding…“ 

That doesn’t require our approval or our weak judgments to proceed or be poured out to the many.

That does require of us to let go and Let God - like we said last time.

In that way, we become the last because we let God choose instead of our shallow expectations, prerogatives and our preferences. We let our faith be defined by God’s work and God’s guidance. We let God do for us and for all.  

That is fair. That is God. Receive that grace.

Gott sei Dank, Amen.