Ministering to the Suffering Servant Messiah before Meeting Christ the King as Our Judge

Last Sunday after  Pentecost: Christ the King Cycle A  proper 29 November 22, 2020
Ezek. 34:11-16, 20-24     Ps.100   
Eph. 1:15-23      Matt. 25:31-46

Lectionary Link

A "Beatles Mass"

The word apocalypse means to uncover.  And when something needs to be uncovered, we might ask what is to be uncovered?

Apocalyptic Christianity consists of people who seem to be obsessed with the end of the world and the return of Jesus as a conquering King.  They can be so obsessed with this that they neglect a genuine care for the people and the environment of the earth right now.  Why take care of earth, if we hope, think and act as though the world is going to end tomorrow?

On this Last Sunday after Pentecost, also called the feast of Christ the King, the Gospel lesson, a parable, gives us some wisdom insights about what the current apocalypse means in our lives right now.

During the time of Jesus, Palestine was awash with speculation about the King who was called another Messiah.  The model for this further Messiah, often center upon someone who would be like King David, who as a military, warrior king was able to maintain the borders of Israel and keep it safe from invaders.

When the followers of Jesus, by virtue of the post-resurrection appearances of the Risen Christ, proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, other rabbinical school within Judaism could not embrace Jesus as appearing in this world to be a King like David, so Jesus could not be their Messiah.  They could not understand how a Messiah could ever be put on the Cross.

If you have ever seen a Christ the King cross, it includes the risen Christ with a crown who is still placed upon a cross.  And what does this mean?  St. Paul said that he gloried in the Cross of Christ.  The Gospel of John quote for Jesus is: "If I am lifted up with draw all people unto me."  One must indeed admit that Jesus is a rather ironic King.

The ironic king and messiah, Jesus, fulfilled the role of being the suffering servant Messiah.  And in the history of the church, when church and state united in triumphant Christendom, the fact remains that the current reign of Christ is still the reign of the suffering servant messiah.  And it would be safe to say that we who live in the results of Empire Christianity, often miss this reign of the suffering servant messiah.

The Gospel parable for today indicates to us that we still live in the reign of the suffering servant messiah.  Do you want to see the king and messiah?  Then you have to know where to look.  And we as communicants might rush to our definition of a sacrament: An outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace.  Yes, Jesus, with faith I know a real presence in the bread and the wine, in unction, in baptism, in marriage, in confession and absolution, in ordination ministry.  Yes, I can see these outward and visible signs.

But what does Christ the king say?  Christ the King says, "I am incognito in the stranger, the prisoner, the poor and the hungry.  Uncover my presence there. "  If you want to be an apocalyptic Christian, uncovered the continuing suffering servant messiah who is found in the stranger, the poor, the prisoner and the hungry.  "But your majesty those are not on the official list of the seven sacraments where we prefer to know the real presence of Christ."

And Christ the King says, "You cannot exhaust my presence in the sacraments or in the Scriptures.  I have hid my continuing suffering servant self in the stranger, the poor, the prisoner and the hungry, because I want you to respond to the obvious meaning of loving your neighbor as your self; it means finding me in all persons."

On this Christ the King Sunday, we are invited to the Apocalypse, the uncovering of the suffering servant Messiah in the poor, the stranger, the prisoner and the hungry.  Why would we want to rush to face the judgment of God until we have ministered to all of the people in the world who need ministry to be able to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?  Why would we want to face judgment, until we can say, we have dealt with the well-being of everyone in world?

This parable invites us as individuals to deal with finding Christ the king in the suffering people as we minister,  even though we as individuals it seems that we can only do small band aid work.  We also need to join with our social selves to do systemic care and justice on a grand scale so that all can have enough and have godly dignity.  We need to convert the corporate powers to do systemic care on a large scale.

My Gospel advice today is this:  Let's not be too quick to want Christ the King as a final judge.  As long as we have so many people who are without adequate care, why would we want to hasten judgment on our role in this failure.

The Gospel advice for us is to honor our baptismal vow: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself, especially in the stranger, the poor, the prisoner and the hungry?  And what do we answer?  I will with God's help.  Amen.

Sunday School, November 22, 2020. Last Sunday after Pentecost, A Proper 29

 Sunday School, November 22, 2020

Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King A proper 29
Lesson
What tricks do your mom and dad do to get you to do something that is necessary but not always fun to do, like cleaning your bedroom?
They might offer you an allowance or what if they said, “We’ve hidden a surprise in your room which you can find if you clean your room.”
This might help you to clean your room because you can find a surprise in doing something that is necessary but maybe not fun for you to do.
Jesus told a story about a king who reviewed some behaviors of his subject.  And he said some had treated him well and some did not.  The people were surprised when the king said that he had treated him well or badly because they did not remember ever seeing him.  The King said that when they treated the poor, hungry and prisoners well, they treated him well too.  And when they neglected the poor, hungry, and prisoners then they were also neglected him.  Sometime we only are nice to people we think are important and we may neglect people who do not seem to be important.  In the early church it was said that we cannot say we love God if we don’t love our brothers and sisters.  God’s presence is hidden within people so that we treat each other well.  Remember God is hidden in each person so that as we treat others well we are also treating God well.  This is a reminder to us to treat everyone well.


Sermon:
Once upon a time there was a great king and whenever he went amongst his subjects, they would always bow and curtsy and pay him great respect.  And they would do anything for him that he asked.  He had great armies and so people were also frightened by his power.
 One day the king thought, “I wonder if the people only like and obey me because I am the king.  What would happen if I didn’t look like a king?   
 So one day he took off his crown and his royal clothes.  He messed up his hair and dirtied his face and he put on the tattered clothes of a beggar.  And he sneaked out of the castle onto the streets of the city.  And he started to beg for food and for money.  His nobility and friends didn’t recognize him on the streets.   They just rode passed him…some told him to get off the streets.  After begging for two days he was very hungry and tired.  And he thought about his experiment.  “People only like me and help me because I am a powerful king.”  He was about to go back to the palace,  but he was interrupted by a man, a poor farmer, who was carrying a garden hoe.  He was coming home from working in the fields.  The farmer invited him to his home and there he shared his family supper with the beggar king.
 The King returned to the palace and the next day he brought the farmer and his family to the palace, and gave him a really good job taking care of the palace gardens.  The poor farmer was surprised by his good luck?  And when he was called before the king, he asked the king, “Why did you choose me to be your gardener?  How did you know me?”  The king said, “Do you remember the poor beggar that you invited for supper?  That was really I.  Everyone else looked at my poor clothes and ignored me, but you fed me?    Why did you feed me?”  The farmer said, “Because you looked hungry and in need.”
 Just like the king hid himself as a beggar, so too God hides God’s own presence  in the world in the lives of people who need help.  God does this as a test for us to see if we will pass the test.  And if we are kind, we pass  the test.
 This week is thanksgiving.  Let us remember to be kind to those who are in need, because the presence of God is found in those who are in need.  Amen.  

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist. 

November 22, 2020: The Last Sunday after Pentecost, Christ the King

Gathering Songs:  Hosanna; Hosanna; The King of Love; The King of Glory Comes
Liturgist: ​Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People:​And Blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.
Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.
And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.
Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
Song: Hosanna (Renew! # 71)
1. Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Lord we lift your name—with hearts full of praise; Be exalted, oh Lord my God Hosanna in the highest!
2. Glory, Glory, Glory in the highest!  Glory, Glory, Glory to the King of kings!  Lord we lift your name—with hearts full of praise; Be exalted, oh Lord my God Glory to the King of kings!
Liturgist:​The Lord be with you.
People:​And also with you.
Liturgist:  Let us pray
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.
First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)
O God, you are Great!  Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians
God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 100
Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; * serve the LORD with gladness and come before his presence with a song. 
Know this: The LORD himself is God; * he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise; * give thanks to him and call upon his Name. 
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age. 
Anniversaries:   
Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)
Liturgist:
For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!
For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!
For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!
For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!
For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!
For work and for play. Thanks be to God!
For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!
For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!
For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.
  Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:​The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
People:​Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, `Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, `Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, `You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, `Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Liturgist:​The Gospel of the Lord.
People:​Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon – Father Phil 

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and 

    resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is 

    welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world.Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Liturgist: ​The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:  ​And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering.

Offertory Music:  Hosanna! Hosanna!  (Christian Children’s Songbook # 102)

Hosanna!  Hosanna! The little children sing.  Hosanna! Hosanna!  For Christ, our Lord, is King.  “Prepare the way,” the children sing, Hosanna to our Lord and King!  Hosanna!  Hosanna! The little children sing.  (repeat)

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of our birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we can we love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing, 

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant: ​Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People: ​Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: The King of Love, (Renew! # 106)

1. The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness keeps me ever.  I want for nothing!  I am God’s and God is mine for ever.

2. Where streams of living water flow my happy soul God leads now, and where the greenest pastures grow with food celestial feeds now.

3. Though often foolishly I strayed, still in true love God sought me; and told me to be unafraid, and home again God brought me.

4. In time of death I’ll have no fear with you, dear Lord, beside me; your rod and staff my comfort still, your cross before to guide me.

5. You spread a table in my sight the bread of life bestowing; With promise of eternal light My cup is overflowing!

6. Though all of my remaining days, Then guide me, leave me never, Good Shepherd, my I sing your praise within your house forever.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

   and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

    bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: The King of Glory, (Renew! # 267)

Refrain: The King of Glory comes, the nation rejoices.  Open the gates before him, lift up your voices.

1-Who is the King of glory how shall we call him?  He is Emmanuel, the promised of ages.  Refrain

2-In all of Galilee, in city or village, he goes among the people curing their illness. Refrain

3-Sing then of David’s son, our Savior and brother; in all of Galilee was never another.  Refrain

Dismissal    

Liturgist:    Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 

People:      Thanks be to God!  

The Illusion That Life Can Be Freeze-Framed

24 Pentecost A p. 28 November 15, 2020
Judges 4:1-7    Psalm 123      
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11  Matthew 25:14-30
 

Lectionary Link

The parable of the 5, 2, and 1 talents arrives in our reading in the fall when it is  Every Member Canvass Time.  I wonder if that is just a sheer coincidence, or did the lectionary makers know the financial rhythms of parish life?  So, the preacher is all set up to deliver a stewardship sermon emphasizing, not equal giving but proportionate giving, and to remind us all about the cruel law of atrophy which applies even to our gifts in ministry; use it or lose it as the saying goes.  If one fails to develop one's baptismal ministry, then those who are diligent will take up the slack and do the ministry which the slacker was given to do.

These are good sermon ideas, I've worn them out many times but for today, I'd like to presents some insights that this parable provides for people who have no choice but to live in time, and what does time mean?  It means continuous change.  I would like for us to understand this parable as wisdom insights regarding the stewardship of time and change.

In life people are dealt different situations in life, and some of what we are dealt are gifts which can be invested and developed.  Some have five talent occasions, some two talent occasions and others one talent occasions.
The five talent guy took his five and not only retained his original five, he added five more.  The two talent guy, did the same.  He kept his two and added two.

But what about the one talent guy?  The parable says that he acted in fear and buried his talent in the ground so that he would not lose it.  No matter what happened, he thought he would always have the same.

Let us consider the one talent guy with this illustration.  We all know what freeze-frame is when it comes to videos; we can stop a video and have it frozen so we can cherish the moment.  We can turn a moment in the movie into a single photo.
We suddenly want to preserve the movie by stopping it permanently at a favorite moment.  This might be like what the one talent man did.

Burying what is a gift or trying to freeze-frame what we once enjoyed is the act of conserving, of being a conservative.   We think that we can freeze-frame conserve and we do this out of anxiety and fear of loss.  And what happens?  We can lose all because we fail to realize that the gift and blessing of this moment are not meant to be the end all of life; they are to be a gift for us to invest in the present and in the future for better outcomes.

One might think, "I love this gifted moment; I want to stay here.  I want time to stop because if I bury it and keep it same, I will not lose it and I am fearful about loss."

 

Let us apply this for a moment at many who hold literal biblical views.  We like the Bible as our holy book.  And we may want to be very literal about a biblical view, and so we try to freeze-frame the Bible to preserve or keep what we think is valuable.  And indeed we can find great value.  But look what we see in a biblical freeze-frame of the Bible.  We see slaves, we see subjugated women whose abilities are not developed or cherished, we a perceptual flat earth and many other cultural details which cannot be validly woven into our current lives.

 

What if we did the same as American Constitutional Originalists:  We freeze-frame the primitive American Constitution situation.  We see grand ideas of law and justice, but when we look closer we see Washington and Jefferson as slave-holders, we see that women and non-landowners unable to vote and many other practices that are out-dated with enlightened justice.  So why should we "freeze-frame, bury or completely conserve" a good time,  when it still is a time with much unfinished business?

The church can be selectively "Amish" in many of our practices who decided that it was god-like to stop the advance of technology 150 years ago.  A much different kind of life has gone on and developed outside of Amish cloistered life.  The attempt to freeze-frame may have the romance of the simple life; but is it realistic to time and change?

The good stewardship of time and change means that we conserve the good in dynamic engaging investment in the now and in the future, but what else do we do?  We expand our investment beyond the good that was which with a closer look may have been surrounded by too many bad actors who did not live up to the ideals of love and justice for all.

What if we were to freeze frame our church now; what do we see?  We see many young people uninterested in our liturgies and practices.  They seem to be like those who are not interested in taking up Amish buggies when it comes to some of our practices.  But if we look closer we will also see some wonderful good.  We are trying to open our doors of full participation to more people, in the way in which St. Paul saw the message of Jesus expand beyond the boundaries of Judaism to the Gentiles.  We see the inclusion women in the full ministry of the church, we seek the full sacramental participation of gay and lesbian persons in the life of the church, we seek to be both religious mystical poets and brute fact scientists.  And do it without contradictions as we find faith to be a force for graceful mediations of all of the facets of the ways in which we can be fully human.  And we do this on the quest to more a perfect embodiment of love and justice.

The parable of Jesus invites us to move from the sense of anxiety and fear of the good that we think we might lose, and move into the dynamic investment in the now and in the future.  Why?  Because the faith of Jesus Christ is the call to surpass ourselves in a future state.  The magnet of God's power bends us in an arc aimed at  more perfect love and justice.

Dear friends, we are invited to the dynamic investment of time today.  Let us not in fear, freeze-frame what we might revere as the "good 'ol days;" let us be investors in real time, continuous time.  By doing so we conserve the good of the past into the present and future, even as we continue to work on what is yet unfinished in reaching the wonderful love and justice of Jesus Christ for all.  Amen.