Sermon
Oct 07, 2009
Linea Peingondjabi Haufiku
A sermon by the Rev'd Linea Peingondjabi Haufiku, Class of 2011 from the Anglican Diocese of Namibia, given on October 7, 2009, in Christ Chapel
Matthew 9:9-17
Opening prayer: God, we thank you for this day and time, when we come together and worship you. We thank you for your grace, love and mercy towards us and all people. Be with us this hour and help us to grow in our faith, to the glory of your name. Amen!
The passage that has just been read now, from Matthew 9:9-17 can be divided into two parts; the first part which is verses 9-13 that talks about the call of Matthew the tax collectors and Jesus feasting with sinners. The second part, verses 14-17 deals with religious authorities questioning Jesus, and this time their concern is on fasting.
Matthew was a Jew appointed by the Roman government as the tax collector in his area. He collected tax from citizens as well as from traders passing through his area of work. Tax collectors on the other hand were expected to take commission on the tax they collected and often they overcharged people in order to get more commission or keep the difference as profit to themselves. Because of this, tax collectors were hated by the Jews especially, but also, people like Matthew worked for the enemy, thus betraying one's own people and cooperating with the Romans whom the Jews hated most. Thus Matthew's profession as tax collector made him to be put into the same category with thieves and prostitutes, people who are regarded as sinners in as far as the Jews and Pharisees' law is concerned.
At the same time, scripture tells us that when Jesus saw Matthew he called him with a simple command as he called all his followers- the different is, he did not ask Matthew to be a collector of people nor did he tell him to leave his job or give his job to someone else, like he did to the fisherman and to the rich man, he simply said "follow me". And without hesitation Matthew got up and followed Jesus. He did not think about his work, or his worldly possessions he is leaving behind to follow Jesus. Jesus even dined with him and other sinners, probably Matthew's colleagues including prostitutes and thieves. This draws the disapproval of the Pharisees whom Jesus answered "I came not to call the just but the sinners".
One writer by the name Jurgen Moltman suggests that, this kind of meals that Jesus had with such outcast people, should be the basis of all our Eucharist - i.e instead of focusing on the last supper, we should see the Eucharist as being like Jesus' meal with sinners and outcast. On that basis Moltman argues for an "open table" that anyone who comes forward should be given communion and especially that we should never refuse people communion on the basis of discipline (like disciplining unmarried couples living together or refugees with no identities because they came into our community illegal. Or baptized or unbaptised people from different denomination than that of our own. People whom we regard dirty, in as far as our human law is concerned; prostitutes, drugs abusers, drunkard, homeless people with nothing in their hand that shows that they are Christians or have ever been baptized. Open table for everyone as it sounds without restrictions to faithful members of the church only or those who think are more devoted to the church than anyone else but a feast for the outcast, the heavy laden and the weary..
This passage teaches us to go beyond what we believed most - the substitution atonement; that God gave his son as a sacrifice for our sins; like we recite every Sunday "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us". We are taught today in this passage to take into account what one writer calls "the Hosea principle, I demand mercy not sacrifice". Jesus is not suggesting that his death is about sacrifice to a God who demands someone to pay for our sins- hmmm, instead in this passage Jesus is revealing a God who is merciful. Who forgives those who have loyal trust and faith in God despite the life they live, those who give their complete trust in God without looking back. His call was an invitation of reconciling God's people with God and one another.
We also have to take into account the fact that like Matthew, Jesus too was a good Jewish man; he knows that tax collectors are outcast- he probably has seen and known Matthew for quite some time as he passes around towns and villages teaching and noticed him. Jesus knew that people like Matthew know there is God, they know there is someone above them, they believe that there is someone who watches over them and protects them no matter what they do. Thus he goes and calls him. He looked for his disciples in places where his Jewish leaders and Pharisees will not look, he goes beyond his culture and law and sits with outcast to the extent of eating with them.
He is showing us that the essence of following him is by looking in places that are deserted by our society; go beyond our comfort zones, in places where we don't want to go, not to mention wanting anyone seeing us coming out of such places or seen with such people. Jesus is teaching us to fear God more than humans, forget about yourself, concentrate on God and minister to God's people- God's children who are thirsty and trapped in dangerous yet difficult zones to get out. They need someone, because they have no courage to do it by themselves because they are scared of what the Pharisees may say, what we may say to them.
We all need a redeemer in this chaotic world, we need a guide because at times life becomes way too hard, we need one to say follow me, I will hold your hands. Thus Jesus says to Matthew don't be scared, follow me. This is our duty as Christians to go hold such people's hand and say follow me.
The Pharisees being sophisticated and righteous, asked Jesus' disciples why their master is doing such a sinful thing, violating the rules of holiness with traitors and sinners; what they did not realize though is that they have big eyes to see other sinners but blind eyes to see the very sin they are committing; questioning the ability of God's grace to wash away sin, in fact they put God on trial.
So Jesus answers them and his answer was so simple, that those whom society sees as worthless, are at the heart of Jesus, they are the very reason Jesus came into this world, and he desires mercy not sacrifice. Only those who desire ambitious devotion give sacrifices, but Jesus desires that we be merciful to those who are not worthy of going to the temple to offer sacrifices. If only the Pharisees know this, they shouldn't have asked. So Jesus gave them a task to go learn the meaning of what he said.
Jesus sees God's children in the unlikely people even before such children awoke to their destination. His call is always sudden but the peace of mind it leaves, endures forever.
What Jesus is asking us to do is to put our complete trust in God as we look for God's people out there, like we do with the GPS, we punch in our destination and sit in the car trusting the GPS to take us home or wherever we want to go. The GPS says turn left, keep straight and turn right. Most often we do exactly what the GPS tells us to do. Many times we get lost even with the GPS guiding us, when we get lost the GPS says Recalculating, and starts over, giving us directions to guide us into the right path to our destination, and we again trust the GPS even after it has gotten us lost the first or second time.
Today Jesus is simply saying Recalculating, drive ten miles, keep left and turn right, but the destination he is taking us is where we would rather not go. It is to the places where the poor are, places where sickness, homelessness and poverty has claimed as their own. That is where Jesus says we will find the bridegroom. The difference is that you won't buy more gas like when the GPS takes you a long way, instead you will win more souls and help God's children whose silent voice has been crying all along, but we turned a blind eye and deaf ear because they are not one of us, they are sinners, they are outcast, tax collectors, we never take into account their humanity, who they are, instead we thought of what they are - sinners.
Therefore Jesus is sending us out there to roll up our sleeves, to dirty our hands and let such people know that God is never silent. The kingdom of God is not about charity but justice and justice is making a difference in the lives of those who are outcast. Through these we can let God's children know that God is listening and watching and now God has heard their silent cry and is ready to redeem them through you and me with God's help; thus helping them to say, "one thing I asked of the Lord, that I may live in the house of the Lord, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in God's temple forever". Amen!
