June 30, 2002
Saint Luke’s Lutheran
Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Lessons: Jeremiah 28:5-9; Romans 6:12-23; St. Matthew 10:40-42
I’d like someone to tell me what Jesus was thinking! When most of us “signed on” so to speak, you
know, to be Christians, we never thought it would involve—THIS! Most of us like to live our lives in
relative anonymity. We are most
comfortable when folks don’t get to know us too well, don’t get to know too
much about us, don’t start placing unrealistic expectations on us. And now, Jesus says, “whoever welcomes you,
welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me!” Just think about what Jesus is saying here,
and I think you might be as bothered as I am.
Because what Jesus is saying, is that as Christians; as His disciples—we can no longer live our
lives in a comfortable anonymity. That
as Christians, as His disciples, we can no longer breeze through life without
anyone ever knowing “that we’re Christians—that we believe in God—that we
follow Jesus”. Because the fact is,
says Jesus, to the twelve, and to all who would be His disciples—the fact is,
when you are truly my disciples, you will be representing me, and, when you
represent me, you will be representing the one who sent me—in other words, God
the Father, in heaven. That’s what
Jesus means when He says, “He who welcomes you, welcomes me, and welcomes the
one who sent me”! And that’s what’s
so—well, disconcerting! That’s what
ought to cause us, so-called, disciples—us so-called Christians—if not
downright acid indigestion, then a least a little abdominal discomfort! Because what this means is that no matter
where we go, no matter who we meet, we are presenting, the face of Jesus
Christ, the very presence of God—they are seeing, in us, and through us, Jesus,
and His heavenly Father, the creator of the universe. And they are so fully present in us, that if someone is to
welcome us, they are welcoming them—if they are rejecting us, they are rejecting
them. God is that present in us, and we
are to be that transparent, that they see, not so much, as God, in Jesus
Christ. And if that doesn’t scare the
be-jesus out of you, then, it should!
Then, you’re not paying attention, because it means that everyone you
meet, everywhere you go, is looking at you, to see Jesus. It means in every business dealing at work,
there is someone making a judgement about Jesus, based on how you speak and act
and do your business. It means that
when you’re driving on the interstate, someone is looking at you, to see how a
follower of Jesus treats others. It
means that in your household, at the school, in the park, someone is watching
you to see how Jesus wants His
disciples to relate to their spouse, their children, their neighbors. And when these people see you, they’re
seeing Jesus; and they’ll be making
choices about welcoming Jesus into their lives, based on what they see from you
and me! And that can be terrifying,
because it’s an awesome responsibility.
It’s is a terrible and awesome thing, to think that God chooses to work
in us and through us. It’s a terrible
and awesome thing, to consider that Jesus Christ is incarnate in us, His body
in the world—so much so that when people see us, they see Him, and the Father
who sent Him! It’s a terrible and awesome thing to realize that our every
thought, word and deed, will have an impact on others, and may just lead
someone to welcome Jesus into their lives, for the first time! It is a terrible and an awesome thing—but
it’s also a wonderful, and beautiful, and inspiring thing. Because it testifies to just how deeply God
loves us and values us. It shows us
just how special we are to God, that He would use us, you and me, together with
Peter and James and John and Paul and the others, to bring His love to people,
and to a world, in desperate need of love.
It’s a wonderful, beautiful, inspiring thing, because it shows that God
values us, even more than we sometimes value ourselves. It’s terrible and awesome, in that we worry
we’re not up to the task. It seems that
if someone’s going to look at us, and see God—we’d better be thinking BIG, and
do BIG THINGS, that will really impress people, and show them how God changes
lives and is changing the world! We’d
better do things like, bring peace to the middle east, and stop terrorism in
all its forms, and find a cure for cancer, and Aids and find a way to keeps
kids off drugs. Those are
accomplishments that might drive unbelievers to their knees, and cause them to
welcome Jesus into their hearts and lives.
But, they’re also accomplishments that are, largely, unattainable, for
most of us, average, ordinary Christians.
They’re accomplishments that leave us feeling, unworthy, and
ill-equipped, to be God’s presence in the world. They’re also, accomplishments that miss the point. The point, that what matters, really, are
not big, huge, monumental accomplishments, but as Mother Teresa said, “small things,
with great love.” Things like, giving a
cup of cold water, to little ones.
Isn’t it, freeing, and exciting, that that’s the example Jesus uses for
the kind of things God desires. Not,
big, huge, impressive things. But
things like, giving a thirsty person a cold cup of water. Holding the hand of a person who’s
crying. Sending a card to someone in
the hospital. Listening to your
spouse. Being honest and truthful at
work. I know, most of us think of such things
as, insignificant, unimportant, of no real consequence. But that’s not how God sees them. And that’s not how others see them,
either. An old saying goes, “the
devil’s in the details”. I think a new
adage might be, “God is in the little things.”
When Susan was in the hospital, we were reminded again, that you can see
God in the little things people do.
When the doctor prayed with us, in the name of Jesus, in his
office. When the aides would come in
and refill your water pitcher. When a
nurse would pop in, when you didn’t ring, just to see how you’re doing. When we got a card and plant from Vacation
Bible School. The devil may very well
be in the nit-picky, frustrating, unimportant details of life; but God may be found in the small things
that disciples do for people, in the name of Jesus. This week, as you do little things for others, often without
hardly thinking about them—remember that even, and especially in the small
things, God is present, in you, and through you. Remember that whoever gives, even a cup of cold water to someone
who is thirsty, will receive their reward, will not go un-noticed. Remember that whoever sees you, sees Jesus,
and sees the one who sent Jesus, the Father in heaven. And, remember, to thank God that He is, in
the small things. Amen.