SCRIPTURE: Luke 17:5-10
TEXT: 7“Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? THEME: Faith lived through us can change our world for God. INTRODUCTION This is the Third story in which Jesus is talking against the present-day economic structure to shift the focus from money to humanity. The Story, a couple of weeks ago. of the rich person and the dishonest manager drew a modern-day picture of fake relationships, fake friends of obligations and lesions of threats, fears and favors. Deal making is prized in creating this network of manipulation and intimidation that keeps the few in power. Last week we looked at the story of the rich person who did not have compassion in the stewardship of the resources available. In death the rich person is looking through the chasm at Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. This apocalyptic vision of the future reminds us of the one Scrooge has in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The story of Jesus for today, deals with those who have become rich in an economic system that depends on the slavery of many to benefit the few. An increase of faith becomes the vehicle for this discussion and a view of something new. SCRIPTURE The biblical passages from the gospel of Luke during this season of Pentecost began with Jesus’ ministry in Samaria. He is outside of the confines of Judea and ministering along the outer boarders of his neighbors. The Kingdom of God that he envisions expands the ‘Peace of God’ to include these Neighbors. Jesus discovers shards of God’s light in these people and in these events. God hears the prayers of these people as well as all people with love. Jesus is laying the seeds for a vision, of a religion for the people of God that will emerge out of the temple worship in Jerusalem into something that is more inclusive and expansive. The Church will be an open table, where all will find a seat with Jesus and commune with God and each other, as children of light, forming real relationships grounded in love. It is from these rich experiences with Jesus, that the apostles come and tell him to increase their faith. Faith cannot be quantified. Either you have faith, or you don’t. It is all or nothing. Jesus uses the smallest quantifiable measurement as if to say, it doesn’t matter. If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, that is enough to do the impossible. The goal is not to increase the mustard seed faith, to a pea, then to a date and eventually to a coconut, but to have faith that enables us to participate in the movement of God. You either have it, or you don’t. Then Jesus talks about how faith can work a change in us by painting a picture of a fantasy. Imagine you, saying to your slave who has come in from plowing the field or tending your sheep, “Come here at once and take your place at the table.” The Slaves who hear this story feel like they just got an upgrade. But then reality sets in as Jesus says “Rather”. All illusions fade away, as Jesus repeats what they have heard too many times, “Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may have your meal.” With no appreciation of their service, or empathy towards how tired or sore they may be. Just do what our economic station in life requires of us. The fading of the dream, of being treated compassionately is a sad ending to this story, until this troubling image of the Master sitting down to the table with the servants to share a meal becomes the reality, because this is exactly what Jesus is doing. This is an image of the incarnation of God who comes to be with us in flesh and blood. Who values us as beloved. God who has come to serve and not to be served. Then faith is birth in us, all or nothing, to change the economic system that we have inherited and perpetuated, to create more humane working conditions of respect, thanksgiving, value and redemption. It has taken us a civil war to move away from a slave driven economy for the fair treatment of human beings. We are still moving towards the setting of a table that includes all with the work of Civil Right leaders during the 60’s like Martian Luther King Jr. and we continue to refine that work in the bringing to light of the Law Enforcement practices that try to keep slavery models in place by unfairly incarcerating certain segments of our population, or inhumanly use excessive force or guns. A slave in Jesus’ day could never imagine a world where slavery did not exist. It takes faith to move over the decades to make that change. Our faith moves us to participate in bringing this down and the closing of sweat shops, the paying of a livable wage, and Free and fair trade. Even the outsourcing of particular jobs comes under some scrutiny in taking advantage of those who live in impoverished communities. APPLICATION If faith is all or nothing, and we have faith, then why would we say to the Mulberry Bush ‘Pull yourself out and plant yourself in the sea’? We would not, because faith is not about power, as some have come to think. Faith helps us to see God, so we can participate in what God is doing. Not to believe or wish hard enough to get God to do what we want. If we pray for healing and are not, it is not because we did not have faith. It is a faithful God who hears our prayers and answers them. God is writing a different story than the one we imagine. Faith in God helps us to see God’s grace, compassion, wisdom, love, presence with us and grace in the way a prayer is answered. Having faith does not mean that we don’t wrestle with doubt. It is faith that helps us to have hope when we doubt and joy in those days when we don’t. Faith is relational. It has more to do with trust, intimacy, commitment, and journeying together. Faith is not something that we have, but something that we do. It takes what we believe, what we know and what we trust and goes for it. We don’t doubt that God will be with us when we do, but we don’t know exactly how God will help us. CONCLUSION We live, having faith in a God who is with us and loves us. This continues to shape who we are and how we chose to live our lives. We carry with us doubt that in no way diminishes our faith but is what makes our faith real. As Modern-day Theologian Rachel Evans says, “Someday I believe in God; other days, I want to believe in God.” This is a real faith. It does not need to be increased, just lived. Faith that can change the economic systems of our day to become fair and equitable, leveling out the playing field so we can see the humanity of each other at an open table. As well as giving birth to a new inclusive People of God, who are not marked by an adherence to the legal following of statutes, but a tangible incarnation of love for others.
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