Sunday's sermon

 

June 25, 2023

        Matthew’s Jesus must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed on the morning of today’s gospel.

        He says some things we don’t want our Savior to say ever.

        Listen: “Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

        For I have come to set a man against his father,

        And a daughter against her mother,

        And a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,

        And one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.”

        He goes on to say if you love your father or son or daughter more than me ‘is not worthy of me’.

        I’m going to let us off the hook on all of that.

        When Matthew wrote his gospel—in the late 70’s or early 80’s of the first century—the Christian church was already dividing families. If one person in a family had become a Christian, the others would turn their backs on that person or even shun them.

        So, Jesus’ dire warning in today’s Gospel rang true to the early church.

        And that was true even before the Romans began persecuting Christians.

        But it’s not true today in our country.

        Only 41% of Americans consider themselves Christian. Most of Americans—especially young Americans—are not affiliated with or even identify with Christians.

        We are not ‘in danger’ for being Christians—mostly we are ‘ignored’ and ‘tolerated’.

        Now, I’m not going to suggest that there is something we can do about that.

        Only 1.2% of Americans are Episcopalian.

        We’re a rare breed!

        What I want to point out is that we are on the sidelines of America. There is no way we’re going to turn that around and become ‘significant’ again. In fact, it’s just going to get worse as time moves on.

        What I do want to say is that we can use being ‘ignored’ as a way to do the things Jesus told us to do. We’re ‘under cover’ and can act with integrity and passion.

        I see the food and clothing you bring to the back of the church. I know your work in soup kitchens and other forms of charity. You bring Christ to the world—whether or not the world understands that.

        Do invite people to church—but don’t worry if they ever show up.

        Let me tell you about a phone call I had with Sherry Shoblom on Friday. She said she visited 40 churches before she found Trinity and that the care and love she found her has put an angel that had been missing on her shoulder.

        Hear that: you put an angel on her shoulder.

        That’s what being a Christian is all about.

        I humbly applaud you. Ponder your gift to the world.

Amen.