The LCA provides this sermon edited for lay-reading, with thanks to the original author.
Proper 29, Year A
Matthew 25:31-46
Dear heavenly Father, send your Holy Spirit on us so that we might help and serve those in need around us and so also serve our King, Jesus Christ. Amen.
There are some who think Jesus is so loving and kind that when everyone is gathered in front of him, he’ll forgive and welcome everyone into his kingdom. If this is what you think, then it doesn’t matter what you do, or whether you go to worship or not, or whether you even believe in Jesus or not, because Jesus loves everyone and will accept everyone as they are.
Yet when I read our gospel reading for today, I wouldn’t be too certain of such a view.
Jesus makes it very clear that when everyone is gathered in front of him, he’ll divide and separate us. There will be the blessed ones on his right; the ones who’ll inherit the kingdom of God prepared for them from the foundation of the universe, but there will also be the cursed ones on his left; the ones who will enter the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. Note there’s no in-between. He won’t say “You’re going to heaven, you’re going to hell, but you…well, I don’t know, why don’t you just stand there for a while until I figure out what to do with you…”
When you stand before Jesus the King who sits on the throne, you’ll either be one of those the Father speaks well of, or you’ll be declared evil and detestable in God’s sight. There’s no third option, no chance of escape, no second chance, no hope of phoning a friend, no asking the audience for a popular opinion, and no democratic vote. You’ll either be blessed or cursed.
But what I find most surprising is what separates the two sides: it’s not wealth or intellect or beauty or age or position in society, but on acts of mercy.
There’s no mention of how well you’ve kept the Ten Commandments: you know, no mention of murder, adultery, lying, blasphemy, coveting, idolatry, or the like. There’s no test to see how Lutheran you are, how many bible verses you can remember, what hymns or songs you like, or how much you love Jesus. It seems to me that the greatest and most unforgivable sin Jesus mentions here is inaction!
Now, this doesn’t make some of these other things unimportant, but according to Jesus, whenever you see someone hungry, or thirsty, or not belonging, or inadequately dressed, or sick, or in prison, and you don’t do anything about it, then you’re in trouble! Yet how many times have you not acted when you saw someone like this?
Now this is enough to make me worried! How many times have I kept my hands in my pockets when I saw someone in need of basic help, and did nothing? How many times have you sat back and just observed the needy ones around you, shaken your head in pity, but then did nothing?
But then again, maybe this is what we’re being trained to do these days.
We live in an age where we’re constantly bombarded with huge amounts of information through the various forms of media such as radio, television, internet, and even the phone! We actually receive too much information and we need to discard or ignore some of it. The trouble is, by getting rid of, or choosing to ignore some of this information, we may also end up getting rid of our need for action.
For instance, if you see a television program on the hungry and needy in Africa and you’re bothered by it, well, instead of doing something about it, why not just change the channel? Out of sight, out of mind; and once it’s out of mind, then we don’t need to do anything about it! If you don’t like what you see or hear, just ignore it and magically it goes away! Or so we think. The needy are still there, but no-one wants to help anymore.
This attitude has a huge impact on the church. I mean, let’s say the church provides you with all the information you need so you would know what God’s will is in your lives, and how you may act as God’s hands, ears, lips and eyes in the world, but if you’re so used to selecting and deleting different bits of information, then why would you do anything different here? If you don’t like what you hear, just ignore God’s Word and what the pastor says.
And this is what many people do. If you don’t like what you hear in the bible readings or in the sermon, then just ignore it! If you don’t like the pastor or the style of worship, just go elsewhere, or more likely, just decide you don’t go at all. No wonder the word of God doesn’t settle on people’s hearts and move them to action, because some aren’t even letting it enter their minds in the first place! And, even if you did, the doors at the back of the church often act as a mind eraser. You might be moved to do something while you’re in here, but as soon as you exit the doors to go back into the world, you’ve forgotten everything and are no longer moved to action. Maybe this is a good reason to keep coming back week after week, because we don’t always retain what we hear and need to hear it again and again!
You may also be tempted to think it’s someone else’s job. You might justify your inaction thinking someone else is supposed to feed them, someone else will give them a drink, someone else will donate to that appeal, or someone else will visit them, and so on. Some of you may think its pastor’s job or the elder’s job to visit the shut in and help the needy. In this case, when you stand in front of Jesus, how do you think he’ll answer you when you say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, but I thought so-and-so was supposed to do that!’?
Jesus is saying your acts of mercy to other people are not optional, but essential – in fact your salvation is dependent on it!
Well, so far it sounds like if you don’t perform acts of mercy by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, providing clothes for those without, or visiting the sick or those in prison, then you’re not going to heaven! But if this is the case, it seems that faith in Jesus isn’t essential, but instead that you’re saved by your good works! Isn’t this a little different to what you’ve been taught? Aren’t you taught that you’re saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone and not by what you do or don’t do? Have we got it all wrong?
No, because there’s something else strange in this text. Note the blessed ones didn’t even know they were helping Jesus! They’ve been naturally feeding the hungry, providing drink to the thirsty, welcoming the strangers, covering the naked with clothing, and visiting the sick and those in prison. The surprise for them is when they did these things, no matter what the person looked like or how they acted, they were doing it to Jesus himself!
So here Jesus tells us he fully identifies himself with the hungry, the thirsty, the foreigner, the naked, the sick and those in prison, so much so, that when you provide for these people’s basic needs, you’re doing it for Jesus himself! This is because Jesus doesn’t abandon those who don’t have basic needs, but is there with them in their hunger, in their thirst, in their sicknesses, and in prison with them. Now, this doesn’t mean you do these things just because you know you’re doing it for Jesus, but because you’re naturally merciful to all people.
You see, for those who believe in Jesus, helping the needy isn’t an optional extra, but a natural part of their life, and a natural extension of their faith in Jesus. In fact only a believer will live in the way this text directs.
To make it plain: Good works won’t save you and get you into heaven. Jesus alone saves you. Despite this, a strange thing happens. The more you allow the Holy Spirit to live in you and direct you through the Word of God and his holy gifts of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the more naturally you’ll care for the poor and needy. This isn’t because of any fear of missing out on heaven, or compulsion to obey any laws, but because through these things, that is, through your exposure to God’s Word, both orally and physically, you receive Christ’s nature. The more of Christ’s nature you receive, then the more naturally you care for the needy because Jesus cares for the needy.
Therefore, although faith in Jesus isn’t mentioned, it’s implied because only those who have received the grace of God will become gracious people. Only those fed and nourished by God will feed and nourish others. Only those visited by God will visit other people. Only those led by the Holy Spirit will allow themselves to act when others ignore. Or in other words, Christ-centred people will naturally become other-centred people. Conversely, self-centred people will naturally ignore the needy.
Notice also you don’t have to heal people or release them from prison, etc, but simply supply their basic needs – a meal, a drink, clothing, welcoming, and visiting. Big miracles aren’t happening, but little ministries are. You’re not expected to provide a miracle cure, or an answer, or to make things right, but just help them as you’re able. Therefore, this is something all of you can do, no matter how young or old you are!
All of you have the ability to help those who are vulnerable and needy in society; the ones that are hidden away, such as the infirm, those in nursing homes, the foreigner, the unborn, and so on.
Strangely, as you attend to the needs of others, you’re also attending to your own salvation. Notice this doesn’t mean you’re saved by your good works. Again, to make it clear, you’re saved through faith in Jesus Christ alone. But the result of having faith in Christ is your natural service to those around you. This is because the fruit of your faith is shown, not through your holier-than-thou attitudes, but through your actions. Jesus expects good fruit to be produced on a good tree; on every tree firmly rooted in Christ alone. Those who don’t produce good fruit aren’t firmly rooted in Christ.
Despite popular opinion, Jesus won’t accept everyone as they are. Repentance and good works naturally flow from his visits through his word and sacraments. Therefore allow the Holy Spirit to move you to action – to feed the hungry, to provide a drink to the thirsty, to welcome the alien or stranger, to clothe those not adequately dressed, and to visit those who are sick or who feel imprisoned.
Yes, some of them may be a real pain in the neck, but as you choose to not ignore their needs and do these things Jesus talks about, you may be surprised to find you’re feeding and helping Jesus himself. Then you’ll be surprised to hear those most welcome words of Jesus who tells you to ‘come into the kingdom of heaven which has been prepared for you since the foundation of the cosmos’.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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