On this Worldwide Communion Sunday and Hunger Sunday here at ...
Text Theme Subject Occasion
Matthew 21:23-32; Philippians 2:1-13 Together in Christ Authority of Jesus Questioned; Parable of Two Sons 17th after Pentecost – October 1, 2017 – Zion Lutheran & New Creation International Church – Iowa City, Iowa [with Rev. Tony Smith] – Worldwide Communion Sunday –
On this Worldwide Communion Sunday and Hunger Sunday here at Zion It is good to be here with all of you and The Rev Tony Smith of the New Creation International Church. Certainly grateful to the Diversity Teams of Zion and New Creation and the Councils for their imagination and recognition of God’s call for us to be together Today, like every Sunday, we’re advancing the movement of the Gospel advancing the cultural change imbedded in the movement Here we are, Together in Christ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. By what authority? (Mt 21:23b) Who told you, you could do this? Who told you, you could be here? We all know the drill Maybe you crossed a line Maybe you enforced a line The leading institutional Jewish authorities are asking, By what authority? There’s tension Jesus had arrived in Jerusalem triumphantly the day before He had taken over the Temple Jesus kicked the sacrificial-system-business out of the Temple Jesus reminded the people: the Temple is a house of prayer He left for the night Back the next day There’s drama – the people were surely buzzing with what had happened The leaders had heard and showed up – they’re confronting Jesus Time for answers – straight answers – By what authority? But Jesus doesn’t answer – he asks a question Really – he asks a question “Where’d John’s authority come from?” He’s not dodging – he’s showing the leaders their inability to see what’s happening There is change in the wind The leaders’ answer to Jesus’ question is spot on - “We do not know.” (27a) The leaders are so tangled, so snagged in tradition and rules, they can’t recognize the kingdom of heaven is near (4:17b)
2
[When listening to God’s Word, we know Matthew is recalling events in Jesus’ life We also know Matthew’s ringing a message to the young, 1st century church Persecuted and diverse, they’re ready to lock in on how to be church Matthew’s message – relax – the kingdom of heaven is near Watch for it – recognize it – celebrate it This living Word of God is for us Fresh – calling us to be on the lookout – ALWAYS BEING MADE NEW the kingdom of heaven is near] Since the leaders couldn’t answer the question (where’d John’s authority come from?) Jesus tells a story – a parable – a vineyard parable Vineyard: the Jewish people, the early church, the church now A father asks sons to go work in the vineyard The first – “I don’t want to” but later on he thought better of it and went The second – “Sure glad to” but he never went (cf. The Mssg) Welcome the layers of the story The difference between “I get to” and “I have to” The kingdom of heaven is near – WE GET TO BE PART OF ITS COMING With Christians from every time and place we are Together in Christ Matthew reminds us, Jesus saw exactly what was happening and named it The institution refused to recognize the life-changing call John brought People outside the institution, Tax collectors (Jewish people working for Rome) Powerless women selling themselves Their lives said of vineyard life & labor – I don’t want to John called them in – they thought better of it and went Lives turned around – watching for & bringing the kingdom The message continues in the young church: keep inviting & encouraging Everyone needs to know the good news – the kingdom is near Be part of it – work in the vineyard – bring the good news Paul writes with loving, evangelistic power to the Philippian congregation Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus (2:3-5) Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus What is that mind of Christ? ------Lesley and I went to the Tri-Synodical Professional Conference earlier last week Pastor Lutz, Maggie Atkinson, Jackie Berlien, and Bishop Burk were with us As you might expect these are refreshing and renewing times
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The good news of Jesus Christ isn’t new but the Holy Spirit moves among us to bring the good news fresh and empowering Dr. Anna Madsen, a Lutheran teaching theologian was with us Throughout her presentations she kept reminding us Jesus is risen (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) What she especially wanted us to know and remember is that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ we can be confident in the face of death Yes, as we face our own mortality, our confidence is that Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) And she pressed to go deeper: more confident and vigorous Facing anything deadly, we must remember Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Remembering when we confront racism, Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Remembering when we confront poverty, Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Remembering when we confront climate change, Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) These are deadly wounds in our system, in our institutions They must be and are being confronted by many Courageous because Christ humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) On this Worldwide Communion Sunday, Hunger Sunday at Zion, We face hunger issues – hunger is deadly We are in a Hunger Synod – determined to confront it These are Goliath-size issues we face – only possible as we are Together in Christ And there are the lonely times when we have been mistreated, bullied or diminished when our freeze/flight instincts overtake us when the fight option or anything tenacious seems “not me” Our resistance & fight is based on our confidence that Jesus confronted death & won Rather than runaway, rather than let a piece of ourselves die, The worldwide communion of God’s people is our strength We are not alone; we are Together in Christ We are Easter people Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Tony, I warmed ‘em up; they’re all yours
Matthew 21:23-32; Philippians 2:1-13 Together in Christ Authority of Jesus Questioned; Parable of Two Sons 17th after Pentecost – October 1, 2017 – Zion Lutheran & New Creation International Church – Iowa City, Iowa [with Rev. Tony Smith] – Worldwide Communion Sunday –
On this Worldwide Communion Sunday and Hunger Sunday here at Zion It is good to be here with all of you and The Rev Tony Smith of the New Creation International Church. Certainly grateful to the Diversity Teams of Zion and New Creation and the Councils for their imagination and recognition of God’s call for us to be together Today, like every Sunday, we’re advancing the movement of the Gospel advancing the cultural change imbedded in the movement Here we are, Together in Christ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. By what authority? (Mt 21:23b) Who told you, you could do this? Who told you, you could be here? We all know the drill Maybe you crossed a line Maybe you enforced a line The leading institutional Jewish authorities are asking, By what authority? There’s tension Jesus had arrived in Jerusalem triumphantly the day before He had taken over the Temple Jesus kicked the sacrificial-system-business out of the Temple Jesus reminded the people: the Temple is a house of prayer He left for the night Back the next day There’s drama – the people were surely buzzing with what had happened The leaders had heard and showed up – they’re confronting Jesus Time for answers – straight answers – By what authority? But Jesus doesn’t answer – he asks a question Really – he asks a question “Where’d John’s authority come from?” He’s not dodging – he’s showing the leaders their inability to see what’s happening There is change in the wind The leaders’ answer to Jesus’ question is spot on - “We do not know.” (27a) The leaders are so tangled, so snagged in tradition and rules, they can’t recognize the kingdom of heaven is near (4:17b)
2
[When listening to God’s Word, we know Matthew is recalling events in Jesus’ life We also know Matthew’s ringing a message to the young, 1st century church Persecuted and diverse, they’re ready to lock in on how to be church Matthew’s message – relax – the kingdom of heaven is near Watch for it – recognize it – celebrate it This living Word of God is for us Fresh – calling us to be on the lookout – ALWAYS BEING MADE NEW the kingdom of heaven is near] Since the leaders couldn’t answer the question (where’d John’s authority come from?) Jesus tells a story – a parable – a vineyard parable Vineyard: the Jewish people, the early church, the church now A father asks sons to go work in the vineyard The first – “I don’t want to” but later on he thought better of it and went The second – “Sure glad to” but he never went (cf. The Mssg) Welcome the layers of the story The difference between “I get to” and “I have to” The kingdom of heaven is near – WE GET TO BE PART OF ITS COMING With Christians from every time and place we are Together in Christ Matthew reminds us, Jesus saw exactly what was happening and named it The institution refused to recognize the life-changing call John brought People outside the institution, Tax collectors (Jewish people working for Rome) Powerless women selling themselves Their lives said of vineyard life & labor – I don’t want to John called them in – they thought better of it and went Lives turned around – watching for & bringing the kingdom The message continues in the young church: keep inviting & encouraging Everyone needs to know the good news – the kingdom is near Be part of it – work in the vineyard – bring the good news Paul writes with loving, evangelistic power to the Philippian congregation Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus (2:3-5) Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus What is that mind of Christ? ------Lesley and I went to the Tri-Synodical Professional Conference earlier last week Pastor Lutz, Maggie Atkinson, Jackie Berlien, and Bishop Burk were with us As you might expect these are refreshing and renewing times
3
The good news of Jesus Christ isn’t new but the Holy Spirit moves among us to bring the good news fresh and empowering Dr. Anna Madsen, a Lutheran teaching theologian was with us Throughout her presentations she kept reminding us Jesus is risen (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) What she especially wanted us to know and remember is that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ we can be confident in the face of death Yes, as we face our own mortality, our confidence is that Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) And she pressed to go deeper: more confident and vigorous Facing anything deadly, we must remember Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Remembering when we confront racism, Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Remembering when we confront poverty, Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Remembering when we confront climate change, Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) These are deadly wounds in our system, in our institutions They must be and are being confronted by many Courageous because Christ humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) On this Worldwide Communion Sunday, Hunger Sunday at Zion, We face hunger issues – hunger is deadly We are in a Hunger Synod – determined to confront it These are Goliath-size issues we face – only possible as we are Together in Christ And there are the lonely times when we have been mistreated, bullied or diminished when our freeze/flight instincts overtake us when the fight option or anything tenacious seems “not me” Our resistance & fight is based on our confidence that Jesus confronted death & won Rather than runaway, rather than let a piece of ourselves die, The worldwide communion of God’s people is our strength We are not alone; we are Together in Christ We are Easter people Christ is risen! (HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!) Tony, I warmed ‘em up; they’re all yours
