Christ the King | Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (ELCA) Manchester MO

Pastor:

Pr. John Gerike

Sermon audio:

Sermon: “Christ the King”

November 19 and 20, 2011

Matthew 25:31-46

Last week,

pastors and other spiritual leaders

from around Missouri and Kansas

got together at the Lake of the Ozarks

for a Bishop’s Convocation.

Unfortunately,

the weather wasn’t right for golf.

But we had a chance to catch up with one another.

And hear sessions on worship.

One of the speakers (Peter Rehwaldt) told about one Sunday morning

in his church.

And I thought about his story

when we read our Gospel reading for today.

It was a Sunday morning.

And the reader for the day

had her 4-year-old daughter with her.

And this mom told Peter—

--“My daughter is feeling kind of clingy today.

Would it be okay if she came up with me

while I read the Bible readings?”

And he said—“Sure.”

And when it came time for the Bible reading,

she read the assigned text from Isaiah.

Isaiah 66:10-16.

And part of what she read was this:

For thus says the Lord:

I will extend prosperity to her like a river,

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;

and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,

and dandled on her knees.

As a mother comforts her child,

so will I comfort you…”

And as the mother talked,

she ran her hand over her daughter’s head,

stroked her hair,

and held her close.

And when it came time for the sermon,

Peter said:

“I wanted to tell you all about Isaiah 66 this morning.

But you’ve already seen it.

As a mother comforts her child,

so will I comfort you…”

And Peter looked out on the congregation,

and all the heads were nodding—

--except one.

They all understood what he was referring to—

--except one.

You know the one?

The mom.

She had given them a picture of God’s love.

And she didn’t even know it.

As a mother comforts her child,

so will I comfort you.

Why do you suppose I thought of that story

when I read today’s Gospel reading

about the sheep and the goats?

One of the things

that really strikes me

as I hear Matthew 25.

Is that the sheep don’t even realize

the good things that they’re doing.

I don’t think they’re totally oblivious

that they’re doing good.

Just like that Mom.

She knew she was comforting her child.

But she didn’t see the connection to God’s love—

--the connection the rest of the congregation could see.

And we often don’t see that the things we do

for the least of these—

--are really things we are doing for Jesus.

As I said,

I don’t think the sheep were totally unaware

that they were doing good.

But they’re not keeping score.

They’re not doing it for credit.

They’re not serving to earn anything.

They’re doing good

not because they are looking at themselves.

But because they are “turning their eyes to Jesus”,

keeping focused on him.

And in response to the love God has given them,

they serve others

Even the opportunity to serve

is a gift.

And I’m like that—

--sometimes.

And you’re like that—

--sometimes.

And Good Shepherd is like that—

--sometimes.

Sometimes we’re like the sheep.

But sometimes we’re also like the goats.

Sometimes my sinful nature

keeps all the focus on myself.

Sometimes all I seem to care about

is myself.

Sometimes all my energy is spent

on myself.

And I know that’s true for you, too.

And for Good Shepherd, too, sometimes—

--as a congregation.

And that means that we don’t always live

as God would like us to live.

We don’t always treat others

as God would want us to.

We ignore others.

And hurt others.

And cause pain for others.

We are sinful human beings.

We are not everything God wants us to be.

And we return to God, day after day,

week after week.

And as we gather each week,

one of the first things we do in our worship—

--is confess that we are sinful

--and ask for God’s forgiveness.

Because we know we mess up.

And we need to be forgiven—

--again and again.

Inside of me,

there’s a sheepy me

and there’s a goaty me.

I am like the sheep.

And, in my sin, I am also like the goats.

(Not surprised.

Hurt—but not surprised.

What did goats do wrong?

Omission—not commission.)

And the danger,

I think,

as we hear Matthew 25—

--is that there’s a tendency for us to try and keep score.

We figure,

if I can just do more good stuff than bad stuff.

If I can just be more of a sheep than a goat—

--then God will accept me.

But that’s not how it works.

God has already accepted you.

Jesus says to the sheep:

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father,

inherit the kingdom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world.”

That’s gift language.

Jesus says to us:

Come

You are blessed

Inherit the kingdom

The kingdom prepared for you.

Notice—you’re not earning it.

You’re inheriting it.

You’re blessed.

And you are blessed

to be a blessing.

To be a sheep

is to follow the shepherd.

To be a sheep

is to reflect the love of Christ the King,

who is like no earthly king.

Jesus is a king who goes to the cross

for you and for me

and for the world—

--and for all people.

A king who dies so we can live.

A king who stands before us

with nailprints in his hands,

and in his feet,

and with a spear-pierced side.

A king who serves.

To be a sheep

is to follow that shepherd.

Follow into service.

Follow into sacrifice.

Follow into a life that finds fulfillment

by focusing on others,

helping others.

Instead of just focusing on myself.

Here at Good Shepherd,

we serve in so many ways.

As you walk through the narthex,

the gathering area, today—

--what do you see?

Tables with food.

That we’ll pack up as Thanksgiving Baskets

and deliver to about 160 families this afternoon.

Thanks to each of you has brought food.

Each of you has helped plan all this.

Each of you that will deliver.

You are serving your neighbor.

And you are serving Christ.

And in the narthex,

there is a Christmas giving tree—

--an opportunity to help there.

There are prayer shawls.

We are gathering treats for college students.

There’s a sign-up for helping with a Habitat house.

And there will be more opportunities in the weeks to come.

My prayer is that these things we do here

might help us to reach out to our neighbors

not just in the activities organized here at church—

--but every day

--in our daily lives.

Always seeking to reflect the never-ending love

that God first gives us.

In 1989,

Mother Teresa visited Phoenix

to open a house for the poor.

And she was interviewed by KTAR,

a major radio station in town.

In a private moment,

the announcer asked Mother Teresa

if there was anything he could do for her.

He was expecting her to request a contribution

or maybe some media help

to raise money for her new home for the impoverished.

Instead, she replied:

“Yes, there is something you can do.

Find somebody nobody else loves and love them.”

Find somebody nobody else loves

and love them.

When we sense the love God has for us,

we respond,

sometimes without even fully knowing what we’re doing,

by loving others.

Jesus says to you and to me:

“I tell you the truth,

whatever you do for one of the least of these

brothers and sisters

you do for me.”

Let’s pray.

Gracious God…

Send us out.

Following you.

Sharing your love.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen