Finding Faith ... in Jesus' message so contrary from the earthly kingdom

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Oct. 23, 2021, I was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and installed as pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. I also served the same church for four years from October 2017 to October 2021 a synodically authorized minister. The journey together these past four years has been an amazing one, full of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on Aug. 31, 2022.

This week's gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14

Jesus Heals the Man with Edema

14 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.

Humility and Hospitality

7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host, 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers and sisters or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The message:

Who here remembers the name Emily Post? …

I think most of us here tonight are probably of an age for that name to ring a bell.

But if you are unfamiliar with the name, she was an American author famous for her writings on etiquette. … Books, magazine articles … even newspaper columns.

And she had staying power. … In fact, in 1950, a magazine named her the second most powerful woman in America, behind First Lady Elanor Roosevelt.

Her writings shaped the etiquette of generations of Americans.

I was reminded of Ms. Post by tonight’s gospel text.

If you think about it, tonight’s gospel lesson kind of reads like Jesus is giving the audience around him a lesson in etiquette.

Don’t sit there; sit here. … This is who you invite to dinner. … Maybe he should have written a newspaper column like Ms. Post!

But, no, let’s be crystal clear here.

Jesus’ lesson tonight is not about etiquette. … The lesson is about two things: Choosing humility rather than self-exaltation. And choosing gracious hospitality to those in need … just as God provides to us.

Neither of those lessons are very easy for us to accept though … are they?

Humility and gracious hospitality to those who cannot repay us? … Are you kidding me, Jesus?

In an age when we trumpet the news about who is best, who is richest … who is the MVP!

There are awards shows for everything under the sun. … And we measure everything in lists of who has the most, the best or the most desirable.

Can you imagine Jesus speaking to a similar assembly at a religious leader’s house today … and telling them that they shouldn’t desire the seat of honor?

That they should give it up for “someone more distinguished?” … The message wouldn’t compute!

We live in a competitive, capitalistic society … that while makes us feel good … Jesus never would have understood it.

We have warped our sense of economic structure into our Christianity to the point that it’s nearly impossible to extricate the two.

And this drives all of our behaviors. The desire for recognition, or wealth, or fame, or friends, or affirmation.

Each of us has our own triggers, and none of us are immune. … The idea of humility in the midst of American life in the 21st century is all but lost.

But take heart, Faith Family, Jesus already knew that our ability to live in humility was lost … 2,000 years ago. … And he told the audience in that religious leader’s house this same very message on that night.

“For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted,” Jesus said.

And now think about Jesus’ second lesson. … Giving to those who can never repay you! … Wait, what?

Each and every day, as humans we unconsciously -- and yes, unfortunately even consciously -- weigh all of our actions.

It’s ingrained in our DNA from our earliest ages. … Because we live in a society that measures every transaction -- no matter how benign -- in economic terms!

If we are truly honest with ourselves, there is virtually nothing that we give to someone else … without the hope of getting something in return.

It can be the slightest expectation. … Hey, that person didn’t say, “Thank you.” … Or that person could have at least smiled! … Or I better get an invitation to their birthday party now because I invited them!

It is just so challenging for us to give from a place in our hearts that truly expects nothing in return.

A theologian that I studied while in seminary even pondered if the idea of the “Perfect Gift” was unobtainable for anyone … other than Jesus, of course.

Because if we are truly honest with ourselves, we always want something in exchange … even if it’s just to see the other person express joy.

Our giving is tied to the exchange. … I give you something; I get something back.

Jesus knew this. … This is the foundation of his lesson in the gospel tonight. “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.”

Jesus knew that that kind of giving was a never-ending cycle of giving and expectations. … A cycle that could never be fulfilled because we’d be constantly concerned about expectations.

Instead, Jesus said, “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Humility and graciousness, that is what Jesus is asking of us as followers in his footsteps tonight in the gospel text.

And trust me, I am well aware of how difficult these demands are for us!

I would like you to think of the most humble person you know.

I am a little biased, but for me, it is my mother. The past few months have given me an opportunity to look back on her life, and I am astounded at her humility and generosity … despite her meager means for her whole life.

And I’ve had plenty of time to think to myself … I can never hope to live up to the bar she has set!

So now … think about how much more impossible it is that we are asked to strive to live up to the bar Jesus set!

No wonder we get discouraged!

Faith Family … I’m certain that Jesus understands our plight. … After all, one of the reasons God sent his Son to live among us was to help us recognize our flaws and set an example for us to emulate.

But one of the first steps we have to take is to accept how contrary Jesus’ message is from the message we hear from the earthly kingdom.

You gotta be No. 1! … Strive to be the best! … I want to be the MVP! … What is my return? … Will I get repaid?

These are all messages that are completely contrary from what Jesus is teaching us tonight. … And if we can learn from these lessons so that we instill them in our personal lives … imagine how we could help change the perception of the church to the unfaithful who are carefully watching us every single day, just as those in the leader of the Pharisee’s house were watching Jesus on that Sabbath day.

And that is the Good News for this Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. … Amen.