September
7, 2008
Proper 18A - RCL
To
read the lessons for the day click here:
http://www.io.com/~kellywp/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp18_RCL.html
Ezekiel 33:7-11
Psalm 119:33-40
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20
Pray with me, that the words I speak may be the words God wants us to hear.
Today’s lessons have a common thread about living in community. How are we to get along with each other? What happens when we hurt each other? What happens when we are not to be the people we ought to be?
In the old testament reading from Ezekiel, God tells the prophet that his job is to serve as a sentinel. He is to warn the community when they drift into wicked ways, much as a sentinel in a watchtower would warn a city of approaching enemies. He must warn them to turn from their wickedness because it leads to death. God sends the sentinel because he wants life for the community…he wants the people to hear what they are doing wrong…to be challenged in their bad behavior…to turn way from their wicked path and be saved from the consequences of sin…a life of misery, of being trapped in their burdens…of death.
The people say: “Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?”
And the response is “As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live.”
God sends the sentinel in hope…he has given people free will to choose how they will live. The sentinel cannot MAKE the people do anything, but if he faithfully gives the warning he will not be held accountable for their actions.
In today’s Gospel Jesus gives us a similar message on a different level. Ezekiel is calling the community to repentance; Jesus is teaching fellow members of the community how to deal with each other when one member transgresses against another.
He says if another believer sins against you, you are to meet with that person alone and tell them.
Gee,
it sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Meet with the person one-on-one, quietly,
without drawing attention or embarrassing them in front of everyone else, and
try to work it out.
But I have to say, this passage makes me squirm. I don’t like conflict…and I know I am not alone in this. How many times has a friend pulled you aside with a complaint about someone else, asking your advice on what to do? “Do you think I should speak up?” they ask?
Well, here Jesus says YES. We should try. Because if the other believer listens to you, you will have gained your brother or sister. You will have resolved the problem and be able to live in community with that person, and maybe even know them better and become friends with them.
And if you don’t, you will continue to have something against them…and they may even do it again, out of ignorance or disregard.
So if you follow Jesus’ directions, and it doesn’t work, are you off the hook? Not yet. We are very human, and we sometimes fail in our communications with others. And sometimes our point of view is skewed by self-interest. So the next step is to bring one or two people with you, so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again.
If that doesn’t work, you are still not off the hook. You should tell the church.
And if the person doesn’t listen to the church…well…
Jesus says to treat them like a tax collector or a Gentile. Since tax collectors and Gentiles were folks who were excluded from Jewish life, some would interpret this as permission to exclude and shun the offender.
But Jesus reaches out to eat with tax collectors and sometimes steps over cultural norms to heal even Gentiles, so I suspect this means something else. Immediately before the verses we are studying today, Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd leaves the 99 and goes looking for the lost one…Jesus doesn’t want to loose even one. So I have to agree with Eugene Peterson, the writer of “The Message”, who interprets this passage this way:
“If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God’s forgiving love.”
Well, this method of conflict resolution sounds good. Will it really work? In some cases. But I have to say that Jesus was being pretty general here...and remember, he is talking about other members of the church. I don’t think, for instance, that if the sin committed has to do with physical or mental violence that Jesus expects you to meet with the offender over coffee to sort it out.
And as far as bringing witnesses along with you goes, it is easy to surround yourself with people who will take your side, just as the offender could surround himself with people who will take his. And when people are in passionate dispute with each other, who sinned against whom first and worst can get very muddled indeed. And there may be fault on both sides.
Which makes the part about “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” pretty scary. After all, we are only human, and we make mistakes all the time. You only have to serve on jury duty once to see that we have enough challenges judging things here on earth without heaven entering into the equation..
But Jesus has given the church authority. We are not off the hook. How is that authority to be used?
Which is really what these passages are all about…living in love with God and one another.
The church’s job is love. We are the church. Our job is love. That job is not always easy. It doesn’t mean that you stand idly by while someone inflicts harm, but it does mean acting in love for the welfare of the community, the welfare of the offender, and your own welfare. “Love your neighbor as yourself” implies that you love yourself, too.
Our help in all this is Christ. He promises to be present with His church. He promises that God will listen to our prayers. He promises to be with us when we gather in His name. He is the only one who can help us when our human nature stands in the way.
So we return to prayer. Today’s collect says it all.
Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.