Lost
Can be listened to here.
Gate Pa – Year C Pentecost 17, 24th
Sunday of Ordinary Time,
Readings:
Psalm
Psalm 14
First
Reading: Jeremiah 4:11-12,
22-28
Second
Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Gospel:
Luke 15:1-10
What I want to say:
These
are stories of the importance of celebrating together rather than stories about
the need to repent.
What I want to
happen:
Bring that sense of joy to the Eucharistic
table and their lives.
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
3 years ago I was in South Africa.
staying out at Simonstown near Capetown
as walking back from train on second last
night
started rain
cleverly whipped coat out back pack and kept walking
quickly back up to town
forgetting beanie sitting on top coat
really liked beanie
looked good
gift from great event that played significant part
in planning and running
memories of event – really good event
my
role in all that – pretty proud of
from
group part of about 7-8 years
so good memories attached
next day – cold
when couldn’t find it
remember stopping and thinking about where I
had had it and where it might be
realisation what I had done
hope that I would find it
going back and looking everywhere
growing sense that it was gone
never found it.
still feel the loss
both of that beanie and memories it
represented
my hope is that found one homeless people slept
in doorways
kept them warm,
better story
sons 21st –
he went into town
as you do
with wallet stuffed with all money he had been
given
wasn’t thinking too clearly
much later got call go pick him up by harbour
bridge
tried walking home
when got to him
pretty sad – lost wallet
vaguely knew where might be
so in moon light i walked through grass to bridge
and back again
bending low
hoping
but feeling the despair
not confident
then
there it was
I had found it
amazing
such relief
such joy from him
if it hadn’t been 4 in the morning we might
have had a party to celebrate.
phew
You will have your own stories.
the loss
the search
euphoria and relief of success
pain of failure
want you to hang onto that for a moment
2. Pharisees and scribes
Despite what we heard last week
Jesus is pretty popular
all kinds of people are coming to hear him and
see what the fuss is all about
lots poor people
seemed
to really get what he was on about
a lot of leadership at various levels
intrigued
worried
keeping
an eye on him
some of religious leaders as well – scribes and
Pharisees
and a number of people rabbis just didn’t spend
a lot of time with
tax
collectors – made money of poverty inflicted on population
collaborators with Romans – not so popular
sinners
– probably means prostitutes and such
enough said
Jesus is not only letting them hang around
eating
with them
and
inviting them to eat with him
which as I have said
bestowed on them both honour and blessing
something people were not happy about
you do not honour collaborators and
prostitutes
I think many of us would have a problem with
this.
And so the religious leaders start to murmur
pretty seroius murmuring and grumbling
same word used in Greek Old Testament for
murmuring against Moses.
What Jesus is doing is beyond the pale
beyond what is accepted as safe and life
giving
wonder what it is that we are murmuring about?
what is it we think is beyond the pale?
3. Stories of Loss
Jesus is pretty switched on guy
hear the murmuring in their tone of voice
body
language
dark
looks
tackles it head on,
Jesus does what he often does
not lecture them
not give lengthy sermons
tells three stories
or
which we heard 2 this morning
stories lost sheep
lost
coin
lost
sons – which I have already spoken about.
three work together make his point
first two are introduction
third drives point home
pity we do not hear them together
anyhow
Jesus does what he often does
hooks them all in
which of you having a hundred sheep
I am pretty sure he paused here.
because woah
100 sheep
that is pretty rich.
for those poor people having 100 sheep is
beyond a dream
even for many Scribes and Pharisees that is a lot
sheep
a
lot of wealth
but Jesus carries on
“and loosing one of them”
O
so not owning the sheep them
so, just a shepherd then
down the other end of the social scale
then Jesus
tells familiar tale of shepherd finding that lost sheep
and then because everyone in village would
have been able to see and hear search if it had been close enough to town
they all gather and celebrate.
So far we have story about something lost
exactly same story each of us can tell
our loss
our feelings of loss
our searching
when we find it
our desire to celebrate
Now in telling the story Jesus adds this
really interesting bit
“ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy
in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the 99 righteous persons who need
no repentance.”
that line immediately changes our focus
forget about our loss
the searching
finding and celebration
we immediately focus on need to repent
which begs the question
who repented?
the sheep? sheep don’t repent really.
the shepherd? of his carelessness? maybe?
the tax collectors and sinners- maybe
but in the introduction to the story there is
no repentance
just says came near to listen
Elsewhere there is with Zacchaeus and the
women washing Jesus feet
but
not here.
why does Jesus say this
or did Luke just add it?
whatever – don’t let that line distract you.
4. The Lost Dowry
Jesus tells another story.
About woman who losses coin
been
suggested that Jesus original hearers understood this to be part of her dowry
relatively
big sum of money being talked about
so this is more than just story about lost
money
story of lost family honour
lost
prospects for husband
life changing loss
so she pulls out all stops looking for it
using even precious candles in hunt
when she finds it
prudent
thing would be give little “woohoo”
put
it back with others
carry
on like nothing has happened
risks shaming herself and telling everyone of
her folly
so that they might share in her joy
again, story about a really really big loss
angst of search
joy and euphoria of finding coin
restoring honour, hope, future.
time to party.
and then Jesus talks about repentance and we
forget all that and moralise about the importance of repentance
but again – who repents?
coin?
woman?
5. Lost sons
then Jesus tells story of lost sons
both sons failing in their obligations
both lost in own self importance
Jesus finishes with
“His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand.
You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a
wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and
he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’” (msg)
Now it is fair to say that only one of the
sons repents in this story
and only after his father finds him first
runs
hugs
restores
him to his place as son.
6. Conclusion
I began with my own stories of loss.
invite you place your stories alongside the
three Jesus tells.
in the midst of these stories of loss and
searching
invited
hear of God seeking us in our loss
same commitment shown by shepherd
same dedication and care shown by woman
with same patience, recklessness and love
exhibited by father in third story
Our stories of finding and rejoicing invite us
to join in celebration in heaven and on earth for all who are found
even when they are beyond the pale
These are stories of importance of celebrating
not
the importance of repentance
soon we will gather around the Eucharistic table
in that moment we will be invited to remember
the times Jesus sat and ate with those beyond the pale
welcomed all no matter who they were to join
with him
in doing so he showed the Reign of God.
when we receive the bread and the wine
again we are invite to join in celebration in
heaven and earth
celebration that is at the heart of reign of
God
we are invited join together in a full blown
party in which in which we celebrate
that we are sought – pursued and found
I hope you bring that same sense of joy and
euphoria at finding what was lost to this table
today
and everytime we join in eucharist
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