Third Sunday after Pentecost |
|
|
|
Scripture |
Matthew 7:21-29 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’ 24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell--and great was its fall!” 28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes . |
Devotional |
In the closing words of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus leaves no doubt who will and will not enter the kingdom of heaven: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them ..” Entry into the kingdom of heaven is gained by doing the things he has outlined in the Sermon on the Mount. These are not spectacular things but more in the form of small, unspectacular things which Jesus has described. Things like not being angry with those around you, working on broken relationships, and keeping your word. These actions will build the firm foundation that remains firm and steadfast through the storms of our life. These are not really spectacular deeds but the living out faithfully our everyday lives. I read two stories recently of two persons who were living out their life being faithful to God. Their stories end by being spectacular but I think as the events took place they were obeying God’s call. Jean Donovan was one of four U.S. churchwomen martyred in El Salvador in 1980. The month before she died, she wrote to a friend: The Peace Corps left today and my heart sank low. The danger is extreme and they are right to leave…Now I must assess my own position, because I am not up for suicide. Several times I have decided to leave. I almost could, except for the children, the poor bruised victims of adult lunacy. Who would care for them? Whose heart would be so staunch as to favor the reasonable thing in a sea of tears and helplessness? Not mine, dear friend, not mine. 1 In 1939, during a lecture tour in the United States , Dietrich Bonhoeffer was pressed on all sides to remain in this country. Nevertheless, he returned to Germany , and eventually to execution by the Nazis, taking one of the last ships sailing back before the U.S. entered the war. During the trip home, he wrote, “Since coming on board ship, my inner disruption about the future has disappeared.” 2 It seems Donavan and Bonhoeffer were hearing the words of Jesus and following them. They were doing the ordinary thing, living out their everyday lives, doing what they thought Jesus was calling them to do. In recent days, you have been aware of the disasters in the U.S. and in the world. I have worked in disaster response so I have a passion for this work. I sent a donation to the United Methodist on Relief to help with the work. Also I sent a donation to Rapha International which ships relief supplies to countries in need of assistance. I would like to write one of those checks that people hold up before the camera with six big 0’s and two small one. Jesus is not asking many of us to write those kinds of checks but he could be asking us to write a check with one big 0 or two big 0’s with two little 0’s. Jesus did not make it that difficult for us to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them…” Jesus had to go out in the community and area to see people’s needs and suffering but today the suffering of people from around the world is brought to us, almost instantly, through modern media. This is so easy for us. From the comfort of our own homes, we can type in these names or one of your choosing and within minutes you have help on the way. Is this a modern way to hear and act on the words of Jesus? This kingdom stuff is not so difficult is it?
1 quote from Maria Harris and Gabriel Moran, “Educating Persons”, in Mapping Christian Education, editor Jack L. Seymour. Nashville : Abingdon Press, 1997,p.58 2 ibid. p. 58 |