Sunday, April 09, 2006

Forget About Evangelism!

Who in the world would say that, especially to a bunch of ministry students and aspiring missionaries, but Larry James? That's what Steve heard, in response to the question about the synthesis of Justice and Evangelism. As I read the Psalms, I think he's got a point. There is a lot in there about declaring the greatness of our God, taking care of the poor and oppressed, and crying out to God for relief and protection, but not any of our typical North American proof-text and tract-based evangelism.

As for the balance of Justice and Evangelism, "The LORD is King; let the Earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad. Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne... Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks to his holy Name." Psalm 97

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Come to the Banquet

Wow, Jeff was really preaching it today! Travelling through the Gospel of Luke, we have been constantly confronted with Jesus' example and radical teaching of God's gracious invitation to all, especially the poor and rejected of society. Nothing has changed: Jesus still calls out with his open invitation and we are the chosen bearers of that message! Come to the banquet! There is room for all!

The Banquet
by: Jeff Christian
2006-04-02

A banquet is in the works I want to tell you about this morning. It is still in the planning stages, but the good news is that we already have a guest list, and everyone is invited. Even you… And the guy you can’t stand at work… And your least favorite politician… And yes, even her.

When you sit down at your table, it may be filled with strangers. And every one of them will be listening to every word you say. And by your words they will walk away from the table that night knowing what is most important to you. These banquets have been going on for years. Here is a rather famous one:

While at a banquet with what would have been considered the city council of his day, Jesus once again rocked the boat.

Luke 14:12-14
Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."


So, here is the banquet. The planning of the banquet is not negotiable at this point, mainly because Jesus is the one who is planning the meal. And after all, what are you going to say: “Well, Jesus, that might have worked for you; but we tried that ten years ago, and it just didn’t work very well.” No, the guests of honor will be obvious, though not typical guests of honor according to our worldly standards.

Who wants to do it? This is not a rhetorical question. I am asking for real this morning, who wants to put this meal together? Let’s plan a banquet, put an ad in the paper, and invite people who are blind, poor, or who cannot walk on their own. You guys serve the meal, but in order to serve, let’s say you have to donate or raise $500 for the privilege. A banquet where the blind and crippled and poor get invited, not for macaroni and cheese, but steak and baked potatoes… a banquet where the rich serve the poor… a banquet that is going to cost a lot of money and look like a show of extravagance. Who’s in?

Now, that is the surface of Jesus’ idea. But what is really going on in this passage? Let’s place Jesus’ idea in the context of Luke 14 and ask what is really going on here?

Luke 14:1-11
Humility before action

Luke 14:12-24
All you have to do is accept the invitation…

Luke 14:25-35
… and give up your life and everyone who will not give up theirs.


Now in context, what is Jesus really telling us in inviting us to invite the disenfranchised to this banquet? Why is Jesus calling us to open our doors to those from whom we will receive nothing in return?

In Jesus’ time and earlier, the banquet was the central moment for discussions. The Greek philosophers would gather at banquets to discuss wisdom and life. In Jewish literature prior to Jesus’ time, the banquet was the setting for conversation where the teachers illustrated their devotion to Torah, to the Law of God. And so, the banquet of Luke 14 is more than a banquet where poor people eat lobster. The banquet is where we invite people, not just to serve them, but to welcome them to a conversation about what is most important. As the blind sit around our table, will they be able to see what we are most devoted to? What will the crippled at your table walk away saying is most important to you? Will they walk away talking about your house, your job, or your Lord?

The banquet of Jesus’ time was the center of high priority conversation. As we gather in here, how can we talk about anything other than the true source of our conversation, of Jesus Christ? Have any of you had a conversation yet this morning about God? What do you think a Sunday morning would look like in this place if when we walk through the doors, we talked about nothing but Christ? No talk about the weather; no talk about football or basketball; no talk about work; no talk about food. Just Christ.

There is a banquet today for all those who come to Jesus, not with triumph, but with humility. The table is set for those crippled by the blows of the false gods of our times. The table is set for those struck blind by the unholy light of materialism and greed and the especially deceptive idol of knowledge. And as we belly up to the table of Christ, will those blinded by the rotting light of this world come into the holy light, mainly because at the table, it is all we can talk about. Honestly, are you going to talk to someone who is spiritually bankrupt about the weather? Here is your chance to speak.

There is banquet tomorrow night at the West Erwin Benevolence Center just as there is every Monday night when people will gather for a free meal served in the name of Jesus. And you know, it doesn’t really matter what the people have or do not have who come. What matters is what your heart is like as you serve them, and even when you sit at the table with them and be the person Jesus has made you.

There is a banquet Thursday morning staffed by Glenwood people who will give clothes and food to people in Tyler who do not have the same opportunities you have for upward mobility.

There is a banquet this week in Fort Portal, Uganda where Jeff and Cheryl Cash and Ronald and David will break the bread of life for people who are still hungry and thirsty for righteousness, who have not yet grown fat and full on apathy. And there is a banquet just up the road at Noah’s Ark where children of Northern Uganda will sleep in safety from hell-bound tyrants.

There is a banquet table set today in a simple building in Mexico built by the hands of men from Glenwood and Shiloh so that Mexican Christians and those seeking an authentic walk with Jesus might find food that sustains them for life.

There is a banquet hosted by Bono and Brad Pitt and other unlikely celebrities too easy to dismiss as Hollywood types, but who are doing more every day for the hungry of our world than some Christians will do in a lifetime of churchgoing.

There is a banquet in Honduras at a medical clinic called Predisan that is so much more than antibiotics and diagnoses. A man will walk for miles tomorrow to sit at the banquet table of those who will not only heal his arm, but will introduce him to one who can heal his broken soul; and the conversation will be about so much more than medicine, but will put him in contact with the Great Physician.

There is a similar banquet this week in downtown Tyler at the Bethesda Health Clinic for the working uninsured of Smith County who cannot afford healthcare or insurance.

There is a banquet today in this building for those ready to pray for God to use you in a ministry that will deeply impact this community, or perhaps one person in your neighborhood. In fact, what if at the meal today down in the Family Life Center you see yourself as one of the invitees to the very banquet of Luke 14. Once you are at the table of Jesus, will you talk to Him about football? Once you are with Jesus, how will he send you out? How will you take the discipleship-call seriously? How will you bombard John Hodges with requests to help him get you involved in a ministry you may not be able to see yet?

So let’s go eat. But let’s not go to the table full. Let’s go to the table hungry. And let’s eat. And then, let’s make plans for a real Luke 14 banquet. Let’s do an actual banquet for the people in our community who fit the description from Luke 14. But then let’s also work on our hearts and ask God to fill them with His humility and His Spirit; let’s fill our mouths with words of Christ, not just the things of this world; and let’s give up the false gods of today and take up our crosses and follow Jesus who lives forever.

Amen

Now who’s in?