The Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost - The Rev. Colette Hammesfahr

The Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost 

October 1, 2023 – Matthew 21:23-32 

 

In 2019 a faith-based movie came out called Overcomer. It’s a fictional story about a high school basketball coach, John, who is asked to coach the high school cross country team. As he grows into this new role as a running coach, he meets a man named Thomas, who is in the hospital, dying. As they grow closer, one day Thomas asks, “John, if I asked you who you are what’s the first thing that comes to mind?” John starts, “I’m a basketball coach.” Thomas asks, “And if that’s stripped away?” John goes through a long list and with every answer, is continuously challenged by Thomas, “I’m a history teacher. I’m a husband. I’m a father.” Thomas asks, “And what if all that is stripped away?” John says, “I’m a white American male.” Challenged even more by Thomas John finally says, “Well, I’m a Christian.” “Finally,” says Thomas. “How important is that to you.” John says, “Very important.” Thomas replies, “Interesting…how it’s so far down your list.”  

We’re continuing these verses in Matthew where we have been challenged as to what it is to be a Christian. We’ve talked about complaining, forgiving, the challenges of taking up our cross, and reconciliation. We’ve skipped forward a couple of chapters in Matthew from last week so it’s good to have some context of what has been going on in Jesus’ life. Jesus has just made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It’s now the time of his final days on earth. He’s been in the temple flipping the tables of those taking advantage of the worshipers. He’s withered the fig tree that was not bearing fruit, and now, in our reading today the chief priests are questioning his authority. And Jesus turns things around on them, with a parable, that forces them to take a long hard look at themselves. And it gives us an opportunity to take a long hard look at who we are and what it means to be a Christian.  

In this parable we have two sons. Both are asked by their father to help in the vineyard. I’ve personally never worked in a vineyard, but I imagine the work was not easy. I imagine the hot sun was beating down on their back. It was probably very tedious and monotonous work. By the end of the day, your arms were probably weak from carrying heavy baskets of grapes. I imagine it to be hard, strenuous work -- a huge sacrifice.  

One son said, without hesitation, that he would help his father. The other son declined the offer of hard work and in helping out his father. Yet, in the end, the son who promised to do the work for his father, didn’t show up. Maybe he had something better to do. Maybe it was not just that important to him. Maybe he lost track of time. We don’t know what his excuse was, and it didn’t really matter to the father. What mattered was that the son had said he would be there, yet he wasn’t.  

Then, in an unlikely turn of events, the son who said he would not help, had a change of heart. He showed up for his father and helped in the vineyard. He did the hard, strenuous work of the laborer for his father.  

In this parable, the chief priests are the son who did not do as he promised his father. They professed loyalty and faithfulness to God but they did not live it out. They questioned Jesus’ authority. They criticized him for eating with sinners and tax collectors. Yet it’s those sinners and tax collectors who represented the son who had a change of heart. The son who was transformed. The sinners and tax collectors hungered to hear Jesus’ words. They hungered for Jesus’ healing, grace, and love. They asked for repentance and changed, to do the will of God. It’s one thing to know God, but it’s another thing to do God’s will.  

In the movie, Overcomer when identifying who he was, John put God way down on his list. Thomas said, “Your identity will be tied to whatever you give your heart to.” And then he said, “The last time you were here, you said you would pray for me. Did you?” John honestly replied, “No.” To which Thomas said, “For someone who knows the Lord, you’re acting like somebody who doesn’t. What have you allowed to define you? Something or someone will have first place in your heart. But when you find your identity in the one who created you…it will change your whole perspective.” 

Jesus is calling us to be transformed. Challenging us to take a hard look at what defines us. If we say we love God, we are supposed to act like we love God. It’s not just words that come out of our mouths. It’s action that comes from our hearts. It’s through loving our neighbor, helping those in the margins, proudly doing God’s work. How many times have we said we would pray for someone, like John did, but when it came down to it, we didn’t?     

“Your identity will be tied to whatever you give your heart to.”   

Four weeks ago we started Children’s Chapel for youth, aged kindergarten to 5th grade. It’s really become a highlight of my week. Reverend Melanie and I take turns leading chapel, with another adult volunteer. Each week we read a story, do an activity, and talk about the same message as you hear in the sanctuary, during our sermon. Today, their activity is coloring and assembling bumble bees. On the wings of the bee, are words saying who God wants us to “bee.”  

Bee generous, Bee kind, Bee loving, and Bee faithful.  

Our Big Questions for this week are these: When have you been challenged when it relates to faith and obedience? How have these challenges led to spiritual growth or transformation? How do your actions reflect your faith and how does your faith inspire you to take action?  

God doesn’t want us to simply “say” we are Christian. God wants us to BE Christian. Our work in God’s vineyard is not easy – it takes sacrifice, commitment, attention. It means making choices. It means moving God up that list of what defines us – of who we are. As Thomas said to John in Overcomer, “Something or someone will have first place in your heart. But when you find your identity in the one who created you…it will change your whole perspective.”   

Amen