Northwood United Church

Sinners Wanted

Matthew 9:9-13
June 8, 2008
Rev. Dr. Doug Lobb

If you talk to the average person and ask them what their view of church is, chances are pretty good they will say it is against sins and then they might even enumerate what they believe sins are. Because of this mindset, perpetuated by a host of ultra conservative theological viewpoints, many will not venture into any church for fear of being labeled a "sinner. Complicating the issue even more is the attitude among some pious believers that they do not want to associate with those they perceive to be sinners.

That pretty much sums up the scene in our scripture lesson this morning. Jesus has just asked Matthew to leave his job and follow him as a disciple- a co-worker. There was no hint of Jesus asking Matthew whether or not he was a believer. Seemingly, that did not concern Jesus who apparently saw some quality in Matthew that the Pharisees did not. All the Pharisees saw was that Matthew was a tax collector, hated then even more than now, and here he was sitting down with Jesus for dinner along with a host of other tax collectors and sinners.

Miffed because Jesus was spending time with these non participants in the religion of the Pharisees, they ask, why is he sitting with tax collectors and sinners? Overhearing their remark Jesus answers, "Those who are well don't need a Doctor, Doctors are for the sick. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners"

Now, I ask you, how does that resonate with your view of our faith? Today, I want to state that I believe the attitude of many churches and even more church people is one of the major reasons why the Church is in a declining mood.

In her probing book, "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek", Amy Dillard tells of an Eskimo hunter who went to see the missionary who had been preaching in the village.

During the last days of his administration, President Reagan, told a story. It was about Alexander Dumas who was having a severe argument with a friend. The matter got so out of hand that one challenged the other to a duel. Both Dumas and his friend were excellent marksman. Fearing that both men might fall in such a duel they decided to draw straws instead. Whoever drew that shorter straw would then be pledged to shoot himself.

Dumas was the unlucky one. He drew the short straw. With a heavy sigh, he picked up his pistol and sidled into the library, closed the door and left the company who were present to observe the non duel alone. In a few moments one shot was fired. All the curious pressed into the library where they found Dumas still standing with his pistol smoking: "An amazing thing just happened, "Dumas said, "I missed!"

It's just as amazing how many people who have been part of the life of a Church for years have missed the point by worrying about sins (plural) when the real message is about sin. Long before there were Churches or doctrines or ideas there were human experiences. The stories of the Old Testament are marvelous because they tell of experiences to which we all can relate. What the stories are telling us in dramatic form is what we face in our living so the stories are important and relevant.

Take the story of Adam and Eve from Genesis 2. For example. A man and a woman, in fact the first man and the first woman, says the story, lived in a beautiful garden. The plants were beautiful, the peacocks strutted with their plumage erect for them to see. Roses, lilies, animals of all types and beauty abounded, it was everything their hearts could desire including, the sheltering presence of God.

There was only one thing in that entire paradise that God said they should leave alone; God's own tree. You can eat everything you want from any other tree, said God, but leave that tree of knowledge of good and evil, alone. So, of course from that moment on that was the only thing they wanted. (Taylor, B.B. "Speaking of Sin" page 43)

"Go ahead and eat":, said the snake, "you won't die" and the snake was right, they didn't die but all things were changed. Left to their own devises, Adam and Eve decided to eat of the fruit of that forbidden tree. In exercising their freedom, they disobeyed God and that ended their life as they knew it. They left the garden and life became tough because life was out of whack with God's idea, all because of their choice.

That's why we continue to tell the story because that story is true for us. Who among us cannot remember the time or times when we took money from the dresser where our father's laid loose change or can we remember the times we have told a little story to cover up something we had done wrong or primed our Mothers with unrequited love when the object was getting something we wanted.

As Gardiner Taylor, the great black preacher from Brooklyn says, there is a gone wrongness in the universe". Somewhere, sometime, we were made aware that are certain things that we are not permitted to do, but just as the story says, that is exactly what we want to do. In a nutshell, the basic sin is disobedience. It is simply missing the mark.

Sometimes, this sin, this disobedience is more than individual it is corporate- remember the children of Israel? No sooner had Moses ascended the mountain to get the Ten Commandments than the children of Israel turned away from God, erected a golden calf and began to worship that idol. We know now, that the calf was a symbol of fertility and that became the worshipped ingredient. Like humanity today, the Children of Israel were out of sync with God and when that occurs, it is immediately replaced by selfishness. We begin to do what we want to do without thought of others or society or the earth. A modern story illustrating that fact would be the movie "Erin Brockovitch."

In Jesus day, the religious officials were so involved with the law and the adherence to all of its tenets that they became critical of all people, based not on their ethics or life but how carefully they obeyed the law, the commandments and the teachings of the Rabbis.

In the text, Matthew is invited to follow Jesus and he leaves his job and follows him. Two things are immediately worth noting. Matthew leaves a lucrative position. Tax collectors were hated people in that society because they assessed more than needed in order to pad their own pockets. No doubt Jesus knew that, yet he asks Matthew to follow him. There is no mention of obedience no question about his faith no rules to obey - just follow.

Next Jesus and his disciples, sat down to eat with many tax collectors and sinners. That is what made the Pharisees mad. It was not what Jesus was doing or even saying, it was that he ate with people who were not faithful to the law as the Pharisees saw it.

Hearing their concern, Jesus answers, "Those who are well do not need a Doctor, only those who are sick`. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.' Now folks that is a powerful statement with a profound message filled with meaning for us.

One of the great criticisms of the Church world wide is that it welcomes those who appear to fit in. We have an idea of who should be here and who should not. I wonder, if Jesus came into this building, would he be happy with our attitude of about who should be part of this Church?

I have not come to call the righteous, said Jesus but sinners. That means that Jesus is calling each of us since we are all sinners in the sense that we fall short of the mark. We are welcome, all of us and all those folks out there who are not part of this Church or any faith persuasion are welcomed also: that is the whole aim of the "Wonder Cafe" program of the United Church. All are welcomed to come and discuss morals, ethics, matters of faith and conduct with no preconceived opinions and with a non judgmental approach. It is in the acceptance, the love, and the sharing with each other that we find the true spirit of God.

It all begins with us sitting down with others as they are, not where we want them to be. Again, Jesus is our model. He sat and ate with Matthew a tax collector and look what he became. Then to illustrate the point, the passage ends with a woman of faith seeking just to touch Jesus garment. Jesus does not know her but she is healed without a single question about her life, conduct or faith.

Next a ruler comes to plead for his daughter. Without any questions Jesus says she will be well. The people laugh, but she lives and that causes the message to spread through out the district; Two great stories to illustrate the all embracing attitude and ministry of Jesus.

If the word got out that at Northwood United Church, sinners are wanted and welcomed- welcomed by desire not guilt; welcome with passion not principals to be followed; welcomed with concern not obligation and with a prayerful hope they will grow along with fellow travelers on the road. Wow! We would really be a beacon to the community.

Doug Webster tells a story about how one enthusiast learned this lesson. A young evangelical enthusiast was on a mission trip to one of the more undesirable sections of Philadelphia. He approached a large tenement house, climbed up the stairs and knocked on the door of an apartment. A young woman, holding a howling, naked baby opened the door. She was smoking and in no mood to hear some white idealistic college boy talk to her about Jesus. Cursing at him, she slammed the door in his face and the young man was devastated.

He went out and sat on the curb and wept because of his own failure and weakness until he began to remember, the baby was naked and she was smoking. An idea formed but, he felt, it wasn't very spiritual. Acting on his hunch, he went to a local market, bought a box of diapers and a pack of cigarettes. He went back to the same door, knocked and showed the woman his purchases. She hesitated but invited him in.

For the rest of the afternoon, he played with the baby, changed its diapers- something he had never done before. When the woman offered him a cigarette, he took it and smoked, another thing he had never done before. Finally, the woman asked him why he was there and why was he doing all this. Finally, he got to tell her about Jesus-everything he knew about Jesus, about 4 minutes worth.

When he stopped, the woman looked at him and said, "Pray for me and my baby that we can make it out of here alive". What an education! That is evangelism. (M. Yaconelli, "Messy Spirituality" Page 89f)

We are a Church dear friends, a Church of Christ and we are here not to call the righteous but sinners. Sinners are wanted and welcomed here-thanks be to God.

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