Hello,
For the first time in my ministry, no one can say that I
talked too long in my sermon….because I didn’t talk at all!
The Gospel reading began with the scribes and Pharisees (two
groups who considered themselves pretty squeaky clean in the eyes of God)
complaining that Jesus who was rubbing shoulders with tax collectors and
sinners (two groups of people who were seen as filthy dirty in the eyes of God)
would “welcome” them and “eat with them”.
So, let me draw your mind’s eye into the sanctuary of First
Lutheran Church for yesterday’s silent sermon, the enactment of a parable that
I have come up with to get at Jesus’ response to their complaints:
As the notes of “Amazing Grace” lift from the piano, I
retrieve a card table that is resting in the choir loft in the front of the
church, unfold its legs, and set it right in front of the altar. On it I place a blue and white checked
table cloth, put a place setting of silverware on one side, decorate it with a
flower arrangement, and slide a chair under the table. With a waiter’s towel over my folded
elbow, I go over to Rocco (the worship assistant for the day) and bid him come
and dine at my table, which with glowing smile he does. After I seat him in my chair, I prepare
to take his order by placing a glass of water in front of him….a glass of water
that I have filled full of dirty stones before filling with water. Looking at me with confused eyes, I
motion to him to drink it. He
motions back, “No way!”
Realizing his issue with the glass of water, I take the
glass, reach into it with my hand and grab as many of the stones as I can,
leaving it with about half as many stones as before. Graciously setting it before him, he again looks at me with
disbelief, still unwilling to drink it.
So, since the customer is always right, I take the glass
again, empty it of all its stones, and then drop one stone in and fill it with
water. Again, as I set it before
him, he adamantly refuses to drink of it, even though I declare to him, putting
up one finger, that it is only one stone.
But no. Still he will not
drink the water.
Frustrated with his pickiness, I take the glass, dump out
all the water and the one stone, and gesture a couple of spits into the glass
and wipe it “clean” with my towel.
I then fill it with water, impatiently set it before him, and with equal
impatience with me, still he refuses to drink from it.
So….since the customer is always right….I leave him and the
glass at the table, go get a wash basin, fill it with water, put soap in it,
scrub the class clean, dry it, hold it up to the light to make sure it
sparkles….then I fill it with water….set the glass in front of Rocco, and he
with a refreshing smile on his face drinks it down!
So was the sermon…..so is today’s Bungee Cord.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace,
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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