Tuesday, 2 April Luke 12:35-53
Written by Dr Graham Leo. ©2019.
We’re in a tough patch of readings at the moment. There are lots of hard sayings and difficult concepts. We’re being challenged on almost every page. At least, Luke should be forcing us to jettison that Sunday School notion of gentle Jesus, meek and mild, who is too kind to ever get upset with us. Why did we ever think we were doing children a service to teach them that? And why would we continue to do it to adults?
The last section in today’s reading is one that raises some hard questions for some.
We generally think that Jesus came to bring peace into the world. But here in v51, he is being quite clear that he is not bringing peace, but division. So how do we square this with our traditional understanding of Jesus and his mission?
How does this fit with what we read in 2:14, when we heard the angels announcing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests?
Imagine a setting where a father is looking after several children at home. They are misbehaving as children are inclined to do on a wet day in the holidays – squabbling, making a mess, not doing what he’s asked them to do. Dad has finally had it and he lets loose telling them all how he feels and how they have each been misbehaving. He storms out of the playroom, having said his piece, telling them that when they're ready to say they're sorry, he’ll forgive them and they can be restored.
One by one, the children come to him, head down, seeking his forgiveness, saying they are sorry. One by one, he forgives them, hugs them, and their relationship is restored, ready to start over anew. But not all. Two of the five children are stubborn. They don't like being told off, and they refuse to see him and seek reconciliation.
And now there is division in the playroom. Those who have sought forgiveness and been restored are seen by the others as weak links, traitors to the common cause of brother/sisterhood. Some have found peace, but their family is divided. The familiar games can't be enjoyed any more, not till the rebels lay down their arms.
Thus it is with Jesus. He is telling his disciples that this business of forgiveness and new kingdom is not going to be all rosy. He has come to reconcile humanity to God the Father, but those who refuse in their obstinate pride to be reconciled will be angry with their brothers. There’ll be division and hatred.
It’s no wonder, then, that Jesus starts this session of instruction with a series of parables about the absent Master.
There is a lovely little image in there that is easy to miss if we read too quickly.
In v37, Jesus declares that ‘it will be good for those servants whose Master finds them watching when he comes’. Jesus says: ‘I tell you the truth, the Master will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.’
We can so easily give up on going to church, on practising our faith. Sometimes it all just gets too hard. I’ve tried to do the right thing all my life, and now look at what’s happened. It’s not worth it. God doesn't care. I’ll just give up going to church. They're all hypocrites there anyway. And the priests and ministers don't really care. And so many of them are just in it for the money or the easy job or whatever.
But that means we have given up waiting for the Master to return!
Of course it will be hard sometimes. And at some stages of life – sickness, divorce, old age, hard times with the children, job difficulties – it is worse than others. It’s a mistake to think that just because the Master is not here that he doesn't know what’s going on. He does.
Our calling is to go on watching, keeping the lamp of faith lit. And we don't have to do too much. When we are in a very tough patch, we don't have to go on evangelism trips, we don't have to be supremely happy, we don't have to be at a peak of spiritual fitness. We just have to turn up.
It’s also why we pray for others in their distress. They might be in such a depressed state that they can't actually pray for themselves very well.
We demonstrate our watching brief as faithful servants, just by walking out the front each week at Communion. Remember the words that ought to be spoken by the priest and the congregation together just before the meal is distributed? Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again! And then we eat the bread and drink the wine, giving action to our mental assent to those words.
We look forward to his coming again in the taking of the communion meal. And Jesus says, if you continue to watch for his coming, when he comes, he will take off his fine clothes of a King. He will swap your servant robes for robes of royalty and he will sit you down at the table and he will serve you.
It doesn't take much, if you are very low at this time. Just keeping on going, that’s enough.
Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again!
Take this bread. Christ died for your sins.
Drink this wine. Christ shed his blood for you, and he is coming again.
Prayer: Holy God, you build your church on people just like us. May we encourage each other on our journey into relationship with you and with others. May you work in and through us as we go from this place. In your name we pray. Amen.
And now we hear, as it were, your voice, Jesus, encouraging us:
Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the faint hearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; give honour to all.
Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
