Paul’s letter to the Romans invites
us to ponder who God is and how God is.
And what that means for who we are and how we
are.
Paul asserts that God gives
life to the dead and calls things into being that do not exist.
These creed-like statements
are, using Abraham’s faith and life as illustration, commended to the
Christ-following community receiving the letter. Note that the characteristics
of who God is and how God is are in the present tense – active.
Let us explore this morning’s
gospel from Matthew (9:9-13, 18-26) through the lens of Romans 4: 17, which
reads: Also, to those who share the faith of Abraham… in the presence of the
God in whom Abraham believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into
existence the things that do not exist.
The Gospel according to
Matthew:
Jesus walked along.
Jesus saw a man.
Not just with his eyes, did Jesus see a man. Jesus saw
the man – as in “I see you.” The modern phrase of acknowledgment, recognition, understanding,
and validation. I see the true you, the one hidden behind the masks you wear. The
you, that is under the hate spewed at you by your own people; the you, lost in the
conniving and cheating the job requires of you; the you, at a distance from others,
alone.
And there was God –
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus called Matthew the tax
collector. Follow me.
An invitation is given to a despised, toll-charging, booth
attendant named Matthew. Charging – at his own discretion the amount of coin required
to pass by. Paying to walk their traditional lands and unceded territory, this
collector was a traitor in the eyes of the people.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus sat down and had
dinner with tax collectors and sinners.
Matthew having felt seen, invites his friends to meet
Jesus over a meal. Against social etiquette and religious rules, Jesus said yes
– to eat with a group despised for collecting taxes from their own people to
pay an occupying force. The franchised tax system was one where tax collectors often
charger far more than what was fair, received bribes from the wealthy, and
distributed the burden of the Roman tax quota to the poor. The collectors
became rich on the backs of others. And the sinners? Bankers, those lending
money, others, whose professions violated the Torah.
Jesus stood up for the tax
collectors and sinners and remained sitting with them.
Sitting with them in a demeanor of forgiveness without
expectation of repentance or confessions.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus told the religious
types to go and learn what mercy means.
The religious leaders were not any better. The religious were
judgers of righteousness in others, following a heavy-handed, hard-line
interpretation of covenant laws, and extra laws. Religious nit-pickers, who
were comfortable and liked to assume power and wield their authority.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus taught John’s
disciples.
We didn’t read this section of text, but in it is a debate
on the practice of fasting, and judgement of those who do not; including Jesus’
disciples who are in a time of celebration for God is near. Jesus alludes to
being more than a teacher -
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus was interrupted by a
leader kneeling at his feet.
This leader was a Ruler of the Synagogue in Capernum. He
had general oversight of the synagogue with the power to invite visitors to
address the congregation or not. The leader was a gatekeeper who turned not to
the priests or others in the religious structure of the day. He came to Jesus
and was not ignored.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus went to raise the
leader’s daughter.
The leader came
for his daughter, one considered the least of a family – being both child and
female.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus felt power flow
through him.
Unexpected, immediate, uncontrolled.
And there was God-
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus turned and saw a woman
suffering with a flow of blood.
Once again Jesus saw. Jesus saw her. The fear and hope, her
despair and shame. Ostracized from society, community gatherings, and religious
rituals because of illness. Jesus saw her faith not the simple-mindedness attributed
to women of the day. She was not rebuked
but given dignity and respect.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus spoke to the woman.
In an open conversation
with a stranger in public, one unnamed, considered unclean; a woman - so even
when marked clean, relegated to the back of synagogue, and with the responsibility
to stay a decent distance from men.
Jesus called her daughter.
Validating her worth.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus healed the woman.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus arrived at the
leader’s house.
That would be a rich leader for he owned property. Because
his child had died there would be talk. He must have done something wrong to have
received disfavour from God.
Jesus sent the mourning
crowd away.
Jesus spoke and was laughed
at.
Jesus’ words were incomprehensible, deluded, and
irrational. The girl was dead. And to
send to the mourners away was to prevent them receiving their wage as mourners
at the house of wealth.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus took the girl’s hand.
A girl – not as special as a son. A child with no status
of their own. Jesus showed mercy and touched a dead body.
Jesus raised the girl.
And there was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Jesus’ actions were reported
through all the district.
The reports were both
miracle story and controversy narrative, sharing a theme of opposition.
The scandalous headlines:
Jesus - Counteracts the dehumanization
of occupation
Jesus – Courageously challenges
religious structure
Jesus – Blatantly disregards
social expectations
Jesus – Non-discriminately offers
tangible acts of restoration
Jesus - Recklessly administers mercy
And in Jesus’ opposition to
the powers and authorities of the world, the systems, the judgement, the
negative, the pervasive evil, and even death, in Jesus’ presence and actions, there
was God -
who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
The Greek verb to call in
this text also means to invite. As followers of Jesus, Paul reminds us of the
covenant and our invitation by the grace of God to the messianic banquet. A
banquet where Jesus sits with tax collectors, sinners, the least, the forgotten,
the ostracized, the sick, the poor, the landowner, others’ disciples, the dead
--- and gives to each the bread of life. Jesus’ brings into existence that which didn’t
exist – belonging, kindness, mercy, wholeness, redemption, restoration,
relationship. Matthew’s gospel highlights the relinquishing of old habits and
embracing new responses to God’s grace, responses that are kindom work, God’s
kindom. With a little help from Paul, we see that kindom comes about through
faith, trusting in who God is and how God is. Jesus manifested in his ministry both
Who and How God is.
In our everyday lives…
walking along…
Because of who God is and
how God is, who and how are we?
May we be of the same
courage as Abraham, Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become…
what God promised. Hoping against hope, may we believe in the coming
of God’s kindom and in opposition to the world,
bring into existence – in each
moment of our day - mercy, kindness,
belonging – giving life to the dead.
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