Sermon on Sunday, June 18, 2017, based on Matthew 9:35
We have called this the “Holy Gospel Sunday.” Therefore, let me ask this question from the outset: what is the Holy Gospel? Is it all the words of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John combined? Is it a specific message that Jesus conveyed about the kingdom of God? Or is gospel the notion that we are “saved by grace,” as Paul put it? Is it something complicated that only some people “get” and others not? What is the Holy Gospel? All of those potential answers that I offered contain some truth. In fact, if you look in a dictionary, you will find three or four different meanings listed. But for today, I would like to get as close to the heart of what gospel means as is possible.
Let’s begin with the word. Our term “gospel” is a translation of the Greek word eu-angelion, which literally means “good news.” In today’s gospel reading we hear that Jesus went through the villages and cities of his home region, sharing the good news (gospel) of the kingdom. And just as we begin to wonder what Jesus might have said to the people, we are advised that he didn’t come primarily as a man of words. In fact, he was more like a doctor. Matthew says that he cured every disease and every sickness. I don’t know about you, but for me that is hard to imagine: someone healing every disease and every sickness! How many people do you know who are sick right now, who may have a mystery illness or need surgery, who battle cancer, heart disease, or some form of dementia? How many people do you know who have been ill in body or mind for some time? My guess is that every adult who comes to our church on any given Sunday can rattle down a list of at least ten to twenty people they know personally, who are suffering from various illnesses and diseases; some of us could go on and probably reach a hundred people or more on that list. And now Matthew tells us that Jesus went to these places and healed Every sickness and Every disease? That’s good news, – so good in fact, that it’s hard to believe!
Why is it hard to believe? Because of all that we know or think we know these days. We like to think that we are surrounded by the most sophisticated medicine in history, and yet, there is no end to the presence of disease in our communities. Our civilization has sent out laborers into the vineyard all right – millions of scientists researching potential cures for all kinds of maladies – with incredible success – and yet, with many limitations as well. It’s hard to believe then that Jesus went into these places and cured people of every sickness and every disease, is it not?
So, after some reality checking, some of us will be tempted to dismiss this gospel passage quietly as a nice, encouraging tale from 2000 years ago when nobody had the wherewithal to look further into it, when nobody could prove that these people were indeed healed. And yet, faith begins with trust. I personally have found in my spiritual journey that it’s best to trust the Word of God and to embrace it as it is. Dare to believe that Christ can heal every sickness and every disease, however bold that may be! I know I can’t heal. I know my faith is limited; but when it comes to spiritual matters, it’s best to put our trust in God wholeheartedly: believe the good news, believe the gospel as the disciples recorded it. And if things do not turn out as you hoped and prayed, which happens and has happened to people in our congregation, it must not harm your faith. I see faith as tapping into the positive energy that flows from Jesus into our lives. Even if things fall apart around you, if you trust in Christ, that positive energy will always reach you and will do good things, even in the midst of bad things; it will produce good news, gospel.
There is another aspect to this story, one that goes beyond personal faith and is about the church as a whole – about all of us. The gospel seems to be always on the move, as Jesus visits people and communities in various places. So, we will be wise to recognize that the gospel can’t be contained in a Sunday morning service or a building called church or a set of people who are called Christians, but has to be on the move as Jesus himself is.
I was touched recently, as I was reading what a Lutheran pastor from New Orleans had to say about the church in the days, weeks, and years after Hurricane Katrina. He said, “The church saw and responded like never before, sending help in the form of gift cards, in the form of money donated to every entity that claimed to be raising money on behalf of those who were victimized by this horrific disaster that has been categorized as the worst natural disaster to ever hit this nation.”
“When the city reopened,” he continued, “the people of God from congregations around the country began coming to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region to help restore the homes of the people who had lost so much. They gave up their vacations and raised money to buy supplies needed to restore homes and provide meals and water to the residents of this region of our country.”
That was the Holy Gospel in Action, – the hearts and souls, the compassion, and the good intentions of mere mortals reaching out to another part of the community. They were not able to cure every disease and take away every suffering, of course. But over time, they made a big difference. That’s why to me “Social Ministry”, “Global Ministry”, “Stephen Ministry”, all our Support Groups, all the outreach groups at St. Peter’s are more than just “nice things to do.” They are the heart of the gospel, bringing good news to people! Jesus loves it! Jesus loves it when we love others! And it always begins with recognizing, seeing, noticing, taking seriously the needs of others. Matthew writes, “36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Indeed, there always seems to be a shortage of laborers in that vineyard. The pay is not measured in money, and that can turn some people off. The job can be easily ignored. The minds can be easily distracted. But make no mistake, there is no greater joy than bringing good news to people or doing something that can truly help them. As we continue to embrace the good news of God’s kingdom in our church, in our community and in the ministries that reach out far into our world, let us do what Jesus asked us to do: pray for more excited workers in this vineyard. Let us pray for people who serve with a passion, and embrace the Holy Gospel not as some pious words but as the power of God’s very presence in the lives of those who need a lift. The Holy Gospel is waiting to be shared.
Amen.