Love the heart of the Law

 We know and understand that God is the ultimate demonstration of Love as this is what God is. So, when the Gospel from Matthew has Christ saying that Love of God and Love of neighbour are the two most fundamental aspects of the Law we have no issues with the proclamation (Matt 22:37-39). Over the past few weeks we have heard of the generosity of God and how we should be committing everything to God's purposes and if we have not yet realised why, the present Gospel passage gives us no better reason but love. In working out love in our lives we commit to God's purposes for in what other way can we show the abundance that God gives to us but by following in his footsteps of love as shown by the Christ. Yet almost in the same breath of the word love we are also reminded of things that spring not from love of the other but from our own selfishness (Lev. 19:15-18).

This, then, is the paradox within which we have to work out God's love in our lives. We are enjoined by God to live the life that is reflective of God's love, but we are almost always ruled by the desires of our heart. If the desires of our heart are not God centred love then we are a long way from being Christ centred. The idea that love is at the centre of our hearts is a valid one, however, more often than not our idea of love is not God's idea of love as the latter does nothing for us in the immediate future or in the present now. Our love is more often than not something that is heart bound but centred on our own selves rather than on the idea of the other. So how do we see the working out of God's love in the community if our hearts are centred on ourselves? Following Reinhold Niebuhr, the theologian, the outpouring of God's love needs to be concretised in the instrument of justice, not just for humanity but also for God's world. To often we are prepared to let things take their course in the world, as surely our laws and those in charge are just, in working out the benefits for citizenship. Martin Luther criticised this approach as facere quod in se est or to put in in modern terms doing the best we can in the moment. In this case the best we can is to leave it to others and allow the peace of our hearts to dwell in the love of ourselves and forget about the other.

Strange fruit result from our selfish interpretations of love and apathy

In recent weeks we have been speaking about commitment and specifically our commitment to our God and God's call upon us. In using justice as an instrument of love in the world we engage in a political future that creates the impossible as a reality. It is only when we concretise love into the reality of our everyday do we begin to see love in action. A reminder of this is the protest song out of the American South "Strange fruit" which even today brings out the horrors of what Christians can do in the name of God for the sake of our own self-deluded beliefs. In our commitment to God's love in the world we also commit to its outworking using the instrument of justice. Not the justice of the self, which is so often seen in the halls of politics and the dramas of our 'civilisation' but rather the justice of God that does mean putting to the side our own dreams and wants for the dreams and wants of God. Does this mean that we all should line up with the protestors or become involved in the 'climate strike'? Only if God calls us to this but God does call us to see that justice is the reality and not the parsimonious wants of the rich and powerful. It means that we cannot let things take their course, as we so often do, believing in a better future while allowing the injustices of the present to continue into the future.

Love demands an action; love demands a commitment; love demands solidarity. Our commitment begins within our hearts by bearing our gifts before God. By giving ourselves to our local communities to bring God's love; by working for justice locally, nationally and globally. Our local actions will reflect onto the national scene, if and only if, we are committed to the task as the body of Christ acting with the one heart of love that is Christ's own. The consequence of influencing and demanding local justice that is national we begin to impact globally as we bring the needs of love to the attention of the world. So often we begin at the top and try to work down whereas love begins with our hearts and then outwards. This means that our start must be where we are, not where we want to be, in other words locally for we live locally. Only when we fulfil our commitment to our local communities in terms of justice and love can we begin to reach outwards. In transforming our local communities, we begin to transform that which is greater as others take heart from God's love poured out by our shared communal experience.

God's love demands much of us but most importantly we need to recognise that we are asked to ensure that justice is done to the living, however horrifying the past may be. Christ showed us the horrific side of personal injustice when he died on the cross but God is a God of the living (Matt. 22:32) and it is to the living that we owe God's love by seeking justice. We have too many witnesses (martyrs), from Christ's death on a cross to the Rwandan genocide and the George Floyds of recent times, to humankind's ability to do evil; we have too few witnesses to God's love in action that changes our world towards that which Christ proclaimed in truth. So we are reminded to be committed in our giving of ourselves as a sacrifice and witness to the truth of God's transforming love, no matter what it takes for it is a requested sacrifice.

Rendering to Caesar

 In the passage from Matthew that is read today we have the very famous quote which is often misused for either political or pecuniary gain; "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God that which is God's" (Matt. 22:21b) or similar depending on translation. Even today this is applicable but what is Caesar's and what is God's; how do we discern what is correct; do we have to rely on some formulaic response or does everything belong to God? The saying raises so many questions as to what is appropriate and what is not. It can have so many meanings that we have to worm our way around many corners of interpretation to find one that applies to ourselves in the current age.  Perhaps in our complacency we try not to make any decision as to what we actually need to give either financially or in time and talent to God. What is clear through out the Gospel and Paul's letters is that we need to give our all.

To render to Caesar and to God could look something like this for many Parish churches throughout the world. A particular parish in the Anglican Communion there is a joint plant between the Anglicans and the Presbyterian denominations. In their founding documents it was agreed that they would give away all the loose change that was placed in the Sunday plate to God, that is mission work throughout the world. In order to satisfy Caesar (the Diocese and the need for ongoing running costs) the decision was made to rely purely on the envelope system at the time (we would now call it DG or direct deposit). Their faith understanding was that they were obliged to give to God and did so by placing their loose change, notes etc that they had in their wallets when they came to worship. In addition to this chance giving all of the parishioners gave money to their best ability to Caesar by way of the envelope or DG. The parish continues to thrive through the blessings of God as they maintain their commitment to this way of honouring both God's presence in their lives and the needs of Caesar in the form of the Parish expenses.

Render to Caesar in the Church as much as to God

When we read scripture in this way we find an additional means for us to secure our commitment to both God and the needs of the everyday. It is on occasions such as these that we can see why we often neglect what can be seen as something that is apart from but close to God. We are often very good at giving to God in terms of our charitable works but Christ also mentions Caesar in this passage. We make sure that this refers to our civic duty (taxes, rates, etc) over which we grumble and moan. We then do not see anything else but ourselves as we understand that we have made our commitments in the small amounts of energy we place on the side for the work of God and the ongoing work of the denomination we belong to. When things that we love or have loved deteriorate we then find it in ourselves to blame everyone but ourselves for the lack whether it is in ministry, charitable donations, advocacy or anything else inside or outside of the Church. Our lack of foresight in terms of the things we love are often the issues around our sense of dedication and commitment. Often the issue is we do not apparently own the buildings, owe for electricity, need to maintain the Church's property (note not ours). It all belongs to the nebulous 'Church' and is their responsibility without realising that we are the Church.  

In Isaiah 45, God sends Cyrus to raze the nations and to take up the reigns of righteousness let lose by the people of Israel. The lack of commitment has passed things over to another, so that they learn the lesson of commitment to God as their wishes and wants have turned them away from God's presence in their covenant and its promise. Paul is quick to praise the Thessalonian church (1 Thess. 1:1-10) for its steadfastness in God. They have become an example within the burgeoning faith community due to their commitment. It is a commitment in faith to those things that bring God into the midst of the community. If we allow ourselves to be drawn away from that commitment then we languish and it will come as no surprise as our presence in our communities contracts. Often this contraction is due to our contraction in being committed to our faith journey with the other in community as we rely on, not God, but alternate agencies to do what we used to do to foster community. 

We need to be active in the same way as the Thessalonian church was active but not in the same way. I know that this is a contradiction but we are not living in the Roman Empire. Our actions need to be the same in that they need to be outpouring of God's love in the life of the community. This means that however aged we may be, however incapacitated we may be, however neglected we think we are and however impoverished we believe we are; we need to be active in the application of God's presence and the outpouring of God's Spirit in the world. We are not as poor as we believe. I suspect that if each of person was to forgo a cake, a coffee, a drink, a lunch, a piece of chocolate and the money / time we spend on the frivolities of our lives went towards God or Caesar in our faith community our communities would be a richer places. I am truly amazed at our own selfishness in terms of time, talent and finances within our communities. I have had people come looking for food and petrol with the latest technology dangling from their hips who have rejected the food that those with no finances have donated for their need. Yet this selfishness has been conveyed to an impoverished generation by their forefathers in the faith community as they have denied the other and indulged themselves. God cannot be seen face to face if we do not show God's face to our communities and we cannot do that if we are ourselves selfish with out time, talents and money.

Hospitality - the gift of food

 I enjoy going out to a restaurant or a really exquisite meal. A good time had with friends and family with conversation, wine and food all in an elegant setting. Who doesn't? Well it appears that when a King gives a feast for his son's wedding there are some who do not (Matt. 22.1-14). Thinking about what that would mean in terms of the time; killing fattened beasts, high expenditure on wine, catering for large numbers all ready to go. Just think of the costs that have been outlaid just for a party. Weddings today have nothing on this but just think of one of those fancy weddings and no-one turns up. Egg on one's face to say the least so it is not surprising that he went out an invited all the commoners and those in need. At least the expense was not wasted and most got something out of it through the Kings grace. Yet, one person did not have the curtesy to be dressed in clothing that was provided (dissing the tux for the work clothes). He used his wealth to the betterment of all not just his friends who despised him (Yes, behind the scenes there is political commentary but lets just leave that one for the moment).

Isaiah puts it slightly differently, in that the destruction comes first, i.e. the guests are destroyed before rejecting the good things and the banquet is put in place for those who are impoverished (Is. 25.1-9). Again it is the extravagance that is laid out for those that are without. A grace filled giving with no thought for God's self only for those that are at the end of their tether and are sheltered by God. It almost puts the king to shame in the offering that there is for the downtrodden. The wealth that is present is not hoarded but given freely in food and shelter, in love and hospitality. There is no thought of holding back from those that are in need. It is almost as if the whole is too much to contain and must be released into the lives of the community for the community to grow. Gathering around feasts and an abundance of food demonstrates not only extraordinary grace but also love and hospitality. This is only so when the offer is gratis and filled with love for all so that the benefit is not just for a favoured few but for the whole of God's people.

God's grace allows us to freely give to all who come for sustenance

Sometimes we give freely with extraordinary extravagance but not for the other rather for ourselves and for our well being or supposed well being. This becomes detrimental in so many ways for our own faith and well being in the world. Our Exodus reading from today takes us back to the shameless ecstasy of the golden calf and its effects on the community and on Moses (Ex. 32.1-14). There is a sense of generous giving in this episode just as much in the Isaiah and Gospel stories but the giving here serves a very different purpose. It is not one filled with grace but is rather a commentary on our own self centeredness that denies the possibility of change in our lives. It perhaps has more to identify itself with in our modern era then the other two parables and is in distinct contrast to them. The centeredness of their dance, like ours, is on the object of their desire which disables the ability to transform into generosity as it is not centred in prayer. Rather our focus, like theirs, becomes centred on our ability to disregard the depredations of everyday life and live in blissful ignorance of the suffering around us. We ignore the trauma that sits within our community focussing solely on our on needs and not those of the other.

We are called into a generosity of spirit that ignores those that are part of our lives so that we can reach out into the community. The foundation upon which we as a faith community build our lives is the ever generous Spirit of God that comes to us in love. It is we who must reciprocate with God's love flowing into our community through our generosity of time, talent and finances to uphold the prayer filled centre of our lives. We cannot think of this as a exercise in theory but actually become a part of God's presence through our own hospitality of love ensuring that our bounty is given freely. Only in our working out of God's commandments and incarnating God's love can we truly become a Christ follower. The question then for us becomes one of commitment to being hosts that are faithful to God's overflowing love and so ensure that all, no matter who they may be, are filled with that love which fills us.

Giving to God

 Two vineyards both expected to yield profit for its owner and yet both failing to do so; one as a result of poor grape varietal (Isaiah 5:1-7) and one the result of poor management practices on the part of tenant farmers (Matt.21:33-46). Both of these stories relating to the expectations of God for God's people in light of the Covenant and the Exodus story. There are clear expectations in the Covenant with God that the people of Israel are obligated to meet. The story at the time of Isaiah and at the time of the Gospel is the same that the expectation has not been met. Both illustrations are comparable with the times and are understandable in terms of the economic principles of the day. They clearly indicate what God will do to those who do not conform to the covenant. If, the stories are talking about the covenant how relevant are they for us today as we live in a time beyond the requirements of the law as propounded in terms of the covenant. Yes and no, yes that we are indeed beyond the law as stated but no in that we each have entered into a relationship with God and each other that is covenantal in nature and we are thus bound by its obligations.

In the Exodus story (Ex. 20.1-20) the Israelites are given the basis of the law in the ten commandments, in the Jewish literature and its words, they actually "see" God's words and stand at a distance. The basis of the law when it is given is too overwhelming for them that they are pushed back and tremble in fear. Some sources actually suggest that they are pushed away from the presence of God by some 40 miles and are brought back by angels following each utterance. They cannot accept what is being asked for them and so put Moses in front to come before God. Our intercessor is Christ not Moses but we still need to make the initial response to God's call upon us to love our God and our neighbours as ourselves. This is as true now as it was then, for our community becomes broken and in despair if we do not make this commitment for ourselves. We like the Israelites in the Exodus passage are driven away from God by our own desires and the fact that we find ourselves afraid of embracing the truth that God brings into our lives. The Israelites feared God's presence as they saw God's words and did not want to have that closeness to God, so they asked Moses to stand before God and mediate for them.

We create throw God out and do not pay our all to God

Like the Israelites before us we are invited into a close relationship with God as he invites us to care for the vineyard that is our life and our life in community. We are called to labour in the vineyard and give to God that which God requires. We are called to tend the vines, the growth of our community, so that the wine of love and the ecstasy of God's presence can be felt by all. Yet, we fear the responsibility and we do not wish to garner the fruits and product only to lose it. We want someone else to do that not ourselves who have been given the responsibility. We then reject what is asked of us and throw those who come to us from God out of our lives. Our communities eventually suffer as a result of our rejection of God's love. It is not God who destroys us but our own greed and wants that drive us towards destruction. The vineyard that we tend as tenants are our own lives and the lives that are our communities. We hide away because we are unable to take on the responsibility and prefer to give that to somebody else, whether it be priest, bishop, pope or the government. Just like the Israelites we drive ourselves away from God in our rejection of what it means to have God as part of ourselves.

In accepting our responsibilities we need to accept them all. We can not be a people of faith who grow wild grapes and only give a minimum of flavour to the world around us. We must be cultivars that are filled with hope and grace so that we may impart God's love into the hearts and minds of those who surround us in our communities. Only when we can shed our fears and accept God's fulness in our lives through the acceptance and willingness to follow the Christic road of sacrifice and love. The sacrifice we make is the sacrifice of everything. So many of us think that it is just a little bit of time, it is just our due and no more. The rest is for me not for the other or the person I despise and leave on the street corner. This is the action of the poor tenant who rejected the servants and cast them out. We give freely of ourselves in sacrifice to contain the love of God that we can impart to our neighbours only to receive so much more. Paul writes in Philippians that his one desire is to know Christ (3.10) and he is willing to sacrifice everything for that one desire. In our daily lives and our faith lives can we truly state that our one desire is to know Christ? If that is the case we will not moan about our needs but are willing to sacrifice everything for the greater need of the faith. This is what it means to be a good tenant and produce a wine worthy of respect and the grace of God in our lives. A wine that can inebriate the community in which we live with the love of God's outpouring love.