First the Bad News. Now the Good News!

The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Scripture (semicontinuous)

Old Testament: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

Psalter: Psalm 45:10-17

Epistle: Romans 7:15-25a

Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Scripture (complementary)

Old Testament:

Psalter:

Epistle: Romans 7:15-25a

Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

___

Prayer

To fulfill the ancient promise of salvation, O God, you made a covenant with our ancestors and pledged them descendants more numerous than the stars. Grant that all people may share in the blessings of your covenant, accomplished through the death and resurrection of your Son and sealed by the gift of your Spirit. Amen.

___

Reflection

“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

    we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30).

We human beings can be difficult to please. I remember many years ago in the church I served a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, an individual from the church called the chair of our Staff Parish Relation Committee to complain that she didn’t believe the pastors were visiting enough. As she was complaining to the person on the other end of the phone, she also said in the same breath, “I don’t understand why our pastors aren’t in the office more.” The response to her was, “Well, which one is it? Do you want them to visit more or do you want them to be in the office more? They can’t be in two places at one time?” Sometimes we’re just difficult please.

Jesus talks about the difficulty in pleasing the people of his day, and he compares it to the play time of children in the marketplace. In Jesus’ day the marketplace, the agora was the social center of the ancient village. For men, it was the unemployment office where they went hoping to be hired for daily labor and to talk about the latest events while waiting. The women gathered to share amongst themselves and to purchase the daily needs of the household. The children along for the ride would naturally gather together and play. There they did what children do best—pretend and play make believe.

Jesus presents scenario of two groups of children, one wanting to play something together and the other group not happy with what is suggested. They say “Let’s play wedding. Let’s pretend that we’re at a big celebration! Let's play our pretend flutes and dance.” The other group of children respond, “We don’t feel like celebrating today.” “OK,” says the first group of children. “Let’s pretend we’re at a funeral. Let’s mourn and cry and wail over the death of an imaginary friend.” “No.” says the other group. “We don't feel like being sad today.”

I dare say if John and Jesus came to us today they would encounter the same problem. John, the fiery prophet preaching judgment and repentance would be looked upon as crazy and narrow-mindedly angry all the time. “He needs a good counselor to deal with his anger,” we would say. Jesus celebrating with all the wrong people in society and preaching the deliverance of God for all who respond would be viewed as a figure not worthy of respect, throwing his dignity to the wind by spending too much time with the dregs of society. “He’s always partying! His friends are the worst!”

It is important to understand that the gospel is not an either/or but a both/and. It is not either judgment or deliverance, but it is both judgment and deliverance. Indeed, deliverance is necessary because the judgment upon us is real. We must hear the bad news of our need for repentance, our need for change. We must understand that there is bad news that we are sinners. We need help.

But the story does not end there. The good news is that there is a way out of our sin. The good news is that salvation is possible. The church has had trouble holding these two together. Some churches seemed so focused on the bad news of sin they don’t ever get around to the good news. Others preach the good news of God’s acceptance and grace, but don’t spend too much time talking about why we need God’s saving grace in the first place.

May we be humble and open enough to hear the words of John and Jesus. The gospel is indeed Good News because the bad news is not the end of the story; but the bad news cannot be ignored.

PRAYER: Move us to praise your gracious will, for in Christ Jesus you have saved us from the deeds of death and opened for us the hidden ways of your love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

___

Check out my web portal to all things “Faith Seeking Understanding” here.