Matthew 25:31-46

The weather has continued and continued and, well, it has changed these last two days, with the wind and cooler temperatures finally coming, especially on Friday. But it was in the 70's again this last week, and today promises to be above normal also. On Thursday I ate my lunch outside, in the back yard, sitting in the warm sun, and feeling strange about it...even a little guilty.

Yes, guilty! Or at least uncomfortable - unable to fully enjoy it without second thoughts about its appropriateness. If you know about Garrison Keillor's Lutherans who live in Lake Wobegone, I admit that I am somewhat similar to them. So if unusually warm weather comes, I'm not sure that I deserve it. Maybe it would have just been better if, on Nov. 18th, I'd eaten lunch inside after all! I just couldn't shake the feeling that it just wasn't right...

I put it down to the serious bent in my personality, and something of the independent spirit of my Father, which must somehow be in the genes. And I can appreciate the fact that there may be many of you who don't understand any of this, and are never troubled with these kinds of confused feelings. If so, you are the well adjusted ones. And I'd encourage you to continue to enjoy it. For beautiful days ought to be enjoyed as beautiful days. If you have no difficulty doing that, then this part of the sermon isn't for you. But if some of you are troubled occasionally by these things, then, well, as Joan Rivers used to say...we need to talk! This place is, truly, the place to talk about these things. If you have trouble receiving gifts, because you feel you don't deserve them; if you have trouble relaxing because nine times out of ten you can't let go of all the things you think you should be doing; if you are type-A and believe deep down that you never get something for nothing, and that you must earn your way, all the way; if God's grace is difficult for you to believe and accept, then, truly, we need to talk. Because, you know, God has been trying to talk to you long before this sermon began, and will be trying to talk to you about these things long after this sermon ends...

It is a beautiful story, really. It comes at the very end of the Gospel. In fact, it is the very last story or parable that Jesus utters in this Gospel of Matthew. After this, the plot begins to unfold rather quickly, and all the events of the last week in the life of Jesus move along in their way. So this passage, here, today, marks the end of Jesus' teaching ministry, before his teaching gives way to God's action. And since this is the last Sunday of the church year - the church year beginning next Sunday with Advent, it is appropriate to look at this last story.

It is a story of judgment, and how, finally, each one will be judged. And the thrust of the story is this recognition of action performed - beautiful deeds of love and service, feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, visiting those in prison. It is a beautiful list of beautiful actions - people reaching out to other people and meeting their needs and bending toward them in care and concern. And it would be well and good to appreciate just the wonderful, simple beauty of this story and the sheep standing on the right hand of the king, welcomed there, affirmed by him.

The trouble is, sometimes some people, including people like me, let their seriousness get in the way, blocking their appreciation of what the story says. I begin to think about how much more I could have done. Maybe I should get busy. Maybe I haven't fed the hungry or clothed the naked or done enough. And I know there are some of you out there who tend to think the same way.

During stewardship season, we asked you to tell about a person in the Bible whom you relate to, identify with, and fill that out on the card. Do you know the person mentioned more often than any other? Martha. You know Martha. She's the one who serves and serves and serves, while her sister Mary sits at the feet of Jesus, listening to him. Workaholic Martha complains to Jesus about her idle sister. "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." After all, feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty is a lot of kitchen work. Viewed through the eyes of Martha, it's not so beautiful. It's almost a grind. And you remember, too, what Jesus says to her: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

And we Martha-types are that way. We see all the work, all the efforts that's needed, so that the beauty of this story of Jesus might just blow right past us. Let there be no confusion: Jesus is not turning the grace of God on its head, and here, at the end of his ministry. He's not suggesting that we earn our way into heaven. When you look carefully at the story, you can see that's not what he's saying.

First, this is the end of Jesus' ministry. These are words that Jesus is leaving with folks who have heard all the other words that have come before. The good works that we might perform come after...after. They are evidence of faith already gained, not, in and of themselves, the way to secure salvation.

Second, notice the way that they didn't even know what they were doing, while they were doing it. "When?" they ask. When did we see you hungry and feed you, naked and clothing you, sick and care for you? They didn't know what they did. They were just doing it. It flowed out of them, simply because of who they were.

Third, notice the greeting that the king gives: "Come, you that are blessed by my Father..." There is a gift of grace already bestowed. It's not that they earned a blessing, but the deeds they do are signs of the blessing they've received.

Fourth, it says the righteous will "inherit" the kingdom prepared before the foundation of the world. An inheritance is something received, not because of what you've done, but because of who you are, and the relationships that you share.

This text is not about work - work that is demanded, work that must be done under heavy expectation. This is about the joyful service, the fruits of the spirit, that flow out of the heart of those who know the love of the Lord in their lives. This is beautiful, this is joyful. This is meant to give us a new appreciation for life and how the love of God makes us beautiful people toward one another. And yes, there is judgment. But I believe it is a judgment of those who do not see the beauty of love shared.

In the discipline of philosophy there are three divisions. There is the study of metaphysics. This tries to answer the question of what is real. There is ethics, which asks the question about how to know what is good, and right, and just. And finally aesthetics - aesthetics - which asks what is beautiful. And I think we tend to interpret scripture much more from the first two than the last. And certainly the Bible does have something to teach us about what is real - God is real. And it teaches us about how to make ethical choices. But maybe we don't pay as much attention to the way that the Bible teaches us what is "beautiful." But, in fact, the vast majority, seems to me, centered on the beautiful.

The first story begins with miracle - beautiful miracle - God dividing the light from the darkness, the heavens from the earth, creating all that is. After each day, after each effort at creation, God stops and the end of the day and says, "It is good". Like an artist who steps back from the canvass to look at it, and then is happy with what is seen. God creates a beautiful world.

Then there's Noah, and the flood, and finally the rainbow - a promise that is painted in the sky. And there's the star when Jesus is born, and healing, and stories...stories that describe God's relationship with us and what our relationship with each other might be like in the Kingdom of love. It is beautiful, all along, beautiful.

And part of our job is to appreciate all the beauty that is there, and to serve God, not because we have to (which is forced and pushed) but because we may (which is something that flows from the beauty of faith).

• Mother Teresa was known for the way that she saw beauty everywhere, in everybody. She saw the dying of Calcutta, India, not as burden people, but as beautiful people, given to the world by God, and returning to God. I think she saw it, as Stephen Covey has said, that "We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey".
  So, when visiting in the United States she stopped at Maryhouse, a shelter for the homeless. She stopped not only to talk with the administrators and leaders, but also with the residents. Lena was there, lying on her church bench outside the chapel, observing all the activity with great scrutiny when Mother Teresa came by. An introduction was made. "Mother Teresa, this is Lena. Lena, this is Mother Teresa." Mother Teresa reverently clasped her hands together and gently bowed toward Lena. "Pleased to meet you, Lena," she said softly. Lena looked inquisitively at this unusually attired nun and asked with her characteristic lisp, "Where are ya from?" Calcutta, India, "Mother Teresa replied, and again, bowed to her low, respectfully. Puzzled, Lena asked, "How did ya get here? Did ya come on roller skates or toothpicks?" "No." Mother Teresa chuckled. And she flapped her white sari with both elbows and said, "I flew!" And they both laughed, beautifully, Lena's face bright, glowing at the fun. Each of them saw and appreciated the beauty of the other. (from Lectionary Homiletics, Nov. 1999, p. 25; also The Catholic Worker)

Saints, you know, are people who can see the beauty in others, and the beauty in creation. They see it all, and everyone, as part of the beauty of God.

On our Memorial Sunday we remember those we have lost, those who were close and loved. And we mark it with beautiful things. We light candles. We pass out flowers. And we think of the beauty that our loved ones brought to our lives and to the world. And when we think of that, we ought to see their beauty as God's great gift to us - an everyday miracle - beautiful.

It is a beautiful story...neighbor reaching out to neighbor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick. It makes me think of another beautiful passage, from the psalms, almost a painting in words: "Behold how good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore." (Ps 133) The Bible has a lot to teach us about what is beautiful.

And now, when a beautiful day comes, I'll tell you something that I'm going to try to remember too: enjoy it! Receive it as God's gift. And think of everything beautiful in the world as God's gift, meant as a gift for you. Think: "This is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Let us pray, O God, you bless us in countless ways. You fill our lives with beautiful gifts of grace everywhere we turn. And you invite us to see the beautiful face of Jesus in everyone we meet. Open our eyes. Help us to see the light of our "Beautiful Savior" in those you have given to us to serve. Amen.

(from www.goodpreacher.com/blog/)