WEBVTT 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:05.190 Good morning, friends. It's nice to be with you 00:00:05.190 --> 00:00:10.130 today. This has been a good morning. Oh. I don't 00:00:10.130 --> 00:00:17.929 know if it's that. Sorry, guys. It's doing some 00:00:17.929 --> 00:00:21.010 hard work today. How about now? I think we're 00:00:21.010 --> 00:00:26.690 good? All right. I wasn't scheduled to preach 00:00:26.690 --> 00:00:28.570 today, but I'm excited to bring this passage 00:00:28.570 --> 00:00:30.960 today because I really like it. It's a hard passage, 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:35.679 but I am excited for what it means for us as 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:38.479 a community. So we are thanking Jesus in jet 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:44.579 lag for it. But if you've been around Christian 00:00:44.579 --> 00:00:47.979 circles for a minute, you've heard the phrase, 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.939 the least of these. And it is the message and 00:00:52.939 --> 00:00:55.859 theme that drives most Christian ministry in 00:00:55.859 --> 00:00:59.969 communities and around the world. It is often 00:00:59.969 --> 00:01:03.329 the least of these as a concept that people experience 00:01:03.329 --> 00:01:07.569 specific callings. God called me to and insert 00:01:07.569 --> 00:01:10.730 a people group that is underrepresented in some 00:01:10.730 --> 00:01:15.629 way, which has led us to often believe that care 00:01:15.629 --> 00:01:21.310 for the least of these is optional or delegated 00:01:21.310 --> 00:01:24.390 to those with a certain kind of unique fortitude 00:01:24.390 --> 00:01:28.879 or skill or calling. And my friends, when we 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:31.900 see it that way, those that end up identified 00:01:31.900 --> 00:01:34.799 as the least of these will remain the least of 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:39.079 these until the least of these become our neighbors. 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:43.760 And so we're gonna just jump right into the passage 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:49.560 today. It's Matthew 25, 31 through 40. There 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:52.439 are Bibles on the table. Most of you also have 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:55.640 them on your phones. If you need a Bible and 00:01:55.640 --> 00:01:57.659 you don't have one, we have them in the lobby. 00:01:57.739 --> 00:02:01.239 You can also take one from the table. But we 00:02:01.239 --> 00:02:03.840 are in the book of Matthew. It is in the New 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:07.620 Testament, the first gospel. So we're in chapter 00:02:07.620 --> 00:02:13.580 25, verses 31 through 40. And at the house, we 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:17.009 have a tradition of honoring the word of God 00:02:17.009 --> 00:02:19.750 with a posture of recognition for some that is 00:02:19.750 --> 00:02:22.169 standing, for some that is sitting at attention, 00:02:22.270 --> 00:02:24.250 but what if we do? We wanna give the scriptures 00:02:24.250 --> 00:02:27.689 our full attention. And so take a posture of 00:02:27.689 --> 00:02:30.310 attention this morning with the word of God. 00:02:31.509 --> 00:02:34.330 And so it reads that when the son of man comes 00:02:34.330 --> 00:02:37.430 in his glory and all the angels with him, then 00:02:37.430 --> 00:02:39.900 he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the 00:02:39.900 --> 00:02:41.819 nations will be gathered before him, and he will 00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:44.659 separate people one from another, as a shepherd 00:02:44.659 --> 00:02:46.919 separates the sheep from the goats. And he will 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:48.979 put the sheep at his right hand and the goats 00:02:48.979 --> 00:02:52.120 at his left. Then the king will say to those 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:54.759 at his right hand, come, you who are blessed 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:57.719 by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for 00:02:57.719 --> 00:03:00.340 you from the foundation of the world, for I was 00:03:00.340 --> 00:03:03.800 hungry, and you gave me food, and I was thirsty, 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:06.659 and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger 00:03:06.659 --> 00:03:09.319 and you welcomed me and I was naked and you gave 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:12.240 me clothing. I was sick and you took care of 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:15.360 me. I was in prison and you visited me. Then 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:18.199 the righteous will answer him, Lord, when was 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:20.699 it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or 00:03:20.699 --> 00:03:23.159 thirsty and gave you something to drink? And 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:25.659 when was it that we saw you as a stranger and 00:03:25.659 --> 00:03:28.199 we welcomed you or naked and we gave you clothing? 00:03:29.060 --> 00:03:32.439 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:35.150 and visited you? And the King will answer them, 00:03:35.349 --> 00:03:38.389 truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of 00:03:38.389 --> 00:03:40.650 the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, 00:03:41.169 --> 00:03:45.250 you did it to me. Let's pray. Jesus, I ask that 00:03:45.250 --> 00:03:48.129 you add your blessing to the reading of these 00:03:48.129 --> 00:03:51.810 words this morning, that as we hear them, they 00:03:51.810 --> 00:03:53.389 would be something that would change us from 00:03:53.389 --> 00:03:57.330 the inside out, that we would learn to be obedient. 00:03:57.659 --> 00:04:02.080 to the direction that you move us in as you speak 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:04.919 to us today through this passage. And I pray 00:04:04.919 --> 00:04:10.120 that you move us to prayer and action as a result. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:13.939 Let me pray this in your name. Amen. You may 00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:17.000 be seated. So we have been in the book of Matthew 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:22.319 since April. It is one of the gospels, one of 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:24.879 the books that tells of the good news of Jesus. 00:04:25.899 --> 00:04:28.139 I want to remember a couple things about the 00:04:28.139 --> 00:04:30.759 book of Matthew. The book of Matthew was written 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:35.259 to a Jewish audience with an increasing amount 00:04:35.259 --> 00:04:38.420 of Gentile converts coming into the picture among 00:04:38.420 --> 00:04:42.180 them, reminding them that they're, and Matthew 00:04:42.180 --> 00:04:44.660 is trying to remind them that their roots are 00:04:44.660 --> 00:04:48.000 in fact Jewish. It is also to show that those 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.980 that are remaining adhered to the Jewish scriptures, 00:04:51.459 --> 00:04:54.040 that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:57.740 the prophets. And so whenever things come up 00:04:57.740 --> 00:05:00.399 in a passage that make you wonder where did that 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:02.699 come from, like the passage that we just read, 00:05:03.420 --> 00:05:06.300 we need to consider who it was written to and 00:05:06.300 --> 00:05:10.319 when. And in an age of information, these pieces 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:13.079 of data are easily retrievable. So I encourage 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:15.600 you in your reading of scripture, if you're ever 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:18.920 like, this came out of nowhere. I don't understand. 00:05:19.259 --> 00:05:21.839 Do a little bit of search. When was it written? 00:05:22.139 --> 00:05:24.060 Where was it written? Who was it written to? 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.060 That gives a lot of information. It's really 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:31.759 important and also the book of Matthew is offering 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:34.680 Basically a manual for discipleship. It was written 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.920 in a time where the Christian diaspora the followers 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:40.839 of Jesus were starting to get really spread out 00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:45.360 and Numbers were being added regularly and so 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.819 there was a lot of question like what does it 00:05:47.819 --> 00:05:52.600 mean? To follow Jesus as people got further and 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:56.569 further away from them So the book of Matthew 00:05:56.569 --> 00:05:59.509 is offering a manual for discipleship for a church 00:05:59.509 --> 00:06:02.569 living as a minority group in a hostile majority 00:06:02.569 --> 00:06:06.910 culture. Basically, how do we live while we wait 00:06:06.910 --> 00:06:11.949 for Jesus to return? So this passage could seem 00:06:11.949 --> 00:06:15.529 a little bit out of nowhere in the context of, 00:06:15.790 --> 00:06:18.569 and it's a very strong passage if you don't have 00:06:18.569 --> 00:06:22.199 the context. But it does fit logically into the 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:25.860 purpose and intent of Matthew's gospel. The setting 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:29.319 comes in the previous chapters. So this passage 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:32.720 takes place during what is commonly called the 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:36.399 Olivet Discourse. That's Matthew 24 through 25, 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:39.920 which occurred on the Mount of Olives, across 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:42.920 from the temple, down a valley, and across and 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:46.410 up from the temple. the Mount of Olives during 00:06:46.410 --> 00:06:49.209 the final week of Jesus' life, just days before 00:06:49.209 --> 00:06:52.689 his crucifixion. Jesus is seated on the Mount 00:06:52.689 --> 00:06:55.569 of Olives, addressing his closest disciples privately, 00:06:56.290 --> 00:06:59.310 shifting from immediate warnings of the end times 00:06:59.310 --> 00:07:02.110 to a prophetic illustration of his return in 00:07:02.110 --> 00:07:06.569 glory. This passage concludes a short series 00:07:06.569 --> 00:07:10.269 of parables in chapter 25, the parable of the 00:07:10.269 --> 00:07:12.009 10 bridesmaids and the parable of the talents. 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:15.339 which were intended to teach the disciples to 00:07:15.339 --> 00:07:17.939 stay alert and spiritually ready for the return 00:07:17.939 --> 00:07:21.660 of the Son of Man. So Jesus is setting up his 00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:28.980 return. Briefly, in chapter 24, while on their 00:07:28.980 --> 00:07:31.600 way to the Mount of Olives, chapter 24, one and 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:35.399 two say, as Jesus came out of the temple, that's 00:07:35.399 --> 00:07:37.879 where he's coming from, and he was going away. 00:07:38.269 --> 00:07:41.250 His disciples came to point out to him the buildings 00:07:41.250 --> 00:07:43.889 of the temple. They're looking, they're marveling. 00:07:44.089 --> 00:07:47.850 It's a grand set of structures. And then he asked 00:07:47.850 --> 00:07:51.410 them, you see all this. Do you not? We all see 00:07:51.410 --> 00:07:54.449 it? Truly I tell you not one stone will be left 00:07:54.449 --> 00:07:59.269 here upon another. All will be thrown down. That 00:07:59.269 --> 00:08:03.129 is an unthinkable idea. And the disciples are 00:08:03.129 --> 00:08:07.470 very curious. They have questions. So Jesus. 00:08:08.189 --> 00:08:10.790 continues on his way, and heads up to the Mount 00:08:10.790 --> 00:08:13.589 of Olives, and his disciples come after him. 00:08:13.629 --> 00:08:16.230 And they're like, when he was sitting on the 00:08:16.230 --> 00:08:18.110 Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately 00:08:18.110 --> 00:08:22.149 saying, this is verse three of 24, tell us, when 00:08:22.149 --> 00:08:25.209 will this be? And what will be the sign of your 00:08:25.209 --> 00:08:29.209 coming in at the end of the age? So Jesus begins 00:08:29.209 --> 00:08:31.990 talking to them about what's to come the destruction 00:08:31.990 --> 00:08:34.070 of the temples mentioned earlier earlier the 00:08:34.070 --> 00:08:37.990 diaspora where the persecution of believers leads 00:08:37.990 --> 00:08:41.690 to the rather the diaspora and persecution which 00:08:41.690 --> 00:08:44.429 leads to the dispersion of the Jews from Jerusalem 00:08:44.429 --> 00:08:47.409 the division between Orthodox Jews and newer 00:08:47.409 --> 00:08:49.830 followers to Jesus which would include Gentiles 00:08:49.830 --> 00:08:53.190 the non -jews Jesus tells them all he will come 00:08:53.190 --> 00:08:56.309 back and that there will be signs, but no one 00:08:56.309 --> 00:09:00.080 will know when So be alert and ready. This is 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:03.440 what he's trying to communicate There is a time 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.820 when I will come back there's a time I will leave 00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:08.559 you I will come back and there will be signs 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:11.399 and so Jesus says this is getting us into chapter 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.679 25 He tells the parable of the ten bridesmaids 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:19.940 So because Jewish weddings were a grand affair 00:09:19.940 --> 00:09:24.019 The groom would travel from his home to the bride's 00:09:24.019 --> 00:09:27.620 home usually in the evening or the night He would 00:09:27.620 --> 00:09:30.500 then escort the bride and her bridal party back 00:09:30.500 --> 00:09:32.500 to his or his father's house for the wedding 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:35.679 feast. Bridesmaids would wait at a designated 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:38.700 location along the route or at a bride's home. 00:09:39.259 --> 00:09:41.379 So once the groom's approach was announced, they 00:09:41.379 --> 00:09:45.440 would light their lamps or torches to illuminate 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.039 the path and join the celebratory procession. 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:52.200 Their role was to be on the lookout and ready 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:55.019 to light the way. And so when Jesus tells the 00:09:55.019 --> 00:09:57.860 parable of the 10 bridesmaids, Five were ready. 00:09:58.299 --> 00:10:00.919 Five were not ready and needed to go get oil 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:04.179 for their lamps. They were gone when the bridegroom 00:10:04.179 --> 00:10:07.840 came. They were not ready. So those who had the 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:10.240 oil could light their lamps and go along the 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:14.600 way. Jesus then tells the parable of the talents, 00:10:15.379 --> 00:10:18.059 where a master gives his servants various units 00:10:18.059 --> 00:10:21.759 of talents about a year's wage. It's no small 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:25.440 amount. One gets Five talents, one gets two, 00:10:25.539 --> 00:10:28.840 and one gets one. Two servants immediately put 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:31.480 the money to work, trading with it and doubling 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:35.100 their master's wealth. The third servant, paralyzed 00:10:35.100 --> 00:10:38.460 by fear and a negative view of his master, buries 00:10:38.460 --> 00:10:40.899 the single talent in the ground to keep it safe. 00:10:41.220 --> 00:10:43.340 He didn't lose any of it, but he didn't put the 00:10:43.340 --> 00:10:46.960 money to work. Nothing was gained. And so collectively, 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:49.799 these two parables, right before the passage 00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:53.350 I read, These stories are about watchfulness 00:10:53.350 --> 00:10:58.649 and readiness and stewarding resources well until 00:10:58.649 --> 00:11:03.429 the coming of the bridegroom, the servant, until 00:11:03.429 --> 00:11:08.850 the coming of Jesus. So there are connected themes 00:11:08.850 --> 00:11:12.269 here and Jesus is hoping that by the time he 00:11:12.269 --> 00:11:15.830 gets to telling of the sheep and the goats, the 00:11:15.830 --> 00:11:19.029 setup has been understood. By the time he gets 00:11:19.029 --> 00:11:22.909 to verse 31, specifically preceded by the coming 00:11:22.909 --> 00:11:26.429 of the bridegroom and the master, when the son 00:11:26.429 --> 00:11:30.090 of man comes in his glory, he says, you should 00:11:30.090 --> 00:11:33.289 be ready. And while I'm gone, I leave the work 00:11:33.289 --> 00:11:38.929 to you. So as readers of the book of Matthew, 00:11:39.409 --> 00:11:41.970 they are reading this gospel after the destruction 00:11:41.970 --> 00:11:45.389 of the temple. So even though the story is talking 00:11:45.389 --> 00:11:48.639 about Jesus saying, Not one stone of this temple 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:52.799 will remain standing. The readers in the audience 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:56.120 are hearing this well after the temple has in 00:11:56.120 --> 00:12:00.659 fact been destroyed by Rome. They're reading 00:12:00.659 --> 00:12:05.940 it in a time when there is struggle in the Jewish 00:12:05.940 --> 00:12:09.419 community and the life of the godly is no longer 00:12:09.419 --> 00:12:11.740 building centric, which it was with the temple, 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:15.539 and the rules that govern even how they worshiped. 00:12:15.610 --> 00:12:19.649 had literally been torn down. They were having 00:12:19.649 --> 00:12:22.909 to rebuild the body of worshipers in the time 00:12:22.909 --> 00:12:24.809 of the reading of this book and the writing of 00:12:24.809 --> 00:12:28.230 this book. And there were challenges to identifying 00:12:28.230 --> 00:12:32.210 who was in the community, who was out, who was 00:12:32.210 --> 00:12:35.409 a follower, who wasn't. Not only had things been 00:12:35.409 --> 00:12:37.649 decentralized because of the temple's destruction, 00:12:38.450 --> 00:12:41.690 but the religious were now also scattered away 00:12:41.690 --> 00:12:45.769 from Jerusalem. And so who were the true followers 00:12:45.769 --> 00:12:48.629 of God? The ones that have been there for centuries? 00:12:48.850 --> 00:12:51.529 The ones that just showed up? The ones that follow 00:12:51.529 --> 00:12:57.990 Jesus? Does the Torah law decide? So the Gospel 00:12:57.990 --> 00:13:00.870 of Matthew stresses that the Torah, the first 00:13:00.870 --> 00:13:03.809 five books of the law, was to be fulfilled by 00:13:03.809 --> 00:13:07.929 Jesus' love ethic. That is what the Gospel of 00:13:07.929 --> 00:13:10.440 Matthew is trying to communicate. that we have 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:12.820 moved beyond the Torah, we are rooted in it, 00:13:12.820 --> 00:13:16.299 but we've moved beyond it now, to an ethic of 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:21.320 Jesus' love, rather than the Pharisaic rules, 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:24.940 the holocaust, the collective body of Jewish 00:13:24.940 --> 00:13:28.720 religious law, which encompassed all areas of 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:32.340 life, civil, criminal, ritual regulations, literally 00:13:32.340 --> 00:13:35.159 translated to the path that one walks or the 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:37.600 way to proceed. This was the Pharisee's way. 00:13:37.870 --> 00:13:40.909 This was the religious leaders way. And it governed 00:13:40.909 --> 00:13:44.049 daily actions, ethics, dietary restrictions, 00:13:44.429 --> 00:13:47.730 holiday observances, and even interpersonal relationships. 00:13:48.590 --> 00:13:51.490 Matthew is trying to communicate we are past 00:13:51.490 --> 00:13:56.029 that. We have moved on. Jesus leads a new way. 00:13:58.330 --> 00:14:01.830 And so here in this passage, when we get to 2531 00:14:01.830 --> 00:14:03.470 and we're talking about the sheep and the goats 00:14:03.470 --> 00:14:07.679 and the separation, everybody's wondering. How 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:11.000 how do we define it? How do we know who gets 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:16.639 chosen and who doesn't? Here Jesus is Jesus teaches 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.240 that he will separate all nations into two groups 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:25.360 based on How they practically cared for the vulnerable 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:30.919 not how they practice the law Him himself identifying 00:14:30.919 --> 00:14:34.519 his own self with the hungry and the thirsty 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:42.809 and the imprisoned This passage, many times, 00:14:43.669 --> 00:14:46.450 if not mostly in the last, I don't know how many 00:14:46.450 --> 00:14:49.190 years, but certainly we're in an era in which 00:14:49.190 --> 00:14:52.669 this passage has often been used to give imagery 00:14:52.669 --> 00:14:56.029 to salvation and the punishment of hell for those 00:14:56.029 --> 00:14:59.129 who have not accepted Jesus as their personal 00:14:59.129 --> 00:15:03.049 savior, but in the greater context of these passages, 00:15:04.009 --> 00:15:09.120 we cannot conclude this. If we shift back a little 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.240 further to Matthew 23, so jump back with me, 00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:17.600 before we got to the Mount of Olives, we find 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.820 ourselves in the message that Rachel and Mike 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:23.360 Aubrey preached a few weeks ago about righteousness 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:28.899 and mercy. We are back at the woes, the woe to 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:32.019 you that Jesus says to the Pharisees and the 00:15:32.019 --> 00:15:34.899 religious leaders. And I encourage you to go 00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:37.690 back to it. I think it was... early May late 00:15:37.690 --> 00:15:43.230 April So Jesus is in Jerusalem He's teaching 00:15:43.230 --> 00:15:46.009 from the temple courts at the beginning of chapter 00:15:46.009 --> 00:15:50.110 23 in Matthew He has just concluded a series 00:15:50.110 --> 00:15:52.490 of debates with the religious leaders and is 00:15:52.490 --> 00:15:55.789 publicly addressing the gathered crowd and his 00:15:55.789 --> 00:16:01.409 disciples and so Matthew 23 1 through 12 says 00:16:01.409 --> 00:16:04.389 then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:08.559 The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat. 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:11.480 Therefore, do what they teach you and follow 00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:15.299 it, but do not do as they do, for they do not 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:19.179 practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.080 hard to bear, and they lay them on the shoulders 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:26.379 of others. But they themselves are unwilling 00:16:26.379 --> 00:16:29.399 to lift a finger to move them They do all their 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.200 deeds to be seen by others for they make their 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:35.000 phylacteries broad and their fringes long and 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:37.740 they love to have a place of honor at banquets 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:40.720 and the best seats of the synagogues and To be 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:42.820 greeted with respect in the marketplaces and 00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:46.320 to have people call them rabbi But you are not 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.500 to be called rabbi for you have one teacher and 00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:52.600 you are all brothers and sisters Call no one 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:54.700 your father on earth for you have one father 00:16:54.700 --> 00:16:57.580 the one in heaven Nor are you to be called instructors 00:16:57.580 --> 00:16:59.919 for you have one struck instructor the Messiah 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:05.480 the greatest Among you will be your servant He's 00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:09.359 already pointing out that we need to pay attention 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:13.539 not to the greatest That the place of honor is 00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:16.500 the servant all who exalt themselves will be 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:20.119 humbled But all who humble themselves will be 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:24.609 exalted This is so much of what embodies the 00:17:24.609 --> 00:17:26.849 conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders 00:17:26.849 --> 00:17:30.170 of the day, and it leads to his crucifixion. 00:17:31.289 --> 00:17:34.349 This message that he is saying here is entirely 00:17:34.349 --> 00:17:37.829 upside down from what the religious teachers 00:17:37.829 --> 00:17:43.470 teach. Jesus has disrupted everything. And so 00:17:43.470 --> 00:17:48.089 here we come to the woes. I will read just a 00:17:48.089 --> 00:17:53.079 few. Matthew 23, at 13 it says, but woe to you, 00:17:53.220 --> 00:17:56.359 scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you, lock 00:17:56.359 --> 00:18:00.220 people out of the kingdom of heaven. You do not 00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:02.859 go in yourselves, and when others are going in, 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:07.880 you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, 00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:10.619 hypocrites, for you cross sea and land to make 00:18:10.619 --> 00:18:13.539 a single convert, and you make the new convert 00:18:13.539 --> 00:18:16.259 twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:21.730 This is strong. It goes on at 23, woe to you, 00:18:21.950 --> 00:18:25.309 scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe 00:18:25.309 --> 00:18:28.049 your mint and your dill and your cumin, and you 00:18:28.049 --> 00:18:30.869 have neglected the weightier matters of the law, 00:18:31.369 --> 00:18:36.130 justice and mercy and faith. It is these you 00:18:36.130 --> 00:18:38.970 ought to have practiced without neglecting the 00:18:38.970 --> 00:18:42.589 others. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees and 00:18:42.589 --> 00:18:44.990 hypocrites, for you build the tombs of the prophets 00:18:44.990 --> 00:18:46.789 and decorate the graves of the righteous, and 00:18:46.789 --> 00:18:50.470 you say, If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, 00:18:50.670 --> 00:18:53.349 we would not have taken part with them in shedding 00:18:53.349 --> 00:18:57.670 the blood of the prophets. Thus you testify against 00:18:57.670 --> 00:19:00.329 yourselves that you are descendants of those 00:19:00.329 --> 00:19:03.269 who murdered the prophets. Fill up then the measure 00:19:03.269 --> 00:19:06.710 of your ancestors. You snakes, you brood of vipers, 00:19:06.910 --> 00:19:11.390 how can you escape the judgment of hell? For 00:19:11.390 --> 00:19:14.089 this reason I send you prophets sages and scribes 00:19:14.089 --> 00:19:16.990 some of whom you will kill and crucify and some 00:19:16.990 --> 00:19:19.970 you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from 00:19:19.970 --> 00:19:27.569 town to town Overwhelmingly overwhelmingly Jesus 00:19:27.569 --> 00:19:31.470 is very concerned with the access to the kingdom 00:19:31.470 --> 00:19:36.630 of God Anyone who makes access difficult anyone 00:19:36.630 --> 00:19:41.259 who makes access conditional Jesus opposes Jesus 00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:44.640 is in opposition to anyone who opposes access 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:48.519 to him or makes it difficult. The gate may be 00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:52.779 narrow, but it is not locked. And Jesus is calling 00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:56.440 out the leaders who lock people out of the kingdom 00:19:56.440 --> 00:20:00.440 of heaven. It is to those people, he says, you 00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:04.400 snakes, you brood of vipers, how can you escape 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:07.380 the judgment of hell? It is in direct relationship 00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:12.339 to making Access to Jesus, difficult. Access 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:15.420 to the kingdom of God, locked. This is what he 00:20:15.420 --> 00:20:17.980 is calling out, and this is where the judgment 00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:21.960 of hell is being called, when you prevent others 00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:26.140 from getting to Jesus. It is to them, the ones 00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:29.980 for whom justice and mercy are optional, that 00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:32.200 Jesus says the threat of the judgment of hell 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:35.640 belongs. And so when we get to this passage in 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:39.869 Matthew 25, The writer has taken us on a full 00:20:39.869 --> 00:20:42.670 journey to set this moment up, to give us clear 00:20:42.670 --> 00:20:45.670 understanding. So let's read it again, and I'm 00:20:45.670 --> 00:20:48.329 going to include the second part in verse 41 00:20:48.329 --> 00:20:52.849 to the end of the passage now. It says, when 00:20:52.849 --> 00:20:55.329 the son of man comes in his glory and all the 00:20:55.329 --> 00:20:58.460 angels with him. Then he will sit on the throne 00:20:58.460 --> 00:21:00.619 of his glory, and all the nations will be gathered 00:21:00.619 --> 00:21:02.940 before him, and he will separate people one from 00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:05.619 another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from 00:21:05.619 --> 00:21:07.980 the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:11.279 hand and the goats at his left. Then the king 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:14.200 will say to those at his right hand, come, you 00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:16.640 who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.400 prepared for you from the foundation of the world, 00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:22.509 for I was hungry and you gave me food. And I 00:21:22.509 --> 00:21:24.529 was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. 00:21:24.730 --> 00:21:27.750 I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. I was 00:21:27.750 --> 00:21:30.089 naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, 00:21:30.170 --> 00:21:32.630 and you took care of me. I was in prison, and 00:21:32.630 --> 00:21:35.890 you visited me. The righteous will answer him. 00:21:36.769 --> 00:21:39.269 Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and 00:21:39.269 --> 00:21:41.650 gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something 00:21:41.650 --> 00:21:44.769 to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger 00:21:44.769 --> 00:21:46.970 and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 00:21:47.670 --> 00:21:50.349 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison 00:21:50.349 --> 00:21:53.569 and visited you? And the king answered, truly 00:21:53.569 --> 00:21:56.190 I tell you, just as you did it to one of the 00:21:56.190 --> 00:21:58.309 least of these brothers and sisters of mine, 00:21:58.829 --> 00:22:03.509 you did it to me. Then he will say to those at 00:22:03.509 --> 00:22:07.630 his left hand, you who are accursed, depart from 00:22:07.630 --> 00:22:09.829 me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil 00:22:09.829 --> 00:22:13.769 and his angels, for I was hungry and you gave 00:22:13.769 --> 00:22:16.880 me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:20.000 to drink. I was a stranger and you did not welcome 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:22.859 me. I was naked and you did not give me clothing. 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:26.980 Sick and in prison and you did not visit me. 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:32.359 Then they will also answer, Lord, when was it 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:35.220 that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:38.460 or naked or sick or in prison and did not take 00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:42.619 care of you? And then he will answer them. Truly 00:22:42.619 --> 00:22:46.690 I tell you. Just as you did not do it to one 00:22:46.690 --> 00:22:49.390 of the least of these, you did not do it to me. 00:22:50.549 --> 00:22:52.750 And these will go away into eternal punishment, 00:22:52.970 --> 00:22:56.009 but the righteous into eternal life. And there's 00:22:56.009 --> 00:22:59.609 a really interesting parallel here to the sentiments 00:22:59.609 --> 00:23:04.430 we heard in chapter 23. Chapter 23, Jesus is 00:23:04.430 --> 00:23:06.890 saying, you snakes, you brood of vipers, how 00:23:06.890 --> 00:23:09.910 can you escape the judgment of hell? And at chapter 00:23:09.910 --> 00:23:14.130 25, he says, you who are accursed, Depart me 00:23:14.130 --> 00:23:19.730 into the eternal fire. Chapter 23 says, you say, 00:23:20.349 --> 00:23:22.410 if we had lived in the days of our ancestors, 00:23:22.509 --> 00:23:24.609 we would not have taken part with them in the 00:23:24.609 --> 00:23:28.130 shedding of the blood of the prophets. And for 00:23:28.130 --> 00:23:30.269 this reason, Jesus says, I send you prophets 00:23:30.269 --> 00:23:32.609 and sages and scribes. He's saying, what you 00:23:32.609 --> 00:23:36.430 are doing now is what you would have done. I 00:23:36.430 --> 00:23:40.069 sent the messengers. I will send the messengers, 00:23:40.069 --> 00:23:43.440 and you will take part. At the reading of this 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:49.000 passage later on, Matthew, we all know, all the 00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:52.640 readers know this has in fact happened. It goes 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:55.980 on to say, some of whom you will kill and crucify 00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:59.480 and some you will flog in your synagogues and 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:03.839 pursue them from town. Paul himself, which the 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:06.700 early church would have known, was one of those 00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:10.779 when he was still Saul. He was one of those that 00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:16.019 stood over, as a Pharisee, the persecution of 00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:19.460 these people. And so at the end of the reading 00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:23.059 of this gospel, the audience had known these 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:25.480 things had already come to fruition. These things 00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:29.160 had, in fact, happened. The parallel in chapter 00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:33.420 25 is the, Lord, when was it that we saw you 00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:37.099 hungry or thirsty or a stranger and we did not 00:24:37.099 --> 00:24:40.009 take care of you? The hungry and the thirsty 00:24:40.009 --> 00:24:46.890 were there, and they were ignored. This gospel 00:24:46.890 --> 00:24:50.109 has spent so much time declaring that this message, 00:24:50.269 --> 00:24:53.190 that justice and mercy are non -negotiable in 00:24:53.190 --> 00:24:56.450 the kingdom of God. Jesus has cleared the good 00:24:56.450 --> 00:25:01.009 news to all people. But if that message is gate 00:25:01.009 --> 00:25:04.910 -kept, if that message is conditional, if that 00:25:04.910 --> 00:25:07.950 message is at all handled with an earthly control, 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:12.619 Jesus has a message for us. You will be opposed. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:18.960 He, in fact, is the least of these. And those 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:21.660 who care for them are identified as righteous. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:27.220 Verses 37 through 39 again. Then the righteous, 00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:31.240 Jesus is calling those who respond the righteous. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:34.039 Then the righteous will answer him, for I was 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:37.049 hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and 00:25:37.049 --> 00:25:39.710 you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger 00:25:39.710 --> 00:25:41.849 and you welcomed me and I was naked and you gave 00:25:41.849 --> 00:25:44.730 me clothing. I was sick and you took care of 00:25:44.730 --> 00:25:49.650 me. I was in prison and you visited. One of my 00:25:49.650 --> 00:25:53.950 jobs has me traveling a lot. It has me traveling 00:25:53.950 --> 00:25:56.829 outside of the United States and has taken me 00:25:56.829 --> 00:26:00.309 many places, six continents, over 40 countries. 00:26:01.130 --> 00:26:04.009 And it has provided the opportunity to observe 00:26:04.009 --> 00:26:06.750 and participate in the fellowship of believers 00:26:06.750 --> 00:26:11.390 in many different places. I've not been everywhere, 00:26:11.390 --> 00:26:16.609 but I do have a range of observations. And the 00:26:16.609 --> 00:26:20.569 reality is churches are shaped by their societies 00:26:20.569 --> 00:26:24.109 and their settings. This is unavoidable. This 00:26:24.109 --> 00:26:28.369 is real. And the US is no exception. And so we 00:26:28.369 --> 00:26:33.700 must be alert and aware ourselves. In the U .S., 00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:38.019 we do not hold this message well of caring for 00:26:38.019 --> 00:26:42.220 the least of these. We have deep messages within 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:44.920 our country that live often in opposition to 00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:49.519 these kingdom values. The American church is 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:53.940 very comfortable and it likes its comfort. The 00:26:53.940 --> 00:26:58.829 American church is rich by comparison. and can 00:26:58.829 --> 00:27:02.730 often be fat on its resources, not always, but 00:27:02.730 --> 00:27:08.430 it's visible here. The American church, we live 00:27:08.430 --> 00:27:11.710 in a system of capitalism where the message is 00:27:11.710 --> 00:27:14.549 that the value of your own hard work earns you 00:27:14.549 --> 00:27:17.710 a better place in society. If you don't have 00:27:17.710 --> 00:27:20.670 a higher place, it is often believed to be directly 00:27:20.670 --> 00:27:23.509 reflective of the work you have or have not done. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:27.000 and we tend to honor those that work harder than 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:29.960 others. If you don't have a shelter, clothing, 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:32.440 or food, it is largely viewed as the fault of 00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:36.480 the person lacking those resources. The American 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:39.579 church is deeply segregated. Our country developed 00:27:39.579 --> 00:27:42.200 over centuries by various nations ending up in 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:45.119 the same place. Whatever the prevailing group 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:47.960 was at any given time, they saw the minority 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:52.849 as other. There has, broadly speaking, speaking, 00:27:53.150 --> 00:27:55.809 not been a good history of neighborliness in 00:27:55.809 --> 00:27:58.869 the US. There has not been a good history of 00:27:58.869 --> 00:28:02.549 living alongside those who do not look like you 00:28:02.549 --> 00:28:07.289 well. There has always been an other, a stranger 00:28:07.289 --> 00:28:10.829 among you. It was the indigenous population. 00:28:11.130 --> 00:28:14.269 It was formerly the enslaved. Or it was the formerly 00:28:14.269 --> 00:28:17.450 enslaved. It was the Italian. It was the Irish. 00:28:17.569 --> 00:28:20.450 It was the Japanese, until another came along. 00:28:22.259 --> 00:28:25.119 Fear of the stranger has been a prevalent aspect 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:27.559 of living in the US And it has become a part 00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:30.019 of the practice of the American Church To be 00:28:30.019 --> 00:28:32.160 conditional when it comes to the question a Jewish 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:35.359 expert in the law once asked Jesus in Luke 10 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:40.599 Who is my neighbor? And the American Church lives 00:28:40.599 --> 00:28:43.200 within a society that identifies as a law -and 00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:45.140 -order society and though the laws are the same 00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:48.079 for everyone on paper They are disproportionate 00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:51.380 in how they are enacted We believe people who 00:28:51.380 --> 00:28:54.059 are in prison deserve to be there. However, we 00:28:54.059 --> 00:28:56.480 do not tend to broadly evaluate the system that 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:00.019 put them there. And the U .S. incarcerates roughly 00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:02.799 1 .9 million people, which represents the highest 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:06.660 incarceration rate of any major democracy globally. 00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:10.140 There are so many adjacent items I could touch 00:29:10.140 --> 00:29:12.460 on when referencing this, but how we view those 00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:15.079 that are infected by imprisonment, including 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:17.609 how we care for adjacent family members, How 00:29:17.609 --> 00:29:19.970 we speak to those systems that imprison our neighbors 00:29:19.970 --> 00:29:22.809 and address the management of justice. How we 00:29:22.809 --> 00:29:25.930 view those things matter. How we view the people 00:29:25.930 --> 00:29:30.049 affected by these things matter. So these are 00:29:30.049 --> 00:29:32.210 the realities that shape how we interact with 00:29:32.210 --> 00:29:36.029 this passage. And we know it's true because when 00:29:36.029 --> 00:29:38.809 this passage is put in front of us, we know it 00:29:38.809 --> 00:29:42.130 is counter -cultural. Not just in our society, 00:29:42.190 --> 00:29:45.819 but also in our churches. We show we excuse me. 00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:47.940 We know it's countercultural because we have 00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:51.259 built up more societal norms around shunning 00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:55.200 those in these positions in Keeping them marginalized 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:58.220 than we have had in raising them up out of their 00:29:58.220 --> 00:30:02.019 position We have echoed messages closer to the 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:04.579 religious leaders of Jesus's day about the least 00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:07.839 of these Then we have echoed Jesus's message 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:10.539 So in the United States because that is where 00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:14.779 we live We often view any societal safety nets 00:30:14.779 --> 00:30:17.220 be them governmental religiously based or strict 00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:20.599 non strictly nonprofit We tend to view them as 00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:22.779 initiatives that contribute to the issue versus 00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:28.019 helping them So when we hear for I was hungry 00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:30.400 and you gave me food I was thirsty you gave me 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:32.160 something to eat. I was naked and you gave me 00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:36.700 clothing We often hear no handouts You need to 00:30:36.700 --> 00:30:39.160 earn it I'm not going to give them money. I'm 00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:40.619 not going to provide their resources. They'll 00:30:40.619 --> 00:30:44.740 just spend it on drugs and alcohol. We've heard 00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:49.519 it, and we might have said it. When scripture 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:51.740 says, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, 00:30:51.859 --> 00:30:54.480 we hear, they need to come into our country legally. 00:30:58.279 --> 00:31:01.500 When we hear, I was sick, and you took care of 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:04.460 me, we often hear, if they got a job, they would 00:31:04.460 --> 00:31:10.210 have health care. And to that I say, I've consistently 00:31:10.210 --> 00:31:12.869 held four jobs over a decade and have been without 00:31:12.869 --> 00:31:16.529 health insurance for 16 years. So tell me about 00:31:16.529 --> 00:31:20.410 getting a job and getting health care. I was 00:31:20.410 --> 00:31:23.430 in prison and you visited me. Well, those are 00:31:23.430 --> 00:31:25.369 dangerous criminals. That is a message we've 00:31:25.369 --> 00:31:27.730 heard recently over and over and over again. 00:31:28.309 --> 00:31:30.990 And they deserve to be there. They don't deserve 00:31:30.990 --> 00:31:35.019 kindness. The American church has difficulty 00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:37.240 in identifying itself with the version of Jesus 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:41.059 that identified himself in this way. Truly, I 00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:43.180 tell you, just as you did it to one of the least 00:31:43.180 --> 00:31:45.759 of these brothers and sisters, you did it to 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:51.019 me. And just as a note, there are other places 00:31:51.019 --> 00:31:53.319 in societies in the world that don't see things 00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:56.000 the same way. And I'm reminded that we don't 00:31:56.000 --> 00:32:01.299 have to either. The kingdom of God is not a future 00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:05.319 far off thing. It is meant to be in us now. And 00:32:05.319 --> 00:32:09.039 we are meant to be shaped by these words versus 00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:13.200 our context. As followers of Christ, we carry 00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:16.880 the message and life way of the kingdom. We now 00:32:16.880 --> 00:32:19.279 are accountable to this message and this way 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:23.900 of life. The kingdom of God is within you now, 00:32:24.339 --> 00:32:28.319 Luke says. And as followers of Jesus today, the 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:33.059 message for us now is that all of us, not just 00:32:33.059 --> 00:32:36.759 the elected, not just the called, not just those 00:32:36.759 --> 00:32:40.339 with fortitude and skill, all of us are called 00:32:40.339 --> 00:32:42.299 to care for the least of these as our regular 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:45.000 practice of life in the kingdom, because they 00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:48.779 are our neighbor. As a regular practice as people 00:32:48.779 --> 00:32:50.799 who are living out their faith, as a regular 00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:54.339 practice of loving others as ourselves. Not just 00:32:54.339 --> 00:32:59.380 some, but all. And so, if you are wondering what 00:32:59.380 --> 00:33:04.859 now, I offer this. When the passage says, for 00:33:04.859 --> 00:33:07.200 I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty 00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:10.400 and you gave me something to drink, I want to 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:12.400 encourage you to see how you can partner with 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:15.779 Ness Cafe here in Rock Island. Riverbend Food 00:33:15.779 --> 00:33:18.460 Bank also can connect you to any other food pantries 00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:21.640 or serving centers here in the Quad Cities. When 00:33:21.640 --> 00:33:24.140 it says I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 00:33:24.220 --> 00:33:26.960 I encourage you to speak with Leah or Dave Hodge 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:29.119 about world relief in the Quad City and their 00:33:29.119 --> 00:33:31.460 work with the refugee community. I encourage 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:33.859 you to speak with Kristin Koski about the third 00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:36.119 place, and you can speak with Robin McConnell 00:33:36.119 --> 00:33:39.319 about fixing up spaces for those that are unhoused 00:33:39.319 --> 00:33:42.720 or under -resourced. When it says I was naked 00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:45.059 and you gave me clothing, I encourage you to 00:33:45.059 --> 00:33:47.740 speak with those involved in Closet to Closet, 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:50.319 Scott and Tashiana McConnell and Alex North. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:55.539 And Josh Fowler over here. I was sick and you 00:33:55.539 --> 00:33:58.819 took care of me. You can speak to Linda Anders 00:33:58.819 --> 00:34:01.099 as an excellent resource in public health in 00:34:01.099 --> 00:34:03.200 our area and the work of local clinics making 00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:04.920 health care more accessible to those who need 00:34:04.920 --> 00:34:07.740 it. And when it says I was in prison and you 00:34:07.740 --> 00:34:09.960 visited me, I encourage you to speak with Andy 00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:12.679 Boswell who works in corrections and can resource 00:34:12.679 --> 00:34:14.840 you on ways to care for those impacted by the 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:18.590 system of incarceration locally. If there are 00:34:18.590 --> 00:34:20.269 other ways you'd like to investigate serving 00:34:20.269 --> 00:34:22.170 and caring for the least of these in our community 00:34:22.170 --> 00:34:24.429 at the local level, you can connect with Pastor 00:34:24.429 --> 00:34:26.949 Marissa, who has a long history of community 00:34:26.949 --> 00:34:29.849 engagement -based work. Kathy Webb and Scott 00:34:29.849 --> 00:34:32.090 McConnell are also excellent resources when it 00:34:32.090 --> 00:34:34.829 comes to how disabilities disenfranchise individuals 00:34:34.829 --> 00:34:38.210 who lack access and how that lack of access can 00:34:38.210 --> 00:34:40.869 often systematically place them in some of these 00:34:40.869 --> 00:34:44.210 areas that we've already talked through. We are 00:34:44.210 --> 00:34:48.059 not without pathways. And in fact, we are so 00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:52.019 close to them here in our community. I just listed 00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:54.920 off. As I was going through this passage, I was 00:34:54.920 --> 00:34:58.719 so encouraged and amazed at how many people are 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:00.940 actively involved in work that cares for the 00:35:00.940 --> 00:35:04.320 least of these, and how close we are to it, and 00:35:04.320 --> 00:35:08.340 how accountable we are to it too. We are not 00:35:08.340 --> 00:35:11.980 without pathways, and we are without excuse. 00:35:13.059 --> 00:35:16.420 It can be uncomfortable, but it is also non -negotiable, 00:35:16.420 --> 00:35:22.539 guys. It is 100 % non -negotiable. The message 00:35:22.539 --> 00:35:24.840 of Jesus, which is the message of the kingdom, 00:35:25.260 --> 00:35:27.340 it has always been the message of the kingdom, 00:35:27.460 --> 00:35:31.159 is that the gate is open to all. All are invited 00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:34.579 through. All the things this world stratifies 00:35:34.579 --> 00:35:37.420 and creates caste systems out of. All of the 00:35:37.420 --> 00:35:39.679 things the world notices and uses to marginalize 00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:42.159 others. All of the things that get conditionalized. 00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:47.219 Those tickets do not exist. There are no tickets. 00:35:48.060 --> 00:35:52.619 to access. And we are held directly accountable 00:35:52.619 --> 00:35:56.679 for our actions. The message we purport about 00:35:56.679 --> 00:35:59.679 Jesus and what we teach as truth in our lives 00:35:59.679 --> 00:36:03.679 as it relates to the least of these. Jesus is 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:08.400 very clear. We are separated out by those who 00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:10.059 care for the least of these and those who do 00:36:10.059 --> 00:36:13.820 not. For those who act justly and love mercy 00:36:13.820 --> 00:36:18.940 and walk humbly with God. This is not for the 00:36:18.940 --> 00:36:23.139 called. This is not for certain individuals with 00:36:23.139 --> 00:36:27.300 fortitude and skill. It is, in fact, all of us 00:36:27.300 --> 00:36:30.619 that must be in the way of Christ with this. 00:36:31.739 --> 00:36:38.219 Amen? Let's pray. God, make clear the pathways 00:36:38.219 --> 00:36:40.900 open to us and the way that we need to walk. 00:36:41.679 --> 00:36:45.679 We need your help with this because for many, 00:36:46.690 --> 00:36:52.090 This is an area of discomfort. But you have told 00:36:52.090 --> 00:36:56.630 us that it is the way of life. And in fact, when 00:36:56.630 --> 00:37:00.849 we care for those who perhaps are out of the 00:37:00.849 --> 00:37:03.469 same strata we are or the same system we are 00:37:03.469 --> 00:37:09.889 or have different ways of life than we do, you 00:37:09.889 --> 00:37:14.090 tell us that is the way of the righteous and 00:37:14.090 --> 00:37:19.070 that it leads to life. And so we ask for your 00:37:19.070 --> 00:37:21.309 bravery. We ask for your courage. We ask for 00:37:21.309 --> 00:37:25.070 your fortitude. We ask for your way. We pray 00:37:25.070 --> 00:37:27.110 this all in your name. Amen.