3rd Sunday After Pentecost
Matthew 9:35-10:8
The Rev. Dr. Bruce Roth
Beloved People of God…
Back in the days when fathers waited outside for the baby to be born, there were three men waiting for the joyous news. The first was informed by the nurse that we wife had twins. He told the nurse, “Isn’t that ironic. I pitch for the Minnesota Twins.” A few minutes later the second man learned his wife had triplets. The coincidence was that he worked for 3-M. All of a sudden, the third man began to panic and raced for the door. Just before he left the maternity ward he was stopped and was asked what the matter was. He said, “I’ve got to get out of here…I work for 7-11.”
That precious moment, that first moment, holding each of my three children in my arms, looking into their fresh, squishy little faces, each time there was an overwhelming sense of joy, gratitude, bewilderment, and a little fear, knowing that I was about to face the most wonderful and most wearing task of my life all at the same time. Perhaps you’ve experienced that same emotion. At that moment it seems we know no other language than love.
One little boy said to his friend, “I’m really worried, my Dad slaves away at his job so I’ll never want for anything, so I’ll be able to go to the university if I want to. Mom also has a job outside the home and then she comes home and together they do the wash, clean the house and yard, and take care of me even when I get sick. They spend every day of their lives working just on my behalf. And I’m worried.” His friend asked, “What have you got to be worried about?” He replied, “I’m afraid they might try to escape!”
Sometimes we’re tempted, aren’t we? The sad fact is that in our day and time there are Fathers and mothers who have escaped—who do not communicate their love. Some have physically left their children. Some have escaped emotionally. They do the job; carry out the task, but their hearts not in it. Time and time again we see extreme examples where life seems void of love—I remember reading a story in the Repository where there was headline quote from a 13 year-old-son whose brother was bludgeoned to death with a hammer by his father. The Son was quoted saying, “I was brought into this world by two people. One I lost due to illness. The other I lost due to a horrible crime. On that unthinkable night when I thought my father was going to kill me, I prayed to God to live…. Now I am with a loving family that protects me. I go to bed knowing that I am loved and cared for every night.” Father’s Day is next week, but I want to take a moment today to talk a little about the language of love—the love God shares with us and how we can communicate that love with our family, friends and even those with whom we may not always choose to associate. In our gospel reading for today we are given a key into the nature of the love God so richly shares with us and how it is we can communicate that love to others through our words and our actions.
The key into the nature of the love God shares with us is found in verse 36, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Compassion. The word that we often translate as “to feel sorry for” in the Bible is really a word that means that the stomach, the intestines, churn with concern and pain over another’s pain. That is the meaning of compassion. The amazing thing about God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is that through Jesus we see that God is a God of compassion. Jesus was truly moved within himself to become involved and to help not only blind beggars but also every person with every hurt. And not only is God a God of compassion and love but we see in the story today that through Jesus Christ, God gives power and the help that we need so that we know we’re not abandoned. But it doesn’t stop there. Jesus goes on to send out his followers to go and tell to “proclaim the good news that the kingdom of heaven has come near, cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons.” In other words, share God’s love and compassion in a way people can understand—in their language. But how do we do that?
Let me begin with a way that may actually sound cliché but I’m convinced that it is the single most important phrase that a child can hear from his or her dad or mom. It’s the phrase kids can hear ten thousand times and still want to hear it again, just as badly the next time. You know what it is, “God loves you.” I don’t care if your child is 4, 24, or 44 they crave to hear those words. And it really doesn’t matter how many times you tell them either. I find that my kids are filled up with God’s love one day and the very next day they seem to run low again. It’s like they leak. It’s like that Family Circus Cartoon where little Billie walks in through the front door toward his mother, arms outstretched and says, “I need a hug, Mommy. I used up the last one.” Sharing those words—God loves you – seems like an easy enough thing to do doesn’t it? And yet, we tend to assume they know, or that it is a job for the church to do. But if we can’t even tell our kids that God loves them how are we ever going follow Jesus command to let others know the kingdom of God has come near?
Another way that we can communicate or share the language of love in not so many words is through our actions. Jesus sent the twelve out to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Just a quick poll: ever raise the dead? Ever participate in a baptism—literally we are lifted from death into life. And if you’ve ever given to the Lutheran World Hunger appeal, you’ve helped keep people from dying. Ever cast out a demon? Again, perhaps not, but if you’ve ever stood up and told someone not to tell an off-color joke you’ve helped squash the demon of racism.
There are numerous things we can do to communicate to others, the love God shares with us. The key is to be direct, to act, and to embody the compassion God had for us. It’s a great love God has for us. Let’s share it. Amen