When I was growing up, I became very good at waiting. From the time I was nine, my father raised my brothers and I by himself and so was always running here to there, and rarely on time. So, after school, after ballet class, after piano lessons, after confirmation...I waited. I could almost guarantee that I would be the last kid to be picked up after whatever activity I was at...so, I waited. I never got terribly nervous, we lived in a small size town and if it really came down to it, I could probably have walked home from wherever I was. Thankfully, it never came to that.
I
have a brother, Matthew, who is five years younger than I am, and for
whatever reason, his demeanor as child was very sensitive and quite
on edge. He never trusted that his adults would be there, he always
expected the worst, if Dad was five minutes late that meant he was
never going to show up and my poor brother would be left wherever he
was at. Even if I was with him, Matthew would usually end up in
tears as we waiting for our Dad, I'm sure I was the compassionate,
patient older sister who told him to “knock it off!”, and yet, he
would be in hysterics by the time our car finally pulled up.
We
wait. We wait for a friend to meet us for coffee. We wait for test
results. We wait in lines to renew this or that. We wait for a
season to pass, or a difficult day to finally come to an end. We
wait for war to end. We wait for hunger to be eradicated. We wait
for God to move. We wait for Christ to come.
There
is very little that is certain in life, but the chance to do some
waiting is inevitable. We wait.
Our
Gospel lesson today tells us a story about a master, some employees
and what separates the good employees from the bad. This could be a
story about just land keeping, it could be a story about how to be a
good employee and follow direction. If we are not careful we cast
this story quickly – God is the master, we are the employees...some
are good, some are bad. However, I think we should be careful,
because this story is unique. This story is even scary. We need to
be mindful of where this story is found – Jesus goes on for a good
long about the end of the world, this is often referred to as the
eschatological discourse. A long
sermon about the end of the age. So, that changes the story about
the master and the employees and it changes how we hear
ourselves...it is not so much about just land keeping or masters and
good employees. This is a story about waiting. The master said he
was leaving, and the master promises to return. This story is about
what we do in the mean time.
[READ Matthew 25:14-30]
We
have the good employees...they did just what their master told them
and brought in the money! In the absence of the master they were
obedient, hard working and reaped a great reward. In they end, they
were invited into joy! This is perhaps the most beautiful detail of
the story...that at the end of the wait, after all the hard work was
over, after their good work and obedience had been acknowledged...the
good employees were invited into joy!
And
then we have the bad employee...who, in the absence of the master he
panicked, terrified left running to bury his treasure and wait with
idle hands. He even spoke back to the master, pointing out that the
master isn't exactly all honest and good either! In the end, this
employee was not invited into joy...no, this employee was cast out
into the outter darkness.
Waiting,
employees, land, end times...how does it all fit together?
Believe
it or not, this could be the very picture of our life of faith!
Christ came to earth, took on human flesh, and while he was on earth
he preached the gospel, healed the sick, fed the poor, comforted the
weary, rebuked the wicked, and spoke of the kingdom of God on earth
and in heaven. And then, Christ died, three days later Christ rose
again, and then made promises. The resurrected Christ spoke to his
disciples saying things like, “Remember,
I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The resurrected Christ also said, “I
will come again...though,It is not for you to know the times or
periods that the Father has set by his own authority.” Christ
will come again, and until he does, he has promised to remain with
us, in a non-physical way. Every time we celebrate communion we
proclaim what we call the mystery of faith, “Christ has died.
Christ is risen. Christ will come again.” So, here we are in that
space between “Christ is risen” and “Christ will come
again”...we are waiting.
Are
we waiting like the good employees? Often we think of waiting as
sitting still and quiet, like waiting at the doctor's office. Yet
the waiting that the good employees model for us is active! They jump
right to work, follow the orders given by the master and carry the
technique that the master has shown them. What does that mean for
us? How does that translate into a person of faith, waiting for the
master's return? Our waiting is active too. First, Jesus give us are
jobs to do – Go! Make disciples, baptize them, teach them. And we
know to do as Jesus did while he was on earth – we are to feed the
hungry, cure the sick, comfort the grieving. Our waiting is active
because Jesus' whole life was active! No sitting in the waiting room
here.
But
Jesus does not just give us jobs to do. So often we stop there, and
think ok...I got my laundry list of good deeds from the preacher this
week, better get after it. Jesus does not just give us jobs to do,
Jesus also gives us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us tools,
skills, understanding, hearts that are tuned in such a way that we
can
work for the Kingdom of God in our own, beautiful, unique and holy
way. Do not leave here thinking you just got a laundry list..leave
here remembering that you have been given the Holy Spirit. And with
the Holy Spirit we have faith we can say, “Christ has died. Christ
is risen. Christ will come again.” Christ will
come again.
Are
we waiting like the bad employee? Of course we have to stop and
reflect on that question, because that person is in the story, and
that person is a part of our story too. No one is great at waiting
all the time, and the Church throughout the ages has been waiting for
over 2000 years! Not only that, but when horrible things happen all
over our world I find myself want to shout, NOW JESUS, THIS WOULD BE
THE TIME TO GET BACK HERE! I am not always a great waiter. Our
faith gets shaken, we despair and waiting seems like a cruel joke.
Proclaiming the truth of “Christ has died. Christ is risen, Christ
will come again.” could end with a question mark, instead of a
period. Of course, these are matters of faith and dynamics that
exists between us and God. God can handle our question marks, are
shaky faith and our despair.
Where
it really turns ugly, is when our actions resemble the actions of the
bad employee. We panic and we run around with clenched fists, so
scared and so unable to see the vision at the end of all this waiting
that we bury our heads and clench our fists, just hoping the waiting
is over soon.
When
we lose the vision, we become cranky and cruel.
When
we forget who gave us this job we become territorial and possessive of all
the wrong things.
When
the fear takes over, when our hope is lost..this is when we hurt one
another, we clench our fists, close our doors and harden our hearts.
Even
in these, our ugliest moments of faith, even then...the mystery of
our faith is even more important and powerfully true. “Christ has
died. Christ is risen. Christ will
come
again.” And good employee, bad employee, patient and faithful or
panicked and terrified...you are disciples of Christ. You have been
given a job to do for the Kingdom of God is at hand. You have been
given the Holy Spirit to guide, give you faith and empower you for
this active and busy waiting. And over all, Christ has gives us the
promise that he will
come again. Waiting is certain and so is Christ's glorious return.
Wait
with faith, wait with courage, wait with kindness, wait with busy
hands and feet. You do not wait in vain, your Savior will return.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Amen.
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