The Condemnation of “Like” (Matthew 21:23-32)

There were these two friends—Sam and Betsy.  They were both into social media, especially Facebook.  They were constantly checking up on their friends, news, and things that they were interested.  One day they both received a message about an event that was being scheduled at the south end of town which was not the best neighborhood in the town where they lived.  It was an impoverish neighborhood with many houses and yards needing a lot of work.  The event was to come in and clean up the neighborhood and put in a playground for the kids living there.  Everyone was invited to come and participate . . . to come and meet their neighbors.  It would be work, said the post, but it would also be fun.

 

Both Sam and Betsy “liked” the post.  You know, they hit that little “thumbs up” symbol beneath the message signifying that they “liked” the message.  When others saw it they could tell that both Sam and Betsy were supportive of the intention of the message . . . cleaning up a neighborhood, building a playground, and meeting their neighbors.  They were good people . . . supportive people . . . caring people.

 

On the day that the event took place people gathered in the neighborhood and started to work.  Among the people was Betsy, but Sam was nowhere to be seen.

 

Despite images . . . which person really was supportive and caring . . . Sam or Betsy?  Which one really “liked” what was going on?  Which one was condemned because of their “like”?  Think about it.

 

In the meantime, consider again the reading we heard this morning.  The power structure of the community, the chief priests and elders, catch Jesus in the temple courts teaching.  Needless to say, they are a little aggressive in their confrontation with Jesus wanting to know where in the world he thinks he gets off doing the things that he is doing.  Jesus responds by telling the authorities that he will answer their question if they answer his.  He asks them, “John’s baptism—where did it come from?  Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” 

 

It did not take the authorities long to realize that answering Jesus’ question was a “no win” situation.  If they answered “from heaven”, then why didn’t they believe John?  If they answered “of human origin” they were afraid they would offend and upset the people.  It was a “darn if they, darn if they don’t” mess.  So, they answered, “We don’t know.”

 

Jesus did not answer their question either.  Instead he told them a simple parable about two sons who are asked by their father to go and work in the vineyard.  The first son refuses, but then later he goes and works in the vineyard.  The second son agrees but he never goes to the vineyards to work.  Jesus poses the question to those gathered—especially the authorities, “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

 

“The first,” they answered.

 

Actions speak louder than words.  Just because a person says that he or she “likes” something, if he or she does not back that up with actions then they are nothing more than empty words.  Their “like” condemns them.  Jesus tells them that “liking” is not enough . . . prove it by living it.  As stated, actions speak louder than words.

 

If social media has taught us anything, it should have taught us that we need to take it with a grain of salt . . . that it is not always what it seems to be . . . that there is a whole lot of “lip service” going on.  We should view it with a cautionary and wary eye because not everything that is “liked” ends up being the truth.  Lots of people “like” things that they see on social media, but when the dust settles very little of that equates into action.

 

And, that is frustrating!

 

I have experienced a lot of people who are notorious in pushing that “like” icon on postings calling for things to be done, but don’t even take the time to read and consider what it is that they are “liking”.  It looks good . . . it looks supportive . . . it gives the illusion that they care.  They push that “like” icon and then go about their business never to think about it again. Where are they when words turn into action?  They are like that son who agrees to go and work in the vineyard but shows up missing in action when the times comes to be accountable.

 

This whole scene that we see played out in the temple is a powerful caution to all of us who claim to be followers of Jesus.  Jesus lets those who are gathered and those of us who have heard the story that words alone are not enough.  It is not enough to say it, one must live it. Belief is demonstrated through action.  Words are empty when they are not accompanied by action.  Jesus’ warning is pretty plain: “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.  For John came to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.  And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

 

For Jesus it comes down to less talk and more work.

 

We want to be careful that our words . . . our “likes” . . . don’t come around and bite us in the rear, don’t condemn us.  We need to make our words—our “likes”—congruent with our actions.  Trust me, people know when there is no congruency between what we say and do.

 

So we go back to the fact that “actions speak louder than words” . . . especially when it comes to faith.

 

We’ve heard that statement many times before, but it is true.  There are probably a hundred illustrations of this that I could share about this.  The only one I want to share though is the one that states that “love is a verb, not a noun”.  As a verb it connotes action . . . that something is being done.  So it is when we come to faith . . . faith is putting our words into action.  Because of this we should take seriously what is happening in our reading this morning.  Jesus is confronting those in authority . . . the primary witnesses that people look up to . . . and challenging them to consider whether or not their words equal their actions.  And, if not, why not? 

 

In the same way . . . we the followers of Jesus . . . we who proclaim belief in Jesus, what he says, what he represents . . . he is challenging us.  Challenging us to consider our own faith . . . to consider whether or not we are putting what we say into action . . . or are we just pushing the “like” button and thinking that that is good enough?  If that is what we are doing then we will be condemned by our “likes”.  We know that for Jesus that is not enough.  Jesus wants us to put up or shut up.

 

That is the challenge of our reading this morning . . . the challenge from Jesus . . . do our “likes” equate to the way that we live our lives as his followers; or are they just something that we mindlessly do without any effort to making them realities as a witness to who we are?  I don’t know, but what I do know is that I seriously consider my role in “liking” anything that is posted on social media.  I seriously consider how I will be viewed whenever I “like” another person’s posting . . . not so much by what others think, but by what God thinks.  I want to be seen by God as someone who puts actions before words.  Jesus was a “speak less, do more” sort of guy who did not let words get in the way of loving.

 

May we go and do likewise.  Amen.

 

“Leveling the Playing Field” (Matthew 20:1-16)

 

Years ago, I ran in a road race that was using a “graded” scale to “level the playing field”.  In road races the runners are lined up at the starting line, the gun is fired, and everyone takes off to see who will finish first.  It is every person for him or herself and may the fastest person win.  Typically, the fastest people come in first with all the slower runners following behind.  In a “graded” race the runners are lined up from the slowest to the fastest.  When the gun is fired the first wave of slow runners takes off followed by each group until you get to the fast runners.  The idea is that everyone will finish the race at the same time which gives everyone a chance to win.

 

At least that was the idea.  Needless to say, these races did not last very long on the road racing circuit.  The primary reason was that those fast elite runners did not want to share the spotlight with the slower recreational runners.  To them it did not seem right that they busted their butts to run fast and was getting the same reward as those who just jogged along.  It was un-American!

 

Imagine what those elite runners would say if they had heard our scripture reading this morning.  Jesus shares a parable.  A landowner goes out to hire workers early in the morning and promises them a denarius for their labor.  Later in the morning he does the same thing with another group of workers telling them that he will pay them “whatever is right”.  Two more times—around noon and three o’clock—and repeats the hiring of even more workers.  And then, shortly before quitting time, he does it one more time.

 

At the end of the day the landowner gathers all the workers together to be paid.  Now common sense and the American way would think that those who worked the longest would be paid more than those who were hired last and worked the least.  At least that is what one would think in today’s terms of employment and labor; but that is not what happens.  What happens is that the landowner starts with those who were hired last . . . and pays them a denarius!  In fact, each person the landowner hired was paid a denarius.

 

You can be certain that this caught the attention of those who had worked the whole day and did the most work.  This did not make them happy and they grumbled . . . they complained . . . they cried, “Foul!”  It didn’t seem right, and if they had been American, they would have called the actions of the landowner “un-American”.

 

In our culture this parable makes us uncomfortable.  I imagine that it does not rank too high on our list of favorite parables of Jesus.  Primarily it is viewed that way because it goes against our values as we view our culture as a nation.  We believe that it a competitive society that we live, work, play, and die in . . . that people earn what they deserve through their own effort . . . that everything is equal and it is what one makes of it that determines his or her place in the hierarchy of society.  It just doesn’t jive with our experience in the world we are living.

 

Isn’t it a little offensive to hear the response of the landowner to the complaining workers?  “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money?  Or are you envious because I am generous?”

 

Even those of us who call ourselves “Christian” or “followers of Jesus” have a difficult time with this parable.  Whether we want to admit it or not, it rankles us.  Think about what they call “fox-hole conversions”.  In our theological understanding of conversion, no matter how terrible or rotten the sinner, if he or she confesses their sinfulness to God and asked for salvation, God grants it.  Poof!  It is done . . . they are saved.  Their reward is the same as it is for a person who was born with a bible in their hands, raised in the church, and have lived the most virtuous life imaginable.  Both get to go to heaven.  Right?

 

That’s right.

 

That’s right whether or not we agree.  Whether or not we think that it is fair.  The worse sinner who converts gets the same reward as the most beatific saint.  That is God’s choice . . . that is God’s grace.  Should be no argument from the faithful, right?  Well, we all know better.  We know that there will be those who argue against that sort of understanding of God’s grace and forgiveness.  Argue because that doesn’t seem fair . . . doesn’t seem right.  Argue and grumble as the faithful may, God says that God can do whatever God wants to do with grace . . . after all, it is God’s to give and God chooses to give it freely and generously.

 

As a people of faith, we know that this is true.  God’s grace covers it all no matter how big or small it might be . . . the forgiven are forgiven and there are no “If, and, or buts”!  We know this within our heart, but it clashes with our heads . . . clashes with our heads because it doesn’t seem fair.  Yet, the grace of God accomplishes exactly what it is meant to do . . . it levels the field so that all are included and participate in God’s family . . . in God’s kingdom.

 

Maybe you have seen the illustration that I used for previewing this morning’s sermon . . . three boys of different ages and sizes attempting to view a baseball game through a fence.  Each of the boys have a box of equal size.  The oldest stands on his box and easily sees over the fence; the middle aged child also can see over the fence while standing on his box; and the smallest child—even with the box—has to look through a knothole because the box isn’t high enough.  All three are given equal sized boxes to use.

 

That is the first picture.  In the second picture the three boys still have the three equal sized boxes, but they have done something in order for all of them to see the game.  The oldest realizes that he is tall enough to see the game without his box, so he gives it to the smallest who stacks the two boxes allowing him to see the game.  Now all three can see the game.

 

In the same way God’s grace levels the field.

 

Equal does not always make it fair.

 

Again, I go back to the fact that we know in our hearts that God’s grace—no matter how it is doled out—is fair.  In theory I think we can live with that.  The problem and where the grumbling come in is when we are called upon to practice grace as it has been practiced upon us by God.  That is what Jesus asks us to do . . . be grace filled as we live our lives.  That is where it gets difficult.  That is why we grumble.  At least until we need it ourselves.

 

One of the quotes on our church’s Facebook page recently stated: “Grace doesn’t seem fair until you need some.”

 

We all need grace . . . especially now.  As we look around the world it does not take long to see the inconsistencies and injustices taking place in our nation and the world.  It is not hard to see the way that people are treating one another.  We can see that those on the outside are getting shoved further back to make room for those of us who are losing ground. And, it doesn’t matter how active in the game we are . . . we are at a disadvantage . . . the field isn’t level.  Trust me, those who are winning and in control are not in favor of leveling the field to make it fair.

 

God wants the field leveled.  It is the only way that the family can be restored to the way God intended it to be.  As long as we continue to do things the way we have always done them . . . as a competition meant to separate and divide . . . we will never all be able to be included to participate.  We will be buried way in the back . . . remember, unless you are the lead dog, the scenery never changes.  Only through grace can it be achieved . . . as unfair as it might seem.  Grace changes everything.

 

Anne Lamott writes: “I do not understand the mystery of grace—only that it meets us where we are—but does not leave us where it found us.”  No, it leaves us better than we were . . . better because God only wants the best for all of us.  It is not for us to say, it is God’s grace.  And God says, “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own grace? Or are you envious because I am generous?”

 

Thus, it is that Jesus tells us at the end of the parable it is going to be a “graded” race.  Jesus declares: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”  God wants everyone to finish the race.  Amen.