06 Nov SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2022

On All Saints Sunday, a reading from Ephesians notes: Blessed are those who set their hope on Christ because he will accomplish all things according to God’s will and purpose. They have an inheritance and live offering praise of his glory.

Blessed are those who hear the word of truth, who believe the gospel and are marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit (as are those who’ve been baptized). Grace gives hope to hear God’s word and believe that we are blessed, redeemed as God’s own people, having become saints by salvation.

Paul continues: Have faith in Jesus and love toward all saints. Remember to pray for wisdom and revelation through which the eyes of your heart are enlightened. By these things, you may know a particular kind of hope, an immeasurable power. Christ was raised from the dead and sits in a heavenly place far above all rule, authority, dominion, the great winds, sea and beasts.

The one who sat above every name and church bell steeple throughout the ages came to earth, looked up at his disciples, and said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”

Who are the poor, but the most vulnerable and small? Recently, I watched a young man who’s very good with kids play an old familiar game with a new twist. The child was a trusting two year old girl already quite fond of him.

After telling her to place her hand on the armrest of a bench, he covered hers with his. Due to his size, hers was completely obliterated. Once they both ran out of hands, one could see from 10 yards away that his hand was on top. In my mind, the game was over. In my experience, the last one to place a hand on top wins and declares victory. Or maybe this was only my experience because my brother was five years older and never missed an opportunity to win or show he had the upper hand, pun intended.

In fairness, winning is usually everyone’s goal. I know it was the goal of the Eagles, Steelers, their coaches and fans last Sunday. Even in the Bible, Daniel’s nightmare is interpreted in favor of “the holy ones of the Most High”. It is they who will receive the kingdom and possess it forever and ever.” But Jesus, like this young man with the little girl, puts a new twist on an old game.

Jesus was delivering words of hope to those long kept impoverished, hungry, crying, and excluded, kept living in unpleasant circumstances, even in misery. The young man, too, encouraged the young girl to realize that the game was not over.

Like the poor, she possessed power of her own and ability to pull her hand out from under. The older showed the younger how to pull her lower hand from beneath the pile and place it on top so the game could keep going, so hope wouldn’t be exhausted, leaving her to think her struggle was futile or that her personal aspirations had been literally squashed from above.

Jesus and the young man delivered quite the blessing, not only by declaring hope but by pointing out and demonstrating that whoever is larger, stronger, or smarter won’t always win. Like Jesus said, instead of crying, the little girl laughed at the fact that her tiny hand could reveal itself again after being obliterated, after becoming invisible and indistinct like people made to live that way.

Confirmands recently learned that if they own a phone, their family owns a car, or they live in a house with an indoor bathroom they’re among the top 5-10% of wealthiest people in the entire world. Jesus tells the poor, surrounding him and his disciples, “There’s nothing new about treating people poorly or a world where most people are poor and mistreated. What’s new is who will be declared the winner or in possession of the kingdom.”

Let’s return to football to gain another visual of Jesus’ sermon on the plain. Envision the familiar heap of bodies wearing football jerseys from both teams whenever a ball gets fumbled and players scramble throwing themselves on top of it. Players from opposing teams are piled one on top of the other.

Jesus runs over as head referee, blowing his whistle and waving off the players one by one. The first thing he does is start peeling players from the very top, the rich. He’s only telling them, “Being on top is irrelevant unless you’ve affected what’s happening below. He sorts them out by pointing out that they don’t possess anything and being on top isn’t a destination in itself.

The true winner is most likely one at the very bottom. The one bearing the weight of the heap, the one who can barely breathe, the one stuck with nowhere to go. It is that player who gains possession. The ball is discovered beneath their bodies, within their circumstance because they were the first to discover what eluded “the chosen” ball carrier.

In this sermon on the plain, a level field of play, Jesus isn’t officiating football, he’s coaching rugby. He wants those on his team, the disciples, to pass the ball continuously. He wants them to understand that a play doesn’t end because you down a knee. Play only stops when team players lose sight of other players, forget who their teammates are or become disoriented and can’t tell which direction to go toward God’s will, the ultimate goal.

We….are to give the less powerful and more vulnerable occasion to discover something new about themselves….

The purpose of Christ Jesus who accomplishes all things according to God’s counsel and will is evidently not personal accomplishment. We who were the first to set our hope on Christ live for the praise of his glory. We who are rich, full and laughing now are to offer consolation and encouragement to those who mourn and weep. We, like the young man, are to give the less powerful and more vulnerable occasion to discover something new about themselves, to leap at finding a new source of joy, some unrealized strength they already possess and determination to claim possession of life itself.

Heaven forbid we should leave here feeling as though we’re doing all we can or doing enough to be spoken well of like our ancestors did to the false prophets. The picture that Jesus paints is not only one of opposites, contrast and tension. Just like the young man demonstrated by playing the game of stacking hands: What is important is staying in contact and connected, finding joy in giving the smaller, less powerful, more vulnerable a hand up.

What Jesus says to his disciples and demonstrates for them is that there is a third other way to unify opposites or enemies: Love them by doing good to them. Bless and pray for them. If you are the one being struck or abused, don’t retaliate. If you’re being robbed, let ‘em have what you have. Give if someone begs of you and if they take something from you, don’t chase them down. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Jesus offers both the poor and the rich a new identity. Not the one we currently have, the one we have been handed down, earned ourselves or gained at another’s misfortune, but one based on who we are as believers in Christ.

What is your position in life? It may have changed over time, perhaps you grew up lacking or with hardship. Perhaps you suffered and now desire comfort or perhaps you once lived comfortably, but now suffer.

Jesus offers whatever consolation is needed. He only aims to comfort the hurting and discomfort those at ease to bring them together in one place, a place where he can address all people as disciples. Because once we believe, we’ll understand that like Jesus, we have purpose according to God’s will. We’ll understand that we can help heal division in the world as individuals in our families and as rural churches in central Pennsylvania.

Jesus knew that both the poor and the rich think and dream beyond their present circumstance, that people get where they are because they chase after things and imagine themselves in better places and ultimately wish to be included in an eternal kingdom ruled by a just, righteous omnipotent loving God.

Let us think and dream, too, imagining ourselves in the place of others so the church will reflect the fullness of Christ whose desire it is to fill all in all. Let us pray to the one who has all things under his feet, is head over all, saves us to a seat next to his, and provides everything we need to become like him.

In your name, the name above all names we pray to live differently than people have lived through the ages. We pray to bring your kingdom to earth so that none have too little or too much, but that every living thing has what it needs. Help us to bless those that suffer, to be a blessing and counted among those who are blessed according to your generous life-giving spirit. You made us your children, help us carry on as saints, remembering the ways in which your way of being contrasts with ours. In your holy name we pray, Amen.