Proper 17 Year C 8/31/2025
Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 81:1, 10-16; Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14
Rev. Mark A. Lafler
The readings today from Holy Scripture proclaim one thing loud and clear – We are called to serve the people around us.
The author of Hebrews writes:
Show hospitality to strangers…
Remember those in prison…
Remember those being tortured…
Do good…
Share what you have…
Very pointed words… directions…
And our Gospel is a lesson on not treating the upper class and wealthy differently than “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind”
In the first century these people were the outcasts – the ones that made people feel uncomfortable…
Jesus was not merely giving a lesson on prudent social humility.
He works on a much larger canvas – which is calling all people to take up the cross and follow him.
Years ago, I read a story of a newly called pastor at a local church who decided to really see what his new congregation was like –
he was curious if the church really cared for the people around them –
did they really want to help whoever showed up at their door?
So, on his first Sunday the preacher disguised himself like a street person, arrived at church long before anyone else and slouched up against the wall near the main entrance…
to see who would give him any attention –
or at the very least invite him to church.
Finally, it was time for worship to begin,
and the pastor walked in a few minutes late
(still dressed as a street person),
walking right up the center aisle
(as people were shocked and began to realize who he was)
He thanked those who took the time to notice him and encouraged the others who avoided him.
It begs the question to all of us…
Do we treat people who look different, think different, or smell different the same as people we are comfortable with?
How we treat others is vitally important…
I’m convinced that everything in life revolves around relationship – perhaps even the very reason that we are created is to understand how to be relational.
God who is in relation with himself –
Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
created us to be in relation with him…
We are created in His relational image…
He created us to be in relationship with all of creation…
He created both male and female to be in relationship with each other…
And he invites us through faith and grace to be in relationship with him.
Even the summary of the law is founded on relationship –
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind (our relationship with God)
and your neighbor as yourself
(relationship with others) …
If you think about it – most of the difficulties in life have to do with our relationships…
One of the most difficult things about family is our relationship with each other – parents & children, siblings, in-laws…
Most church difficulties have to do with relationships between people…
Even in politics the candidates or leaders argue about the best way to deal with issues that concern relationships between human beings – immigration, racial tensions, helping the poor, and so on…
Most of our Christian Walk is a battle between serving ourselves or serving others – selfishness versus selflessness.
It all revolves around relationships!
So how do we do this relationship thing…
How do we do this well?
How do we live a life where we truly serve others?
As Jesus promoted in our Gospel reading.
First – we got to believe it…
Jesus said: For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
He does not say “most of the time” or “usually” or “in certain instances” Jesus says everyone who humbles himself or herself will be exalted…
Now to be sure, this axiom is counter-cultural…
because it is not believed… it’s not what is practiced.
Washington D.C. does not believe it…
just listen to the political rhetoric…
Professional athletes don’t believe it…
Wall Street and the corporate world do not believe it…
Our media does not promote humility…
But the real question is – “Do we believe it?”
Do we believe what Jesus says here:
…everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
St. Peter in his first letter proclaimed:
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God
so that at the proper time he may exalt you… (1 Peter 5:5-6).
So the first step in relational health is to believe the words of Jesus – humility precedes exaltation.
Secondly, we must realize that selfishness and pride will always destroy our relationships with other people.
Our epistle reading from Hebrews 13 outlines the lifestyle of those who have based their lives on the humble gospel of Jesus.
We are called to Hospitality…
We are called to identify with prisoners…
Keeping marriage sacred…
Remembering the persecuted church…
To reject the false gods of sex and money…
All of these are focused on other people and not our own
self-fulfillment, self-esteem, self-purpose, or selfishness.
Living the Gospel-filled life is countercultural.
But we serve a different kingdom than the kingdoms of this world.
Our aim, our mission is the Kingdom of God…
where pride and fear are replaced by gratitude and trust.
And the ultimate example of this life is found in Jesus.
Jesus walked in humility and is exalted high above all names.
Christ’s exaltation was the crucifixion…
In his most humble act he was exalted.
Listen to St Paul’s words in Philippians 2.
He writes:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Let each of you look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Thankfully, we are not left with our own strength to overcome selfishness and pride…
The Spirit of God lives within us and is cleaning house…
The theological term for this is sanctification.
When we become Christians by faith through God’s grace, we are justified… because of the work of Jesus on the cross.
Once we are justified by faith…
We begin a process of God’s continued salvation work in us…
Which we call sanctification.
This is where God, through the Holy Spirit is making us holy…
Setting us apart for his glory.
And a big part of this sanctifying work regards relationships and how we serve each other, care for each other, love each other.
The church, the people of God are called to minister the Gospel…
To minister the love of Christ Jesus…
In this world…
To our neighbors…
To our communities…
Through acts of justice…
Through our finances… through our politics…
through our lifestyles… through the way we talk about each other…
A few years back, when Pope Francis was still the Bishop of Rome,
He said:
I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty…
because it has been out on the streets…
rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and clinging to its own security…
More than by fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security,
within rules which make us harsh judges,
within habits which make us feel safe,
while at our door people are starving
and Jesus does not tire of saying to us,
“Give them something to eat.”
The call of the Christian is to believe by faith in the gracious gift of Jesus Christ.
The walk of the Christian is a walk of fidelity…
of faithfulness…
A faithfulness to walk as Christ Jesus…
To believe his words…
To live a life of humility.
Our collect this morning should be our daily prayer…
A prayer asking God to help us, so that we can truly serve others…
We prayed:
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things…
In the prayer we petition God for four things:
#1 Graft in our hearts the love of your Name;
(that his love will grow in us)
#2 Increase in us true religion;
(that good works will increase)
#3 Nourish us with all goodness;
(that God will strengthen us in his goodness)
#4 And bring forth in us the fruit of good works;
(that God in his providential, sanctifying work will create in us the fruit of the good works that we do)
May we as a parish church…
Be people that are known for how we treat others…
A church that serves others…
Our community…
Through service, through gifts, through encouragement…
Loving God through how we treat others…
Let us believe the words of our Lord today:
…everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Our promise today, is that through faith in Jesus Christ we can by His grace, live a life of humble service bringing glory to God.
Amen.
