Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on twelfth Sunday after Pentecost 28 August 2022, by Hope Antone. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 112, Hebrews 13:1-8,15-16 and Luke 14:1, 7-14. 

 

Being Guests and Hosts

 

Dear God, as we reflect on your word today, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of our hearts bring us closer to you. Amen.

 

Today’s gospel reading reminds me of two meal-table experiences. 

 

The first was with an organization where had I served as a resource person, and which invited me to their closing banquet. After a time of mingling with guests, we were asked to take our seats, so the dinner could officially begin. I took a seat at a table where most people were already familiar to me. But a staff member asked me to move to another table, with the officers of other invited organizations. My sense of awkwardness about it was because I had to leave a table of familiar people; and I didn’t think of myself as more distinguished than others in the room. I couldn’t fully relate to the gospel story about being moved up and honored among others.  

 

My second experience happened recently. Our executive officer invited a group of colleagues to a lunch in a popular Chinese restaurant. We colleagues who reached the table earlier took our seats while a seat was reserved for our executive officer. When he joined us, he commented that since his seat was the closest to a side table with hot kettles of tea, he must be the one to serve tea to everyone. Of course he said this laughing. My naïve notion about the Chinese round table as an image of an egalitarian, non-hierarchical community was shaken by that comment. I realized that even with the round table, there is a latent/hidden meaning of seating spaces, which is part of the community’s culture.        

 

When Jesus talked about table manners or etiquette for being guests and hosts in his time, did his listeners know what he was really talking about? 

 

From the text, we see Jesus dining on the Sabbath at the home of a leader of the Pharisees. Having noticed how certain guests were choosing the “places of honor” (or seats intended for distinguished guests), Jesus gave this direct advice to the guests: 

 

"When you are invited… to a wedding banquet, do not sit at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited … and the host may … say to you, 'Give this person your place,' and … in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit at the lowest place, so that when your host say(s) to you, 'Friend, move up higher' … you will be honored in the presence of all at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."  

 

I think there is something more radical about Jesus’ advice to the guests than humility. The advice to humble oneself in order to be exalted still seems to cater to one’s sense of importance. It would seem like showing a false/pretend humility in order to be exalted. And I don’t think that was what Jesus meant. Seeing this gospel story in light of Jesus’ overall message about God’s reign, I would think that Jesus was actually breaking down people’s sense of entitlement. Entitlement is the belief that one, by right, inherently deserves privileges or special treatment. Many religious leaders and followers had that sense of entitlement based on their belief as the “chosen” people of God. That entitlement was behind their desire for places of honor.

 

Even Jesus’ disciples were not free from that sense of entitlement. Remember how James and John asked Jesus to let them sit at his right and left in glory? Jesus responded to them saying: “To sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared” (Mark 10:40). Who are we to judge, right?

 

Do we Christian believers today, who claim to be the new Israel, also have that sense of entitlement – that we have full, direct access to salvation and others don’t have? If we do, the gospel calls us to let go of that sense of privilege and right. For in the kin-dom/reign of God, all are welcome, equally embraced by God’s radical, inclusive love.       

 

Seeing who were there, Jesus knew the role of the host in choosing his guests. Jesus then gave a direct advice to the host:

“When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, brothers, relatives or rich neighbors, so they may invite you in return ... (Instead) invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you … [you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous].”

 

Again, there is something more radical about Jesus’ advice to the host than just changing his guest list. Jesus was breaking down the notion of reciprocity and paying back, which was a common practice at that time. Just look at the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Mt 7:12). Applied to meal-table fellowship, it means inviting those you already know, or related to you; and who can return your invitation. But Jesus is challenging the host to practice a radical hospitality, where there is no thought about reciprocity, or of being repaid. The radical value in the reign/kin-dom of God is acceptance and inclusion of those who are most likely excluded; those with the greatest need but are usually forgotten – the lost, the least and the last. 

 

Hebrews 13:2 states, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Strangers are those we know little about. They may have problems that we can help them with. Yet they may have gifts, talents, and skills which we know nothing about. 

 

Hebrews 13:16 also states, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Instead of pleasing oneself by the thought of reciprocal treatment or payment, pleasing God should be the motivation for our doing good to strangers.

 

Interestingly, the idea of radical hospitality is common among several religions: 

 

The Jewish scriptures (Old Testament of the Bible), which Christian believers share, speak of welcoming strangers as a moral imperative for the early biblical people were also slaves, strangers, sojourners, refugees in foreign lands. Their radical hospitality flows from their gratitude for God’s faithfulness through God’s continuous care, provision and protection. 

 

The Christian scriptures (New Testament of the Bible) remind us of Jesus’ statement, “just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). So the stranger is really a member of Jesus’ family. Any action done to them is an action done to Christ himself.   

 

The Qurán also teaches Muslims to “serve God…and do good to…neighbors who are strangers…” (4:36); while the Hindu scriptures mention that “the guest is a representative of God.” 

 

Some of you must be familiar with the Indian greeting, “Namaste” or “Namaskar” or the Thai greeting, “Sawasdee,” which you say while putting your hands together and holding them to your chest. I learned from a friend that such a greeting is to acknowledge the divine in one another. Isn’t that a lovely way to affirm our having been created in the image of God? No matter what religions we follow, what ethnic groups we come from, what nationalities we hold, we are all created in the image of God.  

 

By describing hospitality as radical, we have tried to point to the root meaning or fundamental intention of hospitality. In this radical hospitality, the guest is to accept the invitation, without any presumption of one’s place within it; while a host is to invite the least likely of guests, without any condition or expectation of returning the favor. This radical hospitality is demonstrated in Jesus’ life and ministry – where he is always inviting us to a relationship with him; and at the same time, he is also waiting for us to invite him to our lives, our work, our play. Likewise, we are called to be guests and hosts to one another, and especially to the neighbors and strangers among us and around us.        

 

During this lingering Covid pandemic, when we still cannot resume our meal- or snack-table fellowship after worship, let us continue to find ways of expressing radical hospitality. For just as meals are occasions whereby God’s presence is felt, celebrated and shared, other ways of welcoming the strangers within and among us can be part of the radical hospitality of acceptance and inclusion. 

 

We can still strive to have safe and open fellowship through study sessions and discussions on issues that concern us; our committee meetings can still be warm and uplifting, enabling a sense of joy in serving together; our ministries can still strive to address the needs of some people within our church community, and the wider community. 

 

May all these efforts be sacramental, where God’s presence is felt, celebrated and shared.     

Amen. 

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Ninth Sunday After Pentecost 7 August 2022, by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 33:12 - 22 and Luke 12:32-42. 

Be alert 

 

Today my sermon will be focused on the parable.

 

The parable from Luke we heard this morning was Jesus telling his disciples to wait for their master to return from the wedding banquet. When the master arrives and knocks at the door the slaves will open the door for him without delay. The master is referring to God and the slaves are referring to the followers of Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus reminds his disciples to be alert and be prepared for the coming of God at any time, which is not fully known. Jesus uses a banquet as a scenario because in his time a wedding banquet is arranged to last for more than a week. So there is no exact time when it will be finished and the master will go home. 

 

To be alert and open the door for the master is to open our heart and welcome God to our life. 

 

Stay alert and prepare for the Lord’s return is the theme for the parable.

 

It is however, not easy to stay alert. Why? 

 

Let me share with you a story about Tong’s experience in his childhood. One day his mother and brother went out to do something until very late at night. When Tong was tired he went to bed. He thought they would not come back home and so he locked the door and went to sleep. When his mother and brother arrived home, he slept already. Even his mother made a lot of noise to wake him up, she failed. His mother and brother ended up staying in a neighbor’s home for a night. After many years, this little story is still always mentioned by his mom in their family.

 

Tong’s story helps us to realize tiredness could be one of the barriers to keep us from being able to stay alert. Our human flesh has its own limitation biologically. Another point to learn from Tong’s story: misunderstanding and wrong information could be another reason for not being able to stay alert and open the door to God to come in. We need to know the will of God by making time to pray and communicate.

 

Living in a very competitive and fast moving world, busyness is often another reason to keep us away from God. When our mind is full about work and our heart is occupied by different kinds of business and worries, there is no space for God. We need rest and have quiet time with God. 

 

Remember the preparation song we sang this morning? “Be still and know that I am God”. When we are in stillness, God and us are connected together. I suggest you to sing this song often with a meditative heart. By doing so, our heart will be gradually nurtured by the Holy Spirit and we are able to stay closer to God and God stay closer to us, and live in our heart.

 

Recently I met a lady who shared with me in tears because she lost her mother. Her mother died very suddenly. This lady is very angry with God for taking her mom away. She stopped going to church since then. In the midst of anger, I felt her deep sorrow and loss. I could not help crying as well when I was hearing her pain at heart.

I did also come across some people who lost confidence and trust in God after witnessing violence and social injustice against innocent people. They complained against God who did not stop adversities and injustice. Their disappointment, frustration and sense of self-righteousness turned them away from God.

 

In Jesus’s parable, he mentioned also the thief. I would interpret the thief is the one who has tempted us to be suspicious about God. When the thief enters into our house, we will be at risk of turning God away. The thief could be our anger, our disappointment, our sorrow, our self-centreness, our greed, our pride, our self-doubt…God in his Word today reminds us to be alert to all this negativity. The thief represents evil and darkness. 

 

While the master and the Son of Man will come in an unexpected hour, the thief will also come anytime.  Jesus said the owner of the house would do his best to avoid the thief to break in. To defend our own heart and spiritual home, we need to do the same.

 

The parable inspires us to realize a fact: God and evil, light and darkness exist at the same time.  Alertness and watchfulness requires our clarity to see it, to make a choice and to make changes. 

 

On this point of making choice and making changes, I would like to share about my father.

 

A few months before I started to serve in KUC fifteen years ago, my father passed away. Before he died, he had experienced an extraordinary spiritual encounter with God.

 

In Jan 2007, my father’s lung was not functioning properly and he was breathless. He was taken to the hospital. One night when he was struggling between life and death, he had a vision in his dream. He said he met an angel wearing a white robe telling him that he was a good man. He would not die so easily. After that night, his life was saved and he was discharged and went back home. But in the subsequent months, he continued to go in and out hospital. 

 

Although my dad suffered with his weakened body, he seldom complained. He said there was truth inside him. He started to welcome us to pray for him. He loved to hear us singing hymns for him. He also shared a lot of his life stories with us during our hospital and home visits. He was generous to say thank you to our mother and to us for our love and care to him. He had even written his life story. He confessed the mistakes he made and gave thanks to God. These had never happened before. In encountering illness and death, he encountered God. He opened his heart to God and that made him more and more relaxed. He started to talk to my eldest sister on different arrangements after his death. He was well prepared for anytime God came to take him.  

 

My dad’s experience in his last stage of life has revealed to me the theme of today’s message – be alert and return to God. 

 

Luke 12:37 says “blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them.” When my dad opened his heart to God, he saw God and experienced his grace in his illness and even in his death.  When my dad resisted no more but totally surrendered his life to God, he saw life and love. He was happy and peaceful. He told us before he died, the last hours that he spent with families were the best time in his earthly life. 

Sisters and brothers, when we are facing life trials: illness, loss of job and family members, poverty, separation from families and friends due to emigration, wars and work….. you name it, shall we be alert by opening our heart to welcome God to come in? Can we also take all life challenges and crisis in the world a sign of God’s invitation for us to return home, the heavenly kingdom that God has prepared for us?

 

As a community of Christ, let us pray for each other and support each other so all of us are able to be dressed for action and have our lamps lit, so we can live out the Kingdom of God where life is fully embraced and Christ’s light brightly shines.

 

May God bless us all so we are a blessing to many others. Amen!