LUKE 15:1-2 | THE COMPANY WE KEEP

THE COMPANY WE KEEP

LUKE 15:1-2

MARCH 6, 2016

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS A CHILD.  IN FACT, IT’S GETTING TO BE A LONG TIME SINCE OUR CHILDREN WERE CHILDREN.

I SAY THAT, TO SAY THIS, I HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH HOW CHILDREN PLAY THESE DAYS.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG IT WAS THE ERA OF PLAYING COWBOYS AND INDIANS; COPS AND ROBBERS; SOLDIERS AND SECRET AGENTS.

I HAD A LARGE COLLECTION OF TOY GUNS – EVEN SOME OF THOSE MATTEL ONES WHICH CHANGED FROM BEING A CAMERA INTO A PISTOL, AND A RADIO INTO A MACHINE GUN; ALL FROM THE SECRET AGENT, GET SMART ERA.

I HAD HUNDREDS OF TOY SOLDIERS – VINTAGE WORLD WAR II – THE AMERICAN ARMY MEN ALWAYS IN ARMY GREEN, AND THE GERMAN SOLDIERS IN GREY, AND SETTING THEM UP – IT WAS ALWAYS THESE ON THIS SIDE AND THOSE ON THAT SIDE.

MANY OF THE TELEVISION SHOWS OF THAT ERA, LIKE COMBAT, RAT PATROL, MCHALE’S NAVY, DRAGNET, AND MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, WERE FASHIONED AROUND THE IDEA OF THE GOOD GUYS VERSUS THE BAD GUYS.

AND THE MOVIES, MANY OF THEM THEMED FROM THE WORLD WAR II TIME PERIOD HAD US CHOOSING UP SIDES, BUT, OF COURSE, THERE WAS REALLY ONLY ONE CHOICE.

EVEN THE ANIMATED MOVIES FROM DISNEY ALWAYS PITTED THE INNOCENT HEROINE – SNOW WHITE, SLEEPING BEAUTY, CINDERELLA, AGAINST THE EVIL QUEEN OR WICKED STEP-MOTHER.

THINGS WERE PRETTY BLACK AND WHITE THEN (SOMETIMES LITERALLY) AS TO DIVVYING UP THE WORLD BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.

THERE WAS NOTHING NUANCED ABOUT RIGHT AND WRONG, BUT THEN AGAIN, MAYBE THAT’S TRUE OF MOST CHILDHOODS, AND SUCH NUANCES ONLY BECOME APPARENT TO US AS WE GROW INTO ADULTHOOD, AND REALIZE THAT LIFE IS RARELY SO CUT AND DRY.

I MENTION THIS BECAUSE AT FIRST GLANCE THIS MORNING’S PASSAGE SEEMS TO SET UP THE WORLD BETWEEN THE GOOD GUYS AND THE BAD GUYS, WITH A HUGE MONKEY WRENCH THROWN INTO THE WORKS BY THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.

ON ONE SIDE YOU HAVE THE SINNERS AND THE TAX COLLECTORS, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU HAVE THE PHARISEES AND THE SCRIBES.

NOW SUPPOSEDLY, THE SINNERS AND THE TAX COLLECTORS ARE THE BAD GUYS, AND THE PHARISEES AND THE SCRIBES, THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES, ARE THE GOOD GUYS…

ONLY, LOOK WHO JESUS KEEPS COMPANY WITH… THE SINNERS AND THE TAX COLLECTORS!

IN FACT, HE QUITE OFTEN REBUKES THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES AS “FOOLS,” “BLIND GUIDES” AND “WHITEWASHED TOMBS…”

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, FORGIVING SINNERS, INVITING TAX COLLECTORS TO FOLLOW HIM, AND EATING WITH THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM!

AHH, WE SAY, SO THE SINNERS AND THE TAX COLLECTORS, THE COMPANY JESUS KEEPS, ARE THE GOOD GUYS;

AND THE HYPOCRITICAL PHARISEES AND SCRIBES TELLING OTHERS HOW TO LIVE, AND THEN DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT TO THEMSELVES, ARE THE BAD GUYS.

WELL, NOT EXACTLY… YOU SEE, JESUS TELLS THE SINNERS AND THE TAX COLLECTORS TO “GO AND SIN NO MORE…” THAT “THEIR SINS ARE FORGIVEN…” AND YES, TO FOLLOW AFTER HIM, BUT NOT WITHOUT REPENTING, ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS, AND REPAYING THOSE THEY HAVE CHEATED AND HARMED.

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, SOME OF THOSE PHARISEES, LIKE NICODEMUS, JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, AND EVEN SAUL – WHO BECAME PAUL – APPARENTLY TURN, AND BECOME FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.

YOU SEE, JESUS UNDERSTOOD THE NUANCES OF RIGHT AND WRONG, OF GOOD AND EVIL, OF THE GOOD GUYS VERSUS THE BAD GUYS;

AND WHAT JESUS KNEW, AND UNDERSTOOD BEST, WAS THAT WE ARE ALL A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

I HAD A FRIEND WHO AT PARTIES, USED TO USE THIS TOAST.  HE WOULD RAISE HIS GLASS TO THE HOST OR HONORED GUEST AND SAY:

“HERE’S TO YOU – AS GOOD AS YOU ARE, AND AS BAD AS I AM; I’M AS GOOD AS YOU ARE, AS BAD AS I AM.”

THE TRUTH IS – WE ARE BOTH; AND JESUS UNDERSTOOD THIS, AND KNEW THAT ALL OF US ARE IN NEED OF BEING SAVED FROM OURSELVES TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER.

LAST SUNDAY WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE APOSTLE PAUL USED THE PEOPLE OF THE EXODUS AS A CAUTIONARY TALE FOR THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH;

POINTING TO ALL OF THEIR FOIBLES AND FAILURES, THEIR FAILINGS AND LACK OF FAITH AT TIMES, AND THEN TELLING THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH NOT TO BE LIKE THEM.

THEN WE TURN RIGHT AROUND THIS SUNDAY AND FIND JESUS EATING WITH SINNERS AND TAX COLLECTORS, WHILE THE “GOOD PEOPLE” THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES GRUMBLE ABOUT THOSE WITH WHOM JESUS ASSOCIATES.

SO WHAT GIVES?!

AND, IF WE WERE TO WIDEN OUR FOCUS, (THINK GOOGLE MAPS FOR A MOMENT) THAT IS PULLING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE CONTEXT OF OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING, AND IN PARTICULAR, WHAT FOLLOWS, WE WOULD SEE THAT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING, JESUS TELLS THE THREE “LOST” PARABLES.

THE LOST SHEEP; THE LOST COIN; AND THE LOST OR PRODIGAL SON;

ALL OF THEM ABOUT HOW GOD REJOICES MORE OVER ONE LOST – SHEEP, COIN, AND SON FOUND – THAN OVER THE 99, THE WOMAN’S HOUSEHOLD, OR THE SON WHO STAYED HOME AND DID AS HE WAS TOLD.

SO WHAT GIVES?!

AREN’T WE SUPPOSED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE COMPANY WE KEEP?

SHOULDN’T WE WORRY ABOUT FALLING IN WITH THE WRONG CROWD?

AREN’T THE PEOPLE OUR MOTHER WARNED US ABOUT A CAUTIONARY TALE OF WHO NOT TO BE; HOW NOT TO ACT?

SO WHY ISN’T GOD MORE CONCERNED WITH THE ONES WHO ARE DOING IT RIGHT; WHO ARE WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, DOING WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING; WHO ARE NOT LOST, NOT PRODIGAL, NOT SQUANDERING THEIR EXISTENCE…?

THE FACT IS, THESE PARABLES HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN SOME OF US A LOT OF TROUBLE;

MOSTLY, I’M GUESSING, WE WHO ARE PART OF THE NINETY-NINE; THE COINS WHICH ARE RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE; WE WHO ARE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS WHO “STAYED HOME” – DOTTING EVERY “i” AND CROSSING EVERY “t” – AND ALWAYS COLORING WITHIN THE LINES.

HOWEVER, IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN LOST, AND FOUND;

IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN THE PRODIGAL, COME HOME;

IF YOU EVER BEEN THE “WRETCH” SAVED BY GOD’S AMAZING GRACE, THEN YOU ARE LIKELY – QUITE A BIT MORE UNDERSTANDING OF, AND MORE SYMPATHETIC TO, THESE PARABLES THAN THE REST OF US.

OF COURSE, THIS IS EXACTLY WHY JESUS TELLS THESE PARABLES, AND THE POINT HE IS TRYING TO MAKE;

AND IT IS PRECISELY WHY JESUS ASSOCIATES WITH THE SINNERS AND THE TAX COLLECTORS;

AND WHY, OF COURSE, WE PHARISEES, AND SCRIBES, AND OLDER BROTHERS, AND 99 SHEEP, GRUMBLE ABOUT ALL OF THIS.

JESUS EVEN SAYS AS MUCH, FAIRLY EARLY IN HIS MINISTRY:

“I HAVE COME TO SEEK AND SAVE THE LOST; THOSE WHO ARE WELL HAVE NO NEED OF A PHYSICIAN, BUT THOSE WHO ARE SICK.”

BUT HERE’S THE THING – AND THIS IS WHAT JESUS UNDERSTANDS BEST – IT’S NOT JUST SINNERS AND TAX COLLECTORS WHO ARE SICK, WHO ARE SINNERS;

BUT PHARISEES AND SCRIBES AS WELL.

IT IS THE ONE LOST SHEEP, BUT ALSO THE 99; IT IS THE YOUNGER, YES, PRODIGAL SON, BUT THE OLDER BROTHER AS WELL, WHO ARE IN NEED OF HEALING.

IT’S NOT EVEN A MATTER OF DEGREE – WHO IS MORE OR LESS SINFUL; KIND OF LIKE BEING MORE OR LESS PREGNANT – YOU EITHER ARE OR YOU AREN’T; AND WHEN IT COMES TO SINFUL – WE ARE.

“ALL HAVE SINNED, AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD;” SCRIPTURE SAYS.

IT’S MORE ABOUT REALIZING IT ABOUT YOURSELF, AND WANTING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT; WANTING TO REPENT AND SEEK FORGIVENESS; WANTING TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND.

IT IS A MATTER OF REALIZING AND RECOGNIZING AND ADMITTING WE NEED HELP, AND FORGIVENESS, AND HEALING, RATHER THAN PRETENDING WE DON’T, OR BLAMING OTHERS, OR KILLING THE MESSENGER WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP US.

AND JESUS JUST SO HAPPENS TO HAVE ANOTHER PARABLE ABOUT THIS VERY THING.

OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN (JUST ANOTHER NAME FOR TAX COLLECTORS) YOU WILL REMEMBER HOW JESUS TELLS THE STORY OF THEM BOTH COMING INTO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY.

THE PHARISEE MARCHES TO THE FRONT OF THE TEMPLE, LIFTS UP HIS HEAD TO GOD, AND IN A LOUD VOICE, LOUD ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR, BEGINS TO PRAY BEFORE GOD:

“GOD, I THANK YOU THAT I AM NOT LIKE OTHER MEN, EXTORTIONISTS, UNJUST, ADULTERERS, OR EVEN LIKE THIS TAX COLLECTOR.  I FAST TWICE A WEEK, AND I GIVE TITHES OF ALL I GET.”

BUT THE TAX COLLECTOR HARDLY EVEN MAKES IT INTO THE TEMPLE, STANDING IN THE BACK CORNER, AS FAR FROM THE ALTAR AS POSSIBLE, BARELY ABLE TO EVEN LIFT HIS EYES TO HEAVEN, BEATING HIS BREAST, SAYING,

“GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER!”

AND WHO IS IT THAT JESUS SAYS WENT HOME SATISFIED?  THE TAX COLLECTOR.

BOTH WERE SINNERS – THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN; THE 99 AND THE ONE; THE PRODIGAL AND THE OLDER BROTHER; AND ALL ARE IN NEED OF CHRIST.

YOU SEE – THE COMPANY JESUS KEPT WAS WITH SINNERS, WHOEVER THEY WERE, AND SO TOO, IS THE COMPANY WE KEEP; WE AREN’T ALL THAT DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.

IT’S JUST THAT SOME RECOGNIZE THEMSELVES AS SINNERS BETTER THAN OTHERS, AND REALIZE THEIR NEED FOR FORGIVENESS, HEALING, AND WHOLENESS.

WHILE OTHERS PRETEND THEY ARE NOT; THAT THEY DON’T NEED GOD; AND SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME POINTING OUT OTHERS AS SINNERS.

THERE IS A PRAYER WE OFTEN PRAY AT THE END OF FUNERALS, THAT SORT OF SPEAKS TO THIS DICHOTOMY:

“INTO YOUR HANDS O MERCIFUL SAVIOR WE COMMEND YOUR SERVANT FILL IN THE NAME HERE;

ACKNOWLEDGE WE HUMBLY PRAY – A SHEEP OF YOUR OWN FOLD, A LAMB OF YOUR OWN MERCY, A SINNER OF YOUR OWN REDEEMING.

RECEIVE HIM/HER INTO THE ARMS OF YOUR MERCY, INTO THE BLESSED REST OF YOUR EVERLASTING PEACE, AND INTO THE GLORIOUS COMPANY OF THE SAINTS IN LIGHT.  AMEN.”

YOU SEE, THIS IS WHO WE ARE… WHO ALL OF US ARE…

SERVANTS, SHEEP, LAMBS, SINNERS AND SAINTS…

IN NEED OF REDEEMING; IN NEED OF MERCY; IN HOPES OF ENTERING INTO THE EVERLASTING LIGHT.

THE 99 AND THE 1;

THE “STAY-AT-HOME” SON AND THE PRODIGAL;

THE LOST AND FOUND;

THIS IS THE COMPANY WE KEEP.

WHEN WE NARROW OUR FOCUS WE OFTEN JUST SEE THE ONE… THE FEW… THE PRODIGALS…

“THOSE – SINNERS AND TAX COLLECTORS,” WE GRUMBLE.

BUT WHEN WE PULL BACK, WHEN WE WIDEN OUR FOCUS, WE REALIZE WE TOO ARE PART OF THE PICTURE, THE GREATER COMPANY – THE COMPANY WE NOT ONLY KEEP, BUT WHO KEEP US AS WELL.

THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE PLAY THE PART OF THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES, POINTING AND GRUMBLING ABOUT NOT NECESSARILY THE COMPANY JESUS KEEPS, BUT THOSE WHO FAIL TO KEEP COMPANY WITH HIM!

RATHER THAN TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE GOOD GUYS VERSUS THE BAD GUYS, PERHAPS WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF TAKING JESUS’ APPROACH –

OF ASSOCIATING WITH ALL WHO ARE IN NEED – WHICH, OF COURSE, IS ALL OF US PEOPLE, ALL OF THE TIME.

AND, AS I WILL SAY IN MY PASTORAL PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT “IN GOD’S INFINITE LOVE, WE ARE FORGIVEN AND HEALED.”