MATTHEW 19:41-44 | IF ONLY…

IF ONLY…

MATTHEW 19:41-44

APRIL 9, 2017

 
IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE CHRISTMAS, AND OUR WELCOMING THE CHRIST CHILD INTO THE WORLD.

BUT HERE WE ARE, NEAR THE END OF HIS EARTHLY LIFE, HAVING COMPRESSED HIS SHORT 33 YEARS OF LIVING, 3 OF THEM SPENT IN PUBLIC MINISTRY, INTO THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.

IT’S WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR, EVERY LITURGICAL YEAR; GOING FROM ADVENT’S EXPECTATION OF HIS BIRTH, TO OUR CHRISTMAS WELCOMING OF HIM; THROUGH HIS LIFE, HIS MINISTRY, HIS MAKING HIS WAY TOWARD JERUSALEM, AND SOON, TO HIS DEATH, AND BLESSEDLY, HIS RESURRECTION.

IT’S WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR IN CHRISTIANITY.

AND SOME OF THE FIRST WORDS SPOKEN AT HIS BIRTH, AND SOME OF HIS OWN LAST WORDS SPOKEN BEFORE HIS DEATH, RESONATE WITH US THIS MORNING.

ANGELS, TELLING THE SHEPHERDS OF THE DEAR SAVIOR’S BIRTH IN BETHLEHEM, SING FROM THE HEAVENS ABOVE:

“GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN, AND ON EARTH

PEACE, GOODWILL AMONG ALL PEOPLE.”

AND THEN, FROM OUR PASSAGE THIS MORNING, AT HIS TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM ON PALM SUNDAY; JESUS OWN WORDS:

“IF YOU, EVEN YOU, HAD ONLY RECOGNIZED ON THIS DAY

THE THINGS THAT MAKE FOR PEACE!”

IF ONLY…

FOR THEREIN LIES THE RUB; THE ONE HAILED AS THE PRINCE OF PEACE; THE ONE OF WHOM ANGELS SANG, HAS COME; AND THE WORLD’S CHANCE FOR “PEACE, GOODWILL AMONG ALL…” IS MISSED!

THEY FAILED TO RECOGNIZE IT… FAILED TO RECOGNIZE HIM… OR HAVING RECOGNIZED HIM, FAILED TO ACCEPT HIM AND IMPLEMENT HIS PEACE.

THE REST OF OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING IS JESUS PROPHESYING AS TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FALL OF JERUSALEM IN 70 CE; AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE; AND THE DISPERSION OF ISRAEL, AGAIN.

BUT JESUS’ WORDS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT THEN, FOR THEM; FOR AS WE HAVE COME TO LEARN, HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF; REPEATS ITSELF; AGAIN, AND AGAIN; YEAR AFTER YEAR; CENTURY AFTER CENTURY; IN ALL PLACES AND IN ALL TIMES.

WHICH BRINGS US TO THE WORDS OF ANOTHER CHRISTMAS SONG; ONE WHICH SOUNDS RADICALLY MODERN, THOUGH IT WAS WRITTEN IN 1863;

AND ONE WHOSE WORDS ARE NOT FROM SOME OBSCURE HYMN WRITER LOST TO HISTORY, BUT WORDS FROM NONE OTHER THAN HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW:

I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY

THEIR OLD FAMILIAR CAROLS PLAY,

AND WILD AND SWEET THE WORDS REPEAT

OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN.

AND IN DESPAIR I BOWED MY HEAD:

“THERE IS NO PEACE ON EARTH,” I SAID,

FOR HATE IS STRONG AND MOCKS THE SONG

OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN.”

IN 1861, TWO YEARS BEFORE WRITING THIS POEM, LONGFELLOW’S PERSONAL PEACE WAS SHAKEN WHEN HIS SECOND WIFE OF 18 YEARS, TO WHOM HE WAS VERY DEVOTED, WAS TRAGICALLY BURNED TO DEATH IN A FIRE.

THEN IN 1863, DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, LONGFELLOW’S OLDEST SON, CHARLES APPLETON LONGFELLOW, JOINED THE UNION ARMY AS A SOLDIER WITHOUT HIS FATHER’S BLESSING.

LONGFELLOW WAS INFORMED BY A LETTER DATED MARCH 14, 1863, AFTER CHARLES HAD LEFT.

“I HAVE TRIED HARD TO RESIST THE TEMPTATION OF GOING WITHOUT YOUR LEAVE BUT I CANNOT ANY LONGER”, HE WROTE. “I FEEL IT TO BE MY FIRST DUTY TO DO WHAT I CAN FOR MY COUNTRY AND I WOULD WILLINGLY LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR IT IF IT WOULD BE OF ANY GOOD”.

CHARLES SOON GOT AN APPOINTMENT AS A LIEUTENANT BUT, IN NOVEMBER, HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED IN THE BATTLE OF NEW HOPE CHURCH (IN VIRGINIA).

CHARLES EVENTUALLY RECOVERED, BUT HIS TIME AS A SOLDIER WAS FINISHED.

LONGFELLOW FIRST WROTE THE POEM ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN 1863.

“CHRISTMAS BELLS” WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY 1865.

REFERENCES TO THE CIVIL WAR ARE PREVALENT IN SOME OF THE VERSES THAT ARE NOT COMMONLY SUNG.

BUT IN A VERSE THAT IS SUNG, LONGFELLOW REMINDS US GOD IS NOT DEAD; AND AS LONG AS THAT IS TRUE, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HOPE.

BUT WHAT IS ALSO TRUE IS THE LACK OF PEACE AND GOODWILL AMONG ALL;

AND IT IS THIS, THAT JESUS SEES ALL TOO CLEARLY, EVEN THROUGH HIS TEAR-FILLED EYES, AS HE RIDES INTO JERUSALEM ON PALM SUNDAY;

OR WERE HE TO RIDE INTO TODAY’S WORLD, ON THIS PALM SUNDAY.

PEACE HAS COME TO MEAN THOSE TIMES WHEN THERE AREN’T ANY WARS OR EVEN WHEN THERE AREN’T ANY MAJOR WARS; AND MOST OF US ARE WILLING TO SETTLE FOR THAT.

BUT IN HEBREW, PEACE, THE WORD SHALOM, MEANS FULLNESS, MEANS HAVING EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BE WHOLLY AND HAPPILY YOURSELF.

AND PERHAPS, IT IS BECAUSE SO FEW OF US EVER GET THERE PERSONALLY, THAT THE WORLD FAILS TO GET THERE AT ALL.

JESUS, THE AFOREMENTIONED PRINCE OF PEACE, USED THE WORD SHALOM ON OCCASION, AND IN AT LEAST TWO OF THE TIMES HE USED IT, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN UTTER CONTRADICTION IN WHAT HE SAYS.

ON ONE OCCASION HE SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, “DO NOT THINK THAT I HAVE COME TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH; I HAVE NOT COME TO BRING PEACE, BUT A SWORD.”  (MATTHEW 10:34)

AND LATER, THE LAST TIME THEY ATE TOGETHER, JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES: “PEACE I LEAVE YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU.”  (JOHN 14:27)

THE CONTRADICTION IS RESOLVED WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT FOR JESUS PEACE SEEMS TO HAVE MEANT NOT THE ABSENCE OF STRUGGLE BUT THE PRESENCE OF LOVE.

PERHAPS, THIS, IS HOW WE MUST COME TO UNDERSTAND PEACE IN OUR TIME.  THE PRESENCE OF LOVE, IN THE MIDST OF STRUGGLE.

LONGFELLOW IS CORRECT: “FOR HATE IS STRONG AND MOCKS THE SONG OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TO MEN.”

JESUS’ RIDE INTO JERUSALEM WAS MEANT TO BE ONE OF TRIUMPHANT ENTRY, THE CULMINATION OF HIS MINISTRY ON EARTH, THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S KINGDOM NOT ONLY FOR HIM, BUT IN HIM, AND FOR THE WORLD.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY KILLED THE MESSENGER, AS IS SO OFTEN THE CASE IN HOW THE WORLD TREATS THOSE WITH THE MESSAGE OF PEACE.

IT HAPPENED TO JESUS.  TO GANDHI.  TO MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

TO ANWAR SADAT OF EGYPT.  AND BENAZIR BHUTTO OF PAKISTAN.

AND WHILE THEY DID NOT KILL HIM, SOUTH AFRICA SOUGHT TO SILENCE NELSON MANDELA BY IMPRISONING HIM FOR THE BETTER PART OF HIS LIFE.

BUT IT HAS HAPPENED ELSEWHERE, TO PEOPLE OF LESSER FAME; TO THOSE WHO MARCHED FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE SIXTIES; TO THE STUDENTS KILLED ON THE CAMPUS OF KENT STATE IN 1970; TO CHINESE STUDENT DISSIDENTS IN TIANANMEN SQUARE IN 1989;

AND IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN TODAY, TO THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO SPEAK WORDS OF PEACE, AND ENACT WAYS OF GOODWILL AMONG ALL.

TO RELIEF WORKERS IN THE SUDAN; TO CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES IN SYRIA; TO AMERICAN SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN SEEKING TO ESTABLISH PLACES OF PEACE IN NATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE.

HOWEVER, AS LONGFELLOW RIGHTLY SURMISED, WHILE YOU MAY KILL THE MESSENGERS, YOU CANNOT KILL THE MESSAGE;

AND EVEN WITH THE DEATHS OF THOSE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN; THE FIGHT CONTINUES – THE FIGHT FOR PEACE – NO GREATER AN OXYMORON WAS THERE EVER: THE “FIGHT FOR PEACE.”

JESUS RIDES INTO JERUSALEM SEEKING TO ESTABLISH GOD’S RULE, GOD’S KINGDOM ON EARTH, AND HE LEAVES TOWN ON A SLAB.

WONDERFULLY GREETED ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, HE IS DEAD BY FRIDAY, AND WERE IT NOT FOR WHAT HAPPENS ON SUNDAY NEXT;

HOPE WOULD BE LOST; GOD WOULD BE DEAD; AND THERE WOULD BE NO CHANCE FOR PEACE, GOODWILL AMONG ANY, ANYWHERE.

BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.  AND THAT TOO IS CAPTURED IN LONGFELLOW’S POEM-MADE-CAROL:

THEN PEALED THE BELLS MORE LOUD AND DEEP:

“GOD IS NOT DEAD, NOR DOTH HE SLEEP;

THE WRONG SHALL FAIL, THE RIGHT PREVAIL,

WITH PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN.”

JESUS RIDES IN ON YET ANOTHER PALM SUNDAY, PALM SUNDAY 2017, READYING US FOR YET ANOTHER EASTER, EASTER 2017; AND HE SPEAKS THE WORDS, AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME, TO US:

“IF ONLY… YOU HAD RECOGNIZED THE THINGS THAT MAKE FOR PEACE!”

AND WHAT IS IT?  WHAT ARE THESE THINGS THAT MAKE FOR PEACE?  WHO IS IT THAT MAKES FOR PEACE?

FOR US, AS CHRISTIANS, THERE CAN BE NO BETTER ANSWER THAN CHRIST HIMSELF.  IT IS HE WHO RIDES INTO OUR LIVES; INTO OUR WORLD; INTO OUR HEARTS.

WHO MAKES FOR PEACE?  CHRIST MAKES FOR PEACE!  AND THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM, AND CALL THEMSELVES BY HIS NAME: CHRISTIANS!

AND HOW DO WE MAKE FOR PEACE?  BY FOLLOWING HIS TEACHINGS, HIS COMMANDMENTS, HIS COMMISSIONS, ABOUT LOVING GOD, NEIGHBOR, SELF; AND ENEMY.

BY DOING UNTO OTHERS AS WE WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO US; BY DOING FOR OTHERS, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT DO FOR THEMSELVES.

READ JESUS’ SERMON ON THE MOUNT; READ HIS PARABLES; LISTEN TO HIS MIRACLES; EMBRACE HIS LOVE FOR LIFE, AND HIS LOVE FOR OTHERS, INCLUDING THOSE “OTHERS” NOT LIKE HIM.

HOW DO WE MAKE FOR PEACE?  BY DOING THINGS HIS WAY, GOD’S WAY, INSTEAD OF THE WAY THE WORLD HAS ALWAYS DONE THINGS;

STARTING WITH – NOT KILLING THE PEACEMAKERS!

WE MAKE FOR PEACE BY REDUCING STRUGGLE; AND THOUGH THE WORLD WILL ALWAYS STRUGGLE, AS WE AS INDIVIDUALS WILL; IT IS UNDERSTANDING THAT PEACE IS NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF STRUGGLE – WHICH WOULD BE GREAT!

BUT THE PRESENCE OF LOVE IN THE MIDST OF STRUGGLE.

HOW DO WE MAKE FOR PEACE?  BY BEING THE PRESENCE OF LOVE, GOD’S LOVE, IN THE WORLD; IN OUR NATION; IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS; IN OUR LIVES; IN OURSELVES.

I READ ABOUT A PASTOR WHO HAS THE MOST UNUSUAL MESSAGE ON HIS VOICEMAIL.  THE MESSAGE SAYS: “THIS IS PASTOR SNODGRASS.  NOW YOU SAY SOMETHING.”  THAT’S ALL IT SAYS.

IN OTHER WORDS, HE’S MADE THE FIRST MOVE, AND THE NEXT MOVE IS UP TO THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE.  HE’S SAID ALL HE’S GOING TO SAY; NOW THE BURDEN SHIFTS TO THE OTHER PERSON; “YOU GO”.

THIS, I BELIEVE, IS WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US IN JESUS CHRIST.  GOD SHOWED UP IN JESUS CHRIST AS IF TO SAY, “THIS IS GOD.  NOW YOU SAY SOMETHING.”

“THIS IS GOD – I’VE DONE MY PART, NOW YOU DO SOMETHING.”

THIS IS HOW PEACE IS MADE; SOMEBODY MUST MAKE THE FIRST MOVE.

GOD, IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, THE PRINCE OF PEACE, HAS MADE THE FIRST MOVE.  NOW IT IS UP TO US TO SAY SOMETHING; TO DO SOMETHING.

AND GOD LOOKS TO EACH OF US TO MAKE THE NEXT MOVE; TO REACH OUT OVER SOME WALL OF DIVISION OR DISCORD, AND CHALLENGE SOMEBODY TO REACH BACK IN FORGIVENESS AND LOVE.

WE CANNOT STAND BY AND WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE TOWARDS PEACE; WE MUST MAKE THE FIRST MOVE, AND INVITE OTHERS TO RESPOND.

WE MUST SAY SOMETHING; DO SOMETHING; GIVE SOMETHING; CHANGE SOMETHING.   WE ARE TO BE PEACEMAKERS – AND IT IS UP TO US TO GO FIRST.

YOU KNOW HOW WE SAY THAT AROUND HERE?  SING THAT AROUND HERE?

“LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH, AND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME.”

IT’S MORE THAN JUST A SONG; MORE THAN JUST THE NAME OF OUR CHURCH;

IT’S WHO WE’VE BEEN CALLED TO BE, AND BY WHOSE NAME WE CALL OURSELVES – CHRISTIAN.

SO, ONCE MORE, WE GO BACK TO OUR CHRISTMAS SONG FOR OUR LENTEN SEASON; OUR PALM SUNDAY CHRISTMAS CAROL, IF YOU WILL;

AND TO THE A VERSE OF LONGFELLOW’S POEM-MADE-CAROL, WHICH WE RARELY HEAR SUNG:

TILL, RINGING SINGING, ON ITS WAY,

THE WORLD REVOLVED FROM NIGHT TO DAY,

A VOICE, A CHIME, A CHANT SUBLIME,

OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN!

MEANING: IT IS UP TO US – TO MAKE FOR PEACE – TO BE THE PRESENCE OF LOVE, GOD’S LOVE, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF STRUGGLE;

TO GO FIRST.

IF ONLY…