MATTHEW (SELECTED VERSES) | IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE

IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE

MATTHEW (SELECTED VERSES)

JANUARY 1, 2017

IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR!  THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE NEW YEAR!

WE’RE NOT EVEN 12 HOURS INTO IT YET – AND IF YOU’VE LOOKED AT MY SERMON TITLE FOR THIS MORNING, YOU’LL SEE I’M SUGGESTING THAT: IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE!

WELL, LET ME ALLEVIATE ANY CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE – THE SERMON IS NOT NEARLY AS BLEAK AS ALL THAT; AND AS YOU WILL SEE IN A MOMENT, I’M GOING TO BE REDEFINING THOSE WORDS FOR US THIS MORNING.

BUT, FIRST, I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW I GOT HERE.

AS I WAS PREPARING THIS SERMON, I RECALLED SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS WHICH REMINDED ME THAT WE HAVE A SORT OF “MAGIC POWER” TO MAKE WORDS AND SITUATIONS MEAN WHATEVER WE WANT THEM TO MEAN.

LIKE THE MOTHER I MET ONCE, WEARING WHAT COULD ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A VERY TACKY, HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS PIN ON HER BLOUSE.

IT LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD PINNED A GINGER SNAP TO HER SHIRT – BROWN CLAY, DRIED AND CRACKED, BUT YOU COULD JUST MAKE OUT A CHILD’S CRUDELY DRAWN MANGER SCENE THROUGH ALL THE CRACKS.

SHE COULD TELL PEOPLE WERE STARING AT IT, AND WHAT THEY WERE PROBABLY THINKING…

“I KNOW IT’S NOT VERY ATTRACTIVE,” SHE SAID, “BUT MY 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER MADE IT FOR ME… YEARS AGO… JUST A YEAR OR SO BEFORE SHE DIED WITH CANCER.”

SUDDENLY, THE PIN WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE WORLD, TAKING ON NEW LUSTER AND BEAUTY.

OR LIKE THE SITUATION I CAME ACROSS OF A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE GAWKING, AND WHISPERING UNDER THEIR BREATH; WELL NOT REALLY, BECAUSE IT WAS LOUD ENOUGH FOR ME TO HEAR, AND OTHERS…

WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT WAS A HOMELESS, ONE-LEGGED MAN, ASLEEP, PROPPED UP AGAINST A BUILDING DOWNTOWN.

“DISGUSTING,” I HEARD ONE SAY… “WHAT AN EYESORE,” ANOTHER… “PROBABLY LOST HIS LEG DUE TO ALL HIS DRINKING AND DRUGGING,” ADDED ANOTHER.

JUST THEN, WE HEARD ANOTHER HOMELESS MAN BEHIND US SAY, “HE LOST THAT LEG IN THE GULF WAR.  HE’S A VETERAN…”

AND JUST LIKE THAT, THE GATHERED CROWD’S ATTITUDE CHANGED.

PERHAPS, IT SHOULD HAVE CHANGED, GIVEN THAT HE WAS A VET;

OR MAYBE IT SHOULDN’T HAVE; PERHAPS IT WAS ENOUGH THAT HE WAS DEBILITATED AND LIVING ON THE STREETS; AND, WHO KNOWS, IT MAY NOT EVEN HAVE BEEN TRUE!  BUT PEOPLE’S ATTITUDES CHANGED COMPLETELY.

THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.

FINALLY, AND THIS WAS MANY YEARS AGO, I WAS WORKING AS A CHAPLAIN IN A REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN CHATTANOOGA, TN.

I HAD BEEN PAGED TO A ROOM ON THE 7^TH FLOOR.  I HAD NO IDEA, GOING IN, WHAT THE SITUATION WAS, AND AS THERE WERE NO NURSES AT THE NURSES’ STATION UPON MY ARRIVAL TO ASK, I JUST WENT STRAIGHT TO THE ROOM.

I KNOCKED GENTLY, THEN ENTERED, TO FIND A COUPLE; THE WOMAN IN BED, THE MAN SEATED BESIDE HER IN A CHAIR.

THE MAN STOOD AS I ENTERED – NOW I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE THE BIGGEST, BADDEST, MEANEST LOOKING BIKER YOU CAN.  LONG HAIR, THICK MOUSTACHE, TATTED UP FROM HEAD TO TOE.

HE WAS IN ROUGH LOOKING JEANS, A LEATHER VEST (NO SHIRT), AND HAD ONE OF THOSE CHAINS RUNNING FROM HIS BELT TO HIS WALLET.  HE WAS JUST AS YOU ARE PICTURING HIM IN YOUR HEADS RIGHT NOW.

THE WOMAN WAS A WISP OF A THING, LOOKING VERY SICKLY, JAUNDICED TO THE POINT OF BEING YELLOW, AND VERY, VERY WEAK.

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, PRAYING IN MY HEAD, “O LORD, WHAT HAVE YOU GOTTEN ME INTO THIS TIME!”

“MY OLD LADY IS DYING,” HE SAID WITH SUCH ABRUPTNESS, AND SEEMING CALLOUSNESS, THAT IT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD.

“I KNOW THAT MIGHT SOUND HARSH,” HE SAID, “BUT SHE’S KNOWN, WE’VE BOTH KNOWN, THIS WAS COMING, FOR A LONG TIME NOW.

I’M THE ONE WHO ASKED THEM TO CALL YOU.  WE WE’RE WONDERING IF YOU COULD READ SOME SCRIPTURE, AND PRAY WITH US?”  I WAS STUNNED.

AS I FUMBLED FOR MY PRAYER BOOK, QUICKLY THINKING OF WHAT I MIGHT READ, THIS GREAT BIG BIKER MAN SLID PART WAY ON TO THE BED, LIFTED THE WOMAN INTO HIS ARMS, GENTLY LAYING HER ON HIS MASSIVE CHEST, AND SAID, “READ US THE 23^RD PSALM… PLEASE…”

AND SO, I STARTED, “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT… YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR THOU ART WITH ME… SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER…” I FINISHED.

“READ US THAT ‘LOVE SECTION’ FROM I CORINTHIANS,” I HEARD HIM SAY.  “THE PREACHER READ IT AT OUR WEDDING…”

“LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND, LOVE IS NOT ENVIOUS OR BOASTFUL, IT IS NOT ARROGANT OR RUDE…” I CONTINUED, “LOVE NEVER ENDS…”

“ONE MORE,” HE SAID, “THE PART WHERE JESUS TALKS ABOUT BEING THE RESURRECTION…”

“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE,” SAYS THE LORD, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE: AND WHOEVER LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER DIE.”  I QUOTED FROM MEMORY.

“THANK YOU, PADRE” HE SAID.  “NOW, WILL YOU PRAY FOR US?”

I WALKED OVER, CLAPPED HIM ON THE SHOULDER, TOOK THE WOMAN’S TINY, FRAIL, HAND IN MINE, AND PRAYED WITH THEM; THAT GOD WOULD RECEIVE HER INTO HIS ETERNAL CARE; TAKE CARE OF THEM BOTH; AND OTHER WORDS I HAVE LONG SINCE FORGOTTEN.

I OFFERED TO STAY, BUT HE SAID THEY’D LIKE TO BE ALONE.

HE THANKED ME AGAIN; I MUMBLED SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING BACK BY TO SEE THEM LATER; BUT WE ALL KNEW THAT WASN’T LIKELY TO HAPPEN, AS SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO LAST A VERY SHORT TIME.

AS I LEFT THE ROOM, AND STEPPED INTO THE HALL, RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD WERE THE WORDS: “NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER; NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER; NEVER JUDGE ANYONE BY WHATEVER…”

THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR; AND MAYBE WE DO HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE MEANING OF THINGS, OF WORDS, OF SITUATIONS; MAYBE IT IS ALL JUST A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE.

SO, ON THIS FIRST DAY, THIS FIRST SUNDAY OF THE NEW YEAR, I AM OFFICIALLY CHANGING THE MEANING OF THE WORDS: “IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE.”

USUALLY, WHEN WE HEAR THOSE WORDS, WE THINK OF THEM MEANING SOMETHING BAD.

“WELL,” WE SAY, “I GUESS THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS, IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE.”

OR WE FIND THAT WE’VE REACHED THE PINNACLE OF OUR CAREER, OUR LIFE, OUR ACHIEVEMENTS, MAYBE EVEN OUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING, AND WE SAY, “WELL, IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE.”

BUT HERE’S THE THING – WHEN DID “DOWNHILL” BECOME A BAD THING?  WHO DECIDED?

LET ME ASK YOU:

REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A KID, AND YOU WERE PLAYING ON THE PLAYGROUND… WAS IT CLIMBING UP THE LADDER OF THE SLIDE THAT WAS THE FUN PART, OR SLIDING DOWNHILL?!

WHEN YOU USED TO GO SLEDDING AS A CHILD, OR WITH YOUR OWN KIDS, WAS IT TRUDGING UP THE HILL, THROUGH THE SNOW, DRAGGING YOUR SLED BEHIND YOU, WITH YOUR LITTLE BROTHER OR SISTER SITTING ON IT, MAYBE, WAS THAT THE FUN PART?

OR WAS IT – RACING DOWNHILL AT BREAKNECK SPEED THAT WAS MOST FUN?

I DON’T KNOW MANY SNOW SKIERS WHO WOULD SAY THAT RIDING THE CHAIR LIFT IS THEIR FAVORITE PART OF SKIING…

AND REMEMBER THAT LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD… TRYING TO MAKE IT OVER THAT HILL…?  “I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN… WAS THAT THE BEST PART OF THAT STORY?

OR WAS IT THE RIDE DOWN?  “I KNEW I COULD, I KNEW I COULD, I KNEW I COULD…”

AND WHAT ABOUT WHEN THE GRINCH COMES RIDING BACK DOWNHILL TO RETURN ALL THE PRESENTS TO ALL THE WHO’S DOWN IN WHOVILLE?!

DON’T GET ME WRONG, THERE’S A LOT TO BE SAID FOR HARD WORK, FOR MAKING THE EFFORT, FOR STRIVING FOR SOMETHING AND ACHIEVING IT, FOR ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING AND MAKING SOMETHING OF OURSELVES…

BUT ONCE THAT’S DONE, THE SLIDING, AND THE SLEDDING, AND THE SKIING, AND THE REWARDS FOR OUR EFFORTS, THAT’S PRETTY GOOD STUFF TOO!

SO, THIS FIRST DAY OF 2017, THIS FIRST SUNDAY, I DO, HEREBY DECLARE, THAT FROM THIS TIME FORTH AND FOREVERMORE, THE WORDS: “IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE,” ARE A GOOD THING!

IT’LL BE OUR LITTLE SECRET, OR MAYBE NOT, MAYBE WE’LL TELL OTHERS ALONG THE WAY, BUT WHENEVER WE HEAR SOMEONE SAY, “WELL, IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE;”

WE’RE JUST GOING TO SMILE, THINK OF THAT SLIDE, THAT SNOWY HILL, OUR LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENTS, AND SAY, HAPPILY, “IT SURE IS!”

“IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE…”  “YEP,” WE’LL THINK TO OURSELVES, “AND I’M GOING TO ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT!”

NOW YOU MAY BE WONDERING BY WHAT AUTHORITY; BY WHOSE AUTHORITY; I HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE MEANING OF THESE WORDS.

WELL, IT’S NONE OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST, HIMSELF.

AS WE SAW WHEN I WAS READING OUR SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS MORNING, JESUS WAS ALWAYS CHANGING THE MEANING OF WORDS.

“THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST, AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.”

“WHOEVER WOULD BE GREAT, MUST BE SERVANT OF ALL.”

BLESSED ARE ALL THOSE POOR SAPS – THE MEEK, THE MILD, THE POOR IN SPIRIT, THOSE WHO MOURN, THE PERSECUTED, BECAUSE IN EACH CASE, GOD WILL BLESS THEM – BLESS US – WHEN WE MOST NEED IT!

JESUS CHANGES THE WORDS – HE GIVES NEW MEANING TO ALL OF THEM – WHEN HE SAYS: “YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID, BUT I SAY TO YOU…”

“YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH’ BUT I SAY DO NOT RESIST THE EVILDOER; TURN THE OTHER CHEEK, GO THE EXTRA MILE, GIVE BOTH COAT AND CLOAK…”

“YOU’VE HEARD IT SAID, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HATE YOUR ENEMY,’ BUT I SAY TO YOU, ‘LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU…’”

AND JESUS DOES THE SAME THING WITH WORDS ABOUT MURDER AND ANGER, ADULTERY AND LUST, DIVORCE, AND A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER TOPICS AS WELL.

JESUS SAYS WHENEVER WE DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE IN NEED, WE DON’T JUST DO IT FOR THEM; IT’S AS IF WE ARE DOING IT FOR HIM AS WELL.

JESUS REDEFINES WHO OUR NEIGHBORS ARE IN THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN; A NEIGHBOR IS SOMEONE WHO HELPS ANOTHER!

HE REMINDS US TO GATHER UP RICHES NOT ON EARTH, BUT IN HEAVEN.

HE TELLS US THAT IT IS THE LEAST, THE LAST, THE LOST, AND THE LONELY, WHO MOST CAPTURE GOD’S ATTENTION, AND THAT THEY SHOULD CAPTURE OURS AS WELL.

JESUS TELLS US HE CAME NOT TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE.  HE TELLS US THAT HE CAME TO SAVE THE WORLD, NOT CONDEMN IT.

HE TELLS US GOD IS MORE EXCITED OVER THE ONE LOST SHEEP, THE LOST COIN, AND THE PRODIGAL SON, THAN HE IS OVER THE 99 WHO REMAIN PUT, THE COINS IN OUR PURSE, OR THE SON WHO STAYED HOME.

WHY?  BECAUSE HE KNOWS WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN WITH HIM!

IT’S THE ONE WHO WAS LOST, BUT IS NOW FOUND; WHO WAS DEAD, BUT IS NOW ALIVE, WHO IS ESPECIALLY IN NEED OF GOD’S LOVE, MERCY, GRACE, AND FORGIVENESS.

JESUS WAS FOREVER CHANGING THE MEANING OF WORDS, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT CHANGING THE MEANING OF SITUATIONS, AS WELL.

HE TURNS WATER INTO WINE;

HE TURNS BREAD INTO LIFE;

HE TURNS THE CROSS, INTO SALVATION;

CRUCIFIXION INTO RESURRECTION;

DEATH INTO ETERNAL LIFE.

YOU SEE, JESUS CHRIST IS THE “MAGIC POWER” WE HAVE, TO REDEFINE WORDS;

TO CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVE; TO SEE THINGS IN LIFE: LIKE THAT CHRISTMAS PIN, THAT “BUM,” THAT BIKER, IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT; THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.

FOR THE ONE FOR WHOM LAST WAS FIRST; LEAST WAS MOST; LOST WAS FOUND; AND GREATEST WAS SERVANT OF ALL;

“IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE” MEANS THAT THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES HAS A WAY OF CHANGING EVERYTHING AROUND FOR THE BETTER.

SO, FOR THIS YEAR, MAYBE LONGER, EVERY TIME WE HEAR SOMEONE SAY IT:

“IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE…”

WE ARE GOING TO THINK OF JESUS CHRIST IN OUR LIVES; WE ARE GOING TO REMEMBER HIM AS THE POWER THAT CHANGES US, CHANGES EVERYTHING;

WE ARE GOING TO IMAGINE OUR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SELF SLIDING, SLEDDING, OR SKIING;

WE’RE GOING TO IMAGINE THAT ENGINE CLEARING THE HILL, AND THE GRINCH’S HEART GROWING THREE SIZES BIGGER THAT DAY;

AND, WE’RE GOING TO SMILE;

AND SAY – “YEP, IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE… ISN’T IT GREAT?!

I’M GOING TO ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT!”