Musical Prelude and Service.

Exodus 32:1–14 & Matthew 22:1–14
So how many of you are squirming or feeling really uncomfortable right now after hearing that parable from Jesus?
The Gospel reading this morning has some very difficult words and messages. We hear explicitly words of judgment and condemnation that don’t tend to sit well with us. It doesn’t fit with the image of Jesus we tend to receive in other stories and lessons. A Jesus who proclaims and teaches unconditional and sacrificial love.
In this reading, we are forced to wrestle with what Matthew tells us. And we must also wrestle with the antisemitic consequences of this and other similar messages over the centuries.
I believe we can hear God speaking to us through the words of scripture. But I also believe sometimes it is not straight forward. We are required to work at it; to pray and consider what we are reading alongside other words of scripture and take time to reflect, to pray and to discern what we are hearing. What we hear; what we learn, can be different from one day to another, depending on what we need to hear at that moment in time.
That means struggling with and working to hear what God truly is saying to us in passages of scripture that seem to contradict what we believe, or what we have been taught or read in prior readings. This is particularly the case when a passage of scripture seems to point us towards fear and violence.
Matthew’s gospel was written several years after the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem. It was a time of violence and trauma that left the people of Israel, traditional Jews and those who chose to follow Jesus all trying to find reason in what happened. Hearing these words in that context, one can easily imagine how stories like this were received by a minority Christian community trying to find their place in this larger society.
Typically, we see God in the character of the King. The king repeatedly offers opportunities for people to join in the banquet. But those who are invited continually refuse the invitation and kill the king’s representatives. This results in the destruction of their cities and the slaughter of people. The imagery and the allegorical nature of this story would not be lost on Matthew’s audience.
This is difficult stuff that we are forced to wrestle with. Not just the image of God it offers us, but also what Matthew is apparently telling us about the Jewish religious leaders. It is troubling, it is problematic, and we must acknowledge that stories such as this were weaponized to justify the hatred and oppression of Jewish people for the last few millennia.
Yes, there is a comforting message of Jesus repeatedly inviting us into a deeper relationship. Yes, we are assured that all are invited to the table. But we also have these other words of condemnation and judgment.
I am sure I am not the only one who has been told to accept without questioning the words of scripture; in particular those of the gospels. But I think sometimes we are required to resist typical readings, to ask difficult questions and work a bit harder. We need to remember the overall message of love, of forgiveness, of welcome and mercy.
Other reflections on this scripture suggest looking at the king and seeing the worldly response to refusing such an invitation and such violence and arguing that that is not how God responds.
I don’t know abut that. But I think it is a valid consideration.
I do believe we need to look at the God we find in Exodus and consider that in comparison with what we read in Matthew. God in this story is angry when confronted by people who build an idol to other gods; who in a time of anxiety and fear turn to those other gods and turn away from the God who freed them from slavery. God is ready to bring violence down on these people, until Moses convinces God to respond with mercy and kindness. God is changeable in this moment. God is merciful in this moment. God’s love and grace overcome the anger and wrath that are the first response.
That is not the God Matthew offers us. We are not offered the promise of mercy if we abandon God’s path. Or so it would seem. Matthew certainly makes it clear throughout his gospel that we as followers of Jesus are called upon to be active in our faith; to step up and live out our love, our justice, our mercy. Faith is not a passive thing in Matthew’s view. But, Matthew, who it is believed is speaking to a community of Jewish followers of Jesus, is concerned with differentiating their community from the larger community, also seems ready to lay the blame for the violence in their world on others. It brings consequences that remain with us two millennia later.
I do not want to believe that is the goal of the writer of this gospel. I have seen how an author’s initial intent is transformed by readings that are removed from their context and their overall intent. This is the danger of holding on to parts of scripture without considering the whole of scripture. How does this work in the context of the message of forgiveness, all-encompassing love, of mercy and the theme that none of us are beyond the potential for change and redemption.
Matthew does have John the Baptizer calling people to repentance. That we do have the chance to change our direction. But Matthew in his way also warns that there are consequences for not changing our ways.
I do also believe that when we sit with these scriptures and consider the state of our world, we should find ourselves reflecting seriously on the horrors that come when we point the finger of blame at others, dehumanize our neighbours and turn to the golden calves of violence, of hatred and vengeance.
I do not have total answers. These are words to struggle with. We are called to reflect and ask difficult questions. But I also believe we are to never forget Jesus calling us to love one another and to do to others as we would have them to for us. To love our neighbour as God loves us.
And do not let scripture move us to judgement and hatred and to fear our neighbour.
Thanks be to God.
Rev. Warner Bloomfield

Music provided with permission through licensing with CCLI License number
2701258 and One License # A-731789