TO THE LEAST OF THESE – THE ALTRUIST GODVIEW
Matthew 25: 34-40
Rev. Paul Wrightman 12/26/21
CONTINUING OUR SHORT SERMON SERIES ON GODVIEWS –
FIVE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT YET COMPLEMENTARY WAYS
OF RELATING TO GOD AND CHURCH --
TODAY WE’LL BE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK
AT THE ALTRUIST GODVIEW.
ALL OF US KNOW WHAT ALTRUISM MEANS – CARING ACTS
FOR THE WELLBEING OF OTHERS.
BUT I BET MOST OF US HAD SIMPLY ASSUMED THAT ALTRUISM
WAS LIMITED TO THE HUMAN DOMAIN.
THE FOLLOWING ILLUSTRATION FROM
THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS PROVES OTHERWISE.
KATHIE LEIER WRITES:
IT WAS A BITTERLY COLD YULETIDE DRIVE
FROM REGINA TO SASKATOON, MY BIRTHPLACE,
BUT IT WAS TRULY BEAUTIFUL,
WITH ITS STRANDS OF SNOW-COVERED TREES
ALONG THE SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER.
WE’D LOADED UP OUR TRUSTY JEEP ON DECEMBER 21ST
WITH SUITCASES, SURVIVAL GEAR, BOXES OF WRAPPED PRESENTS,
AND OUR TEN-TEAR-OLD SHIH TZU NAMED KEIKO.
WE’D ADOPED HIM SIX YEARS EARLIER,
AND HE SEEMED TO LOVE ROAD TRIPS AS MUCH AS WE DID.
WE ENJOYED SUMPTUOUS DINNERS AND QUALITY TIME
WITH FAMILY FOR A COUPLE OF LEISURELY DAYS IN SASKATOON.
THEN WE HEADED TO MY HUSBAND IVAN’S BROTHER’S FARM
OUTSIDE YORKTON, WHICH WAS IVAN’S FIRST HOME,
TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH HIS PARENTS,
BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW, AND NEPHEW.
SMOKY, THEIR FIVE-YEAR-OLD SIBERIAN HUSKY, WAS THERE TOO,
LYING ON A MAT RECOVERING FROM EMERGENCY SURGERY
AFTER BEING HIT BY A TRUCK.
WE OPENED GIFTS AND WERE HAVING
A RELAXING CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER WHEN IT HAPPENED.
WE WERE ALL SO PREOCCUPIED WITH THE DELICIOUS FOOD, CONVERSATION, AND EACH OTHER’S COMPANY
THAT WE DIDN’T NOTICE – UNTIL WE FINISHED EATING,
PUSHED BACK OUR CHAIRS, AND STOOD UP.
IT WAS THEN THAT WE SAW THE NEAT LITTLE PILES OF KIBBLE
UNDER THE TABLE WHERE OUR FEET HAD BEEN.
KEIKO HAD PLACED THEM THERE –
DELIBERATELY MAKING MANY TRIPS FROM HIS SUPPER DISH NEARBY,
CAREFULLY TAKING ONE OR TWO AT A TIME
AND DEPOSITING THEM AT OUR FEET –
BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH.
THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL PILE
BESIDES THE STAINLESS STEEL FEEDING DISH – FOR SMOKY.
GENTLE AND AFFECTIONATE KEIKO HAD SHARED
THE MOST SPECIAL THING HE HAD – THE ONLY THING HE HAD –
THE FOOD IN HIS DISH.
OUR LITTLE RESCUE DOG WAS SAYING THANK YOU.
WE WERE AWESTRUCK BY THIS DISPLAY OF GENEROSITY.”
WE ARE FOUR SUNDAYS INTO A SHORT, FIVE WEEK SERMON SERIES
ON A NEW PARADIGM OF CHURCH LIFE CALLED “GODVIEWS.”
EACH OF THE FIVE DIFFERENT GODVIEWS REPRESENTS
A DIFFERENT WAY OF UNDERSTANDING GOD
AND APPROACHING CHURCH.
EACH OF THE GODVIEWS IS EQUAL IN TERMS OF IMPORTANCE
AND IN TERMS OF ITS HAVING BEEN
VALIDATED BY SCRIPTURE AS A WHOLE
AND BY JESUS IN PARTICULAR.
USING THE GODVIEW PARADIGM,
WE CAN SEE THAT UNITY WITHIN A LOCAL CHURCH
IS ACHIEVED PRECISELY THROUGH
THE AFFIRMATION AND EXPRESSION OF ITS DIVERSITY.
IN THE GODVIEW PARADIGM,
CONFLICT IS NOT SEEN AS SMETHING TO BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS,
BUT AS SOMETHING TO BE EXPECTED, EVEN CELEBRATED,
BECAUSE IT IS HARD EVIDENCE THAT A CHURCH IS ALIVE-AND-WELL,
THAT A CHURCH IS EXPERIENCING THE GROWING PAINS
NECESSARY FOR NEW LIFE.
A LOCAL CHURCH NEEDS A GOOD REPRESENTATION
OF PERSONS FROM ALL FIVE GODVIEWS TO BE FULLY ALIVE.
MOST OF US KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT ALL FIVE VIEWS
ARE REPRESENTED HERE AT COMMUNITY CHURCH.
A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE FIVE DIFFERENT GODVIEWS REVEALS,
FIRST OF ALL, THE TRADITIONALIST VIEW.
TRADITIONALISTS ARE THOSE DEEPLY COMMITTED
TO THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF A LOCAL CHURCH,
AND BOUND-AND-DETERMINED TO SEE THESE HONORED
AND CARRIED ON INTACT AS THE CHURCH MOVES FORWARD.
THE DEVOTIONALIST GODVIEW DESCRIBES PERSONS
WHOSE PRIMARY APPROACH TO GOD AND JESUS
IS THROUGH WORSHIP AND PRAYER.
DEVOTIONALIST CHRISTIANS RESONATE WITH
ST. AUGUSTINE’S PRIMAL PRAYER:
“O GOD, YOU HAVE MADE US FOR YOURSELF
AND OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY REST IN YOU.
THE CONFESSIONALIST GODVIEW TAKES ITS NAME
FROM THE ROOT MEANING OF THE VERB “TO CONFESS,”
WHICH IN ANCIENT TIMES MEANT “TO AFFIRM.”
CONFESSIONALISTS ARE PERSONS
WHO HAVE A PASSION FOR UNCOVERING THE TRUTH;
IN THE CHRISTIAN CONTEXT,
THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD, THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS,
AND THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BIBLE.
THE ACTIVIST GODVIEW IS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION
OF THE PROPHETIC CONCERN FOR JUSTICE
AS FOUND IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES,
AND AS EMBODIED IN JESUS’ OWN PROPHETIC CHALLENGE
TO THE RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENTS OF HIS DAY.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, JESUS TOOK ON
THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INJUSTICES
OF BOTH ISRAEL AND ROME.
CHRISTIAN ACTIVISTS IN OUR DAY,
PEOPLE LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING, DO THE SAME.
THE ALTRUIST GODVIEW,
WHICH WE WILL BE LOOKING AT MORE CLOSELY THIS MORNING,
IS FOUNDED ON JESUS’ ADMONITION TO
PROVIDE THE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY WITH FOOD AND DRINK,
TO PROVIDE CLOTHING TO THOSE IN NEED,
TO VISIT THOSE WHO ARE SICK AND IN PRISON,
AND TO WELCOME THE STRANGER.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING,
PART OF THE JUDGMENT SCENE
IN MATTHEW, CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE,
IS ONE OF THE CLASSIC ALTRUIST TEXTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN,
WHERE JESUS EXPANDS THE DEFINITION OF NEIGHBOR
TO INCLUDE ANYONE IN NEED, IS ANOTHER CLASSIC TEXT.
ALTRUISTS ARE CORRECT IN POINTING OUT
THAT JESUS’ OWN CRITERIA FOR JUDGMENT IN MATTHEW 25
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CORRECT DOCTRINE,
OR BELIEVING THE RIGHT THINGS ABOUT HIM,
AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HOW WE TREAT OUR NEIGHBOR.
SIMILARLY, IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE,
WHEN A LAWYER ASKS JESUS POINT-BLANK
“WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?”
JESUS DOES NOT RESPOND BY TELLING THE LAWYER
THAT HE MUST CONFESS HIS SINFULNESS
AND THEN GO ON TO ACCEPT HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
INSTEAD, JESUS ANSWERS THE QUESTION
“WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?’
BY QUOTING WHAT ARE KNOWN
AS THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS:
“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD
WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL,
AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND;
AND [YOU SHALL LOVE] YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
THE LAWYER, BEING A TYPICAL LAWYER,
THEN ASKS JESUS TO DEFINE
THE MEANING OF THE WORD NEIGHBOR,
WHICH JESUS DOES
BY TELLING THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN,
IN WHICH, YOU WILL RECALL,
TWO “RELIGIOUS” PERSONS FAILED TO OFFER HELP
TO A PERSON IN DIRE NEED,
AND THE NEEDED HELP WAS OFFERED BY A DESPISED SAMARITAN.
JESUS ENDS THE PARABLE BY ASKING THE LAWYER:
“WHICH OF THESE THREE, DO YOU THINK,
WAS A NEIGHBOR TO THE MAN
WHO FELL INTO THE HANDS OF THE ROBBERS?”
THE LAWYER IS FORCED TO ANSWER:
“THE ONE WHO SHOWED HIM COMPASSION,”
TO WHICH JESUS RESPONDS: “GO AND DO LIKEWISE.”
(See Luke 10:25-37)
ALTRUIST CHRISTIANS ARE THOSE WHO CONSISTENTLY
ASK THE QUESTION “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO,”
AND THEN PROCEED TO DO JUST THAT,
CONFIDENT THAT IN THEIR DOING
THEY JUST MAY BE CLOSER TO THE HEART OF GOD AND OF JESUS
THAN ARE CONFESSIONALIST CHRISTIANS
WITH ALL THEIR CORRECT THEOLOGY.
WHEN ALTRUIST CHRISTIANS LOOK AT
THE TWO MAJOR CREEDS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY,
THE APOSTLES CREED AND THE NICENE CREED,
THEY FIND BOTH OF THEM SEVERELY LACKING.
WHY?
BECAUSE BOTH THE APOSTLES CREED AND THE NICENE CREED
LEAP FROM “BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY”
TO “SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,”
THUS LEAVING OUT THE ENTIRETY
OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS AND HEALINGS.
ALTRUIST CHRISTIANS CONSIDER THIS TO BE A TRAGIC MISTAKE
ON THE PART OF THE EARLY CHURCH,
A MISTAKE WHICH LEAD TO AN OVERWHELMING EMPHAIS
ON CORRECT BELIEF OVER CORRECT ACTION.
AS A CONFESSIONALIST CHRISTIAN MYSELF,
I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT CORRECT THEOLOGY DIVORCED FROM
THE COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, AND LOVE OF JESUS
IS WORTHLESS.
JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS, SAYS AS MUCH
IN HIS NEW TESTAMENT LETTER WHEN HE WRITES BLUNTLY:
“FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.”
(James 2:17)
A STRIKING ILLUSTRATION OF THE PRIORITY
OF DOING THE WORKS OF MERCY
OVER HAVING THE RIGHT THEOLOGY
OCCURS IN THE WRITINGS OF FRED CRADDOCK,
A WELL-KNOWN SEMINARY PROFESSOR.
I FEEL PERSONALLY CHALLENGED BY THIS STORY
BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE HAD EXACTLY THE SAME
RESERVATIONS ABOUT ALBERT SCHWEITZER’S THEOLOGY
THAT CRADDOCK HAD.
IN THE VOLUME CRADDOCK STORIES, HE WRITES:
“I THINK I WAS TWENTY YEARS OLD
WHEN I READ ALBERT SCHWEITZER’S
QUEST FOR THE HISTORICAL JESUS.
I FOUND HIS CHRISTOLOGY [HIS UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS]
WOEFULLY LACKING – MORE WATER THAN WINE.
I MARKED IT UP, WROTE IN THE MARGINS,
RAISED QUESTIONS OF ALL KINDS.
AND ONE DAY, ONE DAY I READ IN THE KNOXVILLE NEWS-SENTINEL
THAT ALBERT SCHWEITZER WAS GOING TO BE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO,
TO PLAY THE DEDICATORY CONCERT FOR A BIG ORGAN
IN A BIG CHURCH UP THERE.
ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE
HE WOULD REMAIN AFTERWARD IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL
FOR CONVERSATION AND REFRESHMENT.
CRADDOCK CONTINUES:
I BOUGHT A GREYHOUND BUS TICKET AND WENT TO CLEVELAND.
ALL THE WAY UP THERE I WORKED ON THIS
QUEST FOR THE HISTORICAL JESUS.
I LAID OUT MY QUESTIONS.
I HAD MY QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER,
[AND] I MADE REFERENCES TO THE PAGES [IN THE BOOK].
…I FIGURED
IF THERE WAS CONVERSATION IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL,
THERE’D BE ROOM FOR A QUESTION OR TWO.
I WENT THERE; I HEARD THE CONCERT;
I RUSHED INTO THE FELLOWSHIP HALL,
GOT A SEAT IN THE FRONT ROW,
AND WAITED WITH MY LAP OF QUESTIONS.
AFTER A WHILE HE CAME IN,
SHAGGY HAIR, BIG WHITE MUSTACHE,
STOOPED, AND SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD.
HE HAD PLAYED A MARVELOUS CONCERT.
YOU KNOW HE WAS MASTER ORGANIST,
MEDICAL DOCTOR, PHILOSOPHER, BIBLICAL SCHOLAR,
LECTURER, WRITER, EVERYTHING.
HE CAME IN WITH A CUP OF TEA AND SOME REFRESHMENTS
AND STOOD IN FRONT OF THE GROUP,
AND THERE I WAS, CLOSE.
DR. SCHWEITZER THANKED EVERYBODY:
“YOU’VE BEEN VERY WARM, HOSPITABLE TO ME.
I THANK YOU FOR IT,
AND I WISH I COULD STAY LONGER AMONG YOU,
BUT I MUST GO BACK TO AFRICA
BECAUSE MY PEOPLE ARE POOR AND DISEASED
AND HUNGRY AND DYING, AND I HAVE TO GO.
WE HAVE A MEDICAL STATION AT LAMBARENE.
IF THERE’S ANYONE HERE IN THIS ROOM
WHO HAS THE LOVE OF JESUS,
WOULD YOU BE PROMPTED BY THAT LOVE
TO GO WITH ME AND HELP ME?”
CRADDOCK CONCLUDES:
I LOOKED DOWN AT MY QUESTIONS;
THEY WERE SO ABSOLUTELY STUPID.
AND I LEARNED, AGAIN, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CHRISTIAN
AND HAD HOPES THAT I COULD BE THAT SOMEDAY.”
(End Quote)
AS YOUR PASTOR, I HAVE TO SAY THAT
IF A CHURCH AS A WHOLE HAD TO MAJOR IN ONE GODVIEW,
THE ALTRUISTS WOULD HAVE IT.
WE ARE DEEPLY BLESSED TO HAVE ALTRUISTS
AS A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE HERE AT COMMUNITY CHURCH,
AND TO HAVE MANY FROM OUR CONGREGATION
ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SOME FORM OF MINISTRY
TO THOSE WITHOUT HOMES.
THROUGHOUT THIS GODVIEW SERIES,
I’VE MADE IT A POINT TO DESCRIBE
BOTH THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH GODVIEW.
I FIND IT HARD TO FIND ANYTHING TO BE CRITICAL ABOUT
IN THE ALTRUIST GODVIEW.
IT’S HARD TO FIND FAULT WITH THIS GODVIEW
WHEN JESUS MAKES ALTRUISM THE STANDARD
OF HIS AND GOD’S JUDGEMENT
IN THE SCRIPTURE READING YOU HEARD FROM MATTHEW TODAY.
I’D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH AN ILLUSTRATION
THAT CAPTURES THE MOMENT WHEN A YOUNG CHRISTIAN
DISCOVERS THAT SHE BELONGS TO THE ALTRUIST CAMP.
THE FOLLOWING, FROM THE BOOK CHRISTMAS MAGIC,
WAS WRITTEN BY ERIN McCORMACK AT AGE 13.
IT DESCRIBES THE LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE SHE HAD AT AGE 9:
ERIN WRITES: “WHEN I USED TO THINK OF CHRISTMAS,
I THOUGHT OF PRESENTS, COOKIES, DECORATIONS,
AND A HUGE TREE.
MY VISION OF THIS HOLIDAY CHANGED ONE REMARKABLE NIGHT.
MY PARENTS HAD TOLD MY BROTHER AND ME
THAT WE WERE WORKING AT THE HOMELESS SHELTER
ON CHRISTMAS EVE TO HELP WITH THE DINNER.
HONESTLY, I COULD NOT BELIEVE
WHAT MY PARENTS WANTED TO DO AND I THREW A FIT.
I WAS ONLY NINE YEARS OLD, BUT STILL,
LOOKING BACK ON THAT BEHAVIOR SHOCKS ME.
AS I WALKED INTO THE HOMELESS SHELTER
AND SAW ABOUT THIRTY HOMELESS MEN AND WOMEN
GATHERED AROUND THEIR TABLES SINGING HOLIDAY CAROLS
WITH SMILES SPREAD ACROSS THEIR CHEERFUL FACES,
MY HEART MELTED.
JUST THIS SIGHT CHANGED MY WHOLE ATTITUDE
ABOUT NOT BEING HOME ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
I HEADED TO THE KITCHEN AND STARTED MAKING PLATES
OF TURKEY AND MASHED POTATOES.
AS I PILED THE MASHED POTATOES ON EACH PLATE
I LOOKED OUTSIDE THE SERVING WINDOW TO SEE
EACH AND EVERY PERSON’S EYES SPARKLE
AND THEIR MOUTHS MOVE TO THE WORDS OF ‘JINGLE BELLS.’
I REMEMBER JUST WANTING TO GO OUT THERE
AND SING ALONG WITH THEM.
I LOOKED PAST ALL THE DIFFERENCES I HAD WITH THEM
AND JUST FELT LIKE THEY WERE FAMILY.
AS THE CAROLS DIED DOWN, WE STARTED TO BRING OUT THE FOOD
THAT WAS ON PLASTIC PLATES WITH A SANTA IN THE MIDDLE.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON WOULD SMILE AND THANK ME
ONCE I PUT THEIR FOOD DOWN AND WISH ME A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
ONE SPECIFIC MAN REALLY TOUCHED ME.
AS I SET DOWN HIS PLATE HE SAID, ‘THANK YOU SWEETIE.’
NOW THIS WAS NOT UNUSUAL –
BASICALLY EVERYONE THERE SAID IT –
BUT THEN HE SAID TO ME,
‘YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY KIND WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR US.
NOT MANY PEOPLE WOULD HELP US OUT,
OR EVEN WANT TO GET CLOSE TO US.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE
I WOULD KEEP MY DISTANCE FROM HOMELESS PEOPLE,
BUT IT’S REASSURING FOR ME TO SEE A YOUNG GIRL LIKE YOU
HELPING US OUT. THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.’
I WAS AT A LOSS FOR WORDS BUT MANAGED TO SAY,
‘THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO.’
WHEN WE LEFT TO GO HOME
I TURNED BACK TO LOOK FOR THAT NICE MAN.
I SAW HIM IN A CORNER BUNDLED UP WITH ONE THIN BLANKET
AND A TWO-INCH PILLOW.
TEARS BLURRED MY VISION;
ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS STAY WITH HIM,
BRING HIM MY BIG COMFORTER I SLEEP WITH AT NIGHT
THAT I USUALLY PUSH TO THE SIDE OF MY BED,
AND GIVE HIM SOMEONE TO TALK TO.
BUT I HAD TO KEEP WALKING OUT TO OUR CAR.
NOW I NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE, AND I COULDN’T BELIEVE
I HAD COMPLAINED THAT I DIDN’T WANT TO COME.
I GOT HOME AND AS I SAT DOWN TO EAT A PIZZA WITH MY FAMILY
FOR CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER,
I STARTED CRYING MY EYES OUT
JUST THINKING ABOUT THE NIGHT I HAD,
THE SMILES ON PEOPLE’S FACES,
AND MOST OF ALL THE FRIEND I HAD MADE.
I SNUCK DOWNSTAIRS THAT NIGHT, NOT TO CHECK FOR SANTA,
BUT TO TAKE AWAY THE LETTER I WROTE HIM
AND WRITE A NEW ONE. IT SAID:
DEAR SANTA,
I WROTE YOU A LETTER EARLIER,
BUT I AM WRITING A NEW ONE NOW.
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THE MAN I MET EARLIER
AND GIVE HIM SOME OF MY GIFTS THAT YOU WERE BRINGING ME.
PLEASE KEEP HIM SAFE FROM THE OUTDOORS
AND MAKE SURE HE IS HAPPY.
THAT’S ALL I WANT THIS YEAR.
THE ONE THING I WANT IS FOR YOU TO LOOK OUT
FOR MY NEW FRIEND.
LOVE, ERIN.”
I AM PROUD TO BE CONNECTED TO A CHURCH
WHICH GIVES SOME OF THOSE MOST IN NEED IN OUR SOCIETY
A REAL TASTE OF GOD’S LOVE AND COMPASSION.
I AM PROUD TO BE CONNECTED TO A CHURCH
WHICH IS HUGELY ALTRUIST IN NATURE.
I CAN HEAR JESUS SAYING TO OUR CHURCH AS A WHOLE,
“WELL DONE! YOU ARE A POWERFUL EXPRESSION
OF GOD’S GOODNESS HERE ON EARTH.”
AMEN.