Sermon: Wittenberg Academy – Nov 12

12 November 2019

Text: Matt 26:1-19

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

“And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?  For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.”

The poor body of Christ is criticized at every end by the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh.  We Americans are among the richest people on the planet.  Even the poorest among us live like kings compared to our great-grandparents’ generation.  And yet we are criticized for not doing enough “for the poor.”

The Church is criticized for being rich – as if every pastor rolls around in gold coins while drinking champagne every night, as if our congregations have a fleet of private jets and expensive real estate holdings.  Most of our churches are hanging financially by a thread.  And yet, as we are able, we have beautiful vestments and dignified church architecture.  In some cases, these altars, fonts, pulpits, and pews were paid for by laborers a hundred years ago, whose offerings were counted in cents, not dollars.  And today, the pastor’s albs and stoles and chasubles are often gifts of the people, offered in love for their pastors to wear for the sake of the dignity of the Gospel.

Notice how Jesus dismisses the crass criticism of the disciples: “Why do you trouble the woman?  For she has done a beautiful thing to me.”

Nobody begrudges a family for spending thousands of dollars on their daughter’s wedding.  Nobody criticizes a man for buying his beloved a diamond ring.  Why?  Because these are sacrificial acts of love.  What kind of parents would host their daughter’s wedding in a McDonald’s restaurant – assuming that these parents were not genuinely impoverished?  And what kind of a man would buy his bride-to-be a plastic ring from a gumball machine – assuming that he had the means to buy her a real ring?

These things are tokens of love.  And they are not things that are often repeated.  They are symbols of sacrifice, and gratitude.  For we are the Bride of Christ, dear friends.  And what has He done for us?  He has given His life as the perfect Bridegroom.  He has died to save us.  He gives us eternal life!  And we offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving in response to His propitious sacrifice of blood that saves us.  And we join in the Eucharist, that is, the Thanksgiving meal of His body and blood for our salvation.  Our gifts to the Lord are not to be scorned – especially when they are treasures to be lovingly used for generations, proclaiming the Gospel without words, and confessing the Lord Jesus’ saving act upon the cross.

“You will always have the poor with you,” says our Lord.  Indeed, we will always have opportunities to help our brethren in need.  But in our state of relative wealth, we don’t need to rob Jesus to feed the hungry.  In fact, we can do both if we are willing to give up some of our own creature comforts out of love: both for our neighbor and for our Lord.  For we do a beautiful thing when we adorn the Gospel in beauty.  And what’s more, we make all rich in faith by proclaiming the Gospel – in word and in deed.  Amen!

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.