It’s the Little Things that Count
27th Sunday after Pentecost – Christ the King
Matthew 25:31-46
I have spent much of the past several weeks struggling with an ingrown toe nail. I doctored it, did a little of my own surgery, and eventually messed it up to the point that I had to go to the podiatrist. He cut out the culprit on Thursday afternoon, and by Friday morning, I was a new man.
I can tell you from this experience, it’s the little things that matter. During the preceding weeks, I limped around like a geezer, protected my toe with keen awareness of other’s whereabouts, and generally suffered because of this little, miniscule problem. But the toe – well, it’s amazing how much pain a little pain in the toe can cause to the entire body. My gait changed, which changed my posture, which required so much more effort and energy during the course of the day – I ended every day for about 2 months simply exhausted.
Our parable for today is a conundrum for me. Capon lists this among the “Judgment” parables, and I suspect rightly so. I am not even vaguely Calvinistic in my theology, but this parable forces you to choose between a rather severe “works” theology, or an acquiescence to “Calvinist” theology. Let me show you what I mean.
First, the “works” side of things. This parable could be interpreted so as to affirm the idea that it is what we do that determines our salvation. We have two groups in the parable – sheep and goats. The sheep are the good guys, and the goats are the bad guys. One way of interpreting this parable is by saying, “Well, obviously, the sheep got to be sheep by doing all of these wonderful things – feeding the hungry, quenching the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, comforting the ill, and visiting the imprisoned. On the other hand, the goats got to be goats by neglecting to do all of these things.” That’s the way we arrive at a “works” theology.
Now, friends, this kind of thinking is rampant in our society. Just the other day, I was talking to this doctor who was about to surgerize my hallux magnus, and he asked me what I do, and I said that "I, too was a doctor, but not the kind that can do you any good." He responded, “Certainly, you do a lot of good, for a lot of people.” I said, “well, if they listen.” To which he said, “and they have to do what you say.” He went on to discuss his distaste for the idea that people simply have to “know” that Christ is Lord in order to find salvation – that he feels that people must “do” much good in order to prove their worthiness for salvation.
Now, I’m not picking on this guy. But his thinking is typical of so many people in our society. It’s a “works” theology – we have to do a certain number of works in order to be worthy of the sacrifice that Jesus paid for us. Let me ask you – just how many works are we talking about? Do you have a number? How many good things does a man or woman have to do to merit God’s salvation? The antithetical question is just as disturbing – “How many bad things must a person do to be undeserving of God’s salvation?” Do you have a number? Any ideas?
I debated this idea extensively when I was younger, and finally came to the conclusion that this particular scripture teaches that sheep are sheep, and goats are goats, and Jesus does the separation based on their nature, not their actions. Furthermore, I came to the conclusion that mankind is saved by the grace of God, manifested in the sacrifice of Christ, and that it is our belief/trust in Christ that saves us. Still, we struggle with the value of works in the whole scenario – “how good do I have to be to please God, and how bad do I have to be to displease God, and what are the consequences of my actions?” Those are really the questions that occupy most people’s minds when they start trying to think theologically about their salvation.
Now, that’s the “works” side of things. I really don’t buy that kind of theology, and so I have to come up with another way to process this story of Jesus. What other possibilities exist. Some time ago, John Calvin, one of the Reformation Church Fathers, came up with the idea that scripture teaches that God and God alone determines who will be saved and who will be damned. You’ve heard me rant about this for seven years now – my personal distaste for Calvinism. He put forth the idea that man is “predestined” – either to salvation, or eternal damnation. That it has absolutely nothing to do with man’s actions, beliefs, etc. We are saved or lost by the will of God alone.
Now, you can make a case out for this out of theology and scriptural interpretation. I think you really have to work at it, but you can make a case for this kind of thinking. To do so, you have to suspend some of your rational capabilities and processes – for example, I listened to a sermon by a pastor in our town who, in defending his proposition that Calvinism is a viable concept, literally said, and I quote, “You must choose to believe in the mercy of God, or in the sovereignty of God, but you cannot believe both.” Well, he’s wrong – I happen to be able to entertain both ideas in my mind – both concepts are plausible and rather easily understood in the God I serve.
So, this passage serves as something of a conundrum for me. I’m never really sure what to do with it. For this year, let me offer two or three things that we might glean from this story.
First - and this may sound to you like I’ve taken a page from the Calvinist’s handbook – Christ is the judge. There will come a time when Christ will judge all of humanity. Now, I want to help you get a handle on what Matthew was trying to say to us with this story that he brings from the teachings of Jesus. We have spent the better part of this last church year in Matthew. We have learned some things – not the least of which is that Matthew had an agenda when he started putting these stories down on paper. Perhaps the major point of his agenda was that, in writing to the Jews, he was attempting to show them, over and over, that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He went about it in a variety of ways, but he was trying to get that point though to them – Jesus was the Messiah. In doing so, part of his argument pointed to the fact that Jesus was God – God expressed in human flesh, in human form – but God, nonetheless. I think this is the point he’s trying to make here – maybe more than any other point – Christ gets to be the judge. It’s not merely this simple, but his point is quite simple – Christ will be judge. It is Christ who will separate the sheep from the goats. It is Christ who will look on the hearts of man. It is Christ who will call sin into account, will reward His faithful, and will give the unrepentant their due. No one else will make this call – it will be Christ sitting on the judgment throne.
I think there’s a second teaching here for us today. It’s my title for today – “It’s the little things that count.” I was talking with a friend recently who was bemoaning the fact that he’s about to turn 60. For him, it seems to be quite the milestone, as it would be for a lot of us. In taking stock of his life, he’s looking at the big picture, and is trying to get a handle on that “grand thing” he’s done that has changed the world and significantly aided the kingdom. He’s not so unlike the rest of us. We measure our lives that way. We’re taught to do so – “Make something of yourself.” “Go out there and change the world.”
Now, friends – I’m not putting down that kind of thinking. I wish more of us would try to change the world. Last year I put that little saying out on the marquee – “How did you change the world today?” We left it up there for months, and lots and lots of people commented on how that primed their thinking of a morning when they would drive by on their way to work. It’s not a bad thing to try to do the big thing to change the world.
But Jesus is reminding us in this parable that it’s the little things that count. It’s when we hand out food to hungry people, or give water to thirsty people, or give clothes to poor and naked people, and take in a stranger, care for someone who is ill, and visit those who find themselves in prison. It’s the little things that count. We make much to do about the big things – well, the little things are important. The betterment of this life is not defined by the big things so much as it is by the little things.
I’m not going to get literal on you here, but these six things Jesus mentions – they’re not a bad place to start. As I’ve watched you over these last seven and a half years, you’ve gotten pretty good at these six things. Listen while I point out a few, and then we might brainstorm as to how we might to similar things in the future.
Feeding hungry people. Do you remember when we got involved with the Catholic Soup Kitchen, “Our Daily Bread” – we went and helped them raise money to build their new facility, and then some of us have actually spent time in the serving line helping out. We collect food a couple of times a year for the Food Pantry, and many of us are known to fix a meal for someone, or give money to help feed hungry people. You know, people are a little more likely to listen to the story of Jesus when their bellies aren’t growling.
We’ve done some things with clothing drives, as well. We’ve done some things with garage sales, and then what we don’t sell, we take to Hope Outreach. Some of you have given money to help buy clothes, or school supplies, or pay electric and gas bills for those who need housing and clothing help.
Many of us visit. I am always proud to hear who has “beat me to the hospital” when one of you is sick. That’s a wonderful ministry. And visiting in our Nursing homes – that’s a ministry that we can all be a part of. It’s the little things, don’t you know.
Larry and Jan have gotten many of us involved in visiting the prison. There’s more to do here, and more of us can “risk the bait” on this one, but many of us already know about that tremendous ministry. There are other prisons that people find themselves in – the prison of relational difficulties, the prison of addiction, the prison of the financial rollercoaster – you have all helped someone in those situations.
I didn’t mention giving water to those who are thirsty. You may not know this, but one of the ministries that CBF is involved in is digging water wells in parts of the world where water is not readily available. You have a part in that ministry when you give your mission dollars.
Friends, Christ watches us. It’s the little things that count. Let’s remember those two things as we seek to serve Christ this very week.
Richard W. Dunn, PhD.
Matthew 25:31-46
I have spent much of the past several weeks struggling with an ingrown toe nail. I doctored it, did a little of my own surgery, and eventually messed it up to the point that I had to go to the podiatrist. He cut out the culprit on Thursday afternoon, and by Friday morning, I was a new man.
I can tell you from this experience, it’s the little things that matter. During the preceding weeks, I limped around like a geezer, protected my toe with keen awareness of other’s whereabouts, and generally suffered because of this little, miniscule problem. But the toe – well, it’s amazing how much pain a little pain in the toe can cause to the entire body. My gait changed, which changed my posture, which required so much more effort and energy during the course of the day – I ended every day for about 2 months simply exhausted.
Our parable for today is a conundrum for me. Capon lists this among the “Judgment” parables, and I suspect rightly so. I am not even vaguely Calvinistic in my theology, but this parable forces you to choose between a rather severe “works” theology, or an acquiescence to “Calvinist” theology. Let me show you what I mean.
First, the “works” side of things. This parable could be interpreted so as to affirm the idea that it is what we do that determines our salvation. We have two groups in the parable – sheep and goats. The sheep are the good guys, and the goats are the bad guys. One way of interpreting this parable is by saying, “Well, obviously, the sheep got to be sheep by doing all of these wonderful things – feeding the hungry, quenching the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, comforting the ill, and visiting the imprisoned. On the other hand, the goats got to be goats by neglecting to do all of these things.” That’s the way we arrive at a “works” theology.
Now, friends, this kind of thinking is rampant in our society. Just the other day, I was talking to this doctor who was about to surgerize my hallux magnus, and he asked me what I do, and I said that "I, too was a doctor, but not the kind that can do you any good." He responded, “Certainly, you do a lot of good, for a lot of people.” I said, “well, if they listen.” To which he said, “and they have to do what you say.” He went on to discuss his distaste for the idea that people simply have to “know” that Christ is Lord in order to find salvation – that he feels that people must “do” much good in order to prove their worthiness for salvation.
Now, I’m not picking on this guy. But his thinking is typical of so many people in our society. It’s a “works” theology – we have to do a certain number of works in order to be worthy of the sacrifice that Jesus paid for us. Let me ask you – just how many works are we talking about? Do you have a number? How many good things does a man or woman have to do to merit God’s salvation? The antithetical question is just as disturbing – “How many bad things must a person do to be undeserving of God’s salvation?” Do you have a number? Any ideas?
I debated this idea extensively when I was younger, and finally came to the conclusion that this particular scripture teaches that sheep are sheep, and goats are goats, and Jesus does the separation based on their nature, not their actions. Furthermore, I came to the conclusion that mankind is saved by the grace of God, manifested in the sacrifice of Christ, and that it is our belief/trust in Christ that saves us. Still, we struggle with the value of works in the whole scenario – “how good do I have to be to please God, and how bad do I have to be to displease God, and what are the consequences of my actions?” Those are really the questions that occupy most people’s minds when they start trying to think theologically about their salvation.
Now, that’s the “works” side of things. I really don’t buy that kind of theology, and so I have to come up with another way to process this story of Jesus. What other possibilities exist. Some time ago, John Calvin, one of the Reformation Church Fathers, came up with the idea that scripture teaches that God and God alone determines who will be saved and who will be damned. You’ve heard me rant about this for seven years now – my personal distaste for Calvinism. He put forth the idea that man is “predestined” – either to salvation, or eternal damnation. That it has absolutely nothing to do with man’s actions, beliefs, etc. We are saved or lost by the will of God alone.
Now, you can make a case out for this out of theology and scriptural interpretation. I think you really have to work at it, but you can make a case for this kind of thinking. To do so, you have to suspend some of your rational capabilities and processes – for example, I listened to a sermon by a pastor in our town who, in defending his proposition that Calvinism is a viable concept, literally said, and I quote, “You must choose to believe in the mercy of God, or in the sovereignty of God, but you cannot believe both.” Well, he’s wrong – I happen to be able to entertain both ideas in my mind – both concepts are plausible and rather easily understood in the God I serve.
So, this passage serves as something of a conundrum for me. I’m never really sure what to do with it. For this year, let me offer two or three things that we might glean from this story.
First - and this may sound to you like I’ve taken a page from the Calvinist’s handbook – Christ is the judge. There will come a time when Christ will judge all of humanity. Now, I want to help you get a handle on what Matthew was trying to say to us with this story that he brings from the teachings of Jesus. We have spent the better part of this last church year in Matthew. We have learned some things – not the least of which is that Matthew had an agenda when he started putting these stories down on paper. Perhaps the major point of his agenda was that, in writing to the Jews, he was attempting to show them, over and over, that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He went about it in a variety of ways, but he was trying to get that point though to them – Jesus was the Messiah. In doing so, part of his argument pointed to the fact that Jesus was God – God expressed in human flesh, in human form – but God, nonetheless. I think this is the point he’s trying to make here – maybe more than any other point – Christ gets to be the judge. It’s not merely this simple, but his point is quite simple – Christ will be judge. It is Christ who will separate the sheep from the goats. It is Christ who will look on the hearts of man. It is Christ who will call sin into account, will reward His faithful, and will give the unrepentant their due. No one else will make this call – it will be Christ sitting on the judgment throne.
I think there’s a second teaching here for us today. It’s my title for today – “It’s the little things that count.” I was talking with a friend recently who was bemoaning the fact that he’s about to turn 60. For him, it seems to be quite the milestone, as it would be for a lot of us. In taking stock of his life, he’s looking at the big picture, and is trying to get a handle on that “grand thing” he’s done that has changed the world and significantly aided the kingdom. He’s not so unlike the rest of us. We measure our lives that way. We’re taught to do so – “Make something of yourself.” “Go out there and change the world.”
Now, friends – I’m not putting down that kind of thinking. I wish more of us would try to change the world. Last year I put that little saying out on the marquee – “How did you change the world today?” We left it up there for months, and lots and lots of people commented on how that primed their thinking of a morning when they would drive by on their way to work. It’s not a bad thing to try to do the big thing to change the world.
But Jesus is reminding us in this parable that it’s the little things that count. It’s when we hand out food to hungry people, or give water to thirsty people, or give clothes to poor and naked people, and take in a stranger, care for someone who is ill, and visit those who find themselves in prison. It’s the little things that count. We make much to do about the big things – well, the little things are important. The betterment of this life is not defined by the big things so much as it is by the little things.
I’m not going to get literal on you here, but these six things Jesus mentions – they’re not a bad place to start. As I’ve watched you over these last seven and a half years, you’ve gotten pretty good at these six things. Listen while I point out a few, and then we might brainstorm as to how we might to similar things in the future.
Feeding hungry people. Do you remember when we got involved with the Catholic Soup Kitchen, “Our Daily Bread” – we went and helped them raise money to build their new facility, and then some of us have actually spent time in the serving line helping out. We collect food a couple of times a year for the Food Pantry, and many of us are known to fix a meal for someone, or give money to help feed hungry people. You know, people are a little more likely to listen to the story of Jesus when their bellies aren’t growling.
We’ve done some things with clothing drives, as well. We’ve done some things with garage sales, and then what we don’t sell, we take to Hope Outreach. Some of you have given money to help buy clothes, or school supplies, or pay electric and gas bills for those who need housing and clothing help.
Many of us visit. I am always proud to hear who has “beat me to the hospital” when one of you is sick. That’s a wonderful ministry. And visiting in our Nursing homes – that’s a ministry that we can all be a part of. It’s the little things, don’t you know.
Larry and Jan have gotten many of us involved in visiting the prison. There’s more to do here, and more of us can “risk the bait” on this one, but many of us already know about that tremendous ministry. There are other prisons that people find themselves in – the prison of relational difficulties, the prison of addiction, the prison of the financial rollercoaster – you have all helped someone in those situations.
I didn’t mention giving water to those who are thirsty. You may not know this, but one of the ministries that CBF is involved in is digging water wells in parts of the world where water is not readily available. You have a part in that ministry when you give your mission dollars.
Friends, Christ watches us. It’s the little things that count. Let’s remember those two things as we seek to serve Christ this very week.
Richard W. Dunn, PhD.
posted by the sojourning pilgrim | 7:44 AM
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