a sermon for 5 Pentecost (Proper 7A) 5/14/26

 

        “Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy.  I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God.  Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.  If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me.  If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.”

                                    Matthew 10:34-37 (MSG)

            Jesus’ words seem harsh.  Especially on a day like today.  A day when we celebrate the fathers and those who have been father-like to us.  After all, many of us first come to know love in our families.  Whether that be a family by blood, a bonus family, or a chosen family.  So, what are we to make of Jesus’ words?

            I think Jesus is using extreme exaggeration to make a point.  That is, Jesus is deliberately overstating to help His followers understand.  The cost must be counted carefully.  Just as with last week’s Gospel reading, Jesus wants those who follow Him to fully understand what it means to be His followers.

            Today Jesus ups the ante to say that even family relationships should be secondary.  One’s relationship with God should be first and foremost.  Nothing, not even among some of the closest relationships we will have, should get in the way of our relationship with God.  God and God alone should be our top priority.

            As Jesus says elsewhere, “desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33, CEV).  In other words, our hearts should be wholly devoted to God and to loving God with every fiber of our being: heart, soul, strength, body, and mind.  Half-heartedness will not do.

            Jesus knows whereof He speaks.  In the Gospels we read that Jesus sometimes speaks harshly to His family.  Jesus tells His family that those who do God’s will are His true family (Matthew 12:48-50).  I am sure that does not go over well with Jesus’ biological family (although we are not told of their reaction).

Right now, many of our families are unfortunately divided.  Even mine.  Racism, politics, theology, and matters of sexual identity have the closest of families deeply divided.  Perhaps family gatherings are tense and strained anymore.  Maybe some members of the family are left off the invite list.

            To take up one’s cross is to publicly identify with Jesus as Lord.  And Jesus tells us that we may not win any popularity contests.  After all, Jesus didn’t.  But we will be given something more than money, possessions, and fame.  We will be given a huge family of saints from every time, language, people, and nation.

            Jesus also promises that when we give ourselves whole-heartedly to God, we will receive something even better than this world.  We will receive new and unending life in God’s eternal Kin-dom.  A place where there is no more suffering or division.  A place where there is perfect peace and harmony.

            You and I are called to bring that reality down to Earth.  To make our community a little glimpse of Heaven on Earth.  That is what we pray for in the Lord’s Prayer each and every week: “Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”

            We do this as we gather in our diversity as one at Christ’s Table.

            We do this as we feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

            We do this as we visit the lonely and the homebound.

            We do this as we pray for our community, our nation, and the world.

            We do this as we cross the divides and build relationships.

            Jesus does not say this Kin-dom building work is easy.  In fact, Jesus suffers betrayal, crucifixion, and death for it.  Jesus says that we should expect difficulties and obstacles, too.  That does not mean we should give up.  Jesus promises blessings to those who persevere.  Abundant blessings to eternal life.