Hosea 5:15-6:6
Psalm 50
Romans 4:13-18
Matthew 9:9-13
A few days ago, Jesus got back home to Capernaum. Last night he forgave the sins of a man who was paralyzed. And the religious authorities were completely outraged, calling such behavior blasphemous - but then when he healed the man's paralysis, the scribes had to back off.
Yet somehow I think Jesus knows this is just the beginning of the conflict between him and the "Establishment." I wonder if he might not have slept very well last night. Maybe he got up early this morning - before dawn while the others were still sleeping - and went for a walk.
It wouldn't take him long to find his way out of Capernaum. It's a tiny little fishing village, much smaller than Little Falls. There probably aren't more than 1500 people in the whole town.
There are only a few rows of small, cramped houses built close to the shore of the Galilean Sea. As he walks past them, it would be hard not to notice the poverty reflected in their crude construction - of black basalt rock reinforced with mud and dung and covered with thatched roofs. By midmorning, the black basalt will have collected the heat of the sun and turned them into stifling, hot furnaces.
But for now he enjoys the coolness of the early morning air as he leaves the town behind and climbs up into the hills to talk with his Father. He gazes out over the still waters of the Sea of Galilee, and watches the sun rise - while he considers the impact of the decision he's been mulling over for the last few days.
Peter, Andrew - James and John have been remarkably faithful in their support of him and his message about God's love for all of God's children. And they supported him last night in his confrontation with the scribes. But what about today? What will they do today when he calls the tax collector, Matthew, to join them?
Peter, in particular, worries Jesus. Peter who is so passionate, so strong in his opinions - and so quick tempered. All of them, James, John, Andrew and Peter have been exploited by Matthew for years. Ever since Matthew managed to buy the fishing rights from the Romans, he's been able to demand outrageous taxes from all the fishermen in the village - he's charged his fellow Jews almost twice as much as he paid the Romans for the right to exploit them. Sometimes he's even brought Roman soldiers with him to the home of an obstinate fisherman who refused to pay the tax that Matthew was demanding. Every fisherman in Capernaum had good reason to scorn the likes of Matthew.
Yes, Jesus knows just how much tax collectors like Matthew are despised. They aren't even allowed to worship or study or even pray in the synagogue. The only people who associate with tax collectors are other tax collectors, thieves and prostitutes. When people from devout Jewish homes look at a tax collector, all they see is a traitor with no self-respect or dignity.
Jesus has already asked his disciples to give up a great deal to follow him. He's asked them to give up their work - in most cases that was the main source of support for their families; he's asked them to give up time with their wives and children - sometimes they don't see their loved ones for weeks at a time and they've no idea when they'll be seeing them again.
And today he's going to ask them to give up something more, something infinitely precious to them. He's going to ask them to give up their reputation as respectable and upstanding members of their community. Although it will be Matthew that he will ask to follow him today, he knows that the others will have to decide if continuing to follow him is worth this latest price.
He knows that calling Matthew to follow him will bring him right back into conflict with the religious authorities again . . . With the Pharisees who set the standards that exclude undesirables from the midst of the righteous and godly. Will his disciples be able to withstand the social pressure they will experience? Will they be able to stay the course?
So Jesus prays, seeking counsel and strength from God. And he prays for his disciples. He prays that their hearts will be filled with the Spirit which will sustain them as the weeks and months ahead become even more demanding and more difficult.
The sun has risen higher and the day's heat begins to shimmer in the air. Jesus stirs himself as the sun beats down. He realizes it's late, and he'd best be on his way. He has so much to do - and he needs to call someone else to help him. He can't do it alone.
So on a blistering hot day some 2000 years ago, Jesus took a risk - a risk that could have shut down his whole ministry right then and there. He called the tax collector, Matthew, to follow him.
Now when he did that he called every rejected, despised, and contemptible person ever born to turn around and follow him. And he called every respectable, admired, and honorable person ever born to realize that those whom they've excluded for whatever reason are their sisters and their brothers.
Jesus still can't do it alone. He needs every single one of us to stay the course and heed the call - no matter the price. And I believe that the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour has been listening and heeding our Lord's call. You have opened your arms in love to the Gay and Lesbian Community. You have taken an enormous risk in committing yourselves to the needs of people who are physically disabled by working to build an accessible addition. You simply refused to close the doors of this wonderful old church, and have continued to support Total Ministry - despite how confusing it's been trying to figure out just what Total Ministry really is.
Just as Jesus must have been filled with pride and delight when his disciples decided to join him at dinner that night at Matthew's house some 2000 years ago, I believe that on this Sunday morning he is also filled with pride and love and joy about the decisions of the people of the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour - a little church...in a little town...called Little Falls.
AMEN.