A Gracious Invitation

A painter, more interested in making a buck than in providing quality work, would often thin out his paint so that he could cover more space per gallon of paint. This meant that he was always able to put in lower bids for jobs than his other, more honest competitors. Well, the local church was getting ready to celebrate their one hundredth anniversary and decided to have the place freshened up with a new coat of paint. Of course our friend put in the lowest bid and got the job. On the last day of the job, as he was standing on some scaffolding finishing up a section near the roof, there was a large clap of thunder. They heavens opened up and rain came pouring down. The thunder was so close that it knocked the painter off the scaffolding and the rain washed the thinned out paint off the walls. Taking this as a sign, the painter called out, “Forgive me, Lord. What will you have me do for you?” And a voice from the heavens called out, “Re-paint! Re-paint! And Thin no more!”

Today we see the glorious and wonderful picture that Matthew paints of Jesus filled out a little bit more. It is really pretty awesome. From his genealogy, to his birth; from the visit of the magi to the journey from Egypt; from the baptism to the temptation in the wilderness; with each scene Matthew opens our eyes to who Jesus is and the significance that he has for us in our lives.

Now this would be important during any time of the year. But it is especially important during the time of Epiphany. Because in this season we are celebrating and remembering who Jesus is as truly God and truly a human being, and how that is revealed to the world, and the impact that this has on the world in general, and our lives specifically.

Today we see a little more of this picture that Matthew paints for us. Today we see Jesus beginning to preach up in the northern part of the country, near the Sea of Galilee. He goes there after he hears that John the Baptist had been arrested. This too fulfills what was written by the prophet Isaiah that a great light would shine in the darkness.

Do you remember all the time we have spent talking about the kingdoms of Israel and Judah; how they split, and Israel was eventually destroyed by the Assyrians? Ever since that things had not quite been the same. The days had been rather dark, especially when you compare them to their former glory. But now all that changes. Because now, the people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light. That light is Jesus. He is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Old Testament. It is not just that he did amazing kinds of things. But God told us about this Jesus many, many years before he came, and we see that coming about. This is what we would call proof of identification.

So, the fact that Jesus heads up to Galilee to begin preaching is no accident. It is really pretty significant. He goes and he begins to preach. And his message is really a simple one. “Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” How do those words strike you? Do they sound a little bit like a threat to you? This would be a little like the experience of the painter. You better do this or else you are going to get it. The time is short hurry up. Repent.

Do these words strike you as applying more to someone else? Yeah. That’s right Jesus. You tell them. You tell those sinners what’s coming to them. I’m sure glad that doesn’t apply to me. So those are your two options. But either way it is a message that is a tough pill to swallow.

So what is going on here? What is happening with this? What does this mean? Well, what we see here is influenced a lot about what we believe about who our God is and how he acts and what he wants. That is something that we can almost take for granted, but if you think about it; it makes a lot of sense. For example if I believe that God is an angry judge who is sent out to punish the sins and sinners of the world and life is about appeasing him so we do not experience his anger, well that is going to really impact how you see and treat other people; how you see and treat yourself; how you see and treat your God.

If, I believe that God, while being just, does not simply ignore sin because it is an issue that needs to be dealt with, but I believe that that is why this God has done what he has done in Jesus. That he is a God who is merciful, loving, gracious and forgiving. Not so that we can do whatever we want, but so that we can experience life and peace and joy and hope. That this God is about the work of healing and restoring his creation so that we can live life with him not based on fear, but in sure and certain knowledge, that because of Jesus we experience life as his own dearly loved sons and daughters. If this is how you understand God, well that is going to really impact how you see and treat other people; how you see and treat yourself; how you see and treat your God.

In other words, what we believe about God is going to impact how we see Jesus’ words here. If you believe that God is the angry judge who wants to give all evil doers what they deserve, well then Jesus’ words to repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand will be a threat. You better do this or else.

If, on the other hand, you believe that God while being just is also gracious and merciful and forgiving, then you will find in Jesus’ words not a threat but an invitation. Repent. Change the way you think and act. For the kingdom of heaven, the reign of God is at hand.

By the way, talking about the reign of God as being at hand, is not saying that the reign of God is close in the sense of a time line. Although that is certainly true. But to talk about the reign of God or the kingdom of God as being at hand is to mean that it is nearby. It is here. Right now. We get to experience it and live in it. We get to bear witness to it and show it to others. Now, it is not yet here in all of its fullness. That is yet to come. But it is here. It is really. We see it as Jesus brings it, and we get to live it and experience it and all the benefits in our lives today.

In other words when we are talking about the Kingdom of God, we are talking about what happens when God shows up. We are talking about what happens when he takes up residence. We are talking about what happens when he moves into the neighborhood. It is life changing. It is life giving. Living life in relationship with God is not about keeping a grumpy deity happy so that he does not inflict woe and suffering upon us. But living life in relationship with God is experiencing life in all of its fullness and as it was meant to be lived.

Living life in relationship with God is living in the forgiveness and grace and mercy of our God that comes because of and for the sake of Jesus. It means having peace and reconciliation and wholeness. This is a pretty big deal. Especially in a world that is so broken and twisted. This is a big deal in a world where so many feel lost and that they don’t matter or have a purpose.

Life lived in relationship with God is life as it was meant to be lived. It is life before death and not just life after death, although it is that too. Life lived in relationship with God is abundant and full life where we can experience restoration in our relationships, in ourselves and in our souls. It is about having purpose and meaning that is not centered on us or about us, but is about showing, giving witness to and proclaiming the love of God in Christ Jesus.

This is a life that does not allow us to be in control. It does not allow us to call the shots or to be number one. This is a life that is costly. This is a life that totally belongs to God. It is a life lived as a living sacrifice. It is a live lived as a servant. It is a life that is better than anything we could set up for ourselves or ask or imagine.

That’s why Jesus’ words here are so important. It is an invitation and not a threat. But it is a gracious invitation that requires a pretty big change. Repent. Turn around. Change the way you think and act. Do a complete 180. This is not just an adjustment. This is not give it your best. This is not close enough for government work. But this is repent. Change in order to follow the one who is worth following.

This is the one who causes fishermen to drop their entire livelihood and all that goes with it to follow him. He is worth following. And by the power and grace of his Holy Spirit, we too are able to follow. To be sure, he is the one who gets all the credit in this. He extends the invitation. He enables us to accept. He enables us to repent and to follow. And yet we are the ones who benefit from this. All because of our great and awesome our God is.

Hopefully, by now, you will never hear these words in the same way again. Hopefully they will not be a threat, but a gracious invitation to live and experience life unlike anything in our wildest imagination. Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. Follow Jesus and you will know life as it was meant to be lived. And may that life be a blessing to you now and always. Amen.