Prodigal God Series #6, Reign of Christ Sunday
If you watch television news, read a newspaper, listen to radio, or scan the internet, you’ll find signs of a world in chaos. While science and technology have brought great wealth to a few, many of have been left out of the prosperity of the 21st century.
Today we celebrate Reign of Christ Sunday. As followers of Christ we have not only that he came to the world as God’s incarnate son, that he died for us, and the he rose again on the third day, and lives forever, proclaiming the Gospel to the world.
The Gospel of Christ is the gospel of the Prodigal God, a God who is extravagantly generous to us, whether we deserve it or not. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, God offers us the Feast of the Father, a feast that all are invited to, regardless of nation, race or background.
As Matthew’s gospel tells us, when the son of man comes in glory, those who inherit the kingdom, the sheep… will be those who gave food to the hungry, welcome to the stranger, clothing to unclothed, care to the sick, and made the effort to visit those in prison.
In doing this “to the least of these” we do it to Jesus, the Christ.
But the goats, who are condemned to separation from God, are those who refused to feed, care for, welcome or visit “the least of these.”
This is tough stuff.
It means as Christians we are called to a faith that is far more than just following the law, doing what is right morally speaking, and professing our faith by attending worship.
It means we are called to mission and ministry, to follow the teaching of Christ
.
That’s where today’s celebration of the Reign of Christ links up with the Prodigal God series.
The purpose of looking in depth at this parable, and other related scripture passages is so we see see the link between our future as the church of Christ in this Diocese, and an outward focus on mission.
It’s one of the hardest things to come to grips with. Yet the teaching is there in scripture and it has been true throughout the history of the church.
The church is at its most faithful when it reaches out to the community. Historically Anglicans have played a major role in education, health, social welfare, and the life of the community.
However during the past half century that role has eroded as society has changed. As I’ve said before, it isn’t our fault, but the whole mission field has changed fundamentally. There are more churches than ever in Sarnia, and most of the traditional churches are shrinking while the more fundamentalist churches, with contemporary music and very little if any liturgy, are doing best with the minority of younger people who are active Christians.
That doesn’t mean Anglicans, or others who follow a more traditional pattern of liturgy, and a less literal approach to scripture, are going to disappear from the scene.
The reason we’ve followed this Diocesan wide study is to get us thinking beyond survival, and what our mission as Anglicans in southwestern Ontario is during the next decade.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the one who never ceases to seek our salvation, and draw us to himself.
Jesus does this not so that we escape the world, but so that we are sent out as his disciples, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to share the good news, to feed, clothe and befriend those in need.
That is the essence of the reign of Christ, living out Christ’s teaching, celebrating our fellowship by sharing his body and blood, reconciling ourselves to one another in all our weakness, and sin.
If we look at the elder brother in the parable, we can see that if he had responded to his younger brother’s return by rejoicing, rather than groaning, cheering rather than jeering, that he would be following Jesus, the true elder brother who calls us to join the feast of the father.
A personal faith or relationship with God isn’t enough. It is by joining in the Feast of the Father, joining in community, caring for others, that we find our purpose in life.
It is in community that we can carry out our mission as followers of Christ. If we look back at our 85 years of parish history, we began as a mission to the children of north Sarnia, who needed a Sunday school.
That mission turned into a parish church, which became a hub of the community right into the 50’s and 60’s.
How do we meet the challenge of doing mission in a very different context?
That is something we have to address as individuals, as parishes, as deaneries, as Dioceses and as a national Anglican Church, part of a worldwide communion.
It isn’t a time for blame—-looking for who is responsible, or what did we do wrong.
It is a time when we need to pray for the wisdom and courage to discern what we might do as followers of Christ to carry on this mission—preach the good news, to care for each other, to care for those in need, to seek peace and justice.
We aren’t hear just to survive, as the older brother did in the parable of the prodigal son. We are here to join in the feast of the Father.
The next few months will be a time of discernment for us as a parish. We will look at new models of ministry, including shared priestly ministry, or collaboration with other parishes in Sarnia.
No solutions will be imposed on the parish, however the financial realities of parish life in the 21st century, with diminished offerings from fewer people, and the cost of maintaining buildings and staff mean the decisions have to be made to live within our means.
This is not an easy process. I’ve been through it before both as a lay person, and as a priest.
So let us conclude with a prayer for the parish from the prayer book.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost
govern all things in heaven and earth:
Mercifully hear our prayers, and grant to this
Parish all things needful for its spiritual welfare
Strengthen and confirm the faithful;
protect and guide the children; visit and relieve
the sick; turn and soften the wicked; arouse the
careless; recover the fallen; restore the penitent.
Remove all hindrances to the advancement of
thy truth; and bring us all to be of one heart and
mind within the fold of thy holy Church, to the
honour and glory of thy blessed Name; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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