Sermon 6/8/08
On Fire: Healing - Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
(view lectionary notes for this text)
Are you a ‘put together’ person? You may have heard or used the phrase yourself – “That person seems very put together” or “I don’t feel very put together today.” When we use this phrase, we mean that a person ‘has their act together’ – they are organized, or present themselves well, or something like that. Well, I like to consider myself a ‘put together’ person. I may not strike you as the most organized person, the most outwardly put together, especially if you’ve looked at my desk lately, but I consider myself very emotionally put together. Since I was very little, I’ve always hated being emotional in front of other people. I prefer to be in control of what emotions I share with others, who I share them with, and when I share them. If you’ve seen me cry, you can be assured that I was greatly stressed to be crying! Part of my dislike of being publicly emotional is from a practical point of view. As a pastor, I am often witness to the full range of human emotions and experiences. I am often trying to be present for someone who can’t possibly be expected to be ‘put together’, and so if I can be ‘put together’ on their behalf, it is a way I can help. But the core of my dislike of sharing my emotions I guess is a dislike of being vulnerable in front of people. Being vulnerable is risky – you are putting yourself and your emotions out there for another person to respond to and take care of, and the responses, the care we receive – these aren’t always what we’ve hoped for, to say the least. I prefer, whenever possible, to stay ‘put together’.
But what surprises me is how often we try to be ‘put together’ for God. I think we’re just as concerned about looking good in front of God as we are with looking good in front of one another. I’ve found that we humans are often engaged in an elaborate production, a play of sorts that we put on for God that tries to communicate to God, “Look how good we’re doing!” We want God to see in us only the best we have to offer. We want God to be pleased with what God sees in us. We want to put our best foot forward for God, and know that God is happy with us.
Why do we want to put on such a good face for God? If we can’t admit our sin and brokenness to God, then truly, who can we really be ourselves in front of? Who can we really show our full selves too, and who can really know us fully? I fear that we’re afraid to show our brokenness to God because deep down, we’re afraid of what God will think of us, and what God will do to us if we don’t measure up, if we’re not good enough. I fear that at the core of things, we really don’t believe, still, that God loves us unconditionally, that God gives us a gift, a free gift of grace, and that there is nothing we can do to earn or un-earn God’s love for us. I can’t think of why else we would hesitate to tell God about our shortcomings, our failures, and our sins. In our hearts, and in our actions, we act as though we’re trying to convince our neighbors, ourselves, and God that we’re really good enough – good enough to be loved, good enough for grace.
But we’re missing the point, of course, just like the Pharisees did in our reading from Matthew. They can’t understand why Jesus wants to spend his time with tax collectors and sinners – those on the fringes of society. But Jesus tells them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” Throughout the text, Jesus makes himself available to all kinds of people who are broken – a tax collector who becomes a disciple, others who become meal companions who are sinners, a ritually unclean woman who is healed by her simple, trusting faith, a child whose life would have held little meaning in society who is resurrected by Jesus’ touch. Jesus comes for them, for those who are full of need, but also full of faith, rather than to those who are trying to be so put together that they have no room for what Jesus offers. Mercy, Jesus says, not sacrifice. Grace, not judgment. Healing, not hurting.
We want so very much to look like we’re doing all the right things. We want very much to be put together. We want very much to be worthy of God’s love. But today, thank God, we’re reminded that Jesus has come to those of us who are broken, who need healing, who fall short, who mess up, who sin. We stand in need of God’s grace. Today is not about being put together. Today is about being broken, and offering our brokenness to God, and being open to God’s healing, a gift to us, unconditional, offered without cost, without limitations.
Today is a day to bring your brokenness to God, to offer the broken pieces of your life to God with an open and honest heart. God is not interested in what we can do for God, but what God can do for us, I think. And the thing that we can do for God is have faith in God - that's what the hemorrhaging woman did, and the little girl’s father did, and Matthew the tax collector did – they had faith, and Jesus said that it was their faith, not their goodness, or worthiness, or perfectness, or put-togetherness that made them well.
Today, we’ll share in a service of healing. I can’t promise how God might work in your life to heal you. Only God knows. But I invite you to come because I think we are all broken and in need of healing. Some of us need physical healing. Others need spiritual healing, or emotional healing. It is your brokenness that God wants. It is for you that Christ has come.
Come, and show God your brokenness. There is nothing you can show God that will keep God from loving you completely. Give God your broken spirit. Give God your weeping and mourning and rent hearts. And God will bring healing to your heart, and love without condition or price. Broken, let us come.
Amen.