Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, July 2, 2017
The very first word in our bulletins after the title page and heading is the word welcome. It is the first words I say as I have the privilege to speak on behalf of our church family: “Welcome to First Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in the strong name of Jesus.” And I notice that Marlo will usually end her announcements with the same words: “We welcome you to make your home among us.” This is a further invitation to become a part of the life of our community of faith. Welcome, wilkommen, bienvenidos. We seem to be saying the same thing in various languages—that we are glad to see the visitor, we hope they feel at ease and at home, we wish them well, and we are prepared to do what we can to make it a good visit.
Jesus’ words about welcoming others in our Gospel reveal a greater depth and greater sense of urgency. There is a lot at stake in how we do or do not welcome others. It seems that everyone is a stakeholder in the welcoming business. When we welcome Jesus into our lives, we are welcoming God the Father. When others welcome us as Jesus’ disciples—in the name of Jesus, they are welcoming Jesus himself. When we welcome others as Jesus’ disciples—in Jesus’ name, we are welcoming Jesus. When we do not welcome one another, we are denying ourselves God’s reward. We are missing out on the blessings that flow from participating in this great welcoming enterprise we call the Kingdom of God and the Gospel. Welcoming God into our lives and welcoming others is one of the most important ways we fulfill the great commandment to love God with our whole being and love one another as Christ has loved us.
But it will never happen if we are so self-absorbed that we do not even notice the visitor. Or that our coming together is about what we want to get out of it. We deny ourselves God’s reward. When we do not welcome others because they do not measure up to our standard, we cut ourselves off from God’s blessings. When we judge others and name particular attributes or behaviors that would make them unwelcome, we have not only rejected the individual but the face of Jesus himself. A lack of acceptance of who or how a person is is rejection. It is the antithesis of welcoming. And people are smart. Kids especially will pick this up quickly. If we are not genuinely happy to see each other, that message of rejection will be loud and clear. “If possible, as far as it depends upon you,” Scripture says, “be at peace with all people” (Rom 12:18). I think this is the most disturbing and encouraging truth of Jesus’ words of wisdom this morning:
Jesus cares just as much about transforming the life of the visitor as he does transforming the life of the Christian community. Remember that Jesus did not come for the righteous but for the sinner. He receives the broken. He welcomes the sinner. To welcome someone in the name of a disciple or in the name of Jesus is to see that welcome as something greater than one individual glad to see another individual. It is to consider our welcome as part of the work for the Kingdom of God. We are not just being nice or friendly. We have the privilege of participating in the life of Christ and of his Body. And to drive this point home, Jesus gives the most underwhelming example: “Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” Such a small act of kindness—a cup of water. Such a person lacking an impressive resume—a little child.
And yet, it is not the greatness of the act itself but the heart of the one who is genuinely welcoming and accepting the most small, simple, and most helpless among us. And consider the greatness of the message that comes with that cold, cup of water: “You matter. I care. Jesus loves you. And here is just a little evidence of that love.” Christ welcomes us to the family of God through a splash of water in the Triune name. And we welcome the newly baptized with the words: “We welcome you in the name of the Lord.” And Christ welcomes us to his Table to receive his Body and Blood with the words: “Take, eat. Drink of it, all of you.” He is a good host. And so we should be.
Yesterday, I was sharing this with our community meals guests. And they were sharing this message with me. One woman says she sometimes gets extra food at the pantry and puts it at the door of her neighbor who happened to be sitting close by. He nodded his head vigorously in affirmation. When we give up our seat on the bus or open the door, we are not just preventing it from slamming them in the face, we are saying, “I see you. You are not invisible. You have a place in this world. You matter to God. You are the face of Christ.” These are not just random acts of kindness, they are the mighty work of the Holy Spirit. We are welcomed by God as sinners. We welcome others as we are—a work in progress. And we are the hands and face of God to those we welcome. And those we welcome are the face of Christ to us. We see just how interwoven all these relationships are. Jesus welcomes us. We welcome God when we welcome Christ. We encounter the divine in small acts of kindness in Jesus’ name both as those who welcome and those who are welcomed. Jesus wants his welcome of us to be contagious. So that his welcome spreads, our family grows, and we all enjoy the assurance of acceptance, forgiveness, and eternal life.
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