Sermon preached at St. Alban's, Spirit Lake, on August 25 & 26, 2007
(Proper 16, Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, BCP Lectionary)
by the Rev. Carl D. Mann

Texts:   Isaiah 28:14-22
Psalm 46
Hebrews 12:18-19,22-29
Luke 13:22-30

This week’s Gospel is an interesting piece which continues to deal with the end times. As Jesus is walking around the countryside preaching and teaching, a man steps up and asks if only a few will be saved. And Jesus answers him with a typical Jesus answer which is not always clear to those who are listening.

Jesus says to strive to enter the narrow door because not everyone will be able to get through. Now the Greek word for strive means to struggle or to agonize over but he doesn’t explain whether the door is narrow in dimension so that large people such as me will have to struggle to squeeze in, the proverbial rock and a hard place, or if it’s more like a bottleneck in traffic such as where Hwy 71 reduces from four lanes down into two in Okoboji, so it’s just agonizing if you’re running late for an appointment.

Probably a better way to describe it would be similar to when you buy a ticket for an airplane, you’ve confirmed your seat, and have a boarding pass. However, either the airline overbooks the flight, or they invoke an obscure rule that only allows a certain number of people aboard a particular flight. Either way, when the capacity of the plane is reached, the doors are closed and the remaining ticket holders are left standing in the terminal in a state of shock. And let me say for those of you who never had this occur or who have never witnessed it firsthand, there is more than just weeping and gnashing of teeth!

“Lord, we have tickets! We were with you every day as you taught in our midst. You’re one of us. We’re the Chosen People! You came and sat at our tables eating and drinking with us, and now you shut the door on us and act like you never knew us. What’s up with that?”

Now let’s tear this apart a little bit. It’s important to remember that this conversation is taking place between Jesus and a Jewish audience. The man asking the question is Jewish by religion and culture which means that he is one of God’s Chosen People. We don’t know whether or not he is living under the Law of the Covenant or not, but as a Jewish male he probably assumed that he was going to be saved. In his mind he had a ticket to get in. He may have been wondering what was going to happen to all of the Gentiles who weren’t covered by the Law. And perhaps he may have been wondering about some of his fellow Jews. Not all of his compatriots were as law abiding as he. Surely, tax collectors and sinners weren’t going to be saved, would they?

But Jesus doesn’t deal with numbers and statistics. He says, “You know, time is running out, and from here it looks like it shouldn’t be a problem to get through the door to the other side but I’m telling you that the door is not as wide as you may think and when that door begins to close, it’s going to be a real struggle to get inside. Just because I ate and drank with you doesn’t give you special privilege later on. I ate and drank with you in order to inform you that I am your last chance. And that chance isn’t just for you but for everybody in the world. Maybe you shouldn’t worry so much about who is going to get in and get going yourself. Don’t wait until the last minute to arrive and think that you will just stroll on in. Get in now while you still can.”

Now this warning is for the Jewish nation. It’s for the pious, law-abiding Pharisee who understand the letter of the law but forgets the intent, and it’s for the tax collectors and sinners, too. Jesus mingled with everybody during his ministry but the message was always the same. The covenant is open to everybody. It always has been. The Chosen people were chosen so that they would be an example to the rest of the world declaring that there is only one God: Shema Israel Adonai eloheinu ichthah. Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone. Spread the word! But time and again, the chosen people strayed and were lured into the neighboring cultures, following their gods, and forgetting their mission. Those that didn’t stray forgot their mission as well and internalized the Law making it applicable only to them and not to the world and thus the Law became an idol. Keeping the letter of the Law became more important than manifesting the justice held within.

Jesus came to let the world know that he is the last chance. He wants the world to know that salvation is available to Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and freemen, everyone from all four corners of the earth is invited to partake of the heavenly banquet that is being set but time is running out and soon the doors will be closed. Yes, the Jewish nation has tickets but that doesn’t mean they will automatically get a seat. Everyone has to choose to partake.

That is the context of the passage but how does a warning to Israel apply to us today as Christians? Aren’t we assured of our salvation?

The Church teaches us that salvation is a process. It began with the Incarnation, when God chose to enter this world in the form of a human being. As a teacher he spread the message of God’s love for the world. As a prophet he informed the world of the coming of God’s kingdom and of the end times. As a priest and victim he offered himself as a living sacrifice to atone for all of our sins once and for all. As God he broke the bonds of death, being raised from the dead and ascending back to his previous glory in heaven awaiting all of those who believe in him.

Salvation continues when we are baptized into his life, death, and resurrection, and sealed as Christ’s own forever. We are sanctified and set aside being transformed into new living beings called Christians. When we confirm our belief in Christ and accept the call to our new responsibilities, we can’t help but share the Good News of the salvation message and bearing the fruits of the Spirit of goodness and love that has been grafted into our hearts from God the Father.

Because we are human, we are prone to be lured back into the culture putting other things before God in our lives but in Christ we also have a mediator, and by repenting and confessing our sins, promising to amend our lives accordingly, we are reconciled with the Father. We nourish this relationship by the daily reading of God’s word, and partaking of the sacraments on a regular basis, and yes even by coming to worship together as a Christian community as often as possible.

Salvation continues when we die in this world yet we live again in paradise with Jesus as we wait for the Day of the Lord, the final judgment. On that day the process is complete.

Salvation begins in our lives when we consciously pick up the ticket that is available to us and intentionally use it to its utmost. Salvation as a process appears to be a roller coaster ride. It has its highs and lows, its thrills and terror. What it does is place responsibility on each and every one of us to live our lives according to God’s will; stay buckled up, arms and legs remain in the seats, hang on to your hat and any other loose items, then enjoy the ride, and experience the excitement. Then go out and share that excitement by bringing others to the table to pick up their own tickets so that may experience it too. Don’t wait too long though because at some time the gates will be closed and the ride will be over.

Gloria Patri