Loading...Sermon November 19, 2017
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, LSW
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen, Newport, PA
Pentecost 24, Year A, Proper 28, Track 1
//lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp28_RCL.html
His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Matthew 25:23
Please be seated.
When I lived in Corbin, Paula and Linda were members of the church and neighbors. Paula was in her mid-thirties, about 5’4” with curly, light brown hair. She and her mother, Linda, often sat on the front porch of their home.
The first time I met Paula, I had gone to Corbin for my interview. I was taking a break and walking around the block to survey the community. Paula outright asked if I was going to be the new priest at the church. Now, all of this was supposed to be confidential, but I couldn’t lie about the fact that I was indeed the priest being interviewed for the position.
Paula had some disabilities. She wasn’t good with numbers and money. Sometimes she found it tough to understand a conversation. And Paul had amazing talents. Paula loved the local high school sports teams and I enjoyed going to the football and basketball games with her. Paula loved her mother and did her best to make sure her mother had the health care she needed.
What impressed me most about Paula, though, was her love of God and Jesus. Paula not only went to our church on Sunday mornings, but often to another church on Sunday evenings. She’d come to our Wednesday evening services, too. She liked the Episcopal service and the Pentecostal services. Paula was serious about tithing. She’d collect her change and some dollar bills and then put them in a plastic baggie to give at offering time.
And Paul could pray. Often she asked me to pray with her and her mother, which I did. And then I’d ask her to pray. Her prayers to God were so beautiful and powerful. Most weeks, I traveled between Corbin and Lexington, 85 miles one way. Paula would always ask when I was going to Lexington. She’d come and pray over me and over my car!
In essence, Paula was like servants in our Gospel who were “trustworthy in a few things.” Paula used the talents God gave her. She did not bury them in the ground.
In our Gospel today, Jesus is once again trying to help us understand what the Kingdom of God is like. Jesus needs the disciples to grow in their understanding so they, and we, can build this realm right here and right now.
We have been created with abundant and generous gifts from God. We are not created alike. We are created differently. The talents referenced in our Gospel were the equivalent of what the normal person made in 20 years of work! I read that just one talent would be worth 1.25 million today. Our abilities don’t boil down to dollars, necessarily, but the illustration gives us an idea of how large and generous God is. God has given every one of us bountiful skills, abilities, strengths, that is, talents.
We are to use them to bring about the Kingdom of God. They are necessary for building the Kingdom of God. When we use them for this purpose, they seemingly multiply! They grow and grow. And I’m just talking about using them daily. It doesn’t have to be something huge; it just needs to be consistent and every day.
If we don’t use these talents to build the Kingdom of God, Jesus says we’ll be thrown into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That sounds absolutely horrible.
I know we think we don’t always have much to give. I know sometimes it’s very scary to give and to use our talents. I don’t know about you, but I’d also like to escape that weeping and gnashing of teeth place!
And today we have people as good examples. We’ll vote for Vestry members. Jill and Gail are on the slate to join Shannon, Tootser, Bill D, Bill R, Becky, and Kay. Wendy has agreed to serve another term as Treasurer. Bill Rohm and Lynne have agreed to be Delegates and alternate to Diocesan Convention. And we thank Lynne and Miguel who have given their talents in the past three years.
All of you give your talents to this church and to our community in so many ways. Take an inventory this week. Are there talents you are hiding in the ground? Come see me and we’ll find a way to use them.
And we’ll keep using our talents until that blessed day when we see Jesus face to face and hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”
Amen
