"What About Them?"

(Luke 18:9-14)

Rev. Billy D. Strayhorn

INTRODUCTION:

Good morning brothers and sisters, what a glorious day. I'd like to thank brother Springer and Brother Moran and our brothers and sisters in the choir for the beautiful music this morning. I would also like to thank Sister Rigby for her wonderful testimonial. Brother Judice and Brother Minnies did a wonderful job of leading the singing as we gathered, don't you think? And as always, the ministry of Sister Maltas is greatly appreciated.

That's not how I usually start my sermons is it? Modern Methodism isn't known for calling everyone brother or sister either, though at one time it was very common practice to refer to each other as brother or sister so and so.

We usually don't meet outside either. We meet in the comfort of our church, not on the ground or in folding chairs. I'm not usually dressed in this kind of get up either. But all of this serves a point. It's good sometimes to look at our heritage. Brush Arbor Sunday allows us to do that.

If this were a true brush arbor, there would be poles all around us and we would all be sitting under a canopy of vines and leaves. That's how a lot of churches got started. They couldn't afford a building so they built an arbor.

Robin Stewart Emailed me about a sight on the internet that talked about a church that started as a brush arbor, so I did my own search and found a bunch more. It's interesting to note that out of the fifteen or twenty churches that started out as a brush arbor meeting, there was only one of them that wasn't a Methodist Church. This is what a couple of them had to say on their web sites.

"About the year of 1870, Mrs. Annie Grant Hayes and her husband, J. Washington Hayes, helped to establish the first Arbor of the present Arbor Grove United Methodist Church between the communities of Millers Creek and Purlear in Wilkes County, North. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes were assisted by the Reverend Benny Weisner, a pioneer rider from Iredell County. The church, a brush arbor was built of upright poles with brush. The seats were made of rough hewn logs. Scaffolds covered with furnished a safe place for pine torches to light the Arbor for night services. It is from these beginnings that Arbor Grove United Methodist Church has grown to be an part of the community."

First United Methodist Church of Conroe, Texas didn't start out as a brush arbor but when they moved and built their new building they met in a brush arbor tabernacle for nearly two years.

"While the building process was in progress, church services were held in a brush arbor tabernacle... The tabernacle was a tent-like structure with pillars for support, a palmetto leaf covering, and sawdust floor. It was open on all sides except at one end where the alter was placed."

All of that is sort of an introduction as to why we are here. That and the fact that a number of people expressed an interest in having this type of service to the Worship Committee. A service like this reminds us of simpler times where the pace of living wasn't quite as hectic. At times we long for those kinds of days, until we remember that they didn't have the modern conveniences that we have. Most Methodist preachers were circuit riders. They owned their horse, saddle and blanket, a Bible, maybe a copy of Wesley's sermons, another book or two, a hymnal and Book of Discipline, a bed roll and the clothes on their back.

This morning we celebrate that heritage but we also come to kick off our Stewardship campaign. It's not a bad idea to think about our heritage on kick off day. It reminds us how lucky we are and just how much we should say thanks to God.

This morning's passage from Luke probably wouldn't have been my first choice as a passage for kick off Sunday or even about stewardship. My first thoughts upon reading it were, "What does this have to do with stewardship?" And I began looking for other more suitable passages. But then it hit me, this really IS a great passage about stewardship. It's a passage about attitude and that's exactly what stewardship is all about.

I. WHAT ABOUT THEM?:

A. Notice the difference between the two characters in this parable. Jesus sets up a stark contrast. The Pharisee, a very respected man in the community, noted for his personal faith. Probably even for his giving and generosity to the Temple. You can tell how important he is by his robe and prayer shawl. And then there's the Tax Collector, the local equivalent to an IRS agent with no controls. An IRS agent gone postal. One of the despised. they both go up to the Temple to pray. And only one of them came back justified? Which one? Well, Jesus shocked everyone with his answer. It was the tax collector.

Why? Because of his humble, repentant attitude.

B. Look at the Pharisee. His prayer is a prayer of comparison and judgment. "I'm glad I'm not like others, Lord, especially this tax collector." He wasn't really praying, he was saying look, Lord, see how much better I am than this guy. His prayer was a prayer of judgment, filled with smugness and self righteousness.

If you put it in modern day terms it could have been about anybody and would sound something like this: "What about them, Lord? What about them? What about him, Lord. Just look at him. A druggie, long haired, rebellious rocker. A no hoper, with no future.

What about her, Lord? She's on welfare. No husband, three kids, no job? What about him? He has AIDS? He's probably gay. You can tell by the swish in his walk and the limp wrist. Or her with the butch haircut and manly mannerisms.

What about them, Lord? Aren't I better than them?

What about her, Lord? That Mexican. She can't be trusted, she doesn't speak English. She'll probably wind up on welfare.

What about him, Lord? He's crippled. Or her, she's blind. Surely you won't let them in. They'll just get in the way.

What about her, Lord? She's homeless and smelly. She has that crazy look in her eyes and her shopping bags are filled with who knows what.

What about him, Lord? He's a drop out. He wears old boots, drives an old beat up pickup and smells like a brewery. Kicker music blares from the radio and all he ever talks about is rodeo.

What about him, Lord? The guy in the three piece suit whose a big important man at the bank. He's always in Church. But his business dealings are kind of shady. He makes loans to his friends but rumor has it he cheats the elderly out of their property. And he's always throwing his influence around and lording it over folks.

What about them, Lord? Aren't I better than them?

What about her, Lord? The teacher who no longer cares and just goes through the motions both at home and at school.

What about him, Lord? He's forgotten the covenant of marriage and is messing around with another man's wife.

What about her, Lord? The president of the Tea Club and Literary Society who looks down her nose at everyone from her lonely lofty perch.

What about him, Lord? He never has a nice thing to say about anybody, especially after they leave. He's friendly to their face but let them get out of ear shot and he let's them have it.

What about them, Lord? Aren't I better than them?

You can hear the smug, self righteous attitude. And see the long look down the nose by the Pharisee.

II. WHAT ABOUT ME?:

A. But contrast that to the Tax Collector's prayer. It was simple and to the point. "Lord, have mercy on me a sinner." He didn't have to compare himself to anyone else, he knew his relationship with God. He knew he had blown it and broken that relationship. All he wanted was mercy and forgiveness. His was a prayer filled with humility that didn't ask, "What about them?". It simply asked, "What about me?".

Jesus pointed out the difference between these two men. The Pharisee's prayer was full of arrogance, but every church I've ever served would have loved to have people like him. He tithed and he worshipped and he fasted. If he were here today, he would be an active member involved in the life of the church. he was living right but with the wrong attitude.

We don't know how the tax collector lived. But we do know his attitude. And that's the thing that separated these two. The Pharisee was filled with pride and the tax collector was filled with humility.

B. As we head into our Stewardship Campaign, we need to remember that Stewardship is about attitude. It's about our attitude toward others; our attitude toward the gifts and blessings of life; our attitude toward our talents and our job; our attitude toward money. But mostly it's about our attitude toward God and ourselves.

Do we have a humble, realistic relationship with God like the tax collector. Or is our attitude more like that of the Pharisee. That's the first thing we're challenged to look at as we enter into this Stewardship Campaign, not our bank account; not the church's needs; not even the church's desires but our attitude toward God and ourselves. You see, that attitude will determine our attitude toward everything else.

III. WHAT ABOUT THEM?:

If we have the attitude of the tax collector, we will be able to rise and go our way justified as he was justified. We will go knowing our proper place in the scheme of God's creation. And then we will be able to ask the same question asked by the Pharisee but with a different emphasis. We'll give thanks for our salvation. We'll give thanks for our forgiveness. We'll give thanks for our new life in Christ. Then we'll look at the lost and the lonely and those who are different and we'll ask, "What about them? How can I or we share the good news so that they can experience the love of God and the wholeness that I've experienced." Or we'll ask, "What about them? How can I or we reach out to help make their life a little easier?"

Instead of sitting in judgment and looking down our noses, we will kneel in the servant position and look up at both them and the one who sent us to serve them. But it takes the proper attitude.

CONCLUSION:

Two taxidermists stopped before a window in which an owl was on display. They immediately began to criticize the way it was mounted. Its eyes were not natural; its wings were not in proportion with its head; its feathers were not neatly arranged; and its feet could certainly be improved. When they had finished with their criticism, the old owl turned his head . . . and winked at them!

Sometimes our attitudes can be embarrassing or get us in trouble like they did the Pharisee. Stewardship is about the proper attitude, the attitude of the tax collector, the attitude of humility and thankfulness based upon the mercy and grace of God.

As we head into the Stewardship Campaign, check your attitude. Give thanks for the love, mercy and grace you have experienced.

This is the Word of the Lord for this day.

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Bibliography

1. From Pulpit Helps, November, 1981

Other References Consulted

Preaching Magazine, July/August 1998, Volume 14, Number 1. (Preaching Resources, Jackson, TN)

Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series V, Cycle C, (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH, 1997) Proper 25: SermonPrep Version.

Preaching the Parables, Series II, Cycle C, (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH, 1997) Proper 25: SermonPrep Version.

Lectionary Homiletics, Volume IX, Number 11, October 1998, (Lectionary Homiletics, Inc. Midlothian, VA)

Emphasis, September-October 1998, volume 28, Number 3. (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH)