Reuben's Sermon for Saint Matthew's Day:
Reuben's Theme: "Riches, honour & The Gospel"
(Saint Matthew's Day) - MORNING MASS
0800hrs. and 0930hrs at Saint George's Parish Church - Cullercoats.
Sunday, 21st. September 2003 Anno Domini.
Morning Mass: Proverbs: 3.13-18 Ps: 119. 65-72 2Corinthians: 4.1-6 Matthew: 9.9-13

September 21st. 2003 Cycle B Saint Matthew's Day.

COLLECT FOR THE DAY
O Almighty God,
whose blessèd Son called Matthew, the tax-collector,
to be an apostle and evangelist:
give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain
and the possessive love of riches
that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.


Morning Masses:

FIRST READING (morning Mass)
Proverbs 3.13-18

A reading from the book of Proverbs.
Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.


Psalm 119.65-72 (morning Mass)

RR Happy are those who find holy wisdom, [she is the tree of life].

65 O Lord, you have dealt graciously with your servant, according to your word.
66 Teach me discernment and knowledge, for I have believed in your commandments. RR
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
68 You are good and you bring forth good; instruct me in your statutes. RR
69 The proud have smeared me with lies, but I will keep your commandments with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is gross and fat, but my delight is in your law. RR
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is dearer to me than thousands in gold and silver. RR


SECOND READING (morning Mass)
2 Corinthians 4.1-6

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
Since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.
We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.


GOSPEL (morning Mass)
Matthew 9.9-13

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and He said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed Him. And as He sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Him and His disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?'
But when He heard this, He said, '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." For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.'


POST COMMUNION
Almighty God, who on the day of Pentecost sent your Holy Spirit to the apostles with the wind from heaven and in tongues of flame, filling them with joy and boldness to preach the gospel:
by the power of the same Spirit strengthen us to witness to your truth and to draw everyone to the fire of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

or

Lord God, the source of truth and love, keep us faithful to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, united in prayer and the breaking of bread, and one in joy and simplicity of heart, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reuben's Theme: "Riches, honour ....& The Gospel"
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The book of Proverbs is a book of wise sayings.

Not just an anthology, but an oriental textbook - written to teach young men wise and right living by the repetition of wise thoughts.

It's wisdom distilled into short, sharp phrases, dramatic contrasts and unforgettable scenes from life.

It sets out what is right and what is wrong.

It's not just a slick formula for success.

Wisdom, in the book of Proverbs, is based on reverence for God and obedience to God's laws.

The book of Proverbs applies the principals of God's teaching to the whole of life.

To relationships, home, work, justice, decisions, attitudes, reactions, everything we can do or say, or even think.

God has taught what is best for us.

Experience proves it.

In the part of Chapter 3 that we heard today, verses 13 to 18, we are told that wisdom and understanding offer things that money can't buy - peace, happiness and security.
Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Isn't that just fantastic! They don't write them like they used to.

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour.

But hold it right there!

That's not as good as it sounds!

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour.

This right hand and left hand thing!

Right hand - good. Left hand - bad.

Long life is in her right hand;

Yea!

...in her left hand are riches and honour.

But we like the sound of the riches and honour stuff!

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

But what about riches and honour?

Why not riches and honour?

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

I liked the sound of the riches and honour stuff.

those who hold her fast are called happy.

So, no riches and honour.

Hang on, those who hold her fast are called happy...

...happy's good.

I like 'happy'.

So those who find wisdom and understanding... ...will be happy!

Ah! But hang on a minute!

We often get muddled up about wisdom.

We often mix wisdom and knowledge.

Just knowing loads of stuff isn't wisdom.

Wisdom isn't knowledge.

Wisdom is insight.

To be able to look inside something - to understand it thoroughly.

Wisdom is beginning to sound good, isn't it!

Give me wisdom and I think I will be happy!

I must admit, though, riches and honour did sound good...

But I'd rather be happy!

Come to think of it, I can think of several occasions this year when I have personally witnessed the loss of happiness because of the LOVE of money.

Times when people, good people, have connived, cheated, argued and even lied... ...all because of money.

Who needs riches and honour if that's what money can do?

I liked the psalm today. Singing to God!
Happy are those who find holy wisdom, [she is the tree of life].

With such lines as:
Teach me discernment and knowledge

Discernment! Ah ha! Good word!

Skill in perceiving, discriminating and understanding.

Without discernment, knowledge counts for nothing.

I think someone has said that before, and if they haven't... ...I've got dibbs on it!

There are other brilliant lines in today's psalm:

I have believed in your commandments.
The proud have smeared me with lies

but

I will keep your commandments with my whole heart.

Their heart is gross and fat

but

my delight is in your law

and finally...

The law of your mouth is dearer to me than thousands in gold and silver.

I think that knocks the riches and honour thing on the head, doesn't it.

And you know what?

It doesn't feel that bad.

When Paul was writing to the Corinthians, in the part we heard today, it was in one of his many, and rather wonderful, uplifting moments.

He writes of our Christian ministry and how we must not lose heart.

Renouncing shameful things and even though many will not listen to the Gospel, we must proclaim it anyway.

Even though many are blind to the glory of Christ who is the image of God, we must proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.

Shining out like a light.

For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts - to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The light of the knowledge of the glory of God... ...in the face of Jesus Christ.

Not the knowledge!

The LIGHT of the knowledge.

The insight of the knowledge.

The discernment of the knowledge.

The WISDOM of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Riches and honour are beginning to sound totally lame now.

So, it's Saint Matthew's day today.

Matthew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to the gospel written in his name, a tax collector.

Mark and Luke refer to the tax collector as Levi.

Matthew may be his Christian name, in the same way that Peter is Simon's.

Everyone agrees, however, that they are one and the same person.

Tax collectors were despised and hated by their fellow Jews.

It was seen as a betrayal to the occupying Roman force.

Jesus shows that judging by outward appearance doesn't work.

In our Gospel today, Jesus ate with Matthew and with his friends, which didn't go down well those around Him.

Mixing with tax collectors and sinners!

But as Jesus says:

What's the point of preaching to the good?

It's the sinners that need to be saved.

You don't send a doctor to someone who's well!

You send a doctor to someone who's sick.

For I have come to call not the righteous, but sinners.

Matthew's life changed from that moment on. He made amends for his sins (tax collectors in those days were a fairly rotten lot). He gave up everything and followed Jesus.

Yes, he gave up everything - and for a tax collector, in Palestine, in those days, that was not only a large amount of wealth, but a very easy income and a cushy life.

Bang goes those riches thing again.

So, what is our message today.

The pursuit of earthly riches counts for nothing...
...we could do what Matthew did - giving up everything to follow Jesus...
...we must seek insight, discernment and wisdom.

and

Why preach the Gospel to the saved...
...go out and spread the Gospel of Jesus to sinners.

As Paul says:

For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts - to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

So, my message to everyone...

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Reuben Condie