Ez.34:11-16, 20-24; Matt25:31-45       A Leader to Live For   E  Nov.20, 2005

1.      ?Take me to your leader!?  Sounds like the latest Science Fiction book or movie.  Who did you think of?  Chair of the Board? Your boss?  Gary Doer?  Paul Martin?  Where did Jesus come on the list?  What kind of leader do we actually think he is?  This is Christ the King Sunday.  We don?t usually think in terms of kings these days, so what about a leader?  Actually I guess leaders are in disrepute these days as well!

2.      So what did a King mean in Biblical times?  He represented the highest and the best there was - a means to lead God?s people in power and strength.  He was responsible for relationship to God ? seeing that conditions were right ? that there were no other altars, and to show by his example how important prayer and worship were.  He also oversaw Israel?s relationship to each other and the weakest ? that was the widow, the orphans and the refugees.  They were the landless and therefore the poorest.  The king was responsible for justice for all.  There were laws so the poor could glean enough grain or grapes to survive and every 49 years all debts were cancelled and land was re-distributed.  It was called the Jubilee.  It meant there was never any long-term accumulation of wealth or property or an unending cycle of poverty.  This could describe Christ, couldn?t it?  He lived the importance of worship and prayer.  He was faithful to God, not putting possessions or the accumulation of wealth and power as gods.  By word and action, he lived justice for the poor and downtrodden.  

3.      Ezekiel and Matthew actually use the image of Shepherd to describe Christ?s leadership.  Shepherds were outcasts in Jesus time.  Not powerful.  They led through dark valleys to refreshing water, held enemies at bay to give the sheep time to be rested and renewed.  A shepherd let the sheep go their own way, but held the bandages and the ointment to bind up the wounds.  Shepherds lay down across the doorway to protect the sheep.  They were absolutely to be trusted.  The listeners would see Christ present in similar ways.  At work or in their homes, he was right in their midst.  He never controlled.  Rather he bound up their wounds when the realities of life and sin left them needing healing and love.  They knew he was absolutely to be trusted. 

4.      Justice is very important in both scriptures.  In Ezekiel, the Good Shepherd feeds, takes care of, and leads the sheep back to the homeland.  The fat sheep that trampled on rights and freedoms of others to get ahead are given strong consequences.  They will be fed with justice and the weak, the sick, the wounded ones they trampled on will be cared for.

5.      In Matthew did you notice how surprised the people were who asked, ?When was it I saw you hungry, or thirsty, a stranger, naked or sick or in prison?? Christ answered, ?Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it unto me.?  Christ?s command is to love one another as he loved us.  He assumed if we loved, we?d do the same things that he did.  In fact, those who loved did, unaware.  In a natural outpouring from a generous center.  They served without even being aware.   Living the love of Christ to others becomes second nature, when we follow Christ.

6.      What are the signs in Matthew of that outpoured love?  Filling needs for food, water, shelter, hospitality, clothing.  Coming up to Christmas, those of us with enough to share, in gratitude for all we are given are called to share.  In St. Andrew?s there?s many ways you do that with white gifts for Genesis House, hampers, mittens.  These are interim measures, important, but not the long-term solution.  That will require major changes.  This is also Children?s Sunday.  How do we live with child poverty in MB? In 1989 the Federal Government promised to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000.  Instead it went up 11%.  In Manitoba 58,000 children live below the poverty line.  Even one would be too many.  Housing is one of the core needs.  Poor families spend 50% on shelter, not because they?re extravagant, but because it doesn?t exist.  And what exists often has broken windows and no heat in winter.  Most poor households have one or more people working full or part time.  Usually working in more than one job.  One adult with 2 children must work 84.5 hours/week at minimum wage in order to reach the poverty line.

7.      What can I do?  An important question.  Perhaps something we are already doing in our busy lives would have to go.

a)      Be involved directly.  Like child care for young families.  Or be a volunteer in schools or community centers.

b)     Advocate for an increase of jobs that enable people to make a living, tax reform to benefit the low income families, income security, an increase of affordable housing, and community programs which enhance the health and well being of children.

c)      Work to eliminate child poverty.  It would require 1% of the Gross Domestic Product.  $2 billion a year for 5 years.  A total of $10 billion dollars.  That?s a huge amount.  It?s interesting that when we set our mind to paying down our debt, we paid off 9.6 billion /year for 2 years.  Almost $20 billion.  Imagine if we could put the same national energy and excitement into eliminating child poverty that we could for the national debt!

d)     Write our MLA?s about the current rural economic situation.  There?s a list at the back of the church, and some ideas of what to say.  We?ll make copies of the list if you wish.

e)      Buy goods and services produced under fair working conditions and wages in Canada and abroad.

f)       Support non-profit housing like Habitat for Humanity.

g)      Visiting the sick and those in prison are 2 of the other pieces of loving the Christ, of living by his leading.  Our visiting committee are doing a good job, as do others regularly visiting people in their homes and in the Care Home.  I?m not sure if some visit prisons on a regular basis. Prisons and prisoners are not very popular.  That?s no surprise.  There?s nothing about the gospel that?s seen as good news by the dominant society.  It doesn?t stop us from seeking to be faithful.  Once again we?re asked not only to visit, but to work on the root causes of imprisonment.  Like poverty.  Like the advertising hype of what the good life is.  If we believe that Restorative Justice is a means of getting at healing for the one who commits the crime as well as the one who survives it, and prevents people from committing more crimes than our current practices of punishing, how can we advocate for it?

8.      There are many ways to feed, clothe, offer shelter, and work for change for the unjust conditions that wound and keep people in poverty.  When we do them, we do it for the Christ.  That is how closely he identifies with them.  He doesn?t say, ?I?m right beside them.?  He says, ?I was the broken, cold, hungry, hurting one you cared for.  It?s the kind of love Christ has for each of us.  It?s how he yearns to lead ? with an outpouring of love through us.

9.      What kind of leader would you live for?  If we accept Christ as our leader, we follow one who is faithful in worship and prayer, who puts God first, before money, possessions, or power.  A leader who intervenes, seeks justice for the poor and powerless.  He leads in paths of re-creation, binds up our wounds, guides and protects.  He heals, inspires, supports, encourages us to follow to a new world where all are fed with God?s justice.  Will you accept Christ as your leader today?  Will you let your love for him pour out, overflowing, so you?ll know with confidence who it is you served, and won?t need to ask, ?When was it I saw you hungry, or thirsty, a stranger, naked or sick or in prison??  You?ll know it was each time you followed the Christ and opened your heart in love.