While it’s true that Jesus’ righteousness makes us righteous, so that we don’t need to rely on our own righteousness when The Judgment comes, and while it’s true faith is what saves, not works, it is ALSO true that the way to live best while on this earth, the way to live INTO the Kingdom of Heaven right here and right now, is by DOING acts of love for others, by taking care of the needs of others that you can do something about.
My friends, as we end this season after the Epiphany, God makes Jesus known as the One who makes the eternal heavenly realm available to us. God was not required to open the heavenly realm to us, but God DID; God opened it out of love, and out of that same love God calls you to enter….here, now, always.
I believe God discovered that people’s hearts were so stuck that they were going to make the wrong choice. And, God being God, God figured out a way to work with THAT. God figured out a way to work with the most horrible, awful choice people could make. God figured out a way to work with Jesus’ crucifixion. God figured out a way to turn worldly sin into Godly victory. That’s what I believe. And…God can STILL do that….regardless of what we choose.
And y’all, these things Jesus offered so long ago when the bad stuff happened, they are STILL what Jesus offers you and I today.
As we will discover this Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, the darkness is all around us. Time is getting short. The cross is near. The hour is getting late. Fortunately, Jesus came to BE light in this world of darkness. And he has given us the ability to see, reflect, and share his light. Now, the task is ours.
At first glance, Jesus story of the Rich Man and Lazarus might sound like a description of the afterlife. It might sound like a description of the afterlife intended to scare people with a big stick into living as God desires. But I don’t think that’s what it is at all. Rather, I think it’s Jesus’ attempt to teach people how to get the carrot, how to experience the great party offered here and for eternity. It’s Jesus way of yelling, “Choose God instead of choosing silver that turns to dross!”
There’s rejoicing in God’s kingdom when people choose God and love over power. There’s rejoicing in God’s kingdom when people choose to acknowledge that it is JESUS who justifies, not us, and so the finger-pointing and name-calling stops. There’s rejoicing in God’s kingdom when we all decide to welcome everyone who chooses God with open arms instead of insisting there’s no way that God would allow THAT person into the party or even that we wouldn’t WANT that person in the party…and so we refuse to enjoy any party that includes THAT person.