Sermon - 11/22/20

<p>Today, we come to the end of the church year calendar and the end of our year-long focus on Matthew’s version of the Jesus story.  And, as we read today’s gospel passage, we get high drama, harsh judgment, words of punishment, and words of damnation in eternal fire!  So, as one who stands before you to proclaim the gospel, it is hard to read these words and then say, “The Good News of the Lord!”  That just seems to go against the grain, especially for those of us who believe so fully and completely in a gracious God of love.  It is hard to picture a gracious, loving God in this passage.  Yet, if we dig a bit deeper, I think we discover today’s gospel reading is <strong>not</strong> so much about punishment in eternal fire, and it’s <strong>not</strong> the goats or the sheep that matter in this story; it <strong>is</strong> <strong>all about how we come face to face with God every day,</strong> <strong>a very loving and gracious God!</strong></p> <p>I know most of us go to the doctor at least once a year and, when we make that yearly visit, we experience a <strong>wellness</strong> check.  This year, at my wellness check, I was told that my cholesterol and blood pressure were both too high.  So, my doctor told me what I needed to do to address the problem.  And, following his advice, I began a daily exercise plan, I watch my diet more closely, and now take some medication to help address the issues.  I say this because I believe that in today’s gospel reading, Jesus uses the language of the prophets to present a kind of wellness check for all of us, for each of us <strong>individually</strong> and for the <strong>nations</strong> as well.  Remember, just a few weeks ago, Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and to love your <strong>neighbor</strong> as yourself.  Well, today, as Jesus is facing his death, he who is often called <strong>the great physician,</strong> presents <strong>us</strong> with a kind of