EDITOR'S NOTE: On Oct. 23, 2021, I was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and installed as pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. I also served the same church for four years from October 2017 to October 2021 a synodical authorized minister. The journey together these past seven years has been an amazing one, full of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
This week's gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Concerning Almsgiving
6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Concerning Prayer
5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Concerning Fasting
16 “And whenever you fast, do not look somber, like the hypocrites, for they mark their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Concerning Treasures
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The message:
So, before we begin tonight’s message … a couple of important notes …
First, as a point of biblical literacy, did you know … that we use these very same lectionary texts every Ash Wednesday? … True; they never change. … So, if you were unaware, now you know.
And, if you were aware … that these are the same texts, I’m wondering how it is that you hear these texts differently each year? … For instance, what stood out to you this year, that maybe didn’t last year?
And what does that tell you about where you are in your faith journey right now? … Just a question to ponder? … Take it home with you.
Second important point: I want to note that in the very first sentence the word “piety” in some versions of the Bible has been changed back to “righteousness” … as many believe that is the better Greek translation.
And I might add that this is no small point. … Because I believe the text reads much differently if you insert the word “righteousness” in place of the word “piety.” … Do a test for yourself later. Take that home as well. … And later tell me what you think.
Now, back to storing up our treasures … Right?
Ok, so to me … I think there are two immediate questions that pop into mind after hearing tonight’s gospel.
The first is: What do the acts of giving, praying and fasting have in common? … In other words, why is it that these verses are kept together as one bound reading?
And then the second question that comes to mind for me is: Jesus, if we truly are to practice all of these things in private …
Then just what are we doing here tonight? … Right?
I mean, isn't showing up here tonight … to worship and to recognize Ash Wednesday … an open act of righteousness? … The very thing that you are warning us against?
After all, we do not impose the ashes in a private ceremony … do we?
Nope, very much out here in the open. … You will walk up to me, and in plain sight of your loved ones and neighbors, I will tell you that you are dust, and to dust you will return. … And presumably, you’ll let me draw a black cross on your forehead. … No secrecy there, right?
So what gives Jesus?
Well, truth be told, I think the key to understanding this question … has a lot to do with the important word “righteousness.” … which we were just discussing. … Let’s dig in!
To answer our first question of the night: What do the acts of giving, praying and fasting have to do with each other?
Well, they are all ways in which we display our righteousness … our our right … or correct … relationship that we have in God. … That’s what righteousness is.
Does that track? … Despite the fact that we freely receive God’s promises -- his grace and forgiveness -- if we are in right relationship with God we should be moved to display our obedience, or our thankfulness. … And common ways we do this are through our giving, praying and fasting.
That is living in righteousness.
What Jesus is warning us about, however, is … even in his day there were examples of Jewish followers who maybe grandstanded a bit.
You know, stood on the street corners praying loudly for all to hear. … Or ostentatiously making a show of their giving to the temple so that others would know their over-the-top generosity.
You can picture these folks in your mind. I know you can. You’ve seen them even today.
But Jesus is warning us these folks, while following the letter of the Jewish laws, weren’t any more in right relationship with God … than those who may have been pagans and/or those who worshiped a Greek or Roman god.
So Jesus is telling us … Yes, I want to be in relationship with you. God wants to be in relationship with you.
And we both want to see it spur changes in your heart … that receiving our grace and love makes you want to give to others, pray for others and even fast for others.
But, if you’re doing it to be seen. … Then you obviously don’t understand what God is asking of you.
So, subsequently, that should also answer the second question of the night, right?
If Jesus is asking us to practice all of these acts of righteousness in private, what are we doing here … with each of us about to undergo a very public act of righteousness?
Well, I believe in Jesus’ warning he’s pointedly asking why it is that we are here to receive that mark of the cross? … Are we here to receive so that we can show the world we are a Christian? Making a display of our righteousness?
Or are we here to receive the cross as a reminder that if we are in right relationship with God, that the world will certainly know that through how we live … through our actions … through our words … and through our intentions.
A much better indication of our righteousness than seeing little, black crosses on our foreheads for a day.
This very public act is intended to be a spark ... or an ignition … so to speak. … God wants this moment … these ashes to remind you … that you have this one, brief life to show your righteousness.
And so how is it … that we show it?
Well, that's in how we give, how we pray and how we fast, right? … It’s in how we take care of others and God’s creation.
Tonight, with those distinct holy markings on our foreheads, visible to everyone … God wants us thinking: “So how am I going to live? … If I have only this one life to serve my Lord and Savior, how is it that I will demonstrate my gratitude?”
Faith Family … tonight, as you come up here to receive your ashes, I want you to remember that these ashes are not a reminder of our ends. … Rather, they should be a reminder that they are just the beginning.
If we are in right relationship with God, we should walk out of this beautiful church tonight into this wider world thinking: “Alright, I got one life to be Christ’s hands and feet. What am I going to do with it?”
This is not a once-a-year cross on your forehead … Faith Family. … No, these crosses are promises we are making to serve God. … And so I ask you: How will you go forth tonight and serve him?
And that is the Good News for this Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. … Amen.
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