Proper 21A (Pentecost 18 2023) LWML Sunday

Text: “7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah” (Psalm 24:7-10).

The King is coming.

That’s a challenging statement for us as Americans, isn’t it? Our president is certainly surrounded by a lot of pomp and circumstance when he travels, but it’s not nearly the same. Perhaps that’s why so many Americans were fascinated when King Charles was crowned back in May. The idea that these are people of royal blood— not just normal people like you and me— takes things to a whole new level; everything must be in perfect condition; everything has to happen in exactly a certain way. Because the king is coming.

That’s the point of Psalm 24. It’s the herald’s announcement. It’s a call to prepare. It’s a reminder of the importance of the One who is about to arrive. And it’s time for you and me to hear that announcement: your King is coming.

As I said, that’s a little hard for us to grasp as Americans. It’s even harder for you and me to grasp as sinners.

Our Old Testament and Gospel readings demonstrate that all too well. The prophet Ezekiel had to deal with the accusation of God’s people that He, their high king, was unjust. They had already been beaten down by the Babylonians— and they would soon be carried into exile in Babylon— because of what their parents had done. They protested that they, themselves, were innocent. God was unjust, so they had no use for their God and King.

The Gospel reading is similar. In this case, Jesus has just driven the money changers out of the temple courts. The chief priests and elders don’t accuse Him of being unjust— as the people had done during Ezekiel’s time. No, this time they challenge His authority to do what He had done. “Who gave you the right to do that?” they demand. “Who gave you the authority to drive out all who bought and sold in the temple; to overturn the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons; to accuse us of making this house of prayer a den of robbers?” (Matthew 21:12-13).

These are the sorts of problems you and I have with coming to grips with the idea that your King is coming. Especially when He comes with judgment. You accuse Him of being unfair. You challenge His authority to judge you.

The money changers and those who were buying and selling in the temple courts seem to be one of the most baffling ideas to us. How could they justify doing those kinds of things in God’s house? How could they bring that sort of wickedness there? Why wouldn’t Jesus have had the authority to drive them out? Wouldn’t any believer at that time be justified in trying to cleanse God’s house? How could the priests and elders have allowed it to go on? How could they allow that sort of wickedness in God’s house?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, be very careful with those questions. Do you really want to press those questions? Are you sure you want to ask them? They could very easily be turned back on you. How could they have allowed that sort of wickedness in God’s house? That same question could be asked of you: What wickedness have you brought into God’s house today?

Wouldn’t Jesus be perfectly justified in driving you out of His Father’s house? Wouldn’t all the rest of us be perfectly justified in driving you out of God’s house— except, of course, that we, too, should be driven out, by all rights?

What sort of selfish ambition and conceit have you brought in to God’s house? In fact, don’t you make God’s house a tool for your selfish ambition and conceit? “Father, I thank you that I’m not like those so-called Christians who sleep in or who skip church to go see the Lions game.” “Father, I thank you that I’m not like those so-called members who refuse to serve.” “Father, I thank you that I’m not like those so-called Christians. I give my fair share.” What sort of selfish ambition and conceit have you brought into God’s house?

Do I need to go on? Do I need to mention drunkenness? …gossiping? …lust? …hate?

Would you have the audacity to question whether your King really has the authority to drive you out of His Father’s house?

Would you dare to question whether His judgment is just? Both Jesus and Ezekiel used very similar images. Jesus described a father who sent his two sons out to work in the vineyard. The first son said he would go, but didn’t. The second son just blew him off at first, but then changed his mind and went. Which of the two did the father’s will?

Each of you has stood at this communion rail and promised to renounce the devil, all of his works, and all of his ways. And yet that hasn’t stopped you from giving in to him again and again and again. You’ve promised to live according to the Word of God and, in faith, word, and deed, to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death (“Confirmation,” Lutheran Service Book. p. 273.). When did you change your mind? You told the Father ‘Yes’, but then you didn’t go. Your King would be completely justified in driving you out of the Father’s house, wouldn’t He? “26 When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die” (Ezekiel 18:26). It’s not God’s ways that are unfair.

There are many who have said ‘No’ to God, then changed their minds and turned back to Him in repentance and faith. And “27 when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die” (Ezekiel 18:27-28). How many of them are entering the Kingdom of God before you?

St. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:17-18 “17 it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”” Oh house of Israel, God will judge you, “30 every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live” (Ezekiel 18:30-32).

By what authority does your King bring judgment, even into the household of God? By what authority does He drive all wickedness at the end of a whip? Because He was willing to be whipped and beaten for you. “5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and [by His stripes] we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

By what authority does He bring judgment? Because He did not turn His face away from the cross that was set before Him so that all who turn away from the transgressions that they have committed will surely live and not die (Ezekiel 18:28).

By what authority does He bring judgment? Because He was obedient to the Father “8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:8-10).

If there is any encouragement in that— if there is any comfort from that love of God shown to you in Christ Jesus— make that joy complete “2 by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:2-4).

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is time for judgment to begin in the household of God, but with the confidence and peace of knowing that it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). “14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16).

And by the way, if there’s a better description of the work and ministry of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, I can’t imagine what it would be. They work hard to strengthen each woman’s relationship with Christ; to encourage and equip women to live out their Christian lives; and to support global missions.

It would be easy to focus on the millions of dollars of mission grants that they have given out—$1.5 million in the 2017-2019 triennium; $1.6 million the next triennium; $2.1 million this past triennium. As of their most recent convention this past summer, they committed to another $2.3 million in grants to missions across the united states, in Haiti, Kenya, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, and India. Those numbers stand out. I most certainly encourage you to spend some time looking at the materials our ladies have put together in the narthex about the LWML’s work.

But their work goes far beyond that. To borrow from the Apostle Paul, these women pour themselves out as drink offerings upon the sacrificial offerings of the faith of their families, their workplaces, and their communities. What they accomplish isn’t measured in dollars. It’s measured in the number of Haitian children they’ve helped to feed; in the number of blind people who gain access to Bibles, hymnals, and other resources; in the number of children rescued from terrifying circumstances, in the number of older people who continue to hear God’s word, even when they’re no longer able to leave their homes; and in the lives that they, personally, touch every single day. Even among God’s household, these women shine as lights in the world.

“7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” May all of God’s people prepare to welcome Him.