Septuagesima

Contentment is a tricky thing with which all humanity wrestles. The 9th and 10th Commandments warn against discontentment. Much instruction and encouragement are given throughout the words of Jesus in the like of the Sermon on the Mount and other conscience forming lessons admonishing the sinful nature of humanity to look not to his own understanding, rather to the truth that is the Word. And therein, just as today, we have that very Word that hits us at the core of our very being. Be content. Know that God is God - He has blessed you with grace and mercy that give you an eternal reality that far exceeds any wonton mammon after which you chase in this world.

And that, dear friends, is definitely a challenge for you, isn’t it? It sure is. It is so because your totally corrupted human nature - your original sin - your old Adam - finds its daily motivation in that powerhouse within the flesh called pride. Chugging and churning within, pride strokes the ego, fills the conscience with most regularly not-so-good things and thoughts, motivates for the self, and sees others as not opportunities of loving service but rather as hindering obstacles. Yes, contentment is the every moment battle against the prideful flesh and the faithful soul. Discontentment wants nothing to do with last seeking - it only wants to be first.

It’s quite easy for us to relate to the Israelites who are quick to forget the Lord’s providence and grumble because of their perceived lack. Those Israelites are quite the spoiled little brats, aren’t they? Rescued from the evil of Egypt and drawn through the baptismal waters of the parted sea - brought into a journey that would lead to the promised land - a land flowing with milk and honey - full of good things for the eyes to see and the bellies to enjoy. And yet, here they are complaining about the current. Complaint instead of prayer. Prideful murmuring instead of reverent thanksgiving.

You’ve been there, haven’t you? A delicious meal has been put before you - wholesome, nutritious, sustaining food. But it wasn’t what you wanted. “When can we have this or that for dinner?” Not even a bite is taken and you’re already thinking about what you want instead of being thankful for what you have. Or how about you’re driving around in that not so new and not so low mile car. It gets you from A to B and all the places you want to see. Only what you tend to view is all the other nice cars on the road and long for something better. Relatively simple examples there for sure, but they are two simple examples of how our longings tend to be for what isn’t before us - rather than for the blessing that is. That Old Testament discontentment isn’t so old, is it?

In fact, we see the same this morning in the New Testament as the laborers in the vineyard whine about perceived unfairness. Only to be schooled in the truth that the Master is Lord of his way of doing things and his generosity is for him to determine. Again, what’s at play here is the pride within. We can relate to those first laborers who are invited into the vineyard. By worldly standards, it’s a no-brainer that they would receive more than those who come later in the day. It’s basic economics - it’s basic give and take mentality - it’s basic worldly work ethic.

Only it’s not. This lesson isn’t a worldly matter - it’s a matter of the soul. Where the tainted flesh of the sinner seeks only what’s good for the self, the generosity of the master seeks what’s good for all. Notice that though the original laborers feel they get the shaft, they indeed don’t. They get exactly what’s agreed. In that light, their contentment is all the more evil in that light because, in their self-righteousness, they think of the others as less. And you’ve snuggled right up with them at times haven’t you? “How dare that person get the same that I have!”

In that prideful ditch is right where the evil one of this world wishes you to be. Robbed and beaten of the truth of your salvation, sin, death, and the devil wish nothing more than for you to be left for dead. Because, let’s be honest, to view others as less and you as more is the most fluent expression of pride and arrogance. And so long as you bask in that sin, your soul is in danger of death - eternal death - hell.

Though in the time being as you go about your life in this world things may seem well and good, it’s temporal. The mammon after which you chase and cherish will soon fail - will rot and decay - will give you no passage beyond the grave. And so long as you are alive, one thing is for sure, the focus on yours and yours alone will lead only to despair as you scurry to protect and ensure that you’ve got yours. So there you are - alive but dead. A sad life to live, really.

And so, this is why Paul warns as he does in our Epistle lesson. Idolatry is the prominent sin that kills the soul. Every one of you has that sacred cow to which you run for its tantalizing, impure, evil milk. Whether it be home or work, church or play, or wherever else they roam, you live each day deceived by the continued echo of Satan’s temptation - “Did God really say?” And rather than confess, “Yes, yes he did - not today Satan!” we prefer to ponder and give in and suckle upon the sour sustenance of Satan’s deception. And sadly, there lies your contentment. What’s yours is yours and don’t anyone dare tell you otherwise.

Well, if that’s where you are at with your idolatry this day, then you won’t like what you hear this day very much. Repent! Repent every one of you and turn away from the idol of self and turn away from the discontentment of not being above everyone else and turn away from the false security that you know what’s best for you. And as you repent, listen to the greater truth from which you tend to run. “All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.”

Paul reminds you today that your life and the life of the rest of the body of Christ is not about how hard you work - and how long you work - and all the effort you put into getting to where you are - and how much more or less you make and deserve above and beyond what others have done. No. Your life is about what you have been made to be - what gives you the very means by which you have peace and assurance that there’s more to this thing called life than what you tend to make it out to be. Your life is about being and living as a child of God.

The wages of sin is death - you know that. And perhaps this parable of Jesus is a good reminder for such. For just as the master has given all the same wage for being in the vineyard - there’s a reflection of the reality that all have fallen short of the glory of God and deserve nothing but death - eternal death. In sin, all receive that denarius of truth. But God doesn’t leave us there. Though we are like the other laborers found throughout the day by the master standing idly by, He - the master - judges not by our excuses, rather, he showers grace upon grace through the peaceful mercy of sending those in need to the vineyard.

And it’s there in the vineyard - in the fruitful production of the church, through Word and Sacrament that true life is handed out and lived. The denarius of life is poured upon your dead and wearied soul as you are brought to life through the waters of Holy Baptism. You are nurtured in the living Word as you grow in the life of the church as your parents bring you to worship - you study the Word, the Catechism, eventually confessing your faith in the love of Jesus for you. You continue to be nurtured in soul by the regular reception of the fruit of the vine - the body and blood of Christ - who fills you with good things - forgiveness and faith. This faithfulness to Word and Sacrament is the means by which you keep the body and mind under control - living out your baptism through repentance - looking forward not to the earthly prizes that decay, rather, the imperishable prize of peace and glory with Christ in eternity.

Dear Christian, contentment is at times a wily foe who wishes to wrestle you away from the blessing of the day. So long as you live upon this earth you will struggle with its vain temptation. The reality of sin will be a constant stench in the air as you go about your days. But rest assured that you have been called to the work of the church. Labor here. Know that the work in this life as a child of God is not for vain. The heavy lifting has been done - Jesus has carried your heavy load. So this day hear this - you are forgiven for all your sin. Amen.