Start the Party, a special sermon for the Sunday after VBS, preached Aug 18, 2024
Context
Lets group up in 2s or 3s, and wonder with one another this question…
Question of the Day
"What is your favorite kind of party… AND Why?” Ready? Go!
Prayer for Illumination
Let’s pray… God as we open your word, may it open us. As we read your word, may it read us. Amen? Amen.
Sermon Jesus is a GREAT reason to Party
Jesus is a good reason to Party, and Jesus loved a good party. One time, he gathered up a bunch of fishermen, and got them to hang out with him as they walked and talked and ate together. Jesus like big parties, like bunches of times, he would gather big groups of different people all together in one place to talk about things and share stories. He also liked smaller parties, like when he would sit people down in smaller groups, and they would eat together. Jesus loved going to worship, to synagogue or temple. He would turn those into parties, striking up interesting conversations with strangers and friends alike. Jesus went to funeral parties, like after his friend Lazarus died, or when a little girl had just died, and both times, because Jesus was at the party, death turned to life, and grief turned to hope. Jesus went to wedding parties, and when the box wine ran out, he turned water into a good Cabernet. There was something about Jesus that loved good parties, and his way challenges us to turn any gathering into some kind of celebration.
Not only did Jesus like parties, when he was trying to describe God, and God’s hopes for humanity, he sometimes told stories about parties as examples of who God is, what God wants, and how life is like a party. Like in…
Scripture Matthew 22:1-10
22 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven could be compared to a king who gave a wedding party for his son. 3 He sent his messengers to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 So again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared a big feast, my (best) oxen and calves have been (cooked and served), and everything is ready; come to the wedding party.’
5 But (many) played it down and went (their own) way, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 (and some even) seized the king’s messengers, and mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, and brought down justice on those murderers, and destroyed their places.
8 Then the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but (many of) those invited (didn’t consider it worthwhile). 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 Those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Sermon A EVERYONE is invited/included
Jesus talks about God as throwing a big party where all people, good and bad, are invited, welcome, and included. I love the way Jesus explains God’s party. It’s full of anybody God’s helpers meet, in the streets, in their lives. It would be full of everybody, all kinds of people. Can you imagine it? It would surely be a wild, diverse collection of unexpected folks.
I’m also sad at how Jesus admits many folks who were also invited, welcome, and included … chose to do other things.
To some, a party is a silly thing, and therefore not nearly as important a priority as work, or home, or chores, or vacation, rest.
To others, a party is fine, but they’d rather do their own thing instead of a party, you know, finish that series on Netflix, read a book, go out on the boat, play video games.
To some, a party is not their thing, because they would rather stick with their own people, their own family or small collection of vetted friends, rather than risk being in the midst of a bunch of strangers, or maybe some people we DO know but Don’t like.
To some, the assumption is God doesn’t do parties. God is serious, mature, and even if JESUS says God is throwing a party, well, they know better. That’s not the kind of God some people want to believe in or to worship, so they’re not going.
And to others still, it’s not as much about doubting God would throw a party, as it doubting that God exists at all. So… whatever… somebody said God is throwing a party. It’s probably just some ambitious couple trying to impress the neighborhood and go viral on TikTok.
In Jesus’s stories about parties, God never forces anyone to play and participate in God’s party. There does seem to be some room to choose our own paths and parties. But when we choose anything , rather than God’s party, God’s heart breaks for us. Like in…
Scripture Luke 15:11-32
Ì11 Then Jesus[a] said, “There was a man who had two sons. Ì12 The younger of them said to his father, Ì ‘Father, give me the half of your estate that will belong to me (when you’re dead).’ So the father divided his assets between the two sons. Ì
13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had Ìand traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his half in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, Ìa severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, Ìwho sent him to the fields to feed the pigs. 16 The son would gladly have filled his stomach[b] with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17 ÌBut when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go (back) to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’
Ì20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him Ìand was filled with compassion; he ran and Ìput his arms around him and kissed him. 21 ÌThen the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son, so….’[c] 22 ÌBut the father (interrupted and) said to his servant, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and cook it, and let us eat and celebrate, 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to party.
Ì25 “Now the older son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servant and asked what was going on. 27 The servant replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has cooked the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’
Ì28 Then the older son became angry and refused to go in. ÌHis father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 And when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’
Ì31 Then the father[d] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”
Sermon B So Celebrate the Good News
The younger son missed out on so much. He tried to throw his own kind of party, but that didn’t make him happy. That path was a dead end. It only lasted as long as the money. He tried to buy happiness and discovered only fake happiness has a price, and its always a little more than we can afford. But real happiness if free. He was almost too ashamed of himself to come back home. But somehow, he remembered. He had just enough hope and decided to risk coming home. He didn’t assume he would ever be a part of a party. He just wanted to come home and be a hard working servant for the rest of his life.
But God threw a party. There was nothing, nothing this son could ever do to lose the love of his father. And that’s the kind of Good News we can always celebrate.
The older brother in his own way was just as lost though. He never left or tried to buy fake happiness anywhere else with his monies. Instead he stayed, and tried to buy happiness with his works. He assumed if he did the right thing, if he worked hard enough and was diligent and responsible, he might one day earn his father’s love and get a party. That’s what made him so resentful of his father and the younger brother. All his works, all this time invested in the responsible, “right” things to do, and the loser younger brother gets in the party?!
We celebrate the Good News that God already loves us. We can’t earn or deserve any more of God’s love than we already have, than we’ve ever had. AND the Good News is also that we could never do anything to LOSE God’s love, to make us unworthy or undeserving of God wanting to throw and party and celebrate whenever we are all together.
It sad to me how many times I hear the Christian message, the so called Good News spoken as if everyone is invited, but only SOME get into the party IF they do the right things, their works, or believe the right things, their faith. Friends, that is NOT Good News, nor is it what we learn about God in Jesus.
One side of the Good News is that we cannot earn God’s love or deserve God’s love with our works or our faith. We just have it, not because of what we choose to believe or do, but because of what God has chose and what God has done in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
The other side of the Good News is that we can really wreck things, mess up our own lives, the lives of others, and put big dents in God’s good creation, but there is nothing, nothing we could ever do or believe to lose God’s love. No matter how far we try to escape from God, or how hard we try to hide from God, or how angry and resentful we get at God, God will always love us, and have everything ready for a huge party ready for us and all of God’s beloved.
When we are clear on the real Good News, and both sides of it, that’s when Jesus wants us to share it. Its why Jesus said this in…
Scripture Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Sermon C Share the News, and Start the Party
Brothers and sisters, each of us are party starters. Today is quite different in here than any other Sunday since I’ve been at this church. There are weird colorful steppy thingys on the floor that squish and make bubbles. There are pop up tents with dangly lights in the back. There are bean bags and round shag rugs down here for the youngest or young at heart. We are singing new songs, and playing the music loud over the system, and projecting the words on a big screen. This is not our typical kind of worship. And I’m so grateful for those of you here today, in person or online, who came today, invited a friend, and are playing along and enjoying the party.
But worship, church is never supposed to be a private party, a members only club where certain people are comfortable, in, and others, outsiders are welcome and comfortable if they think and sound and look and worship like the rest us. Worship, church, is a God party, and is supposed to be full of all kinds of people that we invited.
If this church, our worship, our small groups, our children and youth and college age groups, our fellowship and meals, our mission efforts in the community and beyond… if everything we do here is going to look anything like God’s kingdom as Jesus described it, then we will need to be party starters. We will need to invite anyone, everyone to this God party. And then, when we all come together here, all of church, all of it will feel more and more like a party. Good deep honest conversations with friends AND strangers. Plenty of food to share and no one goes home hungry. An eclectic collection of music. Serious discussion of scripture, theology, life, with some laughter, questions, and honest stories, and folks gladly serving one another. Maybe even a few gamesalong the way.
If this church is going to be a God party, then no one runs away to do their own thing. No one grumps or complains that things aren’t the way they wanted. No one assumes they aren’t worthy and included just as they are. And each of us can help start that kind of party here.
Prayer
Amen? Amen.
Charge
Benediction
Now blessing, laughter, and loving be yours, and may the love of a great God who names you and holds you as the earth turns and the flowers grow be with you this day, this night, this moment, and forever more. Amen? Amen.
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