“When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. “Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me. When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial. You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired.” Matthew 26:10-13

Jesus says, “For you will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me.”  My text indicates that this text may echo Deuteronomy 15:11, which says, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth…”  There are so many movements on this earth with the goal to eliminate poverty on this planet. Yet our texts seem to say that this is a futile attempt. What could Jesus be saying to the disciples about service to the needy? Should we just give up serving those in need since there will always be people who struggle in this world? Is it possible to become so focused on serving others that we deny our Lord equal time and devotion? 

There are times when we become so focused on our ministry that we forget to return to our Lord to receive our instruction and our peace. We may believe we are plugged into Christ, but if we are not spending time in the Word, and in the Sacraments, we can become just as unplugged as those who never come to church. It is good to serve the needy; to be the hands and feet of Christ. But it is just as important to return to sit at the feet of Jesus to remember whose we are—beloved children of G-d, redeemed through the blood of Jesus.

Pastor Dave

^34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

^37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’” Matthew 25:34-40

Who are the hungry and the thirsty and the naked in our community? Finding out who the people in our community who have these basic needs takes time and focus. And then we need to ask how we can feed, clothe, care for, and visit them in new and efficient and effective ways.  We have so many good ministries in our church, yet we cannot become complacent in the calling that this text challenges all churches and people of faith. We need to ask ourselves how we can expand our ministries to those outside of the Lemoyne area.  How can we expand our concept of our neighbor in need? But the struggle exists within us not to look upon our ministry as our accomplishment—but instead realizing we are heeding our Lord’s calling to serve. Jesus forces you and me to look beyond our own understanding of who is our neighbor. Jesus teaches that our “family” is more than just those we know – our neighbor is anyone in need.

Pastor Dave