Dunbar UCC

October 2, 2011

Leviticus 19:18, 33-34

Philippians 2:3-5

Matthew 21:33-46

Tenants In the Vineyard

I.        When Heather told me she was going to Haiti to help the victims of the earthquake that happened in January, 2010 -- almost two years ago -- I thought, wow -- what an opportunity.  And with all she has to do -- she’s so busy.  I mean, every time I see Heather, she looks like she just finished running a marathon.  She works these ungodly hours in the Emergency Room, raises Haley, helps her mother, cuts her dog’s nails, co-chairs the board of Deacon’s and teaches church school.  The last two Christmases, she even came and practiced and then sang on the choir.  And it’s not like she lives next door to the church -- she’s traveling from Cheshire.  Heather’s really burning the candle at both ends, and sometimes -- she looks it.

II.       So my thinking about this humanitarian - Christian - mission-trip-to-Haiti changed.

          At first I thought, “What a good thing Heather’s doing.”  And now I think, “My God, her life isn’t challenging enough as it is?  Why does she need to go to this godforsaken island that after two years still looks like a disaster zone, and sleep in a tent and contend with malaria and dysentery and snakes and probably a number of angry people who are tired of standing in line all day to see her?

          Now I wonder why someone who’s already helping so many people in crisis want to help more?  And besides -- these people she’s helping are foreigners.  People here need help.  Fifty million of us don’t have health insurance -- no health care.  So why doesn’t Heather stay here and help Americans?  Charity begins at home, right?

III.      Heather’s response:  how has God helped and led and guided -- why a doctor?

          Why doesn’t she go where there’s more money?  Why doesn’t she use her gifts to make herself rich?  And why Haiti?  Why do you want to help foreigners?

          Do you see yourself as a tenant here?  Does it make a difference WHO you help?

          What does being a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ, mean to you?

IV.     Conclusion:  In one of the last stories Jesus told  before he was executed, he said  we are tenants here.  We don’t own anything -- even our bodies.   Everything we have was given to us so we could serve others.

          Jesus didn’t believe in what we call “the American dream” -- where some of us think if we work hard and save we can eventually “have it all”  -- live like kings and queens.  Jesus said God’s agenda is that all people have abundant life.  And he didn’t distinguish between local people, family, foreigners, friends, enemies. It doesn’t matter.

          It doesn’t matter how we serve -- whether through our tax dollars, our donations, our labors of love, its all good -- it’s all just picking grapes in God’s vineyard.