The Kingdom of God is like a party
Sermon for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, year B
Bible reading: Mark 10:13-16
Tony Campolo was in a different time zone and he couldn’t sleep. He got up and went to the nearest doughnut shop at 3am. While eating his snack he noticed the local prostitutes come in for refreshments after their night’s tricks. Agnes announced: ‘you know what? It’s my birthday tomorrow. I’m going to be 39.’
Her friend snapped back: ‘so what do you want from me? A birthday party? You want me to get a cake and sing happy birthday to you?’
Agnes replied: ‘you don’t have to be so mean. I’m just telling you it’s my birthday tomorrow. I don’t expect anything from you. Why should I have a birthday party? I’ve never had one in my whole life. Why should I have one now?’
Tony Campolo got an idea. He asked the shop owner if Agnes came in every night, and then suggested that they put on a party for her the next night. So Tony and the shop owner and his wife arranged for a cake and candles and party decorations for a complete stranger. The next night when she walked in at 3am they shouted ‘Surprise!’
and sang Happy birthday, and Agnes began to cry so hard she could hardly blow out the candles. She asked not to cut the cake so she could carry it home and savor the moment. Then Tony led the prostitutes in a prayer, and Agnes left, carrying her cake like a treasure.
Doesn’t that remind you of Jesus? When he came the first thing he said to people was,
I’ve got good news for you. The Kingdom of God is coming. Drop everything else and come and join the party.
The Kingdom of God is like a party. When Jesus made this announcement most people didn’t get it.
When most people heard Kingdom of God, they thought politics, so Jesus had to explain: my kingdom is not of this world.
Some other people thought the kingdom of God was about rules and regulations, what you eat and drink, and Paul had to explain that it was about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Some others thought the Kingdom of God is something way in the future, like heaven, and Jesus had to explain, the kingdom of God is near … in your midst.
Some others thought the kingdom of God was something you talked about late into the night over port or whisky and Paul explained that the kingdom of God is how we live by the power of God.
Pretty much everybody thought the Kingdom of God was for the best, the most important, the holiest. Jesus told story after story to show that the kingdom of God is like a party that God puts on for the last, the lost, and the least.
Think of that first party Jesus went to, and when the party began to run dry Jesus turned the water into wine.
Think of the parties after first Matthew and than Zacchaeus were saved. Think of the party parables Jesus told. Of a woman who finds her lost coin and then invited everybody over for a party. Of the Shepherd who finds his one lost sheep and then invited all his friends and neighbours to come and celebrate. Of the man who had his lost son return home, and then put on the party to beat all parties. Think of Jesus welcoming the children today … noisy, squealing children… and Jesus says: the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Recently I stumbled on a program called Heart and Soul. It showed the stuffy self-righteous members of the church saying to the younger, inclusive members: ‘you’re turning the house of the Lord into a party venue!’
If the kingdom of God is like a party, Jesus is the life of the party. That’s why people were bringing their children to Jesus to have him touch them.
That’s why people were always flocking to Jesus. They knew he would help them. They knew they would go away better off. The cripples knew they would go away walking and leaping and praising God.
The lepers knew they would be cleansed and able to join their families again. The outcastes new they would be welcomed and included.
People flocked to Jesus, and they invited Jesus to come to their parties, and he came, and by being there he demonstrated what the kingdom of God is like. And he told lots of stories to show how they were all invited to the party, which is the kingdom of God.
Jesus was so much the life of the party that he even gate crashed funerals and cemeteries and turned them into resurrection parties. In his few years on earth everybody could see that Jesus was the life of the party, except the religious big knobs, who poured cold water on anyone who had fun or enjoyed God. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘this man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
The disciples weren’t much better. As the parents brought their children to Jesus, they rebuked them
– they drove them away.
How sad when we can’t see that Jesus is the life of the party – even while quoting him as saying: I am the resurrection and the life.
How sad when we pour cold water on those who joyfully celebrate Jesus, even while quoting him as saying: I came that they might have abundant life.
How sad when we drive people away from the kingdom by our hard attitudes, even while quoting Jesus as saying: let the children come to me.
The kingdom of God is like a party, and Jesus is the life of the party, and all are invited to the party. When Jesus said: The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news
, he was speaking to everybody. His command was to make disciples of all nations. His desire is that all people be saved: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God’s kingdom is for all. All are invited to God’s party. That might include the most unexpected people!
Let the children come – the kingdom is for such as these.
We have little trouble with children today. We want them to be in God’s kingdom. But we also need to hear that anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God as a child will never enter it.
In the end the kingdom of God is only for children: only for those who come humbly, without any claims; only for those who come lovingly, happy to sit on Jesus lap; only for those who come without inhibitions, skipping and squealing with joy in Jesus’ presence.
But listen to who else is welcome: Bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind & the lame … go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in so that my house will be full.
Jesus said to the religious leaders: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. … I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
Jesus invites the least, the last, and the lost into his kingdom. It mightn’t be the company we had in mind. But the good news is that the invitation to the party is extended to all of us – all of us who are happy to be included amongst the children, all of us who are happy to own up to being sinners. What an invitation: Let the children come … and the sinners … and the least … the last … the lost …Agnes … you … me. Amen.