Sermon preached by The Rev'd Dr. Susan Kraus

St. Paul’s on the Green, Norwalk, Connecticut

November 18, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.

This morning’s reading from the prophet Malachi goes straight to the heart of a problem that concerns us as much as it did the people of Israel in Malachi’s day, which was sometime after the building of the second temple in Jerusalem in the 6th century before Christ. The problem is this: there is plenty of evidence that the wicked prosper! People who keep the Lord’s command often do not prosper as well as the arrogant and those who do evil. And it would appear that in all times the people of God have complained to God about this situation. It is certainly an issue in the book of Job and in many of the psalms. It has been an issue for me and perhaps for you as well.

We believe that God is righteous and merciful. Why is life sometimes so apparently unfair? Why do the wicked prosper while the innocent suffer? Why doesn’t God spare those who love and serve God? These are very difficult questions. These are questions that can threaten our faith in God.

How does God reply? God replies that we have not yet seen the end of the story. For now the evildoers may prosper and the righteous may not, but the day will come when God will act. Then, in the words of Malachi, “the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble … But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.” Ultimately there will be justice, and not only justice, but healing of all our wounds. Like us, the people of Israel were called to trust God and these promises of God.

Now, let’s turn to this morning’s passage from the gospel of Luke. First of all, I want to place this passage in its context in the gospel story. It comes immediately after the story we refer to when we use the expression “the widow’s mite.” Jesus was in the temple, that most sacred place in Jerusalem. He was teaching the people, and he was being challenged by the religious leaders. Luke tells us that Jesus “looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, ‘Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on’” (Luke 21:1-4).

This widow put all she had into the treasury to support the temple. And Jesus praises her for her generous offering. Yet the very next thing he says is that the temple, with all its beautiful stones and gifts, will be thrown down and not one stone will be left upon another. If that is the case, we might wonder what the point of the widow’s sacrificial giving was! It seems ironic, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t she have been wiser to keep the little she had to live on?

Jesus goes on to speak about the future in drastic terms. He talks about wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and “dreadful portents.” He tells his followers that they can look forward to being arrested and persecuted and to being betrayed by their friends and relatives, the very people who should protect them. Some of his followers will be put to death and many will be hated because of his name. Not a pretty picture, nothing held back. Fair warning that to follow in Jesus’ footsteps may require that we give everything we have.

Why is Jesus speaking in such drastic terms? In Luke’s gospel the passage immediately following today’s lesson is the story of the tragic death of Jesus, beginning with his betrayal by Judas. Jesus is himself about to suffer. He is soon to ask God to deliver him from death and yet not be spared. He is about to give all he has, his life. Jesus is about to do all this, trusting in God’s promises. As Jesus says to his followers, after he has warned them of all they will suffer, “But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.” Nothing will ultimately be lost. No generous gift will really be in vain. Not the widow’s gift to the temple. Not Jesus’ gift of his life. Not any gift you or I have given for the love of God.

The resurrection of Jesus is the supreme witness to these truths: that love and life are stronger than death, that good ultimately triumphs over evil, that the story of our lives on earth is not the end of the story. Like the people in the 6th century before Christ, like the people listening to Jesus in the temple, like the people in the early church who suffered and died for the gospel, like people everywhere and at all times who love God and make sacrifices because of that love, we need to hear and hold fast to God’s promises. God promises justice, mercy, and salvation for our souls. So, be of good courage and go on loving and giving. Above all, be like our brother and savior, Jesus, and trust God’s promises. Amen.