Wednesday of Lent 2 Impartiality As an Act of Repentance In the Ash Wednesday Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21), Jesus told us to do certain good works—certain acts of repentance—secretly. Tonight’s reading indicates that, when you show favoritism—that is, when you draw near to one fellow Christian and deliberately avoid another—you commit a public act of public sin. Alternatively, when you elect NOT choose teams or participate in a clique, that is a secret good work you can do while standing in the middle of a crowd. If you treat each one with equal love and equal compassion, no one notices. Impartiality is an act of repentance. St. James has written: “If you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” James will later speak along similar lines: “If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth” (James 3:14). We also have that extended example from the beginning of tonight’s reading: My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? We can thank God that rich and poor are NOT the distinctions we Christians draw between ourselves here at Grace Lutheran Church. But that does not mean there are no distinctions or no cliques present here. You know the people you avoid. Some people tax my patience more than others. One fellow Christian is easy to forgive and easy to like, while the shortcomings of another Christian are equally easy to remember and resent. Tragically, the sin of favoritism is completely unavoidable. Favorites are unavoidable not because of someone else’s black heart but because of my own; because of my sin and my selfishness. The human heart is simply too evil and it simply refuses to feel the same love equally toward everyone. St. James knows he cannot forbid the partiality of our hearts and minds. The best James can do is to warn us against making our partiality public. “My brothers, ” says James, “SHOW no partiality… If you SHOW partiality, you are committing sin.” You cannot avoid drawing your distinctions and neither can I, but WE MUST AVOID ACTING UPON THEM. That requires compassion. That requires long-suffering and even-handed generosity. Impartiality requires self-restraint and even self-mortification. Impartiality is an act of repentance, that is, a secret good work you can do while standing in the middle of a crowd. If you treat each one with equal love, no one will notice. Jesus repeatedly said in the Ash Wednesday Gospel that, when you perform your secret good works—your impartial acts of repentance—“your Father who sees in secret will reward YOU” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). Your Father will repay you (NASB). Your Father will give you a return on your investment. We already know that God does not reward your good works with forgiveness of sins and eternal life. • Forgiveness of sins is already yours. The forgiveness of your sins was fully present in the blood that Jesus shed upon the cross. • Eternal life is likewise yours on account of Christ. Eternal life in bodily form was guaranteed to you when Jesus rose from the dead. So how is it possible that your impartiality will bring you a reward? The Father’s reward for your good works consists of the benefits you gain to your faith. Here are some examples: • When you show deliberate and premeditated impartiality, you begin to see people in the manner that your Lord Jesus sees people. Jesus does not look at you or anyone else as better or worse, rich or poor, attractive or unlikable. Your impartial act of repentance, especially when it becomes habitual, will allow you a clearer picture of your neighbor. You will more clearly see your neighbor as someone created; someone fallen and in need of mercy; someone redeemed by the blood of Christ; someone seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6). • Your impartial act of repentance—NOT showing favoritism—will also deepen and beautify your perspective upon your own salvation. The habit of impartiality will train the eye of your mind to see yourself, not as ahead or behind your neighbor, but shoulder-to-shoulder with your neighbor in the rich mercies of God through Christ Jesus. You will begin to see with greater clarity than you truly are part of a vast, uncountable multitude (Revelation 7:9), covered in the pure white robes of Christ’s forgiveness and fully incorporated into the fullness of God’s grace. The Scriptures declare that your Baptism has placed you in Christ (Romans 6:3-11, 2 Corinthians 5:17). In Christ, you are already as far ahead as anyone could ever be. In Christ, there is no possibility of falling behind. • Who knows? Perhaps your act of repentance will even help you listen all the more to the Words of God. Impartiality is more than an act of repentance. Impartiality is simple compassion, and compassion is the very nature of your God. Compassion is what your Lord Jesus is all about: compassion toward you; compassion toward those next to you. “The Lord! The Lord! The compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). “He redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion” (Psalm 103:4). “The Lord will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants” (Psalm 135:14). “He is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made” (Psalm 145:9). “Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love” (Lamentations 3:32). “When Jesus saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things” (Mark 6:34). “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion” (2 Corinthians 1:3).
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