i had a sound in my head

but i couldn't get it out

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 18th Chapter!

This week we begin another year of programming. With this beginning we switch from thanking God for rescuing us in baptism; to confessing our sins, and hearing God’s Word of grace. I know to some that kind of thing seems gloomy, but the truth is, it’s really a miracle. The miracle that if God hadn’t forgiven our sins, we’d never be able to confess them.

This week we had “God’s Work Our Hands” day. What is interesting about that day, isn’t our hands. Heaven knows our hands love to be doing something; right or wrong. What is interesting is that God would come to folks like us, freeing us to do God’s work.

Today’s sermon is a story. It is a warning-story of sorts. It is a story of what kind of work our hands can do without God’s intervention.

Okay, let me tell you how it went.

There was this member of my old congregation. I won’t be going back there anytime soon.

Anyway, there was this member who had been having a rough go of it lately… 

Well, I’ve been doing pretty well for myself. So when I heard they needed some food to get them to harvest, I made them a loan.

I mean, why not? 

I’ve got plenty, and I’m happy to help. I was sure they’d be more than willing to repay the loan, plus interest. 

Well, it turned out to be a hard summer.
I mean it was rough for all of us. 

When harvest time came around, he told me he didn’t have enough. He dared to tell me that if he repaid the loan he wouldn’t have enough to feed his family!

Like I cared!

Obviously I was irked, but I tried to stay calm. “Listen,” I said, “if you need to take out another loan later in the year, we can talk. Right now, though, right now you need to repay my original loan - plus interest.”

Well, he kept saying he could try to pay back next year. Next Year, can you believe it?! In fact, he even dared to point out that I had enough to get me through the year.

What did that matter? What I have is mine, and that’s my own business. No, him and I were talking about the fact that he owed me.

The more I got to thinking about it, the more piqued I got. I had, had enough. 

“You know,” I told him, “You know you pledged me your coat. You pledged me your coat in lieu of repayment, and I’ve been kind enough to let you keep your coat. I’ve been kind enough, until now. Why don’t you get me your coat. I’m going to be taking that.”

This ingrate had the nerve to ask me what he was going to sleep in if he didn’t have his coat! I told him that wasn’t my concern. I told him that I didn’t want to take his coat, anyway! All he had to do was repay his loan, plus interest, and he’d have his silly coat back. I had enough wrangling with this louse. I told him, next time I saw him, I had better see the coat or a repayment. 

Well, an entire day passed and he still hadn’t given me his coat. I wasn’t going to stand for that. You give an inch and folks take a mile! I went and found him. I told him that if he didn’t hand his pledge over then and there I could get the judge involved. 

The judge and I have had to settle disputes before. Good thing our dads were friends or I might feel like I bothered him with all these cases I needed him to settle. 

Well, I figured that would certainly be the end of it.

Do you know what he did, though?

He went and got some other members of the congregation.

These three dared to tell me it wasn’t fair to keep his coat!

I told them everything I just told you. These fools were insolent, though.

They asked how he would feed his family if he repaid the loan, they asked what he would sleep in if I had his coat.

These folks, apparently, don’t understand how loans work; why pledges are acceptable until repayment, plus interest.

Well, I tried to explain leverage, interest to them, but it didn’t go anywhere. Like I said, they’re an insolent lot.

In fact, turns out they thought their visit would get me to change my mind.

Ha!

No, I told them. Until I was repaid, I was going to be holding unto that coat.

I started to wish I had never loaned that ingrate a single mite!

Obviously I thought that was the end of the matter.

I wish that has been the end of it.

Do you know what happened next? You’ll never believe it.

Next thing I knew the entire congregation came to me. Yeah.

They all got together and told me about that low-life’s plight!

As if it was any concern to me.

They asked the same questions I already heard too many times. ‘How would he feed his family? If he gave his coat what would he sleep in?’ Yadda-yadda-yadda. 

That was it!

I told them that it was either repayment, or the coat. If they didn’t agree, I could get the judge involved. I’m sure he’d see things my way. Like I said, we’ve had to do this kind of thing before. 

At that point I didn’t even bother to hesitate to point out to these dolts about my relationship with the judge. I mean, if they weren’t going to be reasonable, perhaps I could put a little pressure on them. I mean, what was it going to take?!?

When I said that, do you know what they dared to do?

Those crooks, had the nerve to ask me to leave!

They asked me to leave their congregation. That I needed to repent. Me? Me! A respected leader of the community! They asked me to leave for that worthless beggar!

At that point I let them have it!

“You know, I only joined y’all because I heard this Jesus was raised from the dead. I wanted to get that, too. This isn’t worth the trouble. Good riddance,” I told them. I was only more than happy to leave!

Some other member gave me a coat for the original person I loaned the money to. Just as well, I’m sure that original fool didn’t even have a coat worth holding anyway.

At that point I was sure that was the end of it. 

Wrong again!

Now they’re coming to me daily. 

They’re trying to save me!!! They’re trying to get me to join their community! What an absurd lot.

They tell me their leader was a friend to folks caught in my predicament, tax-collectors and pagans.

Ha! I don’t need their pity. I am doing perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much.

Do you know, that fellow I generously loaned to in the first place, even came to me!

He told me how sad he was about our disagreement, how he wasn’t about to let the church just forget about me. Apparently he was kind enough to remind them that Jesus befriended folks like me.

I couldn’t believe it.

To heck with it, I thought.

They won’t stop coming to talk to me, though!

In fact, remember that judge I told you about, my buddy?

Well, my old buddy, that is.

Well, they got to him…

I only have myself to blame. I guess.

On day him and I were having a lunch, and I was telling him about all this nonsense. He couldn’t seem to believe they would all band together for this one poor-person.

In fact, when I told him about everything. That judge got quiet.

He told me he’s had a lot of cases when a creditor came to him demanding that some debtor pay-up. 

I agreed, it’s terrible these days. More and more folks need to take out loans, and then when things are tough they act like we should just share our access!

He was quiet and admitted he always ruled in favor of the creditor.

“Good for you,” I told him. Good for him, no one seems to care about our plight these days!

He went on to say that normally the debtor’s life ended up caught in some cycle of loans. That is, until the creditors decide to collect or not to bother loaning to that person anymore.

“So,” I asked?

Apparently he felt it ruined the debtor’s life.

I asked him what concern was that to us.

Well, he was just quiet.

The next day I saw him talking to some people from that congregation I used to be a part of. Obviously I ducked out. I didn’t want them coming after me next.

Well wouldn’t you know it, the judge joined their congregation!

Another good one lost…

Now he’s been coming after me!

He’s been telling me about this Jesus. About the prayer he taught, to forgive as he’s forgiven us. 

He even had the audacity to ask me to imagine what the world would be like if we forgave as Jesus forgave.

“Heaven forbid it,” I told him!

Can you imagine that world?

His kingdom come? His will be done?

I don’t want to even imagine that world.

No thank you.

Just a second, someone is at the door.

Oh great, it’s one of them again.

Do you want to talk to them? I know I don’t…