SERMON: The Gospel of Kindness.
November 13, last Friday, was World Kindness Day: the World Kindness Day is celebrated and observed in countries around the world as an annual reminder to be kind and that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference.
‘You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.’
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
In honor of World Kindness Day, a list of the top seven ways to incorporate kindness into your everyday life was curated:
1. Send an uplifting text to a loved one
2.Be kind and courteous on the road when driving
3. Intentionally allow laughter and kindness into your everyday life
4. Step out of your comfort zone if it will make someone smile
5. Compliment others Connect with family members or friends that you haven’t spoken to in a while
6. Buy someone a cup of coffee – or treat yourself
‘My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.’ – Dalai Lama. “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible”
It is so befitting to end the Church year of 2020 like this… with the poignant and pointing text from Matthew chapter 25.
It is so appropriate to end our church year as Christians being reminded about the simplicity of faith and actions.
Because Matthew Chapter 25 is an eye-opening chapter that hopefully here on the last Sunday of the Church year on the brink of the Season of Advent, we may “with the eyes of our heart enlightened, know what is the hope to which we were called….” As Paul wrote.
This is a spiritual note to all of us as we conclude the church year of 2020 and look a head to next Sunday and the Season of Advent.
This is a spiritual note to all of us as we end Church year 2020, who has been marked by Pandemic, isolation, anxiety, and political turmoil and division.
This is a grand call to all of us to remember to be kind: to show humanity, dignity, compassion, care through these 6 acts of kindness and compassion that is listed in Matthew 25.
For I was hungry and you gave me food
For I was thirty and you gave me something to drink
I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you gave me clothing
I was sick and you visited me
I was in prison and you visited me.
Sometimes we think that our small acts of kindness are … small and insignificant, but today’s Gospel reminds us of the simplicity and the significance of our small acts of kindness that turns out to be great acts of faith.
When we give our old clothe to Thrift Stores.
When we donate to Food Banks.
When we make quilts for the Shelter.
When we visit the sick and lonely.
When we call the sick, the lonely, the old and the depressed.
When we remember the imprisoned.
When we welcome the stranger in our neighborhood or country.
You just listened to chapter 25 from the Gospel according to Matthew and chapter 25 is a monumental chapter of teaching, judgment and grace.
2 weeks ago, we also heard from the beginning of Matthew 25 the story about the 5 wise and the 5 foolish bridesmaids with an urgent call to be ready and prepared.
1 week ago, we again heard from Matthew 25 the story about the Talents that was given to the servants. With an urgent call to invest your talents, to share your talents and be grateful for what has been bestowed upon you and entrusted you in life.
And then this morning, we listen to the final judgmental story from Matthew chapter 25.
As we close the church year 2020 and look ahead to the season of Advent, these words truly speak volumes to us. When we look back at our actions and deeds, but even more when we look forward with hope and faith.
Since March we have been in a Worldwide Pandemic that truly has called upon our humanity, compassion and care for others. We wear mask to protect…. Others, we keep distance… to protect others and curb the spread of the virus….. we limit our social activities… to protect our loved ones.
Through this all small acts of kindness have been vital to so many people. Phone calls, cards or email greetings. Help with shopping. Seeing, feeding, clothing and caring. Supporting the Homeless Shelter. Donating to good causes.
So, when we look back, we might ask: what did I do? How did I help?
So, when looking ahead, we might ask: how can I do more? How can I help more and do more good?
Looking back we also look back at very divided times where just simple acts of kindness suddenly became political acts or oppression of freedom.
Matthew 25 is a monumental fundamental call to all of us, all the people of the nations.
It calls humanity to an ethic with focus on “the other” in these 6 significant and yet unspectacular acts of kindness. It calls us to decenter ourselves in the interest of meeting those in need with relief, compassion, comfort, and dignity.
When we center on Christianity, we have to decenter ourselves and focus on the others: the one who is hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick or in prison. When we try to center our Christianity decentering in an important discipline. It is not about me. It is all about them.
It is all about putting Christ back in Christianity. And when we do, we have to remember the call of Christ to :
• Love God
• Love your neighbor as yourself
• Forgive 70 X 7 times
• Remember that whoever is without a sin may cast the first stone
• Treat others the way you want to be treated
• Feed the hungry
• Don’t return evil for evil
• Visit those in prison and those alone
• Clothe the naked
• House the homeless
• Welcome the stranger
• Don’t judge
• Care for the sick
• Love one another as Christ loves us
Bringing Christ back in Christianity, means bringing human kindness back at the center. Jesus instructed us to change to world in his name by embracing 2 essential commandments: to love God and love our neighbor as yourself and we are to go and make displaces of others. The great commandment and the great commission.
Of all the times Jesus spoke of it, none is more compelling than exactly this passage in Matthew 25 when Jesus describes the actions of those welcomed into his Father’s kingdom: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me … Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40).
Because when you love you neighbor, you love God. When you care for you neighbor, you care for Jesus.
Matthew 25 illustrates the shocking depth of Jesus’ love for humanity. His identification with “the least of these” is so profound that when we reach out to them with love and enter their pain, it is Jesus himself we are loving and embracing.
Matthew 25 becomes our to-do list as we enter to the Season of Advent and Christmas – simple and yet significant acts of kindness.
Caring for people in this way signals whose side we’re on — the side of our God, who desperately loves all people.
When I was out walking on the beautiful trails of Yorba Linda, I have seen small beautiful pink posters along the way. Small reminders that reminded me of the Gospel of Matthew 25.
“My mask means I have hope for a better future.
Be kind. Everyone is healing from things they don’t speak about.
I like you just the way you are.”
These posters are small acts of kindness. And our small acts of kindness reflect the greatness of our faith.
Amen.