The King's Produce

Pentecost 20, Proper 23

October 15, 2023

Fr. Tim Nunez

The King’s Produce

May my spoken word be true to God’s written word and bring us all closer to the living word, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

We have another challenging parable this morning. Jesus is still in the Temple, still just days before his crucifixion, still confronting the chief priests and Pharisees. We are picking up right where we left off last week.

The main point of the parable is hopefully pretty clear. As we heard from Isaiah, the Lord’s covenant with Israel held this assurance of care and redemption, extending to the promise that he would destroy the shroud of death that is spread over all peoples. He will swallow up death forever.

That’s the wedding banquet to which the chief priests, elders, Pharisees and other leaders were supposed to lead them, including the care of the poor and needy. But they ignored it, made light of it and even went so far as to abuse and even kill the prophets the Lord repeatedly sent to remind and redirect them to this beautiful promise. And so ever since, God has been sending out messengers to anyone and everyone and welcoming those who respond. That leads to us. The Church is the bride of Christ. We are called to this banquet and given this most glorious promise as our heritage. Which is nice.

Now the hall is filled with guests, but there is this one guy not wearing a wedding robe. That doesn’t turn out so well for him, and that is where the parable becomes perplexing.

Last week, one of our confirmation candidates asked me what he should wear for confirmation. I didn’t really have a strong opinion. Business casual? Jacket? Tie? Maybe I should have!

But, of course, this isn’t about clothes. The prophet Joel said:

“Rend your hearts and not your garments.
Return to the Lord, your God,
   for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
   and relents from punishing.” (Joel 2:13)

It’s about having a heart for God, a heart for Jesus and a heart for the Holy Spirit. Today is special. We get to welcome Brooke Montgomery into Christ’s body, the church. Next week she will stand for confirmation. She didn’t ask me what to wear and I would not presume to tell her.

Brooke has a heart for God. She’s been quietly looking and searching for a long time. She found her church home and has been on our staff as part of the live stream team and she helps out in the nursery or wherever we need her. Her family is here to support her as she puts on the wedding robe, which is the grace she has found in Jesus. We baptize her into his body.

The other day I texted a prayer to someone, using voice to text. When I said “Amen,” my phone wrote, “I’m in.” I liked that. Brooke is “in.” All in. Many are called but few are chosen.

Rend, open, your heart to him and he will bless you.

And for all of us, as Archdeacon John so beautifully shared from his heart, our commitment makes a radical change in our hearts. We are not perfect but being perfected in Him.

AMEN