Reflections of God – Epiphany 5

Reflections of God

Isaiah 58:3-9a, Matthew 5:13-20 T Epiphany 5

INI

I love it when athletes, after winning the big game, give glory and thanks to God first, recognizing that whatever success they enjoy is not self-made, but a gift given by the Lord. Fernando Mendoza, the Indiana quarterback who just won the NCAA football championship was known for this. And predictably so, after winning the game, EVERYONE knew what he was going to talk about first: God.

In a narcissistic culture, deflecting glory to one greater than he is refreshing. Yes, he worked hard. But God opened the paths and opportunities for him to succeed. So, Mendoza didn’t boast in Himself, but His God.

In other settings — like philanthropy, community service, or charitable giving — recognition tends to work differently. Attention naturally settles on the giver, the organization, or the impact that’s been made in the community. And while much good is accomplished in this way, Jesus invites His disciples to think differently about good works, not as opportunities for recognition, but as occasions to bear witness to the Giver of every good gift.

The worst fate for man is being convinced that praise is something WE deserve for the good works we do. If man does good works to be seen, or noticed, or praised, or recognized – isn’t this precisely the reason Jesus preached against the Pharisees? He says, ‘When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. When you act merciful, don’t sound the trumpet in the streets to draw attention to what you do. When you fast, don’t disfigure yourself to show the whole world what you’re doing.’ By saying this, Jesus teaches us that good works aren’t done to show others our light. Rather, they reflect the light of Jesus – showing His character, not ours.

That’s what Jesus means in the Gospel. He gives us, His disciples, a new identity – a new purpose for our lives. Our good works aren’t meant to bear witness to us – but to the very Son of God. He says “You are the salt of the earth.” Meaning, that just as salt in antiquity was used to preserve food, so through the work His people will do, God will work to preserve the world from total decay, restraining evil and bearing witness to His character. He also says “You are the light of the world.” Meaning, we bear light. Though the light doesn’t properly belong to us – it belongs to Jesus. Just as John’s Gospel says that John the Baptist was not the light, but he bore witness to the light, so do we bear witness to the light of Christ through our good works. That’s what Matthew means when he says, “let your light (that you have because you are IN Christ, the light of the world) shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).”

So, when others see the good works we do as God’s salt and light, we don’t pat ourselves on the back. We don’t puff up with pride. We don’t accept accolades or praise without pointing people to the reason we do the good work in the first place. In humility, we say, “My Savior has made me this way. All praise is His.”

Because our good works aren’t reflections of us. They’re reflections of Him – of His character. What we do tells the world that we have a loving, generous, merciful master. That the Creator of the World in all its greatness, still cares about the most poor and lowly. And so, as God’s ambassadors on earth, we bless them with their needed daily bread.

Now, in biblical talk, we call that almsgiving. And the Old Testament reading talks about all different kinds of almsgiving. Isaiah mentions giving bread to the poor, letting the oppressed go free, loosing the bonds of wickedness, and the like – all of which Israel wasn’t doing. What were they doing? They were fasting. And yet, they have the audacity to question God, who isn’t responding to their religious fasts and other rituals in the way they’d expect. God was suspiciously silent. Why? Because the Lord calls His people to love Him – through the ritual observances. But also to love their neighbor. He calls for them to DO acts of righteousness, by caring for the least among them.

Why does the Lord care so much about this? That the poor are taken care of? Again, it’s a reflection of His character. He loves the poor and downtrodden. Even the least among men, our Lord loves. Certainly, the New Testament shows us this in Jesus’ ministry, but even the Laws in the Torah show this too.

In Leviticus 25, Yahweh institutes the Year of Jubilee, which comes every 50^th year. Why 50? Because every seventh year was a sabbath year for the land – which meant no farming, tilling, or anything. In that year, whatever the land grew on its own was used to feed the poor, and the wild animals. Already, God demonstrates His concern for the poor. But wait, it gets better. After 7 sabbath years of rest for the land, which comes once every 7 years, then comes the 50^th year, the year of Jubilee. What does the Lord institute for Israel to do to care for the poor in this year?

It’s pretty radical – any land that was sold due to debt accumulation, had to be returned to the original owner. Thus, poverty wasn’t meant to be compounded and generational. Debts were forgiven – meaning no one was trapped underneath an unsurmountable debt, like the man who owed his master 10,000 talents who was totally forgiven in Matthew’s Gospel. Finally, slaves were freed. If someone became so poor, slavery was the only way to pay off their debts. But this wasn’t to be their allotment forever. Again, the year of Jubilee is to teach God’s people that they don’t actually own anything. Any money, land, or people, belonged to God, to do with whatever He was pleased to do. And this year of Jubilee reflects God’s character – he’s concerned for the poor and works to provide for them.

Going back to the Old Testament language from Isaiah, the language of care and concern for the poor, the oppressed, the captives – this is all language from the Year of Jubilee. And in Luke 4:18-19 Jesus preached His first recorded sermon, deliberately taking up this Jubilee imagery. He speaks about the poor, oppressed, and captive, to reveal an even greater poverty that Jesus frees ALL of us from. He’s saying that HE is the one through whom the debts of sin are forgiven before God. HE is the one who frees those in slavery to sin, death, and the devil. HE is the one who restores the heavenly inheritance that was lost through Adam. HE is the light which comes into the world to disperse the darkness.

Now, as bearers of the light, Christ calls us imitate Him. Though of course, WE cannot forgive the debt of sin, nor gain eternal freedom. But, we bear witness to Christ who does this for the world. And through our actions, we display God’s character. We live lives of self-giving, generosity, providing for the needs of the poor among us – first those within our midst in the congregation, and then outside of it.

That’s what almsgiving is. And we do it as imitators of God, bearing His light. We give freely and joyfully, not under compulsion, because this is how our Lord has dealt with us. The light of Christ within us compels us to care for the poor in our midst.

And we take great comfort that the light overcomes the darkness. For the light, that is Christ, hasn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. He preaches the good news to the poor, proclaims freedom to captives, gives sight to the blind, frees the oppressed. Through Him, the year of Jubilee is always active. His favor rests upon the poor – specifically the poor in spirit.

That’s why His favor rests upon His Church. For He has enlightened us all with His gifts, with His Spirit. Through the weakness of death on a cross, Christ has conquered. The light has overcome the darkness of death, once again, revealing the mercy of God to the world. And by the work of the Spirit, we bear the mind of Christ, knowing the depths of our Father’s character, because it has been revealed through His Son.

“You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” And often that light shines brightest where no one is looking — in quiet generosity, unseen mercy, and love that expects nothing in return.

This is not your light. It is Christ’s. And because He has dealt with you in uncompromising mercy, you now live in uncompromising truth and love. Not for praise. Not for recognition. But so that the world may see His goodness and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

INI

Pastor Joshua Ralston