The Way of Mercy

Reverend Philip Stringer

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

LET US PRAY: We ask, O Lord, that the words which we hear this morning, and the worship which we offer, may bear fruit in our hearts and be acceptable in your sight, our strength and our redeemer. AMEN

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives in our country. Beautifully maintained, it curves gently along the ridge line of the mountains, offering incredible views of the surrounding country. It’s peaceful, too. The speed limit on the parkway is 45 mph. That’s ok, because the parkway isn’t intended to be like the interstate highways. The interstates are intended to get you from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. The Blue Ridge Parkway is built to get you away from the hustle and bustle of the world so that you can enjoy the beauty around you.

You can get off of the Blue Ridge Parkway at major roads, but there are also a host of side roads one can take — but if you take one of these, you had better be prepared for surprises, because many of them are simply old logging roads that now lead only to the homes of people along the way. These roads drop down from the relatively smooth ridge and cut back and forth . . . and back and forth . . . and back and forth.

Of course, the shortest distance is a straight line, so if you are just looking at the map, it looks rather foolish, because you keep doubling back on yourself, winding up in almost exactly the same spot.

But on the ground, it’s easy to see that you don’t want to be going in a straight line down the mountain! The turns are necessary steps along the way.

Not long after we moved to NC, I decided to look for a fly stream and headed up one of these roads on my way toward the Blue Ridge Parkway — but soon I found myself actually dropping down from where I was — back and forth and back and forth until the road turned to gravel — I had no idea where I was and no idea where I would end up — but it sure was beautiful and was certainly an adventure.

When the road is filled with twists and turns, it’s hard to tell when you will reach the end.

Sometimes, you need to just accept that you can’t see where you’re going and you’ll just have to trust that whoever built the road will get you where you need to go by the best path possible.

Jesus was on his way.

And as he went, he came upon someone settled in. Matthew was in his booth, settled into a life of isolation and exclusion. He was a Jew collecting taxes from his own people to give to the Romans.

As Jesus was on HIS way, he stopped there at Matthew's booth. It should have been out of his way (it was out of every good Jew's way), but it was ON Jesus' way, because Jesus' way is a way of mercy -- and the way of mercy is a way of twists and turns and back and forth.

The only time that people would go to Matthew was when they had to. And then it was to have something taken away -- their taxes, but more accurately their freedom, pride, and self-worth as a people. They were under the burden of an oppressor and a visit to Matthew was the result of that.

But Jesus didn't come to Matthew this way. Jesus came to Matthew on HIS way -- Jesus was on his way -- not to have anything taken away, but to freely give it. He gave mercy by saying to Matthew, "I am on my way. Come with me." Jesus stepped over the line of isolation and exclusion and said, "come follow me." Come -- be with me -- do not be alone any longer. Do not be self-serving; do not be an instrument of oppression and division. Come follow me. And he did.

Today, the living Word of God is speaking to you and me, also, through the Scriptures, to follow Jesus’ footsteps in the way of mercy.

Jesus was on his way. Yes -- he was on his way TO somewhere. He was on his way to the cross. But what we often overlook is that while Jesus is on his way TO, he is also on his way OF.

The way of Jesus is the way of mercy. He reached out to Matthew with that mercy and called him to that way of mercy, too. And Matthew left his booth — he left his settled in and isolated life -- and took up a way in relationship.

To follow Jesus is less a way TO than it is a way OF. Yes, we are on our way to the kingdom; TO heaven; TO salvation. But more so, these things have already come TO US. When people think that following Jesus is a way to get to heaven when they die -- they forget that Jesus taught us a way OF life instead of a way TO heaven, because he has already taken care of the way TO heaven for us.

As Jesus sat at the table with sinners, the pharisees disapproved. They weren't on their way anywhere. They had already arrived at a system of ritual. They believed they were living perfections -- finished products. Not on a journey, but themselves a living destination for others to aspire.

So, they came to Jesus' disciples (not even to Jesus -- just his disciples) and questioned Jesus' actions -- but mostly they were saying to them, why are you following him. He is going a different way. You should aspire to be like us instead.

It is an ongoing temptation for the disciples and for us also: why do you follow the way of Christ. Wouldn't you rather aspire to settle in and focus on your own perfection?

The Pharisees go to Jesus' disciples -- which includes Matthew, the tax collector -- and they ask him, "why is Jesus eating with all of those tax collector types?” In the face of this irony, it is Jesus' who speaks -- and what he says is that they are following me because THEY are the tax collectors and sinners who have received mercy.

We are not to be a people settled in. We are not a people of Matthew's former style -- living a life of selfishness and isolation -- instruments of oppression and division. And we are not a "finished product" -- a people of self-determined, legalistic perfection like the pharisees. We are to be a people on the way -- a people following along Jesus' way of mercy.

We look to Jesus as our model and teacher -- the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. And we learn from him that the way of mercy is a way of relationship -- of crossing the boundaries of ostracization as he did with Matthew. His is a way of following. Jesus, our leader, was ALSO a follower -- he followed where the love of God led him.

Where will the love of God lead you? What turn from your intended path should you be taking to share the love of God with someone in need?

A grieving father came to him and begged for mercy. And Jesus got up and followed him to the place of his grief to pour out mercy. Jesus turned aside once again. This was not a diversion from his way, but a turning along the way.

As Jesus was on his way TO the house of the synagogue leader, he continued also on his way OF mercy -- turning aside to a woman in need. Even as he went, Jesus turned aside to an unexpected place -- to the face of a woman who had come up secretly behind him in her own suffering. Jesus turned aside to her -- unexpected as it was. Jesus saw that the way of mercy led to her for a moment along the way.

The way TO somewhere means nothing if it is not also part of a way OF mercy. If Jesus arrived at the house without mercy, what would be the point of his being there? And so also -- vice versa -- the way OF mercy compels one to go on the way TO. For you and me, that means to . . . our neighbor.

You and I are called to the way of mercy. Individually you are called — you who have received mercy through your baptism into Christ -- you who have received absolution from your sins -- you who are drawn to gather for worship in this place -- you are called to become the instruments of the very mercy that has come to you.

To be the instruments of mercy is to choose to live simply and graciously, so that those who don't have enough may have a little; to be the instruments of mercy is to follow where the way of mercy leads you, turning aside from what you want to do -- and even from what you think you should do -- in order to honor those you meet along the way.

To be the instrument of mercy means to turn to face your neighbor’s hunger, isolation, and suffering. Not only when they are weak and meek, but also -- and especially -- when they are rude, selfish and ungrateful.

We who are gathered as one body because of Jesus' act of mercy toward us, we are called not be a clique that is settled in, but a people on our way -- seeking out the lost, lonely, disenfranchised and isolated. We do that genuinely when we are willing to do what isn't always comfortable.

Jesus' way of mercy doesn't discriminate between those that are like Jesus and those who are not. His mercy sees only those whom God loves — and thank God for that because THAT is the gospel. That is the good news -- that people like you and people like me are shown mercy and MADE members of the body of Christ and followers of the way.

Everyday along the way of Jesus there is a new turn -- like a winding mountain road. When we are mapping out our lives, turning aside might seem foolish. But sometimes, you need to just accept that you can’t see where you’re going and you’ll just have to trust that the one building the road will get you where you need to go by the best path possible.

So, I ask you on this day, will you turn and follow on his way?

"Come follow me," he said.

AMEN