St. Paul’s United Church Sunday, October 29, 2006

Amazing Grace – Rev. David Mundy

Job 42:1-6, 10-17 Mark 10:46-52

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In my early twenties when I was a student for the ministry, the United Church sent me to prison for four months. It wasn’t as bad as it sounds. I agreed to go and the prison guards let me go home every afternoon.

Those months as a chaplaincy intern at Kingston Penitentiary changed my life. Kingston Pen is a maximum security institution and it has a Dickensian feel about it, because it was built of limestone in the 1830's. While much of the interior had been modernized, I would wait at large barred doors again and again as I made my way to the chapel each day.

The Pen housed some of the toughest, meanest people I have ever met. It was also the place where I learned some of my most important lessons about the grace of God and the love of Christ. Inmates could make appointments to see chaplains and I would often listen to stories of horror that were far outside my middle-class experience. It might surprise you to know that many of the conversations were about God. They wanted to know, could Jesus forgive a killer? Did God love a convict? Before I worked there, the answers were simple. Yes. Yes! God’s grace is a gift to everyone. But it’s different when the person sitting across from you has molested a child, or raped someone, or taken another life.

One of the inmates who came to chapel was a massive young man so strong that when we needed to move a piano at the chapel service he and another fellow picked up an end each and carried it across the room. He made an appointment to see me, the first of several. It turned out that he was a multiple murderer, having killed several innocent people who got in the way as he drove across Canada in a drug and alcohol induced haze. He set a gas station attendant on fire for no reason at all and left him to die.

When we met, he was a quarter of the way through a life sentence of twenty-five years in prison before eligibility for parole. He made no excuses for what he had done. He admitted that when he arrived in the prison he was a volatile and dangerous man and could easily have killed again. He was assigned to the psychiatric unit where he met a nurse who eventually talked with him about God and Jesus Christ. Today that would probably be illegal. Something about her and the message of God’s love and reconciliation got through to him in a way that nothing else in his life had.

For those of you who may be a bit cynical, he never once suggested that his change of heart would get him out of prison earlier. He never asked me for anything but a prayer at the end of each visit. He did believe that Christ had met him in one of the darkest places imaginable. Amazing grace.

This morning we heard one of those great stories of the gospels about a man who sensed that Jesus could change his life. Bartimaeus was physically blind and in that time illnesses and physical disabilities were often viewed as signs of God’s disfavour. We’re told that he makes a nuisance of himself yelling at the top of his lungs to get Jesus’ attention and others in the crowd told him to tone it down. It can be helpful to compare versions and paraphrases of some stories in the bible so here are a few verses from The Message.

⁴⁷When {Bartimaeus] heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, ““Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!”” ⁴⁸Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, ““Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!””

⁴⁹Jesus stopped in his tracks. ““Call him over.”” They called him. ““It’’s your lucky day! Get up! He’’s calling you to come!””

⁵⁰Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus. ⁵¹Jesus said, ““What can I do for you?”” The blind man said, ““Rabbi, I want to see.”” ^52““On your way, “” said Jesus. ““Your faith has saved and healed you.”” In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road. Mark 10:47 - 52 The Message – Eugene Peterson

Fortunately Jesus heard Bartimaeus’ cry for mercy and knew it was from the heart. These words form the foundation for what is called the Jesus Prayer, a sixth century meditative prayer which is still used today, “Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, a sinner” or the toned down version, “Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” We don’t always like to admit that we are sinners! When people realize that Jesus has noticed him they say “It’s your lucky day.” Amazing grace.

Whom do you think receives the grace of Christ? Are there some people who are automatically “out” because of what they have done in life? Are we “in” because we are we are for the most part decent people? Statistically church folk tend to be healthier and more law-abiding, so we must be doing something right. We are the Good Guys and Good Gals.

Except that Jesus was more often annoyed with the ones who thought they were good and even acted good rather than the ones who knew they were bad. It’s always tempting to conclude that we have earned our way into grace, which is actually a contradiction in terms. We can’t buy or earn Christ’s acceptance.

Earlier this year Warren Buffet the second richest man on the planet announced that he was giving 85% of his personal fortune to charity – specifically the Gates Foundation which does tremendous work in Africa and elsewhere. This is no small gift. It is a little more than 37 billion dollars. Actually it is 400 million more than 37 billion but what is a few hundred million to rich folk.

When Buffet was commended for his generosity he responded with "There is more than one way to get to heaven, but this is a great way." Well, as a theologian, Warren Buffet is a good businessman! In our Christian faith the way we get to heaven is not by what we give or save up — there are no Frequent Flyer Points flights to heaven. This doesn’t mean that we won’t be generous or kind in response, but it is the merciful gift of God in Christ which is the transformative event.

Why did Jesus challenge the Pharisees and other religious leaders so often? They were certainly attempting to be faithful to God. It was because they figured they had spiritual “wealth” that others didn’t have. There was the temptation to be spiritually superior which is the potential trap of every religious person in every age. But when we come to Jesus the healer as beggars – blind beggars, no less – we can have our sight restored and have a sense that we belong. In the story Bartimaeus starts out as an outsider and eventually belongs. It’s why lepers, and women with suspect pasts, and tax-collectors and a thief crucified next to Jesus all end up belonging. When the convicted criminal on the cross says to Jesus, “remember me when you come into your kingdom” he replies “truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

In his book called The Return of the Prodigal Son Henri Nouwen makes this important observation:

Jesus wants to make it clear that the God of whom he speaks is a God of compassion who joyously welcomes repentant sinners into his house. To associate and eat with people of ill repute, therefore, does not contradict his teaching about God, but does, in fact, live out this teaching in everyday life. If God welcomes sinners home, then certainly those who trust in God should do likewise.

So, is this our lucky day? Are we aware this morning that Christ’s love is extended to us as a gracious gift? If we are, will we share this with others? I realize that the word “evangelical” has negative connotations for many people because we have in our minds some sort of coercive, arm-twisting religion. The word evangelical means good news, and we know that Christ is good news, so we can be evangelical even in our United Church.

It’s interesting that Bartimaeus is described as a beggar because a definition of evangelism is “one hungry beggar showing another hungry beggar where to find food.” In whatever simple ways we can we show others how to be aware of Christ as he passes by.

We don’t have to go and work in a prison with hardened criminals. We can start in our own homes. Parents, you do a great job of bringing your children to church on Sunday mornings and making sure that they get a Christian education. Do you have conversations with your children about your personal faith. Do they know that you are more that a “churchgoer,” that you have experienced Christ’s healing love and acceptance? Fathers, I put this challenge to you particularly because it is often harder for men to speak about faith at a personal level than for women but make no mistake dads, you are heroes to your children and they want to know what is important to you, including your relationship with God.

Have you ever shared with a neighbour that you are a Christian and that your faith influences the way you act and the decisions you make on a day-to-day basis? We know that we can be Christians by example, but it’s also important that we can put what we believe into words.

Are you open to God conveying the message of amazing grace through you in the events of every day?

It occurs to me that the young man in Kingston Penitentiary has now served his lengthy prison term and he is back in society again. He will probably never know the influence he had on me as someone preparing to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please receive the gift of Christ’s grace and share it in whatever ways you can. Amen!