Welcome
How do you come? Robin, the leader of the Spiritual Direction course I am taking, often begins the class with this question: “How do you come?” It’s not a question asking what method of transportation you used or what direction or where you came from but rather, how do you come into the space and time that we are about to share. A person may come frazzled from a crazy day at work. Or maybe they come hopeful or peaceful or ready. Maybe on that day, someone came weary or tired. I’ve come all of the above – it all depends upon the day. But then… regardless of how I or any one of us came into the room, she invites us all to feel welcome.
And that is how I want you to feel today. Whether you come sleepy from what seems like too short of a night of rest, or eager for the day, or anxious for what is to come, you are welcome here. For Jesus has declared that there is not only room in the pew and at the table for you – but there is a place set just for you. You are welcome. And as we will later sing, ALL are welcome in this place.
One of our goals as the Church on Welcome Avenue is to live up to our address. As a church we seek to welcome people into God’s house so that they will feel welcome too. Providing hospitality to strangers is, after all a Biblical value. For as we read in scripture, “when you welcome a stranger, you may be entertaining angels without knowing it.” Genesis 18, Hebrews 13:2 Caring for neighbors and strangers is what God calls us to do.
But in our Gospel for today, Jesus is not welcoming people into a sanctuary – he does that in other places. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is in the process of sending his disciples OUT into the world, a world in which they may or may not feel welcomed.1 And yet, he wants them – and us – to know that when we go out, we are not going alone. We are going with Jesus. As Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me” (Matthew 10:40).
I’m am not a tall person – and I am short-waisted. As a result, as some of you may remember, when I was pregnant years ago, my babies protruded in front of me in a very obvious way. There was no question that when someone welcomed me into the room, they were welcoming me and my baby. Everywhere I went, I was carrying my baby too. It may not be quite as obvious as I was when I was pregnant, but as Christians, we are pregnant with Jesus. We are carrying Jesus with us wherever we go. As it was proclaimed at your baptism, the cross of Jesus is emblazoned upon your brow and you are sealed with the Holy Spirit forever. Jesus is God with us - with you, with me always.
One person told me that she used to tell her children when she left them: remember… Jesus is watching you. That sounds like a threat. But Jesus isn’t a babysitter or score keeper, tallying up our good deeds and bad. Rather, Jesus is with us as a companion, friend, servant leader, savior and as Emmanuael, God with us. And this is why Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me” (Matthew 10:40).
Welcome. I’ve been thinking about this word a lot over the last two weeks as I’ve been thinking about this Gospel. After all, Jesus uses the word 6 times in this short Gospel passage – so it seems like it was a good word to pay attention to. And I’ve been noticing all the places that I – and Jesus - have been made to feel welcome recently.
For example, I went to the hospital to say prayers and read scripture with Mary before her surgery last week. The hospital staff offered great hospitality. One staff member offered to show Mary’s daughter Sue a better place to park her car. While she was gone, Mary was called into the surgery pre-op room and, because I was her pastor, I was allowed to be with her while she waited for surgery and for her daughter to return. The staff graciously welcomed not only Mary, Sue and me – and in the process, also welcomed Jesus too. And I was grateful for their hospitality.
After the hospital visit, I went for a walk in the neighborhood to share leaflets about our neighborhood ice cream social. As I was walking, I met a neighbor, Jerry, who said that he and his wife watch us online – and so he already knew about it. I was delighted to realized that our online service is another way that people welcome Jesus into their home. [Hello Jerry if you are watching today – you made my day for chatting with me that day as you tended your garden. Thank you for your gracious welcome.]
A few days later, at the ice cream social at Welcome Park, I and other members and Greater St. John members chatted with one another and our neighbors and our neighbors’ kids as they played on the swings and climbed on the equipment. As we offered a bottle of cold water – and a scoop or two of delicious ice cream at Welcome Park, Jesus was there welcoming us all. And I felt grateful for the welcome and the sense of community I felt – and, of course, the yummy ice cream.
On another day, I was welcomed into a member’s home – along with the rest of the bookclub – and was given not only a cup of water but also a refreshing glass of Arnie Palmer - lemonade with iced tea -- and dessert too. I felt welcome and, I also knew that Jesus was already in the room way before I got there. Again, I was grateful at the warm welcome and for a time to gather to share good conversation and Christian community.
In all of these places, I felt the presence of Jesus with me and with us as I was welcomed and Jesus was welcomed into places outside the walls of this church. As I reflected on the many places where I was welcomed, I also noticed that in only one place, the hospital, I was welcomed because I was a pastor. In all of the other situations, I was simply welcomed as a disciple of Christ, a child of God – just like you. I also noticed how grateful I felt for the hospitality and welcome that was extended to me and to us.
As Poet and pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes writes,
We forget how thirsty we all are
for hope and gratitude.
Don't pass up an opportunity today
to offer a cup to one of the little ones
(who of course are angels in disguise):
to encourage, to appreciate, to give thanks
to the one checking your groceries,
or delivering your mail,
or doing their best to be a decent person.
Notice how offering a cup of grace
quenches your own longing, too.
God is thirsty for our love for each other
and every little cup is a delight
that satisfies us all. 1
Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, let us offer a cup of water, a scoop of ice cream, a smile and a greeting of welcome to everyone we meet. And may this cup of grace that you extend to another fill your cup, your heart and your life with blessings and delight. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church Pastor Pamela Stalheim Lane
1Elisabeth Johnson, Working Preacher https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-13/commentary-on-matthew-1040-42-5
2Steve Garnaas-Holmes Unfolding Lightwww.unfoldinglight.net