The Raggedy Band Matthew 21.23-32 Rev. Tiare L. Mathison, Pastor, Soul-Tender and member of the band
Here is a a song we used to sing with youth groups years ago. The Raggedy Band is a marching along Folks keeping rhythm to the beat of the song, There’s a little boy playing on a dime kazoo, Holes in his hands match the holes in his shoes, Leading down the alley with the Raggedy Band, Stretching all the way to the Promised Land. Washtub drummers beating four to the line Chopsticks ticking on a bottle of wine, Stand on the corner, you can see them coming, Tax collector and old painted woman. Coming down the alley with the Raggedy Band, Stretching all the way to the Promised Land. A fisherman, a wino, an ex-politician, Dog and a drummer and a mathematician, Cop and a robber walking side by side, Judge and a hooker for his blushing bride, All joining up with the Raggedy Band, Stretching all the way to the Promised Land Jim Manley, Composer and Singer
Tell me, why is it tax collectors and prostitutes will walk into heaven first? By what authority is this possible? Wait, we have to back up for a moment. Set the context. The previous day, a rural rabbi from Capernum rode a donkey into Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna. He arrives at the Temple, with His entourage, immediately starts to shout about a den of thieves, buying and selling to benefit the billionaires and their religious minions, turns tables over, throws out the money-changers. The blind and the lame come to Him in the Temple and He cures them. Right there, right then. Maybe they occupy the Temple all night long, create a safe block for the misfits to gather. Angry as all get out, yet fearful of the crowd of popularity that goes with this guy, the senior pastors and the lay leaders confront Him: “by what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?”
Even though a nobody, this rural rabbi, not even officially ordained, another offense, decides to take them on. He knows He’s up against 1400 years of history, these religious leaders lay claim to THEIR authority: it comes from Moses and is passed down generation to generation. We do know rabbi’s like to ask questions of one another. So Jesus does: “I’ve got a question for you.” He aligns himself with John the Baptist, a popular prophet who first drew the tax collectors and whores together. “Repent and believe the good news. The Messiah is here!” And they did! They believed and they repented. And followed John until they met Jesus and joined up. What authority beheaded John? He was killed by the political authority of Rome. Now religious authorities are gunning for Jesus. “What do you think?” Is the signal for rabbinic debate. The Raggedy Band
Righteousness can often be deluded by the adjective self. It is a particular danger for those of us with religious power and privilege, as we are ordained to interpret the Word of God or direct the people of God or manage their money. If we lose our humility for the task, we can easily place ourselves on the pedestal instead of Jesus. And we end up at the end of the line, deservedly so. These are the questions that confront us today in this parable: what right do we have to any claim of righteousness? We are not given the power to judge who is in and who is out of the Band. Instead, we need to answer the question: why is it tax collectors and prostitutes go first? By any measurement these represent the folk who are on the outside, pariahs; tax collectors work for the occupiers, skim off the top cash for themselves, set up schemes to get a little more. Prostitutes - well we know. Immoral women who use their sexuality for their own gain. No righteous person would want to have anything to do with them. Except the self-righteous who use their services in the dead of night. These outsiders recognize they have no authority, no power, no opportunity to be included. Until they hear John say, “believe and repent”. It is the transcendent power of forgiveness that captures their minds and hearts. They answer a particular question, “Who Do You Say That I Am?” With tear-stained faces: You are the Holy One, the Messiah, the Savior of Israel and the world. And they turn away from their old life, to this wondrous, scary, demand and promise. Yes you have to live a different life, but the good news of the gospel is you don’t have to do it on your own. You are gifted with righteousness that comes from the rural rabbi and His Power from on high. Here’s your ticket for The Raggedy Band.
I’ve always identified with the first son who responds, “Nope, I’m not going out to work.” When I first experienced God’s call, I thought God was crazy. Me? You want to call someone who is faithful, who is a good Christian, goes to Wheaton or SPU, not The Evergreen State College, obedient, not one like me. No, no, no. Slowly, the Holy Spirit wore me down long enough for me to catch a glimmer of who Jesus is and what might be possible if I believed and repented. I had lots of reasons to match with The Raggedy Band as I had not led an exemplar life, lets just say. Over all these years I have been confronted with Jesus’ continuous ? “Who do you say that I am?” “If people look at you, will they see Me? Or will they see you, using your power for your good?” It’s a mixed record frankly.
Who do you say Jesus is? By the fabric of your life, your commitments, your generosity of dollars and spirit. In this time of pandemic and racial uprisings, we have a golden opportunity to witness to the grace, mercy, forgiveness and justice of the Holy Messiah. The leader of the Raggedy Band. Amen
Therefore my Beloved, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Phil.2.12-13 Mature Christians recognize we must exercise all traces of bias, hostility, prejudice, intolerance and hate from our faith. I’ve worked hard to espouse this Christianity. Not so with my politics. I have a beautiful faith and an ugly politics. Characterized by tribalism, affective polarization and worldview defense. We know what to do. Mercy, forgiveness, kindness, justice, joy, hope. Let us leaven our politics too. Richard Beck As Eugene Petersen says, Jesus said, “Yes, and I tell you that crooks and whores are going to precede you into God’s kingdom. John came to you showing you the right road. You turned up your noses at him, but the crooks and whores believed him. Even when you saw their changed lives, you didn’t care enough to change and believe him.”