Unfair!

Note - this sermon contains references to the presidential campaign--as an organizational device for the message, and an attempt at humor. In no way does it endorse one candidate or the other. Can you spot the references?


May the boundless grace and total peace of our almighty, merciful God, and of his Christ, be with you now and forevermore.

(Come out from sacristy with a handheld sign that says “UNFAIR!”)

Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!

Unfair! Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!
You’ll never guess what God did! Unfair!
I mean it’s outrageous! Unfair! God is unfair!
You haven’t heard about this?
Weeeell, you’re in for a shocker! Let me tell you.
Unfair! God is unfair!

Listen to this…Jonah—you remember Jonah don’t you? Prophet? Sent by God to warn Ninevah to clean up her act? Didn’t want to go—didn’t want to warn those hated Ninevites? Ran away to sea, got caught in a storm, was unceremoniously thrown overboard, and swallowed by a whale?

Yeah, that Jonah! He didn’t want to go because he was afraid. Not scared of the Ninevites, or of the big city. Not frightened of God’s retribution for his disobedience—he was ready to die rather than give the enemy the heads up.
Jonah wasn’t afraid because God was worked up over the sins of the Ninevites—fire and brimstone mad at them. No, Jonah liked that. He was afraid if he warned them what was headed their way, they might just, might just change their evil ways. Put on the old sackcloth and ashes and repent. Which wouldn’t be so bad—seeing those suckers groveling at God’s feet. Oh no, that would be most excellent! What would definitely stink is if God changed his mind and didn’t pulverize the curs. Forgave them instead! That would stink big time.

Well finally Jonah does his job, and dontcha know the Ninevites repent, and God spares the city. Jonah is miffed, to say the least. “That not fair,” he complained. “That’s just more of my grace,” said the Lord.

Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!

You know, God has a record of this unfairness. In fact, 95% of the time, when confronted with sin against him, God voted to forgive it. That’s not so bad for those little sins, but when he forgives a whole people at once (which he does time after time with Israel) and he bails out the ones who should have known better—then that’s , that’s…that’s unfair!

Some of the biggest names in the bible were treated unfairly by God. Abraham—Abraham passed his wife Sarah off as his sister to two powerful kings. Kings with romance on the mind. Despite that cowardly act, God blessed Abraham and made of him a nation blessed by God. Unfair!

Speaking of blessings—Jacob stole his brother Esau’s paternal blessing. A crime so devious, that Jacob fled from his bother’s wrath. But not from God’s. Instead of wrath, Jacob gets a heavenly vision, two wives, a passel of kids, a beasts-load of household goods, and the title in a wrestling match with God. Unfair!
One more—Joseph. That egotistical, self-righteous, amazing techno-colored coat wearing dreamer. You’d think he was getting his just desserts being tossed in a pit and then sold off to slavery in Egypt. But, nooooo! In a surprise move, God arranges for Joseph to be the Pharaoh’s second in command—despite his lack of foreign policy experience. Unfair!

God is unfair. At least to our way of thinking. That’s because God’s way of thinking is radically different from ours. Well….there are some similarities. Say for instance, you have a homework to write an essay every night. And every day the teacher has each student read their essay aloud to see if it’s been done. Done earns you an “A,” not done lands you and “F.” Now you, being the free spirit you are, you rarely do the assignment. And imagine if you will, a straight A student who never ever neglected to write an essay, but had a rough day and didn’t complete the assignment. So the both of you are not “ready to read.” But the teacher, after red-penning your F in her collection, gives the other student a chance to make up the assignment. No F. You say, “Not fair!”

Actually, it is fair. It’s just not equal. And about as foolish as a bridge to nowhere.

But, now, turn that around. Imagine you’re the straight A student, who did the assignment, and the person sitting next to you is the slacker. Tell me. How would you feel if the teacher gives that ne’re-do-well a great big A plus plus plus (with a gold star), and gives you an A. Now that’s unfair. But that’s the way things work in the kingdom of God. It’s radical, man! Radical grace.

The kind you can’t earn, no matter how early you hit the bricks. No matter how hard you work. No matter in what order you were “hired.” Everybody gets the same daily recommended allowance of God’s grace. Because that’s all you could ever need. It’s one size fits all. If I have been on the Gospel Talk Express from day one and I get the same amount of grace, love, forgiveness, acceptance—that feels a little bit unfair.

But from the underside of the gospel story today, that sounds real good. If I come to faith later in life, or drift away from the church and come back to it—no matter—I’m not considered a second class citizen in God’s eyes. God doesn’t just crack the glass ceiling of our making, he shatters it completely.

So, we just have to learn to accept the fact that God’s “fair” is way more far reaching than ours could ever be. We need to adjust our preconceived notions of who “belongs” and who doesn’t, of who is forgiven and who is not, of which sin is worse or whose repentance is lacking or insincere. And we need to set aside our self-righteousness and admit that we too are not much better than third party candidates when it comes to winning election—it’s impossible, but we’re elect anyway.

And that’s what grace is all about—it’s about being in not the White House, but in God’s house—in relationship with God and with each other. Working together to make our world a reflection of the kingdom of God is what we do, but brothers and sisters in Christ is who we are—and that’s conferred upon us not by the swing state of NH, and not by blue collared workers in PA, not by middle class barbers who favor polka music, and not by any promises or slogans—but we are made God’s own by God, graciously, through the cross, on which Christ opened his arms to all. To ALL.

Sometimes this won’t seem fair. But remember…That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.

A man convicted of a heinous crime, gets out of jail and says he’s found Jesus and experienced his love. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.

A teen who never shows up for confirmation classes is allowed to confirm his faith with the class anyway. That’s not fair. That’ just more of God’s grace.

People who profess a need for a little monetary help from the church are not greeted with skepticism, but with assistance and concern. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.

The 80% that do only 20% of the work and give 20% of the funds needed to do ministry, are just as blessed by God for their gifts. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.

When we turn a sympathetic but deaf ear to those in need, those marginalized, those afflicted, those harmed by disasters both natural and manmade, we are still loved by God. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.

When we know we should be last in a world overly tipped in or favor, but demand to be first. And yet God relents from punishing-- That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.

And remember most of all—when I don’t live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ, when my sinful self wins out over the new man that Christ has created in me, when I’m a lazy disciple, or a neglectful steward, or a bad Samaritan, Jesus doesn’t reject me. He forgives me, and encourages me to try again to live a godly life. And if I fall, again he’ll pick me up. And again, and again, and again. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.

May that grace of God bless us always and my God bless Messiah Lutheran Church! Amen