The Idea Jesus Loved

November 3, 2002

The Rev. Dr. Anthony J. Godlefski, Pastor

Montgomery United Methodist Church

Matthew 18: 1-5

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”

Good morning, brothers and sisters in Christ! Dear friends, I’d like to share a thought with you today about an idea I believe Jesus loved with all His heart. The idea is simply this – let me give it to you right away: You are always welcome at the Table of Grace. I believe that Jesus loved this thought with all His heart. I believe that He wanted to open the Table of Grace to the entire world. “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son.” He so loved that world that all who believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus wanted to open the Table to everyone. And so the one thought I want to share with you today is this: you are welcome at the Table of Grace.

When I was a little boy, my mom and dad took me to church faithfully every Sunday. I have fond memories of those days, especially of days in the autumn. I go out of the house some days here in Belle Mead, and I breathe the air, and I’m taken back to that time and those Sunday mornings when we’d all get into the old Dodge Rambler. (None of you can remember those cars, I know.) We’d head over to church. Those were beautiful memories. I’d dress up like my dad, and we’d sit together in church.

But you know, something strange would happen during the service that I didn’t quite understand. There came the time for communion, and people all around us would get up and walk up the aisle to receive communion, but my dad and mom and I did not. And several other people in the church did not either. I never quite understood what was going on –we were there every Sunday, and Dad prayed everyday. I couldn’t understand why they weren’t going up and receiving communion as the others were.

As I got older, I came to understand why. The reason was that my mother had been married before. She had been married when she lived in Poland. She was in a very, very abusive marriage, and she was able to escape Poland with her life and with two of her three children. She came to America and divorced this gentleman. Eventually, several years later, she met my dad, and they got married. Then I came along. What I didn’t understand was that, since my mother had been previously married, in the rules of that particular expression of Christianity she and my dad were banned from the sacrament. But they attended faithfully, and I believe that they communed with the Lord in their hearts.

Some years later, as a 17-year-old organist in the United Methodist Church, I was seated at the organ one communion Sunday, and some folks said to me, “Won’t you come to our table and receive?”

I said, “I don’t belong to your church.”

They said, “That’s okay. Just come as you are and receive.” And I knew the cycle was complete. I was welcomed at the Table of Grace, by people like you, acting in the Lord’s behalf.

That’s the good news, and that’s the idea Jesus loved. You’re always welcome at the Table of Grace.

Secondly, you are welcome and you are special. You are special to God. In our Gospel this morning, we hear of a story where the disciples are arguing among themselves about who is the greatest. They went to Jesus and said, “Master, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

And Jesus looked at them and knew what was in their hearts. Instead of choosing one of them, he chose a little boy or girl, a little child. He chose this little child and said, “Look here. See this little child? This is what greatness is about.”

And the disciples were shocked! They said, “What do you mean? Here’s a rabbi of long standing, twenty years of experience in the rabbi-hood, and here’s John, who left his fishing career, and here’s Matthew, who left a career in high finance to follow you. And what about Peter, who confessed you as Lord in Caesare’a Philippi?”

And Jesus said, “No. Become like this little one, and you’ll be greatest.” In other words, there’s something special about this unlikely one. Are you an unlikely one for some reason? How about that little child? Guess what he didn’t have – he had no money; he had no maturity; he had no stature; he had no authority; and he had no education. Can you beat that?

Jesus said, “And yet, there is something special about him, as unlikely as he is. There is something special about this child.” And there’s something special about you, as unlikely as you may feel sometimes, for whatever reason. You are special.

You are welcome. You are special. And, friend, you are sent. You are sent. Jesus said, “Whoever receives an unlikely one, a little one, a stranger one, a newcomer one, receives me.” That’s where our work comes in. Have you been touched by God’s welcome? Do you feel welcome at the Lord’s Table? Please do. Do you feel loved by God? Do you feel that maybe there’s something special about you? There is, and as soon as you’re touched by that love, as soon as you’re touched by that welcome, welcome someone else! Be a welcomer for Christ. Maybe it’s someone sitting near you today who feels new and a little awkward. Surround them with the gentle glow of Christ-like love. Maybe it’s someone you’ll run into this week, that God will put in your particular path – the gasoline station attendant, someone at the soup kitchen, a child you teach, a person in the hospital, someone who deep down inside needs the touch of God’s love. Won’t you share it with them? And won’t something from you communicate to them saying, “You are welcome. You are special. You are loved”?

That’s what happened to me. God’s grace came to me through people just like you, and perhaps for you, too. Won’t you let your love and your welcome and your blessing shine through for Christ’s sake as well? I pray that you will. And I pray that above all, you would know that you are welcome at the Table of Grace.

God loves you. I do, too. Have a blessed week. Amen.