Millstone

Matthew 18:6 - But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for them to have a great millstone fastened around that one's neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

I would go one step further than causes them to sin - I would say causes them needless suffering. Sadly, that is what is going to happen in America very soon - many people, kids included, will lose their health insurance due to the actions of Paul Ryan and the Republican congress. The health insurance companies have begged them not to repeal Obamacare without something to replace it. The GAO has begged them not to repeal Obamacare without something to replace it. They will not listen because they do not care for "the least of these." They only care for their $$ and their ideology and their power.

I am sad for America.
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Receiving Jesus

Matthew 18:5 - Anyone who receives one such child, receives me.

In other words, we are to not only accept our own powerlessness in the face of God - but also to help each other to do the same. To receive means to be blessed by, to love and to cherish, to nurture. When we are blessing, loving, nurturing and cherishing others, we are blessing, loving, nurturing and cherishing Christ. We become Christ with skin on for those around us - especially the most vulnerable - like children, elderly people, people who are disabled, homeless people, people who are poor in financial/emotional/spiritual resources. The least of these.

I believe that today Jesus would specifically bring a black child (if he were in America). That is how much more vulnerable people who are non-white are in this country. That is injustice and those who fight injustice by receiving these vulnerable people and working with them are blessed to be receiving Christ.
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Childlike?

Matthew 18:3 - And he said, "Truly I tell you, unless you become like a little child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

Like a little child. Vulnerable, powerless, weak, the least of all people, dependent. I do not think Jesus meant innocent but rather these other traits. And you know, I think it's not so much becoming these things but recognizing that we already are vulnerable, powerless, weak, and dependent. All of us need each other. It is hard to see that in America sometimes, because we focus on being self-made and not needing others.

Yet that attitude will kill our spirit, our soul. It is only through acceptance of our true condition- needy - that we can truly use what power we have. We have to accept our need for God's grace before we can fully receive it.
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A Child in Our Midst

Matthew 18:2 - And he called a child to come and stood him in their midst.

A child - the classic example of "the least of these." Children are the most vulnerable members of our society. God loves children as much as he loves adults. We often forget - well, I often forget.

So, thinking back to Jesus' answer last time the disciples tried to figure out who was "to be on his right and on his left," we remember the servant/slave. He who leads must be a slave of all. Slaves, too, were very vulnerable in Roman society - which is what Jesus was living in. I need to remind myself of this fact often. Yes, they were Jewish in Israel, yet they were ruled by Romans. Thus there were slaves and slaves were as vulnerable as children. Possibly even more so. I think we can see where Jesus is heading with this child.

Becoming vulnerable is the key to the kingdom.
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The Disciples Ask the Wrong Question

Matthew 18:1 - At that time the disciples came to him saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

We really do have an obsession with being the best and the greatest. Trump is that tendency taken to the extreme, but we all have it in us. This kind of thinking leads to idolatry. Not to mention, judgmental. Because, truly, there is only one answer to this question and asking it shows they have really not been paying attention. They seem to think, as we often do, that we are as good or as great as God. We put greatness in God's place in our hearts.

We focus on our own status over the joy of God's presence. Lord have mercy.
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Not to give Offense

Matthew 17-27 - However, not to give offense to them, go the the lake, cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. In its mouth will be a shekel. Use that to pay your and my tax.

Sorry, this is so odd. First, he makes the connection between himself and the spiritual kingdom - he is a son of the King in that kingdom and therefore does not owe the temple tax. Yet he tells Peter to pay it in a miraculous way. We are not told how Peter reacted to this or even if he did it. I would have liked some reaction. How did Peter react to being told that Jesus was a son of the spiritual or heavenly kingdom? How did he react when Jesus then implied that he, Peter, was also a son of that kingdom?

I'll leave the answering to you.
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Sons are Free

Matthew 17:26 - And when he (peter) said, "From others," Jesus said, "Then the sons at least are free."

This is a curious saying, especially when we consider what follows. Jesus, of course is saying that the sons, the princes are freed from the obligation to pay temple tax. Yet, the temple has no princes - or sons, unless we count the Levites. Yet, Jesus is implying here and this is confirmed that he and Peter at least are freed also from this obligation - being sons. Of what? Of God's kin-dom? Well, then all Jews would then be sons. I'm still thinking this through and will continue tomorrow.
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The Sons or Others?

Matthew 17:25 - And as he entered the house Jesus spoke to him first, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kingdoms of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?

Jesus is setting up the distinction between the kingdoms of earth and the Kindom of heaven. The kingdoms of earth take their toll, tax or tribute from their subjects rather than their families. In this regard, the temple operates like a kingdom of earth. The priests do not pay the tax - only the people do.

What about the Kindom of heaven?
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Temple Tax

Matthew 17:24 - As they were coming into Capernaum, the tax collectors came to Peter and asked, "Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?" and he said, "Yes."

This passage was puzzling to me until I began to think of it not in terms of tithing to the church but to supporting our communities - church, neighborhoods, cities, states, country. We do not pay tithes or taxes just because they are requested or required. No. We pay them because we want to do what we can to pay for those who govern. Even when we disagree. Now, I am not a fan of taxes, but I get that they are the price I pay for civilization. I cannot on my own do church, police my city, tar my roads, bring electricity to my house and the myriad other things our taxes pay to accomplish.

Yet, today we have a reverse situation - the tax collectors (those in power) are and have been lowering the taxes of the rich and raising the taxes of those least able to afford it. In that situation, not paying taxes becomes a radical act. A protest of injustice. If we could do this on a grand scale, it would really send a message to those who govern.

I probably have more thoughts on this.
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Prediction of death

Matthew 17:22-23 - As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Humankind will be betrayed into the hands of people and they will kill him and on the third day, he will be raised." And they were saddened.

Again, they do not ask questions. What does he mean by raised? Did they miss hearing that in their fear over hearing that he was going to die? I'm pretty sure I would have missed that as well.

So, as I was thinking about this this morning, I thought of the Beloved and how God tells everyone that Jesus is the Beloved. And how we include ourselves in that because we too are God's children. Finally, how we tend not to include ourselves in this scenario. No one wants to be under another person's thumb or subject to their whims. No one wants to die at the hands of others. So we - the general we in the West - tend to not include ourselves in this. Yet, we are included in this. This is what it means to take up our cross and follow Jesus. We are to risk our lives, our reputation, our finances, everything.

Why? Because we are not God's only Beloved. All people are beloved of God and when one person is being mistreated, we need to stand up. I confess, I have done this sporadically and poorly. Yet, now, the fate of the world may be in the hands of one person. There is no more time to dawdle, we must protest and speak up and do everything we can think of to mitigate the disaster. That is what it means to follow Christ - to speak up and out for those least able to do so and with those whose lives are at risk.

God grant me courage today.
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