Midnight Feasts and Apron Strings

This week’s passage was Luke 12:32-40. In it, we see once again how Luke organizes Jesus’ teachings, pairing words of instruction with a parable. In this passage, both of these—the words of instruction and the parable—contain the theme of time, both the present AND the future. Within the words of instruction and the parable, Jesus appeals to his listeners to live mindfully, generously, and responsively to the present, trusting in God’s abundance for the future.

If you weren’t there on Sunday, I invite you to read this passage, slowing it down and looking at both the words of instruction and the parable for this theme. In his words of instructions, Jesus invites his followers into a generous way of living. Instead of hoarding what they had, he invites them to share what they have with those who are poor. He pairs these words of instruction with a reassurance about God’s nature—God is generous and delights in sharing the richness of the kin-dom with us. Because of who God is, we don’t have to be afraid to share. Instead, we can share what we have, trusting in the generous nature of God’s love. Jesus also implies that there is some connection between what we share with others in the present and what we receive from God in the future. Somehow this sharing doesn’t incur the loss we fear, but offers an opening up to another kind of treasure. He asks his followers to consider what kind of treasure, earthly possessions or kin-dom abundance, they desire more.

Then he tells them a story. Through it, Jesus invites his followers into a life of wakefulness. A servant is waiting for his master to come home from a wedding feast. Even though it’s late, he doesn’t put on pajamas, turn off the lights and go to sleep. Instead, he waits up, dressed and lamp lit, for the knock on the door.

When the master returns late at night, he takes off his fancy wedding clothes, dons an apron, and throws an after-party feast for the servants who waited up. Once again, we see how because of God’s heart, the labour—waiting up—is the pathway to joy, the midnight feast with the master.

Pairing Jesus’ instructions and story together, you get this beautiful invitation into a kin-dom way of life. Instead of hoarding our life and our possessions, we can extend our life and possessions, particularly with those who are poor, trusting that sharing our life with others and labouring with God is the pathway to a new kind of abundance.

In 1994, Ruth Elwood Martin got one of those phone calls that invited her to choose what direction she would take with her life. Because of that choice she made, she experienced things she wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. Those experiences held their own kind of kin-dom abundance. On Sunday, Ruth shared a bit about this choice to devote her vocational life to working with women in prison, and she shared how these women shaped her life in return, bringing the abundance of kin-dom into her life.

Deep peace and blessing,
Anne

Rev. Anne Baxter Smith
Pastor, Southpoint Church

New to Southpoint?

At Southpoint, it all begins with God’s love. Just as a plant grows, it receives sunshine, so we grow as we receive God’s love. At Southpoint, we are growing in our capacity to love God, ourselves, one another, and Creation.

We seek to be a community of grace that is intentional yet organic, spacious yet authentic, grace-filled yet accountable. * We are fully welcoming. *

We encourage relationships rather than run programs, yet we recognize the importance of intentionality and structure as we nurture life together.

As a community, we seek to put our love in action. We value helping out on Sunday mornings, sharing food, and showing up in hard times. We keep our church life simple so folk have time to build relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. We encourage folk to serve in tangible ways within the wider community. We rent space rather than own a building, allowing us to do more with less, supporting missions at home and abroad.

Curious to know more?

These six slides express what motivates our ministry (best viewed on a monitor). Here’s the bio of our Pastor, Rev. Anne Baxter Smith.

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