Feast
of St. Bartholomew
Lk
22:24-30
8/24/14
At the time of the Reformation
during the sixteenth century, there were two reactions to the catholic
traditions that had been received from the Church. Now of course, when I say “catholic” I using
the version of the word with a lower case “c” – a word that means “universal”
and is used to describe the beliefs and practices that have been shared by
Christians throughout the centuries. So,
we are talking about things like the liturgy, the lectionary and the church
year.
On the one hand those in the radical
wing of the Reformation, and also to a large degree those who are identified as
Reformed, rejected these catholic traditions.
Just as they rejected the false teaching that contradicted the Scriptures,
so also they rejected practices that had been handed down in the Church.
On the other hand, the Lutherans
took a very different approach. They too
rejected teachings and practices that contradicted the Gospel and Scripture. However, they retained the vast majority of
catholic traditions and practices that didn’t fall into this category. They did
this for several very good reasons. They believed that these things fostered
good order and harmony in the Church. And they also believed that they taught
the faith, and had been doing so for centuries.
This approach guided the way they
treated the saints who had been included in the calendar of the Church. Generally speaking, they narrowed down the
list of feasts of the saints that were observed to focus on those found in the
Bible. But they retained these for three
reasons. First, they did so because we
should give thanks to God for giving these faithful servants to the Church.
Second, they did so because through the remembrance of these saints our faith
is strengthened as we see the mercy that God extended to them. And finally, the Lutherans saw in the saints
examples in their faith and life that other Christians can imitate.
Today is the Feast of St.
Bartholomew. Certainly on this day we give
thanks to God for one of the twelve apostles.
We do see the mercy that God extended to him as our Lord Jesus called
him to faith, just as he has called us.
However, when it come so to using Bartholomew as an example of life in
the faith, things get a little difficult for one basic reason: we don’t really
know all that much about him.
Bartholomew is included in the list
of the apostles chosen by Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. We know that he was present at the
experiences the disciples had with Jesus.
But beyond that, we can’t say anything for sure. Bartholomew is usually
identified with Nathaniel in the Gospel of John because in the lists of the
apostles he is named after Philip, and in John’s Gospel it is Philip who goes
and tells Nathaniel about Jesus. This is very plausible, but we can’t be
certain about it. Later church tradition
associates him with evangelism in India and also Armenia. Like all of the apostles except John, it is
believed that he was martyred because of his Gospel work.
But none of this is absolutely
sure. And so this morning instead of
using something that has an element of conjecture, we are going to focus on our
Gospel lesson and consider what it tells us about Bartholomew in his role as an
apostle. We see here that Bartholomew
was a sinner, just as we are. And we also learn about the surprising character
of Jesus Christ’s ministry, and what this means for us.
Our Gospel lesson is part of Luke’s
account of the Last Supper. Jesus has
just instituted the Sacrament of the Altar.
In the verses just before our text, our Lord has said that one of them
is going to betray him – and of course on multiple occasions Jesus has already predicted
his suffering and death.
And how do Bartholomew and the other
apostles respond to all this? We hear in our text, “A dispute also arose among
them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” They started
debating among themselves about who was the number one! We could hardly find a setting that more
clearly demonstrates their lack of understanding and skewed priorities – that
more clearly shows the sin present in their lives.
We see here that Bartholomew and the
other saints are not saints because they were sinless or holy in
themselves. They too were sinners who
failed in various ways. Instead, they are
saints because of the forgiveness that they received because of Jesus
Christ. They are models for us in the
way they lived the faith after the resurrection of Jesus. But like us, they never ceased to be saints
and sinners at the same time.
As our Lord was about to be betrayed
and serve us by suffering and dying on the cross, the apostles were arguing
about who was the greatest. And so Jesus
said, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority
over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest
among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is
the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who
reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”
Jesus acknowledged how things worked
in his first century world. The
inequality in life that existed was greater than anything we have known. Life was defined by relationships of
disparate status and power. The powerful
exercised authority over those under them.
Life was arranged around the relationship of benefactors and
clients. The benefactors helped the
clients who depended on them, and in turn the clients honored and served the
benefactors.
As they were reclining around the
table and eating the Passover meal, Jesus asked a simple question: “For who is
the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who
reclines at table?” The obvious answer was “yes.”
And then Jesus added
the observation, “But I am among you as the one who serves.”
Jesus was their Lord; their Master;
their Teacher. And yet he was serving them!
This took all the expectations of the world and turned them upside
down. And it still does. The CEO of the company doesn’t serve the
employees. He tells them what do. The
general in the army doesn’t serve his soldiers.
He gives them orders that they must carry out. And let’s face it, we know on which side of
the relationship we want to find ourselves.
We don’t want to serve. We want to be in charge. We don’t want to sacrifice. We want to be
served.
Yet there was Jesus on the night
when was about to betrayed into death in order to bring forgiveness to
Bartholomew and the apostles … and to us.
Just a little after our text, before they leave the supper, Jesus will
say, “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was
numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its
fulfillment.” Jesus quotes words from
Isaiah chapter 53 that speak about the suffering Servant and he applies them
directly to himself. He identifies
himself as the One who is going to be pierced for our transgressions and
crushed for our iniquities.” He identifies himself as the One who will serve
us by suffering and dying for our sins.
And in doing so, he provides the
model and pattern for our lives. He
provided this for the Bartholomew and the apostles, and they embraced it. After the Day of Pentecost they dedicated
their lives to serving others by sharing the Gospel. They served the Church by feeding her with
Christ’s Word and caring for those in it.
Indeed, Peter told pastors to shepherd the flock of God that was among
them, “not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the
flock.”
Our Lord has served us by suffering
and dying for our forgiveness and salvation. And now through the work of his
Spirit he uses us to serve others. He
uses us to provide for the needs of our family, our friends; our congregation;
our acquaintances. He uses us as the means by which God cares and provides for
others.
Bartholomew and the apostles had
been called to serve. Yet this service did
not deny the unique status and position they held. At the end of our text Jesus says, “You are
those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father
assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom
and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
The apostles had been called as our
Lord’s authorized representatives.
Especially after Jesus’ ascension, they would preach and teach with his
authority. And their teaching continues to exercise authority over us
because it is the Lord’s authority.
We are prone to chafe against this, especially in our world that often
rejects the idea of authority and instead revels in the freedom of the
individual to do whatever he or she wants.
Our Lord’s authoritative word passed on by the apostles tells us what
life is to look like. And quite often
this puts us into conflict with the world.
We are tempted to reject the authority of the apostolic world – at least
when it comes to this issue or that issue.
But Jesus’ words this morning remind
us that Bartholomew and the apostles are unique figures in the history of the
world. They are unique figures because they were called by the One who is
utterly unique. They were called and authorized by the Son of
God who in the incarnation entered into our world as he was conceived by the
Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. They were called by the One who died
on the cross, and then on the third day rose from the dead. The apostles’ word is Jesus’ word – and that
is the word of the risen and ascended Lord.
This serving can be hard work. It is not always fun. Listening to and living God’s authoritative
word can be challenging. In order to do
both of these we need support. In our
text today, Jesus talks about how Bartholomew and the apostles will eat and
drink at table in his kingdom. He speaks
these words as they were at table with him at the Last Supper – in fact, just
shortly after he had instituted the Sacrament of the Altar.
Like Bartholomew, our Lord feeds us
with his true body and blood. He gives
us the forgiveness of sins that he won on the cross for all the times that we
fail to serve; for all the times we listen to the world and disobey his word. Through this meal he sustains us in the faith
as we walk through the pilgrimage of life.
And at the Sacrament of the Altar our Lord provides the assurance that
we too will recline with St. Bartholomew and all the saints at the marriage
feast of the Lamb in his kingdom, which has no end.
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