Homeless Jesus: A Lens of Love
Author: Pastor Mike Gutzler (Sermon on January 2nd, 2022)
Close to Home was the theme we all needed for this Advent and Christmas seasons. For the past eight weeks we spent time reading devotions, creating art, listening to poetry, engaging the Word and praying about how our life has changed and been impacted over the past year by the pandemic and radical changes in life. The hope was to experience some healing over the past several weeks and be reminded of God’s proximity and therapeutic presence.
Today we have come to the end of this Close to Home focus with the celebration of Epiphany – the day we honor the Magi/astrologers arrival to the home of the baby Jesus.
As a special way to end our series, I traveled into Washington DC to share a sculpture that might help us reorient ourselves in a faithful way in this new year.
But, before we view the sculpture, we need to talk about our destination and location. I am standing on the corner of 9th and G right across the street from the Gallery Place Metro. In the distance, you can see the Capital One Arena. I am starting here because the Capital One Arena is the home base for many popular sports franchises including the Wizards, the Capitals, and lots of other special entertainers. When people come here, they are motivated to get to their destination – just like the Magi. There are lots of ways to get to the Capital One Arena: Metro, car, bus, scooter, carpool, or walking. But everyone is trying to take the most direct route in order to see what they want to see.
The Magi, were much like us, in having a destination with intense motivation. These individuals were astrologers and learned men who knew this star was special. They read the scriptures and the ancient prophecies and new this star was different than anything else they had seen before and that at the end of the road there was going to be something very special – potentially life changing. These individuals, and their entourage, needed to see this site and experience the event. This could be a culminating moment in their professorial careers.
Keep this in mind as I walk away from the Arena down G st towards the sculpture. Take a New Year’s style inventory about your paths and destinations of faith. Think about the paths you have walked to bring you closer to God, to find Jesus in the world, and to deepen your faith experience here on earth over the past year. Where have you found Jesus, or when have you found yourself on a path moving away from God and a life of faith? Are you in need of a moment of repentance? Do you feel like you need to take turn or find a new direction for a healthier faith life in 2022?
With all of this in mind, I share with you the sculpture. Just walking down G st you may not notice this sculpture, or even think it was art. You, like many others, may even try and avoid this space of the street. Why? The sculpture is called “Homeless Jesus, “ created by Canadian sculpture Timothy Schmultz, and it looks like a homeless person sleeping on an ordinary street bench. As you can see the sculpture is of a park bench with a figure laying down. The figure is covered and just a little bit of the face is visible if you crouch down and look up from under the blanket. The only noticeable element of this sculpture that would differentiate this anonymous figure with Jesus is the exposed feet. Each of the two feet have marks in the middle, designating the place where he was nailed to the cross.
Take a moment an embrace this piece of art. How does it speak to you? How do you feel? How does it impact your life of faith?
*Pause for Personal Reflection*
We forget we see Jesus in needs of others on a regular basis. We forget we can see Jesus every day, if that is the path we find ourselves on or the destination we set.
Our theology tells us that our life is one of falling short and of repentance. And yet, in our failures and brokenness our God still sees us as beautiful, loved, and forgiven of our wayward ways. This is the gift of grace that is life changing.
But, like the Magi before us, our encounter with Jesus should be life changing. We should be inspired. We should feel motivated to respond and to give gifts. We should be encouraged to take an alternative road home like the Magi. We should be impacted in a way that helps us see the world differently, see our neighbor differently, and see one another differently. Hopefully all through the lens of love and grace.
Today is the first Sunday of the new year. It’s a time to see Jesus again, but also set out some new paths for ourselves over the next twelve months. Where do we want to go, how will we get there, what will be the path we take – all in the life of faith?
Wherever we find ourselves, we need to be reminded that God walks with us every step of the way. Knowing that, let us walk with confidence in this new year together. Oh, and if you ever need to get out of the house and have a moment with Jesus, there is a space for you on the bench here on G street in DC.