Non-Evangelical Christians in the Western world (following the Revised Common Lectionary) have been camped in the parables of the Kingdom for weeks, with the last three weeks of the Church Year spent in the 25th Chapter of Matthew. While Pat Robertson, Kenneth Copeland, and Paula White-Cain have been prophesying the desires of their hearts, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing, the faithful around the globe have been listening to Jesus and practicing His teachings.
On Sunday, November 8 (following the American Evangelicals' Great Disappointment), we heard the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13). Those who were not prepared for what was to come were left out in the cold, while the wise ones were celebrating with the Bridegroom. In the context of Jesus' parables (particularly in Matthew), wisdom is equated with hearing and doing Jesus' teachings - and the next two parables support that interpretation.
November 15th featured the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The Lord left on a long journey, empowering his servants to take care of business in his absence. Upon his return, he conducted a performance evaluation and handed out rewards and punishments as warranted. The servant who thought his master unjust (dishonest, etc.) and therefore was too afraid of losing to do what was expected ended up out in the cold, while the faithful servants who did what was expected of them were welcomed with joy.
Finally, on the 22nd, we heard non-parable (more a declarative prophecy) of the Judgment of the Nations (Matthew 25:31-46), where Jesus is crystal clear in delineating His expectations - the standard by which the final judgment will be conducted. A whole bunch of people who thought they were on the Lord's side - prophets and miracle workers among them - will be massively disappointed with their final outcome.
Now that the results of the 2020 Presidential Election have been tabulated and certified, and after considering the lessons of the last three weeks (both in and out of Church), I feel comfortable sharing more widely what I've only told a select few. Since at least 1992, I have held the view that the winner of the Presidential election had been and would be the individual whose heart (not the party platform) was most open to the teachings of Jesus - not the so-called "Biblical principles" espoused by American Evangelicals, but the red-letter stuff Jesus actually said. Cycle after cycle reinforced that belief - even the mess of 2000. Then 2016 happened, and I asked the Lord for an explanation as to why He allowed a man who embodied the works of the flesh and the Seven Deadly Sins (with none of the fruit of the Spirit) to ascend to the Presidency, when there were far better candidates available, at least in the Republican primary field. He told me He was giving them the leader they deserved in order to expose the moral and spiritual bankruptcy of the Republican/Evangelical coalition. I believe the condition of American Evangelicalism has been well and truly exposed, but I could be wrong - there may be more corruption and decay that has yet to see the light of media exposure in the Internet Age. For those who continue to embrace "alternative facts", the plague is out there and cares not for your religious freedom or the false prophets who have told you "all will be well" - especially those who prophesied a Romney residence or a second Trump term.
When it comes time for the final evaluation, the only thing that matters is how you live out the words of Jesus. Feed the hungry. Care for the sick, if you can't find the faith to heal them. Show hospitality to immigrants and refugees. Seek humane treatment for prisoners - and don't look the other way when cops kill unarmed civilians. If you oppose abortion (and rightly so), ensure the social safety net can handle health care, child care, food, and housing for those babies and their mothers. Otherwise, you're not pro-life -- you're just anti-sex. You can put the red-letter teachings of Jesus into practice in your own life, and advocate for them in society, or you can find yourself left behind, out in the cold, and in the company of the devil and his angels. Choose wisely.
