St. John’s Episcopal Church
Wednesday Service – Feast of William Wilberforce

Matthew 20:1-16

You do not have to be a politician
to change the world,
but it sure doesn’t hurt
when the politician is someone 
like William Wilberforce.

Wilberforce had it made.
Born into wealth.
Went to all the right schools.
Had charm, talent, connections.
Was elected to Parliament 
at the age of twenty-one
and had every reason to settle 
into a life of luxury and applause.

But then . . . 
Jesus got hold of him,
and everything began to shift.

He had what we might call
a slow-motion conversion.
It wasn’t just about going to church
or believing the right things.
It got down into his bones.
Changed how he saw the world.
Changed how he saw his own life.

Because the more he came to know Christ,
the more clearly he saw the powers at work.
Not just the sins of individuals,
but the machinery of empire . . . 
the systems that made it legal
to treat people like property,
to baptize greed in the name of national pride.

He looked around at the British Empire—
his empire—
and saw that it was not neutral.
It was built and maintained
by systems of injustice.
And now that he had seen it,
he could not unsee it.
He could not shake it.
And he would not let it go.

He almost quit politics altogether.
He thought maybe he should just 
become a priest or a monk.
But thank God for good friends,
because his friend John Newton,
a former slave trader turned abolitionist
(the same person who wrote 
the hymn “Amazing Grace”),
said, “No, Wilberforce. 
Stay where you are.
You can do more good in Parliament
than in any pulpit.”

So he stayed.
And he fought.

Not with fists,
but with faith.
With speeches and bills and coalitions.
With doggedness that just would not quit.

It took years—decades—
but eventually,
William Wilberforce helped bring down
the entire British slave trade.
And he kept going
until the very institution of slavery itself
was outlawed.

In fact, he died just three days
after hearing that the final bill had passed.

Not bad for a guy who almost walked away.

* * *

I think about that line from James today:
“You rich people, weep and wail…
Your gold and silver have rusted,
and their rust will be evidence against you.”

That is some fiery stuff.
But it is not about hating wealth.
It is about what you do
with the life you have.
Wilberforce had everything,
but instead of hoarding it,
he leveraged it.
Instead of saying,
“Well, that’s just how the world works,”
he said,
“Not if I have anything to do with it.”

He believed grace was real.
But he also believed grace has a job to do.
It sets us free,
and then it sends us out.

* * *

That parable Jesus told
about the workers in the vineyard 
is a good one for a day like today.

Some folks worked all day.
Some showed up late.
Everybody got the same pay.
And the point is this:
God is not keeping score the way we do.
God just wants us in the vineyard.
Wants us in the fight.
Wants us to show up.

Whether you were born into comfort,
or you have spent your whole life
just trying to get by,
God’s calling is the same:
“Come on.
There is work to do.
There is grace to give.
There is freedom to fight for.”

* * *

And if you are wondering where to look
for the clearest picture
of what Wilberforce was aiming for . . .
look to Jesus.

Jesus is the one
who laid down his own privilege,
took on the form of a servant,
and broke every chain that binds us.

Jesus is the one
who stood in front of systems of power
and did not flinch.

Jesus is the one
who gave himself away
so the captives could go free.

Jesus is not just the reason
Wilberforce did what he did.
Jesus is the fulfillment of it.
The full embodiment
of mercy with muscle,
of justice soaked in grace.

So yes,
we give thanks for William Wilberforce,
but even more,
we give thanks for Jesus.

And we ask him,
again and again,
to free us,
fill us,
and send us
to do the work that still remains.

Amen.