Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Sermon series:

2011-9-11 1015.mp3

 Jump to the Take-Out

Deb and I had a week of vacation the last week of August- we went on a cruise in the southern Caribbean. You could well ask who goes to the southern Caribbean in the heat of the end of August at the height of hurricane season, and you would be asking the question I had- but Deb and her sister Carole had found a deal...

So on August 20th, we were up at 3am for a 5:25 flight to Atlanta, where we would connect for San Juan, and it would be a more comfortable trip, because we had been able to upgrade. We had roughly a two hour window for our connection- until after boarding, the captain asked everyone to get off the flight because there was a mechanical difficulty. And while they were fixing things, we watched that window shrink- and shrink...

By the time we got to the gate in Atlanta, we had roughly seven minutes to catch our flight.  Fortunately, we didn’t have to change concourses- but we dashed two thirds of the A concourse, Deb leading the way, and arrived with the agent about to close the door. We presented him with our boarding passes, he gave a puzzled look to his machine and then said, “I gave your seats away...” I smiled my best smile and said, “Surely, you can give them back...” He replied by saying “there are two seats left, not together, just get on and work it out- and hurry, because I’m closing the door...”

So we raced down the jet way onto the airplane, not at all happy- hassled, out of breath, and while I struggled to find a place for our carry-ons, Deb tried to locate those seats... I looked around and all I saw were annoyed faces at our intrusion. At that moment, no one had yet offered to change seats so Deb and I could be together. I was aggravated, tired, and feeling particularly un-welcome...

Now I share that story with you on this Celebration Sunday- when we gather to begin our program year- and on the day of the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, so we can take the opportunity to reflect on what true hospitality- true welcome is all about.

We all remember where we were on 9/11- who we were with, what we were doing... I happened to have just landed at Chicago’s Midway Airport with our then treasurer, Bert LeMunyon, on our way to a conference. I called my wife, who had been in western NY with her family, and who was due to return to Minneapolis that afternoon.

I gave her explicit instructions as to where I had left my car, and finally, when she could get a word in, she said, “You don’t know what’s going on- planes have hit the World Trade Center...both towers are on fire...” And sure enough, on a TV in a concourse restaurant, you could see the horrific sight.

But I also noticed this- and participated in it, too: people were clustered together as we watched- total strangers who moved closer- not to get a better look, but to be close to each other- we needed each other! And that really was, for the vast majority of people in our country, the experience we all shared. Strangers offered strangers rides across the country to help them get home to their families. Others took people into their homes- our country was united across racial, economic, political, and even, for the most part, religious lines like we had never been in my lifetime...

To this day, I wish there had been a way for the attackers to get to know the people they were around as they prepared for the atrocity. It is much more difficult to attack people you know- people you see as fellow human beings...

Hospitality matters- making people feel welcome matters- it is how we show we share our common humanity!

Look at Abraham’s welcome- his amazing hospitality in our first reading today. Abraham, regarded as the father of Judaism, Islam and of Christianity, is seated at the door of his tent, in the heat of the day, when he sees three men approaching. First, note what he doesn’t do: he doesn’t go inside the tent and pull the flap...

Even though he has no idea who these strangers are, he runs from the tent door- and bows to them! And then he invites them to stay for awhile- to have some water with which they can wash their feet. He tells them to make themselves comfortable and rest out of the heat of the day under one of the trees. He offers them “a morsel of bread, so they may be refreshed...”

Pretty nice- really. But then, what does Abraham do? He races into the tent, and tells Sarah to get baking- with the good stuff- and make cakes... Then it’s out to his herds, where he selects a prime calf, gives it to his servant with instructions to prepare it.

These are things that don’t happen in five minutes; they take hours. And finally, when all is prepared, he serves the cakes, the calf, along with curds and milk, and then watches- not eating himself, but watching- as the strangers enjoy the meal Abraham, Sarah and the servant have prepared.

And it is not until the wonderful exchange with Sarah- with the promise of a son, and her laughing at the idea that in her old age she could bear a child (did you know that the name “Isaac” means “he laughs!”?) that Abraham and Sarah learn just who their guests are: The Lord- that is God- and two attendants- angels...

And when they depart, Abraham walks with them, “to set them on their way...” (Like God doesn’t know where God is going...)- to make sure they’re on the right path!

Do you see the model we are given? Abraham is open to looking for strangers. He never treats them as strangers; they are welcomed and treated as honored guests...

Then, he exceeds, by far, what he had originally offered them; indeed, he vastly exceeds their expectations.

He serves them, himself, and finally, even though Abraham now knows he is in the presence of God, he walks with them as they depart; he makes sure they’re headed in the right direction when they leave...

What if every guest at Bethlehem was treated like this- by all of us in this community? If we took the time to introduce ourselves to people we didn’t know... (Often, I hear people say they are nervous about that. “What if they’ve been a member forever???) And I say, just give your name- start a conversation. If they’re members, they’ll tell you... And one of the reasons name tags are so important is that you are offering your name without making someone else ask!

Or if someone asks you for directions in our huge facility, instead of pointing, you took the time to take them there yourself- or found someone who could take them...

And when we welcome, we can be welcoming Jesus; we can be welcoming God... Hebrews 13: 2 tells us “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares...,” a reference to our first reading...

And in our Gospel reading, Jesus say that when we welcome, we can be welcoming him into our midst- and when we do, we are welcoming God.

We are welcoming the God who loves us so much that in Jesus, he became one of us- and during his earthly ministry, was often dependent on the hospitality that he received from strangers!

We are welcoming the God who in Jesus was willing to take on everything that separates you and me from each other and from God in his death on the cross- and who in his resurrection from the dead, promises to love you forever, through everything!

For people of faith- for those of us who follow Jesus, hospitality is not only about sharing our common humanity, it is a way for us both to receive God, and to respond to God: to show we know who God is and what God expects!

When Ben asked the question on a summer Sunday, “do you feel like you are welcome here?” We heard over and over from those who replied that they were- that this was a warm, open, friendly and welcoming congregation. It was gratifying to hear, but it is something we can never take for granted!

A few years ago, we were doing a study to see how we could attract unchurched baby boomers to Bethlehem. Several of us were seated behind a two way mirror that let us observe- those being interviewed knew we were there, even though they couldn’t see us.

And one of the early questions was “Have you heard of Bethlehem Lutheran Church?” And one of those present replied, “Oh, yes, I was there once- it was the most unfriendly place- if felt like I had been shoveled in and then shoveled out; no one spoke to me...”

I was going through the mirror, “No, no, it’s not true...” But what I thought didn’t matter; that was her experience, and she wasn’t coming back.

That’s why we have our three minute rule- to take three minutes at the end of the service to talk to someone you don’t know. Why three minutes? Because often, our guests are the first ones out the door. Your friends will still be here... And your pastors are the paid help- we’re supposed to be friendly.

When you speak to someone you don’t know, you are showing that this is a welcoming community- a place where people can find friends...

I was standing in the aisle of the airplane, stressed out, clearly unhappy, and the lead flight attendant walked up to me, actually grabbed my jacket, put her face not six inches from mine, and said “Cleansing breath!” and nodded- like, do it! So I did.

 She beamed, and said, “There will be no unhappy people on my airplane...” and pointed to two seats that were together. While we were fussing, she had asked some people to move and they had...

I laughed out loud. All the stress and anger were gone, and I relaxed...

This woman had reminded me that hospitality- that welcoming- is a lifestyle. Think of it: Abraham was not at a church when he welcomed the three strangers, he was at home! The flight attendant was at her job!

You are called to welcome people- to show hospitality- where you spend most of your time- at home, at school, at work- wherever God has placed you. And in our post 9/11, polarized, stressed out world, you are able to bear witness to God’s love in a very powerful and real way.

You are able to both be Christ to your neighbor- the only Christ that some people will ever see, said Luther and to see Christ in the face of the one you welcome. You can make someone’s day; God can use you to change someone’s life- and to change your life, too... Will you bow your heads and pray with me:

Lord God, we are so grateful that you have welcomed us into your family. Help us to share your love, your welcome to the people you bring us each day. Open our eyes to see not the stranger, not the “other” but the very presence of our Savior. And help us to be the presence of Jesus for them. I ask this in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

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