Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Sermon series: Heaven on Earth

2011-08-21 1015.mp3

 Jump to the Take-Out

Last Friday morning I was making my way to work on my usual route around Lake Harriet.  But it didn’t take me long to realize that something unusual was going on.  Large numbers of people walking, all dressed in pink.  It was the Susan G. Komen 3 day Walk for the Cure.  It was the first morning of the 3 days, only 4 of the 60 miles behind them so far.  The energy was high, people taking pictures, cheers from those on the sidelines.  Some were carrying signs.  One said “patience”.  Another “love” and others:  “keep walking, keep fighting, you’re not alone”.  As I drove slowly past the people moving in mission I was overcome with emotion.  I started thinking of those I’ve known in my life that have fought the good fight—some of them have won the battle against cancer.  Some have not.  Some--still fight.  All of them a source of inspiration for me as I encounter their courage, strength and healthy perspective about what matters most.  It became an unexpected opportunity to pray—to give God thanks for the people I’ve known for the people walking for a cure.

          I didn’t recognize a single person on the path but just their walking in mass, unified in pink, revealed some things about them:  each one was committed to finding a cure for breast cancer; each one had raised money to help make it happen; every person was giving 3 days of their life away so that others might receive the gift of hope—hope for a different kind of future—a future that would be cancer free.  The scene moved me.  It was one of those moments in which I found myself feeling proud to be a part of the human race—a sacred moment in which the power of God at work through community could easily be seen. 

          We say it all the time:  actions speak louder than words.  I didn’t see anyone I knew walking or have a chance to ask a series of questions to determine whether or not we were in agreement about key issues, but by their actions I knew something about what was a priority for them.

In our Gospel story it seems that Jesus might be wondering if anyone has drawn any conclusions about who he is by what he’s doing.  He’s been teaching and healing, stilling storms, and even restored a girl to life.  So what are people saying about him?  What conclusions are they making about who he is?  Jesus puts the question to his disciples. 

          The disciples answer easily:  “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others, one of the prophets”.  Doesn’t seem like such a bad case of mistaken identity.  People are putting him in the company of the great prophets who came before him.  His words and actions have caught the people’s attention.  But Jesus isn’t satisfied.  He pushes the disciples further:  “Who do you say that I am?”  There’s only one word that’s different from the previous question, but it’s a word that makes all the difference.

          His first question is easy—who do people say that I am—asks you to report on what you’ve heard—to make comments on what others are saying.  The second question is much different: Who do you say that I am—no longer asks you to report but it calls for you to commit.  And not just as an individual but as a whole community.  The you in the Greek is actually in plural form.  Jesus is looking for an answer from the community gathered around him.

          I can just see the disciples—their eyes quickly darting to the ground, like students who are hoping and praying that the teacher won’t call on them.  They’ve traveled long miles with Jesus.  They’ve heard him teach. They’ve seen him heal. And still they hesitate.  Maybe they should call a meeting and decide by committee. But Peter, never one to be shy, broke the silence: “You are the Christ”.

          Peter had seen Jesus do great things.  He had high hopes.  Finally here was a man who could turn things around—set Israel free—give power back to the people.  Jesus’ question wasn’t so tough.  Peter’s answer is a statement of hope for a new kind of future.

Read ahead to the next few verses though and you might be surprised at how the story unfolds.  Things quickly take an unexpected turn for Peter, the star student of this week is in the corner wearing a dunce cap next week.  But we won’t spend time on that part of the story today.  Come back next Sunday when we’ll explore it together during worship. 

For today, the exchange is all good.  Jesus affirms the truth spoken and announces that it is on this truth that he will build the church.  And what does that look like?  3 characteristics for the foundation of the church:  it’s a community that confesses that Jesus is the Son of the Living God; it’s eternal (not even the gates of Hades, which is evil or death can overpower it) and it’s a community that is functional—each member having the authority and responsibility to offer in Christ’s name, God’s forgiveness and total acceptance to all who seek mercy.

          Unfortunately we know that this description is vastly different from the perception held by people outside the church.  In a study that summarizes the interviews of 20 somethings who either dropped out of church or grew up outside of the church the most common perceptions are that the church is an organized religion with a political agenda, it’s judgmental and negative, male dominated and female oppressive, homophobic and exclusive in its understanding that they know the way to God and everyone else is wrong (Dan Kimball They Like Jesus, but Not the Church).  Wow.  How did the perception of church grow to be so different from the foundation on which Jesus built the church?

          Just last week Pastor Ben invited everyone here to answer 3 questions:  do you feel welcome here, why or why not? What has made you feel welcome, unwelcome? And what do you love about being here or what gets in the way?  We read all the cards!  Thank you for your honest answers.  There were some common themes.  One being that a large number of you described your experience here as warm, accepting and welcoming.  That’s great news!  It underscores the important work of hospitality to which we’re all called to participate.  As I tell my children, you only have one chance to make a first impression.  Make it good. 

Unfortunately, not everyone commented about their warm and welcoming experience.  I’m thankful that some of our first time visitors had courage enough to let us know that the size of this place is intimidating.  Some said they felt lost in the chaos.  Others, in attendance at our 11:30 and 7 pm services noted how the quiet building made them wonder about the vibrancy of the community.  How might we be able to change that for the better? 

There are some of you who live and breath hospitality. I encourage you to think about how you can invite others into the joy of the ministry.  And for those of you aren’t yet part of hospitality ministry, how might you be able to serve so that someone has a positive first impression of this community?  Usher?  Greet people as they come through the doors?  Serve refreshments?  Prepare the sanctuary for services? These are important ministries as we try to communicate with guests about how much they are valued and welcomed in this place—a message that reflects a more important reality:  that they are valued by God and welcomed into the arms of God’s grace.

          One of the most common barriers mentioned was parking.  We made some important improvements in that area this past spring but this ministry is in its infancy and needs to be developed.  Can you be part of that team?  It’s not about parking cars or diminishing chaos—though that is what happens.  It’s about creating space for people to belong.  It’s about removing barriers so that people are more receptive to hearing the good news that is for them in Jesus Christ. 

More pew work for you this week—on the back of your STAR card, say yes to the hospitality challenge.  Last week we asked you to report.  This week we’re making a call for commitment.  Make a note about the specific way in which you can participate in making this a place where people discover the grace of God and the beauty of community.  I’ll name the opportunities again:  usher, greeter, parking, preparing the sanctuary.  I’m not just talking to the adults in the room—all ages welcome.  And to our prayer warriers?  We need a commitment from you too.  Reup your commitment to pray for those who gather here, and for those who are not here. Go ahead, make a note...we’ll connect you with the right people and make it so.

          There was other feedback we received and we’ll pay attention to what we learned from you.  My favorite card of all gave the same answer for each question:  What has made you feel welcome?  The People.  What do you love about being here?  The People  What gets in the way for you here?  The People.  Well said.  At a recent lecture of my favorite preacher Barbara Brown Taylor someone in the audience during the time for Q & A asked her what she thought was the biggest challenge for the church.  She answered:  it’s made up of people.  And she’s exactly right.

          The church is not a place.  The church is you and me--broken, hurting people in need of God’s forgiveness and mercy and grace. We are an organization that exists for those who are not here.  We are community centered in Christ which means we’re a community, not based on rules but on relationships.  We give ourselves away for the sake of the other because our identity is in Christ who has already poured himself out for us.

There is much about God we don’t understand.  We don’t have everything figured out.  But our faith rests in the hope that God is like Jesus—compassionate, forgiving, accepting, and welcoming.  That is the confession we make as ones who follow Jesus.  And it’s on that confession that Jesus builds the church. 

If actions speak louder than words than together let’s make a commitment to be a pubic display of who Jesus created the church to be.  I know that many of you are active in the world, attempting to practice goodness with others just as God’s goodness has already been shown to you. Your actions speak volumes.  For the most part, we probably do it in our own quiet kind of way.  But what if, just once, we did something really public, like the Susan B Koman Walk for the Cure?

A national event has been organized to take place on Saturday September 10 from 10-noon.  Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson over at St. John’s suggests that we all make signs stating something we believe in and then stand on street corners in our neighborhoods on the same day, at the same time.  Then on Sunday, bring your signs to church.  We’ll lay them at the altar and ask for God’s blessing of ongoing courage to be faithful witnesses of Christ’s redeeming love.

You may have read about this in our newsletter.  I’m planning to participate. I hope you’ll join me.  It’s kind of scary—the thought of standing on a street corner, holding a sign. I’m guessing we’ll feel awkward.  But who knows, maybe our faith will be awakened.

Let’s not wait for people to come here to discover who the church can be.  Let’s be visible and claim what we know to be true: that God is alive, working in the world to heal the world.  The signs we hold might catch peoples attention as they see us with messages of abundance in places that usually scream scarcity, or that instead of asking for money just say the things that point to God’s presence.**  We are the church—the body of Christ.  May God continue to bless us and strengthen us to do church work: to name God’s activity for a world hungry to know that God exists, that God cares, and that God is good.  Amen.

**much of this phrasing comes from the description for the event on its homepage

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