The Buzzing Church: Calling and Purpose

Romans 12:1-8

God of revelation,
mere flesh and blood cannot reveal divine truth; only your Spirit can give that gift. Be in my breath and voice, be in our ears and understanding, that through these words your Word may be known. Amen.
Several weeks ago we started our journey together learning about what it takes to be “The Buzzing Church”, a church buzzing with enthusiasm, excitement, joy and love; a church that practices what it believes; a church willing to do a new thing in obedience to God; a church filled with the necessary spiritual tools to achieve its calling and purpose; a church where every member is a vital part of the team.

We learned every one of us must integrate four core practices into the life of our church: instruction in God’s Word, fellowship with one another and the world, worship of God and a devotion to prayer. These practices provide the avenue for God to do a new thing in our lives and the life of our community. We learned we have all inherited the necessary tools of the trade in order to put these four practices into action; the full armor of God: “the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit”. We learned for a team or a community to be successful and meet its goals, every player, every member has specific God-given gifts to be used to play their specific role on the team. We are one body with many members. Everyone has been given spiritual gifts from God through the Holy Spirit. The big question we need to ask is: For what will we use them? For what purpose, for what ends will we utilize them?

Paul writes we are to “present our bodies to God”. We are to present our whole selves, including our spiritual gifts, to the God of all creation. We are to take all the gifts we have been given and the tasks that we have to do every day; take the ordinary work of the shop, the factory, the oil field, the shipyard, the mine, the office and offer all of it as an act of worship to God. This is true worship. This is real spiritual worship. When we offer our whole selves, our whole body, and all that we do with it to God, this is our true spiritual worship. Real worship is not the offering of fancy prayers to God; it is not the offering to God of a liturgy, however noble, and a ritual, however magnificent. Real worship is the offering of everyday life to God. Real worship is something which enables us to see the whole world as the temple of the living God, and every common deed an act of worship. But it is far from common and far from ordinary!

There once was a boy named Timmy. His kindergarten teacher announced, “Today we are going to draw a picture.” Good, Timmy thought. He liked to draw pictures. He could draw lions and tigers and trains and boats. He took out his crayons and began to draw.

But the teacher said, “Wait, it’s not time to begin.” She paused until everyone looked ready. “Now,” she said, “we are going to draw flowers.” Good, Timmy thought. He began to draw beautiful flowers with his orange and pink and blue crayons.

But the teacher said, “Wait.” She drew a picture of a flower on the blackboard. It was red with a green stem. “There,” she said, “now you may begin.” Timmy looked at his teacher’s flower. He liked his better, but he didn’t say anything. He just turned his paper over and made a flower like the teacher’s. It was red with a green stem.

A few days later the teacher said, “Today we are going to make something with clay.” Good, Timmy thought. He could make all kinds of things with clay—snakes and snowmen and elephants and mice. He began to pinch and pull his ball of clay.

But the teacher said, “Wait, I’ll show you how.” And she showed everyone how to make a dish. So Timmy rolled his clay into a ball, flattened it, and made a dish like the teacher’s.

Timmy learned to wait and watch and make things just like the teacher’s. And pretty soon he stopped making creations of his own.

A few months later Timmy’s family moved to another city, and Timmy started at a new school. On his first day, Timmy’s new teacher said, “Today we are going to draw a picture.” Good, Timmy thought. And he waited for the teacher to tell him what to do. But the teacher didn’t say anything. She just walked around the room. When she came to Timmy, she said, “Don’t you want to draw a picture?”

“Yes,” said Timmy. “What are we going to draw?”

“Well, I don’t know until you draw it,” the teacher said.

“How should I make it?” he asked.

“Why, any way you like.”

“And any color?”

“Any color,” the teacher said. “If everyone drew the same thing in the same color, how would I know who made what?”

“I don’t know,” said Timmy. And he began to draw a flower. It was red with a green stem.

When Timmy was very young, he was robbed of his creativity. His teacher told him that there was only one way to draw a flower or shape a lump of clay. We are more like Timmy than we realize. We have the potential to draw outside the lines, to be creative, to use our talents and gifts in a remarkable and unique way, but the world has told us that we can’t do it.

The world we live in conditions us at an early age to believe that we all have to look the same, act the same, and think the same. Then when Jesus calls us to be different, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to respond to his call. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2). If you will allow Jesus to have control of your life, you can break out of the world’s mold and begin to discover God’s calling and purpose for your life.

We were not created to match our lives to all the fashions of this world. We are not called to be like a chameleon which takes its color from its surroundings. We are not to go with the world. Don’t let the world decide what you are going to be. God has placed a calling and a purpose upon you. Paul is calling for the transformation of a person through the power of God. The command is “be transformed”, not “transform yourselves”, thus placing primary emphasis on the activity of God in the life of the Christian. And I believe that holds true for the community of faith.

“When the Spirit dwells with the community of believers, a new vitality will be its expression and various gifts will be revealed and expressed. Then a new way of thinking, dwelling, relating, and acting will reign in the community ; a way that stands in contrast to the ways of the world – to the ways of the global domination system and its myriad of expressions.”[1]

When we allow ourselves and our faith community to “be transformed”, an inward change happens. We are essentially changed and now live, not a self-centered life, but a Christ-centered life. When Christ comes into the life of the faith community, we are a new community: the center of our being is different; the driving power of our lives is different; the focal point of our minds is different; for the mind of Christ is within us. When Christ is at the center, it is then that we offer to Him real, authentic worship, the offering of every moment of every day.

Where do you see the Spirit of God dwelling in the life of our community of believers?

I see the Spirit of God among us when the church is a place where we can be ourselves, where we are comfortable with one another, in spite of our sins and shortcomings. The church becomes a place where it’s okay to make mistakes, where it’s okay to get it wrong, where it’s okay to not be perfect, where it’s okay to fail and not have our act together and always be nice. Jesus didn’t come to make us into nice people. Jesus came to rescue us from evil and to establish a right relationship with God. Jesus came to transform how we live.

I see the Spirit of God among us when each of us presents him or herself as a living sacrifice transformed by the power of God. We are not to let ourselves be shaped by what everyone else does, but rather we are to let ourselves be transformed by a whole new way of thinking, so we can discern what conforms to God’s will and not our own. This is revealed through an attitude of realistic humility and dedicated service to the world. It is diminished when we think of ourselves more highly than we should, when we try to control other people and situations and manipulate them to our advantage, when we live a lie behind a façade hiding who we really are, when we fail to be honest and direct with one another. But It is enhanced and magnified when we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, when we love our neighbor as ourselves no matter how different they are or where they’re from. It is further enhanced and magnified when we seek to do what is good and acceptable to God.

In the world, as God’s faithful ones, we will need to engage as those who seek what is good and acceptable to God, and this will surely mean witnessing with our whole selves against injustice of any kind and advocating for anyone who is marginalized because of matters such as the color of their skin, their gender, their sexual orientation, their poverty and/or their immigrant status. We the church need to let go of value systems that order relationships hierarchically and instead embrace a value system that honors diversity without destroying distinctly and equally valuable persons.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds,…” (Romans 12:2). If you will allow Jesus to have control of your life, you can break out of the world’s mold and become what God created you to be. If we allow Jesus through the Spirit of God to be our guide and our strength in this community of faith, there is nothing God can’t do in us, among us and through us. This is the Good News! Amen!

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[1] Eleazar S. Fernandez. Daily Feast: Meditations from Feasting on the Word – Year A. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013) p.428. 

The BUZZING Church: Teammates for Life

Ephesians 4:7-16

Two Sundays ago we started our journey together learning about what it takes to be “The Buzzing Church”. We learned every member must integrate four core practices into the life of our church: instruction in God’s Word, fellowship with one another and the world, worship of God and a devotion to prayer. Through these practices, we know God can do a new thing in our lives and the life of our community.

Last Sunday we learned we have all inherited the necessary tools of the trade in order to put the four practices into action. The Bible describes our tools as the full armor of God. The armor of God is “the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit”. To be the Buzzing Church, we need these necessary tools, the tools of the trade, for the work we are called to do as God’s people.

I think it is safe to say that all of us understand what it means to be an effective part of a team, to be a good teammate. I have played my share of team sports in my life from soccer to baseball to football and basketball. And teams are not limited to athletics. I’ve played in wind ensembles and jazz bands. I’ve sung in choral groups and choirs. I’ve worked on group projects in school, sales teams in business, and team-taught many classes for all ages. What I learned from all of these different team experiences was that for a team to be successful and meet its goals, every player, every member has specific God-given gifts to be used to play a specific role on the team.

One of the early “team-oriented” metaphors that came to characterize the church was that of a ship. All ships have a captain and a crew to navigate it from one place to another. It takes a team working together to achieve the common goal of sailing a ship. In churches like ours, built with traditional ecclesiastical architecture, the place where the congregation sits is called the nave, which comes from the Latin word navis or “ship.” Looking up at the ceiling (particularly when there are buttresses) is kind of like looking at an overturned boat. Even while all of you are still in the pews, the architecture itself invites us to launch out on a spiritual journey together.

Any successful team centers its life and journey on a core set of shared values, or beliefs. And the church is no different. The Apostle Paul understands there are four core values that serve as the focal point of a church community.

First of all, Paul understood that the life of the church is essentially communal, reflecting the family relationship we all have as children of God. Paul emphasizes the strong tie that should bind the Christian community together — the “bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). That bond is defined by the virtues that Paul writes about in verse 2: humility, gentleness, patience, dealing with each other with love and being unified in the Spirit — all of which are keys to success for any team, especially the Buzzing Church.

Second, church life is also creedal. As a community we have shared beliefs. Paul rattles off a litany of creedal elements we share as a community of faith: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. These elements are what unite us, rather than divide us. They are the stakes in the ground to which are tied the bonds which keep us together. The “one” relationship we share through our baptism and faith in Christ (4: 4-6). The church is a community of shared beliefs. So unified, we are better able to respond to the call of Jesus to follow with him, to be “together” with him on a journey of faith that is not merely an individual spiritual quest but a group experience to some of the neediest people and places in the world. It’s the kind of trip where as teammates everybody has a role and a responsibility, providing part of the resources for the journey.

But we must have the resources for this excursion. That’s why the life of the church is also charismatic. The word for “grace” is charis. The community is a “graced” or a gifted church. Paul says that “each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (4:7).

There’s no doubt that God has graced the community, gifted the community with the skills to keep the ship of faith afloat on the seas of our spiritual adventure. God has ensured that this vessel has all the necessary teammates to make the journey. The church at its best is not a homogenous group crammed on a bus to sightsee its way through the Christian experience.[1] Instead, God equips and gifts people of all different ages, stages and abilities as fellow travelers. The gifts that Paul lists in verse 11 are just a few of the roles that are needed to move the church forward in its journey and mission. The list isn’t meant to be exhaustive, but reminds us that the role of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers — be they “professionals” or laypersons — is to resource the body of Christ and remind everyone on board of their common destination, spelled out in verse 13: a unified faith in, knowledge of and “maturity to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”

Paul continues to use the “ship” metaphor when he continues in the next sentence: “We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine” (4:14). Being together, we can’t be deterred by various vacation brochures that happen to flutter past our field of vision. We know who we are, we know where we’re going, we know why we’re doing what we’re doing, and we must not be distracted by other things blowing in the wind.

Finally, the Christian life is also a caring life. Christians are called to speak the truth in love (4:16). In the verses following the text for today, Paul gets even more specific, offering a whole laundry list of examples of how the church is a caring community, not a bitter one, or a thieving one. He concludes by saying: “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you” (4:31-32).

The church becomes a team when it functions fully as the body of Christ and everyone has a stake in the adventure.

We are to focus on the “unity of the spirit” that pushes the church outward and invites people to use their gifts and engage in a great adventure in serving God. It’s God’s spirit, not our programs, that binds us together as the family of God. When we focus on the spirit, on the common destination we have together in Christ, and on making the church community a place where everyone is gifted and everyone belongs, you have a roadmap for the Buzzing Church, an awesome journey of faith that can’t get blown off course (v. 14).[i]

The “truth” that we need to speak in love is that Christ has chosen to work through each of us individually and all of us together as his body as an integrated team where each member has a role in the team’s success. As an integrated team when each member accepts full responsibility and strives for excellence, trust and performance increase exponentially. A church community that journeys toward God in worship and toward others as we go forward into the world. When every part and every person is needed and wanted; when every team member is functioning properly and ready to be mobilized, the team is ready to take off.

Are we ready to take off and reach new levels of success as the family of God?

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[1] Bob Kaylor, Senior Writer for homilecticsonline.com, and Senior Minister of the Park City United Methodist Church in Park City, Utah.

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[i] Bob Kaylor, Senior Writer for homilecticsonline.com, and Senior Minister of the Park City United Methodist Church in Park City, Utah.

The BUZZING Church: Tools of the Trade

Ephesians 6:10-18

Last Sunday we started our journey together learning about what it means to be “The Buzzing Church”.  We explored what it takes to be a buzzing church.  It requires us to practice four things: instruction in God’s Word, fellowship with one another and the world, worship of God and a devotion to prayer.  When a church is firing on every one of these cylinders, they are a church buzzing with excitement, enthusiasm and joy for the Lord.  They are the Buzzing Church.

These four practices are the required tools to be a disciple of Christ.  They are the tools of the trade.  It is the necessary gear and equipment each Christian needs to get the job done; to be buzzing with exhilaration, hope and love to live the life of faith.  Tools are good for that.  They help us accomplish and achieve so much.  Where would be without fire, the bow, language, and the wheel?  What would we do without hammers, screwdrivers, saws and paint brushes?  How would we ever make it through the day without electric lights, the ball point pen and microwave ovens?

I have been surrounded by tools my whole life.  My dad had a bunch of old hand tools that he inherited from my Pop-Pop’s business.  I received a bunch of old tools from my Aunt Helen and Uncle Vinnie some time ago.  When I moved into my first apartment, my dad gave me my first tool box with my name on it.    

Since then I have accumulated more tools than I know what to do with.  From a table saw, a cross cut saw, a circular saw, a nail gun, pliers, wire cutters, wrenches, a lawn mower, a trimmer, a hedger, shovels, a drill and drill bits of all sizes, a rechargeable drill and screwdriver, clamps of all sizes, socket wrench sets: and this is just in the garage!

There are tools in the kitchen, such as knives, appliances and pots & pans that help us eat and prepare meals.  We have sinks, toilets, and furniture to make our homes more hospitable and sanitary. 

Each tool performs a specific task.  Each is made for certain types of work.  In order to be effective and efficient, it’s important to have the right tool for the right job. 

We have all inherited the tools of the trade from the living God.  And we need all the tools we can get!  We must use every tool that God has given us for what it is designed to do.  We must be ready at all times with our box of tools so we are prepared for whatever challenges come our way.  The Bible describes our tools as the full armor of God.  Paul writes that the armor of God is “the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit”. 

When I think of armor, I don’t think of saws or blenders or table lamps.  The first thing I think of is the literal suits of armor worn by knights in medieval times; made of metal covering the knight from head to toe.  The suit was designed to protect the knight from sharp arrows, swords, jousts and other weapons of war.  In our world today, we have tools such as armored cars to move money and valuables safely and securely from one place to the next.  These cars are literally gigantic steel safes on wheels with alarms, sensors and locks to prevent burglary and theft.  Of course, we have the armed forces of our country charged with protecting our nation from harm when deployed around the world.  And there are armored bulldozers to clear land in hostile territory.  For the Ephesians hearing these words for the first time, they easily identify this armor of God as not just weapons of war, but as tools to make and build things. 

Do we really need all these things?  Breastplates?  Belts?  Shields, helmets and swords?  Yes, to become a Buzzing Church, to build the kingdom of God on earth we need the full set of tools.

There are evil forces at work in our world.  They are strong and powerful and seductive.  They work to persuade us to turn away from the will and the love of God.  They convince us to reject the grace of God and follow our selfish motives; put greed above generosity, pride above humility, envy above trust, anger above peace; to forsake those around us, and most of all, God.

So if we are to become a Buzzing Church, we must put on the full armor of God, not just a few pieces, but the full outfit.  We must learn to use all these tools: Truth, Righteousness, Faith, Salvation, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God.  These are the tools God gives us to stand against justice & evil in the world, to serve those in need, to love the unloved, so that the peace and justice of God may prevail.

We must also put to good use the tool of hospitality, the tool of forgiveness, the tool of reconciliation, the tool of grace and love and let us never forget the tool of prayer.  Prayer is real and substantial.  But this power can only be unleashed if we are willing to use it correctly.  Paul instructs you and me to pray at all times.  It must be constant.  We can’t just pray to God when life has dealt us a bad hand or we’re caught in a desperate situation.  We must pray in all times and all situations: joyful times and difficult, challenging times.  Prayer must be intense.  We must be alert to the world around us and the injustice and evil that is systemic in our world.  We must pray with intensity, with our whole selves, with every ounce of energy we have because the evil one does not let up. 

Prayer is to be geared toward the welfare of others.  Prayer must be unselfish.  Paul specifically asks the Ephesians for prayer that “a message may be given to me (Paul) to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel…” (Ephesians 6:19)  When we pray for one another, we are indirectly praying for ourselves.  The author of Ecclesiastes writes, “While one might prevail against another, two will withstand one.  A three-fold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)  When we pray for each other, we form spiritual connections with one another that are not easily cut, shattered or destroyed. 

With the armor of God, we have the powerful advantage of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the gift of prayer to help us become “more than conquerors” in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37).  We are equipped with the armor of God: the truth, the righteousness, the faith, the salvation, the Spirit, the Word and prayer.  They are the tools of the trade to frustrate the schemes and temptations of evil.  The armor of God empowers us to pray, forgive, reconcile and love; to stand boldly and courageously face opposition, to struggle against the spiritual forces of injustice and evil around us.

So whether it’s in social situations or the classroom, put on the full armor of God.  Whether it’s in the workplace or in the church, put on the full armor of God. Whether it’s walking down the street, or serving the poor and needy with our neighbors, put on the full armor of God.

Stand firm and be bold.  We know our God has given us the right tools to be a buzzing church to take on the challenges we face each day.  Stand firm!  Carry them with you wherever you go and give all the love you have in your soul.  Because with the whole armor of God, you will be equipped and ready for anything!  Amen.    

The BUZZING Church: Doing a New Thing

Acts 2:37-47

The staff, the Session and I are preparing for the arrival of our New Beginnings Assessor. Linda Loptisch will be with us on Wednesday, July 16th for most of the day. Her time with us will conclude with an all-church gathering in fellowship hall that evening which she will facilitate (more to come soon). In the midst of all the preparation and anticipation of starting our New Beginnings journey, I began to think about what I could do to prepare all of you for the New Beginning assessment on the Sunday’s leading up to July 16th and beyond. So I developed a short sermon series entitled, “The Buzzing Church: Thrivin’ and Kickin’” with the goal of preparing us in some, small way for the road that lies ahead.

One of the main reasons, if not the main reason, we are participating in the New Beginnings assessment is because we believe God wants to do something new in our midst. God wants to build up our community, build up our congregation, to be buzzing with ministry led and driven by the Spirit of God.

What does it mean to be a church buzzing with ministry? What process for discernment do we follow to get there?

I believe God desires for his body, the church, to be buzzing with joy, enthusiasm, and excitement as it shares the Good News with the whole world. But sometimes the church gets stuck in its ways doing things the way they’ve always done them before. The church must be reminded that God wants to do a new thing in the church, a new thing in the world, so he gives us the necessary tools of the trade, to be truth-tellers in the world, sharing our calling and purpose with others, demonstrating through word and actions that Christ is gain, everything else is loss. The church also must welcome God’s desire for it to be alive, boisterous, and courageous; always seeking God’s guidance and instruction to be the church reformed, always reforming.

How do you make something new out of something old? I looked around my house to see what I could find. I noticed shoe boxes in the kids rooms used to store some of their toys and other keepsakes. In the garage I use those small Gerber baby food jars to store nails and screws of all shapes and sizes. I went online and checked out the website pinterest.com and I discovered masterpieces where something new was made out of something old. I learned how to make a “to go” cup out of a mason jar. I saw how to construct a couch from some old wooden doors. I also discovered thirty-eight amazing things you can do with an empty Altoids tin box. There were bottle cap key chains, blue jean pot holders, beer and soda can lanterns: the list goes on and on.

The Apostle Peter has become something new out of something old since the morning of Pentecost. Because of the Holy Spirit, he is more confident in himself and in what he believes. He speaks with confidence and a boldness we’ve never heard from him before. He proclaims to the Israelites about Jesus as the Son of God and we crucified him many times over. Through Peter and the other apostles’, a new thing is springing forth; an offshoot is beginning to grow. There is a movement from traditional Hebrew worship to worship of Jesus in “house churches” based on communal sharing and fellowship. They held everything in common, using the collective wealth of the group to care for others. They sold their stuff and the money went to all according to ones needs.

Why do we love new born babies and academic graduations so much? We witness great potential there for amazing things to happen. The possibilities are endless. In verses 39, Peter says, “The promise is for you, for your children, and all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (vv. 38-39)

How do we prepare for doing a new thing? To what should we focus our time and energy?

Luke lists four key practices that characterize the lives of the first Christians. These believers made these practices a matter of the highest priority “devoting themselves” fully to their practice.

1. Instruction in God’s Word – The twelve apostles had a significant role in the beginnings of the church. They passed on to these new Jewish believers a full account of Jesus’ life and teaching. Much of this is recorded in the four Gospels. They provided a new perspective on the Old Testament, explaining how Jesus was the fulfillment of many prophecies. Throughout the early history of the church, grounding new believers’ in the apostles’ teaching was a top priority. And we still do this today. We teach through worship, in church school classes for all ages, Vacation Bible School and other learning opportunities that present themselves throughout the year.

2. Fellowship – It was important to these early believers to spend as much time together as they could. These hours would have been spent discussing the apostles’ teaching as well as encouraging and challenging each other in their faith journeys. This is one of the great practices of the church and it is one way it sets the church apart from the rest of the world. Everyone is welcome to join with us. Our arms and hands are always spread wide and ready to embrace. The message we strive to convey is you are accepted, you are received, you are known, you belong.

3. Worship: the Breaking of the Bread – it refers both to the sharing of ordinary meals together and to remembering the significance of the death of the Messiah by celebrating what came to be known as, “the Lord’s Supper”. At this time, the Lord’s Supper was held in conjunction with a common meal in homes throughout the city. This remembrance would have been a time of quiet reflection, an occasion for expressing thanks to the risen Jesus and praising him for what he had accomplished. As a sacrament, the breaking of the bread continues to be a powerful witness to saving grace of Jesus Christ. We do so to remind us of who we are and to whom we belong. In life and in death, we belong to God. We participate in the feast Jesus prepared for his disciples so many millennia ago.

4. Prayer – As we do today, the first Christians spent much time before the Lord in prayer. They prayed privately, but they often prayed together in groups. They maintained the Jewish pattern of setting aside three times a day for focusing on prayer. Some continued to go to the temple and pray at the customary Jewish hours of prayer. Their prayers probably centered on blessing and praising God as well as asking God for guidance and for boldness in proclaiming the Gospel. Many others prayed together in their “house churches” as a community of believers. Prayer continues to be a central spiritual practice of our faith to this day. Along with the sacraments, prayer unites us with the saints of the church, with one another in our present age and carries forward into the future. Prayer has power when blessed by the Holy Spirit. Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes the one who prays. That’s the power of prayer.

Members of the buzzing church are committed to these four practices to build a new community; a community where its members love one another, share themselves and things with one another and demonstrate good will toward all people not just ones own group.

And so what happens to Peter and the Apostles gathered there?

Their buzzing church shares the Good News with all were ready and willing to hear. When we are firing on all four cylinders: study, fellowship, worship and prayer, the result is an enthusiasm and joy that spreads like a wildfire. The Bible says, “Every day the Lord added to their number.” In fact, it was around 3000 who professed belief in Jesus Christ. The early church was not a stagnant church, but a growing, vibrant fellowship of believers. They were on fire for the Lord. They weren’t embarrassed to share their faith. They didn’t see their faith as a private affair. They couldn’t help themselves. They were so joyful and excited that all they could do was share what God had done for them. Their lives and their church were buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm because through study, fellowship, worship and prayer, they had come to love one another and the Lord.

Let us not lose our joy. Let us not lose our hope. It’s easy to do so. Let us study together with clear minds and open hearts. Let us fellowship together sharing the love of Christ with one another and the world around us. Let us worship together with a renewed vigor, anticipation and joy so that we the body of Christ may be strengthened and enhanced buzzing with excitement and life. And let us pray together with attentive ears and a compassionate heart so we may witness to the power of God in Christ in our lives.

Let the early church of our text today serve as a model for our church today. I pray that we will be buzzing with joy and love as we study, fellowship, worship and pray together. Amen.

Why Are We Here?

Acts 2:1-21

One Sunday morning nine-year-old Joshua decided to skip church and go for a long walk. His mother frequently told him that if he skipped church, he would miss a chance to see Jesus. But Joshua had been going to church his whole life and had never seen Jesus there before, so he didn’t think he’d be missing much. Besides, his church was an old, small, run-down building—just a little too confining for his desire to run and play.

Joshua’s walk took him across the railroad tracks in town for the first time in his life. He noticed that the houses on the other side of the tracks were much bigger and much nicer than any in the poor neighborhood where he lived.

A few blocks later Joshua found himself in front of the biggest, most beautiful church he had ever seen. The steeple alone appeared as tall as a mountain. As he got closer, the big church bells stopped ringing and the last people filed in from the parking lot. They all had nice cars and wore nice clothes. He didn’t see any people from his side of the tracks going to this church.

“This must be the church where Jesus goes,” Joshua told himself. “It’s so big and nice.” As he walked closer, he could hear the music coming from inside. He remembered hearing his mother talk about how angels sing to Jesus in heaven. “Wow!” said Joshua as he listened to the choir. “I’ll bet those are angels singing to Jesus!”

He walked up the steps, through the big front doors, and into the spacious narthex. He continued through another set of doors and entered the sanctuary. It was the biggest room he had ever seen. “This must be where Jesus is!” Joshua whispered to himself.

He noticed an empty seat a few rows from the back, so he sat down to scan the crowd, so he could find Jesus. The choir stopped singing and a large man in a black suit tapped Joshua on the shoulder. The man leaned down and asked Joshua if he could speak with him outside.

In the lobby, the man asked, “Son, where do you live?”

Joshua answered, “Down the street and across the railroad tracks.”

“And where are your parents?” the man asked.

“They’re probably at church right now,” Joshua replied.

“Well, son, don’t you think it would be better for you to go to your parents’ church today?”

“But I saw this church, and I knew Jesus was here,” Joshua said. “So I came to see him!”

“Well, son, I think it would be best if you were to run along home and go see Jesus in your own church in your own neighborhood,” the man said. “You really can’t stay here.”

Realizing what the man was trying to do, Joshua got upset. “You just don’t want me to see Jesus!” he yelled as he turned and ran out the big doors leading to the street.

Sobbing as he returned home, Joshua shouted, “God, it isn’t fair! All I wanted to do was see Jesus, and they wouldn’t let me in!”

Joshua shuffled along, staring at the sidewalk through his tears. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him and felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, wiped his eyes, and stared in amazement.

It was Jesus!

The Lord smiled at Joshua, gave him a big hug, and said, “Don’t be too upset, my son. They wouldn’t let me in there either.”

It has been said that 11:00 to 12:00 every Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week. In John 17, Jesus prayed that his church would be “one,” but we all know that it’s anything but. Few things have hurt the spread of the gospel more than Christians’ lack of unity.

It’s time for Christians to think in terms of "We" rather than "I." The Holy Spirit is not just for a few individuals or certain groups, but for everyone. The Spirit shows no partiality. The most astounding miracle found in the New Testament is the emergence of the solid foundations of the Christian church out of a scattered, disheartened, confused, and weak collection of a few hesitant believers. How did this happen? What enabled this tattered remnant to weave itself into the "seamless robe of Christ"? Their secret was no secret. Beginning with the event of Pentecost the early Christian believers devoted themselves wholeheartedly to building a distinctive community of faith, unique to the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost is the miraculous explosion of new life. It is a foundational story written to explain the present day in light of the past. It’s a story about us and how it became possible for us to hear of and embrace the new life given by the Holy Spirit. It enables us to create a new community; to start a new family, where everyone is included and nobody is excluded; one that is based on love, not hate; peacefulness, not violence; forgiveness, not scapegoating.

In Acts the post-resurrection, post-ascension band of believers is shown trying to build this new community; to discern the glue that will establish, hold and maintain their identity. Yet until the event of Pentecost the disciples were incapable of carrying this out. They were the cast-out ones, the community's scapegoats, and the violence of Jesus' crucifixion had effectively served to rally their persecutors against them.

At Pentecost the inclusive, rather than exclusive nature of Christian community was revealed and we are called to do the same today. Reversing the Tower of Babel narrative, the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost makes communication between people of all languages once again possible giving us the means to practice what it means to be a part of the new inclusive community Jesus calls us to create with the Holy Spirit. And judging from Peter's new posture of poise and power before the crowd, the gift of the Spirit also gave the disciples the ability to stand together in peace in spite of their violent ostracism from the rest of the old community.

And while we create and build a new community and demonstrate to the world what this new community is like, we must go and extend the community to all peoples and all places. “The single twig,” the proverb says, “breaks more easily than the bundle.” To do so is to invite others we know to join us and become a part of our community. We are better off, both stronger and healthier when we stand together, rather than stand apart. We are better off when we worship together. We are better off when we serve together. We are better off when we proclaim the good news together.

From the time of Pentecost on, the story of the Church is the story of its struggle to maintain this unique nature of "kingdom" community. In Acts 2:41-47 and 4:32 ff. Luke articulates one method the early Christian communities used to break the traditional chain of competitive rivalries whose presence disrupts and divides people. Here in Acts community is nurtured and strengthened by a commitment to pooled resources. Eliminating one of the most divisive, exclusive elements in society, these Christians illustrate the new operative rules of economic association. No scapegoats separate the haves from the have nots. The entire group is dependent upon the contributions of each individual member. The story of Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5 demonstrates how utterly Christians may "fall apart" when they fail to honor their promise to stand together.

In Acts the theme of inclusiveness is replayed again and again. The inclusive experience at Pentecost opened the ears of all diaspora Judaism, inviting them to listen to the Christian witness in their own tongues. In Acts 10 the door is opened still wider when the Gentile Cornelius is invited to join the community of faithful. In chapter 15 a rule that potentially could exclude others is abandoned and all Gentiles, even the uncircumcised, are welcomed into the bonds of community.

This new type of community endured beyond the first generation of Christians. Paul found himself reminding the church at Corinth that its very foundation was Christ. With Christ as the bedrock of the community there is no room for any violent or exclusionary tests for communal membership. When the gift of the Spirit itself threatens to become a cause for rivalry, Paul lectures the Corinthians, reasserting that the very nature of the Holy Spirit is to unify, not to divide. In 1 Corinthians 12:12 ff. Paul uses the analogy of the body to ridicule the existence of this bickering over "gifts" so that the Christian community could survive and thrive as one.

As Christian communities continue to struggle to remain faithful to the image of community as ordained by Jesus and practiced with varying degrees of success by the early church, there is one more model we may turn to for guidance. So obvious that it may be overlooked, the uniquely Christian notion of a triune God, the doctrine of the Trinity itself, serves as an illustration of how we must remain united in community. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit stand together in a unified relationship, untainted by any struggles for superiority. The power and comfort we find in a Godhead which is "three in one" must be reflected in our church communities where we are many united as one in Christ Jesus.

Back to Reality

Acts 1:6-14

Back in the day when I was a youth pastor, I led youth groups each year on summer trip to Montreat or on a short term mission trips to places in the United States. One year we went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We were there with the Pittsburgh Project helping repair the homes of vulnerable homeowners throughout the city. At the end of each day, we had some free time. One particular afternoon a group of the guys and I wandered over to the park located across the street from where we stayed to play some basketball. There were some young guys from the neighborhood already playing, so we joined in the action. At the time, we were experiencing a major heat wave with afternoon temperatures getting above 90 degrees!

So there I am, standing on the basketball court already sweating from the extreme heat and a long day of work, but nevertheless ready to play. As play began, I quickly realized that I was not as young and in shape as I thought I was; nor as fast, or as strong. I found myself four steps behind everybody struggling to keep up. All the running back and forth was exhausting. My chest was pounding, I couldn’t catch my breath. By the time the game was over, I had had enough. I was through. Completely kaput.

It was a reality check! I overestimated my ability to play basketball with younger guys who were stronger and faster than me. Once upon a time I could keep up and play well, once upon a time I WAS one of those guys, but those good old days were long gone. I wasn’t that young man anymore. But I was a new man; not old, just older. I had to adjust my attitude and expectations to fit my new reality.

I wish I could go back to those days when I could play ball for hours at a time and feel great afterwards. Those were good times, joyful times. I wish I could stay on the mountain top, but I can’t. Time marches on. I had to come back to the valley of reality.

As Jesus was ascending into the cloud in heaven, the disciples gazed upon him from below experiencing his final moments on earth. They had experienced Jesus throughout the past few weeks as the resurrected Jesus. Jesus came back to show his disciples and others the resurrection was real just as he had promised. But Jesus can’t stay on earth forever. This time together will end. The days when Jesus walked and talked with the disciples and taught them about the Kingdom of God are complete. Those days are in the past. It’s back to reality, a new reality without the resurrected Christ in their midst; a new reality rising like the morning sun on a new day.

Our passage this morning begins with Luke’s account of the ascension of Christ and concludes with the immediate response of the disciples. Through Christ’s resurrection he appears over and over again to his disciples. But that time is over. The ascension marks a fresh break with the past. So what now? What does the future hold? This is the motivation behind their question to Jesus, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” The restoration of the kingdom of Israel refers to the time to come when the Israelites would throw off the yoke of their oppressors and the throne of David would be restored as taught by the prophets of old. They want to know what’s next.

Jesus’ reply is clear, especially in regards to any political expectations the disciples may have. When Jesus speaks of the personal empowerment of the disciples he does so in a manner that does not satisfy their curiosity completely. The emphasis here is on the coming presence of the Spirit as the reality of the new age to come. The Spirit is the reality to come that will transform them into new creations. And when the Spirit comes and makes a home in the disciples, nothing will ever be the same again.

The Holy Spirit can do amazing stuff, if we stay out of its way and surrender ourselves to its leading; it will take us back to reality, to what is real and life-giving. Reality check: nobody is here in the sanctuary (or chapel) today by accident. I believe the Spirit has been at work in each one of our lives and has brought each one of us to this time and place for reasons both known and yet to be discovered. It’s no accident you are here today. The Spirit of God is active in your life and leads you to right where we’re supposed to be. We don’t understand it all. We don’t know exactly what will come next. It was the same for the disciples. They are not told exactly when this will happen and the effect is to hold them and we the reader in suspension, a suspension that will not be resolved until later. Stay tuned.

The disciples are not told everything, but they are not left completely in the dark. Jesus gives them an assignment: he instructs them to be witnesses. To be a witness was to be one who, because of experience and observation, was in a unique position to tell the truth in some very important matter or event. It was part of the Hebrew legal tradition as it is part of our legal system today. Certain obligations were placed on witnesses, as well as sanctions in the event they failed their obligations (Deut. 19:15-21). The disciples’ participation in the coming new age was to voice the truth of the most significant event in human history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We will hear about it very soon when we hear Peter preach to the Pentecost assembly.

This is the final act of the earthly Jesus, the ultimate act that began long before the Annunciation to Elizabeth and then Mary. The disciples watch, lost in the moment, wondering about the significance of it all. “Two men in white robes” bring them back to reality, jarring them out of their gaze and wonderment promising that the Jesus who has left them in such an amazing way will return in a similar fashion.

The second part of the text describes what the disciples did after the awesome sight they just witnessed. They come back down from that mountain top experience to the valley of reality where they retreat and reflect on everything that has taken place. The disciples return to Jerusalem and enter into a season of prayer with other followers of Jesus, including his family. What I see happening here is a time of personal renewal before the wonderfully shocking events that will rock their world in the miracle of Pentecost. They haven’t begun to witness as Christ commanded, but they are keeping their faith in Christ and with one another “constantly devoting themselves to prayer” (1:14).

As we remember today God’s awesome wonders in Jesus, specifically his resurrection and ascension, we as the people of God are to keep our eye on the future, for just ahead of us we are confronted with the same challenge of bearing the truth of what God has done in the world. We are instructed to be witnesses of the resurrection of Christ. We are witnesses to the continued presence of God through the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the life of our community. We stand here on the corner of Main and Lawrence in Kilgore, Texas to witness to the resurrection of Christ and bear witness to the transforming power of this event on our own lives and life of our community. We are an outpost of the kingdom of God on earth. This is what we are called to do and who we are called to be.

We witness to a world that responds to this good news sometimes with joy, other times anger, but rarely responds in indifference. Where will the church find the strength to fulfill its calling?

The reality we face today is a new beginning taking shape on the horizon, one that is not far off. A new beginning that will call for the best of our strengths and skills; that will require the courage of our convictions; and the hope and faith of those who gifted us with this amazing worship space on whose shoulders we stand today. We will receive power when the Spirit comes upon us. But for now, let us pause, in prayer, share this meal together and gather our strength for the awesome days soon to come.

“Breathe on us, breath of God. Fill us with life anew, that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do.”[1] God rests, but God is never out of breath. Amen.

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[1] Breathe on Me, Breath of God. Written by Edwin Hatch, 1886, arrangement by Robert Jackson, 1894. The Presbyterian Hymnal (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1990)  hymn #316.

What Do You Stand For?

Acts 17:16-34

We don’t talk about Stephen a lot in church, the Stephen from the Book of Acts. I’m not sure why because Stephen was an amazing follower of Jesus. He was the first person martyred for believing in Jesus. He was a man of conviction, courage, and commitment. Stephen spoke plainly and directly to those who opposed him. Even though a mob had taken him outside the city walls and stoned him to death, Stephen remained committed to his faith in Jesus Christ asking God to forgive them for what they were doing to him. Stephen stood up for what he believed in and paid the ultimate price with his life.

What do you stand for? To what are you committed and what price are you willing to pay for that commitment?

In our New Testament reading today, we join the Apostle Paul in Athens, Greece. Paul is on the run from a mob of Thessalonians who want to see him arrested and jailed for sharing the Good News. He’s waiting for his travel companions, Silas and Timothy, to arrive so they can continue on their journey. This is his first time visiting Athens. He’s not sure what to expect. He is totally caught off guard by what he sees and experiences. Let’s see what happens…

(Read Acts 17: 16-34)

As mentioned in the text, Paul preaches and teaches in the main marketplace of Athens, the agora, which was a common practice for men of that culture to do each day. Athenians loved new ideas, thoughts and philosophies. They were not doers. They loved to talk but did not try to come to any conclusions. They worshipped everybody’s gods: Roman, Persian, Egyptian and Syrian as well as their own. One commentator described Athens as a “great university town” filled with the intellectual elite of that time and place. And those gathered at the “Areopagus” are the brightest and finest minds of Athens and they know it. They are curious about what Paul has to say. However, they do not hold him in high regard. They describe him as a charlatan, an ignorant show-off, a babbler. The word babbler in the Greek is “spermologos” which means “one who picks up scraps of information; a re-teller of second hand knowledge”. In the eyes of these learned men, Paul has no clout or credentials. He’s second-rate; a hack. But they are still curious…

The Areopagus is a high-level administrative court named after the Hill in Athens named for the Greek god Ares and later the Roman god Mars. Paul is placed before the highest court among the brightest and smartest Greeks of that time, the powers that be, to defend his strange “new teaching”. Imagine arriving in Washington DC for the first time sharing what you stand for with passers by on the Mall. What you are sharing is upsetting the hearers, but instead of calling the police, you are taken directly to the Supreme Court of the United States to defend what you stand for before the highest court in the land. No preparation. No friends or colleagues are there to stand by you and support you. You’re all alone standing before nine of the brightest legal minds in the country. You’re put on the spot in a very intimidating position. What would you do? What would you say? How would you react?

The Apostle Paul stands before the powers that be and delivers a brilliant sermon proclaiming what he stands for. First, he acknowledges the religious fervor of the Athenians. Second, he offers a sympathetic critique of idolatry. And third, he concludes with a universal call for repentance and declaring the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The reaction from the Athenians was mixed. One group, the Epicurean philosophers, mocked him, especially about Jesus being raised from the dead. For the Epicureans, death was the end of it all. Another group, the Stoic philosophers, put off coming to any conclusions about what they had heard hoping to hear more about it soon. A third group, some believed what Paul preached, repenting their sins and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The two converts were named in the passage: Dionysius, who was most likely a member of the Areopagus and thus a wealthy member of Athenian society, and Damaris, a woman who given the fact was present in the marketplace and at the Areopagus was probably not a reputable, respectable woman of the times. Through this third group, we see how the Gospel message has universal appeal to people of all walks of life.

Paul’s confession that the living Jesus is the only Messiah and the one Lord means that all other competing loyalties and practices must be set aside in order to begin a new life in him. As we know from our scripture today, most in Athens are unable to do this, they are unable to take a stand, come to a conclusion or make a decision.

This holds true today. You and I are bombarded by words, images, messages, symbols and more every moment of every day competing for our time, our attention, our emotions and our wallets. Are you willing to put your faith above all other competing interests? Are you willing to take a stand with your child’s coach that your child can not play on Sundays because your family’s Christian faith takes priority? Are you willing to take a stand with a teacher, speaking truth to power, that their screaming and yelling doesn’t motivate you or your child to improve and grow, but actually kills your spirit?

Are we willing to stand up against injustices happening all around us? Supporting efforts to dig wells and build water treatment plants in third world countries? Working to teach people all around the world how to grow the food they need to live? To fight to end the sexual exploitation of women and children worldwide? To work toward greater conservation of our energy resources?

We must be willing to take a stand on these issues and many more. As Martin Luther King Jr. did in the ‘50s and ‘60s regarding equality for all people, we must take a stand. As the young Chinese student stood alone in front of approaching army tanks in Tiananmen Square, we must take a stand. As Craig Gross, the founding pastor of X3Church in Colorado working to fight the infiltration of the pornography industry into our common culture, we must take a stand. It was Thomas Jefferson who once said, “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principal, stand like a rock”.

And it is as a rock that we must stand as a missional church, seeking to serve the world and fight the countless injustices around the globe. We take a stand with how we conduct ourselves in public and private. We take a stand with how we use our God-given talents and abilities in service to others. We take a stand with how and where we spend our money, giving gifts to God not because God needs anything, but rather we need to give to ground ourselves in our confession that God gives to us.[1]

I want to share with you one of my favorite stories from the Second World War. A large British military force on the European continent, along with some English citizens and diplomats, retreated to the French coastal port of Dunkirk. With its back against the English Channel, the British army faced a German army that threatened to drive it into the sea. To save what he could of his army, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called for all available sea vessels, whether large or small, to evacuate the soldiers and civilians from the besieged French beaches and bring them back across the Channel to safety.

An incredible array of ships and boats raced to the rescue—fishing boats and cruise ships alike. As the flotilla made its way to the beach to pick up soldiers and then move out again, Nazi aircraft set upon them like vultures while German artillery pummeled them with shells. Ships were strafed with machine gun fire, and some were blown out of the water altogether.

Three German fighters attacked the defenseless Lancastria, a converted cruise liner, whose decks and hold were packed with soldiers. One bomb dropped directly down the ship’s smokestack, tearing a huge gap in her lower hull. Nearly 200 men were trapped in the forward hold of the now severely listing ship. No one doubted that the liner was going down. Chaos, smoke, oil, fire, and blood, mixed with the terrified cries of the men trapped below, created pure pandemonium on deck as those hopeful of surviving searched for lifeboats or simply leaped into the water.

Moving through the middle of this living nightmare, a young Navy chaplain quietly worked his way to the edge of the hold and peered in at the darkness below.

Then, knowing he could never get out, he lowered himself in.

Survivors later told how the only thing that gave them courage to survive until passing ships could rescue them was hearing the strong, brave voices of the men in the hold singing hymns as the ship finally rolled over and went to the bottom.

This young Navy chaplain took a stand. He took a stand that no matter what the circumstance, he was committed to bringing hope and care to those in need no matter how hopeless the situation appears. The chaplain was convicted by the Holy Spirit to comfort the men trapped in the hold knowing that he would die with them. The chaplain was given the courage to act based on his convictions and commitment.

I want to encourage you to know what you stand for and stand firm. I want to encourage you to take action and stand up against the injustices we see all around us. What do you stand for?

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[1] Mosser, David N. The Stewardship Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007) p.41.