Readings: Galatians 6:1-6 Luke 10:1-11
We pray: Loving God, we have heard your word from
scripture for us today. We pray ears to
hear and hearts ready to respond to your desire for us to walk in your way with
commitment and courage. In the name of the one who shows the way. Amen.
When a church is
in crisis and the focus is on blame or solution, it is not unusual for the
people to resort to infighting and behaviour based on difference. Neither is it unusual for right and wrong to
rear their heads and minor issues to be the focus of major difference. This was the case for the church in Corinth –
and it seems that one of the casualties of their argument and division was
their care for each other. Paul here is
trying to bring them back to focus on the basics of living in Christian
community where grace and compassion and mercy is the practice instead of
accusations and rules. Galatians 6 also talks about corruption of the flesh and
the role of circumcision plus false pride and reaping what you sow as Paul
tries to convince them of the shape of this new creation that is Christian
living and community. A truly heady mix
for any preacher.
Yet today I would
choose a thread that runs through both readings; one that I believe is really important
for any faith community and definitely for us – and that is the shape of our relationships
as Christians with each other and with strangers. It is a huge topic of course
but maybe we can find some reminders or new understandings in these scriptures
today.
So let us listen
to the words Paul says again[1]
‘Let us not grow weary in doing what is
right for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let
us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.’
It seems to me
over this last wee while, that we as a faith community have not perhaps
rediscovered but certainly been much more conscious of our need to care for
each other and the wider community pastorally.
As minister here I have been reminded yet again of the gift that is
sharing in the highs and lows of people’s lives, and the deep sense of God
present with us especially in difficult times.
And as a
congregation we have together walked through much that is unfair and untimely,
death that leaves huge gaps, pain that hurts so badly and helplessness that
overwhelms us. And yet we could say that
this time has also strengthened us and grown us. For we care for each other – deeply. We provide for each other and pray for each
other and love each other in a myriad of ways.
It’s not always easy, we often don’t know what to say or do in difficult
situations especially, and we sometimes are unaware of people who could really
do with some care and compassion. We care for and provide for the wider
community – the tears and outpouring of love and grief continues in the wake of
March 15 even as we get caught up again in the day to day – but I believe that
for many something has fundamentally moved in our thinking – a new creation as
Paul calls it. However much we are active or not in making change, we are aware
that this is the path Jesus has sent us out on.
For we are called
to practice justice and equality, to honour all people and to care for those in
need. All these things are signs of a
community that fulfils the laws of Christ Jesus.
But as both Jesus
and latterly Paul says, this path that Jesus calls us to follow requires much
of us: so let us look at three of the behaviours that build the community of Christ
- commitment, discernment, and
generosity – all anchored in the love and teachings of this man Jesus and
continued in the guidance and teaching of the Spirit.
What does Jesus
mean by commitment? I suspect it is a lot about courage – courage to knock on a
uncertain door, courage to begin difficult conversations, courage to receive
those who come knock on your door. It is
too having the ability to bear another’s burden, to know that you don’t have to
do this alone nor do you have to have all the solutions. It’s the strength to keep going in the way of
compassion and grace when things get tough, resisting the temptation to fall
back and raise the drawbridge of exclusivity as the people of Corinth were
doing to the uncircumcised, as we do in our various ways today. One commentator[2]
put it this way: ‘Today what millstones do we tie around the necks of God’s
children? The stones are as varied as our faith communities.’ And went on to talk
about any time we say it has to be done this way and this way alone, we are
committed to the service of the human ego, not God. Rather we are urged to live out of the belief
that the vision and purpose of God is not limited to our experience alone and
that God’s church is a uniting of unbelievable diversity in the person of
Christ.
So instead of
debating the rights and wrongs of this or that practice, being a community of
faith is totally about our commitment to the way of Jesus, to doing it his way,
to walking and talking not according to our vision but to God’s. We trust in God to take us where we need to
be, to provide the wisdom to say and do what is needed, to tell us what we need
to leave behind, and when to leave.
Let’s just take a minute or two to think about commitment to our God,
our faith, our community and beyond.
And then there is
the role of discernment in living as the people of God. Jesus alludes to this as he tells his
disciples to give everyone a chance but to move on where there is no
welcome. He invites us to enter every
situation with peace and hope and trust in our hearts but also to discern when
the time is not right. And he invites us
to engage with open hearts – so that we can discern God’s will rather than slap
our own solutions on the table. Have you
ever had a conversation where you have grabbed a particular understanding early
on and it has closed your ears to other possibilities - I remember back in my
days as a librarian having someone come in and say they were looking for books
on food – and before they could say another word I had led them to the recipe
section. It took them some time and
courage to tell me that actually it was more about having a health problem and
wanting to look at books on food allergies.
Discerning how Jesus wants us to care for each other in community
definitely requires us to open our ears to new possibilities, things we might
not have thought of, conversations that are guided by the Spirit rather by us. Discernment
over the future ministry of this church is something that you all will be
facing in the next while – I urge you to hear what the Spirit is saying to this
church, not to grab solutions that mean nothing changes but to be bold and
courageous and full of hope as a community of faith. Not
easy but prepare to be enriched, surprised, and blessed when it happens.
Again how might we
see the place of discernment in our community – a moment or two to consider.
And living
together in community, caring for each other, shouldering each other’s burdens
as well as joys, definitely calls for generosity.
A generosity of
grace – that spirit of gentleness wrapped in a cloth that values all people and
is given to us without expectation.
A generosity of
forgiveness – where we give zero power to the hurts and slights of life that
can become our masters
A generosity of
love – across all boundaries, despite all logic, gifted unconditionally
A generosity of
time – time to listen, time to reflect, time to worship, time to study
scripture, time to pray and praise, time to spend with others
A generosity of
giving and receiving – where we do not measure or look for balance or return,
where we keep on giving and receiving beyond our comfor
A generosity of
listening - prepared always to hear God’s voice in silence and in others – to
hear the new and the powerful where least expected, the hard truth when not
wanted, the guidance of the spirit that might challenge our well thought out
plan.
A generosity of
caring and compassion and kindness – that permeates every aspect of our lives,
our community, our faith, a deep love for all people lived out in our daily
actions.
A generosity of
truth – perhaps hardest of all for we each find it difficult to accept that
truth is not static nor one dimensional nor rigid in time, space or church
community.
I am sure you have
other thoughts to add to these – a moment for considering generosity in our
community.
And as we share
communion today may we remember the generosity that is Jesus the Christ who
welcomes all who hunger and thirst to come to his table and be fed.
These three
things, commitment, discernment, generosity – through them may we continue to journey
the way of Christ, a way where grace and compassion and mercy are the lights we
walk by, a way where rules and decisions are always seen in the light of Christ
and where our love for each other and the world is shown in our actions, our
words, our listening, our hearts. Amen.
Margaret Garland
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