In the World But not of the World May 12, 2013

Back in 1963 during a Time magazine interview, theologian Karl Barth made the comment that when crafting a sermon, one should take the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Those kinds of sermons are usually challenging sermons - and I am not sure people really like those kinds of sermons much. Surveys indicate that people prefer light-hearted sermons - sermons that promise - like so many television preachers - that if we just think good thoughts - good things will come to us. It is believed --- that the reason many people want to here only happy thoughts from the pulpit is that in this political and economic climate, just living life one day to another is challenging enough. But sometimes- an unending list of happy thoughts are not on the preacher’s dance card. Because...it is my thought - that if Christians are uninformed about what is going on in the world - then we won’t be able to do anything about the injustices that occur every minute of every day. There is so much stuff - way too much – stuff going on in the world. More than enough to overwhelm you if you think about it for too long...more than enough to break your heart a thousand times over...more than enough to make you wonder how we’re even allowed to go on. There are the unsettling controversies about the war we are fighting in Afghanistan; nuclear bombs in North Korea; gun laws, immigration laws, Ben-Ghazi, the daily pillaging and rapes that have taken place for years in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Even when we start to feel a little bit good about our world - something puts the brakes on - the possible use of chemicals on the people in Syria, a school shooting in Newtown, a slick hustler of hedge funds, the government that allows scientists to make and fill our tables with genetically modified food, tent cities in Washington, Michigan, Oregon, California, New Jersey, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Nevada. Tent cities filled with homeless - not because every one of them is derelict and on drugs, but because the many of them have lost their jobs due to the economy. And now we learn about the sick and horrible ten-year ordeal that has taken place in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Here at home...Last week another person came into the office asking for help to get to their doctor in Beckley; last week a man who I never saw before pulled into our parking lot looking for someone to talk to about his disintegrating marriage; last week we helped feed about 80 people, last week another meth lab was discovered in the county. And we read Revelation - something about a new heaven and new earth...something about tears being wiped away - and mourning, crying, pain and death being no more. And we wait for this first earth, we wait for this old broken earth to pass away, and the new one to come. In our waiting, it seems that things get progressively worse, that humanity hits new lows. And though every vile act committed in every corner of the world, diminishes the whole of humanity, it seems that we have become desensitized and disengaged. With so much of the world seemingly out of control, and out of our control - our feelings of powerless allows us to be only momentarily surprised, shaking our heads, and moving on into the next day. If we have a conscience - if we have a Christian conscience - moving on into the next day - somehow doesn’t seem like it’s the right thing to do. So as ---the whole creation groans and as we all suffer together right up to the present time....is there something...anything we can do? Yes> Christ’s disciples have much to offer. We have a mission of service; a ministry of welcome, hospitality, and civility to offer. As recipients of the Holy Spirit - we have gifts to offer. Gifts to be shared with our church, our community, our world, all for the building up of the kingdom. Now we may think our gifts are not so grand as to save a world, or build a kingdom. We may think our God-given gifts aren’t enough, or not good enough to make a difference. To be sure there are those who are gifted with the money and ability to build a hospital in El Salvador, open a school in Mali, or start a community center in Camden, New Jersey. Others have gifts to work with wounded soldiers, or spend time doing prison ministry, or work overseas as a missionary, or march on Washington. We need their gifts - they are not my gifts - maybe not your gifts, still, not possessing the grander gifts does not allow us the excuse to just move on into the next day. We are reminded that we are not of the world --- not conformed to the world, not in line with its values, principles or its powers. We are however in the world - called by God to be a blessing, to be a light, to be the ones who point to something different, to be present and standing and strong - when others are not - when others cannot. There is only one place to learn how to be in the world, but not of the world -- and that is here in church. Worship is important; membership is important, preaching and teaching and singing and baptizing and confirming and bread and juice are all important. But what in this present time what may very well be the most important and what the church teaches best -- is how to be in community with one another. In church, we learn what it means to be a blessing to others, by recognizing that God has blessed us - and by acknowledging that we have been blessed by other members. In church, we learn how to be the light by hearing about Jesus Christ - the light of the world. In church, we learn how to be the ones who point to something different - by living out Christ’s teachings, so that as we exhibit Christ - others will see that we are different, that we do represent something different, that we can be a beacon of light that shows a more perfect way. Here in church we learn how to be present and standing and strong - because - on a day when we could barely muster the energy to get out of bed - someone was present and standing and strong for us. Here is where we learn to share with one another’s joys and sorrows, to laugh and to cry together, so that - we can do that out there. You know, Christ didn’t bring us together in community for no good reason. Paul didn’t give his life to founding and nurturing churches because he had nothing better to do. For Christians, church is where community begins. This is where we learn to accept one another, love one another (even if we don’t like one another.) This is where we learn about human nature, and conversation, and sharing a meal, and sharing a life, and bestowing grace, and forgiving, and growing together, growing old together - and yes, here is where we learn how to loose and let go of one another. Jesus prayed: I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. Yes, the creation groans, yes, the world can be a very ugly place. But this place - this church place - unlike any other place - must be a safe place. A refuge in the storm of life; a rock in the stormy sea of the world’s reality. Here in this place is where - like babies we are cared for and nurtured, loved and protected. Here in this place - like babies we are fed the milk of our faith - so that when we are out there - we will know who we are; know who we are called to be, know what we are called to do.