01.31.08
Me or We?
Are we consumers or a community?
I read an interesting article recently about a consulting firm that conducted a national survey on church health. The discovered five key indicators of a healthy church, one of which they labeled “consumerism vs. community,” or as the article said so well, “the American ‘me’ versus the biblical ‘we’.”
Consumer churches are a collection of people who act as individuals, using the church to meet their basic needs without contributing significantly (that means beyond writing a check) to the church’s mission. Consumer will attend a church until it stops meeting their needs, and then will find another one with the right blend of programs and activities.
The consumer mentality is one that certainly pervades our suburban culture. Almost any and every store in existence is within driving distance, and what we can’t find at the mall can be bought with the click of a mouse. We have a plethora of services available to us, and we have come to expect that if we pay our money, we should get something in return that meets our standards. If I pay for food, I want it warm and tasty. If I pay for a lawn service, I don’t want to see dandelions and crabgrass.
Does that mentality extend to our relationship with the church? We pay our offering and we get a sermon, communion, and a few good conversations on Sunday morning. Our kids get quality Sunday School and youth groups, and we are offered fellowship events and opportunities to serve others. And if the church stops meeting our needs, we can always go somewhere else. Is the church another service that’s offered to us, or is it more than that?
According to the survey, the opposite of consumerism is community. Community in a church is defined by deep, caring relationships, social connections, and a stronger personal commitment to the church’s mission. That commitment is lived out through participation in the church’s ministries. In other words, everyone does their part to help the church reach its vision.
The vision of our church is “to be a thriving congregation that changes lives through Christ.” I have been blessed to witness this vision lived out in numerous ways over the last few years. Lives have definitely been changed through Christ, and it’s been the hands and feet of this congregation that’s helped make it happen.
Opportunities for us to participate in this vision are arising every day. For example, this past fall we started a new Sunday School model that enhances the children’s learning about the biblical characters and stories. It’s an amazing program, and I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback from parents, teachers, and most importantly, the kids themselves.
But to make such a program successful takes a lot of work. Because I can’t be involved in the program on Sunday morning, I think I sometimes forget how much work it takes to make it successful. The people who work with our children do such a tremendous job that I assume it must be as easy as they make it look. But I know it’s not.
Our Sunday School program needs you – to help teach, to be a shepherd, or to help in some other way. But it’s not just our Sunday School that needs you. It’s our Public Relations team. And our Stephen Ministry. And our choir. And our Outreach program. And all the other groups that serve God through their various ministries. Of course, you don’t have to do all of them. But being a community together means that everyone does something.
Jesus said you don’t light a candle and then put it under a bed (Luke 8:16). You let it shine. God has ignited a gift in you – to teach, to sing, to serve. Don’t hide the gift. Become part of the biblical “we” with us.
01.22.08
This week’s sermon – Come and See!
Here’s this week’s sermon, everyone! Jesus offered the simple invitation of “come and see” to two of his disciples. Who could we invite to ”come and see” what God is doing in our lives?
SCRIPTURE – John 1:29-42
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ”Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
SERMON
Come and See
Jan. 20, 2008
John 1:29-42
Leigh and I are convinced that our oldest daughter Sydney should be an attorney when she grows up, because it would be a shame for her amazing argumentative skills to go to waste. Sydney is so intelligent that she has the ability to debate almost anything, and usually win.
“Sydney, five more minutes of TV, and then it’s bedtime.”
“Aw, Dad, how about 10 more?”
“Sydney, I said five.”
“How about 15?”
“Sydney, I said five.”
“How about 20?”
“OK, 10 and that’s it.”
That girl would give Jack McCoy of “Law and Order” a run for his money.
I’ve never had any interest in being an attorney, but I’ve watched “A Few Good Men” enough times to know this: for any lawyer to have a credible case against someone, you have to have a witness. Without an witness, it’s all hearsay and speculation and he said-she said. Any good argument is strengthened by a witness.
In the Old Testament, before there was DNA testing and forensic pathologists and fingerprinting, cases were decided purely on the testimony of witnesses. That’s why one of the 10 Commandments is “Don’t bear false witness.” The authenticity of a witness was crucial to the maintaining of justice and order.
Our reading today provides us with an important witness: John the Baptist. During his ministry, John testifies: “Look! The Lamb of God!”, and goes on to give a powerful witness for how he knows Jesus is the Son of God.
It’s interesting to note the different names John uses for God. In this short passage, Jesus is called the Lamb of God, the Eternal One, Son of God, Rabbi, and Messiah. And those are only a fraction of the names the Bible gives for Jesus. He is also called, among other things, Emmanuel, Light of the World, Savior, and Son of Man. Why all these names? Why isn’t the name Jesus Christ sufficient?
When I was in college, working in a video store and kind of meandering my way through my bachelor’s degree, I didn’t have much of a clue about where I was going and what I was going to do. I was also a bit skeptical spiritually. I believed Jesus existed, but I didn’t really believe in Jesus as my savior. My life was good, I was a college student. Other than mid-terms and people who didn’t rewind their videos, what did I need saving from?
But then I heard a sermon one Sunday on Jesus as the Good Shepherd, one who guides us and leads us down life’s path. And it was like this epiphany for me. Suddenly the role of Jesus in my life made perfect sense. I needed someone to guide me, to give me direction; I needed a shepherd. It was only after getting to know Jesus as my Shepherd that I realized how much I needed Jesus as my Savior.
Our circumstances in life can shape who Jesus is for us. The person whose life is filled with conflict knows him as Prince of Peace. The oppressed know him as the true Master. The ill and afflicted know him as the Great Physician. Those seeking knowledge know him as Rabbi. And the lonely know him as Friend. Separately, each of these names gives us a glimpse into a different aspect of Jesus’ identity. Together, they form a constellation of images that witness to Jesus Christ.
The names used for Jesus obviously meant something to John’s followers, because they immediately begin walking after Jesus when he passes. Sensing this, Jesus turns around and speaks his first words in the gospel, “What do you want?” Other translations say, “What are you looking for?”
Jesus has a way of cutting to the chase, doesn’t he? No idle chit-chat or small talk about the weather. Instead, he turns to meet them and says, “What are you looking for?” It’s a good question for them and for us. We come here Sunday after Sunday, participating in worship and fellowship, doing our part in the church. But what’s our goal? What are we hoping happens to us as a result of this? The two disciples said they wanted to see where Jesus was staying. They want more than just a passing word. They wanted to abide with him, to rest with him, to simply be in his company. Are we hoping to catch a once-a-week glimpse of Jesus, or do we want something more? What are we looking for?
And so Jesus offers the disciples a simple invitation, the same invitation that’s been offered to us: Come and see. Come and see who I am and what I’m all about. Come and learn about me. But more importantly, come and learn about yourself.
That’s what Peter does. He actually starts off this story as Simon, brother of Andrew. Andrew meets Jesus and calls him Rabbi, but after a few hours with him, Andrew tells Simon not about Jesus the Rabbi but Jesus the Messiah, the anointed one of God.
Just as Andrew gives Jesus a name change, so Jesus does the same with Simon. Jesus says, “You are Simon, but you will be called Cephas,” which translates in Greek as “Peter,” or “the rock” like the word “petrified.”
This is strange, because Jesus has just met Peter for the first time. We don’t get any indication that Peter is a body-builder or has six-pack abs, so I don’t think this new name describes his physicality. What Jesus is doing is calling Peter, not who he is, but who he has the potential to be. He’s casting a vision for Peter, as Andy Stanley says. Jesus isn’t just looking at Peter; he’s looking into him. From this day forward, Peter will carry forward a constant reminder of what Jesus saw in him.
I remember at a family gathering when I was young my mom was asking me questions from a baseball trivia book. After I answered a few questions in a row, my uncle Herman said, “That boy should be on a game show!” I’m presuming he didn’t mean “The Gong Show.” Now, I never made it onto a game show, but his comment has stuck with me to this day. He saw something in me, named it to me, and changed the way I saw myself.
The beauty of this story is that Jesus has a new name for each of us, as well. Some of us have heard those names, and are already attempting to live them out – teacher, singer, minister, elder. Others of us may still be discovering those names. These aren’t simply jobs or duties; these are the identities God has endowed us with, just as he gave Peter the potential to be the rock on which he would build the church.
Was Peter always a rock? Far from it. Many times he was as soft as Jell-O, wavering back and forth in his faith. But eventually he became one of the leaders in the early church movement. Do you think he ever forgot the moment when Jesus called him Cephas? Do you think I’ve ever forgotten the first moment someone called me a minister? God has a name for you. Have you heard it? Are you living it out?
We have been given an invitation to come and see what God has planned for us, and like the disciples, we’re called to offer the same invitation to others. There are people in our lives who are trying to answer the question “What do you want?” but who haven’t been invited to seek the answer. They desire so badly to be welcomed into the light, to be accepted, to be loved. But no one has said to them, “Come and see.”
I’m not talking about the strangers we’ve never met. Witnessing about God in our lives doesn’t require us to go stand on a street corner reading the Gospel or go door-to-door handing out literature. Some churches think it’s important to get right in someone’s face about the issue, to confront them with Jesus in Baskin Robbins when they’re trying to decide between Peanut Butter Cup and Fudge Ripple.
Here’s what I think, for what it’s worth. Religion is a personal issue, but not a private one, especially not for those who believe in the Good News. As for not being advanced enough, who is? We’re not called to change lives with a simple conversation. Our job is merely to witness and invite; God’s responsible for the renaming.
There are people out there that we know and love who want someone to ask them, “What do you want? What are you looking for?” There are people out there who need to know that Jesus is their Prince of Peace, their Good Shepherd, their Bread of Life, their Friend and Lord and Savior. They need to know this. Their lives depend on it.
You and I both know people like that. So maybe the name we’ve been given by God today is the name of “sharer of the Good News.” Here, then, is how to live out that name: “We have worship at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday. We have Sunday School for the kids and active youth groups. We have men’s and women’s groups, and we work once a month at a local soup kitchen. Most of all, we love being together and we love serving God. We don’t have all the answers, but we sure enjoy asking the questions together. We’re a family. Won’t you come and see?”
QUESTIONS
1 – Who first invited you to “come and see” at church?
2 – When you go to church, what are you looking for?
3 – What new name have you heard from God in your life?
01.15.08
This Week’s Sermon – Jesus’ Baptism
Hi everyone! It was enjoyable to be off for a week and back visiting family in Indiana. I hope your New Year is off to a good start. Here’s this Sunday’s sermon.
SCRIPTURE – Matthew 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
SERMON
Jesus’ Baptism
Matt. 3:13-17
January 13, 2008
I mentioned a few weeks ago that the story of Jesus getting separated from his parents and being found a day later in the Temple is the only story we have in the gospels in between Jesus’ birth and his baptism around age 30. We are left to wonder and imagine what Jesus must have been like growing up: learning to walk (maybe across his bathtub), saying his first words, throwing his first tantrum, going to his first day of school (how would you like to be HIS teacher?), getting his first job. What was Jesus like during those years? We don’t know.
In contrast, we know all about his baptism. It is one of the few stories that is mentioned in all four gospels, which tells us something about how important it is. John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus, letting the crowds know that there is someone very special coming who will do great things, someone John calls “the lamb of God.” Then Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan River and is baptized.
When I was young, we lived in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which is a town on the banks of the Ohio River, across from Louisville, Kentucky. One of my favorite memories is going down to the Ohio to watch the Great Steamboat Race during the Kentucky Derby Festival. Two enormous paddleboats – The Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen – would race from the Kennedy Bridge, down around Six-Mile Island, and back again. As a kid, it was a thrilling race, and we would sit on the banks of the river for three hours watching it play out. In hindsight, steamboats don’t really move all that fast, so it must have been about the most boring event ever for my parents.
But one of the things I remember more than the boats was the river itself. The Ohio River was not a pretty sight. It was perpetually brown and had all kinds of debris floating in it. Plus it stunk. I remember once my great-uncle tried to impress me by telling me he once saw across it, and I said, “Eww! Why?”
“Why?” may also be an appropriate question for us to ask Jesus in this story. In fact, people have been asking that for centuries, not because the Jordan stunk – although it probably did – but because they don’t understand why Jesus, of all people, was baptized. If our understanding of baptism is that it cleanses us of our sins, and the essence of Jesus’ humanity was his sinlessness, then why did he need to be baptized?
Because there’s so little we know about Jesus at this point in his life it’s hard to answer that question, but I would like to pose a theory and see what you think. In our denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we don’t talk a lot about sacraments. That’s a term usually reserved for the Catholic church, which has seven sacraments: baptism, communion, confirmation, marriage, reconciliation (which includes confession), holy orders (which is like ordination), and anointing of the sick.
In our denomination, we recognize only two sacraments: communion and baptism. And we understand a sacrament to be an outward expression of an inward belief. So, when we come to the communion table, we are simply taking what we believe inwardly (our faith in Christ as our savior) and expressing it outwardly by taking the bread and the cup.
Same thing with baptism. We are taking an inward belief (a desire to commit our lives to Jesus Christ) and expressing it outwardly by being baptized. In a sense, baptism is confirmation of our inward belief, that we are God’s children.
So I wonder, by being baptized, if Jesus wasn’t doing the same thing. I believe he was simply expressing outwardly and publicly what he already knew inside, that he was the son of God. Not only does his baptism make a public statement about how important it is to be baptized, but it confirms who he is and what he is called to do.
There are two things that really seal the deal about Jesus identity. The first is the descending of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. When I perform a baptism, I always say, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Notice that this is one of the few passages in the Bible where all three members of the Trinity are present: Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends, and God speaks.
The words spoken here are very in the second confirmation of Jesus’ identity, and would have carried a lot of meaning for the original hearers. The statement is actually a two-parter, both of which are rooted in scripture. The first part, “This is my son, whom I love” comes from Psalm 2, which was often read at the coronation for a king. Verse 7 of that Psalm says, “I will proclaim the decree of the Lord. He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’”
The second part of the statement, “with him I am well pleased,” is a direct reference to Isaiah 42, a chapter that describes what’s known as the suffering servant. Isaiah describes how God will send someone who will rescue the Israelites from their plight by suffering in their place. The first two verses of that chapter say, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold; my chose one in whom I delight. I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.”
What is happening here is more than a statement of identity. It’s a statement of adoption and a calling. In essence, God is saying, “Here’s who you are, and here’s what I want you to do,” and He gives Jesus the Holy Spirit to accomplish that. This story marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, which as we know ends at the cross.
One of the most memorable baptisteries I’ve ever seen is in the church where I served in seminary. It’s set in a little alcove outside the sanctuary, and is remarkable in its simplicity. But my favorite feature can only be seen from down in the baptistery. If you stand there and look straight up, there’s a beautiful silver dove hanging down. It’s the first thing a newly baptized person sees when they emerge from the waters.
It’s a reminder that the words spoken to Jesus at his baptism were also spoken to us at ours. When we were baptized, we were welcomed into God’s family. We were adopted by God as His child. In this sense water is thicker than blood, because while our human family is flawed and can cause pain and disappoint, God our parent will never leave us or stop loving us.
Not only are we adopted, we are called. We come up out of those waters a new person with a new purpose. The old sinful self is washed away; if we could actually see it, it would probably made the baptismal water look like the Ohio River, all brown and stinky. We are made clean and anointed to serve. Just as Jesus is called forward from his baptism to serve, so are we, to open ourselves to be used by God to further the work of his kingdom. At baptism, we are made new, and that fact should influence every thought and decision in our life. As Martin Luther said, “Remember your baptism, and be glad.”
I know what you may be thinking: “But Kory, I was baptized as an infant!” Yeah, me too. But that doesn’t change the fact that we were baptized, does it? It simply means that while we can’t remember the actual act, we can remember the meaning behind it, especially when we hear the story of Jesus’ baptism or witness someone else’s. And if you haven’t been baptized…well, let’s talk! You have something to which you can look forward.
In the Disciples tradition, we practice what’s called believer’s baptism by full immersion, which basically means we hold people under water until they give their life to Christ. OK, first they make the decision, and then we immerse them in the water. We don’t practice infant baptism (although we accept it) because we believe people should make a conscious choice to be baptized. The typical age of people getting baptized is around 12 or 13, and is usually proceeded by some sort of discipleship class, which helps the young people get grounded in the basics of Christian faith. The class, which starts in a few weeks, culminates in the baptism of the students and their joining of the church.
I think this is a great way to lead into baptisms, but here’s what we have to all be careful of. Baptism does not mark the end of something; as with Jesus, it marks the beginning of something. Another way to say this is that baptism is not the destination, but the first step of the journey, a journey with God through your life and faith. If we are baptized, and then we live in such a way that doesn’t demonstrate that we’ve been fundamentally transformed by the grace of God, we’re committing the ultimate offense against God: we’re ignoring Him.
Through baptism, we are welcomed as a child of God and take our place with Jesus in the family portrait of faith. Then, we are called to live out the belief we have just sacramentalized through baptism. As he has so many other times, Jesus has led the way, and calls us to follow him. We are God’s children, whom God loves. My prayer is that as we live out our faith, we will hear God’s voice say, “With you I am well pleased.” You are a child of God. Remember your baptism, and be glad.
QUESTIONS
1 – What’s one thing you’d like to know about Jesus while he was growing up?
2 – What are the particulars about your baptism?
3 – What reason would you give for why someone should be baptized?
Have a great week!
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
