I can remember some of the first times that I went to Steve’s Christmas parties for work. Everyone dressed up, brought their spouses and significant others, and conversation flowed. As introductions were offered across tables, the very first question asked to spouses who did not work at Steve’s company was what do you do? As in what is your occupation? It was early in my career and I answered eagerly and earnestly that I was a pastor. I have since learned that this is an invitation to hear every horror story about my colleagues, every tragedy that an individual has gone through, and every treatise on the failure of the institutionalized church. Like many clergy, I got used to hearing the line – ‘I am spiritual, but not religious.’ I honestly wonder if math teachers always hear from those who don’t like math or if engineers get critics on various design processes or hair dressers are asked about bad hair styles.
Spiritual, but not religious – often included some form of frustration with the church as an institution and interest in the tenants of faith as experienced. Spiritual but not religious sets up an unnecessary division between the experiences of the Spirit and the structure which seeks to offer them. Spiritual, but not religious assumes that one can either have meaningful spirit-filled experiences OR be a part of religious community. I have heard some variation of this philosophy a lot over the last number of years. As I reflect, I feel sad for this juxtaposition, because what I think that it is missing is presence and community.
This is our fourth sermon in this stewardship series. We have been exploring how we offer to God of our lives. I have used the membership vows of the church to structure this series; you are a piece of the puzzle. When you join the United Methodist Church, whether as a young person or as an adult, you make a commitment to be faithful to Jesus Christ through the United Methodist Church in five specific ways. Those are the very five ways that our new members this morning will promise and that all of you will re-affirm. They are to be faithful through your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness. It the full complement of those aspects that represent the fullness of being a disciple of Christ. When we offer only one or two of those aspects of discipleship, we are missing out. Our discipleship is fullest as we explore all of how to full Christ.
Attempting to live fully and authentically is where we find the apostles in our Acts reading. The portrait of the early church from Acts is a compelling picture, complete with conviction, conversion, fellowship, discipleship, radical intentional communal living, incredible generosity, and growth of community. It is hard to read this passage and not be inspired by those who lived intentionally following the way of Christ. It follows Peter’s rousing sermon on Pentecost and is bookend by growth in the community – both personal spiritual growth and the conversion of many, who were added to their numbers.
Chronologically, this is one of the first places we hear of the apostles teachings as source of inspiration for how to live one’s lives. This indicates first, that there were those who were coming to learn about Jesus, who had never met Jesus. Second, this indicates that value was given to the testimony and the presence of those who have known and experienced Jesus first hand. Something for us to remember that there is deep value in the community hearing the testimonies and witnessing of those who have experienced God.
While these are compelling pictures of the kingdom of God come on earth as it is in heaven, it might be easy to look around at the world around and perhaps, even at our particular body of Christ and say – ours doesn’t always look like that. In fact, perhaps there are moments when we feel that we rarely see the beauty of the Acts 2 church. It might be easy to get discouraged. We see more of the brokenness than the beauty. The brokenness is the mark of humanity. If we look in the fuller context of the early church as recorded in Acts, we see the preaching and teaching of the word of God, alongside the embezzlement of funds, church conflict, racial exclusion, leadership failures, infighting, and church leaders who messed up big time.
Adding your presence to a community is committing to the ideal and pristine vision of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus laid before us and into which the early church tried to live. AND Adding your presence to a community is committing to the challenges of humanity and struggling through the conflicts and feuds, rough spots and awkward moments realizing that no one of us can do it on our own. Each of us needs the community and each of us sees God through others.
In getting to know this particular community of Christ, I have heard many of you reflect on the importance of presence in your own lives. I have heard wonderful stories of times that you have supported one another in struggle and crisis. I have compelling retellings of sustaining persons through medical and emotional challenges, relationship changes and family dynamics. You have shared beautiful and profound moments of coming together to celebrate one another as well as remarkably ordinary and beautiful expressions of love. During cottage chats and in casual conversation, you have shared how value the community is here to your experiences of God. Others have pointed the way for many of you to know Jesus more.
When we ask people to give the gift of their presence to a community, the body of Christ is valuing the importance of each individual. Giving the gift of presence says that each person matters to God and to God’s people. There are no throwaway people or relationships. When we ask people to give the gift of presence to a community, we are valuing the community as well. That is to say, your presence here matters. When you are not here, something is not quite right – something is not complete. God’s fullest vision of how we live together as God’s children is blurry, not fully recognized. It is like our puzzle out in the Narthex. While we can see the outline of what it could look like, the picture is not at all complete.
Imagine if a baseball team tried to play without a second baseman.
Imagine if a school operated without a school nurse.
Imagine if an orchestra had no percussion.
Imagine if a football team played without placekicker.
All of these – could be. All of these scenarios could be explored without the crucial parts and in some cases are. However, without the full team, something is missing. Something is less than complete. The team or the group limps along instead of thriving. It is the presence of the whole body that matters.
Imagine a church where members and attenders were present in full force each time the doors opened for the worship of God and the service of God’s people. Being together in community aims towards the vision of God’s kingdom more fully than any one individual.
Coming back to the false dichotomy of being spiritual and not religious, I am sure that God does speak in the silence of mountain peaks and during fishing trips. I am that God can use golf courses, nature hikes, sandy beaches, and secluded hammocks to be present with God’s people. And hear me to say, I believe these are valuable – sometimes essential, moments of personal communion with God. However, connecting with God is not merely about God – it is also about God’s people. While God is always personal, God is not private. God is not just for you or for me. God is for the whole of the world. There is a Buddhist koan that captures this beautifully. There were two Buddhist monks who were seeking enlightenment. They were traveling together and soon came across a large wall in their path. They both began to climb the wall and realized when they were able to look over the wall that enlightenment was on the other side. The first of the monks quickly slipped over the top and enjoyed lifelong enlightenment. The second of the monks looked over and came back down on the side of the wall from which he had come. He went back towards where he had come to help others to find enlightenment.
As we seek to offer the stewardship of our presence to God, we are reminded that showing up, being present, being open to God’s movement is how the whole of the body of Christ experiences God’s presence. Our discipleship is not just enlightenment for ourselves. Following Jesus is not a private affair that we can fully accomplish in nature by ourselves. We need one another to see God moving, to be challenged and convicted, to be encouraged and renewed, to serve and to be served. As our new members make their vows to be serve God through being present, Consider that God may be calling you to recommit your presence to God and the body of Christ here is West Grove.
This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks be to God, Amen.