Why are we here? What is the Church all about?
The funny thing is: Jesus
didn’t come to this world in order to start a Church. Jesus came to lead a movement. A movement of crazy, bold, courageous
God-lovers who will risk everything to live differently. To live a life of compassion instead of
turning a blind eye. A life of
forgiveness and mercy instead of retaliating with vengeance and violence. A life of seeking to heal the other instead
of ignoring their need. A life of
putting the security and health of all others at the top of our list instead of
having self-preservation and private wealth as our priority.
Some call this crazy. Some call it socialism. Some call it idealistic and
pie-in-the-sky. Jesus called it the Way. As in: come and follow me, the Christ, live true
life, know what’s true, walk the way.
Why are we here? We come to give thanks to God. We know we didn’t earn what we have on our
own. All that we have, all that we own,
all that we are comes to us because God graces us with gifts, opportunities,
second chances, love and relationships.
And so we come; we come to bring our very selves to God’s banquet table,
accepting the invitation of the host, laying our lives on the table as an
offering in response to God’s love for us.
In response to the sacrificial giving and loving of Jesus. And in doing so, in the offering of our very
lives, we are changed.
Every bite of Jesus bread and
each sip of Jesus wine begins to soften our hearts, change our worldview, and
sharpen our vision. As we serve one
another and serve others in our community, the direction of our choices and
decisions begins to realign with the Way of Jesus—turning us back to our North
Star—the Creator, redeemer and Sanctifier God who loves us beyond all-knowing.
As we break open the Word and
hear our story and the Truth that God is very near, as we open our hearts,
minds, ears, and eyes in prayer and music, as we lift our hands and receive the
Sacrament, The Holy Spirit breathes into us---in spiring us---empowering
us---turning us into vessels of God’s grace---and we leave transformed.
We are not called to be
members of a social club. We are not
called to be members of a church. We are
called to be the LIVING members of the Body of Christ. We are called and chosen
to be disciples of the Way. We are sent
as followers of a movement—the Jesus Movement, and like the great rolling
waters of the ocean, as we gain strength and grow, our waves lap out further
and further and wash Creation new with God’s life-giving water and the Spirit’s
transforming fire and restoring breath.
This water and breath of the
Spirit, this flesh and blood of the Christ, it gives us new sight---allowing us
to look around and recognize that we live in a God-drenched world---God’s
Kingdom has come near. Some will say we
are crazy, hopelessly idealistic, out-of-our-minds. And yes, yes we are. For we are to have the mind of Christ, soaked
with the Spirit, as we choose to be co-agents in God’s mission for this world.
With intention and
commitment, let us live lives that spread God’s abundance. Like Jesus on the hillside, sharing from what
we have so that not only are the thousands fed, but there are leftovers for
others.
With intention and commitment
let us live lives of regard for this fragile earth, our island home, so that it
may continue to sustain our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and
all those futures we can provide for by living differently now.
With intention and
commitment, may we consume and be buyers who keep the laborer in mind and not just our wallet.
With intention and
commitment, let us make ourselves
vulnerable to the Holy Spirit through worship, prayer, and study, so that we
may become God-saturated and Holy Spirit possessed—allowing God to turn our
hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.
It’s time to take stock. It’s
time to decide whether or not we have our skin in the game. It’s time to invest in God’s kingdom, join
the movement. Let us be intentional and
committed, bold and courageous. Now, now
is the time. Now is the day. This is why
we are here: to love God, love our neighbor and change the world. Now.
No comments:
Post a Comment