Called to Speak: January 31

Can you see the scene in today’s Good news? Jesus comes into the synagogue, talking about God’s inspiration through the Holy Spirit and God’s grace.  He says it’s happening right here, in me, with me, through me.  And they begin to taunt him just a bit---Who does he think he is?  Isn’t he just Joseph’s son?  Jesus recognizes that they aren’t getting it.  And then Jesus really gets in hot water.  He makes the gathering so furious they want to throw Jesus off a cliff! (Preaching can be a dangerous activity) 

The people are enraged because they want this supposed prophet, healer, teacher---whatever he is---to say that the Good News---the salvation, the healing of our wounds which will make us whole---is all for them.  Just them.  But this upstart preacher tells them: Hey: Our hero Elijah shared God’s grace with a non-Jewish Widow---a person on the margins---and Elisha went to a leper, and a foreign one at that, to share God’s healing and grace. Jesus goes into the synagogue to remind people about what they are supposed to be doing.---Take the Good News of God’s grace and salvation out into the world, people.

This is a Word today’s church needs to hear and understand.  As the Bishop of Texas, Andy Doyle says: "We have convinced ourselves that mission happens inside the church building.  But beloved, Mission happens out in the world."

But that’s so much harder.  It’s uncomfortable. I don’t wanna……. Like Jeremiah we might find ourselves saying: But God, I can’t do that.  I’m too young.  I’m too old.  I’m an introvert. It makes me uncomfortable.  I don’t have the time.  That’s someone else’s job!

God will have none of it.  God says to Jeremiah, and God is saying to us: Rise up!  There are no excuses!  You have been called to speak.  You don’t have to be afraid. I’ll be with you.  I will rescue you.  I have got your back!

Like Jeremiah, God is calling us to speak---to speak the Good News of God’s grace, the grace that heals our brokenness and the world’s brokenness.  God is calling us to confront and uproot all that is not of God in our world, in our lives, and in our selves. We have to uproot and dig out whatever oppresses, whatever takes life instead of gives life, whatever damages God’s people—in our systems, in our ways of life, in our hearts and minds---so that there can be healing, there can be restoration, there can be new life.

Here is our Truth as people of Easter, people of the Resurrection: there must be death in order for there to be new life.  If we want new growth, new life---within us as individuals, within our faith communities, within our city, our country, the nations---then there must be death.  The question before us is: What are we going to allow to die in order that there might be new life?  We can’t get to the Resurrection without the cross, and we can’t get to new life and new growth without death, without loss, without sacrifice.  What are we willing to let go of in order to flourish as God’s people, as the living members of the Body of Christ, as the Church?

First and foremost, we have to deal with the reality that we are called to speak.  We have to quit acting as if the shrinking of the Body of Christ in the world is someone else’s fault---as if it is something happening outside our control.  We must stop being afraid, moving from fear.  God is our rock, our refuge.  God sustains us and delivers us.  God has a hold on us and this steadfast, loving, generous God is not about to let go. 

One mystery of faith is how it grows.  We expect it to be about receiving. It makes sense that if we receive, if we get something, then our faith will grow.  But this God of ours is Mystery.  Flourishing in faith actually comes mainly from letting go, surrendering, from giving rather than from receiving.  It is when we put others first, when we serve one another, when we pray for one another, when we are focused outside of our own self that our faith strengthens, refines, refocuses and flourishes.  Like Jesus, when we empty ourselves, we are made whole.

We are called to claim our voice---called to speak---to go outside these walls and share God’s grace—in our words, our actions, our choices.  To speak a word of love, not condemnation.  For too long the Church has spoken words of condemnation.  It is time to speak love, to live love, love that is patient, kind; love that does not demand its own way, that is not irritating, arrogant, boastful or resentful, love that believes all things, bears all things, endures all things, hopes all things.

This is certainly not easy or comfortable.  And it can be done in a variety of ways---ways which we will be exploring and trying this year because it is the work that God calls us to do.  But we need not be afraid.  We need not worry about not being holy enough or good enough or any other kind of enough.  God says we are enough.  Just as we are.  God says we are enough, and God says we are God’s beloved. We are God’s apostles sent out to share God’s love and mercy with the world---not just to our own kind, but to every kind.  St Francis of Assisi said: “Preach the Gospel at all times, when necessary use words.

And so, my beloved community of Intercession Episcopal, let us be a community of mercy that welcomes all into our midst,  a community that goes out seeking the lost, tending to the least of these as lovingly and with as much reverence as we have for the presence of Jesus in bread and wine. The Creator of all things has our back; the maker of the heavens and the earth is looking out for us.  Be bold.  Be courageous.  Let us live out our call to speak the Good News.  It will not be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.  God is with us, working in us and through us so that others may know God in our words, in our actions, in our welcome, and in our love.  Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!