May 18: Be the Church

Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5,15-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14

Finish this statement for me:  If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck……

Okay, keep that in mind.  We’ll come back to it.

Jesus said: I am the Way……Now, there is a debate  about whether Jesus daily spoke in Hebrew or in Aramaic.  There is no debate about the Scriptures Jesus read and quoted; they were in Hebrew.  So, even if Jesus often spoke in Aramaic---a close language to Hebrew, he was also fluent in the language of the holy texts—the psalms, the prophets, the writings….and the meaning of the word  Jesus uses in this I am statement, the word kr<d<, is: Way, road, manner.  Jesus says, I am the manner……

Manner is defined as a person's outward bearing or way of behaving toward others.  Jesus’ way of behaving toward others is the road we are to walk.  The way we are to live.  The manner we are to acquire.

What does it look like if we follow steadfastly in the steps of Jesus---this path that leads to eternal life---a life that is inseparable from God?

Stephen exemplifies it for us today.  Stephen, of course, is considered the first martyr of the church.  At the root of the meaning of “martyr” is the word: witness.  Stephen is a witness to Jesus, pointing to Jesus, because through his words, his choices, and his actions, Stephen proclaims what he has seen and what he knows of our Lord.

Today’s story takes place just as Stephen has finished telling the Jews their own salvation story, their own history with God, in a very prophetic manner---pointing out that they have missed the boat because they rejected the mighty act of God who is Jesus.  Stephen also points out their unnecessary need to place great emphasis on the temple; he proclaims that God has been their God, God has been with them, long before the temple.  Because, Stephen says, God doesn’t dwell in the temple---God lives in Creation—in humanity---in transformed hearts and minds and souls of God’s people.

Even in the face of great danger, at the risk of his life, Stephen proclaims his experience of God.  Stephen’s words threaten the people’s current understandings; his words threaten their status quo, their comfort, and their preferences.  Stephen witnesses anyway.

We all face some of this in our lives---moments when our beliefs and understandings about God seem contradictory to the conversation or the activity taking place.  Like Stephen, we are faced with a choice.  Keep silent or share.  Keep silent and let whatever is being said, be said or whatever is happening to happen……or share.  Open our mouths and proclaim our Truth.  Our Truth that it is not okay for some to go without.  That it is not okay to deem any other person---either because of their skin color, their poverty, their sexual orientation, their gender, their age, their atheism, their religion, their mental illness, their addiction---it is not okay to deem any other person as not worthy.  Not worthy to have enough food, enough clean water to drink, shelter or medical care.  It is not okay to say that any person is not welcome at God’s table.  It is not our Truth, because it is not God’s truth, that any one person has less value than another person.  God lays claim on all people---even those our eyes and hearts deem as unworthy.  Jesus’ life witnesses to this truth---pointing us to God’s way of seeing our neighbors instead of seeing in the world’s way.

And while we may not be putting our mortal lives on the line to proclaim this truth—at least here in America---we very well may be laying our daily lives on the line.  To proclaim our Truth and live differently may make us outsiders or unwelcome or considered “freakish.”  We may be made fun of or not included or marginalized by our peers.  Perhaps this is what martyrdom in 21^st Century America looks like.  To be set apart---made holy---requires sacrifice.  There is no doubt.  Witnessing has its cost.

Those of us who have lived a few decades, we know that these moments occur several times a day---moments when we must decide if we live and speak and behave as Jesus or if we pretend we don’t know any better.  Our younger generations—who haven’t lived quite as long as us yet---have probably already glimpsed this as well.  So many times when jokes are told or pranks are pulled at the expense of someone who is vulnerable.  Occasions when one must decide to retaliate or forgive.  Instances when we are confronted with the opportunity to welcome or to ignore.  To serve or to stay home.  To attend worship or to skip.  To learn and grow or to remain as we are.

My question for us, this family of Intercession Episcopal, is how will we---how do we---act as living witnesses for one another, and most especially, for our young people?  How do we show what it means to live Jesus?  How can our words, our choices, our behavior point to the truth we have seen and experienced in God?  Do we, will we, invest our time, our talents, and our treasure to support the faithful living out of our baptismal vows of gathering in fellowship, continuing the teaching of the apostles, breaking bread, and treating all others as the beloved children of God?  Will we have the manner---behave toward all others---like Jesus: with radical welcome and hospitality?  With grace, mercy and forgiveness?  In loving and compassionate ways that shine the marvelous light of God into the darkness of the world?

My friends, we are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people….once we were not a people, but now we are God’s people.”  We are called to proclaim---by word and action---by choice and the use of our gifts and treasure---we are called to proclaim the mighty acts of God.  To witness so that those who come behind us and beside us will see and experience what we have seen and know.  In doing so, our hearts are changed, transformed, enlarged.  Enlarged so that space for God to dwell is made and God makes his home in us so that others might see and know God through us, in us, and with us.  This is what it means to be the church---the living members of the Body of Christ.  We are not simply called to attend church; we are marked as Christ’s own forever in order to be church.

You know what they say: if it walks like duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck……

If we desire others---if we want our younger generations---to believe that Church is a living reality, that Jesus stills lives and moves in the church---that this faith, this following Jesus, is relevant and life-changing……well then, we better walk like Jesus, sound like Jesus and behave like Jesus.  The proof is in the living. And the living is our witness.