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“Not the Only Christians” |
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When I was growing up, I was a kid who’d
rather read a book or draw a picture than to play a game of schoolyard softball
or go out for a school athletic team. At P.E. time, when our class was divided
into two teams, I was always one of the remnants that no one wanted on their
team. I (and several others) only ended up on a team by reluctant default
because everyone had to play. To be one of the “unchosen” is a pretty lousy feeling. I tried to hide my feelings with an air of indifference, but each time, deep inside, a little piece of me died from my embarrassment. To not be chosen was a reinforcement of the idea that I wasn’t of any worth to others. There were rare days when one of my friends was a team captain, and I would be chosen early in the drafting. On those days, my heart soared with joy – for at that moment, I was one of the highly valued ones – a chosen one – a special one! That must have been a little of what it was like when a bunch of ragtag shepherds found out that Yahweh, the Creator, chose them. Abraham’s family believed that God adopted them – embraced them – loved them. The wandering ones – worthless ones – never chosen ones – were picked out of the schoolyard crowd of humanity. God was their lover – their provider – their deliverer – their champion! Their hearts must have soared with joy at the news. For at that moment, they were the highly valued ones – the chosen ones – the special ones! And they ordered their personal and community life around laws and rituals that constantly celebrated their unique relationship with the One God, so that they would never forget. But you know what happens when people are feeling special, don’t you? Being special can become a kind of “elitism.” In our competitive culture (and we really aren’t much different from any others), being “number one” is extremely important to us. We have value and worth – and we’ve gotten the message that our “special-ness,” our “chosen-ness,” our “blessed-ness” only means something at the expense of others. Being chosen, we have been told, is only meaningful when it is exclusive! Even the ancient Hebrews fell into the trap of “exclusive-ism.” They believed themselves to be set apart as a holy nation, blessed and beloved by God. And yet, their own prophets (those who speak God’s word to the people in a specific time and place) and their own scriptures reminded them time and again of a message whose words tasted like ashes in their mouths. God blessed not only them, the prophets said, but also others of the human family. In our lectionary for this morning, we have read just a small portion of the story of Jonah. Jonah was a man who was called by God to take a message of judgment to the people of a large city in the Assyrian empire called Nineveh. Jonah tried to hide from God (what a slacker!). He even tried taking a Mediterranean cruise, but all that got him was thrown overboard, and swallowed by a huge fish. Eventually, the huge fish vomited up Jonah onto land, and Jonah realized there was no escaping the hand and will of God. We shouldn’t be surprised by Jonah’s reluctance. After all, the people of Nineveh spoke a different language. They saw the world differently, ate different food and dressed strangely. They had a different history than that of Israel. Even their worship services were strange to him. Probably the biggest obstacle of all was that they were enemies of the Israelites. It might have been dangerous to enter your enemy’s city and proclaim its doom at the hand of your God, whom they don’t even worship. Jonah displayed a little righteous indignation. His thought was, “Let’s condemn them to destruction – don’t give any warning, God, then do your worst and let them all burn! Serves them right.” And then, the worst happened! The people of Nineveh listened to his words. Ironically, they acknowledged him as God’s prophet, even when most of God’s prophets were ignored among their own people. These foreigners repented! Because of their act of repentance, God did not destroy them – and that made Jonah mad. God’s loving embrace opened to even include the Assyrians – and they were blessed with deliverance. This story is not an isolated incident. God, through Elijah, a prophet, blessed the widow of Zarephath, a foreigner. God miraculously fed her and her household and then raised her son from the dead (1 Kings 17:8-24). God, through Elisha, another prophet, healed the leprosy of Naaman, king of Aram (2 Kings 5:1-14), another foreigner. The pattern is clear. God did not love the Jews only, but also other countries and races. Jesus continued to express the message of God’s inclusive blessing through his own teaching and actions. In the gospel of John, he shared the good news of his revelation with a Samaritan woman, and through her, to her whole town (John 4:7-42). He healed the son of a royal official, even though neither of them were Jews (John 4:46-54). Even in the early Church, believing themselves to be the new beloved people of God, the disciples had trouble loving and accepting the Christians of Syria, Turkey, Greece, Rome, and other places that Paul established new churches. Weren’t these new converts “Gentiles” (that is, those who were not Jews)? They had foreign accents, spoke different languages, and saw the world differently. They ate different food and dressed strangely. They had a different history than that of Israel. Even their worship services seemed strange to them. Probably the biggest obstacle of all was that some had been enemies of the Church! But the New Testament is clear. God did not love the Jewish Christians only, but also the Gentile Christians from many countries and races. And God still does. The followers of Jesus are his living presence in this time and place. We are his hands and eyes, his ears and voice, his smile and heart. It is a universal body that transcends class and economics, creedal and doctrinal differences, racial and ethnic backgrounds, language and customs. The followers of Jesus are united in his spirit whether they call themselves Haitian Pentecostals, or the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lethsoto, or the Church of Christ of the Congo, or the Greek Orthodox Church, or the Taize Community of France, or the Roman Catholic Church, or Scottish Presbyterians, or the Quakers, or Southern Baptists, or the Church of England. We take it for granted that there are Christians in Europe and the United States, but did you know that there are Christians in practically every country in the world? They are in Palestine – and Israel – and Iran – and Iraq – and Cuba – and Afghanistan – and Russia – and on South Pacific islands – and in China – in every African and South American country. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. They speak different languages. They see the world differently, eat different food, and dress strangely. They have a different cultural and national history. Many of their worship services would seem strange to us. Some of their countries have even been our enemies. But, in Christ, they are our family! God loves them. Jesus loves them. The Holy Spirit is at work in them. Between now and October 23, you have the opportunity to sign the charter for the establishment of Bread of Life Christian Church. When you sign it, you enter into a covenant with a denomination called the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). You also enter into a covenant with Jesus, declaring him to be your Savior, and Lord of your life. And today, on World Communion Sunday, we are reminded that the Church is bigger than our congregation – and even our nation. Our charter covenantally connects us to the living, witnessing, serving Body of Christ that stretches all the way around the world. Praise God! So be it! Let us pray. Of course, O God – how could we not realize that your Son’s church crosses all national and denominational barriers? Thank you for its universal message of love and hope. Thank you for the ecumenical spirit of this denomination. We ask your blessing on all on-going ecumenical efforts, that we might, some day, present a unified Christian witness to the rest of the world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. |