“We Call Ourselves Bread of Life”
- 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
October 16, 2005
Dr. Michael C. Yarbrough

          Like most families in America, we did some “church shopping.”  We worshipped with two Disciples of Christ congregations that were conveniently located near our apartment.  We visited those two because we had friends in both of them, and our friends invited us to come.

          After each worship service, Suanne and I went out to lunch and did some evaluating.  We talked about how we had been received by the people in each congregation.  We discussed their friendliness, the preaching, the music, and the ministries of each.  We tried to imagine what being a participating member in each congregation would be like.  I admit it, we treated the experience like shopping for a new house or car – looking them over – testing them out – trying to determine each one’s reliability and comfort.  Would being there, raising children there, partnering in ministry there be a good match for what we were looking for?

          Does any of this sound familiar to you?  As Jan Linn writes in his book, Rocking the Membership Boat, “It’s all about what I want, what I’m looking for, what I can get (emphasis is mine).  This is the way we think as consumers.  Shopping is for our benefit.  It’s about getting the best bargain, finding what we want for the cheapest price” (2001, p.50).

          If any of you have ever been shopping with Suanne, then you know that she reflects this consumer attitude.  She doesn’t want to ever pay full price for a piece of clothing unless it is an exceptional value.  One day, I took her birthday shopping at the Eddie Bauer store at Oak Park Mall.  The deal was: she was to pick out the gift – I would pay for it.  She was a little miffed because we didn’t go to the Eddie Bauer outlet where the bargains are better.

          Once in the store, she made an immediate “bee-line” for the clearance rack.  She looked at sale price tags – I looked at the colors, patterns, and cut of the clothes that weren’t on sale.  I saw a sweater that I knew she would like – but she would never agree to pay what they were asking for it.  From across the room, I got her attention.  I held it up for her to see.

          “Do you like this sweater?” I called.  Her immediate answer was what I knew it would be.  She started walking toward me asking, “How much is it?”  I said, “Stay there!  Just tell me – would you like this sweater if it cost $20.00?”  Her eyes got big and she said, “I would LOVE that sweater if it cost $20.00!”

          That was enough for me.  I started walking toward the cash register.  She said, “No wait a minute – how much is it?”  I kept walking and said, “You’ll never know!”  Believe me – it was a lot more than $20.00.  I paid for it and didn’t tell her the price.  I don’t even remember what I paid for it but it doesn’t matter.  What matters is that it was the right sweater for her.  She loves it, and every winter when she wears it, people compliment her on it.  Sometimes what is best and right is worth a higher cost.

          The Apostle Paul was on fire for Jesus, and he took the Christian message on the road.  In their travels, he and Silas stopped over in Thessalonica, Greece.  While they were there, Paul preached to some of the people.  Some of them (we don’t know how many) believed what he said and became Christians.  The little Thessalonian Church was born and then Paul and Silas moved on.

          A short time later (just a matter of weeks or months), his love for the congregation and his concern for their situation prompted him to write the letter from which I read this morning.  It is the first and oldest of all his letters.  Part of his concern came from the knowledge that members of the congregation were experiencing some kind of harassment and persecution.  He refers to it twice: in 1:6 and 2:14.  Clearly, to be a Christian in the Thessalonian congregation was sometimes difficult.  Sometimes what is best and right is worth a higher cost.

          What we sometimes forget is that church membership is not really about getting the cheapest bargain – getting the most out of a congregation with as little commitment and sacrifice as possible.  As Dr. Linn says, “It is (emphasis is mine) about being a disciple of Jesus Christ’s, about belonging to his body called the church, and can never be primarily about finding services we want from an organization that goes by the name ‘church’” (2001, p.51).

          This sounds a little strange to us.  Aren’t churches that we visit supposed to come after us – court us – recruit us?  After all, church membership is voluntary.  Hadn’t they ought to make membership easy and undemanding?  Who wants to be a part of a congregation that asks us to practice spiritual disciplines and give of our time and financial resources?  We are used to American Protestant congregations not expecting much of us, and membership has become more of a social or business matter than a spiritual one.  But, sometimes what is best and right is worth a higher cost.

          As I said in my sermon last Sunday, Christianity is not a solo religion.  It is a religion whose basis is relationship.  To follow Jesus is to recognize that we do not live in a vacuum.  Christianity cannot be practiced in a vacuum.  We need a worshipping community among whom we can sit or stand to weekly sing God’s praises.  We need a faith family who will work side by side with us as we share our gifts in a ministry to others.  We need a spiritual family who will teach us, and nurture us, and hold us accountable in prayer, study, and growing in our own relationship with God.  We need a community of love, comfort, and hope to rally at our side when times are tough and the world batters us down – and then who will hold us up, wrap us in their arms, and cry with us in our pain.  And we need a community who knows the love of God in their own lives and will create a safe place for us to ask the hard questions of life, remind us constantly that we are all God’s beloved, and bless us with God’s love instead of cursing us.

          I believe that the kind of community I am describing is what this congregation is becoming.  For the last year and a half, I have been honest with folks about the vision of what this congregation is since it first started worshipping, studying, and serving others together.

          I have said to them: “Listen to your heart.  Listen to the Holy Spirit of God.  Pray about your participation in this new congregation.  Being a part of Bread of Life Christian Church is a spiritual matter.  Listen to what God is telling you to do.  And only then – if you are hearing God’s calling – worship with us, study with us, love and serve the world with us.”

          To be a part of a new congregation isn’t easy, because even the back row of seats is still pretty close to the front.  There is no place to hide!  We are so small that we bump into each other as we set up, take down, plan, feed, walk, study, and worship together.  To be a part of Bread of Life takes a great deal of commitment.  But, sometimes what is the best and right is worth the higher cost!

          Paul’s words to the Thessalonian Christians really spoke to my heart this week because so much of what he said is what I feel about you.  I always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in my prayers, constantly remembering before our God your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  I know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that God has chosen you – for the message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.  You are an example to all the believers in Kansas City and beyond.  Sometimes what is best and right is worth the higher cost!  Amen!

          Let us pray.

          Thank you, O God, for bringing together this group of believers who call themselves Bread of Life.  Thank you for this willingness to pay the cost of higher commitment to Christ, and for loving the world the way he loves them.  Thank you for our spiritual growth.  Thank you for the living witness of compassion, generosity, and sense of justice that our work together reflects.  In the name of the One called the Bread of Life, we pray.

Amen.