Homily to be preached at Taylorsville, KY United Methodist Church on the occasion of the Covenant Churches Pulpit Exchange on Sunday, January 23, 2011. Part of the celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Pastor Bill Dunning from First Christian of Taylorsville will preach at All Saints Catholic Church. Deacon Gerry Mattingly from All Saints will preach at Taylorsville United Methodist, and Pastor Marco Ballesteros from Taylorsville United Methodist Church will preach at First Christian of Taylorsville.
There will be a pot luck dinner at Taylorsville Methodist Church on Main Street after the services.
There will be a pot luck dinner at Taylorsville Methodist Church on Main Street after the services.
Deacon Gerry
Introduction
One in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
The theme's based on Acts of the Apostles 2: 42-47
This passage from Acts reads:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad, generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. Day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved”
Message:
What is church? Is it JUST the building like this one where we meet to give glory an praise to God? That's a modern understanding of what church means. However, when we look at scripture, we see that church isn't so much a place, but a people...
In the New Testament, church describes groups of believers gathered to do what Jesus intends for them to do…generally in homes rather than in buildings called churches.
In Matthew 28 Jesus' intentions are clear “Go therefore make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” Jesus' words still speak to us today.
Going beyond ourselves... inviting others into relationship focusing on Jesus teachings about loving God and loving neighbor. Jesus knows the challenging work he's laid out for us... Reminding us that he's always with us to the end...Welcoming others in, sharing the message, helping people come to know Jesus. This Great Commission that Jesus gave us IS IMPORTANT.
But we hear another really important thing in today’s passage from Acts.
We've heard WHAT Jesus wanted done...Now we hear the HOW ...how those early Christians were being...how they were living their life together... how they were caring for and nurturing one another... How they formed a community to do Jesus' ministry. The how's an important message for Jesus' church today.
There's a story about an old monastery that had fallen upon hard times. At one time the monastery had been a thriving community of faith where many dedicated monks who lived and worked together. The monastery had a great influence on the whole land. But now only five monks lived there... all over 70 years old. Clearly a dying order.
A few miles from the monastery lived an old hermit many thought the hermit was a prophet of God. One day as the monks agonizing over what their monastery had become, they decided to visit the hermit...Maybe he would be able to see the future and show them what they could do to save the monastery.
The hermit welcomed the 5 monks to his little hut, but when they explained the purpose of their visit, the hermit could only sympathize with them.
"No, I'm sorry," said the hermit. I don't' know how your monastery can be saved...BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS...One of you is a mighty, SPECIAL apostle of God.
For months after their visit, the monks each reflected on what the hermit had said...One of us is an apostle of God? AT THIS MONASTERY? That's IMPOSSIBLE. We're all too old...too insignificant. On the other hand...what if it is true? If it's true, then which one of us is it?
Do you suppose he meant the abbot? Yes, if he meant anyone...he probably meant the abbot...After all, he's been our leader for more 20 years. On the other hand... he might have meant Brother Thomas. Certainly Brother Thomas is a holy man...a man of wisdom and light.
Surely, he COULDN'T HAVE MEANT Brother Elred. Elred gets cranky at times...he's difficult to reason with. On the other hand... he's almost ALWAYS right. Maybe the hermit meant Brother Elred.
But surely, he could NOT have meant Brother Phillip. Phillip is so passive, so shy...a REAL nobody. Still, he's always there when you need him. He's loyal and trustworthy...Yes, he could have meant Phillip.
Of course, the hermit didn't mean me...I'm just an ordinary person... Yet, suppose he did? Suppose I am that apostle of God?... Oh, God, not me. I couldn't be that much for Jesus... Or, could I?"
As they thought and prayed over what the hermit had told them...the old monks began to intentionally treat each otherwith greater RESPECT than EVER before just on the off chance that one of them might actually be that special apostle of God...And on the off chance that each monk HIMSELF might be that apostle each monk began to intentionally treat HIMSELF with great respect. Honoring his own giftedness, as he honored that of his fellow monks.
Since the monastery was situated in a beautiful forest...many people came there from time to time They picniced on its spacious lawn and walked its many paths, and they would go into monastery's beautiful chapel to pray.
As they did so, without even being conscious of it, they sensed the aura of the extraordinary respect, honor and love for God and each other that now began to surround the five old monks and seemed to radiate out of them... permeating the atmosphere of the whole place.
There was something strangely attractive, even compelling about it... Hardly knowing why, people began to come back the monastery more frequently for picnics, meditation and prayer...that radiated God's love & their friends brought THEIR friends. As more and more visitors came, some of the younger men started to talk with the old monks. After a while one asked if he could become a part of their small community. THen another and another. Within a few years the monastery once again a vibrant center of faith all because of the how..the hermit taught them.
The gift of the hermit to the monks is the message of our passage from Acts today not only was it important what the monks were doing but how they were being, how they were living their life together, how they were caring for and nurturing one another. How they formed a community to do Jesus' ministry
Think about what a difference the question of how makes...Married couples can be married, can show up at the same house night after night, go to family activities together, raise children together, even remain faithful to each other…But think of how different those tasks of marriage are when motivated by respect, tenderness, care and love.
Parents can feed children, change diapers, provide rules and structure, & help with homework, But think of how different the parent/child relationship is when parents understand that their role is not just to perform the tasks of parenting, But that love, encouragement, communication and being present – not just physically, but emotionally, these things... the "HOW" MATTERS.
In our churches we can offer all the right ministries. have programs for all ages, offer help to meet the needs of those who are struggling, offer classes to ensure that people are well educated in the Bible and thoughtful in their decisions. But just because we DO important ministries...doesn’t mean we do them faithfully. The HOW matters.
It makes a difference when we act with kindness toward both those we serve and those we serve with. It makes a difference when the people see evidencethat the Christian community of Taylorsville not only keeping busy at church...
but truly living as a family, caring for one another. It makes a difference when the motivation for our ministries is our passion for Jesus rather than our desire to get what we want...receive recognition, work only with our good friends , or even just keep the church afloat.
Did you notice in our passage WHAT Luke doesn’t tell us. He doesn’t say they went to worship where their friends went. He doesn’t say they went only with people who thought and understood and interpreted THINGS like they did.
Rather he says that they came together...treating one another as children of God because their love for Jesus was enough to hold them together as family Living, learning, growing and praying together...with a deliberateness toward humility and generosity,
Sharing what they had with the others...Making sure that no one among them was in need...Coming to know one another through the acts of sharing at table and in worship. Supporting one another with confidence in their common giftedness & ministry. Recognizing that the one at the other end of the table is as important as they are & deserving respect.
What we seem to hear from Acts is that the more intentional we are about HOW we live our life together…the more intentional we are about building up the whole Christian community…then the more effective we will be in our ministries.
When we care for one another…when we live peaceably among each other…when we know each other deeply…then others will know that we are for real.
That we believe what we've heard, that we teach what we believe, and live what we teach...As we continue to ask where God's calling...let us build up our sense of Christian community between usthat we might serve faithfully together as Jesus intended.
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