What are We Supposed to Do? 2/7/16
Matthew 13:44-45, Ephesians
4:1-16
Tension is a stretching or
pulling-apart force.
Let’s do an experiment using
an everyday object that speaks to the tension force in earth science, as well
as our spiritual life together. (Explanation of Janice
VanCleave’s 201 Experiments)
The past few months have
uncovered some feelings of tension among church members. The ones that I hear of are related to
financial anxiety, membership changes, declining attendance and the pastor’s
handle on these dynamics. But the
simple truth of tension is helpful here.
Tension, when handled with
care and skill, does not have to be harmful.
Let’s consider the three outcomes of the balloon experiment.
1.
The tension works
negatively, and acts as a pulling apart force.
In this case, the balloon bursts and its life expired.
2.
The tension
leaves negative effects…the original drawing is distorted. You can still see what it was supposed to be,
but it can never return to that shape.
3.
The tension works
positively…God’s people are stretched and challenged, and out of that comes
spiritual growth, as well as a return to the original design.
As I’ve heard of some of the
feelings of tension by some members these past few weeks, none of the things
sound to me, as something that should lead to the balloon bursting. I do have concern or wonder about scenario
two, that tension harming but not destroying can leave a mark, and distort the
purpose for which we were intended. But
I also believe that if you really want to, you can choose to use tension
redemptively. But you need to look at it
through the eyes of faith, and Scripture, and the Lord.
For example, tension doesn’t
need to lead to anger. The Scripture
says,
“Anger does not produce the
righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19)
Tension does not need to lead
to anxiety. The Scripture says,
“Do not be anxious about
anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6)
Tension does not need to lead
to complaining. The Scripture says,
“Do everything without
grumbling and arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of
God without fault in a warped and crooked generation” (Philippians 2:14)
Last week, we brought forth
the question that all members must ask themselves: Who is in charge? The Book of Order (and Scripture, of course)
answers this question: Jesus Christ is
the Head of the Church. Jesus is in
charge.
This week, the question is
one church members must also engage:
What are we supposed to do? The
Book of Order, rooted in Scripture, provides the answer.
The Great Ends of the Church
The great ends of the church
are
the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of
humankind;
the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the
children of
God;
the maintenance of divine worship;
the preservation of the truth;
the promotion of social righteousness;
and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven
to the
world.
Every single event,
conversation, meeting, worship gathering, prayer should in some way fit into
one of these great ends.
So I look at Stockton’s Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, and
to me it is an exhibition to all who eat together that in the kingdom of
heaven, we will eat together. Brothers
and sisters in the Lord can start an eternal celebration every time we gather
to eat. Inviting the community in is an
invitation to each person to see a different way of life, beyond drudgery and
isolation, into community and joy. And
as much as I joke, it isn’t about the pancakes.
And it isn’t about making people busy or worried. It is about this event showcasing one of the
great ends: we exhibit the kingdom of God to our community.
It is about keeping these
great ends on the forefront of our minds.
Why do you go to a meeting at church?
Why are you on a charity board in your neighborhood? Why do you go to a group discussion or
lecture about the dilemmas of our modern world? All of it, everything done under our name
“Christian” should promote one or more of these great ends.
Let us look a bit closer at
each theme.
The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of
humankind
Sometimes people in churches
have been in churches so long that they forget.
They forget who they are. We are
not in the church because of our will, or our efforts, or our family
history. We are not in the church to
keep a congregation surviving, or in motion, or programs continuing. None of that.
The church exists in congregational form to proclaim the good news of
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died on a
cross. He rose from the dead. He forgives our sins, calls us children of
God and grants, through faith in him, eternal life. That is the gospel. The gospel is so profound and true and good,
that is why we gather. Let us never
forget that. And let us correct
ourselves if we have. And if we don’t
believe, may we repent and believe the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the
children of God;
When we come together, you
are invited to see yourself as shelter for someone in their storm, part of the
nurture of one another’s spiritual life, and part of a fellowship, a gathering
of like minded folk who believe Jesus is Head of the Church, and that he has
given us work as well as rest.
the maintenance of divine worship;
We gather to offer our worth
giving to God, the creator of life, to Jesus Christ, Redeemer of creation and
the Holy Spirit, the sustainer. We
gather to keep what and who is most important to the cosmos on the
forefront. We gather to give praise and
love to God. Scripture’s view is that
this worship should take place at least once a week, as it keeps God first and
life in perspective.
the preservation of the truth;
we are also invited to
preserve truth, for society and human life, to live and preserve the wisdom
from God for a good life, to be people fascinated by the world and existence,
by science and beauty and history and mathematics, geography, culture, engineering
and invention, art and language. We are
to be people of the truth.
When tension is present, it
is very easy to trip up and create a false narrative, whether done out of
anxiety, or sloppiness, or trying to create distance…but the truth is, that
which is false does not endure. It
can’t. Truth endures. So as your pastor, I counsel you to speak
with an integrity, and a care that honors what is true, and does not promote
that which isn’t accurate, or based on conjecture and not facts, on opinions
but not conversation. Jesus is full of
grace and truth. And we are to be like
him.
the promotion of social righteousness;
The church throughout its
history has contributed to hospitals, schools, abolition of slavery and racial
equality. It has pushed the question of
economic justice and appropriate labor laws.
The church, when showing Jesus, should point to a good life, to goodness
itself, to peace and justice.
and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven
to the world.
We point people to Jesus
Christ, the way, the truth and the life.
He said he was these things to his disciples after a conversation that
he was going to heaven to prepare a place for them. You know the way to where I am going, he told
his disciples. Christ is the way, the
way to good and everlasting life, to feasting and joy and fellowship with
saints throughout the ages, and heavenly creatures yet to be known.
As we walk through the challenges of life, our job is, to the best of our
ability, to keep our shape and design, so that when Stockton/Titusville and
surrounding neighbors see this congregation, they don’t see a burst balloon,
not a balloon stretched too far, and as a result, has lost its shape and
design. But rather, they sees a people
who love God, who follow Jesus, and who experience the Holy Spirit, so that
even during those times when tension comes, we are shaped for good by God
through them.
