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Spirituality
Sermons
Spiritual Space Invaders
First given January 30, 2000
Based in part on common lectionary readings for Year B, Epiphany 4
Sometimes people get just a little too close. They get right up in your
face when they talk to you, or they stand just a little too close in an
otherwise empty elevator. We say these people "invade our space".
Most of us have had an experience with someone who invaded our
religious space. We may encounter a person on the street with a
megaphone; a person in an airport with a leaflet; someone at work who
just loves to talk about their faith; or even a person who comes,
unannounced, to our home to tell us about the Truth. Some of you may
know that the Southern Baptist Convention is sending 100,000 people to
the Chicago area this summer to witness to people.
It can be just as uncomfortable to have someone in our religious space
as in our personal space. Many of us see our spirituality as private
relationships between each of us and God. I can agree with that concept
in general, but there are a few cases where we might make an exception.
In our epistle lesson today, Paul replies to a question raised by the
people of Corinth. Some thought no Christian should eat meat offered to
idols; others were of the opinion that "if the meat is offered to a
nonexistent God, and we do not worship the false Gods, there is no harm
here."
Paul believes that the meat is in no way tainted by the ritual. Paul
also recognizes, however, that some may not be convinced of this. He
suggests that, if another Christian might be drawn away from faith in
Jesus by seeing someone eating such meat, it would be better to not eat
meat at all. Why would I avoid something that I believed was OK just
because another Christian might be drawn away? Love. If I truly love my
brothers and sisters in Christ, I will not do something that harms
their faith.
So what does this have to do with us in the year 2000? I believe this
concept of acting in love for others is especially important in a
church like ours. We come from many faith traditions. We have many
different ways of worshipping God, of identifying ourselves as
Christian, and of understanding Truth. Whether it is speaking in
tongues, transubstantiation, faith healing, or the sacredness of the
Bible, we all have unique beliefs from our experiences in our churches.
What one of us may think is silly may be a very important part of
another's connection to God. We need to see each other in love,
understand the importance of others' connections to God, and respect
each other's beliefs. We need to be careful not to do those things
which would disgrace an item or practice that another holds dear. To
stumble another Christian's faith would be an indication of a lack of
love.
So OK, we'll keep our relationship with God private, except in matters
affecting other Christians. That's not too difficult. Well, our Old
Covenant lesson gives us another exception.
Moses tells Israel that God has promised another prophet, one who will
be like Moses. Further, anyone who doesn't heed the words of such a
prophet will have to answer to God for it. What possible reasons could
we have for not heeding God's message? I think they boil down to two:
faith and love. We might not have enough faith in the prophet, or in
the message, or that God will really provide for us as we heed God's
command. Or we might not have enough love for God to heed the message.
I'm not sure which of these I would want to give to God as my reason
for not heeding God's message. So I think we can add the exception "If
I hear from a prophet, and I know the prophet is speaking God's word,
then we'll listen."
Moses also tells us that if a prophet speaks a word that is not from
God, that prophet will die. If God calls someone as a prophet, that
person must speak the word of God. Aside from the consequence of death
for speaking other than God's word, what would move a person to
prophecy? Again, I see faith and love: faith that the word comes from
God, faith that God will provide for God's servants, and a love for
God's people that they should hear what God has to say to them. So
let's add the exception "unless, as unlikely as it seems, God calls me
as a prophet."
God told Moses another prophet like Moses would come. Who was this
prophet? One might ask "who is like Moses"? Most of us have heard of
the links between presidents Lincoln and Kennedy. To whom are there
parallels from Moses?
Moses, born at a time when his people were captive, escaped genocide
ordered by the ruler. He went off into the wilderness, and returned to
lead his people out of captivity in Egypt. Moses gave the law to the
people of Israel.
Jesus, born at a time when his people were captive, escaped genocide
ordered by the ruler. He went off into the wilderness, and returned to
lead people out of the captivity of sin and death. Jesus gave the law
of love to people everywhere.
And Jesus, in our Gospel lesson, preached with authority. Jesus spoke
to unclean spirits with authority, causing them to leave the body of an
afflicted man. Jesus was a prophet, and more. Jesus is our savior and
our example. By the way, "Savior", "Messiah", and "Christ" all mean the
same thing. Why would Jesus do this? Jesus tells us, in John chapter 15
verse 13, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life
for one's friends." Jesus loves us, all of us.
So, when we encounter a Messiah, we'll make an exception in our
private relationship with God. Now I'm sure we all keep Jesus in our
spiritual relationship, but Jesus isn't walking around on Earth right
now. And until Jesus returns, who is Christ here on Earth?
You. Me. Pastor. All of us are part of the body of Christ. In the verse
before Jesus describes that love, Jesus tells us "This is my
commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." We are
called to be the embodiment of that Messiah, that Christ, that Word on
Earth. The whole Earth is our spiritual space. The Great Commission
given to us by Jesus is to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.
We need to find those talents that get us out of our tiny worlds and
help spread the word. The choir, the people who help with our
fellowship hour, those who work on the bulletins and newsletter, those
who set up and take down the alter and sound system, the ushers and
acolytes, the prayer group, and many others help to be a part of this
witness of God's love for all. Maybe, when the Southern Baptists come
to visit, we can minister to them, and help them to understand God's
love for all people.
Of course, we all have our limits of faith, where we doubt that
God will come through for us. We all have our limits of love, where we
cannot bring ourselves to care for someone who has hurt us or those we
love. That's OK. We're human, and Jesus knows this. But we cannot
merely chalk it up to our limitations and say "I can't." Musicians
practice until they can. Athletes practice and work out until they can.
Others of us learn until we can.
When we fall short, and we will, we need to acknowledge our limitations
and ask God to help. God will be there to build us up, to help us grow.
Pastor seems to have a knack for putting me up here right after I start
a semester at school. School started again just a week ago for me, so
homework assignments are on my mind. I ask you to think this week about
the things that hold you back in helping spread the Word of God. Then
bring them to God with an open heart. You can be that embodiment of one
like Moses, one who will lead your people out of captivity into the
land of milk and honey.