Make Mine Low-Fat, Extra Hot, Blended
Hebrews 12:18-29
Today I want us to consider the rhythm of life and the rhythm of our faith. What impact on life is our faith having? How are we making the world better because we follow Jesus? If we were to think logically about life in general we would probably all agree that there are “ups” and “downs” to life – times of joy and pain, exultation and loss, birth and death. However, when we experience something like a bridge falling for no reason or floods sweeping homes away in southeastern Minnesota or miners trapped hundreds of feet below the surface of the earth, the rhythm of life can feel more like a rollercoaster. How do we prepare ourselves to live in such a world – and how do we help others when they struggle with the rhythms of life?
Church growth expert Lyle Schaller notes that the way most of Christianity in the United States is set up, they are operating like it is 1957 instead of 2007. We now live in a Starbucks world and most churches are still operating like Sanka is the only coffee on the market. While it is true that no one church can do every kind of ministry – it is important to know your audience and speak to their needs – we no longer can do and be church like it was done in 1957 because our world has moved on. It has changed. We need to be able to speak truth and hope to a 21st century world that offers people an opportunity to experience the presence and grace of God in all the ups and downs life presents. The only way to continue doing that in the 21st century is to offer choices in how people access our ministry. We can’t assume that what worked in 1957 will work today. That is why we use tools like the Internet and email for mass communication and even things like this projection screen in worship. That is why we offer two types of worship experiences with our Sunday liturgical service and our mid-week Spirit service. All of us may not access all of these tools or even find them useful to our personal needs but each of these tools and many others offer opportunities of access to an experience of the holy. An experience of the holy is what our 21st century Starbucks world is looking for. I have often had people ask me, “Why do you worship the way you do? Why do you wear robes or have drums or sing in Spanish or do communion the unique way that happens here?”
In many ways, MCC was fortunate to be born in a turbulent part of history (the late 1960s) that required us to question assumptions, to learn to communicate with people who were different, to learn to love the unlovable and to build bridges to connect with others rather than hurl bombs – metaphorical or literal. It is part of our MCC heritage to celebrate the diversity of humanity and religious expression that is part and parcel of our Starbucks world. The All God’s Children Vision, Mission and Values states that one of our core values as a congregation is that we “celebrate our many backgrounds in worship, music, education, ministries, leadership and membership, appreciating and nurturing the gifts each offers to the whole.” In Starbucks language that means that whether you favor cappuccino or mocha, skim milk or half & half, iced or hot, you are valued for the gifts you bring to the whole – and not any one cup of java is the only coffee that’s good. In the experience of the holy that is this faith community people are invited to plug into the wireless network that is Holy Spirit and find a connection more infinite than the World Wide Web.
Others have chosen different routes, and there are times we feel the same tug to close ranks and dig our heels in too. Some Christians hunker down with their theological truths and traditions and shoo away those who don’t understand or who don’t fit well into their “one size fits people like me and nobody else” mentality. Our scripture text calls us to an experience of God that is awesome and unwieldy. God’s presence has too many fireworks to fit well into our tiny boxes that we call religion and so our “God experience” keeps making a mess of those boxes. That makes some afraid. There is no need to fear. Hebrews tells us that “since we are receiving a realm that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful.” The writer of Hebrews is contrasting two ways of responding to God’s presence. Some – because their concept of God is vengeful, angry or arbitrary – become stuck in fear of that which they cannot control. After all, if you step out of line – if you make a mistake – God will turn away from you or kill someone you love or give you an illness. How did our ideas of God become so petty?
Holy Spirit is calling us to something deeper. We are called to thankfulness because we have a growing understanding that our insight has been expanded. We have experienced that divine presence which heals our woundedness, calls us to nobler dreams, urges us to reach for our ideals, and encourages us to risk holding in tension the unknowns – the ups and downs – of life.
It was an unforeseen unfortunate disservice when English Bible translators translated the Greek word “eulabeia” (yoo lab’ i ah) used in our text as the word “fear” in the latter part of our reading. The translation we used today captured the more accurate meaning of this word. It means reverent awe – an awe that elicits thankfulness. Have you ever stood on the side of a canyon or on top of a mountain and beheld the vista around you. The beauty and grandeur and majesty of the experience made you grateful to be there – to be part of this amazing thing. That is “eulabeia.” It does not refer to being afraid. This response is contrasted with the earlier response of Moses who Hebrews says was afraid (ek’ pho bos “scared out of his wits”) in the presence of God. So our scripture is telling us that people used to approach God from a position of fear – being afraid – but that now we are called to enter the presence of God in a sense of reverent awe. Of course, when both of these words were originally translated into English several centuries ago, it was the understanding that this first word meant awe and the second meant afraid even though they were both translated using the English word “fear.” This is a good example of how a surface reading of scripture can produce a very inaccurate understanding. In our 21st century world, English has changed and we have blurred the meanings of the word “fear.” All God’s Children, we are called to speak clearly and cogently to a 21st century mindset. That’s what we are doing through our “Would Jesus Discriminate?” efforts. We are attempting to return the conversation back to the truth from which Christian faith was born.
We live in a Starbucks world. For too long people, including many Christians, have perpetuated a myth about God, largely based on a misreading of scripture, like this one. It is time they heard the truth – a truth that will set them free.
While I was away you were treated to three fine preachers, two of whom had not worshipped with us before. I received a note from Dr. Gustav-Wrathall upon my return to Minneapolis. I want to read you a portion of it. He wrote:
Dear Paul:
I want to thank you and your entire Church for the INCREDIBLE experience I had at MCC this past Sunday.
…I showed up more like around 9:45, and I am sure I caused major panic. I am so sorry. Despite the stress everyone must have been feeling, none of that was passed on to me. Everyone was gracious, kind, and efficient, and made me feel very, very much at home.
Worship at AGC was a transformative experience for me. I felt something incredible come over me from the moment I walked through the door. I was accompanied by my partner Goran, and by a friend of mine from work. This friend of mine is a straight woman. She told me she had the same experience as she entered the church – she just “felt” something incredible. She told me that she has never been to a church that made her feel like she wanted to come back for more – until she attended the service at AGC. My partner was also deeply moved by the service and loved your congregation.
I must apologize because I was asked to help serve communion, and I did not realize that your method of serving communion involves a bit more than the usual handing out of the elements that takes place at most churches. Once I realized I was unprepared to do this, someone graciously stepped in for me, and I watched in amazement. I later received communion from a member of the church, one of the most beautiful communion experiences I have ever had.
You have an incredible, loving, empowered group of people at your church... What a blessing! I felt I was walking among giants.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Peace,
John
What he is describing is what happens around here a lot but which can become so familiar we become desensitized to it. It is “eulabeia” – being aware of the presence of God that elicits reverent awe. It is all around us. Sometimes we get so used to things that we can forget what an amazing faith community God has gathered here. Indeed, we are blessed and we are blessing others. As Hebrews reminds us, “Therefore, since we are receiving a realm that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Let us banish the fear from the past from our consciousness. God has provided something better – living in thankfulness and reverent awe. It is what our Starbucks world is looking for to get through the rhythms of life.
Sources:
www.homileticsonline.com Mild or Wild? August 2007.
http://www.lifetv.ee/Ru/images/50/35_lyle-schaller.jpg
http://www.biocrawler.com/w/images/thumb/b/b8/300px-family_WatchingTVinthe1950s.jpg http://www.britishclub.org.sg/UserFiles/Image/MGorrie2.jpg
