EACH OF US IS DIFFERENT; EACH OF US IS NEEDED
1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-7, 12-21, 27
Rev. Paul Wrightman
THIS MORNING WE BEGIN REVISITING A SHORT,
SIX-SUNDAY SERMON SERIES
ON A RECENTLY DEVELOPED PARADIGM CALLED “GODVIEWS” –
FIVE MARKEDLY DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH
DIFFERENT PEOPLE APPROACH GOD AND CHURCH.
BECAUSE CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT “INCARNATION” -- THE AFFIRMATION THAT GOD BECAME A PERSON
IN THE PERSON OF JESUS –
AND BECAUSE JESUS SPECIFICALLY FOUNDED THE CHURCH
TO BE THE CONTINUATION OF HIS PRESENCE IN THE WORLD
AFTER HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION,
I THOUGHT “GODVIEWS” WOULD MAKE AN APPROPRRIATE
SERMON SERIES FOR THE SEASON OF ADVENT
AND THE BEGINNING OF EPIPHANY.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SIX WEEKS WE WILL BE REVISITING
A PREVIOUS SERMON SERIES ON “GODVIEWS,”
BUT WITH SOME NEW ILLUSTRATIONS
AND SOME REWORKED INSIGHTS.
TODAY’S SERMON WILL INTRODUCE EACH OF THE “GODVIEWS,”
THEN LOOK AT THE CLASSIC TEXT FROM ST. PAUL
THAT YOU JUST HEARD AND WHICH GIVES US
THE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION FOR AFFIRMING
UNITY IN DIVERSITY AND DIVERSITY WITHIN UNITY.
WE WILL THEN CONSIDER EACH “GODVIEW” IN GREATER DEPTH
FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE SUNDAYS.
THE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL POINT TO GRASP
IN APPROACHING THESE DIFFERING VIEWS OF GOD AND CHURCH
IS THAT NO GODVIEW IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER.
EACH GODVIEW IS STRONGLY AFFIRMED BY JESUS.
THE GODVIEWS, TAKEN AS A WHOLE,
ARE A MAJOR WAY IN WHICH JESUS TEACHES
UNITY THROUGH DIVERSITY.
THE IMPLICATION IS THAT A WHOLE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY –
TAKE COMMUNITY CHURCH, FOR EXAMPLE,
IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS.
MANY OF US WILL BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF
TO LEARN THAT EACH PERSON RESONATES
PRIMARILY WITH ONE GODVIEW,
AND SOMETIMES SECONDARILY WITH ANOTHER.
IT’S SOMEWHAT LIKE HAVING A MAJOR AND A MINOR IN COLLEGE.
THIS SHOULD TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF THOSE OF US
WHO FEEL THAT WE NEED TO BE AND TO DO EVERYTHING!
JESUS HIMSELF DOES NOT EXPECT THIS FROM US,
SO WE CAN TAKE OURSELVES OFF THE HOOK
AND SIMPLY FLOW WITH WHO WE ARE,
WITH WHO GOD GIFTED EACH OF US TO BE.
I’M NOW GOING TO BRIEFLY DESCRIBE
THE FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF APPROACHING GOD AND CHURCH.
HOPEFULLY YOU WILL STRONGLY RECOGNIZE YOURSELF
IN ONE OF THE VIEWS
AND MILDLY RECOGNIZE YOURSELF IN ANOTHER.
REMEMBER: ALL GODVIEWS HAVING BEEN CREATED EQUAL,
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BASIS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIAN
TO CONSIDER HERSELF OR HIMSELF SUPERIOR
TO ANY OTHER CHRISTIAN.
THE ORDER IN WHICH I DESCRIBE THE GODVIEWS IS ARBITRARY,
AND SIMPLY REFLECTS THE ORDER IN WHICH
THIS SERMON SERIES WILL UNFOLD.
GODVIEW NUMBER ONE IS KNOWN AS THE TRADITIONALIST VIEW.
IN ANY LOCAL CHURCH, THE TRADITIONALISTS
ARE THOSE WHO REMIND THAT LOCAL CHURCH
OF ITS HISTORY AND TRADITIONS.
TRADITIONALISTS ARE GENERALLY SUSPECT OF CHANGE,
HAVING A PASSION FOR KEEPING THEIR CONGREGATION
TRUE TO ITS ROOTS.
IN THE RECENT HISTORY OF COMMUNITY CHURCH,
AND ITS DECISION TO BECOME A TWO-TRACK,
OR DUAL STATUS, CHURCH,
THE TRADITIONALISTS AMONG US PLAYED A VITAL ROLE
IN CONSTANTLY REMINDING US OF OUR HISTORY
AS AN INDEPENDENT CHURCH,
AND IN INSISTING THAT THE CHOICE OF REMAINING “INDEPENDENT”
ALWAYS BE AN OPTION FOR ANY MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH.
GODVIEW NUMBER TWO IS KNOWN AS THE DEVOTIONALIST VIEW.
THESE ARE PERSONS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO
AND DEEPLY ENGAGED IN WORSHIP AND PRAYER.
THEY TEND TO BE PERSONS
WHO HAVE A WARM RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD,
AND AN ACTIVE LIFE OF PRAYER.
GODVIEW NUMBER THREE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD,
IS KNOWN AS THE CONFESSIONALIST VIEW.
HERE “CONFESSIONALIST” COMES FROM THE ORIGINAL SENSE
OF THE WORD “CONFESSION,” WHICH MEANS “TO AFFIRM.”
CONFESSIONALISTS ARE CHRISTIANS WHO, LIKE MYSELF,
ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SEARCHING FOR, DISCOVERING,
AND SHARING THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD AND JESUS.
THEY ARE USUALLY PERSONS WHO INSIST THAT
NOT ALL THEOLOGIES, OR WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING GOD,
ARE EQUAL, AND THAT SOME WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING GOD
ARE DEFINITELY BETTER THAN OTHERS.
GODVIEW NUMBER FOUR IS KNOWN AS THE ALTRUIST VIEW.
AS THEIR NAME IMPLIES,
ALTRUISTS ARE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE INTO HELPING.
THESE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WHO,
FACED WITH A SITUATION OF NEED,
EXPLICITLY OR IMPLICITLY, ASK THEMSELVES THE QUESTION:
“WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?”
THE GOSPEL CHARTER OF THE ALTRUISTS IS FOUND IN MATTHEW 25.
JESUS IS SPEAKING:
“…FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME FOOD,
I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING TO DRINK,
I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU WELCOMED ME,
I WAS NAKED AND YOU GAVE ME CLOTHING,
I WAS SICK AND YOU TOOK CARE OF ME,
I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU VISITED ME…
TRULY I TELL YOU, JUST AS YOU DID IT
TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE…YOU DID IT TO ME.”
(Matthew 25:35-37;40, NRSV)
GODVIEW NUMBER FIVE IS KNOWN AS THE ACTIVIST VIEW.
THESE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE IMPATIENT FOR CHANGE,
WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT JUSTICE,
AND WHO ARE READY-AND-WILLING
TO TAKE ON ANY AND EVERY OBSTACLE
IN THE WAY OF BRINGING ABOUT MORE OF GOD’S KINGDOM
HERE ON EARTH.
THESE ARE CHRISTIANS LIKE DOROTHY DAY
AND MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.,
AND ON A MORE LOCAL LEVEL,
CHRISTIANS IN OUR OWN CHURCH
WHO HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO ADVOCATE,
AND OCCASIONALLY TO DEMONSTRATE,
FOR PEACE AND OTHER JUSTICE ISSUES.
AS YOU CAN WELL IMAGINE,
OCCASIONALLY SPARKS FLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WITH DIFFERERT WAYS
OF APPROACHING GOD AND CHURCH.
TO MENTION A FEW OF MANY POSSIBLE EXAMPLES:
THE RELUCTANCE TO CHANGE OF THE TRADITIONALIST
CAN CLASH WITH THE IMPATIENCE FOR CHANGE OF THE ACTIVIST.
THE CONCERN TO BE DOING OF THE ALTRUIST
CAN LEAD TO DISDAIN FOR THE CONFESSIONALIST,
WHO IS SEEN BY SOME ALTRUISTS AS TOO BUSY
READING AND WRITING IN SEARCH OF
A TRUTH WHICH IS AT BEST ABSTRACT AND AT WORST IRRELEVANT.
THE STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
ENJOYED BY DEVOTIONALISTS
CAN PUSH THEM TO LOOK DOWN ON CHRISTIANS
WHO DO NOT PERSONALLY CONNECT WITH GOD LIKE THEY DO.
ACTIVISTS ARE TEMPTED TO CONSIDER THEMSELVES
SUPERIOR TO OTHER CHRISTIANS
BECAUSE THEY TAKE THE GREATEST SOCIAL RISKS,
SOMETIMES EVEN WINDING UP IN JAIL
FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.
CONFESSIONALISTS SOMETIMES PRIDE THEMSELVES
ON BEING THE INTELLECTUAL “ELITE” OF THE CHURCH.
IN HIS COMMENTARY ON THIS PARTICULAR SECTION
OF ST. PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS,
SCRIPTURE SCHOLAR N.T. WRIGHT ILLUSTRATES THE DANGER
OF COMPETITIVENESS AND ONE-UPSMANSHIP IN THE CHURCH
BY LOOKING BACK TO HIS STUDENT ORCHESTRA DAYS AS A YOUTH:
“ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING EXPERIENCES OF MY TEENAGE YEARS
WAS PLAYING IN AN ORCHESTRA AT SCHOOL.
I HAD LEARNED THE PIANO FOR A YEAR OR TWO, BUT YOU
NORMALLY PLAY THAT WITHOUT OTHER MUSICIANS JOINING IN.
NOW I BEGAN THE TROMBONE.
OF COURSE, WHEN YOU START AN INSTRUMENT
YOU HAVE TO LEARN AND PRACTICE BY YOURSELF.
YOU MAKE YOUR MISTAKES, AND TRY OUT SCALES,
ARPEGGIOS, AND SMALL SOLO PIECES, IN PRIVATE.
BUT THEN, ONE DAY, YOU GET TO SIT WITH
FORTY OR FIFTY OTHERS, AND DISCOVER THAT THOUGH
YOU’RE ALL PLAYING DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS,
AND MOST OF YOU ARE PLAYING DIFFERENT PARTS,
IT ALL FITS TOGETHER AND – IF EVERYONE IS DOING
WHAT THEY SHOULD! – IT MAKES A WONDERFUL
COMBINED SOUND.”
SO FAR SO GOOD. BUT THEN, WRIGHT CONTINUES,
“I QUICKLY DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE CLASS DISTINCTIONS
WITHIN AN ORCHESTRA.
THE STRINGS CONSIDER THEMSELVES SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHERS;
THEY ARE THE SENIOR SECTION,
THEY CARRY THE TUNE IN MANY CLASSICAL WORKS.
WITHIN THE STRINGS, THE VIOLINS CONSIDER THEMSELVES
SUPERIOR; ASK ANYONE WHO PLAYS THE VIOLA OR DOUBLE BASS.
BUT WITHIN THE WIND SECTION, TOO, THERE ARE DISTINCTIONS.
THE FLUTES AND OBOES CONSIDER THEMSELVES SUPERIOR
TO THE BRASS, AND WITHIN THE BRASS,
THE TRUMPETS DEFINITELY REGARD THEMSELVES
AS SUPERIOR TO THE TROMBONES.
THE ONLY FORM OF ANIMAL LIFE LOWER THAN A TROMBONE,
IT SEEMED TO ME THEN, WAS THE TUBA, THE TRIANGLE,
AND THE TIMPANI.
ALL THIS IS NORMALLY MEANT IN GOOD FUN,
BUT IT DOES CREATE A STRANGE HIERARCHY AMONG MUSICIANS.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE SUDDEN MOMENTS
WHEN EVERYBODY DEPENDS ON INSTRUMENTS
THAT ARE NORMALLY LOOKED DOWN ON:
ONE CAN’T START MOZART’S OPERA THE MAGIC FLUTE
UNLESS THE TROMBONES ARE ON GOOD FORM,
AND YOU COULDN’T THINK OF PLAYING
DVORAK’S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY
UNLESS YOU HAD A FIRST-CLASS COR ANGLAIS
[ENGLISH HORN] PLAYER.
SOONER OR LATER, AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY
THROUGH THE REPERTOIRE,
THE INSTRUMENTS HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT THEY ALL NEED EACH OTHER
IF THE MUSIC IS TO BE COMPLETE.”
AFTER SETTING THE SCENE WITH THIS DESCRIPTION
OF HIS EXPERIENCE OF ONE-UPSMANSHIP IN MUSIC,
WRIGHT INTRODUCES THE SCRIPTURE TEXT YOU JUST HEARD
BY SAYING:
“THE PROBLEM PAUL NOW CONFRONTS IN CORINTH
IS THAT WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN ORCHESTRA (SO TO SPEAK)
THERE WERE SOME WHO CONSIDERED THEMSELVES
SUPERIOR TO OTHERS, AND THERE WAS A DANGER AS A RESULT
THAT THE WHOLE SYMPHONY MIGHT BE PLAYED OUT OF BALANCE
AND EVEN OUT OF TUNE.”
THE METAPHOR OF THE BODY WAS WELL-KNOWN
IN THE ANCIENT WORLD AS A PICTURE FOR CIVIC SOCIETY.
IN SOME FAMOUS EXAMPLES WHERE ROMAN ORATORS DECLARED
THAT THE WHOLE OF SOCIETY WAS LIKE A HUMAN BODY,
THE POINT THEY WERE MAKING,
ALONG WITH THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE BODY POLITIC,
IS THAT THE DIFFERENT JOBS INVOLVED A DIFFERENCE OF STATUS.
SOME ROLES, QUITE SIMPLY, WERE MORE IMPORTANT
THAN OTHERS: MORE HIGH-PROFILE, MORE HONORABLE,
CARRYING MORE DIGNITY, MORE VALUABLE
TO THE COMMON GOOD.
OTHERS, BY CONTRAST, WERE DISHONORABLE, FIT FOR PEOPLE
OF A LOWER SORT, MORE DISPENSABLE.
THE PASSAGE YOU JUST HEARD WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOCKING,
EVEN REVOLUTIONARY, TO ITS ORIGINAL HEARERS.
THEY WERE USED TO SPEAKERS AND WRITERS USING
WHAT THEY CALLED THE “METAPHOR OF THE BODY.”
IMMEDIATELY UPON HEARING OR READING THE WORD “BODY,”
THEY WOULD BE EXPECTING PAUL TO DEVELOP THIS METAPHOR
JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER SPEAKER AND WRITER OF THAT DAY:
TO MAKE A NOD TO THE “UNITY” OF THE BODY AS A WHOLE,
BUT THEN TO GO ON TO MAKE THE REAL POINT:
THAT SOME PARTS OF THE BODY ARE MORE IMPORTANT
AND DESERVE GREATER HONOR THAN OTHERS.
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AND SHOCKED
THAT PAUL TAKES THE METAPHOR OF THE BODY
IN EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION
THAN THE SOCIALLY-ACCEPTABLE ONE OF HIS DAY –
THAT HE USES IT TO DEVELOP THE THEME OF HOW
CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT EACH AND EVERY PART OF THE BODY
IS TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE BODY AS A WHOLE,
AND THAT HE IMPLIES THAT EVERY PART OF THE BODY
IS AS SIGNIFICANT FOR THE COMMON GOOD AS EVERY OTHER PART.
IN OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT FOR TODAY
PAUL UNDERCUTS ONCE-AND-FOR-ALL
ANY NOTION THAT SOME ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS
IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH.
IN WRITING TODAY’S SCRIPTURE TEXT,
ST. PAUL IS REFLECTING ON THE NEW WAY OF BEING HUMAN
THAT PERSONS ARE CALLED AND ENABLED TO LIVE
WHEN LIVING OUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP IN CHRIST.
IN CHRIST WE ARE ALL ESSENTIAL,
AND PAUL’S DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH
MAKES THAT POWERFULLY CLEAR.
LET’S LOOK AT AN OLD-FASHIONED, FUNKY ILLUSTRATION
ON HOW UNITY WITHIN INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY
IS TO BE FOUND WITHIN THE CHURCH.
THIS ILLUSTRATION MAY BE DATED, BUT IT SUCCEEDS
IN CAPTURING THE POINT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE TEXT
AND THE POINT OF THE FIVE DIFFERENT “GODVIEWS” –
FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING AT GOD AND CHURCH:
SOMEONE HAS IMAGINED THE TOOLS OF THE MASTER CARPENTER,
JESUS, HOLDING A CONFERENCE.
BROTHER HAMMER PRESIDED.
SEVERAL SUGGESTED HE LEAVE THE MEETING
BECAUSE HE WAS TOO NOISY.
REPLIED THE HAMMER: “IF I HAVE TO LEAVE THIS SHOP,
BROTHER SCREW MUST GO ALSO.
YOU HAVE TO TURN HIM AROUND AGAIN AND AGAIN
TO GET HIM TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.”
BROTHER SCREW THEN SPOKE UP. “IF YOU WISH, I’LL LEAVE.
BUT BROTHER PLANE MUST LEAVE TOO.
ALL HIS WORK IS ON THE SURFACE.
HIS EFFORTS HAVE NO DEPTH.”
TO THIS BROTHER PLANE RESPONDED,
“BROTHER RULE WILL ALSO HAVE TO WITHDRAW,
FOR HE IS ALWAYS MEASURING FOLKS
AS THOUGH HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO IS RIGHT.”
BROTHER RULE THEN COMPLAINED AGAINST BROTHER SANDPAPER,
“YOU OUGHT TO LEAVE TOO BECAUSE YOU’RE SO ROUGH
AND ALWAYS RUBBING PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY.”
IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS DISSENSION,
IN WALKED THE CARPENTER OF NAZARETH.
HE HAD ARRIVED TO START HIS DAY’S WORK.
PUTTING ON HIS APRON,
HE WENT TO THE BENCH TO MAKE A PULPIT
FROM WHICH TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL.
HE EMPLOYED THE HAMMER, SCREW, PLANE, RULE,
SANDPAPER, AND ALL THE OTHER TOOLS.
AFTER THE DAY’S WORK WHEN THE PULPIT WAS FINISHED,
BROTHER SAW AROSE AND REMARKED,
“BRETHREN, I OBSERVE THAT ALL OF US ARE WORKERS
TOGETHER WITH THE LORD.”
THE MAJOR REASON I LIKE THIS FUNKY ILLUSTRATION
IS THAT IT PORTRAYS HOW PRONE-TO-FIGHTING
THE VARIOUS TOOLS ARE UNTIL THE MASTER CARPENTER –
JESUS OF NAZARETH – ARRIVES.
UNDER HIS GUIDANCE – AND ONLY UNDER HIS GUIDANCE –
CAN THE TOOLS WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
A MINOR REASON I LIKE THIS FUNKY ILLUSTRATION
IS THAT THE COMPETING TOOLS ARE FIVE IN NUMBER –
JUST AS THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT “GODVIEWS.”
ONE COULD EASILY CONNECT THE DOTS AND MAKE A CASE
FOR LINKING THE HAMMER TO THE TRADITIONALIST –
BECAUSE OF “NAILING DOWN” WHAT’S TRULY IMPORTANT.
THE SCREW TO THE DEVOTIONALIST,
BECAUSE OF SPIRALING DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO MYSTERY.
THE PLANE TO THE ALTRUIST,
BECAUSE OF LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD.
THE RULE TO THE CONFESSIONALIST,
BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER PASION TO STAY IN CONTACT
WITH JESUS’ ORIGINAL VISION FOR THE CHURCH.
AND THE SANDPAPER TO THE ACTIVIST,
BECAUSE ACTIVISTS RIGHTLY OFTEN RUB PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY.
BUT THIS ISN’T THE POINT.
THE POINT IS THAT IT TAKES ALL FIVE DIFFERENT TOOLS,
ALL FIVE DIFFERENT “GODVIEWS,”
WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING
MUCH BIGGER AND MUCH BETTER
THAN ANY SINGLE TOOL OR “GODVIEW”
COULD ACCOMPLISH ON ITS OWN.
WHAT IS THIS “SOMETHING” THAT IS BIGGER AND BETTER?
THEOLOGIAN ALISTER MCGRATHER GIVES US THE ANSWER:
“MY AUNT DIED SOME TIME AGO,
HAVING LIVED TO BE EIGHTY OR SO.
SHE HAD NEVER MARRIED.
WHILE CLEARING OUT HER POSSESSIONS,
WE CAME ACROSS A BATTERED PHOTOGRAPH
OF A YOUNG MAN WHOM MY AUNT HAD LOVED.
THE RELATIONSHIP HAD ENDED TRAGICALLY
[WITH HIS DEATH].
SHE NEVER LOVED ANYONE ELSE
AND KEPT FOR THE REMAINDER OF HER LIFE
A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MAN SHE HAD LOVED.
WHY?
AS SHE AGED, SHE KNEW THAT SHE WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY
BELIEVING THAT, AT ONE POINT IN HER LIFE,
SOMEONE HAD ONCE CARED FOR HER
AND REGARDED HER AS HIS EVERYTHING.
IT COULD ALL HAVE SEEMED A DREAM, AN ILLUSION,
SOMETHING SHE HAD INVENTED IN HER OLD AGE
TO CONSOLE HER IN HER DECLINING YEARS –
EXCEPT FOR THE PHOTO.
THE PHOTO REMINDED HER THAT SHE REALLY HAD
LOVED SOMEONE ONCE AND WAS LOVED IN RETURN.
IT WAS HER SOLE LINK TO A WORLD
IN WHICH SHE HAD BEEN VALUED.”
NOW COMES THE PUNCH LINE OF THIS ILLUSTRATION:
“CHURCH AT ITS BEST, LIKE THAT PHOTOGRAPH,
REASSURE US THAT SOMETHING THAT SEEMS
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE – SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT EVEN
BE SUSPECTED OF HAVING INVENTED – REALLY DID HAPPEN.”
AND WHAT REALLY DID HAPPEN IS THAT GOD CHOSE TO BECOME A PERSON IN THE PERSON OF JESUS --
WHAT WE CHRISTIANS CALL THE “INCARNATION,”
WHICH IS WHAT WE CELEBRATE AT CHRISTMAS,
AND WHAT MANY CONSIDER TO BE GOD’S GREATEST GIFT
TO HUMANKIND.
WHAT REALLY DID HAPPEN IS THAT JESUS’ BIRTH
SET IN MOTION THE WHOLE PROCESS
THAT EVENTUALLY LEAD TO THE CREATION
OF A NEW FORM OF HUMANS LIVING TOGETHER,
HUMANS LIVING TOGETHER IN PEACE, LOVE, AND JOY.
AT ITS BEST WE KNOW THIS NEW FORM
OF HUMANS LIVING TOGETHER AS CHURCH,
AND IT IS THIS NEW FORM OF COMMUNITY
THAT WE WILL BE EXPLORING TOGETHER
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE SUNDAYS.
AMEN.