Saturday, November 15, 2014

"A Harvest of Righteousness"

            Recently I have been studying the various manifestations of “being a church” within the broader umbrella of “Emergence Theology”.  There are some pastors and Christians thinkers today, who believe that we need to re-think what a church is.  For these Christians, the “traditional model” of being a church is no longer viable.  In their assessment, the “traditional model” does not effectively reach unchurched persons for Christ and it no longer empowers its constituents to faithfully serve God.  As a result of their assessments, emergence theologians and pastors are actively seeking new models of being a church, with revolutionary structures of organization and new, more meaningful forms of worship.

            By contrast, my pastoral setting is solidly in the “traditional model” of church.  Yet, I have never believed that there was just one single way of “being a church.”  I believe, instead,  that the organizational structure, forms of worship, missional approach and methods of inviting others to Christ should be tailored to the needs and particularities of a specific context. So, I have been interested in learning more about the emergence church movement, hoping that there were some idea and insights that we might adopt and adapt in our solidly traditional model.

            Some of this reading and reflecting on emergence theology has raised an important question for me:  “What are the essential characteristics of any faithful church, regardless of whether it is “traditional” or “emergent”?

            In my message last Sunday (November 9th), I identified four characteristics that are essential for every Christian congregation:

1.      A viable Christian congregation must provide a safe and secure sanctuary where individual persons are free to be themselves without shame or pretense.  Further, a Christian community of faith must provide opportunities for everyone to find a place and meaning.

2.      A viable Christian congregation must provide spiritual nurture to all of its members.  This spiritual nurture should enable everyone to grow spiritually and to mature in their faith.

3.      A viable Christian congregation must create missional opportunities so that its constituents can move out and make a real difference in their neighborhoods, communities, and even in the global context.

4.      A viable Christian congregation must be willing to take risks for Christ, in order to advance the first three characteristics.  Instead of saying, “We’ve never done it that way before,” the operative question should simply ask, “What is God calling us to do next?”

In my sermon this Sunday (November 16th), I want to continue this exploration of what it means to be a faithful Christian disciple in our contemporary, American context.  My scripture this Sunday is one of my favorites:  Philippians 1:  3-11.

            In reality this passage of scripture is a love letter from the Apostle Paul to the churches of Philippi.  Paul begins this passage with gratitude and joy, “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you…”  (Philippians 1: 3-4). 

            Paul’s joy and thanksgiving for the Philippian Christians is grounded in their history together because the Philippians  have shared “in the gospel from the first day until now.”  Incidentally, some biblical scholars believe that at least part of this “sharing in the gospel,” refers to the Philippians willingness to provide financial assistance to the Apostle Paul, especially during his time in prison.

            At the same time, Paul is well aware that the Philippian Christians are still very much “a work in progress.”  God is not done with the Philippian church just yet.  As Paul writes, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” (v. 6)  God is still working within the Philippian church, helping them to grow spiritually and mature in their understanding of faith.

            Paul is supremely confident that the Philippian Christians will continue to grow spiritually and mature in their faith because he sees the Philippian Christians as forming a special, spiritual, Christian partnership with him.  This spiritual partnership includes not just Paul and the Philippians, but it also includes God.  In this partnership, Paul and the Philippians experience both joy and tribulations, as they work with God to establish God’s Reign on Earth.  Paul describes their partnership with these words, “For all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (v. 7b)

            At the same time, there is a hint of bittersweetness in this love letter to the Philippian Christians.  This letter is written at a time when Paul is in prison, awaiting trial for his preaching.  Paul suspects that they must continue in the partnership of the Gospel without his presence.  So, Paul concludes this love letter to the Philippians with a prayer and a blessing:

“And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.” (vv. 9-11)

I think that when he uses the term, “harvest of righteousness,” Paul is referring to the totality of the life of discipleship and faith.  For each individual disciple, it includes growing spiritually, as well as reaching out in ministry to heal a broken, conflicted, hurting world.  For individual churches, it also includes providing a safe and secure place where everyone can be themselves and find place and meaning.  For both individual disciples as well as congregations, this harvest of righteousness can only be produced when we are willing to reach out beyond our comfort zones and take risks in order to live faithfully as disciples of Jesus Christ.

 

Come, join us this Sunday, November 16th, as we explore the implications within our own specific context for sharing in the gospel and producing this “harvest of righteousness.”  Our church is located at the corner of Main and Dawson Streets in Meriden, Kansas.  Our classic worship service starts at 10 am on Sunday mornings. 

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.

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