“Why Christians Are More Like Wolves, Than Tigers”

            This Sunday, January 11th, I will begin a new five-week proclamation series entitled, “What Makes the Christian Life Distinctive?”  In this series, we will be exploring why being a Christian should make a real difference in the life that each of us lives and in the persons that we become.  For example, there are many people in my community of Meriden, Kansas, who strongly desire to make good ethical choices, do the right thing, help their neighbors in need, and make a real difference in the world.  Yet, some of those persons are not practicing Christians and they may, indeed, have no faith at all.  What is it that sets Christians apart as being different from these others in our community, who also strive to be ethical and help their neighbors in need?   This is our focus for the next five weeks.

            This Sunday, I will begin this series by focusing on the communal dimension of the Christian life.  Early in my ministry, I had a farmer who was on the membership rolls as an official member of the church that I was pastoring.  However, this old farmer never came to church.  One day, when we ran into each other in a store, he told me, “I don’t believe that I need to attend church in order to be close to God.  Instead, I spend Sunday mornings just walking on my farm.  I believe that I can feel God’s Presence through nature, as I walk my land.”           

            I responded by affirming that we can certainly experience God’s presence and grow spiritually through the awesome beauty and wonder of nature.  “In fact,” I told him.  “I definitely feel closer to God when I am walking in the woods, over sitting in a beautiful chapel, singing hymns.” 

            “But,” I continued, “If you only focus on yourself and never attend—or invest—in your community of faith, then you are missing out on an important spiritual dimension in your life:  the love and support of your community of faith.”

            We humans are social creatures.  We are much more similar to wolves, than we are to tigers.  As a species, tigers are loners, except for when they are mating.    Tigers are solitary.  They hunt, eat, sleep, and prowl by themselves.  By contrast, wolves are pack—or, social—animals.  They live out their lives as members of this social group, called a pack.  Wolves are fierce, assertive animals that take care of their families and community.  They hunt, eat, sleep, and prowl together as a pack.

            Since humans are also social creatures, we are much more akin to wolves than we are to tigers.  The social quality of our nature also extends to and includes our spiritual dimension as Christians.  Jesus never intended for his disciples to live out their faith alone and in solitude.  Instead, he intended for us to band together in groups, or communities, of faith.

            “The Book of Acts” in the Bible, describes the first Christian churches.  These house churches provide a model of what Jesus envisioned for all of his disciples, including us Twenty-first Century followers. Acts 4: 32-37 provides my foundational scripture for the first sermon on what makes the Christian life distinctive.  In this chapter, Luke writes:  “Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions.”  In the first churches, newcomers were welcomed into the community of faith with open arms and open hearts. 

The people in the church loved and supported one another.  In the early church, individual members took care of one another, so that no one suffered or was alone.  Luke writes, “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or hoses sold them and  … the proceeds of what was sold…was distributed to each as any had need.”  Just as the wolfpack protects and takes care of its own, so also Christians should be engaged in taking care of one another.

Not only did the first Christians take care of one another’s physical and financial needs, they also cared for one another spiritually.  Luke tells us that spiritual care and growth was the first priority of the Apostles, who had been eyewitnesses to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He writes, “With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”  An authentic community of faith should facilitate and enable spiritual growth, for individual members as well as for the community as a whole. 

A true community of faith should also provide loving, supportive role-models, whose lives demonstrate what it means to live as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.  This privilege and responsibility is nicely illustrated in the Sacrament of Baptism.  Immediately after the baptism, members of the community of faith are challenged to help the newly baptized initiates by doing all in their power “to increase their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.”

So, to summarize, the first distinctive aspect of the Christian life is that each person of faith does not journey through life alone, as a tiger on the prowl.  Rather, we have the support and strength and love and role-models of a community of persons who are there for us, to assist and support us as we live lives of faith and flourishing.  Just like the wolf, we are not alone but rather we are part of a pack, which loves and protects and cares for us.

 

The New Year is a great time to get back into church. If you already have a church, we urge you to attend and support your church this year. However, if you don't already have a church home, check us out at Meriden United Methodist Church, at the corner of Main and Dawson Streets in Meriden, Kansas. Our classic worship service starts at 10 am on Sunday mornings.  We would love to have you become a member of our “pack” of caring persons who seek to love and serve God.  Join us this Sunday as we explore the communal dimension of Christian discipleship further.

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.