“THE
SIX GREAT ENDS OF THE CHURCH.”
2.
The Shelter, Nurture and Spiritual Fellowship of the Children of God
We continue our series that takes a
look at 6 historic statements of the purpose of the church that were
first proposed at the beginning of the last century and have been a
part of the Presbyterian Book of order ever since.
The Six Great Ends of the Church (From
the Book of Order F-1.0304)
- The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind
- The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God
- The maintenance of divine worship
- The preservation of the truth
- The promotion of social righteousness
- The exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world
Today we are taking a look at the
second one on the list. As with our previous session I'll be
referencing a book edited by Rev. Joseph D. Small “Proclaiming the
Great Ends of the Church” that contains a number of essays on each
of the statements.
The shelter, nurture, and spiritual
fellowship of the children of God
The image for this second “Great
End,” found on banners and in stained glass, celebrates the unity
to which Christ calls us.
The Dove represents the Holy Spirit
whose wings are tipped downward offering shelter for God's
children.
The triangle of light (some suggest it
is like a star... others like a communion cup with a crown) links the
work of the Holy Spirit to the nurturing work of the people of
God...who seek to build each other up in the faith.
The hands that reach up represent the
multi-hued spiritual fellowship of children of God. Jesus
commanded His disciples to go into all the world... and the church
comprises people of all races who know find their identity in Him.
We saw last time that the only reason
the church came into existence was because of the ministry of Jesus
Christ. That the church has a unique purpose and responsibility to
proclaim the message of God's amazing, saving, grace to the world,
both through its words and its actions. That has always been the
churches primary purpose. To lift up Jesus Christ to a needy and a
lost world. To proclaim the redemption of the cross and the hope of
the resurrection.
The world can be a harsh and a hard
place. Gospel proclamation causes confrontation. The church needs to
be a place where bruised hearts can be re-energized. The church is
called to demonstrate in practical ways, through its ministries of
care, that God can be trusted. The church has a call to model a new
order in which ancient barriers are broken down and where diverse
people can sit around a table together, knowing that they, and all
who sit with them, are welcome.
Let us consider firstly those
multi-hued hands and take a look at a reading from 2 Corinthians
5:14-20.
14
For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died
for all, and therefore all died.
15
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for
themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though
we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old
has gone, the new is here! 18
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and
gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting
people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of
reconciliation. 20
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his
appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled
to God.
The
first time I ever explored the possibility of being a minister here
in the United States was with a congregation in Monroe, Louisiana.
It probably wasn't a good sign that the first time I'd ventured into
the deep south, it snowed. For a guy just getting off a plane from
Wales in January... it really didn't feel that cold... but for those
used to warmth, I guess it was a shock to the system.
I
noticed that in the area of the hotel there were a lot of African
American folks. Being an ignorant Brit, I wandered over to a local
store (that in itself quite a challenge – as they seemed to have an
aversion to sidewalks in that area of town) and thought I'd ask about
the neighborhood. I had not seen a single pub in that area, and I am
culturally conditioned to needing a beer, the logical place to go was
the liquor store.
I
asked the guys behind the counter if they were church folk. One said
their aunt was a big church goer. I explained that I was in town
because I was meeting with some folks who were looking for a new
pastor, but I explained that I was trying to understand how everybody
I'd met in the church was white, whilst a lot of folk in the town
seemed … well... to be not white. Were racial problems a big issue
in their town?
They
laughed and explained that most of the time folks got a long pretty
darn well. But Sunday mornings were one of the times when the legacy
of segregation became most clear. For a couple of hours every Sunday
morning, black folks went to black churches, Latino folk to Latino
churches and white folk to white churches. I remember thinking how
ironic it was, that the one institution in town that was supposed to
be all about love and reconciliation, the church of Jesus Christ, was
most divided on a Sunday morning!
Of
course here in the Presbytery of Baltimore we are not afraid to
embrace our diversity. Our Presbytery is a mix of congregations that
simply tend to reflect the racial mix of the geographic neighborhoods
they are in. Right?
Wrong.
At a Presbytery event held on Martin Luther King day, in our small
group discussions, Yvonne and I learned that there were African
American congregations in Baltimore who felt intimidated by the
Presbytery. As people of color, whose churches were not generally in
the best economic areas, whose people had not always attained the
best educational levels, and whose worship traditions differed from
those usually experienced in corporate gatherings of the churches,
they felt their voices were not always heard, sometimes not welcomed,
and they hesitated or simply stayed away and chose not to participate
in the gatherings of the Presbytery.
It
doesn't have to be that way. There's an essay in the book titled “The
Ministry of Reconciliation” by a Korean pastor Jin S. Kim. Jin S.
Kim is pastor of “The Church of All Nations” in Minneapolis. Back
in 2004 they were a predominantly Korean congregation. They felt
called to be something more. Today they are 30 % Asian, 37% white,
22% black, 10% Latino with folks from 25 nations among their
membership.
Part
of their history includes historic Shiloh Bethany Presbyterian
Church, founded in 1884, (the same year Presbyterian missionaries
began their work in Korea). Shiloh was a predominantly white
congregation. In 2005 they were facing tough times, saddled with a
large building they could not maintain, they prayed God would once
more fill their pews. Their prayers coincided with those of Rev.
Kim's congregation who were looking for a place to worship. The
Church of all Nations at first rented space from them, but as they
talked together, they decided to merge... and in the process... the
pews were filled once more.
Rev
Kim in his essay is keen to stress that their actions were
intentional. This didn't just happen. They sought, deliberately to go
against the tide, and move beyond cultural expectations to become a
community that fulfilled the vision of those multi-hued hands that
represent the spiritual fellowship
of children of God.
As
you may know the PC(USA) has a “Book of Confessions” among it's
guiding documents. The most recent document added to the collection
is the Confession of Belhar. The Belhar confession arose from the
struggles of the church in South Africa to battle apartheid
The
confession clearly states, “We
believe that Christ's work of reconciliation is made manifest in the
Church as the community of believers who have been reconciled with
God and with one another;...that this unity can be established only
in freedom and not under constraint; that the variety of spiritual
gifts, opportunities, backgrounds, convictions, as well as the
various languages and cultures are by virtue of the reconciliation in
Christ, opportunities for mutual service and enrichment within the
one visible people of God.”
Kim's
essay concludes “Reconciliation
is a messy affair. Reconciliation is a costly affair. It is not a
“technical rationality” but a “possible impossibility”. The
ministry of reconciliation is God's mandate to the church so that the
church may be a gift to the world.”
The Church is called to be a shining light that model's the spiritual
fellowship of ALL God's people. Hence the multi-hued hands. Another
reading.... Mark 2:1-12.
Mark
2:1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people
heard that he had come home. 2
They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not
even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3
Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of
them. 4
Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made
an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then
lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son,
your sins are forgiven." 6
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to
themselves, 7
"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can
forgive sins but God alone?" 8
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were
thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you
thinking these things? 9
Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, 'Your sins are
forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10
But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to
forgive sins." So he said to the man, 11
"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This
amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never
seen anything like this!"
(NIV)
I'm
associating this passage with the image of the Dove representing the
Holy Spirit whose wings are tipped downward offering shelter for
God's children.
Though
our society is saturated with material things people are not happy
and often suspect there is more to life than consuming. If you visit
Barnes and Noble (or a similar store) and wander into the
spirituality section you will discover a whole constellation of
resources that attempt to satisfy our spiritual cravings. Everything
from healing crystals to place under your pillow to complete life
makeovers are on offer for our spiritual satisfaction.
How
does the church fit into such a marketplace? In her essay “Starting
at the Ends” Christine Chakoian presents the argument that the
church is not meant to be a cafe or a venue for consumers, but a
place of refuge and shelter.
That “Am I getting what I want out of Church?” is the wrong
question for us to ask. Not because our needs don't matter but
because all of the programs and good causes in the world always fail
to meet our deepest hunger. If we come to church like consumers in a
store, we will often be disappointed. She writes (P35)...
“Instead,
God invites us to come here expecting more... to come expecting a
real relationship with God. To come, trusting that the Lord can and
will feed our deepest hungers. To come expecting, as Isaiah declares,
that “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs
in parched places.” To come and find within these walls nothing
less than the 'shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship of the
children of God'
”
That
seems to be what is happening in the story of the paralyzed man. Here
is this poor guy, literally flattened by the physical toll on his
body. Yet more than that, we discover that he needs to hear from
Jesus the words “Your
sins are forgiven.”
Externally and internally he is desperate.
So
are those who are trying to care for him. We don't know the
relationship between the man and the stretcher bearers, but they are
also desperate. One suspects this is not the first time they have
sought help. So committed are they to the notion that Jesus is the
One who could help that they find a way around the crowds and start
vandalizing the roof of the house in order they can be in His
presence.
Chakoian
continues “ 'Our
hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee' prayed St
Augustine. When we are willing to let God's house become more than a
cafe at which we come to graze – when we let it be -“our hearts
true home” - then we will find rest for our souls.”
She
talks of how much of our church life is mirrored in the story.
Sometimes we are the carriers. Sometimes we are the one being
carried. We reach out into our community. We have programs like “Our
Daily Bread” and “Operation Christmas Child.” We try and carry
others through when life has knocked them down. But we are also aware
that we get knocked down and need each others help to get back up
again. We both give and receive.
She
concludes “We
are hungry, all of us. And often we are lost. But God provides for us
a place of healing, a place of belonging, a family of faith in which
we discover who we really are, a shelter that welcomes us to find our
way home. It is easy I suppose, to take this home, God's house, for
granted. It is easy to find ourselves grazing on the programs of the
church, to forget why we are here, to lose ourselves in committees
and board meetings. It is easy to get distracted from building
'beloved community' where everyone who walks into our doors can feel
the 'shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship of the children of
God'.
“
There
are two essays in the book in this section, “Treasure Seekers” by
Jennifer Holz and “Treasure in our hearts” by Rodger Nishioka. In
our visual the triangle of light links the work of the Holy Spirit
to the nurturing
work of the people of God...who seek to build each other up in the
faith. I like the way the triangle is gold... like a treasure. That
it resembles a golden cup with a golden crown. That it has the
symbolism of light, from God, that nurtures and refreshes us.
A
couple of Scripture passages are relevant here. Let's look at them
both. Firstly Mathew 6:19-24 and Secondly Luke 2: 41-52
19
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths
and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and
vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your
whole body will be full of light. 23
But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of
darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that
darkness! 24
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and
love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the
other. You cannot serve both God and money.
(Mat
6:19-24 NIV)
41
Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the
Passover. 42
When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according
to the custom. 43
After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home,
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of
it.
44
Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then
they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45
When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for
him.
46
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among
the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47
Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his
answers. 48
When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to
him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I
have been anxiously searching for you." 49
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you
know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50
But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But
his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
(Luk
2:41-52 NIV)
The rich gifts that God
bestows upon us through the Holy Spirit nurture our hearts. They
truly are treasures from heaven.
Jennifer Holz speaks of
how the biblical concept of the heart goes beyond the heart being the
center of our affections or focus of our emotions, but is seen as the
core of our spiritual life. The heart drives our life, forms our
aspirations and moves us forward. So... to love God “with all our
heart” is a huge commitment, way beyond just having warm fuzzy
feelings about Jesus.
We are told that “We
cannot serve both God and money.” Yet we live within in a culture
of accumulation. We swallow the lie that we need the next thing or
the latest thing or the new thing and when we get it we remain as
spiritually hungry as we were before. One of the great gifts that can
nurture us in church is being part of a tradition. The knowledge
that there are ancient paths and tried ways of living that provide a
deep foundation to a fulfilled life. Life is more than things. Life
needs relationships and laughter and love!
The 'triangle of light'
reminds us that this is the work of God upon our hearts. God works to
change us. Our calling is to hear the Word and respond in faith. As
we live out God's instruction, we begin to treasure the right things.
In Mere Christianity
C.S. Lewis writes “Every time you make
a choice you are turning the central part of you (the heart), the
part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what
it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your
innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this
central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish
creature.”
Holz
concludes her reflections by telling us that “Seeking
relationship with God our Father is a quiet, gentle, relational
pursuit that is done in the secret places of our hearts, and done
today without worrying about tomorrow. It's a day by day, moment by
moment, heart shaping movement towards a God who has created us,
loves us, knows us and longs to breathe life unto us.”
(P43)
Rodger
Nishioka reflects on how in the passage about finding her son Jesus
in the temple, though initially exasperated and confused by His reply
that His parents should have expected Him to be in “His Father's
house”, the passage concludes with the statement in verse 51 “His
mother treasured all these things in her heart,”
as she watched Him
grow in wisdom and stature over the years.
He points out that to
shelter, nurture and provide spiritual fellowship for the children of
God is “To Treasure.” That to treasure all the children of God is
about engaging each other in conversation, sharing stories of faith,
providing opportunities for spiritual growth and praying for and with
each other.
He closes his essay be
telling of how he asked his youth group to name adults in the
congregation who had influenced their spiritual journey. He is rather
surprised when one of them names a lady called Mrs. Shelton. A
conversation ensues.
“You know, Ian,
I was surprised that Mrs Shelton is one of your adults. Are you
friends?” “Friends! Are you kidding?” he replied incredulously
“Dude, she is a mean old lady!” I confessed that is exactly what
I thought. But then Ian went on to explain that Mrs. Shelton taught
his church school class when he was in third grade. She made them
recite memory verses and scolded them when they messed up. But Ian
explained that though she was mean, she always called him by name
and stopped to talk to him. She also sent him a birthday card every
year. I didn't know any of this. Ian said that while she seemed a
little mean, he thought she really loved him (Plus he still remembers
those bible verses).
That is what
treasuring is all about. It is what sheltering and nurturing and
spiritual fellowship is all bout. No doubt there are times when we
are amazed, astounded and even overwhelmed by our children, our
youth, our young adults, middle aged adults and older adults. The
mother of our Lord teaches us that the best response is to treasure
each other in our hearts so that all children of God know that the
one who created them in God's own image, redeemed them through God's
only Son, and sustains them through God's Holy Spirit, treasures them
in God's own heart forever. May it be so!”
The Second Great End
“The shelter, nurture, and spiritual
fellowship of the children of God”
We
are called to reach out with multi hued hands that offer all people
of all places the embrace of Christ's love.
We
are called to seek to meet the spiritual hunger of our times, not
with fast food, but through genuine encounter. To create an
environment where we feel safe to ask questions that nurture our
faith and bring us to wholeness. To be a community of healing and
forgiveness.
We
are called to embrace the notion that to shelter, nurture and provide
spiritual fellowship for the children of God means “To Treasure”
each other in our hearts.
Next
Time... a third end... The
maintenance of divine worship .