Sermon - Brookes Christian Resources - Updated

                                               To be the Church

I guess that if I had to choose a favourite gospel writer that writer would be Luke.   There is something about Luke that I find appealing.   Two things stand out in particular:

First, his statement at the beginning of the gospel that bears his name where he says: “(I) decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account”, drawing on “eyewitnesses and servants of the word”.  (Luke 1:2,3) – Of course Luke was not a 21c historian, nor would we expect him to be, but there is something about his approach to writing that rings true for us as modern day Christians.   And I suspect there is a message here for all of us who seek to give leadership in the church …that we investigate situations that arise carefully, and provide orderly leadership.    

The second thing that has a clear 21c ring about it is Luke’s strong affirmation of the role of women.   We find this first in Luke’s account of women interacting with Jesus in Luke’s gospel and later in the book of Acts for their role in the early Church.     It is Luke who records the Magnificat, Mary’s Song.  It is Luke to tells of the dealing of Jesus with another Mary and her sister Martha.   It is Luke who tells of the three women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, going to visit the tomb early in the morning of the day of resurrection.  And in the Acts of the Apostles we meet women like Lydia who give leadership in the early Church.    For far too long in its history the church has side lined the role of women.  Methodism started well with John Wesley having some 27 women preachers but he back tracked and it took almost a couple of centuries for us to reaffirm that role. Today let’s follow Luke and make gender equality our mark – in this Synod and in the leadership of our local churches.

But let’s not end there.   Luke is the writer of our most detailed biblical account of the formation of the early Church.  The Acts of the Apostles.  In that account we find a third element that like the other two: careful research, and an affirmation of the role of women, also rings true for us especially here in South Auckland and in the 21^st c.   

Its that third element that I want to focus on this evening.

There is a very significant story told in chapter 10 of the Acts of the Apostles.   Some here will remember it but for those who don’t let me briefly outline it for you.   It’s a story about the apostle Peter.  He has been invited to visit a Roman centurion, named Cornelius.   This man is not a Jew, though he is described as devout, a believer in God.   

Before Peter leaves home to visit Cornelius he goes up on to the rooftop terrace on the house to pray.  But it’s a hot sunny day, and he falls asleep.   While asleep he has a dream.

Now, let me remind you, Peter had a strong Jewish heritage.  He was not in the habit of visiting Romans…and certainly not in the habit of sharing his faith, even his new found faith in Jesus Christ, with them.   We found this same attitude in Northern Ireland when I worked there.    We found some Methodist Christians who would not enter the home of a Roman Catholic…and who refused to attend ecumenical events if the speaker was to be a Catholic priest.    Peter felt like that about the Romans in his day.    

In his dream Peter sees a sheet descending from heaven, and on the sheet, there are various animals including reptiles.  Peter then hears a voice and the voice tells him to get up and eat.  But Peter objects.   Some of the animals are  “unclean” he says.   Reptiles and pigs were definitely not on his menu.  But the voice comes again.   This time the voice says: “ What God has made clean, you must not call unclean”.   To emphasise the point this happens three times.

While Peter was puzzling about the meaning of his dream there was a knock on the door below.  Three servants arrived from the house of Cornelius to escort Peter to their master’s home.    Peter invites them in, they stay the night and the next day they head for the home of Cornelius.  When he arrives Peter finds that Cornelius has gathered a crowd of   friends and family to hear what he has to say.   Peter, with his rooftop experience on his mind, begins by saying: “You know it is unlawful for a Jew to …visit a Gentile but God has shown me not to call anyone profane or unclean”.     He continues, drawing on his new discovery, saying:  “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God.   He then tells them the good news of Jesus Christ.

Peter’s words, were hugely significant for the early Christian movement.   This was a first step towards ensuring that Christianity would break free from simply being a Jewish sect.   This was the first step on the road to Christianity becoming a truly international and multi-racial and inclusive faith.   We are indebted to Luke for recording that story.   

But, and there is a but, the Jerusalem Church with its strong Jewish heritage was reluctant to see Cornelius’ conversion as setting the scene for a far reaching mission to the whole world.  Yes, Peter had a vision, but it was not a vision endorsed initially by the church leaders in Jerusalem.     In Acts chapter 15 we find Peter defending the inclusion of Gentiles in front of the apostles in Jerusalem.      

Now, let’s think about this for a moment, lest we become judgemental about the Jerusalem Church and those early Christians.   Virtually all of these people were Jews.   They were people immersed in Jewish life, Jewish customs and especially Jewish religion.   Yes, they were now Christians dealing with the implications of their new found faith, trying to work out what that meant for their daily living.   The thought of dealing with other issues, such as other races, on top of all that was for some a step too far.  They wanted to be Jewish Christians …nothing more!

That I believe is also true for some of us.  We are Christians.  Yes, but we are also people who have imported our take on the gospel, our way of doing things, our language, our customs.    And its is not always easy for us to be clear as to what is gospel and what is culture and tradition.    In these challenging days for the Church when it is sometimes hard enough to hang on to the faith itself.   We don’t want to have to deal with crossing racial and cultural divides as well.  That I suspect is true not only for pakeha Christians, it is also true for those from other cultures.   The  Jerusalem Church syndrome, their unwillingness to respond positively to Peter’s vision, finds its mirror image in the 21^st century.   It’s a challenge for those taking on Synod responsibilities as well as for those in local church leadership at this time.

But let’s move from Peter to Paul, from the Jerusalem Church to the scene in Antioch.   Paul has just had a profound experience.   He has witnessed the conversion of the Emperors political appointee Sergius Paulus the proconsul of Cyprus    This conversion of Sergius Paulus establishes a precedent for Paul’s ministry.    He is to be the bearer of the good news of Christ to the Gentile world.   Christianity is no longer simply a Jewish sect.   

Luke tells us that Paul then moves back to mainland Greece and on to the city of Antioch.    In Antioch, for the first time, Paul states openly what his mission is, he says: “the Lord has commanded us, saying “I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”   Paul is clear, transparent, the good news of Jesus is for the whole world.   The whole gospel is for the whole world.  Tonight I want to affirm that that is our gospel too.   A whole gospel for a whole world.

So Luke tells the story, initially through Peter and the Church in Jerusalem, and then in a forthright manner through Paul.   The good news is for all.   It crosses racial and cultural divides – it makes us one in Christ Jesus.    This is Luke’s third dimension.  It is a dimension that is so important for us today in this country and particularly in south Auckland.

So Luke, the gospel writer, the chronicler of the early Church  – the one who investigates everything carefully and seeks an orderly outcome.

So Luke, the one who is passionate about the inclusion of women and who affirms their significant contribution to the gospel story.

Is also the one who challenges us to leave behind our negativities based on race or culture and to be forthright in our commitment to inclusion.   To be at the fore of affirming the bi-cultural and multicultural nature of Christ’s Church.  All are equal in the sight of God, all can hear and respond to the gospel call, all have a significant part to play.

But let’s be clear about this.   Luke’s record of Peter ministering to the Roman Cornelius, and Paul’s sharing of the gospel with Sergius Paulus,  they are the outworking of the good news that Luke had already discovered in his research of Jesus the Christ.    For it is Luke who reminds us that it was Jesus himself who told the story of the Good Samaritan.   It is Luke who tells the story of the ten lepers noting that only one returns to say thanks and that one is not a Jew but a Samaritan.  For Luke, it is Jesus himself who sets the scene, he is the one who takes the first steps to break down the walls of hostility, and to welcome people.    

As I look at the Methodist and Union churches in South Auckland I see an ever increasing diversity of people taking part.    The old mono-cultural days are long gone.   We can’t build mono-cultural English language congregations any more.   Nor should we try.   I am sure that the Church triumphant is the multi-cultural inclusive Church.

Let’s rejoice in that. Thank God for that, and work hard not just at inclusion but at equality for I am sure the future of the church in this Synod and beyond will depend on that.  

Three things then for our three new leaders to model as they are given the responsibility of leading this Synod:

1.        Investigate carefully situations, we all know that situations will arise for we live in a very human church.   Then respond as the                    Spirit guides you in a clear and orderly way.

2.       Affirm the role and leadership of the women in the Synod and the local churches.   The health of the Church may depend on it.

3.       Work at breaking down the barriers to inclusion and work for equality in the life of the Church.

In these ways we will not only learn from Luke, we will also be true to our calling in Christ Jesus.

Will the Church grow if we do?   I don’t know the answer to that.  That is in God’s hands.

But we will be in the business of modelling a better way of living, Christ’s way – and nothing could be better than that?

Amen