Easter Gift

May 16, 2010

Pastor Todd A Cutter

Trinity Lutheran Church

Mt. Healthy, Ohio

I love visiting Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches when they have festivals. Part of the reason I enjoy these events is that both churches will sometimes display a timeline of church history. Interestingly enough, the Catholic timeline has them as the one true faith, and then everyone else splits away at some point in history. However, the Greek Orthodox Church has a different view. Their timelines says theirs is the one true church, and everyone else broke off from them. In light of this; considering that there are hundreds of branches of Christianity and even about 30 flavors of Lutheranism scattered about the United States: I wonder. Have we, as Christians, completely failed at what Jesus prays for in today’s gospel text? (John 17:20-26). Have we ignored Christ’s call that we be one?

Those who work at drawing churches together say we should be working harder. This is called ecumenism, which is an attempt to draw all Christianity back together as one. However, we know what a challenge this will be! How do we bring together churches that practice infant baptism with those that only accept believer’s baptism? What about those who hold communion in high regard verses those who only commune 2-4 times a year? Some denominations encourage women to preach, while others say they should sit quietly and hold no leadership positions in the church. What about those who look at your income and tell you how much to give verses those who consider giving a private matter, between you and God? Indeed, with so many challenges; with so many differences in theology and doctrine; how can we ever be one? Is it even possible?

It seems that, given the situation, taking another look at Jesus’ prayer might help. Jesus prays for and intercedes on behalf of his disciples, and those who will come to believe in him, asking that they be one. He prays that they will be one so that the world might know God; become aware of who Jesus is; and see how God acts to save and redeem the world. Certainly, this means we work towards “oneness” and unity today.

At the same time, though, we strive to respect and honor different Christian traditions. Where we hold one another accountable is when damage is done in the name of Christ or under the banner of Christianity. For example, while on vacation, Sara and I met the owner of a restaurant. When we told him we were pastors, he shared that years ago, his pastor, as he put it, invited him never to return to church again. He was driven out of a congregation because his church decided someone like him had no place among God’s people. From that point on, he has been suspicious of churches and their claims of openness to all.

Too often, instead of working for unity, we start deciding who can and can’t be included in the fellowship of Christians. When we do so, we fail to see Christ’s presence in one another. When Jesus prays for his disciples, he says he will be in them. What does it mean for us that others bear Christ within them and reflect God’s image? I think it means a shift in how we talk about other Christian denominations. We do not insist that we are right and they are wrong. Instead, we try to honor their practices, while at the same time telling our story and being ready to listen to theirs.

Perhaps this will mean refraining from insisting that one who bears Christ has no place in our midst. It might mean setting aside our differences in practice and doctrine and working side by side. Look at Feed Your Neighbor. Other denominations are helping our efforts, and I have yet to hear someone say, “Oh, I can’t prepare and serve food in your church. You ordain women!” Instead, Christians are working side by side and hand in hand to proclaim Christ and love one another, so that the world might know God.

After all, this is what Jesus calls us to do: help the world know God. Thus, being a Christian comes with responsibility. Because of all God gives to us; because of all God does for us; therefore, we are called to respond. The challenge is that we sometimes don’t want to respond. Instead, we want to sit back and say, “Lay that grace on me, God!” and not do anything. A sense of entitlement tempts us and we become like I was as a child. I never wanted to write thank you notes for Christmas and birthday gifts. I reasoned that people are supposed to give me presents on those days, and no response was necessary. Yet, God calls us to do more than just take. God calls us to do more than just sit and bask in the goodness God gives.

God calls us to acknowledge that God gives us all we have: gifts, talents and faith God calls us to remember that God empowers us to respond by loving and serving neighbors and proclaiming Christ’s name to world. We respond, not to make God love us; for God already loves us. We respond, not so God loves others; God already loves them. Instead, we respond to what God first does for us. We respond as individuals knit together, concerned about the community; and as a community knit together, concerned about individuals.

In this particular community, Trinity, there are numerous ways to respond, show our oneness and teach the world God’s name. We cheerfully give a percentage of our financial resources, recognizing we hurt all ministries and all outreach when we withhold money to try and make a point. We talk about the workings of the church differently. The church is not a business where budget drives ministry, but where ministry drives the budget. We take time to fill out the ministry opportunity forms so there are always volunteers for the things we do in this place.

We share benevolence, so outreach occurs. We worship, read scripture together, and listen for God to lead and guide us, even if it means moving in a new direction or making changes. We actively invite others to worship and tell them of God’s presence in our lives, so that they might know God. We open our doors, recognizing it is not our job to change people so God will love them; but instead that God calls us to love people and leaving the changing to God. Above all else, we pray, just as Jesus did. We pray that God will help us faithfully teach the world who God is and what God does for us. These are just some of the many ways we show we are one in God; that Christ dwells in us; and lift up and acknowledge the Christ we see in others.

I’m not suggesting that unity isn’t hard. It will be a challenge. However, we do not strive for it alone. We do so with our sisters and brothers in Christ, the gathered community of believers. We joyfully acknowledge we are able to do so because Christ dwells within us and comes to us. We celebrate that Christ comes into our midst through Holy Word, Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion, giving us what we need to do the difficult work of being one; so the world might see, not our differences; but the presence of Christ; so the world might hear, not that we think our way is the right way, but that God loves all creation; and so the world might know, not our name and glory, but the name and glory of God.

Amen.