Sermon, Pentecost +3 (A)

            WHEW! What a collection of readings for us today. There seem to be three main things here... it's Father's Day! But the readings today don't immediately seem to send the positive message that this recognition aims for. This is why we don't generally connect the greeting-card holidays to the lectionary.

            Today is also the National Indigenous Day of Prayer. A time when we dedicate prayers - as we should every day - to our indigenous brothers and sisters. We acknowledge that we are in Mi’kma’ki (MEEG-MA-GEE), the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq people. We are all Treaty people, and our relationship is based on peace and friendship.

            And thirdly, the situation we're in now, at the end of the wave of COVID, where we feel somewhat exiled and a little bit lost, and wandering, without knowing the clear direction ahead.

 

            Hmm. So let's see where the scripture is leading us.

            In the Genesis reading, we have Sarah sending away Hagar and Ishmael - an act that causes us all some distress, if we're honest - yet God calms the nerves of Abraham as he sends them out with provisions. God hears the cries of the suffering when Ishmael is alone. God speaks to Hagar and re-directs her attention to where it is needed. And the first folks who were telling this story KNEW that this was important - why else would a banished servant get so much attention in the writing of holy scriptures?

Because here we see that it's not about some human sense of chosen-ness - it's about how God is calling for everyone to engage in mission.

 

In the Psalm again we hear of distress. Of desperation. Of pleas for help: save your servant who trusts in you! And of profound trust - and delight in the glory of God - of being part of the call to mission - more than just a casual observer, or passive recipient of comfort, but a willing and faithful participant into God's mission.

 

Paul's letter to the Romans reminds us again that the mission to which we are called, through baptism, is not a temporary measure. Our baptism was not a one-day party with great photo opportunity, but a life-long commitment to being the church: this is not about Sunday morning salvation after Saturday night sinning - it's a constant, every-day celebration of being - and always choosing to be - dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. It's an intentionality of engaging in the mission of God.

 

And: the Gospel. The GOOD NEWS of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Who delivers some blunt truths today. Because - being a follower of Jesus is not always easy; it's not always comfortable; it's not always popular. Because: being a follower of Jesus is not about ourselves - it's not about our lifestyle - it's not about our buildings... it's about the mission of God. Engaging in the mission of serving God means always putting God first: and, as we know, that isn't always accepted or appreciated by those around us.

 

But: we are called. We are empowered. We are encouraged. We are invited to participate in the mission of God, as the ekklesia (a Greek word meannig assembly or congregation) - the church.

            The mission that happens within and from a faith community is not something that is controlled by the people: it is something from God. Jürgen Moltmann, one of my favourite theologians, puts it this way: "It is not the church that has a mission but the very reverse... the mission of Christ creates its own church."[1]

            So the church exists then, to participate in God's mission.

            That leads us to the next question... what is God's mission? What is that mission for the world? For the people gathered in Christ's name?

            And: most importantly: how do we - as God's people - participate in that?

            This is the hard stuff. This is where we are called to discern. To prayerfully consider what it is that God wants to happen in this community, in the roller coaster that is 2020 and beyond, and through those of us who are committed to BEing God's church.

           This is not a process with easy answers. It takes thought, and care and prayer, and discussion, and a renewed understanding of what it means to be part of God's mission.

            And that part, as odd as it may sound, is not just about bringing people to church to fill the pews. If that were the case, we could all line up, and like a drive through just walk through the building. But what would have changed? Aside from the condition of the flooring, and the need to increase orur cleaning and sanitizing practices... not much.

            Another thing that mission is NOT, despite how it used to be understood, a process of sending people away on foreign trips so that they could convert people.  That happens, sure, but there are also things that God's got planned for this place - this community - and we're being invited into those things too.

            Mission is most definitely not about one person doing some things, and some others helping out, and the rest watching as though 'church' is a spectator sport. Jesus gave us the perfect model of that – he could have done it all himself, but instead he gathered folks together, trained and empowered them, and sent them out into the world to do the same. It’s meant to be in community that we come together and make a difference.

            So... what do we do when we're together? How do we practically and logistically engage in Gods mission? Well, we start from here. We start now. And we do it together. We worship: emphasising the importance of shared praise and prayer - regardless of our current location. We pay attention: looking out for our shared ministry, and for one another. We pray: asking God for help, being changed in our hearts, interceding for God's people and the world, and giving thanks for the joys of the glimpses of the kingdom I mentioned last week. We transform the world around us: through acts of healing, discipleship, teaching. We evangelise: in the true sense, this means to share the Good News - and when the Good News is being part of God's plan, how can we help but joyfully share that?

            So we come together, in hearts and in prayers. We commit ourselves to the constant discernment of our missional path for the future. These past few months have shown us - and the world - that we are a church - an ekklesia - a congregation of the faithful, who desire to love and serve God and love and serve the world. For this is the mission of God: to live in love. May we act in that love as we engage in God's mission.