August 25, 2024
Romans 8:14-27
Introduction
As our text indicates, even when the Church is doing something right, can feel like we are still missing the mark, missing the chance to do better with the opportunities we are given—and when that happens, the Church suffers.
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A priest and a pastor were standing by the side of the road holding up a sign for passing cars that read, “The End Is Near! Turn yourself around before it’s too late!”
A driver soon sped by and yelled, “Leave me alone you religious nutjobs!”
Moments later came the sounds of screeching tires followed by a big splash. That’s when the priest said to the pastor, “Do you think we should change the sign to just say, ‘Bridge Out Ahead’?”
This joke, while humorous, unfortunately holds a lot of truth—we the Church, so often make our message so hard to hear and understand. Yes, on the day of Pentecost so long ago, the Church was born and began to share its message—a message, in a sense, about the old bridge being out, yet pointing the way to a glorious new bridge in Jesus Christ.
And to share this message the apostles “were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” And ever since that first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has been inviting, and giving opportunities for all of God’s children, to experience that power—a power that change lives for the better.
And yet, when we look around today, and read articles regarding the state of today’s Church, you can’t help but wonder that in many places, and in many ways, the Church still continues to make its message so hard to hear and understand.
But we have examples—today—that have shown us, the message does not have to be so hard to understand. It can even be… an invitation to experience something unique, fun, and long lasting.
Move 1
Once again this year, we sent young people off to the holy and sacred ground that is Camp Christian—located in tiny old Magnetic Springs, Ohio. We had youth attend Chi Rho Camp, Otter Camp, and Ribbit Camp. We even had one adult get to go to camp too.
Camp, as we have heard over the decades this church has sent youth to camp, is a meaningful and powerful experience for those who attend. It’s a lot of fun, students meet new friends and further the friendships of those they have gone to camp with before. Students get to be part of a special and unique ministry, where they are safe and encouraged to grow in their faith in ways that only camp can make happen. Camp Christian is fertile ground where seeds of faith and deeper relationships are planted and helped to grow for decades to come.
Many of you know I got my call to ministry at Camp Christian when I was just fifteen years old. Two of my best friends I have still today were made during my years at CYF Conference. And that, to me, has always been among Camp’s greatest blessings. Camp Christian is Church, and yet it is completely different from the Church.
Camp is Church away from church, where there is song and worship, scripture and study. But Camp is where young people—and adults— come and see Church happen in ways they never see the rest of the year, or even anywhere else. Camp is an invitation to experience Church, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit in new and unique ways. And when experienced, something rare happens… the desire, ability, and voice that shows and shares an invitation to experience what Church really is.
Move 2
New York Times religion writer Jonathan Merritt reports that it’s getting harder and harder to talk about God. Although more than 70 percent of the United States identify as Christian, most don’t talk about faith.
According to a recent Barna survey, more than three-quarters of Americans do not often have spiritual or religious conversations. A meager 7 percent of Americans say they talk about spiritual matters regularly. Seven percent. What if only 7 percent of the apostles had spoken up? The day of Pentecost might have been a dud.
Researchers are not surprised at these findings, noting the survey included a cross-section of both churchgoers and others. But here’s the real shocker: Practicing Christians who attend church regularly don’t do much better than the general population. Only 13 percent of those who attend church have a spiritual conversation once a week.
Why do we struggle so badly with these kind of conversations? Merritt has a theory, saying, “Work often takes precedence over worship, social lives are prioritized over spiritual disciplines, and most people save their Sunday-best clothing for Monday through Friday.”
The Barna survey reveals most people believe spiritual conversations create tension or arguments, and some are concerned by the trend that religion equates to political affiliations. Some people of faith don’t initiate conversation because they don’t want to “sound weird or come off as extremist.”
Yes, it can be tricky to have conversations of faith and religion in our society today. But if our faith is important to us, and we are not weird about it, and we are not extremist, then I think we are more than capable to find a way to do it. Don’t you? I mean… at the very least, we should find a way to do it, right?
For instance, it’s the start of a new school year, which means it’s likely conversations will come up about school starting, right? Ok then. Did you know 14% of Stow-Monroe Falls students receive Bulldog Bags? That’s 700 students who have some level of food in security.
So what if we said to our neighbors or coworkers or friends outside of the church, in those conversations about school starting that are likely to come up, “Did you know there are 700 students in Stow-Munroe Falls School who have some level of food insecurity? My church collects items every month to help Bulldog Bags support those students. If you ever wanted to help, I can tell you what we are collecting from month to month.” Does something like that sound weird? Do you think that comes off as extremist or as a religious nutjob? Or do you think saying something like that could be an invitation for someone to experience how the Church works and what the Church is and strives to do?
The Apostle Paul knew spiritual conversations could create tensions and arguments, and he was aware Christians could come across as weird and extremist, which is why the language he uses is very carefully chosen.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay, and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Paul speaks of the hope for better days that is surely coming through the workings of God. Paul is telling us how we can have faith-filled conversations—by speaking about, and sharing with others, an invitation to experience what God is doing in and through God’s Church.
Move 3
Paul is very clear in his invitation to the Romans. He is intentionally talking about values and actions and invitations—he is not talking about dogma. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God,” writes Paul. Meaning, we are actively engaging our children of God status when we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of God—and being led by the Spirit of God means being the Church—and being the Church means we extend an invitation to experience the power and works of God that change lives for the better.
When we are the Church—truly and faithfully, then the Spirit leads us away from self-centered living and toward God-centered living where God shapes and guides our actions, attitudes and values.
Later in Romans, Paul says, “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers” (12:9-13).
Love, mutual affection, honor, zeal, hope, perseverance and hospitality— these words are not confusing, weird, or extremist. They are not the words of a religious nutjob. Rather they are the kind of God talk that can be spoken and understood by anyone, inside or outside the church. And they are the kind of words and actions and ways of being the Church that become invitations for others to experience all that God is and does.
Conclusion
Paul says, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.” He’s right. And it’s our job, as a church, and as the Church, to invite people to experience that glory as well. We are to invite everyone to have an experience with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of us all. That’s it. After that, we let the Holy Spirit do its work.
So let us remember… even in the midst the sufferings of this present time, God is still leading us to opportunities to share invitations to experience God’s Good News. And we must, we must, we must invite people to it. Because when we do, then people will begin to experience what God is doing in the Church, and in this church—which is the glory of God revealed in each and every new day.
And not only will that be the experience of those invitations, but our invitations—invitations that are not weird or extremist—will help us come to know and experience that we are not religious nutjobs. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer: August 25, 2024
Gracious God, this time of year always tilts toward the start of school, but truth be told we are not always ready. We are still hanging on to summer, to the promises it held for long awaited connections and celebrations, for refreshment of our bodies and souls in water and sky and color and sunlight and moonlight. We are still hanging on for all those little summertime moments where we could linger just a little longer.
But now that it’s almost over, we don’t want to let it go. The beauty. The freedom. The ease. All that is life-giving in this season.
So we pray, Holy God, for you to stretch this season, and all its blessings and gifts. Extend it, we pray, but extend it by blending into the coming school year.
Help us to see in each day the opportunity to make connections and the chance to celebrate the blessings in them.
Help us to see those little moments that are still being given, where we can linger just a little longer, with friends, with family, and now with classmates and teammates, old friends, and new friends, teachers and school staff.
Help us to see you and your invitation to experience your good and blessed works in every moment of each day, and then embrace them and the life they give.
Holy God, we pray your blessings are poured out on parents, students, teachers, administrations, and all school staffers. Make each day of the school year filled with helpfulness, kindness, creativity, courage, safety, and goodness.
And as we write on those fresh new calendars and planners, help us trust that your plans are always at work, and we can help them be experienced when we partner in your acts and opportunities to share your life and love with others.
So bless this new school year Holy God by making it full of growth, full of goodness, and full of becoming who you call your children to be.
May you hear now the prayers of our hearts that we offer in this time of Holy Silence.
We pray all of this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has taught us to pray saying, “Our …”