Communion

So I was sitting in this village in Africa on a mission trip and I was looking around at the young and old gathered around and I thought, “I love these people.” And then I told them so through an interpreter.

The thing is – I had just met them about ten minutes before. It was such a real feeling – that we were connected somehow. And I remember thinking – this sounds strange – loving people I just met. But really I had been praying for them and thinking about them for a while. And, even though separated by an ocean, culture, ethnicity and experience – we had one thing in common (the most important thing) – our love for Christ – bonded by the Holy Spirit.

And that is one of the most powerful, uniting forces in the world.

Family. Good. Husband and wife. Good. Friends. Good. Long-time friends – even better. Next door neighbors – good. Co-workers – can be good. Teammates – good. Think of all the possible relationships we can share in throughout life – they can be life-giving. But none of them can come close to what God designed, Jesus fulfilled and commanded and Paul explained – the body of Christ.

“The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt and the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters in to the exuberance.” 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 The Message

According to Paul in this above passage, it goes something like this…If you have ALS, we have ALS. If you have breast cancer, we have breast cancer. If you are lonely and isolated, we feel that too. If you are crying, we are crying. If you feel defeated and discouraged, we feel it. If you are lost, we are lost.

Yet…

If you are healing, we are healing! If you are being restored, we are being restored! If you are hopeful again, we are hopeful again! If God has vindicated you, we are vindicated! If you are wiping away tears, we are wiping away tears! If you are celebrating, we are celebrating!

It is the power and the function of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can take relationships of any kind from purely social to eternal and authentic and of substance. It is the only power that can undo all the things we add to relationships – status, performance, wealth, success, appearance – all the things the world says that define acceptance and belonging – undone by simply being in Christ and depending on one another, sacrificing for one another.

Unfortunately, if Paul were around today, he would be disappointed at how far many churches fall from this idea of the body of Christ. Too often, churches – bodies and communities of Christ fall into being satisfied with social relationships rather than Spirit-based relationships. The mere appearance of holiness, fear, judgment (explicit or implicit), superficiality, perfectionism, and consumerism – all worldly social norms – eclipse the covenantal and unconditional love, dependence, authenticity and grace – all the ingredients of true belonging and communion that were intended.

But take these – the love, the dependence, authenticity and grace and the work of the Holy Spirit now as the foundations to your: family, marriage, friendship, neighbors, co-workers, teammates and yes church members. It then would be a portrait of communion…not just a sacrament, but a way of living and relating.

We can be and are in communion with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and one another – not because of our goodness, our abilities or gifts, or anything else to do with us – really – it is for one reason that we belong to God – because He chose to have us belong to Him through Jesus. Jesus said, “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit… (John 15:16 The Message).” And it is a true belonging. One that nothing in the world can take away or stop or minimize. When I stop and think about it and truly comprehend it (as much as I can), it is breathtaking. That God loves me and accepts me and there is nothing I can do to add or take away from it. Think about it.

If you are seeking and searching to belong…if you are thirsting for a deeper connection…if you are desperate for being accepted for who you are…find it in Him and brothers and sisters living in Him. Whether sitting in an African village or a kitchen or a coffee shop or at the mall or in the sanctuary…

I want you to know today that, despite your past experiences and all the voices that say you can’t or don’t – you can belong, you can be attached – “through Him, with Him, in Him – in the unity of the Holy Spirit…”

Amen!

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Photos from Africa

Please visit this site to see photos from my recent mission trip to Africa. God blessed me with many opportunities to be His hands and feet.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=510771&id=543293163&l=85ec1

 

 

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Hospitality

Hospitality

John 6:37

 

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” John 6:37

 

 

My brother Ryan and I have often talked about one of our fondest memories from growing up. It’s this. Often on Saturday mornings, while running his errands, Uncle Frank would stop by, sometimes with donuts or bagels. And it was this great thing for us. I think we liked it in part because my family seemed to enjoy when people would stop by uninvited. I think we liked that we had an “open house” feel to our home. One other thing I would throw in is that it seemed like people and life were less busy then. There seemed to be time enough to stop somewhere while running errands. I miss it.  

 

Things change, don’t they? Time, it seems, has appeared to have pushed hospitality away. On one hand, I would love to say, “Hey everybody, stop by whenever you want – open house!” And likewise, I would love to hear that from all of you. But in reality, the kids, all the stuff we haven’t gotten to yet, the lists, trying to recover from a work week, the list goes on. Who has time to “just stop by?” How many times have we all heard the doorbell or a knock and looked at each other thinking, “Oh no, who is this?”  

 

Are we missing something?

 

Hospitality. Welcoming people into our homes. Welcoming people into our churches. Many churches like to think of themselves as “welcoming.” I would say our church does a pretty good job as far as churches that I have observed.

 

And yet, I learned a whole new definition of hospitality – hospitality in Christ while in Africa. For example, we climbed this pretty tall mountain one day and I had my bag with me. A bag that had some important stuff in it – water, sunscreen (very important for a pale guy like me) and some other stuff. And as we went along I kept putting small rocks in the bag because I like to give them as gifts to people – Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge…” Anyway, all the way up and all the way down, I didn’t have to carry my bag. This is because Peter was carrying it. Peter lives and serves in the village in the valley and as soon as we started heading toward the mountain, he literally took my bag off my shoulder and kept it even when I protested. I thought, “He shouldn’t have to carry my bag.” But it was his way of showing Christ’s hospitality.

 

Gabriel (the missionary we work with in Nigeria and our host that week) explained to us at one point, “In America, you are about getting things done. In Africa, we are about relationships. You are more productive for sure. But we have these relationships.”

 

Almost everywhere we went, people automatically picked up our bags or luggage. It would have been offensive to them for us to carry our own things or to insist on it. When we see or greet someone, we usually say, “How are you?” or if in New Jersey, “How you doin?” J In Nigeria, their main greeting, and we heard it all week is, “You are welcome, sir.” When I first heard it, I tried to remember if I had said “Thank you.” But I hadn’t. This is how they greet people or at least visitors, “You are welcome, sir.”

 

When we went to two churches on Sunday in Nigeria, we were whisked to the front of the church. I know for some that might be scary – the front row – AHH! But it seemed to me that this was a place of honor.

 

When we would visit people’s homes or villages, it was clear that we were welcome and that anything we needed – was ours. In one village they gave us a whole branch from a banana tree about 50 little bananas on it (probably saved my life coming down the mountain). When we visited schools, the children stood up and greeted us. People made time for us and put meals and snacks together rather joyfully.

 

This is a long way to say, that the definition of Christian hospitality I learned and observed in Africa was this, “Anything I have is for you.” And I think it is the right one.

 

When I think of Jesus’ words, “…and whoever comes to me, I will never drive away (John 6:37).” When I think of Jesus’ life, how he gave it away for you and me, though we didn’t deserve it and how in spite of how we are often inhospitable to Him in our daily lives. I think we might be missing something about reflecting the hospitality of Christ.

 

Can you and I practice, “Anything I have is yours” kind of hospitality with our time, or our homes, or our money, or our faith, or churches? Are you and I up for what “Anything I have is yours” means when it comes to welcoming people into our lives? For example, on Sunday morning, can we go beyond politely greeting visitors to somehow communicating this idea? Saying, “This is my church and I give it you this morning because you have visited.”

 

How can we? It’s “ours” right? If we open up, and share, and pour out what we treasure – is it still ours? If I open my whole life to Jesus and to my family and to my friends, what will happen to the “me” that I know? Can we be like Jesus and never close off or drive away anyone who comes to us in fellowship or need?

 

Uncle Frank lives in Georgia now so he won’t be stopping by this Saturday morning. But in thinking about his visits and my visit to Africa and Jesus’ words, maybe it’s time to rethink how welcoming we are and how much we are investing in relationships – by just stopping by sometimes or welcoming those who just want to get to know us better or connect.

 

Amen.

 

Discussion Questions

1. When was the last time you stopped by just to say “hello”?
2. How is time or your schedule working for or against relationship building?
3. How do you define hospitality? Hospitality in Christ?
4. What do you think of an “Anything I have is yours” approach to living? What might get in the way of this?
5. Have you ever experienced the kind of hospitality I described? Where and what did you observe about it?

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Going Forth

Isaiah 55:11

Going Forth

 

“so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” From the RSV

 

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” From the NLT

 

 

You know, growing up I remember that most of my reading revolved around two resources. I wasn’t a big Dr. Seuss reader or stuff like that – maybe some Richard Scarry J. When I had free reading time, I would randomly pick a volume from our World Book Encyclopedia set and read the articles in them. And, I read the Bible, especially stories of Jesus doing amazing things. I really liked that – Jesus healing, calming the storms and other stuff. I know, sounds kind of nerdy. It is also a bit peculiar given my Catholic background in that, at the time, there didn’t seem to be a lot of emphasis on reading the Bible. But yet, there I was reading a Bible given to me by my third grade CCD teacher, Jim. I can still see his inscription on the page.  

 

What a gift he gave me. He couldn’t have known the impact giving me a Bible would have and the impact it would have many, many people because of my reading it. It is kind of like throwing a stone in a pond, the ripple effect.

 

Here I am, less than a week from my trip to Africa to bring God’s Word to a people who have very little access to the Gospel. Many of whom have never heard it and will never be able to read it because of illiteracy.

 

One of the things we did in Africa was meet with groups of pastors. And many times, when it was my turn to address them I would say, “Brothers, you and I know what it means to know Jesus (through the Word); you and I know that life without Jesus – is no life! So that is why we have come here, to bring the Word of life to people so that they may hear it and have life in Christ.” And I really think and mean that. That is what has been driving me in this project.

 

When we think of me going to Africa, I fully admit that it doesn’t make sense on a lot of levels. And when I first got there, I did experience a time of “What have I done! What am I doing in Africa!” But I also remember something my Dad said to me a few years ago. He said, “CB, you go to places and to people that few or none of us can go or get to.” And he was right, over my life, before ministry and in ministry, God has given me this gift, though uncomfortable and uncertain most of the time, of reaching and connecting with places and people that have never been reached or have been forgotten of left behind.

 

So in that light, the trip to Africa seems not so strange. But a little bit like my book Giving Faith a Second Chance which speaks to those who feel alienated, rejected and distanced from God and church, this trip was part of my life’s purpose – extending a hand of love and compassion to those in need, those in prisons and dark places.

 

And always, my outstretched hand is strengthened, in fact my hand can only reach out because of the power of the Word and Spirit. My love for God’s Word and how it has transformed the way I live, think, and act. Obviously, a long way to go, but still, all those years of reading it has shaped me into this instrument for bringing the Word. I have always loved that my parents gave me the name Christopher, which means Christ-bearer or bringer.

 

So often on the trip to Africa we saw the power of God’s Word at work so visibly. One of the clearest stories was on the first day we were there. We arrived in the evening and our hosts; Gabriel and Geoffrey asked me if I would like to preach the next morning at a church. I had not prepared for that, I was prepared to talk about the Treasure (audio New Testament units that we brought with us), but I said sure. So I prayed and asked God to lead me to a passage that would be a word for this congregation, Geoffery’s church. So we went there the next morning and we were very welcomed. The pastor then starts to explain that the night before he had been working on his message and was having a lot of trouble. He asked God why he was having such a hard time. God’s answer, he said, was “You are not preaching tomorrow; I am sending you someone else to preach the Word.” As you might imagine, the pastor was a little concerned. A pastor without a message on Sunday morning, hoping, trusting that someone else was going to show up? But the pastor trusted. And about two hours later, Geoffery called to say that there was a pastor from the US who was willing to preach the next morning.   

 

But it gets better.

 

After I preached from Acts 2:42-47, the pastor stands up and says, “Church, I am holding back tears, because of how God is speaking to our church. This brother (me) could not have known that we had just studied this passage on Friday and Saturday as part of our leadership retreat about how God is going to lead us in the future. So God has sent him here to encourage us forward in our mission.” With God, everything has purpose – no coincidences!

 

And that was just the first day. Over and over throughout the week, all of us saw the power of God’s Word and Spirit just moving in front of us, opening doors, building bridges, producing miracles, giving life.

 

We talk a lot in our churches of being all about the Word. And I am sure we mean it. But I am more convinced than ever of that and that my official title is Minister of Word and Sacrament. Do I fully understand the depths of this? Not sure I ever could. But certainly when I look at my life and I look at this trip, I came a little closer.

 

I saw this verse fulfilled over and over again – “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it (Isaiah 55:11).” It reminded me that the most powerful force in this world – stronger than military might, stronger than violence and bullies, stronger than love and hate, stronger than lust and greed, stronger disease and poverty, stronger than death and sin, is God’s Word and Spirit – it is the only power that can change this world. Name any situation in life or in the world – and when you bring God’s Word and Spirit to it – it is changed.

 

I went to Africa to bring God’s Word to a people that have never heard it and we have unleashed something so powerful that it could change a nation. I have preached hundreds of sermons and written hundreds of Living Waters to share the Word as I have heard the Lord speak it to me – to draw people closer to Jesus. I have sent Bibles to cousins and childhood friends thinking it was the best gift and best way I could love them. All my life, starting with a gift of a Bible, I have been reading and thinking about Scripture and have been shaped and formed by it. My life in and for the Word has “produced blessed fruit” and “prospered” in my life and everywhere He has sent me to bring it.

 

And as long as He wills it, I will go forth to faithfully bring His Word by the power of His Spirit.

 

Amen.

 

Discussion Questions

1. What is the value or importance of God’s Word in your life?
2. How have you seen it work in your own life or in others?
3. If there is a part of your life that needs change, have you tried applying God’s Word to it? Why not?
4. Think of someone with whom you can sharea a passage or a Bible. How about today? 

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