Where You Belong

Come with me for a few minutes…I want to take you on a brief tour…

 

It’s a tour of the inside of my church.

 

At the front of the church is a cross. You know, it’s only because of the Jesus’s work on the cross that we became reconciled or “back together” with God.

 

Then there’s the pulpit, where the Bible is placed and the messages flow from. Messages of loving God and loving one another, of daily following Christ, and of the Gospel – that tells of us being new creations, hurts becoming healed, the lost becoming found, and life coming from death – and that absolutely nothing can separate us from belonging to God through Christ.

 

Then there’s the baptism font. That’s where the grace of God becomes visible and we see how through the water, we are cleansed from our sins and promise that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are renewed and we belong to God and to the gathering of people.

 

The communion table is there too. It reminds us that because Jesus’s body was broken, we are restored to a relationship with God and that through Jesus’s blood that covenantal relationship is forever. In addition, that table also shows how we belong to God and one another by partaking in the bread and cup in unity.

 

Right in front of the communion table is usually where joining members promise to make for unity, purity and peace as they are received and to the church. It’s where husbands and wives promise to belong to one another in marriage until death parts them. It’s also where, when we have funerals, the casket is placed during the service and we remember, even through the tears, that the beloved person belonged to God and not even death could stop that.

 

Moving toward the back there are the pews, where perfectly imperfect and devoted believers (including me) sit, praise, pray, listen, give, love and serve one another. Looking to the right and to the left are people who have shared joys and tragedies, made the difference with meals, calls and notes, and have shared life together – who promised to belong to God and one another. You can see orphans and widows cared for, young people taken under wings, rides to church and doctor appointments, those who are weak and broken find strength, hungry are fed and hurts are healed, wisdom found and shared, marriages supported and even reunited, new and old friends welcomed, and a lot of understanding, forgiveness and second chances. To those who have known and experienced these things, this belonging is wonderful and priceless.

 

Finally, there are the doors. There is nothing magical about these doors. You don’t need a special “id” card or badge. Anyone can walk through them and find all of this blessedness of belonging.

 

Each Sunday morning, I celebrate those who God has gathered and brought through those doors as well as grieve and hope for those have yet to come through the doors. As a pastor, leader and brother in Christ, I insist that a church’s proper posture is to have its eyes on Christ, then one arm around someone who is already there and the other arm is outstretched – reaching for and welcoming someone who is not there yet.

 

See, I wanted to take you on this “tour” to highlight that nearly everything about the inside of a church, of our church, is about belonging. The geography and landscape of the inside of a church is of belonging. At the same time, you’ve heard of the unfinished symphony, well, a church is the unfinished community. There is never a cap or limit or threshold as to who belongs – when Jesus returns that is when it is “completed.” Until then, no church on this planet is “complete” or “done” with the people who are currently there. Now, I am well aware that to many who never come though those doors, nearly the opposite is thought of the “inside.” Thoughts that only select people are welcome – that only perfect, holy people are there, that the messages are only for certain people that will understand it – in other words, very exclusive. I am well aware that sometimes both wicked and well-intentioned people have distorted and warped what God intended churches to be.

 

But I also know this: That all of us from 5 year olds to 95 year olds want to and frankly, need to, belong. It’s not just a teenage phenomenon. God designed us to desire and seek community and fellowship with others.

 

And I believe with my whole heart, that more than a club/organization, or a team or workplace or even a neighborhood (and I’ve experienced all of those), that even with all its flaws, a gracious group of Christians sharing Christ and life together is the highest, purest form of community – because the bonds and connections are supernatural (the Holy Spirit) not performance or money or appearances or status – you just come and belong as you are. And it is the closest thing to thing to Heaven – it’s the closest thing to truly experiencing God’s love and presence. After all, a Christian community is an embassy of God’s Kingdom – where joy, love, justice and wholeness reign.

 

So, hey there, what are you doing this Sunday? I know many of you have been hurt by church and by Christians. I know that it is hard to trust again. I know you want to belong and to be a part of something real. I know you might think what I am saying sounds impossible. But remember, with God all things are possible!

 

I would love nothing more than to see you come through those doors, encounter God in new ways, as well as experience the loving embrace of people who may not know you but somehow have been waiting for you…the embrace of brothers and sisters to whom you can belong. I’ve prayed for it, I’ve dreamed about it, and one day…

 

 

Amen.

 

 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

 

Christopher B. Wolf is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and the forthcoming, With You: Every Step of the Way (September, 2011).

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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To Stand

I think there is a part of us that believes that winning looks glorious and triumphant. And that comes from what we watch in the world and from personal experience. The stadium erupting in cheers, the photo finish, the big bonus, flowers, a toast. All of these things that we associate with the celebration of a victory. It’s exhilarating and there is very little like it in life.

I remember one time in 2004, my Dad, Uncle Chuck, my brother and I had gone to a Jets game. It was the last regular game of the season. Very cold. But a win and another team’s loss would mean that the Jets would make the playoffs. It was not certain so it would be a dramatic afternoon – facing Brett Favre and the Packers. Well, sometime in the late third quarter the final score from the other key game was posted and the Jets were winning so more than 75,000 people just started cheering and celebrating. It was near-deafening and electric! Isn’t that what victory feels like?

But for the life of faith, it often looks a lot different. No stadiums cheering, in fact, often no one cheering. This is in part because the spiritual arena is often solitary. The choice to refrain from temptations, the overcoming of a fear and other like these – most people don’t see or know about. But still victories none the less.

It also looks different because it doesn’t look like a victory. In fact, I would say personally, it doesn’t even feel like a victory. Take the cross for example. Completely does not look like a victory. Jesus says “it is finished (completed)” and in fact despite the shame, destruction and death – it was the most important victory of all time. We need to remember this in our battles and struggles as well. Scripture helps describe it…

“Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.” James 1:12 The Message

Winning or victory often in this life of faith is to endure or stand. “Still standing” doesn’t sound very glorious or euphoric, does it?

But you know this. If you or a loved one has endured cancer and its treatment and are still alive – you have endured. If you have struggled through job loss and didn’t lose yourself – you have endured. If you have hung on through the worst time in your life – and still believe that God has a plan to use you – you have stood and endured. And of course there are many more examples of quiet, humble victories that give glory to God and prove us faithful.

And it isn’t just fighting disease and core identity battles. Unfortunately, there are other enemies as well. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Ephesians 6:13).” Notice how it doesn’t say that we get to crush the evil or evil one(s). We put on the armor to what…stand our ground – in other words remain faithful.

You and I can imagine this in all sorts of ways. The husband or wife the resists having an affair to stay faithful and stand his or her ground. The business person who sees an opportunity to exploit a client (without getting caught) and stands his or her ground. The young person who goes to a party where there are drugs and alcohol and leaves at the risk of losing friends – standing his or her ground.

I would love for it to be like some kind of Lord of The Rings – Return of the King victory of crushing evil altogether and that a new era of peace begins. But we don’t live in Middle-Earth, we live in real-time on the Earth!

But not alone. The Holy Spirit is always present in these struggles and battles. And God’s Word – all the armor there for us – to help us stand.

And there probably won’t be a parade or thousands of people cheering or a bouquet or a standing ovation. But the Lord will be smiling and has crown waiting for those that stand and endure over a lifetime and that really is enough and what this life of faith is about. And also think about the great witness it is for those around you – and how encouraged others will be. Communities, peoples and nations have been moved and transformed by the “standing and enduring” of one or a few individuals.

“Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle,” said Plato. I know you are fighting some kind of battle today. It might be against a disease. Maybe it is resisting some kind of temptation or addiction. Perhaps it is an ethical matter at work, at a church or in your family. It could be standing up to a bully or abusive person or system. It might be that you are the one who has to shed light on, or reveal corruption. Maybe your doubts and fears about life have been overwhelming your faith and the time to make a stand has come.

Please know that to win today – you just need to stand and endure. I am praying for you to have and experience that strength at this moment.

Amen.

Discussion Questions

1. In the battle you are facing today, what will standing through it look like?
2. What are some other times in your life when you have stood and endured? What was unique about those experiences?
3. How can you encourage others who are facing great battles?

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