Home | Previous Messages | Pastor Bill's Bio
A
Message from Pastor Bill – March 2010
Building a Community
The time is long overdue for Christians to think in terms of "We" rather than "I." The biblical focus is on the community. God's answer to the human predicament was to create a new community, to start a family. Individuals gain their identity by belonging to the community, and the community finds fulfillment in the individual.
Dear Saints:
Among all the miracles contained in the books of the Second Testament, perhaps the most astounding is the emergence out of a scattered, disheartened, confused, and weak collection of a few hesitant believers ignited the enduring foundations of the Christian church. How did this happen? What enabled this tattered remnant to weave itself into the "seamless robe of Christ"? Their secret was no secret. Beginning with the event of Pentecost the early Christian believers devoted themselves wholeheartedly to building a distinctive community of faith, unique to the world.
In Acts the post-resurrection, post-ascension band of believers is shown trying to discern the non-violent glue that will establish and maintain their identity. Before his death Jesus spoke often about what should be the true nature of this new community. In Mark 10:42-44 he responded to the petty but disruptive rivalry among the disciples by proclaiming that "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave to all."
Yet until the event of Pentecost the disciples were incapable of carrying out this mandate. They were the castout ones, the community's scapegoats, and the violence of Jesus' crucifixion had effectively served to rally their persecutors more closely around them.
At Pentecost the inclusive, rather than exclusive nature of Christian community was demonstrated. Reversing the Tower of Babel narrative, the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost makes communication between people of all languages once again possible. And judging from Peter's new posture of poise and power before the crowd, the gift of the Spirit also gave the disciples the ability to stand together in peace in spite of their violent ostracism from the rest of the old community.
In Acts the theme of inclusiveness is replayed again and again. The experience at Pentecost opened the ears of all diaspora Judaism, inviting them to listen to the Christian witness in their own tongues. In Acts 10 the door is opened still wider when the Gentile Cornelius is invited to join the community of faithful. In chapter 15 a potentially exclusory rule is abandoned and all Gentiles, even the uncircumcised, are welcomed into the bonds of community.
St. Matthew as we continue to struggle to remain faithful to the image of community as ordained by Jesus and practiced with varying degrees of success by the early church, there is one more model we may turn to for guidance. So obvious that it may be overlooked, the uniquely Christian notion of a triune God, the doctrine of the Trinity itself, serves as an illustration of how we must remain united in community. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit stand together in a unified relationship, untainted by any struggles for superiority. The power and comfort we find in a Godhead which is "three in one" must be reflected in our church communities where we are many united in Christ Jesus.
Peace and Power,
Pastor Bill
Do you have comments about this message? Please click here to e-mail me.
