Sermon for May 24th

Jesus’ disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world.

The earliest monasteries were set up when Christians, overwhelmed by the sins of society, left the cities and went out into the desert to pray, to reflect and to be alone. Eventually, these solo Christians got together in groups and lived in monastic communities with one another. It was a way to focus on their faith together without being affected as much by the outside world.

Many young adults, growing up in small churches across the United States, overwhelmed by the sins and hypocrisy of their friends and family, leave their small hometowns and go off into the city to party, seek education and find their own way. Eventually, these Christians get together with a group of people surrounding common interests or ideals, hang out on weekends and drink coffee together. It’s a way to focus on life in the world and become accepted without being affected too much by their faith.

Jesus’ disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world.

A community of faith, such as this one at Saint Peters, is NOT built around this church building. This church is not, finally, what we have in common. It is a place where we gather, but, as a building, it does not protect us from the world and it cannot be a world of its own. In some small towns, the church is its own world, where people come to escape the trials and tribulations of the day and get wrapped up in a new kind of place where there are always programs to be a part of, a choir to sing with and mission trips to go on.

In other places, the church is truly a sanctuary, where people go to find protection in afterschool programs to keep kids off the streets, out of gangs and out of the reach of drug dealers. In some countries, the church building is the only place to freely express one’s faith without the fear of death or persecution ensuing. But the community of faith Jesus speaks about is different than all of this.

A community of faith, such as this one at Saint Peters, is NOT built around our church building. While we have many people from Cornwall, a great many of you are not. Therefore, our church probably won’t ever simply a hometown congregation, the town won’t revolve around what we do and when we do it. If that is our goal, we’ll find that, for many, this is not their home. If we try to force being accepted in this way, it won’t work out very well.

A community of faith, such as Saint Peters, will also find it difficult to be a sanctuary. Our sanctuaries are our homes, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life, out in nature. If we need to find something to do, we find afterschool programs somewhere else, through sports teams or activities in other cities. So, if we get tempted to fill this church only with programs and special events, they might just feel like extra things that we have to do. And if WE feel that way, many other people in this area might feel the same way too. They don’t need another place to call home and they don’t need a sanctuary. So, is there anything left?

Everything is left. At least everything that Jesus Christ spoke about in the prayer we heard today. Jesus disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world. Churches in our society have often been sanctuaries for Christians, a place where they could feel comfortable believing in Jesus Christ, to remind them that they did not belong to a world that was going to pot, but that they had a different citizenship, a heavenly one. However, people in sanctuaries, like the desert monks, have a tendency to forget an important piece of Jesus’ prayer: while not being in the world, while needing protection from the world, disciples are sent INTO the world. And when we spend all of our free time at church, it’s tough to meet new people and share the news of Jesus Christ to people who have not heard.

There are also some unfortunate side effects of being the “hometown” church, even though, for many, it seems like the best of all worlds. Often, in a hometown church, new town members, especially the doctors, lawyers, principals, feel like they need to become a member of the church or else people might begin to wonder about them. They need to make connections. The hometown church often becomes part of the world. It “belongs” to the world in more ways than one. It can become very political and very hypocritical. People in hometown churches, like so many Christians in society, have a tendency to forget another important piece of Jesus’ prayer: you are in the world, but you do not belong to this world. Jesus explained that the world would hate his disciples because of what they believed and how that affected how they acted, but it is easy to just want everyone to like you. It’s easier to focus on becoming part of the world than to focus on your faith.

But Jesus’ disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world and you are hated for this.

A community of faith, such as this one at Saint Peters, is NOT built around this church building. Why do you come? Is it to feel accepted? Is it is feel safe? Is it to look at the pretty building? If so, you probably don’t like Saint Peters that much. It might be good enough for you, but you won’t want anyone else to come. You’ll be embarrassed that you’ve spent so much time and trouble on something that doesn’t really mean much of anything.

Jesus prayed, “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.” Jesus prayed that his disciples might have faith. That they would have a relationship to God. So that even in the world that hated them, they would be protected by God and be one with him. Not one with each other, as if our own agreement or our own community was the most important thing, but so that you might be one with God. Just as Jesus and his Father are one, Jesus prays that those whom God has given to him would be one with God as well. Jesus isn’t trying to make a church—he’s trying to give faith.

God gives his name and his words to Jesus. Jesus then gives God’s name and his words to his disciples. These words make the disciples hated by the world and, yet, protected in the world. Jesus’ disciples find their home in God and in his love for them. Jesus’ disciples find their sanctuary in God and in his words for them. “In the world you face persecution,” Jesus says, “But take courage; I have conquered the world!” This community must be built on Jesus or we are lost.

It is God’s name that makes you a community of faith and that community stretches out so much farther than this building. You wouldn’t be here if God hadn’t called you. At your baptism, God named you his child, once and for all. You can either hide that name by hanging out with others with the same name to the exclusion of all else, or you can hide that name while you are with others in order to try to protect yourself from them. But God will continue to call you by name until you hear the truth. A building can’t protect you. Hiding the truth from your friends can’t protect you. God himself is your only protection in this world. He gives you all that you have: a good name, true friends and neighbors, a devoted family and, finally, eternal life. This community of faith must be built on Jesus or we are lost.

A community of faith gives God’s word in good times and bad. When one of you is acting badly, a community of faith doesn’t turn a blind eye, but they talk with that person about their decisions. Loving doesn’t always mean tolerating each other; sometimes it means protecting one another from bad choices or calling someone out for bad behavior with the hope of repentance. If you don’t trust in God’s words, in his name, then it doesn’t matter how well you get along with one another, or how good you look to the outside world, you aren’t a community of faith.

A community of faith gives God’s word in the bad times as well. God’s word doesn’t just mean telling people off; it means struggling through sins with people, holding them close when all others would turn away until finally, through love and prayer, repentance happens. Whether that takes one conversation or years of praying. And it is here, where a faith community is at its best: when God gives the word of forgiveness. When God speaks the final word, “By God’s authority, your sins are forgiven.” That’s what this community of faith is based on: Forgiveness. God’s words. God’s name. Not one building. Not one town. Not one event. One faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus disciples, such as you, are in the world, but not simply in the world—SENT into the world. And in this world you need protection, because you do not belong in the world. This protection cannot be found anywhere other than in God’s word and in God’s name. Some of you have tried to escape the world you were sent into because it threatens you and your faith. Others have become so much a part of this world that you have compromised your faith and forgotten your first love. Take hold of Jesus and his promise and trust in his word alone, “In the world you face persecution,” Jesus says. It can be a threatening place “But take courage; I have conquered the world!” Trust in Jesus Christ alone. Amen.