Visions of Fellowship

"And they devoted themselves to the Apostle's teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers." Acts 2:42

"I think, therefore I am." Most of us at one time or another have heard this famous saying by Rene Descartes (1596-1650). It was part of his Discourse on the Method and Principles of Philosophy
in which he was trying to decide if there was a way of knowing that could prove his own existence. His conclusion was that because he could think, then he is a "thinking thing" and thus existed. While this kind of thinking may seem a bit obtuse today (philosophy has moved in many new directions) it shows us quite clearly how the European world had taken a dramatic turn toward individualism.

The kind of thinking about radical individualism that Descartes (as well as those who preceded and followed him) offered permeates our society. We see this in the movies (John Wayne), television (the Lone Ranger), and in society (the many people who talk about how they pulled themselves up by their own boot-straps). We speak about rugged individualism and the pioneer spirit. The rationale is that we are completely independent and do not need anyone else. This idea has also infected the church. We see ourselves as persons who do not necessarily have to be connected to the body in which we worship.

"I exist in relationships, therefore I am." These are the words of Japanese theologian Seiichi Yagi. What Yagi is trying to do is to return us to a Biblically based sense of self. The scriptures do not present persons as rugged individualists. Instead persons are portrayed as having life because of what they shared in common. In the opening quote from the Book of Acts the word "fellowship" is used. A better translation of the Greek word is the word "common" as in what we hold in common. The idea is that we are in common because we are one in Christ. We are all part of the very body of Jesus therefore we are one. We exist in the fullest sense of being human not because we can think but because we are part of the very life and love of God and one another in Jesus.

How might that help us think differently? First it can help us to rethink "fellowship." Often we have seen fellowship as simply hanging out at church over a cup of coffee. While that kind of hanging out is sharing something (time, space and coffee) in common, what if we were to see "fellowship" as something more, such as truly knowing and caring for one another? Second I hope it helps us rethink our relationship with church, that we are indeed a common body in which each of us and our gifts make a significant difference. It would remind us that each of us is a necessary part of the whole. We are needed here.

(How to; I would like to challenge you this week to an experiment. At church, while you are in your pew, spot someone you do not know. Begin by introducing yourself during the greeting time or as you leave. Then the next week when you see those people (or person) make sure you say hello and inquire about their lives. Next begin praying for them. Then in the weeks ahead deepen that budding friendship and then do it again with someone else. In other words get connected with those with whom you live in common.)

John

Visions from the Book of Acts: A People Immersed in The Story

"Where there is no vision the people perish." We have heard this proverb (Proverbs 29:18) many times before used in any number of ways. We assume that the writer is simply encouraging us to have a vision, any vision to guide and direct our work. The trouble is that this translation misses one of the key elements of the text which is that the Hebrew is referring to a specific kind of vision…not vision or direction in general.

 

The CEV translation is, in my opinion, closest to the original meaning. "Without guidance from God, law and order disappear." In other words without an understanding of God's outline for our lives as expressed in the first five books of the Bible the people of God come apart at the seams. We see this more clearly when we read the second half of this couplet, "but blessed are the ones who keep the law," meaning that when we actually allow God's written word to set the vision for our community our individual and corporate lives are blessed. (All you have to do is to read the Old Testament to see how true this is!)

 

This understanding then forms the background for our call to be a people immersed in The Story. In Acts 2:42 we are told that "they (meaning the new Christ followers) devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching." The apostle's were following the wisdom laid out in Proverbs 29:18 by teaching how Jesus' story was a part of the larger story of God's work in and through Israel. The vision, the Godly guidance, that they were offering was not simply good advice, it was an explanation of how Jesus had come to fulfill God's plan for Israel and for the world and for their lives.

 

Our calling is to do the same, immerse ourselves in their teachings. Our vision for our life together is to be shaped not merely by wanting to do good things, hanging out together, or even listening to great music, all of which we do here on a regular basis. Our vision is to be shaped and formed by The Story, which is what the Bible is. The Bible (though certainly a collection of metaphor, law, poetry, history, prophecy, letters, and Jesus stories) none the less is The Story of God at work redeeming and reclaiming the world, including you and me. When we come to understand and internalize The Story it gives guidance and direction for our lives allowing us to be blessed and be a blessing to others.

 

The challenge for us then is to make The Story (the scriptures) real for us. This means taking the time to read, study and comprehend the scope and sequence of God's activity from creation (Genesis) to re-creation (Revelation). This is not a simple task. It is one that takes time and effort. Yet the rewards are great. By knowing and living The Story we become those who are able to love God and neighbor in a way that changes us and changes the world. My hope is that in the years ahead we will become a people immersed in The Story that we might fulfill the vision God has for us.

 

(How to: here is a way to begin immersing yourself. First get a partner or two…things always work better with a partner. Second choose one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) and read it straight through. Talk with your partner about what you discovered, what confused you and how the story helped your faith. Then find a simple guide to the book…such as N.T. Wright's commentaries from the Bible for Everyone series (Westminster John Knox Press)...and take the story in pieces asking the same questions. Then if you want give me a call and we can talk more about it.)

 

John

Serving: Our Seventh Core Value

Our seventh and final core value is serving. Both our Mission statement and our Focus statements speak of us having ministries of service and of our being mission oriented. They are a reminder that First Church has a long history of being involved in serving the community and world around us.

Serving is also a reminder that the scriptures, from beginning to end, call upon is to serve others. The Torah, the Law of Moses, makes it clear that we are to serve the hungry, the widow, the orphan and the stranger. Jesus tells us that he came to be a servant and not to serve, and his followers are to follow his example of service to others.

I realize that many of us would have placed serving at the beginning rather than the end of the list. Since Jesus speaks of loving God and loving neighbor perhaps we ought to have had Christ as the first Core Value and Serving as the second Core Value. So why place it here at the tail end?

I placed it here not because it is at the tail end, but because I believe it fits here as part of the cycle of spiritual life. Spiritual growth into Christ-likeness is not a straight forward path. It is a cyclical path upon which we tread as we seek to be faithful to the one who loves us.

We center our life on the Triune God that we have come to know most fully in Jesus Christ. Then we seek to practice each core value (spiritual discipline) in order that it leads us to more fully practice the others. So as we practice serving, it will cause us to reach out, which will then cause us to welcome…and on and on.

The PCSA Book of Order puts it this way, we are to reach out by: "(3) participating in God's activity in the world through its life for others by: (a) healing and reconciling and binding up wounds; (b) ministering to the needs of the poor and sick, the lonely and the powerless; (c) engaging in the struggle to free people from sin, fear, oppression, hunger and injustice; (d) giving itself and its substance to the service of those who suffer; (e) sharing with Christ in the establishing of the his just, peaceable, and loving rule in the world." (G-3.0300.c.3)

The First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham is a community of the saints of God (yes you are a saint…you just don't get a statue) who are called to live out the Christ like life. I believe if we are willing to return again and again to our core values centered in the triune God we will find that we are indeed becoming that kind of community.

John

Growing: Our Sixth Core Value

The sixth of our core values is that of growth; through deepening our knowledge and love of God. In both our mission and focus statements we speak of education as a key element in our life together. We also state that we live the will of God. The two of these are inseparable. We cannot fully live the will of God unless we are continually growing through learning and then practicing what we learn.

If we return for a moment to the Gospels, the stories of Jesus' ministry, what we see is a great teacher at work. Jesus taught using parables, stories and aphorisms (short pithy statements). Jesus taught by referencing the Old Testament (Torah, prophets and writings). Jesus taught by demonstrating the values of the Kingdom of God in all that he did (forgiving, healing and ultimately dying on the cross). Jesus understood that for men, women and children to live into the kingdom of God there were lessons they needed to learn.

Unfortunately many of us have come to see Christian education (learning the stories of Jesus, the writings of the New Testament, the whole story of God's people in the Old Testament and how our Reformed tradition understands them) as a nonessential in our Christian faith. The stories which are intended to shape our faith and life are seen as being irrelevant because we have equated being faithful with merely being nice. Even the word "education" turns us off because it reeks of sitting in class being bored to death by someone who just drones on and on (if you know the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off think of the character played by Ben Stein). Even the idea of growth seems a bit odd considering that faith can be seen as no more than making a statement about Jesus when we are confirmed thus fulfilling our faith commitment.

So why then ought we to see education and spiritual growth as being important in our lives? The answer is blessing. By growing in knowledge of the Triune God we are blessed because we experience the love and grace of God more deeply each day, thus transforming our lives. By growing in knowledge of the Triune God we become capable of being a blessing to others by showing God's love and grace to a hurting world thus helping to transform God's creation. By growing in knowledge we grow in our love of God and neighbor thereby being the blessing we have been called by God to be.

The PCUSA Book of Order puts it this way, "The Church is called to be a sign in and for the world of the new reality which God has made available to the people in Jesus Christ." (G-3.0103.a) In other words God is blessing this world in Jesus Christ through the Spirit and the more we know and grow the more we become capable of being blessed and of assisting in God's work of blessing.

The challenge for us then becomes to make an intentional choice to grow (both for ourselves and our children) in knowledge and love of God. If you want to know more about how to do this speak to me, Amy or Cindy and we can help point you in the right direction.

John