Diversity in extremis!
Series: Welcome home | Bible text: Luke 18:9–14 and 21:1–4
How different we are! Welcome home! That sounds like a pleasant home. It sounds like family. Let’s be honest! Aren’t we a bit too full of words when we really realise how different we are? Back then, when Jesus was with us on this earth, he also looked into the churches. Again and again. It wasn’t in churches, it was in the temple, where the service took place.
I warmly welcome you to our service! «Welcome home» – with this promise I greet those of you who are awake and those who are still a little tired. The humorous, the not-so-humorous, the enterprising, the «Stubehöckler», the courageous, the fearful, the young, the not-so-young, the sports enthusiasts, the avid readers, the gamers, the hobby gardeners, the joggers, the bloggers, the made-up people, the «Gebotoxten», the 6päckler… I could go on and on!
How different we are! Welcome home! That sounds like a pleasant home. It sounds like family. Let’s be honest! Aren’t we a bit too full of words when we really realise how different we are? Back then, when Jesus was with us on this earth, he also looked into the churches. Again and again. It wasn’t in churches, it was in the temple, where the service took place. I would like to record what he saw there in two reports:
Story 1: The Pharisee and the Publican
«Now he told this parable to some who were convinced that they were pious and righteous, and despised the others: Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed within himself thus: I thank thee, O God, that I am not like other people, robbers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this publican. I fast twice a week and tithe everything I collect. But the publican stood afar off, neither would he lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner. I say unto you: This man went down to his house justified, and not that man. For he that exalteth himself shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9–14 LU).
Story 2: The sacrifice of the poor widow
«He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. But he saw a poor widow putting two mites* there. And he said, Verily I say unto you: This poor widow has put in more than all of them. For all of them have put in something of their abundance for the offerings; but she of her poverty has put in all that she had to live on». (Luke 21:1–4 LU). *Value of a 1 räppler; smallest Hellenic copper coins.
Both stories illuminate extreme positions: In the first story, there is a self-righteous Pharisee at one end, and at the other end there is a guilt-ridden tax collector who would prefer to crawl into the ground in shame. In the second story, it is rich, generous donors facing a mouse-poor widow who throws her last rake into the offering box. In both stories Jesus makes a comparison that actually only he can make and that is because:
- he knows all our prayers that we address to God.
- only he sees into the hearts and wallets of all.
Even then, the people to be found in the house of God were extremely diverse. Jesus has a lot to say to the proud Pharisee: «It shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant; and whosoever will be first among you, let him be your servant». (Matthew 20:26–27 LU). There is a second word from Jesus on this subject:«For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted». (Luke 14:11 NGÜ). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us to stop judging others. We should not forget that others will treat us the way we treat them. We should stop getting upset about the mote in our neighbour’s eye when we ourselves have a beam in our eye. Let’s deal with the mud in our own eyes first! One day in the temple, Jesus also observed the giving behaviour of many rich people and a widow who was poor as a mouse. What does Jesus say about this? All giving is to be done discreetly. We should not make a fuss about it and hang it on the big bell just to be admired by others. Then we would have already received the reward. No: «What you give shall remain hidden. Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you». (Matthew 6:4 NGÜ). This is a good rule in the church, that neither the preacher nor the church leadership knows who donates how much, but the treasurer alone. In the same chapter Jesus also says that we should not lay up treasures of perishable things, but lay up treasures in heaven. For where our treasure is, there our heart is also. You can tell where your heart is when you ask yourself what is most in your mind. I am convinced that these two stories are highly topical at all times, not only because of the issues they address, but because we become aware that many opposites are also at home in our congregation!
Contrasts are challenging
This makes our togetherness highly interesting and exciting, but also challenging.
- Some are faithful and regular worshippers, others are occasional worshippers.
- Some are reliable and versatile employees, others cannot or do not want to pitch in
- Some take time to meet after the service, others disappear as quickly as possible.
- Some appreciate the value of a small group, others like to believe solo
- Some talk more piously than others
How do we manage to create a homely home as such different people than seetal chile?
Jesus is responsible for unity
The first and greatest thing is that Jesus considers himself responsible for bringing about this unity. Before he left this world, he prayed for all those who were already believers and who were yet to come to faith:«I pray for them all to be one, as you and I are one, Father – that they may be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, and the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me so that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me, so that they may all be perfected into unity. Then the world will know that you have sent me and will understand that you love them as you love me». (John 17:21–23 NL). I believe that the heavenly Father has heard the prayer of His Son Jesus Christ. Isn’t this fact staggering? No matter how different we are, unity, connectedness and mutual love is possible through Jesus Christ. This oneness is not dependent on what you are and have, or on what you are and do not have, but this oneness is given to us by Jesus when we place our lives under his lordship. His gift has supernatural quality because Jesus wants the same unity with us and among us as the one he has with his heavenly Father. Jesus is also aware that the completed unity will only be achieved in heaven. But the unity with Jesus, which is already given to us, already has glory quality here. It is the best of the best! Jesus has a great concern with this: That the world recognises in us Jesus, whom the heavenly Father sent to this world for them. That the world recognises in us how much God loves us and them.
All this sounds so beautiful, but why is it sometimes so difficult for you with certain people with whom you share your faith? Where is this gift of unity? You can approach different opinions, different lifestyles and different beliefs differently: You can be conceited about your knowledge and opinion; you can be conceited about your lifestyle and belief style, or: you can appreciate and love the neighbour next to you in his difference, with his different knowledge even despite his naughtiness. Are you sometimes also as impossible as me, but Jesus loves me anyway?! Hermann Bezzel described Christian community like this: «Christians carry one another even when it seems unbearable, understand one another when it is almost impossible to understand; love one another because they suffer together and pray for one another until they love one another». Can you see it that way too? Do you have trouble with the «Müller«who also comes to your small group? Do you not like to come to the service because then you might be the «Meieri» encounter? Why don’t you pray until you meet the miller and the «Meieri» love! Not easy until you can safely leave them on the left!
What signals are you sending out?
No one expects you to have a good relationship with everyone in a congregation of this size. But it is crucial what signals you send out. When you send out the signal: «I don’t really care about you«then this is not only fatal and completely wrong, but simply not in the style of Jesus, who dwells in you with his love. Live more with the and from what you have in Jesus Christ! I recently read the following saying in a status: «Every person has three lives. A private one, a public one and one that others make up.». How do you think about others here in the congregation? For us Christians, we should examine more how we think about others. We should talk less about others. But we should do much more with talk to others and love others with all your heart. That would be the lifestyle of a good home!
Our contribution
What else can we contribute for a good coexistence? Jesus gives us another tip in the Sermon on the Mount in the Beatitudes:«Happy are those who strive for peace, for they will be called children of God». (Matthew 5:9 NL). A few verses later, Jesus describes how important it is for us to forgive one another. It is even vital for us to survive when Jesus says:«If you forgive those who have done evil to you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive you either». (Matthew 6:14–15 NL). The forgiveness of Jesus that we experience makes it easy for us! Aren’t we all glad and thankful when we don’t have to carry around old burdens! The church is one body. Christ is the head, and all Christians are members. No member hangs in the air. Even what is as close to you as your socks – they are not members. Limbs are only the parts of your living organism. All parts of a body are valuable! But they are not all the same! They are as different as we are in this room – and that is good! Togetherness as Christians as Jesus asked us from his heavenly Father will inspire us all – and moreover, it makes us credible in public! Welcome home! Amen.
Possible questions for the small groups
Read the Bible text: Luke 18:9–14 and 21:1–4
- What opposites would Jesus juxtapose today?
- What challenges you most about the quote from H. Bezzel?«Christians carry one another even when it seems unbearable, understand one another when it is almost impossible to understand; love one another because they suffer together and pray for one another until they love one another».
- What does sending out positive signals mean for you in practical terms?
- How can the unity and love that Jesus gives us flow from us better?
- List more things that could be our contribution to unity in the community!
