The Epistle Lesson Galatians 3:23-29
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be reckoned as righteous by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
Sermon Text
Here we are, at the end of this long road. It has been four short years, and yet in those years we have achieved much. The Spirit of the Lord is at work, and the Spirit of the Lord will not be quenched. For my final message, I wanted to look at Galatians and see just what God asks of us in being born again in Christ. Firstly, though, I wanted to go back to the beginning, to the first message I shared with you all. On July 4th, 2021, I concluded my sermon like this:
“We must love Christ, and not only do so with our words, but in our every action. Christ calls us today, asks us to love him with all that is within us, and if we truly wish to say that we do. We must then take a step out from ourselves and care for this broken world. The flock is all around us, let us tend it well.”
For you Temple folks, our first message together ended like this:
“This is the day that the Lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Today, and always, Methodists are one people, and we will show the world what power that unity can bring.”
Service, Unity, and the particular Methodist configuration of a Charge – these ideals are foundational to the work of the Church. Each of them helps us to live out the love that Christ has given us, called us to embody, and sent us out into the world to become in every way we possibly can. We are one people, we are sent to love and care for all people, and we are given a story to tell the nations that can change everything for everyone.
We talked recently about the way in which the Pentecost removed barriers of separation between the people of the world, but ultimately the Pentecost was a single moment in history. Though the Spirit continues to work within us, the particular miracle of glossolalia which allowed the disciples to preach to people of all nations is not a common manifestation of the Spirit’s power. Something deeper than miraculous translation has to shape how we as Christians live out our calling to be one people. We have to become a family.
Every person who calls upon the name of Christ is no longer primarily identified by their circumstances or background, but by God’s parenthood over them. Through Christ’s work we have been made into children of God, siblings therefore of Christ. The Spirit has taken hold of all who believe, transforming people from all times and places into one people, Christians are siblings in the same divine family. This truth should transform every aspect of our lives, because like all aspects of the Gospel it demands we see things differently than we do now.
Paul was a radical about his perspective on Jewish and Gentile relations of the early church. Though he was an observant Jew, and Acts tells us he maintained his devotion to Judaism his whole life, he was willing to allow far more latitude than others did. While saying his Judaism was, “an advantage,” he also saw it as a secondary status to his identity as a follower of Christ.[1] Likewise, he saw little issue with former pagans maintaining some of their practices, as long as they did not cause other people to mistake them for pagans.[2] This contrasted the decisions of the Early Church in various circumstances, who took more moderate stances on some of these issues.
Yet, most radical of all was Paul’s assertion that every aspect of a person was secondary to their faith. “Man or woman? Who cares, they are a Christian. Jew or Gentile? Who cares, they are Christian. Slave or free? Who cares, they are a Christian.” We could augment this in our daily life in a thousand different scenarios, but the truth remains the same. For the Christian, looking at our siblings by their secondary characteristics should be treated for the ridiculous thing it is. We are all one in the faith, all united as one family, why do these other features matter?
The world, of course, does regard people by their race, their language, their background. Indeed, the Church is not forbidden from celebrating differences in our midst either. I can tell you that the Thai Baptists I knew were very different form the African Methodists or the Black Baptists, but all were Christian. Primarily and fundamentally, they were people of God. I could celebrate the fact each brought something unique to the family of God, while not ranking them based on which I found most palatable to my sensibilities. All were equal in dignity before God, and all of them had something unique to offer to the Kingdom.
Acknowledging that the Church, in all its diversity, is still one people united in God’s family naturally changes our perspective of other people too. It should not shock you, but the truth that unites all of us as Christians is freely offered to everyone. Therefore, all people can have a place at the table of grace, and therefore we are called not to regard anyone as more significant than anyone else. James puts it well, saying, “My brothers and sisters, do not claim the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory while showing partiality.” In his context, James was talking about treating rich, respectable people, as more important than the poor. In our own life though, we show favoritism is so many ways.[3]
We are such a bisected culture, dividing over everything we possibly can. We cannot live in such a way, especially not in the Church. Yet, we are as factious as anyone. I saw at General Conference how people lied and ranted and railed to try and tear down the church, and I came home to people trying to do the same thing in Clarksburg! Differences of opinion on implementation of policy is natural and good, but what we try to do in our infighting is fundamentally wrong. Whispers convey more questions and rumors than frank and up front conversation brings truth. Hatred brews in the judgmental eyes we cast across sanctuaries and across aisles – literal and political.
The future of the Church must seek to end hierarchy outside of administrative necessity and it must acknowledge diversity as real, present, and necessary. We as a Church have members who are gay, who are straight, who are trans, and who are cis. Why not see in that the work of God bringing us together to something more? We have people of various political leanings. Why be silent on our diverse opinions, when we could in love work for a better future for all, through honest discussions with one another? Everyone in this pavilion, everyone who will receive this in a letter, who will read it online, all are called by the same Spirit – God has called us all to be one family together. I think we should embrace that family identity all the more, to see no more difference between ourselves, and to in all things, prioritize the divine image within one another, above and beyond any artificial distinction of merit or worth we have invented.
Christ has called for an end to difference, not that we all become uniform, but that we all become one. I hope that these churches will continue to embody a future focused upon that idea. Put your arms out, embrace your neighbors, and find that all of them have something deep inside – the image of God imprinted upon their hearts. Let the Spirit flow from you to them, uniting you, strengthening you, and ultimately saving us all. Let today, the end of one era of the church, mark the birth of a wider, more lovely one. Let today be the day we commit ourselves to greater love, to greater service, to be the family of God in every way we can. – Amen.
[1] Romans 3
[2] 1 Corinthians 8
[3] James 2:1-13
Teach us to Number our Days 