Sermon by the Rev. Bernadette M. Hartsough
August 1, 2021
“What sign are you going to give us so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?” These are the questions the people asked Jesus after he just fed them bread and fish. What more will you give us? Give us something tangible that we can hold on to. Jesus tries to explain to them that HE is the one. He is the one to hold on to. Jesus is the bread that perpetually feeds us. In a world where people put their faith in money, cars, houses, celebrities, magicians, sorcerers, zombies, and ghosts, we are reminded that Jesus is the ONLY sign that we need.
Ephesians picks up on this theme as a model for the church. Jesus is the head-the focus-the sign. The purpose of the church is to share Christ’s story and to be his body in the world. That is it. But you already know that. You have heard me preach this many times.
In today’s readings, Ephesians goes on to describe what a church with Christ as the head looks like. It is united in its diversity. Yes- united in its diversity.
Before I go into details about diversity in the church, let’s talk about the word diversity. The word diversity has become a politicized word. For some groups it instills fear. A fear that others who are different will corrupt our children, take away our jobs, and change our life. Fear that others who are different will take away our way of life. These fears are based on an uncertainty and a lack of knowledge about others who are different. Other groups see the word diversity as a label for non-white groups. The word diversity is promoted as a way to provide opportunities to those who have had limited opportunities.
Diversity is not a catch phrase or a political slogan. Diversity is what creates a strong, vibrant, community of faith. In the Early Church, Paul had Jews, non-Jews that practiced the Roman religion, and non-religious people. The world in the first century was very diverse. Many languages were spoken all over the Roman Empire. Food, cloth, and other items were transported all over the ancient world. The Early Church had people from different types of households, different economic statuses, and different cultures. It was composed of diversity, and it was constantly changing. If the Early Church was to function and survive, diversity and unity must work together. The same is true of the church today.
The theme of unity and peace that Paul describes is a very Greco-Roman theme. Roman emperors were famous when they brought years of peace to the empire. Rome was united under certain codes of moral behavior and of worship to the Roman Gods -especially the emperor. The emperor was seen as the bringer of peace and unity. He was head of the empire. The writer of Ephesians took this idea that was central to the Roman Empire and rebranded it for the Early Church. for Christians, it is Christ who is the head. It is Christ who brings peace and unity not the emperor.
Let’s look at how that works in the church specifically, how we are united in Christ through our diversity. Diversity in the church strengthens the individual members and the body of Christ.
We all have different gifts. We discover our gifts as we pray, study scripture, and interact with others. We can only become our true selves, who God created us to be as we live in relation to others. Because we are all different, I learn about myself through you. You learn about yourself through me. There are parts of ourselves that we cannot see. We can see traits in others that they cannot easily see. We see passions for ministries, gifts of organization, gifts of hospitality, gifts of compassion etcetera. The list could go on and on. We can also see less desirable traits in others that they cannot see. We learn how to communicate and to live with these traits.
The early church knew this was not easy and we know it is not easy. Sometimes we bump into each other. We step back and learn and try again.
In the church, unity occurs when spaces are created where diversity in life and practice is honored. Unity requires that we do our own gifts not someone else’s. If we try to do it all, we are taking away the space that others need to share their gifts. We are preventing them from connecting to the body and from growing in the body. If you don’t share your gifts, you are preventing others from learning from you. you are leaving empty spaces. It can lead to a church that is stagnant and it can stunt the growth of the church. It is a fine balance. As we grow and transform, we change the body of Christ. This transformation overflows into the world to start the beginning of God’s kingdom. Creating spaces for others leads to a stronger, unified church.
WE decide as followers of Jesus to create these spaces and to live this way. One of the hardest things that we do is to balance our life to create these spaces. We live in a world that rewards people who are busy and who can do it all. People who want to fill all the spaces and don’t make room for others.
We are not called to do it all. We are called to share our gifts. We are called to make space for others. Others that are different. Others with different lives and different gifts.
At St. Thomas’s Non-Food Pantry ministry, I see many people from this church share their gifts. Some people help with organization, some with computer skills, some create items to give away, some people use their gift of hospitality. Watching the interactions is like glimpsing a small piece of the Kingdom of God. During August, the Non-Food Pantry will be creating a space to share a meal with the community. It is a chance for us to open our doors a bit wider to create more space for others. A chance for a little more hospitality, a little more compassion, and a little more diversity. I hope that you will consider sharing yourself and your gifts during our hotdog socials.
This is how we are church. This is how we honor Jesus as our head. This is unity in diversity. This is how we start to build the kingdom based on Jesus.