Called for a Purpose

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
January 21st 2007

Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Called for a Purpose”
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; I Corinthians 12:12-31a

Over the last few years there have been many people and many churches which have studied the book The Purpose Driven Life. Rick Warren, the pastor of the Saddleback Church in California, has seen his popularity soar as a result. Those who have read the book have done so for many reasons ranging from curiosity to simply a hunger for deeper meaning in life. At the height of its popularity, people in the church were I was serving asked me to lead a study of the book.
Though I did not admit it at the time I was not particularly enthusiastic about the request. At the time I knew little about the book so I prejudged the book unfairly. And, after a bit of prompting, from the senior pastor, I agreed to teach a course on the book. The results of our study were rather surprising. As we worked our way through the book something began to happen. Many of the participants were well versed in the Bible and actually looked to see how the author was quoting the bible. Many of them became frustrated by ways in which many bible passages were used out of context in order to fit whatever point he was trying to make. In other words, the overwhelming response was that it seems the author was more interested in proving his point than helping to illuminate the stories of our faith.
I do not share this story to condemn the book or the author. In our very self-centered culture, the book points out the simple truth that God has created us for a purpose greater than ourselves. Our study of the book was also a catalyst for greater faithfulness and service. However, the greatest value of the study was the way in which it pushed each one of us to read the bible more closely. It was a reminder of our responsibility, as people of the book, to know what the book really says.
In our reading from Nehemiah, the people of Israel have returned from exile. Many problems arise as they seek to create a new community from the ashes of the past. One of the great barriers was that so few people knew anything about the past, the history or even the Law of Moses. It became evident to the leaders of the community, particularly the priests, that in order to understand one’s identity as people of God that the people would have to re-learn the stories of their faith.
The whole community gathers in one place and has a day long bible study. From morning till night the Law of Moses is read and interpreted so people would understand. The people listened intently and in response worshiped and cried. After years of living in the heart of the Empire and living as an oppressed people they begin to hear that they have been called to be the people of God. At the end of the day, after hearing the Law, there is a great celebration and a feast where even those who have nothing are welcomed and fed. A new day is dawning, the ways of Empire no longer have the last word and the people have reason to celebrate.
At the heart of both our passages is theme of identity and calling. When Paul writes to the church in Corinth he is dealing with a different set of problems, but the same theme. The community of faith in Corinth was an extremely diverse place. The community of believers was composed of Jews and Greeks, Slave and Free, Male and Female, Poor and Rich, Wise and Simple. It was also a community which experienced a good deal of conflict. Factions had grown up and loyalties were divided around different leaders, including Paul. The issues of legalism and lax morality too threatened to divide this diverse community. In this letter there is a message for all diverse community of believers.
Talking about unity in diversity has almost become trite in our world but Paul’s words bear repeating. The image that he uses is that of a body. We are the body of Christ. It is not simply rhetoric it is a central theme for this diverse community. When people argue about who is welcome and which traditions must be followed, Paul says: we are all one in Christ but we don’t need everyone to act the same way. God has given each of us different gifts and abilities with which to serve. Paul makes it clear that a homogeneous community is not what was intended. A diversity of people and gifts is a necessary in order for the community of faith to truly be the body of Christ.
Paul even goes on to say that one cannot be a Christian alone. No part of the body can say: “I have no need of you.” We cannot be the church with out all the parts of the body. This includes those who believe they have few gifts to offer. Every year when we fill out our time and talent pledge forms I hear many who believe they have nothing to offer. However, Paul tells us:
On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker or indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this.
We are each an important part of the body of Christ and vital to the health of the community.
I am ever more convinced that for us to remain faithful to our calling we have to understand more clearly our identity as children of God. Like those exiles who returned hungry to know who they were, we live in a time where there is much confusion about the Christian faith and our Bible. A few years ago I was floored when I heard the President refer to the United States as, “A light that shines in the darkness.” I thought; doesn’t our brother in Christ realize that this is heresy? The light that shines in the darkness is not the United States but Jesus Christ? Later in that same year when the reverend Jerry Falwell said “God is pro-war,” I was amazed that no one bothered to remind him about Jesus teaching about violence in the Sermon on the Mount.
While these are clearly extreme examples it does point to the need for the followers of Jesus to embrace our identity and to really know the stories of our faith. We are indeed created for a purpose greater than ourselves. However, if we do not know the stories of our faith or we do not allow ourselves to be formed by those stories, we can fall prey to those who would use our faith for less than holy purposes. But far worse than that is this reality; without the stories of our faith that tell us we are all valued as a part of the body of Christ we can fall prey to the messages which tell us that our value comes from the color of our skin or nationality or gender or sexuality or the size of our bank account or even our education. We are all part of the body of Christ and are called to a higher purpose. So, what are your gifts? Where is God calling you to share your gifts, in this place and in the world? Let us continue to seek to live in such a way that builds up, and gives glory to the whole body of Christ. Amen.