Bad Influence

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 15th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 12:49-56
“Bad Influence”

I do not know about you but the words of Jesus seem pretty inflammatory and not really in character. They are exactly the sort of words that those will ill intentions could use to prove that Christianity is a religion of war and violence. “I came to bring fire to the earth,” and “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” How do we explain that away? What are we supposed to do when the person we call; “The Prince of Peace,” claims his mission was NOT to bring peace on earth?
The truth is that the whole concept of division makes no sense at face value. We love to believe that Jesus is welcoming and bringing people together. But this notion of division cannot be easily dismissed. Division can come in many forms. Out of this passage we can justify the belief that only “we” are the chosen ones of God. But this interpretation, while tempting to some, is not the Jesus we come to know in the Gospels. But what then are we to do with division?
A clue to what might be going on is to look at the framing of the parings. Jesus is not saying that he came to bring division among people of different faith or nation. Jesus did not say he came to bring division between neighbors or communities. The division that Jesus brings is in families and more specifically among generations. Look closely at the divisions and it comes in a family. Mothers and daughters, Fathers and Sons, mother-in-law, and daughter-in-law, each one of these pairings provide a specific familial and generation struggle.
Frankly, this does not provide us any better ground on which to stand. At the heart of the passage is still this issue of division and division between generations. However, it is a story we actually know well. Today there is a great deal of struggle between the generations and the church needs to study these carefully. There are seismic changes afoot, from the political, economic, religious, and cultural landscape. If you look at the generational attitudes on race, politics, gender, sexuality and economics, it is clear that our world is not going to look the same in a few short years. Most of the arguments that dominate the headlines under the topic of the “cultural war,” do not matter to those under forty-five. In other words, the culture war is over but those most vocally fighting just do not know it yet.
These changes, as changes often do, have led to a backlash of fear and anger. This is true inside as well as outside the church. So what does that mean for us? How should we respond? The first thing to remember is that this sort of seismic shift is not new and it will not be the last. That does not mean we can put our heads in the sand and believe the church has always and will always be around. While that is true, the church as we know it, is an endanger specie and will not last.
On a more accessible scale, right here at Westminster, it means that we need not just to recognize our differences in all its forms, but to investigate what they mean. Everyone is not the same nor do they have them same experiences, understandings, tastes, desires, and hopes. When we worship, some of us believe worship is a solitary quiet experience that is well ordered so that speech is to happen at “proper” times. Others feel the movement of the spirit and are moved to respond in speech or with clapping. There has to be a place for all these expressions of faith. Each comes from a deep spiritual well that needs to be acknowledged, and welcomed so that each can exist in side-by-side. In doing so we can move beyond the surprised look that gets interpreted as condescension of lack of welcome. We have to listen and share with one another.
However, with all the talk of change, the good news is that many things have, and will, stay the same. At the heart of our faith is the sharing of meals, study of scripture, serving others, being generous with our resources, and worshipping God. While the shape and form has been in flux for two-thousand years, the content has remained the same. As we face these new seismic shifts we need to make this our central focus. Being disciples is our sole responsibility and our calling. And when Jesus talks about bring division; I believe it has everything to do with the flexibility of shape and the constancy of content. He knows that divisions will arise and we need to figure out what is essential and what is worth our energy and passion. Jesus says, look out… every generation is going to come along and stir things up. Our job is to make sure they get the content. Worship, shared meals, scripture, generosity and service. Change is coming… let us make sure we have a hand in passing along the most enduring parts of our faith and not another example of generational strife. That is the best of what Westminster really is all about. And for that, I give thanks and say: Amen.