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What is God’s purpose for your life?
Sermon by Andrew Plocher May 20, 2007, Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill 1 Kings 8:54-61 Philippians 4:1-9
Big question, huh. And how do we answer it? I mean, there are so many different things that go with purpose: love, relationships, care, compassion, labor and work, the betterment of society, financial gain, good looks, the ability to juggle torches, and even the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Okay, maybe not all of those, but it seems kind of hard to tie down what the answer to that question is. After all, you probably still have papers to write, math problems to solve, gossip to spread, sports and music to be practiced and sleep to be had. There isn’t really much room for big questions is there? Well, not so long ago in my life I had too much to do, too. Seriously. And I balanced everything with wisdom, wit and the help of file folders, calendars, and my handy-dandy laptop. I was the king of the realm that I lived within. But there was something missing in there. I was running around, trying to be as wise and knowledgeable as humanly possible and you know what? I forgot something! I forgot that I’d asked the question that I started with this morning. Somewhere in the statistics and cell phone calls I’d forgotten that there was a question still waiting to be answered! The question about what I was supposed to be doing! Now many of you probably figure that I quickly answered the question and got on with the busy life that I was leading. Unfortunately, I’m not that bright and the answer didn’t really seem to help me very much. You see, the answer to the question can be found in the Study Catechism for our beloved Presbyterian denomination. Ah ha, the confirmands say, that’s where it was from! But the answer, oh the answer. The answer is quite short: “God wills that I should live by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the love of God, and in the communion of the Holy Spirit.” But what does it mean to live by grace, love God and be in communion with the Holy Spirit? Now, at this point I’ll let the confirmands finish my message by offering the definitions we discussed in class…. Just kidding. The challenge of living as Christian disciples and understanding the first question of the study catechism is not exactly an easy one. The TV shows we watch offer entertainment, and maybe a little character building, but when it comes down to it J.D.’s social narrative from Scrubs, Seth’s self-discovery in the OC, Rory’s self-confidence in the Gilmore Girls, or Dr. Wilson’s compassion in House aren’t really connected to one another. They don’t connect to faith, and more significantly they don’t connect to community. We may hurt with them, laugh with them, and even cry with them, but they do little to support us when we’re asking what our purpose is. I mean, how do we even comprehend a community that was built around living with the despised, giving up the things we value the most, and following our leader to death on a cross. It’s not exactly the most glorifying and lovely world view. It doesn’t fit our cultural norm, and forgive me if I’m wrong, but it’s probably not what most of us feel we sign on for by joining the church. Yet, even though it’s not, and the pop culture of Grey’s Anatomy doesn’t strengthen our understanding of God, I think there is something important here. What I ask of the confirmands today, and of all of us here, is to consider what and how we DO engage the community we call the church. It is an old community, older than the building we’re in, older than the United States, and older than our history books normally go back. Yes, it is a community that has been formed and reformed through the last two thousand years, and at the heart of that community are the answers to the catechism question. You see, when I was wandering in the busy and stressful world, carrying the weight of the world upon my shoulders, I forgot that there were people carrying the weight with me. I forgot about the communion of the Holy Spirit and all the people in the church: that together we walk with human challenges and frailties. And I’d forgotten that I loved God and that God loved me right back. Okay, I didn’t really forget, but I’d put it on the back burner, suspecting that maybe God loved me the same way society did: the better I did in school, the better I performed, the more work I got done, the 80 plus hour work weeks, that I could earn God’s love. But by question three of the catechism it’s pretty clear that we can only love God because God first loved us, and in question eight God’s love is described through the power of Jesus Christ on the cross: the grace of Jesus Christ, the self depriving love given to us, is a free gift. Nothing I do will earn me that gift: a gift of life and incredible love. Somehow I’d forgotten that the question isn’t just for me, but for all the world. And when I forgot that, I forgot that other people could support my questions as we collectively listen for God’s answers. I forgot that the question isn’t about fitting a mold and succeeding in the life of the sitcoms, but succeeding in the life of a community. Answers are usually easier to deal with in community- I mean, wouldn’t math tests be easier if you could all help each other? Or imagine taking the SAT around a dining room table, getting to bounce sentence structure off of each other? The community of the church, the followers of Jesus Christ, are a mixed up lot. They are as different as humanly possible. It all started as a group of fishermen, tax collectors, students, addicts, prostitutes, religious zealots, liars, doubters, and betrayers. And now, my dear confirmands, you are part of that blessed community. The community has grown, and now includes lawyers and doctors, presidents and queens, scientists and writers, fast food workers and billionaires but it is still a community widely diverse and full of questions, struggles, and successes. And at its core, it is a community that continually seeks to answer the question of purpose. You see, whether we believe with vigor or with hesitancy, with energy or weariness, we are accepted into this community of Christ. No one is turned away. In the reading from Philippians today, we heard about Paul asking the Philippians to take care of the women from his community that he was sending to theirs. And after he reminds them to care for one another, he adds a bit about what they should do. He says, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and heard and received in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” You see, what they do as a community, what they learn from one another, there in the community is the peace of God. There, together, they find the answer to the question. Today you join one of the oldest institutions in the world. It has had its challenges and its stubbornness, but as a movement of people and communities has created powerful positive change. You join a community committed to asking the big questions and struggling with them, to walking with Jesus as best we can, and to entering into communion with one another. Whether it is at a church picnic or fellowship, a concert or class, feel free to ask those around you how they answer the big questions. Before Solomon raised the blessing and prayer that we read today, he asked a lot of questions. Celebration, worship and questions all are part of who we are as the church. Asking questions, answering questions, and living in between them is the challenge of our community. For those of you that saw the framed “thing” in my office, it is signatures of all the people that attended my ordination. They are but a few of the names that have been part of communities that have supported me, guided me, and allowed me to ask big questions. In a certain way, I surrounded myself by the people I wanted to be like, the people that I admire. Today, and in the years to come, look around and see the faces, the names, the people that support you and that you admire. They see yours and count you among their support and community. Together the gospel, the good news, moves forward, and the hope of purpose, of love, grace and communion forever belong to us. Thanks be to God. Amen. |