Invited (John 1: 35-51)

1. Invited

Today is the 2nd Sunday of the season of Epiphany.

It’s the day before the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, when our nation honors the prophetic voice of justice of that great leader, whose crusade against the three evils of society - the evil of racism, the evil of poverty, and the evil of war - continues today.

Our church continues King’s work. Led by people like Disciples pastor William Barber and the Poor People’s Campaign, it’s more important than ever that we take a stand against the three evils King identified: racism, poverty, and war. 

Today is also a day on which three of our young people are at Loch Leven for long weekend of camping ministry with other youth from around the region. David, Rahail, and Rajal are up there - keeping warm, I hope - having fun, and growing in faith...

Our scripture today from the gospel of John is about an invitation.

John the Baptist said, “LOOK!”

Look!

That word - look - is an invitation. 

“Look! Here is the Lamb of God!”

Two of John’s disciples heard him say this, and they accepted the invitation. They looked. They saw. And they followed Jesus.

Jesus turned and saw them, and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

They replied by saying, “Rabbi, where are you staying?”

And Jesus said, “Come and see.”

Another invitation.

Come and see. 

1. From Nazareth?

One of those two disciples was Andrew. Andrew went and found his brother Peter, and invited Peter to join him in following Jesus. 

Another invitation.

The next day Jesus found Philip and said to Philip, “Follow me.”

Another invitation.

Philip then went to Nathanael and said, “We’ve found him! The one about whom Moses and the prophets wrote. It’s Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth!”

But Nathanael was skeptical. “From Nazareth, you say? What good comes from Nazareth?”

Nevertheless, Philip responded to Nathanael’s skepticism by extending the invitation to him. “Come and see,” he said. “Come and see.”

I’m intrigued by Nathanael’s skepticism. It’s skepticism that borders on prejudice. “What good can come from Nazareth?”

Well, Nathanael, what have you heard? What have you heard about Nazareth, that makes you so skeptical?

I imagine Nathanael hearing my questions, and responding with a look of surprise. “You don’t know? You haven’t heard about Nazareth?

“It’s a place from which nothing good ever comes. It’s filled with poor, uneducated peasants; and, worse, artisans! 

“And the Jews there - well, they’re different. They seem a little out of touch with Jerusalem, the heart of Judaism. You know what I mean?

“I’m not saying it’s all their fault. But the Messiah? From Nazareth? Really?”

I wonder to what extent Nathanael’s ideas about Nazareth are based on truth. I mean, Nazareth was a small, rather insignificant town. No one of real importance really claimed Nazareth as their hometown, because to that point in time Nazareth had failed to produce any real heroes. 

And Nazareth was a long way from Jerusalem. And the people there were among the poorest of the poor.

But certainly, prejudice also came into play. People from Nazareth spoke with a Galilean accent. Some of their religious beliefs and practices varied from what those who lived closer to Jerusalem believed and practiced. Their beliefs and practices didn’t differ nearly as much as the Samaritans did - the Samaritans practiced a very different form of Judaism. But the beliefs and practices of people in Nazareth were different enough that I suspect some closer to Jerusalem questioned whether those in Nazareth should even be considered real Jews at all.

I’m intrigued by all this. 

2. Not Convinced

Because it reminds me of similar skepticism and prejudice that exist today. 

On the one hand, we have some Christians - evangelicals, mostly - who are so quick to say that anyone who doesn’t follow their particular brand of Christianity and subscribe to their particular Christian beliefs, isn’t a real Christian. 

What? You don’t believe in a literal virgin birth? Then you’re not a real Christian. You don’t believe that the universe was created in 7 24-hour periods? Then you’re not a real Christian. You don’t believe that the Bible condemns homosexuality and abortion (but allows us to ignore the needs of the poor)? Then you’re not a real Christian.

I think the attitude of Jews in and around Jerusalem toward those living in places like Nazareth was similar.

On the other hand, there are many skeptics outside of Christianity who look at Christianity and say, “Can anything good come from Christianity?”

Someone says to them, “Look. We’ve found love. We’ve found hope. We’ve found truth.”

And they respond: “In the church? Nothing good comes from the church. Just look at history…”

“The church is a place from which nothing good ever comes. It’s filled with hypocrites, people who ignore science, and who cover up a long list of abuses. People in the church are out of touch with the real world. They claim to follow a peaceful, nonviolent messiah, yet are always calling for the nation to go to war. They protect those in power, rather than protecting those who are most vulnerable. They don’t even allow women to lead.”

I find it very hard to argue with them. 

Because they have an endless stream of historical examples to back up their argument.

Instead, I try to respond the way Philip did. 

“Come and see.”

Come and see what the church is doing.

3. Show & Tell

There are many, many examples of the church doing holy work, bringing wholeness to a fragmented world. 

There are many, many examples of people finding a genuine welcome in the church. I know not every part of the church does this well, but many parts of the church do do it well, and if you come and see, I can show you.

I can show you people preparing food for the poor and the hungry.

I can show you programs giving people a chance to thrive, even in positions of leadership, when no one else would take a chance on them.

I can show you genuine friendships that extend across generations, and across differences of race, and where else do you see that in our world? It’s quite remarkable, really.

I can show you many small churches combining resources to respond to disasters all around the world. Because they are so small, each one doesn’t feel like they are really doing a whole lot, but together, what they are doing is actually quite significant, and is making a huge difference in thousands of lives.

I can show you young people finding a home, a family, a place where they belong, a place where they feel lifted up and not torn apart, a place where they feel their broken lives being put back together, and discovering a true purpose for their lives.

I can show you old people finding friendship and companionship among a community of people who will not forget about them the way society often forgets about old people.

I can show you people praying for and working for an end to those three evils Martin Luther King, Jr. talked about; the evils of racism, poverty, and war. In fact, church people are calling out the flagrant racism of the republican party, and calling out the democratic party for not talking about poverty in their debates.

Come, and see.

Come and see for yourself what God is doing through the church today.

4. Come and See

The truth is, we’re not very good at saying, “Come and see.” It feels like bragging, if we’re talking about our own work. It feels like intrusion, because a lot of people don’t want to hear about religion. 

And we’re afraid people might get the wrong idea, that we’re only saying “Come and see” because we want more butts in the pews and more checks in the offering plate. 

And, we’ve been taught to be humble. To walk humbly, to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord. 

And, yes, we do know that God calls us to go into the world, and not just try to bring people in to the church...

But we need to remember that what takes place in the church is often a glorious sign of hope that people are desperately longing for. Faced with the brokenness of the world, it is hard to have hope.

There is so much hope alive and present in the church - who are we to deny that hope to others by not sharing the news of what God is doing through the church? Multiple times, visitors have expressed delight at finding hope and affirmation by attending one of our worship services. 

And if we extend an invitation to “come and see,” pointing to what God is doing through us, how God is using imperfect people like ourselves, people who still have a lot of learning to do, people who still make mistakes… 

Then it’s not really bragging. As it’s been said before, it’s more like one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread. It’s more like one desperate person showing another desperate person where to find hope. 

In fact, it would be rather selfish of us to not extend the invitation, to keep all that bread and all that hope for ourselves. It would be rather selfish of us to not say to others, “Come and see.”

Other people and organizations have no problem saying, “Come and see.” Every fourth post on my instagram feed and my facebook timeline is actually someone who has paid money to basically say, “Look! Look at me! Look at what I’m doing!”

Churches like ours don’t have a huge advertising budget. But guess what? Neither did Jesus. For him, it was pretty much all word-of-mouth. One person said to another, “Come and see,” and that person then said to someone else, “Come and see.” 

They didn’t even try to explain it all. Maybe they felt they didn’t even understand, completely, what was going on.

They just said, “Come and see.”

Next week is our congregation’s 74th anniversary. It’ll be a small celebration, nothing too grand, but still, it does seem like a good time to invite someone to come and see.

Come and see what we’re all about.

Come and see what Jesus is all about.

Come and see that there is a God who loves you very much, accepts you, welcomes you, affirms you - no matter who you are, or how many times you’ve been rejected in the past.

Come and see that when life is difficult and challenging, that there is still hope to be found.

Come and see that, in the midst of the brokenness of life, there is one who is always present, always working to make you whole.

Come and see that there is a community of people intent on bringing that wholeness to others, bringing healing to the world.

There is so much skepticism in the world today in regards to the church, and much of that skepticism, we have to admit, is appropriate. When people present arguments against the church and against the religion, it’s hard to present any good counter arguments.

But we can say, “Come and see.”

Sermon: "Come and See" (John 1:35-46)

One year ago this month, I led a group of youth and young adults on a 10-day cultural immersion trip to the island of Oahu. We spent half our time there involved in various service projects, and half our time taking part in experiences to learn about the culture and people of Hawaii.

We were so blessed to be hosted by some amazing people who were members of Christ Church Uniting in Kailua. The hospitality they showed us was second to none.

One of those church members was Paul Brennan, the president of the Kailua Historical Society. He worked with us several days, showing us some ancient temple ruins that he and others were working to restore, and leading us in our own restoration work, clearing brush and litter from historically significant sites. He showed us the locations, showed us what to do, and - while we worked - told us wonderful stories about the history of the land.

It was also Paul who connected us with Hoʻokuaʻāina, where we worked in the muddy kalo loi that I’ve told you about before.

There was also Lauren Medeiros, a member of Christ Church Uniting who is also one of the chaplains at Punahou school in Honolulu. On our first day in Hawaii, she met us at Magic Island to witness the arrival of the Hokulea, the first canoe built using traditional polynesian methods in 600 years. It was returning from a 3-year, around the world voyage, and it would be an understatement to say that Lauren was excited share with us one of the most significant moments in modern Hawaiian history.

A few days later, Lauren led us on a tour of Punahou school, which is a very large, prestigious, and historic school for children in grades K-12. Punahou was founded in 1841 on lands given to Christian missionaries by Hawaiian chiefs. It’s the school Barack Obama attended when he was growing up in Hawaii.

Lauren also arranged a visit with her father, Eldon Buck, who served as a missionary in various places throughout Micronesia. He told us all about his work there, which was fascinating for someone like me who didn’t even know the difference between micronesia and polynesia.  We visited him in his apartment in Kaneohe, which was filled with trinkets and memorabilia from all his missionary work. It was like stepping into a museum.

Another one of the church members, Paul Hewlett, said to us after worship, “would your group like to join me canoeing in outrigger canoes?”

Um, YEAH!

So he took us. He was part of a canoe club called The Fossils, all men and women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, who go canoeing. He invited us to join them one day, to canoe in the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Hawaii.

Before we actually put our canoes in the water, they patiently taught us how paddle, listening to the instructions called out by the person in the front of each canoe. And even though it was quite a workout - The Fossils are serious about their canoeing! - it was magnificent.

All of these adventures were made extra special for us because these church members didn’t just spend a few minutes in a room telling us what we should see and do. They invited us to go with them. “Come,” they said. “Come and see. Come with me. Let’s do this together…” They became our guides, our companions.

We had a lot to learn about Hawaii and Hawaiian culture, but they didn’t belittle us for our ignorance. Instead, they offered us an invitation. “Come, and see.”

That’s what Jesus said when two of John’s disciples wanted to know more about Jesus and his mission. Jesus didn’t say, “well, it’s about this, and it’s about that…” Jesus didn’t say, “Well, you should do this, and you should do that.” Jesus said, “Come and see. Come walk with me. Let me show you.”

One of those to whom Jesus made this invitation was Andrew. Andrew accepted Jesus’ invitation. He followed Jesus.

Andrew told his brother about Jesus - his brother, Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter.

...The next day Jesus found Philip. He said to Philip, “Follow me. Come with me. I want to show you something…”

Philip accepted the invitation.

Philip knew a guy named Nathanael, and Philip said to Nathanael, “Hey, we found the guy Moses talked about, the Messiah; he is Jesus, Joseph’s son, and he’s from Nazareth.”

But Nathanael was consumed by the prejudices of his day. He sneered, and said, “Ha! What good can possibly come from Nazareth?”

Oh, those darn prejudices. They were alive and well then, and they are alive and well today. We’ve all had encounters with prejudiced people. If we’re honest, we’ll even find some prejudices in ourselves.

How do you respond when you encounter a prejudiced person? A person like Nathanael?

When you say,

“Hey, I know a great person who happens to be a Muslim...”

And they say, “Ha! Can any Muslim be good?”... How do you respond?

When you say, “Hey, have you met our mayor? He’s the first Latino and first openly gay mayor of Long Beach.”

And they say, “Yeah, right.”... What do you do?

When you say, “Hey, do you know about our church’s General Minister? She’s an African-American woman named Teri Hord Owens…”

And they say, “Ha. Women should not be preachers...” how do you react?

It’s so tempting to argue with prejudiced people who say things like that, isn’t it?

If Philip had argued with Nathanael, he might have said something like this:

“What do you mean no one from Nazareth is good? Have you ever met anyone from Nazareth? How can you be so prejudiced! You need to get over yourself. Your attitude is what’s wrong with this country.”

...But arguing like that rarely does any good. The other person gets defensive, and if anything, ends up even more convinced that they are right and you are wrong.

...In this story, Philip does not argue with Nathanael. He does not get defensive. He does not insist that he is right and Nathanael is wrong.

Instead of arguing, he just says,

“Come and see.”

It’s an invitation - the same invitation Jesus offered. It’s non-threatening. It provides an opening…

That is the way of love.

Now, you may say, wait; isn’t it necessary, sometimes, to prove that we are right and they are wrong?

The apostle Paul has an answer to that. Paul wrote that love does not insist on its own way. Even if love is right - and love is always right - it does not insist on its own way.

Instead, love is patient, and love is kind, and love does not insist on its own way. You know that passage, right?

First Corinthians, chapter 13:

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful…”

This doesn’t mean that love is happy with prejudice, or hate, or injustice. In fact, the very next line in that passage specifically says that love “isn’t happy with injustice, but is happy with the truth.” It’s just that the truth needs to be expressed… with love. And sometimes - maybe all the time - the best way to express the truth with love is to simply say, “come and see.”

Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and see.” The invitation isn’t always accepted; but Nathanael did accept Philip’s invitation. Nathanael went and saw. He saw Jesus. Then he followed Jesus. He learned from Jesus as one of Jesus’ disciples.

The psalmist accepted a similar invitation, and encouraged others to do so. “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” is what the psalmist wrote. That’s in Psalm 34, a psalm praising God for God’s goodness. The psalmist praises God and talks about how good God is; and here, in verse 8, it’s as if the psalmist says, “but don’t take my word for it… come, taste and see for yourself.”

The invitation is made. “Come, taste and see. If you want to know more, if you have questions, then come and see for yourself. Come, and I’ll show you. I’ll be your guide. And we can discover the truth together.”

Visually speaking, this is not one person out in front, leading the other. It’s a walk, side-by-side. We follow Jesus, yes; but at the same time, he’s walking beside us, not in front of us. He’s walking with us. We’re walking together.

This week, Roseanne Barr made a racist comment on twitter which quickly got her show canceled. And in social media, people have been arguing back and forth about this.

And I can’t help but think that none of this arguing has done any good.

Roseanne Barr has a history of making anti-Muslim, anti-Black comments. If she were here today, I don’t think anything I could say would change her views or erase her prejudices.

But I can extend an invitation to her, to all people, to come and see. Come and see a kingdom proclaimed by Jesus; Come and see a kingdom where differences of race and religion and gender are overcome; come and see a kingdom where all people live in unity and love, welcoming and affirming one another as the children of God they are.

It’s a kingdom where the blind see and the lame leap for joy. It’s a kingdom where the poor are lifted up and the meek are empowered. It’s a kingdom where black lives matter. It’s a kingdom where LGBTQ youth find acceptance. It’s a kingdom that shows hospitality to immigrants and refugees. It’s a kingdom where people from all nations are welcome, not a kingdom where one nation is lifted up above all others. It’s a kingdom that values and protects God’s wonderful creation. It’s a kingdom where people don’t fear one another, but truly love one another.

The kingdom is good. The kingdom is holy.

Come. Let us together taste and see how good it is.

Come. Let us together taste and see what life is like in the Kingdom of God.

Christmas Day Sermon (John 1:1-14)

Christmas Message

Thank you for being here today. What a unique opportunity to gather and worship God on a Sunday morning that is also Christmas Day. I can’t imagine any place I’d rather be to celebrate the birth of Christ than among the body of Christ in worship.

This is also our last Sunday worship of 2016. But the scripture we just heard is the same one we heard on the first Sunday of 2016. On that day I preached about the importance of words. The scripture reminds us that it was by God’s word that the universe was created. “In the beginning was the Word, and all things came into being” through the Word.

I said then that God uses words to create, but humans often use words to destroy. God said “Let there be light,” and there was light. God spoke the word, and it happened. Creation, by a word.

But the words humans use aren’t always so creative. Quite often, the words humans use are destructive. Bullies use words to slander and ridicule others.

It just so happens that, in the wee hours of the night last night, I had a conversation with someone who had experienced just that. I had got up in the middle of the night for a drink of water, when I heard a noise. I stepped outside, and - I kid you not - there was a sleigh hooked up to a bunch of reindeer! I know, right!

I went up to the first one, who had a bright red nose. And he told me about how he used to get picked on and bullied. He said to me, “all of the other reindeer used to laugh and call me names. I’m different, you see.”

I did see. It was hard not to see. That nose was so bright. And all the other reindeer, he said, didn’t think that was normal. So they used their words to try to destroy Rudolph’s spirit.

Rudolph said: “I felt so terrible. I even thought about ending it all. But then, one night, the big man himself - Santa Claus - looked at me, and he saw my bright red nose not as something to make fun of, but as a gift. He even affirmed and welcomed me and my nose. And he said to me, ‘Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?’”

Rudolph then told me how good that made him feel, that Santa didn’t just want his help despite his red nose; that Santa didn’t just want to tolerate what made Rudolph different. Santa celebrated it. Santa affirmed it. Santa saw the diversity that Rudolph represented as a gift and a blessing!

And for Rudolph, I think that made all the difference. And it made a difference for everyone else, too: Once Santa saw Rudolph’s nose as a gift, all the other reindeer learned to love him; they even shouted out in glee!

Just like Santa affirmed Rudolph and his uniqueness, so does God affirm each one of us in our uniqueness. And God does that through Jesus. Through Jesus, God especially affirms those who have been cast aside by society. God chose to become not just any human, but a human who came from a poor family in a town that others looked down on. And all his life, Jesus identified with the poor, with those who had been forgotten, with those who had been ridiculed and bullied and made fun of.

And this took place so that every person who has ever had words used against them in an effort to destroy them might know that God’s only desire is to love them and affirm them and lift them up. Not in spite of what makes them different, but because of what makes them different.

And that is why Bixby Knolls Christian Church is an open and affirming congregation. We don’t just tolerate our differences. We celebrate them. No matter what your race, your sexual orientation, your gender identity, we celebrate and affirm the gifts you bring to the body of Christ. And we will do everything we can to use our words to create and not destroy. Because that, we believe, is the way of Christ, the one whose birth we celebrate today.

"So It Begins..." (John 1:1-18)

All the gospels tell the story of Jesus.

And they all start… at the beginning.

But “the beginning” is different for each of the gospel writers.

The first gospel written was Mark. Mark’s “beginning” includes an introductory quote by the prophet Isaiah, and moves right in to the work of John the Baptist.

It makes sense. That’s a good place to begin, with the prophet, and the forerunner.

Matthew and Luke were written about a decade after Mark. They go back further to an earlier beginning. Matthew starts off immediately by mentioning Abraham, the father of – well – everyone, and then moves into the story of Jesus’s birth.

The first name to appear in Luke’s story is King Herod, but after describing the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus, Luke then includes a geneaology that traces Jesus’s family tree back to Adam, the son of God. It’s almost like Luke is trying to “one-up” Matthew; Matthew went back to Abraham, so Luke goes back even further, to Adam.

But the prize for the beginning that comes before all other beginnings goes to John. John’s gospel begins with words and phrases that deliberately draw the reader’s attention to Genesis, chapter one.

The first words of Genesis, the first words of the entire Bible, are: “In the beginning.”

“In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.”

Each day of creation in Genesis begins with the phrase, “And God said.” It is by God’s word that the heavens and earth were created.

 So when John writes, “In the beginning,” the reader immediately goes, “A-ha! He’s referring to Genesis.”

“In the beginning was the Word…”

The Word? Yes! The word by which the heavens and earth were created. God spoke the Word… God said “Let there be…” and there was!

We sometimes forget how important words are. Words are incredibly powerful. And yet…

We’re careless with our words. We throw them around like cheap confetti. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says, “On the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Maybe we should pay a little more attention to words.

Words used carelessly can cause terrible damage. Just consider all the people who say they are Christian, and then act in un-christianlike ways. They are judgmental, they are racist, they are unkind, they lack compassion… yet proudly boast that they are Christians. When a person does that, the world associates the words “I’m a Christian” with thoughtless, uncompassionate, unkind behavior. Those words they speak are damaging to the body of Christ. They bear false witness against the God of all people, the God who loves all people. They destroy the church, and they destroy people’s lives.

Words are powerful. And they can be used either for good or for bad.

The heavens and earth were created by God’s Word. God’s Word is so full of truth, that the minute the word is spoken, whatever was said becomes real. It’s almost like casting a magic spell, where the power of the spell is in the word… God said “light,” and instantly, there was light.

God said “oceans,” and oceans appeared. God said “creatures,” and creatures appeared. There is no discrepancy between God’s Word and God’s actions. Word and action are one in the same.

People today say, “Don’t talk the talk unless you can walk the walk.” Too many people talk without walking. They speak, but their actions contradict what they say.

Not so with God. Word and action are one. Whatever is said is real and true.

Imagine if, every time we spoke, we understood the incredible power of words. Imagine if, every time we posted a comment on social media, we understood the power of words. If you read comments online, you’ll find a lot of unkind, rude, inflammatory words; bullying and name-calling and personal insults.

All words have power; the power to create or destroy. And lives have been destroyed by the careless, thoughtless, and downright mean words that people sometimes use when communicating with each other.

A few weeks before Christmas, 12 year-old Daniel Gutierrez of Clovis, New Mexico, was found by his father hanging in a closet at home. His father said Daniel tried to commit suicide after being bullied at school. 911 was called, and Daniel’s father began CPR. Daniel is now recovering, although it’s likely there is some brain damage.

That’s the power of words that are unkind and hurtful.

If ever we’re tempted to be careless with our words, John reminds us: it all began with a word. The Word. Certainly, the Word is important enough that it gets a definite article. And a capital ‘W’ in our English translations.

Because the Word is truth. The Word is wisdom. The Word is God’s creative power at work.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Think about that: the Word was God. God’s Word and God’s actions are so united that the Word is God.

Then John says: “He was in the beginning with God.”

So, rather quickly, the Word went from being a “thing” to being a “person.”

This is not where we usually find the Word. The Word usually appears on the pages of a book. A book like the Bible. We often say that the Bible is the Word of God.

But John says no; the Bible is not the Word of God; the Word of God is a person. Scripture testifies to the Word, but it is not, itself, the Word of God.

The Word was in the world. This Word became a person, became flesh, and lived among us.

Now, if you were a person reading John’s gospel in the time it was written, you would certainly be familiar with the gods of ancient Greece. John’s gospel – like the rest of the New Testament – was written in ancient Greek.

And the ancient Greek gods lived on Mt. Olympus. Did they ever come down from Mt. Olympus and live among the people, as mortal humans, their feet on the ground, getting dusty and calloused, eating and drinking like otherhumans and enduring all the limitations that humans endure?

No! In the world of ancient religions, this idea that the Word-that-is-God would become flesh and live among us was quite radical.

John’s gospel doesn’t talk about Jesus’s birth. He doesn’t need to. He makes the same point as Matthew and Luke with their birth stories, although in a different way. In the baby Jesus, we see the love of God expressed. We see the Word of God in action.

It would be one thing if God just talked about love. But to truly show love, God became human. God’s Word became a child born into a troubled world, a fragmented world.

And in that troubled, fragmented world, God’s Word spoke of wholeness. He restored people to wholeness. He challenged those who prevented people from finding wholeness in their lives.

Today, the church is the body of Christ. This means that God’s Word finds its expression through us. The Bible guides us. The Spirit guides us. But we are the body of Christ. We are God’s Word in the world today.

Which brings us back to the importance of words.

Think about the people who are making headlines these days, all because of the words they speak. Often, they are inflammatory words. Racist words. Words that divide people. Words that put people down rather than lift them up.

In short, they are words that contribute to the brokenness of this world, words that keep people from finding wholeness.

But we are called to be a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.

That word, wholeness: in Greek, it’s sozo. It appears a lot in the New Testament, often on the lips of Jesus.

In the Bible it is translated in different ways: wholeness, healing, being made well, salvation.

When Jesus talked about saving people, what he meant was restoring them to wholeness. Making them well.

“You are healed; your faith has saved you. Your faith has made you well. Your faith has made you whole again.”

The message we have to proclaim is the same one Jesus proclaimed. To all those whose lives are broken, who lack wholeness, we speak this Word of truth: no matter what people say, God makes you whole. God welcomes you into his presence. And God invites you to join in the work of bringing wholeness to others.

It doesn’t matter if you are white or black, gay or straight. It doesn’t matter what your gender identity is. It doesn’t matter if you are autistic, have mental illness; it doesn’t matter if you got poor grades in school or have a poor credit record. It doesn’t matter if you are old or young, male or female.

God’s Word is for you. God’s Word dwells within you. It is powerful. It is truth.

For you are a part of the body of Christ.

Through Christ, the Word is in you. Use it wisely.

Through Christ, the Word is in us.

All of this is reflected in our denomination’s identity statement. The Word that brings healing and wholeness is in us.

We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table, as God has welcomed us.

It’s a beautiful statement of who we are, and what we are called to do. May God’s Word be alive in us, in 2016, and for many, many years to come.