The Rev. Carol S. Wedell  

Friday morning, as I was mulling over this morning’s reading and trying to focus my thoughts, the phone rang.  It was Kitty Borchert, the stated clerk of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve.  As a quick refresher course for all of you, “Presbytery is a corporate expression of the church consisting of all the churches and minister of the Word and Sacrament within a certain district…..The presbytery is responsible for the mission and government of the church throughout its geographical district.” (Book of Order, G.11.0100 –G. 11.0103).  For us, that geographical area runs from Ashtabula to Lorain and from Cleveland to Medina. 

Kitty had agreed to speak to our Sunday morning Adult Education class in November, as we explore what it means to be Presbyterians in 2006.  We had asked her to talk about a report that was received and adopted at the most recent General Assembly of our church (that’s the national meeting, which occurs every other year).  Kitty is personable, knowledgeable and passionate about the church, so we were looking forward to her time with us.

She called to tell me that as Stated Clerk of the Presbytery (the one responsible for interpreting church law), she thought it would not wise for her to do so, at this point.  You see, there is a fair amount of unrest within our denomination (and within most denominations, for that matter).  Currently, a number of churches within our presbytery are “making noises” about leaving the denomination, and are withholding their monetary support to the presbytery.  There are a host of issues, but the lightening rod is a portion of the report about which she was going to speak.  The receipt of several letters around this topic this week suggested to Kitty that as stated clerk of the presbytery, she should avoid public forums where her own personal views might be solicited.  So she will not be speaking to us in November.

Although she is working to find a substitute from a neighboring presbytery, I am saddened that Kitty will not be with us.  I firmly understand and support her decision, but I am saddened that she had to make such a decision.  I am saddened that the denomination in which I serve is likely on the brink of some painful divisions.   I am saddened by the kind of language and accusations that come from too many who follow Christ. Truthfully, I don’t think any of us know what will happen within the Presbyterian Church, USA or within our local presbytery.

Interestingly, I believe our reading from the gospel of Mark this morning offers a helpful perspective.  This is a tough passage, full of hard sayings.  I think it would be a safe guess that it is not on anyone’s “favorite Bible passage” list!   Jesus uses extreme exaggeration to make his point.  Yet the issues which are raised seem very contemporary; and worth struggling with.

There are three distinct sections in this passage, which at first glance seem unrelated.  I had more or less decided to simply focus on one of them, when I discovered a common thread linking them together.  From a variety of angles, the disciples (and by extension, we) are being challenged about the ways in which they relate to other believers, especially those who may not be a part of their group.  Jesus is redefining the relationships between believers.

This passage follows Jesus’ comments last week about avoiding elitism.  He is still speaking in rather strident words to his disciples, about how things are in the kingdom of God, and about how those who follow Jesus need to treat one another.  The disciples are upset because someone outside of their little band of followers has performed an act of power in Jesus’ name.  “Hey, Jesus, we told this guy to cut it out, because he wasn’t one of us!”  Notice that they didn’t say, “Because he wasn’t following you.”  (As if this man needed authorization from the disciples!)

But this man is not in their particular group, and the disciples don’t like it.  They want no competitors to their status as students of Jesus.   They fall into a familiar trap:  they want to restrict salvation to their group alone.   The disciples seem more interested in checking credentials than in helping to bring God’s kingdom.

Just like last week, Jesus turns common wisdom upside down.  “Don’t you dare stop him!  For whoever is not against us, is for us!”  Jesus sanctions the man’s actions whether or not he’s a part of the club.  In this declaration, Jesus draws a very wide circle, including as many folks as possible.  As Stephen Ford has put it, “Jesus neither needs nor wants bouncers guarding the door to the grand feast he is initiating.” (Christian Century, September 19, 2006, p. 19). 

Jesus makes it clear that if someone makes any small gesture of mercy in his name, something as small as offering a cup of water to someone who is thirsty, then he is counting that person as his own. “Membership” as a follower of Jesus isn’t about belonging to a particular group, or about having a particular and “right” set of beliefs, but rather about extending compassion in Christ’s name.  When we are working the rules, rather than working for the kingdom, we’re going down the wrong path.

Using hyperbole, overstated exaggeration, Jesus also reminds the disciples that all of their actions affect others.  If they do anything that causes another follower of Jesus to “stumble”, that is, to be diverted from the path of discipleship, God will be none too pleased.  They need to wake up to the fact that their behavior has consequences, for themselves and others.

How tempting it is to think that my actions affect only me!  Yet the decisions that you and I make on a daily basis affect countless others.  What we choose to buy, where we choose to live, what we choose to eat, the way in which we speak to others, the way we spend or invest our money, how and what we choose to drive, the sites we visit on the internet and how we attend to our health are not neutral decisions.  Every action has a consequence.  We shouldn’t assume that the way we live our lives is merely a private matter.

To oversimplify, Jesus is reminding the disciples that their relationships to other followers are of critical importance. Jesus wants relationships within his realm to be totally different than those of the surround world.  One of my seminary colleagues, Jana Childers, says that Jesus wants the disciples, wants us, to imagine something different.  “What if the first aren’t first and the last aren’t last?  What if the dividing lines aren’t carved in stone?  What if the Kingdom of God is not so much about doors and walls and gates and hall passes?  What if the domain of God is organized by altogether different principles:  whoever is not against us is in, whoever gives a cup of cold water is in?” (Lectionary Homiletics, October, 2000).

You know, the current upheaval within the Presbyterian Church (USA) is not really anything new nor is it unique to us.  The story of religion is that it often divides the community, the nation and even the world – as we see all too readily.  Jesus’ first followers certainly didn’t seem to get along with each other. What we read of the early church in the New Testament suggests all kinds of arguments about who was in and who was out; about what qualified someone as a faithful disciple. 

For the last 2000 years, there have been more divisions within Christianity than we could even count.  In the past century, various gatherings of Christians have been divided over issues such as divorce, gambling, Sabbath keeping, card playing, watching movies, dancing, drinking, and smoking.  Looking back on most of those, we might shake our heads and see that in the big scheme of things, there wasn’t all that much to be fighting about.

In our time issues surrounding abortion, sexual orientation, ordination of women and biblical interpretation have been the most common sources of discord and division.  Those have been and are the issues which threaten to divide us.  Within the United States, Christians across the theological spectrum too often display a total lack of generosity toward each other.  Just watch the news or read the paper.

Our gospel lesson this morning challenges any and all of us who are tempted to deny the faith of someone who claims the name of Jesus, but may not agree with us.  Jesus redefines the terms.  There isn’t just one group that has it right.  There isn’t only one “correct” way of being Christian.  Jesus puts the emphasis on relationship.  Is it more important to be right or to maintain relationships with others who call themselves Christian?  And as we as Christians engage in an “in-house fight,” is it any wonder that others look at us and ask, “why bother?”

How do we get past the walls that so often divide us?  How do we demonstrate to the world the truly “good news” of the kingdom?  Our reading suggests that reaching out in the name of Christ in kindness is the source of our unity.  Any one who does any act of mercy in the name of Jesus – however great or small is affirmed and welcomed by Jesus. We sing, “we are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord….and they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

 It’s not about having identical, “correct” beliefs.  It’s about taking Christ’s love into the world.  While we are busy seeing that the hungry are fed we may discover some unexpected allies.  We may be surprised whom God may be using for God’s purposes!

Last June, in the Volunteer Village where the 18 of us on the mission trip stayed, it was readily apparent that the volunteers from across the country represented an enormous theological spectrum.  I would imagine that had we asked we would have discovered vastly different viewpoints on all of the “hot” issues.  But that’s not why we were there.  Our calling for that week was to go in Jesus’ name to rebuild homes in the Gulf.  And that’s what we did.  Working alongside others who claimed the name of Jesus, our mission wasn’t to convince someone else that we were right and they were wrong.  Our purpose was to extend a cup of cold water.

This morning, we will gather around the Lord’s table – along with millions of others the world over.  To be very sure, there are some major differences between those of us in this room, and those who will gather in other places.  But when we come to this table, we are making a major statement.  We are declaring that the One who unites us at this table is more important than any disagreement or division.  We are declaring that even when I may not like or understand someone, I have an obligation as a follower of Jesus to be in relationship with that person, so that together we might be a witness of God’s love to the world.  Gathered around the table this morning, let us witness to the unity we have in Christ.