Sermon - October 3, 2010

Pursuing Peace

Romans 14:13-19 and Matthew 15:10-20

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ October 3, 2010

World Communion Sunday with

Celebration of our Lord’s Supper and Dedication of the Peacemaking Offering

Introduction to Scripture Readings
Romans 14:13-19
This text is not ever included in the lectionary, which is a shame because this is a beautiful message of how Christians are called to live together in peace. Listen to Paul as he writes to the church in Rome.

Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. If your brother or sister is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Matthew 15:10-20
In contrast to Paul’s message of peace making with our brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus challenges his listeners and then his disciples not to think that following arbitrary rules of cleanliness will make a person truly clean when their intensions are evil.

Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

SERMON
The standard for cleanliness has changed through the centuries. Most of that changed with the discovery of germs and viruses. A Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis had his hospital staff wash their hands before attending to patients in 1840. He was trying to figure out if it made a difference in saving lives. In 1860 Louis Pasteur is discovers that bacteria causes illnesses. He is the first to call the bacteria "germs." 1892 Viruses are discovered by Russian scientist Dmitri Ivanovski. Soap is a great source for killing bacteria and removing dirt that can carry them and viruses. It has been around for thousands of years but not always valued for its ability to keep us clean, especially by little boys. Through modern science and marketing we have come to value and strive to live the proverb of “cleanliness is next to godliness.” But we also know a sparkling clean kitchen may look wonderful, but it does not tell us if the food prepared there will be great eating. Both Jesus and Paul are talking about ritual cleanliness. What makes us clean enough to approach God or be in communion with God. Jesus is challenging us not to just look superficially at cleanliness but to find what is life giving. What makes one worthy to come to the table of the Lord? – washing your hands seven times or forgiving your enemy seven times?

Pursuing peace is like pursuing cleanliness. It is a nice ideal, but does it have any meaning for the way we live our lives?

Presbyterians have celebrated World Communion Sunday since the mid-1930s. At that time North Americans were experiencing the economic upheaval of the Great Depression, and many were concerned about the instability in Europe and the possibility of another world war. A group of Presbyterian ministers met to pray and talk about the church’s role in such a time. Rediscovering the unifying power of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, they reaffirmed that in Christ all Christians are one, regardless of nationality, race, or ethnicity. From their meeting came the first World Communion Sunday in 1936. In the years that followed other denominations began to celebrate this special Sunday until it really is world communion Sunday. In the mid-1970s a later generation of Presbyterians, also experiencing a time of challenge revisited World Communion Sunday. Many were feeling a sense of urgency to work for peace. Thirty-one presbyteries sent overtures to the General Assembly asking that the church direct energy toward peacemaking. As a result, the 187th General Assembly (1975) commissioned the Advisory Council on Church and Society “to reassess the concept of peacemaking . . . in the light of our biblical and confessional faith.” The Advisory Council created a special task force… to study and prepare a report on peacemaking.

Members of the task force met, prayed, and studied, then came to the conclusion that peacemaking was central to the gospel and to the mission of the church, that it was at the heart of being a Christian, and that it ought to have priority in the church. Their work was a call directed at the inner life of Presbyterians to commit to work for peace individually and as a church. A commitment to peacemaking, though, would need to be reflected both in the structure and in the finance of the church so that it could be translated into action. The task force recommended creating a national peacemaking program and a special offering to fund the work of peacemaking… The 192nd General Assembly (1980) adopted the task force’s work, “Peacemaking the Believers’ Calling.” Thirty years later Presbyterians continue to work for peace and to receive the offering used to fund that work. (The task force also) recommend that the Peacemaking Offering funds be divided among every level of the church so that congregations, presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly’s program could all find creative ways to work for peace. That is why our congregation keeps 25 percent and has designated a variety of ministries that work for peace in our community to receive this gift. This year CODA was chosen. Its goal is to eliminate domestic violence. True peace making write here in Terre Haute.

It was that first task force that connected World Communion Sunday as an ideal time to receive the offering that would be used for peace work in the name of Christ.
But in thirty years what have we accomplished in our pursuit of peace? Is it just on the surface or have there been systemic changes in our communities? Should we give up because war and violence still rage in our world? Yet we have touched lives in the name of Jesus from Columbia to Korea. From domestic abuse to HIV/AIDS networks for change; we have made a difference. The pursuit of peace is a life long journey. It comes with terrible risks which our Lord and Savior bore on the cross. We remember his sacrifice and take up our cross to follow him.

The letter from Paul says put the needs of new Christians before our own. Jesus continues to challenge us as his disciples to make more than just surface changes. Here we come to the communion table and consider how we are serving the Prince of Peace our host. We know we come to the table as God’s children. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.” This bread is a gift of grace that says God has not overlooked us or our neighbors. No matter what gender, race, political affiliation, ethnic background, sexual orientation or any other human boundary divides us; Jesus has called all to this table. It is a table of reconciliation. God searches our innermost thoughts and loves us. Eating of this bread is accepting this wondrous gift of God’s love and believing that it will make a real difference in our lives. At this table we ask who else might this bread feed? Have we exclude people from this table? This bread of life is not a scarce commodity to be jealously guarded or eaten only in times of crisis. God's banquet table is abundant; there is more than enough to invite others. Come to the table, receive this bread and be reconnected with God, receive this cup and be reconciled and whole with one another. Make peace real in your lives and in our world. Shalom, Salam, Mir, Paz, Pax, Heiwa, Peace.

Resources:
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00923/germs.htm
See: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/specialofferings/peacemaking-offering

Matthew 5:9
Rev. Todd Weir, bloomingcactus.typepad.com, November 21, 2005