One of the highlights of church camp back in Nebraska—which I understand
is also one of the highlights of the camping experience at our own church camp
at Cane Ridge West—is tubing down the river.
I know that here in Montana it is not called tubing, but a “float”. There in Nebraska we would load the kids up
in vans, haul them up to the community of Burwell, portage them there on the
Calamus River, and then head back to camp where they would eventually end up. It was a blast to just float down the river,
enjoying the sun and scenery. And, that
is what was done . . . floating using the river’s current and flow. It did not take a whole lot of effort on
anyone’s part because everyone was going with the flow.
Now I know that every summer the Hs take a “float” down the Yellowstone
River from Columbus to either Laurel or Billings . . . and, I know that they
have a blast. It is one of the
highlights and joys of the summer . . . just going with the flow, floating down
the river. But, I wonder how popular
that annual adventure would be if B were to suddenly announce that the trip was
going to be from Laurel to Columbus . . . I think B might end up taking that
trip by himself. That would be going
against the flow . . . against the current.
It would take a lot of hard, tiresome work to get from Laurel to
Columbus going against the flow of the Yellowstone River.
We all know that it is easier to go with the “flow” than it is to go
against the “flow”. One involves just
floating along, while the other involves lots of hard work. The letter to the Hebrews was pastoral one
encouraging this group of believers to hang in there despite increasing
pressure from the broader society to conform to their ways. The society in which this particular congregation
was based was pushing for uniformity and conformity of those who called
themselves followers of Jesus . . . they wanted them to quit going against the
flow. The writer of Hebrews is
encouraging them to hold on.
This pastoral letter of encouragement ends with what are a set of
ethical teaching. A set of teachings
that form an interconnected series about how to live as a community of faith in
an indifferent or even hostile world.
They provide practices that set the community apart from the broader
culture. They are the means to go
against the “flow”.
Our reading this morning is marked by several key practices, of which,
the first mark is the foundation to the rest.
That mark is love. Of course, as
the followers of Jesus, we already know how much he emphasized love . . . did
he not tell everyone—including us, today—that we are to love God, love our
neighbor? Did he not tell us to do
everything in love? Because of this,
none of us should be surprised that the writer of this letter begins with love.
“Keep
on loving each other . . .” As a
community of faith, we are called to love one another as a family loves its own
. . . we are to nurture and strengthen our relationships with one another.
But, the writer—like Jesus—sees that it is not enough to have internal
love amongst the followers . . . it is not good enough to just love one
another, and the heck with the rest. No
. . . the writer extends that love beyond the walls of the community of faith
to include loving those on the outside . . . to love those on the borders of the
church and society. Love that is based
on hospitality . . . based on welcoming . . . inviting. The followers of Jesus, despite always going
against the “flow”, are never meant to wall ourselves up as a distinct group
that is separated from everyone and everything else. No, it is called upon to be hospitable . . .
welcoming . . . and, inviting.
This is that idea of being in the world, but not of this world. In other words, Jesus calls the shots for us
. . . through his words, teachings, and actions—not the world. We are to do God’s will as demonstrated by
our Lord and Savior Jesus. Which often
times puts us going against the flow . . . we are kind of like that one shopper
at WalMart that insists on going the opposite way in the aisle.
Another mark is that of showing care in times of distress. One of the means of any society to get people
to change and march to the same beat is to punish them . . . to lock them away
. . . to torture them. This was happening
at the time of this letter being written, followers of Jesus were being
imprisoned and tortured . . . they were suffering. Here the writer underscores the depth of
compassion by telling us that we must not ignore those who face difficulties
and hurts, but that we must journey with them . . . that we suffer with them .
. . that we let them know that they are not alone . . . to let them know that
we care.
Fidelity . . . fidelity—honoring the ties that bind us—is the next
mark. Though it would seem that the
writer is only concerned with honoring the bond that is marriage, it means more
than just that. We are to live up to
that which we profess to believe . . . our words and actions are to be
congruent . . . are to be one and the same.
Next comes contentment . . . contentment with what we have. We are not to get caught up in the race for
“bigger and better” or more than the Joneses in order to feel safe and
secure. Rather we are to trust in God’s
promises of presence and protection through the journey of life . . . remember
that will never desert us in the journey of faith. “The Lord is my helper; I will not be
afraid. What can man do to me?” To have God is enough.
Loyalty and constancy are the fifth mark . . . we are to remain loyal and
constant to our faith in God through Jesus.
We are to remember those who have come before us . . . remember their
example for us of how and what it means to be faithful. And, we are to remember the ultimate example
of what it means to be loyal and constant in faith . . . we are to remember
Jesus who “. . . is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
The last mark is worship . . . worship based on thanksgiving for the
blessings and gifts of God’s presence in life . . . worship that is open to receive,
and also give . . . worship that reaches out to use that which God has gifted
and blessed us with . . . to fling wide our hands and arms to not only receive
the love and grace of God but to give it to others. It is a worship that goes beyond the walls of
the church to the way that we live life each day. It is to infuse all of life.
Thus it is that the way that we love one another, love the stranger,
care for those in crisis become a form of worship. In our sharing that reflects our trust in God
rather than possessions, we are worshipping God. In our faithfulness to our words . . . our
covenants . . . and, in remembering those who have gone before us, we are
worshipping God.
Thus it is that the writer of this letter to this particular
congregation . . . and, to us . . . is encouraging everyone who follows Jesus
to hang on . . . to keep on going against the “flow”. We are to embody this way of life . . . this
way of living—not because we have to, not because the writer says to, but
because God’s grace and love will transform and empower us. God, through Jesus, has shown us a new way to
the kingdom . . . a way that may seem to go against the flow of the rest of the
world around us, but a way that brings to us confidence. God will take care of us even as we go
against the flow . . . God will take care of us. For this we should offer our praise and the
witness of our lives . . . we should worship.
Amen.
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