As many of you know, Dana and I like to do a little bird watching. Birds are fascinating and they have a lot to teach us. One of the coolest things about birds is what they call a “murmuration”. The only birds that do this are Starlings . . . a species of bird of which we have plenty of here in Montana.
Don’t know what a “murmuration” is? A murmuration is the flocking and flying together in perfect formation . . . it is the swooping, diving, and wheeling through the sky in wonderful shapes and patterns. You never forget one once you’ve seen it. The first records of the word murmuration come for the 1300s. It is derived from the Latin word murmurare, meaning “to mutter,” “to make a gentle sound,” “to roar,” or to “grumble.” The word murmur is thought to be based on onomatopoeia, which is the formation of a word by imitation of sound. Again, if you have ever witnessed one you will remember the sight and sound of it.
Scientists believe that murmuration is a visual invitation to attract other Starlings to join a group night roost. One theory is that spending the night together keeps the Starlings warmer as they share their body heat . . . plus there is safety in numbers.
So, what does murmuration have to do with anything outside of avian science? And why are you hearing about it in worship this morning . . . does it have anything to do with faith? Well, remember that I said that birds have a lot that they can teach us.
As we have climbed further into the Easter season, we have heard stories in our scripture readings about the encounters of the disciples with the resurrected Jesus. This morning we are moving down the road a little further as we hear a story about the earliest form of what we might call a “church” . . . or the gathering of Jesus’ followers. As you heard the story, I would ask you to consider the faithful’s actions. I would propose that what we witness in that story is a murmuration . . . a heavenly murmuration. It was a flocking together of Jesus’ followers for the purpose of well-being and safety.
The writer tells us that they were all together . . . held everything in common . . . took care of one another . . . worshiped together . . . gathered together to break bread with one another . . . praised God together. It was a flurry of motion and emotion. A murmuration . . . a calling for those who follow Jesus to come together. Then the writer tells us, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” It was a heavenly murmuration.
There is safety in numbers . . . and there is strength in numbers. We know of the contentious times leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. We know of the motives behind those in power to smash Jesus and the movement he started. It was a threat to disrupt everything and to change the way that things have always been done . . . it was an affront to the establishment of the time. And it was one that the Romans would gladly put an end to if it was perceived as an uprising against the empire. It was a statement, especially to those who were the followers of Jesus . . . it could happen to you, too!
Because of this it is no wonder that we hear all these stories about the followers having a difficult time embracing the resurrected Jesus. It was a tenuous time . . . there was the threat of death. But, as I said, there is safety in numbers, strength in numbers. It should be no surprise then that the followers began to flock together. They flocked together to study, to fellowship, to break bread, to pray, to take care of one another. Together chose to live as Jesus had lived . . . to love God . . . to love one another. Around and around, they spun . . . and others joined them. The movement grew.
We are living in an age in which the “church” as many of us know it is crumbling . . . some would even say that it is dying. Statistical research confirms this as we have seen a shift from the faithful to those who claim themselves to be non-religious. Mainline and even evangelical churches are shuttering their doors because fewer people than ever attend worship on a regular basis. Research shows that only 27% of adults in the United States have attended a religious service in the last month. The church we are familiar with is changing . . . maybe even dying . . . but whatever is happening, what we can agree on is that this is not what we expected. We feel as if we are losing grip of our faith as a body of believers and as individuals.
Where are the answers we seek?
Well, I say look to the birds . . . look to the early movement of Jesus’ followers. In what is “old” we can discover the “new”. We need a heavenly murmuration!
There is a lot that the writer tells us in our reading this morning. The writer tells us that the followers of Jesus gathered together to study and learn about the teachings of Jesus that the apostle shared. In a like manner we, too, should be engaged in study and discussion of Jesus and his teachings . . . after all, he said it was all there to those who would listen. It is in such activity that we find our commonality . . . find our foundation . . . and discover our purpose as individual and as the family of God.
The early followers gathered to share life . . . they fellowshipped with one another, worshiped with one another, broke bread with one another. They worked together . . . pooled their resources . . . had everything in common. The purpose was to build relationships . . . to discover their different gifts and how they would work together to be the “body of Christ” as the Apostle Paul called it. To work together to fulfill that second part of Jesus’ challenge to love . . . to love one another, to care for one another.
The early followers prayed . . . prayed individually for one another, but also prayed together. They entered into conversation with God desiring to want to know God’s will . . . God’s direction . . . God’s assurance and presence.
The early followers flocked together. Weaved themselves together. Found warmth . . . found safety . . . found strength in their togetherness . . . found meaning in their coming together. And others witnessed the beauty and intricacy of their movement and were drawn into the murmuration. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” In a movement inward there explodes a movement outward. It is birthed through a desire to love the Lord and to love one another.
A call to heavenly murmuration is not a call to draw into oneself for self-perseverance . . . not for survival of that which makes us comfortable and safe; but it is a call to dive into what seems to be a chaotic flocking but is actually a divine dance of the Spirit calling us to come together as the family of God. The family of God that believes and lives with the foundation of Jesus’ teaching and witness of loving God and one another . . . of taking care of one another . . . of being good stewards of the family of all of God’s children. Of being people of the resurrection . . . of new life . . . new beginnings.
That is the invitation of Easter.
We all can learn something from the birds. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment