For some reason, Kileen (a swimming coach) and I have been watching mostly the swim races during the Olympics. We could talk about the amazing feats of the individual athletes like Katie Ledecky and forget about the community of people behind the scenes that helped them get there. We could talk about 58 year old Zhiying Zeng who made her Olympic debut in table tennis, or ping pong. We could talk about the opening which many citizens of our nation were offended because they didn't know the history of the Olympics and Greek mythology. And then were offended again to find out that Christianity wasn't at the center of the world games that preceded Christianity by 8 centuries. Let us talk about the hundreds of athletes who are the best from their countries who compete at the highest level and whether they win or lose, they congratulate and console each other, showing how to be humble and how to be compassionate and loving their neighbor. The love and respect and camaraderie among the athletes is truly a joy to behold.
For far too long, most denominations of churches, including ours, have put a premium on numbers. How many numbers are in the worship service each Sunday, how many members or families does the church have, what is the budget? As a career minister, I often pay attention to those more than I should. What we should be focusing on more is how we are following in the footsteps of Christ, where is the Spirit leading us in this day, this week, or this year? The questions we should be focusing on more is who is our neighbor and how can we help, and how is God asking us to grow?
Paul writes in this letter using the word, "one", in verses four through six, seven times. He emphasizes that we are one, in God we are one, and there is no separate categories. Paul often gets characterized as misogynic as there are verses in his letters that denigrate women. However, he is talking about both men and women in saying that we are all part of one body in these verses. I would like to take us back to the beginning here in the two creation stories of Genesis. In the first poem of the seven day creation story, humans are created together, male and female, with no distinction. In the second creation story centering in the Garden of Eden, to find a helper, the human is put to sleep. The word that has been translated from Hebrew, miṣ·ṣal·‘ō·ṯāw,, for generations has been referred to as a rib. However, in all other instances where that word is used in the Bible, it has been meant half. So instead of man being put to sleep and, using a rib, woman was created; the human was put to sleep and man and woman were created, fully half of each other. Paul, here, is talking about both men and women that: 'some are called to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of minister, building up the body of Christ.'
In a country which has more people identifying themselves as non-religious than any faith community, it is important that we continue to grow in our love of neighbor and of God. It is necessary for us to be able to show and articulate why worshiping and following and loving a God who we claim as creator and sustainer is a good foundation upon which to build our lives. We do this not so people can go to heaven, but that the world may realize the kingdom of heaven that is present and growing. Paul writes to the churches in Asia Minor not to be swayed by every new doctrine and thought. We hold fast in covenant to a relationship with God, Jesus, and the Spirit. We hold fast to a covenant to a relationship with each other, with all humanity, and with all the world. Just as the Olympic athletes train and grow for their events, we, as Christians, train and grow for the events that we require us to do justice, to heal and be compassionate, and proclaim the good news of God's great love for the world.
Let us continue to grow as a church in our faith, our ministries, our evangelism, and in our following of Christ through prayer, worship, and service. Let us hold fast to the God of love. Amen.
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