Enfolding Love -- A Message for October 3, 2021

 

Scripture Reading                        Mark 10: 13-16

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.  

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 

And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

            Today is World Communion Sunday. Christians in churches all over the world are gathering around Christ’s table today. Young and old, rich and poor, people of all ethnic groups and cultural groups and denominations are receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ today at Jesus’s big, open table.

            And, our scripture lesson is focused on Welcoming people to Jesus. Jesus’ friends were protective of him. They didn’t want Jesus to talk to the riffraff, like Samaritans and Syrophoenicians. They didn’t want Jesus to be threatened by their oppressors, the Romans. They didn’t want Jesus to talk to unaccompanied women or unsavory tax-collectors or troublesome moms. They didn’t want Jesus to bother with the unimportant, lesser than people like children and widows.

            In the first century, in Israel, children were ignored. They were seen as unworthy until they could help their family by working. They were seen as a nuisance.

            Jesus’s disciples tried to send away the mothers who were bringing their children to be blessed by Jesus. They felt like his time was too precious to bother with their interruption.

            But, Jesus…wise Jesus…loving Jesus, stopped his friends. With indignation, Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

            Jesus was different than the Jewish prophets and rebels who appeared before him. He was the messiah, so that made him very different. But, Jesus was also different in that he was radically welcoming. Previously, the Jewish prophets had a mandate to help the Jewish people. They called upon the Jewish people to become more faithful and to follow the Jewish laws and teachings.

Jesus also came for the Jewish people. But, he reinterpreted the Jewish laws so that they were more practical. And, instead of only reaching out to the Jewish people, Jesus proclaimed the Good News of God’s love and grace to all the world. Everyone is welcomed to follow Jesus. Everyone is welcome to have a relationship with God. Everyone is encouraged to be in Christian ministry together.  The gospel message is not exclusively for the formerly “chosen people.” It is now for everyone.

As Christians, we have celebrations like World Communion Sunday to remind us that we are part of a global church. The Christian flag, the flag we have right here, is intended to fly over all the earth.  Christians are united in our shared faith with people who live in every land on the planet.  All people are invited to believe in God and follow the teachings of Jesus.  All people are invited to have a direct connection with God through the Holy Spirit of God.

As people of faith, part of our work is to share the Good News with other people. And, although we have a global faith, our mission field is closer to home. Although the United States has a lot of churches, and we have a lot of people who are culturally Christian, our neighborhoods are full of people who don’t have a relationship with God. And, many of our neighbors who are not Christians may have had negative experiences with Christians and with Christian churches.

We hear stories of rejection, and judgement, and hostility directed to people in Christian churches. Some churches have rejected people because they don’t follow their theology. Some churches have rejected people because they don’t follow their rules. Some churches have rejected people because they were divorced or homosexual or married to people of a different ethnicity.  

But, our church belongs to Jesus. Our church belongs to God. We are called to be hospitable to all people. We are called to welcome everyone.

Jesus did not turn anyone away.  Our work as Christians is to share with others why we believe in Jesus. Our work as Christians is to share why we believe in God. And our work as Christians is to invite others to join us here, here in this room. And, here at the communion table. This is Jesus’ table and Jesus welcomes everyone to join him here.

May we do so in love. Amen.