Sermon Acts 2:42-47 & John 10:1-10

They devoted themselves
to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life,
to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone,
and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their property and possessions
and divide them among all according to each one's need.
Every day they devoted themselves
to meeting together in the temple area
and to breaking bread in their homes.
They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

1“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

 

It is a challenge for the preacher to know how to hear today's text, especially the part about "they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need." There is perhaps an idealism in the text that at first sounds wonderful … "wow, I'd like to be part of such a vibrant, devoted, and compassionate community.", but then we wonder whether it also sounds like "trouble".

The text is without mistake, radical. It is about a radical re-ordering of life for disciples of Jesus; We are being made into new household. Remember, that in Greek culture of the time, life centered around "the household". It was often a collective of families, slaves, and others who were cared for, controlled, and owned by "the Father". Business and family life operated out of the household for the benefit of the household … or more likely, the head family of the household. There would have been a pecking order, the further you were at the top, the more you got.

And yet, here we have a new form of household. One where the "Father" is in heaven, the head of the household is "the spirit of Jesus Christ", and the goal is not just the well-being of the household and its survival, but the outward blessing of the community. There was awe and wonder, common worship, eating together, exultation and sincerity of heart. The outpouring of what God was doing brought favour and added to the number of those being saved. Sounds good, so why don't we all live communally?

I'm confident, some, perhaps many of you; most? Are thinking, "I don't think I'd like living communally." I too feel some mixed feelings, since having lived communally for the last four years, I can testify that at times it is wonderful and at other times it is really stressful and troublesome. And, as some of you know, Janice and I are moving to Vernon in a few weeks, into our own house. And while I'll miss shared meals, watching videos together, seeing others play with Jameson, knowing I'm never alone in the house, hearing each others stories, I'm not going to miss sometimes seven people in the kitchen, the phone ringing endlessly throughout the day, and enforcing cleaning schedules.

Living together communally is a mixed bag, however I do think God is calling all Christians to indeed live communally. In fact, individualism and Christianity are incompatible. Ours is essentially a radically communitarian religion. Although, lets you think I'm a raving idealist, I don't think this means we're all getting an apartment and moving in together.

I'm wrong about this though? There are Christians who do live communally and hold things in common. The monks and nuns of past and present. The radical Anabaptists … old Mennonites, Amish, Hudderites, Ducabours. They do it, and from all studies, life is good, healthy and meaningful. Perhaps in the end, they the meek shall inherit the earth. There are also the catholic worker houses and similar protestant organizations, some here in Vancouver.

And yet, if this text is more than idealistic nostalgia for the experience of the early church, how might it speak to us today.

It's a challenging text for us, isn't it? We who live in an age which espouses free market capitalism. Worshipping the Horatio Algers, or perhaps anyone who has wealth … even gangsters. Sociologists speak of the master trend of our age being not just individualism, but "Hyper-individualism." The ethos of the age, "Narcissistic Hedonism" … ie that's a 10 dollar phrase for "What feels good for me, is good." SUV's, Hummers', CXT's. A culture where God is reduced to my felt needs. Religion reduced to a hobby.

As I reflected on this text, I find it not so much something that make me feel guilty for not making the grade, but rather something that draws me forward. I believe it is the Spirit of Christ, at work in community, and when it is allowed to flourish, it is the pearl of great price. While Uhill still has much to do, you have been precious to our family, especially walking with us in for 10 years of infertility, then with us when we had our first adopted baby taken back, then there was Janice's mom's boughts of mental illness, and my recovery from bring burned out after serving my first church. And of course, salvation came through this congregation with the arrival of Jameson. I say survival, since I was sincerely losing faith, not just in God but in my connection with humanity; which perhaps is somewhat the same thing.

Someone told Janice just after Easter, "I don't understand why your leaving." We asked this again of ourselves, and reflecting on the place of this congregation in our lives, we almost did stay. Or perhaps, we've changed our minds and have decided to leave temporarily, God knows. As for my own confession, perhaps I wanted to move to Vernon so I could leave ordained ministry. Some of you know what the state of many other congregations are like. Some are filled with the Spirit of Christ, others with a Spirit of Survival of which it is difficult or near impossible to be an ordained mininster in. It can be discouraging and depressing. And yet, the Spirit of Christ in this congregation, (and Jubilee United in Langley, and some Taiwanese Christians at my last church) help me glimpse the possibility that is expressed in today's text. A clergy friend of mine said, "I've take a lot of beatings in congregations, but I can not help but keep on coming back to God's Dream."

So we're off for a year to Vernon, unless God has other plans, but I don't think we'll ever leave this congregation, even if we don't move back. Although moving back is a distinct possibility; even now I'm starting to get itchy for mininstry. Although I know a break and some time with my family is important for Janice and I to discern where Christ wants us to serve. Service is not an option for Christians, of course. The disciples of Jesus being light and salt for the world, and seeking abundance for all, is more important than ever.

Do not lose hope; amid the rocky soil of our parched age of the spirit of Christ is still at work adding to the number of those being saved. Saved not just for life in the resurrection, but being saved for a purpose. Did you hear Jesus in John's Gospel, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." That is why we have been saved and are being saved. Saved from a diminished life, a diminished humanity, a diminished creation.

When I read today's text, what leaps out at me is "abundant life", not just for the church, but the community around them. They were being salt and light, within their culture, and for them this mean sacrificial changes to commit themselves to lives of blessing. Not just for themselves but for the community around them. So that all may have life and have it to the full.

This will mean changes for the way we are church together. It is such a joy to see that U-hill has begun the journey along with others seeing the work of Christ in the missional church movement. You may have been flung into it, when you had to sell your building, however thank God for that disruption for Christ sent you leaders to help prepare and challenge you for a new way of life together. Hospitality has been such a focus over the last number of years, in many ways. Worship has been good and you are unique in not getting your ordained minister to do everything. You are allowing Christ to knit you closer together as a community. There are challenges coming though. How might you show hospitality to the new wealthy neighbours who move into Argyll House on April 28th? And this may raise questions, as to how does a congregation minister amongst the super-wealthy? They are now your neighbours, just as vast numbers of poor students are also your neighbours. What an exciting place Christ has put this congregation, to be a small piece of heaven.

For you see, today's text is a glimpse of heaven on earth. And if we looked throughout history, we would glimpse heaven taking on different forms in different cultures. I don't think it would always be communal living, however I do believe that there would be a radical concern for members of the community and the surrounding culture.

That is the work of this congregation and its salvation. Being blessed with a call to share in the life of God, how might we bless and challenge our culture as it is. I've seen some things, like the dinners with the native consortium. Where else in our culture are first nations communities eating with non-natives. And last week, sharing the stories of fellow saints in our midst, and the young adult group sharing their lives together. And there are the smaller ways, shared meals, renting suites to students and others, giving rides. Basically allowing the Holy Spirit, to push you beyond the confines of what our culture holds to be "the good life", into a much deeper, richer, blessed, and make no mistake, challenging form of human living. A life of the spirit, led by the one, Jesus, who had everything but was willing to give it up, even his life, so that we Christians, non-Christians, and all those on our planet whom we live in common with. Being the first generations that have seen our small planet from space, we know the truth that, there is no individual life divorced from another, but rather a deep web of life, sustained and blessed by a God who sees abundant life for all. Give thanks and praise to our God who has made a home amongst us and is seeking to show us how to live rightly on this good earth, so that all may be blessed. Amen.