Today’s author is Prince of Peace’s Intentional Interim, Pr. Steve Sylvester.
At a church I served some time ago, we acted out “The Parable of the Bench” in worship to depict to a congregation two very ways of getting something done. The goal was to end up with a bench in front of the church. In the first part of a parable, a woman used a computer to look up and chose from among chair manufacturers. She chose her moderately priced favorite, placed a phone call and ordered a chair, explaining where it should be placed upon delivery. In the second part, the same woman called four other members of the congregation and invited them to a meeting. They talked about what kind of bench would work best, they drew in a few other people who were good at wood working and then gathered in a few more who could raise funds to pay for the bench. As the bench was being sawed and sanded and fitted together, they met with the parishioners in charge of groundskeeping to decide precisely where it should be placed. When it was done, the whole congregation came together for its dedication, and then they all went out to lunch together. The first part met the goal of getting a bench in front of the church. The second part ended up with a bench… and community.
When I read the opening of Philippians, I can’t help but think of Paul on the road to Damascus in Acts 9. In Acts 9, Paul was heading from Jerusalem to Damascus to hunt down and arrest Christians. As the story opened, it referred to “the men who were traveling with [Paul],” but it’s unclear whether they were all members of the same entourage or whether they were simply fellow travelers who happened to be on the same road. Either way, it appears Paul was essentially by himself. Compare that to the opening of Philippians, written jointly by Paul and Timothy and greeting “all the saints in Christ Jesus… with the bishops and deacons.” Community.
One of the ways we have warped the gospel in modern times is by individualizing it. The Good News of Christ is that Jesus, my personal Lord and Savior, will save me and take me to heaven where he will walk with me, and talk with me, and tell me I am his own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known. I suppose it’s good that I’m not unhorsed and blinded in that rendition of heaven, but it certainly doesn’t seem like much of a party. There’s no community.
The gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, is all about community. The gospel is conveyed by a community. It’s spoken and delivered to community. Its goal is to create community.
Our Easter Season theme, Go and Be, is utterly simple. But while it is simple, it shouldn’t be singular. We need to understand that it is our calling to GO with and to others, and it is our calling to BE among and for others. No rugged individualism allowed. Even for us introverts, God will figure out how to make it a good and satisfying party.