"Lead Lives Worthy of the Lord"

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church began in the fall of 1989. That was a memorable, historic year.

There is the image of the young man standing in front of tanks in Tiananmen Square. When this sanctuary was dedicated in January 2002 I put a single white folding chair by the communion table as a symbol of personal responsibility of the charter members of this congregation. As we met in the Glen Moor Clubhouse each person helped set up and put chairs away. But such personal responsibility was just a dot on the screen of history compared to the courageous personal act of standing in front of the tanks rolling into Bejing.

Another event of that year was the Exxon Valdez oil spill – the worst in U.S. history, a great symbol of personal irresponsibility of the ship’s captain.

The San Francisco earthquake happened during the World Series between the Giants and Athletics – all images many of us remember.

We were all living with busy schedules, multiple identities, and obligations that pulled us in many directions.

I spent much of my time trying to establish a network of support among busy people for the new roots of this church. One day I’d move in and out of the shops near the General Store getting acquainted with the owners/managers on the assumption that those folks could become a great support system of information about a new church in the community. The church had a mail box there and each day when I collected mail I’d walk around and, in effect, was a chaplain to the shop owners and clerks.

Other days I’d go in and out of the new developments in Troon and neighboring areas looking at model homes, getting acquainted with the sales persons, trying to convince them that the presence of a church in the neighborhood could help them sell homes. Prospective home buyers typically are interested in the location of schools, churches, shops, medical resources, etc. I left a beautiful color brochure with them about Pinnacle Presbyterian Church.

Most often the look on the faces of these sales persons was one of “Who are you?” I’d eagerly extend my hand, introduce myself and jump into the same question to them, “Who are you?” Pretty soon we’d make connections of someone or someplace we had in common.

As the church began holding small group meetings around Bible Study, book reviews, and meetings focused on the needs of this growing community the question of “Who are you?” was clearly at the center of much of the dialogue. Was I for real? Could I be trusted? Etc.

So who am I?

Husband, father, grandfather, neighbor, minister...

Even more, a Christian, part of a community of other Christians, and blessed to bring a word of faith, love, and hope to strangers, yes, even neighbors who were strangers.

Now, I ask you the question asked of me, “Who are you?”

In this congregation we are many things. We are:
• Parents
• Grandparents
• Employees
• Entrepreneurs
• Friends and neighbors
• Husbands and wives
• Divorced, remarried, and widowed.

We are white and black, male and female, gay and straight.

We are Americans and “Zonies.”

We are teachers, lawyers, artists and retirees.

The list could go on and on, but you get the idea because we all live it. This is our life and our community.

Forget about trying to do three things at once. We’re trying to be multiple people, trying to juggle multiple purposes and responsibilities all at once. We don’t just multi–task activities. We multi–task our lives!

How can we be good volunteers and good parents when an evening meeting and soccer are at 6:00 p.m.? How can we be good neighbors and friends when we can’t agree on CC & R’s in the Homeowners Association? These are ordinary, difficult issues without easy resolution. And yet, how we understand who we are can help us determine what we are called to do.

We live with a tension between being a responsible individual and a member of a responsible community.

Frankly, this was a major personal and pastoral goal as I worked to organize and start this church. Christianity is both a personal decision of faith as well as a decision to be part of a lively, responsible community of faith. I was concerned to build a vital community of faith as well as challenging individuals in their personal faith. Understanding this tension and who we are can help us make difficult choices when we cannot simply juggle our responsibilities.

In the scripture which I just read Paul, the author, asks a group of believers just this question. In this scriptural, new church setting an unknown person, or, group of people, had been encouraging the members of the community to observe a composite mixture of religious practices. These practices included:
• Dietary restrictions,
• Festival observances,
• Extreme self–denial,
• And philosophies concerning elemental spirits. (astrology and the like)

In the ancient world it was quite common for people to combine many different religious beliefs and habits – not unlike today – where people get their spiritual needs met in any number of ways and locations. (There are now more spas in the USA than Starbucks.) But Paul knew that such syncretism was damaging to the integrity and the identity of the young church as well as its members.

In Deuteronomy we find the eight verses that make up the Jewish Shema, a prayer recited twice daily. The Shema, which expresses faith in and love of God, opens with what Jesus calls the greatest commandment in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke: “You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6: 4–5)

And yet, just like before this commandment was given, such as when Rachel held on to her father’s household gods, the people continued, time and time again, to split their allegiance between the one God who had brought them out of Egypt, whom they were called to love with their whole selves, and the many other gods that they could choose to worship. As each generation gave way to the next, as communal memory of God faded, and the community came into contact with diverse peoples and unique beliefs, there was a tendency to a desertion of the faith.

When I think about it not a lot has changed in the challenges for our faith. As we wrestle with “the powers of darkness” in our life – questions of good and evil, and how the Christian faith should relate to other religions, I think Paul is right when he observes that there will be times when the most we can hope for is to endure and to be patient. (Colossians 1:11) And yet, he wisely counsels us to turn to God rather than away from God…and “into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

One of the blessings that has been mine in the brief years of this congregation is to witness the strong faith of individuals who should have run out of hope a long time ago. Folks living with chronic illnesses and painful disabilities who tell me they get through each day by relying on the grace of God to sustain them. And typically, such grace is delivered through a loving family member or friend.

And I see them turn around and care for others! Reaching out to others with the love which they have received. Love begats love. Giving begats giving!

Who are they? Certainly not just a clinical diagnosis of ailments. They are much more. Who are they? They are the beloved ones of God who strengthens them and transforms them and for whom they show their love by loving others. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I have asked folks in hospital visits what they would like me to pray for, and almost always it is for the caregiver, not themselves.

And yet, Paul was realistic and knew then just as we do today that while some draw closer to God in difficult days others seek out harmful means to help them cope. Perhaps not household idols or Baals or Asherahs or even elemental spirits, but in alcohol and drugs and money and unhealthy relationships or even lives so overscheduled that we don’t have the chance to think about it.

A personal story. I am essentially working two jobs presently – here and dealing with the anticipation of Central Union Church, not to mention the emotional roller coaster of excitement and tears of grief. I tend to handle all of this through my life in busyness.

One day this past week I had an appointment with my primary care physician to get prescriptions, get a physical, etc. I waited an hour and fifteen minutes beyond the time of the appointment… but in one of those little cubby hole examination rooms. What a gift of grace. I was isolated, quiet, time to think, reflect, and pray. Ordinarily, I would have been racing my engine in anger at waiting so long, but this time it was a gift.

Who are we? We are many things. Parents, children, employees, friends, parishioners, and pastors. We are husbands, wives, divorced, remarried, and widowed. But we are so much more. We are people of faith. We are each beloved of God, “saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.” And we are a church, one community united in Christ – seeking to lead lives worthy of the Lord. Amen.

My hat is off to Nicole Urbach, for her work in Biblical Preaching Journal, Summer, 2007 for some of the material in this sermon.