United
“Leave me alone!” I say after answering the umteenth robocall that begs for my vote. “Where’s the remote?” I shout after the same political commercial hits my television screen. Regardless of the victor, I’m ready for the election to be over. If you can resonate with this sentiment, it’s certainly understandable and warranted. The plea for our civic engagement can grow tiresome. Despite what many would have you believe, our political preferences and the Gospel are not synonymous. God’s mission for the world cannot, and will not, be accomplished through a mechanism as limited in scope as a political party. Christ’s calling is for us to serve the poor, to set the oppressed free, and to love all people. This mission requires all of us to be united. In fact, I would argue that God’s mission for us in the world is not even possible while divided.
Soon, nearly half of country will feel that we’ve taken a step in the wrong direction. Division will feel ever more apparent and no matter who wins, our hearts will still weigh heavy. Exhaustion will entice. My friends, the Gospel cannot afford it. God’s mission for the world must preserver as we move closer, even if only a baby-step, towards loving one another. History has revealed that division and the church do not mix well together. However, those who are unwilling to evolve are more likely to perceive change as division. A church that does not evolve, will slip into irrelevancy. As a society on the verge of a rapidly changing landscape, this is the challenge: to keep the church and the Gospel relevant in the world. What does the Resurrection and the stories of Jesus have to do with today? If our mission is to love and serve all people, how is that best accomplished? These are the million dollar questions, of which I do not have the answers, but I will take a stab at naming three initial steps.
One, increase biblical literacy. Understanding that Jesus was dark-skinned, a child born in poverty, under persecution, Middle Eastern, with fleeing parents, can help us begin to see where Jesus is today. While it’s important for us to be like Jesus, the geopolitical dynamics that he found himself in, that likely make you and I different, cannot be ignored.
Two, lean into current issues. In order for the church stay relevant, it has to be willing to wrestle with the questions that surround the cultural issues of the day. The topics may have been different 2000 years ago, but Jesus certainly did not remain silent on important topics. A helpful reminder is to remember that Jesus was not a “my way or the highway” kind of a teacher. Rather, he taught mostly by asking questions. This is the model that I, and we, ought to replicate. Growing begins with a curiosity to learn.
Three, point to the Resurrection. We are united by what God as done for us through Christ. Unity is not about agreement. Unity is about loving those whom we disagree with. Dividing until we are only surrounded by people who think like us is a misunderstanding of God’s mission. That kind of love would be easy. Nothing about our faith is easy. Ideally, we take comfort in knowing that we’re all on the same quest of trying to love one another more deeply.
To be honest, total unity may be a pipe-dream. We may only master it when we experience the ultimate unifier, which is death. We may only fully experience unity in the life to come. But we strive. We inch closer everyday. It is God that will finally unify us. God will usher in her kin-dom. Those robocall calls and commercials are only temporary. Division will not win out and God’s love will have the final say. Love wins, always!
Looking forward with hope,
Pastor Lucas McSurley
Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor