Truth and Grace - June 12, 2022
John 16:12-15 & Romans 5:1-5
Deborah Laforet
Truth and Grace
Let us pray. May the words from my lips and the meditations of my heart be guided by your Spirit and be words of wisdom for this day. Amen.
On Wednesday mornings, there are six of us discussing Brian McLaren’s book, “The Great Spiritual Migration: How the World’s Largest Religion is Seeking a Better Way to Be Christian.” A couple of weeks ago, we read some horrific truths, describing some of the actions done in the name of the Christian God over the past few hundred years, mostly by white Europeans and then settlers to North and South America, all with the blessing of Christian leaders. It was a difficult chapter to read. Last week, we read about a new way of viewing God and a new of reading our Bible. McLaren, through his writings, his lectures, what he shares with people all over the world, is trying to share truths about the church, truths that many do not want to hear. His message reminds me of the title of a book by Bishop John Shelby Spong, called, “Why Christianity Must Change or Die.”
McLaren writes, “…a grassroots movement of Christians is springing up around the world. Christians everywhere are reading new books, following new blogs, attending new conferences and festivals and retreats where new ways of thinking are possible. Courageous leaders of previous generations have opened many doors, and today’s emerging trailblazers are walking through them. They aren’t waiting for anyone’s permission…A great theological migration has begun.” (pg 108)
Today, Dave Harder has joined us and after worship, he will lead us through a workshop. This is part of our work with Trinity Centres Foundation, who will be guiding us over the next few months to see what St. Paul’s next steps might be, how we might better serve our community. Dave is going to share with us some stories of other faith communities who have discovered new possibilities for their faith spaces. Lots of faith communities are looking to do this work or are doing this work because many have seen, especially since the pandemic, the writing on the wall. Attendance is down. There are fewer volunteers. Concerns around money are causing conflict, and ministers are either having their hours cut or are being let go. Some churches have had to make difficult decisions to close or amalgamate with others. Some, like ours, have large buildings that need lots of care, but fewer people to maintain it.
Society outside our walls has changed so much, but unfortunately, the church has not kept up. And no wonder, as the changes have come so quickly. But now, people like Brian McLaren are attempting to speak truth to those in the church. They are part of a movement to bring Christians back to their roots, to the message of Jesus, and, at the same time, bring them forward to a new way of thinking, a new way of being Christian.
In John’s gospel, when Jesus visits the disciples after his resurrection, he has lots to say. Today we heard, “I have much more to tell you, but you can’t bear to hear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, she will guide you into all truth.” Is the Spirit guiding us to truth right now? Can we bear to hear it? Can we open ourselves to the truth the Spirit is sharing with us and can we guided by this truth, even if it’s difficult and not where we had planned to go.
Paul’s words to the Romans bring us some comfort. He tells the Romans, “Christ has brought us to the grace in which we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to the day on which we will become all that God has intended.” So, we are not yet where God intended, but Christ has helped us to know that we do stand in grace now. Grace is not something we work towards or work for. Knowing we stand with grace and are grace-filled, we can move forward confidently and joyfully. In fact, says Paul, we can even rejoice in our afflictions!
Now, I want to be careful here because this passage has been used in many harmful ways. I don’t think Paul is saying that our afflictions are a good thing or that God has given us afflictions to teach us a lesson or to help us learn and grow. Our pain, our hurt, our grief, our calamities are not given to us by God as tests of our endurance, as tests of our faith. Paul though knows that people experience hardship and he wants them to know that, even then, they are filled with God’s grace. We can rejoice that through our afflictions, we can discover perseverance, that perseverance can prove character. Through it all, there is hope. Even during our most difficult times, there is hope; hope does not disappoint. Why? Because, say Paul, the love of God had been been poured out in our hearts through the Holy spirit, who has been given to us.
There is that Spirit again. That Spirit that brings truth. That Spirit that fills us with grace. That Spirit that pours hope in our hearts. I mentioned last week that the Spirit can be scary, but I don’t think the Spirit is meant to be scary. The Spirit can sometimes push us into uncomfortable places, and sometimes offers truths that we want to avoid, but the Spirit never then just leaves us or abandons us. The Spirit is with us as we try to grapple with difficult truths. We are a Spirit-filled church. We know that. We feel it. Each one of us is filled with the Spirit. Can you feel it bubbling up with you? Can you feel it providing comfort? Can you feel it filling you up with the love of God?
We are a church that must speak and listen to the truth of a new age. We are a church that must discern where God is taking us in this new age. We are a church that longs for God’s kin-dom on earth, for peace, justice, and love for all life on this earth. Are we a church that, as Brian McLaren puts it, is seeking a new way to be Christian? Can we be the body of Christ in a world that is in so much need? I think we can, with God’s love surrounding and filling us, so that we can stand confidently and joyfully, with Christ as our guide, and with the truth and grace of the Spirit. In fact, I know we can. Thanks be to God. Amen.