The Person is the Difference

But it wasn't about the mechanics of washing in this stream or that one; it was about trusting in the word of the prophet, no matter what it was that he said.

This is the word of the Lord for you, Naaman.

Will you hear him, or will you get stuck on the ordinariness of the messenger?

Yes, it all sounds so very ordinary, but there it is; receive it, receive him.

And after the mighty man stormed around for a while, finally a servant , one of the ordinary, invisible people, got through to him; and Naaman did as he was bid, washed and was healed.

Naaman had trouble believing that this unimpressive prophet who did not ask for great and heroic deeds could possibly be the bearer of anything worthwhile and important.

It is not an isolated instance from the distant past:

We know that God has touched folks right here through the words and deeds of ordinary persons.

Have you ever seen a patient smile when someone walks in with a service bulletin and a bouquet of altar flowers re-arranged and suitable for a bedside table?

Those who have been through the process of The Way talk appreciatively of what they learn from each other about faith and life.

There is no magic involved; just us regular folks talking together, exploring the scriptures, thinking, working, praying....

That is why it is so sad when we hear someone say that they wouldn't want to be a part of the church since it is full of self-righteous judgmental hypocrites.

And usually such a person will say something about being “spiritual but not religious.” , whatever that means.

It is hard to be patient and kind and respond gently to such a person that yes, the church is full of sinners, and yes, some of those sins is self-righteousness or hypocrisy.

But that is OK; everyone can come right on in; you'll fit, no matter what your type of sin!.

And this is the place where you hear that your sins are taken away by the words-put-into-action of an ordinary looking itinerant preacher of Israel

mediated through the voice of an ordinary guy standing in this pulpit,

and the ordinary handclasp of a person standing near you with the words “Peace be with you, John” to which you are to blurt out the response “And also with you, Susan”

and in this ordinary little ritual, something is going to start to happen.

I'm convinced of it more than ever.

In the past several weeks I have received sympathy cards from folks that I never expected would even take notice of our family's sadness.

Yes, “Peace be with you” are words that mean something, that do something to us and with us ordinary people!

We share a little bit of bread and wine in the name of Jesus with thanksgiving in anticipation of the great and final banquet, and the ordinary suddenly becomes holy.

We know that; we sense that.

We get out the silver and crystal to serve this meal, even though it is only appetizers and not the full banquet.

God using the ordinary for his extraordinary purposes...it has been that way all along, hasn't it?

And we have always had trouble wrapping our minds around it.

--That Jesus would be born in a minor village to ordinary peasants rather than in a king's palace.

--That Jesus would associate with just anyone who would listen, not caring about social standing or economics.

--That Jesus would die the death of a tortured and condemned criminal.

--That Jesus would care about ordinary persons like you and me.

Now let's take this thought about an “ordinary person” a slightly different direction.

A pastor was writing about one of his folks whose life was a mess, lurching from one crisis to another.

He told her, “Your life just isn't going to get any better with you sitting here in your expensive home worrying about your aches and pains.

Jesus teaches us that it is in giving, we receive.

We are meant to be givers rather than only grabbers.

You have been entrusted with so many things from Jesus already that you can use for the healing of others,

and as you give them, you will find that you yourself will be healed.”

Her response to her pastor was:

“Look, I'm a well-educated modern person.

Do you really think that some ancient teacher who lived in an insignificant corner of the world in the 1^st century has anything to teach me?

My problems are complicated.

I need more than this simplistic 'love your neighbor' stuff.”

What should we or her pastor say to that woman?

Yes, lady, it really is that simple.

Yes, lady, that ancient teacher who wandered around Galilee in the 1^st century keeps challenging and mystifying the smartest thinkers of every generation since then...even you.

Yes, lady, your problems may be complicated, but they can be reduced to the same basic things that are always putting the squeeze on us, the temptations to put ourselves in the place of God.

The heresies of the day may have new names, but at root they are the same old things in new disguises.

Evil is still evil; sin is still sin.

Human nature is still human nature.

And thankfully, the love of God is still the persistent love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord...and that will prevail.

I don't know the next chapter of the story with that pastor and lady.

I wish I knew if he was able to get through to her.

I wish I knew if she was finally able to hear good news in ordinary things, and to offer what she was receiving to others.

I hope that began to happen for her, in her, and for those around her!

It doesn't much matter to us that critics call the church ordinary, unimpressive, and messed up.

After all, critics said the same things about Jesus himself!

Yes, perhaps Jesus should have called someone else to “go and bear fruit” but he called us, ordinary folk.

Yes, we have our limitations.

By God's grace and the stories and actions of Jesus, we believe that God is making a decisive move on the world, working through limited people whom God commissions and empowers.

God knows what he is doing!

Sure, the shoes are too big for us!

Of course we have doubts, fears and reservations!

Indeed we are an entire bundle of limitations and weaknesses!

But Jesus knows all that, and works with us anyway; he does his best work in the most ridiculous circumstances.

Citizenship in the kingdom is his choice anyway, not ours.

Salvation belongs not to us, but to the Lamb of God who says “It is finished,” and bids us join the party.

This is the wholeness which he intends, the healing which he is working in us.

It is all of his people gathered around him,

giving and receiving,

helping and being helped,

feeding and being fed,

in the back and forth of conversation,

in praise and thanksgiving

in laughter and song

with tears wiped away.

It is just us ordinary people, blessed by Jesus, and sent to do extraordinary, wonderful, healing things.

In thanksgiving, let us all say Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.