How Can We Help Each Other, A Sermon on Sunday, June 6, 2010, by Reverend Lillie Mae Henley
Reading is 1 Kings 17-8-24
We need never to forget, that the Hebrew Scriptures is the story and law of a tribe. The tribe who called themselves the Hebrew people. They were and are now, a Middle Eastern culture who believes in their right to carve out a land upon which their people can survive as a tribal identity.
Carve out a land is literally what the people of the Book did in their stories in the. Today, I believe all the tribes of the Middle East are still tribes and too reticent about, too resistant to, our interdependent, interconnected existence. But that is not the sermon I will preach today.
Today’s sermon is about how the values a tribal culture teaches. How the tribal culture can be a positive actualization, or positive realization, of individual desires and needs.
In first Kings, the prophet Elijah is instructed by Yahweh to go to Zarephath ZERA PATH, and there he will find a woman who will feed him. Setting aside the “dated” patriarchal language of our reading, we see in the beginning of the story an opportunity for Elijah to demonstrate the power of God and that is what happened.
He goes to Zarapath at a time when feminine and drought loomed large on the tribes. When Elijah gets there, he sees the woman he is supposed to see, right away. He asks for water, then bread.
He tries to make her comfortable with his presence, he says, “Do not be afraid…” She responds saying, “I am gathering sticks…” to go home to use the last of the meal in the jar and then we will die – of hunger – she means.
However, Elijah tells her the jar will never empty, at least not until the rain comes. And so it didn’t, neither did the jug of oil. Miraculous story, miraculous God.
“After this” so time has passed. It does not say how long, but “after this” her son becomes ill, and is dying. He no longer breathes—that she can see. She blames Elijah. And herself, as many parents might. The miracle of the jar forgotten. But when Elijah takes her son to his own room and lays him on his own bed and calls out to Yahweh, Yahweh hears Elijah’s plea, and the boy’s breath returns. Then, then, the woman is convinced Elijah is a man of God, and that his words hold the word—or wisdom—of Yahweh.
It may seem like a miracle, but perhaps Elijah’s weight on the boy three times was a kind of resuscitation, What matters is Elijah’s willingness to go from where he was to where God wanted him to be.
Elijah’s willingness to go from where he was to where God wanted him to be
When Jesus came and brought another story to the tribe, a way of being that discounted “the Law,” it was difficult for the tribe to let go of their old stories and their Law. Perhaps that is why Paul was more successful spreading the word to those who were not a part of the tribe, and why Paul, too, discounted the need to be circumcised and the need to eat, as we say, Kosher.
Paul called these new people of Jesus followers, the new people to a new faith, and they willingness to go from where they were to where Paul’s God wanted them to be.
Eventually, Jesus story was lost to the Hebrew tribes; eventually, the Jesus’ follower’s faith became a Messiah faith—the Christian faith, and it grew as the Roman Empire grew. Right along beside the Empire. More syncretic with Roman culture than its cultural, tribal heritage.
Yet, Paul knew, and that is what he preached about, and wrote about, and what his genius was. Paul knew that for the Jesus followers, to be Christians, they had to see themselves as a tribe, or as he writes, a people of faith. It was Paul who created the Church as “the body of Christ.” The tribal meaning we see in our reading…
Members of the tribe, have each other to turn to when they ill, homeless, face disaster and death. Members of the tribe depend upon one another to create the kind of life they believe they are to live.
What about this “tribal” view of a church—this church?
What would that mean to us?
Let’s explore that.
What does it take to have service here each week.
First, of course, is the congregation. David Gatton, our church moderator, keeps telling us that the best way to grow the church is to show up on Sunday.
At the door we need greeters. People who welcome, truly welcome those who come into our midst to find what they need.
Then there is the filling of the candles from the jugs of oil.
There is the lighting of the candles, turning on the air
There is the blowing out the candles and the turning off of the sound system.
There is the donation of flowers—which can be bought or brought.
There is the moving of the flowers into the parlor to dress up the parlor for our hospitality.
We come here to connect, to be together, but when do we see each other? Sundays. If you have developed friendships with each other outside the church and see each other at other times; that is wonderful. But it has been my experience, that UNMC is a “Sunday-go-to-meeting church.”
Not for everyone, but most of the congregation. There are those who visit the sick and shut-in—but not nearly enough of the congregation does that. There are those who write notes to those who haven’t been here in a while, but not nearly enough of the congregation does that.
The choir, as you will find out today when they offer you, their congregation, their spring concert, spends a heck-of-a-lot of time singing. Thursday nights, sometimes on Saturday, early on Sunday morning, and of course the service.
They have a “tribal mindset” without being exclusive.
We would not have a choir if the choir did not spend some volunteer time singing—we only have paid section leaders, everyone else, and you will see at their concert, is volunteering.
Since I have been here, at least a couple of dozen people … newcomers to Washington …
friends …
where are they now
What would it look like for us to think of this body of believers as our tribe?
What would it then mean on Sunday mornings when we come together.
A tribe communicates with each other, this tribe communicates through the Order of Service, which someone has to put together, because we cannot afford to pay someone t do it. It communicates through our website. Have you seen our website lately? We cannot afford to hire someone, to bring it into the twenty-first century.
Or can we afford NOT TO?
And some of our members do not have computers, so we need to send them communication ever so often…perhaps something different from the “almost 100-year-old” Anchor?
A tribe does not have to be exclusive, but it does need to take care of itself
We need someone to lay on top of us when we are dying and resuscitate us. We need all of us to fill the jar with grain and the jug with oil.
We need a willingness to go from where we are today to where God wants us to be.
Do you think you could come in early once a month and fill the candles and turn on the sound system?
Do you think you can publish the order of service?
Do you think you can input the names of our congregation in our new software so we can have an updated phone directory.
Do you think you can visit people in their homes or meet them for lunch as lay pastors.
Do you think you can create a twenty-first century website and gather a small tribe to keep it updated?
Do you think you can greet people for church twice a month?
Do you think you can help each other do the work of helping each other, communicating with each other, loving each other as a tribe loves each other?
If the only day you can give to church is Sunday, then give that day to this tribe,
We need preachers once a month this coming church year to provide other voices from the pulpit.
We need liturgists this coming church year to provide other voices on Sunday.
We need more people in the choir.
Yes, it goes on and on and on and on.
Because, it today’s world we do not have a tribe at work, no matter where we work, okay, generally.
We do not have a tribe in our apartment building, genrally.
We do not have a tribe in our neighborhood.
So why do we come here on Sundays?
What happens if you came to church next Sunday and there was no one here?
Because I won’t be here if you don’t give your time, talents, and treasures. I can’t be here, if we don’t see take care of each other. And that includes taking care of me.
Yes, I am here to lead you, to facilitate spiritual growth, to help you grow this congregation,
But I need you too. I need you to ask me how I’m doing sometimes. And to what, take me out to coffee, or make sure I get a hug.
I need you as much as you desire and need a congregation.
But we won’t be here if we don’t become more than a Sunday-go-to meeting church.
We are going to have to be willing to go from where we are today to where God wants us to be…
As a body of Christ, as a community of believers, as tribe who loves and cares about each other.