Uncomfortable Diversity

 “Uncomfortable Service” // Message @ JRCC – Sunday, Sept 16, 2018

Text: I Corinthians 12:4-11 // Series: “Uncomfortable”

Hello, friends.  My name is Brad and I’m part of the teaching and leadership team here at Jericho Ridge. 

Just we are settling in comfortably to our time here in Port Kells, we have only two weeks left in our Uncomfortable teaching series.  Next week, Meg Sumner will be preaching on the uncomfortable spiritual practice of stability (staying rooted when things get hard) and then the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we’ll launch into a study in the book of Colossians.  But today I want to look at an aspect of our life together as a Christian community that we don’t over give a lot of thought to but can make us uncomfortable.  And that is our incredible diversity. 

One of the images that is used in the New Testament to describe the church is the image of family.  Many families have what appears to be very limited diversity in them on the surface.  They might look alike at first glance in terms of ethnicity or history or theological orientation or socioeconomics.  But when you get to know them a bit, you begin to see that there is a rich tapestry of diversity that can make like beautiful, but it can also make life incredibly complex and challenging. 

Take, for example, My mom’s extended family.  This is a picture taken 15 years ago.  While we all kinda look alike, there is actually incredible diversity in this one slice of our extended family.  In terms of occupations, we have tug boat drivers and CEO’s. We have medical doctors and hunting guides. We have computer programmers and pastors and bus drivers. We have educational assistants and grad students and those who didn’t finish high school and those who run outdoor schools. 

And the diversity doesn’t’ stop at occupations.  We have regional diversity with people living from Vancouver Island to Halifax.  You can’t see it in this picture but in terms of ethnicity, we have Brits we have Americans, Pilipino, African Americans.  We have strong political differences – people in this picture will have voted across the entire political spectrum.  We have religious diversity.  With some attending high church, some attending low church, some attending no church (this is starting to sound like a Dr. Seuss book).  When we get together, it is absolutely crazy how much diversity is in that room.  And it isn’t’ always neat and tidy and pretty.  We love each other, but it is hard work to be a family!  Maybe you can relate as you think of your own family. 

This might be one of the reasons why the image of family is used in the New Testament to describe the church.  It helps us understand Why are we uncomfortable?

Part of our discomfort likely comes from just how different we are from others!

Think of the diversity of people who are part of Jericho Ridge Community Church.  We don’t all think alike, look alike, vote alike, act alike, talk alike or practice our faith in the same ways.  That diversity can make us uncomfortable!  Church would be way easier if everyone was like me or at least agreed with me all the time about everything! 

But this is where another image that is used in the New Testament to describe the church can be profoundly helpful for us.  Turn with the again to I Corinthians 12.  We started here last week but I want us to chase down this thinking further so we can understand more deeply why this diversity can be absolutely maddening but is also a profound and rich gift if we can receive it.   

In this text, the Apostle Paul under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is writing to a group of very diverse Christians in the city of Corinth.  And Paul uses the analogy of a human body to describe the church and to make his point about The Body of Christ – Mutual Dependence (I Cor 12)

Let’s start reading together in I Corinthians 12:12 (New Living Translation). 

Many Parts, ONE Body

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.…

We need to stop here for just a moment and think about the implications of these verses.  In the first century world and in many ways, in our world today, it is common to seek out and hang out with people who are like you. You stick with your tribe.  If you are a student athlete, you stick with the athletic kids.  If you are a band kid, you hand with band kids.  If you are a junior, you stick with that age category.  You get the picture.  But right away here, Paul introduces something that should absolutely SCHOCK us.  He says “yeah, in God’s new family, the church, there are going to be people who are NOTHING like you.  Some of you are going to be slaves, and some of you are going to be slaveholders. Outside of the church, you occupy very different rungs on the social ladder. But inside the church, you are family. You are all part of one body.     

Then there’s the notion of Jews versus Gentiles or non-Jews.  Jewish people, including Paul himself, had a sense that they had an inside track on how to relate to God.  They have been worshipping the One True God for centuries, tracing their lineage and ancestry back to Abraham, then to the temple and synagogue.  They knew how to do religion right.  One of the most disruptive challenges that the church introduced was the notion that non-Jewish people could also be part of God’s new community.  You can read about the heated tension and conflict this creates all through the New Testament. 

If we were to use a modern equivalent, it might be as radical as a

Photo: Palestinian  / Israeli. Sitting across from each other in the same church.  We can’t even picture those two groups in the same room, let along sharing the same communion cup and bread together.  Yet Paul says yes, we might be different, but we are all part of one body. 

Theologian Scott McKnight uses the phrase The Same Kind of Differents

In other words, although we are different, in many, many ways… Just like my family, we are part of One family.  And so,  

• Although we are different, we are united in the most important way: By the SPIRIT

“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

Our unity in Christ triumphs over our distinctions.  What binds us together is greater than all of the superficial or cultural or social things that divide us   

I love this cartoon from the Chicago Tribune…  We tend to divide the world into Us’s and Them’s. But in Christ, in God’s family the church, God did perhaps the most radical experiment in human history.  God took

Photo: Took a whole bunch of THEMS and shaped us into an US!

Though we are many, and we are a diverse many, we are all one in Christ. 

• Although we are different, we are united in the most important way: By the SPIRIT

“For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.  There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

So because this is true, we have a responsibility in terms of how we think and act.  So let me give you your first Action Item: Assignment for today

Acknowledge our differences but celebrate our unity. 

It is not truthful to simply say “differences don’t matter – we are all one!”  There are some places where what divides us actually does become greater than what unites us.  There are places where our theological differences really are meaningful, but there are also places where we can lay those aside and ask “these people really annoy me, they think differently than me, they may hurl insults at me online, but near as I can tell, we’re all going to spend eternity together; we might want to start getting along now!    

Paul highlights a few key places where we see that one-ness

We Celebrate “One-ness” in Baptism  in the language of the KJV..

“By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body”

“Baptism is a sign of the believer’s incorporation into the body of Christ” (MB Confession of Faith)

Next Sunday morning, we are going to baptize 4 of our young adults, and we are going to incorporate them not only into Jericho Ridge, but into the body of Christ.  They are saying through this action “I belong to a family!”  This is one reason why we link baptism and membership in our tradition.  If you haven’t yet been baptized, come talk to myself or Pastor Wally!   

The other place we see and We Celebrate “One-ness” in Communion

“And have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13 KJV)  This is a reference back to the Old Testament, where God’s people all ate the same food and drank from the same springs of water during their sojourn in the dessert.  Paul is saying here that communion is not about the wine or juice.  It’s not about whether it is in little plastic cups or in a chalice.  It’s not about whether you do it every week or only occasionally.  It’s a declaration of our unity and the fellowship we have not only with each other, but also with Christ.   

“The [Lord’s] supper expresses the fellowship and unity of all believers with Christ” (Confession of Faith)

That’s one reason why we did communion like we did last weekend.  To make the point that this is not an individualistic action. This is an expression of community!  I could preach many sermons here but let’s keep moving!  I Corinthians 12:14 and following…

One Body, Many Parts

“Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?

“But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

Here again, the image of the human body is helpful.  There is inherent diversity in our physical make up as humans.  We have many different parts but they are all together one body.  What is interesting and pointed out by commentators is that “the Corinthians fundamental problems was not their rejection of the church’s unity, but their failure to acknowledge it’s diversity” (Reformation Commentary).  They were running about saying things like “well, those who have the gift of Prophecy mush be more awesome than those who only have the spiritual gift of helps, right?” They were so obsessed with the differences (you don’t belong here because you are different than me – you think differently, you look differently, your sexual orientation is different than mine, your views on heaven or hell or women in ministry leadership are different than mine…” Paul had to write to them and to us to remind everyone:    

2) Don’t emphasize UNIQUENESS at the expense of UNITY

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”       (Ephesians 4:3 NLT)

I have a theory, and I’m not certain if it’s true but let me test it with you and you can give it some thought.  I am indebted in my thinking on this to Carey Neuhoff, a Canadian pastor from Ontario.  He suggests this: when you live in a majority culture, so for example, if most people in your culture are Christians, then emphasizing how your unique expression or brand of Christianity is unique or different from each other becomes very important in order to attract people to you.  You need to lead with how you are NOT like those other guys over there so that you can gobble up more market share.  So you lead with how you are unique. We’ll, we’re an historic peace church.  As Mennonite Brethren, we’re the truest descendants of Menno Simons, I don’t’ know about those other brands of Mennonites in Canada! 

BUT things ought to shift when you are part of a minority culture.  When most of the people in Surrey and Langley are not vitally connected with a Christian community, we should lifting up the things we have in common more than the things that make us unique and distinct.  Meg and I do this whenever someone says “well, what about that Crossway church over there?” We are quick to say things like “oh, that church has a great pastor.  We know them, they might worship differently than we do, but we really love them and count it a privilege to serve Jesus together in this city!” 

Emphasize our UNITY over our Uniqueness.  So let me ask you this:     

How Do You See Other Christians?  I love this quote by AT Pierson

“To a true child of God, the invisible bond that unites all believers to Christ is far more tender, and lasting, and precious; and, as we come to recognize and realize that we are all dwelling in one sphere of life in Him, we learn to look on every believer as our brother, in a sense that is infinitely higher than all human relationships.” - A.T Pierson  

Unity over uniqueness.  Because, friends, we are reminded in the body parts language of I Corinthians 12, that We Need Each Other!

The charismatics can’t say to the contemplatives we don’t need you!

The Anabaptists can’t say to the neo-Reformed we don’t need you!”

The Mennonites can’t say to the Catholics “we don’t need you!”

North American’s can’t say to the Global South “we don’t need you!”

Canadians can’t say to American Evangelicals “we don’t need you!”

We really do need each other!  We all have gifts to offer, we all have corrective lessons that we need to be open to receiving from other parts of the global and historical family of faith.  Sometimes I wish this weren’t true – in today’s current climate south of the border, I wish I could say to American evangelicals, “we don’t need you!” but the truth is, we need each other.  We each have something to learn from the other – we are part of one body, one family.  Like it or not!

So here’s your second Action Item:

When you interact with other Christians, Be curious about distinctives but be quick to find something in common

Think of it this way.  When you walk into Starbucks, there is an incredible variety of espresso drinks on the menu.  Photo: Types of Coffee

You can get a mocha or a macchiato or an Americano. You can get it iced or straight up… These drinks might look nothing alike, BUT there are all coffee!  So when you interact with other Christians, be curious about what unique flavours or emphasis they are brining, but remember: if they are clear on the essentials, then they are part of the family. Treat them as such  

Paul goes on in I Corinthians 12.  Let’s read again at verse 22

We Are All United In Christ

“In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care…”

“So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

Here we see that God put the body together and built into its very fabric and design incredible diversity.  We didn’t’ invent this as humans…

Diversity is Part of God’s Design!  Here’s the crazy thing to think about..

3) The “One Body, Many Parts” Principle applies both in and beyond a local church

• Think about the diversity within Jericho Ridge…
• Think about the vast diversity of churches in our city…
• Then expand that to our region; then to our nation…
• Then expand that to the global community of faith!

Action Item:

“Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and we are expected to act like it!” – Joni Erickson Tada

God, today we believe that you dwell in all

who confess Jesus as the Son of God,

God, today we will open our ears

to hear each one who confesses Jesus as the Son of God.

God, we believe you invite us

to accept each other as sisters and brothers,

God, today we accept and embrace

all who call themselves by your name.

God, we believe you call us to love each other

as we do ourselves,

God, with all our hearts,

we will strive to love our brothers and sisters

from every denomination and group.

God, we believe you ask us to use our gifts

to serve each other in unity and understanding,

God, may we, in a spirit of love and care,

use our gifts to build each other up.

God, we believe that in unity together

we will come to a full knowledge of Christ,

God, may we grow together into the knowledge

of the one in whom all things fit together.             //  ONE BODY

Benediction (from Churches together in Britain and Ireland)

Almighty God,

We share one faith, have one calling, are of one soul and one mind;

have one God and Father, are filled with one Spirit, are baptized with one baptism, eat of one bread and drink of one cup, confess one Name, are obedient to one Lord, work for one cause, and share one hope.

We pray that your church may be one. Teach us to accept humbly that this unity is a gift of your Spirit; Through this gift, change and transform us and make us more like your Son Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father, Son and Spirit we pray, Amen.