Faithful in the In-Between

“To all God’s beloved . . . who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 1:7)

Well, here we are! I guess you might call the next five week period a “mini-interim.” Different people preaching. Congregation members taking on additional responsibilities. Others doing “get ready” tasks like sprucing up the parsonage, or making sure this building looks its best. For the next five weeks, we will do ministry together in this place – and then we will welcome with open arms, glad hearts, and prayers of thanksgiving our new pastor, the Rev. Kaylie Ines.

We are thankful for Deacon Susan’s ministry among us, and thankful we’ve reached this point. We are excited and hopeful as we come to the end of this two-year, transitional journey. Not quite the 40 years the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness, thanks be to God – but long enough!

Today we find ourselves in the Gospel of Matthew. The people to whom Matthew wrote his gospel were themselves in a time of transition. They were Jewish – but now they were Jewish-Christians. They had become followers of Jesus. They had left the synagogues, or been pushed out by fellow synagogue members worried about their strange new ideas about death and resurrection. These new beliefs were causing difficulties and pain – some of Matthew’s parishioners were now even alienated from their families. They, too, were in an “in between” place, feeling lots of stress. These are the people Matthew’s gospel is addressing.

Deacon Susan has spoken of this, so you know that the book of Matthew has an interesting structural feature. Interspersed among the accounts of Jesus’ birth, miracles, healings, death and resurrection, there are five long blocks of Jesus’ teachings. Each of these five discourses concludes with some variant of these words, “and when Jesus had finished saying these things.” It may be that the author of Matthew, in his five discourses, was recalling for his Jewish-Christian audience the five books of the Torah, the first books of the Hebrew Bible, thought to have been authored by Moses. The author may be portraying Jesus as the new Moses offering a new Torah that fulfills the old.

We are perhaps most familiar with the first of Jesus’ discourses in Matthew, called the Sermon on the Mount, beginning in chapter 5 and concluding at the end of chapter 7. Last Sunday’s reading, today’s, and next week’s reading, however, come from Jesus’ second block of teaching starting in chapter 10. This teaching is called the Missionary Discourse. Do you remember last week’s gospel? The names of each of the apostles were carefully recorded: “Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother, John; Philip and Bartholomew” and the rest. (Matt. 10:2-3) Then Jesus gave them instructions: “‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’” Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Jesus told them what supplies to take, where to go, whom to address – all to accomplish their task to shout out the gospel in words and actions.

Today in the Missionary Discourse, Jesus speaks of commitment: He says, “‘What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.’” Jesus is challenging his hearers: Be bold! Be fearless! Dare something new! Take risks! Give it your all! Remain faithful! Act in hope!

Are we listening here? Jesus tells us now is not the time for sitting back or hesitation or reluctance; despair or worry. Bitterness or hopelessness or blame or giving up have no place in Jesus’ commission. In the gospel today, “God calls us to follow the example of Jesus, acting boldly to build community with diverse people and to nurture creation.”

If that sounds familiar, it certainly should. It’s the new mission statement we’ve adopted here at Holy Trinity!

We have been called by Jesus, after all. Like the apostles were named in last week’s gospel, in baptism the pastor specifically names us – the person being baptized: “Anne, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Julie, I baptize you; Alan, I baptize you. Anne and Julie and Alan – and all of us – are the Peter, Andrew, and James of North Easton, Mass. We “belong to Christ, in whom [we] have been baptized.” (ELW, p. 230)

In giving his missionary instructions, Jesus is speaking to us. One commentator has written, Jesus’ words today are “a ‘get-out-the-volunteers’ campaign like no other.” (WP, Saunders/Matt) Jesus is saying: I want you to “‘tell in the light,’” to “‘proclaim from the housetops,’” to be “light for the world to see.” (ELW, 715)

We, together as a congregation, have dedicated ourselves to a Season of Discernment and Mission Revitalization. The vote to enter into this Season of Discernment took place in February, in this very sanctuary. In this special time we collectively will be praying especially – but also thinking, talking, researching and discovering. We will look thoughtfully at what we are doing now. We will consider new ministries to which God may be calling us. We may adopt new procedures and new ways of operating. We will be seeking consultation – outside advice – in areas that need strengthening.

As individuals, we may find ourselves doing different and unfamiliar tasks – maybe things we have never done before. We may hear ourselves saying, “I will try that!” Because that’s what our Season of Discernment will require of every single one of us – the gifts, talents, abilities, and opinions present among us collectively. Each of us at Holy Trinity is called to this Season of Discernment.

Holy Trinity finds itself at a liminal moment, a moment between past and future. Jesus knew what is ahead of us is not easy, not simple, not without pain, maybe divisive. Jesus is “starkly realistic” that there may be a price for following his missionary instructions. His words, frankly, sound harsh to our ears.
This Season of Discernment will not bring quick answers or easy solutions. We may begin something, and the outcome may be quite a surprise. We may argue; we will disagree. We will need to “shut up” and listen to one another! We will need to commit to carry discussions through to their end – and guard against dropping the issue because the talk is uncomfortable. We will have to wait, perhaps, because God never seems to work in terms of our schedules. The familiar “way it’s always been done” will no longer suffice. Faithfulness today may not look like faithfulness did in the past.

Our Season of Discernment will take all of us. Holy Trinity needs you! We have been drawn into community; we are not alone – for a reason! We’ll need support and comfort and encouragement from each other – what Martin Luther called “the conversation and consolation of brothers and sisters.” We will need kindness and patience; we will need to forgive and be forgiven. We will want to pray that we see the face of Jesus in every single person, for Jesus reminds us that God knows every hair on our head, and on the beloved heads of those around us.

But most importantly . . . Jesus has made a promise. Before the crucifixion he said to the disciples, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:26-27)

Do you feel the Holy Spirit moving here at Holy Trinity? I’m certain I do. I see eyes looking ahead. We are considering new things. We’re asking and praying about the right thing: “What is God calling us to do?” I see hope and possibility. A new pastor is on her way, and she is enthusiastic about working with us in all of this. I believe Jesus would say to us, you’ve made a great start! Well done, good and trustworthy servants. (Matt. 25:23)

We’re waiting and wondering. The future is not exactly clear, but personally, I’m excited! I feel real joy and expectation. I am inspired! I am thankful for you and thankful to God for all that you have accomplished.
Hoping you feel the same, we pray together in the words of the hymn (ELW 715) we will sing in just a moment:

Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see.
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the
darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in Holy Trinity, gathered today.

Amen!