Note: Since this was Connection
Sunday, the sermon was replaced
by this short meditation after which the
entire congregation met in small groups for discussion.
Sunday,
April 26, 1998
Connection Sunday
Jim Todhunter
"Connections"
Acts 2:42-47
The first full picture we have in the Bible of the Christian Church (after the resurrection of Jesus and the Pentecost experience) is in the Book of Acts. For many people it is a model for the true church. And it is truly remarkable! These followers of Jesus spent much time together, meeting in small groups in their homes. They worshipped in the Temple (they were, in fact, still Jews and the idea of a new religion hadn't occurred to them). There was teaching. There was prayer. There was fellowship. They worked out a way to pool their resources and take care of one another in their respective needs. They shared many meals together and ate with glad and generous hearts. A sense of wonder and awe pervaded everyone and everything. There was much praise of God and good will. And, perhaps most amazing of all - they grew in numbers!
I think that it is foolish to believe that we can simply replicate this experience today. The realities of first century Palestine are very different from those of end of the twentieth century North America. Yet while we cannot recreate the setting, we can resonate with the dynamics of that community and be faithful to what a true church can look like here and now. And what are those dynamics? God was at the center of their lives, and they connected with one another. I believe it was the poet Rilke who said "Only connect." And that those early Christians really did.
They connected with one another in a central sacred space, the Temple. They connected with one another in their private homes. They connected in prayer. They connected around shared meals. They connected around teaching and learning. They connected around sharing their wealth with one another. They connected around caring
for one another. They connected in reaching out and welcoming newcomers. They connected in feelings of gladness and wonder and thanksgiving and praise. And the fact that they connected was so appealing, outsiders flocked to join this community.
Yes, the setting of this story from the Bible is different from our setting. We argue that the realities of our day, the stresses and pressures and demands, are hard to overcome. The obstacles to such community are formidable. It is very hard to connect. We suspect that somehow it was easier in that long ago day. I don't think so. Those early followers of the Risen Christ overcame a lot. Every time they came together, in Temple or home, they took a big risk. They were followers of a discredited leader, executed by the Romans, rebuked by the religious authorities. It was a dangerous environment to proclaim "Jesus is Lord." But they did, and they did it with real joy in their hearts.
I believe the dynamics of faith and community are the same - then and now. Today we can connect in just the same way and be powered by the same dynamic. Our faith teaches that if we come together with God at the center of our lives, those connections will lead us, those connections will provide us with the resources and energy we need.
This morning we celebrate those connections. We are worshipping not just in this sacred space, but throughout this building and this neighborhood in small groups. We will have a chance to talk about the connections that can be nurtured in many areas: worship and prayer, education for all ages, our children and families, our facilities, our ministries, our community, and more.
If God is at the center of personal lives, and God is present when we come together, then if we "only connect," God will truly do the rest. Amen.
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