The Rev. Dr. Jon Burnham preached this sermon at St. John's Presbyterian Church
on October 18, 2009; 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Sermon Text: Mark 10:35-45
During our session meeting last Thursday we talked about how our numbers seem to be down. Worship attendance membership numbers are down just a little and that is also true for other churches in our neighborhood. This downward trend is a national phenomenon. When I started in ministry in 1987 there were 3.2 million members of the PC(USA) and today there are 2.14 million members. Last year the PC(USA) recorded the steepest membership loss since reunion in 1983. Churches today feel like the man in the TV commercial who is on a ladder cleaning out the gutter on his house. We see his ladder start to slide off the house as he waves his arms in panic. We Christians are waving our arms in panic mode. We wonder what is wrong with the church?
Your session discussed that question and here are some of our responses. Our church needs to have a unified vision. The session needs to come together as one and be leaders. This church needs to be a place that is so special to our own members that they want to invite others to come join in the movement. Each one of us needs to become a missionary in our own neighborhood, in our workplace, and with our family, friends and colleagues. Those are some of the session's responses to the question: "Why is our church declining in membership?" I wonder how Jesus would answer that question? Fortunately, in our gospel lesson Jesus does answer that question.
There we read how, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we need a favor from you." Rather than rehash the story let's put ourselves into this story. Imagine a few St. Johners and a few members of other area churches are part of Jesus crowd of disciples. There are some members of Willow Meadows Baptist, Westbury United Methodist and Salem Lutheran Church. And imagine the two St. Johners approach Jesus and say, "Teacher, we've got a favor to ask you."
Jesus responds to the two St. Johners, "What is it you want me to do for you?"
"Let St. John's Presbyterian Church be the most successful church in this community."
"Clarify what you mean by 'most successful church,'" Jesus replies.
"We mean we want our church to be the most respected church on West Bellfort. We would like to have the best kept lawn, newly remodeled buildings, a big all color LCD screen on our church sign. We'd like to see our congregation grow to 1000 members. Furthermore, we want ours to be the most powerful church in Southwest Houston. We want to have the most effective church staff, the most talented choir, the biggest youth group, the most babies, a vital Christian Education program for all ages, active young adults and generous older adults who leave lots of money to the church in their wills."
Jesus keeps staring at them blankly so the other St. Johner now pipes in, saying: "Jesus, we want our church to have the highest status of any church in the community. We'd like to add a gymnasium to our facilities so that we have the most to offer the upper middle class couples with children in Meyerland, Bellaire, and West University. We want more members than Lakewood Church and more prestige than First Presbyterian."
The other St. Johner agrees, "Yea. What he said. That's what we want from you."
Jesus looks sad and says to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you capable of drinking the cup I drink?"
The cup Jesus mentions represents his suffering and death on the cross. When he was in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night when he was arrested by the Roman soldiers Jesus prayed to God that he might be spared the cup of suffering if it is was within God's will. But Jesus was not spared the cup of suffering. He had drink it all. He had to drink it all.
"Are you capable of drinking the cup I drink?"
"Sure," the St. Johners answer. "Why not?"
Jesus said, "Come to think of it, you will drink the cup I drink. But as to making your church the most so-called successful, that's not my business. There are other arrangements for that."
Now when some members of Willow Meadows Baptist, Westbury United Methodist and Salem Lutheran Church heard what the St. Johners had asked Jesus they lost their tempers with them. They were mad that the St. Johners had beat 'em to the punch and became loudly self-righteous in their anger. Things were getting out of hand among the members of the four churches, accusations were flying, voices were raised, things were getting ugly real fast.
So Jesus called them all together to settle things down. He scheduled a town hall meeting in the sanctuary of Temple Beth Israel – chosen by Jesus as a neutral site. When the meeting started, Jesus said: "Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. I came to serve, not be served."
We tend to think of ways the church can serve our members better. But Jesus challenges us to ask how our church can better serve people outside the church. We look around the sanctuary and think this is our mission field. But Jesus challenges us to develop an X-ray vision that see beyond the brick walls of this sanctuary into the homes of the people of this great city for Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.
There was another TV commercial this week about a place in Alabama called "Victoryland." I just caught the end of it and wasn't sure but it looked like it may be a Christian theme park. Fewer and fewer churches today are feeling like "Victoryland." Some theologians say the idea of the church triumphant no longer fits the present situation of the church in the world. Instead, we must re-imagine the church as a suffering servant in the world. Our questions must change from how can we increase our power, prestige and status -- to how can we become servants of Jesus, the suffering servant? We in the church should be asking How are we serving the unemployed? How are we serving the poor? How are we serving the hungry? That is how Jesus defines a successful church. According to Jesus way of thinking, Braes Interfaith Ministries (BIM) food pantry and consignment shop are right up there at the top of Jesus agenda. How right and fitting it is that BIM draws together the members of different congregations to serve the poor.
Let's not fall into the trap of "My church is better than your church" with other churches in this community. Let's not strive for the most members or the biggest building of any church in town. Instead, let us be the first one to say yes to any worthy service project that is going to help someone who can never pay us back. Let us be the church that says yes to the poor. Let us be the church that says yes to whomever wants to join us in service to others. Let us drink the cup of Jesus suffering by pouring ourselves out in loving service to others.
I love to read our church newsletter, The Beacon because it tells so many stories of how St. Johners are reaching out to the community in Jesus' name. The Mustard Seed Project involved so many of us in loving service to those whom Jesus loves. Our new Advocacy Program for special needs children is taking root and bearing fruit. Here are some of the other outreach projects listed in this month's Beacon: Blood Drive; "Wonder Team" sandwich makers; Crop Walk; Prayer Groups; Mission Trips to Haiti and Uganda; Living Gift Market; addressing human trafficking; gift boxes for the Seafarers Ministry, and even a dragon boat race to fund cancer research. Of course, there are many more. We St. Johners understand what it means to be a successful church according to Jesus' definition of being successful. We will continue to measure success in terms of those whom we serve.
This week you will receive a stewardship letter from this congregation. You may read it and realize that this congregation is facing some financial challenges right now. Consider your financial giving as a spiritual discipline for that is how we Presbyterians view it. Jesus definition of success is how well we serve the people in our city – not how we serve ourselves. So give big -- not to a budget -- but to the vision of serving others in Jesus' name. As a pastor of a neighboring church said of his congregation: "We may not be gaining members but we are still providing a valid ministry to the community." With God's help we will continue to be a successful church according to Jesus definition of success which is pouring ourselves out in service to others. This congregation excels in doing that. Therefore, according to Jesus' definition of success: We are doing what successful churches do!
