True Christianity Sermon 5-25-08

     Recently I was sent a story that touched me deeply. It seemed to embody the True Calling of Jesus’ Teachings. I have helped the Homeless who got nasty looks when they entered a Worship Service. I also have been on the receiving end of the Judging a book by It’s Cover Christians. These Congregations need a little refresher course in following Jesus. Here is the story I was given.

     His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a t-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This is literaly his entire wardrobe for his entire four years of college.

     He is brilliant. He is kind, profound and very very bright. He became a Christian while attending college. Across the street from campus is a Congregation of well-dressed and very conservative Church. They have had meetings discussing how they can develop a Ministry to invite the students but are not sure how to go about it.

     One day Bill decdes to attend a Service. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his hole filled t-shirt and his wild hair. The Service has already started when he arrives. As a result Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The Church is completely packed and he can not find a seat. By now people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.

     Bill gets closer and closer to the Pulpit. When Bill realizes that there are no seats he tops in front of the Pulpit and squats down right on the carpet. By now the Congregation is really uptight. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife.

     About this time the Minister realizes that from way  back in the Church a Deacon has started to make his way up the aisle, making his way towards Bill.

     This Deacon has been with the Church for a very long time. Even in his eighties he serves as an usher every Sunday. He has silver-gray hair and his Church clothes of a three piece suit. He is a Godly man, very elegant, very dignified, and very courtly. He needs a cane to walk. As he makes his slow progress towards the boy, everyone is saying to themselves that they can not blame the Deacon for what he’s going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and background to understand some unkempt college kid on the floor? It takes a very long time for the Deacon to make his way up the aisle to the boy.

     The Church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man’s cane. All eyes are focused on him as he passes each row of pews. You can not even hear anyone breathing. The Minister can not even start to Preach his Sermon until the Deacon does what he has to do.

     When the Deacon reaches the carpeted area where the boy is sitting this Elder drops his cane to the floor. With much straining and difficulty, he then lowers himself until he is seated right next to Bill on the floor. He starts to Worship with Bill so he will not be Praying alone.

     Everyone chokes up with emotion. After taking a minute to compose himself the Minister says, “What I Preach today you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.”

     Be careful how you live. Be careful what you say. Do not Judge others. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read.”

     I have had occasions where I was made to feel unwelcome in the clothes I wore to go to a Worship Service. I often sat in the back back pews because I knew that was where the action is. I knew because that was where I often sat. It is where a new person can sit down without being noticed. They can slip out if they do not feel welcome or in the right place. Those front pews are Traditionaly reserved for  the Regular Members. The people who give lots of money expect to be seated there.

     In the back I quietly made new folks feel welcome. I comforted those who came in for healing and help. At first this was accepted by the other Members as just strange old Angel is staying out of the way. Later when they realized I was doing what they should have been attempting they made a big show of going to the back to greet new people.

     I had to laugh because by marching up the aisles actually alarmed the new people. The people I talked with on their own terms often stayed for Fellowship afterwards. Sadly the ones they talked to were never seen again. I continued my work for God back in the Nether regions of the Church.

     One day I heard something very interesting. I was seated in the back as usual. Along came two women that had spoken with me the first time they attended. There was room next to me and I invited them. The first one started to sit down with a smile on her face. The other woman stopped her with a hand on her arm. She said in a low voice that I could still hear, “We don’t want to sit next to her.”

     After I asked around a little I found that the Church Heirarchy was angry that people talked to me and not them. They felt that in my proactive approach I was making them look bad. They told everyone who would listen that I was not really a part of their Congregation. So much for that fancy piece of paper saying I was a sworn in Member of this Congregation.

     On another occasion I was recovering from a sinus infection. It was not a clod or the flu. I was not infectious. I was seated at Service when someone I had met before asked to sit down. I said sure and scooted a bit to make room. After a couple of minutes I had to sneeze. I had a Kleenex. This woman who was supposed to be a pillar of this Church, looked at me as though I was a Leper. I tried to explain that I was not catchy, that it was just a sinus thing that was almost gone. No reassurance from me made any difference. She left so quickly the air thunder clapped behind her.

     Latter I paid attention to her behavior. I noticed that she avoided anyone who was not Whole, Well, and Pius. It reminded me of the way Cripples, Lepers and the Unclean were banned from the Temple in Ancient Times. I felt better. I already knew that she was not Immune Compromised, which I at least could have understood.

     By being Unwell she had allocated me to the Category of not belonging there. I was made to feel unwelcome in the old style Unclean of being banned from Worshipping in the Temple. I hope she does not come to Services during her Period if that is how she feels. If she did attend then she would be showing her Hypocrisy.

     Jesus was condemned for consorting with the outcasts, unclean, and damaged in the World. He healed and comforted them. I believe that our calling as Christians is to see beyond the outside of a person, that might not fit our definition of Worthy. Jesus abolished the Temple Rules concerning these things. You never know, Jesus just might show up to test how well you have learned your Lessons in Love. The next Homeless person you meet may be Jesus in diguise.

     I usually go to people who are not well so that I can find out what is wrong so that I might be able to help. Sometimes they come to me. If you find yourself drawing back from someone at Church ask yourself what Jesus might do instead. You may decide not to do everything he did but you do not need to treat them like Lepers.

     If this is a hard Lesson for you try to remember the Phrase, “There but for the Grace of God Go I.” Everyone is sick at sometime in their lifes. Treat people the way you hope to be treated should the roles be reversed. Even if you make no big effort to heal them, your acceptance of their basic Humanity and Frailty will do wonders in and of itself. Try to Model the Compassion that Jesus Practiced.

God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions.

Angel Eliza