"Expecting Miracles"

As everyone knows, we’ve got some huge decisions to make concerning the future of not only our church facility, but also our church family.  Whatever happens, things are not going to remain the same.  And that’s both good news and bad news.  Things need to change.  This building needs to change if we’re going to thrive and grow, but that’s only the beginning.  There are many things we do reasonably well but, as Dave Marston’s mother always used to tell him when he was practicing piano: “It can always be better.”  So, programming, worship, mission, outreach, nurture and care, in short, everything is going to be subject to change.  In case you’re wondering, that’s the good news part of the equation.  The bad news is that change is challenging.  People (that’s us, folks) resist change.  Change is hard. 

Do any of you remember singing that old song, “Show me the way to go home”?  I can remember returning home in the car with my family and singing that song, "Show me the way to go home. I'm tired and I wanna go to bed. I had a little drink about an hour ago and it went right to my head. Wherever I may roam, over land or sea or foam, you can always hear me singing this song, show me the way to go home." There's no place like home. But then there's that other expression, "You can never go home."  What that's saying is that families go through changes. Memories of the way things were remain, but the dynamics of what it means to be a family change.

This morning we hear about Jesus' homecoming. He returns to his hometown of Nazareth, bringing his disciples with him. He's all grown up now, and he's become quite famous. He's known far and wide as a miracle worker and healer. Just as he has done in countless other towns, he enters the synagogue at Nazareth and begins to preach. The scriptures record that many who heard him were astonished. "Where did this man get all this?" they ask. "What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands?" And then the punch line: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?"

That's quite a family, isn't it? Four brothers and at least two sisters, since it's in the plural. Maybe there were more. Seven kids living under one roof with Mary and Joseph. I've never heard a sermon on it, but the family dynamics of growing up as a messiah and the only Son of God with a house full of brothers and sisters would probably make for an interesting case study. Jesus begins to preach to the folks he'd grown up with, "And they took offense at him." They knew his roots, so they questioned his fruits. They rejected him. "And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them." Well, that's pretty wonderful in itself, but still "he was amazed at their unbelief." Jesus offers an explanation: "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." Today we define an expert as anyone who has traveled at least 10 miles to share his or her information. They become "a prophet from afar." In India there's a related saying: "Your guru should live at least three valleys away."

Familiarity breeds contempt. "Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary?" We know him. He's no miracle worker. And, mark these words, because of their unbelief, "He could do no deed of power there." Not wouldn't - couldn't! That is a profoundly unsettling statement, and it has incredible implications for the church. What it means is that simply not believing that something can be done can actually stop it from happening!

We're family, and this is our church home, which means that Christ is in our midst.  But, there will be no miracles unless we join with Christ in joyful, confident anticipation and a lot of hard work, working together with God and one another to help bring about the good things God has in store for us.  St. Augustine once said, "Without God, we cannot. Without us, God will not."

We’re making big plans and asking big questions about the future of our church.  Whatever we do is going to change things.  Families go through changes, but the love and the respect remains. If we honor and celebrate our diversity, give thanks to God and continue to look for creative ways to solve whatever problems arise, we’ll be fine. Problems are opportunities for thinking outside the box. Problems are opportunities for continued growth, if we choose to embrace instead of resist them. We've been blessed! We're a dynamic, energetic and creative family. The possibilities are limited only by our imaginations and I believe in the love, the guidance, the wonder-working power and the presence of Jesus Christ which dwells within each and every one of us. I believe that we are the Body of Christ, and I know you well enough to know that you do too.

So, I’ll close with a challenge.  Change is always a little scary, but there is an alternative.  In fact, there are seven steps that lead to this alternative.  You’ll recognize these familiar phrases:

1. We've never done it that way before.
2. We did try that once before.
3. We're not ready for that.
4. We're doing all right without trying that.
5. We don't have money for that.
6. That's not our job.
7. Something like that can't work.

The familiarity of these phrases speaks a word of challenge to our church family. But, we're up to a good challenge. I don't know what's going to happen, but I do believe that all things work together for good for those who love God. I have faith in God's leading, trust in Christ's inspiration, and confidence in our desire to all work together to build a new future for our church family.  I am expecting wonderful things to happen. Christ be your shalom. Amen.

(1) Erwin M. Soukup. Soukup admits that "there's probably an eighth step, but we've never looked it up before!"