BUSYNESS vs. THE BETTER PART
2nd Sermon in the “Sent By God”
Series
“You are worried & distracted by many things; there is
need of only one thing.”
Matthew 10:41b-42a (NRSV)
Over the recent Christmas holiday, I
was reading that the word “busyness” is relatively new to our vocabulary usage. Only in the past few years has it gained such
wide & frequent use. “Busyness”
aptly expresses the fact that our lives are not just busy, but so busy, & sadly, too busy often engaged
in meaning-less, perfunctory behavior. All
that time we put in not only has little current value, but no eternal purpose. Busyness
does not build relationships, build value, or build the kingdom. If it did, it wouldn’t be busyness. It would be satisfying activity.
Many of us bring the cultural attitude
of busyness to church. We enjoy doing
church & all that the institution demands, but in a more reflective moment,
question the real purpose of this busyness. Rather than doing church, it might be far better being church. We know how to
do church well. Can we be the church?
“What’s the difference, Pastor” you
ask?
Well, doing church prepares a Sunday
School lesson or organizes a meeting.
Doing church ladles soup at Manna.
Doing church gives money for some worthwhile cause. It’s all great stuff. That’s doing church.
Being church takes faith to a deeper level, bringing
a relational dimension to our tasks, that is far more fulfilling to us &
others. Instead of sapping our energy, it energizes & satisfies. So, being church personally gets to know
those Sunday School students or spends time learning about the lives of the
persons on your ministry team. Being
church sits down to chat with the homeless person whose soup bowl you just
filled at Manna. Being church spends
time & effort getting to know the recipient of your generously-given
dollars.
Let me be clear:
being church does not take our busyness & add face time, making us busier
still! Being church is being in a
relationship with just one of those persons to impact their lives for
Christ. While doing church gets people
in the sanctuary door & active in programs (again, good things), being
church focuses on building relationships that bring souls to know, love, &
live for Christ.
After a brief introductory comment in
this next video segment, you’ll meet someone who is not only doing church, but
is a part of a doing congregation that wants to get their new member to do
church, too. Watch.
[Show
video clip.[1]]
I get a kick out of that segment. It’s so telling, so real, isn’t it? We know how to do that, don’t we? We’ve either done church that way, had it
done to us, or, at the very least, know how it’s done. For many churches for many years, that’s
typical of how to do church. Keep the
focus inside the four walls & never mention anything about being in a world
in need. That’s part of it, too.
In our gospel lesson, one that is so
familiar to many of us, Jesus calls Martha’s busyness both a worriment & a
distraction. Is what she does
important? Yes, to some degree it
is. Persons need to eat & someone
has to do the cooking, especially for this honored guest. --- That’s the way we
justify our busyness, too.
Jesus, however, as hungry as he may be, as appreciative of Martha’s efforts as he genuinely is, cannot disregard the fact that just being with each other is most important. Even the dinner, itself, is really only a vehicle to build the relationship, support togetherness, get to know one another better or at a deeper level. Meals aren’t just about eating, are they?
I mean, why is eating together as a
family so important? Just to fill our
stomachs & nourish our physical bodies?
No. As essential as food is, it’s
being with one another, learning about one another, sharing one’s day, one’s
thoughts, oneself. Yes, the food needs
to be prepared, the drinks poured, the table set, the hands washed. Even doing those activities, though, can be
accomplished jointly with everyone being together in the kitchen & dining
area. And guests who come for the meal,
if they don’t pitch in, are often invited into the kitchen to be with everyone
else.
If Martha was truly interested in
being with Jesus, why didn’t she suggest that he & Mary join her in the
kitchen, like we often do with our guests?
Why didn’t Martha choose “the better part,” as Jesus credited her
sister? Quite frankly, she could have
cared for the busyness that so worried her, while being with her sister &
their honored guest. It’s no more work.
Jesus had often said that he wouldn’t
be around forever, a not-so-subtle way to tell folks to take advantage of the
time with him now. Many times, with
guests, you only get one opportunity to be with them. You may not get another chance with your
guest, either. Unless one is starving,
food is almost always easy to come by.
Sound, healthy relationships aren’t so easy. It takes time, effort, & even some
creativity to be in a relationship.
In church, we may only get one shot
with our visitors, the ones who come to worship & the ones who find their
way here the other days of the week, too.
[Show
next video clip.[2]]
Great story, isn’t it!?! I love the look of fear on young Roger’s face
as the pastor reaches into his pocket.
What did he think pastors carry around?
Weapons? A Bible maybe. But he had a key, obviously!
Here is doing church versus being church. Doing
church is interested in membership: filling pews, big numbers, bigger
offerings, getting persons involved in our programs, church work. Being church is interested in discipleship:
offering Christ to two boys, transforming the lives in their family, being in
ministry to one another & others in their need.
Churches that focus on themselves will
eventually have less of them-selves to focus on. It’s like the congregation in financial
difficulty which says, “Charity begins at home.” They raise funds to maintain their club -
their institution - to survive, & keep their doors open. You kind of wonder who they’re keeping the
doors open for, don’t you? It’s
certainly not for anyone else or anyone new.
Congregations,
on the other hand, that focus on mission & ministry to people in need (emotionally,
financially, physically, spiritually) in the church & outside of the
church, always find their organizational needs met, & not only keep their
doors open, but grow & fulfill Christ’s commands to make disciples.
The faith Jesus gives us is counter-intuitive. The world’s model is to take care of
oneself. The Christian model is to care
for others. Jesus isn’t saying, “Ignore
yourself to the point of ill health.” He
is teaching that when we are selfish, we fail.
When we share our abundant gifts with others, we don’t fail. We don’t even just survive. We thrive!
Yes, we have bills to pay here. And how many of those bills benefit
others? Nearly 25% of our spending is
for missions & ministry needs beyond our four walls. Even the utility bills that provide
electricity inside these four walls help welcome all sorts of individuals &
groups from our community. As the public
sector evicts or refuses children’s groups a place to meet, this church
provides a safe, clean, welcoming environment.
(That’s one of the things which the Midtown members most miss: inviting
neighborhood kids into their gym to play basketball in a safe place that
introduces them to Jesus.)
I looked at our deficit as the year ended. It was of concern, but not a crisis. Individuals & families that were in crisis, thanks to your generous
spirits, had their crises lessened, & in some cases, eliminated.
What I’m saying is that there are
churches for church people – the first video clip where worriments & distractions
abound.
There are churches for church people, & there are
churches for everyone else. They are
churches which focus on the needs of others & make disciples & change
lives, as Jesus called us to do – the second video clip. They focus on “the better part,” as Jesus
called it. There is no worry about the
future because they know they’re doing the right thing. There is no distraction, because there is a
single-mindedness, one primary task, namely to be in relationship with God
& one another. That single-focus
mission to be in relationship with others occurs with every soul that is already
here & starts all over, the first time a new soul sets foot in the door,
& reaches out to others with that same love, too.
To love God & one another is essential. It’s what we’re about. It’s what church is. It’s being church. It’s the better part.
In the Name…. Copyright
2010 by G.D.Knerr at