Sermon:  "Keeping It Together in the Church"
Date:   September 4, 2011
Minister:  The Rev. Charles Ensley

Lesson: Matthew 18:15-20

In my nearly 25 years here, I have seen a lot of people come and go.  I can’t decide a) whether it’s because I’ve been here so long; b) it’s a larger church so more transition is to be expected, or c) whether it’s a Southern California phenomenon.  Our church membership, 440, is about the same now as when I came.  At least it didn’t decline!

Now people leave for many reasons.  I remember the summer of 1994, when six families were transferred by their companies or took new jobs in other parts of the country.  We lost a total of 24 people that summer:  12 very active adult members and their 12 children.

Some people try us out for a while, and find we’re just not what they’re looking for.  That’s understandable.  We simply cannot be the right church for everyone all the time.

Some people leave because they are angry about something.  They don’t think our programs are good enough.  They are offended by something a member here said to them, or at a meeting.  They believe I might be more liberal than either their more conservative political or theological views.  They take exception with some pronouncement made by delegates to the biennial General Synod of the United Church of Christ—which is always charged with speaking “to” the churches, not “for” the churches.  Two members left here because of statements made by other UCC ministers—one locally and one nationally.  I told them those were not the views I held as their pastor, but that wasn’t good enough for them.

Some people just drop out for unknown reasons.  As painful as it is for both parties, I at least admire and appreciate those who will come in and tell just why it is they are leaving our church.  It’s helpful to know that.

While Matthew’s Gospel was written in the middle of the first century, when the church was not established in any way that resembles the church today, it almost seems as if Jesus knew such differences of opinion would come.  In today’s passage, Jesus says, in effect, ‘There will be disagreements, there will be hurts and wrongs committed in the church, and when that happens you are to care enough about your sister or brother to act, to respond in love to set things right.’

This is a word to me in the church.  Is it also a word to you?  Sometimes I am guilty of thinking to myself, “I wish we could get beyond all these petty squabbles and arguments over budget allocations and meetings that go on too long without getting much accomplished and get on with the real business of the church.”

But maybe getting along with one another, settling our disputes in a Christ-like way, is the real business of the church.  The easiest thing would be to sweep our differences under the carpet, put a smile on our faces, and deny the disagreements.  Jesus commands us to confront one another, to work for reconciliation.  Much is at stake here, nothing less than the survival of the Body of Christ as the body of Christ.

Life in Christ’s body, the church, is not all that easy at times.  We’ve been thrown together with people who are not all that easy to get along with.  We have disagreements over politics and personal behavior.  Some people who sit next to us on Sunday morning are dedicated and committed; some you might think are there just for show, to be seen by others looking good.

Jesus’ words about how members ought to settle disagreements among themselves are so typical of Matthew’s Gospel, where life in the “body”—the body of Christ—is a crucial concern.  Its occasional divisions and bickering must have been from the very start, which causes Jesus’ intervention in today’s Gospel.  We have all seen or experienced congregations that chew up and spit out pastors every couple of years, and there is no sense of satisfaction or accomplishment or mission among them.  One such church I knew dwindled in number so much that the remaining twelve members sat around in chairs in the chancel for morning worship.  Curious number:  twelve.

There is nothing that says we must agree on everything.  This church is both capital “C” Congregational in original denomination and lower case “c” congregational in style of government.  Every member is entitled to one vote, whether at a commission meeting, at the Board of Stewards meeting, or when the entire congregation gathers for a congregational meeting.  And no one member’s vote is considered of more importance than any other’s.  As such, there are bound to be differences of opinion on almost every issue.  One hopes those differences can be both respected and tolerated, although I have not always found that to be the case.  And I’m not just speaking of this congregation.  I’ve served three churches over 38 years, and am familiar with many others, and how differences of opinion are handled between two members or two opposing factions in the congregation can sometimes be bitter, hurtful and/or destructive.

Yet in the church we not only have the challenge of getting along with one another—the challenge that Jesus speaks to in today’s Gospel—but we also have the challenge of getting along with the same Jesus who commanded us, “If you love God, then love one another.”  This command of his is sprinkled liberally throughout all four Gospels.  In fact, it is the command, the mandate, the mandatum from which we get the word Maundy in Maundy Thursday.  On the night in which he was betrayed, perhaps the most important thing Jesus said to his disciples was:  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”  (John 15:12) 

Having called us to be Christ’s Church, we need to follow Jesus’ commandment not only so we can endure the church, but also to become the church that he would have us be.  Jesus never said we have to like each other, just love each other!  Sometimes that person you don’t seem to get along with may be going through something of which you have no knowledge.  Many times over the years I have found out later what was going on behind the scene in someone’s marriage, family life, career, health or financial situation that went a long way toward explaining their actions.

Jesus ends today’s passage with his declaration that is often used in calls to worship at the beginning of a service:  “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matt. 18:20)  While we regularly talk about personal faith, Christianity was never intended to be a religion only for the individual.  From the very beginning, when Jesus called together that band of twelve with whom he taught and traveled and lived and ate, Christianity was intended to be a communal experience.  And whenever two or three are gathered together—your family or mine or a congregation—there are bound to be differing opinions, even disagreements and arguments.  There are people I have agreed to disagree with, and we get along cordially and function well together.  Pastors, who spend so much of our lives dealing with seemingly small, insignificant matters of church life, might just see today’s Gospel as a wonderful confirmation of our work as pastors.  When we are busy refereeing in squabbles in the church, working for the unity and harmony of the church, leading the church in its life, we are doing work for the kingdom of God, today’s scripture implies.  It’s a rather amazing claim.

We gather this morning before a great mystery, a miracle, really.  We, yes us, poor old half-faithful, messed-up, bickering, and trivial us, we are the form that Christ has chosen to take in the world.  That means that when we’re trying to get along with each other, when we are making peace with one another after a sharp argument, when we pitch in and do our part to assist and serve others, we are engaged in holy, reign-of-God sort of work.  Jesus is having his way with his beloved world; the light is shining in the darkness; Christ’s reign is coming here on earth as in heaven.