“Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Today we kick off another year of ministry here at church. It’s energizing for me – for all of us! I love it when the regular, familiar routine of Sunday School and Bible study and Wednesday nights and choir and Grace Groups all get started again.
There are also some things I love about summer here at Grace of God. We did something new with Vacation Bible School this year which was fun! And the Youth Mission Trip to St. Louis was amazing! These are things I really love to be a part of. Another thing we did again here this summer at Grace of God which I really enjoyed was Summer Sabbath – our alternative worship times. Now some were better attended than other! Let’s just say at the last one a few weeks ago there were plenty of good seats available at show time! So at the beginning of the service I had to say what any pastor would say in that situation – and what I’ve said many times before in similar situations, “Where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, He is among us!”
This is a very handy verse in the Bible to use when you’re in a very small group and when the numbers suggest that maybe getting together wasn’t really worth it. You just say, “Hey, where two or three are gathered . . .” and instantly everyone . . . well, all two or three of you . . . feel better about being only two or three. It reminds us that being church is not all about massive numbers.
But of course, Jesus’ words about being present among two or three are meant as more than just a justification for a gathering sparsely attended. If we look at the context of Jesus’ words in our Gospel today we see that he is talking about sin and conflict among God’s people. Our Gospel reading is sandwiched in between two parables: right before our Gospel reading is the parable of the Lost Sheep in which a lone sheep who has been separated from the flock is restored through the loving actions of an attentive shepherd. And right after our Gospel reading today is the parable of the unmerciful servant who refused to forgive his neighbor even though he had been forgiven a great debt.
And in between Jesus talks about conflict and sin and offense and how we are to deal with it so we can be reconciled and restored. “If another member of the church sins against you . . . “ Jesus begins. Wait a minute! That doesn’t happen in church, does it? Yes, it happens in church. It happens among brothers and sisters in Christ. It happens in Christian families.
In case any of you have some delusions about what church is or who is a part of one, something probably needs to be said, something not too flattering. But here it goes . . . The church . . . THIS church — is made up of broken sinners. There I said it. No sense trying to keep that under wraps because it would come out sooner or later.
We are all broken sinners. In the church – among believers — we are dealing with people who are constantly in need of forgiveness themselves, so yes, we can offend each other, we can disappoint each other . . .we get frustrated with each other . . . we can hurt each other sometimes even intentionally.
There’s a story about the man who was stranded all alone, shipwrecked on a desert island. He had been there for a number of months, trying to survive, hoping some ship would sail close enough and notice him and rescue him.
One finally did and sent a small boat to check on this man alone on the island. As the small boat from the ship approached the shore, the man ran down to the beach to greet the rescue party.
As they greeted the man – isolated for so long from civilization — they also noticed a number of little buildings that had been built on the island. They asked the man: “You are here all alone. And you have so many different small buildings along the shore. Why all these buildings?”
The man responded. “Well, it’s been a long time here all by myself. I had to keep busy. So that building there (pointing) is where I slept. That building over there is where I would spend the day. That building is where I fixed my food and ate my meals. That building is where I went to church.” And pointing to another building, he said, “And that is where I used to go to church.”
That didn’t even take two or three. It was just ONE! Sometimes we are the biggest problem when it comes to the discord in our relationships at home . . . at church and among even the best of friends. It seems like when two or three broken sinners get together, there is going to be conflict and people pulling apart from each other.
Jesus outlines a way for us to deal with all of this. He stresses, above all, the importance of a patience and forgiveness and love and grace. The church is more than a place where like-minded people gather . . . it is way more than a place where we learn right from wrong. It is a place where the grace of God in Jesus Christ is experienced and shared. This grace — demonstrated for us when Jesus gave his life on the cross — is what gives our community its shape and its character. There is nothing more important that sharing this grace with one another by forgiving wrongs, healing hurts, restoring the broken, and seeking out the lost. This is who Jesus is and this is who we are to each other. Within this community of grace, Jesus promises to be among us. “When you are in loving relationship to each other,” Jesus says, “I am there.”
This is Jesus’ promise to his flock of broken sinners trying to do things on their own. This is his promise to his people who know separation and conflict and disharmony and who need to be in relationship. This is his promise to us today. When we get together face to face in his name we find Jesus.
We have gathered here in Jesus name. Today we are a little more than 2 or 3. But it doesn’t matter. It is in the connection between me and you. Between you and you. Jesus is waiting to be revealed in that relationship shared between two or three.
When we share the peace with each other, Jesus is there. That connection is more than just a friendly “good morning.” It is a liturgical action. Along with hearing God’s Word and receiving the sacrament it is a sign of Jesus presence among us. So take your time, move around, be generous with your handshakes and hugs. Because this this is where Jesus is found.
When we greet the stranger or visitor to our church, this is not just good outreach strategy. It is a holy interaction that mirrors exactly what Jesus did when he reached out to those who were on the outside. This is where Jesus is found.
When we are sitting around a Sunday school table or at a Bible study or Grace Group, this is not just some educational process that delivers knowledge about Bible stories, this is a sacred moment in which broken sinner meets gracious God in the relationship of those gathered. This is where Jesus is found.
When we gather at this table as a fellowship of desperate broken sinners we come to stand side by side with sisters and brothers who need the same grace we do. This is the church at its best. This is the beginning of healthy loving relationships and the foundation of human community the way God envisioned it for everyone.
