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Sermon Preacher at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Granite Springs by the the Reverend Matthew Mead
Septmeber 27, 2009
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 21, Year B (RCL): Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29; Psalm 19:7-14;James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50


In the Gospel passage Jesus reminds his disciples that there is no such thing as “us” and “them” among his followers. He says: whoever is not against us is with us. This same theme is prefigured in the Old Testament reading by Eldad and Medad who were not among the chosen seventy, and yet were still filled with the Spirit. The idea of us and them is a very powerful idea and it is often, sadly, lived out with great vigor by the different denominations of the church. There are many different denominations, and we do many things very differently, and when Christians from different denominations gather together finding common ground so that the many groups can feel more like one group can be difficult. More often than not, the things that divide us win the day.

With that in mind, I would like to tell you about two major events that occurred in my life this week.

I went to a wedding yesterday. The bride has been a good friend of mine for my entire life. In a sense it was almost like a family wedding. My sister was the matron of honor. My father officiated at the wedding. I didn’t know every guest, but I knew many of them. At a wedding yesterday every Christian was invited to receive communion. How many times have you been to a wedding when that wasn’t the case? I’ve been to lots. Now, its easy to say “well, at least our church doesn’t do that” but I think every denomination has its flaws. Pointing fingers isn’t usually helpful. Instead I think its more helpful to look for ways to find common ground.

The other event was not a joyous event. On Wednesday my grandfather died. He was the patriarch of my mother’s family and his death will leave a great big void. He died at home, in his own bed, after having been in generally poor health for the last few years. He was a great man and I will miss him very much. I ask your prayers for him, and especially for my grandmother, my mom and her brother and sister.

Death and grief are painful. My grandfather was an Episcopalian, but hope in the resurrection is something that all Christians share. There are many different denominations, and we do many things very differently, but we all share the same faith in the love of God that conquers everything, even death. Seventh Day Adventists and Episcopalians may disagree about when the Lord’s Day is, but we do not disagree about the resurrection. Roman Catholics and Episcopalians may disagree about how the church is organized and who can receive Communion, but we do not disagree about the resurrection. Televangelists and Episcopalians often seem to have very little in common, but we share the same faith in the risen Lord. That is not to say that every Christian is always right or that the differences between denominations aren’t important: they are very important. But those differences are not more important than the faith all Christians share in the risen Lord.

At the end of the day… or more accurately at the end our journey on this earth… there is no such thing as us and them. We all share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those we love but do not see anymore have taken their place with the saints in heaven and each of us will be with them again. I believe that all Christians know this because, I think, it is why we are Christians.

You and I, in our daily lives, can actually do quite a bit to show and tell others about the faith we believe in. One thing we can all do, speak about the church and other Christians as if there is no “us” and “them”. That doesn’t mean we ignore the important differences we have with other Christians, but I think it does mean focusing on what is most important: the fact that we all share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.