Preparing the Way

 The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight"  Luke 3:4 and Isaiah 40:3

These are the words of the prophet Isaiah and the words of John, the Baptizer as they "prepare" the way of the Lord.  According to the author of "You are Witnesses of These Things," John prepared people to see Jesus.  Likewise, the church is called to prepare to receive those who seek Jesus.

What is Church?  The church is not a building where praying, worship, study, and meetings happen.  We know the church as the people who pray and worship and study and meet.  The church as the people also do outreach, in the community, as we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the community and world.  

When I was ordained, I can't remember word for word the sermon that was preached by my long-time mentor pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Nebraska--the Rev. Thomas Hallstrom.  He spoke to the reality that as church we are going to be called for a lot of things--we will be called to social service issues, fellowship, and I don't know what else he said.  But we are NOT another social service agency or a club where people join and meet.  As church, we have a call to proclaim Jesus, to introduce people to Jesus--to proclaim to those who know Jesus best and those who have never heard.  

In the book, Satterlee writes: "While we seek to attract busy young families who find belonging in multiple communities, the ancient church reached out to people who needed to belong-widows, orphans, and the poor.  While we make it easy for people to join (and therefore to leave) the church, the ancient church expected people to invest themselves by learning to behave differently, in ways Christians behave.  While we frequently approach faith as a matter of individual mind and heart, the ancient church was convinced that believing comes from doing.  Chrisitan faith in embarking on a chosen way of life that includes belonging to the way or community of Jesus, behaving like Jesus in the world, and trusting and sharing the good news of Jesus."  (page 82)

How have you witnessed this in your life and in the church?

They go one to say, "People who receive the story of Jesus seek out communities that prioritize extending belonging in the name of Jesus, behaving in ways Jesus embodies, teaches and commands, and trusting the good news of Jesus above all else. Even more disheartening and demoralizing than witnessing to Jesus and bearing no fruit is someone receiving our witness and seeking out the church to learn more about Jesus, only to turn away because what they find undermines or contradicts the good news about Jesus they received."  (Page 82)

Have you ever witnessed a stumbling block in the church?  Though we often think of individuals as being stumbling blocks, as a community we can be stumbling blocks as well.  

We are going to spend a little more time talking about this chapter in our class and online.  But there are a few questions I would ask that you consider:

1.  How well does our faith community's life together align with its confession and witness of Jesus?

2. How does this community receive and accompany people desiring to follow in the way of Jesus?

3. Is Ascension/your congregation ready to receive and accompany people new to the story of Jesus?