I have just read the story of Pentecost, a story important to our understanding of the Church.  It gives us a picture of the Church God Created.  It lifts up a helpful “Picture” of God At Work Still in His Church.

 

Today, I will share some reflections I have had as I tried to lead His Church/the churches I served; and, then, I will read you the short story from Martin Bell’s The Way of the Wolf, The Gospel in New Images.  The title of the story gives us the title to the sermon: The Rag Tag Army.  The picture of the Church being a Rag Tag Army may be shocking, and turn some people off.  What it does though can be very helpful as it reminds us what we see in today’s scripture passage when we see it is God at work in his own way.

 

It may help us get back to what God is still doing in His Church and help us to see God at work in a new way upon the church here.

 

NOW, Back to the Acts Story and the Picture scriptures gives us of the Church Coming into Being.

 

Let’s note how God in the Spirit is at work reversing the OT Chaos Seen in the Tower of Babel when people forgot about God and put their focus on building their Own Tower.  We hear how the people speaking different languages were able to hear and understand one another.  God was at work!  It was God’s Work in bringing His Church into being.

 

Now moving to my own experience as a pastor.  This Spring, I visited Richmond where I graduated 40 years ago from the Seminary and was ordained in a very special Church. I visited with Members of my former Church.

 

At the Seminary I ate at the Dining Hall where I was reminded of a very helpful Image of the Church, I received years ago while serving my 1^st Church.  The Richmond Symphony practiced there in the dining hall.  One evening while I was the pastor of the church, I had dinner in the dining room.  As I went in I observed the diversity of the musicians as each arrived: ethnically, dress, and transportation.  When the conductor raised his baton and they began to play, great music filled the room.  I saw a helpful new way of looking at my church.  The next Sunday they heard about the SYMPHONY.

 

In churches I have served, I sometimes read a poem as we finished the celebration of Christmas.  The poem ends something like this,

 

(With the manger and birth of Jesus behind us)... Now, the work of Christmas begins... To make music in the hearts of people.

 

As I visited with my former Members 40 years later, I thought, How Well Did We Do to make God’s Music in the Hearts of People? The next morning at breakfast, I got a partial answer as to this question.

 

Sunday afternoon I got a call from Joyce. She called to tell me she wanted to drive to Richmond to have breakfast with me the next morning.  Joyce grew up as a youth in the church and is now ordained and serves as a seminary professor a good way from Richmond.  It was special she wanted to drive a good way just to have breakfast with me.

 

Joyce’s story with the little church I served 40 years ago began when Joyce was about 10.  Her mother brought her with her older sister and younger brother to the church.  They were “un-churched”.  Now, Joyce has been serving the larger church for many years.  She has written a couple of books and a number of articles on ministry to children and youth.  She leads workshops on children’s and youth ministry.

 

We met the next morning.  I discovered she came to tell me how much the little church had meant to her own faith and life.  She wanted to me to know how in her writing and in her workshops, she tells the story of the impact that church and more specifically certain people had had in her life and faith development.  Then she presented me with a signed copy of her latest book in which she names the names of 3 of the women and me.  I sat there in tears never knowing the impact our ministry as a church had had on a young girl.

 

I could go on and tell other stories that came to mind as I visited with those people in my visit to Richmond and a call I got from one of the women Joyce names in her book...

Yes, There was Joyce and her family... Since then, Rose called... Then, there was a couple whose marriage was on the rocks who had 2 young boys who had come to a day camp. There was John, one of the ablest Elders I ever had, who shared his struggle with Anger...

 

As I stood behind the Table then, and stand Today here with you, I can see another image, a New Image... Another View of the Church.  It reminds me of the Church I know AND the Churches I have known over the years.

 

The story comes from Martin Bell’s The Way of the Wolf, The Gospel in New Images... It’s titled “The Rag Tag Army.”

 

While I think it is true to the Acts 2 picture we get as we listen to the formation or birth of the church, I question if the image of The Rag Tag Army would set well with a lot of people?

 

LISTEN AS I READ... ”The Rag Tag Army”...

 

I think God must be very old and very tired. Maybe he used to look splendid and fine in his general’s uniform, but no more. He’s been on the march a long time, you know. And look at his rag-tag little army! All he has for soldiers are you and me. Dumb little army. Listen! The drum beat isn’t even regular. Everyone is out of step. And there! You see? God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of his tinier soldiers who decided to wander off and play with a frog, or run in a field, or whose foot got tangled in the underbrush. He’ll never get anywhere that way. And yet, the march goes on.

Do you see how the marchers have broken up into little groups? Look at that group up near the front. Now, there’s a snappy outfit. They all look pretty muck alike – at least they’re in step with each other. That’s something! Only they’re not wearing their shoes. They’re carrying them in their hands. Silly little band. They won’t get far before God will have to stop again.

Or how about that other group over there? They’re all holding hands as they march. The only trouble with this is the men on each end of the line. Pretty soon they realize that one of their hands isn’t holding onto anything – one hand is reaching, empty, alone. And so they hold hands with each other, and everybody marches around in circles. And, of course, a bigger circle is deceptive because as we march along it looks like we’re going someplace, but we’re not. And so God must stop again. You see what I mean? He’ll never get anywhere that way!

If God were more sensible he’d take his little army and shape them up. Why, whoever heard of a soldier stopping to romp in a field? It’s ridiculous. But even more absurd is a general who will stop the march of eternity to go and bring him back. But that’s God for you. His is no endless, empty marching. He is going somewhere. His steps are deliberate and purposive. He may be old, and he may be tired. But he knows where he’s going. And he means to take every last one of his tiny soldiers with him. Only there aren’t going to be any forced marches. And, after all, there are frogs and flowers, and thorns and underbrush along the way. And even though our foreheads have been signed with the sign of the cross, we are only human. And most of us are afraid and lonely and would like to hold hands or cry or run away. And we don’t know where we are going, and we can’t seem to trust God – especially when it’s dark out and we can’t see him! And he won’t go on without us. And that’s why it’s taking so long.

Listen! The drum beat isn’t even regular. Everyone is out of step. And there! You see? God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of his tinier soldiers who decided to wander off and play with a frog, or run in a field, or whose foot got tangled in the underbrush. He’ll never get anywhere that way!

And yet, the march goes on...

 

I lift up The Rag Tag Army as a view of the Church that goes hand in hand with Acts 2.

 

This view HELPFULLY SHIFTS OUR FOCUS FROM OURSELVES TO THE LIVING ONE/The LIVING SPIRIT AT WORK IN GOD’S PEOPLE.

 

Bishop Will Willamon... Spoke at the Christus Lectures at Spring Hill College this spring.  He spoke on Salvation and pointed to God as the One saving and active in The Church... He stressed that people are dependent on God and NOT what WE Do! It is God first...The initiator of all that is Truly the Church.

 

In closing, turn in your hymnals to Number 127, Come Oh Spirit... Let’s read this hymn as our prayer for this church... AND then let us stand and sing it!

 

The Spirit can be at work in us as we sing  and as we continue to be Christ’s faithful people here!