Manna For Mission (Sermon March 15)

Well, brothers and sisters, we are on to a new covenant again this week in our ongoing Lenten series “Is the Story Still for Us.” For those of you who were here 2 weeks ago, I shared that in our Lenten season, we will be introduced to 5 covenants that God created with His people. Just to review, a covenant is a solemn, unbreakable bond made between God and God’s people. Each covenant builds upon itself, the previous promise is kept, and a new, more earth shattering promise emerges. This is a signal, that God is in relationship with us, that He has made a promise with us, that God’s relationship with humanity has changed.
We’ve heard of God’s covenant with Noah—water was changed, and is no longer used to separate God from His people. Water (through Bapt.) unites God and His people. We’ve learned of God’s covenant with Abraham and Sarah, to create a great nation, a community from what was barren. Today, our covenant focus is the 10 commandments. So, God promises to: 1) unite his people, not separate them with water 2) God promises to create community and family through Abraham and Sarah 3) God promises to lead and guide us with the help of commandments.
Rules. Is this story still for us? This covenant may make us a bit more sheepish. Anyone out there begin to read the 10 commandments and find themselves sinking lower in their seat, feeling like they’re about to hear how we aren’t following the rules? I know when I’ve read the commandments in the past, I’m taken back to my 3rd grade classroom with Mrs. Schmidt. As 3rd graders, there were new expectations, we weren’t the “little kids” anymore and we had to follow a new set of rules. One of those rules centered around talking, or talking out of turn…if you talked out of turn, Mrs. Schmidt would place your name on the board. Each time after this, you received a check after your name. 5 check marks meant you lost 5 minutes of recess time. Guess which Vicar in this room had trouble following this rule? No surprise to many, I did indeed spend some time in the classroom during recess. Some of us may read the 10 commandments and imagine God sitting up at a giant chalkboard writing huge, red check marks after our name….let’s see “thou shall not murder” ok, I’m good for that one, but “thou shall not covet they neighbor’s property…” under this system, I may not be going out for recess for a few decades!
But, this covenant was created isn’t about God and his giant chalkboard in the sky. It is a gift to the Jews and to us, rather than a punishment. The commandments were given to Moses at the beginning of 40 years of wilderness wanderings. The Jews were slaves in Egypt and their daily mission was decided for them. Their mission was to serve Pharaoh who told them when to work, how to work and what would happen if they didn’t work. Every earthly action was controlled. Suddenly, they are free and need guidance to meet their daily needs and discover their mission. God was there. He provides them with food—manna from heaven. But, friends, God does more than provide the descendants of Abraham with manna, nourishment for their bellies. God provides them with Sustenance--He gives them manna for mission. Nourishment for their souls through the 10 commandments. The goal of the commandments, the new covenant, isn’t an arbitrary set of rules, some “dos and don’ts” it is an act of love. God gave guidelines to wandering, beloved people so they could create a trusting and loving community and fulfill God’s mission. Manna for mission. Food for the journey. With the commandments, God is saying “I love you, trust me I know that there are things that can hurt you. I want to be with you fully, I want the community to be with each other fully. Don’t hurt yourselves. These things I warn you about (coveting, stealing, cheating, hurting) create jealousy, broken relationships, just don’t do this to yourself. I love you too much to see you hurting.” That’s what the commandments are…it’s an act of love from God to His people. It’s manna for mission.
So, where does this leave us? “Is the story still for us?” Is it? Is this covenant still our mission sustaining manna? What is HTLC’s mission? Well, our mission statement is to “gather God’s people @ God’s alter, grow as God’s people in God’s spirit, and GO as God’s hands, and heart and voice.” Our first taste of manna for mission is “to gather God’s people @ God’s alter.” This isn’t just the job of the ministers. It’s OUR mission, and each of us have a stake. Our mission is grounded in the commandments “remember the Sabbath, keep it holy.” Do we feel “we owe God 1 morning a week? That going to church makes God happy?” Is that what this command and our mission are saying? Do it to make God happy? NO, dear friends. Through this commandment, God says “I love you. You need community, you need to rest, to refuel. Lay your worries, and joys at the foot of my cross. Gather at my alter. Support one another as you carry out your mission TOGETHER.” THAT is covenant, and mission. For those of you who joined us on Wednesday (and will join us this coming Wed. @ Grace as I preach) we came together and placed letters at the foot of the cross. We gathered our tears, prayers and joys @ God’s alter, TOGETHER. Letters saying “dear God, thank you for the flowers, for my family.” “dear God, please heal my child.” The commandment for Sabbath creates mission and community for our hurting and healing world.
The second taste of manna for our mission: “Grow as God’s people in God’s spirit.” Growing as community in God’s spirit commands us to “honor thy mother and father, do not murder, or steal.” It says more than “kids, listen to your parents, don’t kill someone or rob a bank.” God says, “I love you. You need community. You need to be treated and treat others with respect. Celebrate and share the gifts of each other. Learn from one another and grow in mission. Our adult forum during Lent is taught by YOU. YOU share how to live well through all stages of life. YOU teach us how to prepare for the end of our earthly lives through hospice and advanced directives. YOU are teaching us the importance of relaxation and renewal as we plan Trek West/North 2010. YOU are growing this community and handing out manna for our world.
The final taste of manna for our mission: be “God’s hands, heart and voice.” “Be an active disciple in the world. Do not covet they neighbor’s goods” It’s not limited to “do good and don’t stare longingly at your neighbor’s Cadillac Escalade or Toyota Pruis.” God says, “I love you, you need community. Don’t long for what you don’t have, instead, give what you do have. Don’t long for another person’s relationship, branch out and make relationships with others. Be my hands.” Last Saturday, members gathered at our 3 Project Stepping Stone homes to clean the houses our congregation makes available to families in need. DO YOU KNOW what a gift this is? How this ministry speaks VOLUMES to the community about our commitment to being God’s hands, heart and voice? OUR MISSION IS GROUNDED in the commandments given to wandering former slaves over 5,000 years ago. THIS COVENANT TRANSFORMS YOU as YOU become MANNA for MISSION.
Is the story for us? Is God’s promise to Noah that water is transformed, God’s covenant to create community through Abraham and Sarah, God’s loving guidance handed to Moses still alive today? By the grace of God, through our grounding in the commandments, WE ARE MANNA. By the way, all the examples of our church and mission…they all come from HTLC’s activities in the past week. Our mission statement, grounded in the covenant of Moses isn’t an obscure, long term goal, it is how we are being God’s hands, heart, and voice, TODAY, RIGHT NOW. It’s not a set of rules that God marks off with a giant red pen. It’s you and I, together, in covenant with God, gathering @ God’s altar, growing, and acting in God’s world, yesterday, today, and tomorrow as living manna. AMEN.
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