Grumbling and Grace

Date: September 19, 2010
Scripture Lesson: Luke 15:1-10
Sermon: Grumbling and Grace
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

This past week, we were notified that St. Mark United Church of Christ in Valrico, south of Tampa, will be holding its last service next Sunday. St. Mark was founded in 1984 in a growing area of exurban Tampa. With a membership of about 88, the congregation feels it is no longer viable as an established church. This notification about St. Mark Church saddened me. I know the founding pastor well. The current pastor did an internship at my father’s church in Bethlehem, PA in the 1980‘s. The church has a beautiful facility. Yet they are closing.

With our Charter Sunday this week, I found myself thinking about how it is that Lakewood UCC is still here, after 43 years and with just over 50 members. Some would say that we are not viable, and yet here we are. Yes, this is a small church, but a small church that is vibrant, strong, and spirited. How is it that there is such positive life and energy here?

Let’s look back at the scripture lesson that we heard this morning from Luke. In the introduction we are told “. . . the Pharisees and the scribes [religious leaders] were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So Jesus told them this parable.” [Luke 15:2-3] There follows the story of the lost sheep. Then the comment from Jesus, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” [Luke 15:7] And after the story of the lost coin, there is a similar comment, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” [Luke 15:10]

The religious leaders are grumbling and complaining. They are bitter because Jesus is reaching out to those who have been cast out by the dictates of religious rules and requirements. The little people. The people of low class and worth. The people who don’t matter. The people who have made a mess of their lives. The people who can’t get back into the good graces of their faith tradition. By reaching out to those outside the fold, the leaders feel that Jesus is undermining their authority. They feel he is challenging their power and control. They want to maintain their smug self-righteousness. They want to remain judgmental. The want a merit-based system of rewards and punishments that they administer to be sure that they get their reward. They have become angry and hostile because Jesus is not supporting the religious power structure. They feel that Jesus, dispensing divine grace with abandon, is undermining their superiority and position. They are embittered.

There is a folk tale which tells of a farmer who was granted three wishes. He could ask for anything he wanted. There was only one caveat. Anything that the farmer asked for, his neighbor would also receive – doubled. The farmer considered this. He announced his first wish: “I wish for 100 head of cattle.” And sure enough, there appeared in his pasture 100 more cows. Incredible. As he looked across at his neighbor’s field, he saw even more cattle – 200 additional cows. It was just as he had been told. Whatever he asked for was granted and his neighbor got twice as much. So, for his second wish, the farmer asked for an additional one hundred acres of land. And sure enough, the size of his farm mushroomed. More grazing land for the additional cattle. This was marvelous! Then he saw that his neighbor received 200 additional acres of land. Hmmm. The farmer became jealous. His neighbor’s good fortune was outpacing his. He felt betrayed and slighted. Afterall, hadn’t he been granted the wishes? And while his fortunes had increased beyond what he ever could have imagined, his neighbor had even more. It wasn’t fair. So, he carefully considered his third wish. Then he called out, “I’m ready with my third wish. I wish to be blind in one eye.” The wish was granted and God wept.

This story seems to relate to the attitude of the religious leaders toward Jesus’ teachings about God’s love and grace. They are bitter, jealous, and threatened. So they complain and grumble. For now. Later, they will seek Jesus’ death.

In the story from Luke, the attitude of the leaders is starkly contrasted with the sense of gratitude, joy, and celebration in the parables about the sheep and the coin. In those stories, we’re told of how the lowlife shepherd and the second class woman, their friends, and neighbors are all partying. We are told of God’s joy at the lost being found. Jesus paints a picture of celebration and delight. In vivid contrast to the grumbling, murmuring stuffed shirts, Jesus describes a party characterized by joyful abandon.

The story presents a choice. There are alternatives. Jealousy and murmuring over unmerited mercy. Or joy-filled celebration over unmerited mercy. Protecting power through judgmentalism. Or living it up with the lost. Commitment to self interest. Or commitment to community good. It is our choice.

In looking back at the early years of Lakewood United Church of Christ, it can be seen that this church got off to a rocky start characterized by conflict and broken relationships.

In early 1967, All Saints Lutheran Church, the newly formed congregation which began on this site and built these buildings, formally approached the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ about becoming part of the UCC. In a memorandum from the Florida Conference UCC staff person for church growth dated April 1, 1967, April Fool’s Day, there is a brief summary of the situation: “. . . I was convinced that it has been rather a stormy situation from the beginning. . . They withdrew from the former Lutheran Church five or six years ago, with the minister, and established this new congregation.” A rocky start from a split with another church.

In a history of the church, written by Evelyn Kaspar in honor of the 10th anniversary of Lakewood UCC, the beginning of the church is described in this way: “The Lakewood United Church of Christ emerged as a result of unfortunate circumstances within the All Saints Lutheran Church. . . Internal problems within the church and the inability of the church to resolve differences with the Lutheran Church of America from which the congregation had originally withdrawn prompted the contact to explore possibilities of a relationship with the U.C.C.” [Quotations from materials in the scrapbook Lakewood United Church of Christ Volume 1]

Apparently, when the All Saints Lutheran congregation approached the UCC, internal conflicts had intensified to the point that the pastor eventually had to resign and many members left the church. In the 10th anniversary history, we’re told, “The financial status was desperate and there was a large debt to be met.”

The church was not in very good shape. Hardly a plumb. Conflicts, problems, broken relationships, debt. And here they reached out to the United Church of Christ, as a lifeline, really. There seems to be a sense of relief and joy, when the history reports that on August 13, 1967, only about 5 months after the initial inquiry, “The U.C.C. Florida Conference and the U.C.C. Board of Homeland Ministries had approved the church as a new Mission Church.” Lakewood emerged as part of a new community, with a new home, and a new sense of belonging. The lost was found. And there was much rejoicing.

Not only did this congregation begin lost in conflict and debt, but there was the location. This building was constructed before 54th Avenue South was built. The original address was 5301 Caesar Way South. Looking back, Evelyn recalls: “Will anyone of you ever forget the times you got lost in Lakewood trying to find the church? Or the times you explained to others where the church was?”

The establishment of Lakewood United Church of Christ as a new congregation was about redemption, transformation, belonging, a new start. The lost being found. Grace abounding. Celebration and joy. Maybe it’s because of this rocky beginning that when faced with the choice presented in the scripture this morning between bitterness over unmerited mercy or joy-filled celebration of unmerited mercy, LUCC seems to have a proclivity for living it up with the lost. This church has scrapbooks filled with stories about solidarity with the least and the lost. There was intentional integration in the 1960’s well before it was PC chic. There was support for the farmworkers and migrant community in the 70’s. There was protesting and boycotting of nuclear war in the 80’s. There was an intentional welcome of all regardless of sexual identity in the 90’s. Hospitality for the homeless in the 2000’s. And these are just a few highlights.

This church has not only tried to side with the sidelined, but has endeavored to create inclusive community where all are truly welcome. People who have not felt welcome in the church as a whole have found a home here including people who have been in prison, those involved in sexual misconduct, those addicted to drugs and alcohol, those with DUIs, mixed race couples, those on public assistance, and on and on. Even people who want nothing to do with organized religion have found a home here! And there is amazement at the incredible community that is created. And there is great rejoicing.

Somehow, this church has tried to steer clear of smug self- righteousness. And the bitterness and selfishness that comes with defending a merit-based system of grace. This congregation has tried to be more than a self-perpetuating, self-serving institution. There is an honesty. A sympathy. A desire to reach out without judgment or recrimination. To be a community that celebrates grace, wherever it appears. Without trying to take control or take credit.

Now, church analysts will tell you that it is extremely difficult for a church with a rocky beginning to overcome the shaky start. It will have a negative influence over the entire history and ministry of the church. It seems ironic that the church, supposedly the community of resurrection and transformation, would take such a defeatist perspective. Yet that is the common wisdom among experts. But I think, in the case of Lakewood, the rocky beginnings, the tenuous start, may be at the heart of our heart, our compassion, our understanding, our appreciation for belonging, our acceptance. Our rocky start may account for our desire to reserve judgment and condemnation.

The early “stormy situation” and “unfortunate circumstances” may account for why this small but vibrant and strong congregation continues in ministry today. We once were lost. But God did not give up on us or abandon us. And there is much joy, and only occasional grumbling. Amen!

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.