Mission and Message

Scripture Readings: Galatians 2:11-14, Mark 7:14-23

Conflict within the church is as old as the first century. In the Galatians passage read this morning Paul is furious with Peter. The problem is that James, the brother of Jesus, who seems to be in charge of the church in Jerusalem, has sent a message to the church in Antioch forbidding Jews from eating with Gentiles. Before this message was delivered to the church in Antioch, Jewish and Gentile members of the church were eating together, and Peter was eating with them. But after James laid down the law, so to speak, Peter pulled back. Even Barnabas, who had been Paul’s coworker in the mission to the Gentiles, accepted the authority of James.

Paul is arguing that Jews and Gentiles are saved through faith in Jesus Christ and thus the church should not be imposing any requirements of the Law of Moses on its Jewish or Gentile members. He says earlier in his letter to the church at Galatia that James and Peter agreed with his approach to the Gentiles, when he met with them in Jerusalem fourteen years after his conversion at the beginning of his missionary work. Paul testifies that these "acknowledged leaders" of the church gave to him the "right hand of fellowship" and agreed that Paul would direct the Gentile mission while Peter led the Jewish mission. All that the church leaders from Jerusalem required was that Paul take up a collection for the poor in Jerusalem, and Paul says he was happy to do that. Gal. 2:1-10)

It is hard for contemporary Christians to have much sympathy with the position that Paul says the leaders in Jerusalem are requiring of churches with Jewish and Gentile members, because we are Gentiles and there are no longer Jewish members of our churches. But the New Testament reveals that the church began with Jews and at least until the first part of the second century had Jewish members, who were keeping some tenets of the Law of Moses, as well as Gentile members, who agreed with Paul that dietary laws and circumcision should not be imposed by the church on its members. Moreover, it is the former disciples of Jesus and James, the brother of Jesus, who are arguing (contrary to Paul) that Jesus did not reject or renounce Jewish law.

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus addresses this issue by teaching that what we say and do, rather than what we eat, defiles us. And the author of the gospel of Mark adds, in an aside to the reader, "Thus he [Jesus] declared all foods clean." (Mk. 7:19) But this aside is removed by the author of the gospel of Matthew, when he relates the teaching by Jesus found in the gospel of Mark. (Mt. 15:15-20) Explaining that speech and conduct are more important that dietary laws does not necessarily mean rejecting the Jewish dietary laws, as the gospel of Mark suggests. Clearly, many Christians in the first century continued to observe the Law of Moses, which is why Acts relates that Paul was besieged by a mob in Jerusalem during his last visit before his arrest, imprisonment and execution. (Acts 21:17-ch.28)

I suspect that there has never been a communion sermon on these scriptures, for in celebrating the communion we express symbolically through the breaking of the bread, as the body of Christ, the unity of the church. In fact, however, the church has for centuries been more divided over the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper than over any other single issue. So, perhaps it is all right to recall that conflict over eating together led some Christians to accuse other Christians of hypocrisy. Christians were, are, and will be human. Christians will have different understandings of the meaning of the gospel, its presentation through mission in the world, and how the teachings of scripture are to be interpreted and manifested in the life of the church.

Thus, we ought not to be surprised if there is some conflict here at St. John’s about worship, the mission of the church, and the way that the gospel is proclaimed and manifested in the life of the congregation. In fact, we should anticipate such conflicts and seek to benefit from the diversity of our ideas by involving all the members of St. John’s in planning for the future.

At the next meeting of session on September 18th the elders of St. John’s will consider this process, so now is an opportune time to communicate your hopes and concerns to your elected leaders. In turn, the elders will not simply make decisions for the congregation, but will create ways for all the members of St. John’s to share their ideas about the choices that lie ahead. The role of the interim minister in this planning process is to remind the congregation of its scriptural calling and to facilitate your deliberations. The future of St. John’s is in your hands, not mine, but I will do all I can to help you work through your differences.

Although the gospel reading for this morning cannot fairly be used to prove that Jesus rejected Jewish law, it does remind us that what we say and do is what "defiles" us. In a first century Jewish context, being "defiled" meant being unable to join in worship. In a twentieth century Christian context, we might agree that what we say and do will either help heal the brokenness of the church, as the body of Christ, or lead to further dividion and discord. So, even as we pursue the noble goals of proclaiming and living the good news of the gospel, we would do well to take some care in what we say and do. I can not see any reason for accusations of hypocrisy among the members of St. John’s. We ought to learn from the writings of the apostle Paul, yet we need not condone or emulate all that he said and did.

Interim ministry may be an exciting time of renewal, and I certainly hope that this will be the case here at St. John’s Presbyterian Church. So, as we take communion together, as we remember the brokenness of Jesus Christ for the sake of the world, may we rededicate ourselves to healing and strengthening the life and witness of the church. Amen.

Rev. Robert Traer
2 September 2001

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