²⁷ Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing.

 

This is God’s Word for God’s people. Thanks be to God.

 

Every week, I meet with a group of studious individuals, and together we are becoming disciples through Bible Study. Every lesson includes a statement that represents the human condition. That which plagues us as flesh and creatures on the earth and of the world. The human condition usually speaks to our human desire. This week we happen to be reading the second part of the Gospel of John and the human condition from the lesson this week resonates with many of us and honestly with the message today.

 

It claims we want more than religion. We want to experience God as a living presence in our lives, going to religious ceremonies or trying to be good isn’t enough. We desperately want personal experience and spiritual power.

 

I find this statement to be true of those who are honestly on the path seeking for their purpose in Christ. Understanding that many of us may be and not even really know what that means or are we doing what is necessary to even begin asking the question. And after discussing what is means to be transformed, I recognize this truth is the next part. It is up to us to Live our life, today. Live your life, Beloved.

 

Let us Pray.

 

Gracious and loving Lord, here we are, to hear a word from you. We are searching for your love and care and direction. Pour into us in this moment so our hearts may be receptive to you. Grant us wisdom, grant us peace, grant us joy.

 

May the meditation of my heart and the words from my mouth be pleasing unto you. Amen.

 

For the last few weeks we discussed transformation. Transformation is familiar in the Church Culture whether you have been transformed or not. You grow up hearing it and then eventually come to a place where you accept it as something for others or actually can identify the transformative moments in your life that led you to be turned around in Christ.

 

But then the next phase that is necessary is the connectivity that this transformation is grounded in to the community. I honestly think this is where we lose people. We often think that we are in this by ourselves and that our transformation is reliant on how we individually respond to God. But in the scripture from Philippians we see how Paul describes being in relationship to each other and being in a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Paul really takes us there in chapter 1 beginning at verse 21. He says “²¹For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. ²³ I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; ²⁴ but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. ²⁵ Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, ²⁶ so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.”

 

Paul is talking to the church at Philippians while he is in prison in Rome, he is actually suffering and understands that they too are suffering. And we hear him say that to die is to gain but to live in the flesh means fruitful labor for him. You see in death he is assured he would be with Christ and what could be better than that. But while he is here in the flesh, he is called or tasked and obligated to work, to serve, and bring others to Christ with him. And he knows how much work that will take as well as more suffering.

 

But, he is relieved in knowing that together in the spirit, we all are united and through our relationship with one another we are in relationship with the Holy Spirit. This is more than being friends, more than being neighbors, more than understanding what the Holy Spirit is. This is about being in communion with one another. Holy communion unites us as brothers and sisters first in Christ, and then with each other. And what is required of us, is for us to live our life. So live your life. The one that has been given to you. The one that belongs to you, the one that no one can take from you.

 

Live your life. Yesterday, I was asked if I remembered the exact moment when I was called to preach. And I reflect back and think, that I don’t feel like I was called to preach; I feel that I was called to serve and to serve Christ and in that service I serve God’s people even those who do not know they belong to God. And yes, that does include preaching, but also in building relationship, and sharing in learning and loving. I am called to stand in the gap, of those in the margin and everyone else. For it is in that gap, that I believe we all come to meet Christ.

 

Paul continues in verse 27 – 28, ²⁷ Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing.

 

I absolutely love this scripture. I find that whenever I am in a place of turmoil or a place of suffering this scripture is revealed to me. Where else can we find out what it means to live in a manner that is worthy of the gospel, but in the gospel lessons, themself. The very text that tells of all the wonders and struggles of Christ.

 

The text that reminds us that we too are selected as God’s beloved, God’s dearest creation. That we too are chosen for God’s purposes, just the way we are. Our lives matter. Our gifts and skills are necessary, our experiences are valid. And when we are called we are equipped, each one of us. But it’s our human condition that gets in the way. The desires of the flesh that lies to us and tells us we are afraid, unsure, not ready, not prepared and not worthy to serve and live for God. But Christ instructs for us to live our life. Live your life.

 

Do not fret about what the next person is doing. That should not be of your concern. But live your life and be concerned about what God has called you to do. And even go so far as worry about who sees what you are doing. God already knows. Paul says to the Philippians live your life the way you should whether I am there or am absent from you. Meaning, you are to do what you are to do no matter if the teacher is there or not. This is integrity and accountability. Doing the right thing even when no one is looking and if and when you make a mistake be responsible in your actions.

 

And by doing this, it will be evident to the master, that you all are working together. Proving when difficult times arise, we are strengthened by the spirit. Standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel. When the pandemic struck what I witnessed in our faith community was true compassion for one another. Though we could not come together and were contained in our homes, that did not stop you from attending worship, connecting with one another, reaching out to each other to care for each other. Whether you intended to or not, I witnessed more of you standing together in one spirit. Your relationships with one another withstood any fear and isolation.

 

United we forged a way through and in fact rallied in new ways to be impactful as a community to the greater community. No fussing, no hesitation, when called to serve you did. You held true to what your heart desires were in being a community church even when your human condition could have caused you to withdraw and retreat. And for that I commend you. There are some churches that will never open their doors again. The ministry died when COVID struck. But God’s mission field has grown.

 

And do not be intimidated by this. For your human condition can trick you to believe that this is not for you. But remember when you called on God for help, remember when you asked for change. Well, remember that God answers prayers. Due to the pandemic and the racial and political tensions of the world, there are more in need and more in the margins. We are called now, to stand in the gaps as the bridge that makes the way plain, for those who are suffering, to the Lord.

 

And do not let your pride get in the way of the Lord. Look at what happened with the day laborers in the vineyard of today’s Gospel lesson. Those that took the job early on to tend to the field. They worked hard for their agreed wages. They suffered in gathering and building. But as more workers came along, those who were first called became prideful and arrogant. Believing they deserved more because they endured more. But the Lord knows, each of you the same. Knows what you have had to endure to even get to this place today. Each of our stories is for each one of us to tell and not to compare or compete with the other. So be only concerned with yourself and dare not block the blessings of another.

 

Cornerstone, look at your history. You have been toiling long and hard with your different home churches, whether you are from First UMC, Norwalk UMC, East Avenue UMC, El Camino UMC or elsewhere, we are here today in the same vineyard. Here today in same mission field. Our journey to this place is our own to carry, but also to share as we strive side by side in the faith and live lives worthy of the gospel, to continue to build Cornerstone Community Church. The path we took was meant for us to meet here and to carry us on to the next.

 

Be not concerned about who did what or when. Be concerned that we are here, right now in this moment together to be one in spirit. So live your life.

 

This is God’s word for God’s people. Thanks be to God.