Transcend and Include

In what may be a classic case of the pastor reading his or her own life into the text, I noticed for the first time that this Pentecost story from Acts, which we read every year on this festival Sunday, is a story about identity. That is, who we understand ourselves to be; as well as who God understands us to be.

In today’s story, Jesus’ disciples are gathered for the Hebrew festival of Pentecost when suddenly God’s Spirit rushes into their room, lights a fire above their heads, and enables them to start speaking in languages other than their own. This attracts a great multi-ethnic and multi-cultural crowd of amazed and astonished onlookers. Each person in the large crowd, regardless of their home country and language, hears and understands the words of God’s spirit speaking through the mouths of 12 Hebrew men. 

The first lesson about identity from this scripture is that the Spirit respects and works within an individual’s identity. The crowd did not have to sacrifice their culture or language in order to receive God’s word. No one among that crowd had to become a Hebrew in order to be filled with God’s word. The Mesopotamians could be Mesopotamian and still receive God’s word. The Arabs could be Arab and still receive God’s word, and so on.

It’s appropriate and important to layer this truth on top of our world today. Israelis can be Israeli and receive God’s word in the same way that Palestinians can be Palestinian and receive God’s word. Republicans can be Republican and receive God’s word in the same way that Democrats can be Democrats and receive God’s word. Ohio State fans can be Ohio State fans and receive God’s word...and, well, good luck to all the rest of you! Just kidding. The Spirit never demands that you give up your identity; nor does it require that of anyone else. Who you are matters. Your gifts, your desires, your quirks, your vocational calling...it all matters.

The second lesson about identity from this scripture is that the Spirit transcends an individual’s identity. Peter is tasked with correcting those among the crowd who think the disciples are nothing more than drunks. Human beings like to label and categorize the identities of others. You’re black, you’re gay, you’re rich, you’re lucky, you’re a jerk, you’re a friend, you’re worthless, you’re a banker, you’re a pastor. This can be an innocent and helpful practice, but it clearly has the capacity to push away and oppress those whom you consider different.  

To such dismissive label-making, Peter raises his voice (which, in the New Testament, only happens when a blessing is being pronounced), and shouts an excerpt from Joel:

“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh….Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

All flesh shall prophesy and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Not just the Lutherans, the Hebrews, the Republicans, the Democrats, the righteous, the drunks, the rich, the poor, the bankers, or the pastors.

This story is an epic announcement that God seeks to transcend and include our identities as the Holy Spirit does its saving work. 

It is absolutely true that who we are matters. 

It is absolutely true that God will work within us in spite of who we are. 

It is absolutely true that God will work within us because of who we are. 

Transcend and include. In other words, be who you are but don’t let it limit you or others.

This is my final Sunday here as a Pastor at Cross of Grace. Since announcing my resignation, the question of my identity has been a dominant one. Just about everyone has questions about who I am, or, rather, who I will be starting tomorrow. 

Will I still be in the ministry? 
Yes, of course. After all, one of our core faith tenets is the priesthood of all believers. We are all in the ministry. 

Will I still be a pastor? 
No…probably not...well, who knows!

What is my next job title or career path? 
Excellent question! TBD, I’ll keep you posted. Earlier in the week a friend told me he is going to think of me as a retired pastor, which I find quite amusing, though it’s a designation I’ve not earned. “X-Pastor” sounds like a superhero comic book character, like the “X-Men.” I suppose I could print a business card that says that. 

It’s not that these are unimportant questions. God knows I have been wrestling with these questions of identity for a long time. 

In packing up my office I picked up a book that was given to me as a gift when I was ordained. It was signed by the gift-givers (friends who have known me my whole life). They wrote in it: “February 7, 2010 – the day you became the man God created you to be.” 

That was exactly what I needed to hear when I started in parish ministry and it got me through a lot in my 11 years of ministry. When people would get mad at me for what I would or wouldn’t do or say...when I found myself devalued by people in the church...when I couldn’t find encouragement or support, I needed to know that in spite of all the frustrations and disappointments, I was doing what God created me to do.

But at some point, I became curious about life outside of being Pastor Aaron. If I could set off on another career path, what would I choose and why? I discerned a sense of encouragement and optimism as I considered my future outside congregational ministry. And, as the saying goes, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. 

The Spirit is inviting me to transcend my identity as a pastor...but to include it as well. Tomorrow, I will no longer be Pastor Aaron; but tomorrow I will have been Pastor Aaron. That rich and beautiful experience will always inform my sense of identity.

Transcend and include. After all, I’m still becoming the man God created me to be. And God’s still helping me in the process.

This process has, admittedly, been fairly tumultuous. I have an email folder full of rejection emails from positions at nonprofit organizations to which I’ve applied over the past few months. It is tempting to think of myself as someone no one wants to hire. And that is, in fact, a part of my identity. The call of the Spirit is, of course, to transcend that identity...but to include it as well...to let it fill me with humility as well as inform my decisions and have compassion for others who find it hard to find meaningful employment and the gifts that such employment provides. Transcend and include. 

On top of all this, I found out this week that my identity has been stolen and that someone with my name, phone number, address, and social security number recently applied for a $50,000 loan from the US Small Business Administration. The credit reporting agencies are helping me transcend this identity issue, but as long as I’m unwilling to change my name, phone number, address, and social security number, there will always be a chance that someone will pretend to be me and steal money. I think there’s a whole separate sermon in there about being your true self, but alas, I’m out of time. 

All this is to say that identity matters, but only insofar as it leads to openness and inclusion rather than pride, isolation, and judgment of self or others. Who I am today and tomorrow matters. It matters to you, to my family, to me, and to God. Who I am today will be a part of who I am tomorrow. But who I am today or tomorrow will never change the fact that my true identity is found in Christ alone. I am a child of God. And doesn’t that make for a better business card to carry around? 

Who am I? I am a child of God. 

That’s what the Spirit says when it speaks to and through me, as it will continue to do regardless of whether I’m a pastor, a business owner, a teacher, a bartender, or anything else. 

And what’s true for me is especially true for you. Know who you are and let that knowledge expand your heart and mind in order to treat yourself and others with kindness, respect, and love. You are a beloved child of God with unique characteristics that God placed in you for a reason. You are still becoming the person God created you to be. So be kind to yourself and others, treat one another as beloved children of God, and may God bless you today, tomorrow, and forever. 

Amen. 

Pruning for Fruit

John 15:1-8

”I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

---

The summer we started the Grace Garden here at church, I planted something that is still in the garden today — I planted grape vines. Unlike everything else in the garden, which is destined to be distributed to our food pantry clients, my vision for the grapes was to make wine out of it to use in worship one day (maybe literally for one day).

I planted three vines that first summer, but only one survived to the next year. I didn’t know how to care for them and I still don’t know why one survived and the other two did not. The next summer I didn’t want to do anything to lessen the chance for the vine’s survival, so I didn’t touch it. By the time the third summer rolled around, I realized I had a bit of a problem because by never pruning the vine, it had grown out of control. Pruning was supposed to be done in the winter, but it was too late and I could only watch as the tangle of branches produced large leaves, but never a single grape.

This year I put it on my calendar to prune the vine in February. I was full of doubt about the process. Is this really what I’m supposed to do? Am I doing it right? Would it make a difference? Is there a chance I could kill it by removing so much of its growth? Pruning shears in hand, I nervously set about snipping off long branches and wayward growths, reducing the vine to a stub with only two branches splitting off in either direction. I looked at the end result and thought for sure I had killed it. Today, however, it looks healthy and has buds on it’s two remaining branches. In a few months there just might be some juicy grapes growing on it.

All that to say, this year as I read about Jesus’ spiritual teaching about the vine and the branches, I connected more with the story than I had before. I had a deeper connection to the illustration of removing branches from the vine as well as God’s promise to bring fruit forth from the vine. This time around, the story convicted me of my reluctance to prune away branches...both the literal ones in the garden as well as the figurative ones in my life.

I was hesitant to prune the grape vine because I didn’t actually know how to care for the vine. I was ignorant.

Also, I was so grateful to have one that survived that I couldn’t imagine taking a blade to it in any capacity. I was scared it wouldn’t live.

And finally, I was sure I would mess it up. I was full of self-doubt.

Ignorance, fear, and self-doubt are three things that prevented the grape vine from flourishing. Ignorance, fear, and self-doubt are also three things that prevent me from flourishing spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Ignorance. Why is it that we so often lack the knowledge necessary to take care of ourselves or others? Do we realize that we have to remove branches from our lives that bear no fruit? Are we even aware that there are branches in our lives that do not bear fruit--that is, things in our lives that redirect and waste valuable time, energy, and resources from the truly good things in our lives?

Fear. What are we afraid of? Is it truly possible for us to fail if we are attuned to the presence and direction of God in our lives? Would God let us prune away too much? Would God allow us to sever the wrong branch? Would God prefer simply to chop us down entirely rather than carefully tend to our needs?

Self-doubt. Why is it so difficult to love ourselves and be filled with God’s grace? Why do our inner monologues seek to tear us and others down? Why do we cling to resentments and disappointments? Why do criticisms from others remain with us longer and demand more energy from us than compliments? What is it that prevents us from trusting that God is a master vinegrower and we are valuable vines?

Close your eyes and imagine a garden that is tended to by someone who is full of ignorance, fear, and self-doubt. What do you notice about what is or isn’t growing in the garden? How does it make you feel to look at that garden, to walk among it?

Ignorance, fear, and self-doubt ruin more than just gardens, of course. They can also ruin lives. Ignorance, fear, and self-doubt will prevent a human life from reaching its full potential. Yours, as well as those with whom you are in relationship.

The antidote to ignorance is knowledge. The antidote to fear is courage. And the antidote to self-doubt is faith.

Close your eyes once more and imagine a garden that is tended to by someone who is knowledgeable, courageous, and faithful. What do you notice about what is or isn’t growing in this garden? How does it make you feel to look at this garden, to walk among it?

The difference between the two gardens is that one has been pruned.

When Jesus tells us that God, the vinegrower, will prune the branches that do not bear fruit, we are to hear this as a promise, not a threat. This speech Jesus gave to his first followers shortly before his crucifixion is not a warning about the fires of hell for those who fail to profess Jesus as Lord. Rather, it is an invitation to trust that God will prune the fruitless and wasteful branches of our lives in order for us to flourish. And with enough knowledge, courage, and faith, we will begin to identify those fruitless branches ourselves and do a little self-pruning. If the notion of self-pruning sounds a little too awkward or painful, you could also call this process “discipleship.”

Knowledge, courage, and faith are good gifts that come from God. We do not earn or create these gifts; but we do encounter them and become more aware of them in prayer, scripture, and acts of loving service to others.

Knowledge grows as we admit we do not know everything and approach life with an open heart and an open mind.

Courage grows each time we engage with others from a position of vulnerability and honesty.

Faith grows each time we seek out and wrestle with God’s presence in the midst of this world that God loves and redeems.

May you be filled up with wisdom about who God is, whom God created you to be, and what wasteful branches in your life should be pruned away.

May you be courageous and bravely set out to make a positive impact in the world, even if it comes at great personal cost.

And may you be faithful to the God of love who is, at this moment, using his followers to redeem, restore, and reconcile the world and one another.

Amen.