Reconciling in Christ Sermon 2022

If you would like to hear the sermon, please go here.

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Welcome and well come to CTS on this Reconciling in Christ Sunday 2022. Before I start, I wanted to explain the meaning of the opening. I’ve had a few people ask me about it, so I figured I’d explain it. “Welcome” (1 word) means just what it says: You are welcome here in this place. “Well come” (2 words) means that it is well; or good; that you have come here. It is a greeting meaning “You are welcome in this place, and it is good that you are here with us.”

I’m sure, given the readings, you are probably expecting me to preach on my favorite topic: Love. And you would not be entirely wrong. But what I am hoping to do today is approach it from a slightly different angle than I normally do. What I want to focus on today is the Gospel today. Specifically, I want to focus on the second half of the Gospel where Jesus says “Let the children alone — let them come to me. The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up this was always talked about as meaning that since we are all children of God, we are intended to be like little children who are supposed to be obedient and eager to please. Now, although I don’t have children myself, I have been around them enough to know that not all children are like this. In fact, I’d wager that most children aren’t. Yes, little children seek approval, but all too often, they question everything (there’s a reason why the question “Why?” and the accompanying “Because I said so!” are so cliché!) and do things their own way. The point? This is a bad way to understand this quote from Jesus.

I think a better way to understand it is to look at a different aspect of being a child. Think of that old saw: “Children should be seen and not heard.” I’m sure we’ve all heard it at least once in our lives. It’s the idea that children don’t know enough, or children aren’t important enough to speak or to have input into things that are going on. Rather, they should just be grateful that they are allowed to be around (after all, we could just banish them from our presence!) and shouldn’t ask for anything more. This attitude is something that pervades our society is so many different ways. We don’t just act this way about children, we also treat many marginalized groups in the same way. Whether it be women, Black people, queer people, disabled people, immigrants, or any other groups asking for equal rights, we keep hearing about how they should be quiet and be grateful for what they have. When Black people have marched peacefully for equal rights, they are ignored or attacked. When they take stronger action, they are asked why they don’t ask peacefully. When women look for equal pay for equal work, they are told that they are being pushy and should be happy they are working. When disabled people ask for equal access to facilities, they are told that giving them equal access makes other people’s lives inconvenient and it is too expensive. When immigrants come seeking a better life that the United States advertises, they are told that they need to wait in a very long line and denied many basic human benefits that the US offers while being forced to subsidize these benefits for other people.

Another group that is marginalized and attacked in some horrific ways are trans people. In 2021 alone, 37 states considered 110 bills to restrict the rights of trans people, particularly trans youth. There have been bills to deny trans children the opportunity to be a part of sports teams according to their gender, bills to give bounties to people who feel that a trans person has “stolen” their spot on a sports team, bills to deny trans people the opportunity to use the restroom that is in accord with their gender, bills to punish parents who follow medical advice and allow their children to transition, and so much more. There are “gender critical” (i.e., transphobic) people out there every day harassing and bullying trans people (or anyone perceived to be trans) on social media and in person, sometimes leading to someone ending their life rather than continue to suffer from the abuse. We have churches which have punished members for daring to think or say that maybe, just maybe, God cares for trans people in the same way She cares for other people. We have people using Jesus as justification for their hatred and bigotry (although, that is nothing new). We have people suing in court because they follow transphobic “logic” and claim that a trans person “stole” a prize or ribbon that is “rightfully” theirs.

I could go on in that vein, but there’s so much more. In 2021 there were at least 50 trans or gender non-conforming people killed. The number is likely much higher than that because victims are often misgendered, which makes it harder to get an accurate count. This violence is often aimed at trans women of color. In fact, a lot of anti-trans rhetoric has its roots in misogyny and patriarchy. If you think about it, a lot of the rhetoric is aimed at trans women and children and the idea that they need special “protection”. The idea animating this is that women are weak and need to be protected by big, strong men. Or the idea that children can’t know their sexuality or gender orientation (unless of course they are cisgender and/or straight, which is “normal”) because they’re “too young” or “too innocent” as if being queer or trans is something that is pathological or that people need to be protected from. I could go on in this vein for some time, but I want to get back to the Gospel message.

So, if we follow the idea that this quote from Jesus: “Let the children alone — let them come to me. The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” then I would argue that the “children” here are any marginalized people. As a church, we are called to meet and embrace those who are in the margins because that is where God is in a special way. There’s a song from the Broadway play Dear Evan Hansen which says “There’s a place where you don’t have to feel unknown and every time you call out, you’re a little less alone. If you only say the word, from across the silence, your voice is heard.” And that, my dearest siblings, describes a church like nothing else, or rather, a church as it should be. The form of the church, if you will. It is a place where you don’t have to feel alone because you are in community with people. A place where you don’t have to feel unknown, because you are known by God and by the people of your church. A place where you can cry out and be heard. A place where you can ask for help and it will be given or ask for support and know it is there without question. A church should be a shelter for those who need rest and protection. A place where we can come and bask in the glorious love and support of those around us. A place where we can simply be. That is what the church is called to be.

So, on this RIC Sunday, I ask you to look for anyone who may need rest, support, or love and reach out to them. Let someone know that you are there for them, that they are seen, that they are heard, and that they are loved. It can be hard to ask for help and even harder to get support in this time of COVID, which makes it especially important that we love and support each other. As it said in today’s reading from 1 John: “If we love God, we should love our siblings as well; we have this commandment from God.” Or as it says in I Corinthians: “There are, in the end, three things that last: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” So go and love. Love fearlessly. Love joyfully. Be a part of that Love which abides no borders because it knows no borders. May they know we are Christians by our love.

Let us pray: Divine Parent, Maker and Lover of all. We ask You to help us know how we can be there for those who are marginalized by society. May we be inspired to share your Love with everyone we meet. May our love for You and for all Your creation lead us to be there for all people.

Let the church say: Amen!