Rev. Chris Snow
North Hill Christian Church
October 31, 2021
1 Peter 4:8-11
Over the past several weeks we have heard how we have sought to live into the mission that we believe that God has called us into. To name the ways in which we have and continue to respond to God’s call, building whole community, reflecting Chirst through our actions, and living into the reign of God. All of the things that we have pointed out from supporting one another in our journey of faith in self care, to reaching out to our larger community with intentionality, to being mindful of the ways in which we utilize the resources that we have at our disposal. All of this is shaped first and foremost by our faith in the one that teaches us to love not only ourselves but also all of our neighbors.
The love that we find within the divine has shaped us each as individuals. That love has brought us together and has shaped the ministries that we believe that we are called to be a part of. Even as those ministries have changed over the years, the constant piece has been God’s love present in our lives and shown through our actions.
I would like to expand upon the selected text for today. “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Chirst, to him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” (1Peter 4:8-11)
This text falls in the midst of a discussion of the sins of the world around the original audience, while also foretelling of the coming end of the age. There is this duality that the community is dealing with. The brokenness and sin surrounding the community on one hand, and the grace and love of God on the other. The author of this text is calling the believers to embrace the grace and then let it move through them in all that they do. So much so, that in verse 8 we hear that love covers a multitude of sins. Not excusing the sins but allows the believers to move past them towards healing the brokenness that the sins caused.
The phrase building a whole community is present throughout our mission and vision statement. This idea that we recognize that there is brokenness in our world. There has been brokenness within this community, but we are working toward bringing forth wholeness with God’s help. That we are constantly working to heal those wounds that we recognize and continue to listen for the places in which we have been blind to harm that we have caused. In all of this God’s healing love is our guide. Calling us to live lives full of grace for ourselves and others.
But how do we bring about this healing? It first comes with a warm welcome, as a host welcoming a guest. Caring for and uplifting one another without complaint. As we care for one another we do so, recognizing that we are not all in the same place on our faith journeys. But as we find ourselves on the journey we each have questions to ask, while others may have answers to give. We each have something to share as others may find themselves in need. No matter where we are on this journey we each come seeking to know more fully who Jesus Christ is in our lives. As we find ourselves on this journey together we are called to be hospitable to one another. Encouraging one another and offering those spaces in which we can share our faith with one another.
The divine love, that we continue find present as we grow in our faith, calls us into the work of building whole community. But whole community that is larger than this congregation. Building whole community that impacts and changes the world around us. Calling us to reach out with our ministry partners to bring healing to those issues that we believe that we have been given the gifts to address.
As we reach out with our ministry partners we seek to make known God’s healing presence for all those who are impacted. As we work around issues of food insecurity and hunger, we hope that those who receive those meals and resources know that they are not alone. As we work to support those ministries around homelessness we seek to do more than simply get people into housing but also to learn about those causes of homelessness so we may impact those as well. As we help citizenship students work their way towards becoming citizens we walk along side of them as friends so that they may achieve their dreams, and find a place of healing if they come to us due to war, violence, or disasters.
These ministries and so much more have been shaped by those gifts that we have recognized within our selves. Those gifts that should not go to waste but rather be shared with love to bring healing to our broken world so that God’s kingdom may continue to be realized upon this earth.
We have heard all month about the ministries that we have continued to participate in over the past year because of your willingness to share your gifts and make a concerted effort to support the ministries of this congregation. Today we ask you once more to consider the gifts that you have, that you may share with this congregation in living into the ministries that we we have been called into. Sharing your gifts and talents through hours and hours of volunteering and service. But also the dedication of your resources that are put to use in financially supporting the ministries of this congregation as we seek to serve those who have been gathered in to this congregation, but also as we seek to bring healing to our wider world.