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Celebrating
Diversity in Christ
by Reverend Murray Spackman, Vicar.
Sunday 15 June, 2003
Romans 12:
3-10. Luke 6: 12 – 16.
If there is just one self-evident fact that presents itself to us
time and time gain, it is this – that we live in a world, in a
universe - which is filled
with diversity! Christian’s
believe that even within the Godhead – within the very nature of God
– there is also diversity.
So Trinity Sunday – perhaps more than any other Sunday in the
year, is a good time to talk about Diversity.
Over the past few weeks we have been emphasising different
aspects of the nature of the Church as a community.
We are Living Stones; We are we are an outward looking people of
faith who reach out into
the community; We are a
community which puts a high value on certain beliefs and practices
- such as we looked at from the Letter to the Hebrews. “Let us
come near to God; Let us persevere; Let us be concerned for one another
to show love and to do good; and
Let us not give up the habit of meeting together for worship. All of
these things emphasise the importance of our working together.
On Pentecost Sunday – last week – we noted how, in all that
we do – both in our desire to Know Christ personally, and also in our
commitment to Make Christ known to others – we need to depend upon the
Holy Spirit at work within us – and also, we need to depend
upon each other! In other
words – first and foremost- as you see in our Parish Vision
statement near the top of your pew sheet -
We are a family, in Christ – not a bunch of solo
individualists each doing their own thing, concerned only for one’s
self.
But an extremely important principle of being a family in
Christ, being a community of faith – is that there is, and will
be, Diversity. So, today,
Trinity Sunday is a good day to talk about this diversity, - and
where it, too, fits into the life of our Church.
So
today I want to make three
brief points! - and
they are all about Diversity!
1.
Diversity is God’s delight.
2.
Diversity in Christ
is God’s calling for the Church,
and
3.
Celebrating
Diversity in Christ builds His church.
So , firstly – Diversity is God’s delight:
I don’t think
this should come as any surprise to us. Everywhere around us we see
diversity and differences. I look out the window of my study and
literally everything I see is different. Every tree is different in a
million ways from every other tree. Every leaf is different, every blade
of grass is different. Every bird which soars on the wind currents
is different. Every planet, every star, is different from the
other. I look out from here and –
and, surprise surprise – each of you is different from each
other! Each of you has a totally different fingerprint – and even
more unique – a different and hugely complex D.N.A. When Jesus called the twelve apostles – each was quite
different from the other! Jesus embraced diversity. Diversity is
God’s delight! The gifts
which the Holy Spirit has given to His Church are different in
each one of us. Yesterday
morning I joined in the music rehearsal with our music group, and I
bring to it my own limited ability and contribution. Others likewise,
bring their gifts – some of music, some of singing
- and each brings something different. When that diversity
combines together in harmony – and each supports the other – then
there is amazing music! Music only comes about through diversity. Every
note on a keyboard is different from every other note – yet together
they produce incredible harmony, variety and richness. Our choir does the same week by week – each bringing their
own particular gifts of song and music. They are each different. Each
has a slightly different tone
and timbre; but each contributes to the greater whole. God delights in
diversity! And partly the
reason, I believe, is that diversity is also inherent in the nature of
God. – for through Jesus Christ it is revealed that God is not just a
single mathematical unity, but that within the Godhead there are Three
Persons! In
God, there is a diversity!
And while each of those three persons - Father , Son and Holy
Spirit exercises, primarily a unique activity and ministry, both in the
believer and in the world - they
also work together in perfect harmony – so much so that we can say
that where one of the persons of the Trinity is at work – there all
three are at work. Diversity
is God’s delight!
Last Sunday evening Dianne and I were just out of Albany, and we
passed rows and rows of tiny terraced housing. There was something
within me which reacted to all that duplicated uniformity!
So , point One, I believe most firmly, is that Diversity is God’s
delight!
Secondly: Diversity
“in Christ” is God’s calling for the Church.
In our life as a parish together – Diversity in Christ
is how we are meant to function and operate.
So how I live out my
Christian life, will be
different from how you live out yours. What I
do , to grow in Christ, will probably be different from what
you do to grow in Christ. And how I share my
faith and try to live it out with others, will be different from how you
share your faith and live it out.
Coming up next month is a four week course on how to share your
faith with others, and a key emphasis in that course is that each of us
is unique – and we will each have a unique way and a style which God
has given us – that suits us, that is part of our personality and we
are comfortable with and that is effective for us – and which is quite
different from anyone else’s. In
that course we will be helped to identify our own style, celebrate that
uniqueness, that diversity, and use it to introduce others to Christ, in
a way that no one else can. Diversity
“in Christ” is God’s calling for the Church!
This is what the church is meant
to be like. – and when we exercise our Diversity in Christ – when we
each bring our particular gifts and diversity into the church - then we
show to the community the most complete portrait of Christ we can
compose.
So
– 1) Diversity is God’s Delight.
2) Diversity “in Christ” is God’s Calling for the Church,
and then 3)
Celebrating Diversity builds His church.
It’s
all very well to talk about diversity – but in fact its
not as easy as it sounds, is it? The old sinful nature within me says I’m happy to go
along with diversity as long as it’s the style, the preferences, the
diversity which I like!
So I need to ask myself – do I tolerate diversity , do I
just put up with it – or do I genuinely Celebrate it
within the life of our church?
Do I really REJOICE in
the fact that within the life of this parish we have a
wide, and diverse, range of
people of all different ages,
of preferences of worship and music styles, of theological opinions, of
outreach styles, who
endeavour to express their life and faith in many different ways?
Do I really celebrate that, even when its not my particular
preference or style, - or
do I just tolerate that?
When we truly celebrate diversity in Christ – we contribute to
the building of His church.
Coming up shortly, in the life of the parish,
we have a number of quite different opportunities through which
we can invite others to experience something of our fellowhip in Christ.
We have a Parish Ball in August; we have the Parish Concert next
month. We have a Youth
Alpha coming up; we have also the regular Friendship lunches; Home
Groups; Mens Breakfast, Womens Fellowship; Crosstalk; Café style
services; Music Groups and Choir, - and many other ways in which we seek
to relate to different people and different needs in different ways. –
each contributes to the building of Christ’s church!
For the simple, and I think rather obvious,
reason is that the more options there are – the more different
avenues there are for people to find out about or to experience
something of Jesus Christ –
then the more likely it is that some will find their way to Jesus
Christ, and decide to follow Him. And that, after all is our Mission,
isn’t it! - To Know Christ and to Make Christ Known.
Celebrating our diversity in Christ builds the church – and
should therefore be my response to Christ – the giver of our unique
gifts. 1) God
delights in Diversity;
2) Diversity in Christ is God’s calling to us as a
church, and
3) Celebrating our Diversity in Christ
builds His church.
What
a privilege we have to know that as we bring our diversity and our
uniqueness as individual members of Christ’s Church we each have a
special and unique place in God’s plan of Salvation.
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