From this morning’s Gospel reading we hear once more a famous quote from the Bible, “… on this rock I will build my church”.[1] Over the course of centries many individuals who have reflected deeply upon these words, spoken by Jesus to the disciple Simon Peter - son of Jonah, and also known among the Disciples as “the rock.” Many have claimed that this is the moment in time when Jesus directly points to the future creation of what has become known as the Christian Church. And many have claimed that the one true Christian Church was built on the foundation of the faith of Simon Peter. There are some individuals however who wonder if the placing of stress upon a single individual – Simon Peter – the Rock – detracts from the real intended message of our Savior – the Son of God - Jesus.
Our history, our heritage may have begun at the moment that Jesus shared with his disciples that his church was to be built not only on the profession of faith in the arrival of the Messiah, but also in a personal commitment to share this message of hope and salvation with those around us.
Over and over again we are able to see examples in the writtings of the Gospels, that Jesus – not only the Son of God, but indeed God incarnate and walking among us – actually does things to help those who are around him. Jesus comforts those who are shunned, isolated or suffering in grief. Jesus feeds those who are starving both physically and spiritually. Jesus heals those who are ill, lame, or possessed. Jesus returns vision to those who are either physically or spiritually blind. Jesus brings life back to those who are dead in body or soul. The only individuals that Jesus was not able to help in one way or another were those who did not believe in him. The foundation of the Church is faith; faith that the Son of God came to be amoung us, faith that we are asked by God to be an active present in the lives of those around us, and faith that we will make a difference in the lives of those to whom we bring this message of hope and salvation.
In this morning’s reading from Paul’s letter to the Christian Commumity in Roman we hear an ardent exhortation to strive so that we may advance in our spiritual worship. Rather then being encouraged into complacency by basking in the knowledge that those who are once saved are always saved, we are challenged to continue to grow in our faith and in our actions within the community around us.
Paul … Paul is challenging all who would listen to his words that they, “Do not be comformed to this world” [2], for it would seem that it is all to easy for some individuals to be swollowed up whole by the present dictates of their all too worldly society. When society tells us that it is better to possess as much wealth as possible rather than it is to share these treasures of God’s creation with all of our brothers and sisters, we are reminded by our faith and our Creator that we are called to share what we have so that everyone will have enough. When society tells us that “an eye for an eye” is the true porcess to restore the balance of justice, we are reminded by our faith and our Creator to “… let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”[3] When society tells us that we should only care for or help our true brothers and sisters – that is only those who look like us – we are reminded by our faith and our Savior that “… whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is …”[4] truly our brothers and our sisters.
[1] Matthew 16:18b NRSV
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