October 28, 2007 Message

October 28, 2007
1 Peter 2:9-10; Matthew 28:18-20 (The Message)
“Chosen For What?”

I’ve thought about today’s text quite a bit this week, especially the part where the writer of 1 Peter says: “…you are the ones chosen by God” and I’ve thought, ‘that’s pretty neat – to be among those chosen’ – right?

A person can’t help but feel good about that. To be chosen, to be picked, to be selected by God is a good thing, right? But chosen for what ? Well, he does go on to say we have been chosen:
“for …priestly work” – Me?
“…to be a holy people” – Us?
“…to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you…” – Yea, right!

Now, I can go to church most Sunday mornings for an hour or so. Or maybe do whatever needs to be done now and then – like bake some cookies, or clean the windows, or trim the shrubs, or whatever I have time for. I can even give ten cents on the dollar to the church. But to tell others about the difference Jesus has made in my life – I don’t think so! Who’s idea is that, anyway?

Jesus …gave his charge: "…Go out and train everyone you meet …in this way of life …instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you.”

Things get more complicated when you consider the source. It’s Jesus who says so. It’s not just the writer of 1 James challenging me, and everyone else here, to go out and tell others about Jesus. It’s Jesus who expects that very thing of his disciples. It’s Jesus who commissions his followers to do what I can’t imagine myself ever doing. Telling others about the ‘way of life’ – his way.

Do you suppose Jesus was only talking to the apostles here… not to me. I imagine that’s it. He’s just talking to them. He chose them, not me, to do it. And besides, we know it’s already been done, right? That’s why we’re here. There’s probably nothing for us to do anyway? Wrong!

Jesus was speaking to all of us – all who call themselves Christian or who one day will. You and I have all been ‘chosen’ – despite our weaknesses. The Bible is filled with examples of God singling out one frail human after another for special things.

Jesus' unlikely choice of Peter as the "rock" seems to be a "foolish" contradiction. Genesis starts with God choosing Abraham, a dried up old man rather than a vital, young man, to become the father of a new nation. What kind of choice is that? And then later, going against cultural tradition, God seems to have a preference for choosing the youngest son for leadership and greatness - Jacob, Joseph, David. And look at the characters God chooses to be prophets – Jeremiah (son of a priest, somewhat withdrawn, perhaps an introvert, who was often overwhelmed by what he was being called to do), Amos (a common man, sent to another land to proclaim the Word to the people; a poor man, sent to speak to the wealthy) Elisha (who was busy plowing in a field when he got the call and who, at first, showed little respect for his teacher).

Even the idea of choosing Israel – such a headstrong, disobedient, and powerless group of misfits - was a decision that calls divine insight into question. Yet they remain God's chosen people.

Who among any of these would have ever considered the possibility of being chosen by God?
Yes, we have been chosen. God has chosen all humans, here and now, to express the divine will and mission. We are to "…Go out and inform everyone …about this way of life …teaching them what Jesus has said.”

We have been chosen to love God and one another and in so doing, to bear fruit in this community and in the world. We have been chosen to follow Jesus the Christ and to tell others about the difference he makes in a person’s life. We have been chosen to make a difference.

Mark Twain said the difference between a word and the right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.

The late Dr. Paul Sherer once said, “The fundamental joy of being a Christian consists not in being good. But in standing with God against some darkness or some void and watching the light come.”

Our joy comes from our ‘standing’ with God who is a choosing God. We are not called to be a "chosen people" so much as a choosing people - choosing those whom the world has abandoned and claiming them for God. We can celebrate with others their "choosing" moments, when God chooses once again to be with them, regardless of the circumstance. The Hebrews certainly had no reason to feel very "chosen" when they were mucking about in Pharaoh's brickyard - but they were. Joseph did not appear very "chosen" when sold into slavery by his own brothers - but he was. The early Christians didn’t seem very chosen when they were being persecuted or torn apart by wild animals in the Coliseum in Rome – but they were. And undoubtedly there were times Peter didn’t feel chosen when embroiled in the midst of early church controversies and debates.

And what about today? How can you we feel chosen when your life seems to be at a standstill? Or when life seems to be passing you by? When you're 13 and your face is breaking out and your voice is cracking and your body seems to have a mind of its own - can you still be happy about your humanity, a form Christ himself shares with you? When you work hard and get passed up for that promotion or pay raise or your to do list at home keeps getting bigger and bigger and you just get more tired – do you feel you have been set apart for something special then? When you have retired from what you’ve done your whole life and suddenly life’s different, everything has changed. Do you feel chosen then? Or look forward to God's next call in your life?

However, God chooses us not just once, but over and over again throughout our lives, chooses us to help embody the life and mission of the incarnate Lord every day.

If nothing else today - remember this: God has chosen you. God is with you and in you, and God is empowering you. You see, as committed Christians we are not about doing the work of this church. We're not even about doing God's work. God is doing God's work through us!
And Jesus promises, “I'll be with you as you do this…”
Considering that, I guess it’s good after all – to be chosen! And it is very good news, good news indeed.