Chores and Church Work
Philippians 4:1-9
When the anniversary committee was deciding what to do with Friday night of our anniversary weekend, we came up with a bunch of things. Some wanted to sponsor a neighborhood block party but we realized that we haven’t done anything like that before. Some thought about having a concert by a Christian musician but we didn’t necessarily wanted to be entertained. Finally, we came to the conclusion that with all of the setting up that needs to be done for Saturday’s Open House and Banquet and Sunday’s service, what we really needed was a time to do some basic chores and church work.
In many ways, our church is our home where we have chores. We even call our church building our “church home.” We have a kitchen that needs to be cleaned just like at home. We have 6 restrooms that need to be washed down and made to smell good. We have utility bills to pay. And we even have some bedrooms here because I have caught some of you sleeping at church on Sunday mornings! The reason why we are here is that as a church family having shared a meal together, we are rolling up our sleeves, making last minute touches, and most importantly, we are praying to God to grant us strength and focus to praise God by abounding in thanksgiving.
Getting Along
In the Philippians passage we just read, we see that Paul was writing to two women who seemed to have a conflict with each other. Paul says, “I urge you Euodia and I urge you Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” Paul was telling them to get along. Maybe they were like Mary and Martha arguing about who should do the housework. We don’t know. But Paul was asking the Philippians to help these women to get over their conflict.
I like this incident about Euodia and Syntyche because it reminds us that Jesus came to save real people caught in the middle of real, everyday conflicts. And there, right in the middle of the ordinary and the petty, is where we have the privilege of proclaiming the good news. You might have thought about how important it is for you to be here tonight. You might have said, “I really have better things to do!” But in the church, the little things really do make a difference. It’s the little things like getting chores done before the anniversary weekend is when we get our glimpse of the kingdom.
You and I don’t live on cloud nine. We don’t often use big words like global, redemption, or cosmic. We live in this church where the only glimmer you’re going to get of the kingdom is the one you get while standing next to ordinary people like Euodia and Syntyche.
Here at church we learn how to get along with one another. We learn to hear carefully what everyone is saying; especially when we are trying to understand Chinese when we only speak English or try to understand English when we only speak Chinese. By coming tonight to share a meal, pray with each other, and to perform church chores, we learn to get along. How are we going to love our neighbor whom we have not seen when we can’t get along with people right here in church? Church is where we get training in how to live with one another like Christians so that, if we get good enough at it we might live like Christians in the world!
Keep on Doing These Things
I know that a great deal of time, talents, and effort have gone into the preparation of the anniversary weekend. We think that it’s one of the most important events in our church history. Some of us have no other plans in life after this weekend because this is the number one priority for us this year! But in the grand scheme of things, this weekend will only be a little blip in our church’s archives.
We once thought that World War I will be the war to end all wars until World War II came along. Most of our children can’t tell us what Watergate was. And in a few years, 9/11, Iraq and I’m afraid to say Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be far lost in the recesses of our minds. These events will not stand up to the test of time.
When the Historical Committee members were writing their chapters for the anniversary journal, they came across printed anniversary programs from years past. I’m sure that our ancestors believed that the anniversary that they were celebrating will be long remembered. But when we looked at them, those who remembered are no longer with us to remind us today.
After Paul urged Euodia and Syntyche to work out their disagreement, he reminded them that what you disagreed on will long be forgotten. Paul told them to stand firm and rejoice because the Lord is near. “Do not worry about anything” but bring everything you have to prayer to make your requests known to God. “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
What has survived generations and will continue eternally is our faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the resurrection. Knowing and following Christ is timeless while everything else even our chores that we do tonight and this anniversary weekend will long be forgotten.
What really lasts, says Paul, are the ideas and actions that mirror Christ, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
So what are we planning to do as we rededicate our lives tonight for Christian service? We are to keep on doing these things and the peace of God will be with us. What we do tonight is to do chores and church work. It’s the little things that ultimately make a difference. We learn from Euodia and Syntyche to get along. We pray for each other. We help out wherever there’s a need. And in time, we discover that we have become such strong Christians with each other that we are ready to live like Christians in the world.
Counting Flowers
Let me close with an old Quaker story. There was a king who asked for an inventory to be taken of all the flowers in his kingdom.
He sent out a census taker with a clipboard to count all of the flowers. Then he realized that the information would be of little value to him unless he had something to compare it with. So he called for a second census taker. This one was asked to count all the weeds in the kingdom. Before long, the first census taker came back, floating into the king’s chamber, draped in smiles and warmth. “King, whatever you do, don’t ever transfer me or my family out of this kingdom. It has to be the most beautiful kingdom in the world. It is overrun with flowers.”
Just then the door slammed and the second census taker came stomping in, threw down his clipboard and demanded an immediate transfer to another land. “King,” he shouted, “this has got to be the worst kingdom in the world. It’s over run with weeds. I didn’t even get past the drawbridge and I couldn’t count all the weeds in this kingdom. I want out.”
The moral of the story is that in this life you are going to see what you are looking for, and it will affect your feelings and behavior. If you look for the things that are excellent and good, you will excel and be good. Look for the junk, and you will feel and behave junky.
Doing chores and church work in God’s house is like taking an inventory of the flowers in the kingdom. You will find God’s peace and unsurpassed understanding that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. You will be draped in smiles and warmth that you’ll want to stay in God’s house forever.
Let us pray.
Gracious God, we thank you for this ordinary time of doing chores and work in your house. Guide our hands to lovingly work together as sisters and brothers on tasks that will bring you glory and praise. Turn our heads around to seek your will that is filled with joy, righteousness and peace. May what we do here tonight and during this joyous anniversary weekend bring favor in your sight. In the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.