Imagining a Vision for Something Better than Most of Us Have Seen Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard January 21, 2018

Matthew 5 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

John 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. . . . 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Recently . . . 3 things Sacred Encounter Atlantic Vineyard Conference My friend David’s book

Sacred Encounter Learning to Listen Realizing that everyone feels privileged in some situations but not in others Practicing “teleological suspension of disbelief” Finding creative solutions that include the concerns of all Learning about wiser perspectives that were previously hidden to me Community vs individual Time Genesis 1 or 3?

Atlantic Vineyard Conference: Anchored with Wings What it meant to us years ago What it is starting to mean now

Writing to a younger friend in June I also hope to start writing a book on what I've come to call "Non-exclusive Christianity." It will revolve around the following ideas:  1) From the study and worship of Jesus I've learned to love justice, beauty and compassion. 2) When I look at a great deal of Christian theology and church history and contemporary expressions of Christianity I find these things to be sorely lacking (although there are shining examples of them all the way through)

3) Since popular Christian views of God and how to live for God do not reflect these things too well, they must be in need of tweaking 4) I've learned to love them wherever I find them and to honour all people and ideologies that try to bring more of their goodness into the world His response: “Huzzah!”

David’s Book: What happened on Friday (Dec. 2, 2016) It was David Moore’s birthday! Welcome to a crazy story Light bulb moment: Nehemiah 8

Message to David from a friend in Africa Was praying for you this morning as I read Neh. 8. Felt strongly to encourage you about this next season. Like Ezra, you will be asked to share/lead in a broader capacity. V4 says he spoke from a platform that was specifically built for that very moment, sound familiar? He is surrounded by leaders (also in v4) who are used in v8 to help explain God's heart. His words don't fall on deaf ears, rather, people stand & pay attention when he speaks (v5). All around him, people were grieved at how far away they seemed to be from all God wanted (v9). Ezra and Nehemiah (v9-10) tell the people to

rather rejoice at how close God is, instructing them to, yes, take care of themselves, but also to those that are forgotten. Revival breaks out, a nation is changed (v13-18). Ezra had spent his entire life in Babylon, not knowing everything was leading him to this moment. Six decades in, I have a sense everything has been leading you to this, the finest years yet. I believe you will lead and encourage with a renewed energy that is almost inexplicable. Looking forward to it...

Next: Mike Safford, and then . . .

A Challenge for All of Us to Hear Each Other’s Concerns What the Rabbi did What the Rabbi and his wife did next

Possible meanings Random coincidence Leaky brain Elaborate way to wish David “Happy Birthday” (Hannah) Sign of connection between the three of us Or, my original thought (God looking for interpreters for next generation spirituality) In any event, the result was non-stop work from David

Nehemiah 8:9-12 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to

Nehemiah 8:9-12 our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

Nehemiah 8:10 The people grieve as they hear the Law read—they realize they haven’t lived up to it God’s solution is so different from the human one . . . Human: repent, grieve, become religious, get mad at anyone who doesn’t believe what you believe or act how you act God: have a party and invite everyone, especially people who might not feel easily included

Implications Matthew 23 versus Matthew 9 Even in the Talmud they recognized different kinds of religious motivations in the Pharisees So much like today’s Evangelicals . . . What would be better? Passage from Hellrazing

Let’s reconsider some ideas from John’s Gospel Begins with the proclamation that the Word has become flesh This is an unlikely meeting in an unlikely meeting place If Spirit was to meet flesh, perhaps a likely meeting place would be Church + Empire However, all of our stories indicate that it didn’t happen there; instead it was closer to the place where Mary Ellen grew up in St. Stephen: the corner of Church + Pagan

Important to distinguish . . . Church + Empire happens when religion is used to support “my own group” (Think exclusion, “us and them”, judging others, protection driven by fear) Church + Pagan happens when the Kingdom of God is advanced through sincere, humble service in the midst of the real world (Think inclusion, accepting people as they are with confidence that God loves them and will enter their situation with all of His riches)

Returning to Martin Buber, I and Thou God is in everything God can be in everything more than before Everything is holy Everything can be holy more than before