Social change, synergy, emmaus

Long time no see,

I have had a few positive comments about Sunday's sermon which I post hereunder.

Synergy is an interaction between two different entities usually living which involves an exchange of energy between the two and produces an outcome which is greater than the two individuals added together.

A choir with a musician, a football team with their supporters each egging the other on.

A good marriage is another good example of synergy.

We have two groups of people which we have been following since Easter. The disciples and the Israelites and visitors to Jerusalem who witnessed the crucifixion and are still present at the time the disciples receive the holy Spirit at Pentecost.

There is synergy between these two groups, the disciples as we heard last week, after hearing Mary’s account of the empty tomb, the angels, and seeing Jesus and Peter and John’s experience, likewise finding the tomb empty and the visitation by Jesus to the 11 and then including Thomas, added to by the account from Luke today of the experience on the road to Emmaus and the breaking of the bread.

The disciples were grasping hold of the indescribable glorious joy which Peter spoke of in the reading last week  to a point where they were being transformed into action.

Preparing their minds for action, being sober in mind, with their hope fully on the grace realized at the revelation of Jesus Christ. In other words, keeping their sights set on seeking first the kingdom of God.

The crowd were cut to the heart, as we heard in Acts last week had witnessed Christ’s death after having seen or heard about all his miracles and teaching. They had received a good dressing down by Peter for having been swayed by the Pharisees and other leaders of the Jews of the day. Peter’s convincing relaying of the prophesies of Joel as well as David respecitively about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. They were cut to the heart as they realized their error.

What shall we do, they asked,

Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and your sins will be forgiven Peter told them and you will receive the Holy Spirit.

And some three thousand were added to the number of the followers that day. Not bad from a base of about one hundred and twenty we are told.

The energy was transferred to the group by the disciples, and the outcome was salvation by the bucketload. Much more than the total before the interaction.

This was Social change happening with huge consequences.

Thinking about some of the great social changes of modern history, the suffragettes and a more recent version of the same movement, the womens rights movement in Australia. When I was a real estate agent in Glebe we rented premises to the Womens Electoral Lobby of whom two of the foundation members were Eva cox and Meredith Bergman. Meredith was also the cousin of our receptionist at the time.

I wasn’t around for the suffragettes but there are some characteristics which seem to be true of much major social change. The stopping of the Vietnam war amongst those changes.

Society has reached a point where it is predisposed and ready to change. Even if only a portion of society is convinced of that at the outset.

Through constant exposure and education, along with suffering and often  incarceration for the proponents, certainly with ridicule and alienation the message gets through and slowly, sometimes quickly change happens.

There is usually synergy involved. A group of initiators and a pool of recipients of knowledge and encouragement which can be mobilized into action. Gender equality has not finished its journey yet.

Social change has been happening in the Church also, not unfortunately of a positive nature.The proportion of committed Christians in most western countries has been progressively falling for a long period now we know from NCLS data that about 8% of Australians are regular churchgoers, down from around 41% in 1960

This has been a momentous social change, putting aside the spiritual nature of church attendance. That 32% less Australians are influenced by being Church members.

If one third more citizens became communist or took up crochet the media would be awash with analysis and comment.

The church accepts responsibility for this change acknowledging  that we have not been relevant to society. The church set itself up to be the arbiter of right and wrong and gave the message, do as I say not as I do.. not to mention the misdeeds which have received ample publicity over recent years.

Those Christians who attend Church regularly know without a doubt the benefits of doing so. Our relationship with God is sustaining and strengthening. Helps through bad times, equips us for life and helps our journey of growth in the Lord.

We know that there are churches which are packed. Some of them Pentecostal, but some Anglican also.

Spirituality has not died. Just as many if not more people are searching for spiritual fulfillment.

Decline of family is one of the striking changes of modern history.

The tendency of children to be technology oriented has challenged  family even further. What began in the industrial revolution, movement to the cities and and with increased prosperity the loss of extended family in the home,has now that extra dimension of technology which reduces family cohesion.

McCrindle research indicates that for life priority and life satisfaction, the first being aspirational the second objective, that relational i.e. family ranked highest at about 8/10 and physical and emotional health about 6/10 each while spirituality at about 2/10

Objective measurement of the same characteristics showed that family is around 6/10 and spirituality of second importance at  around 4/10 significantly higher than security and health issues.

A huge disparity between what is perceived by society at large and those who are practicing Christians or other faiths.

The recent survey conducted in our congregation showed keenness to engage with mission needs of our local society, specifically to support families.

To observe the shift away from family by society and the importance with which it is perceived creates the opportunity for the Church to be more relevant by filling that vacuum, by creating contexts which draw families together.

We as a Church have also expressed the willingness to use different styles of worship which are “user friendly” and the recent holding of Soul Food in the church is a significant step in this direction. Many will find worship services too foreign to engage in but The holding of fellowship occasions which can be attractive to local families is the kind of engagement with community we can do. Ann is advertising a showing of “when Mary meets Mohammed” on June 15th which is a great initiative.

We can be an instrument of social change, a catalyst in our district to restore church to the centre of the community, or certainly head it in that direction. 

The interesting thing about this type of change is that it is not change to the new, it is restoration of what used to be. That is the nature of Christianity, to restore the Kingdom of God in the world.

We might not be able to change the way families interact In their own homes, but we can provide the opportunity for families to interact in contexts which we can help create.

 As well as that. St. Marks is family and we may be able to be family to some who cant find it elsewhere.

“Be ye holy, because I am Holy” said God, and Jesus opened their eyes after he walked with them on the road to Emmaus.

We always ask for God’s help to be holy and draw closer to God through obedience and faith and we need to know that Jesus is walking with us always and will open our eyes to see Him in all those in our community who  he would draw into his family here at St. Marks.

Amen