Where Two or More Are Gathered

Sermon by Rev. Robin Bartlett
preached on September 10, 2018, Homecoming Sunday
at First Church in Sterling, MA
Sermons are better heard. 

For those of you who don’t know: the term selfie, which was the Oxford Dictionary’s 2013 word of the year, refers to a photo taken of oneself, usually with a camera phone, and posted on a social media site. 

We live in what various social commentators refer to as a “selfie culture.” By which they mean a culture that promotes a widespread obsession with self-expression, self-esteem, and self-promotion, evidenced by the proliferation of self-portraits on social media. Reams of articles have been written, and gallons of ink has been spilled on the downfall of our culture because of the prevalence of social media. Social media is turning us narcissistic, they say. It is allowing us to create a false self; to curate perfect lives for the titillation and jealousy of our so-called friends and followers. And increasingly, the research says that it is making us lonelier.

More and more, people are getting all of their social needs met on their computers, where the norms for interaction are different and create a generation of children who don’t know how to make eye contact, practice deep listening in a conversation with peers, or cultivate a firm handshake. And it’s not just young people who are saturated in selfie-culture perpetuated by social media: middle aged and elders are, too. We are staying home on our computers to talk to our “friends” rather than seeing, and touching, and interacting with them--with our bodies and our five senses-- in real time.

I am certainly not immune to the lure of selfie-culture, as those of you who follow me on Facebook are well aware.
So, I got really excited when I read the psalm text for this week. 

Andy! I said to my husband, (from the comfort of my couch, on Facebook, even though he was in the next room):
Psalm 149 is in the lectionary this week, and it says this: 

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches!

Andy replied, “The Bible says a lot of things. Spare me your proof texts, Reverend Couch-Robin.”

 Andy’s right. The Bible says a lot of things. And we can proof text just about anything we want to hear in this book. 
The truth is we need to get off of our couches if we are going to really exult the Lord in glory. We need to turn off our computers and get face to face with each other. We need to sing the Lord’s song in an assembly of the faithful, as psalm 149 also proclaims! There is no substitution for real, physical community in virtual community. 
So I am so glad you came back to church on this homecoming Sunday. This place is your needed antidote for selfie-culture. This place defies selfie-culture with real time, no filter, love. With prayers for each other, with prayer shawls and casseroles for sick people and hugs in the receiving line and bouncy houses for the kids and lots of ice cream.

This place defies selfie-culture with God. In direct opposition to our self-centered desires, Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

I’m gonna be honest, though, our Gospel text from today kinda makes me never want to go to church again. It reads like an instruction book for those who love to create drama, and their victims:

If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
I guess there’s some consolation that church drama is not just a thing in the 21st century. It was totally a Jesus-time thing, too. And he gives you very specific, laborious instructions about how to address it. He’s like “if someone makes you mad, don’t gossip to all of your friends in the church about it, go to the person directly, and not over email. If she doesn’t listen to you, take some friends along as witnesses. If she doesn’t listen to them either and keeps being a jerk, announce your grievances during prayers of the people. If that doesn’t work, de-friend her on Facebook like you would a gentile or a tax collector.”

I’m going to be honest. Just like in any human community, sometimes being a member of a church community is tiring, maddening and just takes a lot of emotional work. It’s a lot easier to stay on the couch. 

And yet, two sentences later, Jesus gives us the whole reason why we should become a member of a faith community anyway, despite the fact that it is only human and certainly flawed. He says this: “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Where two or more are gathered in Love’s name, God is there.

The reason why I can’t really glorify God from my couch on Twitter is because we have to be gathered in real time, even when the going gets hard. Even when face to face community takes work and emotional energy. 
When two or more are gathered in Love’s name, God is there.

Jesus doesn’t say the people gathered have to be Holy or perfect or drama-free or saintly, thank God. Jesus did not choose men of perfect character to be his disciples. Every one of the Twelve had significant flaws. They were occasionally selfishly ambitious. They bickered with each other. They were slow learners. They often didn’t believe Jesus. Then they denied and betrayed him. 

We don’t have to be perfect, beloved, just gathered. 

Nadia Bolz Weber says, “where two or three screw ups are gathered, there I am among you.”

Dearly beloved fellow screw ups: I go to church because I can’t be a religious person all by myself. Being in flesh and blood relationship is what brings God into the mix.

I also come to church because I need to be reminded of Love’s promise. What is happening right now in the world this week is too much to even take in. It seems like the entire world is burning and flooded and that xenophobia and hatred and racism are winning. 

And so I have been looking for the helpers, as Mr. Rogers reminds us to. That’s how I am finding hope in a hot mess time. 

When two or more are gathered in Love’s name, God is there.

Two weeks ago, Don Wilson brought me a newspaper article about the so-called free speech rally in Boston that featured a few dozen alt-right enthusiasts, and forty thousand counter-protestors. It’s hard to believe that’s old news now, but since so much happens in a week around here, it really is. Many of you were there, I know! A mostly peaceful day with a large and loving crowd, violence broke out toward the end between Trump supporters and members of the anti-fascist groups gathered. One of the protestors against the alt-right, a black woman named Imami Williams, escorted a man with a “Make America Great Again” hat out of the crowd to boos and heckling and spit, helping him get to safety.

“Everybody clear the way!” “Clear the way!” She shouted, guiding him by the backpack. He thanked her.

“I saw the way that I could help and I did,” she told the Boston Globe. Despite the fact that we have different ideals, said Imami, “It’s the right thing to do and at the end of the day, we’re all a part of the same country.”

That’s the story of the Good Samaritan, right there. Look for the helpers.

When two or more are gathered in Love’s name, God is there.

I know you have all been watching the stories of heroism coming out of Texas in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, of people helping each other, and saving each other’s lives regardless of political affiliation or immigration status. People forming human chains; people carrying each other to safety. People bringing their boats into neighborhoods and guiding each other to shelter. There were so many stories of heroism, but one of my favorites was that one about Mattress Mack, opening his furniture stores to the flood victims. Everyone sleeping on his mattresses and pull out couches and recliners. He brought them food. He housed four hundred flood victims. Imagine if all business owners were like Mattress Mack.

And beloved, we are praying for Florida today, and for our people in La Romana and the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and all those who are and will be affected by the devastation of Irma, and by the devastation of our warming oceans in the years to come. It is terrible. And people will show you who they are in the days and weeks following. They will show up. They will help one another. Race and class and politics and immigration status won’t matter. It is terrible and beautiful all at the same time.

We can still save one another from drowning. It’s not too late.

When two or more are gathered in Love’s name, God is there. So fellow beloved screw ups: Welcome home. You look great in your selfies, but we are so much better together than we are alone. Here we are gathered in Love’s name. Here we save one another from drowning; here we look for the helpers. Here we clear the way for love. Here we keep each other safe. Here we see a way we can help and then help. Keep showing up. Love one another, love the world: wastefully and extravagantly, the way God loves. 

Welcome home. Amen.

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