Saturday 21 April 2018

Who is Really in Your Church?
What took place at Rephidim several thousands of years ago, is important for several reasons.  While the Children of Israel were journeying through the wilderness they were attacked by the Amalekites.  You can read the account in Exodus 17: 8- 16.  This incident has inspired artists and preachers over the years.  It was a formative experience for an emerging new leader of the Israelites.  It has been used as an illustration of the importance of intercessory prayer.  The occasion gave rise to a fresh understanding of God and one of the compound names of Jehovah.

I believe that there is another important lesson in this incident which is easily overlooked. It gives a powerful message to Christian churches today.  But you will not find it within the record in Exodus 17.  Instead you need to read 
Deuteronomy 25: 17,18.

Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. 

Who were the ones that were lagging behind?  It is most likely those who had difficulty keeping up.  This would be likely to include the more elderly and those with young children.  How many parents walking with young children have been frustrated by their offsprings’ slow pace and ease of distraction!  Apparently, all were weary from walking. I can image that the line of people gradually became increasingly drawn out.  The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations has, “Every man for himself and the Devil take the hindmost" as a 16th century proverb.  Tragically, it describes the attitude of many today.  But what is the application from Rephidim for our churches today?

Last Sunday, on arriving at church, I found myself musing on the description of the early church as recorded in 
Acts 2:44 “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”  It was the image of a church that was inclusive and caring that I pondered, aware that you can find yourself excluded if you are too young or too old.  Imagine my surprise when my colleague leading the service took as the basis for his talk, Ezekiel 34: 17-19 “Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?”  The thrust of his message was how self-interest and selfishness spoil things for others and breaks down community.

The “Church in the Wilderness” was under attack by the Amalekites who were picking off the most vulnerable.  Something needed to be done.  Whatever is read into this account in Exodus 17 regarding Joshua leading the response, or what went on up the mountain, if we fail to recognise that God cares about the most vulnerable and that the whole people of God are not whole without them, we would have missed the point.  If our churches are weak about their approach to the needs of the young and the old (as well as those who care for them), or others marginalised, then we have missed the point of what it means to be church.

One of the benefits of congregationally ordered churches is their ability to adapt, free from denominational legislation.  While I was the pastor at Herstmonceux, we abandoned a traditional approach to church membership and opened the sense of belonging to anyone competent to sign a covenant of fellowship.  Immediately, many who had hesitated about becoming ‘members’ became happy to sign up, identifying themselves as ‘part of the church’.  But this included several younger members of our congregation, whose faith in Jesus Christ had already been recognised.

As one who holds a memorialist understanding of Communion (or Eucharist, or the Lord’s table), I also saw no reason why any believer should be excluded from partaking of the elements simply on the basis of age.  At first, I would state that any children who were believers were welcome to partake subject to the approval of their parents.  That ended when a Christian father asked me by what right I had to made him an arbiter or judge regarding the sincerity of faith of his sons!  While I realise that some reading this come from Christian traditions that have a ‘higher’ sacramental view, and I have no desire to offend, I have concluded that we are inappropriately precious about who may and who may not eat and drink.

What is memorialised was inaugurated at a meal that included a poor group of disciples including one who would betray him, another who would deny him, and many who would abandon and doubt him.  Writing on this subject to the church at Corinth 
on this subject,the apostle Paul takes them to task about their failing to be inclusive of the weaker members of the church.  He also stated that it is for each person to judge themselves before eating and drinking.  No reference here to any external restrictions.

After a few weeks, we became bold enough to invite some of the children to serve the bread and grape juice to the adults.  That was a profound moment.  What was it that Jesus said about allowing children to come to him, and the kingdom belonging to them? 
(Luke 18:16,17)

So, who is in and who is out when it comes to fellowship in your church?  Church is based on the concept of fellowship or community.  That only truly exists if everyone is valued, understood and included.  The lesson that Israel needed to learn, and especially Joshua, was not that the victory belonged to Joshua and the army, but to the Lord of Hosts, for whom the weak and the vulnerable are precious and whom he will defend.

We would all do well to examine our attitudes to the weaker or marginalised within our church, and to the structures that affect them.  It is all too easy to neglect, as the early church found regarding some of the widows that were part of the church at Jerusalem.  We need to consciously and deliberately address this issue if we are to be a model of community to the world around.
Barry Osborne – 21st April 2018

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