Joining the Iceberg Club

We have just passed the sixth anniversary of the September 11 crisis in the USA. I can recall that even in secular Australia people sought answers from the church at that time. They sought prayer, hope and even perhaps some answers to hang on to. The result six years on is that the church generally in this country continues to decline. Reality, it seems, is that when people do turn to the church, too often we miss the moment.

In 2000 the Sydney Olympics were seen as a classic moment for the church to bring a Christian focus and I have no doubt this was effectively done; but where is the fruit? Why does the church continue to struggle to have its voice heard? Some would say that perhaps we are not shouting loudly enough, or we are not visible enough. For me the Christian story is subversive in nature; and is less about accepting a declared set of ideas and more about seducing people into a journey of discovery. For too many today the answers are sorted – done and dusted – where I have to confess that I seem to spend an increasing amount of time not understanding much at all and to be honest I am actually quite comfortable living in the mystery.

Last Sunday afternoon I was privileged to be the celebrant at a local wedding. The couple chose the Bible readings from the Song of Songs chapter 2:10-13 and 8:6-7. I felt led to focus on the issue of anticipation:

'My lover spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves is heard in our land.'

A wedding day is a day of anticipation for all concerned; but most of all for the bride and groom. I wonder when the anticipation wears off. It has always struck me as rather cool that God has made men and women so different (apart from the obvious!). It should ensure that we spend a lifetime in anticipation. Sadly, there comes a time when we appear to withdraw from the sense of anticipation and settle for something less; losing the mystery along the way.

I think that every day with Jesus would have been full of anticipation and mystery. How about that first miracle at Cana in Galilee, where Jesus turned the water into wine? Who would have guessed that one? I bet the disciples were on their toes after that. A young boys lunch that mum had put together that morning ended up feeding 5,000!? It would have been fun mountain climbing with Jesus. One day they ran into a couple of guys called Moses and Elijah up there! Even going to church had its moments when Jesus healed a man with a crippled hand right there in front of everybody in the synagogue!

I like the time when Jesus came to the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. Rumour had it that occasionally an angel would stir the waters of the pool and the first one into the pool after that moment was healed. Good idea; but a bit unfair on a man who had been crippled for 38 years and didn’t have any mates to get him into the pool even if the angel did turn up. “That’s okay,’ (my translation) said Jesus. ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ And he did! And the ‘religious’ of the day responded with great joy. Nah! They pointed out to the guy walking home that it was illegal to carry his mat on the Sabbath. Nice one.

Last Sunday we had a big day with a double baptism for the Arnold clan and an Oasis celebration. Now, I personally didn't think it was the best service that we have ever done. It was a great time of baptism; but perhaps missing something in other parts. Yet I was overwhelmed by the number of visitors who were clearly blessed by the day. They didn’t have to give the amount of praise that they did. ‘Nice service Pastor,’ would possibly have been the standard reply. One person said, ‘John, there is something very special going on here with you guys. It was exciting to be here today. Thank you.’ I think that person got in touch with a little more than what was simply presented. Maybe they stumbled into the mystery of being with Jesus and his people last Sunday?

Now, where was I? Oh yes; the effectiveness of the church. I figure that a gathering for worship is a bit like the old iceberg illustration. What we see – and have control over - might or might not look impressive; but there is a whole lot more going on that we cannot see. That’s the stuff that we need to open up for people. That’s the stuff that perhaps we need to open up to ourselves. I am personally nurturing a sense of anticipation about that and wondering how to grow the idea further. You might like to join my anticipation club – it numbers one at present.