Loading...You can picture the scene:
boys and girls lined up on the playground in a scraggly line –
some are looking down at their feet
some are daydreaming and staring up into the sky.
It is time to choose teams for Dodge Ball or Red Rover.
You may remember –
there is the elation of being chosen early on (a bit of pride/competitiveness?)
most hope to be somewhere in the middle of the choosing line-up
but there’s also the embarrassment of being one of the last ones chosen.
I was always relieved if the gym teacher – bless his heart –
asked me to be a team captain – The Chooser – because that meant that I would NOT be the last one in the line that both captains were avoiding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be chosen for something means you have some responsibility.
We like to be picked out because we like to feel valued, important, and even loved.
But there’s always some sort of set of expectations
that goes along with being chosen.
In Red Rover, the captain hopes that you can hold your grip no matter what,
OR that you can easily blast through the other team’s line. (or, both)
Chosen for a task or job, expectation is that you’ll do the task.
Chosen to be a mentor or some sort of coach, you’d better coach well!
When chosen by God,
the expectation is that you won’t rest on your laurels,
but do something with that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ancient Israelites were glad to be chosen by God!
They had been chafing under the burden of slavery for generations.
When God, through Moses and Aaron, led them out of slavery
(and humiliated Pharaoh along the way!), they were elated!
But, then they started to face the reality of their situation.
Being chosen meant following God
even though they did not know where they were going,
nor how long it would take to get to this unknown place.
Being chosen meant uncomfortable sleeping quarters
and endless walking!
Being chosen meant having to learn to live as community,
not just looking out for “number 1”.
Being chosen even meant there would not be enough water
(or finding some that turned out to be brackish)
and not enough food.
“If only we were still in Egypt
where we had plenty of bread and meat to eat!
Even if we had died by the Lord’s hand,
at least we would have had full bellies!
We don’t like being chosen;
we would rather be unchosen and satiated.”
A bunch of grumpy, crabby people
and all because God loved them and chose them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We do not know exactly what the Christians in Ephesus were like
or what the congregation was experiencing;
we only have Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
But, from this one-sided conversation, it is clear that there was some chafing
at having been chosen by God.
Oh, not the fact that they were chosen so much as
what that meant for them in daily life –
what it meant to LIVE as one of God’s beloved, chosen people.
“Lead a life worthy of your calling.”
“humility, patience, gentleness, loving forbearance”
“unity in the Spirit in the bond of peace”
“one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God”
That’s a tall order that Paul has laid out for the Ephesians,
for all followers of Jesus
and for all of God’s chosen people.
It may even be difficult enough for us to cranky with one another (or ourselves).
I can hear the accusations flung about:
“You’re not leading a life worthy of your calling!”
“Well, you’re not very patient or gentle or humble”
So much for unity in Spirit in the bond of peace!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What Paul is encouraging the Ephesians to do
is put aside their own desires for themselves.
God is saying to the Israelites:
get out of your comfort zone.
Jesus challenges the crowds following him to put aside their own agendas.
The Holy Spirit makes us face our own egos and see their shortcomings.
And still, God chooses:
God chooses the Israelites
the Ephesians
and all who have followed Jesus for whatever reason.
God chooses you,
but not because you will be the best at holding the line
or crashing through the other teams’ line as in Red Rover!
God chooses you,
but not because you are humble, gentle, patient, forbearing, peaceful,
or because you work for unity.
God chooses you,
but not because you ask the correct questions
or believe the correct thing
or because you don’t pester God with questions.
God chooses you
because God loves you.
Before we even knew God
Before we could even love God
Before we could even love ourselves.
God chooses us
because God loves us.
That’s just like God, you know, to choose everyone
despite our penchant for fighting, greed, egotism, pettiness, and complaints.
That’s just like God to choose you
because GOD loves you
and because God gives Godself to everyone.
The manna fell from heaven at night and with the dew dried up in the morning there was a white flaky substance all over the ground.
At night, quail covered the camp.
And God provided food for all the people for the rest of their 40 year journey,
even for the people who doubted that God would provide enough
so they gathered up too much manna which then spoiled and got wormy.
God still provided for them.
God still chose them.
God still loved them – bless their hearts.
God chooses you
because God loves you,
even those in the crowd around Jesus who were only interested
in their own political agenda, or
who saw Jesus as a solution to their society’s problem, or
who looked upon Jesus as the free catering service.
God chooses you
because God loves you.
It truly is all about God,
and God’s love for you & you & you & you & you....
It is not about how “good” or “bad” you are –
especially in the humility, unity, peaceful,
gentleness, patience or forbearance departments.
It is not about whether or not you are part of the crowd
that seeks signs and wonders
or proof to assuage all doubts,
that Jesus really is the savior of the world,
and that God really does exist.
It is not about how fearful or scared you may be.
Because God chooses you and everyone in the world
regardless of any obstacle that you (or they) may put up.
Because God loves you.
With the perspective of hindsight
and as ones who know how Jesus’ story goes,
we know that the crowds around Jesus have gotten more than just bread and fish
as he blessed and shared the meager meal of five loaves and two fish.
It wasn’t just bread –
just like it wasn’t just manna from heaven for the Israelites in the desert,
or just ciabatta bread and wine at our Table of grace here.
It is the true bread that gives life and wholeness.
It is the meal that God gives to all the chosen and beloved people
not because of anything they have done,
but because God loves them.
This meal from God is the same that we share here today,
the meal given freely to you,
The meal that is the true bread of life,
the meal that fills you with new life in God –
because God chooses you,
and loves you.
Amen
