Claim the Name!

Jeremiah 4:11-12; 22-28
Revelation 2:1-7
Matthew 10:16-25


The other night my daughter asked me what it means to be a Methodist. The sad part of this inquiry is that she has been a Methodist all her cognitive life. She is baptized and confirmed as a Methodist Christian. The sadder part still, her Methodist preacher dad could not answer her question except to point out some differences between Methodist theology and other denominations that see things a little differently.

I have long maintained that the matter of our denomination affiliation is not nearly as important as the manner in which we live out a life of faith. Being a faithful Methodist is not nearly as important as being a faithful disciple of Christ. I almost wrote that it is slightly akin to being a faithful Democrat or Republican above being a faithful American, but this is not a fair analogy – at least not in the realm of theology. In fact, I would come close to saying that while we should be profoundly grateful and daily count our blessings for living in such a country as ours, it must necessarily be considered primarily in a theological sense in that we recognize that we were born Americans for a reason when we could just as easily have been born in any other country. It is, after all, a very big world, and everyone has to be born somewhere.

For Methodists – actually, for all Christians - one must consider what is written in the greeting in the Book of Discipline as this book defines who and what we are as Methodists: “it affirms with John Wesley that solitary religion is invalid and that Christ lays claim upon the WHOLE life of those who accept Him as Lord and Savior.”

The United Methodist Church “is an inclusive society without regard to ethnic origin, economic condition, gender, age, or disabilities. It asserts that all who are baptized and confirmed are MINISTERS of Christ.”

Part of what distinguishes United Methodism from many other churches in the Protestant tradition is our connectionalism and sense of global mission as a single body, recognizing that Christ Himself is but One Body; we dare to be no less. We must never attempt to lay claim to be American Methodists above our calling to be “ministers” of Christ in willing cooperation and fellowship not only with Methodists worldwide but also with all Christians from other denominations who are willing to sit at a common table of worship in unity with Christ and with one another. We recognize that universality of the Lord.

“The underlying energy of the Wesleyan theological heritage stems from an emphasis upon practical divinity, the implementation of genuine Christianity in the lives of believers.”

Even though there have been doctrinal disputes as long as there has been religion and some new denominations and even whole religions did arise from such disputes, the Methodist movement did not set out to reformulate or create new doctrine. Rather, the Methodist Church came from an essential belief that Christianity is not only social but is also dynamic. Christianity is nothing if not social and if we are not representative of “streams of living water” – meaning MOVING water – then we are putrid, stagnant swamp water where only death can flourish. Our stated mission is simple: to make disciples of Christ. Since it should be obvious that this monumental, worldwide task cannot be accomplished within a single hour during only one day of the week, it must necessarily be what we affirm: solitary religion is invalid, and Christ lays claim over the WHOLE life.

How strange it is that ancient “Egyptians did not really have a name for religion as such because it was an inseparable element of the world order to which Egyptian society belonged.” (pg 14, Duiker, 3rd edition, Essential World History) Because Egypt lay in the Nile River Valley, agriculture became the society and the abundant produce may have been a driving force behind creating their many gods. And even though trade certainly flourished, Egypt was largely geographically isolated from invading armies. There is harsh desert to the east and to the west, the Mediterranean Sea is to the north, and there are so-called “cataracts” in the Nile River to the south. So they were largely a society unto themselves. Religion was not a “part” of their society. Rather, their society seemed to revolve around religion. It might be said that society and culture were a “part” of their religion.

The same cannot be said of American Christianity or American Christians. Obviously we have our jobs and our businesses that lay claim to a big chunk of our lives, and we cannot set them aside. We have families to support and bills to pay. Growing children are constantly in need of new shoes, and they eat! The world in which we live has become very expensive and we are directly connected into it. Be aware, however, that this may be reality but it is only because we have allowed it to be so. It has not necessarily been willed upon us by our Holy Father.

I try never to put too much stock into national polls. The sampling is always going to be inherently flawed because it is just not possible to contact every single person in the US nor is it fair to say that a sampling of white, middle-aged American men can speak on behalf of ALL white, middle-aged American men. Nevertheless, it is interesting that when polls are done regarding religion in America, the question “how important a part of your life is your religion”? Do you see the flaw in the question? It is already designed, even if unintentionally, to categorize our faith. Even if we answer that religion is VERY important, we nevertheless answer that religion – though important – is still only a PART of our lives. Hence the problem as per the Lord’s judgment in Jeremiah and the Lord’s admonishment in The Revelation.

Jesus warns His followers that they are going out into a strange world where they actually do not belong, yet they are sent to proclaim the Word. And for what reason? It must surely be the knowledge that there are others out in that strange world who cannot find their way back, and the only way to get them back is to go to them and provide the Light that has been granted to us. In order to do this effectively, we must become more attuned to not only our religion but, more importantly, the faith we proclaim. This, though perhaps overly simplified, is the Methodist movement in a nutshell.

Regardless of our station in life, there is always going to be a gap, a void, if Christ is not present foremost. It is never an easy calling to take on the role of “witness”, yet it is a calling that belongs to all who have claimed the Name above all names. It is a calling we dare not reject lest we be rejected. And the time we spend in witness may be hard as we face the temptations this world offers to us, but that time is short compared to the Time Rewarded to those who remember FIRST – the FIRST LOVE. The desolate land envisioned in Jeremiah is a land void of the Word, void of “witnesses”, void of “streams of living water”. It is a world lost BUT NOT COMPLETELY.

It is still a world worthy of redemption – as are they all – as are we. AMEN.