We understand we are being given a compliment when someone tells us we have “character.” On the other hand if a person says we are “a character,” we might feel slightly insulted—unless we are cultivating an eccentric or rebellious reputation.
USA Network—a cable channel—uses this tag line in its promotional ads: “Characters welcome.” It appears to be referring to both its programming and its audience. In the first instance it's claiming to have the most fascinating characters populating its shows. In the second, it may be welcoming its audience as uniquely special folks.
Our scripture readings contain characters who have character. One might say they are not only uniquely special to Jesus, but also to the spread of the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. In fact, I think Jesus could have posted a sign with the same tag line as the USA Network. So Jesus' sign would say: “In God's Reign or Kingdom—Characters welcome.”
Two of the characters we see in our scripture readings this morning are Thomas and Philip. They appeared in the context of John's report of Jesus farewell words to his disciples after he had washed their feet and they had eaten together. We often focus on Jesus' teaching as he makes one last attempt to explain himself to them: “ I am the way, the truth and the life. . . The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. . . I will do whatever you ask in my name, so the Father may be glorified in the Son.” These words of Jesus speak to his divine nature, yet Thomas and Philip did not understand. They reacted to the Jesus they knew in the flesh. Thomas asked how can they follow to the place he is going, since they do not know the place or the way. Even after the explanation Thomas received, Philip still demanded “the Father” be revealed to them, despite the all the teaching he had heard as one of Jesus' close circle of disciples.
Yes, these are the characters Jesus welcomed—men who misunderstood and missed the point—but also men who were eager to know what Jesus meant by what he said and to know who Jesus truly is. Can we relate to Thomas' and Philip's reactions and their questions?
Indeed I think we can, for we came here today—and I'm speaking for myself as well—to be present to God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—Creator, Redeemer, and Comforter—because we don't fully understand either. We struggle to know Jesus; in faith we offer our hearts to Christ—but we still struggle to understand.
Last week I had a response to my sermon that illustrates our struggle. The person said that if Jesus showed up, there might be some disagreement between them. I believe that Jesus welcomes honest questions that show our struggle to understand who he is and honest questions about what he asks of us as his followers. We are characters in this drama of salvation, too. We have come this morning with the faith we have—however strong or weak it may be at this moment. We have shown up to allow ourselves to be part of God's building “a spiritual house” and a “holy priesthood.”
We have come with all our rough edges as the “living stones” that Peter describes in the passage from his first letter we heard this morning. Despite our being uniquely special and sometimes difficult characters, God through Jesus has welcomed us. Paraphrasing the prophet Hosea, Peter told those who received his letter—and tells us: “Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Yes, the characters have been welcomed!
Why have we been welcomed? Not for ourselves only, but to allow us to show others who God in Jesus is. Peter wrote: “You are . . . God's own people, in order that you might proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” You are a character who has been given God's light to share with others.
Perhaps the darkness is the cloud of our misunderstanding which obscures who God in Jesus really is. Perhaps the darkness is the fog that our sin creates when we reject the love of God and neighbor that Jesus taught. Yet in Christ we are called out of our misunderstanding and our sin to a better way. Not that we fully understand God in Christ, but we are welcomed—characters that we are—and loved. We, like Thomas and Philip, are not rejected when we ask those questions we need to ask. We, like Thomas and Philip, will be offered answers to our questions. All that's need is our willingness to be present to our Savior in our prayers, in our worship and in our daily lives.
Stephen, whose death was recounted in the reading from the book of Acts, had become convinced that Jesus Christ was indeed “the way, the truth and the life.” In 6th chapter of the book of Acts Stephen is described as “full of grace and power” who had done “great wonders and signs among the people.” At his trial by the religious authorities for blasphemy “his face was like the face of an angel.” Despite the danger involved, he did not keep silent about his vision of who Jesus is: “the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Although we most likely will never be called to witness to who Jesus Christ is under such fraught circumstances, we will be called—characters that we are—to witness every day through our deeds of mercy and compassion, as well as through our words, to who Jesus really is. We characters have been welcomed. We must now welcome others into God's marvelous light!
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