Building a Community of Equals

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Today we venture into the 4th part of my Resistance sermon series. These past number of weeks we discussed the topics concerning the sacredness of material things, sacredness of the Sabbath, and the evils of consumeristic idolatry. Today we are going to look at how building a community of equals demonstrates a resistant stand against those in power while advocating for your neighbor. 
A Meal That Means Something  
*This morning is special. Not just because we gather in worship, but because today, after service, we begin a new tradition, the community luncheon. Some may see it as just a meal, but it is far more than that. In a world that separates, categorizes, and prioritizes some over others, this meal is an act of resistance. It is a tangible expression of the Kingdom of God, a table where all are welcome, where no one is valued more or less based on what they bring, and where grace is served as freely as the food before us.
But we can’t celebrate this moment without first recognizing why it is needed. Earlier this month, we lost a staple of this town, Ben & Joy’s, a restaurant that had been here for 40 years. For decades, for people in this community, it was more than a place to eat; it was a gathering space, a place of community, a place where people felt like they belonged. Its closing doesn’t just mean one less option for dining, it’s a symptom of something deeper: economic systems that extract from communities instead of investing in them, structures that prioritize profit over people, and a society that often values efficiency over relationship. And yet, here we are, choosing a different way.
The Gospel of Equality: James and Galatians
*James 2:1-8 speaks directly to the heart of this. He warns against favoritism, against making distinctions between rich and poor, powerful and powerless. He writes, “Don’t show favoritism. Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing gold rings and fine clothes and another in rags, if you give special attention to the one in fine clothes, haven’t you discriminated among yourselves?”
James isn’t just talking about a church seating arrangement, he’s challenging the very way society is structured. Favoritism, whether based on wealth, social status, race, or influence, is incompatible with the Kingdom of God. It’s an oppressive system that ranks people’s worth based on their usefulness to those in power.
And yet, in Galatians 3:28, Paul offers us an alternative vision: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This is not just an ideal, it’s a calling. The church is meant to be a radical contrast to the world, a place where equality isn’t just a belief, but a lived reality.
Galatians 3:28 CEB
There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
I don’t know about you but when I saw the video of Trump’s Inauguration, I couldn’t help noticing the prominently placed row of multi-billionaires, a definite show of high-favoritism over others. As columnist Jesus Mesa wrote in his Newsweek article, “For those paying attention to the details of the seating order, the symbolism is hard to miss. Cabinet members, governors, and long-serving public servants are positioned in rows behind the tech executives, with only Trump and Vance family members seated ahead of them.” I hope and pray this doesn’t represent the next four years of inequality towards those who can’t pay to play.
The Theology of Resistance 
*From an Open & Relational perspective, God is not a distant ruler, nor a dominating dictator orchestrating the world in static hierarchies. God is present, inviting us into a dynamic relationship where love transforms everything. This means we are not merely recipients of God’s grace but co-creators in shaping a world that reflects divine love.
As co-creators with God, we must take on God’s characteristic of divine love by mirroring the equality teaching in Galatians; there is no, there is no, there is no, for you are all one. Unity and equality is the highest form of resistance to any domineering power force and as we saw through Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr. it can even be successful in a non-violent way. 
Walter Brueggemann, in “Sabbath as Resistance”, argues that systems of power thrive on anxiety, the fear that we won’t have enough, that we must compete rather than share. But the Sabbath, and by extension, the table, disrupts that. It says, “Come and rest. Come and eat. Come and know that you are enough. Come especially when you have no money to pay for a seat. Oh, by the way, it costs no money to receive this food of life. Come, eat, share, sit, and dine with us for the simple reason that you are hungry and we have food to give.”
And in “Materiality as Resistance”, he reminds us that the material world, what we do with our money, our food, our homes, matters deeply in the life of faith. We cannot claim to be a people of grace while hoarding resources or reinforcing systems that devalue others. Resistance isn’t just about tearing down oppression; it’s about building something better. It’s not about coating toilets in gold, no, it’s about melting gold down and, I don’t know, using it as pavers to walk upon. There may be somewhere between Genesis and Revelation that says to do that. 
Living as a Community of Equals
*So what does it look like for us to embody this resistance? We are guided to see everyone as equally valued; that’s a no-brainer for anyone who is truly a disciple of Jesus. If you need to label a group of people, countries, or religious identities in order to manipulate them, you may need to go to Jesus and first see how he has labeled you. You may be shocked to find out that no one here is “more important” than another. Whether you have plenty or you’re struggling to get by, whether you’ve been in this church for decades or today is your first Sunday, at God’s table, all are equal. In God’s Kingdom, which, by the way, is here and now, not the future by and by, all people have a  priority seat next to the King of Kings. 
Through Jesus we understand the transformational concept of feeding people instead of feeding the system. Our new monthly luncheon is not just going to be a meal; it’s a protest against a world that tells us to fend for ourselves. It’s a refusal to let food insecurity go unchallenged. It’s a declaration that we believe in abundance, not scarcity. It’s not an executive order to strip funding. It is an invitation to eat until you are full with no expectations and no requirements to participate. 
As disciples of Jesus we trust in his vision of the Kingdom of God for all people. Jesus constantly ate with those whom society overlooked, tax collectors, sinners, women, this sick, this dying, the widowed, and the poor. His meals were sermons in themselves, preaching grace, inclusion, and dignity. If we claim to follow Him, we must do the same.
Closing Reflection  
*Before we close, I want you to reflect: Who in your life have you overlooked? Who might God be calling you to invite, oh, not just to this meal but into your heart, into your life, into community? Who would never identify as an equal with you until you offer a fresh vision of equality to them first? Let us be prepared to share the blessings that God motivates our way. Let us look at others as God looks at us, in Jesus’ name. Amen
Let's pray:
God of abundance, God of welcome, God of the outcasts, you have called us to live in a world where no one is greater than another, where no one is left out or left behind. But we confess that we have been shaped by a world that thrives on division. We have seen others as competition instead of companions. We have accepted the lie that there is not enough for all. Forgive us, O God. Guide us to trust in your vision of the Kingdom. Help us to display the courage to resist the forces that divide and exploit, and instead, to build something new, something rooted in love, in justice, in true community. As we share this meal today, let it be a foretaste of the banquet you have prepared for all. In the name of Jesus, who welcomes us all, we pray. Amen.
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