Rhythms for Life (part 3: WITH)

Here we are again, week three of our Rhythms for Life series.

Rhythm - an event repeating regularly over time

Rhythms for Life

What are the regularly repeated events or practices of our lives that help us to flourish as human beings and to grow as disciples of Jesus?

How do we recognize that God is at work forming Christ in us?

And then how do we pay attention to that?

How do we cooperate?

Over the centuries, spiritual practices have emerged among the people of God.

Sometimes, certain practices have been neglected or elevated, but there are a few that have persisted. And over the next four weeks, we’ll look at 12 of them.

During these four weeks, we’re listening for the rhythms that are part of the movement of God.

We’re learning how to notice the patterns or the repetitions and to see where they intersect with our own lives and our own spiritual practice.

And, this connects not only to who we are as individuals, but also to who we are as a community. As SWCC.

Our mission statement is that we are a community who seeks to live and love like Jesus. And we do that by seeking to deepen our connection to God (up), to one another (in & with) and with a cause (out). Up to God, in to self, with in community, and out in mission.

These four Sundays in June we’re exploring the four directions that the Rhythms for life take us: UPward to God, INward to self, WITHward in community and OUTward in mission.

(And a note that I’m posting resources on our website, so look under “worship gatherings” and then “resources” - I’ll keep adding things there as we go - and please ask if you’re looking for something and can’t find it there!)

The first week, we looked at practices that help us move UPward, a God-ward movement...

Solitude.

Gratitude.

Sabbath.

Last week, we looked at the INward movement. How does God invite us to relate to ourselves. Before we think about relating to others, we have to start with how we relate to ourselves.

Self-examination.

Stewardship.

Guidance.

This week, we will look at the WITHward movement. How does God invite us to relate to those around us? How does community shape the rhythms that lead to flourishing and to growing as a follower of Jesus?

The three practices we will examine this week are:

Spiritual gifts

Spiritual friendship

Table

Now, a quick reminder once again, this is not a checklist. These are invitations.

There is an invitation to see where you are already practicing these AND a beckoning to maybe deepen a practice or to try it a different way than you have before.

How does spiritual gifts show up in your life?

Have you ever experienced spiritual friendship?

What place does the table occupy in your life?t?

The goal of the WITHward movement is to connect us to others. But it’s not for our sakes alone. This connection, this movement is necessary for all involved. We are connected more than we know. As we have experienced during COVID. Our longing to be WITH one another in ways that we have not been able to be reminds us that we’re made for connection. But we have also realized that what we do affects other people - or perhaps we realized it in reverse as we watch other people do things that would put us or those more vulnerable at an increased risk. Suddenly we have all realized that we’re far more connected than we knew.

Now, when you think about community, I wonder if you think about verses like:

Psalm 133:1–3 NIV

1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Proverbs 27:17 NIV

17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Matthew 18:20 NIV

20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Romans 12:4–5 NIV

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Romans 15:5–7 NIV

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 NIV

14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

1 Peter 3:8 NIV

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

1 John 4:11 NIV

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

The WITHward rhythm is all about the “one another”-ing… love one another, spur one another on to good deeds, accept one another, belong to one another, sharpen one another, ...

And let’s face it, the WITHward rhythms are the best of times and the worst of times. Experiences of community done well often end up being highlights of our Christian experience. And bad experiences in community can do lasting damage to our souls - and to our willingness to try again. And understandably so.

But growing UPward to God and INward to self will always require also growing WITHward in community.

I’m sorry to be the one to say it. But when we meet Jesus, we get introduced to His friends. It’s not possible to remain a “lone ranger” Jesus follower. It’s just not how it works.

Let’s look at the practices of this WITHward movement - Spiritual gifts, spiritual friendship and the table.

Spiritual Gifts

We read from Romans 12 and 15 earlier - and they’re FULL of this idea that our gifts aren’t for us. God has placed unique abilities - and combinations of these abilities with our personalities and life experiences and … the YOU-ness of you. But the gifts God gives you AREN’T FOR YOU. They’re for the body…for the community of faith, for the living, breathing organism we sometimes call the church.

The list of gifts is an ever shifting one - depending on which texts of the NT you focus on. But they’re there. And you have at least one of them. But it’s not just for you, it’s for the common good of the community. When you don’t learn how to use it, WE suffer. The Body isn’t able to function the way it ought to. And yes, the Spirit is animating that gift in you, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to learn how to use it. (ie. teaching? well that gift is going to be pretty useless if you never learn anything to teach others; have the gift of faith? Well, it’s not to be exercised in having faith about your own life, your own family… it’s for the Body. Or the gift of mercy? Or the gift of helps? Well, all of those are excercised in a “one another” kind of space. It requires OTHERS.

Community/home/small groups are great for this… (places to connect and to use our gifts for one another!)

Spiritual friendship

The most basic definition of spiritual friendship is a relationship that is grounded in shared discipleship. Two followers of Jesus who walk together for a season - whether short or long. I have had friendships based on many different shared interests or pursuits. And we need different kinds of friends, but having at least one or two other Christians with whom we can share the ups and downs of our spiritual journey as peers - that is priceless.

Having a friend who is also a Christian won’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll have a spiritual friendship, but if you are willing to share a bit of your own journey, you might find yourself in one. Joining in a bible study or learning group, volunteering to help out in something, all of these give you opportunity to walk side by side with others and connections are likely to emerge that will give you opportunity to engage in this practice.

The other possibility is that you might be mindful of the kinds of questions you ask your friends. Especially, in conversations with friends who share your faith in Jesus, ask (and be willing to share your own answers) questions about what they’re discovering, struggling with, wondering about, reading…

Table

According to David Fitch in his little book Seven Practices for the Church on Mission, here are (at least!) three kinds of table experiences that we can participate in:

The Lord’s Table - which we’ll gather around in just a few minutes.

The household table - where we gather as Christians, but in ways that are always inviting others in…

The community table - where we show up not as host, but as guest.

In all three table experiences, the people of God are being shaped “to be present to God’s presence in Christ around the table, where we eat.

The Lord’s Table, or the Eucharist - is a meal we eat as an act of worship as a community of faith. We gather at this table because Jesus told us to… whenever you do this, remember Me. Our model is Luke 24, where the disciples on the road to Emmaus encounter the living Christ in the breaking of bread.

But what about the tables in our homes? What does the table experience there have to do with spiritual practices? Isn’t it about keeping us fed and nourished? Well, yes. But the idea is that just as Christ is the host of the Eucharist when we gather at the Table in worship, we are also given the opportunity to mimic this and become hosts ourselves … with our households, and very possibly with other believers, but also to invite people who don’t yet know Jesus to gather with us in our homes. To mingle with our mini-communities so that they can experience that belonging to something bigger.

I’ll admit, this is the practice I feel I have the least experience with… and one I long to explore. But I know that some of you practice this kind of open hospitality regularly and creatively. We need one another to learn from one another and to grow together. The image of the table being extended out from the church gathered, reaching out into the lives of our neighbours and friends when we are the church scattered. Beautiful! Our model for this kind of table is the feeding of the crowds of people in texts like Mark 6.

Thirdly, there are the tables we get invited to… and where we are not meant to show up as host, but rather as guest. Fitch writes of these spaces,

“Here we no longer serve as hosts; instead we come as guests, giving up all control. In all our weakness we submit to Christ’s presence among us and allow Him to work. We pay attention to what God is doing as we listen, tending to His work.”

Now these are the tables where we might have the most trouble discerning the presence and work of Christ, but then again, maybe it’s not so hard to see? The story I shared with you about taking the muffins to the Moccasin Square Gardens just behind the Kamloops Indian Residential School, is just such a story… I had something to give in this case, but I had to recognize that I wasn’t going to be in charge of what happened… I was just going to show up and offer a small gesture of friendship and support on behalf of our church. Showing up when invited, and truly taking the posture of a guest… well, that’s hard for us. We’re much more accustomed to having answers, making plans, etc.

What other tables are you invited to sit at? Maybe a tea party or lemonade stand table hosted by a grandchild or a young neighbour? May we have eyes to see these invitations…and hearts to notice where God is working… ears that perk up when we hear the rhythms, sense the movement of God.