Rev. George Miller
May 24, 2026
Philippians 4:4-7
Diversity is beautiful.
Relationships
are difficult.
Saying everyone is welcome is one thing.
Creating a system of safe spaces and
boundaries for that inclusion is nuanced and complicated.
Tribalism is a one way to ensure certain
death.
Widely opening the doors means being
rightfully aware of who comes in.
Keeping a closed table means the meals may
eventually become bland and flavorless.
Inviting everyone to the table means you better be prepared for different
ingredients, spices, concepts of time and family.
Diversity is beautiful.
Relationships
are difficult.
Today we celebrate Pentecost. We wear our Red and recall the day when
people from all over were gathered in the Holy City and the Spirit fell upon
them.
Like tongues of fire, the Holy Spirit
danced among all those present, giving them the ability to hear and understand
one another’s mother language.
Parthians could understand the Medes. The Elamites could understand the
Asians. The Egyptians could hear the
Arabs.
It was a groundbreaking moment. God did something so new, so invigorating
that it gave birth to the church, allowing the Good News of Christ to cross
continents, time zones, and cultures.
But of course, this would mean something
else- the faith of Sarah and Abraham, the stories of Miriam and Moses were now
open to and available to people who previously had no faith at all, or
worshipped snakes or thought Ceaser was God on high.
The inbreaking of the Holy Spirit in which
people could be heard and share the Good News would mean that there was now
adjustments to be made, new boundaries to discover, and different traditions to
become aware of.
Pentecost is a day when God poured out
God’s spirit upon all flesh, so heirs could prophecy, young can have visions,
elders can dream, and all who call upon the Lord will experience a strong
foundation.
But did you ever wonder what that actually
meant, and what it would look like for the early churches when Jew and Gentile,
Arab and Asian, all came together to sit at table, tell stories, sing songs,
testify about Jesus and then break bread and drink wine?
It is not such an easy thing to do in an
inclusive, wordly setting because everyone has their own culture, context, and
expectations.
For example time. Time as a concept fascinates me.
In New York, distance is measured by
time. The mall is 30 minutes away; the
church is 45.
But in Minnesota, distance is measured by miles. The mall is 5 miles away.
Time really becomes tricky when it comes
to a gathering.
Tell someone on Long Island that the party
begins at 7 pm- that means “don’t show up until 7:15” because the host is
counting on that extra 15 minutes.
BUT in Grand Rapids, Michigan (which is
very Dutch), the host better be ready by 6:39 because their first guest
will be there at 6:40 with a casserole.
Now, if you are invited by a Jamaican to a
7 pm party, what that means is at 7 pm start thinking about getting ready, by
7:45 get in the shower, and by 8:30 the grill will be fired up.
BUT, if a Colombian family invites you, be
prepared to show up around 9:30 pm, dressed in a well put-together outfit. Know that you will see many kids (who will
eventually fall asleep on chairs), your ears will hear much chisme, your belly will
be full of rice and coffee. You won’t
get home until after 2, and it will take an hour to say goodbye.
All of this is wonderful and comforting if
that’s what you’re used to and the culture you exist.
But what if you are one of those very 1st
churches meeting in the home of Miss
Louanna and people are showing up 20 minutes early or three hours late? What if some brought casseroles with
ingredients you don’t eat or a group of kids who will run around for hours?
It can be pure chaos, requiring patience,
give and take, creating new customs and redrawing agreeable boundaries.
All these things that took place in the
mother churches that laid the way for us, and all the delightful dilemmas that
Pentecost brought when the Holy Spirit barged in and gave us the rhythm to
dance and worship and praise the Lord.
Paul dealt with these realities all the
time. Paul had to do this as the first
one with no dance instructor or Rosetta Stone.
As we read Paul’s 7 authentic letters, we’re
invited to always keep in mind that Paul is constantly finding a way to welcome
diversity while also finding ways to keep relationships healthy.
Sometimes Paul seems to succeed, sometimes
he fails greatly. But decade after
decade, island after island, house church after house church, Paul keeps
keeping on.
So in chapter 4, Paul writes to a
congregation caught up in turmoil, he finds a way to create that welcome and
sense of safe space.
He focuses them on celebration. “Rejoice,” he writes. “Rejoice in the Lord.”
He encourages them to be gentle; to let
that be known as one of their trademarks.-
“Hey, do you know those folk in Philippi?”
“Yes, they are so kind and sweet with one
another.”
Paul reminds them to be in dialogue with
God; to pray; to be thankful; to be humble.
Paul encourages them to be aware of what
they seek and ask for; to turn to the Lord with words that reflect
vulnerability and petition.
As if giving a recipe of faith, Paul
states that when the Philippians do this, they will experience a sense of peace
that is more than calm waters or clear weather,
but a spiritual sense of presence,
wholeness, assurance…breathe.
Paul is not writing these words from a
place of innocence or misunderstanding.
He has been there, done that, and he
understands that a church created by Pentecost is also a church that will have
complexity and diversity while finding their identity and new path of
direction.
Paul is not afraid for them; Paul is
certain that they will be fine, and he wants them to know it.
So in verses 8-9, he writes “Finally,
sisters and brothers, primas and primos, opas and omas,
whatever is true and truly felt, whatever
is pure and well intentioned, whatever is the best that you can bring, think
about these things.
If you do them, embody them. Give them hands and feet. Then the peace of God will be with you and
you and you.”
Today we celebrate the inbreaking of the
Holy Spirit, not just then, but every time we gather, every time we welcome
someone new,
every time we try something else, every
time we choose peace over paralysis,
every time we are able to hear what
another is saying.
So today let us rejoice; let us seek what
is pleasing; let us move in a way that others can say-
“Look at how the God of peace is with them;
St. Lucas UCC.”
Amen and amen.
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