Always Reforming

1 Kings 8:1-13

“Always Reforming”

29 October 2017 St. Andrew’s Military Chapel

As legend has it, 500 years ago on Tuesday a 33 year old Catholic priest 10 days shy of his 34^th birthday reached his frustration point with many issues surrounding the Catholic church at that time. He knew the way to get the church’s attention was to publicly publish his grievances on the one day he knew would be widely attended, November 1^st also known as All Saints Day.

Martin Luther’s most significant argument against the church was his belief that we received salvation and are declared righteous through God’s grace alone. There was no need for mediation through anyone else to lead to our grace. Martin Luther sought not to break away from the church but to reform the thought of the church through scholarly objection to the church’s practices, to refocus attention to Christ rather than the institution or the rules that humans could devise to put God in a box.

Ecclesia reformata, semper reformada. The church reformed, always reforming.

David wanted to be the one to build a permanent home for God in Israel but God wasn’t yet ready to reside in a permanent home. God didn’t want David to undertake building God’s house on earth and told David that his son, Solomon, would be the one to build the temple.

Solomon finally gets around to building God’s temple after he had consolidated his rule and power. It is interesting that the temple took seven years to complete while Solomon’s palace took 13 years. This discrepancy speaks volumes as to Solomon’s priorities in life.

Once the temple is completed, we know that God approves because God’s presence “filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.” God would no longer be seen by other cultures as a temporary deity residing in a mobile tent, the tabernacle. God was now residing in a magnificent permanent home. Israel was settled and permanent. The world knew Israel was here to stay. Regardless of his other accomplishments and failings, Solomon changed the nature of how Israel worshiped God for generations.

Ecclesia reformata, semper reformada. The church reformed, always reforming.

If we look back at the worship patterns and the theology of our home faith groups, we too would see changes. Some subtle, some drastic. The way in which we view baptism and communion. Ordination of women. Inclusion of various faith groups. Churches that condoned slavery alongside congregations that opposed slavery and worked towards it’s abolishment.

Congregations that are focused on smallness, splitting the congregation when a certain number is reached to go and plant other congregations expanding their reach in that way. Other churches seeking to gather as many into one location as possible, what is known as the megachurch movement. Sometimes churches will change their approach and theology gradually or seemingly overnight depending on a change in leadership or significant event in the life of the church. Our worship patterns and theology are always changing, developing nuance, becoming more robust. Hopefully always moving towards the grace and love we see in Christ.

Ecclesia reformata, semper reformada. The church reformed, always reforming.

Today, on this Reformation Sunday, we too at St. Andrew’s are experiencing a change. Those of us who are associated with the military are accustomed to change for we move around frequently, and those around us are constantly moving as well. Your new chaplain is here and ready to come alongside each of you in your faith journeys. I step away to make room for change that is needed. Not that I or anyone are doing things wrong, but rather to let a new vision, a new way of reflecting and thinking on Scripture come into your lives.

Steve will challenge you in different ways than I can. His theology will differ, and you will be better for that difference. Your theology will expand. Your faith will strengthen. Perhaps he will connect with you in ways that you didn’t realize were needed. It will be different, it will be familiar, it will be God at work through Steve and each of you. This congregation will re-form into the body that God intends for you with Steve guiding your spiritual growth.

Ecclesia reformata, semper reformada. The church reformed, always reforming.

I want to take a few moments to describe what I have seen in each of you so that you know from where you are starting on your journey with Steve. You strive to be a welcoming community with love in your hearts for all people. We fail at that on occasion, but those failures don’t keep you from picking yourself up and trying again and again.

You get along with our Catholic neighbors and genuinely like sharing meals with them throughout the year. You support a thriving youth group that includes not only the students from this congregation, but also those who never darken the door of a church on Sunday morning. It is a ministry focused on loving people where they are, providing a safe place for students to work through their own challenges together, regardless of their individual beliefs.

Over the last two years, together with the Catholic community you have provided over $43,000 to charities here in Singapore and around the world. You have embraced new ways to participate in mission to the community such as through Souper Bowl of Caring. You have welcomed local Singaporean pastors to the pulpit, hearing a new way to read and interpret Scripture.

All of these highlights were changes that you embarked upon over the last two years. Changes made by stepping out in faith that God would work through you in those changes.

Ecclesia reformata, semper reformada. The church reformed, always reforming.

Change isn’t always easy. Sometimes it has unintended consequences. However, as the world changes, we will have to change the methods in which we express the central message of our faith: God loves everyone and God is seeking us out, speaking to us through each other. Our relationships with God and each other matter because each of us matters a great deal to God. That message is timeless and will never change. How we hear and spread that message is what changes over time. The church, or God’s messenger in the world, needs to continually change or re-form itself to be the best bearer of God’s love and grace to the world. A changing church isn’t something to be scared of or resist, it’s something we’ve been doing for centuries.

Ecclesia reformata, semper reformada. The church reformed, always reforming.

You can listen to sermons from St. Andrew's Military Chapel here.