Sermon: “Two Marks of Christian Community”
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

Our lessons this morning point us to a couple of marks or signs of Christian community, it seems to me. As I read, pondered and prayed the readings, these two characteristics emerged again and again - righteousness and unity. Listen to several sentences from our readings, and think about Christian community suggested by those readings - specifically as shown in righteousness and unity.

First, in our reading from Acts, these words: "While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead"(17:30-31). Righteousness.

Then, from First Peter: "All of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called - that you might inherit a blessing"(3:8-9). Unity.

And, finally, Jesus' words from the Gospel of John: "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned"(15:5-6). Righteousness and unity.

From these readings - and, indeed, throughout the Bible - the message clearly is that God in Christ is the truly righteous one. The biblical concept of righteousness assumes that there is a relationship, a covenant - like the "Baptismal Covenant" that we have with God and that we will renew in a few minutes. The one who is righteous, then, performs "right actions" or those things that live up to the demands of the covenant relationship. To be righteous is to live faithfully within a covenant relationship. Of course, throughout the biblical story and in our own experience, the only one who can claim to be truly righteous is Jesus himself.

We have a relationship with God and relationships with each other. Yet, we fall short of righteousness within those relationships. The appropriate consequence of our unrighteousness is exemplified in the plight of the branches separated from the vine - to be gathered up and burned. Therefore, any indication of self-righteousness on our part is entirely inappropriate. Indeed, when we become prideful and "puffed up", we indicate our separation from the true vine by our own actions.

Rather than self-righteousness, the call for us is to repentance - to change directions in life, to turn around. As expressed by the author of Acts, "(God) calls all people everywhere to repent." It is not our own righteousness that will save us but, rather, the righteousness of the only righteous one, Jesus Christ. And our access to that righteousness is by means of repentance.

Therefore, the road to righteousness - the first mark of essential Christian community in our lessons - is for us to follow the way of repentance. Further, that road to righteousness has Jesus Christ as its destination.

The second mark of Christian community this morning is unity. In one way, this point is obvious, since the word "unity" provides an essential part of the word "community." St. Peters' words of exhortation are quite clear: "All of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind." Thus, the unity to which we are called has particular manifestations. It is not something that simply sounds good to read about. Rather, there are practical, everyday indications of the existence of such unity. We know unity when we experience it, and we can just as clearly sense the absence of unity when it is not there.

Now, the wonderfully clear symbol for unity in the reading from John's Gospel is the vine. That is, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. If we are separated from the vine - from our source of unity - or from others on the vine, then we wither spiritually and end up as firewood.

Of course, in our day unity among Episcopalians - and within the Anglican Communion - is a primary issue. It likewise is a concern and a challenge at the level of the local parish. The reading this morning, though, reminds us of the basic, essential dimension to our unity in Christ. He is the vine, and we are the branches - connected to one another through him. That vine is the source of nourishment and of life for us. And the consequences of separation and disunity are immense.

Our very hope as Christians is found in our unity. Ultimate Christian hope is all about our connections to one another and to God. Our salvation is not individualistic. Indeed, the way that we treat one another in Christian community now prepares us for eternal life - for heaven on the one hand or for hell on the other. The basic biblical understanding of hell, my friends, is separation … disunity. Therefore, Christ is the destination on the road of unity, as Christ also is the destination on the road of righteousness.

In conclusion, then, our readings this morning are quite clear about righteousness and unity as marks of Christian community. We cannot achieve these goals on our own. However, we need to be on the road that leads to righteousness and unity, even though we cannot completely reach the end of that road in this life. The end, though, the destination, is Jesus Christ himself - and the important thing is to be following the road that leads to him.

Our Collect from last Sunday sums up the petition for us who journey this road: "Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life; Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life." May this be truly so for the community of St. Francis! That surely is my prayer. Amen.

Copyright © 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee