They Were Afraid of the Crowd -Pentecost 16A

The religious authorities, the chief priests and the elders come to Jesus and ask: By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?

Of whom do we – as a mainline church, as Bishops, Synod Council, pastors, church councils, communities of faith -  ask this question?

Is it a question we ask others when they articulate or act out Christian practice in a way different than our own? Perhaps to the religious who burn Korans, or those who promote gender inequality, restrict participation of only some, or those who embrace a prosperity Gospel.

 Is it a question we ask of new immigrant populations growing in Canada – who said you can do that, or believe that, or build your temple or mosque? By whose authority do you speak your mother tongue and not an official Canadian language?

Do we ask it of our politicians? Questioning Bills and decisions – for instance on issues of the environment, the immigration of refugees, honouring treaties with First Nation’s People, providing basic necessities whether that is money for disability pensions or potable water in North? Do we ask the question when federal funding is cut to CIDA, KAIROS, or prison chaplaincy?

Do we ask, “by who’s authority,” to schools allowing Winter concerts as long as there are no Christmas carols, to Universities who refuse students based on sexual orientation, or to institutions imposing dress codes for out of school activities?

The asking of the question is not so much about an answer, as it is posed to have the one asked to reflect on what they are doing or not doing. Often with the hope that the question will have the other come to a realization that they are outside of their authority and would then desist in their current operating procedure.

Jesus deflects the question by asking a similar one of authority of the religious leaders themselves. Jesus asks them a question that was simple in the fact that it could easily be answered with one word; but oh so complicated in the context of the situation.  “Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” The religious authorities should have the authority to answer this question.  Yet the ownership and conveyor of authority in any instance is fickle.

In this instance religious authority chooses their action and response when speaking to an authority they deem might just be from God, and when confronted with the authority of a crowd who have the potential to rebel based on their response and in so doing incite the ruling authority of the Romans, to revert to a stand based on fear.  THEY WERE AFRAID OF THE CROWD – so the answer given to Jesus was,  “we do not know.”

Are we afraid of the crowd? What people will say or think about us? What the powers that be might do to us or take away?

Say too much and your non-profit might be audited, or your charity number be taken away so you cannot issue tax receipts. What ministry doesn’t happen because we are afraid of getting sued – perhaps our services are too loud.

This is Back to Church Sunday, where the lead up weeks encouraged and reminded members to invite friends, family, co-workers, and neighbours to church. Did you invite someone? Do you invite - - - or are you afraid of the crowd so to speak?

Feltzen South’s anniversary Sunday, Resurrection’s 100^th next year, in our history we were the crowd – the people who went out to be baptized by John, those outside the main church of the day. We were a group of immigrant people starting over, surviving and growing, keeping culture, language, hymns, ethnic tradition, and food through potluck. In the beginning we were the other, a place to go that was not British or French.  We tried to avoid being asked “by whose authority do you do these things?”

But times change, some of us still hide out as if we are the other when really we are a full part of the mainline church. We are a fixed institution. How is it that we relate to the question, “by whose authority?”

As a church – a National church – as a member of the Lutheran World Federation – a federation that includes 69 million Lutherans around the world. The church is daring to ask the question...

By whose authority...

There comes a point in the life of God’s people when their religious institutions die because they will not confront the question of authority. And far too often are afraid of the crowd so will not take a stand.

By whose authority do we do what we do?... God’s, the church hierarchy, the church rules and operating procedures, church councils, our own, or does our authority come from baptism within a community, where we are named a beloved child of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, fed and nourished, and participants in a liturgy of the people for the healing of the world.

The ELCIC has chosen to confront authority that acts outside and in opposition to society’s understanding of the kindom of God. Letters are written to parliament hill; demonstrations and protests are attended; relationships are forged with indigenous peoples; peoples and refugees from around the world are welcomed; resources are sent to the Evangelical Lutheran church of Jordan and the Holy Land; statements are made on social, moral, and ethical issues; support is given to displaced people in places like Kakuma and Za’atari; prayers are offered for countries ravished by Ebola, decimated by war, or devastated by natural disaster.

There is a sense in this church in which we belong, that hiding out is not the intended plan for the next 10 yrs. Over the past decade and a half there has been a particular focus on being a church that is in mission for others – decisions made are made looking through this lens.  The plan is to live into and out of the promises of baptism/confirmation – to embrace the prayers said on each of us in that moment; to live by the grace freely given in the Holy Supper.  We are about giving ourselves away as bread for the hungry.  As we live into our mission statement, it has meant that the church has chosen to take a stand, to be a voice; to not be afraid of the crowd, or whichever crowd holds authority.  We plan to play an active role in bringing the Kindom by transforming the world around us to live by the principles offered in the parables of the vineyard presented the past couple of weeks – where the first end up last and the last first, where a land owner is lavishly generous and it matters not on merit or what people think is fair.

This week I have a day in ON with a group of pastors who for the past 3 years have been engaged in leadership development. The event is at Crief Hills – a rustic Presbyterian retreat centre. When I was a little girl my family tented at this facility and participated in a weekend event.  I was 5 and was so pleased that one afternoon the older kids invited me to play hide and seek.  To make a long story short, I went through a wooden gate, walked through the tall field grass, went over a rise and I was lost.  Disoriented.  Scared. I found a fence and followed it; I crawled under the fence when there was a space to do so and followed the road – more scared - when a police car came by I thought I was rescued.  Terror set in when he passed me by.  I have never been that scared.  I turned around to follow where the police car went, crying, alone, lost.  As I went over the rise in the road there was the entrance to the camp.  I felt like I had been lost forever, no one really seemed to notice, until they saw the distress I was in.

What I realized with the reading for today and the memory of Crief Hills, when they collided; what really scares me is not the changing face of the church, people judging me because I go to church and believe in God; I’m not afraid of losing taxable donation credits, being embarrassed because someone might say “no” when I invite them to church; it is not fear of what might happen if the church says too much on issues of importance, or pushes the authorities of the day to adverse consequences; I’m not afraid of persecution or death because of the stand I or the church takes to bring God’s kingdom to earth --- what scares me the most is being lost alone.

Back to Church Sunday and Church anniversaries are a reminder that we are not alone, we are community of people centred around the Christ event, empowered as a community through sacrament – God’s grace – freely given so that we might be bread for the hungry, be a different kind of authority that is not embarrassed to seek to build the kingdom of God; a community that invites all to come along and be part of the journey, where there is bread in abundance and more to share.

This week you are encouraged to reflect on the phrase, “by whose authority?” Apply the question to your understandings and your actions.  Consider the question in relation to the church – to Resurrection (to St.John’s by the sea). What do we do and by whose authority to we do it?   Ponder - of whom, are we as a community of faith, to ask this question.

Amen.