"Some Assembly Required" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, April 25, 2010

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John 10.22-30, Revelation 7.9-17

Spending some time with furniture parts yesterday at the rummage sale, I recalled purchasing a fine piece of furniture, a desk, many years ago. On the showroom floor, it appeared to be perfect. It had dark, brown wood, swinging doors to hide work when not in use, a sliding tray for the computer keyboard, compartments for everything one might need, and a wonderfully designed printer shelf situated above the computer area. The label said it was an armoire desk. But more important than its look was the drastically reduced price. With excitement, I purchased the desk

and then expended much energy maneuvering the two heavy boxes to my car. Somehow, the store clerk was able to tie down the trunk in a certain way that allowed me to drive the car as long as I didn’t drive over a certain speed and was careful to avoid any bumps. Thankfully, I was living in Lincoln, Nebraska so the terrain was flat. Printed on the side of each of the boxes in small letters were the words, “Some assembly required."

I couldn’t get the boxes up to my third floor apartment so I opened the boxes and took items up a few at a time. I expended vast amounts of energy transporting parts up the flights of stairs. I sorted the “some assembly required” pieces into different stacks throughout my apartment. There was not a spot anywhere that didn’t have a panel, a cross beam, or some other part of the desk. Tucked deep in the recesses of one of the boxes, I found a booklet labeled “Assembly Manual”. I opened to the first step. The language was definitely English, but I couldn’t make sense of what it was saying. I glanced at the pictures with the dotted lines pointing to what seemed like millions of holes on hundreds of parts.

I carefully read the introduction on the first page of the 40-page manual, it said, “Assembly could be lengthy. Get someone’s help and feel free to take a break or two during assembly.” I began working and I continued working, and working and working. Handiwork is not one of my gifts. I completed step 1 of 35 after only an hour. I then quickly moved on to step 2, which seemed to go quicker. After two days and a total of 15 hours, the desk was done. It was not quite as beautiful as the one in the showroom, but it was a desk and I had put my sweat and a little of my blood into making it look the way it did. It was mine.

Those who questioned Jesus in today’s gospel lesson wanted the answer. They said, enough with this suspense, tell us truth. Are you the Messiah? Jesus looked at them and said, you are not ready to believe. You don’t understand what I say because you haven’t made the effort to build it for yourself. Jesus told them that some assembly is required to build faith. And if I could write a subtext, assembly is going to be lengthy. Get someone’s help and feel free to take a break or two.

Faith is definitely always a work in progress. The manual is a lifetime long. Sometimes we get caught on steps because we are unable to see the purpose or because we are distracted by the desire to get it done. And faith is not the same for every person but it does begin with study, learning, and growing but it also depends on making choices and realizing the love of God that exists in our daily lives.

A way to join that path is to join the flock so that the flock can provide the support necessary to grow. There is some confusion about this flock. We sometimes hear that this flock is a small group of chosen people and that everyone else is going to be left behind. Some make this assumption by reading certain portions of the Book of Revelation and taking them as the only truth. In today’s lesson from Revelation, John writes the following,  “There was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, from all tribes and people and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7.9-10)

John made it known, in this passage, that God’s salvation is not given to a select few but to people from a wide variety of backgrounds, who are not there because of what they deserve but because of the sacrificial gift of God. It is through their testimony of faith, through their dedication to struggle through the process of knowing God that they become cleansed in the blood of the lamb.

How do we deepen our faith and come to understand it? It begins with study but it is more than book knowledge. We learn about Jesus by watching what other people do. We learn about faith not by rational arguments but by practical example. We come to the throne of Jesus by washing ourselves in the blood of the Lamb. In washing, in getting involved in the faith of Christ, we become as pure as a white robe.

I hadn’t used that desk I told you about for a very long time. Instead of serving a useful purpose, it collected dust. St. Patrick’s would have labeled it -- “rummage.” I continued to move it and drag it along with me and that was saying something. It was like moving a 7-foot tall block of cement. I could have left it behind someplace but couldn’t part with it because I put so much effort into its assembly. It was mine. A year ago, someone was looking for a desk and I knew it was time to pass it along. I arranged to give it away, to share it with someone who truly needed it. And then it was gone. Or was it?

We take possession of our faith by expending energy, making mistakes, and shedding blood and sweat. In so doing, our faith is the bedrock of our lives. We carry it with with conviction. But at some point, we will know that it is more than “mine.” We will know that it is God’s and that we must be willing to share it. In cleansing ourselves, we are called to help others along the way. We know just as we sought the help of others, we must provide that aid in return. We must be an encouraging hand to help overcome the frustration of the never-ending assembly manual.

The work that each of us does in the name of Christ will be a testimony to our faith. Jesus told those questioners in the Gospel lesson today about the Messiah, he said that the “works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me.” So it is with us, the work we do in the name of Christ, will say more than we could ever teach or preach or say. From rummage sales, to preparing meals for those less fortunate, to hospitality to strangers, and getting dirty while making the world cleaner. Our faith testimony extends beyond these walls in the places of great need.

Remember that faith is not taught by arguments; It is taught by lives. Our challenge is to live our faith so that others can come to know it. Be good examples and you will do the work of sharing God’s salvation.

And know that surely the Lord God’s goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (Psalm 23.6)

The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard - kurt@stpatrickschurchdc.org

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church 

Easter 4C

April, 2010