We all have friends.
Granted, the breadth and depth of friendship may vary from person to person, but surely all of us traffic in at least a few friendships. As such, other than our families of origin, friendships are probably the most ubiquitous of all relationships. Not everyone is called to marry. Not everyone raises children or grandchildren. Most of us do not loom large in public life and therefore the benefactor of hundreds of social acquaintances. But by virtue of the great commandment to love our neighbors as well as we would love ourselves, all of us are called to the ministry of friendship.
Our simple summer sermon series for June and July explores some themes in the Christian ministry of friendship. We started with a refresher on the love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13, in some ways rescuing those familiar lines from the clutches of wedding ceremonies and repositioning Paul's teaching as direction for every Christian in every relationship -- not just for couples "in love." Next we'll mine the collected wisdom of the book of Proverbs for reminders on the nature of friendship. Then we'll sit at table with Jesus and his first disciples as he announces to them, and us, that he no longer calls us servants, but rather "friends." The implications of this new and provocative nomenclature are many, so we'll take a look at what that means both for us as his friends and for others who know us as a friend.
Behind the scenes, your session is in prayerful discussion about specific areas and directions of ministry for the next five years in the life of our beloved Northminster church. We hope to discern a handful of mission endeavors that will guide our common life and offer ministry to others in Jesus' name. Those are sacred and important discussions, and I know we will be sharing with you soon what we are discerning and where we hope to go in the way of direction, vocation. The ministry we do together is important.
But meanwhile, regarding ministry, it seems to me that everyone of us also has a ministry waiting for us every time we connect with our friends. One does not always have to cross the seas or cross the town or cross cultures in order to share in Jesus' ministry of mercy, reconciliation, and love. Sometimes his kingdom is as a close at hand as a text message, a lunch date, a golf outing, or a note. I hope this short summer series will be an encouragement to you as you steward the friendships God has providentially placed in your life.
