“What Makes YOU So Special?” ~ Psalm 8 (VU 732) & Genesis 2: 18-24
October 6, 2024 ~ Northwood United ~ Rev. G. Scott Turnbrook
Did you ever receive a merit badge? An award ribbon? Or a championship trophy perhaps? When I was young, I was a cub scout, and I have a strong memory of collecting badges that Mom would later sew onto my sash. I would proudly wear it to our weekly cub meetings displaying my special achievements. There were awards for camping skills, awards for sports, awards for kindness, awards for many different things. Later on, sports achievements might yield a ribbon or medal, and you may have some of your own shoeboxes with these types of things proudly stored away. Awards make us feel special, don’t they? That first-place trophy memorializing one’s victory. We were first and we have the trophy to prove it! When I had my own children, I noticed a trend in recognition called “participation badges”. At the end of the season, everyone in the group would receive a merit badge for participating. The team might have come dead last, yet everyone felt special as they would receive their merit badge. Although, I quietly wondered…if we ALL are special, doesn’t that make us all just regular? Are we set aside and special or are we regular? As I ponder the spiritual meaning of the texts before us and the particular Sunday which we celebrate, World Communion Sunday, I got to thinking about being special… noteworthy… outstanding…and ‘run of the mill’ regular. The passages that Gwen read got me wondering…are any of us particularly special? Are any of us outstanding? Noteworthy? So, this morning, I would like to ask the question, what makes YOU so special?
The Psalm that we explored, the 8th Psalm, is a powerful expression of God’s Creation. It portrays this cosmic view of God’s Creation that we are an infinitesimally small part of. I no longer view God from the Sunday School perspective that many received: an esteemed older man in the sky who created. However, whenever I visit this Psalm, it takes me back to that wonderful perspective of God shaping all into being. “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established” When you look at Creation, can’t you almost envision the work of God’s fingers? God’s fingers, like the potter, shaping all that came into being. When you are on the top of a mountain, or perhaps travelling on plane, looking down, can’t you almost imagine God shaping each mountain. Each rolling hill leading into the sea. All shaped and formed by the creative fingers of God. I got away from the city during the early part of the long weekend and I looked up into the skies and I was reminded of the vast galaxies that lie beyond. When you away from the city lights, you see the light of billions of stars of galaxies. And as I take it all in, I feel so very small...so very small. I am reminded that I am but a speck in a vast universe of God’s majestic Creation. Those badges and trophies that made me feel so special all faded away; I was reminded of the vast unfolding universe that is God’s handiwork. And I am just a mere part of it; a blessed speck that God created. What makes YOU so special? Indeed!
The Genesis passage that Gwen read comes from the well-developed Creation narrative. If I had asked Gwen to read the entire account of Creation, she would have become angry at me and likely refused to read in the future! The two creation stories are very lengthy, developed and wonderful! It begins with the 7 movements of life unfolding. Like a symphony of different movements, the earth unfolded in 7 shifting movements. Formed into what the author described as “days”, the author describes God’s creative expressions unfolding. In the second account of God’s Creation, it becomes a little more developed as the lush paradise of Eden is described. The tree of life is birthed. The rivers flow. And God creates the one whom we will be descended from: “earth-creature”. Or as we better know in Hebrew “Adamah”. From the dust of the ground, God shapes Adamah, the “earth-creature” and breathes life into his nostrils. The reading continues in this morning’s text that features the creation of a partner for Adamah. As a deep sleep occurs, God removes a rib from Adamah and shapes it into a woman. Scholars are quite clear on the equality of these two creatures. The woman’s designation as “helper” is the same designation used for God in God’s many instances as being “a helper” throughout scripture. Helper is this loving (in God’s case – benevolent) way of being towards the other.
And as we continue to host this text, the verse I find myself focussing on is the opening one “It is not good for the man / Adamah to be alone”. Within the vast scope of creation, Adamah was destined to feel alone and insignificant. Even lower than regular…alone! What makes YOU so special, indeed! The Creation story unfolds as God brings all beings before Adamah to name: “Adamah gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field” But he was still alone. He did not feel special or significant…for Adamah was alone. What makes YOU so special? The passage continues with the creation of “the helper”. ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’
I wonder if what makes YOU so special is the communion of partners / of helpers that are around you? The community God shapes around you are a blessing; they give life depth and meaning; they allow YOU to be special! Adamah would have spent his entire life alone, insignificant, nothing making him special. However, God’s initiative in the creation of another ~ a helper ~ a community ~ is what made him blessed and special!
This Sunday is World Communion Sunday. This unique Sunday has been spreading across the world denominations since its inception in 1933. Birthed amidst the global economic downturn in the Great Depression, communion was upheld as being that which would allow us to thrive and BE special. Ever since then, the 1st Sunday in October was held as an opportunity to remind ourselves of our place ~ our SPECIAL place within the body of Christ.
The World Council of Churches created a unifying document on the meaning of communion. Published in 1982: “Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry” agrees (imagine that all the denominations of the WCC agreeing!) on 5 foundational principles of communion (or eucharist – as other denominations call it). It is a Thanksgiving to God as we celebrate God’s work that creates and is creating. It is a memorial of the crucified and risen Christ. It invokes the Spirit of Christ. Whether one believes that the bread and wine become the literal or metaphorical body and blood of Christ (the argument of transubstantiation and consubstantiation), God’s Spirit is present at the table. Fourth, it is a Kingdom meal that grants us a vision of what we pray for in the Lord’s prayer: “thy Kingdom come”. And, finally, (and this relates most to our conversation this morning) eucharist is a communion of the faithful that shows our oneness with other followers of the way in every time and every place. When we come to the table, we are not alone, we are one!
Many of you have participated in the outreach ministry at the Cloverdale Kitchen, haven’t you? I see our next opportunity arrives in November. On the surface, it might appear to be a fairly simple ministry: providing food to the hungry. To experience it, however, is to be reminded of communion at work. Some folks are there for food. Unhoused, fleeing a horrible situation, living from couch to couch, shelter to shelter, sometimes on the cold street…they come hungry. But others come as well. They may not have T-Bone steaks and a full pantry; however, they have some food. And they come as well. What we have witnessed is that some come for food; however, ALL come seeking community. No one sits alone. We sit in community. Those of us who serve, and those who are served sit together and create community because (as the text says) “it is not good for Adamah to be alone”. Sitting at table, we realize that we are all pretty much the same. No one, on our own, is particularly special. But together we become the living body of Christ. And that body IS special.
There is a growing awareness of the value of community in a church. Some come for worship; some come for learning; some come for service. We ALL come for community because community cannot occur without YOU. You play a unique role in the living body of Christ. We are not special, necessarily for any unique attribute. However, we ARE special for unite and allow the body of Christ to live, to sing, to serve and to sparkle in the world that is so full of need!
One never knows how the Body of Christ will need to live and serve in the community, and in the world. The one thing, for sure, is that the Body of Christ cannot and will not shine without YOU. For YOU are special, indeed!
Amen.