Whenever I read something from I or II Corinthians, I’m always glad that God never sent me to a church like that. Let’s just say, that the Church of Corinth had a lot of issues!
I’ve been blessed to serve many wonderful churches over my 35 years as a pastor, but not all pastors have been as blessed. Some have been called to serve in some very cantankerous congregations.
When I first became a pastor several years ago, an older and very experienced pastor in our conference told me this fun little story that happened during Annual Conference which is where clergy and laity gather for several days in early June.
In the old days, it was at one of these annual meetings when the bishop would announce the names of the pastors who would be moving to new churches later that month. Now, they let you know ahead of time if you will be moving but that wasn’t the case then.
As this old story goes, a pastor who had been sent to some of the worst churches in the conference and who was currently serving at another very difficult church felt like he had nothing to lose. And so he decided to go to one of the microphones and really let the Bishop have it in front of everyone at that conference. He criticized the Bishop up and down during his long rant.
After his speech, he sat down feeling really proud of himself for getting his frustrations off his chest, but that’s when he suddenly realized that he had forgotten that there was still an opening at a church that was known as the worst of the worst church in the conference.
And that’s when the people around him could hear him say, “O crap. I forgot. The Little Hope Church is still open!”
Little Hope Church and the Church of Corinth were both very difficult churches to serve. Only the bravest pastors would want to serve at either of them.
It’s ironic that one of the most beautiful chapters in the entire bible comes from I Corinthians. Chapter 13 in that letter has become known as the love chapter. The Apostle Paul beautifully describes what love is and what love isn’t in those verses which is why it often gets read at many weddings.
But actually, the love chapter has nothing to do with marriage or weddings, at least not directly. Paul wrote that chapter because he was calling out the members of that church in Corinth for their very selfish and egotistical attitudes toward one another. They had been bragging about who had the most impressive spiritual gifts in the church and they looked down on those who they determined had less important gifts to offer.
See what I mean about this church? Tough, tough church to serve. And so Paul writes this love chapter to tell them that they can have all the spiritual gifts in the world, but if they don’t have love they are just a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. And Paul ends that chapter by telling them, “But faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.”
The Church of Corinth was missing the whole point of the Christian faith. We don’t find our strength in power. We find our strength in how we love and serve one another.
And this is what Paul is conveying to them in our I Corinthians, chapter 2 scripture reading for today. Listen again to Paul’s words to them:
“When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.”
Here in the early part of his letter, Paul is setting the tone, that our strength is found in our weakness and not in whether or not we have what some might consider to be “the more glamorous spiritual gifts.” There are no glamorous gifts, just spiritual gifts, that when all put together can make for a vibrant and growing church, faithfully living out its vision and mission.
A couple of months ago, I watched a documentary about Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. He started AA in Akron, Ohio and it quickly spread throughout the country.
The reason that AA has been so effective over these many decades is because people who are struggling with alcohol abuse can help each other by attending meetings on a regular basis. Our church provides space for 6 AA groups to meet each week in our building.
During that documentary, it talked all about the challenges that Bill Wilson faced in helping AA and the 12 steps program reach as many people as possible. During the era of racial segregation, one of the AA groups refused to allow people of color to join their group. Some other AA leaders who heard about this, asked Bill Wilson how to handle this situation.
Bill Wilson responded by saying that what they needed to do was to emphasize that what makes AA effective and special isn’t because they are better people, but because they are only made better by sharing their weaknesses with each other. We are made strong through our weakness. In other words, there is no room for egos or discriminating against anyone who wants to find healing and wholeness.
This reminds me of what the Apostle Paul is saying in our I Corinthians reading, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.”
We live during a time, like during the time that Paul wrote this letter to the Church of Corinth where we think that it’s through our strengths that we can find our greatest fulfillment in life, but really it’s the opposite. As Paul writes, it’s through our weaknesses, our vulnerabilities, our frailties, and our brokenness that we are our most real and authentic selves.
But we also know that when we try to hide who we really are or deny that we are broken and hurt people, that sets us up for all kinds of unhealthy and unrealistic expectations. Focusing on our strength only can lead us to cover up what is really going on inside us and that can often lead to depression, loneliness, feelings of self-hate, and sometimes even lead someone to hurt themselves.
At the heart of the Christian faith is the recognition that it’s through our weaknesses that we not only find healing in our lives, but we can also be a source of healing and hope for others.
Recently, I was introduced to this incredible painting that was drawn in 1903 by the Finnish painter, Hugo Simberg. Here’s the painting:
The title of the paining is “The Wounded Angel.” As we give ourselves a little time to look at this painting, we can see that it is a very melancholic depiction of this wounded angel being carried on a stretcher by these two young, healthy, but very somber boys.
The angel has a bandaged forehead and a bloodied wing. The context of when this painting was done is very important because the boys are carrying this wounded angel to what was then, the Blind Girls’ School and the Home for Cripples.
This painting is so powerful to me because we’re not used to seeing wounded angels. Angels are meant to be the ones who are strong and who save and help us, but this angel is in need of someone to help her.
It’s interesting to me that a version of this painting hangs in a prominent church there in Finland suggesting that there are spiritual connections for us to make as people of faith.
There are so many things that can be said about this painting, but I want you to especially notice that the angel is clutching what is called snowdrops in one of her hands. Snowdrop flowers are a symbol of healing and rebirth. Even though this angel is wounded, these snowdrop flowers are a symbol of hope.
And then notice in this artist’s subtle way the flowers that are blooming along that pathway. Those flowers are also a symbol of hope that healing is on the way.
I wonder if this artist is painting a picture to help us to see that it’s really in our brokenness and wounds, that we can be agents of healing, not only for ourselves but for others. We all have injured wings and our share of bandages, but it’s through our pain that we can be a source of healing for others.
Henri Nouwen, a Catholic Priest and author of several books on spirituality wrote a book called, The Wounded Healer. It’s a book that reminds us that we can’t really help to bring healing to others unless we are willing to also see our own brokenness and need for healing.
Or as someone has said, it’s through the cracks of our lives, that the light can enter, and it’s through those same cracks that the light can then shine out upon others.
The Apostle Paul who was writing these letters to the Church in Corinth wanted them to know that it’s not through our impressive spiritual resumes that the light shines through, but it’s through our vulnerabilities and our weaknesses that God’s love and light can be a blessing to others.
I think this is what Jesus means in our Gospel reading for today when he says that we are the light of the world. We shine the brightest when we allow God’s light to shine through the brokenness in our lives.
And this is one of the reasons why we celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion because it reminds us that it was through Jesus’ self-emptying and willingness to die on a cross, that led to an empty tomb where resurrection and new life were made possible and can bring healing to our wounds. Broken, weak, and wounded as we are, this holy meal reminds us to keep holding onto those snowdrop flowers because it is through our weaknesses, that the light of God’s healing love can shine through us.
The Wounded Angel
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been successful over the past several decades because they believe that it is through the sharing of our weaknesses that we can find healing and wholeness. The strength of each AA group is found through the honest sharing of their brokenness and by encouraging each other to find healing and wholeness.
What are some other examples of people who need healing through others who need healing as well?
Henri Nouwen, a Christian author wrote a book entitled, “The Wounded Healer” which is based on this important concept that it’s through our brokenness and our weakness that we can help each other find healing. Someone else once said, “it is through the cracks of our lives, that the light can enter and it is through those same cracks that the light can then shine out upon others.” In our Gospel reading, Jesus says that we are the light of the world.
Do you think that allowing the light to shine through the cracks of our lives is what Jesus means when he says that we are the light of the world? Why or why not?
Pastor Robert shared the 1903 painting, “The Wounded Angel” by the Finnish painter, Hugo Simberg. When you look at this painting, you will notice that two very determined by somber boys and carrying a wounded angel on a stretcher. The angel has a bandaged forehead and a bloodied wing. The context of when this painting was done is very important because the boys are carrying this wounded angel to what was then, the Blind Girls’ School and the Home for Cripples. Notice that the wounded angel is carrying snowdrop flowers which are symbolic of healing and rebirth. Also notice that there are snowdrop flowers blooming along the path.
What does this painting convey for you? How does this painting relate to Paul’s words in our I Corinthians passage? “And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.”
Close with this prayer from Sunday’s worship service:
Gracious God, how quickly we forget that our strength is found in your sacrificial love for the world. Forgive our preoccupation in relying on wealth, status, and prestige as the measures of success. Remind us to always keep our focus on Jesus, the one who came not to be served but to serve. Help us to keep our eyes focused, not upon the status symbols of the world, but upon the cross in which Jesus offered himself for the sake of the world. It is in your cross and your sacrificial love, that we find our greatest strength! Amen.
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