"We all need to develop skills for listening to a larger culture"

Morning Prayer – Easter VI – St. John’s Los Angeles



THIS right here ... it's just so obvious, so simple, and so beautifully shared:

<< [Paul]  was able to say those things because he listened. He had the gift of listening ... to where those folks were at, and to where their culture was at, and to what their needs were, and he knew that then and now people grope for God.

People are looking for God. People are hungry for God. But there are things that keep them away. I think sometimes a lack of listening keeps people away, and I think we need to cultivate that gift of "listening."

I want to tell you something that I've been really thinking about this last week or so, and it was a failure on my part to listen. I didn't listen, and I made assumptions, and got out my playbook about what I thought somebody was, or what there wasn't, I didn't listen to what that person's longing was.

And of course, our connections these days are all online, and this was on Facebook, and someone had presented this picture of a man protesting the closures, the lockdowns, in Newport Beach. He had a sign that said, "GODAMMIT I NEED A HAIRCUT !" Of course, this is the Internet, and he was taken to task on this person's page, and my response was just that FACEPALM emoji, and then someone whom I know well, who knows me well, said, "You need to LISTEN. Look at the picture again. You need to listen."

I looked at the picture again, obviously I'm "looking," but I'm also "listening," what is that man trying to tell me. She said, "What do you see in the man's face?" And to be honest? I didn't even see his face, I looked at his sign. What I saw ... was fear. What I saw, at the bottom of the picture, was two little children that were wrapped around his knees. My friend said to me, "Could it be possible that if you really listened to this man you could hear what he was really saying? It's not about his haircut. Well, maybe he's not vulnerable enough to say, or afraid to say, is that, 'I am afraid. How am I going to pay for my life. Suppose I lose everything, how will I pay to feed my children. I'm afraid.'"

She said, "That might be what he's saying there, because he looks like he's afraid. It made me think about how I listen to people. What am I listening for?

Paul was able to bring the Good News of a Gospel to people because he listened to where they were at. He could have just jumped in and said, "Get rid of all these idols! This is ridiculous ! You're doing it all wrong ! I'm going to knock all these things down !" No one would have heard him ! Not many people did. At the end of this passage we're told that a couple of people decided to follow him; not the whole town. He's in the marketplace, the whole place is there, but a couple of people followed him.

People who were hungry seeking knowledge, people hungry seeking connection and relationship, seeking the Good News of The Living God. Groping for God.

I think at this time in our life, in this country, we're filled with people groping for God, groping for meaning, groping for relationship, groping for hope. Because sometimes it feels hopeless. If you are a seeker, not a church-goer, and you're watching this? You need to know that Church People don't have all the answers; we're also groping for God. But our relationship with The Living Lord gives us hope, but we still grasp for meaning.

Last week we had a wonderful service, and it was lovely; it was Mother's Day and the people of St. John's loved it, we worked hard on it. A couple of days in? There were 700 people who viewed that service. We would have NEVER had 700 people, ever ever ever at St. John's, so that tells me  there are people out there hungry for Good News.

The Larger Church has talked about things like this, and their response is, "Alright ! Let's get out there and tell 'em!" And I've been thinking:
"Well, yes, but maybe we need to LISTEN to where people are at ...
maybe the Church needs to listen like Paul listened to The Culture.
Listen to The Larger Culture.
Why are people sometimes afraid of being in church.
Why are  people sometimes thinking, 'Well, that wouldn't be for me, I wouldn't be accepted.'
Why are people sometimes thinking, "You know, well, you have to buy in to EVERYthing and there's no process, you're either in or you're out.'"

And what I'm here to say today, If you are someone who is listening to this but not a believer, not a member of any church, I welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ. If you are looking at this through a door where you're just peeking through a keyhole, I welcome you ...

and there is a place for process for belief. If you're grasping for meaning, if you're grasping for hope, there's a biblical vision of a God who is active in people's lives. A God who is a Sustainer, a Creator, a Lover, a God who conquers death for you and for me. And there's a process for that. You can belong in that community before you believe and we welcome you.

The Church needs to listen to where people are at.
The Church needs to develop, we all need to develop, skills for listening to a larger culture.
If we can develop that skill, this is our greatest hour, we can be there for people. But I wonder first to think about, What shrines to unknown gods have we set up that keep people away. What are the Have-to-Haves, the Have-to-Bes, that keep people on the other side of the door.

Are we giving people hope? Or are we giving people utter judgment.

You know, Paul tells us that we will be judged, but it's a judgment wrapped up in mercy. It's a judgment that is relational at its root.

The work of the Church at this time is listen; to listen not only to the culture that's seeking God, but to listen to where God is calling us in this particular time.

If we listen, we might hear the smashing of idols to an unknown God.

If we listen, we might realize that God is raising things up, in making old things new, that ALL people, ALL people might be drawn to Himself.

So my sisters and brothers, let us listen.
Let us listen for the voice of the Spirit whose coming upon us that will make all things new ... ALL things new ...

-> O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen. <- >>

https://youtu.be/h-cP8M6Hn1A?t=1329