Just Save One - an new approach to HIV/AIDS Ministries

This September, while I am off to school in Dayton, three of my colleagues in HIV/AIDS ministries in our Annual Conference (UMC) will be attending "Just Save One: An Equipping Conference on HIV/AIDS" in Denver. 

HIV/AIDS continues to be a global crisis, impacting all countries. HIV does not discriminate - it impacts every known population. It impacts somebody with HIV in all areas of their life - the physical, social-emotional, financial, and even their family structures. It is not uncommon for people diagnosed with HIV to be completely disowned by their families.

Specifically in the United States, there is a belief that HIV is a "curable" disease or is "manageable." Although there is some truth to the second statement, there are issues with long-term infection. Statistics show that by 2020, 70% of the 1.1 million (and increasing) infected in the United States will be over the age of 50. 

What is true is that we absolutely need a new approach to ministering to those with HIV/AIDS. A diagnoses changes one's worldview and life-perspective. Being impacted by HIV changes the fundamentals of a person's interactions with the church and relationship with God. Our job as followers of Christ is to help people reconcile this new period of there lives with hope.

At the same time we need to invest people, processes, and our resources (including our finances) to bring awareness to underserved groups needing information to prevent further infections. In order to circumvent the growing population over the age of 50 living with HIV, we need to return our efforts to bringing awareness of HIV infection to our youth. 

Finally, the stigma simply needs to stop. The shame that someone feels after being infected can be unbearable. By removing the stigma and shame, we help that person become whole and realize that they are loved as a child of God.

May God bless those attending and our church and faith community as we bring hope to the future of HIV/AIDS ministries.

Mary & Martha - Being and Doing

One of my classes this semester is preparing to preach. It is an interesting class and an interesting title. All of us in this class have some experiences in preaching – some more than others.

My first assignment was to take a look at my life and reflect on my experiences of preaching throughout my life. In reflecting on that history, I was reminded of a situation where I was attending catechism classes at my church on a Wednesday night back in 1988. As I was entering the classroom, I walked past our sanctuary. It was a large just like ours, but the cross was in the front and the back.

Approaching the room, I noticed a peculiar site. Our pastor was standing at the pulpit, just standing there gazing at the cross. He wasn’t practicing his sermon. He wasn’t praying. He wasn’t preparing the stage for Sunday. He was spending time with God enjoying a significant level of intimacy. His experiences I believe are what we find in our gospel passage today.

Our story is found in the gospel of Luke. It is the third gospel, known for its elaborate stories and a more complete picture of what the church would become beyond the life and times of Jesus Christ. Its fundamental themes throughout the book are salvation and the saving grace of Jesus Christ just as God saved the Israelites through Moses. Recurring attributes are validation, continuity, and identity of Gods children.

The specific story of Mary and Martha takes place after one of the most profound and popular stories in the New Testament – the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke’s gospel captures the importance of what the Good Samaritan does and how that glorifies God. However, the importance of activity takes a new direction in in this context and places emphasis on the different relationships that Jesus Christ has Jesus’ disciples. Additionally, this story shows the relationship that Mary and Martha have with each other.

In this passage, Martha and Mary welcome Jesus Christ to their home. Jesus Christ is there dining with them. Lazarus is present as well as Mary - and they are all, as my son calls, “chilling”.  It is very similar to what happens when we invite people into our homes – we exchange pleasantries, share our stories and our lives with each other, both our highs and our lows.

She is captured by Jesus’ presence, paying attention to Jesus’ actions and words, absorbing Jesus’ teachings like a sponge.

What is interesting is that Mary is breaking a cultural norm by being with Jesus so intimately – an action that is normally reserved for males in that place and time, and more specifically Jesus’ disciples as found in Acts 6:1-6

There is a rabbinic lore that is prominent in this place and time: “Let thy house be a meeting-house for the Sages and sit amid the dust of their feet and drink in their words with thirst…but talk not much with womankind.”

Jesus’ presence in this household is important, for Jesus is fulfilling a requirement of household evangelism to which Jesus commanded Jesus’ disciples to do earlier in the Luke’s gospel. A similar story can be found Jesus’ interactions with Zacchaeus in Luke 19. In both stories, Jesus is breaking cultural barriers by being with sinners, something that is prohibited by the culture of that time.

Martha, on the other hand, is fulfilling her societal requirements by attending to everyone, busy as she can be. She is clearly distracted by all that she is doing to ensure everyone is comfortable and their needs are being met. However, she is confusing her love of neighbor with her love for God – two conflicting parallels within this story.

In verse 40, she declares “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!” Jesus response is interesting as Jesus says “Martha, Martha.” This is the same declaration that we find in God’s response to Moses found in Exodus 3 where Moses is essentially doing the same thing as Martha is doing by complaining to the Holy One – complaining about his inability to lead God’s people out of Egypt. In essence, Martha is complaining to Jesus about Mary.  Jesus’ statement is a slight scolding of her complaint – a mild rebuke. Essentially, Martha’s actions are preventing her from experiencing “unhindered devotion to the Lord” as found in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 7.

Jesus then goes on to explain to Martha what Mary has done, first by explaining to Martha that her worry is unneeded. This is a common Biblical theme declaring “do not be afraid.” He states there is only “one thing” and between “being” and “doing”, Mary has chosen the right path.

So, what are the lessons we can identify from this profound story in Luke’s gospel?

First, “being” is the foundation of our existence. I believe that even before our salvation experience, we learned to exist within the confines of God’s prevenient grace. Even before we acknowledged Jesus the Christ as our Savior, we grew up on different paths of life with God waiting for us to commune with God.

Being with God is also not limited to our identity has humans. As in the example of Jesus found in this story, Jesus is breaking social norms by inviting all of God’s children to the table of grace and an encounter with the divine. We should not be limited based on our gender, our race or nationality, our political party, our sexuality or gender identity, or any other category in which we define ourselves.

However, that is not the only existence that we enjoy. As in the example of Martha, Jesus calls us to “be” with Jesus. This is a lesson that it’s not about you – it’s about you and God.

We also must understand that through this relationship with Christ, we are able to more effectively meet our God-given potential to be a follower of Christ, glorifying God by our presence on earth.

If there is only one thing that you take from this sermon, you need to understand and believe that you are a loved, unique child of Christ. God has placed you in this place and time to glorify God. No matter what your struggles might be, you are God’s precious gift to this world. God has formed you and made you into God’s image. God has given you grace and peace regardless of what comes your way. Your identity is found in your status as a loved disciple of Christ.

Earlier in my life, I was challenged by this precept. In 2008, I had obtained my bachelors in education and was working towards a master’s degree in adult education. I was then enjoying a successful career in corporate training. I was laid off in the midst of the financial crisis in our nation.  I was exceptionally upset at my future and what my next steps would be, as the only job in my office was that of a collector.

Through contemplation and prayerful meditation, I had to return to my salvation experience and learned to rebuild my broken foundation, exploring who I am in Christ, and what God’s will might be in my life. I wasn’t able to do God’s will at that time until I understood what that might be. When I was able to get through that process and see where God was leading me to make me happier and at peace.

In this story, our lesson is this: Jesus Christ calls us to “be” to create a foundation for our lives. That Holy Communion – a relationship with Christ – helps us to articulate who we are as a body of Christ.

Next, we must realize and notice in this story that although Martha is rebuked for her actions, Jesus never expresses that she should not complete her chores, indicating to us that we should first learn how to “be” and then we must “do.” Doing is fulfilling our call as a church to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

In order to “do” we must first encounter others. We need to exhibit the grace of God found in this story. We should see Jesus in every person we meet, even when it’s hard. We must have the same undivided presence with others and their concerns as Jesus Christ expresses in our passage today. We are called to share our lives and our stories with others who have not experienced the powerful grace of God in their lives.

However, I firmly believe that our encounter with others is God’s teaching us through the hospitality we share with them. An example of this is a friend of mine who I encountered in a dire situation – he was incredibly ill, homeless, without a job, depressed, and suffering from alcoholism. In helping him, I was able to not only understand his experiences living with addiction and the culture of alcoholics anonymous, but I was able to be present with others around him and recognize the blessing of his life in Christ.

“Doing” includes helping others realize who they are as a child of Christ. Remember, each one of us is a unique part of God’s body, and by helping others explore their calling and place within our family, we are better for it.

As a church, two of our primary social justice issues that we address are homelessness and poverty, which is especially prominent here in Phoenix. When someone is homeless or in poverty, they are not at peace. There are many side-issues that they are experiencing such as depression, addiction, or dysfunctional relationships with family and friends. In whatever context we find ourselves we can touch these peoples’ lives and help them bring about God’s shalom in their circumstances.

Ultimately, our lives and our identity – everything we are and everything we do – are found in the cross on which Jesus Christ offered Jesus’ self to help us to continue our communion with God and our relationship with others. Through this selfless act, we are called to “be” and “do”.