Week 6
2012
Lenten Guide
Occupy: Showing Up As a young child, my parents and I made it a point to be at church every Sunday. From the moment that I was old enough to be in the nursery, my family was present. There was not a Sunday on which we were not present, filling our seats in Sunday school, holding down the front pew in the Sanctuary – our designated spot for worship. Even when we went on vacation or to visit family, we found a church in which to worship. My parents felt it important that church be an essential piece that made up our weekly journey together.
be at church every time the doors were open. Their simple and direct response was “it is our responsibility to God, to ourselves, and to our church to just show up.” At the time, I thought how lame it was that I be required to be somewhere that I did not really want to be. I had better things to do – hang with my friends, do my school work, practice piano, just be lazy. But as I look back on my experiences in church as an adolescent, I truly believe that it was the act of just showing up that has brought me where I am on my journey.
As I got older and began making As we have explored how God can decisions for myself, I questioned occupy us, we have pondered and my parents on the necessity to discussed the following: 1. 2. 3. 4.
The occupy movement itself and why it exists Finding God within ourselves Finding our voices and speaking up for what we believe The church’s roll in having God occupy us
So now, with all of this wonderful information under our belt, where do we go from here? What are we called to do to help create a space for God to occupy us in all that we do? As I thought about this, so many things came to mind – getting involved in a organization or program at church that allows us to stand up for what we feel is right, writing letters to our government officials on all the issues that
we feel need to be changed in our society, mentoring an underprivileged child who does not have a good role model in their life, etc. There are so many things that we can do to busy our lives so that it looks like from the outside we are allowing God to guide us. But before we can go on any crusade to change the world (which of course is always a good thing), we
need to start at the beginning; we need to just show up. Like the protesters did on Wall Street and here in Uptown Charlotte, like my family and I did every Sunday morning, like God does in every moment of our lives, we need to be present. We need not stop there for the call to action will come. Yet in order to find the beauty and knowledge of God living in us, we need to first open ourselves up to God. In order to speak up in support of the voice of the voiceless, we need to first be present to those who are silenced every day. In order for the church to really be a sounding factor in this world, we must first simply show up and be a part of the community. My husband often tells youth that it is not so much what you say, but more the fact that you are present that speaks volumes. Our pastors have said over and over again that in order to benefit from the church community, our first step is to show up, and then the rest will
come with time. By being present, whether at church, to another, or with ourselves, we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to those around us, as well as to God. Now it may take some time to begin peeling away our layers and allow the Holy Spirit to enter. But in the end, we will benefit greatly by just showing up. So the next time you question whether or not God dwells within you, just be still, take a breath, and ask God to calm your Spirit. The next time someone asks you to tag along to a demonstration that you know you believe in, but you might be a little skeptical, go along for the ride. The next time someone says that they have missed seeing you at church, make it a point to walk through the doors the next Sunday. I am not asking you to jump in feet first. I am just suggesting that you dip your toes in the water. Just show up – you will be happy you did.
Excerpt from The Doctrine of Showing Up* by Randy Siever Reflecting on Matthew 28:16-20...
Undeterred. Almost like it really didn’t matter what those doubters believed about him just then. He huddles up the whole team of eleven and gives all of them the commission to go make disciples. All of them. The believers and the doubters alike.
The eleven see Jesus on top of the mountain and, as you would expect, they all fall down and worship him as their Lord and God. Ok, apparently only some of them worshipped him. “Some held back, unsure about worship, about risking themselves totally.” (v. 17, MSG) So what qualified these eleven guys to receive the Great ComHuh? Some of WHO? Some of the mission? Was it because they all eleven? How many? What were believed the right things about Jetheir names? Couldn’t be Thomsus? Clearly that’s not what qualias, right? He already got the tag, fies them, since they all didn’t be“Doubting Thomas” for all of hislieve the same thing. Some weren’t tory, even though prior to this parcertain about worshipping him..., ticular moment on the mountain, but even those guys got the comhe had come to see and profess mission. So what qualified them? Jesus as, “My Lord and my God.” So there were other doubting guys in They all showed up. They just the eleven? Stunning! showed up where Jesus asked them to show up, doubts and all. If This had to crush Jesus, right? I they hadn’t showed up that day… mean, what else could he do? If well, I don’t know what would have coming back from the dead won’t happened. I’m just glad they did. convince a guy, what’s left? I’d be Because they showed up that day, totally devastated. I’d probably a lot happened to and through have told the doubters to have them that resulted in me knowing a seat and then gathered up the and following Jesus today. guys who “got it” for a team huddle, and give THEM the commis- I think showing up is still the only sion. But look at the way The Mes- thing that qualifies us to particisage puts the beginning of verse pate in that same commission…or 18, Jesus’ response to this stun- any other part of what following ning doubt: Jesus is about. Most of the time that means physically showing Jesus, undeterred, went right up, but sometimes it also means ahead and gave his charge emotionally showing up, or even
just being totally present in the moment. It looks like paying attention to people who are all around you in your normal routines of life…noticing them. Or praying for them. And sometimes it looks
like keeping your mouth shut long enough to really listen. Just show up…and see what Jesus would do through you. Doubters welcome.
*Article at: http://doableevangelism.com/2009/02/17/the-doctrine-of-showing-up/
Luke 2:1-20 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Matthew 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Luke 19:1-10 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’
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