Photo credit: Aaron Burden, used with permission via Unsplash
Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman lived at the spiritual heart of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, and as that movement rolled on toward the present day.[1] Dr. Thurman was a spiritual advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thurman was Dean of the Chapel at Howard University. He founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco, a church filled with people from different races, faiths and economic classes. From there, Thurman went on to be Dean of the Chapel at Boston University – the first Black scholar and pastor to hold that position at any predominantly white university. And, Dr. Thurman left behind a wealth of writing and preaching and teaching. His best known work is Jesus and the Disinherited, a book – it's said – that Dr. King carried with him on his travels.
Distinctive to Dr. Thurman’s theology, spirituality, leadership, and teaching is the sense that our life of prayer is intricately connected with our life of activism. They are not two separate things.
· Dr. Thurman would say “how good it is to center down”[2] – to take that journey inward [3]– to find that deep connection with God in Jesus Christ and to listen there – to be challenged and nourished there.
· And, then, Dr. Thurman would say that we must also take the journey outward – to connect with and engage the world around us for good – for justice, for healing, for peace.
· Dr. Thurman spoke in terms of discovering and developing “our working paper” – to think and pray and ponder – with honest open hearts – about our experience of God, who God has created us to be, and the specifics of how God is calling us, uniquely and in community, to live that out in our world.
· In our working paper we find “a way of life worth living.”[4]
For Thurman, our spiritual life isn’t complete without actually living it out in works of love and justice. Out of our prayer, we must ask, “What shall I do with my life?”[5] As human beings, Thurman said, each of us “speaks to our time with our life.”[6]
One of my teachers, Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., likes to say: Dr. Thurman – who was his teacher – Dr. Thurman was “a mystic with his sleeves rolled up.”[7]
We say something like what Thurman says here when we talk about how our worship is connected to our work in the world. Our life of worship flows into our work, our work into our worship. We live one whole life – grounded in God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, embodied in us for the work of justice, healing, and peace.
Our text this morning from First Corinthians offers up one way that God empowers us to make that so – how God’s own Spirit manifests in our individual and communal life – God’s new life for this new day, alive in us.
But before we dive in – let’s remember a bit about this Corinthian community.[8] In First and Second Corinthians, we have some of the Apostle Paul’s letters to this newly-birthed community of Christ in Corinth.[9] What we have is actually a glimpse of much more than just two letters. In First and Second Corinthians, we have Paul’s side of a conversation – a correspondence that went back and forth between Paul and this community he loved – a conversation about what it means to live out the life of Christ. First Corinthians is one extended letter, and then we think Second Corinthians pulls together fragments of as many as 5 or 6 other letters.
The back and forth is lively and intense.
You see, the community of Corinth – well, they were an unruly bunch – and I say that with great affection. The Apostle Paul came to Corinth with good news of Christ’s liberating, inclusive love – no barriers or boundaries And the Corinthians were all-in – this diverse group of people with a diversity of personality and opinion, embracing world-liberating good news. Paul gets them up and running as a community, and then moves on to the next city. With Paul gone, what follows is that, in their fervor and enthusiasm, they begin to disagree. “My way of understanding this is right” – “no mine is.” And they write to Paul – in what we can only imagine was a he-said, she-said, they-said mess.[10] And Paul writes back, going through their list one by one: “concerning this” here’s what I say, “concerning this.”
In this morning’s Scripture, here’s what the issue is: They are all filled with the Spirit – gifted by the Spirit – and they begin to say, “My way of living out the Spirit is better, more correct than yours.”
And so Paul writes and says, “concerning spiritual matters, spiritual gifts, spiritual people... I don’t want you to be uninformed.” (Do you see what he did there? I don’t want you to be uninformed, because you are uninformed, and I am going to inform you.”) And the first thing Paul does is ground everything they are talking about in Christ. If you’re saying “Jesus is Lord,” you’re only doing that because you’re empowered by the Spirit of Christ.[11] One Spirit.
And you are empowered, by this One Spirit, through this wildly diverse variety of gifts. Now, we use the phrase “spiritual gifts” – and that’s here in the text, but that word – charismata– has grace as its root – grace gifts. These grace gifts are God’s grace showing up in you, by the power of the Spirit – God’s grace abounding in you. And not just grace gifts – but a diverse variety of ways they come to life – a rich spectrum of ways of serving – ways of working in the world for good – embodied with particularity in each of you – all of you together.
There’s speaking wisdom – ways of life that lead to more life; there’s holding and imparting knowledge; there’s having a heart for healing; doing works of power; having clear prophetic vision – what needs to change, what needs to come to life; there’s articulating, and then understanding – language[12] – and later in the chapter – there’s teaching, and organizing. Just to name a few. Each gift vitally important; none better than the other.
Because, remember, they all have the same source. They all come from and are brought to life by the same Spirit.
And they all have the same purpose. “To each is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”[13]
So get this:
All of this life – this gifting and serving and working – they all come from the same Spirit.
And, they are all moving us toward the same purpose – the common good – what is helpful for the world, and particularly for the most vulnerable – toward healing, toward just systems, toward peace.
And, in between all that, there is this diverse and lively life lived out in us, in this wild variety of who each of us is created to be in the world, and who we are together... in Christ. Thanks be to God.
Our life’s work is discerning how all that comes to life in us – how and who we are created to be in the world – coming up with our “working paper” and then living that out.Over the past few weeks, we’ve moved steadily into this new year – what we expect to be a tumultuous new year. First, we have said, we are grounding ourselves in what God is doing in the world (remember our 7 spiritual practices).[14] And then, we are remembering who we are.[15] “How good it is to center down.” And now we get to that question we all ask – And what should we do? What can we do? What are we created to do?
Now, remember, we’re thinking spiritually and practically, so I want to suggest a little exercise – just a way of thinking about how who you areand how in your particularity, you might connect with the deep needs of the world – especially as they unfold in the new year. And it’s just this:
1. Take a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle.
2. On the left side, list out: Things I can do. Think broad and wide. Think simple. Think small. Think big. Things I can do. Maybe you’ll write: Sing. Drive a car. Cook. Make a legal argument. Design a living space. Decorate a living space. Give a hug. Make a call. Maybe you’ll write: I’m pretty sympathetic – I can see when people are hurting. I have a heart for justice. I love to protest. I love to build stuff. And so on. Push yourself. Don’t stop until you have at least 10 things on that list.
3. Now on the right side. List the needs you are seeing as you look around the world.People are hungry. Some don’t have a place to live. I saw someone in church last week who looked particularly sad. I’m furious about the way the people of Marin City are treated. (Pay attention particularly to your “heart tugs” – the things that grab hold of you and won’t let you go.) The new administration is preparing to roll out a pogrom of mass deportations. People are terrified. Folks in SoCal are hurting. The deep needs of the world.
4. Two columns. Now sit with the piece of paper for a while. Hold the columns in conversation with each other. Maybe something in the left-hand column will make you think of something in the right.
5. And when you’re ready draw one line. Draw one line that connects one something you can do, with one of the needs of the world. That is one thing you can do – one way that the Spirit has gifted and enabled you to come to life in the world for the common good.
So here’s an example: I can write. A legal brief. A sermon. A job description. I know how to put words together and make meaning. Our Marin City neighbors are telling us that the Black Student Association is lobbying Assemblyperson Connolly to introduce legislation to protect against racial harassment in schools. In the Friday email, Barbara has put information on how to email Damon Connolly. That’s one thing I can do. This week.
But I know folks will ask, but what specifically, can I do? So I’m going to get even more specific – give some examples that are before us right now:
We know that there are folks all over the country navigating our complex immigration laws, living in fear right now of what comes next. This congregation for a while now has been working on the construction of a refugee room for those seeking asylum. Folks in the church are beginning to renovate the room. We’ll be saying more in the coming weeks about how you can get involved. You can show up with your hammer and help with the construction of that room. We’re going to need people who have done our homework – you can start going to trainings. When we welcome someone here —they may need a meal here or there, or someone to check in, someone to be on call.
This congregation has as a core commitment hunger action. The Marin Street Chaplaincy is starting a meal program that follows the REST shelter. Joy is gathering names. You can help cook. You can help serve. You can help clean up. Remember the community fridge, the food barrel.
These are going to be rough times. You can join the deacons to help out and support the tender mercies that they bring. Maybe you might even want to let Lisa or me you’d like to be considered to serve as a deacon.
God has made you you for a reason, for a purpose – and that purpose is the common good – you are made – we are made together – to be a part of the good that God is doing in the world all the love, all the justice, all the tender mercy.
Tomorrow is a significant day in this country, and we’ve been thinking about this for a while now. You may remember – back just after the election – we looked together at the story of Ruth and Naomi.[16] Naomi – in the tumult of her world – in the midst of a wilderness – sat down on a rock, as Ruth promised, “I will go with you in God’s unshakeoffable love.” But it all seemed like too much. And I said then, that we might feel like sitting down on the rock with Naomi – taking time to heal our hurt – and that we could, for a time, but that the more privilege that we have the sooner we need to get up off that rock.
That was November, and since then, we celebrated Thanksgiving renewing our grounding practice of gratitude. In Advent, we started up in the Gospel of Luke – we sat by the weary road and heard the angels sing – and Mary and the shepherds, too – singing about how God is turning the world rightside up. We listened to their song of how God is lifting up those held low, and bringing down the powers – thought how we might be good news to the poor, tender mercy for the brokenhearted, and freedom for the oppressed.
As the new year began, we said that every day – first thing every day – we would ground ourselves in what God is doing in the world – good news for the poor, shelter for the stranger, food for the hungry, freedom for the oppressed, love and tender mercy – and we would live from there. We will live from their because of who we are and because of whose we are – God’s beloved, together, the body of Christ.
“How good it is to center down” – to connect with that which nourishes us – the God who loves us. AND, the journey inward always flow into the journey outward – as we engage the world. We are called “to speak to our time with the life we live.”
Back on that dry and dusty road with Naomi, I said that we could sit with Naomi on that rock – and take all that in – for a time. But that, in a world where the powers are coming for the vulnerable, the more privilege we have, the sooner we need to get up off that rock.
Friends, it’s time to get up off that rock.
We have life to live.
We have work to do.
And the world needs us.
God has gifted us with particularity, created and called us to serve and live and work all that out together – One Spirit, in each of us – the outworking of that Spirit coming together in the life we live together for the good of the world.
You see, it is as the Apostle Paul says: “We are the Body of Christ, and each of us a part of it”. Here’s the thing: We are part of the new life that God is breathing into this new day. Right here, right now.
© 2025 Scott Clark
[1] This summary of Dr. Thurman’s biography and these quotes reflecting his theology and spirituality are drawn from Howard Thurman, A Strange Freedom: The Best of Howard Thurman on Religious Experience and Public Life (Walter Earl Fluker and Catherine Tumber, eds.) (Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1998), an excellent anthology of highlights from Dr. Thurman’s work. His many books are more than worth a full read. My endless gratitude to Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., whose teaching and life-example introduced me to the depth of Dr. Thurman’s theology and wisdom.
[2] See Fluker & Tumber, pp.305-06.
[3] See Thurman’s book, The Inward Journey.
[4] See Fluker & Tumber, p.125.
[5] Id. pp.30-34.
[6] Id. p.261
[7] Quoting Martin Marty, in his introduction to Fluker & Tumber, p.xi.
[8] For background on this text and First Corinthians, see J. Paul Sampley, “The First Letter to Corinthians,” New Interpreters’ Bible Commentary, vol. x (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002), pp.940-49; Shannon Craigo-Snell, Commentary in Connections, Year C, vol. 1 (Louisville, KY; Westminster John Knox Press, 2018), pp.184-86; Cynthia A. Jarvis, Commentary in Connections, Year C, vol. 1(Louisville, KY; Westminster John Knox Press, 2018), pp.186-67.
[9] See Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology (trans. M.E. Boring) (New York: Baker Publishing Group, 2005), for thorough consideration of the life- and world-context of Paul, his letters, and the communities he served.
[10] See Craigo-Snell, p.184.
[11] See Sampley, pp.942-44
[12] My translation of this list from the Greek attempts to express them in more contemporary terms.
[13] See Craigo-Snell, p.185
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