All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten - How many of you recognize that title? Almost 20 yrs ago now, that little bestseller simplified the lessons of life - hold hands when crossing the street, take naps, play nice.

Later in life, sometime after kindergarten, we all learned another important maxim for living together in peace and harmony: Don't ever discuss religion or politics in public. Well, folks, tighten your seat belts, because right now, in public worship, I'm gonna talk about religion and politics.

Now it's not entirely my fault that I'm breaking this rule about civil public discourse. You know, the PA primary is this coming Tuesday. And in a strange twist of odd timing, the primary falls in the week governed by the liturgy for the 5th Sunday of Easter in Year A. I know, I know, it sounds like something we ought to blame Tim and W & M for.

You noticed we rearranged the lessons today, right? That's because the lesson today from 1 Peter is about election. There - I said it - in public. Today we have to talk about God and election, religion and politics. Today we have to talk about the church's doctrine of election.

Even saying that conjures up images of voting machines and hanging chads. The church's doctrine of election. Who are the candidates? Who are the voters? Is there a primary where we get to vote for God?

The church's doctrine of election means that God elects us as God's people. As 1 Peter puts it, Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. Actually, to be more precise, the text says, Once y'all were not a people, but now y'all are God's people. (Sometimes it's good to be from the south.)

God elects us as God's people. But what does that mean - God elects us as God's peoeple. Does God vote for us somehow? Should we be out campaigning? You see where I'm going with this.

The church's doctrine of election is mis-named in today's context of political campaigns. What the church is trying to talk about is not really election but SElection. But there's a problem with that word too.

When someone says to me, "Marty, you have been selected" I am immediately suspicious. Yeah, right, what do I have to do? Telemarketers have ruined the word selected.

Even if we add into the mix, "Marty, God has selected you" if I'm honest, I'm still suspicious. Yeah, right, what do I have to do? And what if I don't want to, what then?

So calling it the doctrine of election doesn't quite work. But calling it the doctrine of selection doesn't quite work either. 1 Peter calls it chosen. Y'all are a chosen race.

But see, those words can be problematic too. A chosen race. Not race like on a census form where we check Hispanic or Asian or Caucasian or Other.

The word translated 'race' here is the Greek word that means 'genus' - (not genius) you know, like in biology or botany - the genus of canines or spirogyra algae. So the text says y'all are a chosen race, literally an elected genus. Y'all are a group with distinguishing characteristics elected/selected by God. But that begs the question: what are our distinguishing characteristics?

Take a look at the text - it's there on your lectionary insert, the 2nd lesson, on the back, verse 9. You are a chosen race - do you see it? Literally, y'all are an elected genus. Then the text falls all over itself trying to explain what it means. We can almost hear the author, Y'all are a chosen race, I mean a royal priesthood, you know, a holy nation, yeah, like, God's own people. Phrases piled up one on top of another trying to get at the meaning.

Let me see if a more literal translation helps: (a chosen race) I've already said that literally means an elected genus. (a royal priesthood) Well, a priesthood is a group of priests, messengers and mediators for God. And a royal priesthood - messengers and mediators who work for the king, in this case, the divine king, the King of Kings.

(a holy nation) a people with a common heritage who are set apart for something sacred; (God's own people) a precious treasure belonging to God.

So that's who and whose we are. But there are 2 important questions remaining. First, how did we become this elected genus, messengers and mediators of the divine king, with a common heritage who are set apart for something sacred, a precious treasure belonging to God? How did we become a chosen race?

Picture with me two different scenarios related to being selected or chosen. The first scenario is 7th grade cheerleader tryouts. At least 50 of us showed up after school one day to try out for the cheerleading squad. We knew there were only 8 slots available.

We knew that cheerleading in those days was really a popularity contest. We knew. And yet we showed up in the gym that afternoon, jumped up and down, waved our arms and shouted, "2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate."

Yet we knew. We knew we would not be chosen. Even though we knew, we were embarassed and hurt when the list was publicly posted. We were not chosen. We were not worthy.

The second scenario is 3rd grade kickball during recess. Walter and John were always the captains of the two teams, so they chose team members from among those of us standing there shuffling our feet, hoping we wouldn't be chosen last. But it didn't really matter. We all got to play.

And once we started playing, if other kids showed up along the sidelines, they were chosen to be on one team or the other. All were chosen. All were worthy.

In one scenario, the cheerleading tryouts, there are a limited number of slots available. Some are chosen, some are not. In the other scenario, the kickball game, anyone who shows up is chosen. There is no limit to the number who can play.

Systematic theologians among us could debate the degree of sophistication of my scenarios, but I think they work to help us think about the church's doctrine of election. God's selection process is more like kickball than cheerleading. There is no limit to the number of people who can play in God's kingdom. When more folks show up, more get invited onto the field.

In another strange twist of odd timing, this weekend is Passover for our Jewish neighbors. This text that I'm focusing on from 1 Peter is actually a quotation from Exodus 19. God had rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and led them to Mt Sinai, where God announced to the Israelites that they are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people.

So Passover this weekend, the celebration of liberation from Egypt, actually reminds us (using my kickball analogy) that we're the ones showing up on the sidelines after the game is already underway. When more folks show up, more get invited onto the field.

We are included in the elected/ selected/ chosen simply by God's grace in Jesus Christ. We didn't do anything except show up. We are chosen completely by God's grace.

So then the final question: why are we elected/ selected/ chosen? The text tells us plainly. Look at verse 9 again. Y'all are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people... why? In order than y'all may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called y'all out of darkness into his marvellous light.

There's a purpose to our chosen-ness. We aren't what has been called the "frozen chosen." We aren't chosen just so we can bask in the glow of self-congratulation and take it easy. We aren't chosen for privilege, in the way we usually think about privilege. There's a purpose to our status as people chosen by God.

We are chosen to tell what God has done for us in the life, death, and resurrection of JC, to tell others around us what difference it makes that we are called Christian.

We are chosen to feed the hungry and more than that, to say that we feed others because God first feeds us at our kitchen tables and at this table. We are chosen to host the immigrant and refugee, and more than that, to say that we welcome others because God first welcomes us into community.

We are chosen to offer our talents and treasures for the mission of the Church in the world, and more than that, to say that we offer our treasure for the sake of others because God first offers the treasure of God's Son for us.

That's it. Religion and politics in public discourse. God has elected/ selected/ chosen y'all, completely out of grace, to tell others about God's amazing grace and abundant mercy for all the world, made real in Jesus Christ and now available to all through the Holy Spirit. The election results are already in - y'all have been elected! Once y'all were not a people, but now y'all are God's people.

So what have we learned in kindergarten and beyond? Hold hands when crossing the street, take naps, play nice, and talk about religion and politics in public. God has elected y'all to proclaim God's mighty acts in the world. C'mon, get in the game!

Amen.