2nd Sunday after the Nativity 2 January 2011
Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 147: 12-20 Ephesians 1: 3-14 John 1: (1-9), 10-18
John 1:1-5 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
This is one of my favourite passages as it very poetically speaks about the “Word” as a mysterious entity which, although spoken of as the word, obviously is way more than thoughts spoken aloud. This “Word” is not just God speaking, but we are shown this entity has attributes and power. This entity, the “Word” was there in the beginning and with God. More than that, this entity IS God! It is through this entity that all things were made. Although this entity existed for all time we now know him by his name; Jesus.
This reminds me of a part in the movie “The Dawn Treader” from the Narnia Chronicles. Aslan, the lion, speaks to the children about going back to their home and says that when they are back in their world he will be watching them, he’ll be there, but they will need to learn to know him by his other name. The “Word” was known to the ancient Israelites as personally... when you read the Old Testament you get the impression that the “Word” is more of a personal relationship with God rather than a written or spoken word. In the New Testament the people needed to know the “Word” by his other name, “Jesus”.
It is difficult to comprehend that Jesus, that historical figure, written about by Jewish historians and proclaimed in the scriptures, who walked this earth, was there at the beginning of creation and is both with God and IS God. But he IS!
And now we get to the frustrating part. Have you ever known something to be true but unable to convince anyone? Well, Jesus came but his people didn’t recognise him. The God of the Israelites came in human form and not only did most reject him but they crucified him.
John 1:9-13 “ 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
And now we get to the good news. We who recognise the fullness of who Jesus is, are given the privilege of becoming Children of God. Really, this is a pretty big deal and a huge honour and gift. We the created beings who constantly go our own way are given the privilege of becoming God’s child simply by recognising the truth that Jesus is God... and then, by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we have the price of our sin paid for. One of the words used to explain what Jesus did for us on the cross is “redemption”. Our sins cause us to have a price on our heads... and the price for sin is death.
Death! Yes... not just in this life, but also the second death which is spoken of in the book of Revelation. It is one of those unpopular things that we don’t like to talk about but in the year 2011 I believe we need to stand face to face with the truth whether it makes us uncomfortable or not and realize that this is serious stuff. If we die in this life as Christians, redeemed by God and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, then we needn’t fear the second death. This is not a subject to take lightly and when we realize the fullness of God’s gift to us we can be so grateful, because through the sacrifice of Jesus we have been redeemed –or purchased, for a price and now our lives are safe in him.
Ephesians 1:7-10 “7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”
I believe that most of us, including myself, do not have a proper grasp on the big picture that God has. We look at the here and now and worry about mountain which God knows as an anthill. In this life we have hardships and sorrows and because the “Word” became flesh, we know that he understands and cares about our concerns, but we can have comfort that goes beyond understanding when we understand the promises and the gift of God.
Jeremiah 31:11-14 “11 For the LORD will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. 12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD— the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,
the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. 13 Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty,” declares the LORD.”
We are the children of God and, like any father, He cares for our concerns and we are precious to Him. More than that God has known us before the creation of the world and he chose us. How amazing is that??!! Back when the “Word” was there creating in the beginning, we were in the mind of God and Chosen.
Ephesians 1:3-5 “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”
This gives us just a glimpse into who we really are. Just as we often fail to see the bigger picture of God’s plan and promises, we also often fail to realise the enormity of our identity in Christ. I often get a bit irritated when people want to run “self-image” classes to help people, when a class on our identity in Christ would give a much truer and more amazing sense of purpose and direction.
John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus is the “Light”. When we are in the light we can see things as they really as. We can see who Jesus really is and we can see who we really are. This is at once comforting and frightening.
I can remember swimming at a place called Marian falls and when I went under the water I kept my eyes closed. The reason was that I might be scared by what I saw. I was swimming and in the water – but didn’t want to see what I was swimming with. I preferred to be “in the dark” rather than know the truth. How senselessly foolish! Many people are like this about life.
We read in John’s Gospel that Jesus was rejected. It would seem that Jesus is still rejected and often for the same reason as me swimming at Marian falls.... People prefer to be in relatively comfortable ignorance rather than face the truth about life and death and the spiritual and physical world. It is like the song “One of us”, which asks the question “What if God was one of us.... and would you want to see, if seeing meant that you would have to believe....”.
When we consciously begin to think about the reality of this, hopefully we realize the foolishness. This world and the spiritual world is a reality which we are “swimming in”. We can close our eyes, but it will not change the reality and the consequences.
In the light of Christ we will find the frightening truth that we are sinners and what the consequence for that sin is, but we need to be assured of the amazing Good News of the promise of God. Assured of God’s love we need to walk in the light of Christ, our lives as an open book before the searchlight of God, acknowledging our need for a saviour, and as a child of God receive the redemption of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Reflections on Readings 26th December 2010
Year A First Sunday after the Nativity 26 December 2010
Isaiah 63: 7-9 Psalm 148 Hebrews 2: 10-18 Matthew 2: 13-23
Life on planet Earth is not easy. God coming to us in human flesh, Jesus, reminds me of the Superman II movie. In this episode, in order for Superman to be united in love with Lois Lane, he gives up his super powers and becomes like a normal human being – able to be hurt and vulnerable. At Christmas we celebrate that God did the same out of love for us, but we seldom realize the magnitude of that act and the part that human obedience played.
Hebrews 2:10 “ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.”
The suffering of Jesus started right from the time he was born... actually even before that. Mary could well have been stoned to death for being pregnant- and her unborn child killed along with her. The path that God took was completely fraught with danger at every turn. We read in the Gospel that Herod tried to kill him and although Jesus was saved - only through the obedience of Joseph, many others were killed by Herod.
Matthew 2:16-18 “ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Great joy is expressed in the Christmas message about the fulfilment of the promise of God, but parallel to that great joy and accompanying it is incredible stress.
I have occasionally heard people say, “Come Lord Jesus!” What they mean is that they are eagerly awaiting the second coming of Christ. Christ will come again, but just as the contemporaries of Jesus time misunderstood God’s ways then, I expect many Christians will misunderstand the plans of God when he comes again. Those who are so eager for Christ’s return are often those who are finding life on planet Earth way too difficult and want a way out. From what I read and if the message of this week’s readings are to teach us anything, it is that the way of the wonderful promises of God always have been, and always will be, fraught with danger.
We need to look closely at the example of Joseph and Mary in order to learn how to co-operate with promises of God. Danger was always present and with it was great stress, but when they listened to and trusted in God, God’s plan and purpose was fulfilled.
Matthew 2:13-15 “ ... an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.””
It is interesting that for us to be saved – to become a Christian, we need to believe God and to trust him and give our lives to him. Likewise, to walk in his promises, we have the same guidelines – Trust in God completely and give our lives into his hands.
We can not escape our troubles by praying for Christ’s return. It is certain that for many who become Christians, that is when their troubles begin – think of those early Christians fed to the lions – think of St. Paul, a respected Pharisee of high standing in the community – after becoming a Christian he was whipped, stoned, imprisoned, ship wrecked, etc......
After knowing all this I’m sure many wonder why anyone would become a Christian. Why would Mary, a young virgin say yes to God about being the mother of Jesus – knowing that by law she could be stoned to death because who would believe that this child was by God....????? They were obedient to God because they knew God. These people knew the love and mercy of God. They trusted God because they knew his way was the way of Good News and the troubles that they would experience would be entrusted to Him to take care of and He would carry them through.
We experience troubles and, if you are like me, you grumble at God and complain that He doesn’t really care about you. We know from scripture though that this is not true. We know what God is like because Jesus shows us clearly His mercy and love. When we feel that God is removed from our sorrows we can know that it isn’t true. Even the Old Testament reading clearly explains how God feels our distress;
Isaiah 63:8,9 “8 He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior.9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”
Note that we are not likely to be free from distress, but that God feels this with us and along with saving and redeeming us, he will carry us through. We also know that He understands our sufferings because in Jesus He became fully human and experienced suffering:
Hebrews 2:14- 18 “ 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
At the end of the Superman movie Superman has to take back his super powers for the greater good. Lois Lane is left confused and hurt. Many of us live in the same confusion and hurt. We are Christians and proclaim the Good news, yet life’s experiences leave us battle weary, confused and hurt. Jesus has risen (taken back his super powers), and for the time being his Kingdom is not yet on Earth as it is in Heaven. We, like Lois Lane in the movie, do not have the whole story. All we can do is to grow in our relationship with God such that we can fully trust him.
Troubles on planet Earth are a certainty. For those who love God, all things will eventually work for Good.... Following God and walking in the path of His promise is no exception to a life of trouble and danger but know that God feels our every distress and so trust in him fully – he will save us and carry us through.
Isaiah 63: 7-9 Psalm 148 Hebrews 2: 10-18 Matthew 2: 13-23
Life on planet Earth is not easy. God coming to us in human flesh, Jesus, reminds me of the Superman II movie. In this episode, in order for Superman to be united in love with Lois Lane, he gives up his super powers and becomes like a normal human being – able to be hurt and vulnerable. At Christmas we celebrate that God did the same out of love for us, but we seldom realize the magnitude of that act and the part that human obedience played.
Hebrews 2:10 “ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.”
The suffering of Jesus started right from the time he was born... actually even before that. Mary could well have been stoned to death for being pregnant- and her unborn child killed along with her. The path that God took was completely fraught with danger at every turn. We read in the Gospel that Herod tried to kill him and although Jesus was saved - only through the obedience of Joseph, many others were killed by Herod.
Matthew 2:16-18 “ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Great joy is expressed in the Christmas message about the fulfilment of the promise of God, but parallel to that great joy and accompanying it is incredible stress.
I have occasionally heard people say, “Come Lord Jesus!” What they mean is that they are eagerly awaiting the second coming of Christ. Christ will come again, but just as the contemporaries of Jesus time misunderstood God’s ways then, I expect many Christians will misunderstand the plans of God when he comes again. Those who are so eager for Christ’s return are often those who are finding life on planet Earth way too difficult and want a way out. From what I read and if the message of this week’s readings are to teach us anything, it is that the way of the wonderful promises of God always have been, and always will be, fraught with danger.
We need to look closely at the example of Joseph and Mary in order to learn how to co-operate with promises of God. Danger was always present and with it was great stress, but when they listened to and trusted in God, God’s plan and purpose was fulfilled.
Matthew 2:13-15 “ ... an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.””
It is interesting that for us to be saved – to become a Christian, we need to believe God and to trust him and give our lives to him. Likewise, to walk in his promises, we have the same guidelines – Trust in God completely and give our lives into his hands.
We can not escape our troubles by praying for Christ’s return. It is certain that for many who become Christians, that is when their troubles begin – think of those early Christians fed to the lions – think of St. Paul, a respected Pharisee of high standing in the community – after becoming a Christian he was whipped, stoned, imprisoned, ship wrecked, etc......
After knowing all this I’m sure many wonder why anyone would become a Christian. Why would Mary, a young virgin say yes to God about being the mother of Jesus – knowing that by law she could be stoned to death because who would believe that this child was by God....????? They were obedient to God because they knew God. These people knew the love and mercy of God. They trusted God because they knew his way was the way of Good News and the troubles that they would experience would be entrusted to Him to take care of and He would carry them through.
We experience troubles and, if you are like me, you grumble at God and complain that He doesn’t really care about you. We know from scripture though that this is not true. We know what God is like because Jesus shows us clearly His mercy and love. When we feel that God is removed from our sorrows we can know that it isn’t true. Even the Old Testament reading clearly explains how God feels our distress;
Isaiah 63:8,9 “8 He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior.9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”
Note that we are not likely to be free from distress, but that God feels this with us and along with saving and redeeming us, he will carry us through. We also know that He understands our sufferings because in Jesus He became fully human and experienced suffering:
Hebrews 2:14- 18 “ 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
At the end of the Superman movie Superman has to take back his super powers for the greater good. Lois Lane is left confused and hurt. Many of us live in the same confusion and hurt. We are Christians and proclaim the Good news, yet life’s experiences leave us battle weary, confused and hurt. Jesus has risen (taken back his super powers), and for the time being his Kingdom is not yet on Earth as it is in Heaven. We, like Lois Lane in the movie, do not have the whole story. All we can do is to grow in our relationship with God such that we can fully trust him.
Troubles on planet Earth are a certainty. For those who love God, all things will eventually work for Good.... Following God and walking in the path of His promise is no exception to a life of trouble and danger but know that God feels our every distress and so trust in him fully – he will save us and carry us through.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Reflection on readings for 19 December 2010
Year A Fourth Sunday of Advent 19 December 2010
Isaiah 7: 10-16 Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19 Romans 1: 1-7 Matthew 1: 18-25
Isaiah 7: 10-14 “10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.”
13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Throughout this season of Advent there has been a song that keeps coming to mind. The song begins with the words, “I have made you too small in my eye. Oh Lord, forgive”. Then the chorus goes on.. “be magnified oh Lord.....”
I feel that this week’s readings really ask us the question, Have we made God too small in our eyes?
How strange it is, that only last week I was speaking about my lovely car, because right after I sent the reflection I went to go somewhere in my car and the back door wouldn’t open. It seemed like something was jamming it and I tried numerous times to open it – without forcing it as I knew that would do damage.
In the meantime I continued to drive my car and do things as I didn’t have time to take the car to someone to get it fixed. I prayed about it. I prayed something like, “God, I know you can do all things.. do you think you could fix my door?”
Imagine my surprise when a few days later I asked Brittany to have a go at doing exactly what I’d done numerous times in an effort to open the door, and it open easily!!!!!
Of course there is probably a logical explanation, and I was pondering that logical explanation, when I realized that I wasn’t acknowledging God’s part..... or minimising his part. I consciously had to check myself and remind myself that God can do these things and I shouldn’t doubt, but should give Him the glory. The door was fixed after prayer and beyond any doubt to me – God did it! Does God care about these seemingly trivial things? We have only to read the Gospels to see the many seemingly trivial things that Jesus provided for the people. He cares about anything that is concern to us - small or great!
Have we reduced God to that safety net for when we die, diminishing his power to affect our lives here and now?
In our first reading God speaks to the king Ahaz to ask him for a sign. King Ahaz was a king dreading two kings who were against him.... he needed encouragement from God. He needed to have a promise of assurance from God, but he didn’t expect to get it. God gives him assurance regardless and gives the prophetic message about the virgin being with child.
We really are no different from King Ahaz. We need the encouragement of God’s promise, but do we expect God to do this for us? We hear the message of God, but it goes in one ear and out the other, as we expect that it isn’t really for us.... and we don’t ask God for assurance in a sign... we would feel foolish... And yet God was happy to give Ahaz a sign.
Now not only do we minimise God in our eyes by not expecting him to encourage us with personal promises, but we doubt the signs that he has given.
Do you think it was any less perplexing to the people who originally received this message – that a virgin would be with child- than it is for those in our generation? People often ask things about God, things that they don’t understand and can’t grasp, and it all boils down to this same attitude of doubt.
Our readings this week remind us of the virgin birth. It is a stumbling block to unbelievers and sadly many believers over the years have lost faith over this and other issues. There are many things about God that we can not understand. A little child asking a father to explain quantum physics would be left just as perplexed. In the same way we are the children of God and our minds are too immature to grasp some things about God. But some things we don’t understand are not because we can’t but that we are unwilling to except the greatness of God.
I was having a conversation with a friend who was having difficulty comprehending the Trinity. How can God be one and yet three? And how can Jesus be God yet call God his father? It is an issue that comes up often and I have used many explanations, but they are never quite adequate to settle the matter. Co-incidentally, we’d been watching TV and the ad for the chocolates, Fererer Roche’s had been on a little earlier. It is the one where there are three different kinds of chocolates are offered to the beautiful goddess. Everyone waits to see which she’ll choose first. Then she becomes three and chooses one of each. Perfect!
We have this amazing gift of imagination that allows us to accept these fantasy aspects without question. So why can’t we apply the same principles to God? The answer is that we make God too small in our eyes. We reduce him to our own limitations instead to realizing that he is God.
At Christmas we celebrate that Jesus came.... he was the promised Messiah, but he was much more than anyone anticipated.
Romans 1:1-4 “ 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Humanly speaking, Jesus was a descendant of King David. In fact his linage can be traced back to Adam. But more importantly he was the son of God. He was like us and yet he is God. There is so much more to Jesus and the evidence for that is that he rose from the dead.
The Resurrection is another stumbling block. Many have tried to explain it away in “logical” terms. I’ve even come across the notion that Jesus wasn’t really dead.... just unconscious. No one who reads the scriptures can possibly believe such a ridiculous lie. Jesus blood was completely shed and the guards checked to see that he was dead before taking him from the cross. They saw that he was already dead and so they didn’t break his legs as they did to other crucifixion victims, but just to be absolutely certain they pierced his side... that was when the water flowed out with the last remnants of Jesus blood.
Now.... I can come up with many logical explanations for my car door and say that God was behind it, but it was still logical, but the resurrection is a whole different story. The resurrection happened because Jesus is God and God is beyond our human logic.
When we have truly grasped this, the virgin birth needs no explanation or discussion.
I pray that this Christmas we grow to really accept the miracles of God. Our faith is a story of God’s love and power, his amazing sacrifice in becoming vulnerable and dying for us. But as St. Paul has said in his letter, if the resurrection has not happened then everything is a lie, and we should be pitied and ridiculous people with a ridiculous faith... but the resurrection did happen. Let us not make God too small in our eyes. “Oh Lord, be magnified.”
Isaiah 7: 10-16 Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19 Romans 1: 1-7 Matthew 1: 18-25
Isaiah 7: 10-14 “10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.”
13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Throughout this season of Advent there has been a song that keeps coming to mind. The song begins with the words, “I have made you too small in my eye. Oh Lord, forgive”. Then the chorus goes on.. “be magnified oh Lord.....”
I feel that this week’s readings really ask us the question, Have we made God too small in our eyes?
How strange it is, that only last week I was speaking about my lovely car, because right after I sent the reflection I went to go somewhere in my car and the back door wouldn’t open. It seemed like something was jamming it and I tried numerous times to open it – without forcing it as I knew that would do damage.
In the meantime I continued to drive my car and do things as I didn’t have time to take the car to someone to get it fixed. I prayed about it. I prayed something like, “God, I know you can do all things.. do you think you could fix my door?”
Imagine my surprise when a few days later I asked Brittany to have a go at doing exactly what I’d done numerous times in an effort to open the door, and it open easily!!!!!
Of course there is probably a logical explanation, and I was pondering that logical explanation, when I realized that I wasn’t acknowledging God’s part..... or minimising his part. I consciously had to check myself and remind myself that God can do these things and I shouldn’t doubt, but should give Him the glory. The door was fixed after prayer and beyond any doubt to me – God did it! Does God care about these seemingly trivial things? We have only to read the Gospels to see the many seemingly trivial things that Jesus provided for the people. He cares about anything that is concern to us - small or great!
Have we reduced God to that safety net for when we die, diminishing his power to affect our lives here and now?
In our first reading God speaks to the king Ahaz to ask him for a sign. King Ahaz was a king dreading two kings who were against him.... he needed encouragement from God. He needed to have a promise of assurance from God, but he didn’t expect to get it. God gives him assurance regardless and gives the prophetic message about the virgin being with child.
We really are no different from King Ahaz. We need the encouragement of God’s promise, but do we expect God to do this for us? We hear the message of God, but it goes in one ear and out the other, as we expect that it isn’t really for us.... and we don’t ask God for assurance in a sign... we would feel foolish... And yet God was happy to give Ahaz a sign.
Now not only do we minimise God in our eyes by not expecting him to encourage us with personal promises, but we doubt the signs that he has given.
Do you think it was any less perplexing to the people who originally received this message – that a virgin would be with child- than it is for those in our generation? People often ask things about God, things that they don’t understand and can’t grasp, and it all boils down to this same attitude of doubt.
Our readings this week remind us of the virgin birth. It is a stumbling block to unbelievers and sadly many believers over the years have lost faith over this and other issues. There are many things about God that we can not understand. A little child asking a father to explain quantum physics would be left just as perplexed. In the same way we are the children of God and our minds are too immature to grasp some things about God. But some things we don’t understand are not because we can’t but that we are unwilling to except the greatness of God.
I was having a conversation with a friend who was having difficulty comprehending the Trinity. How can God be one and yet three? And how can Jesus be God yet call God his father? It is an issue that comes up often and I have used many explanations, but they are never quite adequate to settle the matter. Co-incidentally, we’d been watching TV and the ad for the chocolates, Fererer Roche’s had been on a little earlier. It is the one where there are three different kinds of chocolates are offered to the beautiful goddess. Everyone waits to see which she’ll choose first. Then she becomes three and chooses one of each. Perfect!
We have this amazing gift of imagination that allows us to accept these fantasy aspects without question. So why can’t we apply the same principles to God? The answer is that we make God too small in our eyes. We reduce him to our own limitations instead to realizing that he is God.
At Christmas we celebrate that Jesus came.... he was the promised Messiah, but he was much more than anyone anticipated.
Romans 1:1-4 “ 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Humanly speaking, Jesus was a descendant of King David. In fact his linage can be traced back to Adam. But more importantly he was the son of God. He was like us and yet he is God. There is so much more to Jesus and the evidence for that is that he rose from the dead.
The Resurrection is another stumbling block. Many have tried to explain it away in “logical” terms. I’ve even come across the notion that Jesus wasn’t really dead.... just unconscious. No one who reads the scriptures can possibly believe such a ridiculous lie. Jesus blood was completely shed and the guards checked to see that he was dead before taking him from the cross. They saw that he was already dead and so they didn’t break his legs as they did to other crucifixion victims, but just to be absolutely certain they pierced his side... that was when the water flowed out with the last remnants of Jesus blood.
Now.... I can come up with many logical explanations for my car door and say that God was behind it, but it was still logical, but the resurrection is a whole different story. The resurrection happened because Jesus is God and God is beyond our human logic.
When we have truly grasped this, the virgin birth needs no explanation or discussion.
I pray that this Christmas we grow to really accept the miracles of God. Our faith is a story of God’s love and power, his amazing sacrifice in becoming vulnerable and dying for us. But as St. Paul has said in his letter, if the resurrection has not happened then everything is a lie, and we should be pitied and ridiculous people with a ridiculous faith... but the resurrection did happen. Let us not make God too small in our eyes. “Oh Lord, be magnified.”
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Reflection on readings 12 December 2010 third Sunday in Advent
Year A Third Sunday of Advent 12 December 2010
Isaiah 35: 1-10 Psalm 146: 5-10 OR Luke 1: 47-55 James 5: 7-10 Matthew 11: 2-11
I can remember someone saying that the expectant anticipation for a promised good thing is sometimes better than the actual event. I disagree though. After waiting a year or so, knowing that I needed to get a new car, and doing lots of research, and then waiting for the “right” time, I finally ordered my car from Melbourne. Every time I get in to drive my car, now a year and a half old, I’m still thanking God for my “new” car.
While anticipating an event there are definite points of excitement. When we confirm our reservations for that big holiday, we know that within that confirmation is the promise of a fantastic event. It is no longer a maybe or just “talk”, but instead it is a “promise”. Even though the event may be months away we have that excited buzz as though we were receiving the promise today.
Isaiah received the message about the coming promised Messiah and proclaims the message in our first reading;
Isaiah 35:4-6 “4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.”
There is a sense of excitement and joy in what we know God will do and there is encouragement to be strong as we wait.
When we read the Psalm, the song of Mary (Magnificat), we are swept up in the excitement and joy of what God has already done. This reading declares to the hearers the nature of God and his concern for the weak and poor. Apparently in Guatemala, in the 1980’s, the song of Mary was banned by the Government who feared that it may incite the oppressed to riot.
On the complete flip side to the possible rioting caused by knowing that God is on the side of the oppressed, we find the second reading, a letter from James, exhorting us to wait patiently for the coming of God and his kingdom. At a first glance this reading could well give its hearers the impression that the oppressed and those who care for them need to just sit back and wait – doing nothing. But this is not correct either.
James 5:7,8 “ 7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
We live in a farming community but we might not be aware that the “patient” waiting on the growth of the crops is not a passive waiting, but rather it is active. The farmer will be actively involved in caring for that crop, constantly defending it from those that might destroy it and constantly nurturing its growth in the form of fertilizing etc.. In the same way we need to think about how we wait patiently for the coming of God.
Jesus, the promised Messiah came to save us, and he will come again. So we need to understand what we are meant to do as we “wait patiently”. For certain, we are not to sit back doing nothing. According to Matthew Henry’s commentary, “This Christian patience is not a mere yielding to necessity, as the moral patience taught by some philosophers was, but it is a humble acquiescence in the wisdom and will of God, with an eye to a future glorious recompense: Be patient to the coming of the Lord.”
Like the farmer who waits patiently for the things he has no control over, we have no control over when Jesus will come again, but as we patiently wait for that day we actively ready our lives and for his coming. As the farmer has responsibility to ready his crop, to defend it and nurture it, we too need have responsibility to ready, defend and nurture our faith.... both for ourselves and for those to whom God has put in our care.
The prophetic proclamation of the coming Messiah was repeated and confirmed at many times in the history of the Israelite nation. It is always necessary to test the prophecies, which is why John the Baptist, though he’d had word from God himself at the time of Jesus baptism, still asks his followers to find out if Jesus is the Messiah. He needed to have the matter confirmed from another source to settle the matter. Jesus answers his question by quoting the scriptural prophecy about signs that follow the coming of the Messiah. When the Messiah comes the blind will see and the deaf will hear. Jesus doesn’t testify on his own behalf, but the miracles and scriptures testify for him.
Our lives need to bear witness to the Gospel. We can tell people that Jesus saves us and that he will come again, but even Jesus didn’t rely only on his own say so. Jesus’ life and actions bore testimony to the truth. Do our lives, as well as our actions, bear testimony to the Good News that Jesus is alive and will come again?
“.......Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” The Holy Spirit is the stream. Our lives are a wilderness – and often a desert. We want to have the life of God flowing through us and bearing witness, but lack the knowledge and strength. The Holy Spirit is the gift God gives to help us. When Jesus came and saved us by his death on the cross and resurrection, he didn’t leave it at that he also sent us the “stream in the desert” – the gift of God’s presence and power in a place that was once devoid of God.... in our lives. Take the gift and use it to defend and nurture your crop as you “wait patiently” for the coming of God. It is not known when Jesus will come again, but it is certain that he WILL come again.
Isaiah 35: 1-10 Psalm 146: 5-10 OR Luke 1: 47-55 James 5: 7-10 Matthew 11: 2-11
I can remember someone saying that the expectant anticipation for a promised good thing is sometimes better than the actual event. I disagree though. After waiting a year or so, knowing that I needed to get a new car, and doing lots of research, and then waiting for the “right” time, I finally ordered my car from Melbourne. Every time I get in to drive my car, now a year and a half old, I’m still thanking God for my “new” car.
While anticipating an event there are definite points of excitement. When we confirm our reservations for that big holiday, we know that within that confirmation is the promise of a fantastic event. It is no longer a maybe or just “talk”, but instead it is a “promise”. Even though the event may be months away we have that excited buzz as though we were receiving the promise today.
Isaiah received the message about the coming promised Messiah and proclaims the message in our first reading;
Isaiah 35:4-6 “4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.”
There is a sense of excitement and joy in what we know God will do and there is encouragement to be strong as we wait.
When we read the Psalm, the song of Mary (Magnificat), we are swept up in the excitement and joy of what God has already done. This reading declares to the hearers the nature of God and his concern for the weak and poor. Apparently in Guatemala, in the 1980’s, the song of Mary was banned by the Government who feared that it may incite the oppressed to riot.
On the complete flip side to the possible rioting caused by knowing that God is on the side of the oppressed, we find the second reading, a letter from James, exhorting us to wait patiently for the coming of God and his kingdom. At a first glance this reading could well give its hearers the impression that the oppressed and those who care for them need to just sit back and wait – doing nothing. But this is not correct either.
James 5:7,8 “ 7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
We live in a farming community but we might not be aware that the “patient” waiting on the growth of the crops is not a passive waiting, but rather it is active. The farmer will be actively involved in caring for that crop, constantly defending it from those that might destroy it and constantly nurturing its growth in the form of fertilizing etc.. In the same way we need to think about how we wait patiently for the coming of God.
Jesus, the promised Messiah came to save us, and he will come again. So we need to understand what we are meant to do as we “wait patiently”. For certain, we are not to sit back doing nothing. According to Matthew Henry’s commentary, “This Christian patience is not a mere yielding to necessity, as the moral patience taught by some philosophers was, but it is a humble acquiescence in the wisdom and will of God, with an eye to a future glorious recompense: Be patient to the coming of the Lord.”
Like the farmer who waits patiently for the things he has no control over, we have no control over when Jesus will come again, but as we patiently wait for that day we actively ready our lives and for his coming. As the farmer has responsibility to ready his crop, to defend it and nurture it, we too need have responsibility to ready, defend and nurture our faith.... both for ourselves and for those to whom God has put in our care.
The prophetic proclamation of the coming Messiah was repeated and confirmed at many times in the history of the Israelite nation. It is always necessary to test the prophecies, which is why John the Baptist, though he’d had word from God himself at the time of Jesus baptism, still asks his followers to find out if Jesus is the Messiah. He needed to have the matter confirmed from another source to settle the matter. Jesus answers his question by quoting the scriptural prophecy about signs that follow the coming of the Messiah. When the Messiah comes the blind will see and the deaf will hear. Jesus doesn’t testify on his own behalf, but the miracles and scriptures testify for him.
Our lives need to bear witness to the Gospel. We can tell people that Jesus saves us and that he will come again, but even Jesus didn’t rely only on his own say so. Jesus’ life and actions bore testimony to the truth. Do our lives, as well as our actions, bear testimony to the Good News that Jesus is alive and will come again?
“.......Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” The Holy Spirit is the stream. Our lives are a wilderness – and often a desert. We want to have the life of God flowing through us and bearing witness, but lack the knowledge and strength. The Holy Spirit is the gift God gives to help us. When Jesus came and saved us by his death on the cross and resurrection, he didn’t leave it at that he also sent us the “stream in the desert” – the gift of God’s presence and power in a place that was once devoid of God.... in our lives. Take the gift and use it to defend and nurture your crop as you “wait patiently” for the coming of God. It is not known when Jesus will come again, but it is certain that he WILL come again.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Reflection on Readings for 5th December 2010
Year A Second Sunday of Advent 5 December 2010
Isaiah 11: 1-10 Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19 Romans 15: 4-13 Matthew 3: 1-12
Isaiah 11: 1-3 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;”
Way back in the time of Isaiah there was this prophecy about the coming Messiah who would come from the ancestral line of Jesse (ie King David). I have been wondering lately why God so often promised things which took such a long time to be fulfilled. To some extent we need to know that there is a plan and that God has good things in store for us, but the waiting is certainly painful and many times the majority give up before the promise is fulfilled.
A promise gives us direction and defines our path. A young friend of mine (who is on the list of those receiving this reflection), has just recently become engaged. She and her boyfriend were very particular about their “dating”. They only “dated” with the prospect of their relationship being discerned in the context of marriage. No doubt they’d been enjoying their life as a young couple, both involved in career studies, but since they have become engaged their life has taken a definite turn. Their journey now is less of discernment and more of preparation for the reality of their life within the marriage covenant.
In a similar way God gave a word of promise. In our journey of faith, we need these promises to shape our paths and give our faith direction. We are believers and accept that Christ died to save us from our sin, but we need to remember that there is a promise from God that Christ will come again.
I really do feel that many of us have forgotten the promise. We accept the sacrifice of Jesus and are baptised but as far as our faith life taking a definite direction, it is more like poorly trained child swimmers striving to tread water. We splash about and sometimes make a bit of noise but we don’t seem to have a direction or a purpose. Honestly, can you see this in your own life?
It isn’t that we don’t have a sound faith – we do, but we need to remember the promises of God and let them shape our lives.
Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
We need to be reading our Bibles and become familiar with the promises of God. These things have been carefully recorded and, as it says in Romans, they are written to teach us. The letter to the Romans was written in times when Christians were being persecuted and put to death in very cruel ways. These Christians need to be encouraged to have hope. They were enabled to endure all their sufferings because their life had direction and purpose in Christ and hope in the promises of God.
Matthew 3:1- 1 “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
John the Baptist was one who proclaimed the promise of God. Although many were still hoping in the coming of the Messiah, I would imagine that there were some who may have given up believing that a Messiah was ever going to come. Then at that point in history along comes John to remind them all. He calls them to repent – why? because many of them were like poorly trained child swimmers treading water. They were people of faith but their lives had lost focus and direction – which is why John’s message involves exhorting them to make straight paths in preparation for the Lord.
The message is the same for us. We now look toward Christ’s 2nd coming and he has been a long time coming. We’ve become so absorbed by the doctrines of the world that we’ve lost focus on the absolute truth of God. It doesn’t matter how popular the worldly way of thinking maybe, it will lead to death. We need to hear the reality, “Christ will come again”.
When Christ does come will you stand without fear as his wrath invades the land? Will you walk a path that you know is God’s will? John warned the Sadducees and Pharisees about the coming wrath.... and yet I suspect this message is as much for end times as it was for them personally. This is what he says to them: Matthew 3:7 “ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”
The message is that we cannot rely on our traditions or heritage to save us. We can’t just say that “we are Christians”. We need to know that Christ dwells in us and that we are lead by the Holy Spirit.
By the Holy Spirit we are taught to have an attitude of Christ. In each of our readings we learn a bit about the attitude of Christ. From Isaiah and the Psalm we learn that Christ is wise and understanding. He judges not by what he hears and sees but with righteousness. He judges in favour of the poor and needy and cares for those who are the weak. Our 2nd reading exhorts us to accept one another just as Christ accepted us.... there is a lot of sacrificial love in that.
Our Gospel reading from Matthew tells us that it is Jesus who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. This is the same Holy Spirit, which if we will allow his work in our lives, will encourage us with hope. This hope in the promise of God and the encouragement that it gives empowers us to endure. And so finally...... we need to live our lives in the reality of the promises of God. This means we need to prepare.
Like John the Baptist we have a message to proclaim. “Prepare the way for the Lord”. We need to proclaim it to ourselves, to each other and to those outside the Church.
The purpose of God in revealing his promises is to encourage us in hope so that we can endure through all that may happen in the meantime, but it is also to remind us to prepare. Prepare the way for the Lord – make straight paths for him!
Romans 15:13 “ 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Isaiah 11: 1-10 Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19 Romans 15: 4-13 Matthew 3: 1-12
Isaiah 11: 1-3 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;”
Way back in the time of Isaiah there was this prophecy about the coming Messiah who would come from the ancestral line of Jesse (ie King David). I have been wondering lately why God so often promised things which took such a long time to be fulfilled. To some extent we need to know that there is a plan and that God has good things in store for us, but the waiting is certainly painful and many times the majority give up before the promise is fulfilled.
A promise gives us direction and defines our path. A young friend of mine (who is on the list of those receiving this reflection), has just recently become engaged. She and her boyfriend were very particular about their “dating”. They only “dated” with the prospect of their relationship being discerned in the context of marriage. No doubt they’d been enjoying their life as a young couple, both involved in career studies, but since they have become engaged their life has taken a definite turn. Their journey now is less of discernment and more of preparation for the reality of their life within the marriage covenant.
In a similar way God gave a word of promise. In our journey of faith, we need these promises to shape our paths and give our faith direction. We are believers and accept that Christ died to save us from our sin, but we need to remember that there is a promise from God that Christ will come again.
I really do feel that many of us have forgotten the promise. We accept the sacrifice of Jesus and are baptised but as far as our faith life taking a definite direction, it is more like poorly trained child swimmers striving to tread water. We splash about and sometimes make a bit of noise but we don’t seem to have a direction or a purpose. Honestly, can you see this in your own life?
It isn’t that we don’t have a sound faith – we do, but we need to remember the promises of God and let them shape our lives.
Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
We need to be reading our Bibles and become familiar with the promises of God. These things have been carefully recorded and, as it says in Romans, they are written to teach us. The letter to the Romans was written in times when Christians were being persecuted and put to death in very cruel ways. These Christians need to be encouraged to have hope. They were enabled to endure all their sufferings because their life had direction and purpose in Christ and hope in the promises of God.
Matthew 3:1- 1 “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
John the Baptist was one who proclaimed the promise of God. Although many were still hoping in the coming of the Messiah, I would imagine that there were some who may have given up believing that a Messiah was ever going to come. Then at that point in history along comes John to remind them all. He calls them to repent – why? because many of them were like poorly trained child swimmers treading water. They were people of faith but their lives had lost focus and direction – which is why John’s message involves exhorting them to make straight paths in preparation for the Lord.
The message is the same for us. We now look toward Christ’s 2nd coming and he has been a long time coming. We’ve become so absorbed by the doctrines of the world that we’ve lost focus on the absolute truth of God. It doesn’t matter how popular the worldly way of thinking maybe, it will lead to death. We need to hear the reality, “Christ will come again”.
When Christ does come will you stand without fear as his wrath invades the land? Will you walk a path that you know is God’s will? John warned the Sadducees and Pharisees about the coming wrath.... and yet I suspect this message is as much for end times as it was for them personally. This is what he says to them: Matthew 3:7 “ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”
The message is that we cannot rely on our traditions or heritage to save us. We can’t just say that “we are Christians”. We need to know that Christ dwells in us and that we are lead by the Holy Spirit.
By the Holy Spirit we are taught to have an attitude of Christ. In each of our readings we learn a bit about the attitude of Christ. From Isaiah and the Psalm we learn that Christ is wise and understanding. He judges not by what he hears and sees but with righteousness. He judges in favour of the poor and needy and cares for those who are the weak. Our 2nd reading exhorts us to accept one another just as Christ accepted us.... there is a lot of sacrificial love in that.
Our Gospel reading from Matthew tells us that it is Jesus who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. This is the same Holy Spirit, which if we will allow his work in our lives, will encourage us with hope. This hope in the promise of God and the encouragement that it gives empowers us to endure. And so finally...... we need to live our lives in the reality of the promises of God. This means we need to prepare.
Like John the Baptist we have a message to proclaim. “Prepare the way for the Lord”. We need to proclaim it to ourselves, to each other and to those outside the Church.
The purpose of God in revealing his promises is to encourage us in hope so that we can endure through all that may happen in the meantime, but it is also to remind us to prepare. Prepare the way for the Lord – make straight paths for him!
Romans 15:13 “ 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Reflection on readings 28 November 2010
Year A First Sunday of Advent 28 November 2010
Isaiah 2: 1-5 Psalm 122 Romans 13: 11-14 Matthew 24: 36-44
Are we there yet? Yes and almost! Kind of like when you travel to a town and reach the outskirts and you can say, “We’re here”, but you keep driving because there is more until you reach your final destination.
Imagine if you set off on a very long journey and before you reached the end you gave up????? Pretty futile! We need to ensure this is not the story of our faith.
Romans 13: 12 “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.”
Advent is the name of the Church season leading up to Christmas and comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "Coming". For the last few weeks the readings have been heading in the direction of Advent and reminding us to look towards Christ’s second coming. Finally we have reached Advent.... Yes we have arrived but we are still almost there.... The night is nearly over and the day is almost here.
Sometimes when you start thinking about the things of God you can get into quite a head spin. How can we have arrived but not be there yet? We are at once living in the promise of God and the reality of the Good News, but yet we are not fully experiencing it. There is a Spiritual reality that tells us that Jesus has saved us and with our sins being forgiven, we are united to God, and yet in our physical bodies we realize that we struggle and experience feelings of separation from God.... though scripture tells us that nothing can separate us.
There will be a time when our union with Christ will be complete. Our season of Advent is reminding us of this reality. As humans we are bound to experience God and be filled with faith on one day and the next day we find ourselves to be faithless as we walk in the reality of the harsh world around us. Jesus exhorts us to always be ready because the day he comes back will be like a thief in the night.
Our lives are often like the person who tries to do all the right things to protect their home and so installs burglar alarms. As time goes on the batteries go flat..... Our spiritual batteries often go flat also... even at a time such as Christmas... and sometimes especially at a time such as Christmas.
After Joe died I did some internet searching and found a site for widows. I found it helpful to hear from others going through similar experiences. At the moment the conversation seems to be around the dread of facing Christmas with the reality of a lost spouse. I understand what they are saying and yet I know that the Christmas message is especially for those who are in any way feeling loss, hurt and loneliness. Jesus coming into the world is the fulfilment of a promise which brings comfort and great joy when we fully understand it. It is the promise of a restored relationship with God, and in that we have hope in, and assurance of eternal life.
Our readings all point to a time to come; a time of promise. Those of us who have been hurting need this message so badly, and to know that God does promise something better. As with all such prophecies there are layers of fulfilment. God’s promise of coming was accomplished in the original Christmas. At the time of our realization of God’s gift of salvation is another “coming” of Christ. At the time of our death is yet again another personal “coming” of Christ and finally there is the proclaimed second coming of Christ which we proclaim when we say, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”.
Matthew 24: 37, 38 “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;”
Daily life carries on. It isn’t that these things should cease, but that within them we should be aware of our message of hope. Our lives should bear witness to the reality of Christ’s coming in our lives and the promise of him coming to our world. Noah had a family who ate, drank and married, but central to and alongside all that, he built an ark.
Someone asked me only today whether God was central to my life or just a part of it. God must be central, all other activities happen as part of what life is but Christ is our life.
If, upon reflection, you have discovered that your spiritual batteries are low, what do you need to do to charge them? We in North Queensland know well the concept of preparation and also how we can become nonchalant. We are reminded each cyclone season to prepare by cleaning up and stocking up on water, batteries and non-perishable food. It’s much better to actually be constantly prepared, rather than getting caught out.
I have a clock that is mounted on a wooden plaque... ironically the clock batteries are flat and the clock doesn’t work (but it is correct twice a day!!!!). The plaque has the words on it, “Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose today and is coming again tomorrow.” This really is a good message for the readings this week, although the message is bigger than this... and better.
We are reminded this week that God has a glorious promise;
Isaiah 2:3-5 “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.”
It is obvious that we don’t see this promise in our world yet, but we do look forward to it.... however, please note the last line: “Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.” We are the descendants of Jacob by the spirit of God and we need to walk in the light of the Lord. We need to be awake to the ways of God and walking in them.
Romans 13:11-14 “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe your selves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
The reading speaks of clothing ourselves with Christ. We have Christ alive within us, but as our human nature wars with the law of God within us we need to wear the life of Jesus as a garment. We need to assume his way of peace and his attitude. Though keep in mind he didn’t let people mistreat the things of God and even used a whip in the temple.
We charge our spiritual batteries by being at Church and in Bible study. We need the help of each other to encourage us. We can’t “clothe ourselves with Christ” unless we know him. So, set that alarm. This is vital. We do not know when Christ will come.... or just come to take us, so let us properly prepare for his coming and then turn our preparation into a habit that we keep so as to be always ready.
I read a story about a school principal who spoke to a class and offered a prize to the child who kept their desk clean and said he’d do a surprise inspection. He delayed his visit and every child but one had fallen back into messy habits. The one child was ridiculed and told that it was just a trick and that the principal would not come back. Near the end of term the principal arrived and was met with many excuses.... blaming the teacher for not reminding them, blaming the principal for taking too long etc... but of course the one child received the well deserved prize. That child turned a preparation exercise into a habit and attitude of being ever ready.
So... perhaps that particular brand of battery should be a symbol and reminder for us... the “ever ready”!
Isaiah 2: 1-5 Psalm 122 Romans 13: 11-14 Matthew 24: 36-44
Are we there yet? Yes and almost! Kind of like when you travel to a town and reach the outskirts and you can say, “We’re here”, but you keep driving because there is more until you reach your final destination.
Imagine if you set off on a very long journey and before you reached the end you gave up????? Pretty futile! We need to ensure this is not the story of our faith.
Romans 13: 12 “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.”
Advent is the name of the Church season leading up to Christmas and comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "Coming". For the last few weeks the readings have been heading in the direction of Advent and reminding us to look towards Christ’s second coming. Finally we have reached Advent.... Yes we have arrived but we are still almost there.... The night is nearly over and the day is almost here.
Sometimes when you start thinking about the things of God you can get into quite a head spin. How can we have arrived but not be there yet? We are at once living in the promise of God and the reality of the Good News, but yet we are not fully experiencing it. There is a Spiritual reality that tells us that Jesus has saved us and with our sins being forgiven, we are united to God, and yet in our physical bodies we realize that we struggle and experience feelings of separation from God.... though scripture tells us that nothing can separate us.
There will be a time when our union with Christ will be complete. Our season of Advent is reminding us of this reality. As humans we are bound to experience God and be filled with faith on one day and the next day we find ourselves to be faithless as we walk in the reality of the harsh world around us. Jesus exhorts us to always be ready because the day he comes back will be like a thief in the night.
Our lives are often like the person who tries to do all the right things to protect their home and so installs burglar alarms. As time goes on the batteries go flat..... Our spiritual batteries often go flat also... even at a time such as Christmas... and sometimes especially at a time such as Christmas.
After Joe died I did some internet searching and found a site for widows. I found it helpful to hear from others going through similar experiences. At the moment the conversation seems to be around the dread of facing Christmas with the reality of a lost spouse. I understand what they are saying and yet I know that the Christmas message is especially for those who are in any way feeling loss, hurt and loneliness. Jesus coming into the world is the fulfilment of a promise which brings comfort and great joy when we fully understand it. It is the promise of a restored relationship with God, and in that we have hope in, and assurance of eternal life.
Our readings all point to a time to come; a time of promise. Those of us who have been hurting need this message so badly, and to know that God does promise something better. As with all such prophecies there are layers of fulfilment. God’s promise of coming was accomplished in the original Christmas. At the time of our realization of God’s gift of salvation is another “coming” of Christ. At the time of our death is yet again another personal “coming” of Christ and finally there is the proclaimed second coming of Christ which we proclaim when we say, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”.
Matthew 24: 37, 38 “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;”
Daily life carries on. It isn’t that these things should cease, but that within them we should be aware of our message of hope. Our lives should bear witness to the reality of Christ’s coming in our lives and the promise of him coming to our world. Noah had a family who ate, drank and married, but central to and alongside all that, he built an ark.
Someone asked me only today whether God was central to my life or just a part of it. God must be central, all other activities happen as part of what life is but Christ is our life.
If, upon reflection, you have discovered that your spiritual batteries are low, what do you need to do to charge them? We in North Queensland know well the concept of preparation and also how we can become nonchalant. We are reminded each cyclone season to prepare by cleaning up and stocking up on water, batteries and non-perishable food. It’s much better to actually be constantly prepared, rather than getting caught out.
I have a clock that is mounted on a wooden plaque... ironically the clock batteries are flat and the clock doesn’t work (but it is correct twice a day!!!!). The plaque has the words on it, “Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose today and is coming again tomorrow.” This really is a good message for the readings this week, although the message is bigger than this... and better.
We are reminded this week that God has a glorious promise;
Isaiah 2:3-5 “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.”
It is obvious that we don’t see this promise in our world yet, but we do look forward to it.... however, please note the last line: “Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.” We are the descendants of Jacob by the spirit of God and we need to walk in the light of the Lord. We need to be awake to the ways of God and walking in them.
Romans 13:11-14 “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe your selves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
The reading speaks of clothing ourselves with Christ. We have Christ alive within us, but as our human nature wars with the law of God within us we need to wear the life of Jesus as a garment. We need to assume his way of peace and his attitude. Though keep in mind he didn’t let people mistreat the things of God and even used a whip in the temple.
We charge our spiritual batteries by being at Church and in Bible study. We need the help of each other to encourage us. We can’t “clothe ourselves with Christ” unless we know him. So, set that alarm. This is vital. We do not know when Christ will come.... or just come to take us, so let us properly prepare for his coming and then turn our preparation into a habit that we keep so as to be always ready.
I read a story about a school principal who spoke to a class and offered a prize to the child who kept their desk clean and said he’d do a surprise inspection. He delayed his visit and every child but one had fallen back into messy habits. The one child was ridiculed and told that it was just a trick and that the principal would not come back. Near the end of term the principal arrived and was met with many excuses.... blaming the teacher for not reminding them, blaming the principal for taking too long etc... but of course the one child received the well deserved prize. That child turned a preparation exercise into a habit and attitude of being ever ready.
So... perhaps that particular brand of battery should be a symbol and reminder for us... the “ever ready”!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Reflection for 21 November 2010
Year C Proper 21 - Reign of Christ 21 November 2010
Jeremiah 23: 1-6 Luke 1: 68-79 Colossians 1: 11-20 Luke 23: 33-43
Once upon a long time ago, people were waiting for the promised salvation of God. Then Jesus came and he was often not recognised for who he was and he was rejected by the very same people who were eager for his coming.
This week’s readings celebrate the reign of Christ. We look towards a time when Jesus is King over all and his kingdom ...on earth as it is in heaven. But is it possible that we have fallen into the same trap as the ancient people? Are we looking forward to something while not recognising what it is that we have right here?
Jesus will come again in glory, but for each of us we have a personal responsibility to respond to Christ right now. He already reigns and should have reign and kingship over our lives – but he gave us free will and waits for us to freely serve him.
We read in the Gospel that Jesus uses the word “today”. Luke 1:42,43 “ Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” We are God’s people today and Christ is our King today, but do our lives bear witness to this reality?
The place that Christ holds has to be different in our lives from those who believe that Jesus was a “good bloke”. There are plenty who hold to this and believe his teachings to be good and wise, but they aren’t the Church. As Church and therefore, the body of Christ we need to say, “Jesus, I will accept your will and your wish is my command....” that is the attitude of the servants of a king.
Colossians shows us that this is no ordinary “good bloke” that we are serving: Colossians 1:18-20 “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Anyone who claims to be the body of Christ – part of the Church and yet denies the deity of Christ is NOT part of Christ’s body.
Within Jesus the fullness of God dwells. He is God. But is he the kind of king who would demand hard things from us and treat us cruelly? You know sometimes we think that he is, but we should know better. This is Jesus who made peace for us - between us and God – by shedding his blood on the cross. There is nothing Jesus asks of us that he hasn’t done for us more so. Christ died for us and yet we have trouble with seemingly simple things like forgiving others.
Luke 23:34 “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” We have been forgiven much and are asked to do the same with others.
As servants of our God - our King we are also given responsibility and this responsibility comes to us not just as servants but as the royal children of God. I noticed on the news tonight that Prince William has gone to visit the troops in Iraq. This is one of the duties that befall a person of royalty. In the words of Spiderman; “with great power comes great responsibility”.
We are inheritors of this heavenly kingdom along with Christ and we have an amazing privilege through Christ’s sacrifice, of undeserved favour with God, who strengthens and gifts us; Colossians 1: 11,12 “ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
As inheritors of this Kingdom we are called to prepare for Christs coming. We prepare others and ourselves for his glorious second coming, but we also need to prepare the way for others to meet Christ personally. That is, to bring others into this same relationship of privilege. In many ways, and especially at this time of year, we align ourselves with the mission that was given to John the Baptist – to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.
Luke 1:76 “76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God,...”
Like it or not we have a responsibility and we need to heed the warning from our first reading, because as the body of Christ, we all are in some form called to be shepherd of God’s flock: Jeremiah 23:1,2 1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. 2 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the LORD.
It begs the question; Did the people know they were leading people astray? Did the Pharisees of Jesus time know that they were encouraging people to reject Jesus? I believe that many of them thought they were serving God in what they were doing – St. Paul being a prime example as he persecuted the Church thinking that he was protecting the faith in doing so. So, in this case, how can we know that we are walking in the way that God wants and doing his perfect will?
The answer is simple: Allow Jesus to be King in our lives. When we do this and consciously surrender our will to his then we will be led by his Holy Spirit. Christianity is a living relationship. Where other religions may have set structures and methods, we know that there is nothing we can do to earn our way into God’s “good books” – we are there already because of Jesus. He has given his Holy Spirit and promised to be with us always. It is only right that we make him the ruler of our lives – to do anything else is to deny reality.
Colossians1: 15 - 20 “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Jeremiah 23: 1-6 Luke 1: 68-79 Colossians 1: 11-20 Luke 23: 33-43
Once upon a long time ago, people were waiting for the promised salvation of God. Then Jesus came and he was often not recognised for who he was and he was rejected by the very same people who were eager for his coming.
This week’s readings celebrate the reign of Christ. We look towards a time when Jesus is King over all and his kingdom ...on earth as it is in heaven. But is it possible that we have fallen into the same trap as the ancient people? Are we looking forward to something while not recognising what it is that we have right here?
Jesus will come again in glory, but for each of us we have a personal responsibility to respond to Christ right now. He already reigns and should have reign and kingship over our lives – but he gave us free will and waits for us to freely serve him.
We read in the Gospel that Jesus uses the word “today”. Luke 1:42,43 “ Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” We are God’s people today and Christ is our King today, but do our lives bear witness to this reality?
The place that Christ holds has to be different in our lives from those who believe that Jesus was a “good bloke”. There are plenty who hold to this and believe his teachings to be good and wise, but they aren’t the Church. As Church and therefore, the body of Christ we need to say, “Jesus, I will accept your will and your wish is my command....” that is the attitude of the servants of a king.
Colossians shows us that this is no ordinary “good bloke” that we are serving: Colossians 1:18-20 “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Anyone who claims to be the body of Christ – part of the Church and yet denies the deity of Christ is NOT part of Christ’s body.
Within Jesus the fullness of God dwells. He is God. But is he the kind of king who would demand hard things from us and treat us cruelly? You know sometimes we think that he is, but we should know better. This is Jesus who made peace for us - between us and God – by shedding his blood on the cross. There is nothing Jesus asks of us that he hasn’t done for us more so. Christ died for us and yet we have trouble with seemingly simple things like forgiving others.
Luke 23:34 “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” We have been forgiven much and are asked to do the same with others.
As servants of our God - our King we are also given responsibility and this responsibility comes to us not just as servants but as the royal children of God. I noticed on the news tonight that Prince William has gone to visit the troops in Iraq. This is one of the duties that befall a person of royalty. In the words of Spiderman; “with great power comes great responsibility”.
We are inheritors of this heavenly kingdom along with Christ and we have an amazing privilege through Christ’s sacrifice, of undeserved favour with God, who strengthens and gifts us; Colossians 1: 11,12 “ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
As inheritors of this Kingdom we are called to prepare for Christs coming. We prepare others and ourselves for his glorious second coming, but we also need to prepare the way for others to meet Christ personally. That is, to bring others into this same relationship of privilege. In many ways, and especially at this time of year, we align ourselves with the mission that was given to John the Baptist – to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.
Luke 1:76 “76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God,...”
Like it or not we have a responsibility and we need to heed the warning from our first reading, because as the body of Christ, we all are in some form called to be shepherd of God’s flock: Jeremiah 23:1,2 1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. 2 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the LORD.
It begs the question; Did the people know they were leading people astray? Did the Pharisees of Jesus time know that they were encouraging people to reject Jesus? I believe that many of them thought they were serving God in what they were doing – St. Paul being a prime example as he persecuted the Church thinking that he was protecting the faith in doing so. So, in this case, how can we know that we are walking in the way that God wants and doing his perfect will?
The answer is simple: Allow Jesus to be King in our lives. When we do this and consciously surrender our will to his then we will be led by his Holy Spirit. Christianity is a living relationship. Where other religions may have set structures and methods, we know that there is nothing we can do to earn our way into God’s “good books” – we are there already because of Jesus. He has given his Holy Spirit and promised to be with us always. It is only right that we make him the ruler of our lives – to do anything else is to deny reality.
Colossians1: 15 - 20 “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Monday, November 8, 2010
refecton on readings for 14th November 2010
Year C Proper 28 14 November 2010
Isaiah 65: 17-25 Isaiah 12 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13 Luke 21: 5-19
A lady about to give birth will remind herself that a new child, a new life is about to come into being. This is the focus of her attention which will keep her enduring throughout the labour. At the beginning of our first reading is the reminder of where we need to focus our attention. Isaiah 65:17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. ”
This week, the readings continue God’s encouragement to His people, along with warnings of the things that will happen along the way. These warnings prepare us and help us endure, much in the same way as a lady having her second child can endure due to the knowledge gained from her first born.....
Luke 21:10-12 “ 10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.”
A warning is also given that we will be betrayed by friends and family. While persecutions from the outside are bad enough it is these betrayals that really hurt. In fact, it is in these times of persecution, hurt and betrayal that we might feel as if our “Temple” has crumbled. We feel that the secure world we once knew has been destroyed and we really don’t know where to turn.
Do not be deceived. This is the warning that we heard last week, and again this week the same warning is sounded.
I can remember someone once saying that when God says “do not be afraid”, you can bet there are circumstances which are very frightening, and so the warning to not be deceived should not be taken lightly.
Luke 21:8 “He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.”
Over the centuries many cult leaders have risen up and led people away. Sometimes the people they lead astray are those who have no understanding of the Gospel, but the more dangerous leader is the one who stays close to the Gospel message and then just puts their own little spin on it.
Often times I hear people speak about supernatural things and it seems that when people believe in the supernatural they the take this as being the truth. People equate the supernatural with the work of God. But there are deceptive spirits that will also perform supernatural signs. When we are feeling lost and hurt we are particularly vulnerable to these deceptions, as we search for something that seems real and gives a sense of comfort.
We have so many shows on television with supernatural themes and I mostly refuse to watch them. The reason being, that they show a way that things work in the supernatural realm which is different from the truth. I don’t want to be confused about the spiritual realm and only want to get information from the Bible so that I can understand things in a way that is true – and not deceptive. As the old computer term goes: Garbage in, garbage out. So I try not to let more garbage in than is necessary. We need to be diligent in searching out for truth in the Bible and not from other sources.
Shakespeare understood the concept of deception well when in Macbeth he writes into the words of the character Banquo: “But ‘tis strange and oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence.” "Macbeth", Act 1 scene 3
Jesus tells us that many will come in his name, claiming to be him and declaring a time of prophetic fulfilment. The problem is that the prophecy that they proclaim is the same one that Jesus proclaims in our Gospel. Jesus tells his listeners that the end will come and the signs will be wars, earthquakes and many others that we’ve been hearing quite a lot about lately.
The time is not the important aspect of our Gospel reading, and to be concerned with exact interpretation sometimes just causes us to focus on the sidelines instead of the game. I play basketball and the score board is visible and has its place.... we glance at it for the score and remaining time, but I don’t take too much notice because I’m there to play the game... I try to play as well as I can and take each moment as it happens, concentrating on defence, getting possession of the ball and getting it into the ring – all the aspects of actually playing the game. The time of the end should not make a difference to us and how we are living. We need to always be living and walking in the Spirit of God, always allowing God to direct us.
Jesus comforts us in the Gospel reading by telling us not to worry about how we will defend ourselves when we are under persecution because we have faith in Jesus: Luke 21:12-18 “ 12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.”
Jesus tells us that he will give us words and wisdom. He gives this to us through his gift of the Holy Spirit. All believers have access to this but many of us don’t understand or rely on it. How often have you had a discussion with someone and then gone home and thought of all the things you should have said and wished you did say?
It truly is comforting to know that God is in control and will bring to mind the exact right words for the time and situation. The right words are given simply by asking for them and trusting that God has given them. The Holy Spirit can make seemingly simply words have a powerful effect. It is not just what we say – we can use eloquent words and they will not necessarily penetrate the understanding or heart of the hearer.
Throughout the readings we are encouraged to have a future vision. We need to know that God has something wonderful planned for us. Knowing God and his love for us and being secure in this we can press on. Our security needs to be in God alone and our relationship with him, because – as many who’ve experiences tragedies can testify, all else in our world can be shaken.
Luke 21: 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.”
Isaiah 65: 17-25 Isaiah 12 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13 Luke 21: 5-19
A lady about to give birth will remind herself that a new child, a new life is about to come into being. This is the focus of her attention which will keep her enduring throughout the labour. At the beginning of our first reading is the reminder of where we need to focus our attention. Isaiah 65:17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. ”
This week, the readings continue God’s encouragement to His people, along with warnings of the things that will happen along the way. These warnings prepare us and help us endure, much in the same way as a lady having her second child can endure due to the knowledge gained from her first born.....
Luke 21:10-12 “ 10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.”
A warning is also given that we will be betrayed by friends and family. While persecutions from the outside are bad enough it is these betrayals that really hurt. In fact, it is in these times of persecution, hurt and betrayal that we might feel as if our “Temple” has crumbled. We feel that the secure world we once knew has been destroyed and we really don’t know where to turn.
Do not be deceived. This is the warning that we heard last week, and again this week the same warning is sounded.
I can remember someone once saying that when God says “do not be afraid”, you can bet there are circumstances which are very frightening, and so the warning to not be deceived should not be taken lightly.
Luke 21:8 “He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.”
Over the centuries many cult leaders have risen up and led people away. Sometimes the people they lead astray are those who have no understanding of the Gospel, but the more dangerous leader is the one who stays close to the Gospel message and then just puts their own little spin on it.
Often times I hear people speak about supernatural things and it seems that when people believe in the supernatural they the take this as being the truth. People equate the supernatural with the work of God. But there are deceptive spirits that will also perform supernatural signs. When we are feeling lost and hurt we are particularly vulnerable to these deceptions, as we search for something that seems real and gives a sense of comfort.
We have so many shows on television with supernatural themes and I mostly refuse to watch them. The reason being, that they show a way that things work in the supernatural realm which is different from the truth. I don’t want to be confused about the spiritual realm and only want to get information from the Bible so that I can understand things in a way that is true – and not deceptive. As the old computer term goes: Garbage in, garbage out. So I try not to let more garbage in than is necessary. We need to be diligent in searching out for truth in the Bible and not from other sources.
Shakespeare understood the concept of deception well when in Macbeth he writes into the words of the character Banquo: “But ‘tis strange and oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence.” "Macbeth", Act 1 scene 3
Jesus tells us that many will come in his name, claiming to be him and declaring a time of prophetic fulfilment. The problem is that the prophecy that they proclaim is the same one that Jesus proclaims in our Gospel. Jesus tells his listeners that the end will come and the signs will be wars, earthquakes and many others that we’ve been hearing quite a lot about lately.
The time is not the important aspect of our Gospel reading, and to be concerned with exact interpretation sometimes just causes us to focus on the sidelines instead of the game. I play basketball and the score board is visible and has its place.... we glance at it for the score and remaining time, but I don’t take too much notice because I’m there to play the game... I try to play as well as I can and take each moment as it happens, concentrating on defence, getting possession of the ball and getting it into the ring – all the aspects of actually playing the game. The time of the end should not make a difference to us and how we are living. We need to always be living and walking in the Spirit of God, always allowing God to direct us.
Jesus comforts us in the Gospel reading by telling us not to worry about how we will defend ourselves when we are under persecution because we have faith in Jesus: Luke 21:12-18 “ 12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.”
Jesus tells us that he will give us words and wisdom. He gives this to us through his gift of the Holy Spirit. All believers have access to this but many of us don’t understand or rely on it. How often have you had a discussion with someone and then gone home and thought of all the things you should have said and wished you did say?
It truly is comforting to know that God is in control and will bring to mind the exact right words for the time and situation. The right words are given simply by asking for them and trusting that God has given them. The Holy Spirit can make seemingly simply words have a powerful effect. It is not just what we say – we can use eloquent words and they will not necessarily penetrate the understanding or heart of the hearer.
Throughout the readings we are encouraged to have a future vision. We need to know that God has something wonderful planned for us. Knowing God and his love for us and being secure in this we can press on. Our security needs to be in God alone and our relationship with him, because – as many who’ve experiences tragedies can testify, all else in our world can be shaken.
Luke 21: 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.”
Monday, November 1, 2010
reflection 7th of November 2010
Year C Proper 27 7 November 2010
Haggai 1:15b - 2:9 Psalm 145: 1-5, 17-21 OR Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17 Luke 20: 27-38
The year seems to be gathering speed as it is on its downward spiral to the end and everyone is so busy at this time year. Our church year is also almost once again at that point where we think about the coming of Christ. And so our readings for this week have a sense of looking behind, looking at what is and reminding us what is to come.
“Ah, the good old days.....!” We all have a tendency to look back to a time when things were better. The people of the prophet Haggai’s day were no different. They had a lot to remember... This is the nation that God had miraculously rescued from Egypt. This nation had been hand fed by God who provided Manna in the desert.
Do you remember back to a time of God’s provision? You know, as I wrote that last line I was reminded that I knew Joe was my “manna in the desert”. We all have times where we sensed all was in God’s hands and with God’s blessing – although we may not have realised or appreciated it at the time – when we look back we know that there was something good and now it is gone.....
This brings us to our present. Where are we at now?
The people of Haggai’s time had seen the glory of the Temple which now lay in ruins. This was the embodiment of their faith. Their faith in God was once the glory of their nation.... it was what set them apart from the other nations. They were a people who performed great feats not by their strength or cunning but by their faith in God. Now the embodiment of their faith, the temple was in ruins and so was their reputation as a nation who served the living God.
We the Church have had our reputation bruised, battered and reduced to rubble. We have leaders taken to court; we have terrible things going on among the people. We have power struggles and we no longer have God as the centre of our faith, as often we have put ourselves as the leader of our faith instead of Christ. How many of us are truly making Jesus the Lord, king and ruler of our lives? Our faith is in shattered pieces. There is very little left of our faith which glows as a shining witness to the love of God alive and active in our Churches.
Our reading from Haggai reflects on the past, acknowledges a present state and reminds the people of the promise of God for a future.... a future with hope.... Haggai 1:3-5 “3 'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD. 'Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty. 5 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'”
I notice that there is some hard work to be done in building the Kingdom of God. We experience this even more so when we are discouraged and everything just feels like such and effort.... But a promise of God walking with us, and knowing that we are walking in the path he has laid out for us, encourages us so much that we can achieve what once seemed impossible.
Looking at the here and now situation can be incredibly overwhelming. It is like being lost in a tropical rainforest where every direction looks the same and possible danger and deeper loss seems to be in every direction. In those situations we feel that if we could just get some clarity ... or some tool... GPS maybe... we could stop panicking. Life is so much like this and at some times more than others. It seems to be common in people who’ve been abused or in times of great stress, that the ability to make decisions is impaired. We, in some of our discouraged and despairing circumstances, in and of ourselves have no resources to know that we are choosing a path that will bring us life and good things.
Some have said that Bible stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. The Bible is our GPS in a world of confusion and opposing ideas and beliefs. Our readings this week show examples of different groups of people who were discouraged, confused and frightened. In each we find wisdom and encouragement by being redirected to focus on letting God be our GPS.
In our Gospel reading we find an argument about marriage in heaven and Jesus is asked to answer a question about someone who was married 7 times. They ask whose wife will she will be in heaven. The question was really aside from the heart of the problem and Jesus instead gets straight into the heart of it and that is the question of whether there is life after death at all.
Many today have the same question about death and they despair because of their lack of faith and lack of hope. Really .... let’s think about it.... if there is no resurrection and Jesus was lying, what point is there in my life today? Maybe only to eat, drink and be merry. But Jesus affirms that there is a heaven and there is a resurrection and that Abraham and Moses are living and with God. Can we trust what Jesus said? If you have questions to that one you should come to our Bible study in the next few weeks..... the short answer is “yes”, and there are very strong tangible and intelligent reasons for our faith in Jesus.
Most of us acknowledge faith in Jesus, but still hold on to doubts. The people for whom these readings were written were in this same position. They were discouraged, though they believed and needed reminding of the promises of God.
The Thessalonians were disturbed by reports that the 2nd coming of Christ had already happened. This shows their lack of faith in the God that loves them and would not leave them behind, and also shows that they desired to be with God. Their hearts were in the right place but their understanding was limited and clouded with doubt. St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 2 “3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
There is something for us to learn in this. Those people taught by the great St. Paul could be so easily led astray by false teaching and so can we if we are not diligent. We can prevent this simply by looking at the text; the man of lawlessness sets himself up in God’s temple proclaiming himself to be God. Although this refers to an end time there is a personal warning to make sure God is in our own personal temples.... We are the body of Christ and the temple is each of us.... God must be allowed to be King and God in our lives. We don’t know where we are going – let alone what to believe. Let God be on the throne of our lives and we are letting someone with a bird’s eye view, who loves us dearly, guide us through the jungle of life.
Our past is past. Our present may be shocking, but God says: Haggai 1:6-9
6 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. 8 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. 9 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."
I don’t know about you, but when things go wrong I often feel that it is because God doesn’t love me or want good for me. I have come to realise that this is a lie and I bet that I am not the only one who has believed it. The word of God teaches us that God loves us so deeply and desires us and good things for us. So... from the words of St. Paul:
2 Thessalonians 2: 16 “ 16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
Haggai 1:15b - 2:9 Psalm 145: 1-5, 17-21 OR Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17 Luke 20: 27-38
The year seems to be gathering speed as it is on its downward spiral to the end and everyone is so busy at this time year. Our church year is also almost once again at that point where we think about the coming of Christ. And so our readings for this week have a sense of looking behind, looking at what is and reminding us what is to come.
“Ah, the good old days.....!” We all have a tendency to look back to a time when things were better. The people of the prophet Haggai’s day were no different. They had a lot to remember... This is the nation that God had miraculously rescued from Egypt. This nation had been hand fed by God who provided Manna in the desert.
Do you remember back to a time of God’s provision? You know, as I wrote that last line I was reminded that I knew Joe was my “manna in the desert”. We all have times where we sensed all was in God’s hands and with God’s blessing – although we may not have realised or appreciated it at the time – when we look back we know that there was something good and now it is gone.....
This brings us to our present. Where are we at now?
The people of Haggai’s time had seen the glory of the Temple which now lay in ruins. This was the embodiment of their faith. Their faith in God was once the glory of their nation.... it was what set them apart from the other nations. They were a people who performed great feats not by their strength or cunning but by their faith in God. Now the embodiment of their faith, the temple was in ruins and so was their reputation as a nation who served the living God.
We the Church have had our reputation bruised, battered and reduced to rubble. We have leaders taken to court; we have terrible things going on among the people. We have power struggles and we no longer have God as the centre of our faith, as often we have put ourselves as the leader of our faith instead of Christ. How many of us are truly making Jesus the Lord, king and ruler of our lives? Our faith is in shattered pieces. There is very little left of our faith which glows as a shining witness to the love of God alive and active in our Churches.
Our reading from Haggai reflects on the past, acknowledges a present state and reminds the people of the promise of God for a future.... a future with hope.... Haggai 1:3-5 “3 'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD. 'Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty. 5 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'”
I notice that there is some hard work to be done in building the Kingdom of God. We experience this even more so when we are discouraged and everything just feels like such and effort.... But a promise of God walking with us, and knowing that we are walking in the path he has laid out for us, encourages us so much that we can achieve what once seemed impossible.
Looking at the here and now situation can be incredibly overwhelming. It is like being lost in a tropical rainforest where every direction looks the same and possible danger and deeper loss seems to be in every direction. In those situations we feel that if we could just get some clarity ... or some tool... GPS maybe... we could stop panicking. Life is so much like this and at some times more than others. It seems to be common in people who’ve been abused or in times of great stress, that the ability to make decisions is impaired. We, in some of our discouraged and despairing circumstances, in and of ourselves have no resources to know that we are choosing a path that will bring us life and good things.
Some have said that Bible stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. The Bible is our GPS in a world of confusion and opposing ideas and beliefs. Our readings this week show examples of different groups of people who were discouraged, confused and frightened. In each we find wisdom and encouragement by being redirected to focus on letting God be our GPS.
In our Gospel reading we find an argument about marriage in heaven and Jesus is asked to answer a question about someone who was married 7 times. They ask whose wife will she will be in heaven. The question was really aside from the heart of the problem and Jesus instead gets straight into the heart of it and that is the question of whether there is life after death at all.
Many today have the same question about death and they despair because of their lack of faith and lack of hope. Really .... let’s think about it.... if there is no resurrection and Jesus was lying, what point is there in my life today? Maybe only to eat, drink and be merry. But Jesus affirms that there is a heaven and there is a resurrection and that Abraham and Moses are living and with God. Can we trust what Jesus said? If you have questions to that one you should come to our Bible study in the next few weeks..... the short answer is “yes”, and there are very strong tangible and intelligent reasons for our faith in Jesus.
Most of us acknowledge faith in Jesus, but still hold on to doubts. The people for whom these readings were written were in this same position. They were discouraged, though they believed and needed reminding of the promises of God.
The Thessalonians were disturbed by reports that the 2nd coming of Christ had already happened. This shows their lack of faith in the God that loves them and would not leave them behind, and also shows that they desired to be with God. Their hearts were in the right place but their understanding was limited and clouded with doubt. St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 2 “3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
There is something for us to learn in this. Those people taught by the great St. Paul could be so easily led astray by false teaching and so can we if we are not diligent. We can prevent this simply by looking at the text; the man of lawlessness sets himself up in God’s temple proclaiming himself to be God. Although this refers to an end time there is a personal warning to make sure God is in our own personal temples.... We are the body of Christ and the temple is each of us.... God must be allowed to be King and God in our lives. We don’t know where we are going – let alone what to believe. Let God be on the throne of our lives and we are letting someone with a bird’s eye view, who loves us dearly, guide us through the jungle of life.
Our past is past. Our present may be shocking, but God says: Haggai 1:6-9
6 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. 8 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. 9 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."
I don’t know about you, but when things go wrong I often feel that it is because God doesn’t love me or want good for me. I have come to realise that this is a lie and I bet that I am not the only one who has believed it. The word of God teaches us that God loves us so deeply and desires us and good things for us. So... from the words of St. Paul:
2 Thessalonians 2: 16 “ 16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
Monday, October 25, 2010
Reflection on readings for 31st October 2010
Year C Proper 26 31 October 2010
Habakkuk 1: 1-4; 2: 1-4 Psalm 119: 137-144 2 Thessalonians 1: 1-4, 11-12 Luke 19: 1-10
Our readings this week cause us to reflect on the law of God and how it compares and contrasts to the law of the land.
Have you ever been caught out on a technicality? The law of our land tells us that if a person breaks into our house and gets bitten by our dog, we will have to pay – especially if we have a sign up that says, “Beware of the dog”.
Even worse than that is to be convicted of a crime that you didn’t commit. St. Paul spent much time in prison over a mere technicality. There was the misunderstanding about him being flogged without a trial though he was a Roman citizen and then there followed various travels and appeals which were often delayed for no good reason except to keep the certain people happy.
St. Paul was put in prison for speaking out about the truth of Jesus Christ and the experience that he had. Does that really make any sense as far as true justice goes?
I heard of a story in Mackay recently where a P plate driver who had a car accident. The P plate driver was very clearly in the wrong but she was advised by her father not to apologise as that would automatically make her liable. Is that justice?
In an ancient time the prophet Habakkuk cries out to God about this same situation where the law of the land is perverted: Habakkuk 1:2-4 “2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.”
The people in Habakkuk’s time were suffering due to the injustices in the law of the land. Those with power were able to do what they wanted and those innocent but without power had to simply suffer in silence as there was no law to protect them. This could well be us. If we were to fully proclaim the Gospel it is possible that we could be put in jail for discrimination. After all, the Bible clearly calls certain things sin.... some of which are the same things which our society protects by law.
We are commissioned as Christians to go out and make disciples of all people and yet if we were to stand on a street corner and preach the truth about Jesus being the only way to heaven because we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God, we’d be offending people and, once again, seen as discriminating.
We have a national holiday for Christmas and yet a teacher could possibly get into trouble for talking about how Jesus is more than just a Christmas story, he is an historical figure who so affected mankind that our dating of the years is based around his birth. Want to know when this historical figure was born? Approximately 2010 years ago! (Although when experts looked into it they decided it may have been about three years later).
Psalm 119: 137, 138 tells us about Gods law; “137 Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right. 138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.”
There have been plenty of people who think that God’s law is too hard, and that it, and not our society’s law is unjust. (Maybe even you and me!) God’s law says many things about what should and shouldn’t be and is certainly in contrast to today’s law of the land and yet the law of God can be summarized into two very simple commands: to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and to love your neighbour. Okay... I guess they are not really that simple, but how good is that? Do you think there’d be any place for injustices in God’s law? Do you think the innocent would be suffering under God’s law? No.
However the problem is in our being able to keep God’s law. We really can’t do it. We can see that it is good and maybe we could have a fair shot at loving God – but the neighbour loving bit really tests things – and we all fail. And therefore we fail the first commandment as well, seeing as we are the body of Christ.
St. Paul acknowledges that we live in a world where justice is not what it should be – and he would know due to his own experiences. He writes to the Thessalonians about persevering throughout persecutions and trials, but he commends them for their love, as it is our love that reflects that perfect law of God.
2 Thessalonians 1:3,4 “ 3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.”
So then we come to our Gospel story. A short man by the name of Zacchaeus makes his living upholding a perverted law where his job as a tax collector was seen by the Jewish people as selling out to the Romans and being paid handsomely for it. Also his position meant that he was able to take a little extra from the people and become rich from dishonest gain. He was a small man, but even smaller in the eyes of the Jewish people.
Zacchaeus is keen to see Jesus and so he climbs a tree. Jesus calls him down and honours him in front of the crowd by stating that he must eat at Zacchaeus’ house. Zacchaeus immediately responds to Jesus. Luke 19:8 “8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
Jesus then declares that salvation has come to the house of Zacchaeus, but not before the Jewish people grumbled about Jesus eating with a sinner. However, Jesus didn’t eat with a sinner, but a “saved” Christian man.
Here is the Good News: The law of the Lord is perfect – but we can’t keep it. However there is a righteousness that is ours by simply putting our faith in Jesus. The first reading from Habakkuk tells us in Habakkuk 1: 4b, “but the righteous will live by his faith”. Zacchaeus put his faith in Jesus and salvation was his. The same goes for us. Salvation is ours not because we keep God’s law... though we must strive to do so because we know that His law is perfect and brings life.... but we have salvation only because of our faith in Jesus.
Though we live in a land where sometimes the guilty go free and the innocent are sentenced, we rejoice that ultimately we are living in a greater reality – that of God’s kingdom which is for all eternity. God will be just, yet in His mercy he justifies us through faith.
Habakkuk 1: 1-4; 2: 1-4 Psalm 119: 137-144 2 Thessalonians 1: 1-4, 11-12 Luke 19: 1-10
Our readings this week cause us to reflect on the law of God and how it compares and contrasts to the law of the land.
Have you ever been caught out on a technicality? The law of our land tells us that if a person breaks into our house and gets bitten by our dog, we will have to pay – especially if we have a sign up that says, “Beware of the dog”.
Even worse than that is to be convicted of a crime that you didn’t commit. St. Paul spent much time in prison over a mere technicality. There was the misunderstanding about him being flogged without a trial though he was a Roman citizen and then there followed various travels and appeals which were often delayed for no good reason except to keep the certain people happy.
St. Paul was put in prison for speaking out about the truth of Jesus Christ and the experience that he had. Does that really make any sense as far as true justice goes?
I heard of a story in Mackay recently where a P plate driver who had a car accident. The P plate driver was very clearly in the wrong but she was advised by her father not to apologise as that would automatically make her liable. Is that justice?
In an ancient time the prophet Habakkuk cries out to God about this same situation where the law of the land is perverted: Habakkuk 1:2-4 “2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.”
The people in Habakkuk’s time were suffering due to the injustices in the law of the land. Those with power were able to do what they wanted and those innocent but without power had to simply suffer in silence as there was no law to protect them. This could well be us. If we were to fully proclaim the Gospel it is possible that we could be put in jail for discrimination. After all, the Bible clearly calls certain things sin.... some of which are the same things which our society protects by law.
We are commissioned as Christians to go out and make disciples of all people and yet if we were to stand on a street corner and preach the truth about Jesus being the only way to heaven because we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God, we’d be offending people and, once again, seen as discriminating.
We have a national holiday for Christmas and yet a teacher could possibly get into trouble for talking about how Jesus is more than just a Christmas story, he is an historical figure who so affected mankind that our dating of the years is based around his birth. Want to know when this historical figure was born? Approximately 2010 years ago! (Although when experts looked into it they decided it may have been about three years later).
Psalm 119: 137, 138 tells us about Gods law; “137 Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right. 138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.”
There have been plenty of people who think that God’s law is too hard, and that it, and not our society’s law is unjust. (Maybe even you and me!) God’s law says many things about what should and shouldn’t be and is certainly in contrast to today’s law of the land and yet the law of God can be summarized into two very simple commands: to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and to love your neighbour. Okay... I guess they are not really that simple, but how good is that? Do you think there’d be any place for injustices in God’s law? Do you think the innocent would be suffering under God’s law? No.
However the problem is in our being able to keep God’s law. We really can’t do it. We can see that it is good and maybe we could have a fair shot at loving God – but the neighbour loving bit really tests things – and we all fail. And therefore we fail the first commandment as well, seeing as we are the body of Christ.
St. Paul acknowledges that we live in a world where justice is not what it should be – and he would know due to his own experiences. He writes to the Thessalonians about persevering throughout persecutions and trials, but he commends them for their love, as it is our love that reflects that perfect law of God.
2 Thessalonians 1:3,4 “ 3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.”
So then we come to our Gospel story. A short man by the name of Zacchaeus makes his living upholding a perverted law where his job as a tax collector was seen by the Jewish people as selling out to the Romans and being paid handsomely for it. Also his position meant that he was able to take a little extra from the people and become rich from dishonest gain. He was a small man, but even smaller in the eyes of the Jewish people.
Zacchaeus is keen to see Jesus and so he climbs a tree. Jesus calls him down and honours him in front of the crowd by stating that he must eat at Zacchaeus’ house. Zacchaeus immediately responds to Jesus. Luke 19:8 “8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
Jesus then declares that salvation has come to the house of Zacchaeus, but not before the Jewish people grumbled about Jesus eating with a sinner. However, Jesus didn’t eat with a sinner, but a “saved” Christian man.
Here is the Good News: The law of the Lord is perfect – but we can’t keep it. However there is a righteousness that is ours by simply putting our faith in Jesus. The first reading from Habakkuk tells us in Habakkuk 1: 4b, “but the righteous will live by his faith”. Zacchaeus put his faith in Jesus and salvation was his. The same goes for us. Salvation is ours not because we keep God’s law... though we must strive to do so because we know that His law is perfect and brings life.... but we have salvation only because of our faith in Jesus.
Though we live in a land where sometimes the guilty go free and the innocent are sentenced, we rejoice that ultimately we are living in a greater reality – that of God’s kingdom which is for all eternity. God will be just, yet in His mercy he justifies us through faith.
Monday, October 18, 2010
reflection for 24th October 2010
I believe that we are living in a time of discouragement. Many people seem to feel that life is beyond their control and the best they can manage is to keep doing the everyday must do’s and have the occasional time out to re-charge enough to start again the next week. If we ask someone who is discouraged to come and be part of Church life, you will find that it is all too hard. It isn’t that they are opposed to Church, but that they don’t have the emotional and physical energy left to commit to attending. Or so they think.
I suspect the problem is that when we are discouraged the last thing we want to do is admit it. We mostly hate to admit our failure and discouragement. Discouragement comes from being disappointed with ourselves and sometimes disappointed with God.
My Dad tells the story of when the decimal currency came in, in 1966 and his father had to find the money that he’d hidden buried in a tin in the back yard. He needed to change the pounds for dollars. Apparently my Dad thought what transpired was amusing, but my Grandfather did not. My Grandfather was expecting to cash in those hard earned savings- but the promise of all that hard work turned out to be dust in the wind as the notes had disintegrated in the poorly sealed tin.
Sometimes this is how we feel in our life. We work hard, believing that our hard work and commitment will pay great dividends, but then life throws us a curve ball and despite our best efforts we are left with disappointment and loss. Often times there are no one to blame, and in our discouragement we lose our enthusiasm. Interestingly enough, the word enthusiasm means to be “in God” or to have God within. So when we say we’ve lost our enthusiasm it means we’ve lost that Holy Spirit vigour. Of Course, God is still with us, but we are in need, more than we can comprehend, to be connected to the life of the Church.
This week’s readings take us to the story of a very discouraged man. He is a tax collector. This tax collector is surrounded socially and culturally with people whose lives seem to be blessed by God. The people who surround him are openly and outwardly religious and the tax collector feels like a giant failure. His life might be financially secure, but he is shunned socially and by the church for the way his living is earned. He is discouraged.
Another group of people who experienced discouragement were the Israelites during the time of the prophets. In this week’s first reading we find that God, through the prophet Joel, is encouraging the people with the promise of better times to come.
St. Paul had also experienced great discouragement and he relates the experience in 2 Timothy 4:16-18 “16At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
We find in this both St. Paul’s discouragement, but then his encouragement from God. St. Paul understood that he needed to look beyond the here and now and know that ultimately his life was secure in God.
We all become discouraged at times but when this happens there are some important lessons that we can learn from this week’s readings. Firstly we learn that we need to be honest and we need to connect with God. The tax collector didn’t try to hide from God and he acknowledged exactly who and what he was. Luke 18:13 “13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'”
We need desperately to acknowledge our fallen state. In the world we constantly have to sell ourselves and make ourselves seem better than we are.... and this can become a hazardous habit where our spiritual life is at stake. We know that God knows who and what we are, but we need to connect with him in honesty.
St. Paul learned that discouragement is part of life. People will let you down and circumstances will go against you despite all of your very best efforts. I have a bit of a “thing” against the program that came into the primary schools a while back – the “you can do it” program, because I believe we are teaching our kids a false reality (unless we are very careful – and most aren’t that careful). Our teenagers are taking anti-depressants as soon as they leave school because they find life too hard.... and many adults too. Life is hard and sometimes it is really horrible.... It is to be expected that we will be depressed and discouraged over these things.... even to the point of not being able to move on.... unless we realize some important things.....
God is on our side. Though everyone else may desert you God will not. Now this brings up another point – about prayer. We sometimes feel that because things go wrong that God is not hearing us – or doesn’t care. Our Psalm tells us that God does answer us and gives us many good things... sometimes, and especially when we are discouraged we don’t see these and need to deliberately be reminded. Psalm 64:5-6 “ 5 You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, 6 who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength,..”
We often only remember the wonderful things God has done when we are connected to the church and cared for by the body of Christ and deliberately make an effort to praise God.
When we are discouraged and have lost our enthusiasm we badly need to be back “IN GOD”. We need that Holy Spirit within that bubbles up like a fountain and overflows. Our first reading is filled with the promises that God makes to us:
Joel 2:28-29 28 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
We seem to be living in a time of discouragement, but there is an anti-dote for this epidemic. It is a gift that God gave us quite a long time ago. We need to rediscover it and live a life of enthusiasm!
I suspect the problem is that when we are discouraged the last thing we want to do is admit it. We mostly hate to admit our failure and discouragement. Discouragement comes from being disappointed with ourselves and sometimes disappointed with God.
My Dad tells the story of when the decimal currency came in, in 1966 and his father had to find the money that he’d hidden buried in a tin in the back yard. He needed to change the pounds for dollars. Apparently my Dad thought what transpired was amusing, but my Grandfather did not. My Grandfather was expecting to cash in those hard earned savings- but the promise of all that hard work turned out to be dust in the wind as the notes had disintegrated in the poorly sealed tin.
Sometimes this is how we feel in our life. We work hard, believing that our hard work and commitment will pay great dividends, but then life throws us a curve ball and despite our best efforts we are left with disappointment and loss. Often times there are no one to blame, and in our discouragement we lose our enthusiasm. Interestingly enough, the word enthusiasm means to be “in God” or to have God within. So when we say we’ve lost our enthusiasm it means we’ve lost that Holy Spirit vigour. Of Course, God is still with us, but we are in need, more than we can comprehend, to be connected to the life of the Church.
This week’s readings take us to the story of a very discouraged man. He is a tax collector. This tax collector is surrounded socially and culturally with people whose lives seem to be blessed by God. The people who surround him are openly and outwardly religious and the tax collector feels like a giant failure. His life might be financially secure, but he is shunned socially and by the church for the way his living is earned. He is discouraged.
Another group of people who experienced discouragement were the Israelites during the time of the prophets. In this week’s first reading we find that God, through the prophet Joel, is encouraging the people with the promise of better times to come.
St. Paul had also experienced great discouragement and he relates the experience in 2 Timothy 4:16-18 “16At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
We find in this both St. Paul’s discouragement, but then his encouragement from God. St. Paul understood that he needed to look beyond the here and now and know that ultimately his life was secure in God.
We all become discouraged at times but when this happens there are some important lessons that we can learn from this week’s readings. Firstly we learn that we need to be honest and we need to connect with God. The tax collector didn’t try to hide from God and he acknowledged exactly who and what he was. Luke 18:13 “13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'”
We need desperately to acknowledge our fallen state. In the world we constantly have to sell ourselves and make ourselves seem better than we are.... and this can become a hazardous habit where our spiritual life is at stake. We know that God knows who and what we are, but we need to connect with him in honesty.
St. Paul learned that discouragement is part of life. People will let you down and circumstances will go against you despite all of your very best efforts. I have a bit of a “thing” against the program that came into the primary schools a while back – the “you can do it” program, because I believe we are teaching our kids a false reality (unless we are very careful – and most aren’t that careful). Our teenagers are taking anti-depressants as soon as they leave school because they find life too hard.... and many adults too. Life is hard and sometimes it is really horrible.... It is to be expected that we will be depressed and discouraged over these things.... even to the point of not being able to move on.... unless we realize some important things.....
God is on our side. Though everyone else may desert you God will not. Now this brings up another point – about prayer. We sometimes feel that because things go wrong that God is not hearing us – or doesn’t care. Our Psalm tells us that God does answer us and gives us many good things... sometimes, and especially when we are discouraged we don’t see these and need to deliberately be reminded. Psalm 64:5-6 “ 5 You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, 6 who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength,..”
We often only remember the wonderful things God has done when we are connected to the church and cared for by the body of Christ and deliberately make an effort to praise God.
When we are discouraged and have lost our enthusiasm we badly need to be back “IN GOD”. We need that Holy Spirit within that bubbles up like a fountain and overflows. Our first reading is filled with the promises that God makes to us:
Joel 2:28-29 28 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
We seem to be living in a time of discouragement, but there is an anti-dote for this epidemic. It is a gift that God gave us quite a long time ago. We need to rediscover it and live a life of enthusiasm!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
reflection for 17th October 2010
Year Proper 24 17 October 2010
Jeremiah 31: 27-34 Psalm 119: 97-104 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5 Luke 18: 1-8
We live in the time of the New Covenant. With this New Covenant comes many privileges and it is therefore described as the Good News, and God promises to be our God and we His people and He forgives our wickedness and remembers our sins no more.
Many years ago now, I gave a session in a workshop on the images of God in both the Old and New Testament. During this session it became clear that people had the idea that the image of God in the Old Testament was one of a God that was harsh and punishing. This was in stark contrast to the image they had of God in the New Testament which was one of unconditional love. As I explained then, God is unchanging and so if God was at any time harsh then he still is, and if God is now unconditionally loving, then way back in the Old Testament times, God was also a God of unconditional love.
The God who unbendingly demands justice is the same God who shows mercy and love.... We need to fully realize this. The demand God has for justice has not been simply overlooked – the demand still exists and no one who sins can be united with God- but the wages for sin have been paid by Jesus.... the mercy of God has provided a way for us.
As I read the Gospel this week I laugh a little at the memory of how I got into trouble for using it at a school. Little did I know how offensive the reading of the persistent widow could be, I was simply following the lectionary readings and using a children’s website as a guide. I had no idea that the persistent widow was showing women in a bad light and neither did I realize that the legal system would be also offended at the reference to the unjust Judge. If you can get past the offense you’ll find that there is an important message which has nothing really to do with nagging women or unjust Judges.
The attitude that I encountered is one that I believe this week’s readings strive to prevent. At the end of the Gospel we find the words, Luke 18:8b “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" We also find the prophecy in the second reading which is St. Paul’s letter 2Timothy 4: “3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
But how has it happened that we find ourselves living in a society where even those professing to be Christians will not accept the words of the Gospel and find them offensive?
Well... of course I do have an opinion on this subject.
In our first reading we find that God is declaring the coming New Covenant. This is an example of how God was always merciful and forgiving. This New Covenant speaks about God forgiving sins and instead of people having to be told by a “third person” to know Him, it claims that under this New Covenant all His people will know Him. We understand that this is talking about the gift of a personal relationship with God. We all can have this. And our helper is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also our teacher.
All this is a two sided coin because on one side we have direct access to God and each of us can know Him personally, but on the other side is the tendency people may have to abuse this privilege by not actively seeking out to know God. There is a freedom in this Covenant, but with this freedom comes the responsibility to be personally active in seeking the truth about God.
Psalm 119 speaks about meditating on God’s law and we learn from this the benefits are that a person who does so will know more than his elders and teachers. It also states very clearly that understanding is gained by obedience to God. This may have been “Old Testament” but I believe that the exhortation to meditate on God’s law holds true for all time.
Psalm 119: “97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.”
We do live in the time of “Grace”, but people who have known God have always lived under “Grace”. Grace is God’s undeserved favour and Abraham enjoyed it when he believed God would do what he said. We rest in the knowledge that we have God’s grace, but if we do not stay connected to God in prayer and in communion with the rest of God’s body the Church then we will forget what God says and become those people that Paul talks about in his letter to Timothy, who will turn away from truth and believe in myths.
Jesus told the disciples the parable of the persistent widow so that they would know to always pray and to not give up. We also must not give up. We mustn’t give up on praying even though it seems that our prayers aren’t answered. The parable is not meant to give the message that we will be heard by God by praying lots.... God hears us the first time. He is not like the unjust Judge.... but even an unjust Judge will grant requests and God will do so even more... our prayers ARE answered, but the outcome might not be in the way we wish.
We must not give up meeting together. We are encouraged by the readings that each of us can know God, one as much as the other! As the body of Christ we need each other and truly when you are not an active part of this body it is felt dearly.
Another important aspect that is often overlooked, is the implication of us all knowing the Lord, is that there is no place for spiritual pride. I often hear people talking about spiritual maturity as if there are levels and it always grates, as I don’t think anyone but God can know our true spiritual state – it doesn’t work the same as in our physical world where age might determine maturity. I have been humbled in the past by simple and very true statements that taught me (much like a slap in the face), made by people who were new Christians or those not fitting the normal description of a spiritual “elder”.
Jeremiah 31: 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Once upon a time in the history of mankind, and in our own personal story, we may have been taught to know the Lord – but really we were taught to know ABOUT him.... But his will is for us to personally know him and when we do we must continue to be connected and not give up. Constantly be in communion with Him and constantly give our requests to him because His concern is for us – He is on our side.
Jeremiah 31: 27-34 Psalm 119: 97-104 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5 Luke 18: 1-8
We live in the time of the New Covenant. With this New Covenant comes many privileges and it is therefore described as the Good News, and God promises to be our God and we His people and He forgives our wickedness and remembers our sins no more.
Many years ago now, I gave a session in a workshop on the images of God in both the Old and New Testament. During this session it became clear that people had the idea that the image of God in the Old Testament was one of a God that was harsh and punishing. This was in stark contrast to the image they had of God in the New Testament which was one of unconditional love. As I explained then, God is unchanging and so if God was at any time harsh then he still is, and if God is now unconditionally loving, then way back in the Old Testament times, God was also a God of unconditional love.
The God who unbendingly demands justice is the same God who shows mercy and love.... We need to fully realize this. The demand God has for justice has not been simply overlooked – the demand still exists and no one who sins can be united with God- but the wages for sin have been paid by Jesus.... the mercy of God has provided a way for us.
As I read the Gospel this week I laugh a little at the memory of how I got into trouble for using it at a school. Little did I know how offensive the reading of the persistent widow could be, I was simply following the lectionary readings and using a children’s website as a guide. I had no idea that the persistent widow was showing women in a bad light and neither did I realize that the legal system would be also offended at the reference to the unjust Judge. If you can get past the offense you’ll find that there is an important message which has nothing really to do with nagging women or unjust Judges.
The attitude that I encountered is one that I believe this week’s readings strive to prevent. At the end of the Gospel we find the words, Luke 18:8b “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" We also find the prophecy in the second reading which is St. Paul’s letter 2Timothy 4: “3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
But how has it happened that we find ourselves living in a society where even those professing to be Christians will not accept the words of the Gospel and find them offensive?
Well... of course I do have an opinion on this subject.
In our first reading we find that God is declaring the coming New Covenant. This is an example of how God was always merciful and forgiving. This New Covenant speaks about God forgiving sins and instead of people having to be told by a “third person” to know Him, it claims that under this New Covenant all His people will know Him. We understand that this is talking about the gift of a personal relationship with God. We all can have this. And our helper is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also our teacher.
All this is a two sided coin because on one side we have direct access to God and each of us can know Him personally, but on the other side is the tendency people may have to abuse this privilege by not actively seeking out to know God. There is a freedom in this Covenant, but with this freedom comes the responsibility to be personally active in seeking the truth about God.
Psalm 119 speaks about meditating on God’s law and we learn from this the benefits are that a person who does so will know more than his elders and teachers. It also states very clearly that understanding is gained by obedience to God. This may have been “Old Testament” but I believe that the exhortation to meditate on God’s law holds true for all time.
Psalm 119: “97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.”
We do live in the time of “Grace”, but people who have known God have always lived under “Grace”. Grace is God’s undeserved favour and Abraham enjoyed it when he believed God would do what he said. We rest in the knowledge that we have God’s grace, but if we do not stay connected to God in prayer and in communion with the rest of God’s body the Church then we will forget what God says and become those people that Paul talks about in his letter to Timothy, who will turn away from truth and believe in myths.
Jesus told the disciples the parable of the persistent widow so that they would know to always pray and to not give up. We also must not give up. We mustn’t give up on praying even though it seems that our prayers aren’t answered. The parable is not meant to give the message that we will be heard by God by praying lots.... God hears us the first time. He is not like the unjust Judge.... but even an unjust Judge will grant requests and God will do so even more... our prayers ARE answered, but the outcome might not be in the way we wish.
We must not give up meeting together. We are encouraged by the readings that each of us can know God, one as much as the other! As the body of Christ we need each other and truly when you are not an active part of this body it is felt dearly.
Another important aspect that is often overlooked, is the implication of us all knowing the Lord, is that there is no place for spiritual pride. I often hear people talking about spiritual maturity as if there are levels and it always grates, as I don’t think anyone but God can know our true spiritual state – it doesn’t work the same as in our physical world where age might determine maturity. I have been humbled in the past by simple and very true statements that taught me (much like a slap in the face), made by people who were new Christians or those not fitting the normal description of a spiritual “elder”.
Jeremiah 31: 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Once upon a time in the history of mankind, and in our own personal story, we may have been taught to know the Lord – but really we were taught to know ABOUT him.... But his will is for us to personally know him and when we do we must continue to be connected and not give up. Constantly be in communion with Him and constantly give our requests to him because His concern is for us – He is on our side.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Reflection for 10th October 2010
Year C Proper 23 10 October 2010
Jeremiah 29: 1, 4-7 Psalm 66: 1-12 2 Timothy 2: 8-15 Luke 17: 11-19
Do you ever feel like you are living in exile?
Through the holidays I spent time in Longreach visiting a friend. He is a man who grew up in Mackay, but due to what he feels God has called him to, he has been living and working in Longreach for the last seven or so years. His life reminds me of God’s call to the people we read about in the first reading.
Jeremiah 20:4-7 “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."”
My friend in Longreach feels that God has called him to be in Longreach for an extended period of time and so he has bought a house and has set about renovating it. My friend has not had an easy time. The community has taken a long time to accept him. I suspect I’d have given up and left, but my friend is faithful to the call of God and like the people to whom Jeremiah is addressing, he is becoming part of the community, seeking the peace and praying for the prosperity of that place.
Many times in the Bible we see God telling His people to marry within in the community so that the faith in God should not become confused with the gods of the nations of those around them. In this reading, however, we read that God blesses their unions with those nations.
In Jesus time we read that the Jewish people looked with disdain on the people of mixed nationality. These were known as the Samaritans. Some of their ideas about God were a little confused, but it would seem that a little humble confusion made for openness to the truth of God – as opposed to the narrow-minded self righteousness of the Pharisees who thought they knew it all.
In our Gospel reading we find that Jesus was walking along the border between the area of Samaria and Galilee. In his travels he is greeted, from a distance, by Ten Lepers. These men know of Jesus reputation and cry out for mercy. We do not know the nationality of the other nine, but we do know that the one who returned praising God and giving Jesus thanks was a Samaritan.
Sadly, we may be more like the nine who were also healed, but not praising God for our healing. Often we become stuck in the structure of the ways that we know things should be done, and the structure of how God has worked previously in our lives, such that we cease to see him working the miracles around us. The Pharisees made this mistake and we need to ensure we don’t make the same.
I think that a great example of how God totally is beyond our understanding is found in the second reading of 2 Timothy 2: 11-12 “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
You see, just when you expect faith to be black and white, cut and dry – it isn’t. Make sure you read that all correctly....that last line says that God remains faithful even when we are faithless.
There are many times when we know we have been faithless. But rest assured that God is faithful and concerned about our welfare. This is the story of His interactions with the people He sent into exile. The Psalm makes it clear: Psalm 66 “9 he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. 10 for you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.”
Throughout history God has always been finding ways to bring His people to a place of relationship with Himself.... in everything, even the difficult things it is for God’s purpose in bringing us to a place of abundance – though He takes us through “fire and water” to get there.
We have a security in the “fire and water” of Jesus. We are united with him in the waters of baptism and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Through this unity, when God looks at us He sees Jesus and his sacrifice – and He will not disown himself. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
However, sometimes on planet Earth, we feel that we are living in exile. We are going through times of carrying burdens. We need to know God’s message is to LIVE in these places of exile and increase and prosper (– not necessarily physically!). It is in these times that we need to be the people of faith, knowing that God has a plan and a purpose for our good, even though we don’t see it.
St. Paul tells Timothy that he endures all things for the sake of the elect. How often have we endured anything for the sake of someone else’s salvation? But the elect are those who are in the church.... do we endure any hardship for the sake of those in the church? When we attend meetings do we argue over words and things that don’t lead to anything but disagreements? This is the kind of thing that Paul warns Timothy about and he encourages him to correctly handle the word of truth.
There were ten lepers who called out to Jesus and who were healed. They are people who knew Jesus and they experienced the healing of God. We who are baptised have been healed by God. Is there only a tenth of us who are actively praising God? Jesus told that one leper, “Your faith has made you well”.
We don’t need to muster up a magical feeling and call it “faith”, as faith pertains to something or someone that our faith is in. It would seem that nine out of ten might be unable to see the working of God due to “blinkers” that narrow our vision about how God works according to a set of rules that man has devised. God is beyond that –He is even faithful when we are faithless - Thank God!
So, here is a self reflection to see if we are one of the nine lepers – or the one who came and gave God thanks - Is our faith in the doctrine of our denomination, our own set of ideas about God, or in God himself?
Jeremiah 29: 1, 4-7 Psalm 66: 1-12 2 Timothy 2: 8-15 Luke 17: 11-19
Do you ever feel like you are living in exile?
Through the holidays I spent time in Longreach visiting a friend. He is a man who grew up in Mackay, but due to what he feels God has called him to, he has been living and working in Longreach for the last seven or so years. His life reminds me of God’s call to the people we read about in the first reading.
Jeremiah 20:4-7 “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."”
My friend in Longreach feels that God has called him to be in Longreach for an extended period of time and so he has bought a house and has set about renovating it. My friend has not had an easy time. The community has taken a long time to accept him. I suspect I’d have given up and left, but my friend is faithful to the call of God and like the people to whom Jeremiah is addressing, he is becoming part of the community, seeking the peace and praying for the prosperity of that place.
Many times in the Bible we see God telling His people to marry within in the community so that the faith in God should not become confused with the gods of the nations of those around them. In this reading, however, we read that God blesses their unions with those nations.
In Jesus time we read that the Jewish people looked with disdain on the people of mixed nationality. These were known as the Samaritans. Some of their ideas about God were a little confused, but it would seem that a little humble confusion made for openness to the truth of God – as opposed to the narrow-minded self righteousness of the Pharisees who thought they knew it all.
In our Gospel reading we find that Jesus was walking along the border between the area of Samaria and Galilee. In his travels he is greeted, from a distance, by Ten Lepers. These men know of Jesus reputation and cry out for mercy. We do not know the nationality of the other nine, but we do know that the one who returned praising God and giving Jesus thanks was a Samaritan.
Sadly, we may be more like the nine who were also healed, but not praising God for our healing. Often we become stuck in the structure of the ways that we know things should be done, and the structure of how God has worked previously in our lives, such that we cease to see him working the miracles around us. The Pharisees made this mistake and we need to ensure we don’t make the same.
I think that a great example of how God totally is beyond our understanding is found in the second reading of 2 Timothy 2: 11-12 “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
You see, just when you expect faith to be black and white, cut and dry – it isn’t. Make sure you read that all correctly....that last line says that God remains faithful even when we are faithless.
There are many times when we know we have been faithless. But rest assured that God is faithful and concerned about our welfare. This is the story of His interactions with the people He sent into exile. The Psalm makes it clear: Psalm 66 “9 he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. 10 for you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.”
Throughout history God has always been finding ways to bring His people to a place of relationship with Himself.... in everything, even the difficult things it is for God’s purpose in bringing us to a place of abundance – though He takes us through “fire and water” to get there.
We have a security in the “fire and water” of Jesus. We are united with him in the waters of baptism and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Through this unity, when God looks at us He sees Jesus and his sacrifice – and He will not disown himself. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
However, sometimes on planet Earth, we feel that we are living in exile. We are going through times of carrying burdens. We need to know God’s message is to LIVE in these places of exile and increase and prosper (– not necessarily physically!). It is in these times that we need to be the people of faith, knowing that God has a plan and a purpose for our good, even though we don’t see it.
St. Paul tells Timothy that he endures all things for the sake of the elect. How often have we endured anything for the sake of someone else’s salvation? But the elect are those who are in the church.... do we endure any hardship for the sake of those in the church? When we attend meetings do we argue over words and things that don’t lead to anything but disagreements? This is the kind of thing that Paul warns Timothy about and he encourages him to correctly handle the word of truth.
There were ten lepers who called out to Jesus and who were healed. They are people who knew Jesus and they experienced the healing of God. We who are baptised have been healed by God. Is there only a tenth of us who are actively praising God? Jesus told that one leper, “Your faith has made you well”.
We don’t need to muster up a magical feeling and call it “faith”, as faith pertains to something or someone that our faith is in. It would seem that nine out of ten might be unable to see the working of God due to “blinkers” that narrow our vision about how God works according to a set of rules that man has devised. God is beyond that –He is even faithful when we are faithless - Thank God!
So, here is a self reflection to see if we are one of the nine lepers – or the one who came and gave God thanks - Is our faith in the doctrine of our denomination, our own set of ideas about God, or in God himself?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Reflection for 3 October 2010
Year C Proper 22 3 October 2010
Lamentations 1: 1-6 Lamentations 3: 19-26 OR Psalm 137 2 Timothy 1: 1-14 Luke 17: 5-10
I’m a long way from having a “green thumb”, but I do love to grow things. Unfortunately I seem to have more success with weeds – which I don’t even plant, but which come up all by themselves. I didn’t realize until today that I actually knew something more about one gardening aspect than my Mum. She gets her plants as seedlings and didn’t realize that she can grow a lot more from what she has by taking the dead flower of the marigolds, pulling it apart and scattering the seeds.
Our Gospel reading brings us to reflect on the mustard seed. I personally have no familiarity with mustard seeds, except that I know that to spread them in the paste form on meat makes for something wonderful. The mustard seed is what Jesus used to explain to his disciples about faith.
The apostles’ request to Jesus we find in Luke 17:5 “The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"”
I’m sure we can relate to the request. We want to be walking in step with God and His ways, but often fall short. In fact, I think this is a dangerous request as it is easy to feel connected to God and walking in faith when all is going well, but if we are to really step out in faith it will be in the times when everything around us distracts us from walking in step with God and when things are not going so well and we are worn out and maybe even bitter.
The Israelites were given this opportunity to grow in faith when they were sent into exile. For many years they had neglected God’s ways, and then when they were taken into captivity they remembered the good things God had done for them and they mourned the loss.
A couple of weeks ago I spoke about our need to lament and this week our reading is from the book of Lamentations.
Lamentations 1:4-5 “The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gateways are desolate, her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she is in bitter anguish. 5 Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The LORD has brought her grief because of her many sins. Her children have gone into exile, captive before the foe.”
Two things are important to note. One is that it is in these times of hardship that many of us remember God and turn back to him. Secondly, it is important to lament – because many of us, instead of turning to God, turn against him in bitterness of heart. Lamenting is being honest before God about how we feel. Sometimes we feel that we are being faithless if we are not putting on our “happy” faces and praising God in all our situations. We are exhorted to praise God in everything, but if we do this without ever taking the time to lament we will find ourselves becoming bitter actors – otherwise known as bitter hypocrites, and eventually the effort to continually put on an act will wear us out and we will give up all together.
We must lament and we must grieve. A whole book in the Bible is dedicated to lamenting.... surely this tells us something. However, in our grieving and lamenting we should remember to be in the presence of God and take note from the wisdom in the book of Lamentation:
Lamentation 3:19-22 “ I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”
So, with all this in mind – the good times and the bad – the joy filled and the times of loss and bitterness - how do we “walk by faith”?
Faith is not gritting your teeth and telling yourself over and over, “I believe, I believe, I believe!” What we learn from the book of Lamentation is that it starts with honesty. Remember the story about the man who said to Jesus, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Be honest with God and yourself and in that simple act of connecting in truth to the God who created the universe, anything is possible!
Firstly we need to look at what Jesus says about faith. Luke 17:6 “He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.” ..... We do not need an increase in our faith, but we may be ignorant about the power of the faith we have.
A mustard seed has all the information contained in it to become a full grown tree. It is lacking in nothing, but simply needs to be put into action. Our faith is similar. Everything necessary for amazing things is contained in our little faith, as it is our faith in a very powerful God – but it remains a seed and nothing more until we put it into action.
Someone once explained it as a chair. You can look at the chair and say that you have faith that the chair will hold you and not collapse under your weight, but unless you are willing to sit in it your in-action betrays your lack of faith.
On the flip side; you may have total faith in a chair to support your weight, but if that chair has a broken leg, all the faith in the world is not going to make that chair more reliable. The reverse is also true. It you only have a tiny bit of faith that a chair will support your weight and yet the chair is totally reliable, then your tiny bit of faith is all that you will require. Therefore, because God is reliable, even if our faith is tiny, we can achieve amazing things.
Paul exhorted Timothy to guard the gift of faith in his life. 2 Timothy 1: 5-7 “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Remember that faith, like a seed, needs to be put into action. Through this faith there is a gift of God which Paul exhorted Timothy to fan into flame. Likewise we have similar gifts and challenges. We have to fan into flame the gift that lies dormant like a seed within us.
Sometimes there can be a kind of spiritual “snobbery”. When great things are happening around certain people or leaders, Christian people can easily fall into thinking that these people are those with great faith, and look up to and revere them. Perhaps you have met some of these people as well, who are very good self promoters. They speak fluent “Christianese” and it takes quite sometime to realize that the depth of their faith is really quite shallow. I think it is very likely that the apostles request for an increase in faith was linked to the temptation to show themselves to be “special” and this is the reason for Jesus following statement:
Luke 17: 7-10 “ "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "
Taking the lesson from this we should remember that the most unassuming and unimpressive person that we know in the church has as much potential for greatness as the most impressive. It reminds me of a message I read from the Christian martyr, Watchman Nee, when he said that to those who are walking in the Spirit, things that others would see as extraordinary are viewed as quite normal and expected.
St. Paul also asks that Timothy guard the faith within him. We need to be told the same... and we achieve this in the same way – with the help of the Holy Spirit and by remaining connected. When we are not connected to sound teachings, teachings that are absolutely true and a proclamation of the Good News, then we are led astray and take on a theology of garbage.... and lies. If it were not a possibility then Paul would not have had to remind Timothy at all.
2 Timothy 1: 13-14 “13What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”
Lamentations 1: 1-6 Lamentations 3: 19-26 OR Psalm 137 2 Timothy 1: 1-14 Luke 17: 5-10
I’m a long way from having a “green thumb”, but I do love to grow things. Unfortunately I seem to have more success with weeds – which I don’t even plant, but which come up all by themselves. I didn’t realize until today that I actually knew something more about one gardening aspect than my Mum. She gets her plants as seedlings and didn’t realize that she can grow a lot more from what she has by taking the dead flower of the marigolds, pulling it apart and scattering the seeds.
Our Gospel reading brings us to reflect on the mustard seed. I personally have no familiarity with mustard seeds, except that I know that to spread them in the paste form on meat makes for something wonderful. The mustard seed is what Jesus used to explain to his disciples about faith.
The apostles’ request to Jesus we find in Luke 17:5 “The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"”
I’m sure we can relate to the request. We want to be walking in step with God and His ways, but often fall short. In fact, I think this is a dangerous request as it is easy to feel connected to God and walking in faith when all is going well, but if we are to really step out in faith it will be in the times when everything around us distracts us from walking in step with God and when things are not going so well and we are worn out and maybe even bitter.
The Israelites were given this opportunity to grow in faith when they were sent into exile. For many years they had neglected God’s ways, and then when they were taken into captivity they remembered the good things God had done for them and they mourned the loss.
A couple of weeks ago I spoke about our need to lament and this week our reading is from the book of Lamentations.
Lamentations 1:4-5 “The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gateways are desolate, her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she is in bitter anguish. 5 Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The LORD has brought her grief because of her many sins. Her children have gone into exile, captive before the foe.”
Two things are important to note. One is that it is in these times of hardship that many of us remember God and turn back to him. Secondly, it is important to lament – because many of us, instead of turning to God, turn against him in bitterness of heart. Lamenting is being honest before God about how we feel. Sometimes we feel that we are being faithless if we are not putting on our “happy” faces and praising God in all our situations. We are exhorted to praise God in everything, but if we do this without ever taking the time to lament we will find ourselves becoming bitter actors – otherwise known as bitter hypocrites, and eventually the effort to continually put on an act will wear us out and we will give up all together.
We must lament and we must grieve. A whole book in the Bible is dedicated to lamenting.... surely this tells us something. However, in our grieving and lamenting we should remember to be in the presence of God and take note from the wisdom in the book of Lamentation:
Lamentation 3:19-22 “ I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”
So, with all this in mind – the good times and the bad – the joy filled and the times of loss and bitterness - how do we “walk by faith”?
Faith is not gritting your teeth and telling yourself over and over, “I believe, I believe, I believe!” What we learn from the book of Lamentation is that it starts with honesty. Remember the story about the man who said to Jesus, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Be honest with God and yourself and in that simple act of connecting in truth to the God who created the universe, anything is possible!
Firstly we need to look at what Jesus says about faith. Luke 17:6 “He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.” ..... We do not need an increase in our faith, but we may be ignorant about the power of the faith we have.
A mustard seed has all the information contained in it to become a full grown tree. It is lacking in nothing, but simply needs to be put into action. Our faith is similar. Everything necessary for amazing things is contained in our little faith, as it is our faith in a very powerful God – but it remains a seed and nothing more until we put it into action.
Someone once explained it as a chair. You can look at the chair and say that you have faith that the chair will hold you and not collapse under your weight, but unless you are willing to sit in it your in-action betrays your lack of faith.
On the flip side; you may have total faith in a chair to support your weight, but if that chair has a broken leg, all the faith in the world is not going to make that chair more reliable. The reverse is also true. It you only have a tiny bit of faith that a chair will support your weight and yet the chair is totally reliable, then your tiny bit of faith is all that you will require. Therefore, because God is reliable, even if our faith is tiny, we can achieve amazing things.
Paul exhorted Timothy to guard the gift of faith in his life. 2 Timothy 1: 5-7 “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Remember that faith, like a seed, needs to be put into action. Through this faith there is a gift of God which Paul exhorted Timothy to fan into flame. Likewise we have similar gifts and challenges. We have to fan into flame the gift that lies dormant like a seed within us.
Sometimes there can be a kind of spiritual “snobbery”. When great things are happening around certain people or leaders, Christian people can easily fall into thinking that these people are those with great faith, and look up to and revere them. Perhaps you have met some of these people as well, who are very good self promoters. They speak fluent “Christianese” and it takes quite sometime to realize that the depth of their faith is really quite shallow. I think it is very likely that the apostles request for an increase in faith was linked to the temptation to show themselves to be “special” and this is the reason for Jesus following statement:
Luke 17: 7-10 “ "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "
Taking the lesson from this we should remember that the most unassuming and unimpressive person that we know in the church has as much potential for greatness as the most impressive. It reminds me of a message I read from the Christian martyr, Watchman Nee, when he said that to those who are walking in the Spirit, things that others would see as extraordinary are viewed as quite normal and expected.
St. Paul also asks that Timothy guard the faith within him. We need to be told the same... and we achieve this in the same way – with the help of the Holy Spirit and by remaining connected. When we are not connected to sound teachings, teachings that are absolutely true and a proclamation of the Good News, then we are led astray and take on a theology of garbage.... and lies. If it were not a possibility then Paul would not have had to remind Timothy at all.
2 Timothy 1: 13-14 “13What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”
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