Year C Proper 18 5 September 2010
Jeremiah 18: 1-11 Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18 Philemon 1-21 Luke 14: 25-33
Sometimes you have to wonder how Jesus had any followers at all, as he said some pretty hard things and our Gospel reading for this week is one fine example. I do wish that every church would take great notice of this reading and understand that if Jesus was more concerned about the absolute truth than he was about numbers of people on pews then we should be too.
The scene set is one where multitudes were flocking to follow Jesus. I guess we could say the crowds were “fair weather” friends. Who wouldn’t want to follow the man who turned water into wine and a few loaves and fish into a feast to feed thousands? These crowds were so convinced that Jesus was something special that they were actually travelling with him. We do have people like this today. They are those who go to every Christian conference, hooked on the high of large crowds and the knowledge that they are part of the happening thing. Hmm... sounds like a good thing to me!
It was a good thing that these crowds were following Jesus. They were putting their faith in the right place and they were learning as they went, but Jesus needed to prepare them and strengthen them for the future ahead. Do we, as church, follow Jesus’ example in preparing people for the tough times so that they can hold firm to Christ through all the storms of life?
Jesus talks to the crowd about counting the cost. We really do need to take stock and understand the cost – and then decide to follow Jesus anyway. Why? The road is tough, but Jesus is the truth, the life and the only way.
Looking at the Gospel reading we may all agree that the Christian life is difficult.... some have said it is actually impossible... and I agree. The only way that it is possible to live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to continue leading, teaching and guiding us – allow him to live his life through us. In fact we need the Holy Spirit to be continually moulding us.
In the last few weeks we heard about the call of Jeremiah and how he was ordained for the purpose of God before he was born. This week we read in the psalm that God knew us before our bodies were formed or we had any notion of self awareness.
Psalm 139: 16 “your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
We get a sense from this that Jeremiah was not the only one whose life was foreknown by God, but that all of us are somehow uniquely included and individually known and ordained.
Sometimes, though we may have once felt called by God, we feel that we have failed God and wonder how he could have any purpose left for us, considering our past failure. Our reading from Jeremiah takes us to the place of the potter.
Jeremiah 18: 3,4 “So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”
The message from God through Jeremiah explains that God can reshape His nation depending on their response and submission to him.
The image that comes to me when I look at all the readings is that of the butterfly. It is a message of transformation. In the first reading from Jeremiah we see the potential for transformation and the promise that God makes to reform and not abandon to destruction, those who turn to him. Our psalm doesn’t so much speak of transformation as it does of God supreme knowledge of our formation. This prompts me to realize that what seems like transformation to us is really just part of the formation that God had always intended.
Our second reading comes from St. Paul in his letter to Philemon. This is a story of amazing transformation though it is mostly evident when we understand the back ground. In this letter Paul is pleading to Philemon for Onesimus:
Philemon 1: 8 “Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.”
What has happened that Paul needed to make this appeal for Onesimus?
Onesimus was a slave of Philemon who had run away after stealing from Philemon. Somehow the path of Paul and Onesimus was destined to cross and in the process Onesimus became a Christian.
Twice in the letter from St. Paul we read that Paul addresses himself as a prisoner of Christ. Paul was born a free man who had an enviable social status, but he became a Christian and became a prisoner of Christ. Onesimus was a slave, but in becoming a Christian, he discovered that he was a son of the living God. Paul treated Onesimus as his son and asked Philemon to charge anything Onesimus owed him to his account. Onesimus was being sent back to his master, Philemon, but not as a thieving slave, which was his identity when he left, but now as a brother in Christ and an heir of the Kingdom of God. No longer was Onesimus the plain little grub, but now he’d become the majestic butterfly.
Our own transformation (or formation, which ever way you look at it) happens in stages and is constantly happening. There are struggles and tough choices. Jesus tells us in the Gospel Luke 14: 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
Seems ridiculous! Technically the term hate throughout the Bible is used in the context of “loved less”. It was used to explain God’s choosing of Jacob (Israel) over Esau – not that God hated Esau, but that he deliberately chose to love Jacob.
For many of us and for people throughout Biblical and Christian history, God’s call and demand has been to love and care for our, mothers, fathers, spouses, children and brothers and sisters.... but none of these must take the place that God wants to have in our hearts. None of these must become our “god”.
Likewise it is innate to love our own life.... even if we have a love/hate relationship with it. Most of our lives we spend on trying to “save” our lives.... to make our lives... to make our life something, because we really do love it – even though we will often say that life sux! We actually are becoming a society that idolizes our lives. Our despair occurs when we think our life is not what it could be... not as successful and outstanding as someone elses.
Yes God, I’ll follow you, but can you please give me fame and fortune! Okay, not everyone is as shallow as me.... your prayer might be, “yes God, I’ll follow you, but can I please secure my superannuation first?” God’s answer might be yes, or no, but what he requires is for us to love Him more. Perhaps before we can do that we need to think right now about the cost of following him and what it is that we owe him.
We owe God everything. Without Jesus there is no hope of salvation and no eternal life. There is no future beyond this life and nothing to look forward to but fear, conflict, loss and decay.
As a butterfly comes out of its cocoon it struggles and takes quite a long time. The struggle actually helps with the final formation of the butterfly and without this the butterfly will emerge deformed.
We struggle to say yes to God and to follow Jesus and put him above all else, but if we do not struggle we will not emerge. The choice is yours and no one is saying that it will be easy, but really there is no other choice. The cocoon my feel secure and comfortable, but you will die in there.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Reflection for 29th August 2010
Year C Proper 17 29 August 2010
Jeremiah 2: 4-13 Psalm 81: 1, 10-16 Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16 Luke 14: 1, 7-14
Once again our Gospel takes us to a Sabbath in Israel. Jesus is being carefully watched to see if he will heal and break the Sabbath again. But this scene doesn’t take place in the Temple or some other public place, but at the house of a prominent Pharisee. Was it a set up? Or were they simply discerning the situation?
Whatever the purpose of the dinner, Jesus would have been wise to keep a low profile.... smile sweetly at the nice Pharisee... But no... Jesus speaks out yet again challenging his listeners, and us. He tells them to take the seating of the lowest position and also to invite people who can not pay you back. Not seemingly so important as to create a scene by speaking out at all.... what would you have done?
It is the age old question, should we speak out or not? There is a popular Dixie Chicks song which deals with this issue to some extent. The lyrics tell us the advice given to the feisty Dixie Chicks: “you say ‘can’t you just get over it’”. The song is “I’m not ready to make nice”, and I guess that gives us the idea of the song. This singer decided that she wasn’t going to back down. Obviously Jesus was looking more deeply at the situation and saw that it was important for the Pharisees sake and ours.... otherwise St. Luke wouldn’t have included it in his Gospel.
The Ancient Israelites, like all of us, lived with the same pressure to bow down to societal ways of life, rather than live God’s way. Should they remain true to their God or should they follow the customs of the nations around them with whom they traded, lived and intermarried. In fact it was a great deal like our modern life with its increasingly global outlook. It isn’t that a global outlook is bad, but within this very exciting life, there certainly is a very real danger of us losing our identity, our uniqueness, our culture and our beliefs.
Jeremiah speaks to these Ancient Israelites and asks them about their fathers: Jeremiah 2:5a “5 This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me?”
In other words, God was acknowledging that it was the fathers whose lives and decisions shaped the current situation.
Following on from my reflection last week about how we have been reprogrammed in our understanding of right and wrong, is it possible that we are shaping the future generations, setting them up to turn away from God?
Many years ago I was concerned about the religious education in the catholic schools. There had been a shift to teach about other faiths with respect. Education in these other faiths is certainly not a bad thing, but when the person teaching it doesn’t know why Christianity is truly the “Gospel”, what happens is that impressionable students, whose parents are expecting the school to pass on the faith to their children gain a respect and admiration for the religion they undertake a crash course into, and view their own Christian faith with diminished respect. It becomes a kind of case where familiarity breeds contempt!
Would God say the same to us, “What fault did you find in me, that you strayed so far from me?”
It isn’t just in the school situation, but in our families. We may have accepted society’s attitudes to issues and aspects of life that is completely at odds with the Gospel message. Even just in our attitude toward church being a priority there are signs of society’s attitudes evident in our congregations.... or lack thereof. There are many who have found it just too hard to get to church. Really, if we looked hard and honestly we might find that we are holding something against God..... Some how in our subconscious we are saying, “God, you are not as important as .... my family, my job, my pleasure.... etc..”
Hurt often keeps us from being in a healthy relationship with God. We become immobilised in our pain and the great and kind people around us don’t actually help. Sometimes we want so badly to be supportive, caring and understanding – and so we affirm, “it is understandable that you do not go to Church, or that you are not following in the path God wants for you – or not feeling connected to God – give yourself time.” Indeed it is understandable! BUT it isn’t helping people heal to remain this way.
My niece is doing her religion assignment and had to interview people. She asked me about how my faith regards the death of someone in the family. I told her that it gives hope, and the belief in heaven gives a connection to the person, and I don’t know how someone without faith could cope... the loss would be too devastating.
I have discovered that no matter how many times you tell yourself that death is a natural part of life, somehow when you actually have to deal with it you realize that it is impossible to comprehend. Somehow, we hold things like this against God. Past hurts of all kinds.... we say, “God why couldn’t you have prevented that?” And honestly, I have struggled with God about this too. I have no doubt that my experience is not unique.
Ancient Israelites lived in harsh times of common death and disaster. Did they blame God? Was it easier to become bitter and turn away from the law of God?
Psalm 81 tells us: “10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”
Our God has done many good things for us, but as humans, we tend to dwell on the things that have gone wrong rather than things which have gone right. It is no wonder that Hebrews 13 uses the word “sacrifice” to describe the praise we give God. Sometimes it is a sacrifice to break through out bitterness and hurt in order to see the good that God has done for us. Hebrews 13:15 “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
“The fruit of lips that confess his name.” Do our lips confess the name of God? Are we a witness to him in this world, helping to shape the world into his kingdom on earth?
Hebrews 13:7 also exhorts us: “7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
Some of those leaders were put to death for their faith. We are to imitate the faith that they had. No doubt this will mean speaking out and witnessing to the truth of Jesus Christ, to those who will be antagonistic towards us for the message we bring.
The readings this week are about holding firm to our faith and passing on the faith, but there are promises from God in this. Promises to supply our needs and that he will always be with us.
Although I’ve spoken about bravely standing up for our faith, and it may sound like an aggressive stance, our faith is actually one that requires us to truly love. In love we do not think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but consider the needs of others. Sometimes the needs of others will be food and shelter, care and support. Sometimes we will be called to show love by visiting or calling to see how someone is coping. Sometimes we will need to show our love by speaking the truth, which is what Jesus did when spoke to the Pharisees. He told the Pharisees how they could practically show love and respect for others by taking the less important seats.
Jesus was speaking of something deeper. Jesus was the most important guest to planet Earth, but the Pharisees didn’t recognise him. The Pharisees did not know the extent of Jesus identity, and in their ministries they felt that they were way more important than Jesus. In a way, Jesus was trying to open their eyes to allow a place for his ministry, and that of others who were to carry out his will.
In our jobs, and in our church, are we grasping to a “high” position – holding on to our “area” of importance- and in doing so not allowing for the one that God has ordained? Are we overlooking the gifts of someone because they sit in a low position? Is it possible that there is one who God has appointed, who feels like Jeremiah, just a child?
On the flip side, I hope that we also don’t invest in the “tall poppy” syndrome and try to undermine those that God has set in places of authority over us.
The message of Jesus was and is, to regard each other with respect and care, but we must respectfully refuse to bow down to the idols of football, children’s sports, ambition, self-pity and pleasure – because these in perspective are gifts, they can become very tempting idols indeed!
There is an appropriate saying: “He who whittles himself away to suit everyone else soon finds there is nothing left!” Hold firm to the truth and remember that it is in by the witness of our love that people will know we are Christians.
Jeremiah 2: 4-13 Psalm 81: 1, 10-16 Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16 Luke 14: 1, 7-14
Once again our Gospel takes us to a Sabbath in Israel. Jesus is being carefully watched to see if he will heal and break the Sabbath again. But this scene doesn’t take place in the Temple or some other public place, but at the house of a prominent Pharisee. Was it a set up? Or were they simply discerning the situation?
Whatever the purpose of the dinner, Jesus would have been wise to keep a low profile.... smile sweetly at the nice Pharisee... But no... Jesus speaks out yet again challenging his listeners, and us. He tells them to take the seating of the lowest position and also to invite people who can not pay you back. Not seemingly so important as to create a scene by speaking out at all.... what would you have done?
It is the age old question, should we speak out or not? There is a popular Dixie Chicks song which deals with this issue to some extent. The lyrics tell us the advice given to the feisty Dixie Chicks: “you say ‘can’t you just get over it’”. The song is “I’m not ready to make nice”, and I guess that gives us the idea of the song. This singer decided that she wasn’t going to back down. Obviously Jesus was looking more deeply at the situation and saw that it was important for the Pharisees sake and ours.... otherwise St. Luke wouldn’t have included it in his Gospel.
The Ancient Israelites, like all of us, lived with the same pressure to bow down to societal ways of life, rather than live God’s way. Should they remain true to their God or should they follow the customs of the nations around them with whom they traded, lived and intermarried. In fact it was a great deal like our modern life with its increasingly global outlook. It isn’t that a global outlook is bad, but within this very exciting life, there certainly is a very real danger of us losing our identity, our uniqueness, our culture and our beliefs.
Jeremiah speaks to these Ancient Israelites and asks them about their fathers: Jeremiah 2:5a “5 This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me?”
In other words, God was acknowledging that it was the fathers whose lives and decisions shaped the current situation.
Following on from my reflection last week about how we have been reprogrammed in our understanding of right and wrong, is it possible that we are shaping the future generations, setting them up to turn away from God?
Many years ago I was concerned about the religious education in the catholic schools. There had been a shift to teach about other faiths with respect. Education in these other faiths is certainly not a bad thing, but when the person teaching it doesn’t know why Christianity is truly the “Gospel”, what happens is that impressionable students, whose parents are expecting the school to pass on the faith to their children gain a respect and admiration for the religion they undertake a crash course into, and view their own Christian faith with diminished respect. It becomes a kind of case where familiarity breeds contempt!
Would God say the same to us, “What fault did you find in me, that you strayed so far from me?”
It isn’t just in the school situation, but in our families. We may have accepted society’s attitudes to issues and aspects of life that is completely at odds with the Gospel message. Even just in our attitude toward church being a priority there are signs of society’s attitudes evident in our congregations.... or lack thereof. There are many who have found it just too hard to get to church. Really, if we looked hard and honestly we might find that we are holding something against God..... Some how in our subconscious we are saying, “God, you are not as important as .... my family, my job, my pleasure.... etc..”
Hurt often keeps us from being in a healthy relationship with God. We become immobilised in our pain and the great and kind people around us don’t actually help. Sometimes we want so badly to be supportive, caring and understanding – and so we affirm, “it is understandable that you do not go to Church, or that you are not following in the path God wants for you – or not feeling connected to God – give yourself time.” Indeed it is understandable! BUT it isn’t helping people heal to remain this way.
My niece is doing her religion assignment and had to interview people. She asked me about how my faith regards the death of someone in the family. I told her that it gives hope, and the belief in heaven gives a connection to the person, and I don’t know how someone without faith could cope... the loss would be too devastating.
I have discovered that no matter how many times you tell yourself that death is a natural part of life, somehow when you actually have to deal with it you realize that it is impossible to comprehend. Somehow, we hold things like this against God. Past hurts of all kinds.... we say, “God why couldn’t you have prevented that?” And honestly, I have struggled with God about this too. I have no doubt that my experience is not unique.
Ancient Israelites lived in harsh times of common death and disaster. Did they blame God? Was it easier to become bitter and turn away from the law of God?
Psalm 81 tells us: “10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”
Our God has done many good things for us, but as humans, we tend to dwell on the things that have gone wrong rather than things which have gone right. It is no wonder that Hebrews 13 uses the word “sacrifice” to describe the praise we give God. Sometimes it is a sacrifice to break through out bitterness and hurt in order to see the good that God has done for us. Hebrews 13:15 “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
“The fruit of lips that confess his name.” Do our lips confess the name of God? Are we a witness to him in this world, helping to shape the world into his kingdom on earth?
Hebrews 13:7 also exhorts us: “7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
Some of those leaders were put to death for their faith. We are to imitate the faith that they had. No doubt this will mean speaking out and witnessing to the truth of Jesus Christ, to those who will be antagonistic towards us for the message we bring.
The readings this week are about holding firm to our faith and passing on the faith, but there are promises from God in this. Promises to supply our needs and that he will always be with us.
Although I’ve spoken about bravely standing up for our faith, and it may sound like an aggressive stance, our faith is actually one that requires us to truly love. In love we do not think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but consider the needs of others. Sometimes the needs of others will be food and shelter, care and support. Sometimes we will be called to show love by visiting or calling to see how someone is coping. Sometimes we will need to show our love by speaking the truth, which is what Jesus did when spoke to the Pharisees. He told the Pharisees how they could practically show love and respect for others by taking the less important seats.
Jesus was speaking of something deeper. Jesus was the most important guest to planet Earth, but the Pharisees didn’t recognise him. The Pharisees did not know the extent of Jesus identity, and in their ministries they felt that they were way more important than Jesus. In a way, Jesus was trying to open their eyes to allow a place for his ministry, and that of others who were to carry out his will.
In our jobs, and in our church, are we grasping to a “high” position – holding on to our “area” of importance- and in doing so not allowing for the one that God has ordained? Are we overlooking the gifts of someone because they sit in a low position? Is it possible that there is one who God has appointed, who feels like Jeremiah, just a child?
On the flip side, I hope that we also don’t invest in the “tall poppy” syndrome and try to undermine those that God has set in places of authority over us.
The message of Jesus was and is, to regard each other with respect and care, but we must respectfully refuse to bow down to the idols of football, children’s sports, ambition, self-pity and pleasure – because these in perspective are gifts, they can become very tempting idols indeed!
There is an appropriate saying: “He who whittles himself away to suit everyone else soon finds there is nothing left!” Hold firm to the truth and remember that it is in by the witness of our love that people will know we are Christians.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Reflection 22nd August 2010
Year C Proper 16 22 August 2010
Jeremiah 1: 4-10 Psalm 71: 1-6 Hebrews 12: 18-29 Luke 13: 10-17
There was an old woman bent out of Joint – Jesus healed her, and the Pharisees got their nose out of joint! There may be a number of people with their noses out of joint at the moment - it tends to happen over things that we care and feel passionately about, or when we feel an injustice has been done to use.
We find in our Gospel this week, that the Pharisees had their nose out of joint because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Ironically, while the Pharisees had their noses put out of joint, the lady who was physically “bent out of joint” was healed.
The keeping of the Sabbath was important to the Pharisees as it was one of the God given commandments and so it was their responsibility to uphold it. We need to very carefully understand this, as there can be very fine lines between upholding the “Law” and carrying out God’s will. While we can see clearly in retrospect the error of the Pharisees, can we see this in our own lives? Let the Holy Spirit shine his search light, because as humans, we will miss it.
We live in supposedly enlightened times. We understand the inner workings of many complex things. Our “law” has come to reflect this and many areas that may have once been black and white have become complicated shades of grey. But when it all boils down everything ultimately settles into a new form of binary – yes, no – black, white – on, off. Where once we said it was wrong for couples to live together we now change the computer wiring of our brain. It isn’t really that we are accepting the complexities of shades of grey. We have in fact, reprogrammed and what was once, in the binary, a black button is now a white button. Possibly there are a few more “if/then” buttons before the ultimate black and white, but it is still basically a binary system.
I am just using this as an example, not making a moral judgement at all – at this point – but using this to show you how we are not really acting in the mercy and will of God but changing our programming. The same goes for our Sunday trading – we understand that there are some services that need to continue on a Sunday and so, as time progresses, we change our programming such that we now have a white button for all trading to occur.
So, now that we see how our programming has changed, can we see how we might not recognise the will of God? Our programming has changed and in our programming the white buttons are (at least in our minds) the will of God, just as the Pharisees were so sure that their “white” buttons were the will of God.
There are so many issues that our modern society presents as “white” buttons. Which of these have we accepted, that might not actually be God’s will?
Jeremiah 1: 4 – 5 “4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Our first reading tells us that God knew us before we were formed in the womb, which tells us so many things; especially that life is sacred and ordained.
Since Joe has died, I have found myself wondering what I’m doing and where my life is headed and pretty much feeling that it is aimless and pointless. I spoke to a good friend about this and she gave some words of wisdom which tie in perfectly with this reading. She had been on a conference where the question was asked “who does God say you are?” We often spend time studying and declaring who God is, but how would it change your life, if you were to ask God, “Who do you say I am?”
Let’s look at Jeremiah. When we read his response to God we understand that Jeremiah was not very confident. He felt that he was merely a child. We have children, and as they grow we ask them what they want to be when they grow up. From an early age we have them developing a vision of their future and oftentimes that future is actually a mixture of their desires and the vision that we also have for them. Certainly, my vision for my future was the one that was passed on from my parents.... get married, have kids and live happily ever after. I can imagine that Jeremiah had his own vision for his future, and then suddenly God redirected him.
How different would your life be if God interrupted your life and said, “hey, I have appointed you to be a ......” Maybe a nurse, doctor, politician, missionary, lawyer, etc... Most likely, something that is in keeping with your strengths and gifts – maybe what you are doing now. But how would this have changed your life and the way that you do things if God had confirmed His call on your life?
Jeremiah is told that he has been appointed as a prophet to the nations. He was ordained for this purpose before he was born. No doubt, there were those who rejected and disbelieved his call. As I write these words I feel I need to point you back to your personal programming and ask, are you rejecting and thwarting someone’s God ordained call because you feel it is a “black” button?
Our reading from Hebrews 12 warns us to listen to God, but reassures us that we have comfort in our relationship with Jesus and that we need not fear. “25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”
God’s computer programming is far more complex than our own. We need to rely on his Holy Spirit more than anything else as we discern what should be “black” and what should be “white”. As we rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment, perhaps we can also ask of God, “Who do you say I am?” It is possible that we might be surprised and find ourselves directed in a different path or given the confidence to continue on the path from which we felt discouraged. Remember it is God’s voice that we must listen to and not the circumstances around us.
Jeremiah knew that his task would not be easy and he would not always be well received. Jeremiah knew that his life might often look like a failure to others. Those in ministry often experience a definite call, only to feel that they have failed when the task proves to be difficult and the followers are few.
We are called to be a witness and proclaim God’s word. We cannot control the response of others, and we don’t know what it is that God is doing in the invisible spiritual realm. Let’s not judge ourselves or God’s people by what might appear to be failure or success, but instead uphold in prayer, and pray that we each find strength and encouragement to be true to His calling. For each of us God fore knew and has been called to a divine purpose.
Jeremiah 1:4 “4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;”
Jeremiah 1: 4-10 Psalm 71: 1-6 Hebrews 12: 18-29 Luke 13: 10-17
There was an old woman bent out of Joint – Jesus healed her, and the Pharisees got their nose out of joint! There may be a number of people with their noses out of joint at the moment - it tends to happen over things that we care and feel passionately about, or when we feel an injustice has been done to use.
We find in our Gospel this week, that the Pharisees had their nose out of joint because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Ironically, while the Pharisees had their noses put out of joint, the lady who was physically “bent out of joint” was healed.
The keeping of the Sabbath was important to the Pharisees as it was one of the God given commandments and so it was their responsibility to uphold it. We need to very carefully understand this, as there can be very fine lines between upholding the “Law” and carrying out God’s will. While we can see clearly in retrospect the error of the Pharisees, can we see this in our own lives? Let the Holy Spirit shine his search light, because as humans, we will miss it.
We live in supposedly enlightened times. We understand the inner workings of many complex things. Our “law” has come to reflect this and many areas that may have once been black and white have become complicated shades of grey. But when it all boils down everything ultimately settles into a new form of binary – yes, no – black, white – on, off. Where once we said it was wrong for couples to live together we now change the computer wiring of our brain. It isn’t really that we are accepting the complexities of shades of grey. We have in fact, reprogrammed and what was once, in the binary, a black button is now a white button. Possibly there are a few more “if/then” buttons before the ultimate black and white, but it is still basically a binary system.
I am just using this as an example, not making a moral judgement at all – at this point – but using this to show you how we are not really acting in the mercy and will of God but changing our programming. The same goes for our Sunday trading – we understand that there are some services that need to continue on a Sunday and so, as time progresses, we change our programming such that we now have a white button for all trading to occur.
So, now that we see how our programming has changed, can we see how we might not recognise the will of God? Our programming has changed and in our programming the white buttons are (at least in our minds) the will of God, just as the Pharisees were so sure that their “white” buttons were the will of God.
There are so many issues that our modern society presents as “white” buttons. Which of these have we accepted, that might not actually be God’s will?
Jeremiah 1: 4 – 5 “4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Our first reading tells us that God knew us before we were formed in the womb, which tells us so many things; especially that life is sacred and ordained.
Since Joe has died, I have found myself wondering what I’m doing and where my life is headed and pretty much feeling that it is aimless and pointless. I spoke to a good friend about this and she gave some words of wisdom which tie in perfectly with this reading. She had been on a conference where the question was asked “who does God say you are?” We often spend time studying and declaring who God is, but how would it change your life, if you were to ask God, “Who do you say I am?”
Let’s look at Jeremiah. When we read his response to God we understand that Jeremiah was not very confident. He felt that he was merely a child. We have children, and as they grow we ask them what they want to be when they grow up. From an early age we have them developing a vision of their future and oftentimes that future is actually a mixture of their desires and the vision that we also have for them. Certainly, my vision for my future was the one that was passed on from my parents.... get married, have kids and live happily ever after. I can imagine that Jeremiah had his own vision for his future, and then suddenly God redirected him.
How different would your life be if God interrupted your life and said, “hey, I have appointed you to be a ......” Maybe a nurse, doctor, politician, missionary, lawyer, etc... Most likely, something that is in keeping with your strengths and gifts – maybe what you are doing now. But how would this have changed your life and the way that you do things if God had confirmed His call on your life?
Jeremiah is told that he has been appointed as a prophet to the nations. He was ordained for this purpose before he was born. No doubt, there were those who rejected and disbelieved his call. As I write these words I feel I need to point you back to your personal programming and ask, are you rejecting and thwarting someone’s God ordained call because you feel it is a “black” button?
Our reading from Hebrews 12 warns us to listen to God, but reassures us that we have comfort in our relationship with Jesus and that we need not fear. “25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”
God’s computer programming is far more complex than our own. We need to rely on his Holy Spirit more than anything else as we discern what should be “black” and what should be “white”. As we rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment, perhaps we can also ask of God, “Who do you say I am?” It is possible that we might be surprised and find ourselves directed in a different path or given the confidence to continue on the path from which we felt discouraged. Remember it is God’s voice that we must listen to and not the circumstances around us.
Jeremiah knew that his task would not be easy and he would not always be well received. Jeremiah knew that his life might often look like a failure to others. Those in ministry often experience a definite call, only to feel that they have failed when the task proves to be difficult and the followers are few.
We are called to be a witness and proclaim God’s word. We cannot control the response of others, and we don’t know what it is that God is doing in the invisible spiritual realm. Let’s not judge ourselves or God’s people by what might appear to be failure or success, but instead uphold in prayer, and pray that we each find strength and encouragement to be true to His calling. For each of us God fore knew and has been called to a divine purpose.
Jeremiah 1:4 “4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;”
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Reflection for 15th August 2010
Year C Proper 15 15 August 2010
Isaiah 5: 1-7 Psalm 80: 1-2, 8-19 Hebrews 11:29 - 12:2 Luke 12: 49-56
Luke 12:49 "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!”
We have a baptism to undergo: at the present time we are immersed in political promises and propaganda.... and how distressed we are until it is completed.
We live in difficult times. Every era has its problems and blessings. We have the amazing gift of technology, but with it has come rapid change and upheaval in values and beliefs. At this time as we get ready for our election Christians are finding that there is more at stake than our jobs and financial situations, but the very values which this country was built on are in a very fragile position.
Our leaders are working in a global society and our country which has always been quite multicultural, though grounded in Christianity, is now striving to take on the values and beliefs of all, leaving us with a national identity crisis.
Jesus speaks of a baptism that he has to undergo. We know that he was already baptised by John, so what is it that he is speaking about?
In our creed we proclaim that there is one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. If there is one baptism what is it that Jesus is talking about, and what is the one baptism that we profess to believe in.? Ephesians 4:4-6 “4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ever since the time of Christ there has been controversy over baptism. What is it? How should it be done? How many times can we be baptised? Etc... Other references to baptism are made in the Bible, one being Luke 3:16 “16John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
In our reading for this week Jesus speaks of the Baptism he is to undergo and it is a baptism of suffering. At another point in the Bible Jesus asks his disciples if they can be baptised with the same baptism as he, implying that there is suffering, and that they too will suffer. At first glance, and maybe and second and third glance, it doesn’t seem like this is great news for those who strive to be Jesus’ disciples. But there is good news and we sense it as we read that Jesus, rather than avoid this baptism is eager for it to be completed.
Jesus suffered for our sake. He was baptised with suffering, but more importantly he became our “scapegoat”. In the Old Testament there was a ritual where the people would lay their hands on a goat. In doing this they were transferring their sins onto the goat. It was a way of repenting and having their sins taken away. Jesus was baptised or immersed into our sin. He had no sin of his own, but became sin – he took on himself the sin of the world. This is the lamb of God – baptised with our sin.
There is one baptism for the forgiveness of sin. While there are many fights over how baptism should be carried out and when, this shows that we have completely missed the point. The one baptism for the forgiveness of sin is not anything that we do. Jesus has done it. He was baptised into sin and then he took the due punishment. Yes we are baptised in water, showing that we are born again, have repented of sin and accepted our new identity – but essentially it is a celebration of, and our personal initiation into, what Jesus has already accomplished.
Like the disciples we are also often immersed in suffering – especially if we are following Jesus. As Jesus says he brings division and not peace. This is another strange statement, as we sing about “Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth”. Jesus brought us peace, but it is peace with God, and he achieved it through his baptism into sin.
There is division on earth and there is fire. St. Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 “22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
Those who don’t have the understanding of the Holy Spirit will find the message of salvation to be not politically correct, to say the least. In our society we do not want to offend anyone, yet the message of the cross offends. It offends Jews because it declares them to have not recognised their long awaited messiah. It offends our intellect, as the resurrection is beyond our comprehension. The message of the cross offends pretty much everyone because it declares that we are all sinners who need forgiveness. It may be offensive but it is the absolute truth. If we can handle the truth and overcome our pride then we have the amazing gift of God’s acceptance and eternal life.
The message of God is ours to proclaim. We will offend. Of course we don’t want to offend anyone and if at all possible we strive not to, but some of the very real dangers in our up-coming election are changes to the law that will see our Christian values annihilated. Will you take that lying down?
Many female labour candidates are members of an organisation, “Emily’s List”*. One of the main agenda’s of this group is to have abortion decriminalised. This group gives funding to help their members promote themselves in their election campaigns. Just today there was an article in the Courier Mail about a lady who is currently being charged with the murder of her new born baby. The lady did not want the baby as she hoped to get into the Olympics for Water Polo. She had already aborted a couple of pregnancies. As far as I can see, she had already murdered children, but the law allowed these. I can’t help but see that the law which condoned her actions and should be held as much accountable as she is now for this murder charge. How can we possibly hold her accountable for murder when we allow murder to happen legally in the form of abortion?
I have said before, I don’t hear the church being vocal about these things. We’ve been so battered over the years that we are too scared or worn out to “stick our necks out” again. It seems that even our leaders are bowing to pressure. We had a Christian Prime Minister who has been “stabbed in the back”, but did he really “do” anything about these national “sins”? Really only God knows how true he has been to the revelations that God has given him. We now have an opposition leader who is known to have conservative views due to his Christian faith. Will he cave under the public pressure? One thing is for certain, to whom much is given, much is expected. When these leaders who claim to be God’s people fail to lead in the light of Christ they will be held accountable. And on that note – SO ARE WE.
Our reading s from Hebrews continues from last week. This week we are reminded of those who walked by faith. Some experienced amazing things when they stepped out in faith, but others were flogged, stoned and sawn in two. We are not likely to be treated so harshly for our faith, and yet I know that the emotional and verbal stones that people can throw can cut deeply and wound almost fatally. We need to pray constantly for our Christian politicians, our Church leaders and Christian family.
Hebrews 12 “1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
For those who’d like to know what parties are supporting what, as far as Christian values, there is a simple chart available from saltshakers.org: http://www.saltshakers.org.au/images/stories/attachments/Christian_Values_Checklist_-_fed_2010_-_highres.pdf
links about Emily’s List: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/decriminalised-abortion-tops-emilys-wish-list/2006/07/09/1152383611863.html
http://www.emilyslist.org.au/
Abortion statistics: http://www.abortionfacts.com/statistics/world_statistics_australia.asp
http://www.nswrtl.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=119
Isaiah 5: 1-7 Psalm 80: 1-2, 8-19 Hebrews 11:29 - 12:2 Luke 12: 49-56
Luke 12:49 "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!”
We have a baptism to undergo: at the present time we are immersed in political promises and propaganda.... and how distressed we are until it is completed.
We live in difficult times. Every era has its problems and blessings. We have the amazing gift of technology, but with it has come rapid change and upheaval in values and beliefs. At this time as we get ready for our election Christians are finding that there is more at stake than our jobs and financial situations, but the very values which this country was built on are in a very fragile position.
Our leaders are working in a global society and our country which has always been quite multicultural, though grounded in Christianity, is now striving to take on the values and beliefs of all, leaving us with a national identity crisis.
Jesus speaks of a baptism that he has to undergo. We know that he was already baptised by John, so what is it that he is speaking about?
In our creed we proclaim that there is one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. If there is one baptism what is it that Jesus is talking about, and what is the one baptism that we profess to believe in.? Ephesians 4:4-6 “4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ever since the time of Christ there has been controversy over baptism. What is it? How should it be done? How many times can we be baptised? Etc... Other references to baptism are made in the Bible, one being Luke 3:16 “16John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
In our reading for this week Jesus speaks of the Baptism he is to undergo and it is a baptism of suffering. At another point in the Bible Jesus asks his disciples if they can be baptised with the same baptism as he, implying that there is suffering, and that they too will suffer. At first glance, and maybe and second and third glance, it doesn’t seem like this is great news for those who strive to be Jesus’ disciples. But there is good news and we sense it as we read that Jesus, rather than avoid this baptism is eager for it to be completed.
Jesus suffered for our sake. He was baptised with suffering, but more importantly he became our “scapegoat”. In the Old Testament there was a ritual where the people would lay their hands on a goat. In doing this they were transferring their sins onto the goat. It was a way of repenting and having their sins taken away. Jesus was baptised or immersed into our sin. He had no sin of his own, but became sin – he took on himself the sin of the world. This is the lamb of God – baptised with our sin.
There is one baptism for the forgiveness of sin. While there are many fights over how baptism should be carried out and when, this shows that we have completely missed the point. The one baptism for the forgiveness of sin is not anything that we do. Jesus has done it. He was baptised into sin and then he took the due punishment. Yes we are baptised in water, showing that we are born again, have repented of sin and accepted our new identity – but essentially it is a celebration of, and our personal initiation into, what Jesus has already accomplished.
Like the disciples we are also often immersed in suffering – especially if we are following Jesus. As Jesus says he brings division and not peace. This is another strange statement, as we sing about “Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth”. Jesus brought us peace, but it is peace with God, and he achieved it through his baptism into sin.
There is division on earth and there is fire. St. Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 “22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
Those who don’t have the understanding of the Holy Spirit will find the message of salvation to be not politically correct, to say the least. In our society we do not want to offend anyone, yet the message of the cross offends. It offends Jews because it declares them to have not recognised their long awaited messiah. It offends our intellect, as the resurrection is beyond our comprehension. The message of the cross offends pretty much everyone because it declares that we are all sinners who need forgiveness. It may be offensive but it is the absolute truth. If we can handle the truth and overcome our pride then we have the amazing gift of God’s acceptance and eternal life.
The message of God is ours to proclaim. We will offend. Of course we don’t want to offend anyone and if at all possible we strive not to, but some of the very real dangers in our up-coming election are changes to the law that will see our Christian values annihilated. Will you take that lying down?
Many female labour candidates are members of an organisation, “Emily’s List”*. One of the main agenda’s of this group is to have abortion decriminalised. This group gives funding to help their members promote themselves in their election campaigns. Just today there was an article in the Courier Mail about a lady who is currently being charged with the murder of her new born baby. The lady did not want the baby as she hoped to get into the Olympics for Water Polo. She had already aborted a couple of pregnancies. As far as I can see, she had already murdered children, but the law allowed these. I can’t help but see that the law which condoned her actions and should be held as much accountable as she is now for this murder charge. How can we possibly hold her accountable for murder when we allow murder to happen legally in the form of abortion?
I have said before, I don’t hear the church being vocal about these things. We’ve been so battered over the years that we are too scared or worn out to “stick our necks out” again. It seems that even our leaders are bowing to pressure. We had a Christian Prime Minister who has been “stabbed in the back”, but did he really “do” anything about these national “sins”? Really only God knows how true he has been to the revelations that God has given him. We now have an opposition leader who is known to have conservative views due to his Christian faith. Will he cave under the public pressure? One thing is for certain, to whom much is given, much is expected. When these leaders who claim to be God’s people fail to lead in the light of Christ they will be held accountable. And on that note – SO ARE WE.
Our reading s from Hebrews continues from last week. This week we are reminded of those who walked by faith. Some experienced amazing things when they stepped out in faith, but others were flogged, stoned and sawn in two. We are not likely to be treated so harshly for our faith, and yet I know that the emotional and verbal stones that people can throw can cut deeply and wound almost fatally. We need to pray constantly for our Christian politicians, our Church leaders and Christian family.
Hebrews 12 “1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
For those who’d like to know what parties are supporting what, as far as Christian values, there is a simple chart available from saltshakers.org: http://www.saltshakers.org.au/images/stories/attachments/Christian_Values_Checklist_-_fed_2010_-_highres.pdf
links about Emily’s List: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/decriminalised-abortion-tops-emilys-wish-list/2006/07/09/1152383611863.html
http://www.emilyslist.org.au/
Abortion statistics: http://www.abortionfacts.com/statistics/world_statistics_australia.asp
http://www.nswrtl.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=119
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Reflection on readings 8th August 2010
Year C Proper 14 8 August 2010
Isaiah 1: 1, 10-20 Psalm 50: 1-8, 22-23 Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-16 Luke 12: 32-40
We are exhausted. We are broken. We’ve been taught that it is quite common to have “break downs” and not unusual to find ourselves not coping. We and health authorities give us permission to “care for ourselves”, and “take it easy for awhile” and we’ve become pretty proficient in this skill. But this week we find the Gospel message warning us we must not run out of steam.
Luke 12: 35"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”
How can we be dressed ready for service? I believe that we have gotten bogged down in the traditions of men. We are weighed down by burdens that we think are God given, but are not. We are dressed and ready for service when our minds are renewed so that we understand what God requires and identify those burdens from which He has set us free. That is, put off the clothing of burden and put on the wedding clothes of the bride of Christ.
Isaiah 1: “14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.”
We understand from the passage from Isaiah that even God becomes weary when burdened by the traditions of men. However the passage presents a problem in that we understand that the Israelites were obeying God in their sacrifices and believed themselves to be justified by their actions. They figured that they could do whatever evil they wanted and then so long as they presented the prescribed sacrifices they figured themselves to be okay with God. Ba-Bong! They were wrong!
The traditions of men are a burden to us too. To start with I should say the traditions of men and women.... because we supposedly live in an evolved and perfect world where all is equal... and supposedly changing our language is the first step. Personally, I have a really bad habit of shortening names and words, and when I’m talking to the children at school I sometimes address the girls and boys with, “hey guys....” A-oh!
Really I don’t think the language is the issue. – Many people do and a lot of energy has been wasted over the decades in the church just fighting about the language. Let me strive to show you that God has set us free from all this. He said that there is no longer, Jew, nor Greek, male nor female – as we are all one in Christ Jesus. Note that there actually are Jews and Greeks and there are males and females, but as far as the church SHOULD be concerned – this is where there should be true equality..... not in word, but in DEED.
I’ve probably really confused you now as I seemed to have flipped from one side of the argument to the other.... I haven’t. What I am saying is that we waste time worrying about our roles as males or females in the church and this reveals that we, though possibly even indwelt by the Holy Spirit are not being led by the Spirit – we are keeping people burdened and enslaved... people who God has set free and ordained for his good work. Do you know how discouraging it is to be told you can’t do something? Now imagine that the only justification is that you are a female.... And we wonder that the church is losing credibility!
This particular issue is not the crux of the message for this week. It is just one example of how the traditions of “men” – which we think are God given (and maybe in some form or for some place and time they were!), are exhausting and crippling the church.
The way in which the church needs to dress herself for service is to be not only indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but actually led by the Spirit also. The Holy Spirit is the one who encourages and empowers. I remember an occasion many years ago when I was helping with a state high school RE day in Rockhampton. I was praying about what to say and what particular message to present. The message came back pretty strong that I was to tell them that God loved them. Now I don’t know if you know much about teenagers in schools, but to think of going in and saying, “God loves you” is pretty much the grounds for crucifixion.
Somehow during me telling the students about my faith journey I did end up telling them about my experience of praying and asking God what to say to them.... I told them.... and you could have heard a pin drop. At any other time I would not recommend this. I wouldn’t do it again – UNLESS the Spirit directed – and that is my point. When we follow the leading of the Spirit and encourage and empower people – not censoring with our minds but with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, life is created and people are set free.
To be dressed ready for service we need to understand that we are forgiven and united to God. When we hold on to our sins, thinking that God couldn’t really forgive, then we are not free to truly love and we, once again, cripple the church. We find some very important words in our first reading from Isaiah1: “18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
These words were addressed to people whom Isaiah addressed as Sodom and Gomorrah – they were evil, evil people. AND they were two faced. They sinned and then went to the temple with their sacrifices and assumed themselves justified. Maybe we sometimes feel like hypocrites.... others might not know our sins, but we do and maybe we feel undeserving. Let me attempt to show you the truth, and hopefully by it, you will be set free: We are not justified by our sacrifices. Going to church and giving lots of money or gifts of service will not justify us. If this is where you are at, you will already feel the burden of never feeling that you can quite do enough. We are justified by this simple, simple thing of God’s word. God says we are forgiven. Jesus paid the price and made perfect once and for all us who are being made holy.
It is such Good News that we can’t comprehend it. How can it be that I am justified when I have done nothing to deserve it? We are told in the Bible that we are justified by faith -in others words, by believing God. When God says we are forgiven and we believe him, we are justified. Our second reading explains what faith is, as some often confuse faith with an irrational jump – a leap of faith – it is nothing of the sort.
Hebrews 11:1 “1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.”
Being SURE is not “blind faith” or “strong believing”. It is more, and I can hear you asking,“ how you can be sure?” The answer is again in that thing that I keep emphasising since Easter – the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God within us and it is God communicating with us that enables us to be sure.
Now that we understand these things we are dressed ready for service... we keep our lamps burning – the lamp of the Holy Spirit burning within us, by prayer and constant communion and submission to God – by remaining in God. We have many helps for this as the gifts of the Holy Spirit help us. We needed to be connected to the church and other Christians as the Holy Spirit gives us differing gifts and we need each other.
Luke 12 has another warning: “38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.”
What house is being broken into and what is being stolen?
Because we have become burdened by the traditions of men and our lack of understanding of the Good News, the joy and life that God had intended for us has been stolen. Possibly even worse, some of His children have been stolen due to discouragement and our lack of ministry – due to our discouragement. We can’t let this continue.
There is yet one more warning in the Gospel reading. The warning: Luke 12: 40 “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
You’ve got to admit we’ve all become somewhat blasé about Christ’s 2nd coming. We know it will happen someday, but surely a long time away yet. While this is possibly true, for each of us there is a personal day of Christ’s coming and we don’t know the time, we need to always be ready. Joe had said that he was fortunate to have time to prepare, but it isn’t that way for most.
I want to finish with that verse from Luke that we began with and add a strange story of something that happened to me this week – maybe it is just crazy, or maybe it is something we need to take notice of.
I was on the computer late at night and just before I logged off I again checked my emails. One had come through marked as being from Joe. I was, at the time, on Joe’s computer and so I assumed that somehow I had done something to have it accidentally sent to myself.... and this is most likely as I was trying to send emails. However, the email came from Joe’s account to my hotmail account and had a sheet music file attached. The sheet music was for a kids song that I had found about a month or two ago. The words of the song are: “Behold, behold I stand at the door and knock, knock, knock..... and if anyone hears my voice..... and will open, open, open the door I will come in.”
Now re-look at that verse from Luke’s Gospel:
Luke 12: 35"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”
Isaiah 1: 1, 10-20 Psalm 50: 1-8, 22-23 Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-16 Luke 12: 32-40
We are exhausted. We are broken. We’ve been taught that it is quite common to have “break downs” and not unusual to find ourselves not coping. We and health authorities give us permission to “care for ourselves”, and “take it easy for awhile” and we’ve become pretty proficient in this skill. But this week we find the Gospel message warning us we must not run out of steam.
Luke 12: 35"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”
How can we be dressed ready for service? I believe that we have gotten bogged down in the traditions of men. We are weighed down by burdens that we think are God given, but are not. We are dressed and ready for service when our minds are renewed so that we understand what God requires and identify those burdens from which He has set us free. That is, put off the clothing of burden and put on the wedding clothes of the bride of Christ.
Isaiah 1: “14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.”
We understand from the passage from Isaiah that even God becomes weary when burdened by the traditions of men. However the passage presents a problem in that we understand that the Israelites were obeying God in their sacrifices and believed themselves to be justified by their actions. They figured that they could do whatever evil they wanted and then so long as they presented the prescribed sacrifices they figured themselves to be okay with God. Ba-Bong! They were wrong!
The traditions of men are a burden to us too. To start with I should say the traditions of men and women.... because we supposedly live in an evolved and perfect world where all is equal... and supposedly changing our language is the first step. Personally, I have a really bad habit of shortening names and words, and when I’m talking to the children at school I sometimes address the girls and boys with, “hey guys....” A-oh!
Really I don’t think the language is the issue. – Many people do and a lot of energy has been wasted over the decades in the church just fighting about the language. Let me strive to show you that God has set us free from all this. He said that there is no longer, Jew, nor Greek, male nor female – as we are all one in Christ Jesus. Note that there actually are Jews and Greeks and there are males and females, but as far as the church SHOULD be concerned – this is where there should be true equality..... not in word, but in DEED.
I’ve probably really confused you now as I seemed to have flipped from one side of the argument to the other.... I haven’t. What I am saying is that we waste time worrying about our roles as males or females in the church and this reveals that we, though possibly even indwelt by the Holy Spirit are not being led by the Spirit – we are keeping people burdened and enslaved... people who God has set free and ordained for his good work. Do you know how discouraging it is to be told you can’t do something? Now imagine that the only justification is that you are a female.... And we wonder that the church is losing credibility!
This particular issue is not the crux of the message for this week. It is just one example of how the traditions of “men” – which we think are God given (and maybe in some form or for some place and time they were!), are exhausting and crippling the church.
The way in which the church needs to dress herself for service is to be not only indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but actually led by the Spirit also. The Holy Spirit is the one who encourages and empowers. I remember an occasion many years ago when I was helping with a state high school RE day in Rockhampton. I was praying about what to say and what particular message to present. The message came back pretty strong that I was to tell them that God loved them. Now I don’t know if you know much about teenagers in schools, but to think of going in and saying, “God loves you” is pretty much the grounds for crucifixion.
Somehow during me telling the students about my faith journey I did end up telling them about my experience of praying and asking God what to say to them.... I told them.... and you could have heard a pin drop. At any other time I would not recommend this. I wouldn’t do it again – UNLESS the Spirit directed – and that is my point. When we follow the leading of the Spirit and encourage and empower people – not censoring with our minds but with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, life is created and people are set free.
To be dressed ready for service we need to understand that we are forgiven and united to God. When we hold on to our sins, thinking that God couldn’t really forgive, then we are not free to truly love and we, once again, cripple the church. We find some very important words in our first reading from Isaiah1: “18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
These words were addressed to people whom Isaiah addressed as Sodom and Gomorrah – they were evil, evil people. AND they were two faced. They sinned and then went to the temple with their sacrifices and assumed themselves justified. Maybe we sometimes feel like hypocrites.... others might not know our sins, but we do and maybe we feel undeserving. Let me attempt to show you the truth, and hopefully by it, you will be set free: We are not justified by our sacrifices. Going to church and giving lots of money or gifts of service will not justify us. If this is where you are at, you will already feel the burden of never feeling that you can quite do enough. We are justified by this simple, simple thing of God’s word. God says we are forgiven. Jesus paid the price and made perfect once and for all us who are being made holy.
It is such Good News that we can’t comprehend it. How can it be that I am justified when I have done nothing to deserve it? We are told in the Bible that we are justified by faith -in others words, by believing God. When God says we are forgiven and we believe him, we are justified. Our second reading explains what faith is, as some often confuse faith with an irrational jump – a leap of faith – it is nothing of the sort.
Hebrews 11:1 “1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.”
Being SURE is not “blind faith” or “strong believing”. It is more, and I can hear you asking,“ how you can be sure?” The answer is again in that thing that I keep emphasising since Easter – the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God within us and it is God communicating with us that enables us to be sure.
Now that we understand these things we are dressed ready for service... we keep our lamps burning – the lamp of the Holy Spirit burning within us, by prayer and constant communion and submission to God – by remaining in God. We have many helps for this as the gifts of the Holy Spirit help us. We needed to be connected to the church and other Christians as the Holy Spirit gives us differing gifts and we need each other.
Luke 12 has another warning: “38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.”
What house is being broken into and what is being stolen?
Because we have become burdened by the traditions of men and our lack of understanding of the Good News, the joy and life that God had intended for us has been stolen. Possibly even worse, some of His children have been stolen due to discouragement and our lack of ministry – due to our discouragement. We can’t let this continue.
There is yet one more warning in the Gospel reading. The warning: Luke 12: 40 “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
You’ve got to admit we’ve all become somewhat blasé about Christ’s 2nd coming. We know it will happen someday, but surely a long time away yet. While this is possibly true, for each of us there is a personal day of Christ’s coming and we don’t know the time, we need to always be ready. Joe had said that he was fortunate to have time to prepare, but it isn’t that way for most.
I want to finish with that verse from Luke that we began with and add a strange story of something that happened to me this week – maybe it is just crazy, or maybe it is something we need to take notice of.
I was on the computer late at night and just before I logged off I again checked my emails. One had come through marked as being from Joe. I was, at the time, on Joe’s computer and so I assumed that somehow I had done something to have it accidentally sent to myself.... and this is most likely as I was trying to send emails. However, the email came from Joe’s account to my hotmail account and had a sheet music file attached. The sheet music was for a kids song that I had found about a month or two ago. The words of the song are: “Behold, behold I stand at the door and knock, knock, knock..... and if anyone hears my voice..... and will open, open, open the door I will come in.”
Now re-look at that verse from Luke’s Gospel:
Luke 12: 35"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”
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