Year A Proper 13 31 July 2011
Genesis 32: 22-31 Psalm 17: 1-7, 15 Romans 9: 1-5 Matthew 14: 13-21
Earlier this week I put a status post on my facebook that read, “The biggest struggle is the one within”. This week’s readings are about struggle and persistence.
There are always options when we face obstacles; face the difficulty and work through it or avoid the difficulty. Our Old Testament reading follows on from last week’s story of Jacob, but jumps ahead a little. Jacob had worked many years to gain his wives and he had also worked for his father-in-law to gain his flocks. Over these years his father-in-law and he himself seemed both to be playing deceptive games to stay a step ahead of each other. Jacob’s very name implied deception and the story of his life involved one deception after another. This trait had not left him endeared to his brother through whose territory he was passing by on his journey into the land where God had called him.
Our reading this week, about Jacob, tells of Jacob alone at night after sending his family and all his possessions across the stream. Through the whole night long Jacob wrestled with a man. Each time I read this I get the feeling that Jacob was wrestling with more than just a man... indeed we find out that this is true... but I feel that Jacob may have been wrestling with the consequences of his life and the various obstacles and difficulties.... a struggle within.... and a battle to continue on the path that God had called him into.
In each of our readings there is a sense of this struggle to continue in God’s call. St. Paul expresses his agony over the chosen people of God, Jacob’s descendants. So many refused to acknowledge Jesus and St. Paul says, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.” (Romans 9:2-5).
The promises of God were first and foremost for this chosen race and still are, but we all are called and chosen and have free will, and we need to freely accept the gift of God in order to receive it.
The struggle of St. Paul was a struggle to properly proclaim the truth and good news about Jesus Christ to a people for whom the gift of eternal life was offered – even more than that- for a people loved by God. St. Paul felt the burden of life or death was on his shoulders and if this people did not accept God’s gift the responsibility was his.... I need to qualify this statement because the responsibility for the eternal life and death of God’s chosen people (those he calls us to minister to – i.e. those around us) is also ours if we do not proclaim the good news and make Jesus known. Once we have proclaimed the message and done what God has called us to, the responsibility to accept or reject then falls on those to whom we were called to minister.
St. Paul agonized over the people, but I feel that we are rather blasé. There may be a few of us who agonize over the fact that so many people do not properly understand the message of Jesus, but mostly it is a struggle that most of us have decided to avoid rather than work through. Perhaps we do not realize that it is our responsibility or perhaps we feel discouraged and need some divine encouragement.
Jesus understood discouragement and struggle. In our Gospel reading this week it begins with Jesus going away to a solitary place. What we might miss in the text is the emotions that Jesus was struggling with at this time.
John, the Baptist, had just been beheaded. This is why Jesus was withdrawing to a solitary place. No doubt this was a sad time for Jesus and I’m sure that he was aware that in some form this was a passing from one leader to another. With John’s ministry ended the people who followed would be now looking to Jesus. Not only that, but there must have been a fear among the followers about speaking out the truth – such things get you beheaded.
Even today, speaking the truth clearly can get you into a lot of trouble. In some countries it will get you killed, but even in Australia there are some things that will get you into trouble as we become more and more supposedly “tolerant” and politically correct. At present Scripture Union is battling a court case because someone is objecting to the presence of Chaplains in our state schools. How is it that a body responsible for doing such good and vital work is now being brought before the legal system like a criminal? Our tolerant society is not tolerant of Christianity in its true form; though they don’t mind the feel good “God is love and loves everyone” bit... they just don’t want to hear anything else. And whatever you do don’t tell anyone that they are a sinner because this deeply offends them! Reality bites!
And now I’ll try to get down off my soap box and focus back on the story of Jacob. Jacob’s life had a past history of deception. He knew that he had the call of God but he struggled. He struggled and didn’t give in. That fateful night Jacob even struggled and wrestled with God. Jacob did not give in and let go of God, but instead demanded a blessing..... It was at this point that God changed his name to Israel, which means “He struggles with God”.
This name change signified a confirmation of God’s call on Jacob’s life and a change from the past.... no longer was Jacob the deceiver, but instead he was one who struggled with God. His name and future was united to God. This call of God and blessing then shaped the future of the Israelite nation.
It is our call of God at our baptism that should have shaped our future. For many of us it was so long ago that it may not have been made conscious or forgotten as the business of life presses in. At baptism we are named. Jacob was named Israel to signify his future. Whatever our name, through baptism we too are united in our future to God and we have the responsibility to shape the world around us through the gifts that God has given to and through us. Are you feeling overwhelmed at that thought?
I love the story of the loaves and fishes that we find in the Gospel reading. Here was Jesus struggling with his own emotional battle. The grief and the weight of responsibility must have been wearying, but when Jesus sees a crown he is moved with compassion. He knows his call and even though battling with his own struggles he strives to make God properly and fully understood.
Matthew 14:14-16 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
It was evening and the disciples were tired. They wanted to be alone and they had nothing else to give but Jesus says, “You give them something to eat”. What?????
I’m sure you’ve been there..... maybe you are there now. “How can I give? I struggling with my own problems.... my financial problems, my family issues, my health, my depression”. We’ve become a very “Me” society and everyone is quick to tell you that you need to look after yourself first. But is this the way that it should be? It doesn’t seem to help at all but leads to more and more introspection and more and more self needs.
Ah... but I hear you say, “I have nothing to give”.
The disciples had nothing to give. But someone willingly offered what little they had. Many people have commented about this passage that maybe it wasn’t a miracle but that when someone was unselfish in their offering others all followed suit. When we look at the rest of the reading and note the response of the people, who wanted to make him king by force, we can only assume that these people truly witnessed an amazing miracle.
The same can be true in our lives. We don’t feel that we have anything to give - we just can’t do it. But because we sense the call of God we put one foot in front of the other and find that we not only can do the things we thought we couldn’t, but in fact we actually gain a lot of life in doing so. I once heard an international speaker put it this way: “our limited resources willingly offered and blessed by God are more than adequate to achieve divine purposes.”
What we learn in these readings is that the struggle is common to all. If we will hold tight to God and not let go of Him and His call, we will walk in a future of destiny, shaping the world around us, being blessed and being a blessing to others. Miracles happen and God will provide all that we need but we do need make an effort to willingly offer what we have and give it to God for His blessing. We too are Israel. We struggle with God. We struggle and wrestle with him and like Jacob did on that night sometimes against Him, but the important thing is to never let go and in our struggles of life God struggle alongside with us.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Reflection on readings for 24th July 2011
Year A Proper 12 24 July 2011
Genesis 29: 15-28 Psalm 105: 1-11, 45c OR Psalm 128 Romans 8: 26-39 Matthew 13: 31-3, 44-52
When we look into God’s word we find that it isn’t only Jesus who used parables, but that often peoples’ lives were a parable for the promises and the working of God. We find this often and most obviously in the writings and the recorded lives of the prophets, but in this week’s readings we find it also in the 1st reading – in the story of Jacob.
The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven is the theme running through the readings. One thing that we read about in the Gospel is the parable of how the kingdom is like a mustard seed. It begins tiny and grows to be something of magnitude and a blessing to those in contact with it.
Matthew 13:31, 32 “He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
The kingdom of God is not just a blessing to those who are part of the Kingdom, i.e. us, but when the Kingdom of God grows in our community we find the whole community will be blessed as the Kingdom impacts by showering the community with God’s love and justice. An organisational example of this is the community work of the Salvation Army, the Uniting Church’s Blue Care, Anglicare, St. Vinnies, Lifeline.... just to name a few. But beyond these organisations is the impact that we Christians have as individuals in the lives of those around us. Hopefully, we stand out in the community as true friends, those who are reliable and someone to turn to when the chips are down. Hopefully, we are those in whose company people delight to be because we are people of hope and of Spirit and show the love of God also.
In our first reading we follow the story of Jacob. Here we find the mustard seed. This is the beginning of one of God’s Kingdoms.... the beginning of the Israelite nation. In this story we discover that right there at the beginning was something that Jacob saw as being of great worth. Jacob was in love with Rachel he was prepared to work seven years to make her his wife, but as it turned out he happily worked fourteen years to make her his wife. Wow! Try telling that story to the young couples who are eagerly marrying!
Jacob saw such a treasure in Rachel that he committed his whole life and being into gaining her. Our Gospel tells a similar parable about how the Kingdom of God is like a man who found a treasure and sold all that he had to buy that treasure.
Matthew 13:44-46 ““The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.””
Do we realize what a treasure the Kingdom of God is? Are we prepared to commit our live and being into gaining the Kingdom of God?
I believe that we forget how great a treasure we have, but if we look at our 2nd reading we are reminded of the amazing gift that we have.
Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
This is an amazing statement of positivity. It doesn’t matter what happens in our life, good or bad.... somehow throughout all, we know that God works all things for the good of those who are called according to his purpose.
Last week we read the psalm that speaks about God knowing us and calling us from the womb (Psalm 139). We find in the reading this week that God foreknew us and he also predestined us to be called. He also has justified us and in this he qualifies us for glory. It is the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice that justifies us. But what do we mean by being justified? Too often we don’t fully grasp the amazing gift and what it means to be justified.
We, in and of ourselves, fall short of God’s glory and are therefore separated from God, but Jesus died as one who was perfect and in union with God. We speak of the belief we have in the one baptism for the forgiveness of sin.... that one baptism is the one that Jesus spoke of when he said, “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!” Luke 12:50. Jesus was referring to his baptism into the sins of the entire world that he would take to the cross.
The Old Testament explains this forgiveness of sins by means of a “scapegoat” – a goat “baptized” with the sins of the nation. This too was a parable for the role of Jesus. Leviticus 16:21-22 “He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.”
When hands were laid on the goat it was “baptized” or “immersed” in the sins of the nation. Jesus is our scapegoat, he was immersed in our sins and through his sacrifice we are justified.
Finally we have yet another parable, that of the net. Matthew 13:47-50 ““Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Without taking things too literally, we read that in the 1st reading, although Jacob saw Rachel as his “kingdom”, he ended up with two wives and Leah was caught up into the kingdom of God also. In fact the lineage of Jesus was through Leah.
When we read the parable of the net we notice that all kinds of people are part of the Kingdom of God and not all are considered good. This is similar to the parable of the wheat and the weeds, where both were permitted to grow together and were separated at the end of the age. A wrong interpretation of this parable could lead to judgment within the Kingdom of God. Note that we are not those who collect the good and throw away the bad – this is solely the job of the Angels. If it was up to us we’d have probably accepted the “Rachels” of the Kingdom and left out the “Leahs” therefore crippling the Kingdom and thwarting the will of God – if that is possible.
If anything, this parable holds a message to understand that all are given every chance and opportunity to accept God’s grace right up until the very end. And don’t forget that those who’ve accepted God’s grace are justified. It isn’t about perfection, because none of us will ever be perfect – but it is about resting in the knowledge of the completed sacrifice of Jesus. We rest assured because we are told that nothing can separate us from the love of God that we have through the sacrifice of Jesus..... NOTHING!
Because Jesus has justified us we will not be condemned – our sins can not condemn us – they have been paid for. This is wonderful Good News and is a treasure that is worth committing our lives to gaining. But just to let you know that I’m telling the truth in this – because it really does sound too good to be true, I’m going to leave you with the quote from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans that affirms this wonderful good news:
Romans 8:33b-39 “It is God who justifies. Who then can condemn? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Genesis 29: 15-28 Psalm 105: 1-11, 45c OR Psalm 128 Romans 8: 26-39 Matthew 13: 31-3, 44-52
When we look into God’s word we find that it isn’t only Jesus who used parables, but that often peoples’ lives were a parable for the promises and the working of God. We find this often and most obviously in the writings and the recorded lives of the prophets, but in this week’s readings we find it also in the 1st reading – in the story of Jacob.
The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven is the theme running through the readings. One thing that we read about in the Gospel is the parable of how the kingdom is like a mustard seed. It begins tiny and grows to be something of magnitude and a blessing to those in contact with it.
Matthew 13:31, 32 “He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
The kingdom of God is not just a blessing to those who are part of the Kingdom, i.e. us, but when the Kingdom of God grows in our community we find the whole community will be blessed as the Kingdom impacts by showering the community with God’s love and justice. An organisational example of this is the community work of the Salvation Army, the Uniting Church’s Blue Care, Anglicare, St. Vinnies, Lifeline.... just to name a few. But beyond these organisations is the impact that we Christians have as individuals in the lives of those around us. Hopefully, we stand out in the community as true friends, those who are reliable and someone to turn to when the chips are down. Hopefully, we are those in whose company people delight to be because we are people of hope and of Spirit and show the love of God also.
In our first reading we follow the story of Jacob. Here we find the mustard seed. This is the beginning of one of God’s Kingdoms.... the beginning of the Israelite nation. In this story we discover that right there at the beginning was something that Jacob saw as being of great worth. Jacob was in love with Rachel he was prepared to work seven years to make her his wife, but as it turned out he happily worked fourteen years to make her his wife. Wow! Try telling that story to the young couples who are eagerly marrying!
Jacob saw such a treasure in Rachel that he committed his whole life and being into gaining her. Our Gospel tells a similar parable about how the Kingdom of God is like a man who found a treasure and sold all that he had to buy that treasure.
Matthew 13:44-46 ““The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.””
Do we realize what a treasure the Kingdom of God is? Are we prepared to commit our live and being into gaining the Kingdom of God?
I believe that we forget how great a treasure we have, but if we look at our 2nd reading we are reminded of the amazing gift that we have.
Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
This is an amazing statement of positivity. It doesn’t matter what happens in our life, good or bad.... somehow throughout all, we know that God works all things for the good of those who are called according to his purpose.
Last week we read the psalm that speaks about God knowing us and calling us from the womb (Psalm 139). We find in the reading this week that God foreknew us and he also predestined us to be called. He also has justified us and in this he qualifies us for glory. It is the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice that justifies us. But what do we mean by being justified? Too often we don’t fully grasp the amazing gift and what it means to be justified.
We, in and of ourselves, fall short of God’s glory and are therefore separated from God, but Jesus died as one who was perfect and in union with God. We speak of the belief we have in the one baptism for the forgiveness of sin.... that one baptism is the one that Jesus spoke of when he said, “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!” Luke 12:50. Jesus was referring to his baptism into the sins of the entire world that he would take to the cross.
The Old Testament explains this forgiveness of sins by means of a “scapegoat” – a goat “baptized” with the sins of the nation. This too was a parable for the role of Jesus. Leviticus 16:21-22 “He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.”
When hands were laid on the goat it was “baptized” or “immersed” in the sins of the nation. Jesus is our scapegoat, he was immersed in our sins and through his sacrifice we are justified.
Finally we have yet another parable, that of the net. Matthew 13:47-50 ““Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Without taking things too literally, we read that in the 1st reading, although Jacob saw Rachel as his “kingdom”, he ended up with two wives and Leah was caught up into the kingdom of God also. In fact the lineage of Jesus was through Leah.
When we read the parable of the net we notice that all kinds of people are part of the Kingdom of God and not all are considered good. This is similar to the parable of the wheat and the weeds, where both were permitted to grow together and were separated at the end of the age. A wrong interpretation of this parable could lead to judgment within the Kingdom of God. Note that we are not those who collect the good and throw away the bad – this is solely the job of the Angels. If it was up to us we’d have probably accepted the “Rachels” of the Kingdom and left out the “Leahs” therefore crippling the Kingdom and thwarting the will of God – if that is possible.
If anything, this parable holds a message to understand that all are given every chance and opportunity to accept God’s grace right up until the very end. And don’t forget that those who’ve accepted God’s grace are justified. It isn’t about perfection, because none of us will ever be perfect – but it is about resting in the knowledge of the completed sacrifice of Jesus. We rest assured because we are told that nothing can separate us from the love of God that we have through the sacrifice of Jesus..... NOTHING!
Because Jesus has justified us we will not be condemned – our sins can not condemn us – they have been paid for. This is wonderful Good News and is a treasure that is worth committing our lives to gaining. But just to let you know that I’m telling the truth in this – because it really does sound too good to be true, I’m going to leave you with the quote from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans that affirms this wonderful good news:
Romans 8:33b-39 “It is God who justifies. Who then can condemn? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Reflection on readings for Sunday the 10th July 2011
Year A Proper 10 10 July 2011
Genesis 25: 19-34 Psalm 119: 105-112 Romans 8: 1-11 Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23
It is that time of year, here in Mackay, where cane is cut and cane is being planted. In the words of the song, Mm Bop, by Hansen, “Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose-You can plant any one of those - Keep planting to find out which one grows - It's a secret no one knows...”
Anyone who has planted something from a seed will know that some seeds sprout.... but some don’t. And then some of those that sprout will only last a while and die. Others will grow to maturity.
Jesus used the parable of the sower to explain about the kingdom of Heaven. When the disciples were confused about what he meant Jesus then explained to them: Matthew 13:18-23 ““Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When people hear the message about the kingdom and do not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to people who hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to people who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to people who hear the word and understand it. They produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.””
Our first reading tells the story of twin boys who lived a very, very long time ago. The elder of the twins was entitled to the birth-rite, his name was Esau and he was the father of the Edomite nation. The other boy was Jacob. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel and so, as you can guess, Jacob was the father of the Israelite nation.
The first reading relates the story of how Esau sold his birth-rite to Jacob in return for some red lentil stew. Can you imagine that? Selling something as important and meaningful as a birth-rite for a lentil stew? We are told that Esau despised his birth-rite. This was a birth-rite that included the promise of God. It was connected to the history of being the child of Isaac, who was the direct result of God’s miraculous intervention. In fact Jacob and Esau were also a result of God’s intervention as we read that Rebekah, their mother was barren until Isaac prayed for her.
It would appear that Isaac learnt from his father, Abraham’s mistakes. Abraham tried to make things happen himself. He tried to do God’s work in his own human strength. The way the story reads about Isaac praying for his wife, seems very matter-of-fact, and portrays a trust and reliance on God. It was this faith that was a testimony to the power and providence of God, which was part of Esau’s birth-rite. This birth-rite included the destiny crucial to all of humanity, the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which was ultimately fulfilled through the line of Jacob.
I suspect we are often a lot like Esau. We don’t fully realize the magnitude of our birth-rite. We belong to a faith into which we were baptised. Being baptised means that we have died to our old identity and now we are identified through our union with Christ. Through this union we have a spiritual birth-rite. It is something quite amazing and the essence of which is captured in our second reading from St. Paul to the Romans:
Romans 8:1-4 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in human flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is the birth-rite that we receive when we are united to Jesus. We are set free from the law of sin and death. Do we understand the implications in being set free from the law of sin and death...???? This is something so good that we seldom even dare to grasp it. We have no need to fear the judgment of God because there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In death some may fear what comes next. We don’t need to fear because there is No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Often times there are things about our faith that we don’t understand, but it is important that we continue to grow in our knowledge because otherwise we will be subject to the temptation of Esau who sold his birth-rite for red stew.
Esau seemed to be more interested in the temporal things. He was hungry there and then and wanted food, but he paid a huge price for his lack of understanding. Do we act on how we feel here and now instead of understanding our spiritual birth-rite? Example number one (warning – me on my soap box again!!)... Sunday morning and it is time for church. We’ve had a late night and we are tired. Do we stay in bed or do we understand our birth-rite and the important responsibility we have as a child of God?????
Now I’m going to bring your attention back to the parable of the sower. Traditionally I’ve always thought of this as a way of understanding outreach, but look more closely. The seed sometimes falls on rocky ground and never actually takes root, but other seed that sprouts are those who received the message with joy. These are people who walked the walk, talked the talk and then hardships came...... because their roots were shallow these seedlings withered. There is a very real message and warning here for all of us.
We all experience hardships and some experience more than others. Regardless of our circumstances our faith will wither unless our roots are in fertile soil. To some extent that fertile soil is something that we have control over. We are remaining in fertile soil when we remember our birth-rite and the responsibility we have as a child of God.
I recall a section of the Anglican confirmation service where the confirmee promises to commit themselves to prayer and study of God’s word. This is what we need to do to grow in the knowledge of the Good News- our birth-rite.
You may well feel that your life is rocky ground and everything around you seems hard. Or you may feel overwhelmed with the troubles of this life. The Psalmist relates to suffering and worry, but understands that the statutes of God are a heritage forever and an enduring reward. Like him we need to come to the realization that the word of God is an illumination for the path of our lives and commit ourselves to keeping God’s decrees to the very end.
Psalm 119:105-112 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, LORD, according to your word. Accept, LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”
Genesis 25: 19-34 Psalm 119: 105-112 Romans 8: 1-11 Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23
It is that time of year, here in Mackay, where cane is cut and cane is being planted. In the words of the song, Mm Bop, by Hansen, “Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose-You can plant any one of those - Keep planting to find out which one grows - It's a secret no one knows...”
Anyone who has planted something from a seed will know that some seeds sprout.... but some don’t. And then some of those that sprout will only last a while and die. Others will grow to maturity.
Jesus used the parable of the sower to explain about the kingdom of Heaven. When the disciples were confused about what he meant Jesus then explained to them: Matthew 13:18-23 ““Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When people hear the message about the kingdom and do not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to people who hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to people who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to people who hear the word and understand it. They produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.””
Our first reading tells the story of twin boys who lived a very, very long time ago. The elder of the twins was entitled to the birth-rite, his name was Esau and he was the father of the Edomite nation. The other boy was Jacob. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel and so, as you can guess, Jacob was the father of the Israelite nation.
The first reading relates the story of how Esau sold his birth-rite to Jacob in return for some red lentil stew. Can you imagine that? Selling something as important and meaningful as a birth-rite for a lentil stew? We are told that Esau despised his birth-rite. This was a birth-rite that included the promise of God. It was connected to the history of being the child of Isaac, who was the direct result of God’s miraculous intervention. In fact Jacob and Esau were also a result of God’s intervention as we read that Rebekah, their mother was barren until Isaac prayed for her.
It would appear that Isaac learnt from his father, Abraham’s mistakes. Abraham tried to make things happen himself. He tried to do God’s work in his own human strength. The way the story reads about Isaac praying for his wife, seems very matter-of-fact, and portrays a trust and reliance on God. It was this faith that was a testimony to the power and providence of God, which was part of Esau’s birth-rite. This birth-rite included the destiny crucial to all of humanity, the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which was ultimately fulfilled through the line of Jacob.
I suspect we are often a lot like Esau. We don’t fully realize the magnitude of our birth-rite. We belong to a faith into which we were baptised. Being baptised means that we have died to our old identity and now we are identified through our union with Christ. Through this union we have a spiritual birth-rite. It is something quite amazing and the essence of which is captured in our second reading from St. Paul to the Romans:
Romans 8:1-4 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in human flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is the birth-rite that we receive when we are united to Jesus. We are set free from the law of sin and death. Do we understand the implications in being set free from the law of sin and death...???? This is something so good that we seldom even dare to grasp it. We have no need to fear the judgment of God because there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In death some may fear what comes next. We don’t need to fear because there is No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Often times there are things about our faith that we don’t understand, but it is important that we continue to grow in our knowledge because otherwise we will be subject to the temptation of Esau who sold his birth-rite for red stew.
Esau seemed to be more interested in the temporal things. He was hungry there and then and wanted food, but he paid a huge price for his lack of understanding. Do we act on how we feel here and now instead of understanding our spiritual birth-rite? Example number one (warning – me on my soap box again!!)... Sunday morning and it is time for church. We’ve had a late night and we are tired. Do we stay in bed or do we understand our birth-rite and the important responsibility we have as a child of God?????
Now I’m going to bring your attention back to the parable of the sower. Traditionally I’ve always thought of this as a way of understanding outreach, but look more closely. The seed sometimes falls on rocky ground and never actually takes root, but other seed that sprouts are those who received the message with joy. These are people who walked the walk, talked the talk and then hardships came...... because their roots were shallow these seedlings withered. There is a very real message and warning here for all of us.
We all experience hardships and some experience more than others. Regardless of our circumstances our faith will wither unless our roots are in fertile soil. To some extent that fertile soil is something that we have control over. We are remaining in fertile soil when we remember our birth-rite and the responsibility we have as a child of God.
I recall a section of the Anglican confirmation service where the confirmee promises to commit themselves to prayer and study of God’s word. This is what we need to do to grow in the knowledge of the Good News- our birth-rite.
You may well feel that your life is rocky ground and everything around you seems hard. Or you may feel overwhelmed with the troubles of this life. The Psalmist relates to suffering and worry, but understands that the statutes of God are a heritage forever and an enduring reward. Like him we need to come to the realization that the word of God is an illumination for the path of our lives and commit ourselves to keeping God’s decrees to the very end.
Psalm 119:105-112 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, LORD, according to your word. Accept, LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”
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