Year A Proper 18 4 September 2011
Exodus 12: 1-14 Psalm 149 Romans 13: 8-14 Matthew 18: 15-20
Romans 12:13 “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.”
There is a sense of “it is time to get serious” about this week’s readings. Time to get serious for three reasons; one is because of our relationships between each other, the other is because God’s judgment is near, and the third reason is because there is a move of God about to occur.
In our first reading we have God’s instructions to the Israelites who were in Egypt and in slavery. God gives very direct and specific instructions that these Israelites must follow. They must take a perfect male lamb on the 10th day of the month and on the 14th day at twilight, they are to slaughter it, painting the doorways of their homes with its blood and then eating the lamb roasted (not boiled and certainly not raw), leaving nothing until morning – all had to be consumed or thrown to the fire.
It was to be eaten with their cloaks tucked into their belt. In other words, as if they were about to leave in haste. God also explains what else was to occur that night:
Exodus 12:12-13 ““On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.””
The blood of the lamb painted on the doorways seems such a weird and revolting thing to us, but it is important to note that it was the blood of the lamb that saved the people. It was NOT that if the people had been really good that goodness saved them. It was NOT if the people had kept all the commandments that action saved them. It WAS the blood of the lamb and nothing else that meant these people were saved.
I’m guessing it was a very late dinner that night. If it wasn’t until twilight that the animal was slaughtered and all the requirements were fulfilled then the Israelites were kept very busy while the LORD passed over. The Israelites would have gone to sleep with the thought, “the night is nearly over and the day is nearly here”. In more ways than one, was their night nearly over, as the following day they would begin their great exodus from Egypt. They would witness the greatness of God as they walked through the parted sea, following the cloud of God by day and the pillar of fire by night, through to the desert.
God did not rescue this people because they were good. He rescued them because they were His people and he loved them. It is important to understand this as we look at our Gospel reading:
Matthew 18:15-17 ““If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
It is the words of Jesus..... the same Jesus who urged us not to judge, but to first take the speck out of our own eye... and the same Jesus who, when a lady caught in adultery was brought to him asked the crowd that whoever has not sinned to cast the first stone. So, how are we to interpret this?
In the passage, Jesus is speaking about brothers and sisters as those who are such in the body of Christ – i.e. the followers of Jesus, but it is probably best understood in the family situation, not just any family, but one that is closely united in love.
In my extended family at the moment, there is a somewhat dramatic situation. There is one member who we all have known for many years has been doing things to cause others grief. Finally things reached boiling point and boundaries have been laid down. In many ways there were one on one loving conversations, first within the primary family and then there were conversations with the extended family and even with counsellors. But there has been a refusal to listen and change.
In the end for the good of others in the family this person was told they were not welcome to live in that family home. Other family members provide temporary accommodation, and love and openness toward the person is still there, but basically the house rules are set and if this person won’t abide by them, they must live independently. This person is no longer a child, so living independently is not a cruel boundary to impose, but a necessity for the good of others in the family who are yet dependant.
I see this situation as being very similar to the instructions of Jesus in this passage. Within the body of Christ none is perfect. But we have new and young Christians as well as firm and mature Christians and all in between. We have a duty to care for each other in love and that is not always easy – in fact, very often it is hard.
Our reading from Romans tells us:
Romans 13:8-10 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.”
Relationships are two sided and sometimes there is nothing you can do but walk away. Put some distance between yourself and the person who has offended you. And that is sometimes the most loving thing to do. Not only does it send a definite message to the person involved, but it allows you to continue loving, caring and praying for the person instead of simply being irritated by continued close contact.
I don’t think that we as church, really follow the directives of Jesus quite the same as in the passage of Matthews Gospel, but more often than not, we don’t have the one on one conversation, but instead make judgement without even discovering the facts. We confide in two or three, but not with the person with whom we’ve had the problem. This is not loving and caring for that person and not what Jesus intended. In all situations we require the wisdom of the Holy Spirit because, as we know, sometimes Jesus calls us to “walk the extra mile”, “turn the other cheek”, etc...
It is also important to note that this passage refers to a person who has personally offended you, not just someone who sins (because we all sin), but someone who has sinned against you.
When all is said and done we need to be reminded constantly of how God has dealt with us. We too are saved by the “blood of the lamb”. The Israelites were saved by the blood of a perfect male lamb, not because they were perfect themselves, they were far, far, far from perfect. In fact even as a nation, I’m sure there were others that more deserved God’s favour. But God chose them not because the deserved him – he just chose them! And then he rescued and saved them.
We are saved by the blood of the perfect male “lamb”.... Jesus is the “lamb of God”. There isn’t anything that we do that deserves his favour. It is really important that we understand this. We have nothing to boast about. We are simply chosen, rescued, saved and favoured because we accept the sacrifice of Jesus.
In the understanding of this we need to realize that the night is nearly over and the day is almost here– God’s salvation is here and in one sense we already enjoy it, but in another it is still becoming the reality in our lives - it is time to act accordingly.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Reflection for the 28th August 2011
Year A Proper 17 28 August 2011
Exodus 3: 1-15 Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45c Romans 12: 9-21 Matthew 16: 21-28
It was a burning bush that was not consumed. This was the way that God revealed himself to Moses. In a sense that bush was ever alive and always in the same state. It was a state which contradicted nature. In nature things come to pass and then pass away, but the burning bush, something which would normally be consumed very quickly, was not consumed with the burning. In this way God revealed His eternal nature to Moses. When Moses asked God for His name, God replied with “I am who I am”.
We discover that there was more than a little bit of Egyptian up-bringing in Moses. Moses hears the voice of God but doesn’t recognise Him and has to ask who He is. Moses was brought up with all the religion of Egypt and though he’d turned his back on Egypt and claimed his Israelite heritage, we realize that at this point he had much to learn about how different God is from the idols of Egypt. Lesson number 1: God is the LORD! The Hebrew for “LORD” is very close to “I Am”, and so God also taught Moses about His sovereignty with this play on words.
The story about the meeting of Moses with God through the burning bush is about the call of Moses. Moses was that baby who had been saved through the “ark” if you like – the little boat placed in the river, and by the providence of God. Moses had a dramatic salvation from death and a privileged up-bringing as the adopted grandson of Pharaoh. Moses was like one with a charmed life where he seemed to escape the natural consequences of who and what he was. There was no death for Moses and there was no slavery.... Moses had already experienced a land flowing with milk and honey – it was his up-bringing.
The part of the story which isn’t told in our reading is that part where as a young man Moses killed an Egyptian slaver driver who was harshly treating the Israelites. When he realized that people were aware of his actions he ran fearfully into the desert where he married and made his home in exile away from both his adopted family and his biological/ spiritual family. It is after many years that God calls this fearful and confused man to a position of leadership which overwhelms and frightens him.
In our Gospel reading Jesus begins to explain to his disciples that he is going to suffer, but he is taken aside and rebuked by Peter. Peter has confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, but fails to understand the mission that Jesus was to accomplish.
At the time of Jesus birth, Herod had all the baby boys born within a certain time frame put to death. He was trying to kill the “King of the Jews” whose birth had been proclaimed by the wise men – that is, he was trying to kill Jesus. Jesus, like Moses, escaped this infant death by the providence of God and the intervention of Angels. Jesus’ life had a purpose and that purpose would be fulfilled.
Moses’ life had a call and a purpose. He was to lead the Israelites from slavery and death and bring them through to the Promised Land. It is possible that Moses, as the young fiery man, sensed his being saved from death as an infant was for a higher purpose, but when this didn’t seem obvious to his fellow Israelites and things went wrong - he ran.
While answering the call to follow God there will be suffering. Will we also run into the desert? How many of us are there now?
Peter tried to tell Jesus that this idea of suffering was not part of God plan, but Jesus knew better. Just to make it very clear to his followers about their own call, he added;
Matthew 16:24-27 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward everyone according to what they have done.”
Moses tried to save his own life by running into the desert, but instead he lost both his adopted life and his biological/spiritual life. But God had a plan for the life of Moses and through redeeming Moses to his spiritual inheritance he would also physically save the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt.
Many of us have run away to the desert. We feel overcome by evil and worn out. But here in the desert is where we strive to save our lives and we are fighting a losing battle. That desert is the place where we think we are “looking after ourselves”. It is that place where we avoid the call of God because we are too tired, too busy and too hurt to be part of the body of Christ.
In retrospect we can see that God had an amazing plan for the life of Moses. I have no doubt that this was not always obvious to Moses. In our own lives we often see the obstacles which prevent us from seeing any bigger picture, but it seems that Jesus is speaking to all his followers when he speaks of taking up our cross, and this indicates to me that there is a God given purpose for each of our lives. The purpose of Jesus words is to remind us that there will be some very hard times.
Jesus suffered and died, but on Easter Sunday he rose. In the bizarre contradiction of the natural order that God seems to delight in, by the giving away of Jesus life he gained eternal life for us all. Moses gave up his “life” - the life he had in the desert – the life he had as a prince of Egypt - and the Israelite nation was saved.
It may be Friday when everything looks black and hard.... but Sunday is coming!
Are you in the desert and is God calling you back to His purpose? Yes there will be a cross to take up, but ultimately at the end of the cross is the resurrection.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Rom 12:12)
Exodus 3: 1-15 Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45c Romans 12: 9-21 Matthew 16: 21-28
It was a burning bush that was not consumed. This was the way that God revealed himself to Moses. In a sense that bush was ever alive and always in the same state. It was a state which contradicted nature. In nature things come to pass and then pass away, but the burning bush, something which would normally be consumed very quickly, was not consumed with the burning. In this way God revealed His eternal nature to Moses. When Moses asked God for His name, God replied with “I am who I am”.
We discover that there was more than a little bit of Egyptian up-bringing in Moses. Moses hears the voice of God but doesn’t recognise Him and has to ask who He is. Moses was brought up with all the religion of Egypt and though he’d turned his back on Egypt and claimed his Israelite heritage, we realize that at this point he had much to learn about how different God is from the idols of Egypt. Lesson number 1: God is the LORD! The Hebrew for “LORD” is very close to “I Am”, and so God also taught Moses about His sovereignty with this play on words.
The story about the meeting of Moses with God through the burning bush is about the call of Moses. Moses was that baby who had been saved through the “ark” if you like – the little boat placed in the river, and by the providence of God. Moses had a dramatic salvation from death and a privileged up-bringing as the adopted grandson of Pharaoh. Moses was like one with a charmed life where he seemed to escape the natural consequences of who and what he was. There was no death for Moses and there was no slavery.... Moses had already experienced a land flowing with milk and honey – it was his up-bringing.
The part of the story which isn’t told in our reading is that part where as a young man Moses killed an Egyptian slaver driver who was harshly treating the Israelites. When he realized that people were aware of his actions he ran fearfully into the desert where he married and made his home in exile away from both his adopted family and his biological/ spiritual family. It is after many years that God calls this fearful and confused man to a position of leadership which overwhelms and frightens him.
In our Gospel reading Jesus begins to explain to his disciples that he is going to suffer, but he is taken aside and rebuked by Peter. Peter has confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, but fails to understand the mission that Jesus was to accomplish.
At the time of Jesus birth, Herod had all the baby boys born within a certain time frame put to death. He was trying to kill the “King of the Jews” whose birth had been proclaimed by the wise men – that is, he was trying to kill Jesus. Jesus, like Moses, escaped this infant death by the providence of God and the intervention of Angels. Jesus’ life had a purpose and that purpose would be fulfilled.
Moses’ life had a call and a purpose. He was to lead the Israelites from slavery and death and bring them through to the Promised Land. It is possible that Moses, as the young fiery man, sensed his being saved from death as an infant was for a higher purpose, but when this didn’t seem obvious to his fellow Israelites and things went wrong - he ran.
While answering the call to follow God there will be suffering. Will we also run into the desert? How many of us are there now?
Peter tried to tell Jesus that this idea of suffering was not part of God plan, but Jesus knew better. Just to make it very clear to his followers about their own call, he added;
Matthew 16:24-27 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward everyone according to what they have done.”
Moses tried to save his own life by running into the desert, but instead he lost both his adopted life and his biological/spiritual life. But God had a plan for the life of Moses and through redeeming Moses to his spiritual inheritance he would also physically save the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt.
Many of us have run away to the desert. We feel overcome by evil and worn out. But here in the desert is where we strive to save our lives and we are fighting a losing battle. That desert is the place where we think we are “looking after ourselves”. It is that place where we avoid the call of God because we are too tired, too busy and too hurt to be part of the body of Christ.
In retrospect we can see that God had an amazing plan for the life of Moses. I have no doubt that this was not always obvious to Moses. In our own lives we often see the obstacles which prevent us from seeing any bigger picture, but it seems that Jesus is speaking to all his followers when he speaks of taking up our cross, and this indicates to me that there is a God given purpose for each of our lives. The purpose of Jesus words is to remind us that there will be some very hard times.
Jesus suffered and died, but on Easter Sunday he rose. In the bizarre contradiction of the natural order that God seems to delight in, by the giving away of Jesus life he gained eternal life for us all. Moses gave up his “life” - the life he had in the desert – the life he had as a prince of Egypt - and the Israelite nation was saved.
It may be Friday when everything looks black and hard.... but Sunday is coming!
Are you in the desert and is God calling you back to His purpose? Yes there will be a cross to take up, but ultimately at the end of the cross is the resurrection.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Rom 12:12)
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Reflection on readings for 21st August 2011
Year A Proper 16 21 August 2011
Exodus 1:8 - 2:10 Psalm 124 Romans 12: 1-8 Matthew 16: 13-20
When God gets involved in our lives amazing things happen.
Matthew 16:16-20 “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”
Most often people read this verse and concentrate on the role that Peter played in the establishment of the church, but if we look beyond this we will see that Jesus is telling his followers some very important things, which will encourage and reassure his followers throughout the hard times to come.
Firstly, we read the statement of faith where Peter proclaims that Jesus is the promised Messiah and the Son of the living God. It is this “rock” that is the foundation stone of the Church. Then we discover some aspects about this Church; Jesus says that the gate of death will not overcome this church. In some translations it says “the gates of Hades” or “the gates of Hell”.
It is important to realize that Jesus knew these followers were going to feel that Hell was fighting against them and winning. It would seem at times as though everything was so hard. There would be persecutions, imprisonment and throwing to the lions. It would certainly not always look like the gates of death would not overcome.
In our first reading we find out what it means when God says that the Gates of death will not overcome His church. We find that the descendants of those sons of Israel who sold their brother as a slave have now become enslaved. The Egyptians despised and enslaved the Israelites with hard labour, but still the Israelite population grew, and so the Egyptians killed all the males who were born to the Israelites.
An Israelite lady gave birth, during this time, to a beautiful health baby boy and she hid him from the authorities. When she could no longer hide him she made a basket, made it waterproof and set it in the Nile river with the baby inside. The baby’s sister stayed nearby to see what would happen. It would seem that this act was that of a visionary, who did not despair, but trusted in the providence of God. She may have given birth previously and lost the child.... we don’t know the dark and troubled circumstances which had previously been her life, but we know that she gave this baby every possible chance of life that she could. What happens next is amazing.
Pharaoh’s daughter went to the river to bathe, saw the basket and felt sorry for the baby. The baby’s sister, who had been watching the proceedings, seized the opportunity and offered to find a lady to nurse (i.e. to breast feed and care for) the child for Pharaoh’s daughter, indicating that Pharaoh’s daughter had taken on the responsibility for the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter was obliging and so the baby was taken back to its mother. Pharaoh’s daughter even paid the mother to look after the child, and then when he was old enough he went to live in the palace. This was the beginning of the life of Moses, the great prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery – but not until after many of his own struggles.
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
What is the thought pattern of this world? With the many on antidepressants and most of us stressed, I expect that we have succumbed to the conformity of this world.
People who can hope though there is great darkness, trouble and persecution around them are those who have given their lives to God and through all – trust God. These are not simply clergy and the odd special person, but we are all urged to be like this. We are all urged to entrust our lives into the hands of God.... and this is true worship. We are urged to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and we do this by getting our minds in line with God.... How? We are transformed by the gift of the Holy Spirit through studying the word of God, the Bible and by prayer and by being connected to the body of Christ – His Church. Remember, it is His Church that the gates of death will not overcome.
Within the Church, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, are people are called and gifted in many different ways.
Romans 12:6-8 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Here we find seven gifts listed. There are others listed in other places and the point is to know that your gift is a responsibility. It is given to you for the good of the body of Christ. This particular list is one that someone, somewhere, at some point in time developed a bit of an idea about and called them the motivational gifts. This was an exercise that I went through a number of years ago and I found it really helpful in understanding where I fitted in and most particularly why I was so frustrated.
Sometimes we mistakenly “pigeon-hole” people into areas within the church where they are not really called to be. I remember going on a camp with some Papa New Guineans’ and there was a man who frustrated everyone. He tried very hard to be the “leader”, as that was what the culture seemed to dictate should be his role in the church as a male. He was a round peg in a square hole. Then at the end of the camp he sang some songs he’d written and the whole group was totally amazed at how wonderful it was. In his eyes, however, the singing and artistic things were the role of the women.
You can actually answer a few questions online and get a fair idea of what your gift is. (To do this go to www.gifttest.org and click the link that says “Take the Survey”).
What is important is to understand the part of the Romans reading that we haven’t yet looked at....
Romans 12:3-6 “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”
No gift is above another in the eyes of God. Each is meant for the good of the whole Church and is vital to the health and effectiveness of the Church.
Too often I see people in society think more highly of themselves than they ought. I had a brief conversation with someone recently about an experiment I heard about. I can’t remember much about it except that many good, moral people given the extreme circumstances gave way to some depraved behaviour. The person I was conversing with expressed that they’d like to think they were not they kind of person who would do those things. We all like to think that we’d hold true to our moral convictions under all circumstances, but I honestly believe that any good that we have, and can hold on to, is by the grace of God.
It is by the grace of God that we are born to families who impart values. It is by the grace of God that we can comprehend the good of those values. It is by the grace of God alone that if we were to be tested we might stand firm. I’m guessing this is the reason for the words of the “Our Father”, “save us from the time of trial”, or as it has been traditionally translated, “deliver us from temptation”. The reason we must pray it is because without the intervention of God we will fail.
It is an attitude of thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought that leads to the judgment and un-forgiveness that I wrote about last week. Being particularly clever, or gifted athletically or artistically, is no reason for thinking more highly of ourselves – though many do this. Our abilities are gifts from God. We practise and improve, but ultimately our abilities are gifts.
It is also important to note that these gifts we read about in the letter to the Romans, have no gender attached and in God’s redeemed there is no longer a status difference between male and female, as all are one in Christ Jesus. Some of these gifts involve leading. It doesn’t specify that this is only for males. Some of the gifts involve teaching – it doesn’t specify that if you are female you can only teach women and children. If we take these gifts and put limits on them we are limiting, quenching and grieving the Holy Spirit.
One final point: It was the mother of Moses who went about making a basket for him. It was the sister of Moses who kept watch and then suggested the mother as the nurse for the baby, and it was the daughter of Pharaoh who rescued the child, protected it and took responsibility for its life. These were brave women who stood up for something good and life-giving in a time of great darkness, but it was God’s plan, and the gates of death did not overcome it.
Exodus 1:8 - 2:10 Psalm 124 Romans 12: 1-8 Matthew 16: 13-20
When God gets involved in our lives amazing things happen.
Matthew 16:16-20 “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”
Most often people read this verse and concentrate on the role that Peter played in the establishment of the church, but if we look beyond this we will see that Jesus is telling his followers some very important things, which will encourage and reassure his followers throughout the hard times to come.
Firstly, we read the statement of faith where Peter proclaims that Jesus is the promised Messiah and the Son of the living God. It is this “rock” that is the foundation stone of the Church. Then we discover some aspects about this Church; Jesus says that the gate of death will not overcome this church. In some translations it says “the gates of Hades” or “the gates of Hell”.
It is important to realize that Jesus knew these followers were going to feel that Hell was fighting against them and winning. It would seem at times as though everything was so hard. There would be persecutions, imprisonment and throwing to the lions. It would certainly not always look like the gates of death would not overcome.
In our first reading we find out what it means when God says that the Gates of death will not overcome His church. We find that the descendants of those sons of Israel who sold their brother as a slave have now become enslaved. The Egyptians despised and enslaved the Israelites with hard labour, but still the Israelite population grew, and so the Egyptians killed all the males who were born to the Israelites.
An Israelite lady gave birth, during this time, to a beautiful health baby boy and she hid him from the authorities. When she could no longer hide him she made a basket, made it waterproof and set it in the Nile river with the baby inside. The baby’s sister stayed nearby to see what would happen. It would seem that this act was that of a visionary, who did not despair, but trusted in the providence of God. She may have given birth previously and lost the child.... we don’t know the dark and troubled circumstances which had previously been her life, but we know that she gave this baby every possible chance of life that she could. What happens next is amazing.
Pharaoh’s daughter went to the river to bathe, saw the basket and felt sorry for the baby. The baby’s sister, who had been watching the proceedings, seized the opportunity and offered to find a lady to nurse (i.e. to breast feed and care for) the child for Pharaoh’s daughter, indicating that Pharaoh’s daughter had taken on the responsibility for the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter was obliging and so the baby was taken back to its mother. Pharaoh’s daughter even paid the mother to look after the child, and then when he was old enough he went to live in the palace. This was the beginning of the life of Moses, the great prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery – but not until after many of his own struggles.
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
What is the thought pattern of this world? With the many on antidepressants and most of us stressed, I expect that we have succumbed to the conformity of this world.
People who can hope though there is great darkness, trouble and persecution around them are those who have given their lives to God and through all – trust God. These are not simply clergy and the odd special person, but we are all urged to be like this. We are all urged to entrust our lives into the hands of God.... and this is true worship. We are urged to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and we do this by getting our minds in line with God.... How? We are transformed by the gift of the Holy Spirit through studying the word of God, the Bible and by prayer and by being connected to the body of Christ – His Church. Remember, it is His Church that the gates of death will not overcome.
Within the Church, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, are people are called and gifted in many different ways.
Romans 12:6-8 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Here we find seven gifts listed. There are others listed in other places and the point is to know that your gift is a responsibility. It is given to you for the good of the body of Christ. This particular list is one that someone, somewhere, at some point in time developed a bit of an idea about and called them the motivational gifts. This was an exercise that I went through a number of years ago and I found it really helpful in understanding where I fitted in and most particularly why I was so frustrated.
Sometimes we mistakenly “pigeon-hole” people into areas within the church where they are not really called to be. I remember going on a camp with some Papa New Guineans’ and there was a man who frustrated everyone. He tried very hard to be the “leader”, as that was what the culture seemed to dictate should be his role in the church as a male. He was a round peg in a square hole. Then at the end of the camp he sang some songs he’d written and the whole group was totally amazed at how wonderful it was. In his eyes, however, the singing and artistic things were the role of the women.
You can actually answer a few questions online and get a fair idea of what your gift is. (To do this go to www.gifttest.org and click the link that says “Take the Survey”).
What is important is to understand the part of the Romans reading that we haven’t yet looked at....
Romans 12:3-6 “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”
No gift is above another in the eyes of God. Each is meant for the good of the whole Church and is vital to the health and effectiveness of the Church.
Too often I see people in society think more highly of themselves than they ought. I had a brief conversation with someone recently about an experiment I heard about. I can’t remember much about it except that many good, moral people given the extreme circumstances gave way to some depraved behaviour. The person I was conversing with expressed that they’d like to think they were not they kind of person who would do those things. We all like to think that we’d hold true to our moral convictions under all circumstances, but I honestly believe that any good that we have, and can hold on to, is by the grace of God.
It is by the grace of God that we are born to families who impart values. It is by the grace of God that we can comprehend the good of those values. It is by the grace of God alone that if we were to be tested we might stand firm. I’m guessing this is the reason for the words of the “Our Father”, “save us from the time of trial”, or as it has been traditionally translated, “deliver us from temptation”. The reason we must pray it is because without the intervention of God we will fail.
It is an attitude of thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought that leads to the judgment and un-forgiveness that I wrote about last week. Being particularly clever, or gifted athletically or artistically, is no reason for thinking more highly of ourselves – though many do this. Our abilities are gifts from God. We practise and improve, but ultimately our abilities are gifts.
It is also important to note that these gifts we read about in the letter to the Romans, have no gender attached and in God’s redeemed there is no longer a status difference between male and female, as all are one in Christ Jesus. Some of these gifts involve leading. It doesn’t specify that this is only for males. Some of the gifts involve teaching – it doesn’t specify that if you are female you can only teach women and children. If we take these gifts and put limits on them we are limiting, quenching and grieving the Holy Spirit.
One final point: It was the mother of Moses who went about making a basket for him. It was the sister of Moses who kept watch and then suggested the mother as the nurse for the baby, and it was the daughter of Pharaoh who rescued the child, protected it and took responsibility for its life. These were brave women who stood up for something good and life-giving in a time of great darkness, but it was God’s plan, and the gates of death did not overcome it.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Reflection on Readings for 14th August 2011
Year A Proper 15 14 August 2011
Genesis 45: 1-15 Psalm 133 Romans 11: 1-2a, 29-32 Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Our readings continue from last week and we hear more of the story of Joseph and his brothers. This week we find that Joseph has become ruler under Pharaoh in Egypt and his identity is revealed to his brothers.
Can you imagine the emotions of the brothers? They sold this powerful man as a slave when he was just a boy. He now has the power of life and death over them. I’m guessing that they were somewhat apprehensive.
The theme that runs through all of our readings is about acceptance and rejection. Joseph had been rejected by his brothers. What would his reaction be towards them? What would your reaction be? We often have our own experiences of rejection and we have a choice in how we respond.
Most recently I had an experience of a friend who needed to make some changes in their life - changes in how they were controlling in their relationship. This person set about with counselling and seemed to be trying to make amends. A third person commented that a person like this will never change. Wow! That is kind of harsh. If that is true then the logical consequence means that this person should never be in a relationship because they have failed as a person. In fact, most of us if judged just as harshly, would find ourselves similarly rejected.
As a society we have moved from being Christian minded, second chance giving and merciful to being judgmental. With the crimes that have come from church leaders the society no longer looks to the church to give messages of forgiveness and even within the church there is a sense of demanding that “pound of flesh” instead of responding with mercy. It would have been quite reasonable for Joseph to have ordered his brothers executed for their crime.
To put this story of Joseph in another way, it is similar to those stories we hear about someone being abused as a child and then taking the abuser to court many years later. We hear of this happening all the time and we all approve. We hear of priests being taken to court for dealing indecently with children and we are horrified, though we don’t even know the facts – only the accusations. It has been brought to my knowledge that some of these men are advised to plead guilty to the lesser charges so that they can avoid jail – EVEN though they are innocent. YET we pass judgement without knowledge and without mercy.
As Christians we have been so busy trying to support victims that we’ve forgotten to preach the message of mercy and forgiveness. Without mercy and forgiveness for others our own sins are not forgiven.
We seem to have this idea that some sins are little and some are big, but here is an analogy to try to explain... Imagine that each commandment is like a link in a chain and that chain is holding back a ferocious beast. Some of the links are seemingly big and some are seemingly small. Whether a small link or large one is broken, the result is the same.... the beast is free. The Bible tells us that the wages for sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Joseph was abused. His brothers wanted to kill him but didn’t really want to do it themselves. They certainly wished him dead and I expect they presumed he would have soon perished as a slave, otherwise when their guilty consciences caught up with them they would have gone looking for Joseph to rescue him.
What is Joseph’s reaction to his brothers after all this? He doesn’t immediately embrace them – He is genuinely hurt and grieving. With the gift of faith Joseph understands that God’s hand is in the situation.
Genesis 45:4-7 “Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”
What is our reaction to harm done to us? It isn’t that we allow ourselves to be mistreated – we must not. And we must not allow others to be mistreated either. Where is God in all of this?
It is hard to forgive when we have been hurt. But to take an extreme example, do you remember the shooting at Columbine? It was a school where two students murdered 13 students and another couple were shot but managed to survive. There were others who survived by “playing dead” and plenty who witnessed the horror and so the story unfolds through these witnesses of the awful cruelty. Those who were targeted were Christians, sports jocks and black people. The diary of Rachel Scott has become quite famous as the amazing Christian girl who seemed to know that she was about to give her life for God. How can these people, capable of such cruelty and hatred be forgiven?
Here is the story of a Columbine survivor:
“Despite the trauma and years that have passed, Mark Taylor still vividly remembers the day he was shot as many as 13 times outside Columbine High School.
On Tuesday, Taylor recalled standing outside the school, enjoying a nice spring day with friends when a bullet slammed into his leg. In the next second, he saw a bullet slam into the face of a friend, and then he felt several bullets rip into his own chest.
"I was stunned," he said. "I wasn't quite sure what had happened. I could see out of the side of my eyes the gunmen go over and shoot Rachel Scott."
Taylor wants to be a pastor. And a book he's written has spiritual overtones. It's called "I Asked, God Answered ... a Columbine miracle."
Taylor, now 22, recounts the horror of that day and a recovery that has required multiple surgeries, an initial hospital stay of two months and the anguish of having tubes thrust down his throat and tubes placed in his side.
"The horror of what I went through in the hospital, I can't even put in words," said Taylor, who was shot by Eric Harris on April 20, 1999.
But the book is about forgiveness. He has forgiven shooters Harris and Dylan Klebold and their families. He has talked to gang members and Vietnam veterans about forgiveness. He said he especially remembers the Vietnam vets who have spent 30 years blaming the government for the friends they lost. Some have thanked him for the message.
"After hearing me on forgiveness and healing, it was able to help them," he said.”
From the website: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4785612
We know that God calls each of us into a relationship with him and that requires each of us to freely admit our sinfulness and need for a saviour.
Romans 11:29-31 “for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. ”
Joseph’s brothers were made aware of their very great sin, but then they were shown mercy. They were brought back into unity with their brother and their lives were saved. In fact their lives were blessed because of their relationship with Joseph. Our Psalm this week is Psalm 133 and speaks about the blessing of God that flows when His people live in unity. I suspect that we are not living in blessing of this unity in the body of Christ because we are not reaching out with mercy to each other, understanding that love covers a multitude of sin. Instead we judge and “reject” each other due to theological differences. If we are rejecting one another in this way over such matters, imagine how far we are from the attitude of Joseph who, though a victim, forgave his abusers.... even before they asked his forgiveness.
Our Gospel reading tells the story of a Canaanite woman. She was a reject in the society of which Jesus was a part. Jesus would have been considered unclean just for speaking with her. Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that it wasn’t things on the outside that make you unclean but from the attitudes of the heart.... such as the community’s attitude toward this woman. Jesus speaks out that prejudice by saying, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24). The woman does not argue this fact but begs for mercy but stating that even the dogs eat the children’s crumbs from the table. But her words she show great faith – she was “clean” – In comparison, the Pharisees by their words showed they were lacking faith and “unclean”.
It seems that those who are in touch with their fallibility are those who are accepted by God. And the reason is simple: it is because those who know their failings can repent and accept the mercy of God.
Our readings show the rejection of Joseph, and the rejection of the Canaanite woman, but through forgiveness Joseph accepted his brothers and the Canaanite woman was accepted by Jesus because she revealed her faith in God – she called out, not to Jesus as a mere man, but by the title, “Son of David”. This woman was rejected by others in that area and by the people to which Jesus belonged, but she didn’t let that rejection keep her from requesting the blessing of God.
Is our own hurt and rejection keeping us from the full blessing of God? Forgiveness is not easy – it is divine. But we need to agree with God that we need to forgive. In the body of Christ we need to truly love – and that also is divine.
Psalm 133 “1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”
Genesis 45: 1-15 Psalm 133 Romans 11: 1-2a, 29-32 Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Our readings continue from last week and we hear more of the story of Joseph and his brothers. This week we find that Joseph has become ruler under Pharaoh in Egypt and his identity is revealed to his brothers.
Can you imagine the emotions of the brothers? They sold this powerful man as a slave when he was just a boy. He now has the power of life and death over them. I’m guessing that they were somewhat apprehensive.
The theme that runs through all of our readings is about acceptance and rejection. Joseph had been rejected by his brothers. What would his reaction be towards them? What would your reaction be? We often have our own experiences of rejection and we have a choice in how we respond.
Most recently I had an experience of a friend who needed to make some changes in their life - changes in how they were controlling in their relationship. This person set about with counselling and seemed to be trying to make amends. A third person commented that a person like this will never change. Wow! That is kind of harsh. If that is true then the logical consequence means that this person should never be in a relationship because they have failed as a person. In fact, most of us if judged just as harshly, would find ourselves similarly rejected.
As a society we have moved from being Christian minded, second chance giving and merciful to being judgmental. With the crimes that have come from church leaders the society no longer looks to the church to give messages of forgiveness and even within the church there is a sense of demanding that “pound of flesh” instead of responding with mercy. It would have been quite reasonable for Joseph to have ordered his brothers executed for their crime.
To put this story of Joseph in another way, it is similar to those stories we hear about someone being abused as a child and then taking the abuser to court many years later. We hear of this happening all the time and we all approve. We hear of priests being taken to court for dealing indecently with children and we are horrified, though we don’t even know the facts – only the accusations. It has been brought to my knowledge that some of these men are advised to plead guilty to the lesser charges so that they can avoid jail – EVEN though they are innocent. YET we pass judgement without knowledge and without mercy.
As Christians we have been so busy trying to support victims that we’ve forgotten to preach the message of mercy and forgiveness. Without mercy and forgiveness for others our own sins are not forgiven.
We seem to have this idea that some sins are little and some are big, but here is an analogy to try to explain... Imagine that each commandment is like a link in a chain and that chain is holding back a ferocious beast. Some of the links are seemingly big and some are seemingly small. Whether a small link or large one is broken, the result is the same.... the beast is free. The Bible tells us that the wages for sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Joseph was abused. His brothers wanted to kill him but didn’t really want to do it themselves. They certainly wished him dead and I expect they presumed he would have soon perished as a slave, otherwise when their guilty consciences caught up with them they would have gone looking for Joseph to rescue him.
What is Joseph’s reaction to his brothers after all this? He doesn’t immediately embrace them – He is genuinely hurt and grieving. With the gift of faith Joseph understands that God’s hand is in the situation.
Genesis 45:4-7 “Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”
What is our reaction to harm done to us? It isn’t that we allow ourselves to be mistreated – we must not. And we must not allow others to be mistreated either. Where is God in all of this?
It is hard to forgive when we have been hurt. But to take an extreme example, do you remember the shooting at Columbine? It was a school where two students murdered 13 students and another couple were shot but managed to survive. There were others who survived by “playing dead” and plenty who witnessed the horror and so the story unfolds through these witnesses of the awful cruelty. Those who were targeted were Christians, sports jocks and black people. The diary of Rachel Scott has become quite famous as the amazing Christian girl who seemed to know that she was about to give her life for God. How can these people, capable of such cruelty and hatred be forgiven?
Here is the story of a Columbine survivor:
“Despite the trauma and years that have passed, Mark Taylor still vividly remembers the day he was shot as many as 13 times outside Columbine High School.
On Tuesday, Taylor recalled standing outside the school, enjoying a nice spring day with friends when a bullet slammed into his leg. In the next second, he saw a bullet slam into the face of a friend, and then he felt several bullets rip into his own chest.
"I was stunned," he said. "I wasn't quite sure what had happened. I could see out of the side of my eyes the gunmen go over and shoot Rachel Scott."
Taylor wants to be a pastor. And a book he's written has spiritual overtones. It's called "I Asked, God Answered ... a Columbine miracle."
Taylor, now 22, recounts the horror of that day and a recovery that has required multiple surgeries, an initial hospital stay of two months and the anguish of having tubes thrust down his throat and tubes placed in his side.
"The horror of what I went through in the hospital, I can't even put in words," said Taylor, who was shot by Eric Harris on April 20, 1999.
But the book is about forgiveness. He has forgiven shooters Harris and Dylan Klebold and their families. He has talked to gang members and Vietnam veterans about forgiveness. He said he especially remembers the Vietnam vets who have spent 30 years blaming the government for the friends they lost. Some have thanked him for the message.
"After hearing me on forgiveness and healing, it was able to help them," he said.”
From the website: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4785612
We know that God calls each of us into a relationship with him and that requires each of us to freely admit our sinfulness and need for a saviour.
Romans 11:29-31 “for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. ”
Joseph’s brothers were made aware of their very great sin, but then they were shown mercy. They were brought back into unity with their brother and their lives were saved. In fact their lives were blessed because of their relationship with Joseph. Our Psalm this week is Psalm 133 and speaks about the blessing of God that flows when His people live in unity. I suspect that we are not living in blessing of this unity in the body of Christ because we are not reaching out with mercy to each other, understanding that love covers a multitude of sin. Instead we judge and “reject” each other due to theological differences. If we are rejecting one another in this way over such matters, imagine how far we are from the attitude of Joseph who, though a victim, forgave his abusers.... even before they asked his forgiveness.
Our Gospel reading tells the story of a Canaanite woman. She was a reject in the society of which Jesus was a part. Jesus would have been considered unclean just for speaking with her. Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that it wasn’t things on the outside that make you unclean but from the attitudes of the heart.... such as the community’s attitude toward this woman. Jesus speaks out that prejudice by saying, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24). The woman does not argue this fact but begs for mercy but stating that even the dogs eat the children’s crumbs from the table. But her words she show great faith – she was “clean” – In comparison, the Pharisees by their words showed they were lacking faith and “unclean”.
It seems that those who are in touch with their fallibility are those who are accepted by God. And the reason is simple: it is because those who know their failings can repent and accept the mercy of God.
Our readings show the rejection of Joseph, and the rejection of the Canaanite woman, but through forgiveness Joseph accepted his brothers and the Canaanite woman was accepted by Jesus because she revealed her faith in God – she called out, not to Jesus as a mere man, but by the title, “Son of David”. This woman was rejected by others in that area and by the people to which Jesus belonged, but she didn’t let that rejection keep her from requesting the blessing of God.
Is our own hurt and rejection keeping us from the full blessing of God? Forgiveness is not easy – it is divine. But we need to agree with God that we need to forgive. In the body of Christ we need to truly love – and that also is divine.
Psalm 133 “1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”
Monday, August 1, 2011
7 August 2011 Year A Proper 14
Genesis 37: 1-4, 12-28 Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45 Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33
Genesis 37:1 “Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.”
Jacob lived in the Promised Land – physically and spiritually. He lived the faith of his father and grandfather, Isaac and Abraham. He lived a life that was connected to God and he walked that life with the hope in the promises of God’s covenant to make him a great nation. But tragedy struck the heart of Jacob. His favourite son, the son of his wife who he loved the most, was seemingly killed by a wild animal.
In some way each of the patriarchs experienced the death and resurrection of Christ. Abraham and Isaac were most dramatically connected to the story when God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. There was another son of Abraham, if we are looking at the story in a biological and physical sense, but Isaac was like the only son of Abraham... the son of his heart, the beloved son, he was the son born due to the miraculous providence of God. Isaac was the son that God promised to make into a great nation.
Joseph was the son that was also born to a barren woman and as an answer to prayer. He was cherished above all his brothers who were born to Jacobs other wife and his two wives maidservants. This made Joseph rather unpopular with his brothers, not to mention the special coat that his father had made for him and his prophetic dreams of ruling over his family and the fact that he brought his father a bad report about his brothers.
Similarly, Jesus was unpopular among his brothers. The religious people were resentful of the popularity of Jesus and the miracles that he performed. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, (there were 12 brothers altogether), and in particular by the one named Judah, who suggested selling Joseph as a slave for 20 shekels of silver. Jesus was betrayed by one of his 12 followers, a man of similar name, Judas, for 30 pieces of silver.
Ultimately, the betrayal of both Joseph and Jesus enabled the saving grace of God. The very people who betrayed and destroyed the lives of both Joseph and Jesus were the ones who God sought to save through the destruction of these beloved sons. And there was a special quality about each of these sons, as they willingly accepted hardship and suffering to save those who had betrayed them.
Judah was the 4th born son of Jacob and the one who suggested selling Joseph. After Joseph had become the right hand man of pharaoh these brothers came to Egypt to buy grain for food. They didn’t recognise Joseph as their brother, only as the harsh man who they needed to please to buy food. After many accusations about stealing and the threat of losing another brother, Judah finally takes the responsibility for his actions and offers to be put in jail instead of his brother, and at this point Joseph reveals his identity and all is forgiven. Judah is the human ancestor of Christ. Through the position of Joseph, and the seeming resurrection of this once dead son of Israel, the people of God’s covenant are saved.
The brothers of Joseph were not saved because they were good and righteous. They were saved by God’s will. To be in a relationship to enjoy the saving grace they did need to repent from their actions, but the grace was offered even before their repentance was expressed.
To then bring this message to our own lives, we know that the sacrifice, the death and resurrection of Jesus also happened in order to offer us the saving grace of God before any of us realised our human sinful and finite condition. The grace is offered, not because we are worthy of it, but simply because we are loved by God.
How can we enter into this covenant of Grace?
Matthew 14:25-33 “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Peter was saved by Jesus. Peter took a “leap of faith” and walked toward Jesus but when he looked at the situation around him from his own human perspective he began to sink.
We often do the same. We step out in a life of faith when we get a glimpse of Jesus in the situation and then the reality and obstacles of our situations become more highly visible than the goal of our adventure and we falter. This is a lesson for living the life of grace, but as far as being saved by grace, then next part of the story is the most important.
Peter doubts and begins to sink. He calls out “God save me!” Peter realizes that he can do nothing to save himself. Peter does not have enough faith to continue walking, but only enough faith to cry for help. The amount of faith you have is not what saves you, but who you have faith in.
Someone once described the faith that we have in a chair. We have plenty of faith that a sturdy chair will hold us... and it does. We have a little faith that a fragile chair will hold us and sit down carefully testing it as we go. But if a chair is too fragile to hold us, no amount of faith in that chair will change the fact. Peter may have only had a tiny grain of faith, but his faith was in someone faithful and with power and ability.
We have story after story throughout the Bible of God’s saving grace. The story of Joseph clearly shows us that God’s saving grace is provided for His people who are clearly not worthy of such care. God’s hand is always outstretched to us and the way into a relationship with him has been provided, but it is up to us to accept.
Our reading from Romans explains how this message of God’s grace was always available. It is referred to as the righteousness that is by faith. That is, being right before God due to faith in him. This first section of the reading is also found in the book of Deuteronomy and proclaims that there is a righteousness that is accessible and near – in your mouth and in your heart.
Romans 10:5-11 “Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “Whoever does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
The message here is that the Law of God is in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and our access into the way of grace is made easy as we are clearly told that if we declare with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. – Simple as that. In the same way that Joseph’s brothers were saved by their relationship to Joseph, and not by any good deed that they had done, we also are saved by our relationship with Jesus.
Peter was the only one who got out of the boat and walked to Jesus on the water, but all were saved because they believed and confessed that belief in Jesus.
Matthew 14:32, 33 “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Genesis 37: 1-4, 12-28 Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45 Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33
Genesis 37:1 “Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.”
Jacob lived in the Promised Land – physically and spiritually. He lived the faith of his father and grandfather, Isaac and Abraham. He lived a life that was connected to God and he walked that life with the hope in the promises of God’s covenant to make him a great nation. But tragedy struck the heart of Jacob. His favourite son, the son of his wife who he loved the most, was seemingly killed by a wild animal.
In some way each of the patriarchs experienced the death and resurrection of Christ. Abraham and Isaac were most dramatically connected to the story when God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. There was another son of Abraham, if we are looking at the story in a biological and physical sense, but Isaac was like the only son of Abraham... the son of his heart, the beloved son, he was the son born due to the miraculous providence of God. Isaac was the son that God promised to make into a great nation.
Joseph was the son that was also born to a barren woman and as an answer to prayer. He was cherished above all his brothers who were born to Jacobs other wife and his two wives maidservants. This made Joseph rather unpopular with his brothers, not to mention the special coat that his father had made for him and his prophetic dreams of ruling over his family and the fact that he brought his father a bad report about his brothers.
Similarly, Jesus was unpopular among his brothers. The religious people were resentful of the popularity of Jesus and the miracles that he performed. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, (there were 12 brothers altogether), and in particular by the one named Judah, who suggested selling Joseph as a slave for 20 shekels of silver. Jesus was betrayed by one of his 12 followers, a man of similar name, Judas, for 30 pieces of silver.
Ultimately, the betrayal of both Joseph and Jesus enabled the saving grace of God. The very people who betrayed and destroyed the lives of both Joseph and Jesus were the ones who God sought to save through the destruction of these beloved sons. And there was a special quality about each of these sons, as they willingly accepted hardship and suffering to save those who had betrayed them.
Judah was the 4th born son of Jacob and the one who suggested selling Joseph. After Joseph had become the right hand man of pharaoh these brothers came to Egypt to buy grain for food. They didn’t recognise Joseph as their brother, only as the harsh man who they needed to please to buy food. After many accusations about stealing and the threat of losing another brother, Judah finally takes the responsibility for his actions and offers to be put in jail instead of his brother, and at this point Joseph reveals his identity and all is forgiven. Judah is the human ancestor of Christ. Through the position of Joseph, and the seeming resurrection of this once dead son of Israel, the people of God’s covenant are saved.
The brothers of Joseph were not saved because they were good and righteous. They were saved by God’s will. To be in a relationship to enjoy the saving grace they did need to repent from their actions, but the grace was offered even before their repentance was expressed.
To then bring this message to our own lives, we know that the sacrifice, the death and resurrection of Jesus also happened in order to offer us the saving grace of God before any of us realised our human sinful and finite condition. The grace is offered, not because we are worthy of it, but simply because we are loved by God.
How can we enter into this covenant of Grace?
Matthew 14:25-33 “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Peter was saved by Jesus. Peter took a “leap of faith” and walked toward Jesus but when he looked at the situation around him from his own human perspective he began to sink.
We often do the same. We step out in a life of faith when we get a glimpse of Jesus in the situation and then the reality and obstacles of our situations become more highly visible than the goal of our adventure and we falter. This is a lesson for living the life of grace, but as far as being saved by grace, then next part of the story is the most important.
Peter doubts and begins to sink. He calls out “God save me!” Peter realizes that he can do nothing to save himself. Peter does not have enough faith to continue walking, but only enough faith to cry for help. The amount of faith you have is not what saves you, but who you have faith in.
Someone once described the faith that we have in a chair. We have plenty of faith that a sturdy chair will hold us... and it does. We have a little faith that a fragile chair will hold us and sit down carefully testing it as we go. But if a chair is too fragile to hold us, no amount of faith in that chair will change the fact. Peter may have only had a tiny grain of faith, but his faith was in someone faithful and with power and ability.
We have story after story throughout the Bible of God’s saving grace. The story of Joseph clearly shows us that God’s saving grace is provided for His people who are clearly not worthy of such care. God’s hand is always outstretched to us and the way into a relationship with him has been provided, but it is up to us to accept.
Our reading from Romans explains how this message of God’s grace was always available. It is referred to as the righteousness that is by faith. That is, being right before God due to faith in him. This first section of the reading is also found in the book of Deuteronomy and proclaims that there is a righteousness that is accessible and near – in your mouth and in your heart.
Romans 10:5-11 “Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “Whoever does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
The message here is that the Law of God is in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and our access into the way of grace is made easy as we are clearly told that if we declare with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. – Simple as that. In the same way that Joseph’s brothers were saved by their relationship to Joseph, and not by any good deed that they had done, we also are saved by our relationship with Jesus.
Peter was the only one who got out of the boat and walked to Jesus on the water, but all were saved because they believed and confessed that belief in Jesus.
Matthew 14:32, 33 “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
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