Year B Proper 29 - Reign of Christ 25 November 2012
2 Samuel 23:1-7 Psalm 132: 1-12, (13-18) Revelation 1:4b-8 John 18:33-37
Tonight was the night! Brittany has been counting down the hours for the last couple of days..... It was the return of the television series Once Upon A Time. The last series finished with the curse being broken. With the curse broken, the characters remembered who they are and the heroine, Emma, who was sent into the real world as a baby, seemingly abandoned by her parents, realized that she was actually a princess. While everyone else rejoiced, Emma was the only one who seemed like she’d lost something. The others had all found their true identity, but for Emma to embrace her true identity meant letting go of all she’d ever known.
I think that many of us also have an identity crisis. We don’t realize who we really are.
Revelation 1:5b-6a “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”
We belong to a kingdom and we are priests – all of us- to serve God. Most of us would acknowledge that this is right but most of us are more comfortable with the God who serves us and we like to say, “Thank-you God for salvation” and for the good stuff, and perhaps chat with him every now and then, but we certainly don’t think of ourselves as priests in a kingdom that serves God.
But there is more to our identity than this, because through our union with Christ we are heirs of this kingdom.
Jesus had a sign nailed to the cross above him which read, “King of the Jews”. The Jews objected to this but Pilate may have known something, because he insisted that this be the wording. In actual fact what Pilate ordered be written was prophetically accurate.
2 Samuel 23:2-4 ““The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning,”
I have always wondered about that old argument about keeping church and state separate. I have no answer, as it is complicated, but certainly we know that when one rules over people in the fear of God it is a great thing. Many times in the history of the Israelite nation they were taken captive by foreign kings, and many of these were actually good men who came to serve (in some manner) God as revealed through and often because of the King’s interactions with the Israelite nation.
Recently I did some research and found out some interesting things about Jesus and about the role of the messiah. It is well known among the Jewish people that the messiah is to be of the house of David, but did you know that to be able to claim to be the messiah, he must be able to prove his kingly line? And did you know that since the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, records were destroyed, implying that the messiah had to have been born before then?
In two of the Gospels we have the record of the genealogy of Jesus. Common understanding is that one of the records is of Mary’s genealogy and the other is of Joseph’s. Both are of the line of David, but one is directly the kingly line. So it would seem that even in a very earthly and physical way, Jesus was the king of the Jews. I found lots of great stuff.... but I’ll leave that for another time...
Psalm 132:2-5 “He swore an oath to the LORD, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: “I will not enter my house or go to my bed, I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
King David spoke these words. His first priority was to God. This was a king who understood that he himself was part of a kingdom, and that he and his kingdom were there to serve God. It may have been easier for David to grasp the concept because he was a king, but he wasn’t born a king and even as the youngest, smallest and least significant of his family, he seemed to grasp that he was of God’s royal line.
John 18:36- 37 “Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.””
Jesus knew who he was. He didn’t need to prove it because the evidence spoke for itself, but he also declared that his kingdom was from another place. In the words of Jesus we find no doubts and maybes. He knows who he is and he always did. We recall the time he was in the temple at the age of 12 and telling his parents that he would be about his father’s business, meaning that God was his father. Jesus did not deny the fatherhood he had in Joseph, but the deeper reality was that God is his father.
We are the opposite of Jesus. We live lives that are grounded in the here and now and although we profess to have faith in God our lives bare testament to our doubts. How is it possible that Jesus could live without doubt, and so sure of his identity?
Sometimes it is easiest to find the answer by looking at fairytales like Once Upon A Time. Jesus, like a few of the characters, had grown up always knowing who he was. Some of the fairytale characters forgot who they were, but once the curse was lifted they remembered and fell easily back into their own identity, but Emma is a lot more like the majority who struggle with their true identity. She had lived all her life in a world apart from her birth place..... and that world denied the existence of her birth place.
We live in a world that denies our true identity.... a world that denies God exists. It is hard to remember who we really are while we surround ourselves with this world of denial and doubt. This is one very good reason for being in community with other Christians. When we go to church or meet with other Christians we are reminding ourselves where our true home is and who we really are.
Revelations 1:7-8 ““Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.””
Why will the people of the earth mourn because of the return of Jesus? It won’t just be those who physically pierced him who will mourn, but ALL peoples on the earth. I can only guess, but I would be mourning if I had forgotten my place in the kingdom of God. If I was found to be living as if removed from the reality of God, and then God interrupted my life, I would be disappointed in myself.
It’s time now to rethink our lives. In what ways are we living as children of the King, and how should we be living if we are living in the reality that we are children of the king?
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Reflection on readings for 18th November 2012
Year B Proper 28 18 November 2012
1 Samuel 1: 4-20 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Hebrews 10: 11-14, (15-18), 19-25 Mark 13: 1-811
Last week I arrived home from Cairns by plane, feeling very hungry after waiting through various travel delays, so instead of going straight home, I was driven into town. As I got out of the car I noted and said out loud, “something is wrong”. It coincided with hearing sirens, but I think I felt the sense that something was very wrong even before hearing sirens. Also, hearing sirens is not unusual and it seemed that something more was going on…. Something I couldn’t, and still can’t put my finger on, but just that something was very wrong.
As it happened, we discovered later that the sirens were because someone had started a fire at the Toys R Us building on the north side of town. I still am left pondering why I felt so strongly that something was wrong. Yes, something was wrong, but what is it that God is trying to tell me through it all, and what was really going on in the spiritual realm that overflowed dramatically into the physical?
I’ve said recently that the Israelite history was one of asking “Why?”, and we find that many Old Testament accounts of the Israelites not only tell us the happenings of our Bible characters, but give an account how God was involved. It is a coming together of the spiritual and the physical in order to show the deeper truth.
Our readings this week leave me with a similar sense to that which I felt last Saturday when the fire was blazing. There is a sense of drama and danger, and it would be easy to get swept up in fear. It is one of the many parts of the Bible that many would prefer to skim over, but it is there for a reason and the sense of drama and danger should alert us to the fact that this is something to take note of as important.
Mark 13:5-8 “Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”
Our Gospel reading is quite long and with important warnings. Firstly we are told to watch out that no one deceives us. We think that we are clever enough not to be deceived and we’ve known that those who claimed to know the date for the world to end or Jesus’ return, were fakes, but this is a very real warning from Jesus to his closest followers. I suspect the reason for the warning is that the deceivers will become way harder to spot. These ‘end of the world’ fakes are likely there to serve the purpose of lulling us into a false sense of security, thinking we can spot the fakes, so that we will be off guard when a real deception presents itself.
When someone wants to make counterfeit money they will study the real thing. It is likely that the deceptions that we need to look out for are among our churches already, walking and talking like fair dinkum Christians. They will probably know the Bible and church history better than any of us. So how can we know that we won’t be deceived?
1 Samuel 1:12-16 “As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
What we learn from our first reading is that looks are deceiving! I wonder if you have ever had the experience of thinking that a particular person was not nice and then actually got to meet that particular person and found out how wrong you had been. I have been guilty of this – at least two examples come to mind where I have been so wrong.
Our Old Testament reading tell the account of Hannah who was married to a man who had two wives. Hannah was loved, but had no children. This fact was great material for her rival wife who tormented her about it. I wonder if the rival wife, Penninah would have been so cruel if she had realized this woman would be the mother of one of Israel’s great prophets. But Penninah wasn’t the only one to judge Hannah cruelly. Eli was the high priest and although he had wicked sons which he should have chastised and didn’t, he had no hesitation in chastising this heartbroken woman. The good news is that Hannah had opportunity to explain herself and Eli prayed that God might grant her request, which He did.
There is something more we learn about Hannah. She was a woman of her word. She prayed that if God gave her a son she would give him to God for all of his days. It must have been so for Hannah, because when Samuel was a small boy he was given to Eli to serve him and to serve God.
I think that we are way more inclined to reject the people we should be accepting than we are to reject the teaching that we should be rejecting. We reject and judge people who are God’s chosen, but we seem to accept teaching that is popular fairly readily, sometimes simply because of who it is that teaches it, rather than if it is the truth.
I remember attending a weekend with some theology students where the lecturer was a catholic priest. His teaching was heresy, but most seemed to be lapping up his every word as if it was something fabulous. It was fabulously clever and combined science and faith and appealed to the intellectual Christian who wanted to be seen to be intelligent, but I have no doubt and no hesitation in telling you all that it was complete heresy.
So this begs the question, how can we know that we are not being deceived?
Hebrews 10:15- 16“15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”[Jer 31:33]”
By the gift of the Holy Spirit, God writes his law in our hearts and on our minds. Sometimes it starts as a gut feeling that something is not right and then we need to look further. If we are like Hannah and striving to be faithful to God and in relationship with him, i.e. he lives in us, then we need to know that a gut feeling telling us something isn’t right is the Holy Spirit telling us truth. This is how God’s Spirit communicates with us, but to expose the falsehood we need something more tangible…. We need to be familiar with the word of God.
There are some who will tell you that the word of God is all you need in order to know God’s truth, but those who deceive often use the word of God. You may remember that Satan tempted Jesus in the desert by quoting scripture. He told Jesus the truth…. “If you are the son of God you can turn these rocks to bread.” It was true, but it wasn’t God’s will and it was with the Spirit of God to discern the will of God and with another scripture truth that Jesus was able to resist Satan’s attack.
Hebrews tells us that by one sacrifice, Jesus made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Why is it important that we know this? Because so many of us feel that we can’t be too close to God because we feel unworthy. This unworthy feeling prevents us from knowing all that we can about God and being able to discern the truth. But the truth is that while we are physically being made holy by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we are spiritually made perfect by the sacrifice of Jesus. This means that there is nothing to separate us from God except our own ignorance of the gift he has given.
I wonder if you have come in contact with the kind of person who uses scripture to condemn you? There is plenty in the Bible that does condemn us…. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…. There are many of God’s laws that can witness against us, but if we understand that we are in need of a saviour and that a saviour has been given then who can condemn us…. God is for us and our debt has been paid.
Hebrews 10: 19-22a “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings”
Mark 13: 20 – 23““If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.”
I remember a girl I knew, who went on a bus trip to see a new leader who had risen in the church. On the trip she said they all saw the sun dance in the sky….. it was a miracle. It is so important to know that just because something is real and supernatural, it is not necessarily from God and not necessarily good. It was discovered later that this particular leader was setting up a cult.
From the experiences I’ve had with wonderful Christian people it is clear that it isn’t too hard to be deceived by these seemingly knowledgeable false prophets, and it is important to be constantly checking ourselves to see if we are accepting false teaching. It is vital that we remain connected to the church to keep a check on ourselves and our influences. Although these false prophets and teachings can and do come through the church, in the broader church body these are usually sorted out and found out for what they truly are. And so, as we are exhorted in the letter to the Hebrews, let’s not give up meeting together and let’s consider how we can spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
The warning that is repeated in the Gospel is that we must “watch”. We are the “watchmen” and if we compare this to the watchmen of the Bible it gives us a clear picture of someone patrolling up and down and back and forth…. There may not be any attack, but neither is there any sleeping. It is a constant dedication to keep all safe from harm. We have been given an amazing gift; the assurance that our spiritual debt is paid and now we are united with God and have him living in and through us. This is a truth which saw St. Paul stand up against St. Peter to proclaim that we are saved by faith and not by works…. It is Good News that needs proclamation and protection. We need to protect the message of the Good News, because any other Gospel is not Good News and not truth and makes Christ’s sacrifice to be pointless.
Watch! There are plenty of false teachings out there, but do you know them? Can you spot them? AND what do you need to do in order to discern?
1 Samuel 1: 4-20 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Hebrews 10: 11-14, (15-18), 19-25 Mark 13: 1-811
Last week I arrived home from Cairns by plane, feeling very hungry after waiting through various travel delays, so instead of going straight home, I was driven into town. As I got out of the car I noted and said out loud, “something is wrong”. It coincided with hearing sirens, but I think I felt the sense that something was very wrong even before hearing sirens. Also, hearing sirens is not unusual and it seemed that something more was going on…. Something I couldn’t, and still can’t put my finger on, but just that something was very wrong.
As it happened, we discovered later that the sirens were because someone had started a fire at the Toys R Us building on the north side of town. I still am left pondering why I felt so strongly that something was wrong. Yes, something was wrong, but what is it that God is trying to tell me through it all, and what was really going on in the spiritual realm that overflowed dramatically into the physical?
I’ve said recently that the Israelite history was one of asking “Why?”, and we find that many Old Testament accounts of the Israelites not only tell us the happenings of our Bible characters, but give an account how God was involved. It is a coming together of the spiritual and the physical in order to show the deeper truth.
Our readings this week leave me with a similar sense to that which I felt last Saturday when the fire was blazing. There is a sense of drama and danger, and it would be easy to get swept up in fear. It is one of the many parts of the Bible that many would prefer to skim over, but it is there for a reason and the sense of drama and danger should alert us to the fact that this is something to take note of as important.
Mark 13:5-8 “Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”
Our Gospel reading is quite long and with important warnings. Firstly we are told to watch out that no one deceives us. We think that we are clever enough not to be deceived and we’ve known that those who claimed to know the date for the world to end or Jesus’ return, were fakes, but this is a very real warning from Jesus to his closest followers. I suspect the reason for the warning is that the deceivers will become way harder to spot. These ‘end of the world’ fakes are likely there to serve the purpose of lulling us into a false sense of security, thinking we can spot the fakes, so that we will be off guard when a real deception presents itself.
When someone wants to make counterfeit money they will study the real thing. It is likely that the deceptions that we need to look out for are among our churches already, walking and talking like fair dinkum Christians. They will probably know the Bible and church history better than any of us. So how can we know that we won’t be deceived?
1 Samuel 1:12-16 “As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
What we learn from our first reading is that looks are deceiving! I wonder if you have ever had the experience of thinking that a particular person was not nice and then actually got to meet that particular person and found out how wrong you had been. I have been guilty of this – at least two examples come to mind where I have been so wrong.
Our Old Testament reading tell the account of Hannah who was married to a man who had two wives. Hannah was loved, but had no children. This fact was great material for her rival wife who tormented her about it. I wonder if the rival wife, Penninah would have been so cruel if she had realized this woman would be the mother of one of Israel’s great prophets. But Penninah wasn’t the only one to judge Hannah cruelly. Eli was the high priest and although he had wicked sons which he should have chastised and didn’t, he had no hesitation in chastising this heartbroken woman. The good news is that Hannah had opportunity to explain herself and Eli prayed that God might grant her request, which He did.
There is something more we learn about Hannah. She was a woman of her word. She prayed that if God gave her a son she would give him to God for all of his days. It must have been so for Hannah, because when Samuel was a small boy he was given to Eli to serve him and to serve God.
I think that we are way more inclined to reject the people we should be accepting than we are to reject the teaching that we should be rejecting. We reject and judge people who are God’s chosen, but we seem to accept teaching that is popular fairly readily, sometimes simply because of who it is that teaches it, rather than if it is the truth.
I remember attending a weekend with some theology students where the lecturer was a catholic priest. His teaching was heresy, but most seemed to be lapping up his every word as if it was something fabulous. It was fabulously clever and combined science and faith and appealed to the intellectual Christian who wanted to be seen to be intelligent, but I have no doubt and no hesitation in telling you all that it was complete heresy.
So this begs the question, how can we know that we are not being deceived?
Hebrews 10:15- 16“15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”[Jer 31:33]”
By the gift of the Holy Spirit, God writes his law in our hearts and on our minds. Sometimes it starts as a gut feeling that something is not right and then we need to look further. If we are like Hannah and striving to be faithful to God and in relationship with him, i.e. he lives in us, then we need to know that a gut feeling telling us something isn’t right is the Holy Spirit telling us truth. This is how God’s Spirit communicates with us, but to expose the falsehood we need something more tangible…. We need to be familiar with the word of God.
There are some who will tell you that the word of God is all you need in order to know God’s truth, but those who deceive often use the word of God. You may remember that Satan tempted Jesus in the desert by quoting scripture. He told Jesus the truth…. “If you are the son of God you can turn these rocks to bread.” It was true, but it wasn’t God’s will and it was with the Spirit of God to discern the will of God and with another scripture truth that Jesus was able to resist Satan’s attack.
Hebrews tells us that by one sacrifice, Jesus made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Why is it important that we know this? Because so many of us feel that we can’t be too close to God because we feel unworthy. This unworthy feeling prevents us from knowing all that we can about God and being able to discern the truth. But the truth is that while we are physically being made holy by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we are spiritually made perfect by the sacrifice of Jesus. This means that there is nothing to separate us from God except our own ignorance of the gift he has given.
I wonder if you have come in contact with the kind of person who uses scripture to condemn you? There is plenty in the Bible that does condemn us…. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…. There are many of God’s laws that can witness against us, but if we understand that we are in need of a saviour and that a saviour has been given then who can condemn us…. God is for us and our debt has been paid.
Hebrews 10: 19-22a “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings”
Mark 13: 20 – 23““If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.”
I remember a girl I knew, who went on a bus trip to see a new leader who had risen in the church. On the trip she said they all saw the sun dance in the sky….. it was a miracle. It is so important to know that just because something is real and supernatural, it is not necessarily from God and not necessarily good. It was discovered later that this particular leader was setting up a cult.
From the experiences I’ve had with wonderful Christian people it is clear that it isn’t too hard to be deceived by these seemingly knowledgeable false prophets, and it is important to be constantly checking ourselves to see if we are accepting false teaching. It is vital that we remain connected to the church to keep a check on ourselves and our influences. Although these false prophets and teachings can and do come through the church, in the broader church body these are usually sorted out and found out for what they truly are. And so, as we are exhorted in the letter to the Hebrews, let’s not give up meeting together and let’s consider how we can spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
The warning that is repeated in the Gospel is that we must “watch”. We are the “watchmen” and if we compare this to the watchmen of the Bible it gives us a clear picture of someone patrolling up and down and back and forth…. There may not be any attack, but neither is there any sleeping. It is a constant dedication to keep all safe from harm. We have been given an amazing gift; the assurance that our spiritual debt is paid and now we are united with God and have him living in and through us. This is a truth which saw St. Paul stand up against St. Peter to proclaim that we are saved by faith and not by works…. It is Good News that needs proclamation and protection. We need to protect the message of the Good News, because any other Gospel is not Good News and not truth and makes Christ’s sacrifice to be pointless.
Watch! There are plenty of false teachings out there, but do you know them? Can you spot them? AND what do you need to do in order to discern?
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Reflection on Readings for 11 November 2012 proper 27
Mark 12:38-40 “As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.””
This passage reminds me of something that happened when the Anglican Diploma students went to the Indigenous theology college graduation on Thursday night. The Indigenous priest asked us, “Who are you blokes?” Our fearless leader replied, “This is the Anglican theology students.”
The Indigenous College is also Anglican, but he replied, “Anglican? What’s that? The Chosen Frozen! ...and more frozen than chosen!” And we all laughed, because we could all probably bring to mind an image of traditional Church that fitted this description....... but not us of course!!
This passage from the Gospel is an invitation to take an honest look at ourselves.... the Pharisees were the religious leaders who were God's earthly representatives. Can you imagine what God would be doing if he were on earth? Would he be parading around in the shops escorted by the dignitaries, such that the poor folk, (the single parents, the hung over night clubbers and smelly addicts) were kept away? Would he remain in the altar sanctuary area of the church and wait for people to come to see him?
I hope the answer is obvious, but I want us to make this a little more personal.... WE are God's representatives on earth.
In the past the clergy had been seen as people deserving respect in the community. But I would like you for just a moment, to consider how your friends, acquaintances and work colleagues would respond to you if you were to announce to them that you were to be ordained a priest tomorrow.
In some circles, being clergy can still be seen as a position of respect but, more often than not, this is now a position of disdain in society. On the flip side it is still a good thing on a job application to proclaim that you are a church goer..... So it is now the people in the pews who’ve become the people of honour and respect who might fail to realize that they are actually claiming and enjoying a seat of honour, and who may not realize it, but they maybe figuratively devouring widows houses. Anyone who calls themselves “Christian” is God's representative on earth but it is becoming increasingly important that the laity realize that they are called to this..... are we aware of this and responsible? ...or do we simply enjoy the privilege of being seen as a "holy" or “good” person?
Here is the benchmark to test if we are truly being God's representative on earth? Do we love our neighbour, and care for the poor?
During my week away, taking part in the intensive unit for the Diploma course, the idea of power was discussed. Each person there truly desired to NOT abuse the power, position and responsibility we have. Someone reminded us that mother Theresa described the people that she worked with as the "ungrateful poor". We need to realize that the reward for being truly God's representative on earth may well mean that no earthly reward may be forthcoming. (Remember the story of the ten leapers? Only one returned to give God thanks.)
Not all are called to work directly with the poor in the way of mother Theresa, but we all need to have the same heart that genuinely has concern. The poor that we may be called to work with are the people we meet each day. They may or may not be financially poor, but they may be spiritually poor.... emotionally poor... simply worn out and hurt.
They may be the ungrateful poor, with little regard for our efforts, but this is our mission because we know it is the poor that God is concerned with, and often, the poor who are his chosen. Such is in the case of Ruth.... Ruth 3:3 “One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.”
Naomi was a woman of great grief. She was a woman of God and yet her sons and husband had died. She had told her daughter-in-laws that they could go home to their family of origin, thus releasing them from any obligation to look after her. Can you imagine her grief? Not only would it have seemed a great emotional loss, but who would care for Naomi and provide for her?
While the natural reaction would have been to cling to the daughter-in-laws and demand that they had an obligation to care for her, Naomi puts the welfare of her daughter-in-laws ahead of her on and strives to trust solely on the Lord for her future. I suspect she didn’t hold out much hope, but that which she could give, she gave..... she gave the hope of remarriage and a happier life to the daughter-in-laws.
In many ways she was like the widow from our Gospel reading who gave to God all she had to live on. And we read on to discover that Ruth follows in this same act of selflessness.
Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law and proclaimed that famous commitment statement, “where you go, I will go. Your God will be my God and your people will be my people”.
You know, that wonderful commitment is all good and well, and to us it might seem lovely, warm and fuzzy, but this was a commitment that could have meant the death of Ruth. She was going to live with a foreign people, and if our own experiences tell us anything it should be about how hard it is to be accepted when we try to become part of a new family. I wonder if this “family” of God, the Israelites, were as difficult to be accepted by as some of our own church families.
Ruth was not even an Israelite by birth. She was an outsider in that community- but she chose to be joined to the family of God, not because of the acceptance of the people, but because of her duty and love for her mother-in-law. I have no doubt many would have still regarded her as an outsider -bigger fool them to reject her, as she became an ancestor of Christ.
We often have subconscious limits about just who might be the recipients of God’s grace. I suspect that the Israelite people of Ruth’s time would never have thought it possible that this outsider could have been God’s chosen vessel to bring them salvation. It was a long way down the line, but Ruth was the great grandmother of King David and therefore an ancestor of Christ.
Certainly the story testifies that Ruth’s commitment to her mother-in-law was admired by many, but it was only the wonderful man, Boaz, who would redeem the property to which this outsider belonged, and, reading between the lines, it seems that these remarks about Ruth’s admiration came from a distance, as if from those who feared to contaminate themselves with an “unclean” Gentile woman.
Are we limiting God’s grace by rejecting someone who might just be a vessel, chosen by God, to bring God’s message of salvation? Although we may subconsciously sometimes reject some one as being a possible recipient of God’s grace, do we also subconsciously reject someone as not being able to bring us God’s grace? Ruth shows us that she was both. She was an outsider destined to receive God’s grace and she was an outsider who was the bringer of God’s grace and salvation. What I am really asking is, do we realize that God can reveal himself to us through the man who seems to be just a little slow? ....through the new Christian who seems to be a little flighty and worldly?.... The elderly quiet lady... and the list goes on....
Hebrews 9: 24 “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.”
In God’s perfect plan for our salvation he died to unite ALL to himself. He also sent us all his Holy Spirit. Taking this through to its logical implications we see that God lives in all his people, therefore he can minister to all and through ALL.
Once upon a very long time ago I use to be very critical as I listened to the preaching at church. Somehow it dawned on me that I had the wrong attitude and I can remember that this was at a time that my house backed onto the church grounds. I’d go to church on Saturday night, but I could hear it a second time while I sat in my back yard. I remember that I decided that I should pray for the minister while church was going on. So I prayed for his sermon, that the Holy Spirit would lead him and also that the Holy Spirit would enable the listeners to hear God’s message in what he was saying.
None of us is perfect and we all fall very short of perfection, but many of us do care deeply about the truth of God. Sometimes this caring causes us to fight for what we believe to be true and this is necessary and good, but do we realize the person we are arguing with just may have the same passionate commitment to the truth of God?
We have the potential to be the equivalent of the hypocritical Pharisees if we remain comfortable in our honourable position in society and church and do not care for the poor.
I’d like to suggest that our poor neighbours that God would have us care for, are the very same people that we may have hurt with our criticisms. These maybe the emotionally poor, or the spiritually poor... maybe even the financially poor who’ve learnt to hide it well so that they appear to fit in. I’d also like to challenge us to care for the outcast - Those who are new to our churches and those who maybe just feel alone.... they maybe hard to spot, but if we pray for God’s guidance I’m sure we’ll not be led astray.
Finally I want to point out that the outcast, the criticized, the overwhelmed and the harassed that God wants us to also put our whole self into caring for, is our ministers. These are those on the front line of the battle and they have become society’s outcast and sometimes they are outcast in their own churches. Often they are called by God to move from where they are comfortable into places where they are unknowns and outsiders and they find themselves giving all and getting only criticism in return.
Mark 12:41- 44 “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Reflection on readings 21st october 2012 year B Proper 24
Year B Proper 24 21 October 2012
Job 38: 1-7, (34-41) Psalm 104: 1-9, 24, 35c Hebrews 5: 1-10 Mark 10: 35-45
Ever been somewhat ‘ticked off’ with God and let him know all about it?
I sure hope I’m not the only one. The experience usually sees me getting so cranky and telling God that I hate everything and that everything is unfair and why won’t he fix it... probably because he hates me... etc... AND THEN... somehow things settle down and rationality returns, and then I feel really silly because I know that God knows and understands things way beyond what we can and so I then feel guilty, apologize to God, and just feel somewhat ridiculous.
Well, if you haven’t ever experienced anything like this, I’m going to be feeling pretty silly for confessing my ridiculous childish traits, but I will take heart in the fact that Job would understand my ranting.
When rationality returns to me, I remember who God is, but Job ranted so much that God needed to audibly communicate with him to remind him. He answers Job in these words:
Job 38:1-5 “Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?”
It seems that Job needed a lesson in humility.
Do you note God’s sarcasm, when He says, “Surely you know!”? Truly, the more you get to know the Bible the more gems you find like this! Here is God being sarcastic and reminding Job about a few facts of God’s nature, in answer to Job who has been moaning about his hated life. And the bit that I love the most is that even though Job moaned, cried and was in bitter despair, he was still who God chose as the one to intercede and offer up sacrifices for others.
There are some people who are my facebook friends who are taking on the 30 day gratitude challenge. They are finding something to be grateful for each day. It’s a wonderful thing, but I suspect if Job were invited to take part he’d decline. When you are hurting, you are hurting and that is that.
Job was a man who used to offer up sacrifices on behalf of others. At the beginning of the book of Job we find that he offered up sacrifices for himself and then also for his children just in case they happened to sin. He was a man approved by God, so much so that he was appointed to suffer. His unrelenting relationship with God was a testimony to all.... even though he told God what he thought about the situation.
We discover that this relationship that Job had with God is very similar to that of the high priest. In our Hebrews’ reading we discover that the High priest would offer sacrifices for himself and also for others. The high priest was an intercessory for others and a representative for God.
Hebrews 5:1-4 “Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honour on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.”
This describes what we know about Job and the way that he interacted with others prior to his being tested. No one takes this honour on himself, but he receives it when called by God. It doesn’t say that Job was a priest, but certainly he was a leader in his community and by his actions and by the command of God to intercede for others, we can assume that he fulfilled this role in the same way that many others did, such as Abraham, even before the Levitical Priesthood was formed.
But this reading from Hebrews goes on to talk of a very special kind of priesthood; in the order of Melchizedek
Hebrews 5:8-10 “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
This passage tells us about Jesus being our high priest who doesn’t need to offer sacrifices for himself and then for us, but he has completed the “once and for all” sacrifice.
Throughout the Old Testament there are prophetic writings about the Messiah who would be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, but this character, Melchizedek appears first in the book of Genesis chapter 14. Hebrews 7:1-3 tells us more about Melchizedek, “This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.”
Abraham had just returned from rescuing the people of Sodom, including his nephew Lot who was living there. Suddenly this character, described as priest of God most high appears with bread and wine. Melchizedek then blesses Abraham and Abraham gives him a tenth of everything.
Hebrews tells us that Jesus did not take on himself the glory of becoming high priest, but it was appointed him by God the father, and it was a fact that came about through his suffering.
In the Gospel reading we see that there are two men, James and John, who have no idea of this concept of servant leadership.
Mark 10:37,38 “They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
How awesome! Although the other disciples were pretty unhappy with James and John, this gives Jesus the perfect opportunity for lesson 101 in being an apostle.
Mark 10:41- 45“When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
These crazy men are those hand picked by Jesus. They didn’t understand that it is God who chooses us for special positions in his kingdom and those special positions are positions of serving others. Jesus was the greatest of all and he gave the greatest sacrifice of all. Job, a man of righteousness, was chosen to prove his faithfulness as a testimony to all including both the physical and the spiritual realm, proved to be faithful through great suffering.
There are three sides to our message for this week. Firstly, it is God who choses us.
Secondly, that being chosen by God to have a special position in the kingdom of God means serving others and this will often include trials, suffering and persecution. (But take heart because these are not random, but have a divine purpose even if we can’t see it.)
Thirdly, and what I think is most important, God does not reject us when we cry out in despair, or when we get it wrong and try to claim the position. God understands that our vision is sometimes limited and he chooses us for reasons that only he can know, but when he does none of our stuff ups will interfere with his plan.
Job 38: 1-7, (34-41) Psalm 104: 1-9, 24, 35c Hebrews 5: 1-10 Mark 10: 35-45
Ever been somewhat ‘ticked off’ with God and let him know all about it?
I sure hope I’m not the only one. The experience usually sees me getting so cranky and telling God that I hate everything and that everything is unfair and why won’t he fix it... probably because he hates me... etc... AND THEN... somehow things settle down and rationality returns, and then I feel really silly because I know that God knows and understands things way beyond what we can and so I then feel guilty, apologize to God, and just feel somewhat ridiculous.
Well, if you haven’t ever experienced anything like this, I’m going to be feeling pretty silly for confessing my ridiculous childish traits, but I will take heart in the fact that Job would understand my ranting.
When rationality returns to me, I remember who God is, but Job ranted so much that God needed to audibly communicate with him to remind him. He answers Job in these words:
Job 38:1-5 “Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?”
It seems that Job needed a lesson in humility.
Do you note God’s sarcasm, when He says, “Surely you know!”? Truly, the more you get to know the Bible the more gems you find like this! Here is God being sarcastic and reminding Job about a few facts of God’s nature, in answer to Job who has been moaning about his hated life. And the bit that I love the most is that even though Job moaned, cried and was in bitter despair, he was still who God chose as the one to intercede and offer up sacrifices for others.
There are some people who are my facebook friends who are taking on the 30 day gratitude challenge. They are finding something to be grateful for each day. It’s a wonderful thing, but I suspect if Job were invited to take part he’d decline. When you are hurting, you are hurting and that is that.
Job was a man who used to offer up sacrifices on behalf of others. At the beginning of the book of Job we find that he offered up sacrifices for himself and then also for his children just in case they happened to sin. He was a man approved by God, so much so that he was appointed to suffer. His unrelenting relationship with God was a testimony to all.... even though he told God what he thought about the situation.
We discover that this relationship that Job had with God is very similar to that of the high priest. In our Hebrews’ reading we discover that the High priest would offer sacrifices for himself and also for others. The high priest was an intercessory for others and a representative for God.
Hebrews 5:1-4 “Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honour on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.”
This describes what we know about Job and the way that he interacted with others prior to his being tested. No one takes this honour on himself, but he receives it when called by God. It doesn’t say that Job was a priest, but certainly he was a leader in his community and by his actions and by the command of God to intercede for others, we can assume that he fulfilled this role in the same way that many others did, such as Abraham, even before the Levitical Priesthood was formed.
But this reading from Hebrews goes on to talk of a very special kind of priesthood; in the order of Melchizedek
Hebrews 5:8-10 “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
This passage tells us about Jesus being our high priest who doesn’t need to offer sacrifices for himself and then for us, but he has completed the “once and for all” sacrifice.
Throughout the Old Testament there are prophetic writings about the Messiah who would be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, but this character, Melchizedek appears first in the book of Genesis chapter 14. Hebrews 7:1-3 tells us more about Melchizedek, “This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.”
Abraham had just returned from rescuing the people of Sodom, including his nephew Lot who was living there. Suddenly this character, described as priest of God most high appears with bread and wine. Melchizedek then blesses Abraham and Abraham gives him a tenth of everything.
Hebrews tells us that Jesus did not take on himself the glory of becoming high priest, but it was appointed him by God the father, and it was a fact that came about through his suffering.
In the Gospel reading we see that there are two men, James and John, who have no idea of this concept of servant leadership.
Mark 10:37,38 “They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
How awesome! Although the other disciples were pretty unhappy with James and John, this gives Jesus the perfect opportunity for lesson 101 in being an apostle.
Mark 10:41- 45“When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
These crazy men are those hand picked by Jesus. They didn’t understand that it is God who chooses us for special positions in his kingdom and those special positions are positions of serving others. Jesus was the greatest of all and he gave the greatest sacrifice of all. Job, a man of righteousness, was chosen to prove his faithfulness as a testimony to all including both the physical and the spiritual realm, proved to be faithful through great suffering.
There are three sides to our message for this week. Firstly, it is God who choses us.
Secondly, that being chosen by God to have a special position in the kingdom of God means serving others and this will often include trials, suffering and persecution. (But take heart because these are not random, but have a divine purpose even if we can’t see it.)
Thirdly, and what I think is most important, God does not reject us when we cry out in despair, or when we get it wrong and try to claim the position. God understands that our vision is sometimes limited and he chooses us for reasons that only he can know, but when he does none of our stuff ups will interfere with his plan.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Reflection for Readings 7th Oct 2012 Proper 22
Year B Proper 22 7 October 2012
Job 1:1; 2:1-10 Psalm 26 Hebrews 1: 1-4; 2: 5-12 Mark 10: 2-16
One of my favourite television shows is The Big Bang Theory. One of the characters is a Jew and on one of the episodes when someone cried out, “why is this happening to me?” He replies, “My people have been asking that question for thousands of years...”
Truly if Christianity were a man made religion we’d have an answer to the big “Why” question, but instead although there are some things we know, we are left to struggle to make sense of so many others. The word “Israel”, does not mean “chosen people”, or some other comfortable and reassuring term, although it does designate the relationship that God’s people have with Him.... The meaning of “Israel” is, “He struggles with God”.
This week we have an amazing story about a man named Job. Ever heard the old saying “must have the patience of Job”? Well that would be due to the story of this amazing character.
In the book of Job we find a glimpse into that age old question. It doesn’t give a definitive answer to “Why”, but it does give an answer for this particular case, and teaches us a whole lot along the way.
Job 2:3 “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”
If we look at this one verse we learn a number of things. We learn that Job is blameless and upright and is a man of God. We also learn that the calamity that came upon Job was initiated by Satan and Job’s response to this suffering was a witness against Satan.
We know that even though this is an ancient book, well known by Jews, still it was common in the time of Jesus to presume that the reason for adversity was either the sin of the person involved or his parents. Due to the discourse of Jesus with his disciples we know that suffering can also be for the purpose of revealing the gory of God.... and in some ways this was also one of those cases.
Many of us have also been through our own times of adversity, and many of us are still asking that age old question.... WHY??? We don’t know and may not ever get an answer, but certainly we learn many things from Job. Firstly, that it isn’t our fault. Sometimes we certainly may find ourselves experiencing the consequences of our actions, but more often than not things that we even tend to blame ourselves for, are NOT our fault.
Job was blameless. I don’t know about you, but I don’t ever feel that I could be described as glowingly as God describes Job, and certainly none of us is perfect. We know from scripture that no human, other than Jesus is blameless, so how can God describe him that way? Do you think that God would describe you that way?
Mark 10:13-16 “ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”
In our Gospel we discover that the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like children. It is one of those, “ahhhh” readings, but I think we could be missing the point. Often people will say that children are blameless. Let me tell you about a young girl I know who, as a 3 year old, painted her room with poo. Afterwards she said to her doll, “Naughty girl, dolly, you mustn’t do yuckies in your togs”. She knew she was doing wrong.
What a child and those who are “such as these” understands is that someone else has more control. Yes they do know when they are doing wrong sometimes, but the bigger picture for them is that it is all going to be okay because someone else will fix it.... Someone else takes that “blame,” and that is the parent.
Job had a relationship with God. From what we read about Job he actually was pretty near perfect, but I’d like to suggest that the reason he was blameless was his continued reliance on God to “fix it”. It is a real and continuous relationship with God which renders us, “blameless”, which also means that if God is talking to Satan about you, he will also say, “Look at my servant. He/she is blameless and upright”.
Certainly not perfect, but certainly blameless and we can be assured of that because we know that Jesus took that blame.
Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Our reading from Hebrews tells us that Jesus provided purification for sins, but it also tells us about who Jesus is, and that he is the exact representation of God’s being. The doctrine of the trinity is never mentioned as such in the Bible, but it is certainly made very clear in many readings such as this one.
We know that Jesus was THE perfect human but yet we read something a little puzzling in this reading:
Hebrews 2:10, 11 “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
Jesus was perfect and yet he was made perfect through what he suffered. One of those scripture verses that strikes you as slightly odd at first glance. Jesus was perfect in his being, but there was a plan and purpose for his existence and part of that perfect plan involved suffering. Without the suffering Jesus would still be perfect but his plan and purpose would not be.
Jesus was an innocent man who suffered. He knows how it feels to suffer and be treated like a sinner when you are not. Can you imagine how horrible it feels to be falsely accused, falsely judged and sentenced because of something you didn’t do? This was what Jesus willingly experienced for our sake. He willingly experienced it, but if given the choice the humanity of Christ would have preferred that that “cross” be taken from him.
What Jesus took on was the consequence for someone else’s actions..... ours! It was our sin that he took with him to the cross.
Our Gospel reading talks about divorce and marriage.
Mark 10: 10-12 “When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.””
The disciples asked Jesus about this even after he had already explained it to the Pharisees... why? Did they think he’d give them a different answer? How do people, Divorced, like me, live with Jesus’ answer?
Firstly, let’s not dance around the scripture and pretty it up because Jesus sure didn’t. Moses permitted a certificate of Divorce, but that doesn’t stop sin from being sin.
We, in the 21st century get all offended by the term “sinner”, as if it belongs to the dirty old paedophile. Sinner is a person who falls short of perfection. Do you fall short of perfection? Don’t get all defensive about it, because none of us is perfect and we are all sinners.... it is almost synonymous with being human – except for Jesus.
There is another part of the Gospel reading.... it talks about God making humans male and female and for this reason a man will leave his mother and father and be united to his wife... This brings me to another subject that I and other Christians get into trouble over..... man and wife - not man and husband or woman and wife. Once again this would be called sin and I don’t think Jesus would call it any differently.... BUT.... we are all sinners.
We need desperately to be able to recognise our sin. We can not be offended by the reality of our condition. Children are a lot more able to deal with being told that they’ve done something wrong then adults, because it is a reality that they are aware of. We seem to think that once we are grown we stop doing anything wrong.... and when we do something wrong we justify it. There is no amount of justification, no matter how understandable, can make a sin not a sin. If it falls short of God’s perfection, it is sin.
But like a child, we need to have faith that there is someone bigger who can fix it for us. This doesn’t mean that we don’t worry about our sin, or that we shouldn’t strive to do better, but this means we can rest in the reassurance that we have a big and powerful parent that will, does, and has bailed us out of trouble.
In the spiritual, our sins have been completely paid for already. There is no debt left to pay, but still we do experience suffering. Suffering is a reality due to many reasons, sometimes known, but most often not known.
We do know that the life of Christ had a purpose and suffering was part of it. We also know that the life of Job had a purpose and suffering was part of it also. In all that Job experienced and although he was sorely grieved, he refused to curse God. This was a witness to Satan.... something important in the heavens was accomplished by this act.
Job 2: 9-10 “His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”
I remember the words of a song by the band, The Imperials, from many years ago. I feel that this song tells us something really important and it is the same message as our readings. In particular these words: “For the chains that seem to bind you, Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you, when you praise him”
We don’t know “why” bad things happen so many times, and it is natural feel so hurt, but we do know that there is a great heavenly battle won when we continue to serve God.
I think all the words of that song need to be read so I’ll paste them in for you to reflect on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfTQg9whI-s
Praise the Lord, by The Imperials
When you're up against a struggle
That shatters all your dreams
And your hope has been cruelly crushed
By Satan's manifesting scheme
And you feel the urge within you
To submit to earthly fears
Don't let the faith you're standing in, seem to disappear
(Chorus)
Praise the Lord
He can work with those who praise Him ,
Praise the Lord
For our God inhabits praise,
Praise the Lord
For the chains that seem to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise him
Now satan is a liar
And he wants to make us think
That we are paupers
When he knows himself
We're children of the King
So lift up the might shield of faith
For the battle has been won
We know that Jesus Christ has risen
So the work's already done
(Chorus)
Praise the Lord
He can work with those who praise Him ,
Praise the Lord
For our God inhabits praise,
Praise the Lord
For the chains that seem to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise him
Job 1:1; 2:1-10 Psalm 26 Hebrews 1: 1-4; 2: 5-12 Mark 10: 2-16
One of my favourite television shows is The Big Bang Theory. One of the characters is a Jew and on one of the episodes when someone cried out, “why is this happening to me?” He replies, “My people have been asking that question for thousands of years...”
Truly if Christianity were a man made religion we’d have an answer to the big “Why” question, but instead although there are some things we know, we are left to struggle to make sense of so many others. The word “Israel”, does not mean “chosen people”, or some other comfortable and reassuring term, although it does designate the relationship that God’s people have with Him.... The meaning of “Israel” is, “He struggles with God”.
This week we have an amazing story about a man named Job. Ever heard the old saying “must have the patience of Job”? Well that would be due to the story of this amazing character.
In the book of Job we find a glimpse into that age old question. It doesn’t give a definitive answer to “Why”, but it does give an answer for this particular case, and teaches us a whole lot along the way.
Job 2:3 “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”
If we look at this one verse we learn a number of things. We learn that Job is blameless and upright and is a man of God. We also learn that the calamity that came upon Job was initiated by Satan and Job’s response to this suffering was a witness against Satan.
We know that even though this is an ancient book, well known by Jews, still it was common in the time of Jesus to presume that the reason for adversity was either the sin of the person involved or his parents. Due to the discourse of Jesus with his disciples we know that suffering can also be for the purpose of revealing the gory of God.... and in some ways this was also one of those cases.
Many of us have also been through our own times of adversity, and many of us are still asking that age old question.... WHY??? We don’t know and may not ever get an answer, but certainly we learn many things from Job. Firstly, that it isn’t our fault. Sometimes we certainly may find ourselves experiencing the consequences of our actions, but more often than not things that we even tend to blame ourselves for, are NOT our fault.
Job was blameless. I don’t know about you, but I don’t ever feel that I could be described as glowingly as God describes Job, and certainly none of us is perfect. We know from scripture that no human, other than Jesus is blameless, so how can God describe him that way? Do you think that God would describe you that way?
Mark 10:13-16 “ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”
In our Gospel we discover that the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like children. It is one of those, “ahhhh” readings, but I think we could be missing the point. Often people will say that children are blameless. Let me tell you about a young girl I know who, as a 3 year old, painted her room with poo. Afterwards she said to her doll, “Naughty girl, dolly, you mustn’t do yuckies in your togs”. She knew she was doing wrong.
What a child and those who are “such as these” understands is that someone else has more control. Yes they do know when they are doing wrong sometimes, but the bigger picture for them is that it is all going to be okay because someone else will fix it.... Someone else takes that “blame,” and that is the parent.
Job had a relationship with God. From what we read about Job he actually was pretty near perfect, but I’d like to suggest that the reason he was blameless was his continued reliance on God to “fix it”. It is a real and continuous relationship with God which renders us, “blameless”, which also means that if God is talking to Satan about you, he will also say, “Look at my servant. He/she is blameless and upright”.
Certainly not perfect, but certainly blameless and we can be assured of that because we know that Jesus took that blame.
Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Our reading from Hebrews tells us that Jesus provided purification for sins, but it also tells us about who Jesus is, and that he is the exact representation of God’s being. The doctrine of the trinity is never mentioned as such in the Bible, but it is certainly made very clear in many readings such as this one.
We know that Jesus was THE perfect human but yet we read something a little puzzling in this reading:
Hebrews 2:10, 11 “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
Jesus was perfect and yet he was made perfect through what he suffered. One of those scripture verses that strikes you as slightly odd at first glance. Jesus was perfect in his being, but there was a plan and purpose for his existence and part of that perfect plan involved suffering. Without the suffering Jesus would still be perfect but his plan and purpose would not be.
Jesus was an innocent man who suffered. He knows how it feels to suffer and be treated like a sinner when you are not. Can you imagine how horrible it feels to be falsely accused, falsely judged and sentenced because of something you didn’t do? This was what Jesus willingly experienced for our sake. He willingly experienced it, but if given the choice the humanity of Christ would have preferred that that “cross” be taken from him.
What Jesus took on was the consequence for someone else’s actions..... ours! It was our sin that he took with him to the cross.
Our Gospel reading talks about divorce and marriage.
Mark 10: 10-12 “When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.””
The disciples asked Jesus about this even after he had already explained it to the Pharisees... why? Did they think he’d give them a different answer? How do people, Divorced, like me, live with Jesus’ answer?
Firstly, let’s not dance around the scripture and pretty it up because Jesus sure didn’t. Moses permitted a certificate of Divorce, but that doesn’t stop sin from being sin.
We, in the 21st century get all offended by the term “sinner”, as if it belongs to the dirty old paedophile. Sinner is a person who falls short of perfection. Do you fall short of perfection? Don’t get all defensive about it, because none of us is perfect and we are all sinners.... it is almost synonymous with being human – except for Jesus.
There is another part of the Gospel reading.... it talks about God making humans male and female and for this reason a man will leave his mother and father and be united to his wife... This brings me to another subject that I and other Christians get into trouble over..... man and wife - not man and husband or woman and wife. Once again this would be called sin and I don’t think Jesus would call it any differently.... BUT.... we are all sinners.
We need desperately to be able to recognise our sin. We can not be offended by the reality of our condition. Children are a lot more able to deal with being told that they’ve done something wrong then adults, because it is a reality that they are aware of. We seem to think that once we are grown we stop doing anything wrong.... and when we do something wrong we justify it. There is no amount of justification, no matter how understandable, can make a sin not a sin. If it falls short of God’s perfection, it is sin.
But like a child, we need to have faith that there is someone bigger who can fix it for us. This doesn’t mean that we don’t worry about our sin, or that we shouldn’t strive to do better, but this means we can rest in the reassurance that we have a big and powerful parent that will, does, and has bailed us out of trouble.
In the spiritual, our sins have been completely paid for already. There is no debt left to pay, but still we do experience suffering. Suffering is a reality due to many reasons, sometimes known, but most often not known.
We do know that the life of Christ had a purpose and suffering was part of it. We also know that the life of Job had a purpose and suffering was part of it also. In all that Job experienced and although he was sorely grieved, he refused to curse God. This was a witness to Satan.... something important in the heavens was accomplished by this act.
Job 2: 9-10 “His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”
I remember the words of a song by the band, The Imperials, from many years ago. I feel that this song tells us something really important and it is the same message as our readings. In particular these words: “For the chains that seem to bind you, Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you, when you praise him”
We don’t know “why” bad things happen so many times, and it is natural feel so hurt, but we do know that there is a great heavenly battle won when we continue to serve God.
I think all the words of that song need to be read so I’ll paste them in for you to reflect on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfTQg9whI-s
Praise the Lord, by The Imperials
When you're up against a struggle
That shatters all your dreams
And your hope has been cruelly crushed
By Satan's manifesting scheme
And you feel the urge within you
To submit to earthly fears
Don't let the faith you're standing in, seem to disappear
(Chorus)
Praise the Lord
He can work with those who praise Him ,
Praise the Lord
For our God inhabits praise,
Praise the Lord
For the chains that seem to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise him
Now satan is a liar
And he wants to make us think
That we are paupers
When he knows himself
We're children of the King
So lift up the might shield of faith
For the battle has been won
We know that Jesus Christ has risen
So the work's already done
(Chorus)
Praise the Lord
He can work with those who praise Him ,
Praise the Lord
For our God inhabits praise,
Praise the Lord
For the chains that seem to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise him
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Reflection on the readings for Sunday 30th September 2012 Proper 21
Year B Proper 21 30 September 2012
Esther 7: 1-6, 9-10; 9: 2--22 Psalm 124 James 5: 13-20 Mark 9: 38-50
There is a tension among Christians as to what is sacred and what is secular. I’m aware that some Christian churches will not have me come and play my Christian music in their church or endorse my music for their functions because I perform secular music. It is a strange phenomenon because Christians do have secular jobs, but don’t very often see that it is possible that God blesses and encourages our secular work. (And it doesn’t seem to be realized that secular music is the bread and butter for a person in music ministry).
Our readings this week are such, that they sent me on a journey to find out the back ground of some scripture that I found difficult to grasp, and in the process I found a theme that speaks to me and urges me to see that God is working in all places and through all things in our lives….even and especially when we cannot sense him.
Our first reading comes from the book of Esther and is quite violent and dramatic. Esther was a Jewish girl who became Queen to a foreign King while the Jews were living in exile. She kept her nationality a secret and could not approach the King without fear of death. An edict had been given that on a set day those who wished to could legally kill all the Jews. The person who instigated this edict wanted to wipe out every Jew in existence…. Sounds a little like what happened in the 20th century. Esther, after prayer and fasting, approached the King about the matter and the Jews were given the legal right to defend themselves and fight back. The long and short of the story is that it was a great victory.
After researching, I discovered that Esther sounds like the Hebrew word for “hidden”. I also discovered some amazing facts about the feast of Purim which is the feast instigated through this event. It is mentioned at the conclusion of our scripture reading. From the Website for the Jewish Renewal Congregation of Philadelphia and written by Rabbi Emanuel Feldman:
“Purim: a story of heroism and evil undone by goodness.
And also a holiday of masks: On Purim everyone wears costumes and masks. That is part of the celebration! Adults and kids, all come to the reading of the Megillah dressed in elaborate disguises! Purim is a Mardi Gras of disguises _ reality is hidden, garbed in funny, gaudy, attractive clever, glittery, cute, silly, but always false appearances.
It is a clue to the meaning of the holiday, and the story. Truth can be disguised. Sometimes even the main character is hidden. Sometimes even God is hidden.” (http://www.pnaior-phila.org/learn-about/the-months-of-spring-pesach-through-purim)
Megillah is the term used for the reading of the book of Esther which takes place at this festival and is a word that also sounds like a Hebrew word; it sounds like the Hebrew for “revealed”.
In the circumstances of the Jewish people it seemed that God was hidden. The Jews, as represented by Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, were a minority group who refused to bow to public pressure. He would not bow to man and he would not bow to idols, but it was this act that resulted in all Jews nearly being annihilated. Ever sense that fear?
I’ve been watching the television show, “Can of Worms”, and I’ve commented to Brittany that there are many people who don’t seem to have solid or valid reasons for their opinions, but their opinion is the seemingly “trendy” one. For example: “Oh no, people shouldn’t have to speak English to live in Australia – that’s not being culturally sensitive”, “Of course homosexuals should be allowed to marry”, “Yes, I would certainly let my 15 year old daughter have sex in my house – better that than some dirty motel or car etc…” - More important than the opinion themselves is to realize whether we really think things through or simply “bow” to popular societal conformity.
We also have an example from Mordecai, in our first reading, and a warning from our Gospel, to exhort us to be true to the ways of God.
Mark 9:42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.”
“Little ones” refers to those of low status. I would imagine this means that we have a responsibility to pass on the ways of God and be true to his word as revealed in the scriptures. If we interpret or compromise scripture in such a way as to be socially accepted, and in the process influence others to sin, then this warning is certainly for us!
Mordecai was true to God, but he and his entire race were hated because of it. It was a time in the history of the Jews when God seemed silent, but surely God was working through all their circumstances to save them. It was not advisable for a Jew to marry someone of a different race, yet that is what Esther did and that is how she came to be in a position to save her people. We need to be aware of the Spirit of God working in all our earthly circumstances not just those that we deem to be “holy”.
Our Gospel talks rather mysteriously about salt.
Mark 9:49-50 “Everyone will be salted with fire. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.””
Sacrifices were to be presented with salt. Jewish meals are not thought to be complete without salt. Bread dipped in salt at the onset of a meal was a blessing to the bread.
Our lives are made holy in our earthly and secular lives, because though it may seem that God is hidden and silent, we are His people and he is working to bring about his purpose through our circumstances.
Ever recall the saying, “being so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good”… kind of like asking if salt loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again. It is a rhetorical question, not meant to be answered, but meant to be realized that we need to be authentic in our lives. We are people that God is dealing with through the ongoing work of His Holy Spirit. He “salts” us – that is, he organizes our lives so that all things work together in our lives to achieve His purpose. Some of these things certainly feel they are like the fire of hell, but that is not the end of the story…..
Our Psalm and our reading from James both assure us of the help from God;
James 5:13-16 “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
The Jewish people keep the festival of the Purim, and according to the research I did, it seems to be held 30days before the feast of Passover…. in some ways as a preparation for Passover. We acknowledge the Passover as part of our Easter preparations but the feast of the Purim is not part of our tradition. I think it is something that I could do with celebrating as a reminder to me that God is not absent and that the undesirable experiences of my life are not the end of the story – God is designing, salting and making holy every part of my life, and in time the joy of victory will come. (I imagine that Jesus celebrated the Purim very meaningfully as he prepared for his Passover)!!
Esther 7: 1-6, 9-10; 9: 2--22 Psalm 124 James 5: 13-20 Mark 9: 38-50
There is a tension among Christians as to what is sacred and what is secular. I’m aware that some Christian churches will not have me come and play my Christian music in their church or endorse my music for their functions because I perform secular music. It is a strange phenomenon because Christians do have secular jobs, but don’t very often see that it is possible that God blesses and encourages our secular work. (And it doesn’t seem to be realized that secular music is the bread and butter for a person in music ministry).
Our readings this week are such, that they sent me on a journey to find out the back ground of some scripture that I found difficult to grasp, and in the process I found a theme that speaks to me and urges me to see that God is working in all places and through all things in our lives….even and especially when we cannot sense him.
Our first reading comes from the book of Esther and is quite violent and dramatic. Esther was a Jewish girl who became Queen to a foreign King while the Jews were living in exile. She kept her nationality a secret and could not approach the King without fear of death. An edict had been given that on a set day those who wished to could legally kill all the Jews. The person who instigated this edict wanted to wipe out every Jew in existence…. Sounds a little like what happened in the 20th century. Esther, after prayer and fasting, approached the King about the matter and the Jews were given the legal right to defend themselves and fight back. The long and short of the story is that it was a great victory.
After researching, I discovered that Esther sounds like the Hebrew word for “hidden”. I also discovered some amazing facts about the feast of Purim which is the feast instigated through this event. It is mentioned at the conclusion of our scripture reading. From the Website for the Jewish Renewal Congregation of Philadelphia and written by Rabbi Emanuel Feldman:
“Purim: a story of heroism and evil undone by goodness.
And also a holiday of masks: On Purim everyone wears costumes and masks. That is part of the celebration! Adults and kids, all come to the reading of the Megillah dressed in elaborate disguises! Purim is a Mardi Gras of disguises _ reality is hidden, garbed in funny, gaudy, attractive clever, glittery, cute, silly, but always false appearances.
It is a clue to the meaning of the holiday, and the story. Truth can be disguised. Sometimes even the main character is hidden. Sometimes even God is hidden.” (http://www.pnaior-phila.org/learn-about/the-months-of-spring-pesach-through-purim)
Megillah is the term used for the reading of the book of Esther which takes place at this festival and is a word that also sounds like a Hebrew word; it sounds like the Hebrew for “revealed”.
In the circumstances of the Jewish people it seemed that God was hidden. The Jews, as represented by Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, were a minority group who refused to bow to public pressure. He would not bow to man and he would not bow to idols, but it was this act that resulted in all Jews nearly being annihilated. Ever sense that fear?
I’ve been watching the television show, “Can of Worms”, and I’ve commented to Brittany that there are many people who don’t seem to have solid or valid reasons for their opinions, but their opinion is the seemingly “trendy” one. For example: “Oh no, people shouldn’t have to speak English to live in Australia – that’s not being culturally sensitive”, “Of course homosexuals should be allowed to marry”, “Yes, I would certainly let my 15 year old daughter have sex in my house – better that than some dirty motel or car etc…” - More important than the opinion themselves is to realize whether we really think things through or simply “bow” to popular societal conformity.
We also have an example from Mordecai, in our first reading, and a warning from our Gospel, to exhort us to be true to the ways of God.
Mark 9:42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.”
“Little ones” refers to those of low status. I would imagine this means that we have a responsibility to pass on the ways of God and be true to his word as revealed in the scriptures. If we interpret or compromise scripture in such a way as to be socially accepted, and in the process influence others to sin, then this warning is certainly for us!
Mordecai was true to God, but he and his entire race were hated because of it. It was a time in the history of the Jews when God seemed silent, but surely God was working through all their circumstances to save them. It was not advisable for a Jew to marry someone of a different race, yet that is what Esther did and that is how she came to be in a position to save her people. We need to be aware of the Spirit of God working in all our earthly circumstances not just those that we deem to be “holy”.
Our Gospel talks rather mysteriously about salt.
Mark 9:49-50 “Everyone will be salted with fire. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.””
Sacrifices were to be presented with salt. Jewish meals are not thought to be complete without salt. Bread dipped in salt at the onset of a meal was a blessing to the bread.
Our lives are made holy in our earthly and secular lives, because though it may seem that God is hidden and silent, we are His people and he is working to bring about his purpose through our circumstances.
Ever recall the saying, “being so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good”… kind of like asking if salt loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again. It is a rhetorical question, not meant to be answered, but meant to be realized that we need to be authentic in our lives. We are people that God is dealing with through the ongoing work of His Holy Spirit. He “salts” us – that is, he organizes our lives so that all things work together in our lives to achieve His purpose. Some of these things certainly feel they are like the fire of hell, but that is not the end of the story…..
Our Psalm and our reading from James both assure us of the help from God;
James 5:13-16 “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
The Jewish people keep the festival of the Purim, and according to the research I did, it seems to be held 30days before the feast of Passover…. in some ways as a preparation for Passover. We acknowledge the Passover as part of our Easter preparations but the feast of the Purim is not part of our tradition. I think it is something that I could do with celebrating as a reminder to me that God is not absent and that the undesirable experiences of my life are not the end of the story – God is designing, salting and making holy every part of my life, and in time the joy of victory will come. (I imagine that Jesus celebrated the Purim very meaningfully as he prepared for his Passover)!!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Reflection for 23rd September 2012
Year B Proper 20 23 September 2012
Proverbs 31: 10-31 Psalm 1 James 3:13 - 4: 3, 7-8a Mark 9: 30-37
When I was downloading the readings for this week I groaned when I saw Proverbs 31. I thought it was the reading about that amazing woman that makes me feel inadequate. I was right, the reading is about this perfect woman who seems to be super human, but I was also wrong because she no longer made me feel inadequate. The difference is time and circumstance….and understanding.
Once upon a time I felt I was judged as being an inadequate mother and wife and the woman from Proverbs 31 proved it by comparison. The reading speaks of a woman who manages her household, cares for her family and servants and also has her own personal work that she seems to also find time for. If we leave it at that we miss the point, and I think that I had previously overlooked the point of the reading. The point being that this woman was who she was, and could do what she could do, because she was a woman of God.
Proverbs 31:30-31 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
This is a lady from a respectable, well established and wealthy family. We read that she has servants for whom she provides food, and that she cares for the poor and needy. This is a lady who doesn’t want for anything and could well “Lord” it over others and enjoy her position, but she doesn’t. Instead she uses her position as a gift from God to be used for the benefit and blessing of others.
This sheds some light on our Gospel reading. Once again Jesus talks of his death and resurrection, as if emphasizing to the disciples the truth of the matter, but then he asks them what they were talking about on the road. He knew well what they were talking about. They were arguing about who was the greatest among them.
Perhaps they were beginning to believe that Jesus would indeed die and so they needed to know who would take over as leader….. Maybe they missed the bit about his resurrection…. I suspect that Jesus heard the conversation and let it develop until all their ambitions were exposed.
James 3:14 “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.”
Sometimes it isn’t until a situation arises that we become aware of our own ambitions and envy and when we do become aware we need to heed the words of James because there are two natural responses. One is to deny that the envy and ambition exists. The envy and ambition will continue to drive our actions and poison our being like an invisible evil force. The other natural response is to own the ambition as something we boast about….. “I want that thing, and I envy that person …” etc..
James tells us to do neither of these things. Instead we need to acknowledge it and confess it. We need to look at our desires in the light of the wisdom that Jesus has shown us.
James 4:1-3 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
“You desire but do not have, so you kill……” You may read that immediately say that doesn’t apply to you, but have you ever stifled someone’s creativity because you wanted to be the one seen as in charge? Or put someone “in their place”, for the same reason? Have you ever talked about someone behind their back and spread rumours simply because you don’t like the fact that they look better than you or seem to have more than you?
James tells us that we do not have, because we haven’t asked God, and if we have asked, we ask with wrong motives. Sometimes we might even almost convince ourselves that our motives are in line with what God wants, but God isn’t fooled.
Jesus let the disciple show their true colours. Their ambition and jealousy was revealed, and then he told the disciples that whoever wants to be first must become the servant of all. He took a child and explained that to be a servant means to welcome, care for and serve even children.
In that ancient culture children were the last people that were to be respected. In complete contrast to our own culture, if a house was burning down it would be expected that you’d save the elders first and the children last. Children were not even considered heirs until they came of age. So to then be told that the most important person in the kingdom of God must be a servant to little children was somewhat a shock.
The perfect picture of a leader in the kingdom of God is that one that we find in Proverbs 31. Once again this will be a shock to many people because firstly she is not a man. This woman does not have a view of herself that places her above others, but she uses her gifts for the blessing of all.
The world truly is crazy. We live in a world where homosexuals are fighting for their rights to marriage and yet we in the church still can’t acknowledge women leaders. As my friend, Mike Nelson, once said, “after all… we can’t just let anyone tell us about Jesus!!!” (He was being sarcastic).
Once upon a very long time ago when God was inspiring a very wise man to write the book of proverbs, he chose to portray a leader and he chose a woman. But let’s be realistic about this…. It isn’t the fact that she was female that was important, it was that she feared God and used her gifts for the benefits of others. Free will means that we need to choose if we will fear God and use our gifts for the benefits of others, but there are no limitations on God’s gifts and there are no boundaries when God empowers.
Proverbs 31: 10-31 Psalm 1 James 3:13 - 4: 3, 7-8a Mark 9: 30-37
When I was downloading the readings for this week I groaned when I saw Proverbs 31. I thought it was the reading about that amazing woman that makes me feel inadequate. I was right, the reading is about this perfect woman who seems to be super human, but I was also wrong because she no longer made me feel inadequate. The difference is time and circumstance….and understanding.
Once upon a time I felt I was judged as being an inadequate mother and wife and the woman from Proverbs 31 proved it by comparison. The reading speaks of a woman who manages her household, cares for her family and servants and also has her own personal work that she seems to also find time for. If we leave it at that we miss the point, and I think that I had previously overlooked the point of the reading. The point being that this woman was who she was, and could do what she could do, because she was a woman of God.
Proverbs 31:30-31 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
This is a lady from a respectable, well established and wealthy family. We read that she has servants for whom she provides food, and that she cares for the poor and needy. This is a lady who doesn’t want for anything and could well “Lord” it over others and enjoy her position, but she doesn’t. Instead she uses her position as a gift from God to be used for the benefit and blessing of others.
This sheds some light on our Gospel reading. Once again Jesus talks of his death and resurrection, as if emphasizing to the disciples the truth of the matter, but then he asks them what they were talking about on the road. He knew well what they were talking about. They were arguing about who was the greatest among them.
Perhaps they were beginning to believe that Jesus would indeed die and so they needed to know who would take over as leader….. Maybe they missed the bit about his resurrection…. I suspect that Jesus heard the conversation and let it develop until all their ambitions were exposed.
James 3:14 “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.”
Sometimes it isn’t until a situation arises that we become aware of our own ambitions and envy and when we do become aware we need to heed the words of James because there are two natural responses. One is to deny that the envy and ambition exists. The envy and ambition will continue to drive our actions and poison our being like an invisible evil force. The other natural response is to own the ambition as something we boast about….. “I want that thing, and I envy that person …” etc..
James tells us to do neither of these things. Instead we need to acknowledge it and confess it. We need to look at our desires in the light of the wisdom that Jesus has shown us.
James 4:1-3 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
“You desire but do not have, so you kill……” You may read that immediately say that doesn’t apply to you, but have you ever stifled someone’s creativity because you wanted to be the one seen as in charge? Or put someone “in their place”, for the same reason? Have you ever talked about someone behind their back and spread rumours simply because you don’t like the fact that they look better than you or seem to have more than you?
James tells us that we do not have, because we haven’t asked God, and if we have asked, we ask with wrong motives. Sometimes we might even almost convince ourselves that our motives are in line with what God wants, but God isn’t fooled.
Jesus let the disciple show their true colours. Their ambition and jealousy was revealed, and then he told the disciples that whoever wants to be first must become the servant of all. He took a child and explained that to be a servant means to welcome, care for and serve even children.
In that ancient culture children were the last people that were to be respected. In complete contrast to our own culture, if a house was burning down it would be expected that you’d save the elders first and the children last. Children were not even considered heirs until they came of age. So to then be told that the most important person in the kingdom of God must be a servant to little children was somewhat a shock.
The perfect picture of a leader in the kingdom of God is that one that we find in Proverbs 31. Once again this will be a shock to many people because firstly she is not a man. This woman does not have a view of herself that places her above others, but she uses her gifts for the blessing of all.
The world truly is crazy. We live in a world where homosexuals are fighting for their rights to marriage and yet we in the church still can’t acknowledge women leaders. As my friend, Mike Nelson, once said, “after all… we can’t just let anyone tell us about Jesus!!!” (He was being sarcastic).
Once upon a very long time ago when God was inspiring a very wise man to write the book of proverbs, he chose to portray a leader and he chose a woman. But let’s be realistic about this…. It isn’t the fact that she was female that was important, it was that she feared God and used her gifts for the benefits of others. Free will means that we need to choose if we will fear God and use our gifts for the benefits of others, but there are no limitations on God’s gifts and there are no boundaries when God empowers.
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