Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission (16resources_yrc_p1_14.htm)

Help to find For Yr. C Planning Advent-Epiph. Home Page About This Site  Contact Bob Bob's Storybook Biblical Index BOOKS Theological books  I read recently: -Brickner, Finding God in Garden Resources by Category: Click a heading below to go to a category. -Administration and Pastoral Relations: resolving conflict; -Children & Church School: Lit for start  of  sch term -discussion resources -Liturgical -movies reviewd -Mission cong's chaplain outreach Peace for churches -Sermon/Story -Social Comment Spanking, Liberal Muslims -Series for SUMMER

Story and Preaching/Teachings Resouces for Pentecost 1-10 Yr. C. Original Christian sermons,prayers, stories, plays, film reviews, theological book reviews for use in the church- seeking the following biases: +Gender, sexual orientation and power inclusiveness in language and in imagery, +Following Jesus in valuing equally children, women and men, +Seeing justice as integral to the will of God for all creation, +In theology and view of scripture, liberal, moving toward radical. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Trinity Sun. God is a Family of Delight One way I look at these passages is to see them as describing relationships both within the Holy and between the holy and ourselves. Prov. 8:1-4,22-31 - Wisdom, She who is God's first creation,delight, and partner in bringing forth the rest of creation, is to be found among the people crying out wisdom in the crossways of life. Ps. 8 - The Psalmist is amazed that the creator of all has given mortal human beings responsibility for the care of other living things - a status that is just below God's own self. Rom. 5:1-5 - In these (Trinitarian) verses Paul defines what he see as the results of living by faith in Christ (4:16) and with the gift of the Spirit. They are peace with God, hearts filled with God's love and a life of hope even in the midst of suffering. Jn. 16:12-15 - John declares that when they are ready for it, the friends of Jesus learn from the Spirit even more of the truth than they learn from Jesus. These truths will not be contrary to the teachings of Jesus - in fact, these truths will enhance ("glorify") Jesus. Doubtless this is what was happening in the Johnanian branch of the Jesus movement at the time of writing. I find a similarity between the teaching activity of John's Spirit of Truth and that of Proverb's Wisdom. Sermon notes AS CHRISTIANS WE KNOW GOD IN THREE WAYS. WE SAY THAT FOR US GOD HAS THREE ASPECTS OR PERSONS. THEY ARE: GOD THE CREATOR; GOD THE INCARNATE (JESUS),* AND GOD THE SPIRIT. WE CALL THIS THREE-IN-ONE GOD, THE TRINITY, FATHER (OR MOTHER), SON (OR CHILD) AND HOLY SPIRIT (OR WISDOM) ANOTHER WAY TO IMAGINE THIS TRUTH IS TO SAY: GOD IS A FAMILY. WHILE WE SAY THIS, LET US REMEMBER THAT WE TOO ARE MEMBERS OF THAT FAMILY. AS CHILDREN OF GOD, AS SISTERS AND BROTHERS OF JESUS CHRIST, AS PEOPLE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF GOD, THE BODY OF CHRIST. THEN WE MIGHT MAKE THIS FAMILY METAPHOR EXPRESSIVE OF THE NATURE OF GOD AND SAY THAT GOD IS A FAMILY OF DELIGHT - A FAMILY IN WHICH EACH MEMBER DELIGHTS IN THE OTHERS. RALPH MILTON, A UNITED CHURCH MINISTER AND STORY- TELLER, HAS WRITTEN OF AN EXPERIENCE OF BEING A GRANDPARENT WHICH WILL BE FAMILIAR TO MANY OF US. MILTON TELLS OF WATCHING HIS DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND, AND THEIR EIGHT MONTH OLD CHILD TAKING DELIGHT IN ONE ANOTHER AS THEY COO AND PLAY TOGETHER ON THE CARPET. ONE WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE HOLY IS TO THINK OF GOD AS A FAMILY, OF THREE; A COMMUNITY MADE UP OF GOD THE FATHER / MOTHER; GOD THE SON/ CHILD; AND GOD THE SPIRIT/WISDOM. OUR THEOLOGY IS MONOTHEISTIC; WE CONSIDER THAT THERE IS JUST ONE GOD. HOWEVER, THAT ONE IS NOT A BARREN SINGLE SPIKE. THAT ONE IS LIKE MOST ONES GOD HAS CREATED. EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK WE CAN SEE ONES WHO ARE MANY. I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME EXAMPLES THAT MIGHT HELP US PLAY WITH THE NOTION OF THREE IN ONE. THE TREE OUTSIDE OUR HOME IS A SINGLE TREE, YET IT HAS MANY BRANCHES, AND NO BRANCH IS JUST THE SAME AS THE OTHERS. THE TREE IS GENETICALLY ONE WITH MANY BRANCHES. THIS PAST WEEK PATRICIA, OUR DAUGHTER, BROUGHT HER MOTHER A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS. EACH SINGLE FLOWER IS ACTUALLY MADE UP OF AT LEAST THREE PARTS, THE STEM AND LEAVES, THE PETALS, AND THE STAMEN. YOU AND I ARE BODY MIND AND SPIRIT. BY NO MEANS DOES THIS IMPLY THAT WE CLAIM TO COMPREHEND GOD. THE ETERNAL AND HOLY. IS FAR BEYOND WHAT OUR HUMAN MINDS CAN GRASP. IN CHRISTIAN FAITH WE SAY THE HOLY IS A MYSTERY, HOWEVER GOD REVEALED THIS MUCH TO US, AND PERHAPS THIS IS ALL WE NEED TO KNOW, OR CAN KNOW WITH OUR FINITE MINDS, AND OUR LIMITED HEARTS. LATELY, CHRISTIAN THEOLOGIANS HAVE BEEN SUGGESTING THAT ONE WAY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE HOLY SOURCE OF ALL BEING IS TO IMAGINE GOD TO BE A FAMILY, A COMMUNITY. CONSIDER THIS: IF IN TRINITARIAN FAITH WE SAY "GOD IS LOVE," WE DON'T MEAN THAT THE HOLY IS A SINGLE DIGIT GIVING LOVE BUT NEVER NEEDING IT. RATHER WE MEAN THAT WITHIN THE HOLY TRINITY THERE IS GIVING AND RECEIVING OF DELIGHT; AN INTERACTIVE DELIGHT GIVING OFF WAVES OF LOVE WHICH ENCOMPASSES US LIKE THE LIGHT THAT BEAMS FROM OUR SUN. WE BELIEVE FURTHER THAT THIS LOVE ENCIRCLES AND INCLUDES US. BY THAT LOVE WE HAVE COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY AND WITH ONE ANOTHER. I INVITE YOU PLAY WITH THIS NOTION THAT THE TRINITY CAN BE LIKENED TO A FAMILY, AND ALLOW YOURSELF ALSO TO ENJOY BEING A MEMBER OF THIS FAMILY. THIS IS A FAMILY IN WHICH ALL THE MEMBERS DELIGHT IN ONE ANOTHER. IN THIS WAY THE HOLY IS REPLICATED ON MANY OF OUR HOMES. WE HEAR OF THIS IN THE POETRY OF THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS FOR TODAY. THE FIRST LESSON WE READ THIS MORNING FROM PROVERBS SPEAKS OF GOD CREATING A COMPANION - A COMPANION IN WHOM GOD DELIGHTS. THIS COMPANION IS CALLED WISDOM. WISDOM, SAYS PROVERBS, IS THE FIRST BORN OF ALL CREATION. WISDOM SAYS OF HERSELF:I WAS GOD'S DELIGHT. THAT REMINDS ME OF GOD'S DELIGHT IN JESUS. THE GOSPELS SAY THAT WHEN JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, GOD: SPOKE: "THOU ART MY CHILD WITH WHOM I AM WELL-PLEASED. IT ALSO REMINDS ME OF WHAT St PAUL TOLD HIS FRIENDS OF GOD'S DELIGHT IN US. PAUL WROTE: NOTHING IN ALL CREATION CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD." (Rom 8:31-38) SO ON THIS OCCASION I AM ASKING THAT WE CONSIDER OURSELVES MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD, GOD WHO IS A FAMILY OF DELIGHT. (Rom.8:8:9-17) HOW DID THIS WAY OF SEEING GOD DEVELOP? IN SCRIPTURE, AS I SEE IT, THE HOLY IS FIRST PORTRAYED IN THE BIBLE AS A DUALITY; THE CREATOR, AND THE SPIRIT OF THE CREATOR. FOR INSTANCE, IN THE FIRST BIBLICAL MYTH OF CREATION (Gen.1:1-2:3), THE ACTORS ARE THE VOICE OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD. GOD SPEAKS ANNOUNCING EACH ACT OF CREATION, THEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVES OVER THE CHAOS, TO BRING LIGHT AND FORM AND LIFE. IN THE SECOND MYTH OF CREATION (Gen. 2:7), THE HANDS OF GOD FORM A MODEL OF CLAY AND THESE CLAY FIGURES ARE GIVEN LIFE BY GOD THE BREATH OF GOD. THE WISDOM SCHOLARS, WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF PROVERBS FROM WHICH IS TAKEN OUR FIRST LESSON TODAY, SPEAK OF THIS SPIRIT OF GOD AS GOD'S FEMININE PARTNER, WISDOM (Prov. 8). THE WRITERS OF PROVERBS IMAGINE GOD HAVING CREATED HER BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE, AN ALTERNATE SELF. IN PROVERB'S MYTH OF CREATION GOD AND WISDOM WORK AND PLAY TOGETHER. IN THEIR TEACHING GOD AND WISDOM WERE JOYFUL WORKERS BRINGING ALL CREATION INTO BEING. SO, IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES WE HAVE GOD AND GOD'S SPIRIT, GOD'S AND GOD'S WISDOM.** CHRISTIANS TAKE THE STORY A STEP FURTHER. WE SAY THAT IN THESE LATTER TIMES GOD CAME AMONG US IN THE FLESH; COMING INTO CREATION AS A CREATURE, JESUS OF NAZARETH. THIS GIVES THE HOLY A THIRD FACE. WISDOM BECOMES THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND WITH GOD THE FATHER WE HAVE THREE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY. GOD IS A COMMUNITY. WHAT DOES THIS IMPLY FOR US AND OUR WORLD? IT MAKES COMMUNITY TO BE THE VERY ESSENCE OF ALL THINGS. SCIENCE IS TELLING US THAT THIS IS SO. THE MORE THAT RESEARCH IS DONE INTO THE ESSENCE OF THINGS THE MORE IT IS FOUND TO BE TRUE THAT ALL THINGS ARE INTER-RELATED. THE WORLD IS A COMMUNITY. EACH CREATURE NEEDS FOR SURVIVAL AN ENVIRONMENT OF OTHER CREATURES. IT ALSO TELLS US WHAT SIN IS. SIN IS THAT WHICH NEGATES THIS REALITY AND TRIES TO BREAK UP THE COMMUNITY, OR IT IS THAT WHICH DENIES THAT WE NEED ON ANOTHER. IT ALSO TELLS US WHAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THAT WHICH BRINGS US TOGETHER AS COMMUNITY WITH ALL THINGS. AGAIN, IT TELLS WHAT OUR MISSION IS. OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT ALL THINGS FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY. FINALLY IT TELLS US WHO WE ARE. WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE GOD WHO IS COMMUNITY AND WHO CALLS US INTO COMMUNITY WITH THE HOLY THREE AND WITH ONE ANOTHER. PRAISE THE COMMUNAL GOD, FOR THIS FAMILIAL WORLD. * Is Christ made manifest through persons other than Jesus? See, The Pagan Christ, Tom Harpur. Thomas Allen **There is a similarity between Wisdom's role in creation as per Proverbs 8 and that of the Word which became incarnate in John1:1:1-9 and between the teaching role of the Spirit of Truth (John 16:12) and Wisdom's declaration in the streets (Proverbs 8). Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission 2nd after Pentecost Yr. C  Naboth's Vineyard; Law and Faith <Cp2Naboth> . 1K.21:1-21 and Gal.2:15-21 Rather than writing a sermon based on this passage, I am going to contribute to your reflection on what is going on in the 1K. narrative and what Gal. 2 may say about living with somewhat similar situations in our day. I'd appreciate your response to this First three views of the conflict in1K.21 - Here is a conflict between two kinds of power, political and prophetic. Rather than act out of spiritual direction, both Ahab and Elijah are apt to abuse the power or their respective offices(Thomas Dozeman & co. Preaching the Revised Common Lectioanry Yr. C.) Abingdon. Today we may see this abuse of power in the struggle between President Bush and Clerics in Iraq. - Here is a difference in how land and natural resources are perceived: as a commodity to be bought and sold or as a sacred trust from God passed on from generation to generation. Today this struggle is going on with respect to water and genetics. While corporations are seeking to own water and genes, others such as Maud Barlow* and Vandana Shiva**who speak on behalf of the people are claiming these to be Common,s which belong to the human race and cannot be owned by individuals or private corporations. *Maud Barlow is volunteer chair of the Council of Canadians. www.canadians.org. Blue Gold, Stoddart and "Who owns water?" Canadian Perspectives Summer 2000. **Vandana Shiva is a world-renowned scientist, feminist and activist. In 1982 she founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, an NGO that works on a wide range of issues affecting both India and the developing world. http://www.vshiva.net - A conflict over land use: Naboth's land was a vineyard which had been cultivated for generations for that purpose. Ahab wanted to tear up these ancient vines and cultivate a vegetable garden. It would be hard to argue that grapes are more needed than vegetables, but once it is admitted that the owner can use the land as they wish, the next move might be to use it as a parking lot. Galatins 2:15-21 - live by faith. Since the lectionary has given us these two passages for the same Sunday I want to ask, does Paul's injunction that we live by faith rather than by law have ant relevance to the story of Naboth's vineyard and similar conflicts today? This emerges in my mind as the question is: are Ahab and Jezebel living by law while Naboth is living by faith? You will notice that I have left Elijah out of the question. To find an answer to this question I need to think through what Paul seems to mean by the two categories, law and faith. It seems that they both are understood to be avenues that lead to the Holy. One way is follow God's law, the other is to trust in God's grace. Paul believes that rebelliousness of the human heart makes it impossible for humans to get to God via the route of obedience to God's law, so God has provided a way that is possible - that way is to trust not in our own goodness but in God's grace to bring you home. Paul counts Abraham and Sarah as our parents in the faith who lived by faith. Perhaps we could place Naboth within the long line of their descendents. Clearly Naboth lived by faith in the God who entrusted him with a vineyard to care for and pass on to the next generation. This is not to say Naboth did not live as best as he could within God's law as it was known at that time, but clearly First Kings portrays a person who lived in relationships of trust; in a relationship of trust with his ancestors, in a relationship of trust the generation to follow him, and in a relationship of trust with his God. Ahab and Jezebel exhibit the rebellious human heart which sulks and reacts violently when it doesn't get it own way. Also they lived by law, a new kind of law. This law said that those with power have a god-given right to take what land they want. Was this God's law? It was if you belive that these powers and their rights were God-given. There is a stream of thought in the Bible which would affirm this to be true; that prosperity and power are gifts of God. The prophets such as Amos challenged this notion, but it was strongly held,* and continues to be held today who see themselves as having a right to raid the earth and possess its vineyards. This is the holy law which Ahab and Jezebel claimed. Although they may have claimed them as laws of Baal, not Jehovah. I would find it easy to put in Naboth's camp those who see our earth, water, air, and genetic treasures as Commons which belong to the whole of the people, and are not for sale as commodities. These among God's primary gifts and trusts which we hold in relationship with all people of all time. We fulfill the trust God has given us by caring for these treasures and by making them available to all people. By this we shall live in tune with the Holy. *Amos 4-6; Deut. 6:1-13 Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Simon and Hannah - Law and Grace <Cp2anointing> Woman who washed Jesus feet with tears Luke 6:36-50 - A story-telling interpretation IN A CERTAIN CITY IN PALESTINE THERE LIVED A PHARISEE NAMED SIMON AND A HARLOT NAMED HANNAH. SIMON AND HANNAH KNEW ONE ANOTHER, IN CHILDHOOD THEY HAD BEEN NEIGHBOURS AND PLAYMATES, BUT EARLY IN THEIR TEENS THEY WENT IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. SIMON'S PARENTS WANTED HIM TO DO WELL SO THEY WERE VERY STRICT WITH HIM, AND HE LEARNED THAT HARD WORK AND DILIGENCE WAS THE WAY TO GET ON IN LIFE. SIMON WAS A GOOD STUDENT AND ADHERED VERY STRICTLY TO THE PHARISAIC CODE. HANNAH'S PARENTS WANTED HER TO MARRY WELL, AND ARRANGED THAT WHEN SHE CAME OF AGE SHE WOULD BE O BE MARRIED TO THE SON OF A MERCHANT FAMILY. HANNA'S EDUCATION WOULD NOT INCLUDE READING AND WRITING. SHE WAS INSTRUCTED I THE WOMANLY ARTS. HOWEVER HANNAH HAD AN UNCLE MANAGED TO FIND HER ALONE, AND ONE DAY FORCED HIMSELF ON HER WHEN SHE WAS TWELVE. HANNAH WAS ASHAMED AND KNEW THAT SHE COULD NOT BECOME A WIFE SINCE SHE WAS NO LONGER A VIRGIN, SO SHE DARED TO TELL HER GRANDMOTHER. GRANDMA TOLD HANNAH'S MOTHER, WHO TOLD HER FATHER. IT WAS DECIDED THAT SINCE HANNA COULD NOT MARRY THE MERCHANT'S SON, THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIND AN OTHER PLACE FOR HER. A BROKER WAS CONTACTED AND AGREED THAT FOR A SUM A HUSBAND WOULD BE FOUND FOR HANNAH IN A LESSER FAMILY. SO, IT WAS DONE. HANNAH FOUND HERSELF LITTLE MORE THAN A SERVANT AND WAS REGULARLY BEATEN. SO HANNAH FLED AND SOON FOUND HERSELF UNDER THE CONTROL OF A MAN WHO SOLD HER BODY. SHE LONGED TO BE OF VALUE, BUT FELT HERSELF WANTED FOR LITTLE MORE THAN TO SATISFY MEN WHO WOULD PAY FOR HER BODY. SELF TO BE OF NOTHING EXCEPT AS A SEX OBJECT.  SIMON ALSO WANTED TO B OF VALUE. SO, HE JOINED THE PARTY OF PHARISEES WHO WOULD VALUE HIM ACCORDING TO HIS KEEPING OF THEIR STRICT RULES FOR LIFE. SO THEY LIVED IN THE SAME CITY ONE A LEADING RABBI, THE OTHER A PROSTITUTE. THEN IT HAPPENED THAT ON A CERTAIN DAY THEY BOTH MET JESUS AS HE TAUGHT THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE MARKET SQUARE. HANNAH HEARD A WORD OF HOPE FOR HERSELF. ON THAT DAY HANNAH HEARD A WORD OF HOPE FOR HERSELF. JESUS STIRRED IN HER WHAT SHE ALWAYS DARED TO BELIEVE: SHE WAS OF VALUE IN THE EYES OF HER CREATOR. HER FACE SHONE AND JESUS NOTICED HER. BY HER DRESS AND THE LOOK ON HER FACE, HE KNEW THAT SHE WAS A PROSTITUTE. HIS HEART WENT OUT TO HER. JESUS ALSO NOTICE SIMON AND RECOGNIZED SIMON AND RECOGNIZED THE STONEY FACE OF A PHARISEE. WHILE HANNAH HEARD IN JESUS WORD'S OF HOPE, SIMON HEARD JESUS WORDS AS FOOLISHNESS WHICH HE WANTED TO CHALLENGE, SO HE INVITED JESUS TO DINNER. WHEN JESUS ACCEPTED THE INVITATION, SIMON AND CALLED HIS FRIENDS AND SENT HIS SERVANTS TO INVITE ALL HIS FRIENDS TO A FEAST AT WHICH HE WOULD PUT THE ITINERANT UNEDUCATED PREACHER AND TEACHER ON THE HOT SEAT. THE MEAL WAS SERVED OUT OF DOORS IN THE COOL OF THE EVENING. IT WAS THE CUSTOM IN THAT LAND, TO HAVE A SERVANT WASH THE FEET OF EACH GUEST AS THEY ENTERED THE COURTYARD, BUT SIMON TOLD THE SERVANTS NOT TO WASH THE FEET OF JESUS. THIS SHOWED THAT SIMON CONSIDERED JESUS TO BE OF NO VALUE OTHER THAN THE EVENING'S ENTERTAINMENT; LITTLE MORE THAN A JUGGLER OR CLOWN. JESUS ALLOWED THE SNUB TO PASS, AND CAME TO THE TABLE. IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS A JEW AND CONSIDERED BY SOME TO BE A TEACHER THAT GAVE JESUS A PLACE AT THE TABLE. NOW, THEY DIDN'T SIT AT CHAIRS AS WE DO, BUT LAY ON THEIR SIDE ON A SPECIAL SORT OF COUCH WITH FEET POINTING AWAY FROM THE TABLE. IT WAS ALSO COMMON IN THAT PLACE TO LEAVE THE DOORS OPEN SO THAT OTHER TOWNSPEOPLE COULD COME IN AND LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION. HANNA WAS AMONG THOSE WHO CAME IN. SHE MOVED TO WHERE JESUS WAS AND SAT AT HIS FEET. JESUS, OF COURSE, RECOGNIZED HER. HE FELT A KINSHIP WITH HANNAH THAT HE DID NOT FEEL FROM SIMON, AND HE SMILED A WARM AND UNRESERVED WELCOME. TEARS OF JOY, WHICH HAD BEEN DAMMED UP FOR YEARS POURED FROM HER EYES AND ONTO HIS UNWASHED FEET. SHE WHO HAD TOUCHED AND BEEN TOUCHED BY MANY MEN, NOW DID THE UNTHINKABLE. SHE WIPED THE FEET OF THIS HOLY MAN WITH HER HAIR. THEN SHE DID WHAT SHE HAD PREPARED FOR AND HOPED TO DO. SHE TOOK FROM THE FOLDS OF HER WRAP A BOTTLE OF HEALING OIL, BROKE IT OPEN AND ANOINTED AND MASSAGED HIS TIRED FEET. SIMON SAW THIS AS HIS CHANCE, AND SAID IN A STAGE WHISPER, "IF THIS MAN WAS A PROPHET HE WOULD KNOW WHAT KIND OF WOMAN THIS IS WHO IS TOUCHING HIM." JESUS IN RETURN CALLED TO SIMON; "I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. THERE WERE TWO MEN WHO FORGIVEN THEIR DEBTS. ONE WAS FORGIVEN A MILLION WHILE THE OTHER WAS FORGIVEN A HUNDRED. WHICH DO YOU SUPPOSE WAS THE MORE GRATEFUL?" "WELL," SAID SIMON,"I SUPPOSE THE ONE WHO WAS FORGIVEN THE MILLION." "NOW"SAID JESUS, "WHEN I CAME INTO YOUR HOUSE YOU SHOWED ME NO LOVE, NEITHER WATER FOR MY FEET NOR OIL FOR MY HEAD. HOWEVER HANNAH HAS WASHED MY FEET WITH HER TEARS AND ANOINTED THEM WITH OIL. THOSE WHO RECEIVE MUCH GRACE, LOVE MUCH. THOSE WHO FEEL THEY NEED LITTLE GRACE, SHOWN LITTLE." Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Pent. 3, Yr C The Small Quiet Voice of Hope 1 Kings 19:1-15a; Ps.42-43 DO YOU EVER FEEL THAT YOU ARE ALMOST THE ONLY ONES ON YOUR STREET WHO GO TO CHURCH? THAT IS HOW THE PROPHET ELIJAH FELT. THE PSALM READING FOR TODAY HAS A SIMILAR LONELY THEME. IN PSALM, 42-43 WE FIND A LAMENT OVER THE STATE OF REGION IN ANCIENT PALESTINE. THE PSALMIST IS DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE SO FEW PEOPLE OF THAT TIME WENT TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAISE GOD. THIS CAN ALSO BE SAID OF CANADA TODAY. RECENTLY, CANADIAN NEWSPAPERS REPORTED RECENTLY THAT A POLL OF THE STATE OF RELIGION IN CANADA FOUND THAT THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGIOUS GROUP IN CANADA IS MADE UP OF THOSE WHO REPORT THAT THEY HAVE "NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION." I CONFESS THAT WHEN I HEAR THIS I CAN IDENTIFY WITH ELIJAH AND THE POET OF PSALM 42-43. LIKE THEM, I DO HAVE A THIRST FOR THE LIVING GOD, AND I DO LAMENT THE FACT THAT IN OUR WORLD, THERE SEEMS TO BE SO FEW OTHERS WITH THAT THIRST. THERE ARE MANY WHO SAY TO US "WHERE IS YOUR GOD?" A PART OF THIS PSALM (VS.4) DRAWS ME INTO NOSTALGIA. IT RECALLS HOW GOOD IT USED TO FEEL IN TIMES PAST, BEING AT WORSHIP WITH A LARGE CONGREGATION. THIS REMINDS ME OF BEING IN CHURCH THE WAY IT USED TO BE ON EASTER SUNDAY WITH THE SANCTUARY FULL OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING GOD'S VICTORY OF HOPE. YOU REMEMBER THAT DON'T YOU? MOST OF US DO! THE ONLY TIME I EVER EXPERIENCE THAT NOWADAYS IS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF OUR REGIONAL CONFERENCE, WHERE THE CHURCH WILL BE PACKED FOR THE SERVICE OF COMMISSIONING AND ORDINATION. THE SINGING AT SUCH SERVICES CAN BE ESPECIALLY MOVING, WITH SO MANY STRONG VOICES JOINING TOGETHER IN PRAISE OF GOD AND IN CELEBRATION OF THE GOSPEL. AT SUCH TIMES IT IS POSSIBLE TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE IN A WORLD WHERE THE CHRIST AND THE GOOD NEWS ARE HELD TO BE IMPORTANT. ON THE OTHER HAND I CAN ALSO HEAR THIS PSALM (VS.3) AS A LAMENT, A LAMENT ARISING FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE THE IDEA OF THE HOLY, AND THE VALUES SET OUT IN THE GOSPELS ARE EMBRACED BY ONLY A FEW. IT USED TO BE THAT I GOT THIS FEELING OF THE FAITHFUL FEW ON THE SUNDAY AFTER EASTER, BUT NOWADAYS IT IS TRUE JUST ABOUT EVERY SUNDAY, INCLUDING EASTER. I KNOW THAT YOU FEEL THAT WAY TOO. PEOPLE SOMETIMES SAY TO ME, "YOU MUST FEEL DISCOURAGED, SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY." WHEN YOU SAY THAT TO ME I SUSPECT YOU ARE EXPRESSING YOUR OWN DISAPPOINTMENT. SO THE ANCIENT PSALMIST'S LAMENT EXPRESSES THE FEELINGS OF MODERN WORSHIPPERS TOO. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT LEFT THERE, CAUGHT BETWEEN NOSTALGIA AND LAMENT. AFTER EXPRESSING FEELINGS OF LOSS, PSALM 42-43 SEEKS TO LEAD OUR SOUL WHICH THIRSTS FOR GOD TO THE FLOWING STREAM OF REFRESHMENT: "WHY ARE YOU CAST DOWN, O MY SOUL? HOPE IN GOD."THREE TIMES WE HEAR THIS CALL TO COME TO THE WELL OF HOPE. THREE TIMES WE ARE ADVISED NOT TO BE DOWNCAST BECAUSE OTHERS DON'T COME TO CHURCH. THREE TIMES WE ARE REMINDED THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS BE FAITHFUL OURSELVES, AND PUT THE REST IN GOD'S HANDS. LONG BEFORE THE TIME OF PSALM 42-43 THE PROPHET ELIJAH LEARNED THIS SAME LESSON OF TRUST IN GOD. IN ELIJAH'S DAY, LIKE OURS, THERE WAS A VALUE SYSTEM IN COMPETITION WITH THE HEBREW FAITH. IT WAS CALLED BAAL. BAAL WAS A FORM OF MATERIALISM. EVERYWHERE ELIJAH LOOKED HE SAW BAALS GROWING STRONGER. MANY OF THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT WERE DEVOTED TO BAAL. THIS MADE ELIJAH ANGRY. HE CAME TO FEEL THAT IT WAS HIS DUTY TO CALL DOWN FIRE AND DROUGHT UPON THE PEOPLE. THEN, THE GOVERNMENT ISSUED A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST AND ELIJAH FLED THE COUNTRY IN FEAR FOR HIS LIFE. GOD FOUND ELIJAH FEELING SORRY FOR HIMSELF SAYING: "I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT WHO BELIEVES IN THE TRUE GOD." SO GOD SENT AN ANGEL TO PREPARE HIM A BREAKFAST AND INSTRUCTED ELIJAH TO GO BACK TO THE ROOTS OF HIS FAITH - TO THE MOUNTAIN WHERE MOSES WAS GIVEN THE 10 COMMANDMENTS. SO ELIJAH WENT BACK TO THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD. THERE HE WAITED A CAVE FOR MORE INSTRUCTION FROM GOD. THAT NIGHT THERE WAS A POWERFUL STORM SO STRONG IT BROKE ROCKS. ELIJAH COWERED IN THE BACK OF THE CAVE LISTENING, BUT THE VOICE OF GOD WAS NOT IN THIS STRONG WIND. AFTER THE WIND THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE, BUT THE VOICE OF GOD WAS NOT IN THE EARTHQUAKE. AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE THERE WAS FIRE, BUT GOD WAS NOT IN THE FIRE. THEN, AFTER THE FIRE WAS UTTER SILENCE AND IN THAT SILENCE ELIJAH HEARD GOD SPEAK HIS NAME. ELIJAH THEN WENT AND STOOD AT THE MOUTH OF THE CAVE AND LISTENED. IN A SMALL QUIET VOICE GOD TOLD HIM NOT TO WORRY ABOUT NUMBERS, BUT TO GO BACK TO PALESTINE WHERE THE TRUTH WAS MANY HAD NOT BENT THE KNEE TO BAAL, AND WHERE GOD HAD WORK FOR HIM TO DO. SO, ELIJAH WENT BACK. I THEN ASK, "HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US?" THE SMALL QUIET VOICE OF GOD WHICH I HEARS SAYS: YOUR HOPE DOES NOT COME FROM OUTWARD SIGNS OF SUCCESS OR MEETING SOME SCALE (SUCH AS A FULL CHURCH) BY WHICH WE JUDGE OURSELVES SUCCESSFUL. NO, BOTH THE PSALM AND ELIJAH TELL US TO PLACE OUR HOPE IN GOD. I HEAR THE SMALL QUIET VOICE CALLING US TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE LIVING GOD, TO CHRIST AND TO THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT IS A GREAT ENOUGH THING THAT WE OURSELVES ALLOW THE SPIRIT TO SHAPE OUR LIVES ACCORDING TO THE VALUES SET OUT IN THE GOSPEL. THE STILL SMALL VOICE ALSO SAYS THERE ARE MANY IN OUR LAND WHO HAVE NOT BENT THE KNEE TO MATERIALISM. THEY MAY NOT BE IN CHURCH, BUT THEY AND WE CAN BE ALLIES IN FOLLOWING THE WILL OF GOD FOR THIS PLANET. www.msf.ca http://www.canadians.org/ www.canadians.org LET US PRAISE GOD WITH ALL OUR LIVING AND BEFRIEND ALL THOSE WHO SEEK TO LIVE IN LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR THEIR NEIGHBOUR AND CARE FOR THE EARTH. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Strawberry Patch Grace <Mitzi> Roman 3:21-26 The Realm of God is like my dog and I in our berry patch. I like to boast of my strawberry patch. It is a small piece of prairie soil, no more than eight by fifteen feet supporting about thirty Ever-Bearing strawberry plants. Yet, in its four week season it gives us a daily bowl of berries for our supper. These berries are a free gift. I can do nothing to earn these berries. Yes, I water them, and and aid them in their competition with grass. but it is the creator working through evolution and the hands of the plant scientists who has brought into being this wonderful, tasty, nutritious fruit. I simply receive it. For thirteen years I had a companion who accompanied me to berry patch every evening. This companion was our little female Shiitzoo, who we called MITZI. Like the rest of us, MITZ1, enjoyed eating strawberries so she came with me in the expectation that I would give her a few berries to eat as I picked. One day as I was picking berries at one end of the patch, Mitzi was at the other end, putting her nose under a plant to sniff its ripe berries. After a few minutes when Mitzi did not come to beg some fruit, I looked up to see her. As I did so I hears a quiet popping sound, followed by Mitzi lifting up her chin to chew. Mitzi had learned a wonderful lesson - she could pick berries for herself. No more did she need to wait on my beneficence. Mitzi departed this life about five years ago, and I miss both her friendship and her apprehension of pure strawberry patch grace. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission 4th Sunday after Pentecost A Daring Swap <Cp4swap>   2K. 2:1-14, Ellisha persists in his desire for nothing less than to be filled with the spirit of the god proclaimed by Elijah. Ps. 77:1-2, The poet is drawn out of lament by remembering God's great works in salvation and creation. Gal. 5:1-25, Paul reminds those who would become the church in Galatia that taking up the the new life requires requires that they renounce both their former pagan materialistic and sensualist values and Jewish reliance keeping the Law as the way to union with God. Luke 9:51-62, Luke addresses the phenomenon of those who would join the church and yet continue to do things as if they had not encountered the gospel. It is not that these family obligations are to be forsaken. Rather, the disciple would be expected to fulfill them from an entirely new perspective - post Christ not pre Christ. Sermon notes: Have you swapped or traded anything lately?  Is swapping something that only little boys do? When I was a boy swapping was our boyhood economy. We had no money with which to buy anything, but we did have things to swap. This economy nomy could start by value-adding something we found. For instance, a sling shot made from a forked willow branch and and a strip of rubber cut from a discarded automobile inner tube. This sling shot could then be swapped for an a small bag of marbles. Swapping was giving up something in order to have something else. I want to propose that swapping is a good metaphor for becoming a community of disciples of Christ. But first, let me share a bit more of what I mean by swapping. I sense that swapping is not done among most adults these days, except perhaps by the very poor. I thought about garage sales and wondered if they are a form of swapping, but concluded that they are not true swapping. I may be wrong but I think our garage sales are a way of getting rid of stuff to make room to buy more stuff. Swapping is different. Swapping is trading one precious thing for another; yielding one valuable thing to possess another. The point of all this swapping talk is this: I hear the gospel telling us that to follow Christ we must learn to swap; swap the spirit of materialism and legalism and hatred for the spirit of Christ. The Christian Way is a matter of swapping - giving up one way of seeing and living in order to have another way. It is pry ourselves loose from one set of values in order to embrace another set of values. By implication, discipleship is not adding to what we already have. I sense that this goes contrary to our western culture,and may be why we have so much trouble entering into spirituality. Rather than swapping our life-economy is based on the motto, "I want to have it all!" I am sure we all all see that problem with that - you can't just tie Christianity onto our basically materialistic life style. For instance, in such a common thing as supporting humanitarian causes and the church. You can't donate money that you have already spent on getting stuff. Or as nations, it is very rarely the case that we can bring peace by thinking we have the right to make war as we wish. There are many biblical references to support this: You can't patch an old wine skin by sewing a piece of new skin onto it; then again - new wine requires a bottle made from new wine skin; and again- you can't serve both God and; give up hate to love your enemies (see Matthew chs. 6-7; 13:44; Lk. 5:36). This is also illustrated into day's readings. In the Hebrew lesson we find a would be disciple, Elisha, who understands this. Elisha is a youth who wants the spirit that the old man Elijah has. This spirit that filled Elijah was an all consuming, all embracing spirit of God. Elisha is willing to give up everything to be filled with this spirit. So, Elijah tests Elisha to see how truly he wants this spirit. Elijah tells Elisha: Stay where you are God is calling me to go to Bethel. However Elisha is not so easily deflected. He responds: As the Lord lives, I will not leave you! Then Elijah orders Elisha again to stay where he is because the Lord is sending Elijah to Jericho. Again Elisha replies: As the Lord lives I will not leave you! Then a third time Elijah commands Elisha to give up this quest: Stay here the Lord is sending me to Jordan, and for the third time Elisha says: I will not give up following you! Finally when they get to the Jordan Elijah asks Elisha the central question: What do you want from me? Elisha has waited for this moment and he replied: Let me have a double share of your spirit. In our polite western way we may think that Elisha is being greedy, wanting a double portion of Elijah's spirit, but this probably is just an oriental way of saying: I want to be so filled with your spirit that every other spirit is driven out. So, the story ends with Elijah being carried up into heaven, and Elisha is completely filled with the full portion of the spirit he sought, and Elisha becomes a healer, a bringer of wholeness. Now, when we turn to the gospel lesson, we find just the opposite; disciples and warns-be disciples who are not yet ready to swap spirits. Like Elijah, Jesus is moving on at the call of God. Jesus turns to Jerusalem and the Cross, but few seem ready to follow or to embrace a double portion of the spirit that is in Jesus: -Not the town of Jericho whom he would visit along the road to Jerusalem. They send out he message, we don't want you here is you are going to Jerusalem! -Not James and John who are travelling with Jesus. They do not exhibit an interest in Jesus' spirit. They propose that Jesus call down the wrath of God on Jericho for their inhospitable. -Certainly not those who think they might like to come along - if only they can negotiate the terms of discipleship. All this makes on wonder how Christianity ever came to be. What Luke is telling us here is that they too had to learn to swap. It was only after good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost that James and John, Mary and Martha received the spirit that was in Jesus. It was only then that they gave up the old ways in order to receive the new way. When we turn to the epistle lesson for today, it is clear that spirit Paul offered through Christ was a new spirit in exchange for the old spirit. Paul gives us a list of the life to be found in each way - the old way (5:10), the new way (5:22). The old spirit is called slavery, the new spirit is freedom; the old spirit is legalism,the new spirit is love. So, now the question comes to us: are there things in our life that we are challenged to let go of in order to be able to embrace more fully the spirit of Christ. God asks us: Do you want to swap? God will take the old way in exchange for the new. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission 5th after Pentecost Choosing a Spiritual Harvest of Eternal Life <Cp5choosing>  Gal. 6:7-18 Sermon/teaching notes How are you at choosing when you have two or more alternatives set before you? Choosing is important in all our living including our faith, because we have to live with the results of our choices. St. Paul tells us in the letter to the Galatians that the best choice is Eternal Life. As I see it the opportunity to choose Eternal Life is all around us. For instance, in choosing who to vote for, I always live in hope that citizens will cast their ballot for Eternal Life. By that I mean I hope that we will cast our ballot based on how each candidate's policies, and trustworthiness will make our community safe and nurturing for everyone. That would be Eternal Life voting. Lots of people do vote that way. It turns out however, that many people vote for the candidate whose image they find most appealing. - who has a look we like. There is now a whole industry dedicated to teaching and dressing potential leaders so they will be so appealing in their hair style, dress and smile that we may be inclined to choose them. It is also distressing to hear political candidates asking to be chosen by appealing to our selfishness, and our meanness. Another totally different kind of choice some of us make every Spring is what to plant in our garden. I think we choose what to plant according to the harvest we want - vegetables or flowers or fruit. I take great pleasure in my own garden and in seeing the array of colour and fruit that comes from other people's gardening choices. There is something of Eternal Life to found in the cycles of choosing, planting, growing and harvesting. Then there are faith choices. In two verses St. Paul asserts that every human must make one basic choice in life - to choose the product we want to issue from our Days. I think when it comes to this, many of us would want it to be said of us: the world is a better place because of the choices we made in our life. At some point you have to ask: what fruit do I want my life to bear? Paul's simple analogy is: we reap what we sow. Being faithful is like planning a garden or a field crop, or electing a good leader. The first questions are: what harvest do we want? what kind of world do we want? The next question is what seed do we plant to get that harvest? Paul narrows this down to a choice between two kinds of seed, the seed of self and the seed of the spirit. Each of these seeds brings its own kind of crop. One kind of seed is called self. Sowing the seed of self. The seed of self yields a crop of boasting. We are faced with this choice every day in our daily routine. Many powerful forces encourage us to sow the seed of self in order to reap boasting. For instance, we are encouraged to ask of everything, "What is in this for me?" We are led in many subtle ways to believe that this is the right question to ask. This question can lead to something to boast of., and to destruction. This narrow selfish question, "What's in it for me?" leads to the current widening gap between have and have-nots and to the rape of the Earth - all for personal gain. Even the gospel can be promoted in a self-centered way - we say, "Come to church it will benefit you," or "A family that prays together stays together." These are ways to promote the church as something for your self. There once was a woman who sued a church because it promised that she would have a better life if she accepted Christ. Well, she accepted Christ and her life got worse! We may well get life better by joining a community of faith, but the prime reason for coming to church is to not to get but to give; to give our life into God's love for us and for our neighbour. This is the Life that is Eternal. Another example of this appeal to the self is lotteries. Lotteries are promoted by a very crass form of me-ism. As I see it, the lottery is based on an immoral selfish premise. The premise is that thousands have to lose in order for one self to be a winner. This is directly contrary to the Christian concept of a community in which we all are winners through fair wages for workers, universal access to education and health care and by all of us helping one another through sharing. Even worse, the lottery proclaims a false gospel. It offers a secular salvation in a world in which the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. We have created societies with such gross inequities that winning a lottery seems like salvation for many of the world's people. All the lottery advertising I have seen illustrates how winning the lottery can serve the self. Lotteries promise that if you win, you will be able to enhance yourself greatly with material things to boast of. The whole appeal is to selfishness. "What is in it for me?" is not the only question. There is also a question that leads to Eternal Life. This questions is: "What is in this for my community and for the Earth and its creatures?" Has anyone see a lottery ad which suggested the winner might share even a tithe of it for the community at large? I do know of a woman, restaurant owner, who won the lottery and shared the winnings with all her employees. This woman's heart shows evidence of Eternal Life. As I see it, Eternal Life is a way of living with God today - in the here and now. In this Eternal Life we know we are of great value even without personal material riches. Further, Eternal Life is a way in which we dare to value our neighbour as a child of God - even those who are outcast and considered of no account. In Eternal Life we dare to value ourselves and our neighbour as Christ values them. When I look out upon a congregation I know that I am standing before a gathering of folk who are choosing Eternal Life. This Eternal Life begins now and continues when our days on this Earth are over. Its is like an airliner running down the runway in the expectation of taking off into the heavens and carrying us to our destination. Eternal Life begins on the ground too -today and tomorrow - with the expectation of being with God forever. (see Luke 10:25-28) So, Paul says we have a choice between the seed of selfishness which gives us the right to boast of personal gain, and the seed of the spirit which leads to Eternal Life. Let us in all our choosing continue to cast our ballot for Eternal Life in Christ. Let us continue to sow Eternal Life in the garden of our days. Let us ask at every point: What, in this, is good of the Earth and its people and creatures? Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission 6th after Pent.Yr. C.  Neighbourliness <Cp6neighbour> Amos 7:7-17- Amos is pictured as predicting the fate that fell upon Israel, the northern kingdom of the Hebrews. The thesis of this little book is that God caused Israel to be eliminated because the ruling classes abused the covenant by trampling on fellow citizens and therefore, co-members of God's covenant, who were being denied participation in God's plentiful bounty (5:11 RSV)." Psalm 82 - A prayer calling on God to do what God has a right to do; give justice to the weak and needy of every nation. Colossians 1:1-14 - The writer of this epistle understands the Christians of Collesea to have undergone a profound radical change; having been rescued by God from the control of destructive powers, and haing transferred to membership in Christ's realm of hope. Paul (or Tmothy) uses uses praise and affirmation to encourage them in this new life the fruit of which is love for one another and thanksgiving to God. However, it would seem that the author was not able to transcend the social environment of dominance in which this congregation lived (4:15f). Possible sermon topic for 1st in a series on Colossians: What are the Dark Powers from which we might need rescue? Luke 10:25-37 - Luke structures this parable so that it is an answer to the question:Who is my neighbour? It turns out the neighbour is not someone who lives next door. Perhaps not even someone we would be pleased to have on our street. Sermon/teaching notes There is a question in this morning's reading from Luke that goes to the essence of what it is to a faithful person and a good citizen. That question is: Who is my neighbour? According to Luke, a certain lawyer asked Jesus what he should do to gain everlasting life. Rather than answer the question Jesus asked the lawyers opinion. The lawyer said: Love God and Love neighour as yourself." You are right, said Jesus, go and do it - love God and neighbour. The lawyer protested, but who is my neighbour? So, Jesus replied by telling the parable of the neighbourly Samaritan, and the un-neighbourly priest. I think we are like that lawyer. We know that to be a Christians to love God and love neighbour and we want to be known as good neighbours. We want to live in a neighbourhood of good neighbours. We know that being a good neighbour is central to our faith. Also, like that lawyer, we may have a hunch that there is more to being a neighbour than showing friendship to the people next door. The question, Who is our neighbour? is a good one because it gets to the very heart of the matter. To be a good neighbour we need first to know who are our neighbours. The Bible deals extensively with the question is being a neighbour. Throughout the Bible we find two basic teachings. First - the scriptures make it clear that our neighbours are anyone we encounter; both those who live close to us, and those who are foreigners and strangers. Secondly - the Bible also makes it clear that we are to give priority to treating our neighbour with respect and care. More specifically Crudens concordance sets out four biblical definitions of neighbour. Here they are - somewhat expanded on. 1. Neighours are those who dwells near us from whom we can borrow stuff (2K. 4:3). This is an important kind of neighbourliness, but our western consumer culture is against it. Consumerism specifies that rather than sharing we each should buy our our own . 2. Neighour is every person to whom we would do no harm and to whom we have the opportunity of doing good. This includes both those who live next door and strangers and foreigners (Ex. 20:16; Dt. 10:18; Mt. 7:1-5;Lk. 10:25-37). 3. A third category in Cruden's list of neighbour is those who work together, or share a common toil or oppression, and those in solidarity with them (Ex. 1:8-10; Zech 3:10; Mt. 20:1-15). 4. Those who do us good (Is 11:9; Lv. 19:18). These are the positive injunctions which encourage us to be good neighbours. Of course the Bible is also full of warnings against being a bad neighbour (read from Lev. 19:9-18). This brings us to Jeus last words to the lawyer: Go and do likewise." So the question arises, "How does this biblical concept of neighbour apply to us- in our personal, family and community life and in the national and international practises of our government? I leave this for us all to ponder, and to be enriched by. As we do this, tt is worth noting her that the person the Good Samaritan aided was not another Samaritan The person by the wayside probably was a Jew, and Samaritan's and Jews were often did not like the other group. In Canada this would be the equivalent of a White Canadian being aided by an Aboriginal person, after being ignored by the pastor of a local white congregation who was in a hurry to get to an elder's meeting. Or we could imagine this to an encounter between a Zionist and a member of Hamas, or in Norther Ireland a Sin Fein supporter and an Orangeman. So, to be a Good Samaritan is not simply someone who helped another, but rather a person who helped the enemy. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Pent. 7, Yr. C Martha & Mary - Choosing the Better Part <Cp7betterpart> Amos 8:1-12 - Amos interprets the God-given life of Israel as being like a basket of summer fruit, which may either be faithfully distributed to nourish the whole community or be sinfully hoarded to decay in the summer sun. As Amos sees it the leaders of the community have already failed to choose the better part, so an irreversible rot has set in. Psalm 52- In life we have what seems to be two possible refuges; however, only one is true, the other is false and leads to ruin. Colossians 1:15-28 - Paul encourages the Colossians to stick to their new hope-filled blameless relationship with God. Two matters are essential for Paul to affirm: first, that this happened through a cosmic Christ who is "the visible expression of the invisible God" (Phillips), the creator of every form of life and every and power (see also Jn. 1); second, that both Chist is in both Paul and the saints of Colesea for the sake of the world. Suggested theme for 2nd sermon on Col.: Jesus is the best picture we have of God- so what? Luke 10:38-42 - This story gives us an insight into Luke's prejudice about what is most important in the church. Along the way Luke also shows women as leaders and participants in both study and administration. Sermon/teaching notes A recent issue of the Winnipeg Free Press had a photo on the front page which relates to this morning's story of Martha and Mary relating to Jesus. The Press printed a picture of Swami Chinanand Saraswati, a Hindu holy man who is here to teach on invitation of the local Hindu community. This is what Martha arranged to have happen at her house, and Jesus was the holy teacher or rabbi. Perhaps you have had experiences like that of Martha. I know I have. I have been involved in arranging for guest speakers to address church groups. At such times I was so busy with arrangements that I rarely heard the speaker. So, I missed what Jesus called the "Better Part." Also, I spent ten years in the Air Force as ground crew; stuck on the tarmac while the air crew did the "Better Part" soaring above the clouds. We all may have had similar Martha experiences. Now let us look more carefully into this story and ask again how being a Martha might apply to us. When I look carefully at this story again I see some things about Martha that I missed the first time. For instance, I notice that Martha welcomed Jesus into her home. So, Martha was a woman of property and some power. She was definitely the leader in her household which included a sister and a brother. Also, Martha was open to the teachings Jesus was reaffirming* and she took the initiative to have Jesus offer a seminar in their house so other people in the village could come and hear the good news. Hers was a key role in the spreading of the Gospel. She had also put herself in charge of the details - such as supper. It is possible that Jesus came with about 70 people. Any of us who have ever been on a local arrangements committee will have a sense of the detail for which Martha was responsible. But lets not leave Martha there. If I were to write a continuation of this story, I would portray Martha reflecting on Jesus' rebuke and on her own disappointment in being too busy to attend the seminar. I imagine her saying to Jesus during supper: "Would you come for a walk with me while I let people clean up the dishes themselves? I have some matters of faith I'd like to discuss with you." Or, as a friend suggested, she might have thrown Jesus a dish towel and invited him to help with the dishes as they talked. I imagine this ending to the story because another biblical account of Martha tells us that she was very interested in Jesus as a sign that God is with us. John's Gospel tells us that when Martha's brother Lazarus became deathly ill, Martha sent for Jesus. During that incident, Martha asserted: "I believe that you are the Messiah, the Child of God." (Jn. 11:27). In fact, she is recorded by John to be the very first person to make this faith declaration, which is the very heart of Christianity. So, reading the story a second time gives me a different view of Martha. I see three things in Martha that we would do well to emulate: First, being a Martha is to be a person of profound faith in Christ.** Secondly, being a Martha includes initiating opportunities for the whole community to grow spiritually. Thirdly, being a Martha is to be willing to do those practical things which Martha's are famous for; that hard practical work that supports the community. When Jesus chided her for not choosing the better part, Jesus was speaking to a friend who agreed with him, and who knew deep within herself what was important her her sister Mary. Sometimes I hear people put themselves down saying, " I am just a Martha." Instead we should say with gladness: "I am a disciple like unto Martha!" ---000--- Another way to approach Luke 10:38f) Let us listen again to this story as Luke gives it to us. One helpful way to discover how this story applies to us is to ask ourselves with which character do we identify. So, as I read it again, ask yourself: With whom do I identify with in this story? Is it Martha, or her sister, Mary, or is it Jesus or could it be that you identify with all three? Listening to the story in Luke this way gives us a helpful perspective on it and on the various roles we play over our lifetime. It turns out that each of may at times be like Mary, Martha, and Jesus. I think that this is more helpful than seeing Martha as somehow a bad person, while Mary is a good person and Jesus is a haughty teacher, as is often done. (read the passage). [Use here some of the Martha material above] I have also had occasions to be like Mary, the sister who attended the seminar Jesus gave. I was a college student for ten seven years and during that time I was perfectly willing to let others do the necessary things while I exercised the option to choose the "Better Part," the study of theology. I invite you to recall times when you were a Mary. When I ponder these few lines about Mary I realize that she too was a strong person of faith. Her strength shows in the very fact that she defied the social conventions that would have kept her in the kitchen. I see Mary as a woman with a lively mind; eager to learn and and to discuss theology and other matters of faith. Very likely she was an educated woman - not educated in a school (very likely Mary did not have the opportunity to attend school). Her education would have come through the women's oral traditions. Mary would know the faith stories which were passed down from generation to generation of Hebrew women. Some of this women 's tradition is to be found in the Bible - the stories of faithful women such as Sarah, Deborah, Miriam, Ruth. It would also include stories of men who contributed to community: some stories of Abraham, Joseph, and David the shepherd. It woul d probably also include, such Hebrew pearls of wisdom as: "Love God and Love neighbour." Mary would be interested to see how Jesus' sayings and parables fit in with this women's tradition. She would be glad to hear Jesus reaffirming what she learned from her mother and her aunts: that God is love and that to love God and neighbour is the essence of faithful living. This, to me is some of what it is to be a disciple like Mary. Now, going back to the Story from Luke, we will that there are the times when we have been in the Jesus role. As members of the Body of Christ this too is our calling. Certainly, it is a role pastors will be familiar with, offering study groups in the church and finding that some, like Mary, sign up for the study while most, like Martha, find their meaning in other part of the the church's life and work. (aside: Parents often find themselves in in this position, wanting to teach their children something, and finding the children absorbed by other things. Then you might be surprised later to find out that your children were listening more than you thought. We have all hear young adults exclaim: "I am becoming mother or father). So, it seems that all three of these roles seen in Martha, Mary and Jesus are valid and important. Each of us and all of us may be called upon to enact any or all of them. *The teachings of Jesus reaffirm the grace and love which had been revealed to the Hebrew people through the Psalmists Prophets and Wisdom teachers. Tom Harpur (The Pagan Christ, Thomas Allen Pub.) puts forward the view that these teachings were also known widely throughout the people's of the Mediterranean. ** Dare we ask: Was Jesus one particularly notable manifestation of the Christ among others? Tom Harper ibid. See Book Review. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission 8th after Pent Yr. C . Let us Pray <Cp8Lordsprayer> Hosea 1:2-10. - This book seems to have been written at a time after Israel had disappeared as a kingdom separate from Judah (1: 6-7; 11). Israel's disappearance as a separate political entity is seen as the result of having several religious partners (2:5;13). Israel's salvation comes through the grace of God who lures the nation back to God (2:14) within the house of David (3:5). This state of salvation includes union with God and natural and political harmony and Peace under a holy covenant intimated by God. What begins as a troubled marriage ends as renewed union (2:16-23). Psalm 85 is a song-prayer calling upon God to enact again the life-giving grace God formerly showed to Jacob when Jacob was in need (Israel? see Jn. 4:6, 12). The singer portrays this as a relationship- ationship in which two partner give to one another (10-13). Col. 2:6-15 (16-23) - The author reminds the Colossians that while they are now members of Christ's realm through spiritual "circumcision," baptism, wiping out the record of former sin, and Christ neutralizing of the the dark forces. However, these other powers continue to exist and actively seek to recapture the loyalty of the saints. Particularly dangerous are those philosophies which seek to infect the Gospel and the worship and works of the saints. Suggested sermon topic for the 3rd in series on Col.: What are the worldly values that we have allowed to be influential in the church and within our daily lives? How do the means of grace (baptism, scripture, private and public prayer, the life and worship of the of the church, holy communion) aid us in repelling these powers? Luke 11:1-33 - Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer (see Mt. 6), and the encouragement to persist in prayer in the expectation of getting an answer. Preaching-teaching notes on prayer It is not until half way through the book that Luke portrays Jesus teaching about prayer and then only in response to a request. Luke seems to be saying that until half-way through his ministry no one asked Jesus about prayer. Perhaps this simply shows that even then and even in the company of Jesus people were too embarrassed to ask how to pray. In 30 years of ministry no one asked me about it, but maybe that was because they didn't perceive me to be a particularly prayerful person. The book stores stock many works on prayer and meditation, so people do have an interest and some must be seeking guidance through books - perhaps you have read a book on prayer, or maybe you own a book of prayers which aids you in your devotions. I am aware that there church people for whom personal prayer has no place in their lives. However, I am going to assume that many of you are interested in prayer - many of us have a deep longing to be in communion with our Creator. While few have asked me about prayer as an abstract phenomenon, I see people expressing a longing to bring themselves before God in very specific and practical ways, For instance, when I have made pastoral visits, people rarely asked me to pray for themselves, but when I asked them if they wanted me to lead them in prayer they almost always said, "yes." When the prayer was over I could see in their faces that this had been a very meaningful experience. In my experience the most common request for prayer in churches comes from those who ask us to pray for the sick or wounded, or for those caught up in war or natural disaster. Those who do make prayer a part of their daily lives often have a sacred time set aside for it. For instance, one of the well known paintings by Solman shows Jesus alone at prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, or I see in my mind a picture of a child kneeling at her bedside. A bishop I knew had a kneeling bench in his office where he prayed every morning at 7:00 am before facing the day's work. On the other hand, Malcom Boyd, and Episcopalian priest has written a couple of books: Are You Running With Me, Jesus? and Running with Jesus. These books on prayer are for people who want to pray while on the move. Boyd doesn't mean praying while jogging especially, but rather praying while you go about your busy day; offering a prayer as part of your morning toilet, praying for other travellers as you head off for your daily duties, asking for God's guidance as you enter a meeting, or as you start your job as a mechanic or secretary, or nurse, or home-maker. Jesus taught his friends that they should pray without ceasing.  Of course all prayer is not private. Nowadays, the media is almost daily showing me rows and rows of worshippers prostrate in a mosque offering corporate prayer. Some Christian kneel to pray in church services, others stand, while in my church we simply bow our heads for public prayer. Even without asking, we know that when we come to church there will be a certain set of prayers or prayer topics. These are so integral to our worship that we offer them every Sun day without thinking about it. We can find these printed in the Sunday worship bulletin of many churches. For instance, inmost church services we start with some sort of connecting prayer to make contact with our God - plugging in you might say. This is followed by the realization that we are in the presence of the Almighty Creator and God of Grace, so we offer a prayer recognizing that in the last seven days we have contributed to the world's hurt and casting ourselves on God's grace. This clears the way for prayers in which give thanks for the blessings we have known, ask to be spoken to and refreshed through the scripture and sermon, offer prayers for our friends and the world, and finally we dedicate ourselves to a week of being the Body of Christ. With that, we are sent out into the world for another week of prayer at home, at work or on the run. These topics can guide us in our personal prayer too. One prayer I didn't mention is the "Our Father" ( or Mother if we wish*) or Lord's prayer. Somewhere in every Christian time of prayer in church or in private we will offer the prayer Jesus taught. Some would say that this is the most important prayer for Christians. besides it being attributed to Jesus, there are two things about the Jesus prayer that make it a Christian prayer. One is, it begins with an address to God as Father and secondly, it prays that the kingdom of God will come upon the earth. These two parts to this prayer make it a particularly Christian prayer. First, Christians can call God Father (or Mother). All creatures may call God Father because God is the Creator of all life. However, when we Christians call God Father we mean more than this. We call God, Father, because we claim to be God's children through God's grace. So, God is our Father in same way that God is father of all, and in addition we have been reborn as God's children by faith in God's grace. This much, at least, is meant when we say "Our Father." It reaffirms our Christian claim to be the offspring of grace.**. It is very important to remember that being children through grace is not our doing, its is God's doing through Christ. The second thing that makes the Lord's prayer a Christian prayer is the plea: Thy Kingdom Come. This refers us back to Jesus' central message: The Kingdom of God is at hand (Mk. 1:15). Everything that Jesus was about can be summed up in that one phrase, the Kingdom of God. In the Kingdom of God everyone loves God and neighbour. So, when we pray,"Thy Kingdom Come," we are praying for all that; we are expressing a longing for this world to be a world of love and peace, of equity, daily bread for all and for all a share in God's abundant love. So, when we pray, in a special place, in church, or while go about our daily life, let us first pray Jesus' prayer, and then let us pray all else that is in our hearts, knowing that God hears our prayer and will answer * I am convinced that Jesus did not have in mind a formal and limited term, such as the English word, Father, when addressing God. ** Theological Word Book of the Bible, Kenneth Grayston "God the Father." SCM. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission 9th after Pentecost [p.13] Yr. C Friends of God in 3 Ways <Cp9threeways> Hosea 11:1-11, In chapters 1 through 11, Hosea employs a wide range to images and metaphors to describe the people's relationship with their god. The people are: unfaithful spouses, and their offspring (ch. 1-3); idol worshippers (Ch 4 and 8:11f and ch.10); suffering from disease and immorality (Ch 5 - 7:3); a cake burning in an over (7:1-10); Doves caught by a fowler (7:11-12 &9:8); stray sheep (7:13); loyal to a pagan king (8:7-14); religious prostitutes who mock God's prophets (9:1-9; fruit trees with withered roots (9:10-16); women who miscarry and mothers with dry breasts (9:14-18); a rich people led by prosperity into idolatry (10:1-15; an adolescent child. None of these paint a positive picture of God's people. God is portrayed as both punished and forgiver whose aim always is to restore the people to their proper state and health. Psalm 107:1-9, 42. A psalm which celebrates God's love without accusing the people of being faithless. They have been lost, but had the faith the call upon God. Col. 3:1-11. The author of Colossians warns that when we have been raised to a new spiritual identity, a fresh set of behaviours does not automatically come with it. Rather, we must put our mind and wills to it. The old ways are to be be stripped off like a dirty shirt and replaced by a new garment which we sew together and choose to wear. Possible sermon topic: What behaviour does the community at large expect from Christians? What is the root of such expectations? Luke 12:13-21: Luke introduces this section with Jesus wisely refusing to get caught up in a family's squabble over the division of an inheritance. Jesus believes the root of this to be greed, which misses the point of life. This is followed by a parable in which great wealth is used to enjoy a selfish life rather than deploying it as one accountable to God for this mortal gift of our days. Sermon/teaching notes. What does God expect of us in this life? Three of today's scripture passages speak to this question. Chapter 11 of Hosea pictures our Creator as like a mother who has raised her child and now expects that child to treat her with respect. The letter to the Colossians speaks of God who gives us a new life and expects us now to live by high ethical and moral standards. The passage from Luke sees God as a judge to whom we will be accountable for the way we use the wealth that comes to us. I suspect that one of these passages will speak to each of us. Which one speaks most to you? Do you respond to the message in Hosea? Do you feel a close relationship to your creator? Is there anything broken in that relationship? Do you seek healing in your personal bond with God? Perhaps you feel that you are rightly angry with God? Some of us may find the Hosea passage speaks them today. Others of us will be drawn into Paul's letter to the Colossians. We may be finding ourselves engaged with ethical, moral or justice issues. We know that God calls us to a different standard than the world often uses. It may be difficult to hold to those standards in the place you work, or with your friends. On the other hand, you may be rejoicing in these values. You may be pleased to find your government adopting policies that lead to justice and equity at home and overseas. Perhaps you are seeking to be a part of good change in the world. So, some of us will be touched by God's call to live by the highest values of justice and compassion. Then, again, some of us will be caught by the parable in Luke. Each of has been given some treasure and will want to use that treasure to the best effect. One part of our treasure will be money. Another part of our treasure will be our time and talents. Each of us is accountable for how we deploy our treasures, small or large. Perhaps you are wondering how best to use the resources you have been given. Or you may be enjoying the experience of contributing your gifts to the community. My hope for us is that we all would find meaning in all three of these passages. My hope for us is that we all would experience a close relationship with the Holy; knowing that we are of much value, and that even if there is a brokenness between you and God, God seeks to mend that rift. Even if the break seems beyond healing, know that God continues to love you. My hope for is includes all of us also being engaged by the highest values that make life good and fair for all families of humankind, and all God's creatures on this planet. May we not be easily taken in by prejudices and hatreds that divide humankind, but rather stand firmly for justice, equity and compassion. Finally I hope that we all will find ways to use our treasures that make us to be friends and companions with Jesus. These three ways together - a personal relationship with the Holy, striving to live by the highest values, and spending our talents for the good of the community - make us truly children of God, citizens of Christ's realm, and friends of Jesus. Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission 10th after Pentecost Yr. C [P14] Faith and Hope <Cp10> Isaiah 1:1, 10-21 - Thomas Dozeman pretty well say it all when he notes that the main focus of this passage is a "criticism of worship and its complete inability to influence moral behaviour outside the cult." Preaching the Revised Lectionary Yr. C. Abingdon. Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23 - The lectionary omits some of the central concerns which the Psalmist reckons would be in God's sermon when God appears in the temple (vs. 13-14 and 16-21). Hebrews - Beginning here, the next four weeks could focus on the Hebrews passages in a series which declares: God's grace makes possible a holy life of   faith, thanksgiving, continuity through time and care for one an-other.                           11:1-3, 8-16 - Here we are given a definition of faith. To have faith is to live toward those things which your whole being knows are good and true - even when it seems certain that they will not come to pass in your life-time. Lk. 12:32-40 - Following the Parable of the person who sought material wealth, Luke has Jesus instruct the disciples in a life rooted in values opposite to this (vs. 22-40). Do you suppose this was a problem in the church for whom Luke was writing? I see a congruence between Jesus' parables of the watchful slaves and householder and Hebrew's definition of faith.  Preaching/teaching notes During the most recent Canadian federal election I saw a TV drama which featured a conversation between a young winning politician and her retired mentor. On the night of her election the young politician phoned her aged mentor. "Tom, " she said, "We did it! We won! Can you meet with me and my team tomorrow? I want to meet with you right away to start work on fulfilling my promises!" The old man paused for a moment, then asked, "What promises would those be?" She was puzzled. "Tom, quit kidding me! I want to move right away on affordable housing - like we said we would." "Oh," said the mentor. " Don't be naive my dear. Affordable housing was a good election line, but now that you're in office, it would be wise to forget affordable housing for the poor and to start rewarding the rich who got you elected." That Television scene struck me as a modern parable. What the old mentor called naive is what Jesus and the writer of Hebrews called faith. Faith is hold onto those core values which come from God, and not give them up whatever the world says.  Hebrews calls this the assurance of things hope for. (RSV). This is what the remainder of that Television drama was all about. It was the story of  a young politician who, against all odds, asserted her hope. Her hope was that a prosperous society could supply affordable housing for ordinary working people. To mean this is what Hebrews means by, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for." I see this kind of faith everywhere. Gordon Sinclair Junior's column in the Winnipeg Free Press on July 24/04 told of Shannon whose hope was to be free of anorexia. This hope was realized through the counsel of  a Roman Catholic friend and the teaching and pastoral care of a priest who led to find what she was searching for - the Grace of  God and grace in her living. I see this faith also in people's whose stories do not seem as dramatic as these two. I see this faith in the lives of many people whose hope is in their living and supporting the values of love and justice in a world that seems to value greed and hatred above all. These people  bring this hope based faith into their families, their churches, and their communities. For those who claim to be a friend of Jesus Christ, such faith is rooted in God's grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This is the faith that each of us is called to, and in which we live. Praise God! Search: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission