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12 Story and Preaching/TeachingResources for Penetecost 1-17 Yr. C.
Original christian sermons,prayers, stories, plays, fim 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.
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).
. 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
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."
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 CONFERENECWHERE 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.
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, Mitzi, 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.
2K. 2:1-14, Ellisha persists in his desire for nothing less than to
be filled with the spirit of the god proclimed 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 wanna-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.
5th after PentecostChoosing a Spiritual Harvest of Eternal Life
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?
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 transfered 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 foriengers 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 foriegners (Ex. 20:16; Dt. 10:18;
Mt. 7:1-5;Lk. 10:25-37). 3. A third catagpry 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.
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 proabably 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
uponto 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 Mediterranian.
** Dare we ask: Was Jesus one particularly notable manifestation of the Christ among others? Tom Harper ibid. See Book Review.
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 rel-
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 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.
Peaching-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
Jewsus. 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.
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 punisher 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 Collosians 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 Collosians 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.
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!