Sermon, Pray Always, 16/10/16, St Marks Cygnet

Sermon: Pray Always, 16/10/16

Luke 18: 1-14, 2 Timothy 3: 10-4: 5, Jeremiah 31: 27-34

Today’s gospel reading consists of two parables which Jesus told, to teach his followers about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.

The first parable is about persistence in prayer.  It tells of the humblest of persons, a widow, who had been wronged and was seeking justice. Perhaps she’d been swindled, or robbed, we aren’t told. She was powerless because of her place in society, yet she knew that she deserved justice and she knew the only way to get it was through the judge. We are told he was corrupt, he was not interested, yet through her persistence she won the justice she had begged for. Jesus may have startled his listeners by comparing God with the corrupt judge, but I think he wanted us to focus on the persistence and faith that the widow had, that eventually she would be given what she needed. She didn’t give up and her petition was granted.

I think Jesus also wanted us to think, well, if a rotten corrupt judge will answer the pleadings of a humble person, how much more will our heavenly father who loves us, listen and answer us.

It can be very disheartening to pray and feel we are not being heard.

Mind you, God’s ways are not our ways and the answer that we receive may not be what we expected. But it will be the answer from the Father who loves us.

 Pray always and do not lose heart

The second parable tells us something about how to pray: from the heart, directly to God and tell it like it is. The Pharisee was praying loudly and publicly to the people around him more than to God. He was informing God about his righteousness and his contempt for those who were not as good as he in keeping God’s law. In contrast, the tax collector stood before God, his eyes cast down. He did not supply God with a list of his virtues, rather he assumed that God knew the worst about him. He just asked for forgiveness. Jesus said that this man went home forgiven and justified, which means right with God. I’m sure his heart felt very much lighter! It doesn’t take a lot of words to say sorry and ask for forgiveness, but it must come from the heart.

Those who humble themselves will be exalted and those who exalt themselves will be humbled.

Pray always and do not lose heart.

In our services and at home we offer intercessory prayers-in these we are asking God for some things that we and others need.

I’ve been reading a little about belief in intercessory prayers in the history of our church. During the 1800s as more and more became known about how nature works, what causes the weather, what causes diseases, crop failures, and so on, some gave up on intercessory prayer. They thought that, for example, praying for rain to end a drought was pointless, because rainfall depended on a complex set of meteorological conditions, not on God deciding to send rain when his people asked for it.

 

The Anglican bishop of Melbourne, bishop Moorhouse in the 1870s caused a furor when he wouldn’t join with the leaders of the other faiths to pray for rain to end a drought. Rather, he said, we should agitate for construction of dams and sensible planning for water usage. A practical man. He was right in one way-I think God expects us to do everything we can to help ourselves and others. But he was wrong in believing that God would not hear the prayers of his people and answer them. I believe that God answers the prayers of his people in the wisest way. The answer was not immediate rain because there was a severe drought in Victoria in the 1880s. But it brought about something they needed more:  the impetus to plan and build dams and irrigation channels for the future. In the short term, perhaps they began to share water with neighbours and to help one another financially through the drought. All good outcomes of prayer.

We may pray for healing for a friend who is very ill, but sometimes the healing that comes in answer to our prayer is different from what we expect: perhaps it is the healing of family rifts as all are drawn together by a common bond of love for the person who is ill. I have seen a person dying but filled with the joy of finally seeing all of her loved ones standing together and talking at last.

Moorhouse shared the belief of many at the time and now, of a remote creator God, who set the laws of nature going then stepped back and interfered no more. I don’t believe God is like that. I believe God answers prayers, giving us what we need, which may be not what we think it is. After all, God interfered, big time, in the affairs of humans in the incarnation. Thoughout his life, Jesus showed us how God bends the laws of illnesses, paralysis, stormy seas, and death itself, to intervene in the world, because of his overwhelming love of humanity and of creation.

I believe he intervenes all the time by answering our prayers.  Otherwise Jesus would not have told us and modeled prayer for us:  pray always. He gave us the Lord’s prayer as a model for the sort of words to use, and to show what we can pray for. He spent hours in prayer himself. He gave us the illustrations in today’s gospel of how to pray and how not to pray.

We must trust in the wisdom of God to answer our prayers in the best way. Thinking practically, it’s likely that every person who is dying has someone praying that they may live. We know that this would not be a helpful outcome for the population of the planet. Continuing our practical thinking, there are laws of nature, that is why we have earthquakes and tsunamis and volcanic eruptions and floods and droughts: God created these laws of nature to give us the world in which we live, we would not have a habitable planet without them. Yet these natural disasters can cause suffering and death. We may pray to be spared from them, but all are necessary in the shaping and renewal of our planet. We cannot see the big picture that God sees, so we must trust in his wisdom to answer our prayers in the best way. Even so, sometimes, it seems, out of love and compassion God breaks his own rules when his beloved people call upon him. Rainfall comes unexpectedly. Survivors are pulled from landslide rubble days after hope is lost-prayers are answered. In answer to our prayers after disasters we see the bravery and compassion of the rescuers, the generosity of the aid agencies and their supporters, the medicos. God answers our prayers in God’s own wise ways, and we need to be alert to see those answers.

Some say their prayers are not answered and give up. There may be some reasons for thinking this:

 

·       Are we asking for the wrong things?

We often finish our intercessions by saying that we ask these things in Jesus’ name. That means that we ask just as Jesus would ask for this thing from God. So for example, we might pray that God will comfort our friend whose mother has died, and we ask it in Jesus’ name. For we know that Jesus sought to comfort those who are in mourning and so we know he will be with us, joining in our request to God.

We might bring before God the suffering of the people of Syria. Perhaps we don’t even know what would be the best outcome for them, but we know that Jesus understands and cares about the way children and poor people suffer at the hands of military forces and uncaring rulers. So we can be confident that he will join in our prayer to God, when we ask in his name.

Sometimes, often even, we don’t know what the best outcome is. So we can simply pray for the best outcome. I often do this when a person is nearing the end of a painful illness, when death itself and going to be with the Lord may be the best possible outcome. So we pray for God in his wisdom to bring about the best possible outcome and trust him. It may be recovery or it may be death, but our prayers are answered.

So when we pray about winning the next Lotto, or even the footy Grand final it is not likely that Jesus would be joining with that prayer. Are they the sort of things Jesus would ask of his Father God? No! We really cannot pray such a prayer in Jesus’ name, so the chances of receiving the answers we seek are rather slim.

Intercessory prayer is asking God for what we need, for ourselves and for others. It lets God know what’s on our hearts and that we have faith that God cares and will answer.

But there are other kinds of prayer which we often neglect.

Communication with God needs to be two way, as it does in any meaningful relationship. In order to hear God speaking to us, we have to stop talking every now and then and listen. Switch off the Smart phone, let the phone call go through to message bank and turn off the telly. Sit in silence, focus on a picture, or a candle or some quiet music, whatever helps us to banish gently the thoughts about what to have for dinner, what I should be doing instead of sitting here. Doing nothing, sitting in silence can be hard, we are not used to it. Reciting a mantra, or breath prayer can help the focus: for example, Lord Jesus Christ, grant me your peace, over and over in time with our breathing, helps to still the mind. I particularly like: be still and know that I am God. Over and over, for some minutes, in time with your breathing. That’s meditating. It takes practice to keep from distracting thoughts, but it’s very refreshing and allows us to listen to what God might be trying to say to us. Gently push aside all the intrusive worries and thoughts about dinner. With practice you can build up from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Or more.

God speaks to us in many ways. Another way to open minds and hearts to God is through deep appreciation of his creation: a walk in the garden or the bush, appreciating deeply what he has made and what it reveals of his care and his power. Stare at the stars in the night sky. Be really present in what you are doing, not thinking about what we’ll be doing tomorrow.

Another way he speaks to us is of course, through his word, scripture: reading a passage slowly until some words seem to stand out, seem to really speak to us. Then concentrating on those words, ruminating, chewing over them, asking God why they stand out. What is God saying to me personally in those words?

Can I suggest that it is well worth the time to spend time in prayer with God every day. Ideally spend time with God at the start of each day before the world takes over our lives. Then perhaps finish the day with a time of reflection on the day and where God has been in it. Think about prayers you have said and answers you may have received. It’s worth putting the day back into perspective before we sleep.

May the Lord be with you. Amen

Lesley Borowitzka, 16/10/16

 

NEWS RELEASE EVANGELISM JSM

From the newsroom at Christian radio FM Woodbridge we have the following press release.

Parish to share the good news of Jesus to many

As you know press releases usually comprise of who, then what when where and why

It would seem to make sense to start this press release  with Why but we will stick to the regular format. Because, the Who, is critical,

The who is you and me. Too easy. We invited Billy Graham but unfortunately his calendar is a bit full. In fact we have been handballing this role for too long. inviting other people to do this job for us over a very long period of time.

The reality is, the buck stops with us.

Although it should belong in the why, lets take a sneak peek at the reason why you and I are featured in this event.

Matthews Gospel, the final passage, the great commission

Matthew 28:16-20New International Version (NIV)

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That would be more than enough but there is more which we will come to later.

WHERE

Everywhere, in church but mainly not in Church, Those in Church usually have an understanding of the great gift from God in Jesus, Larger churches may see more non believers walk in of the street. Some of who,  may be invited by parishioners. It is relatively rare in my experience in this Parish so the good news has mostly  to be spread outside these walls.

I doubt if we will have many takers for the street corner with soap box, probably fruit box in these parts. The logical place to start is within our circles of influence.   I know that we usually avoid raising controversial matters with those close to us and discretion and diplomacy are required, more so, guidance from the Holy Spirit. Situations arise within families where life gets out of control. Those family members who share their concerns with us do not want to be told that they are going to hell, but no doubt would appreciate being told that they will be held in prayer or even an offer to pray with them apart from any other guidance we may offer. We know that God acts through the Word and the Spirit so some scripture may be appropriate.. Such situations can and will arise in all our spheres of influence, clubs, workplace and so on. Starting every day with the prayer that asks God to cross our paths with those to whom we can witness or reach to for God is a great start. It is amazing what follows.

WHAT

That cat is out of the bag already also, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, Go’s gift to the world.

It is very straightforward for most Christians that the good news is the salvation that we have gained through Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross, that he has taken the sins of the world to himself. Humankind would appear to have been sacrifice focused since as early as people formed communities and wondered at the vagaries of nature, the capricious nature of life, lives that may be taken through accident, attack by animals, or other humans, lightning, earthquake, flood sickness and the list goes on. Most civilisations have had a culture of sacrifice usually to appease the gods and enable those living to have a fair chance of making it to beyond reproducing age before departing this world .But  God for God, there can not be a more perfect sacrifice.

It is interesting that the majority opinion in the world at large when asked what is the essence of Christianity would answer, they have a great set of morals, everybody should learn that and the world would be a better place..

Many religions have good sets of moral guidance, but none other than Christianity has confronted the Devil and defeated him through the cross and the resurrection, death has been defeated, Christ does reign supreme over all creation.

There is more good news, as well as salvation and a great set of moral guidelines, what about answered prayer, what about the knowledge that as promised God will never leave us God is with us through thick and thin. It is like the marriage vows but there is no divorce with God. We might stray but god does not.,  The worst sinner can repent and ask God to save them and God remains faithful.

Healings, spiritual and phusical. Lost car keys, Guidance through life, nudging and prompting this way and that through lifecomplex obstacles and hurdles.

There is a lot of good news for sure.

WHY

The good news is that it is the job of the Holy Spirit. All we do is to assist the Spirit by passing on God’s word. Because God acts through God’s word and God’s spirit. I have no doubt that God could dispense with our help but Jesus made it clear that this is what he wants us to do. It is not just these words of Jesus that prompt us. We know of God’s intention made clear from Genesis onwards that it is God’s intention to bless humanity through the seed planted in Adam, and Eve. The covenant he made with Abraham, that all nations would be blessed through his offspring, that the messiah would come and be a savior for humanity and as Isaiah tells us, that every knee will bend , every head bow and every tongue confess Jesus to be Lord. We are part of God’s plan revealed in the bible and Jesus just made that absolutely clear so that we do not have to rely on deciphering the Old Testament and draw the conclusions therefrom.

There is another reason, another why. Jesus summarized the law and the prophets with the two great commandments, Love God first and love thy neighbor as thyself. That means don’t be selfish, that means that our response to Gods love is to share the good news. When we are gifted with such a priceless treasure as a relationship with Jesus which brings salvation and the other benefits we know, how can we sit on that and keep it to ourselves.

You are likely to be going to the training day on the 29^th, next Saturday and I expect that one of the themes which comes through will be that of pathways and another theme, small  steps. The pathways theme is very logical and straightforward.

There is a process in the formation of most Christians which may not begin at the same place but usually contains all the same elements. People are first engaged, engaged by other Christians, their interest is aroused, they develop relationships with Christians, they observe, question maybe aloud as to what it is that Christians treasure so much. The next step is witness, the sharing of that very thing, what it is that makes our faith so important to us. It may be how we came to Jesus,. It may be the before and after story, before Christ was at the Centre of our lives and the after. The difference that has made in our lives. Bill Hybel’s book Walk across the room suggests a statement of around one hundred words is adequate. A concise statement that does not confuse or sidetrack listeners with stories about miracles or visions, those things  which are going to raise more questions than answers for a listener. Once interest is raised it is time to cut to the chase as they say, evangelise, tell the story of Jesus Triumph over evil, of how all are offered salvation through faith in Jesus,. The next step once people have started following Jesus is the establishment of their faith, helping new Christians to grow, through small groups, through having someone help them read the bible, perhaps being a bible reading partner, certainly a study guide at least.. the process continues as the traveler is established into maturity, Preaching is of course valuable in many of the stages and most so for the establishment process which is a point on the journey where people are well positioned to share the good news themselves. To help them do so. The final step is that of equipping, equipping people with the tools which help to help people at any stage of the process to take the next step. Having laid out that logical process, there is no secret that the most effective evangelisers are new Christians who are so enthusiastic in their new found faith that it is contagious with their peers. We need to wear our own enthusiasm on our sleeve also.

We talk about steps in the process, the book which  Bishop Richard had clergy read prior to the clergy conference spoke of helping people take steps towards Jesus, not leaps, steps of whatever size was appropriate for the individual. None of us are expected to convert anyone in one session, We encounter people at somewhere along the spectrum between engaging and equipping  and with the help of the Holy Spirit as to  where they are and what we can offer them to assist on helping them take another step closer to the Lord. Knowing all the time that it is God’s spirit who convicts and it may take a number of encounters with different messengers who convey the appropriate message for their stage on the journey. We may think our efforts are inconsequential or ineffective, but every straw on the camel adds to the end result.

I pray for God’s blessing upon each one of us as we join with the Holy Spirit in the sharing of the best news in the universe. Amen

PC 25 Yr b Wb "The Cries of the Broken" JM

SERMON: Acting out the Love Command, 6/9/15, Woodbridge, LJB

Mark 7: 24-37, Proverbs 22: 1-9, 22-23, James 2: 1-17

The theme of inclusiveness, of loving everyone into God’s kingdom

comes through in all of today’s readings. We started with the OT wisdom

book of Proverbs. Tradition has it that Solomon wrote Proverbs (he was

called Solomon the Wise) as instruction to young people in the ways of

the world and how to live well in the world. A lot of its sayings are very

practical; this is what that book of wisdom has to say about the rich and

the poor:

 22: 2: The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker

of all.

9: those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with

the poor.

22: Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at

the gate;

23: for the Lord pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil

them.

 This was rather enlightened thinking, for at this time, the poor had no

rights, no benefits payments, no social justice either. And being poor was

seen as a kind of divine punishment for sins, committed either by the

poor person or their parents. The writer is saying that rich and poor alike

are all God’s children, and are all loved and defended by God. All are

welcome in God’s kingdom, even the poorest people, so all should be

loved and respected by us as fellow children of God.

James’ letter too is also full of practical advice about how to live the

Christian life well. He picks up the same theme as Proverbs that all

people are beloved members of God’s kingdom and should be treated

with love and respect, even the poor. He says Don’t discriminate against

the poor and the disadvantaged and favour your rich friends. In fact,

James writes: (v5) Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in

faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who

love him?  James is saying that the poor may even have an advantage in

gaining access to the kingdom, over the rich. Perhaps it’s because the

poor are more ready to rely on God whereas the rich feel comfortable in

relying on their own possessions and insurance policies. It is no wonder

that the church is vibrant and growing in the poorest countries of Africa

and Asia. In the affluent west we have come to rely on the transient

things: our own health and strength, money, insurance, rule of law and

political stability. It is risky: we know these can change, some quite

rapidly. Remember Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit –the

humble-for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

  James repeats Jesus’ love command (v8) You do well if you really fulfill

the royal law according to the scripture ‘You should love your neighbour

as yourself’ for all are God’s beloved children.

After James’ writing about love and respect for the poor as for the rich,

for everyone, Jesus’ words in the gospel bring us back to earth with a

jolt. He’s speaking to a desperately worried woman: No! Let the children

be fed first. For it’s not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the

dogs. He seems to be speaking very harshly, to a woman in desperate

need of help. Her child is very ill, perhaps having epileptic seizures. How

do his words marry with the gospel he preaches of love and compassion

to our neighbour, even the poor, the disadvantaged? How does this fit

with the teaching about inclusiveness from the other readings-that all are

to be loved and respected as God’s children??

Let’s explore a bit further

Jesus is traveling and healing the sick. After confrontations with the

scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalem, he made the mainly Jewish town of

Capernaum his base on the west bank of the Sea of Galilee. He journeyed

across to the eastern side of the sea, to the region mainly inhabited by

Gentiles. We hear: Wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms,

they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might

touch even the fringe of his cloak, and all who touched it were

healed.(Mark 6: 56).  Before he left the town of Gennesaret, some Jews

and Pharisees, who had traveled up from Jerusalem, gathered around him

and challenged him.

We heard their criticism in last week’s reading: why are your disciples

not following the Jewish laws for washing of hands, food and vessels?

Jesus called them hypocrites, and told them that it was not unwashed

hands and food that were unclean, rather the evil intentions that came out

of the human heart were unclean. Probably he was looking straight at

them!

Jesus must have been exhausted by all the demands for healing and then

another confrontation with Pharisees, but decided to move on, choosing

to travel north west into the mainly Gentile region of Tyre. This journey

took him and his followers out the region of Galilee, and out of the

Kingdom of Herod, into the Province of Syria. The city of Tyre is on the

coast of modern day Lebanon, not far north of its border with Israel and

west of the border between modern Lebanon and Syria (where there are

many modern day refugees from the fighting in Syria). The people of this

region were descended from the Phoenicians, once a powerful trading

empire on the Mediterranean in the time of King David. That is why the

Gentile woman in our story was called Syro-Phoenician. Jesus seems to

be deliberately moving further away from Jerusalem all the time, and

deliberately, it seems into regions inhabited largely by Gentiles. Perhaps

he was really fed up after that last confrontation with the representatives

from Jerusalem!

Of course it’s likely that many of the people Jesus had already been

healing around the eastern side of Galilee weren’t Jews, but Jesus never

asked, his love and healing were always unconditional; he included

everyone. But today’s reading tells us of Jesus’ deliberate decision (after

some persuasion!) to extend his love and healing beyond the children of

Israel to the Gentiles. Beyond the geographic and ethnic boundaries of

Israel, to Gentiles. In doing this he was saying, yes, you too, Syrians,

Phoenicians, Australians...are God’s beloved children and members of

his kingdom here on earth.

The story is unique too, in that it’s the only occasion we know of, where

Jesus changed his mind. Or had his mind changed. And it took a woman,

a mother desperate to save her child to do it. I love it!

He was tired after his journey, resting in a private house, seeking peace

and solitude. As soon as he sat down, this woman, obviously a local, a

Syro-Phoenician Gentile by appearance and dress, invaded this private

house, shattered his peace and rest and begged him to heal her daughter.

This woman was out alone without male escort. She entered, uninvited, a

private home to confront a Jewish rabbi. She was breaking a lot of

cultural rules –her behavior was out of place, shocking, unexpected!

Up till now, it seems that Jesus has started off his ministry by focusing on

the people of Israel, God’s own people, the inheritors of the traditions of

Abraham and Moses. They needed him, because their leaders were not

teaching them well or caring for them. He spent a lot of time in the

synagogues, teaching. His time was short, he knew the opposition was

growing, he had to stay with his priorities.

So he told her so, quite roughly: Let the children be fed first. For it’s not

fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. How insulting!

He called her and her people dogs, unworthy of his care and love. In fact

the word he used translates as puppies-little ones. So he used a softer

word perhaps, than dogs. But she would have none of it. She said  Even

the dogs/mutts under the table eat the children’s crumbs.  She accepted

the insult, named it even stronger, dogs, and humbly but persistently

asked again for what she wanted. And she changed his mind. Humility

and love at all costs won the day. He healed her daughter.

It’s a very important turning point in Jesus’ ministry-he’s crossed the

geographic border out of Israel and has now crossed the ethnic and

religious border, offering healing to a Gentile woman who he openly

identified as a pagan and Gentile. Symbolically, he’s extending God’s

kingdom beyond the boundaries of Israel, including other nations in

God’s kingdom, as God’s people.

Perhaps he remembered that God had acted this way in the past history of

his people. His own ancestor Ruth was a Moabite, not a Jewish woman.

Whatever Jesus’ thinking, it marked the extension of his ministry to

include all peoples. We are told Jesus continued his journey in the region

of Syria, going by way of Sidon, even further north along the coast.

There he healed a deaf mute man, another Gentile and outcast of society,

confirming that the kingdom of God is extended to the peoples around

but outside Israel, and people of every place in society.

It’s interesting to ponder this change in his ministry. Maybe it was even

driven in part by his frustration with the Pharisees who made a long

journey from Jerusalem to see what he was doing, only to criticise him

and his disciples for not washing properly, completely ignoring his

miracles of healing. Perhaps he was so fed up with them he wanted to get

away across the border and have a rest. And so the stage was set for his

encounter with the Syro-Phoenician woman.

I think this story gives an insight into a very human Jesus, who was

learning his Father’s will while on the job. And who was prepared to

change his mind and minister to anyone who needed it.

There’s our model of ministry: inclusive, flexible, whoever needs help,

wherever, whenever, even when it messes up our plans and what we

thought was our mission. God has ways of redirecting us, interrupting us

with God’s own agenda. That’s what happened to Jesus and it will

happen to us too. Let us be open to God’s interruptions!

God bless you all and your ministry, Amen.

Acting out the Love Command, 6/9/15 WB LJB

SERMON: Acting out the Love Command, 6/9/15, Woodbridge, LJB

Mark 7: 24-37, Proverbs 22: 1-9, 22-23, James 2: 1-17

The theme of inclusiveness, of loving everyone into God’s kingdom

comes through in all of today’s readings. We started with the OT wisdom

book of Proverbs. Tradition has it that Solomon wrote Proverbs (he was

called Solomon the Wise) as instruction to young people in the ways of

the world and how to live well in the world. A lot of its sayings are very

practical; this is what that book of wisdom has to say about the rich and

the poor:

 22: 2: The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker

of all.

9: those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with

the poor.

22: Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at

the gate;

23: for the Lord pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil

them.

 This was rather enlightened thinking, for at this time, the poor had no

rights, no benefits payments, no social justice either. And being poor was

seen as a kind of divine punishment for sins, committed either by the

poor person or their parents. The writer is saying that rich and poor alike

are all God’s children, and are all loved and defended by God. All are

welcome in God’s kingdom, even the poorest people, so all should be

loved and respected by us as fellow children of God.

James’ letter too is also full of practical advice about how to live the

Christian life well. He picks up the same theme as Proverbs that all

people are beloved members of God’s kingdom and should be treated

with love and respect, even the poor. He says Don’t discriminate against

the poor and the disadvantaged and favour your rich friends. In fact,

James writes: (v5) Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in

faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who

love him?  James is saying that the poor may even have an advantage in

gaining access to the kingdom, over the rich. Perhaps it’s because the

poor are more ready to rely on God whereas the rich feel comfortable in

relying on their own possessions and insurance policies. It is no wonder

that the church is vibrant and growing in the poorest countries of Africa

and Asia. In the affluent west we have come to rely on the transient

things: our own health and strength, money, insurance, rule of law and

political stability. It is risky: we know these can change, some quite

rapidly. Remember Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit –the

humble-for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

  James repeats Jesus’ love command (v8) You do well if you really fulfill

the royal law according to the scripture ‘You should love your neighbour

as yourself’ for all are God’s beloved children.

After James’ writing about love and respect for the poor as for the rich,

for everyone, Jesus’ words in the gospel bring us back to earth with a

jolt. He’s speaking to a desperately worried woman: No! Let the children

be fed first. For it’s not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the

dogs. He seems to be speaking very harshly, to a woman in desperate

need of help. Her child is very ill, perhaps having epileptic seizures. How

do his words marry with the gospel he preaches of love and compassion

to our neighbour, even the poor, the disadvantaged? How does this fit

with the teaching about inclusiveness from the other readings-that all are

to be loved and respected as God’s children??

Let’s explore a bit further

Jesus is traveling and healing the sick. After confrontations with the

scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalem, he made the mainly Jewish town of

Capernaum his base on the west bank of the Sea of Galilee. He journeyed

across to the eastern side of the sea, to the region mainly inhabited by

Gentiles. We hear: Wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms,

they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might

touch even the fringe of his cloak, and all who touched it were

healed.(Mark 6: 56).  Before he left the town of Gennesaret, some Jews

and Pharisees, who had traveled up from Jerusalem, gathered around him

and challenged him.

We heard their criticism in last week’s reading: why are your disciples

not following the Jewish laws for washing of hands, food and vessels?

Jesus called them hypocrites, and told them that it was not unwashed

hands and food that were unclean, rather the evil intentions that came out

of the human heart were unclean. Probably he was looking straight at

them!

Jesus must have been exhausted by all the demands for healing and then

another confrontation with Pharisees, but decided to move on, choosing

to travel north west into the mainly Gentile region of Tyre. This journey

took him and his followers out the region of Galilee, and out of the

Kingdom of Herod, into the Province of Syria. The city of Tyre is on the

coast of modern day Lebanon, not far north of its border with Israel and

west of the border between modern Lebanon and Syria (where there are

many modern day refugees from the fighting in Syria). The people of this

region were descended from the Phoenicians, once a powerful trading

empire on the Mediterranean in the time of King David. That is why the

Gentile woman in our story was called Syro-Phoenician. Jesus seems to

be deliberately moving further away from Jerusalem all the time, and

deliberately, it seems into regions inhabited largely by Gentiles. Perhaps

he was really fed up after that last confrontation with the representatives

from Jerusalem!

Of course it’s likely that many of the people Jesus had already been

healing around the eastern side of Galilee weren’t Jews, but Jesus never

asked, his love and healing were always unconditional; he included

everyone. But today’s reading tells us of Jesus’ deliberate decision (after

some persuasion!) to extend his love and healing beyond the children of

Israel to the Gentiles. Beyond the geographic and ethnic boundaries of

Israel, to Gentiles. In doing this he was saying, yes, you too, Syrians,

Phoenicians, Australians...are God’s beloved children and members of

his kingdom here on earth.

The story is unique too, in that it’s the only occasion we know of, where

Jesus changed his mind. Or had his mind changed. And it took a woman,

a mother desperate to save her child to do it. I love it!

He was tired after his journey, resting in a private house, seeking peace

and solitude. As soon as he sat down, this woman, obviously a local, a

Syro-Phoenician Gentile by appearance and dress, invaded this private

house, shattered his peace and rest and begged him to heal her daughter.

This woman was out alone without male escort. She entered, uninvited, a

private home to confront a Jewish rabbi. She was breaking a lot of

cultural rules –her behavior was out of place, shocking, unexpected!

Up till now, it seems that Jesus has started off his ministry by focusing on

the people of Israel, God’s own people, the inheritors of the traditions of

Abraham and Moses. They needed him, because their leaders were not

teaching them well or caring for them. He spent a lot of time in the

synagogues, teaching. His time was short, he knew the opposition was

growing, he had to stay with his priorities.

So he told her so, quite roughly: Let the children be fed first. For it’s not

fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. How insulting!

He called her and her people dogs, unworthy of his care and love. In fact

the word he used translates as puppies-little ones. So he used a softer

word perhaps, than dogs. But she would have none of it. She said  Even

the dogs/mutts under the table eat the children’s crumbs.  She accepted

the insult, named it even stronger, dogs, and humbly but persistently

asked again for what she wanted. And she changed his mind. Humility

and love at all costs won the day. He healed her daughter.

It’s a very important turning point in Jesus’ ministry-he’s crossed the

geographic border out of Israel and has now crossed the ethnic and

religious border, offering healing to a Gentile woman who he openly

identified as a pagan and Gentile. Symbolically, he’s extending God’s

kingdom beyond the boundaries of Israel, including other nations in

God’s kingdom, as God’s people.

Perhaps he remembered that God had acted this way in the past history of

his people. His own ancestor Ruth was a Moabite, not a Jewish woman.

Whatever Jesus’ thinking, it marked the extension of his ministry to

include all peoples. We are told Jesus continued his journey in the region

of Syria, going by way of Sidon, even further north along the coast.

There he healed a deaf mute man, another Gentile and outcast of society,

confirming that the kingdom of God is extended to the peoples around

but outside Israel, and people of every place in society.

It’s interesting to ponder this change in his ministry. Maybe it was even

driven in part by his frustration with the Pharisees who made a long

journey from Jerusalem to see what he was doing, only to criticise him

and his disciples for not washing properly, completely ignoring his

miracles of healing. Perhaps he was so fed up with them he wanted to get

away across the border and have a rest. And so the stage was set for his

encounter with the Syro-Phoenician woman.

I think this story gives an insight into a very human Jesus, who was

learning his Father’s will while on the job. And who was prepared to

change his mind and minister to anyone who needed it.

There’s our model of ministry: inclusive, flexible, whoever needs help,

wherever, whenever, even when it messes up our plans and what we

thought was our mission. God has ways of redirecting us, interrupting us

with God’s own agenda. That’s what happened to Jesus and it will

happen to us too. Let us be open to God’s interruptions!

God bless you all and your ministry, Amen.

You are the Messiah 13/9/15 LJB

‘You are the Messiah’, 13/9/15, Cygnet, LJB

Mark 8: 27-38, Proverbs 1: 20-33, James 2: 18-26

Today’s gospel reading marks an important turning point in the life of Christ:

for the first time, he is recognised by one who knows him well, as the Messiah

sent by God. The Messiah was also called the Christ, meaning God’s chosen,

anointed one, so we call him Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ, God’s anointed one.

Unfortunately immediately after this wonderful moment of discovery it all

went wrong when Christ started to explain the consequences of being

Messiah: that he would be suffering, rejected, and killed, but he would rise

back to life after three days.  O No! said Peter, surely not! Yes, says Jesus. And

what’s more, he said, this will be the road for all the true followers of the

Messiah. In your lives there will be suffering, rejection, and for some even

death as well. In Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Nigeria today, followers of Christ are being

killed for being followers of Christ.

Why must it all be so difficult? It does not sound like a great advertisement for

the life of a Christian, does it? I remember reading of an advert the missionary

order the Jesuits placed when they were concerned about declining numbers

joining them. It ran something like this:  In the last 100 years, over 100 Jesuits

have lost their lives following God’s calling. Come and join us!  What do you

think was the response? There were more applications than ever before!

Young, idealistic Christians are attracted to a challenge that sounds like the

challenge of Jesus to his followers in today’s gospel. Sadly, young idealist

Muslims are being attracted in the wrong way, by the evil that is Isis.

I think we can understand the problems Christ had in his ministry as Messiah

when we look into what being Messiah meant.

We see that acting out his conviction of what Messiah should be brought him

up against many of the rules and the power structures in society.

In Jesus’ time and earlier, there was an expectation that God’s Messiah would

come to deliver Israel from oppression, from the Romans who had invaded

their country. However, there was some diversity of thinking on how the

Messiah would bring about this delivery from oppression. Some expected a

new ruler, a king, like the mighty King David of their history. Some expected

Messiah to act as a military leader, and others by miraculous acts to achieve

power. We know this from writings of the times, for example the writers of the

Dead Sea scrolls expected a new ruler, a Messiah king.

We know that no-one expected the kind of Messiah, the kind of saviour, that

Jesus was. When he told his disciples they were shocked, disbelieving and I’m

sure disappointed. They expected something much grander! Yet since we are

unencumbered by their expectations of earthy power display, we can see that

he actually did come to deliver all of God’s people from oppression, in ways

that were completely unexpected in the Messiah, at the time.

Firstly he came with the good news that we are loved by God. God is not angry

with us for all the wrong things that we do! We are God’s beloved children, all

of us. This was particularly good news for the unloved, the poor and the

outcasts of society.

They were always put down, blamed, shamed and unwanted, but Jesus turned

that around. He proclaimed that he, God’s only son and Messiah, had come to

save the poor and the outcasts first, not the rich and powerful.

As God’s beloved children, he said, God will forgive all of our sins, all of the

wrong and stupid things we do, whatever they are, and free us to start anew.

The burden of carrying around our sins and our guilt is lifted-the oppression of

sins past is taken away. Carrying around a burden of guilt from the past and

worry about the future, we know, takes the joy out of life, and can lead to

mental illnesses. Removal of this burden is personal liberation, freedom, as

we’ve never experienced before. It is more meaningful and lasting than the

sort of political liberation Israel was yearning for. They wanted another violent

revolution against the Roman authorities. The people of Israel had rebelled

against the Romans before, and failed. 40 years after Jesus’ death, in 70 AD the

rebellion came, and brought massive retaliation which included the

destruction of the temple and slaughter of many of Jerusalem’s inhabitants

including most of the religious leaders. As we know, Israel remains a centre of

conflict to this day. And still hopes for the Messiah.

Jesus forgave the sins of people who asked him and that brought him into

conflict with the religious authorities. After all, he was trespassing on their

territory, their jobs: people came to the priests at the temple with sacrifices

and payments to intercede with God for forgiveness.

But Jesus did more than forgiving our sins. There are more kinds of oppression

from which our Messiah, Christ, liberates us.

Christ liberates us from the oppression of slavery. Many of us live do in slavery.

Jesus liberated people from mental illnesses, thought to be due to evil spirits.

He can liberate us from slavery to addictions, to other people’s expectations,

from drudgery and exploitation. The good news of God’s love can reconfigure

our minds from the mindset of slavery and despair to the freedom of a

beloved, free person. God’s gift of liberation comes with the gift of the

strength and will to name our slavery and to do something about it. Sometimes

we don’t realise we are slaves. It’s worth think about who or what exerts

undue control over us and our decisions and naming it. Then we can ask for

Jesus’ help to deal with it.

Some of us live in exile, like the ancient Hebrew slaves in Egypt, distanced from

those we love. Christ led exiles back to community and family life. Christ spoke

of the joy in God’s house when one who has been far away returns. He told the

parable of the prodigal son, and the joy of the father when his scruffy,

bedraggled son returned home from self-imposed exile. Jesus released

prostitutes and tax collectors from the rejection of the community and lifted

them up to being his dinner companions, sharing friendship with him. The

authorities and the good people of the towns did not like that. Jesus healed

lepers of their disease, but importantly in doing so returned them from exile

outside their villages, back to their families and communities. He came to bring

us back from exile too-his love flowing through us can mend broken

relationships, remake estranged families and communities. Loneliness is

oppressive, and Jesus offers freedom from loneliness and a way back into our

families and communities. It’s not easy, and usually involves forgiveness and

humility. Jesus modelled for us how to act that way.

Jesus freed people from blindness, an affliction which reduces freedom and

options in life. He can free us from blindness too. Is there something I am

refusing to see about myself? Or my family?  Is my country being blind?          

He could not cure the blindness of those who refused to see, those such as the

Pharisees questioning his healing of a blind man on the Sabbath. He accused

them of being blind, more blind than the man who had been born blind. They

hated that, and from that time on they vowed to stop him. To be cured of our

blindness we must acknowledge our blindness and want to see more clearly

what is real. That can be painful, but it enables us to see the truth and to act

on it.

Jesus the Messiah did not collude with the power structures of religion and

government to achieve his aims. His power came from his humility, his honesty

and his preparedness to do whatever it took to obey God. So it was inevitable

that he would suffer, as it is inevitable that his followers suffer when they act

as he did.

When we cut through the blindness and spin of society and tell the truth about

its evils, we can cop abuse, discrimination and in some places, martyrdom, like

our Lord.

Liberating ourselves and our loved ones from slavery to addictions, or to

expectations is daunting and painful, and we suffer.

Seeking to bring exiles into our communities, to offer hospitality to refugees,

to prisoners released from gaol, to invite friends and neighbours back into our

church community is hard work, and can make us quite unpopular.

Reaching out to members of our families who have been estranged, cut off for

some reason is hard, often involves swallowing our pride, and can hurt us if our

attempt is rejected. Yet, it is the work of the followers of the Messiah.

Peter rebuked Christ with the words of the world: No, don’t talk about

suffering and death, it scares us! Think of your reputation, your work, your

position. We hear words like that too, when we go out on a limb to act as the

Messiah did. Think of your position, your family, what will people think! And

they are right, we will suffer as did our Lord. But Peter’s words did not daunt

Christ, and neither should we be daunted or put off by the so-called wisdom of

the world, the sensible, politically correct, the comfortable road.

To be a true Christian, a true follower of Christ is daunting and Christ himself

warned us what it would be like. He shocked his followers with his hard words

and his warnings.  But as Peter later said: yes, Lord, but where else shall we go,

for only you have the words of eternal life.

May the Lord be with you, Amen.

The greatest,  18/10/15, Cygnet, LJB

Mark 10: 32-41, Job 38: 1-7, Hebrews 5: 1-10

In last week’s reading from Job, we heard about Job’s frustration with God, his

wanting to confront God to complain of God’s treatment of him. Yet he was

afraid of what this awesome God would do if Job did confront him. Today we

heard the answer Job got when he did pluck up the courage to confront God.

God answers, speaking from a whirlwind. And Job copped the rebuff he was

expecting: What can you know, Job, about the works and the ways of God?

How can you hope to understand God’s ways? …More next week!

Moving from the power of creator God  to today’s lesson from the gospel,

which is also power: Jesus’ teaching about what real power is.

Jesus’ chosen twelve disciples were from humble backgrounds, fishermen, a

tax collector, and so on. They probably exercised some power as the head of

their households, and perhaps in charge of one or two men on the fishing

boats. On the other hand, they would have been on the unhappy receiving end

of power in the form of town officials, temple priests and scribes, Roman tax

collectors and soldiers. They would have experienced power wielded unjustly

by their own leaders and the Roman rulers.

How wonderful it would be, they reasoned, to share the power of the great

Messiah, the soon to be ruler of the kingdom of God here in earth? What is

wrong with that?

Mark’s combining of the first and last parts of this reading is almost laughable

in its irony and shows us what was wrong with their thinking! Jesus for the

third time spells out for his disciples what is going to happen to him in

Jerusalem, where they are heading.

1

He will be condemned, mocked, spat upon, flogged and killed. There is no

response from them, no inkling of understanding what Jesus is saying. In fact,

the very opposite.

James and John, and probably the others too, have very different visions of

what will happen to Jesus. They picture Jesus as the magnificent ruler of the

kingdom of God. Probably clothed in fine clothes of gold, sitting on a throne,

like the early kings and Caesar. So they ask for what they imagine will be the

positions of power, the seats at the right and left hands of the ruler, Christ.

When Jesus points out the price they will have to pay, they accept

immediately, without thinking it through! Yes, we will drink of the same cup as

you, yes, we will accept the same baptism that you have just told us about

(which is martyrdom!) Yes, of course we will pay the price for such prize

positions and glory in the kingdom! They really hadn’t a clue what they were

asking, and I’m sure they didn’t understand what the price would be. Jesus said

yes, you will share my baptism and my cup. And they did. He was really saying:

you too will be martyrs, dying young, leaving your families devastated, because

you are my followers. But they weren’t hearing him.

Perhaps we feel a bit angry at the presumption of James and John, just as the

rest of the disciples were. The writer of Matthew’s gospel was so

uncomfortable about their request he had their mother make it for them!

We may feel frustrated with their lack of understanding, as I’m sure Jesus was

frustrated. But Jesus patiently used this occasion to give to his disciples and to

all of us another lesson in what it means to be great in God’s eyes, in the

kingdom of God.

2

Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant and whoever

wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not

to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Earlier on he had startled his disciples by telling them that God’s kingdom was

made up of people who were like children in their simplicity and trustfulness.

The powerless ones made up the kingdom! Ridiculous! Later he shocked them

again by declaring that the rich and powerful would find it very hard to enter

the kingdom. Jesus taught and modelled servant leadership throughout his life

and in his death. He washed the feet of his disciples at the last supper, like a

servant, trying to help them understand what he meant about serving one

another.

Throughput the gospel of Mark, we hear again and again the lack of

understanding of the disciples, of what Jesus was teaching and modelling. They

didn’t understand his parables, had no faith in his powers to bring peace in a

storm or feed multitudes, and did not understand the kind of leadership and

power he advocated.

We might ask why did Jesus choose these particular men? (At least I ask it!)

They disappear from our sight very soon after Pentecost, after the first few

chapters of the book of Acts, they are hardly mentioned. Peter appears

occasionally, usually in conflict with Paul. As we learn in Acts, the early church

was in the hands of the seven deacons, appointed by the apostles, including

Phillip and Steven, and in the hands of Paul, the great missionary leader of the

early church and his helpers. These men had different skills and experience

from the twelve, and through their efforts and inspiration, the early church

grew rapidly.

3

I think perhaps Jesus chose these twelve disciples because they were most

suited to the work he had for them while he was a travelling rabbi and healer.

His mission was to the people of Israel and in particular the humble Jews, the

poor, the oppressed, in the region of Galilee. His disciples were drawn from

these people, and so were able to speak their language, to understand their

problems and move among the people. The twelve were village people, and

villages were the places where Jesus taught, not big cities, not outside the

borders of Israel.

And perhaps no-one of greater learning or status would have been prepared to

join and follow this village carpenter.

After Christ’s death and resurrection, after Pentecost, the disciples were

changed men, able to discern and encourage the next generation of leaders.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, they knowingly met the fate of martyrs that Jesus

had predicted for them.

I don’t know about you but I still find Jesus’ teaching about what constitutes

real power so alien to our lives. We generally regard power as the ability to

change things and people. But in our culture this usually means legislating or

enforcing laws, or building up or shutting down businesses and jobs and

livelihoods. Having the power of money to get what we want from people. The

heroes in our action movies are those who are strongest, the best fighters,

who come out on top by defeating others.

But Jesus’ concept of real power was quite revolutionary, quite counter-

cultural. He too regarded power as the ability to change things and people. But

he taught that the usual ways to gain power through strength and riches and

politics were not God’s ways.

4

When we look at history, we can see that is true. Power held and exerted by

force or money or politics does not last. Riches and their power come and go

within a generation or two at the most. As we have recently seen, political

power is hard to hold and maintaining it can call for many compromises and

sacrifices of principle. Power held by force is also ephemeral and jeopardised

by illness and age: dictators hang on tightly to power as long as they can, for

the next dictator is waiting for the first show of weakness. Assassination or

exile are the end days of many dictators. There is no place or peace for

defeated military dictators.

Jesus’ way of changing things and people is so different from that way of the

world. He showed us how a humble, compassionate teacher of God’s way

could change the brutal world of the Roman empire. How his teachings could

outlast the empire and spread much further than the all conquering Romans

ever did.

His church, his body carries his message to the world today. But the church has

gone wrong at times and continues to go wrong whenever it imports the

world’s concepts of power into its structures. The church seems to need

reformations and renewals at regular intervals to bring it back to Christ’s

teachings. Entrenched hierarchies, focus on money and buildings, manipulating

people by fear and threats of damnation, these are the ways of the world

which continually creep into Christ’s church.

It’s not surprising, for the church is made up of people with human failings and

has existed in the materialistic cultures of the world throughout the ages. But

it’s important that we are watchful and try to keep the church to Christ’s

teachings, for it is the means of bringing Christ and his kingdom to the world.

5

I’ve just spent some days at clergy conference, and I do believe that we are

blessed in this diocese by having in our leaders authentic teachers of Christ’s

gospel and true servant leaders. They need our prayers for their extremely

busy and overcommitted lives, as they seek to serve us and the wider world.

Our church should embody and model Christ’s teachings about servant

leadership and true power as a beacon and example for the world. Christ’s

teaching about power and servant leadership have a lot to say to our world: to

those politicians who put personal power and advancement above discerning

the good and serving the people they represent. To those public servants who

disregard the ‘servant’ part of their title.

To governments which put staying in power ahead of making the right, hard

decisions for the good of the people. To company directors and executives

who hang on to positions and power by putting shareholder profits above

ethical and moral treatment of employees and customers and their social

responsibilities. To those in the media who use their power over audiences to

denigrate and manipulate.

When we look at these aspects of our culture, we can see what a difference it

would make to humanity if Christ’s teachings about humility, servant

leadership and what constitutes true power were widespread. So it is up to us

as Christ’s church to do our best to make the world aware of Christ’s new way

and reject our culture’s concept of what constitutes power. This means

remaining vigilant and watching how power is wielded in our governments, our

companies, our schools and our church. And being prepared to speak up when

what we see contradicts the wise teachings of Christ that true power is exerted

to serve others. We start by modelling in our own lives his subversive message

of how to change things and how to change people’s hearts. Amen

6

Sermon: All Saints, 1/11/15, Woodbridge, LJB

John 11: 32-44, Isaiah 25: 6-9, Rev 21: 1-6

All Saints Day is a day of rejoicing. We remember all of the saints of the

church, the well known ones, the unknown ones and those we sat next to

in church and at home, and we rejoice with them that they are indeed

with God, enjoying God’s company in eternal life. Today we are

celebrating All Saints day, so welcome to all of for it’s your day-we are

all God’s saints. The church recognizes many important saints for the

inspiration they can give us:. Last Wednesday was the day to remember

Saints Simon and Jude. Both died as martyrs for their faith. I particularly

like St Jude, the saint of lost causes! There’s a picture of him above the

tea things on the back wall! (RC appeals to St Jude).

I don’t know about you, but I don’t often give thought to what will

happen to me after I die. The afterlife, eternal life, heaven-whatever it

may be called. I’m curious, of course. I think many people are curious,

judging by the number of stories and movies about ghosts and zombies

and vampires and hauntings and even angels that are around. Sometimes

the dying of someone we know or a funeral can shake us into more

serious thoughts, but they are rare thoughts. I wonder if it’s because we

are relatively comfortable here in Woodbridge in this life, and death

seems a long way off. And we’d rather not think about it anyway!

Most of us are not in daily fear of starvation, or death, of violence or war,

thanks be to God. But these fears have been facts of life for many

throughout history and as we know certainly in many countries today.

Such fears demand answers to urgent questions: is there a purpose for my

suffering? a reason for enduring more years in this refugee camp, or on

the road from Turkey to Germany with my children? Is there a reckoning

for the injustice of this world? Perhaps my answers will come in the

afterlife? Perhaps wrongs will then be righted? Perhaps there will finally

be peace and freedom from suffering?

The OT and the NT bring us stories of peoples who had enduring

generations of strife, wars, invasions, and from these people come their

visions of something more: an afterlife in which God will right all

wrongs, bring justice and peace and comfort and happiness to those who

have endured and sought to do his will.

The readings for All Saints Day bring us some of their glorious visions of

the end of time, when all of the saints (which means all of God’s people)

live forever in God’s kingdom. They assure us that all of God’s people

will meet together in the presence of God for a magnificent eternal life.

Writings about the end times are called eschatology, and there’s some of

it in the OT, in the books of Isaiah and Daniel, for example. Eschatology,

writings about the end times, is the subject of the last book of the NT,

the book called the apocalypse, meaning the revelation, the Revelation of

St John the Divine.

We’ll start with Isaiah who points the way for us today. Jewish people in

King David’s time, if they had led a good life, expected to be buried with

their ancestors and to rest in peace with their ancestors. But Isaiah sees

something rather more wonderful. His vision of the end of time is not

resting but feasting: an eschatological feast on God’s mountain. At this

rich feast of fine food and well-aged wine, Isaiah says, God will finally

destroy the shroud which is spread over all the nations of the earth. A

shroud is of course a grave cloth, and represents deaths, which up until

this last moment is the fate lying over all people. The prophet proclaims

that God will destroy the shroud, swallowing up death forever. He will

wipe away the tears, the suffering and the disgrace of sinfulness of all of

his beloved people. God will save his people finally and forever:  Let us

rejoice in his salvation!,  says Isaiah.

The next heavenly vision comes from the book of Revelation:

our reading is the seventh of a series of visions of St John about the end

of time. In earlier visions John saw God in heaven sitting in judgment

over his people, and over Satan. He saw Satan, the angel who rebelled

against God, cast out of heaven forever, and then death itself banished. A

bit like the shroud of death being torn away in Isaiah’s vision. John’s

seventh and last vision is of a new heaven and a new earth, for the first

heaven and the first earth have passed away.

 They are replaced by what he called the new Jerusalem, a new holy

place, as glorious as a bride decked in finery, coming from God to rest on

earth.

 This holy place is to be the new dwelling place of God:  See the home of

God is coming among mortals; he will dwell with them and they will be

his peoples, and God himself will be with them.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. This is what Isaiah foresaw in his

vision as well.

Death will be no more, mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away.

The result of this seventh phase end time scenario is that there will be

perfect peace and happiness between God and his people.

Death is defeated and cast out, no more pain and tears,  Behold, (God

says) I make all things new.I am the alpha and the omega . These are the

first and last letters of the Greek alphabet in which John was writing.

God was in the beginning, before the earth and people, and God is in the

end times, unchanged.

Science agrees that there was a beginning to the universe we know, in a

huge explosion of energy called the Big Bang about 12 billion years ago.

About 5 billion years ago the gravitational field of a small star, our sun,

attracted enough matter around it to form planets, including our earth.

Science also tells us there will be an end to our planet, when the nuclear

reactor which is the sun cools and no longer gives energy to our earth.

We won’t worry too much about that for now, it’s some billions of years

into the future. Actions of humans may of course bring about an end to

life on our planet well before the cooling of the sun does so. Perhaps

that’s a little more under our control! And in the beginning was God and

at the end as well, the alpha and the omega.

So, do we have to wait until the end of time until we join God in his

heavenly banquet, in his kingdom? That’s what Martha thought, when

she went out to meet Jesus after her brother Lazarus had died.

The story demonstrates for us and for Lazarus’ grieving family and

friends the compassion and empathy of Jesus with those who are grieving

and suffering. It demonstrates the enormous power of Jesus to bring life

from death, to bring joy from pain, hope from hopelessness. Tears are

wiped away, just as Isaiah and John foretold and Jesus rejoices with

Lazarus and his family and friends.

Martha said to Jesus, yes, I know he will rise again in the resurrection on

the last day. But something new was happening now. Jesus said to her  I

am the resurrection and the life, those who believe in me, even though

they die will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never

die.  He asked Martha: do you believe this? Yes, she said, for herself and

for Lazarus. Then Jesus turned this amazing statement into a solid, acted

out metaphor, by taking Lazarus, who was dead, and bringing him back

to life. Those who believe in me even though they die, they will live.

What Jesus said means much to us too: everyone who lives and believes

in me will never die. It brings the visions of living in God’s kingdom

much closer, I think. The dead don’t have to wait around until the end

times to be with God, sharing in the heavenly banquet. Death will not

separate us from God and his kingdom for any length of time.

Remember what Jesus said to the thief who was crucified with him:

today you will be with me in paradise. No waiting needed!

Even more startling is knowing that we don’t even need to die to join

God in God’s kingdom. Really, the visions of heaven on earth that Isaiah

and John are foreseeing are what we are asking to come into being when

we pray the prayer our Lord told us to pray: Your kingdom come and

your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We are praying that God’s kingdom, something like a new holy place, a

new Jerusalem, will come into being on earth, making things on earth as

they are in heaven, making Earth into God’s realm in fact. We are

praying for God’s kingdom to come into our planet now, not just after we

die, or in distant end times.

It’s not just a pious prayer that we say without thinking, but it involves

hard work. In following Jesus commands we are each working away on

the little patch of the fabric of the kingdom to which we have been

assigned. We are weaving our patch into the life of our planet, in our

small ways helping God’s kingdom to come. Every loving act, every time

we forgive someone we don’t like, helps to make the earth into God’s

kingdom.

As we work away at it, it is good to remember that we not alone, we are

part of something really huge: we are members of the great community

of saints-the communion of saints- who have been working away in the

kingdom, who are working today and will work in the future in making

our earth into God’s kingdom. Our fellow workers in the communion

include some very famous ones: St Simon and St Jude, St Peter and St

Paul, St Mary McKillop and  some lesser known ones: my mum and dad

for example, and each one of you, all God’s saints!  God bless you all!

Amen