what is being built

this is the first sermon I preached in my first [and current placement] in 2006.  readings: 2 Samuel 7: 1-17 and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

There are times when I wish life was logical and sequential. There are times when I wish God would behave in ways that made sense to me. There are times when I wish l could understand life, before it happened and while it was happening. There are times, well most of the time actually, I wish life was orderly and had some structure.

At school, and when I first went to university I was good at maths and science – the logical, systematic subjects. Neat and orderly was how I wanted life to be, that feels safe to me, minimum risk and minimum chaos. But life hasn’t been like that for me, and I think it isn’t like that for many people, some people enjoy the chaos more than others.

I look at the disciples, and the leaders we read of in the Old testament, and I have hope. In the reading from 2^nd Samuel we hear of David wanting to build a house for God. We read a fair bit of David’s life story in the Old testament, multiple versions of some of it. David keeping the sheep, anointed by Samuel, victorious against Goliath, a musician in the court of Saul, and here he is King of Israel. He has a palace, and decides it is time that God also dwelt in a magnificent house. The place where the holy things were kept was a tent - portable, fitting the life that people of Israel had lived since the exodus – wandering in the wilderness, fighting battles – place was temporary for them. Now it was to become permanent. Now they were in Jerusalem, and the holy things, and therefore God, would have a house befitting such a strong and powerful god.

Makes sense to me, and as one of the scholars I read this week notes, the prophet Haggai later uses the same logic to get the temple rebuilt after the exile. So why does God not want David to build a temple. There are a few reasons:

§  God can’t be domesticated or held in one place. God had been with the people all through their journeys, and would be with them in the future as they lived through exile and colonisation. God didn’t, and still doesn’t need a temple, or even a church building.

§  God can’t be controlled. God would decide when and where and who would build the temple, in this case it is Solomon, David’s son, who has the temple built. This isn’t about how good David or Solomon is, but about things happening in God’s time and place – much as it doesn’t always make sense for us.

§  There is an emphasis in this passage on what God is building rather than what we build for God. David’s announcement that he will build a temple is initially greeted positively by the prophet Nathan. Then God tells Nathan to say to David: “Are you the one to build me a house to live in?”.  David is putting what he can do ahead of what God will do.

How could David – the great warrior, the anointed one, get it so wrong. I suspect the way that I get it wrong. I work out what I think I can best do, instead of listening for God, discerning where the Spirit is active. David had the means and the capability of building a temple. As king of Israel he had building materials and people at his beck and call. There are things I am capable of, that doesn’t mean that is what God is calling me to do at any particular time. There have been times when I have also known, much better than God, what I am not capable of doing – but that doesn’t always match up with God’s understanding of the situation. David was a shepherd, the youngest son when anointed by Samuel, yet God did great things through David.

In this passage there is a play on the word, house. A house is a dwelling, or it can also refer to the family. So the house of David could be the building in which he lives, but usually refers to the family and offspring of David, in the same way that the English royal family is of the house of Windsor. So David thinks he will  build a house for God, but God is building a house for David, a living house of flesh and blood, obedient, disobedient, living people; not a house of cedar and stone, with fine gold and fancy fittings.

I said earlier the disciples also give me hope. This group of insiders who travelled with Jesus, saw everything up close, don’t understand what is happening most of the time. So I don’t feel so bad when I don’t understand what God is doing. In this section of Mark, it is clear that the crowd recognises Jesus as a person who can heal and teach, someone special; yet the disciples often seem ignorant of the greatness of Jesus as they travel together.

The end of Chapter 7 of Mark is a summary of what has been happening, people healed, some by touching the fringes on his cloak. The fact that Jesus was wearing a cloak with fringes suggests that he was following in the traditions of the Jewish religion. Tassels or fringes were a sign of devotion. While many in modern times think of Jesus as someone who overthrew Judaism, this isn’t the case. Jesus was very Jewish, but he didn’t follow the religion in the ways that many of his contemporary religious leaders did.  We have recorded in the gospels occasions when Jesus quoted scripture, went to the temple or synagogue, followed Jewish traditions; but we also have examples of Jesus reinterpreting the tradition and the scriptures.  For example, healing on the Sabbath, gave priority to health and inclusion over ritual and purity laws. There was, and is, more than one way of interpreting tradition and scripture.

In the Uniting church at the moment there is disagreement about some issues, some to do with biblical interpretation, some with moral, social and ethical issues. I don’t know what all the answers are, and I sometimes wonder who do we think we are. In the same way that God challenged David : “Are you the one to build me a house to live in?”.  I wonder if God might challenge the church today: Are you the one to build me a house to live in?”.  God is building the church for us to live in, not the other way around.  God builds the church, God invites people into relationship,  loves, forgives, holds us as precious even or especially when we are confused. God builds the church with living, breathing, faithful, confused people – people like us.

I don’t know where God will lead us together as the Engadine congregation of the Uniting Church. I do know that God has lead me to places I never thought I would be, like theological college and being in ministry. What I have learnt is that discipleship isn’t about what I want to do, or where I think God should be active. Discipleship is about being involved where God calls me and equips me to be.

Are we like the disciples, so caught up in our own experience that we miss recognising Jesus in the world and people around us. Are we like David, aware of our own ability, independent and resourceful. Are we building the temple we think God should have, or are we looking for and celebrating what God is building in our lives.

violence as usaul

Proclamation of the Word part 1

Many of you will have seen in the news this week that a woman was shot in Afghanistan for alleged adultery. It reminded me of the passage from John’s gospel where a women caught in adultery is about to be stoned. I wonder what happened to the man.

In Biblical times women were regarded as possessions, and it many places still are. The practice of the Father of a bride giving her hand in marriage, comes from this idea that a woman is a possession of her father, and then her husband.  

And in the case this week, I wonder what happened to the men. One report says that :

“Salangi [Provincial governor Basir Salangi ]said two Taliban commanders were sexually involved with the woman in Parwan, either through rape or romantically, and decided to torture her and then kill her to settle a dispute between the two of them.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/08/afghan-woman-accused-adultery-shot-dead

this was a dispute between two men, about a woman, and the woman was killed.

In the gospel reading we heard this morning, another example of violence as a way of dealing with complicated relationships. John had called Herod on his relationship with Herodias, his brother’s wife.  And John is beheaded.

It got me thinking about violence in our world.

The Psalm begins with

“The earth and its abundance is the Lord’s,
the world, and those living in it;”

How is violence respecting God’s creation?

Violence in the home, violence when people are out for the night, violence as a way of solving our problems.

 “The earth and its abundance is the Lord’s,
the world, and those living in it;”

It seems that the abundance of God is made available to some more than others. Does that mean some of God’s creation is more important than other parts? Are people living in the Horn of Africa less worthy than Northern Europeans?

 “The earth and its abundance is the Lord’s,
the world, and those living in it;”

How do we treat the earth and all that is in it?

What do we say about God and creation when we allow the Great Barrier Reef to be destroyed for the sake of bulk carriers moving to ports nearby?

What do we say about God and creation when we allow some people to live in poverty, to be oppressed, to be tortured, killed?

What do we say about God and creation?

Whose voices do we hear and whose are not heard?

A reflection including song and prayer. Please remain seated and join in with the singing.

Hymn/prayer: Kumba Yah – from Bread of Tomorrow p 74-5

Proclamation of the Word part 2

What voices do we hear,
who do we see dying,
who do we hear crying,
where is the shouting,
and who do we join praying?

The voices we hear in the media are often about the price of petrol; interest rates – too high or too low depending on how you are effected; housing affordability; traffic snarls; government stuff-ups. The voices we hear in the media feed us on a diet of self-interest, and negativity.

There are other voices we regularly hear, friends or family talk of their pain, their loneliness, their illness, their grief, their broken relationships.

 “The earth and its abundance is the Lord’s,
the world, and those living in it;”

 It is not only one woman who was killed in Afghanistan this week, just one which made the news more than others. And it happens in other places, not only in Afghanistan, not only in war zones, not only in one religious group. Since time began, people have been killing each other, because they don’t want to be challenged, or found out, or because they want something that belongs to them, even when that something is a human being.

What can we do?

It seems that our society tells us to look after ‘number one’, and that means our self. But what does God say?

 “The earth and its abundance is the Lord’s,
the world, and those living in it;”

What can we do?

We can speak. Silence can be part of the conspiracy of oppression and violence. Remember the US soldiers who were ’found out’ for torture? Silence and secrets allow the violence to remain hidden. Secrets have allowed abuse to be remain hidden in the Catholic Church – but like most secrets they eventually come into the open – someone has the courage to speak out one more time.

The death of the woman in Afghanistan this week may have remained a secret except someone videoed the event.

We can speak, with words, but also with our lives. We can live as part of God’s abundant and amazing creation. We can live as if others are part of God’s abundant and amazing creation.

We can speak,
we can listen to the voice of ‘silenced’
we can name the dying,
we can comfort the crying,
we can acknowledge the shouting,
we can join with the praying?

a prophet v 2

Proclamation of the Word

I know some of you have family who visit from time to time, and they come and worship here. We look at people who we have seen grow up here, and think about what they were like as children, and how they have turned out. How much they have grown and changed. And then their children come, and there are comments about how much this grandchild is like their parent or aunt or uncle was growing up. It seems to be part of our human make-up to look for family resemblances.

Jesus was back in his home village, visiting his family, and teaching in the local Synagogue. At first the people were astounded, amazed, at what Jesus was teaching, then they look at him, and see it is a home town boy of suspicious parentage – he is called Mary’s son rather than Joseph’s son. The villagers have seen Jesus and his sisters and brothers grow up.

And they wonder - Who does he think he is?!

Sounds like the Aussie ‘tall poppy’ syndrome. I can remember watching sport with my father, who was similar physical build to me, and he would say, I could do that, I just don’t want to show off. Now there was no way he could run a sprint or a marathon, or swim or dive or any of the other amazing things we will at the Olympics this year. In Australia we have habit of knocking those we deem to be too much ‘in the spotlight’.

And the people of the village wonder - Who does he think he is?!

This Jesus, this carpenter, this boy who grew up with our sons and daughters.  Who does he think he is?!

The reactions of the people in the village is not unusual.

I wonder how we respond to Jesus?

When Jesus asked his disciples ‘who do people say I am?’

“[The disciples]  replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”. “ [Matthew 16:14]

Jesus reminded people of the prophets.

Prophets were, and are, people who speak God’s word into a situation. People who speak up, and act, for the marginalised, for the whole creation, for the hungry, for the abused.

We can think of Jesus as a friend and companion, healer and teacher – and he is those things. But that is only part of who Jesus is.

I wonder, have we grown so comfortable, so familiar, that we don’t hear what is being said anymore, that we miss the strangeness of the Gospel.

The gospel which tells us of Jesus including the excluded, healing the sick, calming the storm, teaching, calling disciples, challenging those in leadership. The Gospel is good news, but it isn’t about being good in terms of middle-class western respectability.

For many people today, Christianity and the Church is about respectability, being good and nice. 

But Jesus was not that.

Jesus was not respectable.

Jesus did not stay on the ‘right’ side of the powerful and important.

Jesus broke the rules.

Jesus challenged the way things were.

What might Jesus challenge today – our treatment of asylum seekers, our fixation on ourselves, the cult of individualism, the way that economics decides what health and education are available for those unable to afford private schooling and healthcare.

What might Jesus challenge today –in your life?

In this community?

In this nation?

Who does he think he is?! This Jesus, who comes asking the difficult questions.

This Jesus who comes as challenges us to step out of our complacency, to see beyond our own life.

Who does he think he is?!

a Prophet in town

After a three week break, a weekend off, then 2 weeks ill, back preaching this week.

I know some of you have family who visit from time to time, and they come and worship here. We look at people who we have seen grow up here, and think about what they were like as children, and how they have turned out. How much they have grown and changed. And then their children come, and there are comments about how much this grandchild is like their parent or aunt or uncle was growing up. It seems to be part of our human make-up to look for family resemblances.

Jesus was back in his home village, visiting his family, and teaching in the local Synagogue. At first the people were astounded, amazed, at what Jesus was teaching, then they look at him, and see it is a home town boy of suspicious parentage – he is called Mary’s son rather than Joseph’s son. The villagers have seen Jesus and his sisters and brothers grow up.

And they wonder - Who does he think he is?!

Sounds like the Aussie ‘tall poppy’ syndrome. I can remember watching sport with my father, who was similar physical build to me, and he would say, I could do that, I just don’t want to show off. Now there was no way he could run a sprint or a marathon, or swim or dive or any of the other amazing things we will at the Olympics this year. In Australia we have habit of knocking those we deem to be too much ‘in the spotlight’.

And the people of the village wonder - Who does he think he is?!

This Jesus, this carpenter, this boy who grew up with our sons and daughters.  Who does he think he is?!

The reactions of the people in the village is not unusual.

I wonder how we respond to Jesus?

When Jesus asked his disciples ‘who do people say I am?’

“[The disciples]  replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”. “ [Matthew 16:14]

Jesus reminded people of the prophets.

Prophets were, and are, people who speak God’s word into a situation. People who speak up, and act, for the marginalised, for the whole creation, for the hungry, for the abused. A few weeks ago you watched a DVD about the Uniting Church’s Statement to the Nation from 1977. To me this is a prophetic statement, even now. There are some copies available at morning tea, here are

[The] six affirmations of the Uniting Church in 1977 were: [on PP slides] [Rev Dr Dean Drayton retiring address as President of the Assembly

http://assembly.uca.org.au/component/k2/item/295-church-members-called-to-act-on-historic-statement]

1. We will challenge values which emphasise acquisitiveness and greed in disregard of the needs of others …
- compare this statement to the response of people to changes in interest rates, tax tables and various charges for services. How much do we respond from our situation rather than the poorest, the least?

2. We affirm that the first allegiance of Christians is God, under whose judgment the policies and actions of all nations must pass. We realise that this allegiance may bring us into conflict with the rulers of our day.
- are we, like Jesus willing to be in conflict with the rulers of this country – religious and political and social?

3. We are concerned with the basic human rights of future generations and will urge the wise use of energy, the protection of the environment and the replenishment of the earth’s resources for their use and enjoyment.
- are we aware of how our consumption undermines our grandchildren’s future?

4. We affirm our eagerness to uphold basic Christian values and principles such as the importance of every human being.

- Do we treat some people as less important than others? Why is the death of one person in Australia more newsworthy than hundreds in another country?

- How do we respond to the Government intervention in the Northern territory and now Bankstown and some others cities, are the human rights of some more important than others, do we afford more dignity to some people?

5. We affirm … the need for integrity in public life, the proclamation of truth and justice.

- where do we get our information from? It seems that much of the public discourse on important issues is what we get in a  30 second sound bite on the nightly news. Or from people who make a living by creating conflict and division.

6. We pledge ourselves to hope and work for a nation whose goals are not guided by self-interest alone …

 - how do we as a nation make decisions?

- ----

How do you feel about this list, about being part of a church that runs a medically supervised injecting facility, that has chaplains in prisons and detention centres, that speaks out on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers, that calls politicians to task for their double standards. What is it like being part of a denomination that doesn’t always agree with other denominations?

It can be easy to worship each week and forget about some of that the Uniting Church stands for – justice, human rights, the dignity of all people and all of creation.

We can think of Jesus as a friend and companion, healer and teacher – and he is those things. But that is only part of who Jesus is.

Have we grown so comfortable, so familiar, that we don’t hear what is being said anymore, that we miss the strangeness of the Gospel.

The gospel which tells us of Jesus including the excluded, healing the sick, calming the storm, teaching, calling disciples, challenging those in leadership. The Gospel is good news, but it isn’t about being good in terms of middle-class western respectability.

For many people today, the Church is about respectability, being good and nice. 

But Jesus was not that.

Jesus was not respectable.

Jesus did not stay on the ‘right’ side of the powerful and important.

Jesus broke the rules.

Jesus challenged the way things were.

In this passage Mark records that Jesus was unable to perform many miracles, because of the unbelief of the people. Now it would take a long time to explore this in detail, but I wonder how often we miss what God is doing in this community, and around the world, because we only see the Jesus we are comfortable with, the one who is kind, our friend, our support, our comforter.

What if we looked for, encouraged and supported the prophets in our midst, the ones who call politicians to account, the ones who question our lack of concern for the excluded of the world, the ones who make us feel uncomfortable in our comfortable lives.

Who are the prophets today, where do we speak God’s word into the world.