Listening and Action

Another parable in a series recorded by Luke.
There are a few things to note about this parable.

“Lazarus is the only name given to anyone in Jesus’ parables;”[i]

The rich man did not notice Lazarus while when was alive, but now he is dead, he sees Lazarus and knows his name. But he sees him, not as an equal, but as someone who can do something for him. [ii]

For many of us this parable hits a nerve, a comfortable middle class, I have all I need nerve. This is challenging parable. But for some people, for the “Lazarus’s” of the world this parable is empowering and offers hope that things will not always be this way. [iii]

Luke isn’t saying that being wealthy is a bad thing of itself. We know the rich man is wealthy, he is called ‘the rich man’, but he also wears purple and fine linen, he lives in the equivalent of a palace, with gates and security. This all adds up to serious wealth!

There is nothing to suggest the rich man gained his wealth by exploiting people. The problem is that being wealthy isolated him from the community around him.

In the letter to Timothy we read: The love of money causes all kinds of trouble.

The passage we heard from the letter to Timothy this morning, not only warns us about the danger of loving money, but encourages us to be content with the basics needed for life, such as food and shelter.

The love of money and the focus on getting more money means we lose sight of who we really are.  In last week’s passage from Luke we heard that you cannot serve two masters, you cannot serve God and wealth. [Luke 16:13]

What will it take for us to recognise our wealth, not just our financial wealth – because if you have food, decent clothes, a place to live and transport you are in the top 15% globally[iv] – which means we are all wealthy; but we are also rich in non-financial terms.

We could look at images of heaven and hell in this parable; or what wealth looks like; but for me this parable isn’t about money or the afterlife. This morning I want us to explore the final part of the parable a little: “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”’ [Luke 16:31]

What and who do we listen to?

Who do we see?

In the parable, Father Abraham tells the rich man that his brothers should listen to Moses and the prophets – who are the prophets today?

Who are the people who speak God’s word?

Who are the people who challenge any system that oppresses people, who challenge any system that sees people go without food and shelter and medical service and education?

The prophets in the Bible were a feisty lot, Isaiah and Jeremiah, Amos and Hosea, Micah and Malachi. Have you noticed that many of the prophets did not speak to individuals but to the nation of Israel and Judah, and at times other nations?

There are some comforting messages, but mainly speeches telling of the demise of nation because they haven’t lived in Gods ways. Forsake your idols and return to the Lord; return to God’s righteous ways and don’t make yourself rich at the expense of others; trust in God’s love.  

What will it take for us to really hear the prophets, to hear and act on God’s call to justice and righteousness?

When God speaks are we too busy looking after our assets; working extra hours; worrying about our looks and our status.

True wealth comes from faith in God. From listening to God’s word through Moses and the prophets, through the teaching and life of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit who guides and challenges us.

My experience is that hearing, and acting upon, God’s word can be difficult.  Sometimes we will be challenged to change the way we live. Leaving a secure job to start your own business or work for a church or charity.

At one time I was on an interview panel for a senior role in the Synod office. The people we interviewed were mainly from other church or not-for-profit organisations, so the pay we were offering was similar to their current situations, but some people were currently working in private industry, on much higher salaries than we could pay. But they were looking for work with meaning beyond the pay cheque. They are still well rewarded financially, but they could earn much more elsewhere.

What of other areas of our life?

When have you been challenged by God?

• to change jobs
• to move house
• to take up a new ministry
• to stand with the poor

How have you responded?

Some of you will know by now that I am slightly hard of hearing. In most situation it isn’t an issue, but when there is a lot of background noise, I can’t keep track of a conversation.  Sometimes my relationship with God is like that. There is so much background noise, the to-do list in my head, the last song I heard on the radio, going over a conversation and wondering if I could have handled the situation differently, the meeting next week, the report due in two weeks, and on and on…

Being available to hear God is one thing, but being willing to act is another.

I wonder what stops you from acting on God’s call to fuller life.

Fear if what people might think?

Fear of losing friends?

Fear of losing control?

Or is it that we just don’t trust God?

This parable is a story about a rich man who didn’t notice the poor man at his gate.

It is about a rich man who even in death saw Lazarus as someone to do fulfil his desires

It is about the gulf between life and death

But ultimately I think it is about where our values for living come from.

Are our values in agreement with the life and teaching of Jesus?

Do we listen to the voice of God, or the voices that tell us that the people with the most money and power win the game of life?

We will have some time for silent reflection.

[silence]

If there is anything form this that you would like to speak with me about, please let me know.

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[i] Lois Malcolm, Working Preacher

[ii] Barbara Rossing, Working Preacher

[iii] charwils2015 on RevGalBlogPals

[iv] https://irememberthepoor.org/3-2/

Praise and exploitation Sunday morning rewrite

Sermon 2

This morning we have praised God, pondered words from the prophet Amos about not exploiting people, and then this passage from Luke.

This parable is confusing, and reading various scholars hasn’t helped much. I could go through various parts of the parable and explain the culture and economic system, that may help a little, but it still doesn’t help us work out why this parable was told.

Parables typically have a twist at the end, the twist in this one is that the master praises the manager for being shrewd rather than being angry with him for reducing what people owed. Which may or may not have hurt the bottom line for the master – it may have been that the manger was adding his own cut to the accounts, and he simply reduced the bill by his cut.

Here is a story: Izzy gets busy  from Spill the Beans 2013

I wonder in what ways we are like Izzy, using our brains and creativity for selfish reasons, rather than for the good of the kingdom of God?

Remember the quote from Augustine:

“... that God gave us people to love and things to use,” ^[i]

I can remember many years ago making a mobile, with people and things on opposite sides of one piece of paper, and love and use on the other piece of paper, just like this.

Do we use our position in life, our resources to feather our own nests, or do use what we have to show and share the love and grace of God?

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[i] David Lose, In the Meantime

Praise and exploitation

2 short talks this week as well as a short sermon on the gospel.

Gods blessings a few words on psalm 113

I wonder what you think when we say ‘Praise the Lord!’ or ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord’

This psalm is a psalm of praise, a psalm that acknowledges the mystery and power of God, the enormity of God, the care God shows to the lowly, the poor and needy.

Part of the psalm reminds me of the Magnificat – where the powerful are brought down and the lowly are raised up, the hungry are filled with good things and the rich go away empty.

Do we praise God when we are hungry? Or only when things are going well?

What does it mean to praise the Lord, to bless the name of the Lord? 

A few words on Amos

“I will never forget their evil deeds.”

I think this passage from the prophet Amos is fairly clear. God is not happy with the way that people were treating each other, especially those who ripped off the poor. This and the reading from Luke both talk about being in debt, yet the Jewish system did not allow charging interest.  The system of jubilee meant that land was to be returned to its stewards, so that the rich could not keep on getting more and more and the number of poor did not keep increasing.

“ .. it said that St. Augustine asserted that God gave us people to love and things to use, and original sin manifests itself in our penchant to confuse those two, loving things and using people.” [i]

What is the evil you see in our country?

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[i] David Lose, In the Meantime

Luke 16: 1-13

This is one of those readings I have struggled with. There are a variety of opinions amongst scholars as to the meaning or moral of this parable.

At the beginning of chapter 15, the religious leaders were grumbling because Jesus ate with the wrong people, sinners and tax collectors, and then we have 3 parables – the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son.  The first two we looked at last Sunday. In both the lost is looked for, searched for, and when found and returned, there is much celebrating. In the third of the lost stories, the ‘lost’ son returns home hoping his father will employ him, but the father celebrates, though not all the family celebrates.

Then “Jesus said to his disciples, “There was once a rich man who had a servant who managed his property. …”

The servant is the manager of the rich man’s property.  From the list of amounts owed, property included olive oil and wheat.

Here is a crash course in economics from 1^st century Galilee.

While the Jewish religion prohibited the charging of interest, many rich landlords charged high interest rates. People who were desperate would borrow to buy what they needed.  In this case the manager may have added his own cut on top of the landlord’s fees or interest.[i]

One way to look at this story is that the manager reduced the amount owed by his cut. He reduced his earnings, but he wasn’t going to see that money once he lost his job. Or maybe he reduced the debt by his cut and the boss’s interest as well. The boss can’t really complain because by Jewish teaching he should not have been charging interest in the first place. But he has made friends who will look after him, because he forgave part of their debt.  [ii]

While the boss commends the manager for being shrewd, Jesus doesn’t end this parable with ‘go and do likewise’.

He does say be clever, not in ripping people off, but in living as my disciples. Be shrewd, not at the expense of others.  Don’t be naïve about the ways of the world.

While I have been told that you shouldn’t discuss politics or religion in polite society, it seems to me that in the church we don’t talk about money.

The Gospels don’t say anything about wealth being a problem. What is a problem, and a sin, is becoming wealthy at the expense of others, particularly the poor.  Wealth also comes with responsibility, as we will see in next week’s reading. One of the problems of money, is that once people have some, we want to keep it for ourselves.

And the last part of the passage:

 “No servant can be the slave of two masters; such a slave will hate one and love the other or will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Life can be complicated. As Christians we try and follow Jesus, yet we live in a world that at times seems incompatible with following Jesus.  

Do we serve God or money?

Money is a tool, yet so often it seems like an idol. The more wealth we have, cars, house, investments, the more time and energy is needed to look after these things. Yet life is not about money, life is about relationships. The religious leaders grumbled because of the people Jesus associated with. When we are in healthy relationship with people around us, we won’t be exploiting them, or allowing some people to be hungry or homeless.

The manager was clever, he had messed up and had to find a way out of the mess. We need to be clever with our money, our resources, our time – not so we can make more and more money for ourselves. We need to be wise to recognise the true nature of life.

Remember the quote from Augustine:

“... that God gave us people to love and things to use,” ^[iii]

I can remember many years ago making a mobile, with people and things on opposite sides of one piece of paper, and love and use on the other piece of paper, just like this.

Do we use our position in life, our resources to feather our own nests, or do use what we have to show and share the love and grace of God?

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[i] Working Preacher Barbara Rossing

[ii] Working Preacher Barbara Rossing

[iii] David Lose, In the Meantime

Lost and Found

We are up to the ‘Lost’ stories of Jesus: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin which are followed by the Lost Son, also known as the prodigal son.

We talk about the keys being lost, or a child being lost
Lost friendships and lost opportunities
A battle that was lost
A lost day
Being lost in a book

Can you remember when you have lost something?

Here again is the story of the Lost Sheep, this lost sheep even has a name: Cecil.

Cecil the Lost Sheep – from Lost Sheep series [https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-the-lost-sheep/] 

Do you think this story is about a lost sheep? Or the 99 sheep? Or the mountains? Or the shepherd?

Is the other story Jesus told, the one about the woman and the lost coin, about a coin? Housework? Or the woman?

“….these stories aren’t about a lost sheep or coin, not really. They’re about a shepherd who risks everything to go look, and about a woman who sweeps all night long to find. These stories are about a God who will always go looking for God’s lost children.” ^[i]

Neither the coin or sheep repents, both would still be lost without the one who searched and searched until they were found.

In my reading this week, I saw a phrase I haven’t seen for a few years and I thought I would tell you about it. You may already know about prevenient grace, but it is a phrase I rarely see.

Sometimes I hear of people talking about finding God. Prevenient grace says God was there. Prevenient Grace is the “grace that “goes before”—that grace which precedes human action and reflects God’s heart for his creation." ^[ii]

Another story - this one about a father and son.

Shortly after we’d moved to Minnesota, I took my then four year-old son out to the Mall of America, an enclosed shopping centre so large it had an amusement park at its centre. Which is where, of course, Jack wanted to go. So we did, wandering the park, looking at the various rides, and eventually ending up at one of those open tracks where you can drive little remote-control cars. Jack was too little to operate one, but he was fascinated watching them. Initially I was holding his hand, as I almost always did, but after a few moments I let it go, as he was right beside me and pretty much glued to his spot. Until he wasn’t. I looked down for him, as I did every few seconds, and he was gone. Not there. Missing.

I frantically looked all around our area and couldn’t find him. I began cautiously expanding my search, sure I would find him any moment. But I didn’t. Initially I was anxious, after a few moments, scared. I’d heard the stories. Every parent has. How it only takes a few minutes for someone to abduct a child and get him or her completely out of a store. After a few more minutes of frantically searching, I went to a security guard and admitted what had happened: my son was lost. Lost.

I gave a description, the guard called it in. Within about three minutes – that seemed far, far longer – they had found him. He had wondered over to another ride, used his height – or, rather, lack of height – to worm his way to the front, and was glued to that spot watching in fascination, pretty much totally oblivious, I’m sure, that he’d just caused me a near heart attack.

I suppose I could have been mad at him for wandering off, or upset with myself for letting him, or embarrassed that I’d recruited security guards when he was so close to me all along. But to be honest, none of these emotions were mine. No, I was just relieved and, even more, joyful. My son, who had been lost, was found. Safe and sound. Back with me. It was pure joy.^[iii]

This father describes being reunited with his son as pure joy. In both the stories Jesus told “… call your friends and neighbours together and say to them, ‘I am so happy I found my lost …. Let us celebrate!’” and

“…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.”

I wonder how do we celebrate, and what do we celebrate?

We are good at celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, Christmas and Easter, but what about

·         restored relationships

·         renewed faith

·         being found

·         seeking and finding

How do we celebrate the moments of grace we recognise in our lives?

We have looked briefly at these two stories about the lost being found, but can you remember why Jesus told them in the first place. It wasn’t because he was rostered at the local library for storytelling duty.

Listen this paraphrase: Laughing Bird

For much of the time, a crowd of people hung around Jesus, listening to everything he had to say. The crowd was full of disreputable characters whose lifestyles were offensive to the more respectable members of society. The Pharisees and religious experts got their noses out of joint over this, and began denouncing Jesus. “He keeps company with people whose behaviour is beyond the pale,” they said, “and he doesn’t even draw the line at sharing meals with them.”

    Jesus responded to their objections by telling this story:[iv]

and

“Jesus said, “Let me assure you that it is just like that in heaven. One screwed-up person getting back on the right track causes far bigger celebrations than ninety-nine respectable people who never left it.” [v]

Another thing I think is important in these two stories, is that the lost sheep re-joined the 99 to make the whole flock. The woman put the found coin with the other nine, so her ten coins were together.

When God searches, and people respond, God leads them to join in with other parts of the church.  Do we welcome and celebrate with God and the heavens?  

As with much of Scripture there is a lot in these 10 verses we could look at.

We can read these two parables, and be reminded of how much God loves us.

We can think about how we welcome people who respond to God’s prevenient grace and want to be part of community.

We can think about when and how and why we celebrate.

We can think about ways in which we join with God in searching for the lost

And for each one of us, the Spirit will focus us in on a different aspect of the story.

Where is the Spirit touching your life today?

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[i] David Lose, In The Meantime

[ii] http://www.seedbed.com/a-primer-on-prevenient-grace/

[iii] David Lose, In The Meantime

[iv] ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

[v] ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Cost and Clay

this week a short reflection on Luke, before the Prayers of Confession

Luke 14:25-33 

This section is part of the hard sayings of Jesus.

I can’t imagine living without God in my life, and at times I have, and I know I don’t want to do that again. But it does mean giving up some things – not because they are ‘bad’, but because God calls us to live in ways that are about life.

My parents didn’t go to church, and struggled with their ‘born again’ teenage daughter. I admit I look back now and see I was like many new converts – long on enthusiasm and short on grace. But I think even if I hadn’t spoken about religion, it would have still altered my relationship with my parents, and particularly my father. He didn’t want a religious daughter, so me going to church meant that I was different. I had changed. At times I had to choose between pleasing my parents and doing what I thought was right in my relationship with God. Those decisions were not easy.  

A few weeks ago I was listening to an interview with one of the Olympians. The athlete described how being an elite athlete was a very selfish thing to do, missing holidays, birthdays and being overseas, training and competing, much of the year. Family and friends came after training and competing. To be an Olympian you need to be that focussed.

This is what Jesus is saying here. There was the risk that the people who followed Jesus would only see the ‘high points’ of faith. They witnessed healings and miracles, yet if they did not think about the cost of being a disciple, it is like thinking being an Olympic athlete only involves the race and medal ceremony.

“Discipleship is not just one more hobby or extra-curricular activity.”[i] Following Jesus has to be more important than anything else in our life, and requires the focus of an elite athlete. That doesn’t mean we can use discipleship as a reason to neglect family or work responsibilities. But there will be times when we need to make a choice because of our decision to follow Jesus. And those choices will not always be easy or popular.

Jeremiah 18:1-12

This reading from Jeremiah lends itself to thinking about the ways in which we are shaped by God. I usually think of this as a gentle, loving process. Of being made into something unique and beautiful. But reading this passage this week, I sense another side to the image God as the potter.

Clay in hand

“People of Israel, don’t you realise that I can do with you just what the potter has done with this pot. Watch the way the potter works, people of Israel, and remember that you are like clay in my hands. If I speak to a corrupt nation and threaten to tear it out by the roots and crush and demolish it, and it takes note of what I have said and mends its ways, I will change my mind and give them a fresh start. If, on the other hand, I tell a nation that I am planning to build them up with strength and life, and they turn around and become callous and cruel and take no further notice of anything I say, then I will abandon my plans to do anything good for them.
So then, Jeremiah, go now and give the people who live in Judah and Jerusalem this message from me: I, the LORD, am taking you in hand like a potter taking clay, and I am planning to flatten you; to crush you completely. The only way to persuade me to change my mind is to turn around right now; to mend your ways and clean up your act.”

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Before clay is fired, it is able to be made and remade many times.  The more clay is handled the more flexible it becomes. But at the beginning, it is hard work getting the clay to move and take shape.

The prophet Jeremiah is not speaking to individuals, but to the nation. Clean up your act! I can build you up or destroy you.

And the basis that God will make that decision on?  When is a nation evil?  

Matthew has a story of the judgement of the nations in chapter 25 [25:31 – 46]. Do you remember what was judged?

‘I was hungry and you fed me,

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

I was sick and you stopped to visit,

I was in prison and you came to me.’ [The Message]

As a nation do we live up to this standard?

Do we provide for the hungry and thirsty, here and internationally?

Do we provide homes, clothing and shelter for those in need?

Do we work to make health services available to all?

And do we make prisons safe and appropriate?

In recent weeks we have seen the mistreatment of teenagers in youth detention in the Northern Territory,

we have seen the high percentage of indigenous youth in prison,

we have seen the reports of the abuse of people in detention on Nauru

and there are the continuing stories of violence and war

of women being forced into marriage or becoming sex slave

of teenagers and children being kidnapped and made to fight.

At times it seems like we live in a very messed up world.

There is some signs of hope:  

In the last generation, humanity has made great progress in shaping a more just and equal world:

·    global poverty has been cut by 50% in the last ten years

·    the number of people who have access to clean water has doubled

·    the number of children dying every year has been dramatically reduced and

·    the number of women dying during childbirth has nearly halved

Together, through Australian Aid, we’ve all played a part in this story.^[i]

Where does this leave us today?

A beautiful image in the psalm of being known and loved and valued by God

The image of a potter, a reminder that we can work with, or against God,

And the Gospel that tells us that while grace is free gift, discipleship is costly and will demand us to make choices.

Shortly we will participate in Holy Communion, we hear again that on the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread and wine and shared it with his disciples.
We are part of that ongoing tradition,
of hearing the story,
of giving thanks,
of taking the bread and the cup,
of being renewed and refreshed,

Of giving ourselves over to God, again and again.

Prayer: The Clay of Our Lives

Take the clay of our lives and shape it to love
Take the clay of the church and shape it to grace
Take the clay of the world and shape it to peace
Take the clay of today and shape it to hope

And then breathe your spirit into all
again

For ever and ever
Amen

~ written by Cheryl Lawrie, and posted on [hold this space]. http://holdthisspace.org.au/

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[i] https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-we-do/aid-and-development/campaign-for-australian-aid/australias-aid-effort/

[i] David Schnasa Jacobsen, Working Preacher