sin, patience and lament

 Luke 13:1-9, 31-35

If something bad happens to you, it is because you deserve it

•       if your crops fail, it is because you have displeased God;

•       same with illness,

•       untimely death,

•       any sort of disaster –

•       it is because of something you have done,

•       it is God’s judgement upon you.

 

Ever heard anything like that?

 

Blaming the victim was common in the time of Jesus, and it still persists today.

 

Except, it isn’t true. When illness or disaster or suffering comes, it isn’t because we are being judged as more sinful than anyone else. It is not a form of divine punishment.

 

It is easy for us to think that some people are more sinful than we are. There isn’t a list of sins where some are worse than others; sin is anything that separates us from God. In the letter to the Romans, Paul writes: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [Romans 3:23 NRSV]

 

Sin does a have role in suffering.

•       Pilate’s brutal reign was sinful - God calls leaders to be shepherds, not murder their own people, or line their own pockets.

•       Workers are injured or killed when profits rate higher than safety

 

We want to think that we are immune from seemingly random events; so, it is easier to say that such events are a judgement from God. But now, as then, cyclones, tsunamis, workplace accidents and murder are not the fault of the victim. 

We all sin, we all need to come to God, to repent, to turn our lives around.

And then Jesus tells another story:

 

The parable of the barren fig tree turns our attention away from judging others to looking at our own lives.

It certainly sounds like it has branches and leaves, it doesn’t sound like it is dead, just not bearing fruit. If it was dead there would be no reason to keep it at all.

The parable is a reminder to us that we need to not only stay alive but to bear fruit. I wonder how often we are even aware of our lack of fruitfulness, we appear to be going OK, with nice leafy branches providing shade, strong sturdy trunk to withstand storms, yet a fig tree that doesn’t bear figs, no matter how healthy-looking, is just not doing what it was planted for. The tree gets another chance, and we too get another chance, and another – not because we are particularly worthy, but because God is gracious and merciful to us.

 

The final part of our reading:

 

Jesus, looking over Jerusalem says:

“How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!”

 

The image of the mother hen is a powerful one.

A quote:

"If you have ever loved someone you could not protect,

then you understand the depth of Jesus' lament.

All you can do is open your arms.

You cannot make anyone walk into them.

Meanwhile,

this is the most vulnerable posture in the world

--wings spread, breast exposed --

but if you mean what you say,

then this is how you stand. …

Jesus won't be king of the jungle in this or any other story.

What he will be is a mother hen,

who stands between the chicks

and those who mean to do them harm.

She has no fangs,

no claws,

no rippling muscles.

All she has is her willingness to shield her babies with her own body.”

[Barbara Brown Taylor   Christian Century 2/25/86]

 

In the reflecting this week, I have been thinking about the other side of this mother hen imagery.

Jesus is like a mother hen, lamenting because the chickens will not come under her wings. 

But I am not Jesus.

I am one of the chickens,

and I confess at times I am one of those chickens who thinks she doesn’t need to be under the wing.

 

What are you like Jerusalem?’ said, Jesus.

‘I’d like to be a big warm feathery mother hen,

so that I could gather your children

under my wings and keep them safe and strong.

But you wouldn't let me do it Jerusalem.

And I can’t help you if you won’t let me.” [Spill the Beans]

 

These readings take place as Jesus is travelling toward Jerusalem,

he knows he is unpopular with the religious leaders,

he knows they see him as a threat to their power-sharing deal with Rome.

But Jesus continues the journey.  

 

This morning there are lots of words,

what I hope you take away from worship this morning,

is that God loves you,

God wants you to come and rest in that love

to find your security and identity in your relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Loving God and Neighbour v2

 

This morning we heard 2 well known stories. We all know that the Good Samaritan story means help other people, and the point of the story about Mary and Martha is to listen to Jesus and leave the dishes in the sink.

I wonder if that is all they tell us, or if there is a different purpose in these two stories.

Starting with the Good Samaritan – it is a parable, so not an actual event. Oh, and nowhere in the story is the Samaritan called good, as if Samaritans are expected to be bad.

That started me thinking: how often do we make assumptions about people based on how similar they are to us, in terms of race, gender, political and religious views, work status, postcode, dress style ….?

These assumptions devalue people, including ourselves.

I hear people talking about ‘no good’ blacks, Muslims, Indians, druggies, unemployed ….

You get the idea.

I have not found a place in the Bible where Jesus says some lives are worth more than others:

that your life is worth more than the life of a Pacific Islander,
or a person of different faith,
or someone in an unskilled job,
or a beggar,
or someone with a disability,
or even someone who has made poor life choices.  

I know some people were troubled by the Black Lives Matter movement, but the reason for the movement is because traditionally black lives have been devalued, as we have seen in the USA with the number of black people killed by police.

In the newspaper this week has been stories about aged care, asking if we do care about people living in residential aged care. We would say we do, but the conditions in some centres shows that as a society we do not.

This parable is told in response to an educated man asking Jesus about eternal life.

Jesus asks the man what he knows from scripture, and the man answers correctly:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ and, ‘Love your neighbours as much as you love yourself.’”

 That could have been the end of this story, except, the clever man asked another question: Who is my neighbour?

 As with other people who asked Jesus about the requirements for eternal life, each story ends slightly differently. Here the man asks who my neighbour is, in chapter 18 the rich young ruler is told keeping the commandments is not enough, sell everything.

As we often see with Jesus, his response to people’s questions and situations are different for each person.

 As with some other situations, I wonder how genuine this question is.

By asking: Who is my neighbour?
he is implying that some people are not his neighbours,
and therefore he does not need to love them.

I wonder if we also try to circumvent the wideness and generosity of God’s love?

 And I wondered about the questions we ask of Jesus?

“what must I do to have eternal life?”

Who are my neighbours?”

Lord, doesn’t it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?

It reminded me of a song:

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

 

In the gospels Jesus is asked many questions:

Eternal life?

Who is the greatest?

Can my sons have the best seats?

Heal me?

Help me?

Have pity on me.

 

I wondered about the questions we ask God.

Like this one:  

 

this cartoon, during the sermon

http://www.jasonvalendy.net/blog/2013/3/30/the-poor-will-always-be-with-you-is-jesus-a-hypocrite

 

The clever man asked Who is my neighbour?

Then Jesus tells this parable, a scenario they would have known, of a traveller being mugged and robbed.

Who will help?

The unlikely one.

 

This parable tells us how to be neighbours, being a neighbour means accepting help from the unlikely as well as helping those in need.

Notice the person who was mugged had no say in who did or did not help him.

 Who are you willing to accept help from?

 

Then we come to Martha and Mary, in my reading this week I came across some other ways to think about this reading.

I studied Greek in my first year of college but am not an expert. I rely on Greek Interlinear Bible or people whose Greek is better than mine to look into some of the technical aspects of the readings.

 [https://www.marystromerhanson.com/blog?fbclid=IwAR2FVERJr_rxCh1aJKxdU_McBycFPccrLIlVlR1NP5SDslYe6EUyyV2PBy4 gives more detail of what follows]

 A little bit of Greek.

1.   When Martha is serving, the word is diakonian – where we get our word Deacon from. It is about ministry. She is anxious because she has so much to do – ask anyone involved in Ministry, lay or ordained, and they will know that feeling.

2.    “sitting at the Lord’s feet” isn’t a literal, physical thing — Mary wasn’t actually sitting at Jesus’ feet when this happened. Instead, this was common way of indicating discipleship. These two sisters were disciples of Jesus — Martha in the village of Bethany: Mary out with other disciples in the countryside as a traveling disciple.

3.   Some translations end with Jesus telling Martha that Mary has chosen the better part, but the Greek is the good part.
 

Jesus listens to Martha, tells her he understands, but Mary has her work and Martha has hers. It is not necessary to choose one or the other, but to follow where we are called.

This is a short passage that has been used to devalue the work of people who serve in practical ways like meals, caring for children, cleaning etc. The story is about two female disciples, fulfilling their individual callings as they are gifted. One is taking care of the sick, orphans, new believers, or whatever is required in a first century Jewish village. The other is evangelizing in the countryside.

 …

what does all this mean for us? today if we find someone lying on the side of the road, we can call an ambulance, we don’t need to carry the person to the hospital or a hotel.

And what is considered ‘women’s work’: caring for children or the elderly, cleaning, cooking etc. is still undervalued.

 One thing that stands out for me is: Love your neighbours as much as you love yourself.

Love your neighbours as much as you love yourself.

I sometimes wonder if that should be changed around to Love yourself as much as you love your neighbours.

Love yourself as much as you love your neighbours.

I wonder if Martha loved herself as much as she loved her neighbours, she would take enough of a break to feel whole, not torn in many directions.

Or ask or allow her neighbours to help.

I wonder if the clever man loved himself, he might be able to accept his imperfections.

It is hard to love our neighbours,
all of them,
the smelly and annoying,
and those who live so far away we have never met them,
when we don’t recognise our own humanity
when we don’t love ourself.

A quote from Mitzi J. Smith, Professor of New Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary

Self-love is neither egocentric nor individualistic. Self-love is not obsessed with self-preservation; it takes risks for violated, vulnerable humans living in the borderless neighbourhood we inhabit[i]

 

Do you love yourself enough to love your neighbour?

Let God love you,
let God teach you to love yourself and your neighbour.

---

[i] https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/good-samaritan-2/commentary-on-luke-1025-42-3

loving yourself and your neighbour

 

This morning we heard 2 well known stories. We all know that the Good Samaritan story means help other people, and the point of the story about Mary and Martha is to listen to Jesus and leave the dishes in the sink.

 

I wonder if that is all they tell us, or if there is a different purpose in these two stories.

 

Starting with the Good Samaritan – it is a parable, so not an actual event. Oh, and nowhere in the story is the Samaritan called good.

 

How often do we make assumptions about people based on how similar they are to us, in terms of race, gender, political and religious views, work status, postcode, dress style ….?

Do these assumptions devalue people, including ourselves? I hear people talking about ‘no good blacks, Muslims, Indians, druggies, unemployed ….

You get the idea.

I have not found a place in the Bible where Jesus says some lives are worth more than others. That your life is worth more than the life of a Pacific Islander, or a person of different faith, or someone in an unskilled job, or a beggar, or someone with a disability, or even someone who has made poor life choices.  

I know some people were troubled by Black Lives Matter, but the reason for the movement is because traditionally black lives have been devalued, as we have seen in the USA with the number of black people killed by police.

In the newspaper this week has been stories about aged care, asking if we do care about people living in residential aged care. We would say we do, but the conditions in some centres shows that as a society we do not.

 
This parable is told in response to an educated man asking Jesus about eternal life.

Jesus asks the man what he knows from scripture, and the man answers correctly:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ and, ‘Love your neighbours as much as you love yourself.’”

 

That could have been the end of this story, except, the clever man asked another question: Who is my neighbour?

 

As with other people who asked Jesus about the requirements for eternal life, each story ends slightly differently. Here the man asks who my neighbour is, in chapter 18 the rich young ruler is told keeping the commandments is not enough, sell everything.

As we often see with Jesus, his response to people’s questions and situations are different for each person.

 

As with some other situations, I wonder how genuine this question is. By asking: Who is my neighbour? he is implying that some people are not his neighbours, and therefore he does not need to love them.

Do we try and avoid the wideness and generosity of God’s love?

 

I wondered about the questions we ask God.

Like this one:  

 

this cartoon, during the sermon

http://www.jasonvalendy.net/blog/2013/3/30/the-poor-will-always-be-with-you-is-jesus-a-hypocrite

The clever man asked Who is my neighbour?

Then Jesus tells this parable, a scenario they would have known, of a traveller being mugged and robbed.

Who will help?

The unlikely one.

 

This parable tells us how to be neighbours, being a neighbour means accepting help from the unlikely as well as helping those in need.

Notice the person who was mugged had no say in who did or did not help him.

 

A story I read on Facebook this week, it may not be true, but I think it contains some truth. A woman had left a violent partner and moved to a new town with her children, she had a job and was staying with someone who befriended her. They shared living expenses, until one night, after taking the children to a park after school, she returns home to find the house empty.  It turned out her new ‘friend’ was evicted for not paying the rent.

They sleep in their car overnight and in the morning, she goes to a park with a toilet. The girls wait while Mum rings and tells her boss what has happened, and the boss says she will see what she can do, ring back later.

In this same park, a group of people are rummaging in garbage cans. The woman sees them talking to each other and putting money into a hat.

She uses her last ten dollars to go shopping for some food for breakfast and goes back to the park to eat.

When she rings her boss back, it is good news, they will give her her wages today, a few days early.

One of the homeless men comes to her and offers her the money, he had heard her talking to her boss, they put some money together for her.

 Who are you willing to accept help from?

 Then we come to Martha and Mary, in my reading this week I came across some other ways to think about this reading.

I studied Greek in my first year of college but am not an expert. I rely on Greek Interlinear Bible or people whose Greek is better than mine to look into some of the technical aspects of the readings.

 [https://www.marystromerhanson.com/blog?fbclid=IwAR2FVERJr_rxCh1aJKxdU_McBycFPccrLIlVlR1NP5SDslYe6EUyyV2PBy4 gives more detail of what follows]

 A little bit of Greek.

1.   When Martha is serving, the word is diakonian – where we get our word Deacon from. It is about ministry. She is anxious because she has so much to do – ask anyone involved in Ministry, lay or ordained, and they will know that feeling.

2.    “sitting at the Lord’s feet” isn’t a literal, physical thing — Mary wasn’t actually sitting at Jesus’ feet when this happened. Instead, this was common way of indicating discipleship. These two sisters were disciples of Jesus — Martha in the village of Bethany: Mary out with other disciples in the countryside as a traveling disciple.

3.   Some translations end with Jesus telling Martha that Mary has chosen the better part, but the Greek is the good portion.
 

This is a short passage that has been used to devalue the work of people who serve in practical ways like meals, caring for children, cleaning etc. The story is about two female disciples, fulfilling their individual callings as they are gifted. One is taking care of the sick, orphans, new believers, or whatever is required in a first century Jewish village. The other is evangelizing in the countryside.

that Jesus listens to Martha, tells her he understands, but Mary has her work and Martha has hers. It is not necessary to choose one or the other, but to follow where we are called.

 

…

what does all this mean for us? today if we find someone lying on the side of the road, we can call an ambulance, we don’t need to carry the person to the hospital or a hotel.

 

One thing that stands out for me is: Love your neighbours as much as you love yourself.

I sometimes wonder if that should be changed around to Love yourself as much as you love your neighbours.

I wonder if Martha loved herself as much as she loved her neighbours, she would take enough of a break to feel whole, not torn in many directions.

Or ask her neighbours for help.

I wonder if the clever man loved himself, he might be able to accept his imperfections.

 

A quote from Mitzi J. Smith, Professor of New Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary

Self-love is neither egocentric nor individualistic. Self-love is not obsessed with self-preservation; it takes risks for violated, vulnerable humans living in the borderless neighbourhood we inhabit[i]

 

Do you love yourself enough to love your neighbour?

Let God love you, let God teach you to love yourself and your neighbour.

---

[i] https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/good-samaritan-2/commentary-on-luke-1025-42-3

Transfiguration exercise

 

Luke 9: 28-50

 We come to the end of the season of Epiphany, the time we think about the revelation of Jesus – his baptism in the Jordan by John, the calling of the disciples, healings, preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives.

And next week, we move into the season of Lent, the journey with Jesus to the cross.

 Each year we hear a reading about transfiguration, and I will not attempt to explain what happened, because it is an event that we cannot explain.

 It occurs on top of a mountain, that is like in a movie when the music gets dramatic, and you know something is about to happen.

 There are other stories in the Bible that include mountains – Moses and the ten commandments, Elijah defeating the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel [1 Kings 18:13]; Elijah and the still small voice; Jesus and the woman at the well discuss which mountain to worship God on; the sermon on the mount and many more. Mountains mean something important is happening.

 We still talk about a mountain top experience, meaning something wonderful or amazing has happened; something life changing; something remarkable and out of the ordinary.

 That the transfiguration happened on a mountain is not surprising.

 While Jesus, Peter, James and John were on the mountain, the voice from heaven said, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!” Earlier, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordon, we also are told of a voice speaking from heaven, this time speaking to Jesus, “You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you.”

It is like the first time, at Baptism, was for Jesus, this time for everyone else.

 

 

What do we do with this story, recorded in three of the gospels.

How might it relate to our lives.

Well, it is a mystery, and life is often a mystery. There are times it is better if we go with the flow, and not try to understand everything. A coffee cup I was given had written on it: Life is a mystery to be lived not a problem to be solved.  Maybe not the best quote for a research engineer😊 but a great quote for a Christian.

 

The Synod theme this year is: Where the wild God is

It reminds me that God is not tamed, or caged, or controlled by us. God is like a wild animal, not a pet or in a zoo or being farmed.

It reminds me of the part of the trinity that we often refer to as the Holy Spirit, the wind that blows where it wants.

 

I have an exercise for us today.

You will have all seen a cartoon strip, with three boxes that tell a story.

 3 squares on screen

Here is an easy example.

Think of a memorable meal.

First box – where are you.

Second box – what made it memorable

Third box – then what happened.

For me, a meal in Tasmania, I think it was in Launceston at the beginning of a coach tour.

What made it memorable, our soup course arrived with a small tower in the centre of our bowl, and no soup.

Then – the soup was poured from a teapot into our bowls – carrot and coriander soup, barely covering what was in the bowl.

The soup was lovely, but it was the theatre of it that makes it memorable.

 You get the idea.

 

Now, can you think of a time when you were aware of the presence of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit?

Since we started reading the Gospel of Luke, we have read of an angel appearing to Zachariah and later to Mary.

Over the past few weeks, we have read about people encountering Jesus, in the river,
on the beach,
in a boat with so many fish that the boat almost sinks,
in healing,
in acceptance,
and this morning another healing
and the momentous events on the top of the mountain.

 Our experiences of the divine are not all the same, but they are all transforming.

 Our three boxes again.

Your experience of the divine,

Where were you

What happened

What happened next

 

An example

I was on retreat in a bush setting, and I was struggling, I had a cold and some difficult conversations with God.

I woke up one morning and walked outside, it was overcast. I knew the sun was behind the clouds even though I couldn’t see it. I realised that God was with me even though I couldn’t sense it.

I sang, away from the cabins, because it was silence until after breakfast.

 

 

Have you thought of a time when you were aware of the divine?

silence

reflection Not on a mountain-top from spill the beans, issue 21

 

Words of Healing and Forgiveness

 

Luke 7:1-17, 36-50

 

There is a lot in this reading today.

A few comments:

The army officer would have been Roman, and we don’t know what the background of the slave is.

Why help a Roman officer?

Why heal the slave, why not set the slave free?

 

Then the story of the widow’s son. Jesus does not ask the woman if she wants her son back, he acts out of compassion.

 

The people in these two healing stories are either outsiders or vulnerable or both.

 

To get attention and gain some credibility, surely Jesus would have been better off healing someone famous or important, like a national leader, chief priest, or a rock star. Notice the people who Jesus healed, the slave of a Roman officer and a widow.

Then the story of the woman who washes Jesus feet. The woman labelled sinful by the host of the meal.

 

One thing that stood out to me in these three events, is that Jesus spoke, and something happened.

Jesus didn’t go to the slave; Jesus spoke and the slave was healed.

Jesus stopped the funeral procession and said, “Young man, get up!” and he did.

Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

 

In the Bible we see the power of words:

In the creation story in Genesis one, God spoke creation into being

In John’s gospel we read of Jesus, the Word of God

 

I think of the power of how we use words in worship:

Words declaring Forgiveness

Words of blessing, such as the peace.

 

The words of Jesus to us are powerful:

Healing

Offering grace

Saying I love you

Words that include

 

 

Our words are powerful:

Encouraging

Supporting

Welcoming

Shunning

Undermining.

 

Words are powerful!

 

 

A story that made the news this week is Daniel & Leila Abdallah who created i4give Day as a remembrance of the four angels, three of their children and a niece, that were tragically killed on the 1st of February 2020.[i]

 

 

 

[image of I4give logo https://www.i4give.com/

 

They are a Maronite Catholic couple

 

Leila told the media during the days after the accident. “The guy, I know he was [allegedly] drunk, driving on this street. Right now I can’t hate him. I don’t want to see him, [but] I don’t hate him,”

“I think in my heart to forgive him, but I want the court to be fair. It’s all about fairness. I’m not going to hate him, because that’s not who we are.”[ii]

 

I’m not going to hate him, because that’s not who we are.” – nothing about what he deserves, or about the driver’s remorse. that’s not who we are.

What a witness to grace.

 

[image https://www.i4give.com/ page with heart] 

 

 

Danny & Leila Abdallah. “Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself and others. The more you practice the better you become at it and it allows you to live peacefully and to heal. Forgiveness is more for the forgiver than the forgiven” [iii]

 

 

Here is another quote about forgiveness:

When we don’t forgive, when hold onto hate, when we want retribution, our hearts and lives become clogged with hate, fear, anxiety, and rage.

Forgiving allows you to not be tied to the past, to not let the one who hurt you continue to have power in your life.

 

I think forgiveness can also set the person being forgiven free, as well as the person forgiving.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean no consequences, but it allows a person to not be held by their past.

I am sure there are things in your past you would prefer did not happen – some would be mistakes, and some intentional.

Have you accepted the forgiveness of God?

Have you forgiven yourself?

 

And there will be some people in our past we never want to see again, can you forgive them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder if by grouping these stories together Luke is making a connection between forgiveness and healing.

When people talk to me about the pain and hurt in their life, some of that is physical, and ongoing continual pain is hard to bear.

Generally, I find the hardest pain for people to deal with is the pain that comes from

rejection by someone close;
broken family relationships;
shame or
guilt.

 

Shame is a focus on self,

guilt is a focus on behaviour.
Shame is “I am bad.”
Guilt is “I did something bad.”

 

Notice the difference?

How many of you, if you did something that was hurtful to me, would be willing to say, “I’m sorry. I made a mistake?”
How many of you would be willing to say that?
Guilt: I’m sorry. I made a mistake.
Shame: I’m sorry. I am a mistake.[iv] Brene Brown

 

Shame can be incredibly difficult for people to deal with. It often comes from words, and actions, that tell people they are not wanted, they don’t count, life would be better without them.

God never says that to us. Never!

 

What we hear in the gospel, the good news Jesus came to live out, is that

·       we are loved,

·       you are loved

·       your sins are forgiven

·       you are freed from what holds you shackled to the past

·       you get to start anew

 

It doesn’t mean the past did not happen,

But we don’t need to stay in that place.

People in abusive relationships leave, they may forgive, but that doesn’t mean they go back to the abuse.

 

If you get a bad haircut, you forgive the hairdresser, but remember to go somewhere different next time. Why hold onto the anger, all it does is eat us away from the inside.

 

 

 

 

 

[image https://www.i4give.com/ image with broken chains]

 

 

Our words have power,

They can bring hope and joy and peace into someone’s life

Or despair and shame and hurt.

What do you use your words for?

Are you following in the ways of Jesus and using your words to heal and forgive?

 

Danny & Leila Abdallah. “Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself and others. The more you practice the better you become at it and it allows you to live peacefully and to heal.” [v]

 

May you find healing in the grace of God

And may you work with God in offering that grace to others.

 

 

Silence

 

 

Prayer

God who brings grace and peace

Help us to hear and accept your words to us

 

I love you

I forgive you

You are free

 

Jesus the Word, whose words bring healing and hope,

Help us to use our voices in ways that heal broken hearts and broken lives.

Amen.

---

[i] https://www.i4give.com/

[ii] https://www.eternitynews.com.au/in-depth/leila-abdallah-if-it-wasnt-for-my-faith-i-wouldnt-be-standing-where-i-am-today/

[iii] https://www.i4give.com/

[iv] https://fs.blog/2014/10/brene-brown-guilt-shame/

[v] https://www.i4give.com/