another way.

This week it was tempting to choose a different reading J

We have been reading through chapter 5 of Matthew’s gospel for a few weeks, Jesus is teaching the disciples, and we have heard and thought about: the beatitudes, the exhortation to be salt and light, then a series of “You have heard that it was said, … But I say to you …”

And this week,

If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other; if anyone sues you for your coat, give them your shirt; if a soldier orders you to carry his pack one mile, take it two miles.

This seems crazy.

Let’s take a closer look at this.

If someone hits you on the right cheek, with their right hand, they are trying to put you down, humiliate you. it is very difficult for them to hit your left cheek with their right hand, without it being a fist, and a fist would make you an equal.

The only people who would be sued for a coat were the very poor. Here again, this saying of Jesus is about showing up society for what it is. If you are suing someone for their coat, they don’t have anything else to give. The idea of giving them all your clothes, is that then you would be naked; and in this culture it was the one who caused you to be naked who was shamed.

The people of Israel were under foreign occupation. A soldier could demand that you carry his pack for one mile, this allowed for heavy packs to be carried, but it was only one mile, so the people would do it, rather than arguing with the soldiers. But what would happen if you did more than was asked?

Jesus is “ starting a revolution by calling the rules of this world into question and, at the very same time, redeeming this world that will put him to death.” [i]

Jesus was talking to the victims of oppression, the ones who were humiliated daily, the ones who were forced to carry a soldiers pack, the one being sued for the clothes on his back. Jesus is talking to the victims, the ones who cannot retaliate, because that would be suicidal.[ii]

People usually respond to threats in one of two ways: retaliate or submission. In these examples where the power relationship was so unequal, retaliation is not an option, so people were submissive.

But here Jesus is saying, there is another way. Not repaying violence with violence, not cowering in submission, but  responding without violence.

 How do we respond to people?

The second part of the reading is again about not retaliating – you have probably seen this with children:  A hits B, B hits A back, A Hits B  back, and on and on – it also happens in wars and family feuds, often long after the initial event has been forgotten.

The idea of an eye for an eye, was that you could not exact more from a person than the crime they committed. It was to limit punishment to what was ‘reasonable’. Of course it didn’t work that way, and here Jesus is saying: what does taking another’s sight, or teeth, or life get you?

Martin Luther King, Jr., a student of both Jesus and Ghandi, once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”[iii]

 Hate cannot drive out hate; fear cannot drive out fear; evil cannot drive out evil. 

Anyone watching the nightly news will know that death, injury, violence and oppression still happen.  A little over a week ago a boy was killed by his father while at cricket practice, a terrible thing to happen. But notice how the mother of that child spoke? She spoke of love, and how the father loved the boy, and how he was going through a difficult time. Not once has she blamed the man who killed their child, or the police. She has chosen not to retaliate and condemn, when it would be easy to do so.  

Then we get to the final sentence of the reading “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Not only do we turn the other cheek, not retaliate when provoked, but we need to be perfect???

No, the word translated as perfect is telos, which can also be translated as mature or complete. ^[iv]

“Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” ^[v]

 “Jesus lays before us the plans for the kingdom he proclaims and the revolution he starts. And so before joining either, we should probably know just what it is we’re getting ourselves in for!” ^[vi]

 Are we committed to living as radical disciples of Jesus, part of the revolution of love?

 

 

Revolution

(inspired by Matthew 5: 48-58, Luke 6:27-38)

 

The enemy:
love them
The oppressor:
walk the mile with them
The Master:
turn the other cheek to them

 

This doormat faith
seems too much to bear
in a world where those who bully
always seem to win

 The enemy:
imbalance them with love
The oppressor:
shame the law that oppresses
The Master:
turn the cheek as an equal

This rebellious faith
seems too much to bear
in a world where those who bully
are loved back to justice by the bullied

But this is heaven’s revolution
and we are called into it
come let us worship
 [by] love’s rebel, Jesus

 

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws

---

[i] David Lose Working Preacher 18 February 2014

[ii] Walter Wink, 4 May 2009

[iii] David Lose, In the Meantime, 13 February 2014

[iv] David Lose, working preacher, 18 February 2014

[v] The Message

[vi] David Lose, In the Meantime, 13 February 2014

compassion, healing and discipleship

It is a privilege to be here today, to celebrate with this congregation and with Annette, a new beginning in ministry together.  

On Friday afternoon and evening I was at a meeting that was asking the questions, what is the church like now? And what would we like it to be like in 5 years? We didn’t look at the overall picture, but at some particular areas,  like leadership, discipleship and worship.

One comment was that as a church we don’t have a clear definition of discipleship.  I am not sure if that is the case or not, but I am aware that there are some aspects of our faith and Christian life that are difficult to put into succinct definitions. A disciple is a follower, an admirer, a learner; but that doesn’t say much about what our discipleship does or could look like.

What is the life of this congregation like? Are you learning from Jesus, following his example of compassion? Are you working together to offer healing?

I wonder what it would look like if we as Christians, and this Christian community in particular, had the same compassion for people, for the ‘crowds’, that Jesus did? It says Jesus had compassion on the crowds because they were harassed and helpless.   Looking at the sheep and shepherd metaphor that Matthew is using here,  shepherds are quite concerned about sheep that are harassed, usually by a predator,.. it is still used by farmers out west, in the sense of wild dogs ‘worrying’ the sheep.  

Where do we see people hopeless, harassed and helpless?

Where do we see people in need of a shepherd for protection and guidance?

What kind of healing might this community be able to offer?  To people without hope, people who are ‘worried’ by life, people who don’t know where to get the help they need.

Jesus didn’t invite the crowds to go to church, Jesus sent the disciples out to the crowds, to offer healing, life and inclusion.

I suspect some of you will tell me that you can’t do this because of…. You are too young, too old, not got enough time, …..  fill in your own blank.  And some will say they are not capable, that they don’t have any gifts for ministry at all.

Here is some news for you! take a look at the disciples, really take a look at them – a motley crew, a diverse bunch, and one who would end up betraying Jesus.

While we are disciples, we are also the body of Christ. That means while we are in need of healing, Christian community can be the place where healing occurs. While we are learning, Christian community is a place where we teach by example as well as learn from others.

Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs, with a task to do. We are strongest when we speak one message, when we all pull in the same direction.

Now to turn to Annette for a few moments. The reading from the letter to Timothy is a letter of instruction to a young leader, who is looking after a group of Christians. These days we would call him a minister – verse 14 suggests recognition by the church of his gifts for ministry. The Uniting Church has recognised and acknowledged Annette’s gifts for ministry, and you have recognised these gifts in calling her to be in ministry with you. that is with you, not for you!

But Annette is called to be a servant, not of the congregation or even the church, but of Christ Jesus.  Annette is here to serve Christ, and part of that serving Christ is offering leadership in this congregation and the wider church and community.  “ Do not neglect the gift that is in you,”  give time and attention  to your own spiritual life, so you can be the leader Christ calls you to be.

I encourage the people of this congregation to nurture your won spiritual life, and also to support Annette in nurturing her spiritual life.

I don’t know much about this congregation, though I have worshipped here occasionally when I have had a weekend off. And each time I have been here, I have been welcomed by people form this congregation. So my experience is that it is a friendly congregation.  At times I notice information about fair trade and even a fair trade stall – so that tells me you are people who are prepared to consider your everyday activities and how they impact on other people. There is much more to the story of who you are now.

And hopefully you have an idea of what God is calling this community to be like in 5 years’ time.

 Where are we now and where do we want to be in five years? And then the really hard question comes – are we prepared to do the work to make this happen?

As you and Annette move into a covenant, an agreement to work together as group of God’s people, who are part of the Uniting Church, I pray you will be a blessing to the people Jesus had compassion for, the hopeless, helpless and harassed.

Blessed?

I wonder, what does it mean to be blessed?

 

Happy, fortunate, satisfied, …..

Holy, welcome, fortunate, sanctified, approved, supported, unburdened

Dictionary – holy; beatified [declaring people holy]; bestowing joy.

It is also used to indicate special favour, unique standing, permission, empowerment, endowment, and more. It is difficult to find another word in English that fits.

So maybe the question isn’t what it means, but rather what it feels like. What does it feel like when you’re blessed?^[i]

Being blessed feels like you are not alone.

Being blessed feels like being accepted for who you are.

Being blessed feels like you have worth.

Being blessed feels like you can get through the difficult times.

Blessing is something that can’t be pursued, but can only be received as a gift.^[ii]

 

Another question – who does Jesus say is blessed?

The rich?

The mighty?

The well fed?

Jesus says it is the weak, powerless and vulnerable.

“The poor in spirit : referring either to humble people or to those who are broken and have lost hope.

Those who mourn : those who suffer loss and the feeling of emptiness that follows.

The meek : those who are gentle and unobtrusive, who refuse to use power over others as a tool to make things happen.

The merciful : people who willingly surrender their privileges or otherwise go out of their way to improve others’ well-being.

Those who are persecuted : people whose refusal to give up their quest for truth or virtuousness results in the taking away of their rights, wholeness, or dignity.” ^[iii]

 

not really a group of people we would choose to be in.

who wants to be feel the emptiness of grief?

 who wants to go out of their way to help others? 

These are people who tend to stay, or be kept, out of public view.^[iv]

 

Yet, Jesus names them all as Blessed. It is another way in the which the gospel turns our world view upside down.[v]

These people, considered by our society as people who need to get their act together, Jesus calls Blessed.

Maybe - Blessed because it is in our brokenness and weakness that we are open to Jesus in our life.

We are open to being  comforted,

we are open to others needs,

we are open to the Spirit moving in our lives,

changing, shaping and renewing us. 

It is when we accept our brokenness, and the brokenness of others, that we can see the promises of God?: comfort, mercy, intimacy with God, and so on.^[vi]

 

This morning we recognised the beginning of the school year, for some it will be a new experience, for others another year in a  familiar place with the same group of friends. We prayed for each group, that God would bless them.

Shortly we will celebrate communion together, offer thanks, hear again the story of the last supper, and we will share bread and grape juice. This is another way God comes and offers us peace, hope and life.

At the end of worship each week, you are offered a blessing, a reminder that God is and will be with you. also in Baptism, we sing, or speak, a blessing from the Old testament:

 

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine upon you,

and be gracious unto you;

the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,

and give you peace.

…….

To be blessed is to know our need, to acknowledge our brokenness, to respond to the needs of others; because in doing these things, we recognise our humanity and the humanity of other people. And we recognise the dignity of each person.

And in the midst of life,

in the midst of despair,

in the midst of pain,

in the midst of fear

God shows up, offering comfort, hope and peace.

Thinking about those who are peacemakers, and those who thirst and hunger for righteousness, we may think that these groups are different to the other people represented here,

but Matthew records that those who work for peace, and try to live that out, are children of God

Matthew records that those who speak up on behalf of the poor, the oppressed and the abused, will see the kingdom of heaven.

This passage isn’t about giving people hope of a better life after death, it is about the way that “God regularly and relentlessly shows up just where we least expect God to be in order to give to us freely what we can neither earn nor achieve: blessedness.” ^[vii]

 

I wonder in what ways are you blessed?

---

[i] David Lose,  Working Preacher , 26 January 2014.

[ii] David Lose,  Working Preacher , 26 January 2014.

[iii] Matthew L. Skinner, On Scripture: Enjoy the Super Bowl; Be Suspicious of Its Values

[iv] Matthew L. Skinner, On Scripture: Enjoy the Super Bowl; Be Suspicious of Its Values

[v]  Anne Howard, Beatitudes society, January 28th, 2014

[vi] Matthew L. Skinner, On Scripture: Enjoy the Super Bowl; Be Suspicious of Its Values

[vii] David Lose,  Working Preacher , 26 January 2014.

whom shall I fear?

The psalm we read today, begins with :

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”

 

‘The Lord is my light’, for the people who first heard this, light was the sun, or moon and stars. Other than natural light it was a small lamp that burnt oil.

 

One article I read this week commented that : God gives us just a pottery lamp’s worth of light, just enough to take a few more steps.[i]

 

Just enough light to see to take the next step, and sometimes not quite enough to see where our foot will land.

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”

For many, the fear is the unknown, the not knowing two, or twenty, steps ahead. 

 

We have this idea in our western culture that we can plan for the future, that we can decide what we will and won’t do; to a certain extent that is true. I decided what I ate for breakfast this morning, cereal and toast, but I didn’t get to decide what the weather would be like. And no-one knows when our lives will take a dramatic turn.

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”

Some of us fear looking foolish, making mistakes; so we resist trying anything a little different.

Some of us fear death, some of us fear life.

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

 

But then I noticed it is whom, not what, shall I fear? So a person or group?

Reading the paper, watching the news, and checking out some social media websites, I think we fear people we don’t know. In this country we fear refugees, we fear indigenous people, we fear Muslims, we fear young people. Except for the ones we know.

 

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”

 

This isn’t to suggest that there aren’t risky places in our community, though Engadine and Heathcote are quite safe places to live; and it isn’t to suggest that there are not risky places and situations in our country and the world. But if we find our place in this life, and in whatever comes after this life, in God; what do we really have to fear?

 

….

 

Looking at the reading from Matthew’s gospel for a moment.  we hear about ordinary people amidst their ordinary everyday world, when Jesus calls them to do something extraordinary. He calls the four fishermen to follow him. In the midst of our everyday activities, Jesus calls us to follow him.

Sometimes I think it would be easier to leave everything behind and follow Jesus, a travelling Rabbi, then try and work out what it means to follow Jesus while living in a community, paying a mortgage, raising children, going to work and school, going about the ordinary everyday tasks that come with life.

Often with this passage we talk about call, and particular calls, but to me this passage is about the call to discipleship.

Jesus called the four fishermen to follow him, no altar call for eternal life, no dangling carrot of the reward of heaven or the terror of an eternity in hell. Jesus said : follow me.

And they followed, and saw Jesus teaching,  proclaiming and healing.  We too can follow Jesus, we can listen to his teaching, we can proclaim the good news of God’s love and we can witness to the healing power of love and hope.

I wonder what it means to you, and what it has meant to you, to follow Jesus, to be a disciple, a learner , an apprentice in the kingdom of God?

 

Young men would go to a Rabbi, in hope of being his student, a bit like applying to university. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus doesn’t wait for people to come to him, he invites people, even people who caught fish for a living, to come and learn and live in a  new way.

 

We too are invited to live this new way, we are invited to follow Jesus, to be disciples, to learn, to welcome, to offer healing. And to be changed, because we can’t be in a relationship with Jesus and not be changed.

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”

I wonder if we fear Jesus, if we fear his call to follow, the call to follow one whose life was offered for the transforming of the world.

…

Earlier I showed you the picture of all the finalists in the Australian of the year awards; The Chair of the National Australia Day Council, Adam Gilchrist said:

"In Adam, Fred, Jacqueline and Tim we have fellow Australians who live their values every day, who have achieved great success and also use their success to help others and make a difference.

"They inspire us to be better Australians and their contributions make Australia a better place to live." [http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/]

 

What were the values that Jesus lived every day?

In what ways do we live these values every day?

---

[i] James Howell; Working Preacher

why worship today?

It's Christmas morning and many of you will be going to family lunches or travelling, some of you will still have presents to open, and for some of you there is a meal to cook this morning.

What is it about worship this day that you make it a priority amongst the busyness.

Maybe it is because there is something special about this child whose birth we celebrate today.

Each time a child is born we invest something into the future, we imagine what their life maybe like, we keep looking for signs of the academic or sport or musical ability, and as they grow we look for their particular personalities.

The child whose birth we celebrate today was born to a young woman and we don't know what dreams she had for her son's future, from what Luke tells us the concern was where to stay where was there going to be a bed. The Angel had told her that this child would be special. This is one baby, small and vulnerable, born to a first-time mother changes not only his parents’ lives, but the lives of many.

In this short time we have together this morning I hope you have time to reflect on the place of this baby in your life. For we can sing carols, listen to the story, and go to our meals and our celebrations unchanged.

What part of this story connects with you? Maybe it is the ordinariness of a man and a woman and a child, maybe it is because the message was given to shepherds some of the lowliest in the land which today would mean those who work in aged care and child care and disability care amongst others.

Maybe the part of the story that connects with you is the travelling to fulfil government requirements and how the good news of God's love came in the midst of political and military Dominion. Maybe what connects with you in this story is not anyone be you can put your finger on.

For me it's an amazing sense that God is willing to do whatever it takes to let us know we are loved. Not in a flashy showy way; not like New Year's Eve fireworks or a big marching band; not by throwing lots of money on advertising or bribes; not by having the biggest artillery and bravest soldiers. God came to be involved in our lives. God came to live amongst us, to walk with us, to teach and to heal and offer new life and transformation.

Jesus came as an underdog, in Australian terms, the Roman Empire was large and powerful. In the coming of Jesus,  a new kingdom was dawning,  the kingdom of God. This kingdom is different to the kingdoms of the Empire. In his lifetime Jesus and the kingdom of God were up against the Roman empire; we don't have empires in quite the same way these days, but they are still the kingdoms of greed and self-interest and oppression.

We might think of Christmas as a time of peace. There is a story that during World War I in places where the German and British forces were fighting in trenches nearby, that on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, troops offered greetings to each other, sang carols and in places got out and played football. Is that peace? that short period of time when the war stopped?  

It's like the peace that happens at a wedding or funeral when members of family get together, grit their teeth and smile through clenched teeth and pretend everything is okay when underneath is turmoil and anger and pain.

I have a part of a reflection to read:

 The Season for Miracles

(Reflection and Prayer Litany)

If we were to list the miracles of Christmas

we’d probably talk about virgin births
angels, perhaps
and stars that light the sky
but perhaps there’s another miracle:
one of Mary saying ‘yes’ when God asked her to believe
and Joseph saying ‘yes’ when God asked him to trust.
They had to change everything about their lives
and the birth of the Christ-child wasn’t possible until they did.
What does it mean for you to say ‘yes’ to this story?
to believe that it might be possible
for the darkness to be transformed to light
and for peace to come in the world?
Those who know the darkest of the world
know the fragility of light;
we hold our breath as the candles flicker
we know they don’t always last.
the birth of Jesus doesn’t make everything right
but it shows us that the only way the darkness can be beaten
is to say ‘yes’ to the birth of light.
....

— written by Cheryl Lawrie, on her blog [hold this space] http://holdthisspace.org.au/

 

The peace that Jesus brings is deeper and more resilient than a temporary cessation of fighting. The peace we seek, we yearn for, is peace that is indwelling, that allows us to live, without fear, without hatred.

Jesus came to usher in the kingdom of God, the kingdom that is founded on love, the kingdom of peace and hope and joy. And the peace that Jesus bring is not peace as the world brings it, fleeting, here one day and gone the next. The peace that Jesus brings is like deep pool that never dries up.

Will say yes to the kingdom of peace this day?

 

Duet: Let there be Peace on earth

another way?

The gospel of Matthew begins with a long list of names. It may seem a strange way for Matthew to begin his story about the life and death of Jesus. For the people that Matthew was writing to, it would have been really important that Jesus was from the line of David.

Verse 16 says “and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.”

Matthew lists Joseph as being in the line of David, which seems strange to us when part of the story is explaining how Jesus was not Joseph's natural son. The people of Israel had been waiting for the Messiah, the one who would save them, for a long time. The gospel of Matthew often links events in the birth, the life, and the death of Jesus to events in the old testament. In the section of the gospel which was read today, there are some verses quoted from Isaiah. In chapter 2 of Matthew there are there are at least four times when Matthew quotes from one of the prophets. Matthew is writing for a community that is in the midst of tensions within the Jewish religion. Is Jesus really the one they were waiting for? It was important for the people Matthew was writing for that Jesus was linked to the Jewish faith, that he was the one who fulfilled the words of the prophets.

There are other links in this reading with the old testament Joseph has a dream in the old testament it is Joseph was the one who is able to read dreams of the pharaoh.

 

A little background on the rituals surrounding marriage at this time. Mary and Joseph's betrothal is much more of a contract and what we consider engagement to be, it was as if they were married just not yet living together. Marriage was a two-stage process, the first stage the promise and pledge, the second stage the celebration and moving in together. [i]

What is a righteous man to do? He finds his wife is pregnant with a child that he knows is not his. Joseph sees only two options, to dissolve the marriage quietly or to publicly accuse Mary. The second option, of publicly accusing her would lead to her death and Joseph would have a hand in the killing. To dissolve the marriage quietly means Joseph has not participated directly in her death, but it leaves her in a very vulnerable position.[ii]

Joseph hadn't considered the third possibility, it was such an absurd thought, that no righteous man would. Joseph didn't consider the possibility of protecting Mary, and her child, and raising the child as his own.

That is, until the dream, when an angel appeared to Joseph and explained to him that Mary was pregnant by the power of the holy spirit and this child would save people from their sins.

The passage we heard this morning is the entire birth narrative in the gospel of Matthew. No shepherds, no journey to Bethlehem, no stable and manger. Matthew does tell of the coming of the wise men, but this passage is all we hear about his birth.

When we read the biblical text is important to note who is the named, who speaks, and who acts in the scene.

Mary is barely mentioned, and the verbs are passive. It seems that the action is happening around her:

– Mary had been engaged to Joseph

– she was found to be with child

Joseph gets a little more airplay, but he doesn't speak.

The speaking is done by the Angel.

I wonder how Joseph felt. Matthew records what was going on in Joseph’s head, but what about his heart and his gut. I imagine a sense of betrayal, disbelief, anger. How could she do this to me? What about our future? But then,   for Joseph, there is still a future. He can either publicly or privately divorce Mary, but without Joseph she has no future.

Sometimes it really is important to sleep on a decision. To listen for a voice that is different to the expected one. To see a third way, a life giving way.

It seems that often in a culture issues are black and white, you are either for the war on drugs or for drugs; if you want refugees treated fairly when they arrive in Australia then you mustn't care about the possibility of death at sea; if you are in favour of abortion rights you don't value human life. Each of these issues and many more are treated as either/or situations.

But what if you are in favour of abortion rights because you value human life, and what you'd really like is appropriate support for all families. And what if you're horrified at the way refugees are treated once they are in Australia, not because they won some lottery of not drowning at sea, but because they are human. Of course it would be better if real alternatives existed. It would be better if people did not have to flee their homes because their lives are in danger. Sometimes we do what we can, rather than not doing anything because the best possible solution is out of our hands.

What might happen when we stop looking at either/or situations, and start seeing people. Real people like Mary.

Jesus was not the Messiah that people were expecting, he didn't overthrow the Roman government, but he did transform people's lives. Many of those people whose lives were transformed by Jesus were people on the margins of society.

In our world what voices do we hear?

What voices do we listen to ?

What would happen if we listen for God's voice, might we find a different way?

---

[i] Arland J. Hultgren, Working Preacher

[ii] Richard Swanson, Provoking the Gospel of Matthew