Making Disciples

A poem: Some Doubted

I sometimes wonder if the church has a place

for people who are like me.

Everybody else seems to know their Bible better that I do,

and I was never any good

at those memory verse things as a child.

Not only do I feel like a second-class Christian, but my faith is so fragile, weak, compared to other people in our church.

I doubt myself all the time,

and I wonder about all those miracles Jesus performed,

whether they could really have happened.

People don’t want to hear about my doubts.

They want the right answer,

the straight forward facts,

the truth as the minister or the church sees it,

and they go about their business feeling assured, confident, Christ-like.

That is why I hide a lot when it comes to things in our church.

I never go to those Bible Study or House-groups in case people think I am just a fake Christian.

I never turn up at the prayer group, because I don’t think I could pray in front of other people,

and Mrs Barrie is so eloquent when she prays

that it puts you to shame.

I am not as well educated as her,

so, I doubt that God would even take the time

to listen to anything I had to say or ask?

Yet every so often I am encouraged,

and feel that even if the church,

the Holy Willies or the minister might not think much of me,

because of my doubts,

I know that Jesus still finds a place for me.

He still thinks that I belong,

fragile and weak and doubting that I am.

Here, even amidst the Joy of Easter,

the Good News of resurrection and life,

some doubted,

but were nevertheless encouraged

to go and live what they believed,

act on what they believed,

grow into what God might like them to become,

with their doubts and their mustard seed faith,

and still find their place amongst God’s cherished ones.

Today I want to feel affirmed in who I am,

what I am able to believe, what I might become,

because I believe that God

is not finished with me yet.

So I will go and teach

what I know,

what I have already experienced,

what I am able to believe,

and trust that God will do the rest...

Spill the Beans

I wonder what it would look like if we trusted in spite of our doubts, our not knowing all the answers.

I wonder what it might look like if we were able to have conversations about our experience of Jesus, faith, church.

Last week we heard about the women finding the empty tomb, and their meeting with Jesus.

Would we have run to tell the disciples?

Or was it too much like a dream to be true?

I wonder if the disciples asked themselves the same question as they travelled from Jerusalem to Galilee.

The disciples did not see Jesus in Jerusalem, they only have the word of the two Marys

Is this for real?

Will Jesus be there?

One thing I have noticed when children begin walking, is they hold onto whatever is around the start with; then they venture on their own, often only a few steps before they fall over. They don’t give up, thinking this walking caper isn’t for me, they get back up and try again. And they improve their balance and coordination each attempt.

Is that how we think about speaking of our faith?

I know I worry about getting my words mixed up, and people thinking I am stupid. Like God speaks to people!

Part of what I have learnt about faith, as with many things in life, is that with practice we improve. It doesn’t mean we understand everything or can explain the mysteries of faith. but it does mean we step out in faith, not knowing what the next step will be.

….

A few things to think about with this reading:

“Go therefore and make disciples” - I have read that this isn’t Go as a command. More like when leave this mountain and while you do what you do ….

“make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” sometimes this verse is read as 3 steps

1.   Make disciples

2.   Baptise

3.   teach

Another way of looking at it is to look at the active verb and the participles. The participles explain how the making disciples happens.  ‘In other words, we could understand the verse to be saying, "Make disciples of all nations, by baptizing and teaching.”’   [i]

The meeting between Jesus and the eleven disciples is on a mountain. Mountains are known as places to connect with God. [ii]

Galilee is where Jesus began his ministry and Matthew’s gospel finishes with this story from Galilee. [iii]

In chapter 1 Matthew announces that Jesus will be called Emmanuel, God with us; and here at the end of the gospel, Jesus reminds them that he will always be with them.

 .....

The disciples have shown all through the gospels that they do not understand what Jesus is teaching and showing them. And in the arrest and trail and crucifixion the disciples do not look like superhero followers of Jesus.

As they stand on the mountain with Jesus, they worship and doubt.

Jesus commissions all eleven disciples, there is no knowledge test or doubt meter to pass.[iv]

 “We are told to make disciples;

that is, to teach and enable people to become like Jesus,

loving like Jesus,

giving like Jesus,

and forgiving like Jesus.

We can only teach and enable them to make Jesus their Lord if this is how we ourselves live.” [v]

I know for me and many others this is not easy.  The idea of speaking about our faith can be scary.  It can be hard to know what to say.

Telling the good news isn’t giving a lecture on the life and teachings of Jesus,

Who do you know who needs to hear the good news that they are loved?

Who do you know who needs to hear the good news that their hard work is valued?

Who can we share such life changing news with this week?[vi]

Living out the commission of Jesus to make disciples, baptising and teaching may seem like a huge task.

Jesus trusts us with that task,

the task of telling people about love and liberation

the task of showing grace and forgiveness

the task of making disciples

as we live out our discipleship.

---

[i] http://gluthermonson.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-great-calling-and-assurance.html

[ii]http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3877&fbclid=IwAR1SZbG5W3ceLbbGFtPp1RvMPc9hfQjOfiLleas3zQqh0l29gyEXU7jXJFI

[iii] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=86&fbclid=IwAR2hSI-4T2LeEGnAp8CIe0SaVM_8zwZ3FsC5P7tnBxMf2ZsRCRKzEdjEyrM

[iv]https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2097&fbclid=IwAR1484HSP6LQI5KvbOaJn_WBTeQ7XdOjEae0ISRVNW31PQiDJI5lPSZAQtU

[v] https://www.onemansweb.org/theology/life-on-the-beach-matthew-24-36-44/trust-matthew-28-16-20-trinity-sunday.html

[vi] Spill the beans

Resurrection Go and Tell

the one who died is now alive

the tomb, sealed and guarded

is now empty

resurrection
new life
death conquered by love

A quote:

“The proof that God raised Jesus from the dead is not the empty tomb,

but the full hearts of his transformed disciples.

The crowning evidence that he lives is not a vacant grave,

but a spirit-filled fellowship.

Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried-away church.”

(Clarence Jordan).

Today is a day to celebrate the wondrous “yes” of God despite all that the world tries to do to stifle that affirmation[i]

resurrection happens whenever oppression is turned into freedom

resurrection happens whenever injustice is turned into liberation

resurrection happens whenever someone has found the space

to love after being hurt,

resurrection happens whenever someone has found the courage to begin again when it seems life has ended[ii]

.…

This passage again has angels

Mary was told not to be afraid when an angel told her of God’s plan for her to have a child.

Joseph was told in a dream not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.

The Shepherds were told don’t be afraid when the night sky lit up with angels announcing the birth of Jesus

It seems that angels must be scary, every time they speak to someone, the first thing they say is ‘don’t be afraid’.

Or maybe it is because no one expects to see an angel.

And the women who went to the tomb were certainly not expecting what happened that morning.

They were not expecting an angel,

or an empty tomb,

or to meet Jesus.

The women had seen what had happened on Friday,

the crucifixion and burial,

they were coming to mourn.

Some gospels mention burial spices,

but not Matthew.

Matthew has the women going to see the tomb,

maybe they hoped to feel close to Jesus there.

But,

something happened that morning,

something extraordinary and amazing and earth shattering.

An earthquake, Matthew records 2 earthquakes, one as Jesus dies and one of Sunday morning.

Death and new life are earth-shattering events.

……………..

I wonder what it was like for the women that morning,

Going to the tomb, my guess is sad, and maybe concerned about getting into trouble for even being there.

Then when an angel rolled the stone away, and spoke to them?

And then when Jesus spoke to them?

Then they grabbed his feet and worshipped him.

They went to grieve at the tomb,

and end up worshipping Jesus.

Sometimes the best things in life are surprises J

Every so often something happens in our lives that is life changing, and in my experience, that is often accompanied by pain or fear, or both J 

I wonder what this story has for us today, most of us have heard this story, or variations of it from Mark, Luke and John, many times over. 

I have a cartoon that reads: “Look at that! Brilliant! You kill the leader and you nip the whole movement in the bud.”

And then just a few days later, the leader isn’t dead anymore, and the movement …

The movement has lasted another 2000 years.

What shape is the Jesus movement in today?

Where do we see signs of resurrection in our own lives and in the world?

Both the angel and Jesus tell the women: don’t be afraid, and then ‘to go and tell’.

Don’t be afraid, go and tell.

Tell the story of Jesus –

The story of compassion,

of grace,

of inclusion,

of acceptance,

of healing,

of liberation.

Tell it in words and actions

Tell it with your time and your money,

with your voice and your hands,

tell the story of love with your life.

Don’t be afraid, go and tell

---

[i] Spill the beans

[ii] Based on May the Resurrection Come by Cheryl Laurie, on [hold this space]. holdthisspace.org

One night in Bethany

[told from the viewpoint of Jesus in Bethany on the night of the Palm parade. the hymn Ride on, Ride one, from Iona group is sung during the sermon.]

Ahh, back in Bethany for the night.

The crowds are growing each day ...

I know it cannot continue like this;

people come to see what is happening

People come for healing

People come because they hope for the Messiah.

It is good to be back in Bethany for the night

A refuge amid the busyness

A quiet space to think, to rest

Some say I should quieten down,

not upset the leaders so much.

My parents took me to Egypt as a child, worried I would be killed by a jealous King.

There will be no leaving this time

There will be no turning away from my path.

What’s that Mary?

What have we been up to today?

We walked into Jerusalem this morning; it is quite busy leading up to Passover.

Today, some extra Roman soldiers were arriving.

They arrive like a procession, a parade, to make an impact. Big horses, full uniforms, jangling bridles.

They come in a show of force to keep the ‘peace’

Yes Mary, it isn’t really peace, as much as squashing any potential issues.

In true prophet style, I was in a parade as well.

We borrowed a donkey, and I rode into Jerusalem;

people shouted and threw their cloaks on the road. It was amazing.

People were shouting ‘Hosanna’

Praise God! Save us!

You know Mary, I wonder if people saw what I was doing; if they realised, I was mocking the Romans with their chariots.

Challenging the Roman idea of peace?

Ride on, ride on, the time is right:

the roadside crowds scream with delight;

palm branches mark the pilgrim way

where beggars squat and children play.

Ride on, ride on, your critics wait,

intrigue and rumour circulate;

new lies abound in word and jest,

and truth becomes a suspect guest.

After the parade, I went to the temple. It was extra busy with people coming for Passover. It was a nightmare, not just the number of people, but the jostling to get in. The money changers and sacrifice sellers were taking up so much space, I cleared them out.

Jeremiah [ch7] spoke about the Temple being misused by people who thought they could do whatever they wanted as long as they came to the Temple to worship and offer sacrifices. The temple is for worshipping God, not putting in barriers.

How did it all go so wrong.

God gave the earth and life and food and water

Dreamt of people living together in true peace

But people fought with each other, over God’s land

over where to worship, ….

When there was space, people came looking for me to heal them, the blind can see, and the lame can walk.

Peace and healing, wholeness is what I am about

Transforming lives, reconnecting relationships, building community.

Not everyone agrees with my mission, some are scared, some benefit from the current system of patronage. I feel for those who struggle under the oppression of Rome. they are looking for hope, they are not sure if I am the hope they seek.

I know, Mary, I am hope, but not what they look for.

they are looking for me to overthrow Rome, that is not my way. Violence begets violence.  

I am a man of peace.

Rise on, ride on, while well aware

that those who shout and wave and stare

are mortals who, with common breath,

can crave for life and lust for death.

Ride on, ride on, though blind with tears

though dumb to speak and deaf to jeers.

Your path is clear, though few can tell

their garments pave the road to Hell

the sweetest sound today was children shouting praises. They see things that adults do not. It was one more thing the leaders didn’t like.

I can feel them breathing down my neck.

I know you are worried about me Mary. Passover is coming, the time we remember and recognise how God saved the people from slavery in Egypt. It is like the Temple worship is so clipped and copped it has lost its power and beauty, and also the ability to help people recognise God.

I know Mary, this kind of talk will get me in trouble in town. The leaders are after me.

Soon they will have their chance.

This is a violent regime which does not tolerate peace.

An oppressive regime that does not tolerate freedom.

No Mary, I won’t stay here,

Every day is a good day to bring healing and hope into a troubled world. Even if it is at risk of my life.[i] Fear is what stops the world being more like what God planned.

I will not be held back by fear, by what people might do to me.

I have told the disciples I will die at the hands of the Roman and religious leaders. They don’t understand. I’m not sure I exactly understand either.

But I won’t toe their line, I won’t get caught up in the system of violence and oppression.

Ride on, ride on, the room is let,

the wine matured, the saw is whet;

and dice your death-throes shall attend

though faith, not fate, dictates your end.

Ride on, ride on, God’s love demands.

Justice and peace lie in your hands.

Evil and angel voices rhyme:

this is the man and this is the time.

…………………

We know the next part of the story.

We will hear on Thursday evening about the arrest in the garden and on Friday morning, the trial and crucifixion.

We know the story, but this week i encourage you to sit with the story.

Which part resonates with you?

Is it betrayal, isolation, pain, plotting, shouting Hosanna?

Do you follow the Jesus of the cross, the one who brings peace and wholeness?

Or follow the ways of empire, of uniformity and peace by suppression.

---

[i] https://sicutlocutusest.com/2019/04/11/the-next-day-a-palm-sunday-reflection/?fbclid=IwAR0gcQHAeDMzTjOQIZQjNVBCSLNH_xszYaGbgeRwY1REQQYGdvw-GFysyYo

Strange Stories:Judgement

The passage we heard this morning has often been taken to mean, do the right thing and see Jesus in each other, because you will be judged individually based on your behaviour.

I think it is a little more complex than that.

Maybe where this fits into Matthews gospel might give us some clues in thinking about this passage.

The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem that we will hear next Sunday, Palm Sunday, is in chapter 21 – there is a whole lot that Matthew includes as happening in the few days between the triumphant entry and the betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion.  

Matthew includes

• the cleansing of the temple,
• lament over Jerusalem
• prophecy of the destruction temple,
• persecution

• questions about
• paying taxes
• resurrection
• the greatest commandment

• parables of
• the wicked tenants,
• the wedding banquet,
• ten bridesmaids
• talents

After this story of judgement,

• plot to kill Jesus
• Jesus is anointed
• Passover
• Garden of Gethsemane
• etc.

Early in chapter 24, the disciples ask Jesus: “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?”  Matthew 24:3 CEV; Matthew then writes about persecution and suffering, the need to be ready, including the parables you heard last week, then this reading about judgement. After this passage, we hear of the plot to kill Jesus, the anointing of Jesus at Bethany, then the Passover.

We are at the pointy end of the gospel.  

Jesus could read the signs around him, he knew the religious and political authorities were not happy, he knew he could be arrested or killed at any time. During these few days, Jesus did a lot of teaching, responded to questions, and told some stories, including the parables we looked at in the past 2 weeks, and the story we heard this morning.  

One way of looking at this reading is to think of the connection with the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus.[i]

• on the cross he is thirsty – who gives him something to drink? [27:34, 27:48] soldiers, bystanders
• his clothes are taken from him – who covers his nakedness [27:59] Joseph of Arimathea
• how was he treated in prison [27:27-37]
• was Jesus welcomed, or treated as a stranger [26:70] Peter denies knowing Jesus; the crowd [27: 21 – 23]

Shortly, Jesus is the one who will be thirsty and naked and imprisoned. Does this change how we read this story?

….

One thing to note with this passage is that neither those who fed and clothed and visited, nor those who did not feed and clothe and visit, knew that they were or were not serving Jesus.

The ones labelled sheep, did not care and visit and provide shelter because they knew this would earn them favour in God’s eyes. They did it because that was what they naturally did. They were caring and compassionate.

Same with those labelled goats, they were living in ways that were natural to them, looking after their own interests and not being concerned about others. [ii]

Neither saw the King in need, the goats would have helped if they had seen him hungry or lonely. The sheep helped even though they did not recognise the King in those they served. They simply saw people who needed to be fed or clothed or visited or respected.

Those who were sheep, saw people as people. [iii]  
People made in the image of God.
People worthy of respect.

People for whom Jesus died. ^[iv]

In a culture where the social code was that you only helped those who could later repay you, or where you would be rewarded in some way, helping those who cannot repay you is foolish, even shameful. The sheep ignored the social code.[v]

This isn’t about doing the right thing to be saved.

This is about transformation of our lives from the inside, from our hearts and minds, so that the care and compassion we show others is not only genuine but natural. It is not forced to earn brownie points from God.

….

As I said earlier this passage is often understood in terms of individual behaviour. In some of my reading this week, it was noted that the judgement is of the nations, it is not an individual judgement that is being spoken of here, but a judgement of nations, countries, empires.

What if we look at this with the eyes of a first century Palestinian, living in a country occupied by Rome. What if this parable is about judging the politics and economics of empires? In many regimes, life is cheap, toe the line or else life will be difficult.

If this is about judging nations, or empires, how would Australia be judged? A single person on Newstart allowance receives $ 555.70 per fortnight, the cheapest rent on the peninsula is $270 per week, or $540 per fortnight. With rent assistance that leaves $152.90 left to live on for 2 weeks.

From the beginning, “Creation has been structured by God to work best for everyone, “all the nations,” when the most vulnerable are attended to instead of the least vulnerable.”[vi]

….

I don’t know anyone who likes the idea of being judged, especially with criteria like these. We don’t want to let God down. ^[vii] It seems impossible.

But this is Good News, maybe not for us, but for those who are hungry and in prison. How might we hear this if we lived in North Korea? How might we have heard this if we had been imprisoned in Nazi Germany?  Might this be Good News, that God will not allow injustice and suffering to go unpunished. That ‘God cares passionately about the suffering of the least of these, and about whether we cause or ignore it -- so much so that Jesus bore this suffering in his own body in order to triumph over evil and death.’ ^[viii]

….

The two greatest commandments are loving God and loving neighbour. This parable speaks into the living out of those commandments.  

As individuals and in community, remembering that the compassion of the sheep was the not rehearsed or planned, it was the natural outworking of their relationship with God. They saw people as people,

·         they fed the hungry,

·         welcomed the stranger

·         clothed the naked

·         cared for the sick

·         visited the imprisoned

not because they deserved it or earned it,

not because they were friends or family.

The sheep acted with compassion because of the transformation of their lives.

---

[i] Working Preacher Podcast:  http://www.workingpreacher.org/narrative_podcast.aspx?podcast_id=602

[ii] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3872

[iii] https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/11/20/a-provocation-reign-of-christ-sunday-november-26-2017-matthew-2531-46/?fbclid=IwAR2gNLzO4hPi8CHZm2Yg_4u5pL-JoenZltXYVgsLO2FmzVnD7vbTTY_0K4s

[iv] http://girardianlectionary.net/reflections/year-a/xrstkinga/?fbclid=IwAR09pP4H2czZMWnCTSlZsmEWsaw26nw6zvEvzFY6iMQS-SqMHHX7TYWPddo

[v] http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2403

[vi]http://girardianlectionary.net/reflections/year-a/xrstkinga/?fbclid=IwAR09pP4H2czZMWnCTSlZsmEWsaw26nw6zvEvzFY6iMQS-SqMHHX7TYWPddo

[vii] https://revgalblogpals.org/2019/04/02/narrative-lectionary-sheep-and-goats-matt-2531-46/?fbclid=IwAR1DAPzUIE0Ox7dTZVj5bYF8mB7xCteJEqZjqrou8ZlMlfQUsolAULoNxMk

[viii] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3872