How are we witnesses?

So much has happened in the past week:

·         Gunmen in Egypt killed more than 24 people and wounded 25 after they opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians on [Friday] May 26.[i]

·         Floods and torrents of mud unleashed by heavy rains in Sri Lanka have killed 91 people and left 110 others missing, and authorities have appealed for international help. More than 61,000 affected by heavy rain that started early on Friday. [ii]

·         An explosion at a concert in Manchester killed 22 people, and many more were wounded.

We yearn for a simpler time.

1997, Twenty years ago[iii],

·         Both Mother Theresa and Princess Diana died

·         58 tourists and four Egyptians were shot dead outside Luxor’s Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.

·         Peruvian commandos successfully stormed the Japanese ambassador’s house in Lima, where hundreds of hostages had been held for 126 days by 14 members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA).

We back a bit further:

1967, 50 years ago[iv],

·         The Vietnam war

·         The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were in the charts

·         Israel won a six-day war with Egypt, Syria and Jordan, capturing the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

1917, 100 years ago[v],

·         Albert Einstein published his first paper

·         Russian Revolution

·         The First World War

Over 2 centuries ago, what do we know about life then?

·         In the first century, Romans ruled the Mediterranean area known as Palestine (modern day Israel), …. In the hierarchy of power, the Jewish self-government reported to the authority of the local Roman government (King Herod), which reported to Rome (Emperor Caesar).

·         The economy of first century Israel was supported by three key segments: agriculture of olives, figs, grains, dates, and vineyards; trade fostered by Israel’s key location on the Mediterranean Sea; and large government building projects sponsored by King Herod. There was a very large disparity between rich and poor.[vi]

·         Essentially the Roman Empire of the first two centuries A.D. was a slave state with a small minority who had any pride or freedom in their lives, …. There was little of what we should call family life, few homes of comfortable living and active thought and study; schools and colleges were few and far between.[vii]

This is the world at the time Jesus – foreign occupiers, fear, slavery and following the traditions of the village that you were unlikely to ever leave.

Into this world, we hear from Luke in his second Book, the book of Acts.

For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples in a variety of ways. Then we hear that Jesus told the disciples:

the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world. [CEV]

These are the last words of Jesus that are recorded by Luke.

Just focus on this:

The Holy Spirit will flood over you

and drench you with power,

giving you the passion

and courage

to be my witnesses.

Then you will be able to tell everyone about me, ….” [©2002 Nathan Nettleton ][viii]

Next week we celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples as recorded in the book of Acts. 

Wind.

Flames.

Voices.

Good news spoken.

Lives changed.

This week, we heard how the risen Jesus, gave a few final words to his disciples, and then drifted off up to the clouds.

Jesus passed the baton to the disciples. Go and tell everyone, everywhere about me.

And the rest, is history – after Pentecost, the early church grew like topsy, and not just in Jerusalem, but all over the known world. And it wasn’t easy, people were killed for being Christian.

What about us?

Where are we in this story?

Into all this stuff happening in the world,

The violence and pain we see on the news,

as well as the pain of grief,

the despair of unemployment

and the loneliness many people feel.

How are we witnesses,

how do we tell with our lives?

not just our voices,

what Jesus has done.

What would you like people to learn about Jesus from your life?

In what ways do you think your life shows those facets of the life and teaching of Jesus?

Our lives are witnesses to Jesus.

Not only when we think we are talking about Jesus.

Jesus was a person of

• ·         prayer
• ·         compassion
• ·         forgiveness

he was a

• ·         healer
• ·         teacher
• ·         companion

he spoke against those people and practices

• ·         that ripped people off,
• ·         that labelled people unclean
• ·         that judged people for being ill or poor.

What would you like people to learn about Jesus from your life?

In what ways is your life a witness to the life of Jesus?

---

[i] https://sojo.net/articles/gunmen-kill-more-20-coptic-christians-egypt

[ii] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-27/sri-lanka-mudslides-leave-thousands-homeless/8565096

[iii] http://metro.co.uk/2007/12/05/top-10-stories-of-1997-579195/

[iv] https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2017/02/50-years-ago-a-look-back-at-1967/516174/

[v] https://worldhistoryproject.org/1917

[vi] http://www.swcs.com.au/firstcenturypalestine.htm

[vii] http://www.bartleby.com/86/35.html

[viii] http://laughingbird.net/ComingWeeks.html

National Reconciliation Week 2017

National Reconciliation Week is from 27 May to 3 June.

50 years ago, Australians voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to include Aboriginal people in the census, and to allow the Commonwealth government to make laws for Aboriginal people. Up to this point each state or territory had different laws.[i]

It is also 20 years since the report” Bringing them Home”

Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families [ii]

This week has been a time we remember some steps that have been taken in Australia, to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Until 50 years ago, people of aboriginal background were not counted in the Census. Each State had different laws, in some states they could marry and own property, but not in other states[iii]. It was only in 1962 that Aboriginal people were allowed to vote.

This week over 250 Delegates gathered at the 2017 First Nations National Constitutional Convention, which was established by both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. The Referendum Council was charged with seeking out the views of First Nations people from across the country and reporting back. Here is a comment from that meeting:

“In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.”[iv]

At the Assembly meeting in 2009, a new Preamble to the Constitution was adopted, subject to agreement from a majority of Synods and presbyteries. In 2010 the Preamble, much of which is printed in the Grapevine [weekly newsletter] this week. The preamble recognises the hurt and damage done to Aboriginal people by over the past 200 years. The Preamble also includes the hope of “a destiny together, praying and working together for a fuller expression of our reconciliation in Jesus Christ.”[v]

The following prayer was prepared by Wontulp-Bi-Buya Indigenous Theology Working Group in 1997.

Holy Father, God of Love,

You are the Creator of this land and of all good things.

We acknowledge the pain and shame of our history

and the suffering of our peoples,

and we ask your forgiveness.

We thank you for the survival of indigenous cultures.

Give us the courage to accept the realities of our history

so that we may build a better future for our nation.

Teach us to respect all cultures.

Teach us to care for our land and waters.

Help us to share justly the resources of this land.

Help us to bring about spiritual and social change

to improve the quality of life for all groups in our communities,

especially the disadvantaged.

Help young people to find true dignity and self esteem by your Spirit.

May your power and love be the foundations

on which we build our families, our communities and our nation,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.[vi]

---

[i] https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/australian-1967-referendum#axzz4iFW9dP3Q

[ii] https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/bringing-them-home-report-1997

[iii] https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/australian-1967-referendum#axzz4iFW9dP3Q

[iv] https://nacchocommunique.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/uluru-statement-referendum-council-pat-anderson.pdf

[v] https://assembly.uca.org.au/resources/covenanting/item/668-the-revised-preamble

[vi]https://www.facebook.com/InsightsMagazine/photos/a.269282996426039.64620.146115232076150/1587945034559822/?type=3&theater

an unknown God

Acts 17:22-28; John 14:15-20, 25-27 

We live in a time when people are interested in spirituality, but not any religion in particular,

a time when people who grew up attending worship and youth group are no longer interested in ‘church’

we live in a time when fewer people than in the past know the basics of Christianity.

When I was growing up, I don’t remember having Scripture classes at school, they may have happened, but I don’t remember them.
My parents did not attend worship, or have anything to do with church.
My brother and I went to Sunday School with the lady a few doors up for maybe 2 years.
But, I wondered what it meant that Australia was a Christian country.

Did it mean we were all automatically Christians?
From the little that I knew, I decided that everyone couldn’t be Christian, because some people did the wrong thing – I obviously hadn’t heard about grace   [smiley face]

Faith is a mystery in many ways, so many people feel that there is more to life than what they can see; yet for many people the church is not a place they look to answer that need.

Paul is visiting Athens, where there are idols to many Gods, including an idol to the ‘unknown God’.

Paul didn’t tell the people of Athens off, for having so many Gods.
He didn’t tell them they were going to hell
or that they were outside God’s love.
He talked about the God he knew, not giving every detail of the story, and connecting with the people’s interest in religion and poetry.

When so many people today are not interested in ‘the church’, but are searching for something more in life,
when people don’t have years of Bible stories and Sunday school
I wonder how can we speak to people in ways that connect with their experience, that answers the questions they are asking.

Sure, we could go and stand on the beach and tell people about sin and the cross and hell – but …

•             what if instead we lived in ways that showed people love. Not because they deserve it, but because they are part of God’s creation.

•             what if we took seriously questions about shame, guilt, life, death, forgiveness, pain and grief. Not with easy answers, but willing to listen to people’s experience.

•             what if we were prepared to say we don’t know the answers to everything about God and Jesus and faith

•             what if instead of talking about punishment for sin, we showed God’s desire to heal the wounds our sin causes.

When people are looking for something that makes sense of life, how do we talk about our experience of God?

As I mentioned last week, John has this very long section of Jesus telling his disciples he will soon die, and reminding them of how to live.

Jesus is saying: don’t be afraid, I will send another advocate, another companion. Just as Jesus has been with the disciples, walking beside them, teaching them, showing them how to live; after he dies, the Holy Spirit will come and continue to guide them and be present with them.

You may have noticed that this section begins: “If you love me, you will do as I command.”

If….

Is this a threat like: if you don’t tidy your room you won’t get any dinner?
Or, if you eat your vegies you can have dessert.

There is another way to look at this, Jesus is stating a fact. This isn’t a threat, but a reality. When we love someone, we will follow their teaching and example.[i]

And what was the teaching and example of Jesus?

Love

Grace

Healing

….

“We remember ... that Jesus has also said, ‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another’. (John 13:34)

The commandment is to love, to be loved.

It has to do with an abiding in and with God and with one another. It is a mutual relationship.” [ii]

Our love of Jesus is expressed in being "agents of God's love in the world."[iii] We don’t do that on our own, that is what Jesus is saying here, keep my commandments, love one another, and I am sending a companion, the Holy Spirit will guide and lead you, just as I have been with you, guiding, teaching and loving you.

Sentimental love or a cherished memory will not give us the courage and confidence to speak on behalf of the poor, to be obedient when it is uncomfortable or unpopular or illegal.

Christianity is about being a follower of Jesus, not an admirer or a fan.

When things get tough for the disciples, and the early church, they are being encouraged to remember the life Jesus showed them, and the teaching about being loved and loving.

We can remember the life of Jesus, and treat it as a good story; or we can remember the life of Jesus and allow it to change us, so that we allow Jesus to live in and through us.

Have you ever felt the prompting of the Spirit?

The other week in hospital, one night the lady next to me was in pain. My first thought was that I am a patient, and the nurses will sort it out.  But I knew I should speak to her. So, I pulled the curtain back, and asked if she was in pain? She was, but had been on painkillers for 3 weeks and didn’t want anymore because of the side effects. I suggested she ask the nurse, which she did. The nurse went to get some medication for her. The patient asked me why I bothered talking with her. Well, to be honest I was tempted to stay out of it, but something inside me connected with the humanity and pain of this woman.  To me that was a prompting of the Holy Spirit, telling me that this woman needed kindness, and I should get out of bed and let her know she is not alone.

This section from John finishes with Jesus saying: I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give.

The challenge, as always, is to hear Jesus speaking to us as well as the disciples, knowing that if Jesus was here today giving this sermon, he would use different words to 2000 years ago.

While much has changed in that time, I think much of our humanness is the same. Several people have written about the basic human needs.  

Anthony Robbins has written the 6 core needs of people:[iv]

• •     Certainty - security and predictability
• •     Variety - surprise and challenges and change
• •     Significance -  feeling needed, a sense of importance
• •     Love and connection
• •     Constant emotional, spiritual and intellectual development
• •     The need to contribute, to care for others, to give beyond ourselves.

For me, the Christian life fulfils each of these needs:

Jesus offers us peace and security
The Holy Spirit brings surprises and challenges.
God gives each of us gifts that are to be used for the good for all, and we are called to seek the coming kingdom
And each one is loved, and lives in God, and God in us – how much more connected could we be.

  

We live in a time when people are seeking life; abundant, fulfilling, meaningful life.  How do we speak of our experience of faith in ways that connect with people?

Not belittling, or putting them down, or speaking words of judgement.

How do we speak of life and love and peace with people who don’t know about Jesus or church or the Bible?

When people are looking for something that makes sense of life, how do we talk about our experience of God?

May the Spirit give you courage and confidence to speak the words of life.

---

[i] Kathryn Matthews, U.C.C. SAMUEL

[ii] Spill the Beans 25 May 2014

[iii] Kathryn Matthews, U.C.C. SAMUEL

[iv] http://www.habitsforwellbeing.com/6-core-human-needs-by-anthony-robbins/

all you need

We are still in the season of Easter, and will be for another 2 Sundays. During Lent, we prepared ourselves for Easter; then it was Maundy Thursday and Good Friday with their reflective nature, followed by the celebration of resurrection on Easter Sunday. Then there are 7 weeks of the season of Easter. During this time, we read some of the resurrection appearances of Jesus, and think about how the early church was, and we are still today, witnesses to the presence of the risen Christ.[i]

Our reading from the Gospel of John this morning is part of the long section where Jesus is speaking with his disciples the night he was arrested. Chapter 13 begins with Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, Jess foretells his betrayal, Judas leaves the group, then the section we heard read this morning. This is followed by another 2 chapters, including the promise of the Holy Spirit, more on loving one another and Jesus praying for his disciples.  We will hear more from this long farewell from Jesu over the next 2 Sundays.

Jesus is talking with the disciples, knowing that he will not be with them much longer. And he was telling the disciples that he will not be with them much longer, though they did not understand.

I wonder if they did not want to understand. Sometimes it can be easier to pretend, to live in denial, than to deal with what is happening in our lives. it is easy to understand the confusion of the disciples: how can Jesus be going to leave them, he is the Messiah, the one who will free them. Their expectation has not been fulfilled,

Jesus is letting the disciples know what is to come, so that they are prepared.

In response, there are questions.

·         where are you going?

·         we don’t even know where you are going! How can we know the way?

As usual Jesus doesn’t always answer the questions he is being asked.

When we are grieving, or distressed, it is usual to ask questions.

·         why did she have to die?

·         what makes him so angry?

·         how am I ever going to manage?

The answers may be helpful, but more often, what we are looking for is understanding and relationship with someone who knows and cares and loves us. [ii]

That is what Jesus is telling the disciples. Even though I am not going to be around, I will be with you, and you will live in the way that I have lived. What from the life of Jesus would you want to pass onto someone else?

What from your life encourages and comforts someone?

What do you hope people remember about you after you die?

The two phrases that stand out to me in this passage are:

·         Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me; or is another translation: do not let your hearts be troubled.

·         I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing.

Don’t worry, sounds like the words of the angels at the empty tomb on Easter morning: in Mark and Matthew we hear: don’t be afraid, [ Mark 16: 6; Matthew 28:5] and later in John’s gospel, the words spoken to the disciples behind locked doors: Peace be with you [John 20:21]

Maybe in the midst of confusion and fear and wondering about the future of life and civilisation, we need to remember the words of Jesus: do not be afraid, don’t be worried, peace be with you. Not so that we are apathetic, but so that we can live, following in the footsteps of Jesus.

The words of Jesus are not just about his leaving, they also give encouragement and permission to the disciples to live and to love. ^[iii]

I am the way and the truth and the life, has at times been used to tell people they are doomed to eternal damnation; but here Jesus is talking with his disciples, telling them that he is all they need.  In him they have seen God.

You don’t need a road map, or a secret password, or special knowledge. Jesus is saying: All you need is me, and you already have that.

This is a word of comfort and confidence to the disciples.

Just as we don’t know why our parents or partner loves us, or why our friends like us, they do. We know by their actions and words.

Jesus is reminding the disciples that their belief in him is seen in their actions, in the way they live out their faith, even without Jesus physically by their side.

Even though Jesus told the disciples that he was leaving them, they were still not prepared for what was to come. They still went into hiding, they were not sure about resurrection sightings, until Jesus appeared to them, offering a word of peace.

And as we read in the book of Acts, the disciples went from being fearful and in hiding, to speaking publicly about Jesus, seeing lives transformed, in spite of persecution by authorities.

Relationship with Jesus doesn’t answer all our questions, doesn’t take them away, but here Jesus is saying: remember we have been together, me dying will not change that. How you live from now on has been changed by the time we have been together, by our relationship. ^[iv]

I wonder how your living has been changed by your relationship with Jesus?

I know some people who have stopped drinking alcohol, others who no longer swear.

Me, I try and think about the life of people who make my clothes and grow and package the tea and coffee I drink. I try and give people the benefit of the doubt and work on the premise that most people are doing the best they can in their situation. I am not perfect. And Jesus continually calls me to greater trust, less worry.

What about you?

Where are you being called to live differently by Jesus?

Here, towards the end of his life, Jesus is saying to the disciples, remember how we have lived, remember what you have seen in me, go and live and love.

Where might we see Jesus’ work and presence in our midst?

How might we show others the very heart of God?^[v]

---

[i] http://www.crivoice.org/cyeaster.html

[ii] David Lose, in the Meantime, http://www.davidlose.net/2017/05/easter-5-a-jesus-real-presence/

[iii] Karoline Lewis, https://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=4878

[iv] Karoline Lewis, https://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=4878

[v] Elisabeth Johnson, https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3238

Fullness of Life for All

Proclamation of the Word

The section of John’s gospel we heard read this morning is a continuation of Jesus speaking after the healing of a man born blind. 

•          The disciples asked who sinned – the man or his parents – meaning why is he blind, who is being punished?
  ·    Jesus tells the disciples that it doesn’t work like that and heals the man. Then the Pharisees investigate:
  o  Is this really the same man who used to beg?
  o  Was he really born blind?
  o  How can he now see?
  o  Then they talked to the parents, then again to the man; then they drove the man who had been blind out of the temple.
  ·    The man had received his sight, but was excluded by the religious leaders, because Jesus enabled him to see.
  ·    The we hear about shepherd who leads the sheep, who keeps them safe from thieves and robbers. 
  Jesus said: I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.
  What does fullness of life look like for the man born blind? 

What does it look like for us?

I am reminded of the TV show “The Good Life”.  Tom and Barbara decide to give up on the ‘rat-race’ and live a life of simplicity and self-sufficiency. Their neighbours, Margo and Jerry, continue to climb the professional and social ladder.

The reading from Acts gives us some ideas about living life to the full. This section comes at the end of Chapter 2. This chapter starts with the coming of the Holy Spirit, then a long speech by Peter.

People asked what should we do?
Peter responded: repent and be baptised.

“Luke, here, lays out the immediate consequences of the repentance and baptism”[i]

People responded to the message of forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, they responded by repentance and being baptised; but it didn’t end there. Their lives were transformed. Their time was spent praying, praising God, learning, sharing resources, and eating together.

Now I am not going to suggest that we move into a commune or a monastery.

Do we seek the good of the congregation, the community, the world?

One of the complaints we often read about politicians is that they preference one section of the community over another, usually the section of the community they belong to.

Some of you will have seen this T-Shirt: Uniting for the common good.

I think this is what Luke is writing about here in Acts, living in ways that enables everyone to have food and shelter. Living in ways that praise God.

“The Acts community saw God as life-giving, breaking down barriers, including barriers of economics and property, and calling us to new life through the resurrection of Jesus and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.” [ii]

“They believed abundant life was possible for everyone and that God was moving in their lives, giving them power to love, heal, and welcome.

They saw their well-being connected with the well-being of every member of the community.”[iii]

Abundant life, life in its fullness, means not just for me, but for all people.

But this fullness of life does not seem to exist, not for everyone. When we live in a world where some people have so much they worry about protecting what they have, building bigger fences and stronger gates to keep people out; while others have not enough to survive; none of us has fullness of life.

Fullness of life comes from relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It comes from following the voice of the Shepherd, knowing the protection and provision and presence of Jesus.[iv]

What stops us from hearing the voice of Jesus, from following, from living fully alive to God.

How do we nurture our ability to hear the voice of Jesus the Shepherd over the noise of life; demanding that we buy more, that we deserve the more expensive option and that we need the latest technology.

How do we hear the voice of the Shepherd calling us to follow; in ways that mean fullness of life for all people. Including the unemployed, the mentally ill, the refugee and the addicted.

Fullness of life is for all, not just some.

Jesus said: I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.

What does that look like for you?

What does this ask of you?

---

[i] Margaret Aymer, https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3237

[ii] Bruce G. Epperly The Adventurous Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Easter – May 7, 2017

[iii] Bruce G. Epperly The Adventurous Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Easter – May 7, 2017

[iv] Karoline Lewis, Working Preacher