Church is ...

After four weeks of Guest Preachers, i am back for 2 weeks, then on annual and study leave.

Here is an image from Facebook a few weeks ago.

The church is not a group of people who believe all the same things; the Church is a group of people caught up in the same story, with Jesus at the centre. [Rachel Held Evans][i]

I will come back to it in a few minutes.

Over the past four weeks we have heard about Church from our guest preachers.

When we look at the New Testament, the church is described in various ways. In the gospels, there is an assumption that the people who follow Jesus will remain part of the Jewish faith. Jesus calls people to follow him. To some he says give up riches, to others it is count the cost. Jesus treated each person as an individual, each conversation, each healing,  

When we read the book of Acts, we read about

• ·         the separation of the followers of Jesus from the Synagogue and Temple;
• ·         the discussion about whether circumcision, a Jewish requirement, was necessary to be a follower of Jesus;
• ·         the way people shared what they had with each other;
• ·         the planting of new churches throughout the Roman Empire
• ·         and imprisonment of Paul and his travelling companions. 

In the letters of Paul and others we read of the encouragement to keep the faith, remembering that this was a time when being a Christian could get you killed. In Romans this morning we heard how we know we are God’s Spirit makes us sure that we are his children.

Here is part of an Australian paraphrase:

All those who dance to the Spirit’s tune are God’s beloved children… we come running to God, and with loving arms, God’s Spirit gathers us up, demonstrating clearly to whom we belong.[ii]

In Ephesians we hear about our unity in Christ.

Over the past four Sundays we have heard from Dr Sureka Goringe, Rev Dr Chris Walker, Rev Dr Stephen Robinson and Rev Simon Hansford.

Here is a summary of some of the things we have heard about the Uniting Church in the past month.

• ·         UCA is a church that works in partnership with overseas churches.
• ·         UCA is a church that encourages thoughtful faith
• ·         UCA is a church that walks beside people after disasters, not for a day or a week, but for months.
• ·         UCA is a church that engages in difficult conversations, such as voluntary assisted dying, same gender marriage, domestic violence, Recognition of Indigenous Sovereignty, environmental crisis.

One thing that stood out for me is the way the UCA is relational. We are called to relationship with God through Jesus, but we are also in relationship with partner churches, other denominations and the local community.

Next Sunday Dr Deidre Palmer will be Installed as the President of the Uniting Church. On Monday 9^th July the business sessions of the Assembly will begin. The Assembly meets every three years and has determining responsibility for matters of doctrine, worship, government and discipline.[iii]

The meeting will consider a dauntingly diverse set of issues. These proposals are all on the Assembly website of you would like to look at them.

• ·         The Church’s response to the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse,
• ·         the challenge of domestic and family violence,
• ·         our continuing conversation on Indigenous sovereignty in light of the Covenant relationship between the UCA and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress.
• ·         There will be a landmark statement encouraging action and advocacy on Climate Change and
• ·         a consultation process proposed regarding voluntary assisted dying.
• ·         Assembly members will also consider a report and proposals on marriage and same-gender relationships. [iv]

There has been a lot of discussion about how we stay as one denomination when there are diverse views on some of these issues. My guess is that if I asked each of you about these issues there would be a variety of views.

The proposal that seems to be generating the most heat is from the Doctrine Commission on same gender marriage. The proposal is that Ministers and Church Councils have freedom on this matter. That would mean each Minister would be able to choose if they will do Same Gender Marriages and each Church Council will be able to decide if the church premises can be used for Same Gender Marriages.

As I wrote in this week’s Grapevine, one way to look at the influences on our decision making is: Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience.

For example, women in leadership. 

In 1 Timothy 2:10-12

Women who claim to love God should do helpful things for others, and they should learn by being quiet and paying attention. They should be silent and not be allowed to teach or to tell men what to do.[v]

So, we could say Scripture forbids women to preach or teach adult men, but in other parts of the New Testament women were leading churches.

Tradition: for many years women were not able to be leaders.

Reason: we now know that women are not inferior to men, mentally or spiritually.

Experience: we have seen women in leadership roles in other areas of life.

There are still denominations that do not allow women in positions of leadership, but the UCA, and others, do have women in in leadership roles.

Using this fourfold method does not mean we all come up with the same answer, but it is helpful to see where our differences come from.

I encourage you to read the column by the General Secretary in the current issue of Insights if you haven’t yet. Rev Jane Fry writes:

“The Uniting Church, (on the other hand), seems to me to have a ‘shoulder to the wheel’ theology in which disciples are called and gathered into the Jesus story and then sent — individually and collectively — to work for the common good and to make a difference in the world.”[vi]

Remember the image from the beginning of the sermon:

The church is not a group of people who believe all the same things; the Church is a group of people caught up in the same story, with Jesus at the centre. [Rachel Held Evans][vii]

For me the Church is about relationships: our relationship with God through Jesus; our relationship with each other, and our relationship with the community into which God has placed us.

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[i] https://www.facebook.com/rachelheldevans.page/posts/10156013107864442

[ii] http://laughingbird.net/LectionTexts/C40.html#Second%20Reading

[iii] Basis of Union, Government in the church section e

[iv] https://www.insights.uca.org.au/news/assembly-2018-making-decisions-amid-gods-abundant-grace

[v] Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

[vi] https://www.insights.uca.org.au/features/editorial/faith-requires-courage-and-imagination

[vii] https://www.facebook.com/rachelheldevans.page/posts/10156013107864442

Pentecost part 2

Psalm 104:24-35 

Philippians 4:4-9 

Traditionally today is the day we try and get our heads around what it means to worship a triune God: God the creator, redeemer and sanctifier, or God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or many other wordings.

This year I am not even going to attempt to explain the Trinity to you, today we are celebrating Pentecost again. We celebrated Pentecost last Sunday, as we heard about the spirit being made real in the lives of those gathered with the apostles in Jerusalem. We pondered where the fire of the Holy Spirit was active in our lives, and where we might need to allow the spirit to blow life into the embers.  

This morning we are again thinking about the action of the Holy Spirit. It can be easy for us to think of the dramatic events in Acts 2, with the Spirit coming in tongues of fire and roaring winds and thunder as the first time the Spirit was given to people or was active in the world, but that is not the case.

Back in the beginning of Genesis, we read:

In the beginning God
created the heavens
    and the earth.
The earth was barren,
    with no form of life;
it was under a roaring ocean
    covered with darkness.
But the Spirit of God
    was moving over the water.[i]

In 1 Samuel:

Samuel poured the oil on David’s head while his brothers watched. At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord took control of David and stayed with him from then on.[ii]

And in Ezekiel

The Lord said, “Ezekiel, son of man, I want you to stand up and listen.” After he said this, his Spirit took control of me and lifted me to my feet.^[iii] 

So, what has all this to do with us?

Would you walk up to the Queen of England and start talking with her? It is unlikely you would get past the security detail, and what would you talk with her about?

As the people of God, we get to speak to God, without going through a metal detector, or having to make an appointment.

I like the book of Psalms:
it is very real and gritty in places,
it contains songs and poems
it covers a wide range of emotions and life situations.

The part of the Psalm we heard this morning, is full of images about creation. There is a sense of awe and wonder.

Notice that the Psalmist is addressing God, not talking about God. The Psalmist continually refers to God as you, here are a few examples:

·         Our Lord, by your wisdom

·         You created all of them by your Spirit,
and you give new life to the earth.

·         As long as I live, I will sing and praise you, the Lord God.

The Psalmist is not giving a lesson on the creation, the Psalmist is speaking to God, to the creator, about the wonder and beauty of the world, recognising God’s care for all the creatures of the earth. 

Talking to God, rather than about God, takes courage and faith. The Psalm section this morning isn’t all nice and sweet:

“I hope my thoughts will please you,
because you are the one who makes me glad.
Destroy all wicked sinners from the earth once and for all.
With all my heart I praise you, LORD!   I praise you!”

Psalms,

• ·         Earthy
• ·         Real
• ·         Honest
• ·         There is no pretending or being careful
• ·         It is an outpouring of joy and an acknowledgement of the imperfection of the world.[iv]

In the section of the letter of Paul to the Philippians that we heard this morning, we are encouraged to live in the reality of the kingdom of God.

Paul is in prison when he writes this letter, yet he reminds the people in the church at Philippi, to rejoice, to pray, to give thanks. This might sound ridiculous; how can we always be joyful?

“Paul is holding two realities in view at the same time.”[v] We live in a world where despair and anxiety, pain and prison are real, and at times overwhelming. We also live in God’s world, a world of beauty, a world of promise and peace.

I know for myself, at times it can be difficult to live into the kingdom of God. It is not always easy to focus on ‘whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper.’  To keep ‘thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.’

I can look in the garden at home and focus on the weeds, or I can focus on the beauty of the plants and flowers and see homes for birds and insects.

We can look at the community and focus on domestic violence, homelessness, drug abuse, and ….; or we can focus on the good work done by so many groups, such as Mary Macs and Coast Shelter.

In the creation story, the Spirit was moving over the water.

In our lives, the Spirit is also moving,

• ·         transforming,
• ·         welcoming and
• ·         naming is as children of God.

Focusing on the Kingdom of God, thinking about what is true and pure and holy, does not always come naturally. But, living into the Kingdom of God is not some pipe dream, you don’t need rose tinted glasses.

We live into the Kingdom of God when we allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to transform us.

We live into the Kingdom of God when we

• ·         look for the good in any situation,
• ·         when we focus on God
• ·         when we allow ourselves to be honest about ourselves and about life
• ·         when we rejoice in the Lord whatever our circumstances
• ·         when we give thanks to God
• ·         when we pray, that is speak to God, openly and honestly

“because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.”

Just as Paul lived in two realities so do we. Which reality determines our outlook on life?

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[i] Genesis 1:1-2 Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

[ii] 1 Samuel 16:13 Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

[iii] Ezekiel 2:1-2 Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

[iv] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3654

[v] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1011

Purifying Fire

Acts 2: 1-21

People from around the Middle East and beyond were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks. This festival occurred 7 weeks and one day after Passover, that is 50 days after Passover. This was time to bring an offering of new grain to the Lord [Leviticus 23: 15-16] people from all over were there:

Turks, Jordanians, Iranians, and residents of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, Syrians, Judeans, and Asians, Kurds and Egyptians, Libyans and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Greeks and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’[i]

This reading starts with this amazing and dramatic scene; the disciples gathered in one place, then wind and noise and fire.

The followers of Jesus who were gathered together, felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in a powerful way, and then people from all around the known world heard the gospel message in their own language.

For me this presents a challenge, how do we speak the gospel, the good news of the love of God through Jesus Christ, in a community where few people know the basics of Christianity or the bible stories. The challenge now is not so much different languages for people living in different countries. The Bible has been translated into many languages.

The challenge is speaking to people of a different life experience,
people who do not see a need for the church
people who see the church as a problem not a place to look for a solution
people who have been rejected or hurt by the church
people who question everything
people who have no or little idea of who Jesus is

This is one of the great challenges for the church in our time. Talking about God and Jesus to people who do not understand the concept of sin, or righteousness or sanctification.

On Pentecost I have often spoken about the Ruach of the Holy Spirit – the wind or breath of the Holy Spirit.

This morning I am focusing on fire.

Here is a poem:

Fire songs

Flame of candle flickering softly,

Alix Brown from Fire and bread p 154

Fire means many things in our lives today:

• ·         Bushfires raging and destroying
• ·         Candlelight flickering and showing the way
• ·         The comfort of glowing coals on a cold evening
• ·         The light and energy of the sun
• ·         Purifying precious metals

There are many places in the Bible where we read about fire:

• ·         Moses heard the voice of God through a burning bush
• ·         The fire that led the Israelites in the wilderness
• ·         Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in a fiery furnace
• ·         The lips of Isaiah were cleansed by a burning coal
• ·         The charcoal fire at which Peter denied Jesus and the fire on the beach where Jesus cooked fish after the resurrection
• ·         Flames appearing on the heads of the disciples

Fire is one of the symbols of the holy Spirit.

I wonder what that means for us?

Fire burns – it can be destructive,
Fire warms and comforts
Fire cooks our meals
Fire offers us light
Fire cleanses and purifies

“Fire has no shape or substance. You can't taste it or smell it or hear it. You can't touch it except at great risk. You can't weigh it or measure it or examine it with instruments. You can never grasp it in its fullness because it never stands still. Yet there is no mistaking its extraordinary power.”[ii]

The Holy Spirit comes into our lives, to illuminate and comfort, to cleanse and purify. “In the pages of Scripture, fire is holiness”[iii]

The Holy Spirit comes to sanctify, to make us holy.

Like a spring clean,
getting rid of the rubbish that clogs our lives,
taking care of the parts that need attention,
checking in the back corners of the wardrobes
and bringing the sunshine and fresh air into the house after being closed for the winter.

Like a spiring clean, except it is for our lives.

Where in our lives do we need the cleansing of a bushfire, cleaning out the rubbish in our lives?

Where in our lives do we need the comfort of a cosy log fire, warming the cold parts of our lives?

Where in our lives do we need the Holy Spirit to show us the hidden parts of our lives – both positive and negative?

Where in our lives do we need the purifying power of the Holy Spirit?

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[i] Jennifer McGlinchey Gingras on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Pastor.Jenn?fref=gc&dti=418160428221344

[ii] ~originally published in Beyond Words http://www.frederickbuechner.com/quote-of-the-day/2016/9/30/fire

[iii] ~originally published in Beyond Words http://www.frederickbuechner.com/quote-of-the-day/2016/9/30/fire

Gratitude and Encouragement

Introduction to Philippians

This morning we move into the letter of Paul to the Philippians. In Acts we have the story of how Paul took Timothy with him to Philippi in Macedonia, met with worshippers on the Sabbath told them the good news of Jesus, and some were baptised. [Acts 16]

Now Paul and Timothy are in prison. In the first century that meant relying on friends outside for basic needs like food and blankets.[i] The Christians in Philippi have sent funds to help pay for these essentials.

Paul writes expressing gratitude for their love and help.[ii]

We will hear the beginning of the letter, and it commences in the standard format for a letter at that time.

Reading Philippians 1:1-20 

Proclamation of the Word

Yesterday a few of us were at a seminar, that is part of 6 days across the year. We are thinking and reflecting on what Mission Shaped Ministry might look like in the Broken Bay Parish.

One area we looked at was spirituality for mission, that is, as disciples of Jesus Christ what do we need, to be able to fully live out God’s call in our lives.

In the afternoon we looked at 10 characteristics or signs of apostolic spirituality. We did that by looking at some of the gospel passages where the disciples, and others, are sent out in ministry and mission. One of the characteristics or signs is knowing the value of companionship and community. As we talked yesterday, I was reminded of this reading that we have heard this morning.

Note that the letter is written to the people in the church at Philippi, not the Bishop or the Church Council, but “all of God’s people who belong to Christ Jesus at Philippi and to all of your church officials and officers.”

Paul travelled with other people, in this case with Timothy. Not only does he have a travelling companion, he also knows he can rely on the generosity of the communities that he has been part of. This letter is written in response to the generosity of prayer and financial support given to Paul and Timothy by the church in Philippi.

The good news of Jesus, our experience of God’s love and grace, is not an individual possession but a communal reality that God is doing all the time and in we are invited to participate.[iii]

Looking a bit deeper, one thing that caught my eye, was the multiple expressions of gratitude. Paul and Timothy are in prison, the people in Philippi that Paul is writing to were part of a fledgling group that was not well accepted, or at times tolerated, so their lives were also at risk. In spite of the difficult circumstances of the author and the recipients, this letter overflows with gratitude and generosity and encouragement.

I wonder how easy you find it to show gratitude and generosity when you are in difficult circumstances.

Paul begins the letter by reassuring the people of God in Philippi of his prayers and his pride in them because their faith is continuing (1:3-5). Paul wasn’t interested in winning converts as if the main game was numbers. He was concerned about people entering a new relationship with God that kept going.[iv]

Paul writes ‘you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it.’

I wonder what ways we spread the Good news, and what is the good news for each one of us.

Some people I know talk of the Good news, or Gospel, as salvation, going to heaven when you die or not going to hell.  Paul writes of the Good News here in a much more expansive way.

He writes of how to share in the gospel, is to grasp the fullness of what it means to embrace and live in the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.[v]

To share in the gospel is to love God and neighbour no matter what. Paul’s experience reminds us that even if you are persecuted and end up in prison because you refuse to stop loving and refuse to give up the values and ethos adopted from Jesus, then you must carry on loving.[vi]

The goodness that God wants is nothing less than the flow of love which marks the heart of God's doing and being.[vii]

In what ways are we part of God’s beating heart of love?

Philippians 1: 9-11 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

This is my prayer for you:

that your love will grow more and more;
that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love;
that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important;
that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ;
that your life will be full of the many good works that are produced by Jesus Christ to bring glory and praise to God.

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[i] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3419

[ii] NRSV Bible, Zondervan publishing, 1989

[iii] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3419

[iv] http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/CEpAdvent2.htm

[v] http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2695

[vi] http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2695

[vii] http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/CEpAdvent2.htm