Devotions for Sunday 16th August 2020 Welcome to the Devotions sheet for this Sunday. Please take some time to read, pray and imagine your way through what’s here. May you find grace and strength and connection with God from your time reading and reflecting. Acknowledgement We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of our land, and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. We honour their care of the land and acknowledge that as Second Peoples, we have benefitted from their dispossession. So we commit ourselves to reconciliation and justice as First and Second Peoples together, and to learn from them to care for each other and the land. Prayer Dear God, what have you got for me today through what Geoff has prepared here? I seek your Spirit- that I trust leads me into more life. I have yearnings, worries and questions of my own heart to share with you. And joy, gratitude and wonder to give in return for your goodness to me. May the mystery of reflection and prayer in this time, be like a face to face conversation compared to a phone call. We can be in contact with you moment by moment all week, but may this be a time of special closeness. In Jesus name. Amen Introduction We’ve now explored all of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s gospel. (Not that we know it all now!) So where to go next? Recently it was suggested that we could get a banner like this one for the church at Warrnambool: I believe Jesus, with his life and teaching, his death and resurrection, his gift of the Holy Spirit and his entrusting of his work to his disciples, set in place a movement throughout the world towards what he called the coming of the Kingdom of God- where in this world all people will have enough, all people are treated with fairness, the earth is cared for, and there is a peaceful, harmonious diversity. Throughout the two-thousand years since Jesus’ earthly life, there has been progress within the ups and downs and good and evil of history. This trajectory is not just achieved by human effort, but by the influence of the Holy Spirit working through people who co-operate with God. There have been many instances where Christians (and others) campaigned for change, it was resisted, and then suddenly achieved- although always through suffering. Think of the end of apartheid in South Africa for example. I call it a trajectory, because Jesus set things in motion from where the world was in his day. The New Testament for example doesn’t challenge the idea of slavery, (but does say how slaves should be treated better). It took a long time, but the direction the gospel pointed to was an end to this practice. Some people might see some of these as causes of the ‘political left’, but they are expressions of the gospel. I want to be part of a forward moving church- part of the answer to the world’s and people’s problems. Sadly the church has at times been part of the resistance to these changes. We need to be involved to help shape these movements with God’s grace and wholeness. So that’s a long introduction. What I want to reflect on is the first statement- GOD IS GOOD. Some scriptures: There are many references in the psalms like this one: Psalm 107: 1 “Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal!” Isaiah 48: 17-18 The holy God of Israel, the Lord who saves you, says: “I am the Lord your God, the one who wants to teach you for your own good and direct you in the way you should go. If only you had listened to my commands! Then blessings would have flowed for you like a stream that never goes dry. Mark: 10: 17-18 As Jesus was starting on his way again, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. Reflection – God is Good We usually use the word ‘good’ very loosely. “’How was your day?’ ‘Good’.” “‘Does this look good on me?’” “‘Sit, Buddy!’ ‘Good doggy!’” When we do this we mean something that’s to our liking, our ease or pleasure. Sometimes ‘good’ isn’t good enough. “’How did you like dinner?’ ‘It was good.’ ‘You didn’t like it then?’” We expect excellent! Islam proclaims ‘God is great!’ To me, in that statement ‘great’ has a sense of powerfulness about it. I think in Christian faith when we say ‘God is good’ it’s not about power, or about our liking, but ‘good’ as a moral character. God’s goodness and love belong together like in the quote from Psalm 107. Goodness, like love, then intends, looks for and acts for the deeper and long-term benefit of others, like in the quote from Isaiah. Before we get into the tricky questions about God’s goodness, we have to say these things are a reflection of God’s goodness- the gift of life itself is good! Being able to wake up in the morning is good. That we have enough to eat, we have homes, family, friends, community, work, interests, beauty around us, faith- all these things are gifts of God’s goodness towards us: for which to be grateful. We need to hang around in this space for a while. Maybe now you might like to list a few things you are specially thankful for, and name them in a prayer of thanks to God. Even in the meal-time case of “’I hate brussels sprouts.’ ‘Yes, but they’re good for you,’” it’s in our long-term health rather than our eating pleasure that goodness is found. But worse than brussels sprouts (or your least favourite thing), it’s a real question: If God is so good, why is life hard? A first answer to that can be that God’s goodness encompasses the whole world. It’s not all about me and my pleasure or comfort. A second is that without it requiring struggle and effort to achieve things, life would be terribly boring, unsatisfying and we wouldn’t develop a good character. Sometimes people who’ve had too much given to them aren’t nice people. We probably can all agree on those two points; but life isn’t fair and some people have to endure great suffering. How can God be good when there is such suffering? The old theodicy question! This is one that needs to be explored differently when you’re right in the middle of a torrid or painful time to when you’re doing fine and it can be looked at theoretically. In the middle of pain and grief we have a choice- we can reject God or we can turn to God. I believe when we do turn to God we find comfort and strength we may not have thought we had. Sometimes it sneaks in from the Spirit within us, and sometimes it lands on us from other people. It won’t suddenly make everything cosy again, but it will help you survive it and keep going, and gradually the pain eases off, even if a nasty scar is left. And then, standing back and looking at suffering theoretically, we can say this, though it’s never a complete answer: Most suffering is caused by people’s deliberate selfishness, or making unwise choices, or human ignorance, and through unjust human systems. Some comes from natural events like illnesses or earthquakes and the reality that everything dies. The Covid-19 you could say is a combination of these. There is randomness built in to the creation of and living of life. But what is the alternative? If there was instant karma- where every good act was quickly rewarded and we suffered immediately from every bad act- we would eventually learn not to do wrong things, suffering would be avoided but at a greater cost to the life of the human soul. We would be like robots, and love couldn’t be love. Real love requires freedom and the possibility of pain. We get back to God’s goodness being love. A love that is generous and vulnerable. A love that is patient yet determined. A love that wants to see blessing for all people, but has to rely on people to respond with love themselves. And as Jesus showed in his death and resurrection- a love prepared to go to the cross in pain and doubt; but is not conquered and rises again to never end. Prayers (with these prayers where there are the dots (. . . .) name people and situations you want to pray for.) Dear God, I give thanks for Jesus, who I believe has shown what sort of God you are, and what is behind the universe, and where I fit into something so vast and amazing. He showed you are truly good- a God whose nature is self-giving love- and that I’m included in that love. Fill me with that sort of love that I might give of myself in ways that honour your love for me. Guide me in what I can do. I pray about the things where I can only make a small difference:
Song (maybe read it at the pace it would be sung if you knew the tune) There’s a song by John Bell and Graham Maule of the Iona Community: The Goodness of God 1 The goodness of God is the source of our gladness, Surrounding the world with a harness of care, Enabling surprise and allowing for sadness, the hope of recovery, present as air. 2 The life of the world is a heavenly treasure, A pleasure to ponder, a summons to move, A radical bias of God in creation assuring the small and the weakest of love. (The authors are Scottish so the lines do rhyme) 3 The song of the earth has an infinite chorus, Resounding from birth through the silence of death, Expressive of anguish, frustration and laughter, It praises the Lord of music and breath. 4 The gifts of the poor are the means of our mending, as, touching their need, we are healed of our pain; The almost-forgotten are meant by the Maker to challenge the rich to forfeit their gain. 5 In Jesus the goodness of God was incarnate, The life of the world was redeemed and restored, The song of the earth found the key to its meaning, To gifts of the poor were never ignored. 6 And Jesus is present in word and in Spirit Where all that is greatest belongs to the least, Where sign matches song in complete correspondence And those who were low sit high at the feast. Blessing May God bless you with a trust in God’s goodness, an underlying mood that sees the goodness that surrounds us, an insight into the good seed of blessing buried in troubles, and God’s sort of love that energises with purpose each day. In the name of Christ. Amen
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Devotions for Sunday 9th August
Welcome to the Devotions sheet for this Sunday. We continue exploring Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount- coming to its end today. May you find grace and strength and connection with God from your time reading and reflecting. Acknowledgement We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of our land, and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. We honour their care of the land and acknowledge that as Second Peoples, we have benefitted from their dispossession. So we commit ourselves to reconciliation and justice as First and Second Peoples together, and to learn from them to care for each other and the land. Starting Prayer Dear God, I approach this time as one of my spiritual practices, to nourish my life to live as best I can in these times and my circumstances. Meet me with your Spirit, Word and healing as I take my chances opening my inner self to you. In Jesus’ name. Prayers of concern So dear God, here’s what’s uppermost in my heart for myself and others. Let’s get it off my chest and out of the road. In this disturbing time - give us assurance, deep within our hearts, minds and bodies that we are all held in your care, whatever we face. So many things are fragile and teetering on the brink- jobs, businesses, the economy, our physical and mental health, our sense of community, our future, our faith, our church. May our foundations hold in this storm. We pray for all those with and dealing with covid-19, those with the virus, health workers and family members who care for them, for our leaders, for nursing home residents and staff, for teachers and students, for the unemployed, business owners, the unsupported, for Centrelink workers. We pray for the bereaved and those who can’t attend funerals, weddings and other community celebrations, those who are lonely, and find isolation painful. We pray for our loved ones . . . and individuals, families and communities under strain, here and round the world, especially Lebanon. May your Spirit strengthen us first to cope with this situation ourselves, then to provide care and hope to others. Free us to see with the crisis also comes a door to new life, and new opportunities to discover life that is even richer in your Spirit of love, peace and joy. Help all of us struggling with enforced change in our lives. Jolt us all into making our world more widely caring, more just, and more sustainable. Help us as individuals and as a church to hear your call to us; and where we need, to adapt and to go where your Spirit wants us to be - sharing your Good News, calling people to faith and nurturing them in your Way. Help us be an out-there church, with all the radical kindness we can muster. In Jesus’ name. Amen Reading: Matthew 7: 21-29 21 “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do. 22 When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God's message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!’ 23 Then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!’ 24 “So then, anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. 26 “But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!” 28 When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowd was amazed at the way he taught. 29 He wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority. Reflection Here we have the finale to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. I don’t think it was delivered as one sermon in one sitting, but was a collection of Jesus’ teachings put together by Matthew for his Jewish Christian community, in a form to show Jesus as the new Moses whose teaching takes us to the very heart of the Jewish Law. I imagine that in Jesus’ teaching ministry he had a lot to say on many occasions- and quite entertainingly- about each of the points that are summarised here. What puzzles me about the first section here is that the people who call Jesus ‘Lord, Lord’ say they have done dramatic things in his name. Now are they lying? Or if they have actually done them, what is it that they haven’t been doing that is God’s will for them? How have they been able to do miracles if they haven’t been obedient to God’s call? Where do we stand who just do little things in Jesus’ name? Jesus says ‘I never knew you’ to them. I would have more expected him to say, ‘You never really knew me.’ And then sending them away as ‘wicked’ seems a bit harsh. Perhaps the repeat in ‘Lord, Lord’ hints at a trying to put one over Jesus. It doesn’t work. If they really knew him one ‘Lord’ would be enough. We can perhaps think of a few professing Christians who have done some evil things. Or a prominent person who made something of waving a bible around when their behaviour is disgraceful. Jesus speaks of ‘many’. It’s not what they’ve done but what they haven’t done. These are people who do the religious part of Christian faith, but not what God is really looking for. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus says ‘You give to God one tenth even of the seasoning herbs, such as mint, dill, and cumin, but you neglect to obey the really important teachings of the Law, such as justice and mercy and honesty. These you should practice, without neglecting the others.’ It does call us to re-examine ourselves. Our faith can’t be just words or show- no matter how religious it looks, it has to be lived in action. This harks back to the teachings where people make long prayers in the street, or make a big show of their charity, but don’t impress God. It calls us to deeply listen for what God is calling us to be and do, not necessarily what is flashy or popular. It’s in that deep listening through contemplating scripture and prayer that we hear what God is calling us to do, and that Jesus knows us. The wise and foolish builders reinforce that faith has to be lived out in action. Hearing Jesus words and even believing them is not enough for a solid foundation in difficult times. The consequences of a hypocritical faith are emphasised- ‘What a terrible fall that was’. I’ve used the expression ‘lived out in action’ as my interpretation of the text where Jesus uses is ‘obey’. The word obey makes it sound like Jesus has given a whole bunch of rules we need to follow. But they are very difficult as rules for us to attempt in our own strength of willpower, even if we really want to. And what score do we have to get in trying to live them out? In my internet French lessons with Babbel, if I get say 30 out of 36 right they tell me it’s ‘Fantastique’. Jesus doesn’t give us God’s pass-mark. Jesus is talking about entering the Kingdom of heaven. The Kingdom isn’t something we achieve. It’s something we enter by receiving it. It comes as a gift. It is offered to us. Our job is to receive it. ‘Remember this! Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15, Luke 18:17) So I don’t think this is about rules; it’s about being receptive to the life-shaping and life-transforming influence of the Holy Spirit. The seedling of the Spirit is in all people and we can nourish it and give it room in our lives by that deep listening of prayer and contemplation and then letting that produce fruit in actions of kindness and love. ‘Receiving the Kingdom’ is a risk- we don’t know what God is going to call us to, how God is going to change us, and fear what God is going to spoil or take away. The trust required to receive it is to trust that God is good. God has our truly best interests at heart. ‘Receiving the Kingdom like a child’ makes me think of Christmas Day morning and their up-early eagerness. I love it that when God’s Spirit does work change in us, it is from where we are, one manageable step at a time, decision by decision, and with challenges we can meet with a bit of a stretch and asking for help. These feel like days when ‘the rain is pouring down, the rivers are flooding over, and the wind is blowing hard against our houses’. I feel like what is really in peoples’ hearts is being exposed- with those who care for others and those who only care for themselves becoming more obvious. It’s a time for deeper listening for God, nourishing the Holy Spirit within us by looking for all that’s good going on around us, and for whatever actions of kindness we can still do. Prayer of thanksgiving and praise Dear God, feeling safe in your grace we can pray, talking with you like friends. We like it when we receive praise, appreciation and thanks. There’s something about being human that recognition and having counted for good for others gives us happiness and a sense of worth. And it does us good to show our appreciation and thanks to others, and praise good actions. So how about you? If we’re made in your image- do you need our praise? Or is it just good to get it? Somehow I sense our praise doesn’t make a lot of difference to you- except that in your giving, you enjoy the good it does us to pause, reflect, realise all that you’ve given us and are for us, and to express it. We are grateful for the gift of life. We appreciate the wonder of nature and of ourselves. We give thanks for community. We give thanks for all the countless blessings that we enjoy- and the privilege of living in this place in this time. We give thanks for you showing us yourself in Jesus, and the presence of your Spirit within us- bringing us acceptance, forgiveness, peace, hope, inner strength and a sense of who we really are as your children. Even the faith that we have is your gift to us. You are great beyond how things suit us; and in troubles, grief and our disappointments, the reality of your ultimate goodness can be trusted. You can’t be repaid; but we can offer our worship- that’s not just singing songs and praying, but a worship that is to live our lives fully participating in your life. This is what we aspire to. With a tingling excitement of what that can be that gets us springing out of bed each morning. In Jesus’ name. Amen Blessing This one comes from a Michael Leunig prayer. God give us strength. Strength to hold on and strength to let go. And can I add . . . and the wisdom to know the difference when. Devotions for Sunday 26th July 2020
Welcome to the Devotions sheet for this Sunday. We continue exploring Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. May you find grace and strength and connection with God from your time reading and reflecting. Prayer Dear God, as I read (and maybe re-read) these devotions, I open my heart for what you want to give me. I trust you have what’s best for me in mind- knowing my circumstances and capabilities, and that I am part of the world-wide web of human beings and nature. I admit I don’t always see what’s really the best thing, so I’m going to risk it, sharing what’s on my heart and asking you to speak directly to mine. In Jesus’ name. Amen Meditation This is an exercise in which I trust God can communicate with each of us. You are invited to sit quietly and to slow your mind. Take a few moments to look at these pictures one at a time and see what feelings, thoughts, memories or hopes they invoke in you. Then share them with God and ask what God is wanting to say to you through them. Reading Matthew 7: 7-12 Ask, Seek, Knock 7 “Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock. 9 Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? 10 Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 “Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets. Reflection I’ve been trying to learn French, and what’s been hard is that I don’t know English grammar. In this reading in the Greek original where it says ‘Ask’, Seek’ and ‘Knock’ they are in the present continuous tense, so they mean ‘Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.’ Not just one request, one look, one knock, and expecting a result. Do you have any stories that confirm what Jesus said? Things you’ve lost and found? Opportunities that eventually came your way? Answers you got in the end? (I’m still looking for my memory stick that I lost last week, if anyone has seen it). On one hand this saying is an invitation- to ask God for all we need. But it’s also saying that we have to make some effort. If we don’t ask, we don’t receive. Is this a literal promise of God’s giving? God will give us whatever we ask for if we keep at it? Or is it a general principle of how life works? I think it is a general principle of Life. It doesn’t always work, but mostly we achieve what we’re after and if we go for it with persistence. But it is also God’s promise- as a loving Parent. Earlier Jesus said we don’t have to make long prayers. God knows what we need and is eager to give it. We taught our children ‘There’s no harm in asking. But you have to be prepared for a ‘no’ answer.’ The No answer can be because the thing we’ve asked for isn’t really for our best. All parents have had to say no to their children many times because the parents have seen the bigger picture of what’s good for their children. I’ve enjoyed watching The Heights on ABC TV. In this show there is a young woman, Sabine, who has cerebral palsy. She’d been told all her life that she can do anything she wants. For her this meant she had to deny her disability. The other week, it got too much and she came to a point of needing to say she needed help and have people make extra allowances for her. It was an interesting part of the show, seeing her develop- accepting her disability as part of who she is, and for her mother to see ‘You can do anything you want’ is not always a true promise. Jesus’ teaching ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you’ is active and creative. Many other faiths and philosophers have taught ‘Don’t do what you wouldn’t want done to you’, but what Jesus said encompasses that but added to it, putting it in a positive form. We probably all like Jesus’ principle of ‘Do unto others’ and try to live by it, but it is complicated. Asking for help is a thing we find difficult. We value our independence very highly. A question we’ve faced is about elderly parents who are struggling- is a nursing home the right thing for them? On the one hand it would provide safety and care that we couldn’t manage, but on the other they want to stay in their own home and take the risk of a fall. When values conflict with each other- how do we decide? Perhaps the answer to this is in ‘Ask and you will receive’. When we give time and open-mindedness and willingness to accept an answer to seeking the best course, God provides the wisdom we need. ‘Do unto others’- also known as the “Golden Rule”- is a principle we can do our best to live by, knowing it can be complicated and doesn’t guarantee that others will treat us the same way back. I’m also reminded that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus isn’t giving a new and harder set of rules to live by; but is describing what God is like, and how we’ll live if we’re caught up living in God’s Spirit. God asks, seeks and knocks- on our hearts, and the world. God isn’t all powerful in the sense that God has given us freedom of choice and respects that freedom. Which means God won’t make others change when we want them to; or make us change either. God will ask, seek and knock, but not force. So we do have to contend with suffering and struggle. But like with a show like The Heights- that’s what makes it interesting, and growing in Spirit and gaining wisdom is the goal of life. Prayers for others and ourselves God of giving and care and strength for each of us as individuals; and God of surprises and twists in the plot of history: you are always working through the vulnerability of love towards wholeness, justice and peace. As we face this time of pandemic, and here in Victoria we are finding that the number of cases is not going down- on the one hand we are thankful that it isn’t a lot worse, like it is in other places; but we are also concerned for ourselves, our communities and what the future will be. We have seen that our idol- The Economy is fragile. We recognise the people most important to us are often the people who are the lowest paid. We see people really struggling, we see great caring going on, we see unwise behaviour- and our whole human mix of altruism, courage, and goodness; and ignorance, selfishness and evil is obvious. We pray for the spiritual evolution (or is it revolution) that we need to turn this time into a leap forward towards your Kingdom coming and your will being done on earth as in heaven. We pray for those who have Covid19, and all medical workers involved. May we all take care with the seriousness it needs. We pray for all facing death and their carers; for people with difficult decisions about the care of loved ones, and those who are bereaved. We pray for people who have lost their jobs and businesses, those who are in trouble financially, and the long-term unemployed and homeless, and those wondering how they’re going to cope when JobKeeper and JobSeeker are cut. We pray for all who struggle mentally with being confined, and for those who face family violence. We pray for students and teachers learning and working remotely. We pray for all who have no such support throughout the world. We pray for ourselves and our loved ones- asking for what we need . . . asking for your wisdom in decisions we have to make, and courage to then act on the difficult ones . . . Help us find things we have lost- yes even little things . . . but also to find our true selves. Open doors of opportunity for us . . . openings inwards, and openings outwards . . . that we might be your people of an earthy, joyful holiness. Help us in our prayer life to pick up the promptings of your Spirit in what our bodies tell us, what we see in others’ faces, and in your quiet voice within us. And give us the courage to go with your call. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen Blessing Know that God is good, and whatever comes, Boldly request what you need. Overturn the furniture and empty the cupboards to find the sacred in all things. Bang on the door of good opportunities, until God’s smiling face is seen as it opens. In the name of Christ. Amen Uniting Church Hopkins Region Devotions for 7 June 2020
Friends, Here are some devotions you might like to spend some time reading, praying and reflecting on; especially if you can’t access the- -Hopkins Region YouTube service. In YouTube, search for Uniting Church Hopkins Region, or you can go directly to it from the Warrnambool Uniting Church website: warrnambooluntingchurch.org.au/services or at -Or free_key.com on Zoom at 9am Sunday. Meeting ID: 952 7479 6364 and Password: 157920 What we do in free_key will have a lot in common with this. Grace and peace be with you! As is our custom and what we want to do, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of our land, honour their care for the land, and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. We acknowledge we have what we have because of their dispossession. So we commit ourselves to reconciliation and justice as First and Second Peoples together. Opening Prayer Dear God, I give thanks for my connection to you, and to our Christian community. As I spent this time in devotions, draw me closer to your heart, to appreciate more the intimate place in which I’m held in your love. May that love send a tingle all through me, that I may glow with your love for those I already love and for your world. In the name of Jesus. Amen Reflective Prayer Spend a moment seeing what arises in your heart with these prompts. Don’t judge the thoughts, feelings or memories but boldly hold them before God as part of you. Dear God, There are things that I know are good in how I live . . . There are things that I know are not good . . . There are many things that are in a messy, unsure, middle . . . And things I’m caught up and stuck in . . . Free me from regrets that wrap around me . . . for things done . . . and for opportunities missed . . . Free me from hurts that still haunt me . . . Guide me in these questions I have . . . Make clear for me these situations where I’m in two minds (or three or four) . . . And give me some time to lose all these in gratitude for the huge range of blessings you give . . . For the gift of life, for your love, for your grace, for your strength, for your peace, for the inner voice of your Spirit, I praise you. Amen Introduction We’re continuing this series on Jesus’ Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount. In today’s reading we see again that Jesus toughens up the Jewish Law, which was about actions, to include attitudes. But he’s not just making it even more impossible to fully obey. He’s saying what happens within you if you get caught up in living in a Spirit of love. Whereas once I would pray submitting myself to obey God’s will, in my morning ‘waking-up’ prayer each day I now eagerly ask to fully participate in God’s True Life Flow which is love. It’s this change of attitude- wanting to be part of God’s action, rather than reluctantly obeying God’s rules. Reading: Matthew 5: 27-31 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell. 31 “It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’ 32 But now I tell you: if a man divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commits adultery also. Reflection The 7th of the 10 Commandments was that brief- ‘Do not commit adultery’. How does that allow for the complications of modern life? Yet Jesus says ‘Don’t even be lustful.’ And when the Jewish Law said ‘give a written notice (which may have been a bigger deal in a largely illiterate society) to divorce your wife’; Jesus says- well it’s interesting- it’s not just ‘Don’t get divorced.’ You might like to look up what Jesus says recorded in Matthew 19:9, Mark 10: 11-12 and Luke 16:18. There are some differences. I think Jesus is saying don’t be looking for loopholes. We make a mistake if we try to make what Jesus says into legalism. If we seek to live in the Spirit of Love, people are most likely to be faithful. But when that doesn’t work out we are held in grace, and we are given new starts. What Jesus says about looking lustfully, is not about attraction, even day-dreaming, but possessing- where the woman becomes an object- when its what you want, regardless of what she might want. That is denying the full humanity of someone. At the same time, when you are attracted, it’s not making that person an idol, again it’s recognising their full humanness. When Jesus speaks about cutting off your hand or plucking out your eye that’s not meant to be taken literally, but taken seriously: avoid the things that can lead to lust. It can mean don’t look at porn for example. Now, note what Jesus says is all directed to men. So women can do whatever they like! Yeah? Rather than it being primarily about gender, it’s directed to those who are powerful in a situation. With power goes responsibility to not oppress or exploit those with less power. In terms of what-not-to-do, this is what the Law is all about. But if you’re caught up in the Spirit of Love you’re not going to do that anyway. Reading the gospels as a whole, within the given patriarchy, Jesus was always tipping the balance towards equality. Reading: John 8: 1-11 8 Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?” 6 They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.” 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. 10 He straightened up and said to her, “Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she answered. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again.” I love how in the story Jesus wrote in the dirt. There have been many guesses at what he wrote, but I think it was just doodling to divert the angry attention away from the woman. In this reading, in John 4 with the Samaritan woman, and in Luke 7 with the ‘sinful’ woman who anointed him, Jesus always has grace for the woman, the less powerful person, who gets caught up in wrongdoing- whatever her (lesser) share of blame. But still he calls the person to a new, better way. Questions to ponder. Who holds power in our world, our communities, our church, our homes? What does Jesus say to people who make mistakes because they are longing for love? What does Jesus say to people who exploit others because they hold power? Where do you see real grace happening? Where do you see cheap grace happening (where a blind eye is turned)? Where do you see inappropriate (not Jesus’ style) judgment? Where do you see appropriate judgment happening? Prayers Create a clean heart within me Lord, where loving goodness is my desire; and a clean mind, where I see clearly through murky deals to what is right. I pray for our world that seems to be descending into more chaos. But I give thanks for all the calling out of racism, corruption, greed, sleaze, and plain rudeness. Bless all the protests, and help them to be both peaceful and effective. I pray for all the situations around the Covid 19 virus- those who have it, those in quarantine, those who work in care, those who have lost work and have no support, those whose poverty makes them very vulnerable, those who are bereaved, those in research. I pray for all leaders for goodwill and wisdom. I pray for those facing loss of crops and famine in Africa and across to India from a locust plague. I pray for all those sexually exploited, those who face sexual harassment, or are at risk of violence in their relationships. I pray for all people finding their way through the trickiness of sexuality. Help us see it as a blessing and a joy. I pray for all those deserted and all those lonely and longing for love. I pray for movement forward in Reconciliation, in abating climate change and our treatment of refugees. I pray for healing for those I know of who are unwell and for others in need . . . And for myself . . . Loving Creator, we honour you, and we honour all that you have made. Renew the whole world in the image of your love. Give us what we need for today, and a hunger to see the whole world fed. Strengthen us for what lies ahead; heal us from the hurts of the past; give us courage to follow your call in this moment. For your love is the only power, the only home, the only honour we need, in this world and in the world to come. Amen. The Lord’s Prayer paraphrased by Sarah Dylan Breuer Blessing Yes life is complicated, and we all carry baggage from our choices and those of others. So please, always know you are held in the loving grace of God, who understands us thoroughly and loves us as we are. May that love give you freedom from whatever holds you back from living life fully, and hold you back from using whatever power you have to harm others. May your life be so tuned to Love that you are a blessing all around you. In the name and Spirit of Christ. Amen Uniting Church Hopkins Region Devotions for 14 June 2020
Friends, Here are some devotions you might like to spend some time reading, praying and reflecting on; especially if you can’t access the- -Hopkins Region YouTube service. In YouTube, search for Uniting Church Hopkins Region, or you can go directly to it from the Warrnambool Uniting Church website: warrnambooluntingchurch.org.au/services or at https://youtu.be/K6TmLgIOp4I -Or free_key.com on Zoom at 9am Sunday. Meeting ID: 927 2549 3229 Password: 631065 What we do in free_key will have a lot in common with this. Grace and peace be with you! Acknowledgement As is our custom and what we want to do, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of our land, honour their care for the land, and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. We acknowledge we have what we have because of their dispossession. So we commit ourselves to reconciliation and justice as First and Second Peoples together. Prayer Dear God, another week has gone by in these unusual circumstances. There have been good and bad things about it. I’m ready for another time when I focus on you for strength and purpose; and to express the gratitude that is necessary for happiness and a good perspective. So here we go together- me sharing with you and listening for your Spirit’s inner voice within me to speak your love and grace and your next steps for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen Reflective Prayer Slowly do this prayer exercise Tell God something- anything- that comes to mind from: Last Sunday . . . Monday . . . Tuesday . . . Wednesday . . . Thursday . . . Friday . . . Saturday . . . Go back over those things and choose what is God saying to you from this list:
Following our pattern of working our way through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount today our Reading is: Matthew 5: 33-37 33 “You have also heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not break your promise, but do what you have vowed to the Lord to do.’ 34 But now I tell you: do not use any vow when you make a promise. Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 nor by earth, for it is the resting place for his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 Just say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’—anything else you say comes from the Evil One. If you were playing ‘Truth or Dare’ which would you choose? OK, who has disproved Jesus by putting colour in your hair? Who has ever tried to make a bargain with God along the lines of ‘If you get me out of this I will do . . . . ?’ Reflection Remember in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is not just giving tougher new rules. While presented as instructions, it’s about what you’d be doing if you were caught up in the Spirit of Love. This is what living in love looks like. Be a straight talker. The passage connects to the 10 Commandments- the 3rd is ‘You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.’ (Exodus 20:7) And also the 9th ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.’ (Exodus 20:16) And more specifically: Deuteronomy 23: 21 ‘If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not postpone fulfilling it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you would incur guilt.’ This is invoking God’s name to back up what you’re saying, trying to be more convincing because you’ve called on God. But it runs deeper than that: Using God for our selfish-purposes. A big example was Donald Trump holding up the bible in front of the church the other week, after having had the pastor cleared out of the way. I put a post on Facebook last week: Here’s a bible study idea. What if that black bible Donald Trump was holding up had flopped open at a verse God wanted him to read, what would it be? I got some predictable comments from friends who agree with me- then the former UCA Moderator and cousin of Lou Hollis and Jenny Grenfell, Sharon Hollis, popped my bubble with ‘Or maybe ask myself the same question because I can’t change Donald Trump but I can change my own response to injustice’. Fair enough. Jesus said ‘Don’t judge.’ As a minister there’s a BIG responsibility to not be using God for my purposes. There was an article by Robyn Whittaker from Pilgrim Theological College in The Conversation that said: While Christian outrage at Trump’s hypocrisy is genuine, we need to ask ourselves: did Trump do anything new? Has he done anything that powerful “Christian” leaders haven’t done for centuries? The answer is no. Co-opting Christianity in the service of power is almost as old as Christianity itself. In the early fourth century, Flavius Valerius Constantine would defeat his brother-in-law, Maxentius, in a battle for control of the Roman Empire. His victory would solidify him as emperor of a vast western empire. The legend goes that Constantine had a vision before the battle on Milvian Bridge: he saw a cross of light in the sky and heard a voice that said, “In this sign, conquer”. The next morning, Constantine ordered his soldiers to paint crosses on their shields. They marched into battle as the first cross-bearing “Christian” soldiers. When Constantine won, he would attribute his victory to the God of the Christians. The new emperor’s adoption of the cross transformed a persecuted, minority sect into a legitimate religion and, eventually, the official state religion. We have been left with a legacy in Western Christianity of powerful rulers claiming God for their cause. The Crusaders rode out to fight Muslims with chests and shields adorned with the sign of the cross, popes would wield more power than kings, and God’s name would be invoked in war after war. Eventually, Christianity became so synonymous with colonial power and whiteness that the two can be hard to distinguish. The Bible arrived on the shores of Australia in the hands of those who would colonise this land through violence and domination. The Bible was, at least superficially, synonymous with white culture and power. It would be (mis)used to justify colonisation in Australia. The co-option of Christian symbols by Western Christian empires has meant its core symbols have often been inverted in meaning. The great irony is that the cross worn as a symbol of power and victory by imperial soldiers was first the symbol of the unjust death of Jesus, a brown-skinned Jew killed by the Roman State. It was a shameful symbol in that culture, an image for a humiliating public death. Had Trump read the text he held, he would have found a story of liberation for slaves, a divine preference for the poor, a demand of justice for the marginalised, a cry of lament from those who grieve, and a damning critique of any empire that oppressed its people.’ Some people have taken this passage to mean you shouldn’t take an oath in court- and in good conscience have made such a stand. I believe as a Christian there is a limit to an oath of allegiance to your nation, for example. I think the last verse gives the clue to the meaning: ‘Let your Yes be Yes, or your No be No’- is a way of saying, ‘Be a person of such reliability in what you say that people will have confidence in what you say- that you’re telling the truth or that you’ll do what you say you’ll do.’ That doesn’t mean you have to be deadly serious and can’t joke around with language- with body language, a twinkle in your eye and all that goes into it. Or that circumstances can change so that you can’t keep a promise- and you might have to ask for or give forgiveness and grace. Truth-telling is seen to be an important part of First and Second People Reconciliation in Australia which we’ve been talking about a bit lately. There’s a good business principle to ‘Under-promise and Over-deliver.’ But what do you think? There’s another common saying ‘It’s better to be kind than right.’ While the principle is be truthful, when might it be the really loving thing to either- withhold the truth or tell a lie? What about these case studies: Husband is looking in the mirror and asks: ‘Does my bald spot look like it’s getting bigger?’ Partner after dinner asks: ‘How did you like my new recipe?’ Storm-trooper demands: ‘Where are your children?’ Police drug squad member asks ‘Have you noticed an unusual number of cars coming and going to that house next door?’ Prayers of the people Dear God, we continue to pray for the world with this Covid-19. We pray for all who have the disease, those at risk from their work or from poverty, those working in research and policy-making, those with difficult decisions to make, those who have been left without work, the bereaved, the lonely and those for whom this has set off mental health issues. Give goodwill and wisdom to all leaders. We pray for an end to racism and for better treatment of our Aboriginal people, including those for whom dispossession and disadvantage has led to crime and anti-social behaviour. We pray for refugees and asylum seekers. Give goodwill and wisdom to our leaders. We pray for a better response to climate change and a deeper love for the earth. We pray for the gospel to be heard and understood and received by more and more people. Lead us all into the remade world of your ‘Kingdom’ and help us hear your individual call to us. We pray for the needs of our loved ones . . . . and ourselves . . . Thanks for listening. We will look for your answers. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Blessing May you be blessed with love and tact and courage to tell the truth. May you be given the strength to say no to things that ask too much. May you be blessed with ability to do all that you need to do. And may you be so caught up in the Spirit of love that all this isn’t hard work, but your natural, joyful disposition. In the name of Christ. Amen |