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The Speechless Sing - Page 35

  • Hallfold 25 February 2007

    Luke 4:1-13

    Deuteronomy 26:1-11

    Romans 10:5-15

    I often have Quick fix temptations - usually when trying to fund a project,  or looking at the church accounts - I could do the lottery, win a couple of millions - use it for a whole host of good causes.

    We live in a quick fix world - want it have it - instant credit (or don’t pay for 9 months and then credit!) in debt - just re-arrange the loans - you have a bad image - quick makeover everything is right - TV on demand -  we wait for nothing - there’s no time.

    Jesus is offered a quick fix kingdom 

    - hungry? - turn this stone into bread - you can do it, so why not?

    - kingdom? - here have all the power and authority you want - payment? well a little worship - but your worth it!

    - doubts? - quick experiment -if it is true - everyone will know the truth and if not - well, it’s a quick death - no long lingering crucifiction.

    But, God’s salvation plan is mapped out through the whole of human history - from the first relationship in the garden of Eden, to the Exodus from Egypt - a story that the people are to tell and re-tell - thanks for the past and hope for the future - the people are to trust, be faithful that the God way - the way of the cross, the way of rejection and suffering,  the way of real relationship not quick fix protection - is the way of truth, the way to real salvation.

    “Taking the long way round” - Dixie Chicks - rejected and hated by the people who had proclaimed love for them - they have taken time to make sense of that, discover a new world and new audience - and it has brought success


     Mandela I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.

    Romero

    It helps, now and then, to step back 
    and take the long view. 
    The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, 
    it is beyond our vision...

    ...We are prophets of a future not our own. 
    Amen. 

  • St Andrew's 4 February 2007

    "Heading for deep water"

    Luke 5:1-11

    A discipleship story in which there is no call - movement from the safety of the shore to the uncertainty of deep water. There is no command to fish for people - but a promise that they will be caught.

    The crowd are on the shore - they want to hear Jesus from safety, from a place where they can choose to come and go - no commitment, little input. Jesus teaches, heals, doesn’t seem overly concerned that for most of the crowd it is just entertainment.

    He gathers a few around him and they push off shore - the crowd can be addressed better and those few become more committed - they need to get their feet wet in order to leave - but Jesus is one step removed from the crowd - no longer an entertainment.

    The small group move into deep water - they are now committed to one another, a long way from the shore and the crowd. Here, Jesus reveals his full power - Simon’s epiphany - takes him from skepticism to wonder to the realisation of his own sinfulness to a new sense of purpose - and a promise he will catch people - not a command a promise. And there will be too much work to do, so others will come to help and there will still be too much work to do - we are in deep water, without lifeboats, but do not be afraid.

    Opportunity to catch people in deep water. We are exploring the possibility of providing a Chaplaincy to the town centre - the town centre management and the council are very keen that we do so, we are unsure where the resources will come from - we need people to be part of a management team, perhaps they will bring business and administrative skills and we need someone with the time and ability (without at this stage being paid) to be the main Chaplain, mainly available for those working in the retail sector, negotiating access with individual store managers and others to support. Pray for this project, pray that the people we need will emerge, and if you can hear Jesus telling you to cast out your nets then do not be afraid, step forward and offer yourself.

  • St. Andrew's 21 January 2007

    "Christ's Body - suffering, rejoicing"
    “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it”  Paul has been dealing with issues within church of status, wealth, gifts, - we all have gifts, we all have equal status - Christ’s body ... in which the greatest gift is love.

    That is the theory, but in practice? Lifestyle and prejudices  make that a challenge - John Newton - slave trader - acceptable business practice for a merchant seamen - worldview - people of colour were a lesser species - to challenge slavery was to challenge lifestyle and prejudice and the accepted reading of various biblical texts - Set All Free  looks at slavery 200 yrs ago and today.

    Prejudice - Big brother - racism or ignorant bullying? Genuine issue or publicity stunt? - example of prejudice, pulling body apart - when it happens within Christ’s body the whole body suffers. Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - all is not right in Christ’s body, there are prejudices that tear us apart, there are different versions of the the truth and some believe that their version must be given more honour than someone else’s - “if one part suffers every part suffers with it, if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it” and so even as we pray and work for unity within Christ’s body, there is still more suffering than rejoicing.

    Those who anticipated the Messiah anticipated one thing - Jesus brought something different - a challenge to lifestyle and prejudice - 
    ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
        because he has anointed me
          to bring good news to the poor.
     He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
        and recovery of sight to the blind,
          to let the oppressed go free,
    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
    - good news to those trapped by lifestyle and prejudice - release from all that binds - our own attitudes and those who would judge us and condemn us and constrain us - the recovery of sight for the blind - those who can not see the wonder of God’s grace for they are blinded by prejudice and the preservation of lifestyle, - to let the oppressed go free - those who impose unfair systems and those who suffer - John Newton, deep connection between his belief that he had been freed from spiritual slavery and his eventual determination to free others from physical slavery.

    We are Christ’s body - do we honour each member and rejoice? - or do we give some more honour than others and suffer? do we set people free to use the gifts that God has given them and rejoice? or do we constrain and restrict and allow the whole of Christ’s body to suffer? We proclaim good news - and the good news is that we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body - whether jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given one Spirit to drink. Let us honour each other and rejoice