Christmas 1A | Matthew 2:13-23; Psalm 148

The Bible is full of terrible stories – one of those is the story of the murder of children by King Herod – at Bethlehem.

*  * *

Herod had, with the help of the Roman empire, taken the title of King for himself, and wasn’t about to let anything (even God’s plans) get in the way of his own.

*  * *

In about 37 BC the Romans gave Herod the title King of the Jews.  At that time Herod was by no means the King of the Jews, Judaea was ruled by the Parthians, but the Romans wanted it for themselves.  They recognised Herod’s military charisma and skill and used him to conquer Jerusalem for themselves.
Having received the title from the Romans, Herod, armed with ambition, political will, his military skills and Rome’s backing made the title effective after three years of intense fighting.  He was a self made King, governing Judea on Rome’s behalf for 33 years as a ‘loyal friend and ally’ of Rome.
Although he had a good relationship with Rome, he was never really accepted by the people of Judea as their King – for all 33 years of his rule he would have to use all his military might and some of his political wisdom to keep the peace in Judaea.  
So he ruled with an iron fist, squashing quickly any signs of rebellion.

*  * *

Herod also cleverly used religion in an attempt to gain favour with the people, and with Caesar, he was Jewish among Jews – but when he travelled to foreign lands he took their religions as his own… What he did – it seems he did for the sake of appearance.
He even went so far as to build the magnificent temple at Jerusalem, the remains of which still stand in Jerusalem today.
In spite of his political efforts to befriend some of the Jewish people – he remained very unpopular…

*  * *

Herod had many enemies, and he suspected many more people of being his enemy – probably with good reason.  He even had two of his sons killed whom he suspected of plotting against him.
Considering all this – it comes as no surprise that he ordered the murder of children in Bethlehem, the place from which Micah prophesied the Messiah would be born.

*  * *

The mention of the infamous King Herod, the murder of the children of Bethlehem, and Jesus’ narrow escape set the scene for the gospel which Matthew writes.
Matthew is showing that something new is happening in the world – as John the evangelist says: “A light shines in the darkness…”
Something new is happening – and not even the murderous, powerful and infamous Herod the Great is going to stop it.

*  * *

Today we baptised three children…  In baptising them we acknowledged that something new is happening in the world… We (the church and their parents) promised to help raise them to be followers of Christ.  

*  * *

I am not sure whether they have been born into a world that is any crazier or less crazy than the world into which Jesus was born…
There are still people like Herod around, clinging to power at the expense of others – even killing them to get their way.  
Sometimes directly – in the case of violent dictators and warlords, sometimes indirectly – as people continue to ignore the plight of the environment in order to make bigger profits; as we ignore the widening gap between rich and poor – one which future generations will be left with the burden of mending.
On the other hand, in spite of all the evil that is around there are still people like Mary and Joseph.  People who would go to any length to protect their children – to bring them up in such a way that they become ‘light’ for the world rather than darkness.  
In obedience to angels who guide them Mary and Joseph travel into exile to protect their child; even though they are poor and it is incredibly difficult they move from place to place in order to protect the precious gift of Jesus Christ who is the hope of the world.

*  * *

As I read this text I ask who are we going to be in this story?  I know most of us would choose to be the angels that appear to Joseph, commenting from the sidelines telling him what to do and where to go.
Perhaps some of us would like to be Jesus, at this stage of his life – nurtured and held… but I don’t think these parts are open to us.
Perhaps we need to think critically about the role that each of us will play…
Will we be like Herod in this nativity scene – or will we be more like Mary and Joseph?

*  * *

It may seem a bit harsh to compare ourselves to a villain like Herod; surely none of us are that evil?
But quite simply, Herod is busy with his life, doing what he knows how to do and he is extremely good at it (in his own terms – very few Kings managed to rule a nation like Judea and all the territories his Kingdom encompassed for as long as 30 years).  
Herod is successful because of his stubborn resolve to do what he wants to do – so when he hears rumours that God is doing something new, that God has other plans for his Kingdom – he immediately sets out to squash them…  
Herod has his own idea about what he should be doing – and holds no room for God and what God might be doing.
His response is a lot more violent and less subtle than ours would be, but what he does is simply set out to destroy what God was trying to do.

*  * *

If we put Herod’s actions in this light we realise that we are a lot more like him that we would like to think.  
When has God been doing something in our lives and we have simply said “No – I will have nothing to do with it…” and shut those doors.
When have we sensed God calling us to do something, to say something, to be something; and we have simply rejected the notion – unwilling to make the sacrifices that obedience requires.
Perhaps the Herod in us – is that part of us that simply doesn’t want to hear what God is doing and do what God calls us to do.  It’s that part of us that prefers to maintain the status quo without risking our own comfort.
Maybe we’re more like Herod than we thought.

*  * *

On the other hand Mary and Joseph are willing to have their lives turned completely upside down with the arrival of Jesus… not only do they have a new baby to care for (which is difficult enough), but this baby has powerful enemies and they have to go on long and inconvenient journeys – living in a foreign land as refugees – in order to protect him…
For Herod who is rich and powerful it is easy to avoid inconvenience – he simply destroys (or tries to destroy) those things or people that threaten to inconvenience him and his plans.
For Mary and Joseph – it is the opposite – they humble themselves and do what god has called them to do.  Their obedience to God is the action that allows Jesus to grow up to be who he will be; the one whom God has created him to be.
Instead of using their power and stubbornly refusing to hear God’s call, Mary and Joseph are simply obedient… nurturing what God is doing, instead of setting out to destroy it.

*  * *

I wonder how often we as church have not been the nurturing community that we are called to be – but instead we have acted more like Herod and destroyed the dreams and calls which God has placed in our and other people’s hearts?
I wonder if we can learn to be a bit more humble and flexible like Mary and Joseph, going where we’re called to go – nurturing the precious gift which God has given us this Christmas?

*  * *

Parents who’s children were baptised this morning – will you be nurturing people to your children, growing them up, allowing them to be the people that God has created them to be?
As a church who has received these children – will we do all in our power to nurture them to be the people that God created them to be – to help their parents do what they have promised to do?

*  * *

When we learn to act a little more like Mary and Joseph – nurturing what God is doing, and a little less like Herod – so obsessed with power and the status quo that we destroy what God is doing – then I believe we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place.

Amen

Christmas 2007 | Proper III | Psalm 98; John 1:1-14; Hebrews 1:1-4

What is your picture of God?

*  * *

I’ve told the story before, but it fits well; a little boy was being unusually quiet and his mother asked him – “what are you doing?”
 “I am drawing a picture of God.”
“Don’t be silly, no one knows what God looks like.”
 “They will in a minute...” the little boy replied.

*  * *

Tom Wright, a famous New Testament Scholar, now the bishop of Durham in england worked as a chaplain and professor at a British university.
When new students joined the college of which he was a part he would have a short introductory meeting with them to explain what his role was as chaplain. Many of the students would say to him – “well you won’t see much of me.”
When he asked why they would say: “Well I don’t believe in God.”
His response was always: “Well, tell me: exactly what God don’t you believe in?”
The students would inevitably respond by telling him they didn’t believe in a God who kept a list, judging them all the time.  They didn’t believe in a God who favoured some people and hated others; who often seemed so unjust.
Tom Wright would surprise them by telling them that he didn’t believe in that God either…
He believed in a God who looked and behaved more like Jesus Christ, than the God which they had described.

*  * *

As we read the papers and magazines, listen to preachers, watch TV and read books - or do whatever we do to get information…  It becomes quite clear that different people have different pictures or impressions of what God is like.
†    For some it seems that God is a God of war; sanctioning violence in his name.

†    For some God seems particularly judgmental – always angry at someone.

†    For some he is welcoming, loving all sorts of people of whom others don’t approve…

These differences of perspective make it look like we’re dealing with completely different religions, yet they are all perceptions that we could get of God from Christians… they might even be pictures that you and I have held to be true in the past.
If so many people seem to have so many different pictures of God - how can we – who would like to know what God is like – find out more about him?

*  * *

At Christmas we celebrate this amazing thing… We can know God; as the first letter of John declares (and I paraphrase) we have heard him, we have seen him with our eyes, we have looked at him and touched him with our hands…
As the writer to the Hebrews proclaims:  
“Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he created the worlds.  He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of god’s very being…”

- Hebrews 1:1-3a (NRSV)

At Christmas we celebrate this profound, amazing and strangely simple story… We can know what God is like – God is just like Jesus.

*  * *

In 1:14 of John’s gospel John sums up the introduction to his gospel by telling us – very basically:
Jesus is God in the flesh.
Jesus shows us what God is like.

*  * *

John writes in 1:14:
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

- John 1:14 (NRSV)

First John tells us that God became flesh:
The ‘Word’ which John talks about is not “The Bible” as some are misled to believe… John tells us quite clearly in verse 1 of John chapter 1 that “the Word was God.”
For Greeks this word, logos was a philosophical term which spoke about the principles and laws on which all of creation hangs – this logos is at the centre of the universe. John is telling us that Jesus is the one who holds all of creation together.
Second John tells us that Jesus shows us what God is like: “and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”
John uses two concepts – the concept of glory, or glorification.  And the concept of Jesus, as God’s only son.
The word glory, doxa in Greek refers to shedding light on something… It is different to the way we have come to use it in our language.  
When we glorify something in our language we often make them out to be better or more than they really are.  We’ll glorify a beetle, by making exaggerated claims… “It’s really a well disguised Porsche.”
When John speaks of the glory of Jesus – he is talking about seeing him clearly – and about how clearly and perfectly Jesus reflects his Father.
The second image he uses is that of ‘an only son.’
For people of Jesus’ day an only son was understood to be a perfect reflection of his father, a carbon copy.
John’s words again emphasise the truth that Jesus is what God is like.
And in five words John describes what Jesus makes known to us about God:  He is “…full of grace and truth.”
Truth is quite easy to translate from the Greek, but the word translated as grace, is our root word for ‘charity’ charitas… the essence of our God, made known to us in Jesus Christ, is truth; and charity – a word for generous love made real.

*  * *

So this is a Christmas gift which each of us, no matter how ‘naughty or nice’ receive.  A perfectly painted picture of God – given to us in the humble and perfect person of Jesus Christ.
I wonder if there is a person in the world who on receiving a Christmas present – opens it carefully, looks at it for a moment and wraps it up again till next year…  The children would tell us that that person is a fool.
They would tell us that the gifts that we receive are meant to be enjoyed, explored – sometimes cuddled up to at night when we are sleeping.  If they are chocolates and biltong, then they’re meant to be eaten…
Maybe this God revealed in the birth of Christ is a God you too can truly believe in, someone in whom you can put your faith and trust.  Someone you desperately need in a world that is not always filled with grace and truth.
John tells us that by believing in Jesus we receive the ability to become children of God; Later on, John tells us in 20:31 that by believing that Jesus is the Messiah – we might have life in his name.
So I invite you – to take this life giving Christmas gift quite seriously. Imagine it wrapped up under your tree this morning… open it, allow it to excite you; and like a child excited about their presents be prepared to tell all those around you about this wonderful gift you have received.

*  * *

…the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Amen

The Church | Psalm 133; Matthew 5:13-15; Ephesians 2:19-22 | 18 November 2007

Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘if all the people who fell asleep in church on a Sunday morning were laid out end to end… they would be a great deal more comfortable.’  

*  * *

Many people think of church as a terribly boring place to spend an otherwise perfectly good Sunday morning… For some of us attending church is a ritual that we couldn’t get out of.

*  * *

The picture of the church that we have in our minds is often nothing like the picture which the New Testament drew for the church.  It was an exciting place to be – a place of action, a place where people could see God’s Kingdom coming into being.
In anticipation of our church’s AGM this morning I thought I would look at a few of the New Testament’s pictures of the church.

*  * *

A Gathering of People
Probably the most prominent picture in the New Testament is the picture of the church as a gathering of people.
The word that we translate as church in the New Testament is the Greek word eklesia – this word means to gather together, it means assembly.
Church is not a building – or a specific location, neither is it a specific denomination – church is a gathering together of people in Jesus’ name…

*  * *

In the New Testament these gatherings take on a variety of forms Paul speaks of local churches – for example the ‘Galatian’ churches (1 Cor 16:1), churches isolated in a specific area – he also speaks of larger groups of church’s – for example ‘the church’s of the province of Asia (1 Cor 16:19) and in Romans 16:16 he speaks of an even wider body – ‘all the churches of Christ.’

*  * *

These various sizes of groups of people who would gather together made it possible for people to connect on a personal level.  To talk, to share their struggles and their dreams – to pray and bring them to God.
The rapid growth of the early church tells us that they didn’t just look in – they also looked out… meeting together to discover how they could most effectively be the body of Christ in the world; they became known for their love of people – and their willingess to serve each other – and feed and care for the poor.

*  * *

Too often we let church become one sided – we let the minister do all the talking, the visiting and the praying – in the beginning I imagine church meetings would have been a buzzing event - everybody taking part in the ministry of bringing God’s Kingdom.
In many ways the church we see today is a little boring in comparison to the church which we see beginning in the New Testament… this gathering of people conspiring to make God’s Kingdom real.
The Family of God
Another picture of the Church which we see in the New Testament is the picture of church as God’s family on earth.  When someone accepts Christ they are adopted into God’s family.
It’s wonderful – but the saying – you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family applies.  
Church as the family of God means that we are lumped together with a funny looking, funny smelling bunch of people… people who think differently, who do things differently who speak differently to us.  But that’s how it is in a family – we are all children.  It doesn’t mean we all agree all the time, or that we do the same things in the same way – our membership of this family is not dependant on each other’s opinions – rather it is dependent on God’s love for us.
When we pray as Jesus taught us to pray saying, “Our Father” we acknowledge that our brothers and sisters are the people who say this prayer with us.
This family picture of the church reminds us to accept one another, it also reminds us how we need to support one another – in prayer, in loving one another, sometimes through the most difficult and distressing times.  
It means we need to love one another and teach one other about God; all of us are the spiritual parents of children in Sunday School and need to take responsibility for their proper education and nurture in the faith.
We also know that when members of our family are suffering for whatever reason – we need to draw close to them.  Supporting each other through times when our faith is weak and when we make mistakes – as god’s family we don’t have the luxury of disowning brothers and sisters who we struggle to love.
The Body of Christ
In Acts 9:4, in Paul encounters the risen Christ – Jesus says to him – “Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me?”
Paul is persecuting the church – he is killing Christians, yet Jesus asks – why are you persecuting me?
As Christians we truly are the body of Christ in the world – Christ suffers when we suffer.  Christ’s action in the world is also often dependant on us - an old hymn goes:
He has no hands but our hands
To do his work today,
He has no feet but our feet,
To lead men in His way;
He has no voice but our voice
To tell men how he died;
He has no help but our help;
To lead them to his side.

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul speaks of the church as a body…  a body with a diversity of parts – but all of them vitally important to the whole.
John Wimber – the founder of the Vineyard Church movement tells a story about how someone took him aside after church.  The member complained how he came across a person who had fallen on hard times and needed a place to stay and food to eat – he phoned the church office but no one could help so he eventually had to put him up himself.
He said to John – “I really think the church ought to do something about this!”
And John said to himself – “I think the church already has.”
As church – we are Christ’s living body in the world… there is no church that should do this or should do that – but ourselves.
Maybe you have a part to play in teaching Sunday School, in greeting at the door, in helping to fold notices – perhaps its something more intense – like setting up a job creation project.  
All of us have work to do as members of the congregation – and as members of the congregation we have a job to do in supporting one another, some are gifted to do big and amazing tasks, that seem really important, but without others doing the behind the scenes work – the big jobs will fail.
What part are you called to play in the body of Christ?  What are you playing now, how can you become more involved?  How can the body of Christ get more involved in what you’re doing?
The Temple
In contrast to the vision we so often have in our heads when we speak of church, the only ‘church building’ the New Testament refers to is a building made up of people.  In Ephesians 2:21 Paul speaks about the members of the church being built into the temple of God.
In the Old Testament the temple was the holiest place in the world – located in Jerusalem.  Some of the most ancient maps we have represent Jerusalem as the centre of the world – the place where God is.
In the temple there were people especially appointed to make sacrifices and to speak to God on behalf of the people.
In the New Testament the temple is destroyed – and suddenly the writers speak of you and me, the church as the temple of God.  We as people have the responsibility of being that holy place where people and God meet; there’s a saying that goes – ‘you might be the only Bible your neighbour ever reads.’
As church we need to consider our responsibility as people who can make God present in so many people’s lives – in so many places – just by putting ourselves there.
The Bride of Christ
The fifth and final picture I would like to share is the picture of the church as the bride of Christ…
We are a gathering of people, the family of God, the body of Christ in the world and we are the temple.  But as the bride of Christ we anticipate a future event, a day when we will be united with our groom.
As a faithful bride of Christ we constantly work to make ourselves ready for our future hope – we behave faithfully doing what we are called to do in the world in anticipation of a future when we will be together with Christ.
In John 14 Jesus says to the disciples that he is going to prepare a place for them… it was tradition when a man and woman were engaged in Jesus culture for the groom to be to propose.  To signify acceptance of this proposal the bride would drink from a cup of wine which the groom offered her…
If the bride accepted the groom would go back to his father’s dwelling and build a new room in which he and the bride would live.  The groom’s father would expect it making sure it was adequate for his bride to be – and when it was ready – the groom would go back and fetch his bride.
As a church – we expect to be united with Christ in the future – we expect the world to one day be the way God intended it to be.
Conclusion
Well maybe if we laid out all the people who slept in church on a Sunday morning head to toe they would be a lot more comfortable, but we as a church need to think how we can make this church an exciting place – a gathering of people, the family of god, the body of Christ in the world, the temple and the bride of Christ working to bring the Kingdom of God in the world.

Two Parables on Prayer - Luke 18:1-14

A young boy was praying very loudly in his room:  “Dear God, he prayed, please send me a box of chocolates for Christmas.”

His mother reprimanded him for praying so loudly - “God’s not deaf you know!” she told him.

“Yes, but Grandpa is and he’s in the next room,” was his reply.

*  *  *

In two parables from Luke’s gospel Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer…  Luke makes it easy for us to understand the purpose of these parables by offering a brief note of interpretation before each one:

The first parable, the one about the Widow and the Unjust Judge is about the disciples need to “pray always and not to lose heart.” (18:1) 

The second parable, the one about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is addressed to people who:  “Trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt.” (18:9)

*  *  *

In our tendency to read passages of scripture in isolation - without much regard for how passages fit into the wider and ongoing story recorded in the gospels we would not understand these passages properly if we didn’t understand where or why they occurred.

In Luke 17:20, just before Jesus tells these parables - the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming…

Jesus response is quite clear:  “The Kingdom of God is among you.”

*  *  *

We are not people who wait passively for one day when Jesus will fall out of heaven and take over the earth and everything will be OK…  As if we have nothing to do with it.  Nor are we people who are called to endure this earth until one day we die and we go some place else…

We are people living within the reality of God’s Kingdom reign right now; it began when Jesus defeated Satan - displacing him from his throne by dying and rising again from the dead.  It began at the beginning of time because God has always been Jesus-like - Jesus death and resurrection always reflected an inevitable truth, that God ultimately reigns.

*  *  *

The Anglican Theologian, John Stott commented that the Kingdom of God is quite simply - “wherever God is King.”

Jesus told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God was “among” (the word among could also be translated as within) them, just as it is “among” or “within” us today…

It is right here right now when; as individuals or as a community, we choose to make God King.  

It is absent right now, when we as individuals or as a community choose not to make God King.

It is always present - but we are people who choose minute by minute, day by day, month by month, whether or not God is going to be King in our lives, our family, our wallet, our business, our minds, our friendships… or not.

When we choose yes - the Kingdom is here.  When we choose no - it is simply near by…  we could enter it in a moment, we can leave it in another.

*  *  *

Having spoken to the disciples about the immediate reality of the Kingdom of God… the need to respond immediately and in obedience to God’s call he tells them two parables.

The first:  So that they would pray always and not lose heart… 

The second, reminding them not to be confident in their own self righteousness - or ‘regard others with contempt’ (something so easy to do.)

*  *  *

The first parable tells the story of a widow and an unjust judge. 

That the widow herself has to address the judge tells us that she was probably very poor… she had no male relatives to represent her in court.  Legally she couldn’t testify because of her status.

Being a widow she wasn’t a legal entity - without legal rights other people could take advantage of her very easily - someone wealthy could claim her land and her property and she wouldn’t be able to prove that it was hers.

A vulnerable, powerless woman before a judge who has no fear of God nor respect for people has no chance.  She has nothing with which to buy his favour!

But because of her persistence in bothering him he eventually grants her the justice that she asks for.

*  *  *

Our immediate response to talk about the Kingdom of God, to talk about being obedient to God and doing what God calls us to do.

Our immediate response to the cry to end poverty, to the hope of wiping out AIDS and HIV and stopping crime in our country is a simple:  It can’t be done.

*  *  *

Jesus end to the story about the unjust judge and the woman is that if the unjust judge can offer what is good and just to the woman… how much more can God answer our prayers when we keep on praying them.

If even the worst sinners know how to do the right thing… how much more will a righteous and good God know how to do the right thing.

*  *  *

Luke tells us that this parable is about the need to pray always, and not to lose heart.

The Greek verb behind what English translations translate as “to lose heart” or “to not give up,” literally means not giving in to evil.

The kind of prayer that Jesus speaks about is not just passive wake up at 5am and pray for an hour in the quiet of your room every day (which is good), but it is active prayer, prayer that involves the use of your hands and feet… in doing what God calls us to do.

For Jesus’ prayer always led to action… he would pray, then do God’s will, even if it meant going to the cross peacefully and without a fight.

*  *  *

The second parable, Luke tells us is about people who are confident in their own righteousness and look down on everybody else.

*  *  *

In the case of the widow and the unjust judge, someone unlike the widow - someone who had a lot of wealth would have rejoiced at coming across a corrupt public official…

He would be able to buy the judgment he preferred.  He would have been confident in his own wealth.

Just like money or favours can buy favour with a corrupt judge, people believed, and often still believe and behave like righteousness can buy favour with God.

*  *  *

The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness prays; trying to manipulate God.  Pharisees believed that if they kept all of the laws, adhered to all the superficial rules of righteousness then God would do what they wanted God to do… (that would be to liberate Israel from Roman oppression.)

But a righteous and perfect King can not and will not respond to manipulative bribery. 

The prophet Micah in Micah 6 realises that thousands of rams, rivers of oil - even offering his firstborn can not buy righteousness with God… the Psalmist in Ps 51:17 reminds us that the only sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken and contrite heart, an attitude of humility and repentance….

The tax collector cries out - have mercy on me and is justified.  The Pharisee boasts of his righteousness, proudly condemning others and receives not reward.

*  *  *

When we come to God in prayer - remember the teaching of Jesus… God is just - he will hear our prayers and answer them, he will grant justice when we ask for it… when we work with God, God will work with us.

When we pray we do not rely on the fact that we are particularly holy - that we have paid our tithes, or observed God’s law… relying on these things is forbidden according to Jesus - detestable even.

We rely simply on the mercy of a loving and righteous King - who will answer our prayers when we humble ourselves enough to work with him.

*  *  *

When all of our lives, and our prayers embrace the reality of this present and real Kingdom of God we will begin to see it in this place.

Proper 25C - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Jeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22 and Psalm 84:1-7
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14

 

A woman was brought before the judge at night in a New York City Court Room.  There were a number of people in the room waiting for their cases to be heard.

The charge against the woman was the theft of a loaf of bread from a local supermarket.

The Judge heard the case; the woman pleaded guilty, confessing to having stolen the bread in order to feed her children because she had no money.

In his ruling the Judge ordered the woman to pay a fine of $50.

He also fined all 25 of the people in the courtroom $2 each for living in a city where a mother with no money had to steal bread in order to feed her children.  The $50 he collected was used to pay the woman’s fine.

*  *  *

The section of Luke’s gospel that we are dealing with at the moment begins with Luke 17:20… Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming.

His answer was:  “The Kingdom of God is among you.”

*  *  *

After this Jesus speaks about the need to respond immediately to God’s call - the Kingdom of God, God demands immediate obedience from his subjects. 

*  *  *

There follows a passage on prayer about the widow and the unjust judge…  The sort of prayer that brings the Kingdom of God is prayer that leads to action and to justice.

*  *  *

In the passage we read today, Luke 18:9-14, we learn about the need to allow God to change us when we pray.

From Luke 17:20 we’ve spoken so far about the Kingdom Reign of God - a world characterized by people’s love of and obedience to God is not far off; in fact it is potentially right here.

This Kingdom is characterised by its justice… it’s not just pie in the sky when you die, but a community of people (us) living God’s way on earth right now.

We know from the witness of Jesus message that living God’s way is not about keeping a rigid set of laws, but rather about Loving God and loving neighbour - when we do these two things we automatically fulfil the law because love will not let us wrong our neighbour…

-  -  -

But in order for us to see this Kingdom reality we need to be transformed within ourselves, we need to become subjects of this Kingdom.  John Stott said that the Kingdom of God is wherever God is King.

When we as people being to make God King in every aspect of our lives… then we will truly begin to see God’s Kingdom.

*  *  *

The passage for today is the familiar parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, a story that emphasises the fact that true Christian prayer is prayer that confesses our need to be transformed…

Luke tells the story:  A Pharisee and a tax collector go to the temple to pray.

The Pharisee (on the right in this icon), standing by himself prays:  “I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. I fast two days a week, and I give you a tenth of all my income.”

On the other hand the tax collector, standing far off - won’t even look up to heaven, he beats his breast saying seven simple words:  “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

Jesus tells us that the tax collector went home justified - because those who make themselves great will be humbled and all who humble themselves will be made great.

*  *  *

Pharisees were considered to be the most pious people in Palestinian Jewish society.

They, like many other people longed for the coming of the Kingdom of God… some groups of people believed that the Kingdom should be won by battle - the Roman oppressors thrown out of the land by violence, these were the zealots. 

Other groups excluded themselves from the community and joined monasteries where they could experience a sort of isolated holy life, they were known as the Essenes.  

The Pharisees believed that God’s Kingdom reign would begin if everybody became suitably holy and fulfilled all the letters of the law…  They trusted that their own goodness and righteousness would force God to act against the injustice that the people of Israel experienced.

They therefore kept the laws of scripture meticulously, tithing even their herbs and spices in an effort to manipulate God’s hand; and they were sure to remind God of what they had done, just in case he didn’t see them.

-  -  -

We don’t like to admit it, but they’re a bit like us when we pray…

Lord I went to church every week last month, I read my Bible every day - why didn’t you answer my prayers?  Why did this awful thing happen to me?

Or alternatively - following the same pattern of thought but in reverse (trusting in our own goodness and righteousness) we tell ourselves that God won’t answer our prayers or do what we need him to do because we missed church, don’t pray often enough, give enough money or we think we broke some law of scripture…  We are fooled into believing that God will only hear us if we earn his favour in some or other special way.

And so - because of the same way of thinking we do not bother to pray at all.

-  -  -

This way of thinking comes from a distorted picture of what God is like, a picture which Jesus corrects for us in his actions which show us what God is really like.

God cares for the good and the bad, showing mercy to all people, loving and forgiving them, welcoming us home whenever we turn to him…

-  -  -

In the gospels Jesus quite often corrects the Pharisee’s way of thinking about the Kingdom of God, he constantly reminds them that it is a present reality, not a future dream.  It is not to be forced onto people - but rather a reality that is realised in your own life as you commit yourself to being obedient to God.

*  *  *

In contrast to the pious Pharisee, who trusts in his own righteousness and despises others… Jesus holds the tax collector up to his audience as a good example…

The Pharisee’s way of praying, by the way, was not considered unusual - it was actually expected of Pharisees - they were highly respected within the community for their holiness and observance of the law… and it was considered proper and good for him to give thanks to God for the fact that he was so holy.

Pharisees (who probably made up the bulk of Jesus audience) doubly despised tax collectors... 

They were considered unclean - because of all the work they did with money and people.  They were considered unpatriotic because they worked for the Roman government.

Pharisees hoped for Israel’s independence from Roman oppression; Tax collectors worked for the oppressive government themselves.

-  -  -

In contrast to the Pharisee’s self confidence and opinions of others, the Tax Collector is humble… He stands at a distance, with his head down, beats his breast and cries out “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

The tax collector stands in the temple asking God to be merciful to him, to forgive him for his sins…  The tax collector approaches God as if God were a King.

Jesus tells us that because of this kind of prayer he is made right with God, the Pharisee on the other hand, in spite of all his holiness - all of his faithfulness in keeping the law; fasting, tithing, everything  - he is not made right with God.

*  *  *

The Kingdom of God is wherever God is King, as John Stott said…  The tax collector humbly approaches God as King, the Pharisee approaches God thinking that he can manipulate him somehow with all his law keeping - confident in his own self righteousness and not in a merciful King.

-  -  -

The Kingdom of God comes with prayer that changes not just the world around us, but more importantly changes ourselves… Prayer that starts with seven words, in the case of the tax collector:  “God, be merciful to me, a sinner…”

From this point of humility we can be changed into the Kingdom bringing people that God has called us to be.

*  *  *

I began this sermon with the story of a judge who fined everybody in the courtroom for living in a city where a mother had to steal bread to feed her children.

As we look around at the world in which we live we are inclined to blame all the evil that we see on everybody else… On government, on the police, on drug dealers, on lazy people, on the church sometimes - on sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes… but we seldom take responsibility ourselves for the way the world is - for the state our community is in.

Reading the Paarl Post this week, the story of a baby abandoned in a plastic packet… How are we as a community responsible for things like that?  What are we going to do about it?

Are we going to pray that other people change? Or are we going to be the ones who change?

*  *  *

When, in our prayers we earnestly begin to ask God for mercy… ask God to change us.  Then I believe we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place.

Amen

Proper 24C - The Parable of the Unjust Judge

Luke 17:20-18:8

On Friday morning I was angry to hear about another South African Artist killed as a result of a violent crime:  Lucky Dube, a reggae musician; someone who had fought his way through many of the injustices of life to be where he was was apparently killed by carjackers in Rosettenville Johannesburg.

I know that the murder of Dube was just the tip of an iceberg of crime and injustice that overwhelms our country. 

If I was to ask those in this church today to raise their hands if they knew someone who was affected by violent crime or they were personally affected by violent crime I think nearly everyone would raise their hands.

If I asked you if you had ever experienced some injustice of any sort - just about everyone would have a story to tell.

*  *  *

The thing about crime happening to a celebrity, especially an artist like Dube is that it reminds us, that the people who are victims of injustice, violence and crime - regardless of their race, sex or religion - are real living people. 

We feel somehow connected to people like Lucky Dube, Taliep Petersen, Brett Goldin and Richard Bloom these people have probably moved us in some way at some time…  We feel like we know them somehow, they may have made you laugh at TV shows, made you angry, made you dance and sing, or moved you with some other emotion that their particular art ignited in you.

Because of our emotional link to these people (however faint it may be) we feel somehow wronged when they are wronged… even if we didn't particularly like them or admire them.

*  *  *

Someone has said:

"As soon as you look at someone and do not see a human face, then you have already committed an act of violence against them."

I'm not sure who said it - but it seems to resonate with what Jesus would teach... 

*  *  *

The first chapter of Genesis, verse 27 tells me I am made in God's image… as funny looking as I may be.  It reminds me that this God, Yahweh sees you and me as somehow special - as important enough in his universe for him to make us in his own image.  Later we will find out that we are important enough in his universe for him to become one of us and suffer with those who are violently persecuted.

This idea which we find in Genesis contrasted sharply with the ideas that the nations surrounding the Isrealites had.  Rulers made their people believe that only Kings and people of power and authority were made in the image of God.  

In contrast, the Israelites believed that all people were created in the image of God, (male and female both of them) and because all people were created in the image of God… they had to be respected.

*  *  *

Because of this deep respect for people as bearers of God's image God gave the Israelites laws that applied to all people, protecting them from each other… laws that prohibited people from stealing, from adultery, from working on the Sabbath (and even making the non-Israelites who worked for you work on the Sabbath); laws that promoted justice for all people (no matter who they were - even in spite of their religious background and race).

Even the most powerful person in the nation, the King, was subject to those same rules. 

*  *  *

Jesus teaches that all of those rules can be summed up in two commandments:

" 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' ³⁸ This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' "

- Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus tells us that loving your neighbour is a way of loving God.  The first commandment - "Love God" - and the second is just like it - "Love your neighbour."

*  *  *

But even in Israel, when people got powerful or wanted to get powerful they start to practice injustice.  Kings steal, covet, commit adultery and often murder…  Judges judge unfairly.  Business people cheat one another.

Those with power abuse those without.

The rich abuse the poor.

The strong abuse the weak.

Those in authority abuse those without authority.

Those with bigger weapons and bigger muscles get to tell those with smaller weapons and smaller muscles what to do.

*  *  *

People forget to see the face of God in people.

And God gets angry.

*  *  *

Prophets speak God's frustration to the world, about God's anger at injustice… and people hope for a new Kingdom; a reality in which people live as if God were truly their King, as if the people around them were truly image bearers of the King and should be treated as such.

*  *  *

The gospel reading for today - although we only read 18:1-8 finds its beginning in 17:20:  The Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God was coming, Jesus' answer to them is that the Kingdom is among them; it is in their midst.

He then speaks to the disciples about being ready to be a part of the Kingdom… like in the days of Noah when Noah had to be obedient to God and build an ark - the disciples have to be obedient to God and live and teach as Jesus has taught them. 

Like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah Lot and his family had to leave town when they were called; when Lot's wife looked back longing for the possessions which she had left behind - the scriptures tell us that she turned to a pillar of salt.

Both of these destructive apocalypses happened because people were being unjust…  The story of Noah begins in Gen 6:11 with the line "The earth was corrupt in God's sight, and filled with violence."

Ezekiel 16:49 tells us the reason for the destruction of Sodom:  "This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy."

*  *  *

The Kingdom of God is characterized by justice - its core values are the love of God and love of neighbour… Injustice and violence is not possible when people put these core values into practice.

*  *  *

And so, Luke tells us in vs. 1, Jesus encourages the disciples to pray always and not lose hope by telling the story of a widow and a corrupt Judge.

The widow - one of the most vulnerable people in society keeps returning to the judge to ask for justice; and eventually because of her persistence - he grants her justice.

Jesus encourages his disciples saying that even if a corrupt and fearless judge knows how to grant a poor and powerless widow justice… how much more will God be able to bring the justice of the Kingdom of God to the world in which people live.

*  *  *

It is interesting to look at the word translated from Greek into English for not losing hope or not being discouraged in verse 1 - it implies more than just an emotion; but rather a willingness to act in the face of opposition…  Literally translated the word ἐγκακεῖν means to not give in to evil.

Prayer for Jesus is never an excuse for inaction - rather it is always the beginning of action.  The "Our Father" which he taught his disciples to say is filled with calls to practical action:  "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done," is us asking God to use us… to enable us to be people who make God's Kingdom a reality in the world in which we live.

Whenever Jesus goes away on his own to pray - he always comes back to do what God has asked him to do - even on one occasion when the call was for him to go to the cross.

*  *  *

I began with talk about the corruption we see in the world around us; the injustice which is carried out by all sorts of people with power…  Sometimes it's the power of a person with a gun, like a thief or a hijacker.  Sometimes it's the power of someone with money.  Sometimes muscles.  Sometimes authority.

People somehow seem to be able to be so mean to each other because they don't see the human face of God in those whom they encounter… 

The only way for us to change this attitude is to begin to treat each other, all the people we encounter, sinners, saints, Muslims, Jews, wives, husbands, children, enemies and friends with the same sort of respect with which God has treated us.

And we need to campaign for others to do the same.

Knowing always that God hears our cries.

In God has a Dream a book by Desmond Tutu he speaks of how at protest marches he used to shout to the troops - who were bigger than him, and much more powerful:  "Come and Join the winning side!"

Because he knew - like we should, that when we work with God we will ultimately have the victory. 

Amen

Proper 22 C - Jesus tells the disciples to forgive

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 and Psalm 37:1-9
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Luke 17:5-10

A couple of years ago there was an advert for KFC’s R1.95 ice cream - I noticed the ad because when I lived in Potchefstroom there was not much to do in the evenings besides pop out to KFC for one of there R1.95 ice creams, for an extra R1 I added a flake to mine.

In the advert a young girl is seen playing with her imaginary friend.  She smiles and she laughs as she swings on the swing with her, she has a tea party with her, she plays hide and seek… but her smiling face turns to darkness when her father - not knowing where her imaginary friend is standing mows her over with the lawnmower.

The advert ends - as all adds to with happiness as father and daughter walk out of KFC with an ice cream and the caption reads:  Forgiveness - R1.95.

*  *  *

We all know that forgiveness is not always so easy and cheap… when we have been wronged we often harbour a feeling of discontent, of resentment for a long time after the fact.

Even if we do ‘forgive’ people for the wrongs they do to us or have done to us.  We often - in a moment of anger or distress find that we haven’t let the grudge go - we bear resentment in our hearts and it pours out at the most inconvenient times.

The relatively small wrongs that people have done to us often upset us deeply for years after they have happened. 

Evidence I think, that people were created for good - to be good to each other and to experience only goodness from each other.  Evidence that we all live in a world in which we don’t really belong - we just don’t have the necessary equipment to deal with evil, and so we answer evil with evil - and become people we don’t really like being.

*  *  *

In the reading from Habakkuk the prophet complains to God about evil in the land - people are suffering unfairly as a result of injustice and oppression.  

God’s response is to tell the prophet that the wicked will be brought to justice… Habakkuk must be patient; he must have faith and trust in God.  God speaks about what will happen to Israel - the exile, being conquered by other nations…

Habakkuk ends his oracle with a rather depressed - yet hopeful poem…

¹⁷     Fig trees may no longer bloom,
or vineyards produce grapes;
olive trees may be fruitless,
and harvest time a failure;
sheep pens may be empty,
and cattle stalls vacant—
     ¹⁸     but I will still celebrate
because the Lord God
saves me.

- Habakkuk 3:17-18 (CEV)

Habakkuk resolves to trust God, in spite of the difficulties of the world around him - knowing that justice is in God’s hands, knowing (by faith) that he is loved by God and justice will somehow prevail.

*  *  *

In the gospel reading, Jesus talks to his disciples about forgiveness…

“If the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

- Luke 17:4

In response to this difficult commandment from Jesus the disciples say to Jesus:  “Increase our faith!”  (you think walking on water, healing the sick is hard - forgiveness…. That’s impossible.)

Forgiveness for the disciples, as it always is for you and me is not just a R1.95 ice cream at KFC and everything’s OK.  For the disciples the strength to forgive seven times a day is something that will require faith.  (Like Habakkuk required faith when the world around him seemed to be going to hell.)

Yet we know that the disciples are a lot like us, not only do they struggle to forgive, but they also don’t have much faith, and Jesus is not afraid to tell them.

“Faith as big as a mustard seed and you could tell this mulberry tree to throw itself in the sea and it would obey you,” says Jesus.

- Luke 16:6 (My version)

(I have not come across any record of a disciple throwing a tree into the sea - and I am assured that Mustard seeds are quite small; I think Jesus was telling the disciples that they didn’t have much faith at all.)

Jesus then tells them a parable that doesn’t make much sense in this day and age where we care for people - and are properly conscious of worker’s rights.

*  *  *

Jesus parable goes something like this - he’s talking about his command to the disciples to keep forgiving:

If your slave worked in the field all day would you make him dinner in the evening?

No!

You would expect him to cook you dinner.

Would you thank him afterwards?

No - because even though he was working hard he was just doing his duty.

So you - when you have done all that you have to do - don’t expect to be honoured and commended for your hard work; say:  We are worthless slaves - we have just done what we were supposed to do.

- Luke 17:7-10 (My version)

*  *  *

Jesus doesn’t tell stories to make the disciples think that forgiving is going to be easy.  He seldom paints discipleship as, as easy as we would have it in our modern age where forgiveness costs R1.95 and food comes frozen and pre-packaged.

Instead Jesus tells them a story about how slaves simply have to do what is required of them and sometimes what is required is actually quite difficult (superhuman in fact). 

In the Kingdom of God about which Jesus is teaching, A Kingdom in which we each belong to the household of God forgiving sins is just one of those things you’re going to have to do - even if the person sins against you seven times a day, and repents seven times a day!

*  *  *

Jesus is talking about this because he has just concluded a debate with the Pharisees and Experts in the law about why he is always spending time with (as Luke 15:1) puts it, “tax collectors and sinners.”  (15:1-17:10 form a logical section of Luke’s gospel)

In his debate he has tried to show them what God is really like, giving them examples from life to say:  If this is what people can do, think how much better God will do?

So from 15:1-17:10 he tells them stories about lost things:  A lost sheep, a lost coin, a lost son… what shepherd in his right mind wouldn’t rescue his sheep; woman in her right mind wouldn’t search for her coin; what father in his right mind wouldn’t welcome his estranged son home with rejoicing!

He tells some parables about being generous with money - one that begs the question:  If people in business know how to be generous - how much more does God know how to be generous? (16:1-13)

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus tells a story of what might happen to people who aren’t generous… they end up in a place that looks like hell - when those who were in need of mercy all their lives, end up in a place that looks like heaven. (19-31)

*  *  *

Jesus tells all of these stories to the self righteous and reluctant to forgive in order to show them what God is really like.

God is better than people, more merciful and generous than people - and because of this; God is a God who offers unlimited forgiveness, and unlimited love - always calling people to himself.

*  *  *

And because God is a God who forgives; the disciples, the apostles (people sent to spread the good news about God to the world) are duty bound to being people who proclaim, and offer grace and forgiveness.  People who are not stumbling blocks to other people being allowed to enter the Kingdom of God.

*  *  *

To offer faith they, like Habakkuk, need faith.  Habakkuk was able to have peace in the midst of the violence that surrounded him because he put his trust in God.  He was sure that God would be the one who did what was righteous and so he sings his Psalm - though everything is a disaster - I will rejoice, because God is still God.

*  *  *

In the New Testament, faith and belief most often talk about believing that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah - that what he teaches about God is true. 

One of the most amazing things that Jesus teaches - and shows by his actions - about God (specifically in this section of Luke’s gospel), is that God forgives.  God is constantly reaching out to the outcast, to those who have rejected him.  God is constantly reminding them that they are loved.

Faith - in the New Testament - is about believing this message.  Paul refers to it as “the word of God” which he goes out to the world to preach: Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins.

*  *  *

This New Testament faith reminds us that God is like Jesus.  It reminds us that God loves us enough to die on the cross for us - breaking the door open - so that even the foulest, smelliest sinner knows that they are unconditionally welcomed into the household of God.

Jesus knows that that kind of love is what people were made for - not the violence of the world in which they live - violence that produces resentment and hatred, which ends in us becoming sinful and violent ourselves.

The kind of love that Jesus offers, and we are called to offer is the kind of love that transforms hearts - a bit like flowers opening to the summer sun.  The kind of love that helps people to become the people God created them to be.

And as difficult as it may sometimes seem - we who wish to be disciples of Jesus have to be the people who constantly offer that love to people - even though -in our own sinful opinions - we don’t think they deserve it - and we believe strongly that forgiveness should cost more than R1.95 for an ice cream at KFC.

*  *  *

When we learn to offer, and receive this grace and forgiveness about which Jesus speaks - then I truly believe we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place.

Amen.