Eating Together Can Be Difficult - Combined Community and Methodist Churches - Franschhoek

John 6:1-14 And 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

I want to talk a bit about what it means when we get together - as church - a bunch of people who get together to worship Jesus.  What it means to be a Christian Community.

*  *  *

One of the things that the earliest church did that was central to their worship, central to their being a community, and that we are going to do today, is eat together.  And eating together can be difficult. 

*  *  *

I love that awkward scene from the film Four Weddings and a Funeral where Hugh Grant is seated at a wedding with several ex-girlfriends… and they all have great fun discussing him while he sits there - kind of squeamish.

Is there anyone that you would feel awkward with if you had to eat with them?

I imagine that each of us here has someone in our mind that it would be really difficult to sit down and have a meal with. 

Maybe we would be embarrassed by our Woolworths cuisine if we ate with someone who couldn’t afford even to buy meat.

Maybe it would be awkward to eat with someone against whom we bear a grudge; someone who we have wronged - or someone who has wronged or hurt us in the past.

Many of us even struggle to eat with members of our own families.

We all know - that eating together, sitting across a table from one another - spending time together - talking, communicating - is difficult.  But even though it is difficult - it’s important.

*  *  *

Today, we will eat together.  We will share in a community meal… the meal that Jesus established for us to remember him by, we call it communion.

*  *  *

Eating with people was an important part of Jesus ministry.  

If you read the gospels you will notice that a lot of the stories the gospel writers tell - talk about eating.  In fact Jesus often got into trouble because of the kinds of people he would eat with… 

Jesus is the kind of person who brings inconvenient people with him:  In one instance (The end of Luke 7) - he’s eating at the house of a Pharisee (a well respected, law keeping religious man); and a woman who was known to be ‘a sinner’ came and disturbed the meal.

Jesus gets people to eat together - who wouldn’t normally eat together:  On another occasion, In John 6, at a time when people didn’t eat together unless they’re of the same social, or religious class, or a part of the same family; Jesus shares out bread and fish with all sorts of people…

No ritual washing, no separating the pure from the impure, the men from the women - the sinners from the non-sinners; the sick from the healthy - Jesus gets all the people following him to share…

All sorts of people eating together and God blessed them with abundance (12 baskets left over; when before they ate they wondered where they would be able to get food). 

It seems to (from this sign) that God likes it when people eat together…

*  *  *

Jesus habit of eating with people - of bringing all sorts of people together around one table earns him a bit of a reputation.  In Luke 7:34 he quotes what others are saying of him: “the Son of man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’”

In Luke 15:2 we hear the Pharisees grumbling against Jesus saying: “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Jesus gets into trouble for the fact that he eats with all kinds of people, sometimes bringing people who didn’t like each other together - at the same table!

*  *  *

Jesus, by eating with all sorts of people creates a community that flies in the face of the values of the world - one which we might find a bit awkward to be a part of.  A community comprised of a whole lot of (sometimes) very different people.

*  *  *

As if there wasn’t enough eating going on in the New Testament - Jesus also tells stories about people eating together… 

Remember the story of a King who prepared a feast (Matthew 22), he sent out invitations and none of the well to do and acceptable in society came.  So he sent messengers to the Main Streets to invite the poor the crippled and the lame… and they came to eat at his house.  (Jesus tells us - this is what the Kingdom of God is like.)

*  *  *

I think that eating featured so prominently in the gospels because the gospels were written for churches.  Groups of people who got together and ate together as part of their worship service; eating together was not just important for Jesus - it was important for the early church as well... 

The letters to the churches tell us that eating together was as difficult for them as it is for us today…

*  *  *

We read in Paul’s letter to the Galatians and in the book of Acts that Peter - one of Jesus’ own disciples - struggled with the issue of eating with gentiles (People who weren’t Jewish).  But eventually God helped him to see that Jesus had wanted him to eat with them.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians we have another instance of people finding it difficult to eat together; he reprimands them for the way they behave, he writes:  (1 Cor 11:17) “…your meetings do more harm than good.  In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it…” 

He goes on to speak of the way they behave: 

1 Corinthians 11:20  “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else.  One remains hungry, another gets drunk…”  Vs 22: “Do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?  What shall I say to you?  Shall I praise you for this?  Certainly not!”

People in the church to whom Paul writes found it difficult to eat together so some people ate separately to the others - in this case the rich separated from the poor.

Paul reprimands them quite sternly for not keeping unity - even though it was difficult.

Earlier in this letter in Chapter 11:16&17 he tells the church that the bread which they break when they eat together is a participation in the body of Christ and that they are all one body, because they partake of the one loaf!

Now - as he speaks to them about divisions among them he uses harsh words - literally cursing those who don’t (in his words) “recognize or discern the body of the Lord” when they eat and drink together.

It seems to me that Paul thinks it is important for us Christians to eat together - and in eating together to be united (Even though it is difficult - and some will have to make sacrifices.)

*  *  *

When we eat together as Jesus has taught us to eat together we celebrate unity bought at a very high price.  Jesus died for this sign of reconciliation - a reconciliation of God to people, and people to each other.

*  *  *

Not only did Jesus teach people to have unity when they ate together - he taught the disciples to have unity when they prayed together…

In Luke 11 and Matthew 6 - Jesus teaches his disciples a prayer - what he have come to call the Lord’s prayer:  “Our Father…”

Jesus taught his disciples to pray in plural:  Our Father; give us our daily bread; forgive us our sins, lead us not into temptation but deliver us… it is not a prayer for individuals - but a prayer for a community a prayer written to be said together.

Our being together when we worship and when we pray seems to have been very important for Jesus; we worship God together, we confess our sins, together - as a community; and we ask for our daily bread - together.  This prayer reminds us of our unity.

Think too of Jesus prayer for the disciples in John 17 - in it Jesus prays that his disciples will be one so that the world would know who Jesus was.  That they would know he was the Messiah - the son of God.

Being together - eating together - praying together is difficult:  But it is what Jesus wants for us - and often it is difficult to do what Jesus wants us to do.

*  *  *

As we move on together as a community of Jesus’ disciples we need to recognize that it is difficult sometimes to be together, and its difficult because we are difficult people.

Some preachers (like me) wear funny shirts and use strange words.  (We find that awkward - but being a community who takes unity seriously - we put up with that.)

Some wear shorts and bounce about a bit more than we would like.  But God’s will is more important than ours - and God calls us to be together.

Sometimes children (who are a part of the community of people who eat together) make noises and cry and disturb our concentration.  (But they are a sign of life - a sign that this living body is going to carry on living!)

Some people like their music loud and others like it quiet.  Some want an organ and no guitar!  Others want an organ and no guitar…  But what does that matter when what we’re actually here to do is follow Jesus together… and that means we learn to like each others music.

Some want the pulpit in the middle some to the side…

Some understand something in the Bible that way - something in another way…

Some want chairs over here and over there… You know what - it really doesn’t matter; what we’re about is following Jesus together.

All sorts of things make it difficult for us to eat together - to pray together to be a community - but with the help of God (and the prayers of Jesus himself) it’s not impossible.

*  *  *

And I believe that maybe, just maybe - when we learn to be together, to love each other and to worship together we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place - and the people of Franschhoek will know that Jesus is the Messiah - because of our unity - even though unity is sometimes difficult.

Amen.

Proper 7C - People are more difficult than demons

Isaiah 65:1-9 and Psalm 22:19-28
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 8:(21-25)26-39

People are difficult.

I don’t know what you think - but I think that people are just plain difficult sometimes.

I know this because I am difficult, stubborn - full of nonsense. I know this too because I have the privilege of working with people - it’s my vocation; it is what God has called me to do.

It is a part of what God has called me to do that I sometimes resist… because people are difficult. It is a part of what I am called to do that when I do it gives me great joy, because even though people are difficult they really are amazing! All at once.

Although I like people, I think I prefer my books and my computer - I like to study; I like to read - because when a book frustrates me, I can close it. When my computer throws a wobbly I can unplug it.

People are difficult, we can not control them.

But we can all give ourselves a pat on the back - because being difficult is what makes us interesting. (Worth having a conversation with.)

If we weren’t all different and a bit difficult we would probably just turn into a great big blob of boringness - and there would be no point in us meeting together on a Sunday - or in Bible Study - ‘cos we would have nothing to say to each other. We would just sit around and smile sweetly… and probably get nowhere.

So next time you encounter someone in church whom you think is difficult - just thank God for them and remember how boring church would be if everybody was easy.

* * *

What strikes me about the stories we read today from the gospel according to Luke is how easily Jesus deals with what the disciples would have considered unconquerable obstacles. Jesus shows his power. Flexes his Godly muscle… yet people remain stubborn and difficult to convince.

* * *

We read two stories because I think Luke put them together for a reason. Both of them illustrate Jesus' power over the mysterious and uncontrollable. That which scares us the most.

* * *

In the first image – Jesus calms a storm at sea – in the big Lake. First century people didn't have weather reports like we have today, and winds on the Sea of Galilee could come up with sudden ferocity – boats were small and a windstorm was a threat to the lives of fisherman.

A threat that was totally out of control – and completely unpredictable. Even weathermen today would have trouble predicting the exact moment that a storm would rise on the Sea of Galilee.

Not only were storms terrifying, but first century people took them personally. Winds were described as being caused by the wings of demons. Baal the God who constantly flirted with the Israelites in the Old Testament was also known as 'The Storm God.'

Storms, chaos – were recognized as a threat to God's good order. If you remember in Genesis 1 the Hebrew's story about the creation of the world – everything has its place... the sea is separated from the land... When a storm rises, these lines are blurred. It is seen as a terrifying omen - something evil is trying to destroy you.

In contrast to the chaos around him – Jesus is asleep - a picture of cool, calm confidence.

The disciples panic. Jesus orders the wind and the waves to stop. And there is calm.

The disciples are amazed: “Who is this - that commands winds and water and they obey him?”

Not only are the disciples saved from mortal danger - but they realize the power of Jesus’ authority… authority that only God himself has.

* * *

In the second scene - upon landing at the country of the Gerasenes; Jesus encounters ‘a man of the city who had demons - for a long time he had worn no clothes.’

Just like the waves and the sea represented the chaotic and uncontrollable, here is another representation - an insane man. A man outside of human control - you couldn’t even chain him up!

When Jesus asks him his name - the man is so tormented his answer is ‘Legion!’ (Luke tells us he said this because he was tormented by many demons… a legion was enough soldiers to colonize a small country - a unit of about 5000 soldiers.

The gospel writers are telling us that this man was absolutely overwhelmed.

Jesus ordered the Spirits out of the man - cast them into pigs; and the pigs ran down a cliff and were destroyed. Some people believed that the death of the one possessed would end the life of the spirit or demon itself.

Jesus takes on a legion of demons - and destroys them.

* * *

Jesus has shown the disciples that he has authority over everything demonic; forces of nature - and the forces that possess people - Jesus is in charge.

Jesus deals with the demons and the weather with relative ease…

But people - are more difficult.

* * *

The people of the surrounding area came to see and they were afraid; they asked Jesus to leave town.

The disciples, we know, in spite of what they have seen will continue not to get it, will continue to be disobedient.

I even notice the subtle disobedience of the man whom Jesus had freed from the demons: In verse 39 - Jesus tells him to go home and tell the people what God has done; instead he goes and tells the people what Jesus has done… the people would have thought that Jesus was a powerful magician, working in his own power - what Jesus wanted to convey was that the God of Israel had been at work in their land. (People are difficult) Difficult, because God / Jesus - by his grace chooses not to treat us like demons - but as his beloved.

* * *

So often these passages comfort us… the knowledge that whatever happens, God is supreme - Jesus is in control. If we are lost in the storm of life… if we experience inner torment; here is Jesus - our redeemer - it is good news.

There is however - another side to the story…

* * *

As people learning to be disciples of Christ we cannot ignore what happens (two miracles later) in chapter 9. The disciples are given power and authority - over demons and to cure diseases and sent out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal! To do what Jesus has been doing all along.

With this sort of authority - the authority we saw in these two scenes from Luke’s gospel - I wonder what difference we Christians can make when we are obedient to Christ in the way we live…

When we challenge the demons, the powers of our day; Those overwhelming - giant - out of control things that happen to us, and to those around us?

Can the church - the body of Christ really make a difference in the world? Can we bring an end to poverty and injustice? Can we stem the AIDS pandemic? Can we stop crime? Can our prayers affect the government of our nation? Can our actions protect the children of this land?

We have to believe that we can! It can be done - because we are working hand in hand - with the living God - “Who is this - that even the wind and the waves obey him?” He is Jesus - our Lord and our saviour, our partner in bringing the Kingdom into reality.

We believe that we can - but at the same time we work with the kind of grace which Jesus showed; when we can not change minds - we show love. When we can not change policies we keep loving. When we can not change behaviour - we keep loving.

* * *

Even for Jesus, people are more difficult than demons. People like us are stubborn, we get to chose what to do - where to go, how to live…

We know that we get to choose whether - in the end - we reject him and crucify him - or accept him and make him our king.

* * *

I believe - that when we learn to let Jesus be our King… then certainly the Kingdom will be here in this place. Amen.

Proper 6C - A sinner forgiven...

1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a and Psalm 5:1-8
or
2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15 and Psalm 32
Galatians 2:15-21
Luke 7:36-8:3

 

I like a good story.  Maybe it’s in a movie or in a book - Maybe its those scary horror types that have you on the edge of the seat telling the pretty girl not to go back into the house (they always do).  Maybe it’s the romantic one where you just wish the two would realize they were falling in love and kiss each other already.  Or perhaps the action one that ends with the atomic bomb that will destroy the whole world on a count down with five seconds to go and our hero cuts the blue wire… and saves the day!

*  *  *

Each of us sitting here today has a story, a unique story, a story known only to themselves and God… for some it’s an action story, for some a romance, for some a horror.  In some of our stories we’re a blundering idiot who goes from mistake to mistake to mistake… (a bit of a comedy if you were watching from the outside - but a drama if you’re the lead actor.)

*  *  *

The Bible tells us the story of God’s love affair with the people he has created - it tells us - with a kind of gritty honesty - how people turn to God and turn away from God - how they get God so wrong, and occasionally -  how they get God so right.

*  *  *

The first scene from the great story which we visited today: 

David and Bathsheba:

David had seen a beautiful woman bathing on the roof of her house… against his good sense (she was married) he invites her round and sleeps with her.

(Days of our lives)

She gets pregnant…  One thing leads to another and David because of the choice he made in the first part of the story makes another choice he sends Bathsheba’s husband Uriah to the front lines so that he will be killed…

What a story - every reader sits head in hands:  David what have you done?!

*  *  *

This sin doesn’t just affect David - it affects David’s family and in turn the whole nation of Israel!

David’s so busy sweeping the evidence under the carpet that he doesn’t seem to notice the gravity of his mistakes - the sins that he is committing…

Nathan helps him to see by telling him the story in a way he will understand…

*  *  *

…a rich man and a poor man lived in a city… the rich man had many sheep but the poor man had just one lamb (it was like a daughter to him.  He shared his food with this sheep, it drank from his own cup; lay in his bosom (like a pet.))

A traveller came to stay with the rich man - and the rich man instead of killing one of his own sheep - takes the poor man’s only and beloved sheep (the family pet), slaughters it and feeds it to the traveller.

*  *  *

The story makes David mad!  How could someone do such an awful thing?

*  *  *

Nathan explains that David has lived the same story - only in a different way:  His sleeping with Bathsheba, his murder of her husband… are all tantamount to the same sort of injustice.

He has gone and done something that all his principles (had he been thinking straight) told him he shouldn’t… but he didn’t seem to notice - he seemed to think that he could hide what he was doing from God - he seemed to think he could get away with no consequences.

David is like us - we are so good at telling ourselves why it’s OK to do something we know Jesus would frown at… 

We drink too much and drive - endangering other people’s lives (everybody else does it).

We’re less than honest in business (you have to be to survive in this cutthroat world).

Or maybe we simply don’t recognize that what we’re doing is wrong at all - our eyes conveniently focused on what we do right.

*  *  *

In the story of David, David simply responds to Nathan - “I have sinned against the Lord” immediately Nathan tells him the good news: “The Lord has put your sins away - you will not die.”  Just like that - God offers David grace.

Even though God forgives David - what David has done still has consequences for him, and for the whole nation of Israel…

Sin is never personal - it always has a stream of consequences that follow.

*  *  *

In the gospel - Jesus is eating with Simon the Pharisee.  A woman, who Luke tells us was a well known sinner comes into the room where they are dining…

She weeps at the feet of Jesus; wiping the tears with her hair.

A sign of humility - a symbol of repentance, a plea for mercy.

*  *  *

The people at the meal talk about Jesus: “If he were prophet he would know what ‘kind of woman’ is touching him!”

They criticize him for allowing this woman to touch him - I wonder if most of them would have just told her to get lost or pushed her away violently.

*  *  *

The thing is - before she even begins - Jesus is a prophet - he does know her story and he offers her grace and forgiveness.

Jesus, unlike the Pharisee seems to know that everybody has a story and God offers mercy to people as they have need.

*  *  *

Simon the Pharisee - obsessed with righteousness and law keeping doesn’t like what he has just seen.  In his eyes - according to his faith - his picture of God - God doesn’t like sinners like this woman...

Jesus tells him a parable which flips his idea of righteousness over:

Two people owe money to a moneylender - one owes R6000 the other owes R60000 and the moneylender cancelled the debts of both which one will love him more?

The one who owed the most - is Simon’s answer!

*  *  *

Later Jesus says to the woman - your faith has saved you…  Your picture of God is the right picture of God, God who can forgive a sinner who comes knowing they can be forgiven…

Jesus points out that the woman responds with so much more love than Simon did because she knows how generously she can be forgiven!

*  *  *

The more you have sinned - the more God can forgive you!

For Simon the Pharisee this is a crazy idea - keeping the law was the way to score points with God… (Some of us are like that… If I give 10% will you bless me?) 

Later on in this gospel (chapter 11) Jesus will criticize the Pharisees harshly for keeping all the little laws that they can find - but neglecting justice and the love of God…

*  *  *

They - like us - think they can earn the love and grace of God…

Jesus is saying God loves you and wants to bless you already - as you are - if you want to know how much God loves you stop all this pretence, stop counting your righteousness and look how much you’ve sinned!

*  *  *

The greater your sin - the more forgiveness God can offer - the more God has loved you!

It is so ironic it’s ridiculous - but that is why the cross is called a scandal! 

Without being so cruel that we could crucify the son of God we would never know how deep his love runs for us.

It is ironic because it is not something you can boast about either…

Oh you could quite easily drop a hint at a dinner party about how good you are - how you care for the poor - how you pay your staff and treat them so justly - how you observe the laws of scripture, how you pray until your pants are worn out at the knees… (people would be impressed (a little irritated - but impressed))

But you definitely won’t be popular if you go to a dinner party and tell them your sins will you?

If you boasted about your racism; if you told people how you sometimes kick the dog - if you told them those thoughts you have which are better kept to yourself… 

You would never be invited to a party again - you’d probably have to leave town!

*  *  *

The story of the sinful woman reminds us how God’s grace is such a wonderful gift - the more we need the more we receive… the more we have been forgiven - the more we can boast.

The David story reminds us that even when we are forgiven - sin still has consequences, our wrongs often harm others.

We live in tension (by the grace of God) - with so much grace, comes so much responsibility…

As we remembered youth day yesterday - let us not forget how sin multiplies… a sinful idea - the idea of apartheid - leaves a country divided and millions of people still struggling to recover from the trauma that it all caused… and continues to cause.  Even in spite of truth and reconciliation - miraculous tales of forgiveness - the scar remains.

As a grace filled community it’s not up to us to look for people to blame.  It is up to us to look for ways to help.  To work for justice - to take responsibility with all of our fellow sinners for the wrongs of the past and work to change the way things are. 

*  *  *

I began this sermon with the idea of a story, our lives as stories.  I imagine that God reads / or watches our stories as we write them - I imagine that God waits with baited breath for us to make the right decisions…  I imagine God’s rejoicing when that woman realized that he loved her - that she could come to him with all her sins and be embraced…

I imagine that God waits for us every day to make that decision… to turn to him in faith.  To live as he has called us to live, to realize that all of his children have a story - even those whom we count as the worst sinners… and they are loved by him.

*  *  *

When we realize this - when we learn to live like this in constant awareness of God’s grace and not our own righteousness - then we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place.

 

 

Proper 5C - The raising of the widows son

1 Kings 17:8-16, (17-24) and Psalm 146
or
1 Kings 17:17-24 and Psalm 30
Galatians 1:11-24
Luke 7:11-17

 

Maybe it’s because I lived in Pretoria and I’m not accustomed to peaceful Paarl - but in the night, when I hear strange sounds; I get a bit frightened.  They wake me up - they give me the shivers.  They give me the creeps.

The unusual, the strange - unsettles us.  That which jars with everything that we’re used to makes us feel a bit uncomfortable.  It startles us awake - and even if we’re already awake, it somehow makes us more aware.  Our hearts race, we lie very still and hold our breath and listen - or we get up and look out the window to see what’s going on.

Or - the more passive among us, the deeper sleepers just keep on dreaming; unaware that anything unusual - anything strange has just happened.

*  *  *

Readers of scripture - filled with the miraculous and wonderful signs that point to God sometimes get a bit numbed to the miraculous.  “Oh - Jesus raised a dead person, what’s he going to do next?”

He just healed a centurion’s servant (by remote control), later on he will forgive a sinful woman her sins (to the shock and derision of the people whom he’s dining with), but right now he is raising a dead person.  (All in a days work for Jesus.)  Later on he will die and rise again.  We are treading on the verge of the ridiculous - and we need to recognise the strangeness of all of this or we won’t appreciate just how amazing, controversial, shocking the message and life of Jesus is.

We’re so used to the unusual, so used to suspending our brains a bit when we read scripture that we neglect to realise that what we have just read is highly unusual. 

It is downright weird. 

The kind of thing that should wake us up, should get our heart racing, freak us out a bit.

*  *  *

Luke tells us in his gospel that the crowd who witnessed this miracle were ‘filled with fear’ (GNB) or seized by fear (NRSV).  They were amazed at what Jesus had done by raising a dead boy to life and their fear led to a response…  They spread the news that God looked favourably on his people, that a prophet had risen among them, that God had noticed his people.

*  *  *

But many of us I guess are stuck on the miracle.  It’s too strange!

Can we accept that something as different as this actually happened!?

As a 21^st century person I struggle to make room for the miraculous, I want verification, I want someone to perform an experiment to prove what has been said to be true. 

Proof.

And we will always want more.

I can offer some proof - proof that leads me to believe.

We have the testimony of a secular historian that says that Jesus performed miracles. 

We have the witness of an early church that took Jesus’ message (backed up by his miracles) so seriously that they gave up nearly everything they had, status, wealth and power (even their lives) to follow him. 

And we know that Jesus made quite a stir, and is still making one today.  He must have done something amazing for people to believe in him so fervently and consistently.

In the midst of our desire to know the rational the beauty of the miraculous is that the miraculous is unusual, irrational and surprising…

Sometimes these miracles are a reminder for us to make more room in our lives for God to do things that go against what we think is normal and reasonable, make room for God to surprise us every now and again.

*  *  *

But let us get back to the surprise - the miracle of which Luke writes - and what that means.

When reading gospels it’s often helpful to read what happens before and after the text which you read.  Often the gospel writers use Jesus’ actions to interpret - or emphasise what Jesus has taught.

Luke chapter 6 has some particularly difficult teaching, the blessings and woes (or Luke’s version of Matthew’s beatitudes)…

Blessed are the poor.
Blessed are those who weep.
Blessed are those who are hated and excluded on account of the Son of Man.
Woe to you who are rich.
Woe to you who are full.
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to false prophets…

The command to love your enemies.

The command to give to those who beg from you, even your coat.

The command to be merciful - Be merciful just as your Father is merciful - he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked…

Do not judge, do not condemn… forgive and be forgiven.

A set of teachings that make us cringe as we look at the way we live, a set of teachings that tell the rich to care for the poor.  That remind us to stop being so self righteous and uncaring…

*  *  *

Jesus proclaims a difficult and radical message which upturns what everyone thought about God.  The rich and powerful acted like God belonged only to them. 

Being poor was considered to be a result of sin… it meant God didn’t like you very much ‘cos he hadn’t blessed you.

Jesus was preaching a surprising and miraculously strange message, that all those whom religion thought they had righteously rejected were actually God’s favourites…

*  *  *

Jesus’ point is illustrated when he heals a Roman Centurion’s servant - saying:  “I have never found faith like this, not even in Israel!”  He points out that those who thought God loved them the most were outshone by the faith of someone whom they thought God had rejected!

*  *  *

He then raises a widow’s only son… the story at hand for today.

Although Jewish law commanded that widows be cared for - it seems that many of the laws regarding care for the poor and destitute were not well observed.  A widow without a male son would possibly be in a very vulnerable position in society.

I can imagine that in her despair at the loss of her son there are practical and emotional concerns.  A feeling of helplessness - what am I going to do… burial took place on the day or close to the day the person died (the wounds are fresh) the disaster is not even processed.

In this crisis, Jesus meets the most vulnerable person at their most vulnerable and by a subtle touch to the stretcher on which her son’s body is laid - Jesus restores him to life, and gives him back to his mother.

“Women here is your son.”

*  *  *

The action, combined with the teaching which Jesus has given is interpreted and sounded out by the crowd who witness what Jesus has done:  “The all were filled with fear and praised God.  “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said; “God has come to save his people!”” (7:16)

*  *  *

The gospels tell us, especially John’s gospel, that Jesus is a true reflection of what God is like… the crowd interprets the miracle for us.

The say “God has come to save his people!”

The Greek original could be directly translated as “God has seen his people.”  In the sense that people stranded on a desert island are spotted by a rescue boat… and jump up and down celebrating.  We who are poor and lowly and struggling - personified by the widow who has nothing - matter to God.

God does care for us when we are at our lowest and weakest.  When everything seems like a disaster - God reaches out to us in particular at those times.

The reaching out is not always extreme or spectacular in the way it is done; often it is subtle - in this case Jesus just touches the stretcher on which the body is laid and the result is the giving of life.

The miracle is a wake up call - God does care.

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What does it mean for us today?

Well, if we’re in despair - we should remember:  God has seen us and cares for us.

If we’re OK - remember God has seen those in despair around us, and called us to be Jesus to them.  Last week we read from John 14:12 - You will do greater works than I have done.  We saw how the Spirit moved at Pentecost, empowering the disciples to become the people God called them to be.

Jesus compassion for the widow is a call to us to share in God’s compassion for people who are side tracked, beaten down, weak and powerless.

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A miracle, a strange event - the supernatural that disturbs our peace, makes us sit up and pay attention… God has noticed us, God has noticed you.

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What is it today that brings you pain, that brings you despair, that makes you feel like there is no more hope in the world.

I invite you to bring that to Jesus - knowing that Jesus cares enough to do something, just a simple touch.  I invite you to speak to someone here - we are all servants of Jesus.

Who do you know who is in despair, who is vulnerable - how can you carry the miracle of Jesus to them?

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Perhaps one day, when people see how we care for one another, how we care for others - people will see a miracle here (something unusual, irrational and strange) and filled with fear and awe - and they will say:  God has sent a prophet to be among us; God has seen his people and cares for them.

Then I believe we will begin to see the Kingdom in this place.