Living Generously

Acts 2:40-47, Luke 6:27-36, Ephesians 4:25-5:2 

 http://ia301543.us.archive.org/0/items/SermonsOfAngusKelly/VORC001.mp3

Introduction

As we come to the end of our series of 'confirmation classes for everyone' sermons on subjects that I would explain to a confirmation class; we finally look at what church is.

And a brief description of the earliest church, founded by the apostles helps us to see what the big idea was.

We read of this exciting community in Acts 2.

In one description of what they did – Acts 2:42 we get an idea of why they became such an influential community:

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

– Acts 2:42

Over the past three weeks we have loosely looked at three of the things described in this verse:

Apostle's Teaching

Its strange to imagine a church without a Bible – but the community described in Acts did not have Bibles like we do today.

They gathered in Synagogues or at the temple because there they would have had access to teaching from the Old Testament. 

But from there on – at that time, all they could rely on for knowledge of who Jesus was and what he did was the Apostles.

The Apostles were those who had, according to Acts 1:21-22:

"...accompanied us (the other disciples) during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection."

– Acts 1:21-22

The apostle's were reliable witnesses of what Jesus had said and done – they were where the first Christian community got their information about Jesus.

The information that we have today – the gospels and the letters of the New Testament find their origin in this oral tradition but were probably only written down later – when the first apostles were gone and the church needed a reliable source of information about who Jesus was.

So today, when ministers are ordained they are ordained by the laying on of hands – a symbol of apostolic succession; symbolising the gospel message handed on from one generation to another.

Ever since the first apostles handed the message on to be preached.

*  *  *

Today most of us have more than one Bible in our homes – we are able to study the apostle's teaching at any time and in any place.

*  *  *

Two weeks ago you watched a video from Alan Storey – a minister in Cape Town – about how he reads scripture.  With some advice for us on how we should read scripture.

Prayer

Another thing the apostles did was pray – and I spoke about praying a few weeks ago.

In the Acts of the apostles the believers pray for guidance in moving the church forward.  They prayed regularly in the temple – in Acts 3 when Peter and John heal a lame man at the Temple gate they are on their way to "the hour of prayer, at three o'clock in the afternoon." (Acts 3:1)

They seem to have prayed regularly at regular times.  Maybe there is a lesson for us in their discipline?

When the believers are persecuted and are instructed not to preach the gospel of Jesus any more – they pray – and God gives them courage and strength and they go and do what they believe God has called them to do.  Even though in doing so they risk their lives, livelihoods and bodies.

And the story of the Christian community in prayer continues – till we get to a verse I love in Acts 17:6 in Thesalonica people complain:

"These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also."

– Acts 17:6

Breaking Bread

Last week you watched a video interview I did with the Reverend Tim Attwell, a minister at the Rosebank Methodist Church near UCT in Cape Town.

We spoke about breaking bread / having communion together.

A special feast that we as a church enjoy when we break bread and drink wine, remembering Jesus broken for us.  Remembering how we are loved, and remembering who we are.

Means of Grace

In the Methodist tradition we call these things Means of Grace, things that we do that open ourselves up to God's working in us.  To God's making God's love known to us, so that we can become the people we were created to be.

They're not chores.

Or inconveniences.

But opportunities.

Do you love yourself enough to let God love you?

So often we're in such a rush to do all the things we need to do for our family, our boss, our business that we neglect these means of grace.

These ways in which God is allowed in; to love us for a moment.

To pray – to spend some time being loved by God, and in conversation with the God we love.

Study Scripture – to read and re read the story of who we are, created in the image of God, enslaved by sin, set free by Christ.

Break bread in Holy Communion – to remember that we were worth dying for; that Jesus loves us so much that he was broken for us; and now he feeds us.

Transformation

All of these things, transform us.

Change us.

Enable us to live as God would have us live.

Jesus says:

"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

– John 10:10

And so in the text we read from Acts we read of this first generation of Christians who, among other things:

"…broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts…"

– Acts 2:46

We also learn, a little earlier that they:

"…had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need."

– Acts 2:45

*  *  *

The community of people who believed in Jesus were very different to anything anyone had ever seen before.

Instead of hoarding their stuff and refusing to share – they shared.

Instead of eating their food selfishly and with grudging hearts they ate generously and with glad hearts.

They became a real contrast community.

Transformed by their belief in God, in who Jesus was, and what that meant for who they were and who the people around them were.

Instead of living selfishly – just for their own cause, they learnt to live generously.

Nearly everything we encounter in the world we live in today encourages us to do just the opposite.  To live selfishly.

*   *  *

In our reading from the gospels Jesus encourages us to:

"…love our enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return… (then) you will be children of the Most High… be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

– Luke 6:35-36

Jesus asks us to become the opposite of what seems to suit us so naturally, and when we listen, and buck the system…

We become what and who we were created to be, reflections of God, when we learn to live 'generously'.  Just like that early community who learnt, through breaking bread, listening to the apostle's teaching and prayer – just what God wanted them to be.

What can we do?

How can we become more generous, and less selfish?

*  *  *

Simple teaching of Jesus:  Do to others what you would have done to you. (Matthew 7:12).

Let us stop thinking just of ourselves.

Maybe one thing is what we do on a Sunday – we wake up – Oooo I don't feel like going to church today.

But maybe its not about whether you 'feel' like going to church.  Maybe your being at church is a blessing – a tremendous blessing, more than you understand – to the person sitting next to you.

*  *  *

Maybe its in learning to give; somebody said:  A father is someone who has pictures in his wallet where his money used to be.

When we are loved by God, our priorities change – maybe we need to learn to give away our money.  Its not law, but we encourage our members to give away a tenth of their income…  And if you earn so much that a tenth seems like a lot to give, perhaps you should ask God to help you reduce your income a bit.

If you give that tenth to the Church then it becomes a blessing to all of us.  If you give that tenth to the poor or some worthy cause – its amazing what God can do with it.

Living generously starts as a discipline – its not so easy, it goes against our nature; but soon it becomes a habit that gives us great joy.

*  *  *

Maybe our living generously simply means being a little less selfish with our ears.  When we ask: "How are you?"

Let us listen and love.

*  *  *

Maybe it means putting up with the people that irritate us; maybe it means not worrying so much about being right all the time.

Maybe it means being a little less so others can be more.

*  *  *

Then, as Jesus said – we will be children of God, like God – who lives and loves generously.

Then, as the early church experienced in Acts – the Lord will add to our number those who are being saved – as they witness first hand the generous love of God in our lives.

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

Amen

What is Christian Worship?

Worship

Introduction

As we read scripture – we realise that worship is not just a great feeling on a Sunday as we sing a great song – the kind of feeling that you could get at a rock concert or listening to a CD at home – or watching a try scored at a Rugby match.

Worship is so much more than that – it is about us bringing our lives – in all their messiness and difficulty – into the presence of God, and under God's authority.

Worship in Revelation

In Revelation Chapter 4, John records the sight of elders and creatures worshipping God:

¹¹"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

- Revelation 4:11

Unfortunately the book of Revelation to John has been reduced to a kind of astrological chart for Christians.  Many people profit by writing books that claim to decode what John wrote – with little attention paid to the context in which he wrote.

John writes – essentially – about worship; in a time when Christians are being forced to worship the Roman Emperor.  When being a Christian might mean being chased out of town, losing your job and even being killed.

John paints a picture of that reminds us who is worthy of our worship.

You think Caesar is worth worshipping?

John's portrait of the most high God, of the risen Christ, of the heavenly songs of worship make Caesar look like a pipsqueak.

You think Caesar will last forever?

John's portrayal of the coming Kingdom and Judgment of God help us to remember that those people and things that seem to hold authority in this world only do so on a temporary basis. 

Ultimately God will have the victory.

In worship, the heavenly creatures and the elders bow down saying:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

- Revelation 4:11

The creator God has all the power, is literally the only worthy one.  Worth more than the cost of worshipping him.

Wor(th)ship

And that brings us to what the word worship, really means.

In Greek, the word translated as worship means to bow down, to prostrate oneself – sort of to lie on the floor in front of something or someone.

It is a way of saying to that person, thing or God, before which you bow down:

"You are greater than me.
I am less than you,
I surrender to you
I am yours."

Our English word for worship comes from "worth ship".

Worth is a simple word.

You could ask – so how much is that car worth?

How much is that painting worth?

What is a life worth?

How much are you worth?

What's it worth to you?

*  *  *

For each of us – I bet there are some seemingly worthless things, worth nothing to anyone else, but a lot to us.

A coffee cup – an old toy car…

We give things values / price tags.

We assign to them some 'worth'.

*  *  *

Wor(th)ship is about getting our priorities in order.  About assigning the right 'values' to the right things.

About making sure that the way we live is just – because we have set our priorities straight.

Listen to what God says – according to the prophet Amos:

²³Stop your noisy songs; I do not want to listen to your harps. ²⁴Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry.

– Amos 5:21

Wrong Values

If we look around – at the world we live in – it seems as if somebody has snuck in and switched the price tags around – our values are out of whack.

*  *  *

Wrong values have serious consequences.

Economic and environmental crisis, stupid poverty - a reminder that we, as a world community have put the wrong values on the wrong things.

We mispriced our fellow human beings, the cost of our actions to the environment.  We have valued getting what we want, when we want it, over what it costs us when we are over indebted.

The wrong price tags – on the wrong things.

Right Values

And so – the beginning of worship – is bowing down, on the ground, before our God – and exclaiming, you are worthy, like the elders and the living creatures in Revelation.

And when God is honestly our first priority and we hold everything else below that priority – the rest of our values will fall into place appropriately.

And its certainly not about singing.

It's about a life dedicated to God's reign in us.

Judging God

How do we decide what is most important to us?

It sounds totally crazy, but God, in giving us freedom of choice – invites us to Judge him.

Is this God – Yahweh, the creator of all things – Worthy, or not?

Each of us can say – yes he is worthy, or no he isn't – and from there we can choose to live our lives accordingly.

No one forces us to come to church on a Sunday morning, to say prayers as we live and move, no one forces us to dedicate our life's work and our family to God.  We choose – we get to decide if it's worth it.

*  *  *

Many of us choose to say: "Yes you are worthy."  Not because – as the living creatures in Revelation say '…you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created' – that is part of it.

But because – as we read later in Revelation – chapter 5:12-13 John sees the heavenly choirs singing:

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,

(Animals and everything.)

"To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!"

And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and worshiped.

- Revelation 5:12-13

*  *  *

We don't choose to worship God because of his power and might – but because of his self sacrificing love for us.  His love has been made known to us – especially in his Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us.

*  *  *

The elders and the heavenly creatures Judge God, the God revealed to us in Christ to be worthy, and so they bow down and worship.

Do we?

Do we accept that a God who loves us so much is worthy of our everything?

Luke 12:22-34

In Luke 12:22-34 Jesus encourages his disciples to re-think their priorities.

Don't worry about clothes, about food, about where you'll live:

'…be concerned with his Kingdom, and he will provide you with these things.'

– Luke 12:31

Knowing that, like us, the disciples will say 'no ways you're mad', Jesus goes on:

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.  Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy them. ³⁴For your heart will always be where your riches are."

– Luke 12:33-34

Jesus invites us to take everything that we value the most, that we desire most, that we think (and know) we need and make it less important than living for God the King.  He invites us to entrust all of that stuff to God.

Part of living for the King – is treating others as if they were Kingdom citizens too. 

Being generous with what we have – letting it go – in order for it to serve God.

Then, says Jesus, we will truly have everything that we need and more – treasures in heaven, where no thief comes near, and no moth destroys.

And he warns us – where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

*  *  *

"Heart" in the language of the gospels is not a pump for blood.  It's like the soul, like breath in us, the source of our deepest emotions, the source of our life.

If your treasures are in banks, cars and clothes, they will eventually wear out; so will your heart – you will become hollow, lifeless and disappointed. 

Yet – if your greatest treasure – highest value is in God – then your heart will be safe… you will have fullness, life and constant hope.

*  *  *

Worship, is not a few minutes on a Sunday, a good feeling and an exciting pep talk.  But a constant attitude check and re-check.

What do we most value?  Where is my heart?

Not in order to make life difficult for us and miserable, but for us to be transformed, for us to make life, truly living – possible – so that we can have life in all it's fullness.

Psalm 63

The Psalm we read this morning takes us on the journey of worship.  It should reflect something of our journey – Sunday by Sunday.

We arrive parched – thirsty – hungry… everything we have encountered during the week has shifted our value system here and there; we have put our faith in everything except God as we seek to quench our hunger and thirst for something.

David recognises what he really thirsts for:

"…my soul thirsts for you (God), my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water…'

– Psalm 63:1

He recognises the value of God's love for him:

"…your love is better than life…"

– Verse 3

He recognises that God's help is not just a spiritual idea – but a living reality:

"…you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."

- Verse 8

David does not come with a pretty song – but rather he comes with nothing to offer… a thirsty and weary soul.  His son Absalom is trying to take away his throne.

Yet as he brings all of his brokenness – the reality of who he is and all his struggles – into God's light – he is transformed.  His faith is renewed – and knowing that God is still on his throne he is able to say, with faith:

¹¹Because God gives him victory,
the king will rejoice."

– Verse 11

*  *  *

I invite us all to come to God with what we are – the little we have, the brokenness of who we are, and say – with the creatures on earth and heaven:

"Yes Lord you are worthy!  I trust you with all that I am.  You are my King and I am your subject."

When we entrust all that we have and all that we are to God our King – when our families, friends and children see the priorities by which we live.

When those priorities affect the way we do our jobs, care for our families, spend our money and our time…

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

AMEN

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Summing Up

Over the past few weeks at Paarl Methodist we've been running a 'confirmation course for everyone.'

Hopefully – if you've been attending for the past 3 weeks – your understanding of our faith has been affirmed and strengthened.

*  *  *

Saved – How?

By grace, through faith, the gift of God.

-Ephesians 2:8 (shortened)

The gifts of God's grace:

Creation, the Law, Jesus' life death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit.

Our response is as simple as saying yes to all of this.

Saved – From what and for what?

We are saved to be made whole.

Relationships are restored between us and God, us and each other, us and ourselves, us and the environment – the world around us.

Somebody has said that the Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of right relationships.

Our salvation sets us free to be the community and the people we were created to be.

Church

Church, the gathering of people who accept God's gift of Grace, helps us to live out our salvation in the world.

Last week I used the image of people dancing in a train station to try and describe what we are as church:

A group of people working out how to dance to God's music in the world.

That dance demands some discipline – practice, discipleship, accountability – as we learn to keep in step with God's music.

The Holy Spirit

And this week we speak about the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit

Psalm 139:1-18, Luke 11:5-13, Galatians 5:16-26.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Trinity

Christians get a bit confusing when we speak of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit – but they are all one.

This really doesn't make sense.

Its not supposed to.

Our words or understanding always fall far short of capturing God.  Like when you take a picture of the most beautiful sunrise or moon in the sky – the picture is never as good as the real thing.

Analogies

So you say – its like H2O – Water, Ice, or Steam.  Or like a person who is at once a Mother, a Daughter and a Wife.

Or for some Early Christians a perichoresis a sort of circle dance.

*  *  *

Unfortunately, our only chance of understanding such great things is misunderstanding.  As soon as you understand one part – you've misunderstood another.

(Like when you go to the shops and forget to take a basket.  You get to the point where if you pick up the toothpaste you have to drop the toothbrush.)

*  *  *

When we discuss the things of God we should speak in humility – with our hands covering our mouths in reverence and awe.

*  *  *

In answer to the Question:  "Who is the Holy Spirit?"

We have to answer that the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit, but she is also the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Because we believe that the three are One – and the One is three.

And so when we encounter the Holy Spirit, we encounter God.

Pneuma

Pneuma the Greek word translated as Spirit literally means 'wind', or breath.

Jesus speaks of the Spirit in John 3:8:

The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going.

- John 3:8 (GNB)

We use the word 'Spirit' to speak of this aspect of God because these words describe something whose (often powerful) effects we see, even though we don't see the means by which they occur.

You can't see the wind,
but you can see the effects
of the wind.

So for the disciples at Pentecost Luke describes the experience of the descent of the Spirit as:

…a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house…"

- Acts 2:2 (GNB)

Although we can't 'define' the Holy Spirit – perhaps we could speak of the Holy Spirit simply as:

"…the invisible hand of God that acts on and in creation."

The way in which we experience God.

Life

For ancient peoples – this invisible force, this pneuma, this breath was the explanation of many mysteries.

An unseeable force.

God gave Adam life – breathing into his nostrils 'the breath of life' (Genesis 2:7).

Jesus gave the disciples life – after the resurrection he breathed on them and said:

'Receive the Holy Spirit."

– John 20:22

God's breath in us, literally makes us alive; and as a church, a body of believers – alive with the life – the energy of God to be the living body of Christ in the world.

Purpose of the Spirit

Promised purpose

It is in Acts 2, the Pentecost event that the church first experiences the power of the Spirit.  The people gathered in an upper room to worship God suddenly speak in tongues.  Peter explains the event – using the prophet Joel as his source:

Joel writes about the day that God's Kingdom is established on earth:

"I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.  Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit."

- Joel 2:28-29

Leading up to this the prophet paints pictures of destruction and devastation - and then, in contrast a different picture.  Pictures of reconstruction and restoration as the Lord blesses his people; and begins to restore the community to his original intentions for it.

Along with the coming of God's Kingdom comes relationship with God… all people experience the Spirit – renewed relationship with God.

Prophesying – speaking God's message for the moment. 

Dreaming and seeing visions, imagining God's Kingdom dream realised in the world.

I think it is what happens when we see things the way they are supposed to be and something inside us – the spirit inside us rejoices, causing us to rejoice, to shed a tear – to say the Kingdom is here after all.

The promised gift of the Holy Spirit is part and parcel of God's plan to restore the world to its original design.

Primary purpose

Seeing as the Holy Spirit is there as a part of God's Kingdom reign – it makes sense that the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit would be to help us to know who our King is.

In Matthew 16:17, after Peter has recognised who Jesus is, saying "You are the Messiah…"  Jesus says to him:

"…this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven…."

- Matthew 16:17

The Spirit – the invisible presence of God – helps Peter to recognise that Jesus is the Messiah – God's anointed King, the realisation of God's Kingdom dream.

*  *  *

In John's gospel the promise of the Holy Spirit is the promise of a living reminder of who Jesus is, what he taught and what that meant:

"…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you."

– John 14:26

The Holy Spirit ensures that we continue to experience God, continue to grow in our understanding of God's will for our lives and our world.

When Jesus is crucified we are not left as orphans, God – in the person of the Spirit remains with us.  We continue in living relationship with a living God.

Pentecost Purpose

The Spirit does not 'just' give us dreams, prophecies and visions.  It does not just help us to remember who our King is – and the values that our King has set for us to live by.

But it helps us in the task of living as Kingdom citizens – and soldiers – people who battle forward against the domination of other Kings – in order to make Jesus King.

The most famous act that we see – in Acts 2 is the Pentecost Event – the Holy Spirit empowers the apostles to tell the world about God and God's work's of power.

The good news – that Jesus is King, that God's goodness does in fact triumph over evil.

To use the Kingdom metaphor, the disciples become ambassadors to foreign nations.

*  *  *

But then this Spirit also gives people other gifts, in 1 Corinthians 12 Paul tells us how these gifts of the Spirit are given for the 'common good' (1 Corinthians 12:7).  Not for our own individual benefit – but for the sake of the Kingdom community.

Paul lists these gifts as:

"the power to work miracles, the gift of speaking God's message, the ability to discern between good and evil, the ability to speak in tongues, and to interpret – the same Spirit gives different gifts."

– 1 Corinthians 12:10-11

All of these gifts work together to build up God's Kingdom community – to continue the ministry of Jesus on earth.

Not only giving us the gift of knowledge – the knowledge that we are Kingdom citizens.  But the tools to become Kingdom citizens in the world.

*  *  *

In John's gospel Jesus speaks to the disciples after he has risen:

"As the Father sent me, so I send you."  Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

– John 20:22

The Spirit gives Jesus the power to do what he does – and gives us the power to continue doing what he began.

Personality Purpose

(Preachers sometimes get carried away with assonance.)

A third purpose that the Spirit brings about is an inner transformation.  Paul speaks of the Spirit as a Spirit of Adoption – that transforms us into the likeness of the Father.  (We were created in his image – in our choice to sin we tarnished that image – but in Christ that image is restored in us.

Simply put – in Galatians 5:16-26 Paul describes contrasting personalities that result in contrasting communities.

The community of people and personalities that live by the flesh is described like this:

People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups…

– Galatians 5:20 (GNB)

On the other hand, Paul tells us:

"…the Spirit produces love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control…"

– Galatians 5:22 (GNB)

Imagine driving to work in the verse 22 community, and imagine driving to work in the verse 20 community.

Imagine Saturday morning at the shops.

Think about these things in your relationships with others, and in your marriage.

Do you choose verse 22 or verse 20?

Conclusion

Jesus' life, death and resurrection ushers in the possibility of a new era for the world.  The coming of the Kingdom of God, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those willing to receive it for the sake of the transformation of the world and the establishment of His Kingdom.

*  *  *

In the gospel we read today Jesus promises that if we ask for the Holy Spirit, we will receive it:

"How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

- Luke 11:7 (GNB)

*  *  *

The Holy Spirit is God's powerful and gentle force of life breathed into his church – let us receive the strength of this Spirit to be who we are called to be.

And then I believe we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place.

Amen

Means of Grace – Prayer

Acts 1:1-14, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Luke 18:9-14, Psalm 4

A Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Broken Human Being.
The Grace of Jesus
Love of God
Power of the Holy Spirit.

And a Method:

Mix them all together like this:

Do no harm.
Do good.
Do worship
    Prayer
    Scripture
    Communion

Result:

A whole, and holy human being.

The Baker:

God

Revision

Over the past few weeks at Paarl Methodist we've been running a course of sermons entitled "Confirmation for Everybody". 

I thought we could use a little refresher course.

*  *  *

In the first week we looked at the question:  How are we saved?  We realised that Jesus saves us by grace, through faith.

In the second we asked what are we saved from and for.  We are saved to live the full life that Jesus has promised us.  Re-united with God, with ourselves, with others and the whole environment of which we are a part.

We are saved to bring the Kingdom of God, to literally change the world.

*  *  *

In the third week we looked at this community of God's grace in which we are included as Christians – the Church.  I used the metaphor of dancing to music – as we learn together to dance / to live according to God's music.  It's no fun on your own.

Then we spoke about the Holy Spirit – the one who gives us the power to be what we are called to be, enabling us to experience God – and empowering us to do the work of God in the world.

*  *  *

We've covered some of the basics of the faith.  Who God is, and how we respond to that God.

At this point we get to the part that really should make us recognisable as Methodists.

The 'Means of Grace'

Methodists aren't 'most famous' for the specifics of their belief or doctrine, in fact, John Wesley – the founder of Methodism said of our denomination – or group of Christians:

'There is no other religious society under heaven which requires nothing of men [sic] in order to their admission into it but a desire to save their souls...  The Methodists alone do not insist on your holding this or that opinion, but they think and let think.'

– John Wesley, 1788

*  *  *

We are Christians. 

Our Method is called Methodism.

Method

In any good recipe you have a planned outcome – a loaf of bread or maybe a chocolate cake.

You have ingredients.  Stuff that has enormous potential – but often tastes awful on its own – like flour.

And a Method, which is the way we combine the ingredients in order to produce the end result.

*  *  *

Our planned outcome – is that we should be what we were originally created to be.

Created Good.  In the image of God.

The best example of what that looks like - that we have – is Jesus (Heb 1:3).

"…the exact imprint of God's very being…"

– Hebrews 1:3

In contrast to this Jesus – who is the 'exact imprint of God's very being' we are not quite what we should be.

Paul reminds us that:

"…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;"

– Romans 3:23

We've fallen short, we've chosen not to live as we were created to live.  And we need to be restored.

*  *  *

As much as people sometimes struggle with Christianity – as much as there is opposition to the faith – I am sure that few would complain if there were more 'Jesus shaped' people around.

*  *  *

Like dough that needs to be kneaded and punched and rolled and mixed in order to make a good loaf of bread (Dale will tell you more about that one day) – we people – raw ingredients that we are, need to allow the baker (in this case God) to work on us.  And sometimes, that involves us working alongside him – the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Cor 9:24, the image of an athlete who works at their craft – just as we have to work at being Christian.

*  *  *

And so we have an outcome:  A Whole person, restored to what God originally intended.

Our ingredients:  Broken people like us.

And a Method.

1 – Prayer
2 – Searching the Scriptures
3 – Partaking in Holy Communion

Now – we can not limit God to working just in these few ways.  God – we believe – can use anything to work in us for our transformation.  Some times it might be a trained therapist.  Maybe a movie, maybe a moment on top of a mountain alone.

God – being God – is not limited.

But these 'means' these methods, prayer, scripture, and communion, are a special gift to us – a divinely ordained opportunity for us to take, and use in order that we can become more like Jesus.

*  *  *

For the next 3 weeks we look at these three mean's of grace, these three different ways in which God works out his way in us:

Prayer, Reading the Bible and Holy Communion.

And today – we begin with a few words about Prayer as a means of God's grace, and how we can use it the way God intends us to.

Prayer

None of us like to hear the phone ring late at night or early in the morning.  It normally means that something has gone wrong.

When we get bad news, when we are shocked and frightened – I think we say our most sincere prayer:

"Oh God!"

Sometimes – the words we say – shouldn't be repeated in church.

Sometimes our prayer doesn't even make it as far as words. 

Its just tears, a groan, a thought – anguish, just that sinking feeling in the pit of our stomach.

I am sure that these honest, desperate prayers are the prayers most well heard by the God whose love responds to our needs; who loves us like a parent.

Paul tells us that:

"…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

– Romans 8:26 (NIV)

*  *  *

On Thursday morning we got a call like that, Heather's dad was sick in hospital.  As soon as it was decent to contact other people I did – to say we needed prayers.

Not that all would get better.  Not that the crisis would go away.  But that in that crisis we would have the strength, certainty, knowledge – of people whose most loving God, sovereign of the universe was with them and keeping them in that moment.

The knowledge that even though things might not go our way – we would still be OK.  Knowing that everything is in God's hands.

I believe God answered our prayers – Heather's dad is doing much better, and we had all the emotional resources we needed for the crisis.

*  *  *

Most of us only pray in times of Crisis.

I know that God loves us 'Crisis Christians' just as much as any other, but as powerful and as gracious as God is to answer those prayers.  If they are the only prayers we pray – we will miss out on the greater miracle.

*  *  *

The miracle of our being transformed daily into the people that God created us to be. 

The miracle of a world transformed by that grace.  Filled with people who reflect Jesus in the way they love and behave.

Imagine that world:  No one would go hungry or die of starvation, because every one would have compassion and live generously.

In that world there would be no corruption in government or among those in power.

In that world our families wouldn't suffer the brokenness that they so often do because of our own stubborn selfishness.

In that world humanity would no longer be the victims of the selfish greed that we have nurtured. 

Instead – we would see the Kingdom of God.

The real point…

And that is the real point of Christian prayer.  Not that God would do stuff for us (although God often does bless us in ways we don't deserve).  But that God would transform us, discipline us, strengthen us, enable us to be more like Jesus.

We should allow prayer to be a 'means of grace' in which God transforms us into the people that we are created to be.

*  *  *

One example Jesus offers us of this prayer is in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector; the Tax Collector prays, beating his breast saying a simple and humble prayer:

"God be merciful to me a sinner!"

- Luke 18:14

Jesus tells us that the tax collector 'went down to his home justified.'  He was made right, and made right with God.

The word 'justified' is a legal term – it means that the tax collectors offenses are forgiven and his relationship with the complainent – the one who had a case against him, in this case – God – is restored.

But the word can also speak about being repaired – or fixed.

The tax collector goes home a whole human being, restored to what God created him to be.

*  *  *

Jesus shows us that that is the point of our prayer.  Our own transformation.  Our own restoration.  Not the meeting of our needs in a moment of crisis.

And that inwardly transformed person – is empowered to change the world.

Ascension Day

Today is Ascension Sunday – on this day we pay attention to Jesus ascension into heaven – knowing that not only did Jesus die and Rise again, but he also ascended into heaven to take up his seat on the throne at the right hand of God.

But before he ascended he reminded his disciples: 

"…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

- Acts 1:8

After that the disiciples and others constantly devoted themselves to prayer, in preparation for the work that they were about to do.

A small group of people who in prayer allowed themselves to be transformed into the world changing community that they became.

It is my prayer that our prayer, worship, service of Christ would no longer be about ourselves, but would become our service to the world in Jesus name.

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

Amen.

[Paarl Methodist Church] Pentecost / Harvest Festival 2009

Acts 2:1-21, Ezek 37:1-14, Psalm 104:24-34, Romans 8:22-27, John 15:26-27

Pentecost

Today is Pentecost Sunday – 50 days after Passover, the Jewish festival at which Jesus was crucified the disciples and many other people were gathered together in Jerusalem to celebrate the festival of Pentecost.

They gathered – not to celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, but to celebrate the end of the Harvest.

Pentecost was one of three great Jewish feasts – feasts which adult males were expected to attend every year – if they were close enough to Jerusalem.

*  *  *

Shavout as the festival was called – celebrated the harvest, with the offering of first fruits, sheaves of barley and wheat, grapes, figs, olives and dates.

It also celebrated the giving of the Mosaic Law – the Ten Commandments.

A festival at which the Jews celebrated all that God had done for them:

Given them a land in which to farm, be provided for.  A law, which helped them to live in peace in that land…  acknowledging the fact that everything they had came from God – symbolising an offering of themselves back to God.

An important, harvest festival.

Today – we bring our offerings – a sign that we know that all that we are, and all that we have comes from God, and an offering of all of that back to God.

*  *  *

Jewish festivals were probably a bit more fun than Christian ones – in some ways.  A sense of festival, of rejoicing, dancing and music; and occasionally there might have been the ancient equivalent of a beer tent.

They've had too much wine…

Acts 2:1-21

And so, Luke tells us in the The Acts of the Apostles that when the people heard the first Christians speaking in their own language and speaking about 'God's deeds of power', they sneered and said: 'they are filled with new wine…'

The Apostle Peter stands up – 'these people are not drunk – no this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel…'

*  *  *

Something was happening.

Something that the Israelites had hoped for, but hadn't expected in this way – the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, and the total transformation of a group of usually quiet people into what looked like a great party.

*  *  *

The prophet Joel had spoken about how God would fill his people with the Holy Spirit, how the Kingdom of God would be restored.

Real, physical, human and political transformation…

People came to Jerusalem to offer their first fruits to God – a symbol that everything they were belonged to him; God poured out his Spirit, the Spirit that would take what was his – his people, and helped them to be who he created them to be.

The transformation that the whole world waited for had come.

That day, Luke tells us, 3000 people were baptised, symbolising cleansing and the crossing of a river to enter the Kingdom.  Symbolising their 'washing' in the Holy Spirit.

The word to baptise – also means to Dye – people who dyed cloth, baptised it in the colour, and when it came out it was transformed…

Transformation

Romans 8:22-27

In the letter to the Romans Paul speaks a little about the transformation that the Spirit works in people; he has referred on other occasions to the 'fruit of the Spirit' – Galatians 5:22-23 – 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…'

Here, in Romans 8:23 he speaks about the 'first fruits of the Spirit'.

About people who have 'the first fruits of the Spirit' groaning inwardly and waiting – with all of creation, for God to finish what God started.

Creation will be set free from its 'bondage to decay' and people will 'obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.' (21)

*  *  *

All of creation – Paul says – longs to become what it was created to be; and so do we.  Even though some of us don't know it.

We all, every human being, deep down inside of us, sometimes without being aware of it, no matter how seemingly evil we are, every creature, every created thing wants to be restored, wants to be what God created it to be.

*  *  *

And so this 'transformation' produces the first fruits of the spirit in us:  Love, joy, peace patience, kindness, gentleness, and self control; not of our own effort – a tree doesn't bear fruit by concentrating and squeezing it out. 

It bears fruit because it's a fruit tree.

Just the same – when we surrender ourselves to God – symbolised in offerings of those things which we do and are – but running deeper than that into our hearts and lives, we are able to be what God created us to be.

The 'first fruits' of the Spirit are what we produce when we simply open ourselves to God, when we surrender, when we stop trying so hard to not be the 'fruit' trees we were created to be.

When we say, 'yes to Jesus'.

Yes – you are the way, the truth and the life – I surrender all I am to you, take me and use me.

When we do this – we don't – by our own effort begin to bear this fruit, but God, that great gardener who is able to bring fruit out of the ground – brings it out of us.

Ezekiel's Vision

In Ezekiel 37:1-14, we read about 'Them bones, them bones, them – dry bones.'

At the end of Ezekiel's vision the LORD says:  "I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act." (14)

*  *  *

The picture of those dry bones – is what we might just be. 

Lifeless, dead.  Nothing we can do about it.

The dead can not raise themselves.

But when the LORD commands it – when the Spirit of God breathes out…

Those bones – frightening as it is in Ezekiel's vision, come to life

And that is what God's Spirit does to us at Pentecost.

Takes our dry and lifeless bones, dry and lifeless because that is how we end up when we constantly resist the one that gives us life.

And makes us alive; sending us out into the world – filled with love and grace.

To be God's agents in the world.

*  *  *

When we accept the gift of God's Spirit poured out, when we surrender to God and allow God to transform us.

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

AMEN

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Posted By Gus to Paarl Methodist Church on 6/03/2009 09:07:00 PM