Annoying God

You could be forgiven for thinking that last week's gospel reading, Luke 18: 1- 8, the parable of the unjust judge, implied that if you annoy God enough he will answer your prayer. After all, that is what the widow does. However, having thought about it a bit and, admittedly, consulted some commentaries, the parable is really about what God is not like.

The rhetorical questions that Jesus asks confirms this.'Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?" The rhetorical answer being 'yes'. 'Will he delay in helping them?" The rhetorical answer being 'no'. Jesus goes on to say that God 'will quickly grant justice to them'. Then Jesus follows this with another rhetorical question: 'And yet, when the Son of Man comes will he find faith on earth?' Jesus gives no answer, but my guess he hopes we will say 'yes'. The faith he is looking for is that we see God as generous, gracious and quick to grant justice; not the grumpy, stingy God of so many people's views.

Who is the God you pray to?

Chris

Being dishonest!?

Last week's gospel reading would have to be one of the most difficult to interpret: the parable of the dishonest manager (Luke 16: 1- 13). At face value it seems to be commending some form of dishonesty. Most of the commentaries that I consulted seem to conflict with each other about the right interpretation for this parable. So, it is up for grabs, really.

My own interpretation seems to align with Eugene Peterson's tranlsation/interpretation in 'The Message': 'Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law abiding citizens...I want you to be smart in the same way - but for what is right...' (Luke 16: 8 - 9). My take: be smart and realize the ways of the world around you. Be alert of the greed that exists and don't be taken in by it, because when it runs out you will still be welcome
into the reign of God.

So now, what's your interpretation of this difficult text?

Chris

Grace

'This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them', so the Pharisees and scribes grumbled about Jesus (Lk: 15: 1 - 10). Grumbling for us means a minor moan about something small and insignificant, but here it means they were really annoyed with Jesus. A moan that would ultimately lead the Pharisees to seek Jesus' life. To answer their grumbling, Jesus told them two parables about finding lost things and rejoicing over the find. He says it twice, 'there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents...'. Joy is the result of finding what was lost.

So much of our thinking about repentance and salvation is shaped by Christendom. We often associate it with coming to our senses, straightening out our act, giving up our bad behaviours, and trudging along the 'narrow' way. In this mindset, repentance also means abiding by rules and regulations often set for us by others. We act Christianly, and put on the right appearance, following the rules of Christian convention. However, I'm not sure Jesus quite sees it that way. What did repentance mean for the sheep in his parable, which didn't come to its senses and turn back, and for the coin, which cannot actually do anything but just be found? Is not the emphasis here on being found, rather than our act of turning back? Is it not about God's grace, rather than our righteousness?

Often God finds us while we are busy doing other things, and then leads us back to him bit by bit. Like the coin we can be buried under so many things that God needs to sweep away the garbage that is hiding the real us. When God does find us, the real us, the sinner and the outcast us, there is real joy, not only for God and heaven, but for us as well.

'I once was lost, but now I am found...' Amazing Grace!

Chris

Discipleship

Last week's gospel reading was very difficult: 'Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and life itself, cannot be my disciple...' (Luke 14: 25 - 35. Well, that puts an end to 'family values'!

However, what does Jesus really mean by this? Eduard Schweizer in his commentary on Luke states that 'hate' here does not mean an emotion but 'as radical objective subordination'. In other words, Jesus is saying that these family ties must come second to discipleship to him. Jesus is calling for radical discipleship that involves not only our families, but also ourselves and our possessions. A big call; a big challenge! Now, I am humbled.

Chris

Schweizer, E (1984), The Good News according to Luke, (SPCK, London)

Humble like me!

Humility has always been one of my strong points! A joke, obviously, but when I sometimes start a sermon by saying this the serious looks I get suggest that some people either believe me or, more likely, they have already switched off. That is the trouble with humility. If you say you have it, you obviously don't.

Last week's Gospel reading, Luke 14: 7 - 14 encourages us to be humble. It says to be humble means taking the lowest place, but surprisingly then being moved up to higher place of honour. Is that a catch 22? I will pretend to be humble in the hope that I will then be exalted. However, if that is my motivation, then I will not be exalted, but humbled once again. Perhaps, the main point of this teaching of Jesus is about not pushing ourselves forward or thinking too highly about ourselves. In God's eyes, the poor, the crippled, and the lame will have a special place at the table (Luke 14: 13).  For me, it is about being grateful that God invites me too, and letting the seat allocation be done by him.

This Sunday at connecT we are exploring that difficult passage, Luke 14 : 25 -35. I'm glad it wasn't the text for Fathers Day!

Chris

'Twisted and bent over' (Luke 13: 10 -17)

Last week at connecT we spent some time with the 'bent over woman'
(Lk 13: 10 - 17). Someone who was in need of healing, but spent 18 years waiting for it. It is funny that no one really noticed her all that much, but Jesus did; straight away. What the Synagogue leader did notice, though, was that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. A fact that displeased the leader of the Synagogue very much. 'Come on another day and be healed', he said. Apparently, given that the woman had to wait 18 years, there wasn't too much healing happening on those other days.

Religious rules and regulations: it is easy to have ago at the leader of the Synagogue or the Pharisees, but we all have them: how to pray, right ways of worshipping, the right music to sing, the right instrument to play in worship, the right clothes to wear, the right behaviour, the right bible to read, the right ecclesiastical dress for clergy...and the list goes on. There is a touch of the Synagogue leader in all of us.

A closer look at the story will reveal that there are in fact two 'crippled' people: the woman and Synagogue leader. The Synagogue leader is also in need of liberation and healing: the law has held him captive. So much for him. What about you and me?

On a similar theme, a blog that is really very good.
                                                                                           
http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/literalist-gluttony

Chris

P.S. This week @ connecT: humility & fatherhood.

Jesus and the family - Luke 12: 49 - 59

Sometimes it is hard to grasp what Jesus is saying. He seems to be going against everything that seems to be at the heart of our Christian faith and practice. Many Christians hold the family up as being at the centre of Christian practice. There are some Christian political groups, and they are worldwide, who hold 'family values' to be at the centre of their political platform. Yet, last week's gospel reading seems confusing in the light of this:  'I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were kindled...I have come to bring division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against mother...' (Luke 12: 49ff). Some people have told me that this is one of their least favourite passages of scripture.

At connecT we spent time exploring this text and came up with some ways to interpret it:

• It is contextual.  Identifying Jesus as the Messiah (Lord) would have caused division within both Jewish and Gentile households, and it still happens today through out the world.
• For Jesus, the Reign of God always came first; even before family, and, especially, before money and possessions.
• Putting the Reign of God first also means that we can then approach our own families with the values of that reign: unconditional love, grace, mercy, justice, and forgiveness.
• Families are very important, but God's reign is more important!

This week at connecT we explore religious legalism. I'm sure we all have some thoughts on that!

Chris

Confirmation Conversation # 6

Hi all.

Not everything was covered by the time of the confirmation, so I have a few things to finish up with. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting the final confirmation conversations. As per usual, post any comments or questions, or catch me on Sundays.

Central to the Anglican way of life is the important place we have for the sacraments. I have already written briefly about Baptism in the first conversation. In this blog I will write about the Eucharist, and some other sacraments that are important to Anglicans. I will use their formal names, so we know what they are if other people refer to them in that way. A sacrament is often called an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.

The Eucharist

The Eucharist, which means thanksgiving, is known by some other names: the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion or Mass. In the Eucharist we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ through the everyday forms of bread and wine. In the Eucharist we commemorate and celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We repeat what he told us to do: ‘do this in remembrance of me’. Through the Eucharist we celebrate Jesus’ eternal presence with us, and look forward to the time when we will be with Jesus forever. The Eucharist is a Trinitarian (I wrote about the Trinity a few weeks ago) act of worship to the Father, through Jesus Christ in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. God the Trinity is present with us whenever we celebrate the Eucharist.

Some people get a little hung up about how the body and blood of Jesus is present. Do the bread and the wine actually change? Is the Eucharist just a form of remembering and nothing more? In the Anglican Church we allow for a number of interpretations, but the‘official line’ is that ‘we feed on him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving’, or as the 39 Articles put it: ‘the body of Christ is given, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner.’ (Article 28)

Confirmation, Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Unction

The main sacraments of the church are Baptism and the Eucharist. These have been given to us by Jesus. However, we do have five extra sacraments in the church, which we call ‘commonly called sacraments’. These are not necessarily from Jesus, but have came to be valued in the life of the church.

Confirmation - In confirmation we confirm the promises made at out baptism. Some of us were baptised as infants and so we were not able to speak for ourselves. At confirmation we are given the opportunity to publicly take on for ourselves our Christian commitment. This rite is performed by the bishop who represents the wider church and is our chief Pastor.

Penance – In penance we make our own confession for sin. We normally do this together at the Eucharist, but at other times we can make private confession to a priest. The priest will offer us guidance, prayer and, normally, God’s forgiveness of our sins (absolution). Please speak to me if you wish to make a private confession. The Anglican rule for private confessions is: all can, none must, some should. Please remember that confession is confidential, accept in cases of the abuse of a child where the priest is mandated to report.

Holy Orders – Holy orders are the ministries of deacon, priest and bishop. All Christians are commissioned for ministry. However, holy orders are ministries given to the church for guidance, instruction, pastoral care and leadership.

Matrimony – Christian marriage is given to the Church to bless people who choose to live together in a loving partnership.

Unction - Christians are called to pray, lay hands upon, and anoint with oil those who are sick (James 5: 14 – 15). Unction is the ministry of healing. At St. Jude’s we have a healing service at the 9.30am service on the third Sunday of the month. At this service people are invited to receive the ministry of healing, either for themselves or in the name of another. However, the ministry of healing occurs at other times as well. Please let me know if you desire this ministry of prayer.

Chris

Confirmation Conversation # 5

This week I want to start thinking about some Christian practices: prayer, sacramental worship, reading the Bible, acts of justice and kindness, and Christian behaviour. It will take me a few weeks to cover these. If you have any questions, as per usual blog or raise them in our catch-up sessions.

Prayer

All relationships need communication for them to be healthy and rewarding. We find that with our own families and friends. We need to communicate with them if they are to understand us and we them. That communication can take a number of forms. It can be deep conversation about something that concerns us, simple requests for something, angry expressions of displeasure or happy conversation where there is much humour and laughter. All these are normal human conversation and communication. They help us to be in a relationship with others.

Prayer to God can be exactly the same. We can talk to God in prayer, just sharing our day with God. We can bring to God our concerns and pray for those we love. We can express our disappointment when things do not quite go right, and, at times, we can express our anger with God about the injustices we experience in the world. Prayer often motivates us to take action about such things as we co-operate with God in God’s mission in the world.

One area that often troubles us is when God seems not to answer our prayer or doesn’t appear to be listening. We can feel that God has abandoned us. That experience is common to most of us. The answer to this is not straight forward, but I tend to think that sometimes God says no to our prayer, just like our parents say no to, what may seem to us at least, a fair request. God knows what is best for the long term and into eternity. At the other times, God may say not yet, but in time our prayer request may be answered. Other times, I have found, that God says yes straight away. Like many things in the Christian faith prayer is something of a mystery and we will not seem totally logical to us. Most important of all, however, is that prayer draws us closer to God and something of God’s heart shared with us. As with all relationships, there are times of great joy and at other times moments of struggle.

What does prayer mean to you?

Has God answered prayer the way you wanted?

Have there been other times when you have felt disappointed that your prayer has not been answered?

Chris

Conversation # 4 - God

This week we come to the heart of the Christian Faith – God. You may be wondering why it has taken me three weeks to deal with the very core belief of the Christian Faith. What I wanted to do, however, was say something first about how we come into contact with the Christian Faith: the Christian life, Baptism and the Church. However, without God none of these things make sense, of course.

So now let me speak a little about God.
Many people throughout the world profess belief in God. There are many religions that profess a belief in something ‘other’ and beyond us, and many people, who would not say they are religious, still believe in a God in some form. Christianity shares with Judaism and Islam the belief in one God as revealed to us through the Old Testament of the Bible. Christianity, though, has a unique take on this. We proclaim that this God is Trinity, that is, God is one but also three. There is one God who is in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

To the Father is attributed the ministry of creation. To the Son is attributed the ministry of salvation, and to the Holy Spirit is attributed the ministry of sanctification. This is reflected in the Nicene Creed, which we recite together at our Sunday morning services.

For many people the Trinity just doesn’t make sense. How can three be one? There is always a danger when trying to explain the Trinity that we will either make people more confused, or we will explain it in such a way that makes God into three Gods (tritheism) or one God who appears to us in three ways (modalism). It is best, I think, and inadequate as it is, to say that the Trinity is a mystery that we will never fully understand in a purely logical way. The New Testament Christians experienced God in this three-personed way, and quite wisely, I think, left it unexplained (Matt 2: 19; 1 John 4: 3-14).
Some things to think about until then:


Do we need to believe in the Trinity to be Christians?


Do I believe in a God that is one but three?


What questions do I need to ask about the Trinity?


Please feel free to post your thoughts about the Trinity on this ‘blog’


Chris

Confirmation Conversation # 3

Hi all

This week I would like to move the conversation onto the church. It is word we use a lot, obviously, and has associations with many things. Sometimes we think of the church as the building, such as St. Jude’s. When we speak of St. Jude’s we often think of the building that occupies 444 Brighton Road. At other times, we think of the church as a place we go to on Sundays. We say we are going to church, meaning not only the building, but also attending the act of worship that takes place inside it. We also speak of belonging to a church, and by that we mean we belong to a group of people who assemble at St. Jude’s. We also speak of belonging to the local or global church, or the Anglican Church, or one of the other denominations. Church is word that covers a multitude of meanings.

However, the New Testament mainly understands the word church as a ‘people’ (see Matthew 16: 18; Romans 16: 1, 23; Ephesians 5: 25). Occasionally, at St. Jude’s we sing a song that says;

I am the church! You are the church!

We are the church together!

All who follow Jesus all around the world,

Yes, we’re the church together.

The truth of this song, as it goes on to say, is that;

The church is not a building,

The church is not a steeple,
The church is not a resting-place,
The church is a people![1]

When we are baptized we become members of this church of ‘people’, and all of us are full and equal members of it. St. Jude’s church building might one day close - we hope not!!! However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the church itself will close. St. Jude’s Church could meet in a hall or school gym, because, ultimately, St. Jude’s Church is the people.

How do you understand the word church?

What does being a member of St. Jude’s mean to you?

Do you think the church could meet out of a church building and still be the church?

Chris

---

[1] Richard Avery & Donald March 1972, ‘I am the church’, Hymn # 467 in ,Together in Song, HarperCollinsReligious, Sydney, 1999.

Confirmation Conversation # 2

Confirmation Class # 2 – Beginning to think about baptism

Last week I wrote a little about what it means to be a Christian. I didn’t, of course, say everything about being Christian, but gave you all a chance, I hope, to think about what it might mean to you to be a Christian. This week I want to write a little about baptism.

All of you, the ones I know, have been baptised, and some of you only in very recent times: what a great celebration that was. Baptism is sometimes described as the gateway into the Christian church, but, it does, have deeper meanings than that as well.  Baptism is the means by which we are united with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection, and our sins forgiven.

The last statement about sin is a difficult one for many people. Many people do not like to think as themselves as sinners. Being a sinner sounds like something incredibly negative to them, or, at the least, should describe people who murder or steal and things like that. However, we understand sin to be that which separates us from God. The bible tells a picture story to illustrate this, and it is a story that we all know fairly well (The Book of Genesis chapter 3: first book in the bible).

Adam and Eve were in the garden made by God and they were happy and had everything they needed. Coaxed by the serpent, Eve encourages Adam to taste of the one fruit, forbidden by God, from the tree of life. They ate the fruit and then their eyes were open and they saw who they were and how they differed from God: they fell from perfection. After this they were banished from the perfect garden.

The world we live in is not perfect, and neither are we. We are all capable – and I do mean all, myself included – of doing nasty and spiteful things, treating people badly, gossiping, and other less than perfect things. This is part of our sinful nature with which we are born with. Something we all share in: the Adam and Eve that is in us. Like Adam and Eve we turn away from God and do not believe God or trust God. The Christian message is that we cannot place ourselves back in the Garden of Eden, but God in Jesus restores us to a right relationship with God by forgiving our sins through the death of Jesus. At the end of time we will be back in the garden (a place of perfection), but it will be a new one, so says The Book of Revelation chapters 21 & 22 (the last book in the bible: not a bad book, but a bit hard to understand!)

At our baptism we were asked four questions;

Do you turn to Christ?

Do you repent (meaning turning away from) of your sins?

Do reject selfish living, and all that is false and unjust?

Do renounce Satan and all evil?

We, or our godparents, on our behalf, answered ‘I do’ and then we were baptised (washed) in water to symbolize the ‘cleansing from sin that Jesus’ death makes possible’. Having been cleansed from our sin we become new ‘Adams and Eves’. The catch though, is that we still live in non-perfect world, and so we still sin from time to time. Having been baptised though, all we need do now is ask for forgiveness in prayer, turn away from our sin again, and ask God to strengthen us to do better (but more on that later).

Now, that is quite a bit to think about this week. We will have a chat about all this after the 9.30am service on 13 May. This week, May 6, we will chat about last week’s post, ‘Being a Christian’. Until then, please post a thought or a question.

Chris

Confrimation Conversation # 1

Hi all. Confirmation class begins again for 2013

Here begins a blog series for our confirmation candidates, people to be received into the Anglican Church, and general readers. It is incredibly hard to get everyone at the same place, at the same time on the same day for classes. So, I thought we will use the blog and catch up with the whole group a couple of times at church, and other places, over the next few months. There will also be a chance to catch up after the 9.30am service to have a chat about the blog. What I also hope is that some of my regular readers will join in the conversation and share their thoughts and wisdom.

Conversation # 1 What does it mean to be a christian? Over the next few weeks we will explore together issues around church, being a member of the Anglican church, baptism (confirmation), bible, worship, sacraments, and other christian issues as well. Where I want to start today is with what it means to be a christian. For many years we thought being a christian meant belonging, to say, a christian family or going to church occasionally or living in a christian country or being a good person with good habits. However, none of those things are what I think it means to be a christian. Quite simply, a christian is a follower of Jesus. A christian is someone who seeks to take the teachings of Jesus seriously and trys to live in world with a sense of justice, mercy and kindness. We also take, not only the teachings of Jesus seriously, but his life as well. What I mean by that is that we see his death as redeeming (big word: meaning,that by his death - Good Friday - our sins are forgiven: more on that in week or two. We also see his resurrection (rising from the dead - Easter) as bringing new life, hope and the gift of eternal life. As christians we like to celebrate these things with others who value these things as well (the church).

I grew up in a family where my mother was a practicing Anglican Christian. My mother took my sister and me to church regularly. However, it didn't really mean much until I was about 17, and then I became a christian: I took it seriously. Ironically, that was in another church denomination. After a few years I went back to the Anglican church and was confirmed at 21. That was about 28 years ago, and, to be honest, I am still learning about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Being a follower of Jesus does not mean knowing everything about the christian faith, nor is it about being perfect. It is about following Jesus as we are and for who we are. So, as you thinking about confirmation, think about what being a christian means to you. Some questions: How would you describe a christian person? What is important for you about Jesus?

P.S. Leave a comment on the blog or send me an email about what you think. Also, just to remind you,we will be having a chat about these things after the 9.30am service next Sunday.

connecTing with a New Year

Last night connecT starting back after a summer break. We explored the theme connecTing (a pun, yes) with a New Year. Most of us make New Year's resolutions of some sort. The top 10 for 2013 are the usual we all make: lose weight, do more exercise, spend more time with family & friends etc. All good in themselves. However, using Colossians 3: 1- 17 as the basis, we gave some thought to how we might shape our resolutions by the insights of St. Paul. In Colossians 3 there is a great list of positive things to put on. Each year I give this text some thought, and each year, garment by garment, I try to put on some of Paul's suggestions. I'm still going! What resolutions are for you in Colossians 3 list? Chris