Monthly Archives: May 2016

Deserving? (Pentecost 2c)

 

As I get older, I am reminded of the need to know what I am doing. It is too easy to “lose the plot” – a theme which comes up in this week’s readings. Paul (Galatians 1:6-7) seems to think the Church in Galatia may have forgotten the basis of the gospel, and coincidentally Luke seems to record a similar contrast (Luke 7:1-10).

Jesus is in Galilee, in Peter’s home town near the fisherman’s lake. There is a delegation of synagogue leaders, who ask him to heal the slave of a Roman soldier. This is odd. The soldier is not part of the Jewish community, and he works for the occupying army! But it seems that he has built their synagogue. To the Jewish leaders, he deserves Jesus attention and favour.

That’s not too hard to understand. There are still people in Church, and outside the congregation, who think God owes them a favour or two. That is wrong – because God owes nobody. And it has missed the point, which is a great pity.

Now look at the attitude of the Centurion:

  • there is faith. He trusts Jesus, to be able to heal, and to want to heal. He explains that he knows about authority – and recognises that Jesus has it, in a rather different way to the military.
  • But there is also humility, especially, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof;” Luke 7:6 Unlike the synagogue leaders, this man knows he does not deserve Jesus favour. He has not “bought” anything with his gifts, except that he now knows where to look for help, and his own real status. And what is his status? He is a child of God, asking the Father’s help and love.

This is the importance of remembering the Gospel – the Good News of Jesus. What is that Good News? That God will give us what we deserve? – No, for nobody is good enough, or up to God’s standard. Nobody (including retired Vicars!) The Good News is that God does not give us what we deserve, but offers love, forgiveness and life for free – because that is the sort of God he is! The centurion had it right. He understood that Jesus might be embarrassed – or criticised – for going to the house of a foreigner, a Pagan, so he does not ask him to come in. He understood that he needed to ask, knowing he depended not on his reputation, but on Jesus’ grace. He understood that trusting Jesus was the way to get what he needed, and more. Some people still like to use his words as a prayer: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” Jesus was amazed how well he understood, and Luke records the comment, along with the fact that the slave was healed.

That is the gospel: because of Jesus, God’s love is offered to us, as freedom, forgiveness, healing, new life – all the things we need, (though not always what we think we want!). The synagogue leaders, and some people in Galatia, got that wrong, which was dangerous. It risked losing the benefit – or perhaps even worse, stopping other people enjoying it. It is still important to know what Jesus offered, and how to help people get it!

 

Trinity and Relationship (Trinity c)

Trinity Sunday, but does it matter in practice what the early Christians thought, from a very different philosophical background?  I don’t feel bound to their ideas, as I do to the New Testament, but I think there is value in the idea of Trinity.

John 16:12-15 has Jesus telling the disciples that the Holy Spirit will relate “what he hears”, making clear a very close communication and co-operation between Father, Son and Spirit.  The New Testament never fully explains the relationship, but shows that Jesus has the Father’s power and authority, as well as approval.  (This is a feature of many miracles, and explicitly in the forgiveness, as well as healing, of the paralysed man let down through the roof Mark 2).  Father, Son and Spirit are associated in the Great Commission (Matthew 28), and the “Grace” 2 Corinthians 13, extending the unity of Father and Son Colossians 1, John 10:30, John 17:11 etc.

But why does it matter?  I suspect that for many people, God is pictured as a lonely old man orbiting through the universe and looking for someone to talk to.  That is rubbish.  But it is rubbish because God is a relationship. Father, Son and Spirit are so close, in such perfect communication and unity of purpose that they really are one.  You can speak of any of the three being fully involved in what any of the others does.  That is not mere theory.  It means that relationship is at the heart of Christian life.  Difficult though we find other people (rather as we find ideas of the Trinity mindbending), they are not optional.  If God is a relationship, and we are made in God’s image, relationship is of key importance, to our spiritual life as much as to our practical existence.

When we get tired of “meetings”; when Church politics and personalities irritate or worse, we need to remember that other people are not optional.  Part of our Christian living is to learn the quality of communication and unity of purpose which is God.  Which takes us to another of Trinity Sunday’s readings: Romans 5:1-5  – for those who know God’s grace, difficulties are part of the pilgrim route, schooling the character and leading to hope.  I suggested, slightly tongue in cheek, at Bible Study that our Ministry Area should adopt the motto “We also boast of our troubles”.  (The version of “sufferings” in the Good News Bible).  It might give a new perspective!

Explosion (Pentecost)

You might be forgiven for not realising that this Sunday is the third great feast of the Christian year – Pentecost. The story is told in Acts 2, read today.

During his ministry, Jesus had assembled a group – 12 men, and others including women. At first they listened and watched, then they were sent on mission, to practice and learn how God could use them.  More learning followed, especially at the  Passion, with some shock as God’s plan worked out, and they all failed rather badly – which was part of learning to trust God, not least his forgiveness. Jesus is raised from the dead. It takes a while to sink in, but they come to terms with the new reality.

But then comes the Ascension – the Son of God returns to heaven, and they are told to wait.  50 days after Easter, on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, there comes an EXPLOSIVE change. A violent wind – fire. The group which had hidden away in fear bursts out; Peter preaches a public sermon through which 3000 people are converted and baptised.  The Holy Spirit, known before as a welcome occasional visitor, has come to stay with believers. In time they would learn the full wonder of his character, including a gentler, transforming side. But the first impact, causing the birth of the Church, can rightly be called dramatic, powerful, even violent.

Now, as then, Christians have to learn to live with the Holy Spirit. In some ways it is a continuation of having Jesus close by – he still directs operations and gives authority – but it is different. The Holy Spirit is everywhere, but not quite like a person. The Spirit guides and makes Jesus known, but, as the gospel (John 14:15-17 + 25-27) says, he can only be received or consulted or drawn on by Christians – because others don’t see or recognise him.

At Pentecost, some of the crowd thought the excitement was drunkenness, but others heard in their own languages the praise of God’s deeds of power.  That is where we start. Not in a private party, giving rise to sneers about how we have celebrated, but in making known the God who is good, and sharing what we know of his plans for our community and our time.  Maybe it still needs an explosion -?

Waiting (Easter 7c)

I wonder if it was uncomfortable being with the disciples for the ten days between Jesus’ Ascension and the Day of Pentecost?  Waiting is not my favourite activity, and I imagine other people also find it difficult.

Of course, when the waiting is over, it doesn’t always make everything easy.  Luke tells us of the need to wait by showing the power of the Holy Spirit in the adventures of the early Christians in the book of Acts.  They needed the help.  Clearly, this is not their own planning or ability displayed, but something more.

Acts 16:16-34, read this Sunday, tells of Paul’s ability to deal with spirit possession.  (This is not a denial of psychiatry – most “possession” in the western world is psychiatric illness, but evil spiritual power is also real, and telling the difference needs some care and training).  He gets no thanks, but the girl is freed – and so is a jailer and his family!  Remarkable events, catalysed by the different lives of the Christians, and their readiness to take the opportunities that occur.

Perhaps this is more relevant to today’s Church than we might like to think.  What are we waiting for?  Perhaps again the coming of the Holy Spirit to transform lives – quietly or dramatically, but in a real way.  That will help us understand how we are meant to serve our communities, be a blessing to individuals, and provoke questions from those who want to share the benefit.

I find it reassuring that Paul, like the other early Christians, is not pictured as an ideal or perfect person, simply as one through whom the Holy Spirit was able to do great things.  The challenge is that there is no reason why that shouldn’t happen to me – or to you.