Week 2-The Season of Creation-"The Water's of Life" Sermon-09 September 2018
A Call to Persevere
Following three years of devastating drought,Cape Town was threatened with having its
taps turned off "Day Zero". What lessons can we learn from Scripture when faced by similar challenges?
Hebrews 10: 19-219 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for
he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.As a little boy I went fishing with a friend in a little boat. The mist came down and we got lost and couldn’t find our way. We called out
for help "Dad, Dad". Through the mist a voice came and so we paddled as hard as we could towards him. In a few moments we broke through the midst into sunlight and it was like heaven on earth.When it comes to issues of water, we have chosen to drift from God’s ways, we have stopped being stewards of precious water and have become lost – using water as we will, dependant on anything but God. Faced with devastating drought in Cape Town, I have been asking the question – ‘what does it take for a city to be in ‘sackcloth’’? In a city surrounded by water on all sides but facing a major drought, we are lost, calling out to God,
our Father, to give us direction, to show us the way forward. And many people are afraid…
Persevere
Hebrews 10: 19-22 is a call to persevere. We do not need to panic, we do not need to despair,as Christians we are called to Persevere. Three particular aspects of this Perseverance arestriking:
• v19 "we have confidence"
• v 22 "full assurance of faith"
• v23 "let us hold fast to the confession of our hope"
In times of crisis how do we - the Christian community - reveal that God is trusted? How do we hold fast? The writer to the Hebrews makes very important theological points for you and me to take hold of:
Position
We can call out to God in confidence.
23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is
faithful. Our confidence comes because we know the character of Jesus "By the blood of Jesus the
Christ; so as a result of who Jesus is and what Jesus did we can confidently be in the presence of God
who is faithful;"
(v 19-23).
We are Children of the Most High, Sons and daughters of the King.
Let us continue to present ourselves as hopeful for we are calling out to our loving father.
"Persevere in the position you have, and put it into practice" (Steven Cole) If we say we have faith, we must also take action. Since we are joined with Christ each day in the body of His Church our purpose is to recommit ourselves and our families to the ways of God by the actions we take. The Church reveals our commitment by the actions of our lives. Action
reveals faith.
Practice
24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.
Keeping this simple it seems that we are called to encourage each other into being people who express love and do good. In this particular time of crisis, the people of the city are learning that we all are interdependent and that as we all do our best to consume less water and other things too we can beat day zero. We can share ideas and encourage one other in practical ways. So in a time of drought, how should we pray?
Perseverance – to express hope in the One to who we belong;
Position - to be determined to remind one another that we are in Christ;
Practice – to show each other what it means to express love and to do good by every action
we take by the power of the Holy Spirit in whom we have life.This is living for Christ then; in a time of crisis
we trust God to give us determination to express love and do good as members of our communities and so present God to those who desire direction, security, comfort and freedom.
Let us persevere in the position we have, and put it into practice!
Jeremiah 2: 1-13
But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
v 6 - 7 In one of the most powerful environmental verses in Scripture we see the importance of water for the people of Israel. For forty years they have wandered through the barren wilderness,totally dependent for life on finding sources of water during their travels. What joy, when they finally come into a land flowing with milk and honey – a fertile land full of fruit and rich produce. And rather than caring for the land,they have defiled it and made it detestable.
What have we done to God’s Earth and water? Clear life-giving streams have become clogged with plastic and toxins, aquifers are polluted,the oceans are warming. These verses call upon us to lament. And so God judges his people in verse 13: My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.God is the spring of living water – living water flows up from the depths of the mountain and does not stop even in a time of drought.
We however try to confine our spirituality in manmade tanks. In this image we compare the living streams flowing from mountain to a manmade tank where the water becomes stagnant. And not only that – the tank is leaking! In turning from God’s living water and embracing the idols of materialism, we are destroying the Earth.
Psalm 107:33-38
The waters of life bring blessing and food for the hungry Psalm 107 is a psalm about the faithfulness of God and the unfaithfulness of human beings. Time and time again we turn from him. Some were wondering in the desert and
God brought them out to a safe city . Others were suffering in torments of prison and God released them from their shackles. Others went out as merchants in their ships and were caught in a great storm but God saved them.
And in verse 33 we find this shocking verse "he turned rivers into a desert, flowing springsinto a thirsty ground, fruitful land into a salt waste" – because of the wickedness of those who live there We have turned from God,just like the merchants in the ships, we are worshipping the gods of consumerism, filling the empty space in our souls with more and more material goods. How do we understand this harsh judgement of God? We are reaping the consequences of our actions. And yet if we turn back to God he will turn the deserts again into pools of water and the parched ground into springs. What a vision of hope!
Hebrews 10: 19-25
The cleansing power of God’s water
The writer of Hebrews has been explaining why the new covenant is superior to the Old Covenant- on this we base our confidence. In the Old Covenant the blood of animal sacrifice was ceremonial, it could not clean the conscience – it reminded us that our sin remained. What a beautiful image then when blood is replaced by cleansing water. Under the new covenant we are washed free of all feelings of guilt
Matthew 3: 13-17
The waters of baptism
Jesus was baptised in the Jordan river – what does it mean for us that we entered the family of God through water? We have become separated off from the sacredness of water – it comes to us from a tap or in a bottle. In the Old Testament the Old Covenant placed great emphasis on ceremonial cleanliness. Priests and other worshippers had to follow certain washing rituals in order to communicate with God (Exodus 30:18-21). Jesus, as he often did, was freed from narrow restrictions. He chose
to go out into nature – to a river with all its movement and mud – to be baptised. He was cleansed by the water but also made the water sacred by his presence. What does it mean that we have taken the waters of baptism back into the church building and changed them from a roaring torrent into a few splashes of water
from the tap? Do we know where the water that we use in that tap comes from? From which river or dam
does it come? And how polluted is that river with plastic or toxins? What does it mean that our river Jordan is polluted?
99 SEASON OF CREATION 6
Rev Doug Kirkpatrick
Following three years of devastating drought,Cape Town was threatened with having its
taps turned off "Day Zero". What lessons can we learn from Scripture when faced by similar challenges?
Hebrews 10: 19-219 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for
he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.As a little boy I went fishing with a friend in a little boat. The mist came down and we got lost and couldn’t find our way. We called out
for help "Dad, Dad". Through the mist a voice came and so we paddled as hard as we could towards him. In a few moments we broke through the midst into sunlight and it was like heaven on earth.When it comes to issues of water, we have chosen to drift from God’s ways, we have stopped being stewards of precious water and have become lost – using water as we will, dependant on anything but God. Faced with devastating drought in Cape Town, I have been asking the question – ‘what does it take for a city to be in ‘sackcloth’’? In a city surrounded by water on all sides but facing a major drought, we are lost, calling out to God,
our Father, to give us direction, to show us the way forward. And many people are afraid…
Persevere
Hebrews 10: 19-22 is a call to persevere. We do not need to panic, we do not need to despair,as Christians we are called to Persevere. Three particular aspects of this Perseverance arestriking:
• v19 "we have confidence"
• v 22 "full assurance of faith"
• v23 "let us hold fast to the confession of our hope"
In times of crisis how do we - the Christian community - reveal that God is trusted? How do we hold fast? The writer to the Hebrews makes very important theological points for you and me to take hold of:
Position
We can call out to God in confidence.
23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is
faithful. Our confidence comes because we know the character of Jesus "By the blood of Jesus the
Christ; so as a result of who Jesus is and what Jesus did we can confidently be in the presence of God
who is faithful;"
(v 19-23).
We are Children of the Most High, Sons and daughters of the King.
Let us continue to present ourselves as hopeful for we are calling out to our loving father.
"Persevere in the position you have, and put it into practice" (Steven Cole) If we say we have faith, we must also take action. Since we are joined with Christ each day in the body of His Church our purpose is to recommit ourselves and our families to the ways of God by the actions we take. The Church reveals our commitment by the actions of our lives. Action
reveals faith.
Practice
24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.
Keeping this simple it seems that we are called to encourage each other into being people who express love and do good. In this particular time of crisis, the people of the city are learning that we all are interdependent and that as we all do our best to consume less water and other things too we can beat day zero. We can share ideas and encourage one other in practical ways. So in a time of drought, how should we pray?
Perseverance – to express hope in the One to who we belong;
Position - to be determined to remind one another that we are in Christ;
Practice – to show each other what it means to express love and to do good by every action
we take by the power of the Holy Spirit in whom we have life.This is living for Christ then; in a time of crisis
we trust God to give us determination to express love and do good as members of our communities and so present God to those who desire direction, security, comfort and freedom.
Let us persevere in the position we have, and put it into practice!
Jeremiah 2: 1-13
But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
v 6 - 7 In one of the most powerful environmental verses in Scripture we see the importance of water for the people of Israel. For forty years they have wandered through the barren wilderness,totally dependent for life on finding sources of water during their travels. What joy, when they finally come into a land flowing with milk and honey – a fertile land full of fruit and rich produce. And rather than caring for the land,they have defiled it and made it detestable.
What have we done to God’s Earth and water? Clear life-giving streams have become clogged with plastic and toxins, aquifers are polluted,the oceans are warming. These verses call upon us to lament. And so God judges his people in verse 13: My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.God is the spring of living water – living water flows up from the depths of the mountain and does not stop even in a time of drought.
We however try to confine our spirituality in manmade tanks. In this image we compare the living streams flowing from mountain to a manmade tank where the water becomes stagnant. And not only that – the tank is leaking! In turning from God’s living water and embracing the idols of materialism, we are destroying the Earth.
Psalm 107:33-38
The waters of life bring blessing and food for the hungry Psalm 107 is a psalm about the faithfulness of God and the unfaithfulness of human beings. Time and time again we turn from him. Some were wondering in the desert and
God brought them out to a safe city . Others were suffering in torments of prison and God released them from their shackles. Others went out as merchants in their ships and were caught in a great storm but God saved them.
And in verse 33 we find this shocking verse "he turned rivers into a desert, flowing springsinto a thirsty ground, fruitful land into a salt waste" – because of the wickedness of those who live there We have turned from God,just like the merchants in the ships, we are worshipping the gods of consumerism, filling the empty space in our souls with more and more material goods. How do we understand this harsh judgement of God? We are reaping the consequences of our actions. And yet if we turn back to God he will turn the deserts again into pools of water and the parched ground into springs. What a vision of hope!
Hebrews 10: 19-25
The cleansing power of God’s water
The writer of Hebrews has been explaining why the new covenant is superior to the Old Covenant- on this we base our confidence. In the Old Covenant the blood of animal sacrifice was ceremonial, it could not clean the conscience – it reminded us that our sin remained. What a beautiful image then when blood is replaced by cleansing water. Under the new covenant we are washed free of all feelings of guilt
Matthew 3: 13-17
The waters of baptism
Jesus was baptised in the Jordan river – what does it mean for us that we entered the family of God through water? We have become separated off from the sacredness of water – it comes to us from a tap or in a bottle. In the Old Testament the Old Covenant placed great emphasis on ceremonial cleanliness. Priests and other worshippers had to follow certain washing rituals in order to communicate with God (Exodus 30:18-21). Jesus, as he often did, was freed from narrow restrictions. He chose
to go out into nature – to a river with all its movement and mud – to be baptised. He was cleansed by the water but also made the water sacred by his presence. What does it mean that we have taken the waters of baptism back into the church building and changed them from a roaring torrent into a few splashes of water
from the tap? Do we know where the water that we use in that tap comes from? From which river or dam
does it come? And how polluted is that river with plastic or toxins? What does it mean that our river Jordan is polluted?
99 SEASON OF CREATION 6
Rev Doug Kirkpatrick
Week 1-The Season of Creation-Stewardship Guardian's of the Earth
Sermon-02 September 2018
Genesis 1:26-31 and Gen 2:1-15 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1); "The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it" (Ps 24:1). As the Creator, God has absolute rights of ownership over all things as everything belongs to Him. To miss starting here is like a schoolboy misaligning the top button of his shirt - nothing else will ever line up. Only when we fully grasp this fact, can we begin to make sense of our role as God’s stewards. The earth does not belong to us – it belongs to God! We (humans) and all other living creatures also belong to God! The earth is not ours by right – it is a gift from God; a home in which we live and find food, and one which we share with the rest of creation. But with this gift, comes responsibility. In the first creation narrative in Genesis 1, God instructed humans to "rule (have dominion) over the fish, birds, livestock, every living creature and the earth" and to ..."fill the earth and subdue it". In Gen 1:26, 28 the word for dominion (radda) in Hebrew means kingly authority, and the king not only rules, he is responsible for the long term good of his kingdom. However, dominion has come to be understood as domination. This Scripture has been used to justify abuse of the earth. Since humans have been given a mandate to "rule" over the earth, then it is believed that we have absolute authority over creation. Nature is a resource for humans to benefit from economically no matter the environmental impacts. This "dominion theology" has been used to justify colonialism and rampant capitalism. It has allowed christians to chop down tropical forests to grow soya for cattle feed and to pollute rivers with acid mine drainage as we dig for gold. Undergirded by this theology in the last fifty years, wild animals and plant species have declined by 58% due to unsustainable agriculture, fisheries, mining and other human activities that contribute to habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, climate change and pollution. Increasingly people are victims too of the deteriorating state of nature. Living systems keep the air breathable and water drinkable and provide nutritious food. To counter this "theology of dominion" ii Christians have increasingly turned to the second Creation narrative in Genesis 2. In verse 15, humans were placed in the Garden of Eden and instructed to "work it and take care of it; to till it and keep it". In other words, God has given us the responsibility to act as stewards of his creation – to care for, manage, oversee and protect all that God owns. This does not give us free license to exploit it and abuse it! We are stewards of that which belongs to God and we are under his authority as we administer his affairs. It surely puts things in their proper perspective – and highlights a central aspect of our calling and purpose in life! Clearly one of the fundamental reasons human beings were placed on the earth is to care for and preserve all of God’s creation (which includes animals, water, land, minerals, plant life, indeed the entire environment). To think that God has entrusted all he has made into our care- what an honour and a privilege! As stewards of God’s earth, we need to act in the owner’s best interests, treating his ‘property’ with respect. We must ensure that we preserve, sustain, nurture, care for and use the resources of the earth wisely. One day we will have to give account and be answerable to God of how we have treated His earth. "Christians believe that this world belongs to God by creation, redemption and sustenance, and that he has entrusted it to humankind, made in his image and responsible to him, we are in the position of stewards, tenants, curators, trustees or guardians, whether or not we acknowledge this responsibility. Stewardship implies caring management, not selfish exploitation, it involves a concern for both present and future" Parable of the Vineyard (Matt 21:33-46) In this parable, the owner God plants the iii vineyard. He entrusted his tenants to look after it. When he sent his servants (prophets) to collect what was his due, they were killed. When his Son came, he too was killed. The Tenants had made the vineyard their own to use and abuse for their own profit. This parable can be understood in terms of ourselves and Stewardship. God has entrusted his earth to us; he expects us to care for it and bring forth a good harvest; and give back to him what is owed to him "All things come from you, and of your own do we give you" (1 Chron 29:11) If we, like the tenants in the parable, do not look after, cultivate and share the produce of the land, and give God his due, we too will come under God’s judgement. When we forget our responsibility to be wise stewards of God’s earth, creation groans. The earth can no longer cope with the unrealistic demands humans impose on our natural resources (such as water, land, minerals, oil etc). Our waste and pollution are poisoning the air, soil and water. If we continue to exploit and abuse God’s earth and treat it as if it is a natural, expendable resource simply for our benefit as human beings, what will be left for future generations to inherit? Beware the ‘Why Bother Disease" When faced with major global issues (resulting from human activities) - such as changing climates and landscapes, thinning of the ozone layer, polluted land and sea, extinction of certain plants and animals - it is easy to become overwhelmed. Perhaps we are so sick and tired of hearing about the need to care for our environment; the reality of global warming, warnings about pollution etc; that we are becoming dangerously immune to the seriousness of the situation. We might throw our hands in the air and say: "Well it’s not my fault. I can’t do anything to prevent it. It’s not my problem. Leave it to the politicians". We might think: "Who cares if I have a long shower, use plastic bags, drive my car when I could walk, enjoy eating lots of red meat, throw tin or plastic bottles out the car window or into the sea; etc…. I am only one person – what difference will it make? " Beware of the highly contagious "why bother disease"! Apathy is the worst enemy of creation’s demise. This is a moral and spiritual issue. What I do in my daily life does matter – the immediate consequences of my actions might not be felt by me but will most certainly affect someone else. How seriously we take this God-given responsibility to be wise stewards of God’s creation, will be the determining factor in what kind of world we will leave behind for future generations. Stewardship and care of the earth is much bigger than using an energy saving bulb and recycling my rubbish, as important as those things are. It embraces almost everything in our world around us. It affects access to drinkable water, making sure there is adequate sewerage and rubbish removal, land expropriation, housing needs...It also concerns fracking, industrial developments, wage negotiations, access to land and much more besides. What positive, practical steps can you as an individual and you as a church community take to be obedient to our calling to be wise stewards and care for God’s precious creation? What can you do? What do you need to stop doing? ‘For evil to flourish, it simply takes good people to do nothing" Together, we can make a difference! Rev Canon Dr Claire Nye Hunter 44 SEASON OF CREATION
The Challenge- "Somebody else will take you" 24/06/2018
After having commissioned Peter Jesus says this to him, “In all truth I tell you When you were young you put on your belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands and somebody else will put a belt around you and take you where you rather not go.” (John 21:18) These words speak to all of us and indeed those in Christian leadership. We need to let go of power and manipulation. We need to let go and let God.
The Prayer of Serenity,
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next. Amen.
To accept the prayer of serenity is to show maturity. We need the ability and the gift to discern the course of action to take. Doing nothing is doing something. Often, we tempted to act, from the position of power, because we want to control or we feel we are losing control. Jesus has a different vision from us, that Christians need to have the ability and willingness to be led by someone else and sometimes to a place where we rather not go. That is obedience. We are called to be obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit and that can often make us clash with those that are power driven. Church leaders are called to be servant leaders, called to go to the unknown, proclaim and shift mind sets. Just like Jonah sometimes we rather not face humanity, rather be swallowed by the whale and to hide in its belly. But the Spirit in us says go and prophecy, go and do x, y, z. Sometimes we rather keep the peace and not to rock the boat, but that is God calling us to places we would rather not venture. Avoiding confrontation is always better. Cowards always live to see another day and fools go where Angels fear to tread. Our leadership is not of power or control, it is a leadership of powerlessness and doing the will of God who has called us and sent us. Finally, King Saul (1 Samuel 15) was rejected by God because he refused to follow through the mission of God. He was told to destroy completely the Amalekites, including crops and animals. He kept King Agag alive and the loot in direct violation of the command of God. For this God sent Samuel his prophet to reject Saul as King and as we know David became the chosen one. We are also told that the Spirit of God left Saul, although he remained King over Israel God was no longer with him. We are called to follow Christ wherever he leads us or calls us and we need to trust him and through him we can have life in all its abundance.
Amen
03/06/2018
In the Name of Jesus Christ: Reflections on Christian Leadership
Henri J.M. Nouwen
The Task: Feed My Sheep
Our Lord Jesus Christ asked Peter three times “Do you love me.?” He then says to him “Feed my lambs, look after my sheep, feed my sheep.” Our Lord Jesus after being assured by Peter of love, Jesus gives him the task of ministry. Sadly, our modern way and secular culture that promotes individualism we are thinking that Peter has been sent out on his own, to do mission. However, this is far from the vision of Jesus Christ, when he speaks about shepherding, he does not want us to think about a brave lonely shepherd who takes care of a large flock of obedient sheep. In many ways. He makes it clear that ministry is a communal and mutual experience. Jesus in the Gospels sends the twelve and the 72 disciples two by two. We cannot bring good news on our own, we are called to proclaim the Gospel together in community. The Word says, “If two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am among them.” (Matt 18 vs.19-20) When you travel alone the journey seems long and boring, but when you travel in the company of another the journey is full of wonder and colour. It is easy to fall into temptation when you travel alone on this road, it is easy to fight temptation when you travel with others. We all need one another, to pray, to encourage, to stay focused on the journey, but also to remember that it is Jesus that heals not the Priests, it is Jesus who is Lord. Whenever we minister together, it is easier to people to recognize that we do not come in our own name, but of the Lord Jesus Christ who has sent us.
Henri J. M. Nouwen
Moving from Flowers to Fruits and Vegetables
Last week Sunday at our combined harvest service we received R5000,00. We also collected masses of food, which will be given to the families in the Parish through the Feeding Scheme Ministry. Thank you, St Barnabas Bluff, indeed ministry is not a one-person band, but communal. May Our Lord Jesus Christ Continue to Bless you all. Bishop Dino expressed his thanks on hearing that we are replacing our benches with Chairs and that the benches have been donated by the Family of St Barnabas Bluff to the Parish of Ngcwayi, as part of Loving and Caring Communities. Again, this highlights that ministry is not to be done alone. After last week’s gesture by Chloe Freeman of asking her family to buy fruits instead of a present for her birthday. She opted for fruits to be bought and displayed at the harvest festival and to be shared by the children after the service. We all saw the fruits and shared with our Children. My suggestion as companion on this journey is that we should switch from flowers to fruits and vegetables display so that we can feed our young people after the service with fruits instead of sweets and to use the money for flowers to feed one another. So, let us move from flower display to fruits and vegetables display. Often, we throw away the flowers after a week or so, but the fruits go to many homes in the parish, and that is ministry itself. We are companions on this journey so let us move from flowers to fruits or even vegetables as displays that feed and nourishes the family of St Barnabas Bluff. So, no more flowers but fruits and vegetable displays to feed St Barnabas Bluff.
Fr. Barnabas Nqindi
Parish Priest
In Cana of Galilee
In Cana of Galilee Jesus performed the first miracle. It was not a healing
miracle, or miracle to remove demons but to bless water and to turn it into
wine. Wine brings joy to the heart. At the age of sixteen I was a server at a boring wedding, you guessed it,
it had no wine. It was one of those pious weddings and the guest did not even
stay long enough. Why did Jesus bless wine? Did people not have drinking problems? Drunkenness was condemned in
the Jewish Culture. Indeed the Church in her teaching condemns drunkenness. Wine
is cultural drink for the Jews; indeed St Paul says a little wine is good for
the heart. Joseph had dead by time Jesus started his ministry. Hence
we see Mary running around at the wedding of her cousin or niece. Jesus
arrives at the wedding with extra people, it is quite normal in the village or
townships to bring extras but it does have its pit falls. Like the wine running
out. Mary came to Jesus so that he could resolve the issue. Jesus tells his mother he is not yet ready. Mary was confident in her son, she was
not afraid to ask Jesus to intervene. We too should not be afraid to ask Jesus
to intervene in areas of our lives. Even how bad it may seem. We told that jars were filled to brim, so that nothing could be added. Jesus asked
the servants to take the water now turned to wine to the Master of Ceremony. Who in turn was over joyed for he was drinking quality wine and for him that was a reversal of the norm. Jesus was pointing to himself that the norm would be
challenged that norm was that good wine was served first and the bad was served
last. Jesus’s ministry would reflect this approach of turning things upside
down. So it was at a village wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle and it was witnessed by the
servant and his disciples. The ordinary people being called to witness to great
things. A good example is of the shepherds. The first miracle did not take place
in front of kings or Queens but among the ordinary people. The presence of Jesus at the wedding showed that he loved being with people and to
share their joys and sorrows. His presence at the wedding serves to point that
Jesus is at the centre of weddings and ultimately marriages. Indeed
God has pitched his tent among his people. This is a reminder to Bishops,
Priests and Deacons of the Church to be with the people when they are
celebrating or in facing sorrows. The biggest culprits who kill a good social
party are church ministers. Let a minister walk into a party and how everyone and everything changes. Jesus taught
us that we should not wear our religious gowns when we go to parties be with the
people, Jesus did not even preach at the wedding at Cana, he enjoyed the
company. He brought joy to the wedding by his presence. It is said that flies
are caught with honey and not with vinegar. A cheerful and joyous face will
attract more to the faith then that which shows terror and fear. Jesus never counted it a crime to be
joyous with people. The kingdom of God is about joy, peace and love. Yes we do
have deep sorrows, difficulties, illness, heartaches, but God does not want us
to be mopping around with tears of sorrow, instead he wants us to be at peace
and joyful. To be aware that God is charge no matter the circumstances. The
first miracle is an example of this; we called to joy and not to doom and
gloom. We cannot escape human suffering, but it is not the last word, Jesus
Christ is the last word. The scientific world admits that those that go to
church on regular basis and worship with others are less prone to depression
and live longer. It is the joy we have in our hearts, that comes when we sing
hymns, in the prayers and the readings. Joy is brought by Jesus who is our Hope
in all things. The wedding at Cana points to the fact that God indeed has pitched his tent amongst
us. He brings with him tidings of great joy and peace to all human kind. Ours is to be like Mary to be
able to recognise him, to be alert at all times and not to be afraid to carry
all our burdens to him. Ours is to wait in obedience just like Mary for his unquestionable and timely response. The presence of Jesus at the wedding was not a random act, God’s timing is always perfect.
Amen
miracle, or miracle to remove demons but to bless water and to turn it into
wine. Wine brings joy to the heart. At the age of sixteen I was a server at a boring wedding, you guessed it,
it had no wine. It was one of those pious weddings and the guest did not even
stay long enough. Why did Jesus bless wine? Did people not have drinking problems? Drunkenness was condemned in
the Jewish Culture. Indeed the Church in her teaching condemns drunkenness. Wine
is cultural drink for the Jews; indeed St Paul says a little wine is good for
the heart. Joseph had dead by time Jesus started his ministry. Hence
we see Mary running around at the wedding of her cousin or niece. Jesus
arrives at the wedding with extra people, it is quite normal in the village or
townships to bring extras but it does have its pit falls. Like the wine running
out. Mary came to Jesus so that he could resolve the issue. Jesus tells his mother he is not yet ready. Mary was confident in her son, she was
not afraid to ask Jesus to intervene. We too should not be afraid to ask Jesus
to intervene in areas of our lives. Even how bad it may seem. We told that jars were filled to brim, so that nothing could be added. Jesus asked
the servants to take the water now turned to wine to the Master of Ceremony. Who in turn was over joyed for he was drinking quality wine and for him that was a reversal of the norm. Jesus was pointing to himself that the norm would be
challenged that norm was that good wine was served first and the bad was served
last. Jesus’s ministry would reflect this approach of turning things upside
down. So it was at a village wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle and it was witnessed by the
servant and his disciples. The ordinary people being called to witness to great
things. A good example is of the shepherds. The first miracle did not take place
in front of kings or Queens but among the ordinary people. The presence of Jesus at the wedding showed that he loved being with people and to
share their joys and sorrows. His presence at the wedding serves to point that
Jesus is at the centre of weddings and ultimately marriages. Indeed
God has pitched his tent among his people. This is a reminder to Bishops,
Priests and Deacons of the Church to be with the people when they are
celebrating or in facing sorrows. The biggest culprits who kill a good social
party are church ministers. Let a minister walk into a party and how everyone and everything changes. Jesus taught
us that we should not wear our religious gowns when we go to parties be with the
people, Jesus did not even preach at the wedding at Cana, he enjoyed the
company. He brought joy to the wedding by his presence. It is said that flies
are caught with honey and not with vinegar. A cheerful and joyous face will
attract more to the faith then that which shows terror and fear. Jesus never counted it a crime to be
joyous with people. The kingdom of God is about joy, peace and love. Yes we do
have deep sorrows, difficulties, illness, heartaches, but God does not want us
to be mopping around with tears of sorrow, instead he wants us to be at peace
and joyful. To be aware that God is charge no matter the circumstances. The
first miracle is an example of this; we called to joy and not to doom and
gloom. We cannot escape human suffering, but it is not the last word, Jesus
Christ is the last word. The scientific world admits that those that go to
church on regular basis and worship with others are less prone to depression
and live longer. It is the joy we have in our hearts, that comes when we sing
hymns, in the prayers and the readings. Joy is brought by Jesus who is our Hope
in all things. The wedding at Cana points to the fact that God indeed has pitched his tent amongst
us. He brings with him tidings of great joy and peace to all human kind. Ours is to be like Mary to be
able to recognise him, to be alert at all times and not to be afraid to carry
all our burdens to him. Ours is to wait in obedience just like Mary for his unquestionable and timely response. The presence of Jesus at the wedding was not a random act, God’s timing is always perfect.
Amen
The Question of Marriage and Divorce (Mark 10 vs 1-12)
The Question of Marriage and divorce
In the last six years we have been in South Africa I have had the privilege of presiding over 21 weddings. Weddings
are special and important rite of passage within the community or society. The purpose of Christian marriages is
clearly spelled out in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989
p.457-458 It states in summary that marriage is given that a couple may know each other in mutual love and develop a lifelong
companionship which is the will of God. It states as well that in marriage God’s
gift of sex can be exercised as the couple develop this indissoluble
relationship. Finally marriage is given that children are born in this secure
environment of having both parents to raise them in a home, for parents have a
responsibility to God in rising of children. This is the ideal marriage
situation. The reality is different, we have Christians that want to live
together without marriage, and sex is exercised outside marriage with
devastating consequence, unwanted children and HIV infections, broken
relationships. Too many causalities to mention. We have a large population of children
who do not know they fathers, further alienating children. Children grow with a
complex of having a sense of rejection or unwanted. Simply put we have too many
sales men who are not prepared to be adults and to step up. That is the reality
of society when it comes to marriage.
We are very far from the ideal of marriage. Society has opted for this
convoluted idea of life style we have a dysfunctional society. There is no home
that does have a story to tell about these alternative life styles we have
experienced either directly or indirectly. Many single mothers do not deserve the
raw deal given to them by boy friends who are not man enough to do the right
thing. No do the children deserve
it. Society is very far from the ideal. The question is: Do we give in to the
alternative life styles? No we press on and this is the question Jesus was
dealing with in the Gospel. The Pharisees approach him, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” The
Pharisees have come to trick Jesus. It is the same issue that had put John the Baptist to death.
However Jesus replies them and says, “What did Moses command you?” And
the reply was “Moses permitted divorce, and the writing of the divorce letter.”
The Pharisees are surprised that Jesus does not agree with them at all.” Because
of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the
beginning of creation, “God made them male and female. For this reason a man
shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh...” He went
further to say what God has joined together let no man put asunder. He said to
them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries commits adultery against her and if
she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” Moses had a
good reason for giving a letter of divorce. Before this letter were in place many
women where subject to abuse and where divorced for slightest reason. The food
was not good; he had fallen in love with a young woman so the list went on. The woman had no protection. So Moses
drew up this certificate so that the men would formally divorce his wife and her
rights would be protected. Like have an income which the man was responsible to
pay. It sent a message to all men that a woman cannot be used and then thrown away because she could no longer
give birth to children. She was not a thing, she was a human being made in the
image of God. Moses was fighting against the injustice he had seen being committed by his own community, in
disregarding the ideal marriage. Divorce takes place because of broken
humanity. The church allows for divorce in the case where the two cannot longer
be reconciled. It is painful when this route is taken. But the alternative of
staying in a marriage where these is no love, but hatred and in some cases
violence cannot be said to be the ideal marriage either. Many women have been
battered to death, many live in fear and others have died of HIV –AIDS because
the male partner feels that cultural he has a license to sleep with whomever
and whenever. Scripture is very clear that divorce is permitted when adultery
takes place and even in law the woman or man can seek financial compensation
from the part that has caused the marriage break up. So divorce is not the ideal
situation but it shows how broken we are as a people. That we are in need of
healing and that we need Jesus to be authority of our lives. The ideal is, we get married, our sex encounter takes place in marriage
and children are raised within the marriage, and we should not shy away from
saying it and working towards it. Divorce takes place when the marriage vows have been broken, that is
through infidelity, physical violence, verbal and emotional abuse, when there is
deliberate denial of sex in the home because it is form of punishment which
creates an abusive environment. Divorce takes place when there is no repentant
hearts, when there is no forgiveness, when parties of the marriage do not seek
to understand themselves as individuals. Marriage succeeds when individuals come
to terms with whom they are and work out the reasons why they are react to their
spouses in a certain way, because the problem is that 0.1% is always the other
partner and 99.9 % is actual us, the individual. Learning to forgive ourselves,
learning to confront the self helps us have a healthy relationship with not only
our spouses but other people.
The Phrase, “let no one put asunder,” is the ideal. However, the reality is that we are broken people and we
are in need of healing and we need Jesus Christ in our lives so that Christ
through the power of the Holy Spirit can drive away the darkness within us and
heal us from bad childhood experiences which we ultimately take into our adult
lives. Which continues this cycle of brokenness and sinfulness?
Amen
In the last six years we have been in South Africa I have had the privilege of presiding over 21 weddings. Weddings
are special and important rite of passage within the community or society. The purpose of Christian marriages is
clearly spelled out in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989
p.457-458 It states in summary that marriage is given that a couple may know each other in mutual love and develop a lifelong
companionship which is the will of God. It states as well that in marriage God’s
gift of sex can be exercised as the couple develop this indissoluble
relationship. Finally marriage is given that children are born in this secure
environment of having both parents to raise them in a home, for parents have a
responsibility to God in rising of children. This is the ideal marriage
situation. The reality is different, we have Christians that want to live
together without marriage, and sex is exercised outside marriage with
devastating consequence, unwanted children and HIV infections, broken
relationships. Too many causalities to mention. We have a large population of children
who do not know they fathers, further alienating children. Children grow with a
complex of having a sense of rejection or unwanted. Simply put we have too many
sales men who are not prepared to be adults and to step up. That is the reality
of society when it comes to marriage.
We are very far from the ideal of marriage. Society has opted for this
convoluted idea of life style we have a dysfunctional society. There is no home
that does have a story to tell about these alternative life styles we have
experienced either directly or indirectly. Many single mothers do not deserve the
raw deal given to them by boy friends who are not man enough to do the right
thing. No do the children deserve
it. Society is very far from the ideal. The question is: Do we give in to the
alternative life styles? No we press on and this is the question Jesus was
dealing with in the Gospel. The Pharisees approach him, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” The
Pharisees have come to trick Jesus. It is the same issue that had put John the Baptist to death.
However Jesus replies them and says, “What did Moses command you?” And
the reply was “Moses permitted divorce, and the writing of the divorce letter.”
The Pharisees are surprised that Jesus does not agree with them at all.” Because
of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the
beginning of creation, “God made them male and female. For this reason a man
shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh...” He went
further to say what God has joined together let no man put asunder. He said to
them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries commits adultery against her and if
she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” Moses had a
good reason for giving a letter of divorce. Before this letter were in place many
women where subject to abuse and where divorced for slightest reason. The food
was not good; he had fallen in love with a young woman so the list went on. The woman had no protection. So Moses
drew up this certificate so that the men would formally divorce his wife and her
rights would be protected. Like have an income which the man was responsible to
pay. It sent a message to all men that a woman cannot be used and then thrown away because she could no longer
give birth to children. She was not a thing, she was a human being made in the
image of God. Moses was fighting against the injustice he had seen being committed by his own community, in
disregarding the ideal marriage. Divorce takes place because of broken
humanity. The church allows for divorce in the case where the two cannot longer
be reconciled. It is painful when this route is taken. But the alternative of
staying in a marriage where these is no love, but hatred and in some cases
violence cannot be said to be the ideal marriage either. Many women have been
battered to death, many live in fear and others have died of HIV –AIDS because
the male partner feels that cultural he has a license to sleep with whomever
and whenever. Scripture is very clear that divorce is permitted when adultery
takes place and even in law the woman or man can seek financial compensation
from the part that has caused the marriage break up. So divorce is not the ideal
situation but it shows how broken we are as a people. That we are in need of
healing and that we need Jesus to be authority of our lives. The ideal is, we get married, our sex encounter takes place in marriage
and children are raised within the marriage, and we should not shy away from
saying it and working towards it. Divorce takes place when the marriage vows have been broken, that is
through infidelity, physical violence, verbal and emotional abuse, when there is
deliberate denial of sex in the home because it is form of punishment which
creates an abusive environment. Divorce takes place when there is no repentant
hearts, when there is no forgiveness, when parties of the marriage do not seek
to understand themselves as individuals. Marriage succeeds when individuals come
to terms with whom they are and work out the reasons why they are react to their
spouses in a certain way, because the problem is that 0.1% is always the other
partner and 99.9 % is actual us, the individual. Learning to forgive ourselves,
learning to confront the self helps us have a healthy relationship with not only
our spouses but other people.
The Phrase, “let no one put asunder,” is the ideal. However, the reality is that we are broken people and we
are in need of healing and we need Jesus Christ in our lives so that Christ
through the power of the Holy Spirit can drive away the darkness within us and
heal us from bad childhood experiences which we ultimately take into our adult
lives. Which continues this cycle of brokenness and sinfulness?
Amen
