Sunday Service, 21 April 2013

MEDITATION
THE LECTIONARY READINGS AND ILLUSTRATION FOR THIS WEEK TALKS ABOUT THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT ANOTHER FLOCK AND SHEPHERD AND THAT IS THE FLOCK OF PEOPLE, AND GOD’S PASSION FOR HIS PEOPLE.
THERE A STORY OF AN OLD CLEANING LADY, WHO WENT TO THE LOCAL CHURCH WHEN THE INVITATION WAS GIVEN AT THE END OF THE SERVICE SHE WENT FORWARD, WANTING TO BECOME A MEMBER.
THE MINISTER THOUGHT TO HIMSELF:
‘OH MY SHE’S SO UNKEMPT, EVEN SMELLS A LITTLE, AND HER FINGER NAILS ARE NOT CLEAN.AA
SHE PICKS UP GARBAGE AND CLEANS TOILETS.
WHAT WOULD THE OTHER CHURCH MEMBERS THINK OF HER.?’
HE TOLD HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO GO HOME AND PRAY ABOUT IT AND THEN DECIDE THE FOLLOWING WEEK HERE SHE CAME AGAIN.
SHE TOLD THE MINISTER THAT SHE HAD PRAYED ABOUT IT AND STILL WANTED TO BE BAPTISED .
I HAVE PASSED THIS CHURCH FOR SO LONG, IT’S BEAUTIFUL AND I TRULY WANT TO BECOME A MEMBER,
AGAIN THE MINISTER TOLD HER TO GO HOME AND PRAY SOME MORE.
A FEW WEEKS LATER WHILE OUT ON HIS PASTORAL VISITS HE BUMPED INTO HER. I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU FOR A WHILE IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT.
OH YES SHE SAID
I DID WHAT YOU SAID AND TALKED WITH JESUS ABOUT BECOMING A MEMBER OF YOUR CHURCH.
HE TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
HE DID SAID THE MINISTER
OH YES SHE SAID
HE SAID EVEN HE HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO YOUR CHURCH AND HAS BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS.
GOD CARES ABOUT THIS WORLD AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN IT.
HE LOVES THE UNLOVELY, AND THE UN-LOVEABLE, THE ORDINARY PEOPLE AND THE EXTRA- ORDINARY PERSON.
HE CARES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OPRESSED BY SIN AND ALL ITS EFFECTS.
HIS IS NOT A SLUSHY NAIVE SENTIMENTALISM BUT A TANGEABLE, PASSIONATE AND ACTIVE LOVE WITH ETERNAL FOCUS FOR THE PEOPLE HE HAS CREATED. THE GOD WE READ ABOUT IN THE BIBLE HAS A DEPTH OF PASSION, ENERGY AND COMMITMANT WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO IGNORE.
THE FOCUS OF THAT FEELING IS PEOPLE, ORDINARY PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME.
WE READ OF HEART STOPPING DEPTHS OF TENDERNESS IN THE WAY THAT GOD DEALS WITH PEOPLE.
AND THE COMPASSION WITH WHICH HE TREATS THOSE WHO ARE HARASSED AND HELPLESS COULD NOT FAIL TO MOVE THE HARDEST OF ATTITUDES.
JESUS EXEMPLIFIED THIS, BOTH THROUGH HIS WORDS AND LIFESTYLE. WE SEE Him MAKING RADICAL STATEMENTS ABOUT THE WORTH OF HUMAN BEINGS. HE TREATED ALL PERSONS WITH RESPECT REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, PHYSICAL CONDITION OR ECONOMIC STATUS.
JESUS TAUGHT THAT HIS KINGDOM APPLIES TO ALL LIFE, TRANSFORMING HUMAN EXISTANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS, BRINGING WHOLENESS, JUSTICE AND PEACE.
HE EMBODIED LOVE AND JUSTICE, COMING TO BRING GOOD NEWS INTO A WORLD DOMINATED BY DISCRIMINATION AND OPPRESSION.
WOMEN, REFUGEES, THE POOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, OR DIFIGURING DISEASES WERE DEVALUED AND DEGRADED BY A SOCIETY THAT CARED MORE FOR OUTWARD SHOW THAN HUMAN DIGNITY.
THE UNTOUCHABLES OF THE DAY EXPIRIENCED THE AFFIRMING HEALING POWER OF HIS TOUCH UPON THEIR BODIES.
THE POOR AND DISPOSSESSED RECEIVED PERSONAL ATTENTION WHEN OTHERS IGNORED THEM.
THE MENTALLY TROUBLED AND DEMONISED FOUND IN HIM SOMEONE WHO SAW BEYOND THEIR PROBLEMS TO THE PERSON THEY ONCE WERE AND BROUGHT THEM FREEDOM TO BE THAT PERSON AGAIN.
CHILDREN TO WERE INVITED INTO A PLACE OF BELONGING WITH JESUS WHEN OTHERS SAW THEM MERELY AS A NUISANCE.
GOD HATES INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION, WHEREVER IT IS AND IN WHAT EVER SHAPE OR FORM IT TAKES.
THE WORDS SPOKEN BY PROPHETS LIKE AMOS AND NAHUM ARE FRIGHTENING, IN THE WHITE HEAT INTENSITY OF GODS ANGER AGAINST EVIL.
THIS IS NO WEAK INSIPID GOD BUT ONE WITH A CONSUMING ZEAL OF HOLINESS AND JUSTICE, ACTING POWERFULLY ON BEHALF OF THE DOWN TRODDEN PEOPLE
THIS SIDE OF GODS CHARACTER IS SOMETIMES EASIER TO FORGET OR TO CONFINE TO THE PAGES OF THE BIBLE.
IT’S SOMETHING THAT CAN MAKE US FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, SO WE KEEP IT AT THE MARGINS OF OUR MINDS.
BUT HE REFUSES TO BE LIMITED BY OUR DISCOMFORT.
INSTEAD HE LOVES US ENOUGH TO WOO AND CHALLENGE US INTO THE PLACE OF SEEING THE WORLD AS HE DOES.
WHY DOES GOD WANT US TO SEE THE WORLD AS HE DOES?
BECAUSE HE HAS ENTRUSTED TO US THE PRIVILAGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING CO- CONSPIRITORS WITH HIM IN THE TASK OF TRANSFORMATION.
AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE PARTNERS WITH HIM ADMITTEDLY JUNIOR PARTNERS IN ENABLING PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE FIRST HAND THE REALITY OF HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR THEM.
THAT LOVE IS THE LIFE BLOOD HE WANTS TO PUT IN OUR VEINS FOR THE GOOD OF A NEEDY, HURTING WORLD.
WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE AS HIS CHILDREN, DISCIPLES AND FRIENDS.
EACH OF THESE EXPRESSIONS OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM CARRIES WITH THEM A CERTAINTY OF SOMETHING OF HIS CHARACTER AND CONCERNS RUBBING OF ON US. IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE THEN IT COULD BE THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG. HE CHALLENGES US TO REJECT PRE-OCCUPATION WITH OUR OWN SELF INTERESTS AND INSTEAD TO LISTEN TO T HEARTFELT CRIES OF THE PAIN OF THOSE AROUND US. HE CALLS US TO OPEN OUR EYES, TO SEE,
EARS TO HEAR
AND MINDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND IN CASE WE SHOULD FEAR BECOMING OVERWHELMED IN THE PROCESS HE REMINDS US THAT THE RESOURCES OF HEAVEN ARE AT OUR DISPOSAL
A LIMITED VIEW OF GOD’S PASSION FOR PEOPLE COUPLED WITH FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS WHEN FACED WITH THE SHEER IMMENSITY OF THE TASK OF LIVING OUT GODS CONCERNS CAN RE-INFORCE CERTAIN PRE- OCCUPATIONS FOR SOME PEOPLE.
BUILDING DEEPER PERSONAL FAITH , AND UNDERSTANDING THE WORD OF GOD CAN SUBTLY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR PUTTING THAT WORD IN ALL ITS FULLNESS INTO ACTION.
FOR SOME ISSUES OF PERSONAL MORALITY CROWD OUT THE WIDER CONCERNS FOR JUSTICE IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE WORLD AROUND US.
THE ISSUES SUCH AS HOMOSEXUALITY, IN THE CHURCH SEEMS TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER WIDER CONCERNS SUCH AS FALLING NUMBERS,
CLOSING CHURCHES,
POVERTY,
RACISM AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION.
THE CREEPING INDIVIDUALISM, NOW SO PREVALENT IN THIS DAY AND AGE WITHIN THE WESTERN WORLD IS ACCEPTED AS THE NORM.BECAUSE OUR FAITH IS ABOUT GOD AND ME.
THERE IS LITTLE AWARENESS OF JUST HOW UN-BIBLICAL A VIEW THIS IS. REPEATEDLY IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS BELIEVERS ARE CALLED TO THE WHOLE LIFE DISCIPLESHIP WHERE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IMPACTS EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES.
NO COMPARTMENTALISED SUNDAY ONLY AND MID-WEEK HOME GROUP OR MEETING LIVING FOR CHRISTIANS.
WHAT WE DO, HOW WE RELATE TO OTHERS, HOW WE USE OUT TIME AND MONEY,OR BEHAVE AT WORK OR IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS SHOULD AT LEAST ALL BEAR THE IMPRINT OF GODS CHARACTER.
THE THEME THAT RUNS THROUGH THE BIBLE OF GODS CONCERN FOR THE VULNERABLE, OR THOSE GETTING A RAW DEAL SHOULD RUN THROUGH OUR LIVES TOO.
THIS DOESN’T NEED TO CONSIST OF GRAND GESTURES, BUT SHOULD BE EXPRESSED THROUGH OUR DAY TO DAY LIVING.
AND IT IS ONLY OUT OF DEEPING INTIMACY WITH OUR GOD THAT WE WILL FIND UNISON TO EXPRESS HIS HEART FOR A HURTING WORLD.
HE HIMSELF WILL EQUIP AND GIVE US THE GRACE AND COURAGE WE NEED FOR THE TASK.
LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AND SEE IF IT RINGS ANY BELLS
A WOMAN IN NEED ONCE ENCOUNTERED A WELL MEANING CHRISTIAN LEADER WHOSE REACTIONS REFLECTED HIS PRIORITIES AND AS A RESULT SHE WROTE THIS POEM. I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU FORMED A BIBLE STUDY GROUP TO DISCUSS MY HUNGER
I WAS AND YOU CREPT AWAY QUIETLY TO YOUR CHAPEL AND PRAYED FOR MY RELEASE I WAS NAKED
AND IN YOUR MIND YOU DEBATED THE MORALITY OF MY APPEARANCE
I WAS SICK AND YOU KNELT AND THANKED GOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
I WAS HOMELESS AND YOU PREACHED TO ME THE SPIRITUAL SHELTER OF THE LOVE OF GOD I WAS LONELY AND YOU LEFT ME TO PRAY FOR ME
YOU SEEM SO HOLY, SO CLOSE TO GOD.
BUT I AM STILL, HUNGRY, AND LONELY AND COLD.
AMEN