Sunday 4Th October, 2015Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Sunday 4th October, 2015Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Sentence

Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.

Mark 10:15

Collect

O God, Your Son has taught us that we must receive the kingdom like a little child; help us so to turn to You in faith and simplicity of heart that we may receive Your blessing and enter the kingdom You have promised; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Old Testament LessonJob 1: 1-2 & 2: 1 – 10

There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

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One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason."

Then Satan answered the LORD, "Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes. Then his wife said to him, "Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die." But he said to her, "You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Psalm26

Give judgement for me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity: I have trusted in the Lord and not wavered.

Put me to the test, O Lord, and prove me: try my mind and my heart

For Your steadfast love has been ever before my eyes: and I have walked in Your truth

I have not sat with deceivers: nor consorted with the hypocrites

I hate the assembly of the wicked: I will not sith with the ungodly.

I wash my hands in innocence, O Lord: that I may go about Your altar.

And lift up the voice of thanksgiving: to tell of all Your marvellous works

Lord, I love the house of Your habitation: and the place where Your glory dwells

Do not sweep me away with sinners: nor my life with those that thirst for blood

In whose hand is abomination: and their right hand is full of bribes

As for me, I walk in my integrity: O ransom me and be favourable towards me

My foot stands on an even path: I will bless the Lord in the great congregation

EpistleHebrews 1: 1 -4 & 2: 5 – 12

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

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Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere, "What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them?

You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honour, subjecting all things under their feet." Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you."

GOSPELMark 10: 2 – 16

Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 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."

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

NOTES ON THE READINGS ......

Old Testament

The story of Job is one that tends to be forgotten or ignored, sometimes even misunderstood. However, the tragedy lies in the fact that the issue dealt with by this book has tended to be sidetracked most of its life. Even Jesus’ comments on the (lack of) connection between sin and illness has been ignored not only by Christians but also those of no faith whatever. This rather ancient production is a fascinating response – so far back in history – to an issue that has bugged humans almost for ever.

I would ask those who read this to please take it seriously, in spite of the apparently strange reference to ‘Satan’ – one needs to understand the Biblical approach to what one might call dreamtime sorts of stories: you are not expected to ‘believe’ but you are encouraged to understand. So in rather typical Hebrew fashion, this story is mostly imaginary but deals with a terribly human matter – how to cope with the nasties of life. This book also reflects the remarkable manner in which the Hebrews explored faith and life, facing the difficulties posed by life and not bypassing them.

Psalm

Here is no self-centred cry for Divine help, but part of the recognition that–unlike old movies–the goodies don’t win out in the end much of the time. But here is the realization that there remains the necessity for people to remain true. It is often very difficult to flow against the stream, as many will know.

Epistle

I suspect that there will be many readers quite confused about what the author of this letter was trying to convey. Part of modern readers’ problem lies in the very Jewishness of this writing, and another factor is the somewhat unexpected nature of what is being conveyed.

The focus is on Jesus, and on humanity and its problems and issues. And what is being conveyed is not that Jesus was superhuman and Divine, but human. In the Divine scheme of things, human issues have to be resolved by humanity, and that is what is being celebrated here. This is what the Gospel is all about, what the Incarnation is saying, and what the whole of the New Testament is underlining. Ponder that for a while if you remain a little confused. You are involved, so expect no miraculous intervention from ‘beyond.’ We are involved, but so is the Lord. Jesus was described as ‘incarnate’ – human as you and me – and that is important to remember and take on board.

GOSPEL

The subject of adultery takes a subtly different turn when it comes from the lips of Jesus. Previously rather much a male prerogative, its focus is widened, both in terms of ‘who can do it’ and ‘what is involved.’ Mention has been made before that it takes ish and isshshah to make adam; him and her to make humanity. That old passage from Genesis ensures that – even in that ancient patriarchal age, - the equality but difference of the genders was underlined, celebrated and promulgated. Like many other things, it has taken Christianity another 2,000 years to catch sight of the Biblical reality. There is also that rather unpopular business of responsibility in relationship of both parties to marriage.

And do not be misled into thinking that Jesus was asking people to be childish, naive, and immature. There is a world of difference between child-like and child-ish, as we you will know. Most of the time, children tend to be rather more willing to recognize where truth and fairness lies, more so than adults.

NOTES FOR A SERMON

I have looked back to see if, over past years, I have told the story of my first real introduction to the Book of Job. In my early years at Theological College an uncle of mine, brother of my Dad, was diagnosed with a particularly virulent and ugly form of cancer. His tongue was affected, and like most men then and farmers in particular, did nothing about it for so long that all became inoperable. Lawrence was a normal sort of person, Churchwarden at his Parish Church, and–like me–a little given to colourful language if the need arose. As I visited him in a Sydney Hospital, he wanted to know if his ailment was coming to him as a punishment from God, for some sin or sins he had committed. Like most people then- and even now sadly,- that is what we had understood. (In fact the Service of the Ministry to the Sick in the BCP expresses exactly that view, and the Churching of Women is equally squalid! Why do Christians take so little notice of their own Scriptures? And part of the answer lies in the fact that other religions suffer from the same ailment.)

Back to Uncle. He expected a serious and significant response from his theological student nephew. The search began, looking for sources of Biblical information that kept me returning to the Book of Job. Like many of us I had heard of Job’s (reputed) comforters though it was not until I struggled through the book that my patience with those hidebound people ran out. This story could be extended longer than any sermon should be, but the outcome was as helpful to me as it was to Uncle.

As the Job story evolved, and it did so very slowly, it emerged that, in the first instance, it became clear that the discovery showed that Job, sin and his ailment had no connection whatever. What did emerge – and this is the star issue–that the very search by Job found no other answer than the fact that the whole experience drew him far, far closer to the God Whom previously he had known only by reputation but now knew far more intimately.

As I mentioned, this shared experience was one that has never left me, although it is now over 55 years since Uncle died. That ancient book makes quite clear the conviction of the author that illness is not ever to be seen as a judgement of God on human sin. That same position was presented by Jesus (John 9) where a person encountering the disciples seemed doomed by those men as they followed the even-then orthodoxy with the man born blind. Here, too, Jesus disabused the crowd about the cause of blindness (or any other disability) as being the product of judgement on human evil. Mind you, there remain clear and deliberate situations where human evil result in all manner of awful outcomes, but there is little that is inexplicable about that.

My point is this series of thoughts is clear and simple. Is it not time for the People of God should know and understand their Scriptures, much of which is the outcome of searches by people of various times and ages, looking for answers to serious questions about human existence and relationships. And that it is not heretical to continue the search to this day and beyond, as factors beyond previous knowledge become plain. There remains much to be discovered and understood, and that is exciting, not threatening.

Sunday 11th October, 2015Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Sentence

No one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Jesus’ sake, who will not receive an hundredfold now in this age, with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life.

Mark 10:29-30

Collect

Almighty God, in Your wisdom You have so ordered our earthly life that we must walk by faith and not by sight; give us such trust in Your fatherly care that, in the face of all perplexities, we may give proof of our faith by the courage of our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Old Testament LessonJob 23: 1 – 9 & 16 – 17

Then Job answered: "Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling! I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would give heed to me. There an upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge. If I go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.

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God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me; If only I could vanish in darkness, and thick darkness would cover my face!

Psalm22: 1 – 15

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me: why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

My God, I cry to day by day, but You do not answer: and by night also I take no rest

But You continue holy: You that are the praise of Israel

In You our forebears trusted: they trusted, and You delivered them

To You they cried and they were saved: they put their trust in You and were nor confounded

But as for me, I am a worm and no man: the scorn of all and despised by the people.

Those that see me, laugh me to scorn: they shoot out their lips at me and wag their heads, saying

“He trusted in the Lord – let Him deliver him if He will have him: let Him deliver him if He delights in him

But You are He that took me out of my mother’s womb: that brought me to lie at peace on my mother’s breast

On You have I been cast since my birth: You are my God, even from my mother’s womb

O go not from me, for trouble is hard at hand: and there is none to help

Many oxen surround me: fat bulls of Bashan close me in on every side.

They gape wide their mouths at me: like lions that roar and rend.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart within my breast is like melting wax

My mouth is dried up like a potsherd: and my tongue clings to my mouth

Epistle Hebrews 4: 12 – 16

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.