Easter 7

Sermon, 16^th May 2010

Easter 7

Text: John 17: 20 – 26.

In the name of God – Creator, Pain-bearer and Spirit of Life and Love.

I sometimes wonder what the author of John’s Gospel would think if he heard some of the interpretations of his writings as presented in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. I imagine he would be amazed to think that his writing was still being read, studied and discussed some nineteen hundred years after his time.

It’s fair, I think, to adopt a something of a midrashic interpretation of these writings.

Midrash is a Jewish method of interpretation which conveys many layers inherent in a text. So we can believe, if we wish, that Jesus actually spoke these words and their meaning is plain. I for one find that an impossible ask. There is no doubt that these are not the actual words of Jesus as ostensibly recorded here. Preservation of speech and text was not as easy as it is today. We take for granted audio and video recording whereby a person’s speech can be recorded and stored to be replayed at some time in the future. The video camera even preserves the nuances of expression that aid immensely in interpreting the speaker’s meaning and intent. In John’s day no such devices existed and it was only through the skills of the oral traditions that particular sayings were preserved.

John wrote about the turn of the first century CE – some sixty or seventy years after Jesus’ crucifixion – at least one - maybe two generations later.

First then, the practical application of the Gospel in its own time – its “sitz im leben”.

This Gospel addresses specific circumstances that were being faced by a Christian community. The writer is urging his church to beware of internal factions and also seeks to strengthen their resolution in the face of hostility and persecution.

Barnabas Lindars, an Oxford theologian, writes," ...it is now widely accepted that the discourses are concerned with the actual issues of the church and synagogue debate at the time when the Gospel was written." The community of John was particularly strong in its criticism of Orthodox Judaism of its time. It would not have been many years since the followers of “The Way” of Jesus – the Christian sect – had been acrimoniously expelled from the synagogues.

It is only in the Gospel of John that we see these long speeches of Jesus where he speaks about himself in such divine terms. The discourses found in this Gospel are considered by many reliable scholars to have originated in sermons that are predominantly the evangelist's own composition but which may be loosely based on a saying or act of Jesus derived from the oral and synoptic Gospel tradition.

Many contemporary scholars regard the Gospel of John as more theological and certainly less historical than the Synoptics. John's picture of Jesus is very different from that which emerges in the Synoptic Gospels. In John Jesus is the pinnacle – he is very definitely presented as God incarnate and is to be greatly venerated.

So we can immediately see threads of varying layers in the text this morning.

We see how the writer is exhorting his community to stick together in the face of persecution by both The Orthodox Jews and the Romans. “Unity is strength”, he is saying. So Jesus, truly Yahweh’s Son in human form, is speaking to his disciples on the very evening of the final night of his arrest and death. He is offering words of hope and strength. He is telling them all that will befall him in the next few days.

Then, in a long prayer, he asks God to bless them and give them strength in their coming adversity. He is strengthening their understanding of him as God’s son and prays that the ancient God of Israel, his father, will uphold them and cause them to remember all he has told them about himself. He peaks in such intimate terms with Yahweh, reminiscent of the patriarchs of the Old Testament but in MUCH more intimacy. Here is a son speaking with a loving father not a servant bowing before an omnipotent God.

Across the centuries this story has gathered around it all sorts of connotations tailored for the particular time. Using the Midrashic principle we can adapt it as a lesson for our own community. There would be few communities where there is not dissent bubbling away either covertly under covers or overtly in obvious destructive acrimony between members. This phenomenon is not restricted to Christian churches of course but it is within a Christian context that I would address it.

For any community to flourish and succeed in its task there needs to be unity. Bring dissent and disunity and the community suffers and is weakened. Disunity can originate in many places and in many people. It can be deliberately broadly destructive or arise from personal and even unthinking selfishness.

There is an old Nigerian proverb that says: “The pebbles are the strength of the wall”.

So that traditional wisdom is saying that each individual is vital if unity is to be maintained. What is the purpose of this unity? The Gospel writer’s purpose was clear. In Verse 23 he explains that ‘they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me’- that is, as a son! The deepest illustration of human love – parent for child!

What a wonderful thing this sense of family is? The illustration infers a deep bond that says, “Together we can overcome all adversity”.

Another proverb; this time from Ghana – “It is because one antelope will blow the dust from the other's eye that two antelopes walk together”. What a lovely insight. It’s not what we can get out of a relationship or our community – it’s what we can do to help our friend and neighbour – even if it is just ‘blowing the dust from the other’s eye.’

Professor Mary Shore , Luther Seminary St. Paul, Minnesota points out that this morning’s text is lifted from a PRAYER not an exhortation or instruction. So, she says, “Jesus is not offering instructions to the disciples or to the church they will lead. This means, for instance, that as important as evangelism is, when Jesus tells his Father that he is asking "not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word" (verse 20) he is not exhorting the church to participate in evangelism.

Likewise, as commendable as ecumenical partnerships are, when Jesus asks that those who believe and those who do not yet believe "may be one" (verse 21), he is not exhorting involvement in ecumenical dialogue.

Jesus is not exhorting the church here. He is not instructing. He is not preaching, teaching, or rallying the troops.

Jesus is praying.”

The question is raised, “How do you feel when someone prays out loud for you?

Comforted, vulnerable, grateful, honoured, humbled, awkward but appreciative, like someone really cares? It can make us feel uncomfortable to be the focus of another’s attention – even in love.

Perhaps that is why we have so often on the past made this passage into a list of orders or instructions. We wish to avoid the intimacy of prayer.

Professor Shore adds, “If Jesus were exhorting his disciples, and by extension us, we could strive to meet his expectations then. If he were exhorting us, we would have a mission - namely, not to disappoint him. Instead, we overhear a prayer on our behalf and are not called to action in that moment as much as wonder that the Father and the Son spend time discussing the likes of us and our little community of faith.”

When someone prays for us in our hour of need it is because they love us. When God, the very Spirit of love, is part of that and responds by bringing deep peace and joy into our lives, regardless of our circumstances, we are truly blessed.

THE LORD BE WITH YOU.

The First Sunday of Lent 2010

SERMON: IST SUNDAY OF LENT 2010

TEXT: LUKE 4: 1-15

IN THE NAME OF GOD: CREATOR, PAINBEARER AND SPIRIT OF LOVE AND LIFE

I need not tell you that today is the first Sunday of a season the church calls Lent. It begins on Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter. It spans 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Saturday but excludes Sundays as this First day of the week’ is the day the church regularly celebrates Jesus’ resurrection . The word we use in English – Lent - was derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Lencten, meaning spring (It is the northern spring – a factor we often overlook). In France the season is called Careme, and in Italy it is Quarestima, both derived from the Latin Quadragesima.

Lent in the Western Churches was originally a period of forty days of fasting and penitence, readying the Christian for the great feast on the ensuing Easter Sunday and is held as a period of sober reflection, self-examination, and spiritual redirection.

The period of forty days had an important symbolic meaning in the ancient Jewish religion. Moses and Elijah spent forty days in the wilderness; the Jews wandered forty years searching for the Promised Land; Jonah gave the city of Nineveh forty days' grace in which to repent and Jesus retreated into the wilderness and fasted for forty days to prepare for his ministry. It was for Him a time of contemplation, reflection, and preparation.

So by observing Lent, most Christians join Jesus on His retreat.
The naming of the Lenten period of forty days owes its origin to the Latin word Quadragesima, originally signifying forty hours. This referred to forty hours of complete fasting which preceded the Easter celebration in the early Church.

The main ceremony then was not the Eucharist as we know it but the baptizing of the initiates on Easter Eve, and the fast was a preparation to receive this sacrament.

Lent has always represented a period of fasting, prayer and contemplation in the Orthodox Christian church. I would like to ask – ‘What does this time mean for you?”

For some of us it would be exactly what I have described - a period of self-examination, reflection and prayer. But I am willing to bet that for most people in church congregations it is a time where lip service is made but not much else.

Perhaps a token relinquishing of the evening pre-dinner drink? Perhaps we give up sugar in our tea or coffee. Perhaps we hide the box of Haigh’s chocolates until Easter when the Easter Bunny (or Bilby as the case may be) finds them and our little indulgences are restored.

Have we given thought to what the message of Lent really conveys? Is it not a message of sacrifice? Think about it! To take oneself off into the desert for forty days (or some long period) without provision for food and shelter would today be considered sheer madness.

I seem to recall a story of a young man who, a few years ago, caused considerable anxiety when he decided to travel across one of Australia’s deserts with little or no supplies and backup. His intention did not arise out of some religious conviction. He just wanted to prove a point, prove to himself that he could do it and get his 15 minutes of fame in the process. He achieved all that and a sigh of relief went up when he arrived safely.

These people of ancient times however were not looking for fame nor were they trying to prove something to themselves or others, they were deliberately putting themselves in a place of sacrifice and physical deprivation in order to become closer to God.

I remember a song from some years ago which carried the line “in the desert you can remember your name and there ain’t no one for to give you no pain” (obviously the grammar suggests it is an American composition – it’s actually called “A Horse with no name”). It’s a sad song as it ends by saying there is no human love in the cities.

Is that true- that we need to test ourselves with rigour and deprivation in order to find God? Is it really necessary to travel into some inhospitable and uncomfortable place to find peace and love? I think not.

I do agree though, that it is necessary to find a quiet place and some sort of refuge from our busy and noisy world. We can do that without taking ourselves off into the desert. We can close our door, disconnect the phone, turn off the TV and radio and sit quietly in our own home. During the last few months I have often done just that. I have ceased listening to talkback radio and choose instead to listen to music appropriate to my mood. I feel that I have not missed anything of importance but have avoided a great deal of stress. I recommend it to you.

I still feel that this is all still self-serving though. It might be helpful for me but I have to ask is it helpful for anyone else? It’s obviously not – except that we might become more relaxed and easier to live with.

What I am trying to say is that sacrifice is of little or no value unless it changes something in the world for the better.

You know, the greatest positive sacrifice we can make is to cease our self-indulgence – our self-centredness.

There is nothing more self-centred than a child. Obviously this trait which is found in all humans is some sort of primeval survival instinct. A human child without parental support will quickly die. They need food, clothing, shelter and something too often denied – love. When any of these necessities seem to be withheld the child suffers and lets parents know in the only possible way for it – it cries and loudly!

Too often we carry this childish self-centredness into our adult life. It even seems to grow larger as we age, as we become less self-assured and begin to sense our power and independence waning. This is when we begin to compensate by often becoming pedantic and inflexible in our ways. We are totally unable to tolerate any form of change. We assume as personal effrontery and persistently close our ears to some suggestion which could make changes to our community. We find it uncomfortable when new people enter our circle.

Last Christmas the Archbishop gave me a book entitled ‘Facing the Future’ in which various Bishops from around Australia have written essays on their vision of a future church. It is sub-titled ‘Bishops imagine a different church’.

The evangelical Bishop of Armidale has written on the challenges facing the church in rural Australia (particularly northern NSW) and how that Anglican Diocese is proving most successful in dealing with the future. He says this in part: (Facing The Future: Bishop’s imagine a different church, Hale S & Curnow A. (eds). Acorn Press, Brunswick East, Melbourne, Australia, 2009.) PP 106- 07, 108.

Bishop Peter Brain also says: “Urban living, with its ease of anonymity and sheer weight of numbers, can so easily mask the sacrificial service of city and suburban pastors and people”. Too often the wider community doesn’t even know we exist as a faith community – except when they find themselves I need of help.

The message I felt I had to speak today has not been easy to compile. But I truly believe that in prayer God had something to say to our parishes!

These are hard issues! There have been many and considerable sacrifices made by the clergy in these parishes in order to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the widest audience possible. It takes many years of financial sacrifice and focussed study to find oneself in this position. It is not done for the money I assure you! Mostly people acknowledge and respect sacrifice in anyone. There are many sacrifices made by members of these churches on a weekly basis and there are detractors who would undermine and prevent changes because they cannot bear to see the status quo change. How often do we give thought to the fact that someone may need a respite from work they do and have done for a very long time on a regular basis?

When we consider these things is it possible for us to somehow enter the church of the early centuries and relive the depth of meaning those people put into Lent?

Can we sacrifice those things in our hearts and minds that would destroy our relationship with God and our neighbours – our club mentality and our sad refusal to honour others‘sacrifices?

The Archbishop’s Lenten study is about Jonah who found it hard to face up to what God was calling him to do. He eventually was forced albeit with ill grace to accede to God’s demands. Will we make it necessary for God to figuratively ‘prepare a great fish to swallow us up’ and drag us kicking and in ill humour back into fellowship with Him and His church?

They are hard questions aren’t they? But I believe it is vital we address them especially as we enter into this season of Lent for 2010. Very much food for thought.

THE LORD BE WITH YOU

Paul's letter to the Christians in Philippi

IN THE NAME OF GOD – CREATOR, PAINBEARER AND SPIRIT OF LIFE AND LOVE

2^nd Sunday of Advent 2009

TEXT: Philippians 1: 1-11

This letter of Paul to the little group of radical Jews – read Christians – at Philippi is one of his later communications – possibly written from a prison dungeon in Rome. The Christian community in Philippi was the first one Paul established on European soil.

Philippi is a city in Macedonia and was the main stopover on the main roads between East and West in the Roman Empire.

Paul enjoyed a close and happy relationship with the Christians at Philippi. They had been generous in their monetary contributions towards the cause of the Jerusalem Christians and had been great staunch supporters of Paul and his friend and colleague, Timothy.

Although the Christians were still very much a part of the synagogue – the division was not to come for another twenty years – there was much opposition and antagonism towards the Christian community from within the more orthodox Jewish community.

So the main theme of this letter is persistence and actual joy in faith in the face of opposition.

It’s difficult to cope with opposition. Our ideas and concepts are always right – are they not?

It’s not me who’s got the wrong end of the stick – who is confused and out of step with mainstream thinking and even reality itself – it’s always you!

Of course you think in exactly the same way – It’s me who’s got it all wrong – It’s me who’s too young to know the realities of life – It’s me who fails to show respect for experience.

Does my concept of God vary with yours? Is my theology different from yours? Do you still cling to outdated and discredited ideas because they seem safe?

It’s the place where you feel secure – don’t ask the hard questions – be very wary of anything new – any new experience or way of thinking – be conservative – cling to that which you know and are familiar.

That’s what the Christians of ancient Philippi were up against.

The orthodox Jews felt threatened by these new fangled ideas from country Galilee that Paul and his mates had introduced: this healer and mystical teacher called Jesus of Nazareth who appeared to possess a great charisma and powers of healing and whose teachings were radical – who advocated the inclusion of people other than Jews into the synagogue – people who were neither circumcised nor followed the kosher food rules of the Torah.

How easy it is to transpose those scenes from the ancient world to Adelaide of the twenty first century- especially to the Anglican community of our time and place?

How tolerant are we of new scholarship – new revelations concerning the scriptures and our faith – new thinking which has surfaced in the light of scientific discovery – fresh glimmerings of understanding of the nature and being of that wonderful mystery we call God?

We need to be careful to keep an open mind – certainly to question and probe but to not reject out of hand ideas which seem to ‘rattle our cage’ or ‘shake our tree’ as the sayings go.

We could end up like the orthodox people of Philippi – be left clinging to a legalistic cultural system without love that Jesus changed – from legalism to love!

But we all face opposition of many other sorts today – not idealisms - not theological interpretations (few people would feel threatened by that today! – interested perhaps but not threatened) - Not necessarily even physical threats of violence - but we do all face the unwavering opposition of age and illness.

We all feel the aches and pains – we can’t do what we once did.

Perhaps that’s our challenge of today. How do we cope then? It’s all very well to diagnose the problem but how about some sort of answer?

Let’s go back to our text for today.

Paul speaks of Prayer – how comforting it is to know that others love us and pray for us – that’s real support and strength. That’s what is to be found ( or should be found) in a true Christian community.

He writes in verse 9, “This is my prayer that your love may overflow more and more….”

Love is where we find God – because God is revealed in the love that is shared amongst us through fellowship and prayer for each other.

What a wonderful mystery that is!!

That’s where we discover God according to Paul – “in the love that is shared amongst us”. And when we discover God that is within us we also discover the strength and joy that comes with love and through prayer – even in times of adversity!

Let’s look at verse 7 - “All of you share in God’s grace with me”… it is an interesting use of words in this expression of thanksgiving.

Koinōnia, is translated as "sharing" here.

Translated variously as "fellowship" or "partnership," koinōnia is a word that expresses the essence of Christianity. . It means something held in common, as opposed to something "private".

koinōnia refers to the community and its participants (e.g., the state or the commonwealth).

Greek philosophers used it and related words to refer to the social order. For example, Plato's ideal republic had communal, not private, property.

The book of Acts highlights a similar community ideal when it says the Jerusalem church held "all things in common" (Acts 2:44).

Here in Philippians, Paul's use of koinōnia seems similar to the Greek philosopher, Pythagorus’ idea that friends have all things in common. This is why scholars maintain that friendship is at the heart of this letter.

The church was a community of active participants – it still is, usually.

People come into a Christian community because they feel the need to be involved – to take part in varying ways in the worship of God and to participate in the joy which goes hand in hand with that.

As I said, friendship is at the heart of this letter. The love that is philia is what makes true community (koinōnia) possible. It involves activities that express commonality - thinking and sharing things in common. As described by Paul, friendship is a spiritual matter. I wonder if that is how we view our friendships – as a spiritual part of life.

I

t infers that we have a friendship which is genuine and not self-seeking – not a place where we can wield power and exert our authority over another – not a place for seeking self advantage.

True friendship can only be a by product of true love. There, as Paul says, lies the secret of true community. One cannot love alone (although some people make a good attempt!).

It is imperative that love is something that can only be shared between people as a couple – a group or as a community. It does not necessarily follow that all within these categories will share exactly the same ideas and concepts and even perhaps – values.

But it is in sharing in the love which brings tolerance that we build a stronger marriage – a stronger community – it is in sharing that we come to know and understand each other better and to know and understand each other is to open the opportunities for love to enter – hence a stronger and more effective and cohesive partnership, marriage or community.

Many scholars identify joy as the main theme of this letter. Joy, here as in all of Paul's writings, comes with the gospel (the ‘Good News” of Christ) through the Holy Spirit.

Real deep down Joy is the result of shared friendship in love – the love which is God in us.

The Lord be with you.