The word of God is alive and active. It cuts more keenly than any two edged sword. Hebrews 4:12
So often in Holy Week we hurry to the resurrection, and yet in order to truly greet the risen Christ, we must first embrace death. In part, yes our physical death, in that we should not fear it for we are eternal people. Apparently more people are scared of spiders than of death, but perhaps that speaks more to our human sense of immortality until the moment our mortality is made real to us. But in Holy Week there is no escaping death. Without death there is no life. Without sorrow there is no joy to follow in the morning. We live in a world where we attempt to avoid decay and death, just ask the plastic surgeons or the medical charlatans who are as real today as those who peddled elixirs in the wild west.
Jesus speaks openly of his death on numerous occasions, and relates it in today’s reading to the grain of wheat that falls, in order that many seeds can be made. If the grain of wheat doesn’t die, then life cannot come. Jesus’ death enables all people to come to him, and through him, the way, the truth and the life to the Father, Mother, God of us all. And yet it goes against anything we can truly comprehend, except if we have ever been in the situation of giving up our life for another. Paul knows this and reminds the people in Corinth and us today that we preach a crucified Christ which causes Jews to stumble and is foolishness to non-Jews.
Notice what he says – we preach a crucified Christ. Not we preach a risen Christ or resurrected Christ but a crucified Christ.
Death plays a central role in Holy Week and to circumvent by moving from the celebration and expectations of Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without stopping at Good Friday is to lose something so significant, that words can’t express it fully. Absolutely, we are people of the resurrection, but to be resurrected we need to die first. Not literally of course, but as Jesus said: we need to pick up our cross and follow him.
Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be a light for all nations to show people all over the world the way to be saved. For Jesus, it was in the moment of death, lifted up on the cross that he brought about life for all people, Jew and Gentile, for you and me. Absolutely, we need the resurrection, but we also need to bow at the foot of the cross, and recognise that it is in his death there is life.
Remember this, especially when it does feel dark and dangerous,
‘The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it.’ John 1:5
What are your thoughts, fears and hopes when it comes to death? How does knowing that in death is life encourage or inspire you? How might that help you truly welcome the risen Christ?
Collect/Prayer: Almighty God, you Son Jesus Christ taught the people the way of righteousness and judgement. Grant us a ready mind and willing spirit to learn from him all that you would teach us, and keep us watchful for his coming and diligent in his work; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 71:1-14
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
John 12:20-36
Tuesday, 16 April 2019
Monday, 15 April 2019
Monday: Are you like Judas or Mary?
One thing I ask of the Lord, it is the one thing I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4
There is such a clash of old and new in the story that we share from the Gospels today, a clash made obvious in the reading from Hebrews. At first we can easily see the human perspective. Whatever Judas’ motives, or rather regardless of how pure they might have been, he said what many of us would say today. Especially those from a ‘waste not, want not generation’ or even a social gospel context. In the Church, many of us are more worried about keeping money safe, than spending it generously. We are saving for a rainy day and missing the fact that the rains have been and gone and we are in drought, indeed facing a famine. We might not want to align ourselves with Judas (who does?) but perhaps, this Holy Monday, we need to ask ourselves are we more in tune with him than with Mary?
Mary’s actions are extravagant – most certainly. And in our ‘britishness’ we might struggle to comprehend these actions. They are intimate yet public, they are sensual yet humility driven. She takes her nard, worth a small fortune, and pours it on the feet of Jesus, wiping his feet with her hair. It is an outpouring of worship, of love, and for Jesus – recognition. Jesus defends her actions wholeheartedly, not because he doesn’t care for the poor. Rather her actions are pure, motivated by love and a sense of perspective that there is more to this life than what we see.
The author of Hebrews speaks of the old covenant and the new covenant, and this new covenant opens up such blessings for us. And we are loved by God, whose generosity knows no bounds. Surely, this should motivate us, like Mary, to give, but not to save or help, but to worship God. To thank him, to anoint him, to praise him for his generosity and love towards us. Yes those gifts may be used by others to build his kingdom, to share his mercy, to help those in need. But first and foremost, our giving should be about worshipping, thanking, praising God. When our perspective changes from what we give to God as if having a debt to pay, to worshipping God, suddenly we are free to be generous. Our hearts are bigger, and we know what is to be truly blessed.
For this reason Christ brings a new agreement from God to his people. Those who are called by God can now receive the blessings he has promised, blessings that will last forever. They can have those things because Christ died…
Holy Monday – let’s consider who we worship and how we worship him? What motivates us? Jesus died for you – why? What does Scripture say to you about his why and how does that challenge you as a disciple of Christ?
Collect/Prayer:
Almighty and ever-living God,
In tender love for all our human race, you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take our flesh and suffer death upon a cross. Grant that we might follow the example of his great humility, and share in the glory of his resurrection. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 36:5-11
Hebrews 9:11-15
John 12:1-11
Sunday, 14 April 2019
Breaking the Silence
If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.
I love Jesus’ response here. The idea that should the people be silenced in their worship of God, the very stones would cry out. Imagine that for a moment. It’s kinda hard really. Stones can be many things:
Used and shaped into buildings, statues, painted to look like cats, to wedge open doors or crack skulls, or for hot stone therapy but as a general rule they are not known for singing, praising or shouting.
Yet, should the people be silenced, the stones would cry out. Interestingly that isn’t challenged though I have no doubt, something amazing would have happened.
We live in a world where often we are silenced.
There is much we want to say or sing, but we are silenced.
We are silenced by our fears.
We are silenced by the worry of inappropriateness.
We are silenced by our Britishness.
We are silenced by our politicians or leaders.
We are silenced by our inadequacies.
We are silenced by our family and friends.
We are silenced by embarrassment.
We are silenced.
The people didn’t fully understand who Jesus was or indeed what would happen next. But they were excited to see him, and they welcomed him. Great celebrations, a party mood, full of expectation and hope. The disciples sing praises and worship, grateful for all that they had seen. This would have been more people than the 12 disciples, for though they had seen the most, they weren’t the only ones who had witnessed miracles. For John who records 7 miracles, plenty people had witnessed the majority of them, and those who believed sang praises. Remember at this point they have no Good Friday/Easter Sunday - they only have Palm Sunday, that moment.
It is not the donkey that causes the Pharisees to have issues, or indeed the hero’s welcome although that wouldn’t have helped.
It is making Jesus the King that gives them issues. To make Jesus – King – would have upset the status quo. Everything was ticking along nicely, even if it was making the most of a bad situation. And Jesus was upsetting this, and risking everything. The status quo is often misaligned with what is needed, but often it is safer, it is predictable, it is manageable. Until someone upsets it and changes it…then everything gets somewhat uncomfortable.
Jesus is still upsetting the status quo today.
People today still resist him coming into their lives.
Yet it is not the donkey and the humble lifestyle they resist.
It’s not loving our neighbours, and many can accept even if they can’t do loving our enemies.
It’s not even miracles or worship.
It’s making Jesus King of our lives that gives people issues both in and out of the Church.
Putting him first, making him King. And King of all, not just the bits we think he wants. But King over all.
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
And if we are honest, this is when we are silent too. Making him King makes him our leader, the one we worship, the one who carries the past, the present and the future. And that often means breaking the status quo. Read the Gospels – Jesus does it all the time and he still does it today.
But if we are silent, the stones will cry out.
Let us silence the voices in our heads, our hearts, our souls that rebuke us for making Jesus our King.
Let us silence the voices in our culture that attempt to make others king of our lives.
Let us silence the voices that rebuke us for our faith, for our way of life, for our worship and remind them that if we are silent, the stones would cry out.
Instead, let us, in loud voices praise our God, welcome our King and walk towards the Cross and the Resurrection with heads held high, knowing that our God is the One and Only God, in him we can have faith, hope and eternity.
You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. Psalm 118:29
Make this Holy Week count – praise God in a loud voice, even if you are rebuked. Live your faith humbly but with strength. Be joyful, even in sorrow. Be hopeful, even in darkness. Trust that the Lord will come through for you. For when the people are threatened by ‘other powers’, God would not let it be.
If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.
God always finds a way! Amen.
Friday, 12 April 2019
Spending Time with Children
I have been really struck in my readings and experience about the value of spending time with God. Of course, you say. Surely that is a given - especially for a minister! But time is so precious, and if like me you are a busy person, wearing multiple hats, sometimes time is a commodity you appear to have very little of.
As a working mum, who happens to work mostly from home, the school holidays can become a bit of a challenge, especially for the youngest. These past couple of days I have been working away at my desk, balancing the random requests for food, mostly sweets, and the “I’m bored” comments into my day. However, a promise of a shared activity gave me another hour of peace for work, and then it was off to the kitchen to make custard creams. Today was a walk to the post office to drop off mail, and deliver some Easter cards for the Church, with the promise of a slushy for the wee lass. Both events, lasting no more than an hour each, were opportunities for bonding, conversation, learning, shared tasks and comfortable silence.
It strikes me as I read through Jeremiah (a tough read), the Psalms, and John’s Gospel in particular, that spending time with God isn’t just about worship and church services. It’s about that relationship with God that includes the highs and the lows, that recognises our humanity and his divinity, and that welcoming embrace when we need it most. My child learns from my experience in the kitchen, but has a go herself. My child shares her learning with me with pride, even if I already know it, and explains how they do maths now (which proves to me that I have no chance understanding it when she goes to high school). We are children of God, and God invites us to learn from his experience, to take time to bond with him in the garden, over the sink washing the dishes, sharing in his mission of love and life for all, or just enjoying comfortable silence in his loving presence.
Rather than make God-time a task of the day, why not make a conscious decision to share the day with God? Kind of like having the children home on a working day, complete with interruptions and requests, let God interrupt your day, and for sure, interrupt his. As Holy Week approaches, how might God become not an add-on or a task, but a relationship that you nurture? Then when we consider how Jesus died and rose for you, for me, suddenly we are not talking about an abstract person, but someone very real to us, like my daughter holding my hand and bouncing up and down with excitement.
“I am a God who is near,” says the Lord.
“I am also a God who is far away.
24 No one can hide
where I cannot see him,” says the Lord.
“I fill all of heaven and earth,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:23-24 NCV)
God is with us - always. Sometimes, we just need to look up from our busy lives, and accept the invitation to lay down our busyness and make cakes or go for a walk. As Lent draws to a close, take time to lay down the busyness, and enjoy being with God, not just in the formal times, but even more so through the informal times.
God bless.
As a working mum, who happens to work mostly from home, the school holidays can become a bit of a challenge, especially for the youngest. These past couple of days I have been working away at my desk, balancing the random requests for food, mostly sweets, and the “I’m bored” comments into my day. However, a promise of a shared activity gave me another hour of peace for work, and then it was off to the kitchen to make custard creams. Today was a walk to the post office to drop off mail, and deliver some Easter cards for the Church, with the promise of a slushy for the wee lass. Both events, lasting no more than an hour each, were opportunities for bonding, conversation, learning, shared tasks and comfortable silence.
It strikes me as I read through Jeremiah (a tough read), the Psalms, and John’s Gospel in particular, that spending time with God isn’t just about worship and church services. It’s about that relationship with God that includes the highs and the lows, that recognises our humanity and his divinity, and that welcoming embrace when we need it most. My child learns from my experience in the kitchen, but has a go herself. My child shares her learning with me with pride, even if I already know it, and explains how they do maths now (which proves to me that I have no chance understanding it when she goes to high school). We are children of God, and God invites us to learn from his experience, to take time to bond with him in the garden, over the sink washing the dishes, sharing in his mission of love and life for all, or just enjoying comfortable silence in his loving presence.
Rather than make God-time a task of the day, why not make a conscious decision to share the day with God? Kind of like having the children home on a working day, complete with interruptions and requests, let God interrupt your day, and for sure, interrupt his. As Holy Week approaches, how might God become not an add-on or a task, but a relationship that you nurture? Then when we consider how Jesus died and rose for you, for me, suddenly we are not talking about an abstract person, but someone very real to us, like my daughter holding my hand and bouncing up and down with excitement.
“I am a God who is near,” says the Lord.
“I am also a God who is far away.
24 No one can hide
where I cannot see him,” says the Lord.
“I fill all of heaven and earth,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:23-24 NCV)
God is with us - always. Sometimes, we just need to look up from our busy lives, and accept the invitation to lay down our busyness and make cakes or go for a walk. As Lent draws to a close, take time to lay down the busyness, and enjoy being with God, not just in the formal times, but even more so through the informal times.
God bless.
Sunday, 3 February 2019
rEVOLution - God loves you but what is that all about?
This is an edited version of today’s theme in worship. We spent the earlier part of the service considering our love is statements. Love is...family, friends, being owned by a beagle, being wakened by a cup of tea and so many more which will being going up as part of our valentines display. My current favourite though was: Love is growing old together disgracefully! Photos of our display will appear shortly!
However, us spiritual types like to talk about God-incidences. As we considered with the young people present how much God loves us we heard the passage from Romans 8, and this afternoon as I did my QT, the page of my journal which is a book I have been using for a very long time and isn’t dated had the verse from Romans 8:39 - Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God and my reflective writers were both about love - one about love is a risk and the other about being love like Christ, so that people see Christ before they see you! God loves you - what does that mean for you? As one person said in Church today, knowing that God loves you means ‘You are the apple of his eye.’.
Continue below for an edited version of the sermon...
God bless you, and know that God loves you, as you are, where you are.
Love Sarah x
Sunday 3rd Feb 2019
Theme: Redeemed/Rejoicing/Reunion/Revolution/Reborn
When we say that God is love, or God loves you what do we mean by that? We were reflecting on that a little with the young people. And there are so many statements we can come up with, but what do we actually believe? If our most basic statement of faith is that God loves us then how can we put the rest of our faith into that context.
We all have experiences of love although it is often tarnished because of our imperfections. Some are heard to say, especially to children - I have to love you but I don’t have to like you.
Continuing to explore this concept of love for a moment – the tarnished variety. Many people justify their grudges, saying that an individual has hurt them so much that they cannot bring themselves to value or love that person. Now I know that for many there are a lifetime of hurts that make it difficult to love someone. Yet we are loved by the Holy One, who we have hurt on numerous occasions. We let God down constantly, we hurt him with our rejection of his grace, mercy, gifts, blessings, discipline and more. Our relationships with him or his people are often superficial and lacking any real effort in the busyness of the modern world. Many of us know more about our favourite sports or tv show than we do about God or the Bible. Jesus said: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.
Yet we expect to be loved by God, even on our worst day. And he does love us.
What is this love of God? How does understanding it help us to grow in our faith and challenge our behaviour? Let’s look at three love is… statements.
Love is taking a risk: Risking a commitment of love to another human being whether it be a life partner, a child given or adopted, the friend of all friends, a new church family – love means taking a risk. A risk that we might get hurt, or let down or betrayed or abandoned. I have lost dear friends over the years both through death and through breakdown of relationships.
Love is taking a risk and we see that in the story today, highlighted in the vulnerability of Jesus’ early days on earth. (Read Luke2:20-40) Once the period of time of purification was up, then Mary and Joseph could go and present an offering. And it is in this wee story that we pick up another risk that God took. Jesus was born into a poor family, and the offering of two doves or pigeons proves it.
So the risk that God takes is to allow his child to be carried by Mary, born in less than sanitary surroundings but in a place accessible to all, and then looked after by a couple with barely two brass farthings to their name. But this risk is important. If God is for the people, then he needs to be with the people. And the majority of the people in Jesus’ time and indeed ours are not the ones with money to burn or ivory towers to reside in. He has to take a risk that ordinary people will be able to raise his son.
Sometimes we too are called to take a risk. In fact, in faith, we are often called to take a risk, which goes against our heavily risk-averse world. Not just in our everyday relationships, but in those that are yet to be established. We must risk ridicule if we are to truly love, just as Mary and Joseph did over being pregnant outside marriage. We must risk loss of status just as Jesus did by leaving all his glory behind and being born as a baby. In fact, love often entails us swallowing our pride and being humble – or as Paul puts – love doesn’t boast, it isn’t proud. We risk it all and trust that God will provide. A common criticism of faith is that we preach a God who provides but then take no risks, and have become boring. Why is Church so boring? And by extension, why is our faith more concerned with buildings than mission, with the faithful than those with no faith? Because we are no longer risk takers, yet love demands we take risks.
Let’s try another one:
Love is without boundaries. Sometimes we say love is unconditional, but in a way I like the idea that it is without boundaries. We live in a world just now that seems to care rather too much about boundaries. Might be walls in the states, or hard line borders in Ireland or EU/UK lines in the sand, or indeed in the Church of Scotland, parish boundaries. So love is without boundaries. It supersedes them – whether it is a Protestant and a Catholic getting married, or children of all races playing together in the park, love doesn’t have boundaries.
And when God sent Jesus, he sent him for the whole world. John, in that now famous verse, says – For God so loved the world he sent his one and only Son. Simeon meeting Jesus in the temple speaks of his arrival as salvation for the world, a light for the Gentiles, redeemer of Israel. Throughout the Old Testament the focus is on the Israelites but with the Messiah promises there are hints and more that God cares not just for one group of people but for all. Simeon and Anna are people of deep deep faith, very pious and both live in hope, in faith of the promised redemption. And both, moved by the Spirit, meet baby Jesus in the temple which was a huge place, and know that he is the one. Their response is to praise God. Love without boundaries overcomes fear and doubt, and they celebrate the fulfilment of the promises made.
God has done away with boundaries. There is no more jew or gentile, male or female, slave or free – God has no boundaries on his love. Even on the cross, Jesus forgave the robber.
What boundaries have we imposed on God’s love? Deliberately or accidentally? We naturally want to protect God and we can be heard to try and limit his love. We don’t want him to be taken advantage of and somehow think that the Church should act as a buffer between God and people. We should be anything but a buffer. We must point people to the God who loves them, through our welcome, through our hospitality, through our willingness to step back to let another step up, through laying down our traditions and needs to make faith accessible to all, through love, compassion, generosity, living and loving through the fruit of the Spirit. The more we love, the more we trust God’s love, the more we let God love us – the more love there will be. Love will never run out.
Love is eternal – love cannot be held back by death or time. God is love and God is eternal. And it is in that love that we find salvation or forgiveness. We have the gift of hindsight, and know that the love of Christ which culminated in his death on the cross, brought us salvation and life. Love could not be defeated, even by death. Therefore love is eternal.
What we know of love, as Paul would say, is like looking in a mirror. We know love, we experience love but it is not the full thing. Yet we can nurture love in our hearts and in our lives, in the same way that we can nurture bitterness or envy or greed. John says that we love because God loved us first. God is the source of our love, but we have to choose how we will love him or not as the case might be. Simeon might not know the details of what will happen to Jesus, but he knows it will be tough. That people will reject him and that Mary his mother will have her heart pierced by a sword. And it won’t be a wee sword, the word used is one for a large sword.
To love anyone isn’t any guarantee of being loved in return. But as disciples of Jesus we are called to love everybody always. Faith, hope and love will remain but the greatest of these is love. Perhaps if we put more effort into loving we might actually start a revolution. A love revolution.
Actually, that’s wrong. The love revolution has already begun – its leader is Jesus Christ, and we are his body. Perhaps we need to join the revolution. Whose signing up today? Amen!
However, us spiritual types like to talk about God-incidences. As we considered with the young people present how much God loves us we heard the passage from Romans 8, and this afternoon as I did my QT, the page of my journal which is a book I have been using for a very long time and isn’t dated had the verse from Romans 8:39 - Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God and my reflective writers were both about love - one about love is a risk and the other about being love like Christ, so that people see Christ before they see you! God loves you - what does that mean for you? As one person said in Church today, knowing that God loves you means ‘You are the apple of his eye.’.
Continue below for an edited version of the sermon...
God bless you, and know that God loves you, as you are, where you are.
Love Sarah x
Sunday 3rd Feb 2019
Theme: Redeemed/Rejoicing/Reunion/Revolution/Reborn
When we say that God is love, or God loves you what do we mean by that? We were reflecting on that a little with the young people. And there are so many statements we can come up with, but what do we actually believe? If our most basic statement of faith is that God loves us then how can we put the rest of our faith into that context.
We all have experiences of love although it is often tarnished because of our imperfections. Some are heard to say, especially to children - I have to love you but I don’t have to like you.
Continuing to explore this concept of love for a moment – the tarnished variety. Many people justify their grudges, saying that an individual has hurt them so much that they cannot bring themselves to value or love that person. Now I know that for many there are a lifetime of hurts that make it difficult to love someone. Yet we are loved by the Holy One, who we have hurt on numerous occasions. We let God down constantly, we hurt him with our rejection of his grace, mercy, gifts, blessings, discipline and more. Our relationships with him or his people are often superficial and lacking any real effort in the busyness of the modern world. Many of us know more about our favourite sports or tv show than we do about God or the Bible. Jesus said: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.
Yet we expect to be loved by God, even on our worst day. And he does love us.
What is this love of God? How does understanding it help us to grow in our faith and challenge our behaviour? Let’s look at three love is… statements.
Love is taking a risk: Risking a commitment of love to another human being whether it be a life partner, a child given or adopted, the friend of all friends, a new church family – love means taking a risk. A risk that we might get hurt, or let down or betrayed or abandoned. I have lost dear friends over the years both through death and through breakdown of relationships.
Love is taking a risk and we see that in the story today, highlighted in the vulnerability of Jesus’ early days on earth. (Read Luke2:20-40) Once the period of time of purification was up, then Mary and Joseph could go and present an offering. And it is in this wee story that we pick up another risk that God took. Jesus was born into a poor family, and the offering of two doves or pigeons proves it.
So the risk that God takes is to allow his child to be carried by Mary, born in less than sanitary surroundings but in a place accessible to all, and then looked after by a couple with barely two brass farthings to their name. But this risk is important. If God is for the people, then he needs to be with the people. And the majority of the people in Jesus’ time and indeed ours are not the ones with money to burn or ivory towers to reside in. He has to take a risk that ordinary people will be able to raise his son.
Sometimes we too are called to take a risk. In fact, in faith, we are often called to take a risk, which goes against our heavily risk-averse world. Not just in our everyday relationships, but in those that are yet to be established. We must risk ridicule if we are to truly love, just as Mary and Joseph did over being pregnant outside marriage. We must risk loss of status just as Jesus did by leaving all his glory behind and being born as a baby. In fact, love often entails us swallowing our pride and being humble – or as Paul puts – love doesn’t boast, it isn’t proud. We risk it all and trust that God will provide. A common criticism of faith is that we preach a God who provides but then take no risks, and have become boring. Why is Church so boring? And by extension, why is our faith more concerned with buildings than mission, with the faithful than those with no faith? Because we are no longer risk takers, yet love demands we take risks.
Let’s try another one:
Love is without boundaries. Sometimes we say love is unconditional, but in a way I like the idea that it is without boundaries. We live in a world just now that seems to care rather too much about boundaries. Might be walls in the states, or hard line borders in Ireland or EU/UK lines in the sand, or indeed in the Church of Scotland, parish boundaries. So love is without boundaries. It supersedes them – whether it is a Protestant and a Catholic getting married, or children of all races playing together in the park, love doesn’t have boundaries.
And when God sent Jesus, he sent him for the whole world. John, in that now famous verse, says – For God so loved the world he sent his one and only Son. Simeon meeting Jesus in the temple speaks of his arrival as salvation for the world, a light for the Gentiles, redeemer of Israel. Throughout the Old Testament the focus is on the Israelites but with the Messiah promises there are hints and more that God cares not just for one group of people but for all. Simeon and Anna are people of deep deep faith, very pious and both live in hope, in faith of the promised redemption. And both, moved by the Spirit, meet baby Jesus in the temple which was a huge place, and know that he is the one. Their response is to praise God. Love without boundaries overcomes fear and doubt, and they celebrate the fulfilment of the promises made.
God has done away with boundaries. There is no more jew or gentile, male or female, slave or free – God has no boundaries on his love. Even on the cross, Jesus forgave the robber.
What boundaries have we imposed on God’s love? Deliberately or accidentally? We naturally want to protect God and we can be heard to try and limit his love. We don’t want him to be taken advantage of and somehow think that the Church should act as a buffer between God and people. We should be anything but a buffer. We must point people to the God who loves them, through our welcome, through our hospitality, through our willingness to step back to let another step up, through laying down our traditions and needs to make faith accessible to all, through love, compassion, generosity, living and loving through the fruit of the Spirit. The more we love, the more we trust God’s love, the more we let God love us – the more love there will be. Love will never run out.
Love is eternal – love cannot be held back by death or time. God is love and God is eternal. And it is in that love that we find salvation or forgiveness. We have the gift of hindsight, and know that the love of Christ which culminated in his death on the cross, brought us salvation and life. Love could not be defeated, even by death. Therefore love is eternal.
What we know of love, as Paul would say, is like looking in a mirror. We know love, we experience love but it is not the full thing. Yet we can nurture love in our hearts and in our lives, in the same way that we can nurture bitterness or envy or greed. John says that we love because God loved us first. God is the source of our love, but we have to choose how we will love him or not as the case might be. Simeon might not know the details of what will happen to Jesus, but he knows it will be tough. That people will reject him and that Mary his mother will have her heart pierced by a sword. And it won’t be a wee sword, the word used is one for a large sword.
To love anyone isn’t any guarantee of being loved in return. But as disciples of Jesus we are called to love everybody always. Faith, hope and love will remain but the greatest of these is love. Perhaps if we put more effort into loving we might actually start a revolution. A love revolution.
Actually, that’s wrong. The love revolution has already begun – its leader is Jesus Christ, and we are his body. Perhaps we need to join the revolution. Whose signing up today? Amen!
Friday, 11 January 2019
When God shows up - Treasure
What follows is a much shortened version of what I preached about on Sunday, tailored for the devotions in the local paper (covering for someone at the last minute). So I thought I’d share it here with you all.
Dear friends,
Yes I know the Christmas season is over and now it might even be too late to wish you a Happy New Year (but I do!). Often we are so glad when the chaos of Christmas is passed, but I wonder if you would be willing to cast your mind back, and look for your treasures from Christmas. Mary, who was overwhelmed at becoming a new mum, to the Son of God no less and in less than ideal surroundings, takes time to treasure in her heart all that happened.
It is easy for us to get stuck in the commercialism and materialism of Christmas, but like the wise men (this is their season in the Church year (Epiphany)), sometimes we need to push on and find the real reason for the season. The text that the chief priests read to Herod spoke of the Messiah coming from Bethlehem. A small place, insignificant even, becomes the place for God. No palace, no capital city, no Jerusalem – but Bethlehem. Real treasure, the kind that matters, is often found in the unlikeliest of places and people, like God with us – Jesus Christ.
As we journey into a New Year, full as it is birthdays, events, and anniversaries, as well as milestones, health issues, even grief and loss, take time to treasure the moments, the gifts, the kindnesses, the love, trusting God with them all. Sometimes that will mean letting go of your pride, your need to be in control, your cynicism and doubt, your fear and allow others to give you treasure. The treasure of comfort, of love, of peace, of Christ, of faith, of presence, of wisdom. These treasures of God, from God, through others, will help 2019 be a year worth having! Jesus said: ‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’.
There are many things I treasure from my Christmas season. Time spent with family - most definitely (yes really!), time spent with friends whether chatting on the sofa or welcoming the bells together over a sparkle filled glass - absolutely. Gifts given and received, messages of peace, hope and love through cards, social media and encounters - all are treasures. For me, my treasure in Christmas was found in how God took the little I had to give and multiplied it a thousand fold. His presence in the Watchnight service, reminiscent of a small animal shelter in intimacy (but not smell thankfully!). His strength given in communion in a sheltered housing complex and in candlelight. For me, I will treasure those moments when God showed up, and I don’t mean that flippantly. Sometimes, when you just can’t see the next step, the next moment, God shows up. A worn out couple given a shelter with animals to bring the Son of God into the world surrounded by excited shepherds reassuring them that this was real. God shows up. And Mary treasured all that happened in her heart.
In 2019 treasure those moments when God shows up - Kairos moments - and may your 2019 be full of treasured moments! God bless you!
Love Sarah
Dear friends,
Yes I know the Christmas season is over and now it might even be too late to wish you a Happy New Year (but I do!). Often we are so glad when the chaos of Christmas is passed, but I wonder if you would be willing to cast your mind back, and look for your treasures from Christmas. Mary, who was overwhelmed at becoming a new mum, to the Son of God no less and in less than ideal surroundings, takes time to treasure in her heart all that happened.
It is easy for us to get stuck in the commercialism and materialism of Christmas, but like the wise men (this is their season in the Church year (Epiphany)), sometimes we need to push on and find the real reason for the season. The text that the chief priests read to Herod spoke of the Messiah coming from Bethlehem. A small place, insignificant even, becomes the place for God. No palace, no capital city, no Jerusalem – but Bethlehem. Real treasure, the kind that matters, is often found in the unlikeliest of places and people, like God with us – Jesus Christ.
As we journey into a New Year, full as it is birthdays, events, and anniversaries, as well as milestones, health issues, even grief and loss, take time to treasure the moments, the gifts, the kindnesses, the love, trusting God with them all. Sometimes that will mean letting go of your pride, your need to be in control, your cynicism and doubt, your fear and allow others to give you treasure. The treasure of comfort, of love, of peace, of Christ, of faith, of presence, of wisdom. These treasures of God, from God, through others, will help 2019 be a year worth having! Jesus said: ‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’.
There are many things I treasure from my Christmas season. Time spent with family - most definitely (yes really!), time spent with friends whether chatting on the sofa or welcoming the bells together over a sparkle filled glass - absolutely. Gifts given and received, messages of peace, hope and love through cards, social media and encounters - all are treasures. For me, my treasure in Christmas was found in how God took the little I had to give and multiplied it a thousand fold. His presence in the Watchnight service, reminiscent of a small animal shelter in intimacy (but not smell thankfully!). His strength given in communion in a sheltered housing complex and in candlelight. For me, I will treasure those moments when God showed up, and I don’t mean that flippantly. Sometimes, when you just can’t see the next step, the next moment, God shows up. A worn out couple given a shelter with animals to bring the Son of God into the world surrounded by excited shepherds reassuring them that this was real. God shows up. And Mary treasured all that happened in her heart.
In 2019 treasure those moments when God shows up - Kairos moments - and may your 2019 be full of treasured moments! God bless you!
Love Sarah
Friday, 5 October 2018
Sabbath - Divine Gift to Humanity
Over the past couple of weeks we have been considering Sabbath, particularly in the context of rest or simply taking time out. We thought about how we might consider our time and where we regularly lose it, and how we might put that time to better use. I fully admit that this is easier said than done. But I believe if we truly want to make a difference in our secular world, if we are to live gospel lives we need to embrace parts of our faith we readily ignore. But like we looked at just a few weeks ago, knowledge without experience is lacking substance.
So let’s dig a bit deeper into Sabbath, and ponder how we might embrace this part of our faith (with thanks to Life:Balance by R Warren and S Mayfield).
Sabbath is about stillness. The word ‘Sabbath’ comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat which means to pause, to cease and to be still. It is an opportunity to get off the treadmill and reflect on our values and priorities. Remember, if you don’t set your priorities, others will do it for you. Sabbath gives us an opportunity to see where others have set them, and how far they have taken us from God, or faith, or integrity.
Sabbath is about rhythm, based as we heard last week from Deuteronomy, on the fact that God created the world in 6 days and on the 7th day he rested. Whether you are building in Sabbath moments into each day, and into the week, indeed into the seasons of the year, rhythm brings structure and stability.
Sabbath is a gift, as we mentioned in the all-age message. It is not intended as a burden. We don’t so much practise Sabbath as receive it.
Sabbath is about refreshment – it isn’t just about doing no work, although that is important. It is about restoration, creativity and play, things we often miss out on or feel guilty about. Crashing in front of the television at the end of a busy day isn’t Sabbath rest. Watching a programme that draws you in, and involves you is different. What actually restores you?
Sabbath is about freedom – about liberation, wholeness and well-being. We all know this from the mindfulness movement, or the ‘me-time’ movement or even new age or hippy type movements. Schools now put a lot of focus on health and well-being, and studies are being done into resilience and well-being amongst ministers.
Sabbath is holy – like I keep saying, if it is good enough for God, it has to be good enough for us.
Both of our readings today pick up important aspects to the Sabbath. In Nehemiah, we find that he has done a ton of work helping to rebuild Jerusalem. He is a busy man, a righteous man, who has faced down bullies and saboteurs. Now he deals with those who would break the Sabbath through work and trade. I can believe that Nehemiah would have been heartbroken at our Sunday trading laws. Nehemiah knew that the Sabbath was holy and therefore was to honour God. He also knew that it was good for the people. It is easy to slip into bad habits, especially when they look ok. It was convenient to have trade all week long, and of course, for the traders with fresh stock they want it sold. But what happens to the gift of the Sabbath? And what happens to worship, restoration, freedom when others things crowd in?
Isaiah 58 puts it like this:
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the Lord.
Nehemiah recognised this, but primarily in how the Sabbath keeps us centred on God. The Sabbath reminded the Israelites that all things come from God – that he is the source of life and salvation, that life is a gift to be treasured and enjoyed. Jesus reminds us of this in the other passage that we heard today.
He challenged the Pharisees’ hollow, hair splitting observance of the rules of the Sabbath, restoring the person-centredness and well-being that are at the heart of the true Sabbath keeping. In Christ’s time there were 1,521 things that you were banned from doing on the Sabbath – including rescuing a drowning man. For Nehemiah, it was closing the gates and stopping trade and work for people and animals alike. For Jesus, he had to go further and remind the Jews that the Sabbath was a benefit for humankind, and an opportunity to bless and enrich others.
As you consider the Sabbath, what comes to mind for you? Is it wasted time or well used time? Do you praise someone for having time off or do you make a cheeky or derogatory comment? Do you find yourself too exhausted to even enjoy a day off? As you look at your own life, how might you incorporate some Sabbath rhythms – restoring mind, body and soul? As you look at how you interact in the lives of others, how might you enable them to take Sabbath time? And how might you help build rhythms of Sabbath rest into the life of the church, the community and the home?
Consider Sabbath days – a whole day to sabbath activities of resting, enjoying, receiving, sharing and celebrating.
Consider Sabbath moments – opportunities to be still, to receive, to appreciate, simply to enjoy. Could you bring them into meetings at work? Moments just to be still.
Consider Sabbath attitudes – sabbath moments bring about attitudes of thanksgiving to God, appreciation of others and the enjoyment of life, love and everything around us.
Consider Sabbath seasons – maybe 40 days in the wilderness is a bit much but extended resting, stopping, waiting, periods such as holidays, sabbaticals, between jobs, career breaks challenge us to enjoy what is for a season.
However we do it, practising and exploring Sabbath will have a profound effect on our well being, our spirituality and our approach to life. I can guarantee that.
How might the Sabbath change your life? Might you live more joyfully in yourself, in your relationships and in your calling. And dare I suggest others might live more joyfully around you too…not just from your well-being, but through the modelling of Sabbath you bring to others.
How might Sabbath principles change the world?
To God be the glory now and forevermore. Amen.
So let’s dig a bit deeper into Sabbath, and ponder how we might embrace this part of our faith (with thanks to Life:Balance by R Warren and S Mayfield).
Sabbath is about stillness. The word ‘Sabbath’ comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat which means to pause, to cease and to be still. It is an opportunity to get off the treadmill and reflect on our values and priorities. Remember, if you don’t set your priorities, others will do it for you. Sabbath gives us an opportunity to see where others have set them, and how far they have taken us from God, or faith, or integrity.
Sabbath is about rhythm, based as we heard last week from Deuteronomy, on the fact that God created the world in 6 days and on the 7th day he rested. Whether you are building in Sabbath moments into each day, and into the week, indeed into the seasons of the year, rhythm brings structure and stability.
Sabbath is a gift, as we mentioned in the all-age message. It is not intended as a burden. We don’t so much practise Sabbath as receive it.
Sabbath is about refreshment – it isn’t just about doing no work, although that is important. It is about restoration, creativity and play, things we often miss out on or feel guilty about. Crashing in front of the television at the end of a busy day isn’t Sabbath rest. Watching a programme that draws you in, and involves you is different. What actually restores you?
Sabbath is about freedom – about liberation, wholeness and well-being. We all know this from the mindfulness movement, or the ‘me-time’ movement or even new age or hippy type movements. Schools now put a lot of focus on health and well-being, and studies are being done into resilience and well-being amongst ministers.
Sabbath is holy – like I keep saying, if it is good enough for God, it has to be good enough for us.
Both of our readings today pick up important aspects to the Sabbath. In Nehemiah, we find that he has done a ton of work helping to rebuild Jerusalem. He is a busy man, a righteous man, who has faced down bullies and saboteurs. Now he deals with those who would break the Sabbath through work and trade. I can believe that Nehemiah would have been heartbroken at our Sunday trading laws. Nehemiah knew that the Sabbath was holy and therefore was to honour God. He also knew that it was good for the people. It is easy to slip into bad habits, especially when they look ok. It was convenient to have trade all week long, and of course, for the traders with fresh stock they want it sold. But what happens to the gift of the Sabbath? And what happens to worship, restoration, freedom when others things crowd in?
Isaiah 58 puts it like this:
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the Lord.
Nehemiah recognised this, but primarily in how the Sabbath keeps us centred on God. The Sabbath reminded the Israelites that all things come from God – that he is the source of life and salvation, that life is a gift to be treasured and enjoyed. Jesus reminds us of this in the other passage that we heard today.
He challenged the Pharisees’ hollow, hair splitting observance of the rules of the Sabbath, restoring the person-centredness and well-being that are at the heart of the true Sabbath keeping. In Christ’s time there were 1,521 things that you were banned from doing on the Sabbath – including rescuing a drowning man. For Nehemiah, it was closing the gates and stopping trade and work for people and animals alike. For Jesus, he had to go further and remind the Jews that the Sabbath was a benefit for humankind, and an opportunity to bless and enrich others.
As you consider the Sabbath, what comes to mind for you? Is it wasted time or well used time? Do you praise someone for having time off or do you make a cheeky or derogatory comment? Do you find yourself too exhausted to even enjoy a day off? As you look at your own life, how might you incorporate some Sabbath rhythms – restoring mind, body and soul? As you look at how you interact in the lives of others, how might you enable them to take Sabbath time? And how might you help build rhythms of Sabbath rest into the life of the church, the community and the home?
Consider Sabbath days – a whole day to sabbath activities of resting, enjoying, receiving, sharing and celebrating.
Consider Sabbath moments – opportunities to be still, to receive, to appreciate, simply to enjoy. Could you bring them into meetings at work? Moments just to be still.
Consider Sabbath attitudes – sabbath moments bring about attitudes of thanksgiving to God, appreciation of others and the enjoyment of life, love and everything around us.
Consider Sabbath seasons – maybe 40 days in the wilderness is a bit much but extended resting, stopping, waiting, periods such as holidays, sabbaticals, between jobs, career breaks challenge us to enjoy what is for a season.
However we do it, practising and exploring Sabbath will have a profound effect on our well being, our spirituality and our approach to life. I can guarantee that.
How might the Sabbath change your life? Might you live more joyfully in yourself, in your relationships and in your calling. And dare I suggest others might live more joyfully around you too…not just from your well-being, but through the modelling of Sabbath you bring to others.
How might Sabbath principles change the world?
To God be the glory now and forevermore. Amen.
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