Month: July 2013

The scheme for July and August can be found here

Ecc 1-4; Matt 26:1-35; Psalm 92-93

Here in Matthew we find a slight different of emphasis regarding the woman who anoints Jesus, compared especially with the account of John. For it is the disciple body as a whole which condemns the woman’s actions – Judas only comes into view following the incident. We would do well to ponder Matthews account – for we too are here.

How scrupulous we can be with money – in comparison with the radical generosity of the woman. Money blinds us to what is going on around us. The disciples see waste in a generous act of Love. Perhaps the lesson here is that ‘waste’ is perhaps a theme alien to the counsels of God, who scatters where he will, who allows the rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Jesus rebuke is highly significant – there is surely the suggestion that had the disciples the money, they wouldn’t waste it on the poor either – for the ‘poor you will always have you’. Knowing the endless refrain of the Law, ‘that there shall be no poor amongst you’ – Jesus warns the disciples that they themselves may not enter into the radical generosity of God which is his will for his people.

For a Jew to hear the words ‘you will always have the poor with you’, can be nothing more than a rebuke for their failure to believe.

The scheme for July and August can be found here

2 Ch 7-9; Matt 25; Psalm 91

The ‘parable of the talents’ needs reconsidering. After all those who seek to undo any sense that Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, have made of it a story against the master – it is turned into a broad and vague socio economic story.

But to do this as so many do in one way or another, is merely to ‘seek the historical Jesus and see the reflection of our own face staring back up at us.’ If nothing else, let us allow that there is a natural justice in the treatment of the third slave, who knows not whose servant he is.

Then again its meaning is lost because of the transfer of the word ‘talent’ from its original usage as a sum of money – to that of ‘natural abilities’ Many a school assembly and Sunday School address has focussed on making the best use of our talents . . .

But that too is surely to miss the point. It is hard to read the Scriptures and see therein a ringing endorsement for such an outlook on life. The Apostle Paul for example lays down all his ‘natural’ gifting in the proclamation of the gospel, and throughout the disciples are never shown as in any sense ‘talented’ individuals.

Of course these two approaches both make it primarily a story about us – Our reading of the parable – Our talents. Whereas the focus of Scripture and the Christian life is not us, but the Glory of God.

So we must ask, what is it that Jesus entrusts to his followers? In a word, Himself. His Life. The glorious gospel of eternal life. Surely the three slaves reveal those who do and do not ‘walk in the light as he is in the light’ – their lives bear much fruit, or none at all.

The third slave is the one who because of his hostility to his master refuses to walk in the light. As of old so many of the children of Israel had similarly refused the light of the World, as did the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

The slave in refusing the light, will in the end walk in darkness.

This parable also is found to be authentic, because it places our active obedience first, which we find to be so often the principle. ‘Forgive us, as we forgive’. ‘Give and it will be given to you’. ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy’.

The scheme for July and August can be found here

2 Ch 5-6; Matt 24; Psalm 90

Two points to ponder from our gospel reading today

Firstly regarding the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. As we know Jesus Christ is himself that new temple. As we his church are his body, what does that mean for us (questions of church buildings aside – after all even house churches meet in a building 🙂 )

Secondly regarding watchfulness. Here Jesus gives us two different accounts of what that means. On the one hand we are to read the signs of the times for his appearing. This requires a two fold sensitivity – to his Spirit and to the world in which we live. Secondly, Jesus tells us that the Son of Man will come ‘at an unexpected hour’. Thus we are to be alert.

Both accounts coincide in the need to be attentive to him. Peter in his final encounter with Jesus in John’s gospel, is distracted by the beloved disciple. ‘What about him?’ he asks. Jesus tells Peter that that is not his concern – he is to follow. We are a very distracted people in a very distracted age. We pray less than ever, we read the scriptures less. Put differently we are less attentive and ‘give too much time to indifferent things’ [Cardinal Joseph Surin]

We should Hear the words of Christ.

The scheme for July and August can be found here

Prov 30-31; Matt 22; Psalm 89:1-18

The theme of great reversals is accentuated as the shadow of the Cross, the Door to Life, draws ever nearer. Those who considered themselves to be on the inside, hear the creak of the hinge. They have made light of the gracious invitation of the King.

When our lives are full of many things, we too stand in peril of ignoring this invitation. Our hands like that of the Rich young man are full of possessions. Land and business to be done. We scarce pay any attention to how peripheral to our lives God has become. We have reduced him to pithy messages or ‘truths’ and carried on with business as usual, whilst a feast is prepared under our noses.

The scheme for July and August can be found here

Prov 28-29; Matt 21; Psalm 87-88

In this chapter of Matthew – we have a significant reminder, of the prior work of John the Baptist. Preparing the hearts of people that they might receive life.

Those who knew themselves to be sinners, repented and thus the way was clear for them with great rejoicing to receive the Lord who comes to his temple.

Then there are those, starkly represented by the Pharisees, who like the rich young man rest on their own righteousness (or for a modern twist, their own spirituality, indeed their own ‘relationship with Jesus’) and do not repent by living in the simple generosity which reveals our nature as children of God.

They do not have the joy of ‘the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’.

The scheme for July and August can be found here

Prov 26-27; Matt 20; Psalm 86

Not getting what we are expecting is also a running theme through the gospels. As we remarked yesterday, the Gospel is a great reversal. We see this plainly in the embodiment of the gospel, Jesus Christ. The eternal son of God, who empties himself and becomes nothing.

Not getting what we are expecting is of course two sided – we may end up with far more or indeed far less . . . and of course it is also a matter of our hearts

So the workers who slave all through the heat of the day, receive a days wage, but comparing themselves with others and the wage They receive -think themselves harshly done by. They cannot rejoice in the generosity of God (much as the elder brother cannot). To pick up a common theme in Matthew – ‘they have received their reward’.

Perhaps there is a very profound truth here – that to some degree it is how we see that determines our joy – or lack of it.

The scheme for July and August can be found here

Prov 24-25; Matt 19; Psalm 84-85

The Kingdom of God is one of great reversals – Blessed are those who to our eyes do not appear to be blessed. The least, the children, to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus, the Living Gospel, reverses all that we hold to be true. To be rich is no blessing – to have nothing is to inherit the earth – the first shall be last and the last first.

The parallel between the children and the rich young man is stark, but we often do not hear them in the juxtaposition which the evangelists present us with. Here the metaphor of reversal is made absolutely clear. In the eyes of the world the rich male has it all. Of course, we might argue that it is all a matter of degrees, that ‘perfection’ is not required of us – but this ‘perfection’ is commanded. ‘Be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect’.

It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven – this is Jesus’ plain teaching. For it is not that we have possessions, but that they have us. We may well say – they mean nothing to me, but when the demands of the Kingdom stare us in the face, in the face of one who has nothing, a child, a hungry person, a homeless person . . . all of a sudden they mean much to us.

All too readily we sink back into a form of Christianity which denies the plain teaching of Jesus. And miss out on Life.

This life is revealed in Peter’s outburst. they have left what seems to be much, but they have inherited far far more. Whatever we leave behind to follow Jesus, is as nothing compared with that which we find. There is no gold or palace or indeed bond of kinship which is not rendered invisible in comparison with the treasure of Life in the Kingdom.

Our problem is that we do not believe this

 

The scheme for July and August can be found here

Prov 22-23; Matt 18; Psalm 83

Matthew 18 puts together the themes of the dread full nature of sin, the absolute requirement of forgiveness and how this discipline it to be exercised in the community of faith. [None of the gospel makes any sense outside of this community – it is the place where the Gospel is enacted ‘You are the Light of the World’]

Firstly we read of the nature of the disciple – they are children, and thus they are to be treated with utmost care. This is the root of church discipline – of Life Together – every member is a precious child of God.

So it is literally a Terrible thing even to tempt another to sin – so calamatous for us is sin. I suggest that we all too often forget this.

But sin – must not have the last word – so if one of the little ones strays – they MUST be sought – they must be brought back to the fold.

Jesus explains how this is to happen in practical terms. It has been said before, but it is worth repeating, that how we handle sin in church is almost always the exact opposite of this. Jesus commands that the one who has sinned is to be approached privately – then if must be, with two witnesses – then if must be, before the whole congregation. How often does one sinned against howl with indignation to the whole church? How infrequently are the words of Jesus acted on? This is a sign that we are far far more concerned about the temporary damage sin has done to us, than we are about the possibly eternal damage sinning has done to the perpetrator.

Which is also why the command to forgive sticks in our craw – for we will not lay down our life for the brethren.

But that being the case – we find ourselves outside of the forgiveness of God.

This is no small matter